AUTHENTIC DISHES | Saute Fry N Bake

Puli chutney

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : nil

Serving : 4 members

Description

Puli chutney . A quick chutney that is done with easily available ingredients at home and had mainly with palaya soru / ice biriyani . Ice biriyani is left over cooked rice that is soaked and immersed in water over night and had the next day morning for breakfast along with curd , salt and small onions usually . This dish is addressed as cucina povera – food of the poor . I remember during my long , hot summer vacations at my grand parents place in Palghat . There was always ice biriyani with this puli chutney as an accomplishment along with other breakfast items spread on the table . I would sit next to the ammi that was on the flour at the back yard of the kitchen and watch wahitha Akka ( our cook ) make this chutney by technically just crushing these ingredients together .my eyes would burn and pour down tears because of the onions being crushed but still loved the way wahida Akka used to handle the ammi and skilfully blend simple ingredients to a sublime art form . This chutney is also served with thenga choru as a side dish to Play a supporting role to gulp in a few more calories into you . A very tart , hot and salty chutney flavoured with coconut oil that hits the right spot with unique earthy flavours and oozes with old world charm . It’s good to retain old favourites and flavours to oomph a domestic staple .

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Small onions	one hand chopped
Green chillies	2 chopped
Thick Tamarind pulp	5 tablespoons
Water	1 teaspoon or more
Rock Salt	to taste
Coconut oil	1 tablespoon

Method

Crush small onion , green chillies and rock salt together in a ammi or sil patta .
In case you don’t have one crush them with the back of a spatula or crush them coarsely in a food processor making sure you don’t grind them . mix well . ( Best done in the ammi / sil patta )
Add tamarind pulp and water to get a gooey consistency mixture .
Top with coconut oil and mix well . Taste and adjust seasoning and serve .

Ennai Katharikai

Preparation Time : 20 minutes

Cooking Time : 25 to 30 minutes

Serving : 5 to 6 members

Description

I have already posted a recipe similar to this but that dish is called katharikai katta which is served as an accomplishment for biriyani by the Ravuthar community people of Coimbatore , Salem , Tirupur , Erode ( kongu belt ) and Palghat . This is an dish very own to my hubby’s place . My mother -in – laws recipe is a bit complicating and a long process. I used to follow her recipe till a few years back. Once lunch was sent over from my hubby’s cousin brother’s house . As usual it was biriyani with its accomplishment’s . They had sent ennai katharikai also which tasted so very yum and tickled all our taste buds. I immediately called and got the recipe which was a sensational recipe bursting with mouth watering flavours . So easy to what i followed ( my mother – in -laws recipe ). From then on , stuck to this recipe . A slight sweet element in a Savoury dish heightens the flavours and creates a balance . In total this dish is a symphony of sweet and savory. My classmate Christine Coulton had come from Canada to visit me on a holiday and stayed at my place for a week. Took maximum care to entertain her in all means. She loved the Ennai katharikai I served her ( my mother- in – laws complicated version ) she took note of the recipe then and there . She did give the recipe a try and it was a great hit at her home. After a few months , she did call to get the recipe again as she lost the previous recipe note . By then I got to know the easier recipe version and told her this recipe instead. Though not convinced enough she took note and made it on a Sunday. she called me and said , she made quite a lot thinking to freeze half for later use but every thing just vanished in minutes on the table , following with high praise.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Small sized brinjal's	1/2 kg , ( cut the bulb into four with the stem on the brinjal's ,important to check for worms in the brinjal ) ,
Small onions whole	1 1/2 hand full
Garlic flakes	one hand full
Gingely oil	1 cup
Mustard seeds	2 teaspoon
Curry leaves	few
Sambhar powder	3 tablespoons full
Hing	1/4 teaspoon
Tomato	chopped
Tamarind pulp	1/2 cup
Salt	to taste
White Sesame seeds	1 teaspoon
Roasted peanuts	1 teaspoon crushed
Jaggery	2 teaspoons

