Vellayappam-Kottayam Style

Ingredients:
Rice Flour: 1 1/2 cup
Grated coconut: 3/4 cup
Cooked Rice (for kappi): 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Shallots chopped: 4-5 pcs
Sugar: 1 tbsp
salt: 1 small pinch
Yeast: 1 1/2 tsp
Water: 1 cup

Method:
Dissolve yeast in 1 tbsp water. Grind cooked rice and grated coconut to a smooth paste and add to the rice flour. Add the dissolved yeast and 1 cup water to the mixture. Mix well with hands. Keep the batter overnight in a warm place to ferments. Grind shallots and cumin together in a grinder and add to the batter just 5-10 minutes before making appam. Add salt and sugar, mix well. Heat a non stick pan, pour a big spoon batter to the centre and spread lightly. Allow it to cook until holes have formed. Flip the appam and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with Veg Stew.

Kerala Mutton Biryani

Ingredients for Rice:
Basmati Rice: 3 1/2 cups (I use daawat)
Water: 7 cups
Cloves: 7-8 pcs
Cardamom pods: 6-7 pcs
Cinnamon stick: 4-5 pcs
Bay leaves: 2-3 pcs
Pepper corns: 8-10 pcs
Lemon juice: 1/2 tbsp
Mint leaves: 1 tbsp
Ghee: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:Wash the rice with water and drain it in a strainer and keep it aside till dry. Heat ghee in a deep bottom pan, add bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and pepper corns. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and sauté well. When the rice starts cracking, add 7 cups water, salt and lemon juice. Close the lid and cook till the rice is 3/4 done.

Ingredients for Mutton curry:
Mutton: 1 1/2 kg
Garlic Chopped: 2 tbsp
Ginger chopped: 2 tbsp
Green chilli chopped: 2 tbsp
Onions: 3-4 pcs
Tomatoes: 2 big
Red chilly powder: 1/2 tbsp
Coriander powder: 1/2 tbsp
Pepper powder: 1/4 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Fennel seed powder: 1/4 tbsp
Biryani Masala: 1/2 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Mint leaves chopped: 1 tbsp
Yoghurt: 1/2 cup
Cashew Nut: 6-8 pcs

Method:Soak cashew nut in 1 tbsp water and make a smooth paste. Grind giner, garlic and green chilli and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan, add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste. When it turns golden color add onion saute till it becomes translucent. Add tomatoes and fry them till the oil appears on the top. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, fennel seed powder and biryani masala. Sauté well. When the raw smell goes add mutton pieces and mix well. Cover and cook for 05-10 minutes. Add cashew nut paste. Cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add yogurt. Cook until the gravy starts thickening. Add Mint leaves.

For layering & garnishing:
Raisins: 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts: 1/2 cup
Onion thinly chopped: 2 medium
Coriander leaves: 2-3 tbsp
Mint Leaves: 2 tbsp
Saffron: a small pinch
Milk : 1 tsp
Pineapple essence: 1 tsp
Ghee: 2 tbsp
Sugar: 1/2 tbsp
Maida dough: 1/2 cup (for sealing)

Prepare the garnish:
Heat 2 tbsp ghee In a pan, fry the raisins and cashew sepeartely. Drain and keep it aside. In the same pan add thinly sliced onions and 1/2 tbsp sugar, fry till it become golden brown color and keep it aside.

Final Layering & Garnishing:
Dissolve saffron in 1/2 tbsp warm milk and keep it aside. Take a deep bottom pan and grease it with 1/2 tbsp ghee and spread rice in the bottom. Add mutton along with gravy. Add one layer cooked rice. Add onion, cashew nut, raisin, followed by rice. Repeat the process until the ingredients finished. The top layer should be rice and decorate the top with fried onions , raisin, cashew , saffron and pinapple essence. Seal the lid with maida dough, heat a dosa pan/flat bottomed skillet on high heat till the pan is hot. Once hot reduce the flame to low and place the rice vessel on the tawa. Then put a heavy water vessel on the top of lid and cook for 20-25 minutes on low flame. Turn off the flame and keep for another 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with pappadom, curd salad and lemon pickle.

Nadan Beef Curry

Ingredients:
Beef: 1 kg
Coconut flakes: 1/2 cup
Onion chopped: 3 medium
Tomato chopped: 1 big
Ginger: 1 tbsp
Garlic: 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds: 1 tbsp
Bay leaf: 2
Cinnamon: 2
Cloves:4
Cardamom: 4
Red chilly powder: 3/4 tbsp
Coriander powder:2tbsp
Pepper powder:1 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil
Salt: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 2 spring
Water

Method:
Clean and cut the beef into small pieces. Heat oil in a manchatti/pan, add coconut flakes and fry till golden color, Drain and keep it aside. In the same pan add fennel seed, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Sauté 1-2 minutes, add ginger curry leaves and garlic. When the raw smell goes add onion, fry until it turns golden color. Add tomato and fry it till the oil appears on the top, add red chili powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and turmeric powders. Sauté well. Add beef and required amount of water and mix well. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes or till done.Remove lid and add fried coconut slices and mix well.Serve hot.

Spicy Mutton Curry

Ingredients:
Mutton: 1 kg
Onion: 4-5 medium
Tomatoes: 1 big
Ginger: 1 1/2 tbsp
Garlic: 1 1/2 tbsp
Green chilli: 2-3 pcs
Cinnamon stick : 3 pieces medium
Cloves: 5 pcs
Bay leaves: 2 pcs
Cardamom: 3 pcs
Fennel seeds: 1 tbsp
Fennel seed powder: 1/4 tbsp
Turmeric Powder: 1tsp
Curry leaves: 03 spring
Red Chili Powder: 1 tbsp
Coriander powder : 1 1/2 tbsp
Black Pepper: 2 1/2 tbsp
Coriander leaves: few
Water: 3 cups
Salt: 1 tsp
Oil: 3 tbsp

Method:
Heat oil in a pan add cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds. Sauté 1-2 minutes, do not burn. Add giner, garlic and green chily, when the raw smell goes add onion saute till it becomes translucent. Add tomatoes and fry them till the oil appears on the top. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder and fennel seed powder. Sauté well. When the raw smell goes add mutton pieces and mix well. Cover and cook 05-10 minutes. Remove the lid and add curry leaves add 3 cup water. Close the lid and cook 20-30 minutes or till done. Add coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or chappathi