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No Fry Banana Chips, Kerala Style Nendran Chips

No Fry Banana Chips, Kerala Style Nendran Chips

Here is an easy recipe for No Fry Banana Chips. Kerala Style Banana or Plantain or Nendran chips need no introduction. It is extremely popular not only in the state of Kerala in India, but you can find it almost everywhere in the world, in the snacks aisle.

Tricolor Oats Ammini Kozhukattai, Steamed Oat Rice Balls

Tricolor Oats Ammini Kozhukattai, Steamed Oat Rice Balls

Tricolor Oats Ammini Kozhukattai is a slight variation to the traditional recipe of Ammini Kozhukattai. This is a famous snack item from Southern India. In Andhra, it goes by the name Undrallu Guggillu or Talimpu Undrallu and the Kannadiga name for the same is seke undlaka.

Palakkad Special Ela Adai, Steamed Pancake, Vegan Gluten free

Palakkad Special Ela Adai, Steamed Pancake, Vegan Gluten free

Palakkad special Ela Adai is a traditional dessert from Kerala. It is an oil free, gluten free and vegan dessert.

It is common to make Ela Adai during the summer season when ripe jackfruit is available in abundance. Traditionally Chakka Varatti (thick jelly prepared with ripe jackfruit) is mixed with coconut to make the stuffing. But for this recipe, I have used chopped ripe jackfruit pods. If you don’t like jackfruit or if it is not available, then you can make the stuffing only with coconut. Or, you can use ripe large plantain (Nendra Pazham). For some variation, you can experiment with other fruits like apples or pineapples.

Traditionally the prepared dumplings or Adais are steamed in Banana leaf parcel which lends a very nice aroma to the recipe. But if you can not find banana leaves, then you can use parchment paper. You will miss the special banana leaf aroma but it is the next best thing in the absence of banana leaf.

Palakkad is famous for its special Brahmin cuisines. You may check my other palakkad special recipes here.

MANGO KADHI, MANGA MORKOOTAN FROM SOUTHERN INDIA

SWEET AND SOUR OKRA/ VENDAKKAI PULI PACHADI

VAZHAI POO USILI, BANANA FLOWER CURRY

I hope you will surely try this Palakkad special Ela Adai and let me know how it turned out for you.

Please also check my recipes on Instagram.

Palakkad special Ela Adai

Palakkad special Ela Adai is a traditional dessert from Kerala. It is an oil free, gluten free and vegan dessert.Traditionally the prepared dumplings or Adais are steamed in Banana leaf parcel which lends a very nice aroma to the recipe.

Ingredients for the stuffing

  • 1 cup Ripe jackfruit pods. (This is optional. You can skip adding any fruit or you can add Nendra pazham (long plantain from Kerala). For some variation, try adding apples.)
  • 1 cup Grated fresh coconut
  • 1 cup Jaggery
  • ¼ cup Water
  • ⅛ tsp Cardamom powder

Ingredients for the Batter

  • 1 cup Idli Rice or any other variety of Raw Rice (soaked for 4 hours)
  • ⅛ tsp Salt
  • ⅛ tsp Cardamom powder

Other Ingredients

  • 6 piece Banana Leaves or Parchment Paper-9×9 inch

Prepare the stuffing

  1. If using ripe jackfruit pods, then peel and cut the pods into small pieces. Please check the video if you want to know how to work with jackfruit pods.



  2. Add jaggery and water to a pan and let it boil.



  3. When it boils, strain into another pan and continue to boil.



  4. Add chopped jackfruit pieces or banana or apple and cook for a few minutes.



  5. Add the grated coconut and mix everything.



  6. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.



  7. Uncover and check if all the moisture has evaporated. If not, then cook for a few more minutes.



  8. Turn off the flame. Add cardamom powder.



  9. This stuffing can be stored in the refrigerator for upto a week. Can also be kept in a deep freezer for many months.



Prepare the Batter

  1. Grind soaked rice to a fine paste by adding water as required.



  2. Add cardamom powder and salt and mix thoroughly.



Make Ela Adai

  1. Cut about 9×9 inch pieces of Banana leaves.



  2. Remove the hard center stem to make it flexible.

  3. Wash and wipe dry the leaves.



  4. Wilt the leaves over direct flame.



  5. You can also wilt the leaves by dipping them in hot water for a few minutes. Or, you can bake them @200°c/400°f for 10 minutes.

