my culinary experiments

Calamari (Squid) Curry

2012-02-24T14:54:00.004+02:00

Love the beach, Love the Sea....and most importantly, crazy about seafood. Thats me and my hubby and my 2 little ones. This is a tasty Squid preparation by my hubby that we absolutely love.

Calamari: 750 gms

Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp

Salt: as required

Mustard: 1 tsp

Dried red Chilly: 2

Onion: 2 medium sliced

Ginger: 1.5 tbsp chopped fine

Garlic: 1.5 tbsp chopped fine

Green Chillies; 2 chopped fine

Tomatoes: 2 medium chopped

Coriander Powder: 2 tbsp

Chilly Powder: 1 tbsp (adjust to our tolerance level, coz we are adding both green chillies and pepper)

Meat Masala: 1 tsp

Pepper Powder: 1 tsp

Coriander leaves: 3 tbsp

Marinate the cleaned calamari with turmeric powder and salt and keep aside
Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard and dried red chillies.
Throw in the ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute for a minute.
Add the onion and saute till slightly brown.
Add the tomatoes and cook till it mashes up.
Add the coriander powder, chilly powder and saute till oil separates.
Now add the meat masala and the calamari and saute till the calamari gets coated with the masala.
Add 2 cups water and let it get cooked.
When the gravy gets thick, add the pepper powder and 2 tbspc oriander leaves and let it boil.
Take off fire and garnish with 1 tbsp coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Linking this to CC dish for loved ones

Ultimate M&M Cookies

2012-02-22T14:28:00.000+02:00

This is another version of the Kids party cookies that Ive posted. Both are simply out of the world but my DH loves this more coz loads n loads of M & M's...

Butter: 1 cup/ 200 gms/ 2 sticks

Granulated Sugar: 1 cup

Brown Sugar: 1 cup

Egg:1

Vanilla: 1 tsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

All Purpose Flour: 2 cups

Baking Powder: 1 tsp

Chopped Nuts: 3/4 cup (optional, I dont add coz kids wont eat...)

M&M's: 5 packs

Preheat oven to 180C

Mix together flour, salt and baking powder and keep aside.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy

Beat in egg and vanilla.

Add the flour mix to it and work your electric mixer at speed 1

Now add the nuts and 3 packs of M&M's and beat again at speed 1

(no, the candy never broke to pieces for me)

Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.

You can decorate the top of the cookies again with the left over M&M's

Bake 15-18 minutes (keep an eye after 12 minutes) or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft.

It will get firm as it cools. Do not overbake.

Once cool, Store in tightly covered container.

Recipe Courtesy: M&M website

Linking this to CC dish for Loved Ones
Cakes Cookies and Desserts

Kids Party Cookies

2012-02-21T17:45:00.000+02:00

My little ones absolutely adore the M&M cookies but if we buy the pack, it will be over in seconds. So I make this once in a while for them and whenever I make this or any of his favourite cookies/cakes, my son takes it to school to share with his friends. This is basically the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe but instead of the Chocolate Chips, m&m's or Gems or Smarties is added. You can mix the chocolate with the dough but I prefer to press it on top than it being buried inside.

Butter: 2 sticks/200gms

Brown Sugar: 1/2 cup

Granulated Sugar: 1/2 cup

Vanilla Essence: 1 tsp

Eggs: 2

Salt:1/2 tsp

Baking Powder: 1 tsp

All Purpose Flour: 2 1/4 cups

M&M's / Gems / Smarties : 4 packs

Preheat your oven 180C

Mix the salt and the baking powder with the flour and keep aside

Beat the butter with a hand mixie/electric mixer.

Make sure the butter is not too soft (coz if it is too soft , you will have to chill the dough before forming it into cookies)

Add the sugar to it and beat till everything is combined properly.

Now add the eggs one by one and the vanilla essence and beat for a few minutes.

Add the flour mixed with the Baking powder and salt.

(make sure your mixer is on speed 1 or else the flour will be all over the kitchen counter)

When everything is mixed, you can increase the speed to 2.

Grease your cookie tray/cake tin with cooking spray or you can use parchment paper.

Make small balls of the dough and press the chocolate onto it (how much ever you want)

Keep this 1 inch apart in your tin.

Bake for 15 - 18 minutes till the edges are brown.

It will not be firm when you take out of the oven but will as it cools.

Once cool, store it in airtight containers.

Makes 40 cookies.

Recipe Source : M & M's website.

Rava Khichdi

2012-02-20T08:02:00.000+02:00

When I was newly married, I had this habit of asking my brand new hubby what he wants for breakfast. So one day, he said Khichdi...and I was like... "whaaa?? Had never heard of this before. He said its made with Rava, and I asked "Upma?.. and he said "somewhat like the Kerala Upma but not that". Finally he gave me a live demo of how a Khichdi is made. So this is it, Rava Khichdi of Tamil Nadu.

Rava: 1 cup

Ghee 1 tbsp

Oil; 1 tbsp

Mustard: 1 tsp

Onion: 1 medium diced

Ginger: 1 tsp minced

Green chillies: 2 chopped

Tomato: 1 medium chopped

Carrot and Green Peas: 1/4 cup

Curry Leaf; 1 sprig

Water:3 cups

In a kadai, heat the ghee and roast the Rava on medium flame till it emanates a nice aroma. Make sure not to burn it.

In another pan, heat oil and splutter mustard and curry leaf.

Saute the onions, ginger, green chillies till light brown.

Add the vegetable and saute for a few minutes.

Add the tomatoes and let it get cooked well.

Add the water, required salt and when it boils, lower the flame and add the Rava to it and mix properly and let it get cooked on low flame.

Turn off stove and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve warm with any side dish of your choice.

1-2-3-4 cake and an Orange caramel cake

2012-02-19T08:48:00.000+02:00

This is a simple cake but I love this coz most of my childhood baking memories revolve around this. My grandmom used to make this often and I love the texture of this cake. Its called a 1234 cake coz the Ingredients proportion is 1:2:3:4

When I made this last time, I took half the batter and converted ito an orange caramel cake. My kids loved it coz they are big caramel orange fans. But, personally I feel the texture suffered coz it became a moist cake!!!

Butter: 1 cup

Milk: 1 cup

Sugar: 2 cups

Flour: 3 cups

Eggs: 4

Baking Powder: 3 level tsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder twice.

Let the Butter and egg come to room temperature.

Make sure u do not melt the butter, coz if you do, then you wont get the air pockets in the recipe batter. The creaming is what causes the food to rise, giving an airy, delicate texture. (Havent you noticed that moist cakes, which uses liquids doesnt have that delicate texture which the butter cakes have, like in the picture below)

Grease and flour 2 baking trays

Preheat oven to 180C

Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one by one and beat till well mixed.

Now Fold in the flour

(add the flour and milk alternately, always starting and ending with the dry ingredients, here it is the flour ;) )

Transfer the batter to prepared cake tins and shake the tin to level the batter.

Bake till done.

Let it cool for 10 minutes in the tray and then invert onto a cooling rack.

So for any of you who wants the orange caramel cake with this batter, divide the batter into two.

To one half add half a cup of orange juice. To the other half, add half a cup of caramel. Here Ive made the caramel light brown, thats why you cant see much of a difference. Pour the caramel flavoured batter and the orange flavoured batter alternately to the baking tin and bake till done.

Linking this to

Cakes Cookies and Desserts

Cauliflower Manchurian

2012-02-18T08:02:00.001+02:00

When I met my future hubby for the first time, I asked him what food he likes and prompt came the reply "Chinese".. and I was like..."Phew!!! that's easy....Maggi Noodles"

Well, we survived on Maggi Noodles for a long time and then we visited my inlaws and woooo.... Mom's chinese preparation is better than what we get in the Indo Chinese restaurants. Well, I had to learn it somehow. So this is Cauliflower Manchurian her way.

Cauliflower: 500 gms (washed properly and cut into bite size pieces)

All Purpose Flour: 1/3 cup

Corn Flour: 1/4 cup

Salt: as required

Pepper: 2 tsp

Water: to make a thick batter

Spring Onions: 3 sliced

Green stalk of the Spring Onion: to garnish

Garlic: 10 pods chopped

Ginger: 1 tsp chopped

Green Chillies: 5-6 chopped

Soya Sauce: 1 tbsp

Tomato Sauce: 2 tbsp

Red Chilli Sauce: 1 tbsp

Corn Flour: 1 tbsp

Water: 3/4 cup

Oil: 1 tbsp

First make the sauce. You can make it beforehand and then fry the Cauliflower just before serving.

Mix the cornflour in cold water. mix the Tomato sauce, Chilly Sauce, Soya Sauce, required salt and keep aside.

In a kadai, heat oil and saute the sliced onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies for a few minutes. You will get a nice aroma of the garlic.

Now add the sauce to it and mix well and let it cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.

Turn off the stove and keep aside till ready to be used.

Make a batter with the cornflour, Maida, pepper and salt by adding water. Make sure it is a thick batter so that the cauliflower will get evenly coated.

Heat oil in a pan.

Dip each cauliflower in the batter and deep fry till golden brown. (medium heat)

Drain on an absorbant paper.

Now heat the sauce and add the fried Cauliflower to it and do a mixing for a minute.

Turn off the stove.

Serve the manchurian warm garnished with the spring onion stalk.