Method

Heat oil in a non stick kadai , add mustard seeds and curry leaves . Once they crackle , top with hing , whole onions and garlic .
Sauté for a 2 minutes . Add the brinjal’s and sauté in medium heat for 5 minutes till the colour of the brinjal’s change and looses its stiffness .
Add tomato , salt and sambhar powder . Sauté till the tomatoes lets out its juices . Add 1 cup water and bring to boil .
When the brinjal’s are 3/4 cooked , add the tamarind pulp . Toss well and cook until brinjal’s are cooked through and gets to a thick gravy coated with the brinjal’s .
Add jaggery , sesame seeds and crushed peanuts . Toss well . Simmer till oil separates . Taste and adjust seasoning .
Should taste tangy with the sweetness coming through . Serve hot .

Iddiappam Biriyani

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Cooking Time : 50 minutes

Serving : 3 to 4 members

Description

An authentic dish very own to my in – laws place . This dish is actually made by Sri lankan Muslims . Sri Lankan dish made at my in – laws place ???? well my hubby’s grand father ( dad’s dad )established our current business from Colombo in Sri Lanka . I guess that’s how this dish might have landed up at my in laws place. My hubby’s fore father were in Burma as well. Think they followed the chettier community back then to go aboard to make money. This has helped to add a lot of Sri Lankan Muslim cuisine into my in laws place. iddiappam biriyani is a light yet fragrant and delicious dish apt to be packed for a picnic or take away while traveling. When ever you try out this recipe make plenty as they will be devoured in no time. Visited my hubby’s cousin sister Fathima at Colombo on a Holiday . We were invited to a relatives place where there were quite a lot of people but no sign of any arrangements being made for the dinner. Suddenly they spread huge spreads on the floor followed with huge round circle trays ( thalas as we call in Tamil ) with iddiappam biriyani piled like a mountain accompanied with chicken 65 and onion raitha beside . They placed these round Tray’s all around the floor spread leaving some gap between each round tray . I was blinking not knowing what is going on. All the guests started sitting around each round tray (5 people around one tray) and started eating . Only then did i know this method of having food is know as SAHAN SAPPADU which is practiced by the Arabs to share the brotherhood between muslims and feel all are equal. It was fun to grab your bit from the huge tray. The best part was the refilling was being done every 5 minutes once.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken	1/2 kg cut into small pieces
Onions	6 big sliced
Tomato	4 big chopped
Green chillies	15 slit
Coriander leaves	one hand chopped
Mint leaves	one hand
Ghee	100 grams
Cinnamon	1 inch piece , clove - 4
Cardamom	4
Ginger garlic paste	1 teaspoon each
Curd	1 cup
Turmeric powder	1 teaspoon
Chilli powder	1 /2 teaspoon
Salt	to taste
Lime juice	1 lime
Coconut	1/4 cup grated , cashew nuts -10 ,
Rose essence	2 drops
Iddiappam	15 to 20

Method

Marinate chicken in curd, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt together and set aside .
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, top with cinnamon , cloves and cardamom . Once they crackle add the sliced onions and fry to brown for about 15 minutes . ( patience pays off ) add ginger and garlic paste and fry till they get crisp .
Top with half of mint, tomatoes and green chillies and saute till it gets to a gravy consistency . Add the marinated chicken along with the coriander leaves and remaining mint leaves and toss well .
Saute for 10 minutes till all the flavors infuse and let’s out its flavors . Pressure cook for one whistle adding 1 cup water .
Grind coconut and cashew nuts together to a smooth paste and add it to the chicken gravy . Mix well adding lime juice and rose essence.
Bring to boil, simmer till oil separates. Taste and adjust seasoning. The hotness , sourness and salt should be dominating and more than required only then when added to the iddiappam will it taste good .
The chicken should be of a thick gravy make sure it’s not runny as the iddiapam’s might not take in all the gravy . Cool the gravy to room temperature . Reserve 5 iddiappams aside. Shred the remaining iddiappams and mix it with the chicken gravy .
Once the iddiappams are mixed with the gravy it should have a little moisture stuck to the iddiappams as the iddiappams tend to suck in the moister as time passes by . You can add the reserved iddiappams if you feel the moister is too much . Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with onion Raitha ( Thayir chutney ) .

