Achu's Recipes

Pazham Pulissery is a Kerala style side dish, which is being prepared by cooking banana in yogurt and coconut paste. Ingredients Banana Nendram (ripe) - 1 no: Thick Curd - 1/2 cup Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup Garlic - 3-4 petals Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Green Chilli - 2-3 nos: Salt - as required Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp Shallots - 3-4 (finely chopped) Curry Leaves - as required (finely chopped) Red Chilli - 1-2 nos: Asafoetida Powder - a pinch Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp Preparation Method Peel off the skin and the thread of the banana, cut into thin slices; keep aside. Grind coconut, cumin seeds, garlic to a smooth paste by adding 1/4 cup water and keep aside. Whisk the curd properly so that no lump should be there; keep aside. In a wok cook sliced banana by adding 1/2 cup water, slit green chilies, and turmeric powder. When the banana cook properly, mash it slightly with a wooden spatula. Add the coconut paste and salt and c...

Ingredients Onion - 2 nos: Carrot - 2 nos: Potato - 2 nos: Beans - 6-8 nos: Refined Oil - 4-5 tbsp Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp Salt - as required Fresh Cream - 3 tbsp Coriander Leaves - as required (finely chopped) For Gravy Onion - 1 (cut into cubes) Tomato  - 1 (cut into cubes) Ginger - 1 small piece Garlic - 5-6 petals Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp Garam Masala - 2 tsp Preparation Method Grind the ingredients for gravy to a smooth paste without adding water and keep aside. In a wok bring oil to heat and saute the vegetables separately with a pinch of salt, till the vegetables are half cooked. Remove the vegetables from oil and keep aside. In the same wok bring 1 tbsp oil to heat and splutter cumin seeds. Add the ground paste to the oil and saute in low flame till nice aroma comes out. Add 1/2 cup water to the masala, mix well and bring the masala to boil. Add the sauteed vegetable to the gravy, mix well and adjust the salt. Coo...

Lotus Seeds health benefits includes managing diabetes, treating insomnia, supporting stomach health, slowing down aging process, supporting oral health, and providing instant energy. Other benefits supporting pregnancy, treating ulcers or sore mouths, supporting a healthy appetite, improving urination, maintaining blood pressure, supporting cardiovascular health and healing inflammation and infection. Ingredients Lotus Seed - 1 cup Onion - 1 large (finely chopped) Tomato Puree - 1/2 cup (use 2 tomatoes) Potato - 1 medium (cut into cubes) Ginger - Garlic Paste - 1 tsp Cashew Nuts - handfull Fresh Cream - 2tbsp Bay Leaf - 1 Cloves - 3-4 Cinnamon - 1 small stick Cardamom - 4-5 Chilli Powder - 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp Oil - 2 tbsp Salt - as required Corriander Leaves - as required Preparation Method Dry roast the lotus seed till it puffed up and keep aside. Soak the cashew nuts and grind to fine paste and keep aside.  Heat oil in a thick bottom pa...

Ingredients Egg - 3 nos: Onion - 3 nos: (finley chopped) Tomato - 1 no: (finely chopped) Ginger - Garlic Paste - 1 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Garam Masala - 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp Oil - 3-4 tbsp Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp Curry Leaves - as required Salt - as required Corriander Leaves - 1 tsp Preparation Method Heat oil in a flat, thick-bottom pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add onion and saute in medium flame till onion become translucent. Add curry leaves, salt and ginger-garlic paste; saute till onion turn slightly turn into brown. Add tomato and saute till tomato become soft. Add turmeric powder, corriander powder and chilli powder and saute for 2 mins: Add 1cup water, mix well; adjuct the salt and cook till the gravy become thick, keeping the lid closed. When the gravy become thick, make 3 small holes in the gravy; crack open the egg (make sure that yolk is intact) and place into the gravy. Sprinkle salt on top of each egg; keep the lid close an...

Ingredients Chicken - 1 Kg (cleaned and cut into medium sized pieces) Onion - 3 medium (finely chopped) Garlic - 1 pod (finely chopped) Ginger - 1 medium piece (finely chopped) Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp Garam Masala Powder - 1 tbsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Coconut - 1/2 cup (finely chopped) Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves - handfull Salt - as required Preparation Method Heat oil in a thick bottom wok and splutter mustard seeds. Add finely chopped coconut, onion, garlic, ginger and saute well. When onion become slightly golden brown, add curry leaves and saute. Add chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and saute in low flame for 1 min:. Add chicken pieces and saute for 2-3 mins:. Add 1/2 cup hot water and salt and allow it to boil. Once the chicken start to boil, reduce flame, keep the lid closed and cook till the chicken is done. Chicken Mulakittathu taste good with appam, puttu or rice.