Linking this to CC dish for loved ones

Mutton stew

2012-02-16T06:07:00.000+02:00

Mutton: 250 gms (small pieces)

Potato: 1 large cubed

Thick Coconut milk: 1 cup

Thin Coconut milk: 1.5 cups

Mustard: 1 tsp

Cinnamom: 1 stick

Cloves:3

Cardamom:1

Onion: 2 medium sliced

Ginger: 1 inch chopped fine

Garlic: 3 cloves chopped fine

Green Chilly: 5 slit length wise

Curry Leaves: 2 sprigs

Pepper: 1+1 tsp

Garam Masala: 1 tsp

Tomato: 1 medium sliced in rounds

Vinegar: 1 tbsp

Oil; 2 tbsp

Salt: as required

Coriander Leaves: 3 tbsp

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and splutter the mustard.

Add the whole garam masala (cinnamom, cloves and cardamom) and wait for a few seconds.

Now throw in the onions, ginger, garlic and green chilly and saute till just wilted (no change of colour is needed)

Add the mutton with a teaspoon of pepper, garam masala, one cup thin coconut milk and required salt and let it cook.

(On high till the first whistle, then lower the flame and let it cook for 10 minutes)

Once the pressure is gone, open the lid and add the potatoes and the rest of the thin coconut milk and let it cook again.

When the potatoes are done, add the round slices of tomatoes on top and let it boil on low flame with the lid closed for a minute.

At this point, check if the curry is too thin, if it is add a ladle of Appam batter (if it is appam you are making that day with the stew) or add a tbsp of cornflour mixed with 1/4 cup water.

Now add the thick coconut milk and let it boil along the edges.

Do a salt test and add more if required.

Turn off the stove and add 1 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp vinegar and coriander leaves and keep the lid.

Let it remain like that for 15 minutes.

Open and serve warm with Appam or Chapati.

Fruit, Nut and Coconut flakes Chocolate Bark

2012-02-11T09:30:00.000+02:00

Valentines day and what goes hand in hand with that?? It is Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. So this time, from my kitchen comes a homemade chocolate. Well, when I think of homemade chocolates, again the chocolates we get in Ooty comes to my mind. wow, wow, wow... well, this came close to that. I got the idea of making this while I was bloghopping one day and came to Puja's space. Then I did a bit of research and came up with my own thing with inputs from everywhere. :)

Cooking Chocolate: 250 gms
Butter: 1.5 tbsp
Coconut flakes: 1/5 cup
Mixed Dried Fruits: 1/2 cup ( I bought mixed dried fruit which had blueberries, raisins and cranberries)
Mixed Toasted nuts: 1/2 cup
(I bought mixed nuts which included coconut flakes as well. The nuts included walnut, pistachios, almonds)

Melt the cooking chocolate in the microwave for a minute. Add the butter to it and let it all melt and combine. (Depends on the microwave as to how much time it takes, it got done in 2 minutes on mine)
Now line a tin with parchment paper or Aluminium foil (I used aluminium foil)
Spread the chocolate on it.
Now scatter the nuts and fruits and the coconut flakes on it and slightly press it onto the chocolate layer.
Keep this refrigerated till it is set.
Cut or break the bark into small irregular pieces.

Linking this to Love N Chocolate Fest, Valentines Day Event, Sweet Luv, Lets cook for valentines, Served with Love,

Caramel Cheese Cake

2012-02-10T07:31:00.002+02:00

Yesterday morning my hubby had this craving for cheese cake, so before leaving for office, he told me that he is ordering cheese cake for the weekend. I said "fine" but as soon as he left, I took my recipe collection. I have two trusted recipes, a baked version and an unbaked version.... but to my disappointment didnt have one or the other ingredients for either recipe

So,what is the next best thing I do?? Yes, come up with a recipe with whatever ingredients I have and Bingo.. it clicked... I started thinking I will make an unbaked version, half way through I added eggs and flour and made it a baked version!!!! so heres the recipe...

For the Base

Marie Biscuits/Digestive Biscuits: 200 gm

Soft (not melted) Butter: 100 gm

In a food processor, Blitz the biscuit. When it is bread crumbs form, add the butter and run the processor till you get a clump.

Press this mix on a springform tin, press a little up the sides too.

Keep this in the fridge for half an hour, while you get the cake mix and the topping ready.

For the Topping

Granulated Sugar: 1 cup

Water: 2 tbsp

Fresh Cream: 170 gm tub

Heat Sugar and water on low heat till it is golden brown in colour. Resist your temptation to stir the syrup...Please do not meddle with it but you can swirl the pan

When it is golden brown, turn off the stove and add the fresh cream and mix well. Let it cool slightly.

For the Cheese Cake

Double Cream Cheese: 450 gm

Whipping Cream: 200 ml

Icing Sugar: 200 gm (refer the note below)

Vanilla Essence: 1 tsp

Lime juice: 1 tbsp (optional, I wanted to add but during the process decided against it)

Fresh Cream: 1 tbsp

All Purpose Flour: 3 tbsp

Eggs: 2

In a bowl, take the double cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla (if you are using lime, add that also at this stage).

Beat until smooth.

Now add the flour and the eggs and beat well.

Now in a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream and fold this to the cream cheese mixture carefully.

Your Cake layer is ready.

Assembling

Preheat the oven 180 C for 10 minutes

Take the chilled biscuit base out of the fridge and spread a thin layer of caramel on top.

Now pour the cheese cake mix on top of that.

Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes (oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye- check if it is set, it might be a little goeey in the middle but it gets set as it cools, the point is- dont overbake)

Let it cool in the oven itself (keep the oven door slightly open for the cooling stage)

After half an hour take it out and spread the caramel filling on top.

Keep it in the fridge till ready to be served.

To Note:
My double cream cheese was a little bit salty, thats why I didnt add any salt and added 200 gm icing sugar. If you have the unsalted version, you can reduce 50 gm of icing sugar for the recipe.

Linking this to Dish For Loved Ones

Mutton Liver Roast

2012-02-07T14:18:00.000+02:00

Recipe Courtesy: Yummy o Yummy

Iam not very fond of liver but when I saw this recipe , I had to try it and wow, my whole outlook changed... it was so yummooo!!!! I was smiling as I read her post about how skinny she and her sis and bro were, and how her dad used to make this to make them fat!!!! I still remember those skinny days of yours, Maya and I feel its a blessing !!!! Ive made little changes as I didnt have pearl onions, but well, its almost the same otherwise!!!

Mutton Liver: 1/2 kg
Onions: 2 diced
Garlic: 10 cloves or 1 pod
Ginger: 1.5 inch
Green Chillies: 4
Pepper corns: 3 tsp
Fennel: 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder: 1.5 tsp
Coriander Powder: 2.5 tsp
Curry Leaves: 2 sprigs
Mustard: 1/2 tsp
Dried red chilly: 1
Coconut oil: 2 tbsp
Salt: as required.

Chop the liver pieces and soak it in water in which 2 tbsp vinegar has been added for about half an hour.
Wash and drain it in a colander.
Grind the fennel and pepper corns in a dry grinder and then add the garlic, green chillies and ginger to it and run the grinder again so that it is crushed well. Keep this aside
Heat oil in a frying pan and splutter the mustard and dried red chilly.
Throw in the onions and curry leaves abdsaute till onions are light brown in colour.
Now add the crushed mix of fennel, pepper corn, garlic, green chilly and ginger.
Saute till raw smell is gone and it slightly changes colour.
Add all the masalas and stir till oil separates.
Add half cup water and required salt and bring to a boil.
Add the liver pieces and cook on low flame for 20 minutes.
Check if it is cooked well, if not, again sprinkle some water and let it get cooked.
Now open the lid and stir fry on medium heat till the dish turns dry and the liver is coated with the masala.
Add curry leaves and half teaspoon pepper powder and mix well.
Keep it closed for some more time after you take it from the stove.
Serve with rice, chappati or as a starter.

Ceylon Chicken Egg Parotta/Mughalai Parotta

2012-02-05T10:42:00.001+02:00

Theres a deep connection between food and our memories of a place. One of the first things that come to my mind when I think of Chennai food is Ponnuswamy Biriyani, and the next in line is Ceylon chicken Egg parotta from Marina park in Foreshore Estate.

When in Chennai, we usually order in this Mughalai parotta from that restaurant and just one is enough for an absolutely delicious and filling dinner.

After coming to Cairo, I started making this on my own and I usually make it with Wheat flour (like chappati and egg filling). Yesterday, after a long time I made it with maida just like how we used to have back in Chennai and oooolalala it really warmed our souls as well as satisfied our appetite!!!

Step 1

Chicken: 600 gms

Pepper: 3/4 tbsp

Salt: as required

Pressure cook this for 5 whistles on high flame.

When it cools, shred the chicken.

Step 2:

For the Parotta

Maida: 4 cups

Milk: 1 cup

Water: 1 cup or as required to make a dough (after the milk is added)

Sugar: 1/2 tbsp

Salt: as required

Oil: 2 tbsp

Mix the salt and sugar in the flour.

Add milk to it and then required water to make a smooth dough

(I worked my stand mixie on speed 2 for 8 to 10 minutes)

Now take the dough out and add the 2 tbsp oil to it and knead again for a few seconds.

Keep this in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth.

Keep this aside for one hour or more. (I keep for 2 to 3 hours)

If I make it with wheat flour, I keep only for half an hour or even lesser.

Step 3

For the Chicken Keema

Onion: 2 medium diced

Ginger Minced: 1 tsp

Garlic Minced: 1 tsp

Green Chillies: 2 chopped

Red Chilly Powder: 2 level tsp

Turmeric Powder: a pinch

Fennel Powder: 1 tsp

Garam Masala or Meat Masala: 1/4 tsp

Oil and Salt: as required

Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions, ginger and garlic till the onions are translucent

Now add all the powders and saute on low flame.

