Pathiri

Ingredients:
Roasted Rice Powder (Puttu Podi) - 2 cups
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Oil - 1 table spoon
Cumin seeds - 1 tspoon
Fennel seeds - 1/4 t spoon
Shallots - 5 to 6 no.s

Preparation:

1. Boil water in a vessel and add salt and oil.
2. Once boiled slowly add rice powder and combine the mixture well. Keep it aside and allow it to cool.
3. When it is cooled, knead well with your hands. (Make sure you don't add water).
4. Crush grated coconut along with shallots, fennel seeds and cumin seeds.
5. Add this crushed mixture to the dough and mix well.
6. Make small balls and flatten it using chappathi roller.
7. Heat a frying pan and rub oil if needed and then heat one side of the pathiri until its cooked and then repeat the same with other side.
8. Serve hot with fish curry, chicken curry or any sort of non veg of your choice.

I thank Sangeetha chechi of Kothiyavunnu whose blog really taught me how to make this. This is her recipe.
Thanks a lot!!!

Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato is one of my childhood favorite. Recently I saw Japanese sweet potato while shopping and decided to pick it up. I had a wonderful weekend with my fond childhood memories of sweet potatoes. It is a wonderful option for breakfast or evening snacks. Simple & easy to cook.

Ingredients:
Sweet Potato : 6 nos medium size
Salt : To taste

Preparation:

1. Wash and clean the sweet potatoes well.
2. Boil sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker with enough water and salt to taste.
3. Wait for one whistle and turn off the flame and wait till the pressure is relieved.
4. Take out the sweet potatoes, peel off the skin and cut into round pieces.

Alternatively you can use a wide opened vessel to boil the sweet potatoes. Turn off the flame when the sweet potatoes are cooked well.

Idli & Chutney

Idli was one of the breakfast item i luv the most to have, even more than dosa. I remember my mother's words, while packing me first time to Singapore. "I have bought Chakson Idli Cooker for you. Do make Idlis for breakfast." What is that so much special for her to specify about 'Chakson'. I had seen Ads for Rice cooker & when she came the day before we were leaving I was surprised to see she has brought "Chakson Rice & Idli Cooker". I asked her "After all How do i make idlis??". "Dnt worry, you know you will get instant idli & dosa mix". At that time I got a relief as in Idea Ads "What an idea Sirji". Soon aftr reaching here we unpacked all the stuff and found the idli cooker in a crooked shape. Funny, it got flattend bcos of some crap's heavy loads on our trolley. As all ideal housewives, the only way to impress husband is cook gud foods. While shopping got this Instant Idli Mix & prepared for the first time in my life the "Idli", but it turned out to be an 'Idli stone'. Oh my god!!!, all impressions gone out in a sec. I still remember my hubby's weird facial expressions while eating & a phrase "No more idlis & mix". May be the mix or the time I cooked is more, I wasn't sure. My mum, she was giggling when heard about this. She is lucky that she is too far. Later got the recipe from her, and one of my friend also helped me out in making real soft idlis. After that Idlis came out always well and was able to change my hubby's impressions about my Idli making. "First Impression is the best impression" is very true statement as still when I start making idlis he will smile and say "Will it be idli stone again??", even after it came out well so many times..

Ingredients:
Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Urad Dal : 1 Cup
Fenugreek : 1 table spoon
Cooked Rice : 2 handful

Preparation:

1. Soak raw rice and urad dal in water for 4-6 hours and then grind it adding enough water. Make sure that you are adding water only to the extent that batter is thick.
2. While grinding add fenugreek and the cooked rice.
3. Keep this batter for around 8 hours (usually over night) in a warm place for fermentation.
4. Add salt and mix it well till it is dissolved.
5. Grease the idli holder with oil and pour the batter up to 3/4th.
6. Steam it for around 6-8 minutes.
7. Remove the idlies from the holder once it is cooled a little.

Serve it with sambar or chutney (given below).

Chutney

Ingredients:
Tomato : 1 small
Grated Coconut : 1 Cup
Red Dried Chilly : 2 nos
Ginger : 1/2 inch
Mustard Seeds : 1 t spoon
Curry Leaves : 1 sprig
Salt : To taste
Oil : 1 1/2 t spoon

Preparation:

1. Grind tomato, grated coconut, red chilly, ginger and salt to a paste.
2. Heat a pan and add oil, splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
3. Add the paste and 1/4 cup of water, mix well for around 2 minutes.

This participates in the Cooking Basics Event an event by Mahima

Kozhukkatta

It is quite a long time I had kozhukkattas. In fact I have not even seen it for at least 2 years. Yesterday I was talking to my mom and she told she had kozhukkatas for breakfast. Mmmmm.... I decided I gonna make it. Just figured all the steps from mom and started straight to kitchen. Rest you know... :)

Ingredients:
Roasted Rice Powder - 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
Green Chillies - 2 nos
Shallots - 10 nos
Cumin Seeds - 1 t spoon
Water - 2 cups
Salt - To taste
Dried Red Chillies - 3-4 nos
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard Seeds - 1 t spoon

Preparation:

1. Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chillies and shallots.
2. Add salt to the roasted rice powder and add boiling water in a progressive manner. Stir with a wooden spatula and make sure the rice powder paste doesn't form pellets. Ensure that it is not too watery.
3. Add the grinded paste and mix well and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
4. Make small balls out of the dough and steam it for around 5-8 minutes (The time depends on the size of the balls).
5. Heat a pan and splutter mustard seeds, red dried chillies and curry leaves.
6. Transfer these contents over the kozhukkatta.
7. The delicious kozhukkatta can be used as breakfast or starters. It is very healthy as it is steamed.

Tips:
While grinding, don't add any extra water as the water from shallots will be enough.
Allow kozhukkatta to cool before having.

Egg Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients:
Pasta - 11/2 cup (I have taken spiral shape pasta.Each ones choice and availability)
Eggs - 2no.s
Sliced Button Mushroom - 6no.s
Onion - 1medium
Pepper Powder - 11/2 t spoon
Salt - to taste
Cheese - 2 table spoon Grated Mozzarella /Cheddar ( I have taken cheddar cheese)
Cooking oil / olive oil - 1 1/2 table spoon

Preparation:

1. Take a deep pot and add enough water. Heat over medium flame.When the water starts boiling, add 1 t spoon of oil, add pasta, salt to taste and cook for 8 to 10 mins until it turns soft.
2. When the pasta is cooked, drain the excess water from pasta and allow it to cool.
3. Meanwhile heat a pan. Beat the eggs on hot pan and stir frequently to make scrambled eggs. Keep it aside.
4. Heat the same pan and add oil, then add onions, saute it well till it turns tender. Add mushrooms, pepper powder, salt. Cook over medium flame. Once cooked add cheese to it and reduce the flame 
5. Add the cooked pastas & eggs. Mix it well.
6. Ready to serve for 4 to 6 people.
7. Healthy Protein Rich breakfast.

Kappa (Tapioca)

Ingredients:
Kappa (Tapioca) - 1kg
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 t spoon
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 t spoon
Red Dried Chilly (full) - 2 to 3
Curry Leaves - 1 strip
Cooking oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt - To taste

Preparation:

1. Cut the cleaned Kappa into small pieces (2cm cubes).
2. Boil kappa in a vessel with enough water.
3. Once boiling add turmeric and salt. Cook till kappa becomes soft.
4. Drain the water from kappa and transfer to a bowl.
5. Heat a pan and add cooking oil. Splutter mustard. Then add red chilly and curry leaves.
6. Transfer these contents on to kappa and mix it.
7. Ready to serve for 4 people.