Ingredients Paneer - 200 gms: Onion - 4 nos:  Tomato - 2 nos:  Cashew Nuts - 10-15 nos: Fresh Cream - 100 ml Butter - 100 gms: Red Chili Powder - 2 tbsp Garam Masala - 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tsp Salt - as required Preparation Method Soak cashew nuts in half cup lukewarm water and keep aside for 10-15 mins: Grind  separately  onion, tomato and soaked cashew nuts to a fine paste and keep aside. Cut paneer into 1inch cubes and keep aside. In a thick bottom wok melt butter and fry the paneer till all the sides of the paneer cubes turns to slightly golden brown. Remove paneer from butter and keep aside. To the butter add onion paste, ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of onion disappear. Add tomato paste and salt saute till the butter start appearing on the sides of the wok. Add chili powder, garam masala and saute in low flame for 2  more mins: Add cashew paste and fresh cream, mix well and cook in low flame till boil...

Ingredients Prawns - 500 gms: Coconut (chopped) - 1 cup Shallots (small onion) - 1 cup (chopped) Chilli Powder - 1 tsp Pepper Powder - 2 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Green Chilli - 2-3 (split into half) Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tsp Coconut Oil - 5 tbsp Curry Leaves - as required Thick Coconut Milk - 1 cup Salt - as required Preparation Method In a wok, bring oil to heat and add shallots, ginger-garlic paste and green chilli and saute for 5 mins: in low flame. Add coconut and saute till the color of the coconut start changing. Add chilli powder, pepper powder and turmeric powder and saute in low flame for 1 min: Add prawns, salt and 1/4 cup of water; mix well and cook in low flame till the color of the prawns change to slight pink (roughly 5-7 mins:). Add coconut milk, curry leaves and mix well and cook till coconut milk start to boil. Remove from heat, add some more curry leaves and keep the lid closed for 5 mins: The rich, creamy Prawns Masala is ready to ...

Ingredients Chicken - 500 gms: (cut into small pieces) Curd - 2 tbsp Red Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tsp Onion - 4 nos: (chopped) Tomato - 2 nos: (pureed) Whole Spices (Cardamon, Cinnamon, Cloves) - 2-3 nos: each Cashew Paste - 2 tbsp Fresh Cream - 2 tbsp Butter - 50 gms: Oil - 2 tbsp Salt - as required Kasoori Methi - 1 tbsp  Preparation Method Marinate the chicken with curd, ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, salt and refrigerate for 1 hour. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degree C for 10 mins:. Grill the marinated chicken pieces at 200 degree C for 30 mins: flipping in between. In a wok, heat oil, splutter whole spices, add onion and saute till onion become slightly brown in color, remove from flame and allow  it to cool down. Once onion is cool down, make paste of the onion. In a wok bring butter to heat, add the onion paste and saute till onion paste become brown in color. Add in coriander leaves, tomato puree and saute till b...

Ingredients Paneer (Cottage Cheese) - 200 gms: (cut into cubes) Onion - 3 nos: (chopped) Tomato - 2 nos: (pureed) Whole Spices (Cardamon, Cinnamon, Cloves) - 2-3 nos: each Cashew Paste - 2 tbsp Fresh Cream - 2 tbsp Butter - 50 gms: Chilli Powder - 2 tsp Salt - as required Preparation Method In a wok, heat 25 gms: of butter and saute paneer cubes for 2 mins: Remove paneer from wok and splutter whole spices in that wok. Add onion and saute till onion become slightly brown in color, remove from flame and allow  it to cool down. Once onion is cool down, make paste of the onion. In a wok bring remaining butter to heat and add the onion paste and saute till onion paste become brown in color. Add in tomato puree and saute till butter separates. Add chilli powder and saute for 2 mins: Add paneer cubes, salt and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and cook for 5 mins: Reduce the flame and add cashew paste and mix well. Switch of the flame when the gravy starts to bubbl...

Ingredients Beetroot - 1 medium (finely grated) Green Chili - 2-3 nos:  Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Grated Coconut - 1 cup Cumin - 1/2 tsp Mustard - 1/2 tsp Yogurt / Curd - 1/2 - 3/4 cup Coconut Oil - 2tsp Curry Leaves - as required Salt - as required Preparation Method Grind the grated coconut, 2 green chili and cumin seeds to a very fine paste adding water, if required. Now add 1/4 tsp mustard to this paste and give 2-3 pulses. Keep this paste aside. Add grated beetroot, turmeric powder, salt, 1/4 cup of water to a cooking pan and mix well.  Cook till the beetroot is done (about 10-15 mins:) in low flame. Add the ground coconut mixture and crushed mustard to the cooked beetroot  mix well and cook for a few minutes at low heat,until the raw taste of coconut goes off. Add yogurt, mix well and remove from flame. In a pan bring coconut oil to heat, splutter mustard seeds, fry 1-2 green chilies and add curry leaves. Pour it over the pachadi and mix ...