Kozli kanji

Preparation Time : 40 minutes

Cooking Time : 40 -50 minutes

Serving : 8 members

Description

Nonbhu Kanji is a rice based porridge that is served in most Muslim households through out Tamilnadu while breaking your fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Virtually every Muslim home in Tamilnadu has a version of this comfort classic. This recipe differs with slight twists and turns from place to place, district to district and home to home but having the basic as the same. Kanji holds a vast untapped richness of family tradition, tenaciously guarded recipes that are passed down from one generation to the next but rarely documented .This authentic recipe was passed down to me by my co sister Farzana who hails from Nagarkovil , a town in the borders of Tamilnadu and Kerala . This recipe does take me back in memory about an incident at my first cousin aneez’s place . She was newly married and we went to visit her as it was fasting time . As per tradition we were served kanji which had meat , chick peas and many other ingredients in it . I still remember we all from elders to kids made a big fuss about the kanji served as at home the kanji that we are served is based on cumin seeds , fenugreek seeds and coconut. This kanji tastes similar to the one I had at my cousin sisters house but now with a much mature tongue of mine , every mouth full was devoured with a soothing effect as nothing can perk you up quite like a bowl full of hearty kanji does .

Ingredients for rice

Ingredients	Quantity
Jeera sala rice ( jeera samba )	1 cup
Carrots	2 chopped
Fresh Green peas	1 cup shelled
Small onions	1/2 hand chopped
Garlic flakes	1/2 hand chopped
Mint leaves	2 tablespoons
Coriander leaves	2 tablespoons chopped
Curry leaves	1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder	1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds	1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds	1/4 teaspoon
Water	4 cups

Method for rice

Pressure cook the above ingredients together for 4 whistles and Set aside .

Ingredients for chicken

Ingredients	Quantity
Boneless chicken	200 grams
Oil	2 tablespoons
Cinnamon	1 inch stick
Cloves	3
Cardamom	2
Onion	2 chopped
Ginger garlic paste	1 teaspoon each
Tomato	2 medium sized chopped
Red chilli powder	1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder	1 teaspoon
Cumin powder	1/2 teaspoon
Fennel powder	1/2 teaspoon
Salt	to taste

Method for chicken

Heat oil in a pressure cooker .Top cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
Once they crackle add onion and saute to golden brown color .
Add ginger and garlic paste and fry to crisp. Top with tomato , chicken and salt to taste .
Saute until the tomatoes get mushy and the color of the chicken changes to white color . Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, fennel powder and coriander powder .
Mix well. Add water just above the chicken and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Cool completely . Remove the cooked chicken pieces and blitz in the food processor for a second to get thin threads of shredded chicken . ( Be careful not to grind the chicken to one mass of chicken meat ) .
Reserve the chicken gravy and the shredded chicken and set aside .

Ingredients to grind

Ingredients	Quantity
Coconut	1/2 cup
Fennel seeds	1 1/2 teaspoon
Thick Coconut milk ( first extract )	2 cups

How to proceed

Mix the chicken shredded, chicken gravy, ground coconut and coconut milk to the pressure cooked rice .
Mix well . Bring to boil , taste and adjust seasoning and the consistency of the kanji by adding more water if required .
The consistency of the kanji should be semi thick , following consistency .
The kanji is ready to be Served hot with samosas , rolls , vadais or any deep fried savoury snack as sides.

