Recipes from our Home Kitchens

Lentil (Dhal / Paruppu) Curry (Kerala Style) My Mother's recipe Basic Ingredients: Split Yellow Lentils (Moon Dhal or Siru Paruppu) – 500 gms Garlic (optional) – 6-8 cloves Shallots –7-8 nos - roughly chopped Turmeric Powder -   1 tablespoon Ingredients for the Masala: Freshly grated coconut – 1 cup Cumin Seeds (Jeera) – 1 tablespoon Green Chillies – 5-6 nos or as per taste Ginger – 1 inch piece Ingredients for Seasoning: Ghee – 2-3 tablespoons Oil – 2-3 tablespoons (can be coconut oil or any other vegetable oil) Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon Dry Red Chillies – 3-4 nos Asafoetida (powdered) – 1 teaspoon Onion – 1 Medium sized – Finely Dice d Curry Leaves – 12-15 numbers Salt – as per taste  Method: Dry roast the lentils lightly and then wash it thoroughly. Soak the roasted lentils for atleast 2-3 hours. In a pressure cooker, add the dhal, the garlic, turmeric powder and roughly chopped shallots and cook till don...

My Recipe: Carrot Halwa Ingredients: Grated Carrot – ½ kg Milk – 1 Litre Sugar – 1-2 cups (can be increased or decreased as per taste) Ghee – 3 big spoons Cardamom – 3-4 pods (crushed) Chopped Mixed Nuts – ½ cup (can include Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios) Instructions: In a large pan, pour the milk. Mix in the grated carrot, cardamom and the sugar. This mixture is cooked, with occasional stirring, till the milk starts to evaporate and thicken. At this point check the mixture for sweetness and add more sugar if required. Lower the heat and add two spoons of ghee. Continue to stir till the milk is fully evaporated. In a small pan, heat 1 spoon of ghee and fry the nuts lightly. Add this to the cooked carrot mixture. Once everything is mixed well and the mixture well done, remove from heat. Can be served hot or cold as per taste. Hot carrot halwa with vanilla ice cream is a great combo. Additional Tips: You can also add condens...

 Unniyappam - South Indian Rice flour Fritters ( Sweet)    From my Mom's Kitchen Ingredients: Rice flour - 1 cup Jaggery - 100 gms Water - 1 cup or as required Diced Coconut   - ½ cup, fried in ghee Mashed ripe bananas - ½ cup (small, slightly sour, yellow bananas are most suitable) Dry Ginger Powder - ½ tea spoon Bicarbonate of soda – ½ tea spoon Cardamom – 4-5 pods (crushed) Oil- for frying (Any Vegetable   Oil or Coconut oil) Instructions: In a large bowl, take the rice flour. Mix in the cardamom, ginger powder, Bicarbonate of soda and mix well. Now add the diced coconut pieces. Mix in the mashed banana. Melt jaggery in 1 cup water till it melts.   Drain the melted jaggery and add it to rice flour mix. The batter should be of dropping consistency. If the batter is too thick, add more water to loosen it.  Heat oil in Uniyappa chatti ( a specialized pan with sm...