Lemon rice

Chennai was an experience for me in many ways!

Yes! I loved it! The vibrancy of an active metro city, the fusion of tradition and the chic, beaches, colors and of course, taste .. the energy was contagious. Even if there was an idle moment, the pull to be in action was so strong. An energy madness it was for me. I would say, at that moment, it was just what I needed

One understands the ecstasy of travel only after indulging in it. Once it begins, it's an insatiable addiction. The craving for new faces, new experiences, new memories lures and it's like the world as one knows it is not enough anymore. One just needs to pack and be on the move for another travesty :D

From my visit to Chennai, I learned something new from a culinary aspect. Rice can be prepared in so many ways!!!! Yes... Soooooo many ways...

In the long list of rice recipes that are on my list, here is lemon rice, so yellow, so tangy, so easy ;)

What I used

1. Vegetable oil: 4 tablespoons
2. Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
3. Diced medium-sized onion: 1
   PS: Shallots can be used instead of onions. About 10 finely chopped shallots can also be used either alone or as a mix with onion
4. Salt: as needed
5. Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
6. Green chilli: 1
7. Dried red chilli: 1-2
8. Lemon juice of 1 lemon
9. Curry leaves: 1 sprig
10. Basmati/long-grained rice cooked with turmeric and salt: 3 cups

How I made it

1. While making the rice, add enough salt and turmeric powder to the water and cook
2. In a frying pan, heat the oil on medium flame, splutter the mustard seeds and saute the onion till it becomes soft
3. Add a pinch of salt, keeping in mind the rice is salted as well
4. Add the chillies, curry leaves and lime juice and saute well for about 2 minutes
5. Once there that's done, add the cooked rice to the mixture and mix well

This is like a quick-fix dish in case one is bored of the routine dishes

Any good pickle and fresh curd go well with this dish :D :D 

Mutton kheema

My first memory of kheema was the meat puffs sold  in the local bakeries of my hometown in Kuravilangad

Once school started, the most sought after item in our school canteen was also what was called the meat puffs which was minced beef sautéed with spice mix and onion cocooned in a 6-inch long cylindrical freshly baked bread. This was my all-time favorite!

Literally I have begged, borrowed and stole with no regret to get my hands on this baby :D Even the disciplinary action from His and Her Royal Highnesses (a.k.a mom and dad) that followed post discovery of the disappearing 1 Riyals from their wallet and purse respectively did not compromise my relentless effort ;-) Such was my dedication :D

Evidently, the prerequisite for unparalleled motivation with upbeat dedication is the pursuit of a fulfilling reward - WOW! I think I just phrased my own quote!!!! :D :D

The spicy sweetness of the meat mixture with the mouthwatering aroma of the bread, so dark baked brown with a glazing crust stirs nostalgic gourmet memories. One bite into this and I couldn’t wait to take the next bite again, knowing it would be over so soon, and the deep craving would start once again :D :D Such was its effect on me :D

Once my kitchen became active, during grocery shopping, I saw the frozen minced meat and as if my taste center had a memory of its own, it evoked the age-old craving and I decided to make mutton kheema with rice that particular day

Of course it won’t equal the minced beef puffs of schooldays, which I will make as soon as I get an oven ;-) But for now, mutton kheema has to do ;-)

     What I used

1. Minced mutton: 250 grams
2. Sunflower oil or any vegetable oil: ½ cup
3. Finely diced red onions: 2; chopped spring onions: 5 stalks; diced carrots: 1; chopped coriander leaves: a handful
4. Ginger-garlic paste: 2 teaspoons
5. Pepper powder: 1 teaspoon 
6. Store-bought meat masala: 1.5 tablespoon
7. Salt: to taste
8. Chopped green chillies: 2 
9. Cooked frozen green peas: a handful
10. Dried rosemary (optional) : half a sprig
11. Chicken stock/water: as needed
12. Butter: 1 tablespoon