Uppu Kandam

Preparation Time : 40 minutes + 3 to 5 days to dry in the sun

Cooking Time : 2 minutes

Serving : -

Description

This is an authentic recipe from my grand mother ( dad’s mom balkees perima ). This dish is mostly prepared during the month of eid when there is a lot of meat in the house. I guess back then not knowing to prepare many dishes using meat and not having access to refrigeration they just thought of preserving the meat and came up with this dish. A salty peppery crispy rustic mutton preparation. The best part is the taste of the sun that comes through as the most dominating factor. Traditional delicacies jostle for space with unconventional time required. When i was a days caller before my 2 nd standard,my lunch box was mostly filled with uppu kandam rice . Mom used to just mix rice with the oil and fried meat . I used to love it and it was my comfort food . Now a days mom makes it double the more as she has to pack a lot for my brothers place (U.K) as every one just go bonkers over this uppu kandam. A carnivorous family we are just Rasam rice with uppu kandam will do to take you to another avatar.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Boneless mutton	1 kg cubed
Turmeric powder	1 1/2 tablespoon
Pepper	1 cup
Cumin seeds	1/4 cup
Coconut oil	3 tablespoons
Rock salt	3 tablespoons

Other things needed

Thick twine , a thin rope or thin metallic wire ,
Big needle ,
Meat hammer .

Ingredients to fry

Coconut oil or ghee – 1/2 cup .

Method

Grind all the ingredients together except for the mutton to a smooth paste , adding little water .Taste and adjust . The salt and hotness should be more than required only then will it get into the meat and dry out well .
Wash the meat , drain and pay dry .( my grand ma never used to wash the meat , my mom also does the same but I just can’t do that ) apply the ground Masala with the pat dried meat and mix well . String the Masala mixed meat with a help of a needle and heavy twine .( I use metallic thin wire to string , as there is no need for a needle or twine . Hassle free ) tie the stringed meat over a high place where there is good sun light (which helps the meat to dry out fast ) and beware no cats or dogs can access the meat hanging .
Keep a gap of 1/2 inch between each piece of meat . Dry it in the sun for at least one week or more till the meat is dried out really well and sounds like a stone dropped when dropped in your kitchen counter .
This dried meat can be stored in air tight containers for a year or more .
When ever required take 8 pieces of meat ( serves 3-4 people ) and hammer ( i use a real hammer , place the dried meat over the ammi kal (sil patta ) and hammer ) it well till it gets to a thin spread out meat piece .shred the hammered meat piece into thin shreds .
Heat coconut oil or ghee and fry the dried shredded meat for 1 1/2 minutes until it cooks through and gets crispy .
Drain and serve when cooled a little as the crispness is felt only when cooled down .
Can fry in advance and store it in air tight containers . An ideal dish ,best served with boiled white rice for lunch or with Kanji .

Maavu rotti

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 2 1/2 minutes for each roti

Serving : 4 members

Description

An authentic dish very own to my hubby s place . A roti made out of a coarse rice flour fried along with coconuts to dry and stored .The colour of this flour is a light cream colour . This flour is called as thengaatta maavu . I have seen this flour only in my hubby’s place not any where else . They use the flour for another dish called thakkadi which is rice flour balls cooked in mutton gravy . Any dish made with this rice flour makes you feel stuffed in the tummy and sure to put you off to sleep . Every muslim house in Nellai will surely have this rice flour stored in their homes . Initially when l was newly married , the rice flour was pound at home with a stone mortal and a long wooden pistol ( urulai and olakai in Tamil ) by women. (Nellai woman are physically strong ) . It would take an entire day for them to got the rice flour ready . The entire house would be a mess that one day . In fact my in-laws place has a separate room behind our ancestral home specially for this purpose (i followed the same and have a room for this purpose at my place to ) and the flour was fried only in a wood stove. Now a days we got the flour pounded in the near by rice mill but the frying part of the rice flour is still done the old school way of using a fire wood stove which I think gives the flour a nice smoky flavour . I have suggested puttu rice flour as substitute to this rice flour as its a difficult process to make this rice flour and not easily available any where other than the southern districts of Tamilnadu . So folks make sure to buy this thengaatta rice flour once you pass by Nellai along with our Tirunelveli special halwa :-)) .

