Hello! fyi: this should have been in the begining of my blogging..hence starts with an fyi!  love cooking.  It’s truly like love on a plate.  Some may be overwhelmed by it, some people may just dislike it, but I revel in it.  My favorite thing to do is share food, and I love cooking for others.  I definitely don’t want to brag on myself, and I am in no way a professional, but my meals usually leave people pretty happy.  I thought a great idea would be to share recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials on not just cooking, but good old fashioned, cooking homemade foods from scratch. Now mind you i have got some recipes from websites etc. I modify them never follow exactly to the core. I like to mix in my own stuff and ingredients. Makes you a better chef by experimenting. never be afraid of cooking always try with small quantity. you be your own judge first then try on others ..like my best critic is my husband and my mother in law. I can try anything on them. Ok here are some more recipes:
Ingredients
•Iceberg lettuce 2 bunches
•Olive oil 1 tablespoon
•Onion ,chopped1 medium
•Ginger,grated1 tablespoon
•Garlic,chopped1 tablespoon
•Chicken mince100 grams
•Saltto taste
•Dark chocolate1 tablespoon
•Hoisin sauce2 teaspoons
•Sweet chilli sauce2 teaspoons
•Carrot,grated1 medium
•Cucumber,peeled & finely chopped1 medium

Method
Heat olive oil in a non stick pan, add onion, ginger and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Add chicken mince and continue to sauté. Add salt, dark soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, sweet chilli sauce and mix. Cook till chicken is done. Transfer into a bowl.
Serve lettuce leaves, chicken mixture, carrot and cucumber separately so that each person can make their own rolls and eat.
To make the wraps place some chicken mixture on lettuce leaves, top with carrot, cucumber, wrap the lettuce around these and eat.


Next recipe is a big hit whenever i make. I always like boiled rice to go with this dish. I think it is the best combo. My personal favorite Mambhazha curry or mangaa curry (mango curry)
Ingredients
Ripe Mango- 1/2 cup peeled and diced ( i add the seed too) it is fun eating the mango! (optional)
Brown Sesame seeds- 2 tbsp
Dried Red chillies- 6
Tamarind juice concentrate - 3/4 tsp (i/4 cup if diluted)
Jaggery grated- 2 tbsp
Asafoetida/hing- 1/4 tsp or a pinch
Red Chilli powder -1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Cooking oil
Directions
1. Cook the diced mango in 1 cup of water
2. Heat a pan and add the sesame seeds with red chillies and roast it until it turns golden brown.Allow it to cool
3. When it is cooled , grind it into a smooth paste in a blender with enough water.
4. Add the tamarind juice to it ,and blend again.
5. Now add this paste to the cooked/softened mango pieces and adjust salt.
6. Add grated jaggery to this,and mix well.Switch off the stove
7. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds ,throw in a few curry leaves and Asafoetida/hing. Pour this over curry.
Serve hot with rice !!! boiled rice that is!
 

next is Ulli theeyal (onion curry) another favorite.
Ingredients
Shallots/Small Onions - 250 gm
Dry roasted/fried coconut - 3/4 cup
Tamarind juice- 1/4 cup
Coconut oil
Mustard
Curry leaves
Salt
For Fried/Dry Roasted-coconut (Thenga varuthu edukkan)
Grated coconut - 2 cup (one coconut)
Chlli powder - 2 tbsp
Coriander powder 1 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Heat a pan and dry roast the grated coconut until they turn almost dry. Now add the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and stir continuously till the coconut turn reddish brown. Now remove the pan from heat allow to cool.You can keep this in air -tight box in refrigerator for more than one month
Directions
1. Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water for 10 minutes and squeeze out the juice.Or dilute 1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate in 1/4 cup warm water.
2. Peel all onions,clean and allow to dry.Cut them into thin slices.
Fry them in medium heat without using oil until it makes rattling sound.(after cooling you can keep this in air tight box in refrigerator for later use !!)Dont over fry it, because it will make the theeyal bitter
3. Grind the dry roasted coconut in a mixer to a fine paste .(tip: first grind it to very fine powder,-you will see the coconut producing oil and becoming wet and will stick to bowl's sides.now add 2-3 tbsp water and grind again-fine paste is ready)
4. Pour the tamarind juice to the fried shallots,add salt and boil.
5.Now add the ground coconut paste.Then wash out the bowl with 1/4 cup water and add this to the shallots.Cook/boil it for 2-3 minutes
6. Heat oil in another pan,splutter mustard seeds, throw in red chillies ,and curry leaves. Add this tempering to the theeyal.Serve hot with rice, chappati, dosa etc..
Easy version
To make it more easier you can avoid the shallots frying step.Instead of frying you can
1.Cut the shallots into 2-3 big pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pot ,Splutter mustard seeds.Add red chillies and curry leaves.Then add the chopped shallots and saute until it is soft and almost fried -or you can fry it at this stage ;-)
3.Now add the tamarind juice, coconut paste and salt.Boil and cook.
Note :This theeyal is more of sweeter in taste, if you want a spicy one, adjust the red chilli powder while frying the coconut.or you can add green chillies while making it.
Please note: i like this with moongdal dosha/dosa. (lentil crepe) best combination.