  6. Wilting helps to make the leaves very flexible. That way they don't tear while rolling .

  7. Brush a little oil on a wilted leaf.



  8. Spread a ladleful of batter.



  9. Put a tbsp of the filling in the center.



  10. Fold the leaves from all 4 sides to make a parcel. Please check the video if you need help here.



  11. If banana leaf is not available, then you can do the same procedure on a parchment paper.



  12. Heat water in a steamer.Arrange all prepared parcels on a plate and keep in the steamer. You can also use idli mould.



  13. Cover and steam for 15 minutes.



  14. Remove all parcels from the steamer. Serve as it is (in the leaf).



Bhaat Na Rasiya Muthiya, Rasawala Muthia

Bhaat Na Rasiya Muthiya, Rasawala Muthia

Bhaat Na Rasiya Muthiya or Rasawala Muthia is a traditional Gujarati dish. This is probably one of the best uses of leftover rice. This recipe uses basic Indian pantry ingredients. You can have it either as a snack or as a meal. Since it contains 

Corn Patties Mahabaleshwar Style

Corn Patties Mahabaleshwar Style

Mahabaleshwar Style Corn Patties are famous street food from this the largest hill station in the Sahyadri range of Maharashtra state. Come monsoon and you can smell the aroma of fresh corn patties from every nook and corner of Mahabaleshwar.

Kerala Style Vegan Tapioca Stew, Kappa Ishtu

Kerala Style Vegan Tapioca Stew, Kappa Ishtu

Kerala style Vegan Tapioca Stew or Kappa Ishtu is a delicious, simple, one pot curry from the Southern state of Kerala in India.

The recipe credit goes to my dear sister in law Roopa and her mother Rosy whose stew I loved and have tried to replicate the same recipe here.

Kappa is the malayalam name for Cassava or Yuca and is one of the main starch ingredients in Kerala’s food culture, along with rice. The other popular Malayalam names are maracheeni, Poola kizhangu, Maravalli Kizhangu, Kolli Kizhangu.

The starch extracted from Cassava root transforms into Tapioca Balls (Sago/साबूदाना) and this is a widely popular ingredient in other parts of India. Tapioca is a staple food  for millions of people in tropical countries. But it provides only carbohydrate food value, and is low in proteinvitamins and minerals. Another use of tapioca is as a thickening agent in various manufactured foods.

Another key ingredient for this Kerala Style Vegan Tapioca Stew is coconut milk. Coconut is the most common ingredient in all Kerala food. For all Kerala recipes, traditionally the fresh coconut milk plays a key role. For extracting the thick milk or the first extract, add just a little hot water to fresh coconut and grind. Then add some more hot water and grind coconut and extract milk. This is the thin milk or the second extract.

If you want to explore more Kerala recipes, then please check below recipes. As always, I will look forward to your comments or feedback.

MANGO KADHI, MANGA MORKOOTAN FROM SOUTHERN INDIA

VAZHAI POO USILI, BANANA FLOWER CURRY

Kerala Style Vegan Tapioca Stew, Kappa Ishtu

Kerala style Vegan Tapioca Stew or Kappa Ishtu is a delicious, simple, one pot curry from the Southern state of Kerala in India.

Kappa is the malayalam name for Cassava or Yuca and is one of the main starch ingredients in Kerala's food culture, along with rice. The other popular Malayalam names are maracheeni, Poola kizhangu, Maravalli Kizhangu, Kolli Kizhangu.

  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 4 Nos Green Chillies, slit
  • 1 inch Ginger, finely chopped
  • 100 grams onion, diced
  • 300 grams cassava roots, yuca roots, tapioca, cubed
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 cups coconut milk, divided.
  • 100 grams carrots, cubed
  • 100 grams beans, cut into long pieces
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp crushed black pepper
  • 1 tsp jaggery or brown sugar
  1. Please see video to understand how to peel tapioca.



  2. Heat a heavy bottomed pan or pot.



  3. Add a spoon of coconut oil.



  4. Add curry leaves, chillies and ginger and saute for a minute.



  5. Add onion and tapioca. Don't saute onions.



  6. Add turmeric.



  7. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1/2 cup of water. If using thin coconut milk, then you can omit water and add 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk instead.