Add the cooked and shredded chicken, salt and mix everything properly.

Do a taste test and add salt if needed.

Let it cool

Step 4

Eggs: 6

Whisk the eggs properly, add salt and mix in the chicken keema to it and keep aside

Step 5

Now take the dough and make 10 equal balls out of it.

Roll out each ball as thinly as possible.

Heat the tawa and place the rolled out disc and let it just cook (say about 20 to 30 secs)

Turn it over and place 2 tbsp of the egg keema mix in the middle.

Immediately fold from al the four sides so that the egg keema mix is properly closed and you have a square shaped parotta.

Cook on medium heat by sprinkling oil.

When it is brown and the parotta starts puffing up, take off heat.

(Puffing up is the sign that the egg inside is cooked)

Serve warm with any side dish or just with tomato sauce.

Pyazee Kachauri

2012-01-29T16:21:00.000+02:00

Recipe Courtesy: Woman's Era Feb 2011 edition

Maida: 2 cups

Oil: 3 tbsp

Salt: as needed

Water: to make the dough

Oil: for deep frying

For the filling:

Onion: 4 medium chopped

Potatoes: 2 large boiled and mashed

Oil: 2 tbsp

Coriander Powder: 1 tsp

Chilly Powder: 1 tsp

Amchur: 1/2 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tbsp

Mix the salt and 3 tbsp oil in the flour and make a dough with the water.

(firm dough ensures crisp Kachauris)

In a pan heat oil and saute onions and ginger garlic paste.

Add boiled and mashed potatoes, salt, coriander powder, chilly powder and amchur.

Make small balls of dough, roll it out.

Keep a tablespoon of the filling in the centre and make a ball again.

Roll into small circles and deep fry in oil.

Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Rawa Roti/Rawa Ada and Boondi Raita

2012-01-23T07:13:00.000+02:00

Rawa/Semolina: 2 cups

Boiling Water: 1.5 cups

Ginger chopped: 1 tbsp

Onion Chopped: 1 small

Green Chillies finely chopped: 1 tsp

Coriander Leaves: 2 tbsp

Salt: as needed

Oil: to sprinkle while cooking

Boil water and add required salt to it.

Lower the flame and add the Rawa/Semolina in small quantities.

When it forms a dough, take off fire.

Now add the chopped onion, ginger, green chillies and coriander to it and make a smooth dough.

Make balls and roll the chapatis between two plastic sheets. Alternately, you can place the ball on a plastic sheet and make ada by patting with your fingers.

Cook the Rotis/Ada on a heated tawa.

Sprinkle oil while cooking on both sides.

Serve hot with any side dish of your choice.

Boondi Raita:

I always make fresh Boondi for the raita. You can either make it fresh or use store bought Boondis.

For Boondi:

Besan/Kadalamaav: 1 cup

Salt: as required

Chilly Powder: 1 tsp

Water: to make the batter

Oil: to deep fry

Mix all the ingredients except oil to make a semi-thick batter (dosa batter consistency)

Heat oil in a kadai.

Pour the batter through a slotted spoon into the oil. Make sure you slightly move the slotted spoon around the kadai so that the boondi doesnt stick together in the oil.

Fry till brown and drain on an absorbant paper.

Curd: 1 cup

Onion: 1/2 cup chopped

Green chillies: 1 tsp chopped

Coriander Leaves: 1 tsp chopped

Salt: as required.

Boondi: 4 tbsp

Assemble everything.

Mix everything just before serving.

Mixture (The Kerala Way!!!)

2012-01-17T12:35:00.002+02:00

Nothing like munching on this while having Chai. You can get creative with this and add whatever munchies you want to it (Boondhi, Fried Chenna Dal, Butter Murukku , Ribbon Pakkoda etc)

Ingredients

Sev : 2 cups Get the recipe here

Follow the recipe as it is, but use the plate with small holes (the one we use for Idiyappam/String hoppers) while making the Sev.

Pepper Sev: 3/4 cup Get the recipe here

Masala Peanuts: 1 cup Get the recipe here

Banana Chips: 1/2 cup Get the recipe here

Follow the recipe as it is, but slice the banana vertically first so as to get smaller chips.

To Temper:

Oil: 1 tbsp

Curry leaves: 2 sprigs

Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

Mix all the ingredients in the "Ingredients" section and keep aside.

In a deep pan, heat the oil and on low flame, add the chilly powder, curry leaves, salt and turn off the flame.

Now mix the mixture ingredients to it and toss it properly.

Once cool, store it in airtight containers.

Linking this to Kerala Kitchen on Palakkad Chamayal

Avalose Unda

2012-01-11T07:49:00.002+02:00

A kerala speciality snack made out of rice flour, grated coconut and sugar or Jaggery. I prefer the sugar version so this recipe uses sugar instead of jaggery.

Avalose Podi : 3.5 cups

Cardamom Powdered: 1 tbsp

Lime Juice: of 1 lime

Sugar: 1.5 cups

Water: 1/2 cup

Combine the sugar, water and lime juice and keep covered for 10 hours or overnight.

Sift the Avalose Podi through a sieve and pound the big pieces in your dry grinder.

Measure 3.5 cups Avalose Podi and keep half cup aside.

Add 1 tbsp cardamom powder to the Avalose Podi

Heat the sugar mix on medium heat till it reaches one thread consistency (take a small amount between your thumb and index finger and when you pull apart, a thread should form without breaking)

One thread consistency is an important step coz if you cross that mark, then the result is very hard avalose unda!!! So if you want soft ones, be careful with the one thread consistency point!!!

As soon as the consistency is reached, mix the Avalose Podi to the sugar mix and take off fire.

When it is still warm, make small balls out of it and roll it in the reserved half cup Avalose Podi.

When it cools, store in airtight containers and have with your evening Tea.

Linking this to Kerala Kitchen on Palakkad Chamayal

Avalose Podi

2012-01-10T08:50:00.001+02:00

This is one of the signature items of my Mom. She always makes this in huge quantities. Most of the time, it gets converted to Avalose Unda (will be posting the recipe soon). Now that Moms visiting me, we made it together. Mom said it was the first time in her life that she made such a small quantity!!! :) And, also Mom adds half a tea spoon of black sesame seeds while roasting but sadly, we get only white sesame seeds here, so we omitted adding sesame.

Rice Flour: 3 cups (Raw, not roasted)
Fresh Coconut grated: 2 cups
Jeera/Cumin: 1 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp

Mix the coconut with the rice flour properly.
Keep it closed for 2 to 3 hours.
Now add the cumin to the mix.

In a heavy bottomed pan, stir the mix on medium heat.

After a few minutes, lower the heat again and keep stirring till it is fried well (it took about 30 minutes for me)

Remove from fire and again stir for a minute or 2.
Let it cool completely.
Serve it with banana and sugar. You can store it in airtight containers, it will last for a long time.

The Avalose podi can be made to avalose unda with either jaggery or sugar syrup. I shall post that recipe soon.

Linking this to Kerala Kitchen on Palakkad Chamayal

Meen Peera Pattichathu

2011-12-19T10:42:00.001+02:00

Meen Peera. How do I describe it? This definitely is one of my favourite fish preparation and as my mom says, just the smell of this fish cooking is enough for a perfectly satisfactory lunch. If there is Meen Peera for lunch, I dont want any other side dish. It will be just rice and fish. Wow, simple pleasures of life!!!

Cleaned Anchovies: 500 gms

Kodum Puli (Cocum)- 3

Curry leaves: 3 sprigs

Mustard: 1 tsp

Coconut oil: 2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

To Grind

Shallots: 6

Ginger: 1 inch

Green Chillies: 6 (adjust to your tolerance level

(I use a lot of Kanthari for this preparation)

Coconut grated: 1.5 cups

Pulse the To Grind ingredients just once in your mixie. (Chatachhe edukkuka)

Clean the cocum and keep aside.

In a Kadai or :Meen Chatti" heat the oil and splutter mustard and 1 sprig curry leaf.

Now on low flame, add the ground coconut paste, required salt and the rest of the curry leaves.

After a minute, add the cleaned fish and mix everything together.

You can add a little water (1/4 cup)to it.

Close the lid and let it cook on low flame.

Stir in between.

Serve warm with rice.

Sardine curry without oil

2011-12-17T13:41:00.002+02:00

This is an easy curry for the health conscious.

Sardine Fish: 8

Kodam Puli/Cocum- 2

Water and Salt; as required

To Grind:

Tomato: 1 small

Shallots: a handful

Coriander Powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder; 1/2 tsp

Chilly Powder:2 tbsp

Garlic cloves: 6-7

Ginger: 1 inch

Crush all the ingredients in the "To Grind" in your mixie.

Mix it with the Fish.

Add salt, Curry leaves, required water

Cook till done on medium flame.

Serve with rice.

Pepper Sev

2011-12-15T16:56:00.000+02:00

Christmas is round the corner and Iam permanently in the kitchen from the past few days. I already baked cakes, made lots of snacks (which unfortunately is getting over and I seriously doubt if any of it will last till Christmas). Most of what I made is sweets- Cakes, Nankhatai, Diamond cuts, Butter Murukku (tho this one is not sweet, its not spicy either!!!). So while I was having my Garam Chai yesterday evening, I suddenly craved for something spicy which took me back to my Chennai days. There was a sweet and snack shop very near to where I lived. The Pepper Sev they sell are just so perfect for a cold evening to go with your masala Chai. aaa... In a minute, I was up from the chair and in the kitchen. So this is how I made it and my hubby gave me full marks!!!!! :)))

(Ive posted the normal sev recipe before, but this one is really spicy and tastes different and better coz of the rice flour and Urad dal flour)

Besan/Bengal Gram Flour: 1.5 cups

Rice Flour: 3/4 cup

Urad Dal Flour: 3 tbsp

Pepper Coarsely ground: 1.25 tbsp

Butter: 2 tbsp

Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp

Garlic Powder: 3/4 tbsp

Water: enough to make a dough

Salt: as required

Oil: to deep fry

Let the butter come to room temperature.

