Pickled Beetroot

PICKLED BEETROOT (ബീറ്റ് റൂട്ട് അച്ചാര്‍ )

Ingredients:-

1 bunch beetroot, cooked (eg wash, place unpeeled in large saucepan, cover with water, bring to boil, simmer about an hour until tender)
Separately, simmer together for 5 mins:
2cm ginger, peeled and crushed
600ml vinegar,
200g sugar,
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp mustard seeds
Then cool and strain, reserving the vinegar.

Method :-

Peel and slice or dice the beetroot. Pack into sterilized jars. Bring the vinegar to the boil and pour in to cover the beetroot. Seal.

These make yummy beetroot pickles, very much in the Australian style.

Note; beetroot can be set in a mould by warming 2 cups of this pickling liquid and mixing with 1 tbsp gelatine and poured over the beetroot.

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Beef Pickle

Ingredients:-

Bowl 1

Beef - 1/2 kg ( I prefer stew meat )
Meat Masala - 1/2 tea spoon
Turmeric - a generous pinch
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1/2 to 1 tea spoon
Vinegar - 1/2 tea spoon
Salt to taste

To fry meat

Oil - 2 tablespoon
To make masala
Gingelly oil / Sesame oil - 2-3 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea spoon
Fenugreek seeds - a large pinch
Curry leaves - lots
Garlic chopped - 10 cloves
Ginger sliced - a thumb sized piece ( adjust ginger and garlic as per ur likes)
Green chili chopped - 3-4
Kashmiri Red chili powder - 1.5 tablespoon( if using hot chili powder 1 or 2 tea spoons would be enough)
Vinegar - 1 -2 tablespoons ( add more if you like more, I prefer 2 tablespoons of the normal white distilled one or red wine vinegar)
Whole Black peppercorns - 1 tea spoon
Garam masala - a pinch
Salt to taste

Method :-

Clean and cut the beef into bite sized pieces. Marinate with all in Bowl 1 and keep aside for 20-30 minutes. Pressure cook in a medium flame with 2 tablespoons of water , for 2-3 whistles or until done.

Drain in a colander and reserve the stock( 1/2 cup maximum)

Heat 2 tablespoons of any cooking oil in a non-stick pan and fry the beef pieces till brown.

Meanwhile , heat 2-3 tablespoons of gingelly oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add fenugreek seeds , fry for 10 seconds , followed by curry leaves, garlic, ginger and green chilies. Fry till the raw smell is gone. I love them to be a bit crunchy.

Make a paste with 1 tablespoon of reserved stock , vinegar and red chili powder and add to the pan and fry till the oil separates. Add the remaining stock , bring to boil and add the fried beef pieces along with any oil in the pan . Crush the whole black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and add to the pan , along with a pinch of garam masala. Simmer for a couple of minutes , stirring often , till it is thick or dry as you like it . Let cool , transfer to clean glass jars and keep in cool dark place or in the fridge.

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Prawns Pickle

Ingredients:

1 kg (just over 2 pounds) king prawns
750 ml white vinegar
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 dozen dry red chillies
4 tsps cumin seeds
A thumb-sized piece of ginger
15-20 cloves of garlic (one large pod)
7 tbsps oil
Salt

Preparation:

Wash, shell and devein the prawns. Pat them dry with a paper towel.

Mix salt to taste and the turmeric powder and rub into the prawns. Keep aside to marinate for an hour.

Grind the red chillies, ginger, garlic and cumin seeds into a thick, smooth paste in a food processor by adding a little vinegar at a time.

Heat 4 tbsps of oil on a medium flame and stir fry the prawns till golden. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool.

Fry the spice paste you made earlier with 3 tbsps ofoil, till the oil beging to separate from the masala. Now add the remaining vinegar (season if necessary) and cook on a medium flame for 15 minutes more. Allow it to cool fully.

Place the prawns in a glass pickling jar and pour the cool spice mix over them.

Mix well and allow to 'rest' for a few days before eating.

Eat with rice and daal or just plain boiled rice.

