Parippu Vadas

Ingredients: Channa dal, Red chillis, 1 large Onion, 1 inch piece ginger, Green chillis, 1 tbsp rice flour, Salt, Oil to deep fry.

Method: Soak channa dal for 1 hour. Grind with 3-4 red chillis to a coarse paste. Add onion, ginger, and green chillis. Add rice flour to get desired consistency and also to make the vadas crisp. Make small balls. Flatten the balls and fry on a medium flame till you are sure the insides are cooked. Drain the excess oil out. The vadas continue to cook and turns darker outside the oil.

Usually served with coconut chutney. I like it better with tamarind chutney. Malayalis just love this vada and so do I.

Pineapple-Prawns Fried rice

Ingredients: 1 tsp crushed garlic, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp ginger, 1 small onion diced, 1/2 cup prawns, 1 small capsicum, 1 carrot, 1/2 cup minced green beans, 2 green chillis minced, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 cup cooked rice, salt to taste.

Method: Saute the prawns. When semicooked, add capsicum, garlic, ginger, green chillis, and onions. After a few minutes add all the vegetables. When the vegetables are cooked, add pineapples. Cook for a minute. Add rice and stir. Add soy sauce and stir for another minute.

One of my favorite meals. Enjoy!

Hyderabadi Prawns Pulao

Ingredients: 2 cups basmati rice, 1 cup prawns, 3 cloves, 1 small piece cinnamom, 1 cardamom pod, 1 star anise, 3 bay leaves, turmeric powder, onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, curd, 1 bunch corriander leaves, 1 bunch mint leaves.

Method: Cook basmati rice with 3 cloves, small piece of cinnamom, 1 cardamom, 1 star anise, 3 bay leaves.

Apply turmeric powder and salt to prawns and then fry it til crisp. Keep aside. Saute onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes. When, cooked add prawns and stir for some more time.

Transfer prawns and veggies to a vessel. Put a layer of rice. Cover with chopped mint, corriander leaves, and green chillis. Pour some curd. Cover with remaining rice. Cover the vessel with a lid. Cook on slow fire till ready to serve.

Cheers!

Fried Pomfrets

Ingredients: Pomfrets, Lemon juice, ginger, garlic, 1 onion, red or green chilis, salt and turmeric.

Process: Grind ginger, garlic, and onion with lemon juice. Apply paste with turmeric and salt to fish. Let it set for a couple of hours. Fry over a low flame. Add some pepper towards the end. The whole place knows that Pomfret is cooking because of the delicious smell. You can also add cummin powder to enhance fragrance. Enjoy!

Pomfret Curry

Ingredients: 2 Pomfrets, 3 small tomatoes, Fresh coconut milk from half a coconut, 2 green chillis, 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp chopped curry leaves, 4-5 kokums soaked in small bowl of water, turmeric powder, salt, oil for cooking, 1 tbsp chopped corriander leaves.

Method: Apply turmeric powder and salt to fish. Let it stay for an hour or so.
Fry fish lightly and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to splutter, add ginger, garlic, and curry leaves. Stir for a few seconds the add the tomatoes. When the tomatoes are cooked add the soaked kokum with the water and let it come to a boil. Add fish and cook for three to four minutes. Add coconut milk and cook till desired consistency is achieved. Garnish with corriander leaves. Enjoy.
Fry the fish lightly.