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Rice flour ( puttu rice flour )	2 heaped cups
Boiling water	6 cups
Salt	to taste
Coconut grated	1 cup
Coconut oil	2 tablespoons

Method

Mix rice flour, coconut and salt together .Pour the boiling water over the Rice flour mixture . ( Might seem a lot of water but the flour will take in all the water . ) close with a lid and set aside undisturbed for 2 minutes .
Knead into a smooth dough . In case you need more water add little more boiling water .
Roll the kneaded dough into apple sized balls and keep covered in a vessel .
Place a greased plastic sheet over a flat surface ( your kitchen counter will be apt ) I usually cut white plastic bags , grease and use as the coloured plastic bags tend to ooze out colour from the cover to the rotis .
Place one dough ball in between the greased plastic sheet .Roll with a rolling pin very gently as the level of the roti surface has to be of same level through out to about 1/4 inch thickness .
Make a circle like for chapathis , with the help of a round shaped lid . press the lid well and remove excess dough sticking out .Heat a tawa .
Lift the roti with the cover in your left hand and place the roti side down on your right hand and place it over the hot tawa .
Place it undisturbed for 3 minutes in medium heat . Flip over and pour 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil all around the roti and cook undisturbed for another 3 minutes in medium heat .
Remove and serve hot with any non vegetarian or vegetarian gravy or curry .
This roti is served with mutton salna or fish curry usually .In the picture above i have served the roti with fish curry .
Follow and do the same with all the dough balls .

Jackfruit payasam

Preparation Time : 40 minutes

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Serving : 4 to 5 members

Description

Jackfruit Payasam . A delicacy that l was fed and pampered with as a kid , At home it’s known as chakka payasam . This payasam is decadently rich with the distinct sweetness and tang of the jackfruit . Best served with a family style feast . The highlight of this dish is contrast of the tart alone side the sweet which l assure will satisfy the cravings of the dessert devil in anyone . Have to mention about another connection i have with the mighty jackfruit . Any holiday that my kids have , the first thing we do is pack our bags and run to my moms place . One holiday i had to stay back with my hubby so sent my girl anisha to my moms place . My brother had put up a sale in ooty that holiday and my girl accompanied him along with his family . After 2 week got to see my girl in ooty and i was shocked as she was plump and chubby (you can say fat actually ) in just 2 weeks . All her cloths didn’t fit her and I kept asking my brother what did you feed her with . He was so happy about it and started calling her chakka finoli (no idea till date why that finoli behind the chakka ) as she bloated like a chakka (jackfruit) though she is skinny now (girl’s their dieting and stuff now a day’s) she is still addressed as chakka finoli as always.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Ripened Jackfruit Pieces (deseeded and inner cores removed )	2 Cups
Thick Coconut extract(milk )	1 cup
Thin coconut extract( milk )	2 to 3 cups
Powdered Jaggery	1 and a 1/2 cups or to taste
Salt	a pinch
Ghee	25 grams
Cashewnuts	10
Raisins	5
Cinnamon	1 inch piece
Cloves	2
Coconut bits	1 tablespoon
Rice flour	1 heaped tablespoon full

Method

Pressure cook the jackfruit with 2 cups of water for 2 whistles .
Cool completely . Blend and add the thin coconut extract ,salt and powdered jaggery to the jackfruit solution and mix well. Bring to boil .
Dilute the thick coconut extract with the rice flour and pour it into the boiling jack fruit payasam stirring continuously in medium heat making sure no lumps are formed ,until the payasam thickens . Taste and adjust .In case the payasam is too thick , dilute it by adding a cup of water .
Heat ghee ,crackle cinnamon and cloves .
Top with cashew nuts and raisins .
Once the raisins expand and cashew nuts are brown add the coconut bits .
Remove from heat and pour over the payasam . Mix well and serve hot .