      How I made it

1. In a flat-bottomed pan, heat the oil on low flame and sauté onions with a pinch of salt for about 20 minutes so the onions really soften. PS: This is to bring out the sweetness of the onion
2. Once the onions have softened, add the spring onions and carrots, and cook till they become soft on medium flame with the pan covered  
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and mix the contents and cook for another 5 minutes
4. Now add the meat masala and pepper powder, and cook till the raw smell of masalas are gone. This is the time to add the required amount of salt as well
5. After adding the masalas, if they stick to bottom of pan, add a bit of water or chicken stock to deglaze the pan
6. Now the minced mutton goes in. Mix really well till the meat turns dark in color and all the ingredients are well cooked. PS: The carrots would have mashed and mixed fully with the rest of the content. In short, they might just be invisible ;-) But we know they are there ;-). While the mutton cooks, the water in the meat seeps out, so it gets a bit watery. That's ok... just keep cooking till the gravy reduces
7. Just after the mutton turns dark, add the dried rosemary if you are using it 
   PS: I like the freshness that rosemary gives to meat dishes. Meat composes a heavy part of a meal and can make one feel really full. The presence of herbs mitigates this and make you
   feel... fresh, like the meal wasn't heavy at all ;-)
8. Add the pre-cooked frozen green peas and coriander leaves and cook with the pan covered on medium flame till the liquid has reduced and the kheema becomes solid like the filling of a puffs ;D This should take about 30-40 minutes. Once it's done, add a tablespoon of butter and...
   
   That's it! :D :D

Mutton kheema goes with anything... chappathi, roti, bread, rice.. anything

I had it with rice and just for the heck of it, I mixed the rice and the kheema thoroughly to get a minced mutton biriyani effect :D :D

PS: add some pomegranates also as garnish for a burst of flavors in case you like the tangy sweetness

No dish is ever too hard if one is motivated enough to want a big bite of it ;-) There! another quote! Am I on a roll today or what ;-) Just kidding :D :D

Thanks for reading this. Hope you enjoyed :D :D 

Do try this dish when you can :D

Morum vellam/sambharam

 A hot afternoon outside calls for a quick call to quench thirst. Ya, water serves the purpose.
But like people in tropics and deserts only know too well, water alone cannot suffice for the heavy dehydration. As a habit, we are tempted to grab a bottle of coke or other soft drinks that line the fridge racks in the supermarkets, only to be left feeling more thirsty :-(

That's when the goodness of the good old buttermilk serves as much more than a thirst quencher.
Such a refreshing drink to hydrate oneself! ... and it's so easy to make!! :D :D

 What I used

1. Well-beaten curd/buttermilk: 1 cup
2. Water: 1 cup
3. Diced shallots: 3
4. Finely chopped ginger: 1/4 teaspoon
5. Chopped green chilli: 1
6. Salt: as needed

How I made it

In a glass, mix all the above ingredients and stir well

Then take a big gulp on a hot afternoon or whenever you are sooooo thirsty! That's it!! :D :D

PS: In case you do not want it spicy, just mix curd, water and salt. It's cooling enough

Sambar

Pressed for time and the mad rush to conquer ALL, we trod easy routes to complete tasks and chores. Diet is no exception to this holy verses

Isn't it a profound relief to gain most of the nutrition you need in a few, easy-to-make dishes?

That is what sambar is!

Sambar is completeness in itself. It is a sum of the veggies of our choice that completes a South Indian meal. Or maybe it paints an ideal picture of a Southern Indian menu. I have tried making sambar in various combos, sometimes with as few components as just onions and potatoes. But carrots and tomatoes are the tastemakers of a good sambar. Add these two essentials and you would not make a sambar sans them ;D 

There! I just revealed one of my closely guarded secrets :D :D

The recipe I have mentioned below is the one I used to make the sambar shown in the picture. You can add any vegetables you like and if you like it sweet, add a tablespoon of sugar too. If you like it very spicy, add a teaspoon of chilli powder and coriander powder along with sambar powder while cooking. The one detailed here is moderately spicy

What I used

1. Washed sambar dal soaked in water for 1 hour: 3/4 cup
2. Diced onion (1), carrots (2), potatoes (1), squash guard, beans, tomatoes (2), lady's finger (2),
   sliced green chilli (1) 
3. Drumstick cut into 3-inch pieces: 1
4. Salt: as needed
5. Store-bought sambar powder: 3 tablespoons
6. Tamarind juice: 1/2 cup
7. Water: as needed to cook the vegetables
8. Oil: 3 teaspoons
9. Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
10. Curry leaves: 1 sprig

How I made it

1. Pressure cook the dal with some salt and water till it has turned into a smooth yellow liquid 
2. Add all the diced vegetables with enough water, salt and the sambar powder to the dal and cook till the vegetables are done
   PS:Can check for salt and spiciness and adjust as needed before the vegetables cook fully
3. Add the tamarind juice and continue boiling
4. In a separate pan, heat the oil and splutter the mustard seeds with the curry leaves and add to the sambar. Mix well
5. Turn off the fire and keep the pressure cooker covered for sometime before serving