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Carrot Pickle

CARROT PICKLE (കാരറ്റ് അച്ചാര്‍)

Ingredients

2 Cups Carrot pieces
4 tbsp Red Chilli powder
Salt to taste (or) 2 tbsp Salt
1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
Sufficient Oil (or) 1/2 cup oil
1/4 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Sliced Garlic (or) Minced Garlic

Roast & Powder

1 tbsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp Methi seeds (or) Fenugreek seeds

Tempering

1/4 tbsp mustard seeds
1/4 cumin seeds
2 red chillis
4/5 curry leaves
Preparation:


1. Peel and wash carrots, cut into small pieces.2. Roast Mustard and Methi/Fenugreek seeds, make a powder.
3. Mix well carrots, red chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder, garlic, lemon juice, oil and mustard & methi powder.4. Tempare 1/4 tbsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tbsp cumin seeds, 2 red chillis, 4/5 curry leaves with 1 tbps oil.
5. Mix and keep it aside overnight. Next day put it in Jar and store in Fridge.

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Fish Pickle

Ingredients

1 kg. fish (any firm fleshed ones like tuna with less bones)
1/4 cup thinly sliced ginger
1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic
5 slit green chillies
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves (optional, as it is difficult to get everywhere)
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 1/2 tblsp. chilli powder
2 tsp. pepper powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil as required

Method:

Clean and cut the fish into small cubes. Wash them thoroughly. Drain the water completely.
Marinate the fish in 1/2 tblsp. chilli powder, 2tsp. pepper powder, 1 tsp. turmeric powder (from the ingredients above) and salt for half an hour.
Fry the fish and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
Splutter the mustard seeds and then put in the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.
Add the sliced ginger, green chillies and garlic and saute until golden colour.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp. chilli powder and saute. Add the fried fish with more oil. Heat it until the oil becomes hot. Add the vinegar and salt to this and switch off the stove.
Mix everything thoroughly.
Bottle it in clean bottles and keep it air tight. The oil and vinegar mix should cover the fish pieces at all times.

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Garlic pickle

Garlic pickle (വെളുത്തുള്ളി അച്ചാര്‍ )

Ingredients:

Garlic - 1 kg
Fenugreek(Uluva) - 10 gm
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 10 gm
Asafoetida(Kayam) - 10 gm
Lime fruits for extracting juice - 25
Coriander seeds - 30 gm
Vinegar - 1 Tbsp
Jaggery(Sharkkara) - 100 gm
Chilli powder - 100 gm
Turmeric powder - 10 gm
Mustard seeds - 10 gm
Gingelly oil (Nallenna) - 500 ml

THE PREPARATION

Fry the asafoetida, fenugreek (Uluva), coriander seeds and jeera in a pan without using oil.

After they turn brownish grind the contents together and keep separately. Squeeze the juice from the lemons and add some salt to it (around 100 grams)

Splutter some mustard seeds in gingelly oil in a pan, and add the garlic

mix the lime to the pan when the garlic is quarted cooked

when the garlic is half cooked add turmeric,chilli powder,massala powder n salt.

cook for few minutes add powdered jaggery.keep on the stove 4 about 2 minutes....garlic pickle is ready.

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Lemon Pickle

LEMON PICKLE (നാരങ്ങ അച്ചാര്‍ )

Ingredients

10 Large Lemon
1/2 Cup Vinegar
2 tbsp chopped ginger
2 tbsp chopped garlic
3 green chillies chopped
Few curry leaves
Salt as required
1 tbsp Gingelly oil (Sesame seed oil)
3 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
1 tbsp mustard seeds

Preparation

Bring a pot of water to boil and immerse the lemons and continue boiling for 3-4 minutes. Take the lemons out and let them cool. Cut the lemons into small pieces (don't discard the juices) and keep it aside. Coarse grind the mustard seeds. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Add Ginger, garlic and green chillies as soon as the mustard changes color. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and asafoetida powder. Add curry leaves and switch off the heat. Add the cut lemons and salt. Add enough vinegar and properly mix together. Keep it covered for a day and the adjust the salt and add more vinegar. You can add some sugar also to sweeten a bit. Keep refrigerated.

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Mango Pickle

MANGO PICKLE (മാങ്ങാ അച്ചാര്‍ )

Ingredients

1 big - Fresh green raw mango
5 to 6 flakes- Garlic, sliced
1 tbsp - Red chili powder
1/4 tsp - Hing powder / Asafoetida
1/4 tsp - Fenugreek powder
Salt to taste
Sesame oil

Seasoning

1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds

Method

1 ) Cut mango with skin on, into small pieces.

2 ) Heat 2 tbsp oil. Keep the heat low, once the oil has warmed up. Add garlic and just fry lightly. Don't brown it. Then on low heat, add red chili powder, hing and fenugreek powder. Stir and fry for a second. Take off the stove and pour on the cut mango pieces. Add salt to taste and mix well with mango pieces.