Raan

Preparation Time : over night marination + 40 minutes

Cooking Time : 2 hours 40 minutes

Serving : 8 to 10 members

Description

Raan as known to the world but at home we call it thodai kari meaning thigh meat in tamil this dish came to our family through my aunt meher nisha (dad’s younger brother’s wife) who hails from a place called pudhukottai in tamilnadu . We make this dish mainly after eid as we always have a lot of meet left over and is a terrific impressive dish best served at family style feasts . I urge you all to try this show stopper at your homes at least once . time consuming dish but good things come to those who wait . The beautifully caramelised top with the revealing fatty bits of meat melting in your mouth full of exotic blends is to die for and is a sure fire crowd pleasure . pudhukottai always brings memories of a hoilday i had when i was a kid . Huge bungalows under one compound grand spread of home cooked comfort food on the table every meal . Each house crowded with herds of hearty people in all age groups . All this together offers warmth and a sense of well being . I still remember , I hid myself in a store room not wanting to leave puthukottai . My aunt had to literately pull and drag me into the car to leave to coimbatore . I didn’t say good bye instead said , i will be back .

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Lamb thigh( back thigh full with the leg ,with out fat and wedged , draw lines or slit through out )	2 1/2 kg
Cumin powder	2 tablespoons
Onion	1 1/4 kg ground
Tomato	1 kg ground
Garlic paste	150 grams
Ginger paste	150 grams
Cinnamon , clove , cardamom	10 grams each
Pepper powder	10 grams
Curd	1/4 litre
Ghee	2 cups
Turmeric powder	4 teaspoons
Chilli powder	4 tablespoons or to taste
Salt	to taste
Lime juice	1 1/2 limes
Raw papaya ground	6 small papayas (peeled and deseeded )

Marination of the thigh the day before

Mix ground raw papaya with salt to taste and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder . Apply it all over the lamb thigh and set aside in the refrigerator over night .

Method the next day

Wash the marinated meat cleanly making sure no papaya paste is stuck to the lamb thigh . Drain and set aside .
Heat a huge heavy bottomed vessel with a lid making sure your lamb thigh fits in . Pour ghee , once hot add cinnamon , cloves and cardamom . Once they crackle add the ginger and garlic paste and fry to crisp .
Top it with the ground onion paste and fry till the raw smell evaporates and oil separates . Add the tomato purée and keep stirring till oil floats on top .
Add curd , pepper powder , cumin powder and salt to taste ( be careful with the salt as we have marinated the meat with salt already ) .
Add the lamb thigh and keep turning the thigh over every 5 minutes once for 15 minutes making sure not to burn the bottom and the colour of the lamb thigh changes . Add hot water just enough to cover the lamb thigh .
Cover and cook for TWO HOURS in low heat until the thigh is cooked through and falls apart from the bones . Make sure not to burn the bottom and the masala .
Keep turning the thigh every twenty minutes once . Once the thigh is cooked and the water had reduced to a saucy gravy consistency , add lime juice and mix well . Taste and adjust .
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with any thing and every thing .

Note

You can follow the same process of the entire recipe and then transfer to a baking tray , that fits the lamb thigh with the water and masala .
Cover loosely with a foil paper and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit for one hour and then reduce the heat to 275 degree
Fahrenheit and bake again without the foil for another one hour , turning sides every 1/2 an hour once .

