Achu's Recipes

Rasavada is an evening snacks popular in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala and part of Tamilnadu. It is combination of vada and rasam. Preparation of Rasam Ingredients Ripe Tomatoes - 4 nos: (finely chopped) Crushed Pepper - 1-2 tbsp Garlic - 1 pod (crushed) Ginger - 1 tbsp (crushed) Chopped Coriander leaves - 2 tsp Oil - 3 tsp Red Chilli - 2 nos: Curry leaves - 4-5 nos: Asafoetida - a pinch Salt - as required Preparation Method Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, red chilli. Once they crackle add crushed garlic and ginger; fry for till nice aroma comes out. Add tomato, mix well and cook in low flame keeping the lid closed till tomato become mushy. Add 4 cups of water and boil. Add salt, 1 tbsp crushed pepper, and asafoetida. Boil for another 5min:. Check for salt and spiciness; add more salt and/or crushed pepper as per your taste. Add coriander leaves and boil i n low flame for another 5mins: and keep aside. Preparation of Vada Ingredients Parip...

Ingredients Paneer (cut into 1 inch cubes) - 100 gms:  Green Peas (Frozen) - 50 gms: Basmati Rice -  2 cups Thick Yogurt - 1/2 cup Chilli Powder - 1 tsp Garam Masala - 2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tsp Star Anise - 2-3 nos: Cloves - 3-4 nos: Bay Leaf - 1  Onion - 1 (finely chopped) Green Chilli - 2-3 nos: (sliced) Mint Leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp Cashew Nut (roasted) - 10-15 (optional) Ghee - 5 tbsp Oil - 2 tbsp Salt - as required Preparation Method Mix yogurt, chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and salt; add paneer cubes and coat the paneer with yogurt mix and refrigerate for 30 mins: Wash, and soak the rice for 20 mins:. Remove the water and keep in a strainer to remove excess water. In a large pot boil water by adding star anise, cloves, bay leaf, and salt. Once the water start to boil add rice and 1 tbsp ghee, stir well and cook till the rice is just done. Drain the water and transfer the rice t...

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...

Sweet Pongal is a delicious South Indian dish traditionally made to offer to God during special occasions and poojas. Sweet Pongal is known a s  Sarkkarai Pongal in Tamilnadu.  Ingredients Basmati / Sona Masoori Rice - 1 cup Moong Daal - 1/2 cup Jaggery - 1 cup Cardamom - 3-4 (crushed) Coconut Milk - 1 cup Ghee - 5 tbsp Cashew, Raisins - as required Preparation Method Dry roast the moong daal and rice separately till it is hot and keep aside. Wash clean the rice and moong daal and keep in a strainer. Melt the jaggery in 1/4 cup water, strain; keep aside. In a thick bottom cooker heat ghee, fry cashew nuts, raisins and keep aside. Add rice-daal, coconut milk, and 3.5 cups of water to the cooker; mix well, keep the lid closed and wait for 4-5 whistles. The rice has to be cooked in such a way that it should be soft and pulpy. Once the pressure subsides, open the cooker and mash the contents well when it is hot. Add jaggery syrup to the rice-moong daal mixture and co...

Ingredients All-Purpose Flour /  Maida - 1.5 cup Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp Warm Oil - 2 tbsp Salt - as required Water - as required Onion - 2 medium (finely chopped) Green Chilli - 1 (finely chopped) Ginger - 1 tsp (finely chopped) Tomato - 1 (finely chopped) Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp Garam Masala - 1 tsp Potato - 2 medium sizes (cooked) Green peas - 1 cup (cooked) Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp Salt - as required Coriander Leaves - 1 tsp (finely chopped) Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp (optional) Oil - as required to deep fry  Preparation Method Add flour, cumin seeds, salt, warm oil in a mixing bowl, and mix with hands till the flour become crumble. Gradually add water and prepare a firm dough. Apply 1 tsp oil on top of the dough, cover and keep aside for 30-45 mins: Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds. Add onion, green chilli, ginger and saute till onion become transparent. Add salt and tomato and cook for 3-4 mins: Add turmeric powd...