3 ) Heat 1 tbsp more oil and pop mustard seeds. Pour this on pickle and mix in. Cool and transfer to a glass or ceramic jar.You can warm little more oil and pour on top of the jar, if you want to store this for long time. Keep in room temperature for a day, then store in fridge

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Nellikka Pickle

NELLIKA PICKLE (നെല്ലിക്ക അച്ചാര്‍)

Ingredients:

Gooseberry 1/2 k
Ginger 1 big piece
Garlic 10 to 15 pods
Chilly pdr 2 to 3 Tbsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Vinegar 2 to 4 Tbsp
Fenugreek seeds
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Hing (asafoetida) 3/4 Tsp
Oil (Gingely)
Salt

Method:

Cook gooseberry in water and little salt. Allow it to cool. Keep the water aside and remove the seeds from the berry and slice it into small pieces. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, sliced ginger and garlic. Saute till it turns light brown. Reduce the heat and add chilly pdr, turmeric pdr, hing and salt. Roast it well and pour rqd amount of water (water which was used to cook the gooseberry) and vinegar into it and boil well. Add the cooked gooseberry into it and mix well. Remove it from fire and cool it. Store it in an air tight container.

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Fish Kabab

Fish Kabab

 

Ingredients:

• 900 gms Fish
• 3/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp Fresh Ginger (finely grated)
• 3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
• 1-1/2 tsp Salt
• 4 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 cup Yoghurt
• 2 tbsp Plain flour
• 1 tbsp Cooking Oil

How to make Fish Kabab:

• Rinse fish with cold water and pat dry.
• Now cut into 1 inch cubes and set aside.
• Mix all the ingredients to make a marinade.
• Pour this into large freezer bag and add the fish cubes.
• Make sure fish is well covered by marinade.
• Place freezer bag in the refrigerator for two hours.
• Take away fish from marinade.
• Discard the marinade and assemble fish cubes.
• Spray the grill lightly with cooking oil and place the fish kebabs on the grill.
• Cook for about 4-6 minutes each side or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
• Fish Kebab is ready to be served with hot rice.

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Green Chilli Chicken

Green Chilli Chicken

Ingredients

• Chicken,1 1/2 inch pieces 800 grams
• Small Green Chillies 1 cup
• Green chillies 3
• Onions 2 medium
• Ginger 1 1/2 inches
• Garlic 10 cloves
• Fresh coriander leaves 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil 3 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds 3/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 2 teaspoon
• Roasted cumin powder 1 teaspoon
• Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon

Method

Chop onions, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and 3 green chillies and put in a grinder jar. Add salt and sufficient water and grind to a smooth paste. Add this paste to chicken and mix well. Set aside to marinate for at least ½ hour or 24 hours in a refrigerator. Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds and sauté till the colour changes. Add whole green chillies and mix well. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Sauté for 2 minutes on high heat. Add marinated chicken and mix well. Add coriander powder, roasted cumin powder and garam masala powder and mix well. Cook on high heat for a minute. Then cover and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and cook for about 15-20 minutes, adding water if required. Serve hot.

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Mutton Ladies Finger

Mutton Ladies Finger from Pakisthan

Ingredients
• Ladyfingers (bhindi),trimmed 500 grams
• Mutton,cut into small pieces on the bone 500 grams
• Ghee 2 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
• Cinnamon 2 one-inch sticks
• Black cardamoms 4
• Black peppercorns 8-10
• Onions,thinly sliced 2 medium
• Green chillies,slit 3-4
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
• Garlic paste 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 2 teaspoons
• Oil 2 tablespoons
• Tomatoes,pureed 2
• Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
• Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon
• Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 4 tablespoons

Method
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add half teaspoon cumin seeds, cinnamon, black cardamoms, black peppercorns and onions and sauté till lightly browned. Add mutton and green chillies and continue to sauté. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder and coriander powder and stir. Heat oil in another pan. Add the remaining cumin seeds. Make a slit one side of the ladyfingers and add to the pan and sauté till lightly browned. Add two cups of water to the mutton and mix. Add tomato puree and stir. Add red chilli powder and garam masala powder and mix well. Add coriander leaves and the sautéed ladyfingers. Mix and adjust salt. Close the cooker with the lid and cook under pressure till one whistle is released. Reduce heat to medium and cook for twenty to twenty five minutes. Open the lid when the pressure reduces completely. Serve hot.