Ingredients Eggs- 3 nos: (hard boiled) Onion - 3 nos: (finely sliced) Ginger -1 tsp (chopped) Garlic - 1 tsp  (chopped) Curry leaves - as required Water-1/4 cup to 1/2 cup Oil - 5 tbsp Salt - as required Kashmiri Chili Powder- 1 tsp  Coriander Powder - 2 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp Preparation Method Combine the masala powders with water to form a smooth paste and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, add onion, ginger, garlic and curry leaves.  Saute over medium flame till onion turns golden brown. Reduce the flame to low and add salt, the masala paste, saute till the raw smell of masala goes off (4 to 5 mins). Add water, mix well and bring to boil. Add the sliced eggs, cover the eggs with the gravy, cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve  the hot Egg Roast with Idiyappam or Appam .

Ingredients Pineapple (ripe, cut into small pieces)  - 1/2 cup Grated Coconut - 1 cup Red Chili - 4 nos: Coconut Oil - 2 tsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - 2-3 stems Salt - as required Preparation Method Grind together  pineapple, coconut and red chili by adding sufficient water. In a wok bring coconut oil to heat and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add grounded pineapple-coconut and salt and mix well. Once the boil start coming from the sides of the wok, remove from flame and mix well. Pineapple is ready to be served with dosa / ghee roast / onion roast / masala dosa / ada dosa / idly.

Ingredients Vegetables (Potato, Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower) cut into medium pieces - 1/2 cup each Green Peas - 1/2 cup Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Onion - 2 nos: (finely chopped) Green Chilli - 3 nos: (finely chopped) Ginger - 1 inch piece (finely chopped) Salt - as required Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves - 2-3 stems (finely chopped) Grated Coconut - 1 cup Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp Preparation Method Cook vegetables and green peas in cup of water by adding turmeric powder and salt.  Grind grated coconut and cumin seeds to a fine paste and keep aside. In a wok bring oil to heat, splutter mustard seeds; then add ginger, green chili and onion and saute till onion become transparent. Add cooked vegetables and coconut paste; mix well and cook in low flame keeping the lid closed for about 10 mins: Check for salt; switch off the flame; add curry leaves and keep the lid closed for 5 mins: Open the lid and mix well. Vegetable Kuruma is ready...

Its Jack fruit time........ :) Most of the Keralites are experimenting variety dishes from jack fruit and its seed. Even if we are staying out of Kerala, we managed to get 12-15 jack fruit flesh, that we finished it in no time, but I kept the seed to make some gravy with mango, which is a popular dish in Central Travancore. Ingredients Jack fruit Seed - 12-15 nos: (remove the outer skin and the brown skin and cut into pieces) Mango - 1 small (cut into pieces) Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Grated Coconut - 1 cup Green Chilli - 2-3 nos: Garlic - 4-5 petals Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp Red Chilli - 2 nos: Curry Leaves - as required Salt - as required Preparation Method Grind together coconut, green chilli, garlic, cumin seeds to a fine paste by adding some water and keep aside. In a deep bottom pan cook well jack fruit seed and mango by adding 1 cup of water and turmeric powder. Once the  jack fruit seed is cooked and coconut paste and salt and...

Ingredients Sardine (Mathi) -1/2 Kg (cleaned whole fish) Onion - 3 nos: (thinly sliced) Garlic - 10 petals (chopped) Ginger - 1 medium piece (chopped) Tomato - 1 big (sliced) Chilli Powder - 3 tsp Fenugreek Powder - 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp Curry Leaves - as requited Salt - as requited  Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Water - 3 cups Preparation Method In a wok bring oil to heat and splutter mustard seeds. Add onion, ginger and garlic and saute till they become transparent. Add tomato and curry leaves and saute for 2 mins: Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and fenugreek powder and fry till the foul smell goes off. Add water and salt and bring to boil. (if you want more thin gravy add more water). Add fish and bring to boil; once it starts boil, bring down the flame to low, keep the lid closed and cook for 10-12 mins: Remove from flame, thrown in some curry leaves and keep the lid closed for 10mins: Spicy Mathi Cu...