Now this recipe is called chicken masala. I serve this as an apetizer.
 Ingredients
Chicken - boned or boneless -500 gm (1 lb)
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1 tsp
Garlic- 1 tsp ,crushed
Ginger- 1 tsp crushed
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Butter- 2 tbsp ,preferably unsalted ,at room temperature
Yogurt - 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup - 1tbsp
Oil - 1/2 cup or for frying the chicken
Red color - a pinch
Coriander leaves - one handful chopped
Salt - as required
Method
1. Cut the chicken into small pieces or size of your choice. Clean it by adding 1 tbsp of vinegar, salt and all purpose flour.Drain the water several times and pat dry.Keep aside
2. Grind ginger,garlic, chilly powder, cumin powder, pepper powder and salt together to a fine paste using enough water.
3. Marinate the chicken pieces with this and keep in refrigerator for 2 hrs.
4. After 2 hrs , take the marinated chicken from refrigerator and mix well with 1 tbsp of butter, and yogurt.Cook it in a thick bottomed vessel ,without adding water ,in medium heat.
5. After almost 15 minutes,when the chicken is almost done,add garam masala, mix well and stir continuously until all the water is evaporated from chicken and it is fully dried.
6. Heat oil in another pan , and deep/shallow fry the chicken pieces.
7. Take another pan,mix 1 tbsp butter,chopped coriander leaves, ketchup and red color. Transfer this to a stove top on low heat.When  the butter is melted mix all ingredients well and add the fried chicken pieces.Mix well  and serve hot !!!

This dish is a daal that usually is traditional item in a Maharashtrian household. I made this recipe to go along with my Bhindi masala and Aam ras and also phulka. My mother in law still talks about it. Again i did not follow exact recipe. Did not add coconut. For some reason i did not feel the need to add coconut to this. so coconut is optional or whatever suits your taste!
  Ingredients
Serves 6
1 cup toor dal (yellow split peas)
4-5 curry leaves
1 small tomato chopped
2 tsp tamarind chutney- you can also use tamarind paste made at home but to save time and effort you can use the store bought one (or as per your taste)
1/3 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp goda masala ( a must- goda masala is the marathi version of garam masala- if you dont have it, add garam masala plus crushed dried coconut and sesame seeds- however the taste might change)
2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
salt to taste
1 tsp or more jaggery to taste (a must since you are adding tamarind)
For tempering
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/3 tsp turmeric
a pinch of asafoetida
1/4 tsp fenugreek/methi seeds (optional)
3 green chilies-chopped
1. Boil the toor dal in the pressure cooker. Blend it lightly and set aside
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and when they pop, add the fenugreek seeds, turmeric, asafoetida and chilies.
3. Saute for minute and add the boiled dal.
4. Add 4 cups of water or more as required (the consistency of the dal should be very thin- a little thicker than rasam)..very important.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients except the coconut and coriander and continue to boil for 20 -30 minutes.
6. In the end garnish with coriander and coconut and serve with rice and chapatis. (i prefer phulkas)

Next recipe is Rajma. I always wanted to make this dish but never got the mood to. One day that  is a rainy day here in Dublin i decided to try this. Now i have to admit i did not soak the beans etc. I took the easy way by using canned beans!! yep cheated. but still tasty that is what matters right? but please rinse it well with any beans that is canned. I dont want to know what they used to preserve it!

  Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup kidney beans (rajma)
1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
2 large tomatoes
1 tablespoon ginger
1 green chili
3 tablespoon oil
Generous pinch of asafetida (hing)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 medium chopped tomato for garnishing
Method
Wash and soak the kidney beans in about six cups of water for at least 6 hours (kidney beans will be double in volume after soaking).
Cut the tomatoes in small pieces, green chili slice lengthwise and take out the seeds (if you prefer mild). Next blend tomatoes, green chili, and ginger and make a paste.
Heat the oil in pressure cooker. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed. If the seed cracks right away, the oil is ready. Add asafetida and cumin seeds, as the cumin seeds crack add tomato paste, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, black pepper, and paprika.
Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the oil is separating from the mixture.
Add kidney beans, salt, and three cups of water close the cooker. Cook on medium high heat.
As pressure cooker starts steaming turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 12 minutes.
Close the heat and wait until steam has stopped before opening the pressure cooker.
Kidney beans should be soft and tender. Lightly mash the kidney beans while mixing. Adjust salt, and pepper to your taste.
Garnish with chopped tomatoes.

Next is another favorite of my friends and my husband. Salmon. (not really my favorite)

 Ingredients
2 tablespoons ground paprika
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
4 salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Directions
In a small bowl, mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, basil and oregano.
Brush salmon fillets on both sides with 1/4 cup butter, and sprinkle evenly with the cayenne pepper mixture. Drizzle one side of each fillet with 1/2 remaining butter.
In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, cook salmon, butter side down, until blackened, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue cooking until blackened and fish is easily flaked with a fork.

I was born in Vadakara but brought up in Mumbai/Bombay. So in Vadakara fish curry and rice is a must or a staple food. here is one of the fish curry recipe:
Fish – 500 gms (refer notes)
To roast and grind
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Pearl onions – 2, sliced
Garlic – 1 tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tbsp (refer notes)
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp (refer notes)
Whole black pepper – 1 tsp
Fenugreek (uluva) seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 4-5
For gravy
Ginger – 1 tsp, chopped
Garlic – 1/2 tbsp, chopped
Green chilli – 1-2, slit lengthwise
Pearl onion – 5-6, sliced
Turmeric powder – 1tsp
Cocum (kudam puli) – 3, if its dry, soak in hot water for 5-10 mins
Tomato – 1, cut into 4 (optional)
Curry leaves
Coconut oil
Salt
Instructions
Heat a pan and dry roast the ingredients (except chilli and coriander powder and curry leaves) listed under ‘to roast and grind’. When coconut becomes golden brown, add chilli and coriander powder and curry leaves. Fry it for 2 more mins. Let it cool. Add 2-3 tbsp, water and grind it to a smooth thick paste.
Heat oil in the same pan and add 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic, 1 tsp chopped ginger and 6 sliced pearl onions and 1-2 green chilli. After 4-5 mins, when the pearl onions and ginger and garlic start changing colour, add turmeric powder and cook for a min or so. Add ground coconut paste, salt and water (around 1.5 cups – 2 cups). Let it boil.
Add cocum and cook for 2 mins. Add fish pieces. Swirl the pan to make sure that the fish pieces are coated well with the masala. Cover and cook. When fish is half cooked, add tomato (refer notes) and continue cooking till the fish is cooked completely. Switch off the gas and add 1 tbsp coconut oil and curry leaves. Let it rest for a while for the flavour to settle in.
The colour of the curry deepens while it rests.
Notes
You can use Pomfret (avoli), fresh tuna (choora), Prawns, Mackerel (ayala) for this recipe.
You can use dry chilli and coriander seeds, instead of chilli powder and coriander powder, while roasting the coconut. If you are using it, use around 5-6 dry chilli and 3/4 tbsp of coriander seeds. In that case, add the dry chilli and coriander seeds along with the coconut.
Add tomato, only after checking the sourness of the gravy. If the curry already has required sourness/tangy taste from the cocum, do not add tomato.
If you dont have cocum, you can use tamarind pulp instead. I did.