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Ginger Pepper Tea

Ginger Pepper Tea

Ingredients

• Ginger,crushed 1 inch piece
• Black peppercorns 8
• Tea leaves 3-4 teaspoons
• Fennel seeds (saunf) 1/2 teaspoon
• Fresh mint leaves 6-8
• Milk 1 cup
• Sugar 4-5 teaspoons

Method

Heat three cups of water in a pan. Take peppercorns and fennel seeds in a mortar and pound with a pestle. Add this to the water. Crush the ginger and add. Add fresh mint leaves and let the water come to a boil. Add tea leaves and continue to boil. Add milk and let the mixture boil once more. Add sugar and simmer the mixture for two to three minutes. Strain and serve piping hot.

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Karimeen Fry - Kerala style

Kerala Style nadan Karimeen fry ( Pearl spot fry)
Serves - 2
Total cooking time :- 30 minutes plus for marination and 10 plus minutes for frying

Ingredients:-

Karimeen/Pearl Spot - 2 nos (Available in kerala stores in US by Narmada Brands)
Ginger- Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 table spoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Curry Leaves
Sliced onion

Directions:-

Mix all the powders and salt and adding a little water make a paste with it.
Apply the paste to the fish and keep it for sometime.
You can either deep fry( 10 minutes) or shallow fry(20-25 minutes) it as per your choice
( Add curry leaves while frying)

(Source: Sarah, Vazhayila.com)

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Chemmeen Pachakkuarachathu

Chemmeen Pachakkuarachathu 

Ingredients

1. Prawns / chemmeen – 400 gm (I used around 20 – 25 jumbo prawns)
2. Ginger – 1 inch, chopped
Pearl onions – 4 – 5, sliced
Green chilies – 4, slit
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
3. Drumstick – 1, cut into 2 inch pieces and slit
4. Kudam puli / gamboge – 4 pieces, soaked in enough water and torn into small pieces
5. Grated coconut – 1.5 cup
6. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder – 1.5 tsp
Coriander powder – 3/4 tsp
Fenugreek powder – 1/4 tsp
Pearl onions – 4 – 5
7. Salt – To taste
8. Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Method

1. Grind the grated coconut along with the ingredients numbered 6 to a fine paste.
2. In a clay pot, add the washed and cleaned prawns, ground coconut paste, drumstick pieces, chopped ginger, green chilies, sliced pearl onions , kudam puli pieces, salt and enough water (around 1 cup)and cook at medium heat until done. It will take about 15 - 17 minutes. Add a few curry leaves. Switch off. Pour a tbsp of coconut oil over the curry. Set aside for 10 mts. Serve with rice.

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Sharjah Shake

Sharjah Shake

Ingredients (Serves 2)

Banana - 1 largeChilled milk - 1.5 - 2 cupsBournvita / boost / ovaltine - 2 tspSugar / honey - 1 - 2 tsp or to tasteCardamom powder - 1 - 2 pinchesCashews - 4 (soak them in warm water for 10 minutes) Dates - 1 - 2 roughly chopped ( Optional)

Method

Blend everything together until thick and frothy. If you are using cashews/ dates blend them first adding a little milk and then add the remaining ingredients. Enjoy!!

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Minty Lemon Juice

Minty Lemon Juice

Ingredients

1. Lemon – 1 (Remove the seeds and extract the lemon juice)
2. Ginger – 1/4 inch, roughly chopped
Mint leaves – 6 – 8
Honey – 2 tsp or sugar, to taste
Salt – 1 pinch
Water – 1.5 cups

Method

Put all the ingredients in a mixer and grind for about 10 seconds. Strain and pour into a glass.

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Nadan Chicken Pepper Fry

 Nadan Chicken Pepper Fry

Ingredients

Chicken ( Boneless ) ~ 1/2 kg
Garlic ~ 7-8 garlic cloves (Peeled and crushed )
Ginger ~ 2 medium sized pieces ( Peeled and crushed )
Green chillies ~ 4-5 nos (Chopped )
Shallots / Kochu ulli ~ 15 nos ( Finely chopped )
Tomato ~ 2 nos ( Medium sized , chop and grind it to a paste using a mixer grinder )
Turmeric powder ~ 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder ~ 3 tsp
Lemon juice ~ 3/4 tbsp
Home - made garam masala ~ 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut ~ 1/2 cup
Coriander powder ~ 2 tsp
Curry leaves ~ 2 stems
Salt to taste
Coconut oil / Regular vegetable oil

Method

First clean the chicken pieces and cut it to medium sized pieces and then drain it nicely. Next marinate the chicken pieces with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, 3/4 tbsp lemon juice and little salt and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.

