Kalan - A Kerala Delicacy 

Another curd based dish from God's own country. This is my favorite curry. I make it little spicy as it like it that way. You can add any vegetable of your choice or have it without vegetable and either way it tastes good.

Ingredients
Raw Banana - 1 (Deskinned,cut into cubes and put it water to avoid discoloration)
Curd - 1 Cup (Beaten)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon

For Tempering:
Coconut Oil - 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - Few

To Grind:
Coconut -1/2 Cup
Green Chillies - 6
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon

Method

• Grind all the ingredients given under "To Grind" into a smooth Paste.
• In a pan, place the Curd, turmeric powder and black pepper powder and cook it on a low flame till comes into a chutney consistency.
• In another pan, add little water (Say a cup) and cook the raw banana in it.
• Once the Raw Banana is 3/4th cooked add the salt, prepared yoghurt and coconut paste and cook on a low flame till the raw flavour of the coconut is gone which should be 2-3 minutes.
• In a tadka pan, warm some coconut oil and splutter some mustard seeds and curry leaves and add it to the prepared Kalan.
• Have it with Rice and Papadam. 

Notes:

• Always cook the curd on low flame or it will curdle.
• Adjust the green chillies to your taste.
• You can use Yam, ash gourd also. 

Eggless Mango Mousse  with Mango Glaze 

Mango is in season and my house is filled with the sweet aroma of Mango. Personally I am not a great fan of Mango (which everyone think is rare), however, my mother, Brother and Hubby are crazy fans of mango. They survive of mango during the season.

As my house and my moms was filled with Mango I decided to do some desserts with Mango. SO I made Mango Mousse, Mango Cheesecake and Mango Cake. I will share the recipes of the other recipes soon.

In this recipe lets look at how to use Mango mousse. I recently learnt that Gelatin is a non vegetarian produce so I started using Vegetarian Gelatin which is available in majority of the supermarkets.

If you are unable to find them then you can use Agar Agar which is vegetarian.

Another issue is finding Cream cheese, the cost of this too much so i have found out the most economical alternative by using Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) with Milk or condensed Milk.

 Ingredients
For Mousse:
Paneer/Cottage Cheese - 1 Packet (I used Milky Mist 200 Grams)
Condensed Milk - 1 Tin (I used Milk Maid 400 Ml)
Gelatin - 3 Tablespoon+3 Tablespoon
Mango Pulp - 300 Ml + 300 Ml
Sugar - 2 - 4 Tablespoon (Optional, If your mango is sweet you can skip this)

For Mango glaze
Gelatin - 3 Tablespoon
Mango Pulp - 300 Ml
Sugar - 2 - 4 Tablespoon (Optional, If your mango is sweet you can skip this)

Method

• Soak all (6 Tablespoon) of the Gelatin in little cold water for some minutes till it becomes fluffy. This may take 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, mix this soaked Gelatin in hot water and mix well till it becomes transparent. 
• Meanwhile, In a blender add Paneer, Condensed Milk, 300 ml of Mango Pulp and blend it well.
• To this add  half of the prepared gelatin and mix well.
• Take your serving dish and fill 1/2 or 3/4 of the dish with the prepared Mousse. 
• I used individual mousse shots to serve them. You can use any dish which is freezer friendly.
• Pop this into the freezer for 10 -15 minutes.
• Meanwhile take the remaining Gelatin and Mango Pulp and mix them together.
• Now remove the Mousse from the dish and pour a thin layer of the prepared mango glaze on top of the mousse. 
• Cover the dish with some cling film and keep it in the freezer for 15-30 minutes or till the Mousse and Glaze is set.
• Serve it chilled.

Creamy Yummy Punjabi Dal Makhani 

Yum is the word for this Dal. I have always tried it at restaurants and never at home. I learnt this recipe from my hubby. It is a really rich Dal and takes time to cook but the end result is Yum.

Even Though this Dal goes well with Roti or Rice, my personal Choice is Jeera Pulav.

Ingredients

Whole Black Gram - 1 Cup (Washed and Soaked Overnight, if you want add Rajma too)
Tomato Puree - From 5 Tomatoes
Garam masala Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 1 Tablespoon
Coriander Powder - 1 Tablespoon
Turmeric Powder - A generous Pinch
Butter - 50 Grams
Cream - 100 Ml (I used Amul Fresh Cream)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Teaspoon

Method

• Wash and drain the Soaked Lentils. Add enough water and pressure cook it for 15- 18 whistles.
• The Dal should be cooked soft. Allow the pressure cooker to come to room temperature on its own.
• Meanwhile, place a non stick pan on the stove and add some butter.
• Add Cumin seeds and allow them to splutter, then add the Tomato Puree and Ginger Garlic paste and saute.
• Cook for 5 minutes and then add the Turmeric, Red chilly powder and Coriander powder and cook for 5-8  minutes.
• To this add the cooked Dal and stir it well.
• Cook it for about 10 - 15 minutes.
• Now add the remaining Dal and Cream and cook on simmer as long as you want or can.
• I cooked for 1 hour, usually it is cooked overnight.
• The more time you cook the more tasty the Dal will be.
• Stir it occasionally to avoid the Dal sticking to the bottom. 
• If you have time constraint, cook it atleast for 20 minutes.
• Towards the end, add The Garam Masala and stir it and switch it off. 

Lunch Menu 14 - Paruupu Urundai Kuzhambhu, Keerai Poriyal, Mango Pacchadi,Kuzhipaniyaam,Rasam,Vellam Pal Kozhukattai 

Click on the Links below for the Recipe:

• Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambhu (Recipe coming soon)
  
• Rasam
• Mango Pacchadi
• Keerai Poriyal (Recipe coming soon)
• Kuzhipaniyaram
• Paal Kozhukattai (With Jaggery) 

RidgeGourd Peel Chutney - Peerkangai Thol Thogayal 

I really like recipes which uses every part of the vegetable. This is one such and my mom has been making this since I was a kid. It is very Yummy and Healthy.

You can just mix it with Rice and have or use it as a chutney.

Ingredients

Ridgegourd Peel - 2 Cups (Wash the Ridgegourd and Peel them and chop the Peel roughly)
Gram Dal - 2 Tablespoon
Urad Dal - 1 Tablespoon
Thoor Dal  - 1 Tablespoon
Dry Red Chillies - 7 (Suit to your taste, 7 will give you spicy Thogayal)
Whole Pepper Corns - 1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Grated Coconut - 4 Tablespoon
Tamarind - 1/2 Inch Piece
Asafoetida - a Pinch.
Garlic - 4 Pods
Salt - To taste
Oil - 1 Teaspoon

Method

• Heat a pan with a teaspoon of Oil, add Gram dal and saute for few minutes and then add Urad Dal and Toor Dal and saute till they are done. (Till the colour changes slightly)
• Then add the Toor dal, cumin seeds, Pepper Corns, Red Chillies and saute for few minutes.
• Then add the Washed and chopped Peel and cook till they become soft.
• Then Add the coconut, garlic, Tamarind and saute for few minutes.
• Allow i to cool to the Room Temperature.
• Grind all the sauted ingredients in a mixer jar.
• Add Asafoetida and Salt and Grind into a Coarse Mixture.