Ingredients Prawns - 500 gms: Onion - 2 big (finely chopped) Tomato - small ( finely chopped) Garlic - 5-6 petals (crushed) Chili Powder - 2 tsp Coriander  Powder - 2 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves - 2-3 stems Oil - 2 tbsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Salt - as required Preparation Method Clean the prawns, wash clean and remove water. In a wok, bring oil to heat and splutter mustard seeds. Add garlic and roast till smell goes off. Add onion, tomato and saute till onion turns light brown in color. Lower the flame, add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and saute for 1 min:  Add 1/2 cup of water and salt and boil. Add prawns and cook for 10 mins: in low flame. Add curry leaves, mix well and remove from flame. Prawns Roast or Prawns Masala is ready to serve with appam / rice. Note:- Once the prawns is cooked well, the tail part below dark orange in color. 

Rasam is a thin, very spicy southern Indian soup served with other dishes, typically as a drink. Rasam can even work as a medicine, when you are suffering from cold and fever. It is a combination of sweet, sour and spicy tastes. Ingredients Ripe Tomatoes - 2 nos: Whole Pepper - 10 nos: Cumin (Jeera) - 2 tsp: Garlic Flakes - 3 nos: Chopped Coriander leaves - 2 tsp Salt - as required Oil - 1 tsp Red Chilli - 2 nos: Curry leaves - 4-5 nos: Rasam Powder - 1  tsp Jaggery – 1/2 tsp Asafoetida - a pinch Preparation Method Blanch tomatoes in hot water, take out the skin and mash or grind the pulp. Add lot of water to the pulp, salt, rasam powder and jaggery and mash well either with hand or with a hand blender. Powder pepper, cumin, garlic coarsely. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, red chilli. Once they crackle add powdered pepper, garlic,  asafoetida and f ry for 1min: Add tomato rasam, b oil well for 5-10 mins: add...

Ingredients Kadala / Bengal Gram - 2 cups s Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Salt - as required Sliced Coconut Pieces (thenga kothu ) - 3 tbsp Onion - 1 large (chopped) Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp Coriander Powder - 3 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Small Onions /  Shallots  - 4 sliced Red Chillies-2 Curry Leaves -  2-3 stems Coconut oil - 3 tbsp Preparation Method Soak the dried kadala / bengal gram overnight and cook with turmeric powder, salt and sufficient water. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add the sliced pearl onions and saute for 2-3mins: Add chopped onion, saute till it turns slight golden brown. Add  sliced coconut, roast until it turns reddish brown. Add red chilly powder and coriander powder and mix till the smell goes off. Add cooked kadala and bring to boil. Add more water if you want thinner gravy. Boil for 10mins: in low flame. Kadala / Bengal Gram Curry is ready to serve with appam / puttu / idiyappam. For Id...

Ingredients Pineapple (ripe) - 1 medium (crushed or finely chopped) Grapes (Black and Green) - 10-15nos: Green Chili - 2-3 nos: (chopped) Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Grated Jagery or Sugar - 2 tsp (optional) Grated Coconut - 1 cup Cumin - 1/2 tsp Mustard - 1/2 tsp Yogurt / Curd - 1/2 - 3/4 cup Coconut Oil - 2tsp Red Chili - 2-3 nos: Curry Leaves - as required Salt - as required Preparation Method Grind the grated coconut and cumin seeds to a very fine paste adding water, if required. Now add 1/4 tsp mustard to this paste and give 2-3 pulses. Keep this paste aside. Add crushed pineapple, green chili, turmeric powder, salt, 1/4 cup of water to a cooking pan and mix well. Add jagery or sugar if you like more sweet. Cook till the pineapple is done and water got evaporated, for 10-15 mins: in low flame. Add grapes and cook for 3-4mins: Add the ground coconut mixture and crushed mustard to the cooked pineapple and grapes, mix well and cook for a few minutes at low heat,u...

Ingredients Potato - 2nos: Onion - 1no: (finely chopped) Capsicum - 1no: (cut into cubes) Chat Masala - 1/2tsp Garam Masala - a pinch Salt - as required Oil - 1tbsp Cumin Seeds - 1/2tsp Turmeric Powder - a pinch Coriander leaves - 2tbs (finely chopped)  Preparation Method Pressure cook potatoes by adding salt and turmeric powder, peel and cut into cubes. In a kadai bring oil to heat and splutter cumin seeds. Add onion and saute until golden. Add capsicum and saute for a minute. Add salt (if required), garam masala and chat masala and mix well. Add potatoes and give a nice stir. Remove from flame, add chopped coriander and transfer to a bowl. Enjoy Potato-Capsicum Roast with Roti / Chappathi.