Thalassery Dum Biriyani

| Rekha Vengalil


You need – 
  • To make the chicken Masala
    • Chicken – 500 grams
    • Onion- 2, finely chopped
    • Ginger- 1 inch piece
    • Garlic- 3 cloves
    • Green chilly- 3-4 or as per your taste
    • Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
    • Coriander leaves chopped- 1/2 cup
    • Mint leaves- 1/2 cup
    • Tomato – 2 medium finely chopped
    • Pepper powder – 1 teaspoon
    • Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon
    • Oil – 2 tablespoon
    • Salt to taste

  • For the ghee rice:
    • Basmati Rice- 1.5 cups
    • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
    • Cloves- 2
    • Cardamon-3
    • Fennel seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
    • Ghee/clarified butter – 3 tablespoon
    • Hot water – 2.5 cups
    • Salt to taste

  • For garnishing:
    • Fried Cashew nuts- 3 tablespoon
    • Fried Raisins- 3 tablespoon
    • Fried Onions – 1/2 cup
    • Rose water – 1-2 teaspoon
    • Gram Masala – 1 teaspoon

How to –
  • Wash the rice and soak for 20 mins. Strain and set aside.

Biriyani masala
  • Clean and wash the chicken. Drain the water out completely.
  • Crush the ginger, garlic and chillies.
  • Heat oil in pan, add the onion, crushed ginger, garlic, chillies and salt. Fry until the onion are soft.
  • Add the tomatoes and cook till mushy. Add the chicken, mix well. Cover and cook till almost done.
  • Uncover, add the pepper powder, garam masala continue to cook for a minute or so. add the lime juice, coriander and mint leaves and cook till done. If the gravy is watery then continue to cook till thick.

Ghee rice –
  • Heat ghee in a pan, add the whole spices and cook till fragrant.
  • Add hot water, salt and rice. Mix well, uncover and cook till the rice comes on top. Now cover and cook for 3-4 mins on low heat.

Layering the rice-
  • In a heavy bottom pan, spread some ghee,  Layer a thin layer of rice and then the chicken with gravy. Sprinkle some gram masala, few drops of rose water,  fried nuts, raisins and onions.
  • Repeat the layering and finishing of the rice as the final layer.
  • Seal the pan with a aluminium foil and cover with heavy lid so that the steam does not escape. You could place a heavy pan with water or use the pestle on top on the lid.
  • Cook on a very low heat for 45 – 50 minutes.

Serve hot.

Spiced carrot and onion soup

| Rekha Vengalil

You need –
  • Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
  • Carrots – 2,cut into small cubes
  • Ginger – Small piece (1 cm), thinly sliced
  • Cumin powder – 1½ teaspoons
  • Coriander powder –1 ½  teaspoons
  • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Fennel powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Cinnamon powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Vegetable stock – 1 litre
  • Butter – tablespoon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper – as per taste
  • Thick coconut milk/cream – 1 tablespoon to garnish

How to –
  • Heat the butter in sauce pan, fry the onion and ginger until soft.
  • Add the carrots and fry for a minute or two.
  • In a small bowl combine the spice powders to make a paste and add it to the onion and carrots. Stir well to combine and fry for a minute.
  • Add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring this a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 -30 minutes or till the carrots are tender.
  • Turn off and into a blender, blend until smooth. Pour the soup back to the pan and heat gently. Turn off the heat.
  • Garnish with the coconut milk/cream, black pepper and serve hot.

Simple egg Curry

| Rekha Vengalil

Perfect curry to go with appams…

You need –
  • Boiled egg – 3-4 nos
  • Thick Coconut milk  – 125 mls
  • Thin coconut milk – 250 mls
  • Onions – 2, medium, thinly sliced
  • Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Garlic  paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 3 teaspoons
  • Chili powder – 2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Garam masala powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Oil – 1.5 tablespoon
  • Salt to taste

How to –
  • Add a little water to chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala to make a fine paste.
  • Heat oil in pan, Crackle the mustard seeds.
  • Add the onion, ginger-garlic paste, sauté till the onions turn light brown and the raw smell is gone.
  • Add the masala paste and continue to sauté till done.
  • Add the thin/second extraction of the coconut milk, curry leave, boiled eggs  and cook for 5 mins.
  • Add the thick milk/first extraction of the coconut milk and simmer for a minute. Do not boil.
  • Turn of the heat and serve hot with appam /rice/ roti.