  8. Cover and cook on low flame for 12-15 minutes.



  9. The tapioca should be cooked yet firm.



  10. Add chopped carrots, beans and salt at this stage.



  11. Cover and again cook for 5 minutes. Overcooking may spoil the color and texture.



  12. Then add crushed pepper, sugar and a cup of thick coconut milk.



  13. Simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the flame.



  14. Dip some curry leaves springs in coconut oil and put as a garnish for the stew.



  15. Serve hot stew with Appam. This tastes equally delicious with steamed rice.



Whole Wheat Ragi Chocolate Cake, Easy Vegan Recipe

Whole Wheat Ragi Chocolate Cake, Easy Vegan Recipe

This super easy and vegan Recipe for Whole Wheat Ragi Chocolate Cake is a healthy twist to regular chocolate cake. You can make this cake in a regular oven or on the stove top. Ragi is also known as finger Millet, Nachni, Kezhvaragu, Madua.

Konkan Style Kalingana Polo, Watermelon Rind Dosa

Konkan Style Kalingana Polo, Watermelon Rind Dosa

Konkan Style Kalingana Polo is an age-old recipe from Konkan Region in India. Kalingana means watermelon in Konkani and Polo means Dosa, and as the name suggests, here the watermelon rind is the key ingredient.
The most popular part of the watermelon is the pink flesh, but like its cousin, the cucumber, the whole thing is edible. This includes the green scraps that usually end up in the compost bin.

Watermelon Rind Thogayal, Thuvaiyal

Watermelon Rind Thogayal, Thuvaiyal

Watermelon Rind Thogayal or Thuvaiyal is a healthy alternative to the coconut chutney. This is a delicious best out of waste recipe.

Thogayal or Thuvaiyal is a Tamil word for thickly ground spicy chutney. Thogayal can be made in various ways with various vegetables like Ridge gourd, coconut, pumpkin etc. Next time when you get home a watermelon, please do make this Watermelon Rind Thogayal for a change.

As per livestrong.com, most people discard the rind of the juicy watermelon, but the watermelon rind has many benefits. Whether you eat the rind or use it topically, this often-wasted food can do good things for your body. Finding a use for it also helps cut down on the amount of garbage you produce, so it’s good for the environment as well.

If you want to see the detail video of this thogayal, you may check below link

BEST PROTEIN SPREAD [NO-COOK]

Watermelon Rind Thogayal

Watermelon Rind Thogayal or Thuvaiyal is a healthy alternative to the coconut chutney. This is a delicious best out of waste recipe.

Roast Together

  • 1 tsp Sesame Oil
  • 1 tbsp Black or White Urad
  • 1 tbsp Bengal Gram Lentil
  • 1 tbsp Flax Seed
  • 3 Nos Dry Red Chillies

Ingredient to cook

  • 1 tsp Oil
  • 2 cups Watermelon Rinds

Ingredients for tempering

  • 1 tsp Sesame Oil
  • ¼ tsp Mustard Seeds
  • ½ tsp White Lentil/Urad
  • ⅛ tsp Asafoetida
  • 3 Nos Dry Red Chillies
  • 1 sprig Curry Leaves

Other Ingredients

  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp soaked Tamarind or thick tamarind extract. (Or, you can cook half a tomato and use instead of tamarind.)
  1. Roast all ingredients listed till lentils turn pink and flax seeds start to crackle.



  2. Keep aside.



  3. Add a tsp of oil and saute rinds for 2 minutes.



  4. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.Sprinkle some water in between to aid in cooking.



  5. Add cooked rinds to roasted lentils.



  6. Add salt .



  7. Add one of these ingredients for sourness.



  8. Grind everything to a slightly coarse paste.



  9. Heat oil for tempering.

  10. Add all ingredients for tempering and saute for few minutes.



  11. Pour the tempering over chutney and serve with Dosa or Idli.



Almond Moringa Crescent Cookies

Almond Moringa Crescent Cookies

This is an easy, Vegan, Gluten free recipe for Almond Moringa Crescent Cookies which is a slight variation to the famous Almond Crescent cookies. This Vegan and Gluten free recipe includes the goodness of moringa or drumstick leaves.