Mix all the ingredients and make a smooth dough.

Heat oil in a kadai.

Fit the Idiyappam maker with the plate that has big holes on it

(not the plate with which we make Idiyappam, but the bigger one)

Press the dough out of the mould directly into the oil.

Make sure the flame is medium.

Turn over once.

Fry till brown and crisp (the vigorous bubbling will stop when it is done.)

Drain on an absorbant paper.

Once cool, store it in airtight container.

Fruit Cake

2011-12-11T10:27:00.002+02:00

What is Christmas without the classic fruit cake? There are variations of this cake, some are dark caramel, some are light, some are moist, some dry, some with just one variety of dry fruit, some with many. Some with alcohol- agan varaiations are there- Scotch Whisky, Rum, Brandy, Sherry, Wine.

Usually the Christmas cake is made way in advance and alcohol is poured everyweek onto the cake till Christmas, the process is known as 'feeding' the cake. This is the real secret behind the moist effect and the long shelf life of the cake.

This photo was taken the day after it was baked, that is why it is looking dry. The cake gets moist as it sits. So it is a must to give the cake 10 days or more of resting period for the flavours to set in and also for the cake to turn moist.

I started baking when I was in college and one of the first experiments was fruit cake. Those days I used to follow Mrs BF Varghese's recipes. Wow, each recipe is worth trying!!! and my baking guru is Mrs BF Varghese's niece, Rebecca aunty. I learnt the first steps of baking in her kitchen.

I remember how I used to hate fruit cakes when I was a child, I always loved the 1234 cake that ammachy baked. So even for Christmas, it was that cake I used to have. Only as I grew old that I realized, fruit cakes are the best cakes in the world!!! O yes, even though Iam a die hard fan of chocolates, when it comes to cakes, chocolate cake takes only the 3rd position...after fruit cakes and 1234 cakes..:)))

So heres how I do it. Well, after marriage, I follow my Mom in law's Fruit cake recipe. Mrs B.F Varghese was mom in law's neighbour in Kottayam. Could be the reason.. :)))) My Mom-in-law's recipe is really a keeper!!!

Mom's recipe is equal weights. All the ingredients should weigh the same. A few of my friends have asked me to give cup measurements as they dont have a kitchen scale. So for them, after taking the weight, I measured in a cup (200 ml cup)

The Batter:

All Purpose Flour: 300 gms (2 1/4 cups)

Sugar: 300 gms (1 3/4 cups)

Butter: 300 gms (this I didnt measure coz You can buy 3 of 100 gm sticks)

Eggs: 300 gms (5 normal eggs)

Vanilla Essence: 1 1/2 tsp

Baking Powder: 3 tsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

The Dry Fruits:

Dry fruits: 300 gms

Rum: enough to soak the fruits completely

Chop the dry fruits and soak it thoroughly in Rum/Brandy atleast a day in advance. I usually soak a month in advance..You can even soak a year in advance!!!

For the dry fruits, you can use tutty fruity, dates, cashew, raisns, almonds, candied orange/lemon peel, candied ginger, apricots etc... totally up to u, this time I used almonds, golden raisns,walnuts, apricots and dates- thats why you cannot see any colour of tutty fruity, orange peel etc.

I usually soak 1 kg of dried fruits in one a half litres of Rum)

For the Caramel:

Granulated Sugar: 1 cup
Hot Water: 1/2 cup

Heat the sugar in a pan with 1 tbsp water. Swirl the pan but should not use spoon. When it turns a dark brown colour and bubbles start forming, turn off the stove and pour the 1/2 cup hot water. Keep it aside. Let it come to room temperature (otherwise it will spoil your batter if you use it hot)

The caramel colour is also up to you, you can stop when your preferred colour is reached.. light brown to very dark brown)

The Spice Powders:
Cardamom: 3
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon: a stick
Cake Jeera/Caraway seeds: 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg Powder: 1/4 tsp
Powder it inyour dry grinder and keep aside for use in the batter.

Method:

Let the butter and egg come to room temperature.
Pre heat the oven 180 C
Grease and dust your baking tray/cake pan.
Sift the Flour, Baking Powder and salt together atleast thrice and keep aside.
To this add the spice powders and mix with a spoon

Separate the egg yolks and whites

In a clean and dry bowl, beat the egg whites till soft peaks are formed. At this stage, even when you invert the bowl, it will not fall down, like in the picture.

Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
Add egg yolks to it one a time and beat till everything is mixed properly.

To this, add the cooled caramel and vanilla essence and again beat till well combined.

Now keep away the cake beater. From this stage on, we will use only a wooden spatula.
Keep a handful of flour aside.
Now gently fold in the rest of the flour till everything is combined. Make sure you do not do it hard, and also when you mix, do it only in one direction (we dont want gluten forming and making the cake hard)
Now take the soaked fruits and toss it in the handful of flour we kept aside.

Now gently mix the fruits. Yes, the soaked Rum/brandy also goes into the batter.

Now carefully fold in the egg whites till it is completely mixed and no white is visible.

Now transfer the batter to prepared cake pans, smooth the top and into the oven it goes.

Baking time varies but fruit cakes usually take longer than tea cakes. Check after 45 minutes and if a tooth pick inserted to the middle comes out clean, then it is done.
Also, if the pan is small, it wont take that long to bake. The long tin took 50 minutes and the small round tin took 40 minutes.
When it comes out of the oven, Pour a tbsp of Rum/Brandy on the cake. You can keep pouring a tbsp every week till Christmas (if you prefer) or just forget the whole thing coz youve actually mixed a fair amount in the batter.

Now keep it covered in a cool dark place till the flavours set in. (10 days to 2 weeks, but atleast give it a weeks time)

Beef Biriyani/ Minced Meat Biriyani

2011-12-09T14:58:00.000+02:00

This one is again my mom-in-law's recipe. My hubby and his brothers call it Kalipeeru Biriyani. Even Mom calls it that. Very easy to make and really tasty too.

Im giving a step by step pic of how it is made. Dont get fooled by the pics... the step pics were taken when this was made for 12 people, thats why it looks huge. The recipe measurement Iam gonna give is for a family of four. So over to the recipe.

Beef: 250 gms

Wash the meat. Mix it with a tsp of pepper powder and tsp of salt.

Add required water and pressure cook till done.

(After the first whistle, I lower the flame and cook for 20 minutes.)

Once it cools, take the meat out and mince it in your processor.

Reserve the stock to cook the Biriyani.

Oil: 3 tbsp

Cinnamon: 1 stick

Cloves: 3

Onion: 2 medium sliced

Tomato: 1 large chopped

Ginger Garlic paste: 1 heaped tbsp

Green chillies: 2 slit (adjust to your tolerance level)

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Garam Masala Powder: 1/2 tsp

Chilly Powder: 1/2 tsp

(instead of the above three ingredients, you can use 1 heaped tsp of meat masala, Saras or Eastern)

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

Coriander Leaves chopped: 4 tbsp

Minced Beef: 2 cups

Basmati Rice: 2 cups

Wash and soak the Basmati rice in water for 15 minutes.

Heat oil. Add the cinnamon and cloves. After a few seconds, throw in the onions and green chillies.

Saute till it is slightly brown. Make sure it browns uniformly.

Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a few minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till it is all mashed up and oil separates.

Then add the masalas and saute for a few minutes on low flame.

Add the minced beef and let everything get mixed properly.

Add the coriander leaves and mix well.

Pour 3 cups water (measure the stock from cooking beef and add water to it to make it 3 cups)

and the two cups drained basmati rice, required salt. and transfer it into a pressure cooker.

Close the lid and when the steam starts coming out steadily, put the weight and wait for 20 seconds.

Turn off the stove and leave the Kitchen immediately.

Come back after 20 minutes and open the pressure cooker. By this time, the pressure would have been released fully and your rice would have cooked to perfection.

Serve warm with raitha, pickles and Papad.

Pineapple Moist cake (No Eggs, No Butter and No Oil)

2011-12-07T16:34:00.002+02:00

My Kids love Orange Cake. I bake it week after week for my son's snack box. Well, Iam so bored of making the same thing again and again that I thought I will make a pineaple cake instead. It is my own recipe again, just started doing it and first I took butter, then I thought, I will make a healthy cake.... Well, I wasnt very sure myself... no butter, no egg, no oil.... well, I did it when noone was around, so I knew if it flopped I can throw it without anyone seeing... :) but God is great, the cake was good!!! Son liked it coz it was moist, sugar wasnt overpowering and also since the pineapples were only crushed, you could get to eat small pieces of the fruit. Well, if you love pineapples, you will love this cake. But still, he made a comment.. "Mamma, after this gets over, pls make the Orange cake again coz I love it a hundred thousand and eight fifty... what he meant is he loves the Orange Moist Cake"..LOL
And guess what, it gets moist as it sits... So if its possible, After the cake cools, leave it covered on the kitchen counter the day you bake it and taste it the next day or the day after... absolutely moist it will be!!!!

