Basmati rice 500 g
White chana 100 g
Chana dal 50 g
Onion, finely sliced 200 g
Ginger, ground 25 g
Garlic, ground 25 g
Green chillies, crushed 25 g
Tomato 100 g
Curd 1/2 cup
Chopped coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Chopped pudina leaves 1/4 cup
Juice of a lime
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Refined oil 100 g
Ghee 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
A pinch of saffron mixed in 2 tbsps rose water

Wash and soak the chana for 10 to 12 hours. Pressure cook in same water for 20-25 minutes, without overcooking it. Add one tsp ginger, one tsp garlic paste, two-inch piece cinnamon and three cloves to the chana before boiling. Soak the dal for 15 minutes and cook till three-fourths done.

Heat half of the oil. Add 1/4 portion of sliced onion. Fry till golden brown. Add the remaining onion and fry till soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and chillies. Saute till the aroma comes. Add the chilli powder and tomato. Fry for few seconds more. Add the chana (drain it) and chana dal. Stir for a few more minutes. Add the curd, lime juice, coriander leaves, pudina and masala powder. Stir well and remove from fire. Keep aside. Heat the remaining oil. Add the cinnamon, cloves and onion. When the onion becomes soft, add one litre of water and salt. When it boils add the rice. Cook till the rice is done and water absorbed. Remove from fire. Remove half the rice. Sprinkle saffron mixed in rose water and a little of the masala powder. Spread the chana masala on the rice. Put the removed rice on top. Sprinkle the saffron, the masala powder and ghee on top. Press well. Keep on a slow fire for 10 minutes. Just before serving, mix the masala lightly with the rice. Put in a plate and garnish with fried onion. Serve with Baingan masala and chakkara puli.

Chakkara puli

Soak the tamarind in a little water and take out the pulp. Grind the chillies, garlic and salt. Grate the jaggery. Add the jaggery and tamarind pulp to the ground chillies. Heat the oil. Add mustard. When it crackles add the chutney. Boil and remove from fire.

Baingan kurma

Grind the ginger, garlic, cumin, chilli, coriander and turmeric powders. Cut the brinjal into long pieces. Apply a little chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Heat the oil. Shallow fry the brinjal till light brown and remove. In the remaining oil fry onion till soft. Add the ginger, garlic paste and fry till aroma comes. Add the tomatoes and salt. Stir till tomatoes are cooked. Add the brinjal, stir for a while and add a little water and cook. When the gravy is done, add the ground coconut paste and beaten curd. Cook till it boils. Sprinkle garam masala powder and remove.

Potato 1/4 kg
Onion 200 g
Chilli powder 2 tsp
Oil for deep frying
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Few Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Peel and cut potato into match stick size pieces. Peel and slice onion also into fine slices. Deep fry the potato till crisp. Fry the onion to golden brown. Remove all oil except two tbsps in a kadai. Heat and add the curry leaves. When crisp, remove from heat. Add the chilli, fried potatoes and onion. Shake the kadai and mix all ingredients together. Serve with chana biriyani.

Banana sago payasam

Long variety banana (Nenthra pazham — Kerala banana) 2
Sago 50 g
Sugar 100 g
Coconut 1
Cashewnuts 25 g
Raisins 25 g
Ghee 4 tbsps
Cardamom powder 2 pinchs
Salt a pinch

Peel the banana and cut length wise. Again cut into two. Now cut this into one inch size pieces. Heat the ghee and fry the cashewnuts and raisins till light brown and remove.

Add the banana. Fry till brown and remove.

Crush the coconut and take out a cup of first extraction of milk. Add one cup water to the coconut and take 11/2 cups of second extraction of milk.

Add some more water and take out 2 cups of third extraction of milk. Wash the sago and cook in the extraction of milk.

When half cooked add the second milk and sugar. Cook till sago is completely cooked. Add the banana pieces, a pinch of salt and cardamom powder and cook for few seconds.

Add the first milk and stir well. When it starts to boil, remove from fire. Garnish with nuts and raisins.

UMMI ABDULLA

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