Ingredients For Batter Fine Rava / Sooji  - 1 cup (roasted) Thick Curd - 1 cup Green Chilli - 1 (crushed) Ginger - 1 tsp (crushed) Salt - as required Water - as required Eno Salt - 1 tsp / 5 gms:  For Thadka Oil - 2 tbsp Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp Green Chilli - 2-3 (slit) Curry Leaves - as required Asafoetida - a pinch Sugar - 2 tbsp Water - 1/4 cup For Garnishing Grated coconut - 2-3 tbsp (optional) Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) -  2-3 tbsp (optional) Preparation Method Mix rava, curd, crushed green chilli, ginger, salt; make a thick batter and keep aside for 30-45 mins: When rava becomes soft, add water and make a thick batter (batter consistency should be as that of idli batter). Grease a deep bottom wide tray with ghee and keep aside. Prepare the steamer and heat it up. Add Eno salt to the rava batter, mix well, and immediately transfer to the greased tray; tap the tray 2-3 times to remove the air bubbles. Steam cook the...

Ingredients Bitter gourd - 250 gms: Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp Onion - 1 (finely chopped) Tomato - 1 (finely chopped) Raw Mango (optional) - 1 small (finely chopped) Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp Salt - as required Oil - as required  Green Chilli - 2-3 nos: Curry Leaves - as required Preparation Method Clean the bitter gourd, remove seeds and cut into thin slices. Add salt, red chili powder to the bitter gourd; mix well, and dry in sunlight for 3-4 hours. (if sunlight is not available, spread in a kitchen towel and keep aside for 4-5 hours). This will help to remove excess water from the bitter gourd and will make bitter gourd crispy while frying. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the bitter gourd till it become crispy; remove from oil and transfer to a kitchen towel. Fry green chili, curry leaves; keep aside Add onion, tomato, mango, lemon juice, pepper powder to a mixing bowl; mix well, adjust salt. Add fried bitter gourd, green chili, curry ...

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...

Rice Kichadi is healthy, protein rich and comfort food especially for kids and sick. Kichdi is an easy to make, delicious, one pot meal. Ingredients Moong Daal - 1/2 cup Rice - 1/2 cup Ghee - 2 tbsp Cumin Seed - 1/2 tsp Bay Leaf - 1 Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tsp Green Chilli - 1 or 2 Onion - 1 (finely chopped) Tomato - 1 (finely chopped) Vegetables (carrot, beans, green peas) - 1 cup (optional) Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Water - 4 cups Salt - as required Coriander Leaves - as required Preparation Method Wash and soak rice and moong daal separately. After 15 mins, strain to remove excess water and keep aside. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and splutter cumin seeds and bay leaf; and ginger-garlic paste, green chilli and saute in low flame till nice aroma comes out. Add onion and saute till onion become transparent. Add tomato and cook till tomato become mushy. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida and saute for 1min: Add rice, moong daal and ...

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...

Ven Pongal or Khara Pongal is a popular breakfast in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.  Ven Pongal or Khara Pongal is  made with rice and yellow moong daal. Its an easy to make, healthy and delicious breakfast. Ingredients Rice - 1 cup Yellow Moong Daal - 1/2 cup Water - 4 and 1/2 cup Salt - as required Ghee - 5 tbsp Curry Leaves - as required Cashew Nuts - 10-15 nos: Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp Black Pepper - 1 tsp Asafoetida - a pinch (optional) Ginger - 1 tsp Preparation Method Dry roast the moong daal till its hot and keep aside. Wash clean the rice and moong daal and keep in strainer. In a thick bottom cooker heat ghee, fry cashew nuts and keep aside. To the ghee add finely chopped ginger, saute for 4-5sec:, then splutter pepper and cumin seeds. Add rice-daal, water and salt to the cooker; mix well, keep the lid closed and wait for  4-5 whistles. The rice has to be cooked in such a way that it should be soft and pulpy. Once the pressure su...