All purpose Flour: 1 cup
Sugar: 1 cup
Milk: 1/4 cup
Pineapple rings from the can: 6 rings
Pineapple syrup from the can: 1/4 cup
Baking Powder: 1 tsp
Vanilla: 1 tsp

Grease and flour a baking tray (I used cooking spray...saved calories there too :)))
Preheat Oven 180C
Sift the flour and baking powder twice.
Crush the pineapples. (the crushed pineapples should be 1 cup)
Beat the milk and sugar till well combined.
Add the flour and work your mixer on speed 1.
When everything is combined, add the pineapple syrup and te crushed pineapple.
Transfer into the baking tray and bake till done.
(Took 30 minutes in my oven, but keep an eye as oven temperatures vary)

Bitter Gourd/Pavakka Thoran

2011-12-06T11:46:00.000+02:00

Uniquely bitter yet wonderfully tasty!! Oxymoron??

Well, if you use pavakka in theeyal, Aviyal etc, ofcourse, it will be bitter. But try this thoran once, and your idea of bitter gourd will completely change. I love this thoran and it could be the onion and grated coconut thats responsible for the enhanced taste.

Bitter Gourd: 1

Coconut grated: 1/2 cup

Green Chillies chopped: 3

Onion: 1 medium chopped

Turmeric Powder: a pinch

Curry leaves: a sprig

Mustard: 1/2 tsp

Coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Salt: as required

Finely chop the bitter gourd like in the picture. (somewhere in between chopping and grating)

In a kadai, heat oil, splutter mustard.

Throw in the onions, green chillies and curry leaves.

Saute for 2 minutes on low flame and then add the finely chopped bitter gourd, coconut, turmeric powder and salt.

Mix everything properly, sprinkle water and cook on low flame with the lid on.

After a few minutes, stir again and cook closed till done.

Serve with rice.

Oven Roasted Chenna

2011-11-30T10:10:00.000+02:00

This is one snack I associate with train journeys. In Tamil Nadu this is called "time pass" and we get this in every shop from the road side cigarette joint to the biggest supermarket. It is usually roasted in a skillet but here Ive Oven roasted it.

Chickpeas/Chenna: 1 cup

Garlic: 3 cloves sliced

Chilly Powder: 1 tsp or as required

Cumin Powder: 1/2 tsp

Oil: 1 tbsp

Salt: as required

1.Wash and soak the Chickpeas/chenna overnight.Drain.

2.Cook by adding two cups water in a pressure cooker on high flame for five whistles.

(the chenna should be immersed completely and then add a cup more of water)

3.When the pressure has been released completely, take the chenna out and drain in a colander.

4.Now mix the chenna with salt, oil, garlic and chilly powder.

5.Preheat your oven to 220 C

6.Line your baking tray with aluminium foil and transfer the chickpeas to it

7.Bake for 40 minutes stirring in between.

(oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye after 25 minutes)

8.Once done, leave it like that for sometime till it cools down a bit

Crunchy, guilt free, protein rich snack is ready!!!!!

Note: If you are using canned chickpeas, drain, wash and then continue from instruction 4. (no need to cook it)

You can follow the same recipe for green peas as well. I usually buy the frozen green peas and follow from instruction 4.

Mont Blanc

2011-11-29T11:42:00.001+02:00

This is a quick and convenient breakfast which my kids simply adore. I got this recipe from Fatafeat.

Egg whites: 2

Egg yolks: 2

Salt and Pepper: as needed

Cheese Slices: 2

Butter: 1 tbsp

White Bread: 2 slices

Add salt and pepper to the egg whites and whisk till it reaches the soft peak stage. Refer the pic below. At this stage, the egg whites hold the shape and will not fall off from the spoon.

Preheat oven.

Grease your baking tray with the butter. Place the bread slices and layer it with a slice of cheese.

Spoon half of the whites on top of the cheese like a heap.

Slip the egg yolk on to the top (make a small hole with a spoon and then do it)

Bake it on 180 C for 15 minutes.

Serve Warm

Caramel Pudding topped with Praline

2011-11-29T09:45:00.000+02:00

Ive taken this classic dessert (caramel pudding) and gave it a twist to make it even better (praline topping).

For the Caramel:
Sugar: 100 gm
Water: 1 tbsp
Hot water: 1/4 cup

Heat the sugar and 1 tbsp water till golden brown. Do not stir, only swirl the pan.
When gloden brown, add the hot water and turn off the stove.
Pour this onto a pudding mould and keep aside for steaming.

For the pudding:
Milk: 250 ml
Sugar: 100 gm
Eggs: 3

Whisk the eggs, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Pour it over the caramel on the pudding mould.
In a steamer, fill water, Place the pudding mould on a dish, make sure it doesnt touch the water.
Close and stem for 20 minutes.
Take out and keep in the fridge.

After an hour or two, take it out of the fridge and slide the pudding onto a plate.

Now we go on to do the praline topping.

Sugar : 1 cup
Toasted Cashewnuts: 1 cup
Water: 2 tbsp

Lightly brush aluminium foil with a little oil
In a thick bottomed pan, heat the sugar with water till it turns brown in colour.
Swirl the pan so that it browns uniformly.
When it reaches a beautiful brown colour, turn off the stove, add the cashewnuts and immediately pour it onto the aluminium foil (thin layer like in the picture)

When it cools, crush it and then pulse it in a food processor.

Top the caramel pudding with praline

Fried Prawns in Orange based sauce

2011-11-28T12:28:00.004+02:00

This is my hubby's recipe. I was a little apprehensive when I saw him adding orange juice to make the sauce. But believe me, it tasted soooo goood that it got over within minutes of making. All four of us (hubby, me and kids) are big fans of this preparation. This recipe was born from watching a cookery show that used orange juice as the base for the sauce for a meat preparation.

Prawns: 500 gm

Egg Whites: 2

Salt : as needed

White Sesame Seeds: 11/2 tsp

Corn Starch: 3 tbsp

Oil: For deep frying

Devein the prawns. Whisk the egg whites. Add salt, sesame seeds and Corn Starch.

Mix everything properly.

Dip the prawns in this batter and deep fry. Keep aside.

For the sauce

Orange Juice: 250 ml

Pepper: 1 tsp

Soya Sauce: 2 tsp

Garlic Minced: 1 tbsp

Ginger Minced: 1 tbsp

Sugar: 1 heaped tsp

Spring onion: for garnsih

In a kadai, mix all the ingredients for the sauce and let it boil.

Lower the flame and let it simmer till the sauce reduces a bit.

Pour this over the fried prawns and serve warm as an appetizer.

Achanga Payar (string beans) Thoran

2011-11-26T08:25:00.000+02:00

A very tasty variety of beans-string beans, fresh and ready for eating :) . This is my mom's backyard and when Iam there, I never have to worry about what chemicals went into growing them!!!!

Even if you are someone who doesnt like vegetables, this one will change your whole outlook. I love Achanga stir fry and also thoran.

String Beans (Achanga Payar) - a handful

Coconut grated: 1/2 cup

Green Chillies slit: 3

Onion: 1/2 chopped

Turmeric Powder: a pinch

Curry leaves: a sprig

Mustard: 1/2 tsp

Coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Salt: as required

Slice the string beans round.

In a kadai, heat oil, splutter mustard.

Throw in the onions, green chillies and curry leaves.

Saute for 2 minutes on low flame and then add the beans, coconut, turmeric powder and salt.

Mix everything properly and cook on low flame with the lid on.

After a few minutes, stir again and cook closed till done.

Serve with rice.

Uzhunnu Vada/ Medu Vada/ Urud Dal Vada

2011-11-25T20:29:00.000+02:00

I absolutely love this... I can have this for every single meal from breakfast through dinner!!!.. But no, I dont do it coz If I did, I would be very famous in the neighbourhood for the lady with the jiggliest arms!!! Unlike Parippu Vada (although deep fried isnt greasy) this is really greasy!!!

Urud Dal: 2 cups

Shallots Chopped: a handful (8-10)

Ginger: 1 tsp minced

Green Chillies: 2 chopped

Pepper: 5 crushed

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Salt: as needed

Oil: for deep frying

Soda Bi carbonate: 1 tsp

Soak the Urud Dal in water for 2- 3 hours.

Grind it without adding water.

Pulse the shallots, ginger, curryleaves, pepper and green chillies just once and add to the urud dal batter.

Add required salt and mix well.

Heat oil.

Wet your palms, scoop a ball from the batter, flatten it and make a hole in the centre.

Drop it in oil and fry till golden brown.

Serve with coconut chutney.

Ethakka Appam/ Banana Fritters/ Pazham pori

2011-11-25T17:12:00.000+02:00

Can anyone say NO to this?

If youve never heard of it before, you might be skeptical, a fruit batter fried???? well, yes, the recipe might not look convincing to the calorie conscious---All purpose flour, deep fried fruit.... ah!!!! but believe me,its worth a try atleast once in your life. This is a "staple" :) where I come from and you are sure to get it anywhere and everywhere in Kerala... tea shops, railway stations, the pantry in trains, hospital canteens, hostel mess, restaurants, bakeries, well you name it!!!!

Plantain /Etthapazham/ Nenthra Pazham - 2 (riper the better)

Maida/All Purpose Flour; 1 cup

Water: 3/4 cup

Salt: a pinch

Sugar: 1 tbsp

Black sesame: 1 tsp

Coconut Oil: for deep frying

(pls use only coconut oil, for best results)

Mix the flour, sesame seeds, sugar and salt in a bowl.

