Capsicum Pakoda / Shimla Mirch Pakora

Onion Pakoda is a favourite tea time snack for everybody. Whenever if we want to treat our guest quickly in no time, our mind blows straight to bajji or pakoda. Here I have given a healthier pakoda recipe which is too crispy, yummy, spicy if it is accompanied with a hot masala tea. The addition of onion along with capsicum gives a regular onion pakoda taste and it retains crispiness. It is an easier and quick recipe and anybody can do it if you have ready made bajji mix in your hands. Lets start to make the capsicum pakodas. 

Ingredients:

1. Capsicum - 1
2. Onion - 2
3. Ginger - 1/4 inch
4. Garlic - 2 to 4 pods
5. Red / Green Chilli - 1 to 2
6. Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
7. Hing - 1/4 tsp
8. Ready made Bajji Bonda Mix - 1 cup
9. Curry n coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
10. Salt as per your taste
11. Oil for deep frying 

Cooking Method:

• Grind Ginger, Garlic, Fennel, Chilli, Hing, Curry leaves to a coarse mixture.
• Chop Onion and Capsicum lengthwise. 
• Finely chop curry and coriander leaves.
• In a pan add Bajji Bonda Mix, Grounded paste, Onion, capsicum, curry leaves, coriander leaves and little salt (Bajji Bonda Mix already have salt in it).
• Add water little by little and mix everything.
• In a frying pan spread Capsicum onion mixture, by the way they do not stick to each other.
• Flip often and fry till it becomes crispy Pakoras.

Click the Image and zoom you can view a clear stepwise Image

A Healthy, crispy and spicy tea time snack is now ready and u can have it simply or with Tomato Sauce.

Vazhaipoo Poriyal / Banana Flower Curry

Vazhaipoo is one of the healthiest vegetable especially for women. We can make many types of dishes in this Vazhaipoo. Here I have given the basic Vazhaipoo poriyal recipe which is nutritious and tastier when cooked along with channa Dal. Here is the detailed recipe of how to clean the Banana flower and make use of it in the poriyal.

Ingredients:

1. Vazhaipoo/Banana flower - 1 medium size
2. Channa Dal/Moong dal - 2 to 3 tbsp (for soaking)
3. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt as per taste

For Tempering:

1. Oil - 1 tbsp
2. Mustard - 1/8 tsp
3. Chann dal - 2 tsp 
4. Broken urad Dal - 1 tsp 
5. Green/Red Chilli - 2 no
6. Onion chopped - 2 tbsp
7. Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp
8. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
9. Coriander leaves 

Cleaning Method of vazhaipoo:

1. Take the banana flower and remove the outer layer. You can see bunches of small florets on the banana flower. Pluck or just take out the bunch of florets separately. 
2. Take a big floret and remove the stiff stick(pistil) and thin white colored cover portions( some people don’t remove this part. Refer 2nd picture below. 
3. Repeat the same for all the big florets.No need to remove the pistil part for very small ones.You can chop & use as it is.
4. Discard the removed pistil and use only the cleaned florets.

Click the Image and zoom you can view a clear stepwise Image 

Wash the cleaned florets in water or soak in buttermilk for a while to avoid getting the florets black in colour. Chop the cleaned florets as shown in the below pic.

When you keep on collecting the big florets you will find a cone shaped blossom part.  At this stage you cannot collect the florets. It will be tender, so you can chop this and add to the chopped florets. Else you can eat this cone part as such, as it is good for stomach ulcers.

Soak the Channa/Moong Dal for about 30 mins prior doing the Poriyal. 

If using channa  dal, cook the chopped vazhaipoo and channa dal in pressure cooker along with turmeric powder and salt. If using moong dal just add the soaked moong dal while doing tempering process to avoid overcooking of moong dal. Add little water and cook upto one whistle.

1. In a frying pan add oil follwed by mustard, channa dal, urad dal, onion, curry leaves. saute for a minute. 
2. Then add cooked vazhaipoo and channa dal along with the water(if there is water left)
3. Saute for a minute and add grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

Our Tasty Vazhaipoo poriyal is now ready to have along with White Rice.

Protein Rich Mixed Sprouts Dosa Recipe

Healthy Dosa for Children !!!

This Dosa is easy to make for kids once you have sprouts in your hand. I soaked green gram, horse gram and bengal gram separately and kept overnight for sprouting. Green gram sprouted so quickly and next horse gram and the bengal gram took more time to get sprouted. You may add any other sprouts along with this. I have added Idly dosa batter for crispiness and it gives a good taste. When this batter is poured as dosa as such, children will not eat, so I have add ed grated coconut and carrots which gives sweetness for the Dosa and healthy too. Kids may not eat sprouts, so this might be a good idea to feed them tastier and healthier breakfast or evening tiffin. 

Ingredients:

1. Green gram - 100 gms
2. Horse gram - 50 gms
3. Bengal gram - 50 gms
4. Idly Dosa Batter - 1/4 kg
5. Shallots - 5 to 8 nos
6. Jeera - 1 tsp
7. Red Chilly - 2 nos
8. Ginger - 2 tsp
9. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
10. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
11. Grated Carrot - 1tbsp
12. Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp
13. Finely Chopped Onion - 2 tbsp
14. Oil for cooking
15. Salt as per taste 

Sprouting Method is given in my Sprouted Pesarattu Recipe

Finely Chop Onion and Coriander leaves. Grate Carrots, Coconut and keep ready

Cooking Method:

• Grind Shallots, all the sprouts, jeera, curry leaves, red chilly, ginger and salt in to a smooth batter. 
• Mix this Batter with Idly Dosa Batter.