Ingredients Pasta - 250 gms: Butter - 2 tbsp Maida - 2 tsp Milk - 250 ml Grated Cheese - 50 gms: Onion - 2 tbsp (finely chopped) Garlic - 1 tsp (finely chopped) Pasta Mix - 1 tbsp Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Salt - as required Vegetables (optional) - 1/2 cup (finely chopped and cooked) Preparation Method Cook pasta as per the instructions in the packet, strain and keep aside. In a thick bottom wok, heat butter in low flame; saute onion and garlic. Add maida and saute for 1 min:. Add milk and cheese; stir continuosuly. Make sure that no lumps are formed. Once the white sauce starts to thicken add pasta mix, pepper powder, cooked vegetables and pasta and mix well. Adjust salt and cook for 2mins: Pasta in White Sauce is ready to enjoy. Notes:  If sauce become thick, add more milk and boil in low flame. While cooking pasta, if you add salt and 2tbsp oil to the water the pasta will not stick to each other.

Ingredients For Green Chutney Corriander Leaves - 1 cup (washed, cleaned and finely chopped) Mint Leaves (Pudina) - 8-10 nos: (washed, cleaned and finely chopped) Green Chilli - 1 Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp Sugar - 1 tsp Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp Salt - as required For Sandwich Sandwich Bread - 12 slices Cheese - 6 slices Tomato - 2  (cut into thin circles) Onion - 1  (cut into thin circles) Cucumber - 1/2 (cut into thin circles) Butter - as required Preparation Method Green Chutney Grind the ingredeints of green chutney to a smooth paste and keep aside . Sandwich Cut the sides of the bread slices. Spread 1 tbsp green chutney to one side of the bread slices. Arrange tomato, onion and cucumber on top of green chutney. Place once slic of cheese over the vegetables and cover with another slice of bread. Greese the toater with butter and toast the sandwich till it become golden brown or apply butter on the tawa and toast till both the sides become golge...

Coconut Rice is an easy to make and delicious rice variety. You can have it for lunch or dinner with any pickle and pappad. Ingredients Basmati or Sona Masoori Rice - 2 cups Thin Coconut Milk - 3 cups Ghee - 2 tbsp Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup Salt - as required Cashew Nut - as required Curry Leaves - as required Preparation Method Wash clean the rice and strain the excess water. Cook the rice in coconut milk by adding salt. (boil the rice in coconut milk, lower the flame and keep the lid closed. Rice will get cooked in 15-20 mins:) In a wok bring ghee to heat and fry the cashew nuts and curry leaves. Add rice and mix well. Allow the rice to cool down completely. Add the fresh coconut to the rice and mix well. Enjoy Coconut Rice with pickle and pappad.

Ingredients Basmati Rice - 2 cups Carrot - 2 nos: (cut into thin slices) Beans - 10-12 nos: (cut into thin slices) Sweet Corn Kennel - 1/2 cup Pineapple - 1/2 (cut into thin slices) Cashew - hand full Raisins - hand full Ghee - 4-5 tbsp Garlic - 3-4 petals (crushed) Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Soya Sauce - 2-3 tsp Preparation Method Cook the rise till 90% is cooked, strain and keep aside. Fry cashew and raisins and keep aside. In a wok (or a thick bottom large vessel) heat ghee and saute garlic. Add carrot, beans, sweet corn, mix well and cook for 5 mins: Add pineapple and saute for 2 mins: Add soya sauce and well. When sauce starts to boil, add rice and mix well.  Add pepper powder and mix well. Check for salt and add if required. (soya sauce contains salt, add salt if required only). Remove rice from flame and add cashew and raisins and mix. The delicious, flavorful Mixed Veg Fried Rice is ready to serve.

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...

I prepared this special strawberry cake without using egg and butter. To make it more healthy instead of maida I used wheat flour. The cake was as soft and moist as we prepare with egg, butter and maida. Try and enjoy :) Ingredients For the cake Wheat Flour - 1.5 cup  Fresh Strawberry - 15-20 nos: Milk - 3/4 cup Sugar - 3/4 cup (powdered) Oil - 1/2 cup  Baking Soda - 1 tsp For the Icing (optional) Whipping cream - 100 gms: Fresh Strawberry - 8-10 nos: Preparation Method Baking the cake Preheat the oven to 180 degree C. Grease the baking pan with oil and dust with little flour.  Crush the strawberry using a spoon or fork and keep aside. Sieve together wheat flour and baking soda and keep aside. In a bowl add milk, oil and sugar and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add crushed strawberry and mix well Add the flour little by little and gently mix. Pour the prepared batter to the baking pan and bake for 35-40 mins: (check the cake by in...