Now pour the water and make a batter, the consistency of dosa batter.

Quarter the nenthrapazham and slice each quarter in to thin pieces( about 3 to 4 pieces) like in the picture below.

Coat the plantain pieces in the maida batter and deep fry in oil.

Drain it on absorbant paper and serve with tea.

Munthiri Kothu (Moong Dal balls)

2011-11-24T10:26:00.000+02:00

I always associate Munthiri Kothu with the Christmas season. That was when Mom and Ammachy used to make this in large quantities. This is how my mom makes it. I know there is another version with rice also as an ingredient. But this version has only jaggery and Moong dal as the main ingredients.

Moong Dal: 2 cups

Jaggery: 400 gms

Cardamom Powder: 1 tbsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

Maida/All Purpose Flour: 1.5 cups

Water to make the Maida batter

Oil: for deep frying.

Dry roast the moong dal on medium flame

When it becomes this colour as in the picture below, take off fire.

Let it cool and then coarsely grind it in your dry grinder. Keep it aside.

Melt the jaggery by adding one cup of water. Strain it and again bring to boil.

Now add the cardamom powder and the ground dal. When mixed properly, take off fire.

When it is still warm (not necessarily hot) make small balls out of it and keep aside.

Mix the maida with enough water to get a batter. (consistency of dosa batter)

Dip each ball in the batter and deep fry in oil.

You can store it in airtight containers and have it with your tea.

Pineapple Jam

2011-11-22T10:34:00.002+02:00

I prefer homemade jams to the store bought ones and whenever Pineapples, Mulberries, Guavas, Mangoes, Strawberries, Bananas or Oranges are in season, I grab the opportunity to make tons of Jam- In short, all throughout the year!!!!! :)

So heres the all time favourite-pineapple jam recipe!!!

Fresh Pineapple: 3, peeled and chopped

Sugar: 1.5 cups

(if the pineapples are not very sweet, you will have to add more sugar)

Lime juice: of 2 small lime

Cinnamon: 1 stick

Cloves: 3

Take a thick bottomed pan, mix all the ingredients and heat over medium flame.

Stir in between so that it doesnt stick to the bottom.

Skim off the foam.

When it reaches a thick consistency, take off fire.

(the whole process will take a long time, almost an hour, so be patient!!!)

Pour into sterilized bottles.

Spread on a slice of bread and enjoy delicious homemade Jam!!!

Cashewnuts (Roasting to make them edible)

2011-11-18T12:35:00.000+02:00

For those of you who has no idea how cashewnut is taken out of the kernel... ;)

The nut is attached to the lower portion of the Cashew apple. The Cashew apple is either yellow, orange or reddish yellow in colour. When the fruit is raw, you can take the nut and eat just like that... its soft and chewy and ofcourse delicious. But when the fruit ripens, the outer kernel of the Cashewnut becomes hard, like the picture below.

At this stage, dont dare to open it and eat it... yes, the liquid in this shell is DANGEROUS!!!! it will cause burns.

You have to sun dry it for some days and then heat these nuts over an open fire (the dangerous liquid is drained, that way)

This is how it will look at this stage....

When it cools, you can shell it.... :)

Ellum Kappa/ Kappa Biriyani

2011-11-11T11:30:00.004+02:00

This is a dish Ive heard a lot about, had just once in my life when I was in school. Ive always wanted to make it, but never did till the last summer's visit to India. I was talking to my neighbour, ofcourse about food, what else? and she told me that Ellum Kappa is one of their main dish when guests come. We had bought kappa that day (thats how the whole topic came up). Then she gave me her recipe, I wrote it down just like she told me and started to make. Ofcourse, she came in between to check and give inputs...:) so this is it, Ellum Kappa aka Kappa Biriyani of Chingavanam. Thanks Nisha, for the recipe.

To cook the Tapioca

Tapioca: 1 kg

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

Salt: to taste

Cook the tapioca with enough water in a wide, thick bottomed pan. Add the salt and turmeric.

When it is done, drain the water and keep aside. (it should be really soft, when cooked)

To cook the Beef ribs

Beef ribs with meat: 3/4 kg

Onion: 1 large sliced

Ginger and garlic crushed: 1 tbsp

Salt: as required

Chilly Powder: 1 tsp

Coriander Powder; 1 tsp

Garam Masala: 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

Marinate the beef ribs with the rest of the ingredients.

Let it sit for 20 minutes.

Cook this in a pressure cooker with a cup of water, low flame for 30 minutes.

When pressure is gone, boil again till it becomes a very thick gravy.

For the Masala:

Shallots: a handful

Grated Coconut; 3/4 cup

Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp

Chilly Powder; 1 tsp

Garam masala; 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder:1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves: 2 sprigs

Dry roast the shallots, coconut grated and curry leaves till coconut turns brown.

Add the masalas and turn off the stove.

Once cool, grind it in your dry grinder. You will get a paste like consistency (even without adding water, but if needed, you can add 2 tbsp water)

Assembling:

In a big vessel, mix the cooked tapioca, cooked beef ribs and the masala paste.

Cook again on medium heat so that everything mixes and combines well.

Turn off the stove.

Tadka:

Heat a tbsp oil and splutter mustard, dried red chilly and curry leaves.

Pour it over the Ellum Kappa.

Serve warm

Ethakka mezhukkupuratty (plantain stir fry)

2011-11-06T12:13:00.000+02:00

This is another yummy and easy stir fry from God's own country, Kerala.

Plantain: 2

Pepper: 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder: a pinch

Salt and Oil: as required

Peel the plantains and slice it.

Put this in a bowl of water and then drain the water and pat dry the slices.

In a non stick pan, heat required oil (2-3 tbsp should be fine)

When it is hot, add the sliced plantains and saute for sometime.

When it is half done, add the turmeric powder, pepper and salt.

Fry till done and serve warm with Rice.

Dates and Carrot Cake (Eggless and Butterless!!!)

2011-11-05T11:43:00.001+02:00

Kids are having their Eid Holidays and theres always the need for snacks. So as a mother, I have to satisfy their sweet tooth at the same time, try to give something healthy. So this recipe is a healthy version of the normal tea cake.. and believe me, REALLY REALLY TASTY. Instant hit with both adults and kids.

I just couldnt stop at one and the good news is that its tooooo easy to whip up at a moments notice!!!!

Dates Chopped: 1 1/2 cups

Carrot Grated: 1/2 cup

Warm Milk: 1 cup

Vegetable Oil: 1/2 cup

Sugar: 3/4 cup

All Purpose Flour: 1 cup

Baking Powder: 1 tsp

Mix the chopped Dates with the warm milk and keep it aside.

Grate the carrot, Sift the flour and the baking powder thrice.

Preheat your oven.

Now in a bowl, pour the milk with the dates, the grated carrot, sugar and work your cake mixer at speed 3.

Now add the oil and again work your mixer at speed 3.

When all of it is mixed, add the flour little at a time and work the mixer on 1(or 2 if needed) till everything is mixed well.

Your batter is ready.. (see, I told u its very easy!!!!)

Now line a muffin tray with cupcake papers (If your are making for kids) or take a normal loaf pan and grease with butter and dust with flour.

Pour the batter (3/4 full)

Bake till done. (15 minutes for cupcakes, will take longer for loaf pan). But, Keep an eye, baking time varies from oven to oven.

Let it cool. Serve with love to your kids, guilt free.

Scotch Eggs

2011-10-29T13:15:00.001+02:00

This is again from my paternal grandmom's kitchen. This used to be one of ammachy's special dishes for Christmas, Easter and whenever special guests came. After my marriage, I was surprised to find it a special at my Mom-in-law's dinner table as well...again for Easter, Christamas or when special guests come... :) I make this once in a while (but in my case, I make it as a weekend dinner, not for any guests!!!!:) )
The pictures are from my mom-in-law's kitchen.. I have pictures of this dish from my kitchen as well, but this looks better..so posting this.

This is boiled egg inside beef cutlet, deep fried and then halved.

So first, here is the beef cutlet recipe:

Beef: 1/2 kg
Onion: 2 diced
Ginger: 1 tbsp minced
Green Chillies: 4 chopped
Curry leaves: 2 sprigs (or you can use coriander leaves)
Garam Masala: 2 tsp
Salt and Oil: as required

Potatoes: 1/4 kg

Pressure cook the beef with required quantity of water and salt. After the first whistle, lower the flame. and after 25 minutes, turn off the stove.
Drain the meat, and mince it in a food processor.
Heat required oil ( 3 tbsp should be fine) in a wide bottomed pan and saute the onions, ginger, greenchillies and curry leaves.
When the onions are wilted, add the garam masala and saute again for a minute.
Now add the minced meat and salt and mix well.
Turn off the stove, and add the boiled and mashed potatoes.
Do a taste test, and if more salt is required, please feel free to add.
Mix everything properly and make balls out of it like shown in the picture.

Now boil the eggs, take it out of the shell and mix it in all purpose flour
(this is done so that the eggs dont slip when we cover it with the minced beef and potato mix)

Take one ball, flatten it and keep the boiled egg in the middle, cover the egg with the meat potato mix.

Now either dip it in beaten egg or all purpose flour paste (maida made into a paste with water)

I usually dip it in beaten egg, but that day, we ran out of eggs ( smiles!!!!) so used the maida paste.

Maida paste is usually used when we make vegetable cutlets.

Now roll it in bread crumbs.

Heat oil. when it is really hot, slide the cutlets into it, lower the flame to medium heat and fry.

Drain it on an absorbant paper.

Halve the balls and serve warm with tomato sauce.

Kadu Manga (Kerala Mango Pickle)

2011-10-09T14:00:00.000+02:00

Kadumanga reminds me of Good fridays. Especially the ones spent at my mom's house at Karthigapally....beautiful memories of summer vacations spent eating mangoes after mangoes and throwing it away after the first bite... O yes, the place was full of mangoes (and the house itself was named after the mango trees- Mankiyil)

We used to go to the Marthoma church (obviously, we are marthomites and grandparents are members of that church) very religiously every Sunday and all days in between (for Vacation Bible School). My favourite memory of that church is the Good friday meal... Kanji (Rice Gruel), payar (Green Gram Saute) and kadumanga (Mango Pickle) and Pappadam (crisps) and the spoon was made of mango leaf. Since mangoes are in season only a few months of the year, I make it in large quantities. But since, My hubby prefers Mango Thokku Pickle (the Tamil Nadu version), I usually make that now (will post the recipe soon).. so heres my favourite Kadumanga recipe

Raw Mangoes: 1 kg (cubed)

Gingelly oil : 1/4 Cup

Mustard Seeds: 1 tbsp

Curry leaves: a few sprigs

Ginger: 1 inch julienned

Garlic: 10 cloves sliced

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri Chilly powder: 4 tbsp

Fenu greek powder: 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida: 1/2 tsp

Salt: as required

Vinegar: 1/4 cup

Boiled water: 1/2 cup

Heat the 1/4 litre oil in a thick bottomed pan and splutter the mustard and curry leaves.

Throw in the ginger and garlic and saute till raw smell goes.

Lower the heat to medium and add the powders (chilly, turmeric)

Now add the boiled water, required salt and let it come to a boil.

Now you can add the cubed mangoes and the vinegar and turn off the stove after it boils along the edges.

Mix in the fenugreek powder and asafoetida powder.

Allow it to cool and store in bottles and preferably refrigerate it.

Goes well with Rice Gruel and Rice.

Ela Ada

2011-10-04T12:47:00.002+02:00

I just cant remember the number of times I craved for this when I was carrying my son. But I couldnt make it coz I was bed ridden and was not even allowed to go to toilet...forget the Kitchen!!!!!

and for the curious ones out there, yes, I got to eat it coz I explained to my maid how it is made.. she had never eaten it in her life, but went to make it like how I told her and when she brought it, WOW... it was excellent!!!!!

So, heres the recipe:

In a pan over medium heat, melt 200 gm jaggerry with a little water. (or you can use sugarcane molasses syrup)

when its melted, strain to get rid of the impurities and again back to the stove it goes. Boil again for a minute or two and then add 1 cup grated coconut and stir on medium low heat for a minute.

Turn off the stove and keep this filling aside

Take 1.5 cups roasted Rice flour, add required salt and then to it, add boiling water to make a smooth dough. Use a spoon to mix and when you feel you can handle the heat, knead with your hands.

(Rice flour is roasted in a thick bottomed pan on medium heat. Keep stirring and when it slightly becomes off white and emanates an aroma, take off the stove making sure not to burn it)

Make 6-7 balls out of the dough

Take a banana leaf, and place one ball on it and slowly flatten it with your fingers. you can dip your fingers in water so that the dough will not stick to your hand.

Spread the jaggerry coconut filling on it and fold the leaf from one side to the other (the ada will be sealed when we do that) and again fold the leaf from the other two sides.

Place these in a steamer/idly cooker with enough water and cook till done (about 15 minutes)

Once done, serve warm as breakfast or as a 4'o' clock snack.

Brinjal/Aubergine/Eggplant fry

2011-10-01T09:47:00.001+02:00

This is one of the tastiest stir fries Ive ever eaten...

Brinjal: 2

Slice the brinjal like in the picture and soak in water.

Slice Onions and green chillies like in the picture below

Heat oil in a kadai, saute the onions and green chillies till wilted.

Add a sprig of curry leaves.

Now add the sliced brinjal, salt and cook till done.

Serve hot with rice.

Chakka (Jack Fruit) Chips

2011-09-30T13:50:00.000+02:00

Raw Jackfruit: 1 big

Salt: as required

Oil: for deep frying

Cut open the Jackfruit, throw away the outer cover/husk.

Deseed the fruit, take off the white strips on the fruit and chop the bottom and top edge.

Now cut each fruit lengthwise in strips.

Heat oil. Fry the jackfruit strips till done.

You can either add salt water to the oil while the jackfruit is getting fried, or you can add salt after you take the chips out of the oil.

Drain on an absorbent paper.

Let it cool and then store it in airtight containers.

Chocolate cake with butter cream frosting and topped with praline.

2011-09-27T14:56:00.001+02:00

This is what I baked for my daughter's Birthday.....

For the chocolate Cake:

Butter: 1 cup

Sugar: 13/4 cups

Eggs: 3

Vanilla essence: 1.5 tsp

Milk: 1.5 cups

All Purpose Flour: 2.5 cups

Cocoa Powder: 6 table spoon

Baking Powder: 1.5 tsp

Sift the all purpose flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together thrice. Keep it aside

Preheat the oven. Grease and flour your cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

Add the eggs to it and beat till combined well.

Add the flour mix and the milk alternately. You can work your stand mixer at speed 1 till everything is mixed well. (don't overdo it as the baking powder is added)

Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake at 180 C till done.

As it is cooling, we will start with the butter cream icing and the topping preparation

For the Icing:
Butter: 200 gms
Icing Sugar; 4.5 cups
Milk: 1/4 cup
Vanilla essence: 1 tsp

Let the butter come to room temperature. Keep this in a bowl and beat it on speed 1 for a minute.
Now add the sugar and beat on low speed (otherwise there will be a lot of cleaning to do later!!!!)
when it is combined well, increase the speed and let it get beaten to an icing consistency.
Add the vanilla and then the milk ( add milk slowly, if you feel the consistency is reached, stop adding to the mix, you can drink it instead...) see my icing getting done in the pic below...

Now we go on to the praline topping....

Sugar : 1 cup
Toasted Cashewnuts: 1 cup
Water: 2 tbsp

Lightly brush aluminium foil with a little oil
In a thick bottomed pan, heat the sugar with water till it turns brown in colour.
Make sure you do not meddle with it with ur spoon.... I understand the temptation....BUT NO..... swirl the pan so that it browns uniformly.
when it reaches a beautiful brown colour, turn off the stove, add the cashewnuts and immediately pour it onto the aluminium foil (thin layer like in the picture)

When it cools, crush it and then pulse it in a food processor.

By this time, your chocolate cake would have cooled down.

Cut the cake horizontally in the middle so that you get two cakes.

Apply the frosting on top of the bottom piece and place the top piece on that so that it is sandwiched with the frosting.

Now a pply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake with a spatula and place this in the fridge for half an hour.

After that take it out and generously spread the frosting all over.

Immediately top it with the praline with the help of your hands.

If you want, you can again pipe the icing on top.

Refrigerate till set.

Wheat Puttu and Boiled Egg Fry

2011-09-19T14:13:00.000+02:00

Wheat puttu is a healthier and tastier version of the original rice puttu (I say tastier coz me loves wheat more than rice) . Wheat puttu is made almost the same way as rice puttu..the only difference is we steam the wheat flour first for a few minutes in an idly cooker/Appa Chembu/Pressure cooker without the weight and then sprinkle water to make the puttu flour into a wet powdery form. This is done so that no lumps are formed (coz wheat unlike rice forms into dough fast)

Wheat puttu goes well with ghee and sugar or even with banana but I LOVE it with boiled egg fry. So heres the recipe.

Wheat Flour: 2 cups

Coconut grated: 3/4 cup

Salt: as needed

Water: as needed

Mix the wheat flour with salt and keep it in a bowl.

Pour 3 cups of water in your Idly Cooker/Appa Chembu/Pressure cooker and bring to boil.

Place the bowl with the wheat flour in the steaming vessel (make sure the bowl doesnt touch the boiling water) as shown in the picture below. Close with a lid.

Take off fire after about 5 minutes and then sprinkle a little water to get a wet powdery texture.

Be very careful with this step or you will get chapati dough!!!

Now take the puttu maker and add a little grated coconut followed by the puttu flour mix, again the coconut grated followed by the flour mix till you get to the top. Top it with coconut grated (always!!!!)

Close the lid and steam till done (5 to 6 minutes is fine...)

Boiled Eggs: 4 halved

Chilly Powder: 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp

Pepper Powder: 1/2 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste: 1/4 tsp

Salt: to taste

Make a paste of all the ingredients by adding water. Apply it on the boiled and sliced eggs.

Shallow fry and serve hot with Wheat Puttu.

Ghee (Clarified Butter)

2011-09-18T15:15:00.000+02:00

Clarified butter is known as ghee and it is one of the main ingredient for any speciality Indian dish. As a child, I used to love the aroma when mom used to process the butter into ghee. (I still love it).

Mom's store room will always have 5 to 6 bottles of Ghee that she makes at home and whenever a family member or a dear friend visits us, Mom used to give a bottle when they leave.

Whenever you boil full cream milk, keep it in the refrigerator for 24 hours, before you use it.

After 24 hours, take the milk out of the fridge and you will see a thick layer of cream on top.

Take it with a spoon and refrigerate it.

Do this everyday till you get a big bowl of fresh cream.

After youve collected a big bowl of fresh cream, take it out from the fridge and let it get to room temperature.

Dump it into a blender and pulse till the butter milk and butter separates.

