THE PERFECT COOK BOOK

Hey Folks,  Happy New Year to all! Foe the first recipe for 2023, I thought why don't I start with something healthy and tasty? Cheera / Spinach grows a lot in my neighborhood and my favorite vegetable since childhood. Cheera Thoran is a very tasty and normal side dish prepared in many houses regularly. There are different types of spinach, I love this variety. So, here is a quick healthy recipe for Cheera Thoran. Cheera Thoran - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Cheera / Spinach - 500 gms Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup Shallots - 6 - 8 Onion - 1 Garlic - 5 - 6 Bird's Eye Chilli or Kanthari - 4 Turmeric Powder - 1/8 tsp Salt - to taste Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves Coconut Oil PREPARATION: In my house, the spinach is freshly picked from our garden, washed in the water shower, and will drain to remove water content. After it's dry, chop them finely.  I will share a picture of spinach from our garden here. That is the fence of spinach protecting the ga...

Hey Folks, Prawns Roast is a signature Kerala seafood recipe. There are many preparations for prawns roast, some use kokum for sourness, but I prefer this simple recipe with tomato. It just requires basic ingredients and can be prepared easily. The New Year is coming, try this for breakfast or lunch. This is probably the last recipe I will be posting this year, 2022. It was a great year that I started my Blogging journey and it was fun. Comment on how this year went for you all. So, let's see how to quickly prepare a tasty Prawns Roast . Kerala Style Prawns Roast - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Prawns - 500 gms Finely Chopped Onion - 1 cup Crushed Shallots - 5 - 6 Tomato - 2 Crushed Ginger - 1 tsp Crushed Garlic - 3 tsp Green Chilli - 2 Capsicum - 2 tbsp Curry Leaves Coriander Leaves  Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp Fennel Powder - 1 tsp Pepper Powder - 1/2 tbsp Salt - to taste Coconut Oil PREPARATION:...

Hey Folks, Prawns Tawa Fry is a very quick and tasty side dish recipe that you can try with prawns. It is such a yummy dish that you can prepare it within 10 minutes. Prawns require only very less cooking time, if you overcook they will become so rubbery. All it requires is some masala for this tasty Prawns Tawa Fry.   Prawns Tawa Fry - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Prawns - 500 gm  Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp Ginger - Garlic Paste - 2 tsp Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Salt - to taste Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp Curry Leaves Coconut Oil PREPARATION: Clean the prawns and wash them 4 - 5 times until the water becomes clear.  Now add the ingredients, ginger - garlic paste, salt, lemon juice, turmeric powder, kashmiri chilli powder, pepper powder, and add some curry leaves. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and make a paste. Now add the cleaned prawns into it and marinate well in the masala mix. You can keep it for about 1 hour before cooking, or if you are in a...

Hey Folks, Beetroot Pickle was the first ever pickle I made. Probably that should be the first pickle recipe I must have shared through my blog I guess, lol. But that recipe had some mistakes, and on the last day, I made the pickle again by clearing my flaws. So, today I will be sharing my updated recipe for Beetroot Pickle. The color and taste of beetroot pickles are very tempting, so try this simple, quick, and easy recipe of mine. Beetroot Pickle - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Beetroot - 3 medium-sized Garlic - 20 cloves Ginger - 2 tsp Green Chilli - 2 Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds - 1/8 tsp Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tsp Salt - to taste Vinegar - 4 tbsp Gingelly Oil / Nallenna  PREPARATION: Peel the beetroot and wash it properly. Cut them into small dices, you can chop them into any shape of your liking.  In a Cheenachatty, add 3 tbsp of gingelly oil, you can increase the amount of oil if you want a little...

Hey Folks,  Soya Chunks is a vegetarian alternative to meat. When cooked with perfect masala mix it will taste as good as meat. Soya chunks are popularly known as a meal maker because it is filled with proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fats. Soya chunks are good for bone, hair, and skin health. Let us see how to prepare this perfect meal maker. Soya Chunks - Masala Roast - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Soya Chunks - 2 cups Shallots - 15 -20 Onion - 2 cups Tomato - 2 Green Chilli - 2 Ginger - 2 tsp Garlic - 3 tsp Curry leaves Coriander Leaves Cloves - 3 -4  Star Anise - 1 Cardamom - 2 - 3 Cinnamon - 1/2 stick Fennel Seeds - 3 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp Pepper Powder - 1 tbsp Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp Garam Masala - 1 tbsp Salt - to taste Oil Water PREPARATION: Boil water with salt and add the soya chunks. Let it cook for 3 - 5 minutes until they swell and turns soft. Rinse the soya chunks in cold water and squeeze out any...

Hey Folks, Chammanthi Podi is a traditional Kerala Style recipe. I don't think other than Malayali no one would be so familiar with this recipe. Chammanthi Podi has a special fan base in Kerala. Chammanthi Podi is a preserved chutney in powder form. It is usually a gift item that is gifted to your cousins or friends in Kerala. People do large-scale production business of Chammanthi Podi here in my hometown. It is an item with such huge demand in Kerala. People who live abroad crave this podi. It is a combination of coconut, tamarind, red chilli, and salt. All these flavors attack back to back in your taste buds. The correct proportion of these flavors is very important for Chammanthi podi. Everything should be on the note for that perfect hit.  This a very health dish, we are not even using a single drop of oil for the making.  Chammanthi Podi- The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Roughly Grated Coconut - 2 cups Dried Red Chilli - 8 - 10 Rock Salt - to taste Tamarind (...

Hey Folks, Koorka Mezhukkupuratty is my favorite stir-fry recipe. It's koorka season now, so I thought I will share my Koorka recipe with you. Koorka is best combined with beef and pork. This is one of the famous recipes with koorka, stir-fried with thengakothu / coconut bites and spices.  Koorka  Mezhukkupuratty - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Chinese Potato / Koorka - 500 gms Coconut Bites / Thengakothu  - 1/2 cup Shallots - 10 - 15 Garlic - 5 - 8 pods Curry Leaves - as needed Dried Red Chilli - 2 - 3 Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp Garam Masala - a pinch Salt - to taste Coconut Oil  PREPARATION: Cleaning koorka is a hard task. Take your time and clean them. Wash multiple times to remove dirt from them. Slice them to the shape of your preference. I sliced them to the shape of dice and the coconut bites were also of that shape.  Marinate the koorka, thengakothu, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp of chilli powder, curry leaves, and salt. Ke...

Hey Folks, Meen Puliyila is my grandmother's special recipe. It is a simple dish with very less ingredients. Use can use any fish for puliyila. Meen Puliyila Chuttathu is made by coating the masala over a full-sized fish and cooking it inside the banana leaf. But, my version is a simpler one which can be easily tried who are new to cooking.  Meen Puliyila - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Tamarind Leaves / Puliyila - 1 1/2 cup Fish - 400 gms Bird's eye chilli   / Kanthari  - 3 Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup Turmeric Powder - 1/8 tsp Salt - to taste Coconut oil  PREPARATION: Clean the tamarind leaves well to remove any insects or dirt.  In a grinder, add the cleaned puliyila, grated coconut, kanthari, turmeric powder, and salt. Give it a blend. Make it into a fine paste by adding water.  I am using Sail Fish / Olakodiyan fish. I used small bite-sized pieces, you can use the fish in any cut of your wish. Or you can have whole fish as well. Now coat the entire ma...

Hey Folks,  Koonthal Roast / Squid Roast is a spicy and flavorful seafood recipe loved by Keralites. It has rich and intense masala flavors locked in to devour the true traditional seafood cuisine of Kerala. Squid is known by different names in different parts like koonthal, kanava, kalamari, and so on.  Koonthal Roast - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Squid / Koonthal - 600 gms Shallots - 15 - 20  Onion - 2 medium-sized Garlic - 3 tbsp Ginger - 2 tbsp Tomato - 1 big Curry Leaves - as needed Salt - to taste Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder - 1 tsp Coriander Powder - 2 tsp Pepper Powder - 3 tbsp Meat Masala - 1 tsp Garam Masala -  a pinch Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp Cardamom - 3 - 4 Cinnamon - 1 stick Cloves - 2  Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp Coconut Oil PREPARATION: The first step is to clean the squid. It should be cleaned well, or else some parts of the squid may upset your stomach. Cut squid into your desired shape like rings or long...

Hey Folks, Vazhachundu Thoran is a very healthy and tasty side dish with rice. It is a traditional recipe followed in most households in Kerala. Vazhakoombu / Vazhachundu with some lentils, and coconut is the main ingredients of the dish. Lentils can be either cherupayar or vanpayar. Today I will be sharing the recipe for Vazhachundu Payar Thoran. Vazhachundu Payar Thoran - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Vazhachundu - 1 (500- 600 gms) Grated Coconut - 1 cup Cherupayar / Mung Bean - 1/2 cup Shallots - 8- 10 Garlic - 1 - 2 Bird's eye chilli / Kanthari  - 3 Curry Leaves Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp Salt - to taste Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp Coconut Oil  Water PREPARATION: Clean the cherupayar in running water three to four times. Soak in water for 15 minutes and cook in a  pressure cooker with enough amount of water and salt for 5 - 6 whistles on high heat. Keep it aside.  I used a whole Vazhachundu. Clean it well and chop it finely. Coat the chopped vazhachundu in coco...

Hey Folks, Kappa Puzhukku is one of the staple breakfast items in my house. I remember back in school days most of the time in  a week I will be having kappa puzhukku in the morning when it is the season for tapioca harvest. Kappa puzhukku with beef curry, Fish Curry , chicken curry, or even with pickle is delicious. Kappa Puzhukku - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Tapioca / Kappa - 1 kg Shallots - 8 - 9 Garlic - 5 cloves Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp Grated Coconut - 2 cups Curry Leaves  Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp Salt - to taste Water  PREPARATION:  Peel the skin and clean the kappa. Dice it up and keep it inside water otherwise, the kappa will turn black.  In a hard-bottomed vessel, add the tapioca, 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, salt, and water enough to cook the tapioca. Cover and cook for 10 - 12 minutes.  Strain the water and pour it back into the same pot.  In a mixer, add shallots, garlic, cumin seeds, and some curry leaves. Give it a blend and make it c...

Hey Folks, Tomato Rice is a quick and easy recipe when you have no veggies left in your kitchen basket. All it needs is some rice, tomato, and some herbs and spices. It is best to have a filling lunch.  Tomato Rice -The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Ghee - 2 - 3 tbsp Oil - 2 tbsp Rice - 1 cup Tomato - 3 - 4 Cashew Nut - 1 tbsp Cinnamon - 1 Cardamom - 3 Cloves - 3 Star Anise - 1 Fennel Seed - 1/2 tsp Bay Leaf - 1 Garlic - 3 - 4  Onion - 2 medium-sized Mint Leaves -a handful Coriander Leaves - a handful Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 3 tsp Coriander Powder - 1 tsp Sugar - 1/2 tsp Salt - to taste Water  PREPARATION: Soak Basmati Rice or any rice you use in water before cooking.  In a pressure cooker, add 2 tbsp of ghee and oil. First, add the cashew nuts and roast it until golden brown and save for later.  In the same oil, add whole spices, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, star anise, and fennel seeds. Saute well. Add chopped garlic, onion, and mint leaves to it....

Hey Folks,  Vendakka Mezhukkupuratti is a simple stir-fried side dish for lunch. It is okra/vendakka stir-fried with onion, green chillies, and garlic. Let's see the quick and easy method to prepare Vendakka Mezhukkupuratti. Kerala Vendakka Mezhukkupuratti - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Okra / Vendakka - 2 cup Onion - 1 medium-sized Green Chillies - 3 - 4 Garlic - 5 - 6 cloves Curry Leaves - as needed Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp Salt - to taste Coconut Oil PREPARATION: In a large bowl of water soak the okra with some turmeric and salt for about 1 hour to remove the impurities. Cut the vendakka into thin circular shapes. While cutting it has a sticky pulp produced from it which makes it hard for cutting. Apply some lemon juice onto the knife and do the cutting and it will not stick. You can also cut them in any shape of your preference. After cutting, in a large bowl add the vendakka, salt, turmeric powder, slit green chillies, and curry leaves. Mix them all together and keep them...

Hey Folks, Vazhapindi Vanpayar Mezhukkuparati is a very healthy and nutritious side dish that we usually prepare in our homes. It is a very simple recipe and good for your health. Let's go through the recipe for Vazhapindi Vanpayar Mezhukkuparati. Vazhapindi Vanpayar Mezhukkuparati - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Vazhapindi - 1 cup Red cow peas / Vanpayar - 1/2 cup Dried Red Chilli - 3 - 4 Shallots - 5 - 6 Garlic - 3 - 4 cloves Curry Leaves - as required Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tsp Turmeric - 1/8 tsp Salt - to taste Coconut Oil PREPARATION: Clean the vazhapindi or banana stem and cut them into small dice and remove the fibre that comes out of the stem. Banana Stem or Vazhapindi is a rich source of fibre and helps in weight loss. It is also very good for diabetic patients.  After dicing it, keep them in a bowl of water. Stir with your fingers or a spoon in between the pieces and remove the fibres stuck around them. Now in cheenachatty dry roast the vanpayar and soak them in ...

Hey Folks, I have already shared a recipe for Chicken Biriyani, which is a very detailed one with all steps done separately and layered. But, when some days you don't have the time to make a long procedure biriyani, and still you are craving for some, then you should try my simple biriyani recipe and that's what I am dropping in today Chicken Biriyani in Pressure Cooker.  Chicken Biriyani in Pressure Cooker - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Chicken - 1/2 kg Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cup Ghee - 2 tbsp Oil - 2 tbsp Cinnamon stick - 2  Bay Leaves - 1 Cloves - 3 Cardamom - 3 Star Anise - 1 Onion - 3 medium-sized Green Chilli - 3 Ginger Paste - 2 tsp Garlic Paste - 2 tsp Tomato - 1 large Mint Leaves - a handful Coriander Leaves - a handful Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tsp Salt - to taste Thick Curd - 1/2 cup PREPARATION: In a pressure cooker add 2 tbsp of ghee and oil. Add the whole spices, cinnamon, bay leave...

Hey Folks, Olan is my favorite dish in Kerala Onam Sadya. It is a traditional Kerala-style recipe with ash gourd and red cowpeas cooked in thick coconut milk. This is a simple gravy without any complex masala and is very tasty and light to have with rice. Try this recipe for Olan. Olan - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Red Cowpeas / Vanpayar- 1/2 cup Ash Gourd / Kumbalanga - 2 cups Green Chilli - 4  Curry Leaves - as needed Salt - to taste First Extract of Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup Second Extract of Coconut Milk - 1 cup Coconut Oil PREPARATION: The main cooking in Olan is cooking the red cowpeas / vanpayar. For cooking Vanpayar, first, dry roast it in a cheenachatty. After it cools down, soak them in water for about 30 - 40 minutes. In a pressure cooker, add the vanpayar, 1/2 tsp of salt, and water enough to cook them. The vanpayar should be cooked well, so wait for at least 4 whistles.  Meanwhile, in a bottom-hard pan, add the ash gourd sliced in a rectangular shape along wit...

  Hey Folks, Who doesn't love spicy and fresh Fish Fry? Oh, it's not me, that's my favorite. The smell of making fish fry itself is stomach-filling. Fried in pure coconut oil and having for lunch with some hot rice, it's heaven I would say. For every food lover and seafood lover, I am sharing my recipe for a simple, quick, and tasty Fish Fry. Kerala Style Fish Fry  -The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Fish - 5 - 6 pieces Ginger Paste - 1/2 tsp Garlic Paste - 3/4 tsp Lemon Juice - 1 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tsp Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Salt - to taste Curry Leaves - 2 twigs Coconut Oil PREPARATION: I have used medium-sized Parrot Fish / Kili Meen. Clean the fish very well in lime juice and rock salt to remove the fishy smell. Kili Meen is my favorite fish, I love to have it as curry or fry. How can anyone not like fish fry, it is so tasty and makes your mouth watering. You can adjust the spices according to your spice preferences. This is a ...

  Hey Folks, Kovakka Mezhukkupuratti is a simple stir-fried side dish made with Kovakka (Ivy Gourd/Tindora). It requires very less ingredients and can be quickly made within 15 - 20 minutes. Today, I will share the recipe for Kovakka Mezhukkupuratti. Kovakka Mezhukkupuratti - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Kovakka - 2 cups Garlic - 5- 6 cloves Green Chilli - 2 Shallots - 10 - 12 Curry Leaves - as needed Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp Salt - to taste Coconut Oil  PREPARATION: You can slice the kovakka in any shape as you like. For mezhukkupuratti I prefer thinly sliced in a round shape. You should keep the kovakka in water with some turmeric powder in it to remove the pesticides. It is better to grow kovakka in your home itself, it will fresh and pesticide free. Kovakka / Ivy Gourd / Tindora is a tropical vine that helps in reducing the blood sugar levels, improves metabolism, and is very good for the heart. This dish has ...

  Hey Folks, Chicken fry is that one dish that is loved by people of all age categories. The chicken fry that we get from the street side vendors or we call it thattukada, are so yum. It is spicy, hot, and so crispy. The podi we get after frying the chicken is the best part of chicken fry I like. Today, I am dropping in a simple chicken fry recipe for beginners including small children, who love to do some cooking experiments. Let's make some yummy Chicken Fry.  Chicken Fry - The Perfect Cook Book INGREDIENTS: Chicken - 1 cup Ginger paste - 1/2 tbsp Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Garam Masala - 1 tsp Salt - to taste Lemon Juice - 2 tsp Curd - 1 tbsp Curry Leaves - as needed Coconut Oil  PREPARATION: Clean the chicken well when bought from the store. You can either use boneless chicken or with bone. You can use liver and intestines too. I prefer chicken with bones, it is so tasty when fried. Wash the chi...