Then heat oil, preferably in a non-stick pan and add mustard seeds and when it pops up, add curry leaves followed by crushed ginger and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes. Next add finely chopped shallots and green chillies and saute till shallots become transparent and in a very low flame, add 2 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and fry for less than a minute. Then add ground tomato paste along with 2-3 tbsps of water and cook till the tomatoes are nicely cooked and until almost all water is evaporated.

Next add marinated chicken pieces along with enough salt and mix it nicely and cook covered for around 20 minutes without adding water. Then cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes and then add 2 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 1/2 tsp of garam masala, grated coconut and 1 stem of curry leaves and mix it nicely and then keep it in a low flame till the chicken pieces becomes dry and slightly brown in color and at this point you can add 1-2 tbsps of oil. Do stir in between in order to avoid the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

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Orange Pudding

Orange Pudding

Ingredients

3 oranges
1 1/4 pints milk
1 1/2 oz cornflour
1 oz butter
3 oz sugar
2 eggs
pinch of salt

How to make orange pudding:

Peel the oranges, cut in pieces and place in a buttered dish.
Mix cornflour with a little of the milk.
Boil remainder of milk, add to the cornflour paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the butter and a pinch of salt.
Sprinkle a little sugar over the oranges.
Mix the rest of the sugar with the yolks of the eggs, and add to the milk and cornflour mixture.
Stir for a minute or two longer over the fire without boiling.
Pour over the oranges and bake for 10 minutes.
Beat the egg whites stiffly, fold in a little castor sugar, pie on top and return to cool oven for abut 10 minutes, to set and tinge a very pale brown.

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Oottada

Oottada

Ingredients

Roasted rice flour or whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt - To taste
Grated coconut - 1/2 - 3/4 cup or as required
Water - As required

Method

Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a very thick batter by adding water little by little. Taste-check for salt. Flatten the batter on a rectangular banana leaf using your finger tips or using the back of a thavi/ spoon. Top it with some grated coconut. Fold the banana leaf in half. Repeat until the batter is finished.

Heat a tawa. Roast the prepared banana leaf ottadas, on both sides at medium heat, until the banana leaves are browned as you see in the above picture. Serve immediately.

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Mathi Nellikka Varattiyathu

Mathi Nellikka Varattiyathu (Goosberry Sardine)

Ingredients:

Medium sized sardines- 6nos (1/2 kg) cleaned
Nellikka (gooseberry)- 3nos Big
Pepper powder - 1tbsp
Garlic (veluthulli)- 6cloves
Ginger(inchi)- 1/2 inch piece
Fenugreek(uluva)- 1tsp
Coconut oil- 2tbsp
Curry Leaves- 2spring
Water- 1cup
Salt- to taste

Preparation:

1. Remove the seed from gooseberry.
2. Grind the gooseberry with pepper powder, ginger and garlic to make a paste.
3. Heat the oil in a pan preferably earthenware(currychatti). Add fenugreek and when it turns golden, add the grinded mix and saute until the raw smell disappears in low flame.
4. Add the curry leaves and water and salt to taste and simmer for 5 minutes to boil.
5. Now add the sardines and cook on low flame till the gravy thickens or dries as preferred. Shake the pan occasionally to avoid the fish sticking the bottom.

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Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients

1. basmati rice - 2 glasses
2. carrot grated- 1 cup
3. beans sliced thin and long -1cup
4. capsicum sliced thin and long- 1cup
5. celery sliced round - 1 cup
6. spring onion cut round and thin.
7. Soya sauce- 3tsp
8. Salt as required

Method

Soak basmati rice in salt water for 5 minutes and drain. Fry this in ghee for half an hour on low flame (or keep in Micro wave for 20 minutes and fry in ghee for 10 minutes) . Add 4 glasses of boiled water and salt to taste. Boil it on low flame till the water goes off. Close the lid and keep for 15 minutes. After that open the lid and let it cool.

Fry all vegetables in ghee in the respective order(from 2 to 5). Add 3 teaspoons of Soya sauce and a little salt.(Since Soya sauce is salty, you have to be careful while adding salt.) Heat up a pan and put a spoon of Ghee, add one portion of rice, one portion of fried vegetables and one portion of spring onion. Fry for 8 minutes. Repeat this till the whole rice and vegetables are done. Mix all well and serve hot with curry.

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