chellu podium chakka kotta charu

Preparation Time : 15 -20 minutes

Cooking Time : 25 minutes

Serving : 6 members

Description

Chellu podium cakka kotta charu . As I am typing the name of this authentic curry there’s a tsunami happening in my mouth with a hell lot of saliva . Any word to describe this curry would be an understatement as these sort of authentic home style curries are the best any time as it’s available only at homes and served with love along with a bonus of nostalgia attached to it . Curries made with jackfruit seeds have become a forgotten story to me after being married to a typical Tamil family , Deep South of Tamil Nadu . I do have a crystal clear image of my grand ma cleaning a huge pile of jackfruit seeds in my mind which is such a pain’s taking work but worth it . Umm memories of scrumptious food . This curry was made by my mother on one of her visits here at my place . I had my cousin brother Ahmed shah’s ( shabu ) wife zarina drop in home that evening . I made sure she had dinner and served her this curry . She literarily licked her plate clean and made sure to pack the rest to her aunt’s place where a battalion of her cousins were present . She did tell me that the curry vanished with in a minute when on the table . This proves the power of an authentic traditional curry that never ever goes out of style and remind’s you of an era when food was so simple with delicacies jostle for unconventional love with a lot of time spent in the kitchen .

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Jackfruit seeds cleaned	20
Small Dry prawns	1 1/2 cups
Ground coconut	1/2 a big coconut
Tamarind pulp	3/4 cup
Red chilli powder	3 teaspoons
Coriander powder	1 tablespoon
Salt	to taste
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Small onions	1/2 cup chopped
Tomato	3 medium chopped
Cumin seeds	1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds	1/2 teaspoon
Coconut oil	4 tablespoons

Method

Pressure cook jackfruit seeds with turmeric powder , salt to taste and water for one whistle in medium heat . Set aside .
Mix ground coconut , tamarind pulp , red chilli powder , coriander powder , salt to taste and water to a semi thick flowing consistency curry . Set aside .
Heat coconut oil in a heavy bottomed vessel . Add fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds . Once they crackle , top with small onions chopped and sauté to a golden brown .
Add tomatoes , sauté until oil separates and the tomatoes have broken down to let its juices out to a mushy consistency . Add the dry prawns and sauté for a minute .
Pour the ground coconut , tamarind , spice mixture along with the boiled jackfruit seeds pressure cooked with the water over the prawns . Bring to boil covered with a lid .
Simmer for ten minutes until oil floats on top and the curry has thickened a bit . Adjust seasoning . Remove from heat and serve with white boiled rice .

Bread basunthi

Preparation Time : 20 minutes

Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Serving : 4 members

Description

Bread Bhasundhi. Bhasundhi is a traditional full flavoured Indian sweet made by reducing milk to a semi thick form. Well bread bhasundhi is just a short cut way to finish the long simmering sweet to be done soon in a fuss free way. Made with few ingredients transforming into delicious indulgence. I got this recipe from my moms last sister Thasneem.Who is just 3 years elder to me. A fussy eater as a child .During my holiday stay at my grand parents place, she used to be compared to me a lot. As i was bubbly,loud, naughty, curious and all around the place but my aunt was just the opposite quite, shy…. Even our food habits were extreme opposites. i was very experimental even then eat anything and everything.She being fussy my grandfather used to get into my aunts nerves that she used to ask me to leave to Coimbatore soon. I remember , i used to follow the smell of food cooked in the kitchen and go even before any one could call for a meal.The elaborate spread on the table every meal was served in a way that celebrated the gathering of the entire family of all age groups. I guess my love for food was rooted from then onwards.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Bread slices	5 edges cut
Ghee	3 tablespoons
Milk	1/2 litre
Condensed milk	1 tin
Saffron	few strands
Cashew nuts	1 tablespoon chopped
Almonds	1 tablespoon blanched , peeled and chopped
Pistachio	1 tablespoon chopped ( I didn't use as I was out of stock )
Cardamom powder	1/2 teaspoon

Method

Cut each bread slices into 4 pieces . Fry in 1 tablespoon of ghee just for the aroma of ghee to get into the bread pieces for a minute in low flame .
Make sure the colour of the bread stays white in colour . Cool and blend to get a coarse powder . Boil milk , condensed milk , cardamom powder and saffron together for 10 minutes till half reduced .
Add the powdered bread along with chopped nuts and remaining ghee . Mix well .
Simmer for a minute till all the flavours infuse together . Incase the bhasunthi is to thick can add a little milk to get a semi thick consistency . Remove from heat .
Serve hot , warm or chilled . Best served chilled .