(This article is sponsored by Milan Restaurant)

Celery Payaru( whole Moong) Thoran
Celery chopped - 6- 8 sticks
Green whole moong (Cherupayar) cooked to 3/4th - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 Medium, chopped
Garlic – 2 cloves
Ginger cut – 1 small piece
Green chillies chopped - 6 (or to taste)
Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Dried red chillies - 2 -3
Curry leaves – 1 Sprig
Mustard – I Tsp
Cumin – ½ Tsp
oil

Preparation Method
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard to it and let it splutter.
Mix crushed garlic and cumin and add it to the oil and fry it for few seconds. Add ginger, chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves, red chilies and fry it for a minute. Add the celery and coconut and cook it till the celery is half cooked. Add the cooked whole moong dal and cook it covered for some more until evenly cooked.Add salt to taste.

Tomato Theeyal
Tomatoes -1 lb
Diced onions -1 cup
Green chilies -8
Oil -1/2 cup
Grated coconuts -2 cups
Dry chilies- 6 nos
Coriander -1 tsp
Turmeric- 1 tsp
Curry leaves -a sprig
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Cinnamon- 1 piece
Cloves- 6 no
Cardamom -5 no
Salt to taste

Cut tomatoes into big pieces. Slit the green chilies.
Cook tomatoes, green chilies and onions in 2 cups of water. Fry all the other ingredients (except turmeric) along with coconut till brown in color.
Add turmeric, pour into the curry and leave it to simmer.
Season the curry with fried onions, curry leaves and mustard in oil and serve hot.

Kaachiya Moru (Buttermilk Curry)

Butter Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp
Water - 1/4 cup
Green chilies - 2 to 3
Garlic- chopped, 1 tsp
Ginger – chopped, 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 1 tea spoon
Small Onion - 8 or 1 Large Onion
Red Chili - 2
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
Turmeric Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method of Preparation
Heat oil in a vessel. Splutter mustard seeds then add sliced green chilli, chopped ginger garlic, onion, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves and the broken red chilli. Fry it till every thing becomes golden brown. Add water and let it boil well for five minutes. Take the pan off and let it cool.Take butter milk and add turmeric powder, jeera powder , chilli powder and add salt. Mix with the cold masala the and place it back on very low fire. Keep it on low flame till it is just about hot and up remove from fire.Do not heat until the buttermilk curdles.

Cheera thayir (spinach and yogurt) curry

Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons
finely chopped -3 cloves garlic
dried red chillies -3
curry leaves – a sprig
fenugreek – a pinch
finely chopped – 2 Onions
green chillies - 3, slip lengthways
ginger- 1 tbsp finely chopped
tomatoes- 2, finely chopped
turmeric powder – 1 tsp
spinach - 5oz
plain yogurt - 8oz
salt

Metod of preperation
Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the mustard seeds and, as they begin to pop, add the garlic, dried red chillies, curry leaves and fenugreek. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, for 2 minutes, then add the onions, green chillies and ginger. When the onion turns brown, add the tomatoes, turmeric and some salt. Mix thoroughly, then add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. Gradually add the yogurt, stirring slowly and continuously. Return the pan to the heat for a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve with rice or rotis.

Unni Appam

Raw rice flour - 3 cups
Banana - 3/4 cup mashed
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Molasses - 1/3 cup
Brown sugar – 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Warm cup water - 1 1/2
Black sesame seeds, roasted – 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying

Preparation Method
Mix everything, except sesame seeds, using a hand blender. Add the sesame seeds and mix using a spoon. If desired, roasted coconut pieces may be added.

Molasses may be replaced with 3/4 cup brown sugar.
Heat oil in a pan.When oil is hot, reduce stove temperature to about 70-75%. Put I tbsp of batter in the oil, continue the process and pour 5-6 tbsps, depending upon the size of your pan. The appams should be deep fried on both sides to an even brown. Keep turning appams to get consistent cooking. Remove and drain appams when they are golden brown.

Ada Payasam

Ada - One packet (ready made available)
Jaggery – 2 lb
Coconut Milk – 3 cups
Coconut - 1 cup (Cut into very small thin pieces)
Cashew nut -1 cup
Kismis (raisins) - ½ cup
Cardamom - 6 (powdered)
Dry Ginger (Chukku) - One teaspoon (powdered)
Ghee - One cup

Method of Preparation
Fry cashew, grapes in one table spoon of ghee and keep it aside. Cook the ada in 4 cups of water. Once cokked (al dente) remove from fire and pour cold water on it so that it separates and does not get sticky. Drain water from it. Heat a pan and melt the Molasses in it. Keep stirring till it is completely melted. Now add the ghee and keep on stirring well. After 30 seconds add the Ada and mix well. Add 3 cups of coconut milk. Add cashew and grapes. Make sure that you mix it thoroughly. Remove from the fire and add the dry ginger powder and cardamom powder. Mix it well. If the payasam is too thick, you may dilute it by adding more coconut milk or regular drinking milk.

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