Fried Prawns

Ingredients:

1. 1kg Prawns (medium or large)
2. 1 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
3. 2 medium onions thinly sliced
4. 1 1/2 tsp. ginger paste
5. 1 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
6. 1 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
7. 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
8. A few curry leaves
9. 2 sliced green chillies
10. Oil 5 tbl.spoons.
11. Salt as needed

Method:
* Marinate the cleaned and washed prawns in ginger paste, garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt for 1 hour.
* Saute the onions, green chillies and curry leaves in oil until slightly browned and the raw smell goes away.
* Add the marinated prawns and saute it for a few minutes.
* Cover the vessel and cook the prawns until done. Check the salt if less add as required.
* The water from the prawns should have evaporated and the prawns should nicely be covered by the masala.
* Serve it hot with plain rice or rotis.

Meen Mutta Ularthiyathu (Fish eggs)

This recipe is contributed by my cousin Ani Thomas.
Ingredients:
1. 1/2 kg Fish egg
2. 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
3. 1 tsp. chilli powder
4. 1/2 tsp. garam masala
5. Salt - as needed
6. 1 piece of fish tamarind(Or vinegar will do)
7. 1 inch ginger sliced thinly
8. 1 onion cut into small pieces
9. 2 green chillies chopped
10.2 tomato chopped
11.5 cloves of garlic chopped
12.Oil for sauteing


Method:-

* Clean fish egg and bake with turmeric, salt and tamarind.
* Saute onion, ginger, green chillies, garlic and tomamto in oil until slightly brown.
* Add chilli powder and masala and saute for a minute more.
* Finally mix the masala with fish egg and fry as needed.

Semolina Dhokla

This nutritious and tempting snack comes from Gujarat. This is easy to make and does not need a lot of ingredients. I am not able to put any pictures at this time, as my camera was not with me when I made it. Children will love to eat this. This recipe was specially requested by one of my friends.

Ingredients:
1. 1 cup semolina/rava/sooji
2. 2 tblsp. gram flour/besan/kadalamav
3. 2 chopped green chillies
4. 1 inch grated ginger
5. 3/4 cup yogurt/curd
6. 3/4 cup water
7. 3 tblsp. sugar
8. salt as required
9. 1 tsp. turmeric
10.1 tblsp. lemon juice
11.1 tsp. eno(fruit salt) or baking soda

Garnish:
1. 1 tblsp. mustard seeds
2. 1 tblsp. dessicated coconut
3. a few curry leaves and some coriander leaves
4. 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
5. 1 tblsp. oil

Method:
* Grease a vessel (mould)with oil. Take another vessel bigger than the mould and boil some water. It should have a lid with a hole for the steam to escape. The mould should fit inside this vessel.
* Mix items 1 to 10 thoroughly and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Add eno/baking soda and mix.
* Pour the mixture into the mould and steam it for 15 minutes. Poke a toothpick and see whether it comes out clean. If it comes out clean, then the dhokla is done.
* Add the dessicated coconut on to the dhokla.
* Heat one tablespoon oil, splutter mustard seeds, sesame seeds and curry leaves and pour over the dhokla. Sprinkle some coriander leaves also.
*Cut into cubes and serve it plain or with chutney of your choice.

Black eyed bean Fritters (Pakoras)

Black eyed beans fritters are great as snacks.

Ingredients:-

1. 250gms. dried black eyed beans
2. 1 onion chopped
3. 1 green chillie deseeded and cut into half
4. 1 inch ginger sliced
5. 150ml. water
6. salt as required
7. oil for deep frying

Method:

* Soak the beans in water for 8 hours. Drain the water and remove the skin by rubbing between the palms of the hand.
* Wash the beans in lot of water, the skins will float to the surface. Discard the skin. Soak the beans for some more time.
* Put all the items from 2 to 6 in a blender to make a thick paste (water may be added slowly and gradually and not the entire quantity at one go).
* Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and fry spoonfuls of the above mixture until golden brown.
* Serve it with sauce or dip of your choice.

Palak Paneer (Spinach and Cheese)

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium onion cut into small pieces
2. 250 gms paneer cut into cubes
3. 2 bunches of cut spinach
4. 1 green chillie sliced
5. 2 medium tomatoes cut into cubes
6. 1 inch grated ginger
7. 3 cloves garlic
8. 3 green cardamom
9. 3 cloves
10. 1 inch cinnamon
11. 1/2 tsp. turmeric
12. 3/4 tsp. red chillie powder
13. 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
14. 1 tsp. garam masala
15. 2 tblsp. plain yogurt/curd
16. 1 tblsp. milk
17. 1 tsp. kasuri methi
18. 2 tblsp. oil
19. salt as required

Method:-

• Take a heavy bottomed pan. Heat 1 tblsp. oil and saute the cinnamon, clove, cardamom and kasuri methi.
• Fry onions, ginger,garlic, chillie and tomatoes one after the other.
• Add turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala and cumin powder and saute for another 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped spinach and saute for another 2 minutes.
• Cool the mixture and blend it to a smooth paste.
  When the mixture is cooling, fry the paneer in a tblsp butter, until lightly browned on all sides. Paneer can be added to the palak mixture fried and non fried, as per your taste. I like to fry the paneer.
• Take another vessel and heat 1 tblsp oil. Add the paste and salt, cook it for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk and yogurt and mix. Keep it on the stove on a low fire for another minute and then add the fried paneer, cook the gravy for 2 more minutes and remove from fire.
• Serve it with rotis or rice.