Achinga payar thoran (Long beans Stir fry)

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Long beans – 200 grams, Finely chopped
  • Onion – 1 medium
  • Green chili – 1
  • Grated coconut – ¼ cup
  • Turmeric  power – ¼ teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 1 springs
  • Dry red chili– 1
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Salt to taste

How to – 

  • Grind the coconut, onion, turmeric and green chili coarsely. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in skillet, add the mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle add the red chili and curry leaves.
  • Add the beans, salt and stir well. Cover and let it cook for 3-4 mins or 3/4 done.
  • Place the coconut mixture on the top of the beans and spread on the top. Cover and cook for 2 mins.
  • Uncover, mix well and cook for further 3-4 mins. Turn off the heat.
  • Serve hot. 

Hasselback Potatoes

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Potato – 1
  • Garlic – 1 clove, thinly sliced
  • Olive Oil – 2 teaspoon
  • Butter – 1 teaspoon
  • Dried Rosemary – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper – as per taste

How to –
  • Preheat the oven to 220˚C (425˚F).
  • Place the potato flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals.
  • Arrange the potato in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits.
  • Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt, rosemary and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Bake the potato for about 40 minutes or until the potato turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

Blueberry-Mint Lassi

| Rekha Vengalil

You need – 
  • Butter milk (store brought) – 2 cups
  • Blueberries – 1/4 cup
  • Mint leaves – ¼ cup
  • Sugar – 3 tablespoon (add more if need to)
  • Rose water – 2-3 drops.
  • Ice cubes – ½ cup

How to –
  • Beat all the above ingredients (except ice cubes) in a blender till smooth.
  • Add the ice cubes and blend till the cubes are broken down and smooth.
  • Serve chilled.



Mutton green kurma

| Rekha Vengalil

You need –
  • Boneless mutton – ½ kilo, Cut into cubes
  • To grind into a fine paste
    • Green chilies – 4-5 nos
    • Ginger – 2 inch
    • Garlic – 4 pods
    • Whole pepper – 1 teaspoon            
    • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
    • Onion – 1 large
    • Cashew nuts – ½ cup
    • Mint leaves – ½ cup
    • Coriander leaves – ½ cup
  • Yogurt – ¼ cup
  • Coconut milk – 2 tablespoons
  • Water – ¼ cup
  • Sunflower oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Salt to taste

How to –
  • Heat oil in a pan, add the  masala paste and cook till the raw smells gone.
  • Add the yogurt to the masala paste. Beat the yogurt well before adding. Cook for 2-3 mins
  • Add the mutton pieces, salt and stir to coat well.
  • Add  water and pressure cook till done.
  • Uncover, add the coconut milk. Mix well and turn of the heat.

Serve hot with Rice or Roti.

Macaroni Pancake

| Rekha Vengalil

You need –

  • Cooked macaroni – 2 cups
  • Eggs – 2
  • Diced carrots – 2 tablespoons
  • Green peas – 2 tablespoons
  • Parmesan cheese – 2 tablespoons
  • Salt and pepper  – as per taste

How to –
  • In bowl, mix all the above ingredients well.
  • Heat some oil in a non-stick, flat frying pan.
  • Pour the mixture and pan fry over low heat till golden brown. Flip over and cook for a 2 mins or till set and browns lightly.
  • Top with tomato ketchup and serve…


Asian vegetable curry

| Rekha Vengalil

You need –
  • Baby corn – 4 no’s, cutting in half
  • Green beans – 150 grams, cut into half
  • Potatoes – 2 no’s, cut into chunks
  • Carrots – 1 large, cut into thick slices
  • Bay leaves – 2 no’s
  • Lemongrass – 1 stalk, peeled and the white part finely chopped
  • Onion – 1 large, finely chopper
  • Fresh ginger – 1 cm,  chopped
  • Garlic – 2 cloves – finely chipped
  • Chilli –  1, finely chopped
  • Turmeric – 1 teaspoon
  • Coconut milk – 350 ml
  • Water – 100 ml
  • Oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Coriander – chopped finely, 2 tablespoons
  • Salt as per taste


How to – 
  • Wash all the veggies well. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the lemongrass, ginger, onion, garlic and fry till the onion and garlic are soft.
  • Add the turmeric and stir for a 2 mins or till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add in the potatoes and carrots. Stir well
  • Add the coconut milk, water, bay leaves, chilli and salt. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer partly covered for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Add the baby corn, beans and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
  • Turn off the heat, remove the bay leave and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice.