Pancake Balls

This is a good afternoon snack for kids during holidays. Children love chocolate and it is like a surprise when they take the first bite and they see the chocolate oozing out. You can also use cheese or fruit jam instead of chocolate. For pan cake batter you can use store bought instant pancake powder too.


Basic Pancake Batter
All purpose flour - 2 cups
baking powder - 3 tsp
egg - 1
salt - 1 tsp
sugar - 2 tbsp
milk - 1 1/2 cup
oil - 3 tbsp
Butter for frying

Sift the flour with baking powder. Beat the egg. Add milk, salt and sugar and mix well till the sugar dissolves. Add oil and stir the sifted flour slowly into the liquid. keep it aside for 10 minutes.

For stuffing
Chocolate  - 1/2 cup(hershey's mini chips)
Three cheese - 1/2 cup

Heat an Aebleskiver pan/Neyyappam pan. Brush butter on the pan. Keep the flame low to medium. Fill half of each pit with pancake batter. Put some chocolate chip into each then add some more batter to cover them. When the bottom is cooked turn the top portion to touch the bottom. See that all sides are evenly cooked. In the next batch instead of chocolate add three cheese or fruit jam.

Capsicum fry with Besan

This is a simple dish yet very tasty. Capsicum is tossed with besan and are coated lightly with spices. The lemon juice in the end lifts the flavor and a gives a tangy taste to the dish. It goes well with rice as well as rotis.


Ingredients

Green bell peppers/Capsicum - 3 medium sized
white onion - 1
besan(Chik pea flour/red gram dal flour) - 1 cup
coriander cumin powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
garlic - 2-3 cloves
green chili - 1(split into half)
asafetida - pinch
mustard seeds - 2tsp
salt to taste
oil - 2 tsp
lemon juice - 4 tsp
coriander leaves for garnish


Method
Cut the capsicum/ bell peppers into small cubes. Cut the onion and garlic into small pieces.
In a hot pan add 2 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds. When it pops add green chili, asafetida, garlic and chopped  onion and fry it. Keep the flame medium
After couple of minutes add the cut bell peppers. Then add salt, coriander cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and fry well. 
Close with a lid. Let it cook for 5 minutes. When you open the lid the capsicum onion will be tender. Cook it for another couple of minutes till the moisture starts to completely evaporate. 
Add the remaining 2 tsp oil and besan little by little  and mix it well. Add lemon juice and give a last stir. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Cabbage and Carrot Poduthuval

Ingredients
Cabbage - 1 cup(finely chopped)
Carrots - 1 cup( finely cut)
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
green chili - 2 nos
urad dal - 1 tsp
musturd seeds - 1 tsp
asafetida
curry leaves
redchili - 1(break to 1/2)
salt to taste
                                                       oil - 1 tsp

Method 
Cook the cabbage and carrot in salt water till they are 3/4th done. Drain and keep it aside.
Pulse the green chili and grated coconut in the blender and keep it aside.
In a pan add 1 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds, when it pops add urad dal,  redchili, curry leave and asafetida. Add the cooked vegetables. Sprinkle little water and cook them.Sprinkle  coconut green chili mixture and keep it covered. Mix well before serving.

Mor Kuzhambu

Morkuzhambu also known as Morkoottan is a south indian gravy dish made of  sour yogurt and coconut. The spices added to it vary from place to place.  Usually vegetables like pumpkin(white/yellow), raw banana(vazhakkai), yam(chenai) or okra(vendakkai) are used in this dish. When using okra cut them into 1inch rounds and shallow fry them to take away the mushiness. Also use it seperately without mixing with any other vegetable. This dish can be also related to punjabi kadi which uses sour yogurt. Pulissery is another version but usually made during the mango season. Also in kerala kalan is a thick version of morukootan with slight changes in ingredients. 


Ingredients

White pumpkin  - 1/4 cup (peeled and cut into cubes)
Green raw banana(vazhakkai) - 1 (peeled and cut to cubes)
sour curd - 2 cups(Keep the curd in room temperature for 12hrs for it to turn sour)
sour cream - 2 tsp(optional; gives richness to the gravy)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
green chili -2-3 nos
cumin seeds - 2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
salt to taste

Seasoning
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
methi seeds - 1 tsp
red chili - 2 nos
curry leaves
oil - 1 tsp

Method
Cook the white pumpkin and raw banana in 1 1/2 cup water adding salt and turmeric pdr.
Grind the coconut, green chili and cumin seeds into a fine paste adding sour cream.
Add the paste to the cooked vegetables(do not drain the water) . Lightly beat the sour curd and mix well to the cooked vegetables and ground paste. Cook the mixture in low flame so that it doesn't curdle. Taste it for salt. Add if necessary since the vegetables have been cooked in salt water. When bubbles start appearing on top give it a stir. Do this couple of times and off the flame. Keep it closed. Just before serving season the mor kuttan. For seasoning add oil in a pan. Add mustard seed and when it pops add methi seeds, redchili and curry leaves.
It is served with rice and mezhukkuvaratti or poduthuval.