Sambar completes any meal, be it with rice, idli, dosa, chappathy... anything ... Just the thought of sambar is enough to sometimes feel full :D :D

At times, I like to add a bit extra water and make a sambar soup and devour it :D

Brinjal thoran (eggplant thoran)

Brinjal thoran was the only fine line that stopped me from a takeaway one day

A lot of dishes can be made with brinjal. The South Indian style of thoran is a must-try. This can also be made without the curry powders in case you don't want it spicy 

Make sure that brinjal is prepared for making thoran and mezhukkupuratti by cutting and soaking in water with some salt for sometime. This is to get rid of its naturally unappetizing odour that can ruin the taste of the curry. Once soaked and washed well, it is ready to be put to good use ;D

What I used

1. Washed and diced medium-sized brinjals: 2
2. Oil: 3 tablespoons
3. Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
4. Fennel seeds: 1/8 teaspoon
5. Diced onion: 1
6. Salt: to taste
7. Chilli powder: 1/2 teaspoon
8. Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
9. Green chillies: 1
10. Grated coconut: 1/2 cup
11. Water: 1/4 cup

How I made it

1. In a pan, heat oil on medium flame, splutter the mustard seeds and fry the fennel seeds
   PS: do not fry fennel seeds for more than a few seconds
2. Then saute the onions adding enough salt
3. Once onions are done, add the turmeric and chilli powders and fry till the raw smell is gone
4. Add the diced brinjal, grated coconut and green chillies, and mix well
5. After mixing the contents well, add water. Now keep the pan covered and cook for about 20 minutes with occasional stirring of contents to enable thorough cooking
6. Turn off the stove and keep the curry covered for sometime before serving

Brinjal thoran goes hand-in-hand with rice and chappathi :D :D

A fulfilled tummy redeems you of half the troubles. It puts a smile on your face and bliss in your eyes

A lunch that made my day one day  :D :D

Meen peera without oil (little fishes dressed in a thick mix of coconut and spices)

A basket full of tiny glistening fish is a common scene in any fish market in Kerala. Known by the local name of Kozhuva, it is a local celebrity!

Of course, being a celebrity doesn't happen easy, does it?  Sigh! The preparation time is a task :D :D So grab a cool companion to help with this process and you can turn this into a chit-chat time that ends with a hearty meal

Considering the patience needed to get these little beings ready as a meal is one reason why I refrain from purchasing these yummy little cookie pies. Then one day, my friend buys this on a cold morning from a vendor who comes everyday. This deft little bubbly girl jumped to work to transform these glistening little beings  into the meen peera that you see  below
Lazy me had to pitch in for it is so impolite to let a person work alone on 1/2 kg of kozhuva. During the 40 minutes or so that we worked on to clean the fish, it was girlish chit-chats and how in times of the joint family system, our grandmothers and aunts used to convert the preparation time of dishes to catch up on gossips and bond ;D

Just when we were debating on whether to make a peera or curry or fry, my mom called and explained that meen peera is the easiest to prepare. For the health conscious people who get an arrhythmia just by the thought of oil, be relieved for this dish doesn't need oil, unless of course you can look at freshly grated juicy flakes of coconut and see saturated oil ;P



What I used

1. Kozhuva or any small fish: 1/2 kg
2. Diced onion: 1 big
3. Finely chopped ginger and garlic: 2 teaspoons
4. Salt: to taste
5. Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
6. Chilli powder: 2-3 teaspoons
7. Grated fresh coconut: 2 cups
8. Green chillies: 3
9. Juice of a tamarind: 1/4 cup
10. Kudampuli (gambooge/fish tamarind): 4
11. Water: enough to cook the contents

How I made it

1. Mix everything except the fish together, preferably using hands, in the pan in which you intend to cook
2. Add enough water  to ensure everything is submerged and cook on low-medium flame till there is an obvious lingering aroma that makes you want to sneak a taste of  what is cooking
3. Once the contents start boiling, add the fish ensuring it is soaked in the gravy
4. Keep the pan covered and cook on medium flame till the water evaporates
   PS: Do not mix the contents using spoon as the fish will break into pieces. For mixing, just swirl the pan when needed

Serve hot with rice! :D :D It also makes a suitable serving with tapioca, chappathi and bread :D :D