Kada Kozhi (Quail)Roast

Ingredients:
Quail: 1/2 kg
Onion Chopped: 2 medium
Shallots chopped: 1/2 cup
Tomato chopped: 1 big
Green chilli crushed: 2-3 pcs
Garlic crushed: 1/2 tbsp
Ginger crushed: 1/2 tbsp
Pepper Powder: 1 tbsp
Chilly powder: 3/4 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Curry Leaves: 2 springs
Coconut Oil
Salt: 1 tsp
Water: 1/2 cup

For Grinding Masala:
Fennel seed: 2 tsp
Cardamom: 2-3 pcs
Cloves: 3-4 pcs
Cinnamon stick: 1 pc

Method:
Grind all the above ingredients to a fine powder and keep it aside. Wash and cut the Quail into medium pieces. Heat oil in a pan, sauté curry leaves, crushed ginger green chilli and garlic till golden color. Then add chopped onions, shallots and salt, sauté till golden brown color. Add chopped tomatoes, sauté till the oil appears on the top. Then add pepper powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, and grinded masala powder and stir well. When the raw smell goes, add quail pieces. Reduce the flame, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove lid and pour 1/2 cup water. Close the pan and allow it to cook 15-20 minutes in simmer. When the curry turns dry, remove from fire. Add some curry leaves. Serve hot

Pachakaya (Raw Banana) Mezhukkupuratti

Ingredients:
Kaya/Raw Banana: 2 medium
Garlic chopped: 2-3 pcs
Small onion chopped: 5-6 pcs
Red chilli fakes: 3 pcs
Pepper powder: 2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 spring
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
Water: 2-3 tbsp

Method:
Clean and cut the banana into small pieces. Cook banana with turmeric powder, salt and 2-3 tbsp water till the pieces turn soft. Crush chilli flakes, small onion and garlic. Heat oil in a pan and mustard seeds, when its starts crackle add curry leaves. Add crushed chilli, small onion and garlic. Sauté well untill it turns golden color. Add pepper powder. Add the cooked banana into it and sauté well. Remove from and serve hot with rice.

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.