Appam:

Ingredients:
2 cups plain rice (not long grain)
2 cups parboiled rice
3 tbsp. urad dal
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp. sodabicarb
1 coconut grated

Method
1. Wash and soak rices, dal, seeds together for 6-7 hours.
2. Grind to a smooth batter, add salt and keep overnight.
3. Keep batter thick as coconut milk will be added.
4. Grind or scrape coconut, soak in 2 cups warm water for 15 minutes.
5. Blend in a mixie, strain and extract thick milk.
6. Mix soda and coconut milk into batter.
7. Apply a little oil on a non-stick or heavy griddle.
8. Pour a ladleful of batter on hot griddle.
9. Hold handle and rotate and tilt griddle quickly such that its full base is covered with batter.
10. Do not spread with spoon. A thin dosalike pancake must be the result.
11. Stack or eat immediately with chutney, curds, gravy vegetables or pickles.

Kerala Fish Fry:

Ingredients:
Fish - 1/2 Kg
Red Chilli Powder - 5 tea spoons
Turmeric Powder - 2 pinch
Ginger - 1 small piece
Black Pepper - 8 to 10
Vinegar - 1 tea spoon
Salt & Oil

Method: Clean and drain the fish properly. If it is a full flat fish, then slice into pieces. Make a fine paste of ginger and pepper, mix with the chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and vinegar. Add few teaspoons of water to make a thick, smooth paste. Apply this mix on both sides of the fish slices as a very thin layer. Keep aside for 30-45 minutes. Deep fry the fish pieces on either side until golden brown. Drain the oil.

Nadan Chicken (Kozhi) Curry:

Ingredients:
Chicken pieces 1kg or 2.2 lbs
Oil 3tbs
Chopped onion
Chopped ginger
Chopped garlic
Split green chillies 4
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Chilly powder half or one tsp
Coriander powder 2tbs
Cumin seed 1tsp & Pepper half tsp
Perunjeerakam half tsp
Coconut milk 2 cups
Cloves 5, Cardamom 2 & Cinnamon sticks 3

Method:
Powder Cumin seed 1tsp, perunjeerakam half tsp, pepper half tsp, cloves 5, cardamom 2 and cinnamon sticks 3 together. Instead one and a half tsp of garam massala powder can also be used.

Clean the chicken pieces. Mix it with 1 tbs of salt and 2 tsp of lime juice (or half cup of curd) and keep aside for half an hour. Make a paste of the coriander chilly and turmeric powder. Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel. Add chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies and brown it.

Add the masala paste and fry for a minute. Add the chicken pieces together with the juice that comes out of it. Stir it for about five minutes. If the coconut milk is taken from fresh grated coconut add about 2 cups of the second milk to the curry. Otherwise add about 2 cups of hot water. Cover and cook for about half an hour till the chicken pieces are cooked.

If you like potatoes in the curry, about one and a half cups of potato pieces can be added to the curry half way through. Add the coconut milk and the garam masala powder and curry leaves. If you want more gravy or the gravy is not thick enough dissolve a tsp of corn flour in milk or water and add to the curry and just boil again stirring well and just bring the curry to boil.

Powder Cumin seed 1tsp, perunjeerakam half tsp, pepper half tsp, cloves 5, cardamom 2 and cinnamon sticks 3 together. Instead one and a half tsp of garam massala powder can also be used.

Clean the chicken pieces. Mix it with 1 tbs of salt and 2 tsp of lime juice (or half cup of curd) and keep aside for half an hour. Make a paste of the coriander chilly and turmeric powder. Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel. Add chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies and brown it.

Add the masala paste and fry for a minute. Add the chicken pieces together with the juice that comes out of it. Stir it for about five minutes. If the coconut milk is taken from fresh grated coconut add about 2 cups of the second milk to the curry. Otherwise add about 2 cups of hot water. Cover and cook for about half an hour till the chicken pieces are cooked.

If you like potatoes in the curry, about one and a half cups of potato pieces can be added to the curry half way through. Add the coconut milk and the garam masala powder and curry leaves. If you want more gravy or the gravy is ot thick enough dissolve a tsp of corn flour in milk or water and add to the curry and just boil again stirring well and just bring the curry to boil.

Unniyappam:

Ingredients:
3 cups raw rice flour
3/4 cup mashed banana
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup molasses
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1 1/2 warm cup water
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds, roasted
Oil for frying

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 Appakkaara (If the rim is high, fill the kuzhi completely. Otherwise, just a bit more than 3/4 full). When oil is hot, reduce stove temperature to about 70-75%. Fill each kuzhi about 3/4 full. Keep turning appams to get consistent cooking. Remove and drain appams when they are golden brown.

Note: For softer appams, use more mashed banana and less water (for instance, 1 cup mashed banana and 1 1/4 cup water).

Makes about 20-25 appams.

Vermicelli Payasam:

Ingredients:
1 cup Vermicelli
1 litre milk
3/4 cup sugar
A pinch of salt
10 cashew nuts- split
A few raisins fried lightly
5 cardamom pods crushed
Ghee for frying

Method:
In a pan add little ghee and roast vermicelli and keep aside. In another pan, bring milk to boil, add the vermicelli and cook over a low heat for about 7-10 minutes. Add sugar, crushed cardamom and salt and bring to boil. finally sprinkle with fried cashew nuts and raisins. Serve hot or chilled.