Click the Image and zoom you can view a clear stepwise Image 

• Add finely chopped onion, coriander leaves, coconut, and carrot. Mix well.
• Pour as normal Dosa. It will be thick. You can garnish with remaining grated carrots and coriander leaves. 
• cook in medium flame. spread oil.
• Flip the Dosa and cook for some more time.

Now your healthy dosa is ready to serve Hot with Coconut chutney.

Notes:

• You may add any other sprouts along with this. 
• You may add fennel for grinding which gives a nice flavour to the dosa.
• Children love small tiny dosas, so the dosas can be poured in small laddle instead of big dosa batter laddle.

Malabar Spicy Prawn Roast Recipe

Spicy Prawn Roast is a typical Kerala Style seafood delicacy. It is also very popular in Kerala small hotels and roadside shops. If you cook and eat it once, your tongue will never forget the spicy aromatic taste. That is the magical touch and speciality of Kerala seafood cuisine and its preparation. Here you go with the spicy prawn roast recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Prawns / Shrimp - 500 gms 
2. Big onion - 1 no
3. Green chilli - 1 no (adjust as per your taste)
4. Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsp
5. Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
8. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
9. Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
10. Coriander leaves 
11. Curry leaves 
12. Oil for Cooking
13. Salt as per taste

Cooking Method:

In a pan mix all the spice powders red chilli, turmeric, pepper, coriander, garam masala powders in a plate. (adjust spice powders according to your taste)
Marinate the prawns with half the quantity of spice powders and retain another half for later usage. Also add ginger garlic paste and salt. Let it rest for about half an hour.

Click the Image and zoom you can view a clear stepwise Image 

In the same pan cook the prawns without adding water. Close the lid of the pan. In some time it will leave its own water and the prawns will be cooked.

In a frying pan add onion, green chilli, curry leaves. saute for some time. 
Add the cooked prawns along with the remaining spice powders.

Cook for 5 mins in medium flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Now your tasty and spicy mouth watering dish is ready to serve with prawn curry and plain rice.

Healthy Vegetable Podi Idli Recipe

Here is the recipe of Mixed Vegetable Idli, it's one of the healthy breakfast you can prepare for yourself n kids. Its loved by all age group people. Especially for kids make them eat idly and vegetables, its one of the right option for the healthy breakfast along with a cup of Milk.

Ingredients:

1. Idlis - 2 no
2. Onion - 2 tbsp
3. Tomato - 1 no
4. Carrot - 1 tbsp
5. Cabbage - 1 tbsp
6. Capsicum - 1 tbsp
7. Curry ans Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
8. Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
9. Idli Podi - 1 tbsp
10. Oil - 1 tbsp
11. Mustard - 1/4 tsp
12. Channa Dal - 1 tsp
13. Urad dal - 1 tsp
14. Roasted peanuts - 1 tbsp
15. Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp (optional)
16. Salt as per taste

Cooking Method:

• Cut idlis as cubes and chop onions and vegetables.
• In a frying pan add oil followed by mustard, channa dal, urad dal, peanuts.
• Then add onion, tomato, grated ginger, curry leaves and a little amount of salt. (idlis already have salt content)
• Saute for sometime till everything is half cooked.
• Then add chopped vegetables and let it cook for sometime in a medium flame.
• After it gets half cooked add the cubed idlis. 
• Spread the idli podi all over the idli cubes. (Idli podi can be increased or decresed according to your taste)
• Give a light mixing of all the vegetables with idli cubes. 
• Then toss till the idli podi coats evenly on all the idli cubes along with vegs.
• Garnish with Coriander leaves.
• Switch of the flame. Serve Hot.

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

Children Lunch Box Idea 13 - Potato Fried Rice

Potato fried rice is one of the easiest rice recipe. As soon as we think we can prepare it. The only thing is green peas should be in hand. This rice is a nutritious kids lunch box that they love it very much. 

Children Lunch Box Idea - 13

Click the Link Below for Step by Step Pictures of making the Dish with Clear Procedure 

• Potato Fried Rice
• Curd Rice with Pomegranate
• Snacks: Papaya

Potato Fried Rice

Those who are bored of having vegetable fried rice, can go for a light masala based potato fried rice. The addition of green peas gives an extra flavour to the fried rice. 

Ingredients:

1. Potato - 1 
2. Green peas - 1/2 cup
3. Onion -1
4. Bay leaf - 1 
5. Clove -1 
6. Cinnamon - 1/4 inch
7. Staranise - 1
8. Cardamom -1 
9. Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
10. Dhania Powder - 1 tsp
11. Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp

Cooking Method:

• In a Pan add Oil followed by bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, star anise.
• Then add Onion and saute until it is cooked.
• Add Ginger Garlic paste. Saute it some more time.
• Now add Potatoes and green peas. Saute for 2 mins.
• Add Red chilli, Dhania Powder, Jeera Powder, Garam Masala Powders.
• Sprinkle some water. let the vegetables cook for some time.
• After it is cooked well, add the cooked rice and mix everything well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

Now a tasty Potato fried rice is now ready for kids ... Enjoy with Onion Raita !!