It will take a while (10-15 minutes)

You can see the butter milk and the butter in the pic below. Either save the butter milk for your curries or you can throw it away.

Now take the butter and either store it in the fridge (to spread on bread or to make ghee at a later stage) or go ahead and make the ghee.

Place the butter in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat.

Keep stirring in intervals. First it will froth

Then the milk solids separates and your ghee is ready
Turn off the stove and allow it to cool

Strain it into a glass container.

and when it comes to room temperature, it looks like this.... what a beauty!!!!

Parippu Vada

2011-09-14T10:08:00.001+02:00

Homemade Parippu Vadas tastes better any time!!!! Dont u think? For a first timer, maybe the vadas will look funny (that is if you are not careful with the water content or if you've not drained the lentils properly) but still it can beat the tea shop Vadas hands down.

Here, Ive made the Kerala style Parippu Vada (Tamil Nadu Masala vada tastes different and its a different recipe)

Ive seen people making Lentil vada with Toor Dal, Chenna Dal but believe me, vadas made with PEAS DAL tastes the best.

Peas Dal: 4 cups

Curry Leaves: a few sprigs

Dried Red Chilly: 3

Salt: to taste

Oil: for deep frying

Shallots: 100 gm

Green Chillies: 12 (Pls adjust to your tolerance level)

Ginger: 1 inch

Wash and soak the lentils for about 2 hours.

Drain well and coarsely grind it without adding water.

Keep a handful of the soaked and drained dal aside as it is.

Now mix this with curry leaves and the dried red chilly.

Now pulse the shallots, ginger and green chillies once.

Mix everything properly and add salt to taste.

Scoop a small ball and flatten it in your palm as shown in the picture below.

Heat oil and reduce it to medium and drop the flattened balls gently into the oil.

Fry both sides till cooked well and is dark brownish red in colour.

Drain it on an absorbent paper and serve hot with Tea.

Divya Thomas tried this recipe and sent her photo. Well, Iam drooling over her picture... too good, Divya...and thanks a lot for trying it out.

Kuzhalappam

2011-09-13T13:46:00.000+02:00

This is one of my favourite Kerala Snacks. I remember my mom making this in large quantities during New year, Christmas and every month in between. The process will start at around 6 am and by lunch time, we will have Kuzhalappams neatly stacked in tall Biscuit tins. I remember the the Uruli in which the dough was made,Banana leaves that were used to cover the prepared balls and the rolled out dough, Banana leaf stem to roll the flattened dough into cylindrical shapes..... And making the dough itself was a long procedure... beating it till a very smooth dough is formed.....hmmmm....memories....

Rice Flour: 4 cups

Sesame Seeds: 1 tbsp

Salt : as needed

Boiling Water: as needed

Coconut Oil: for deep frying

To Grind:

Shallots: a handful

Garlic: 2 pods

Coconut grated: 1 cup

Cumin: 1.5 tbsp

Heat the rice flour in thick bottomed pan.

Now add the grated coconut, sesame seeds and the ground mix and make a smooth dough with hot water.

Make small balls out of the dough.

Flatten each ball with the help of a poori press or with the palm of your hand.

Roll them around your forefinger as shown in the picture

Heat oil and deep fry till golden brown on medium heat.

Kumbilappam (Steamed Jackfruit Cakes)

2011-07-29T13:03:00.000+02:00

Kerala's own cake, close to any malayalee's heart. The smell of this cake brings fond memories of my grandmother and also my childhood.

Chakka Varattiyathu- 2 cups

(Blend the jackfruit and boil the pulp till it is reduced to half and all the water is evaporated)

Coconut Grated: 2 cups

Sugar: 1 cup

Rice Flour: 3 cups

Cardamom Powder: 1 tbsp

Vazhanayila (Bay leaf) : as needed

Mix all the ingredients together and make a soft dough

Make cones out of the Bayleaf (like shown in the picture below)

Take the dough and fill the cones

Steam the dough filled cones in an Idly cooker till done (about 20 minutes)

Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, then your Kumbilappam is ready to eat.

Mambazha Pulisserry

2011-07-27T13:30:00.000+02:00

I love mangoes and this is a tasty curry that goes well with rice and red fish curry.

Ripe mangoes- 4
Green chillies-4
Salt and water - as required
Coconut grated- 1/2 cup
Cumin- 1/2 tsp
Garlic- 2 cloves
Shallots- 3
Green chilly-2
Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
Chilly Powder- 1/4 tsp

Place the mangoes in a kadai.
Add required water and salt and cook keeping lid closed
Grind coconut grated, 1 green chilly, turmeric powder, chilly powder, garlic, shallots, cumin.
Add the ground mix to the cooked mango and let it cook.
Mix Fenugreek powder in curd with a little salt and add to the boling mixture.
Keep stirring for a minute and then turn off the stove

Heat oil and splutter mustard, curry leaves and dried chilly and pour over the curry.

Neyyappam

2011-07-25T08:27:00.000+02:00

This is another favourite snack of mine. Some people make it just like Unniappam (adding banana and jaggery) but my Mom says this is the authentic way (Karipetty and no bananas). Well, it could be regional!!! This is how my Mom makes.

Raw rice - 2 cups
(soak it in water for 3 hours, drain and powder it)

Chakkara/Karipetty/- (a form of Jaggerry)- 1/4 cup grated

Salt - A pinch
Cardamom powder - 1tsp
Oil for frying

Blend the Karipetty and the raw rice without adding water and you will get a brown colour paste as seen in the picture. Add the Cardamom and salt when you blend the ingredients.

Keep it aside for 6 to 7 hours (it is better to keep it overnight to ferment)

Now mix water to get idly batter consistency- check the picture below

Heat oil, take a ladle of batter and pour it in the oil and deep fry it.

Drain it on an absorbant paper and serve with Tea/Coffee

Unniyappam

2011-07-17T07:44:00.000+02:00

This is an all time favourite snack of Keralites. Mom makes it often when there is an abundance (wink) of banana (palaymkodan pazham). My mom in law calls it Pazham Peechi and I dont know if it has any other name. It looks like the Tamil Nadu Paniyaaram but tastes entirely different.

Raw rice: 2 cups

Wheat flour: 2 cups

Jaggerry: 300 gms

Banana: 300 gms

Cardamom Powder: 1 tsp

Salt: as required

Oil: for deep frying.

Soak the raw rice in water for 2 to 3 hours. Drain and blend it adding just required water.

Peel the bananas and mash properly.

Melt the jaggerry in water on medium heat.

Now mix all the ingredients, adding a pinch of salt. The consistency should be that of Idly batter.

Now in an Appakara, fill oil till rim and heat it.
Pour the batter in each of the holes and fry both sides till brown.

Take from fire and drain on an absorbent paper.
Serve warm with Coffee or Tea.

Green Papaya (Omakka/Kaplanga)Thoran

2011-07-16T10:09:00.001+02:00

Unripened papaya: 1

Shallots: 6

Green chillies: 4 (you can use kanthari instead)

Grated coconut: 1 cup

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Garlic: 4 pods

Curry leaves: a few

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Oil and salt: as required

Peel the papaya skin

Cut it into two halves and deseed it.

Grate the papaya.

Coarsely grind the coconut, shallots, garlic, cumin and green chillies.

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard. Add the grated papaya and the ground coconut mix and sprinkle water.

Add required salt and cook on low heat covered for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve hot with rice.

Banana Jam

2011-07-15T10:15:00.004+02:00

While growing up, this was the only Jam I used to eat. I can finish one whole bottle just like that. It is that tasty but unlike other jams, this is a bit time consuming but worth the effort.

Ripe Bananas: 4 kg

Sugar: 3/4 kgs

Cinnamon: 2 sticks

Peel the skin of the bananas and place it in a big pan

Add 4 cups water and let it boil on medim heat for sometime

When it reaches a light pink shade remove from fire and let it cool.

Sieve the bananas through a clean cotton cloth. You will have to squeeze properly, so be ready for a hand workout!!!

Now pour the syrup in a big vessel and add sugar and cinnamon and let it cook on medim heat and break an egg into the boiling syrup. This is to remove the banana stain.

After a few minutes, remove the egg and shell and you will see the stain on the egg shell.

Now let it boil till one thread consistency is reached.

Let it cool and then store it in sterilized bottles.

Spread on bread and serve.

This is an update- answer to a question asked in the comment.

The pulp cannot be used, it has to be thrown away.

The egg shell has to be completely removed from the boiling syrup. It is very easy to remove it with a slotted spoon. You can omit this step if you are not comfortable with adding the egg. It is just to remove the the banana stain that we add the egg with the egg shell.

Sukhiyan

2011-07-15T07:28:00.000+02:00

When I was in school, my mom used to make some snack or the other every evening. This was one of my favourites and here is a step by step instruction of how to make this delectable treat.

Green Gram: 2 cups

Jaggerry: 400 gm

Coconut grated: 4 cups

Salt: as required

Cardamom Powder: 1 tbsp

Maida: 1 cup

Oil: for deep frying

In a pressure cooker, cook the green gram till soft (four whistles on high flame)

In a wide bottomed pan, melt jaggery and then add the coconut and mix well on medium flame

When it reaches one thread consistency, add the green gram and required salt.

Add the cardamom powder and mix everything on low flame for a few minutes till it reaches the consistency where you can make balls out of it.

Allow it to cool and then make balls out of it

Mix the maida with water to get a batter(the consistency should be that of Dosa Batter)

Dip each ball in the batter and deep fry in oil

Drain on a tissue paper and serve warm with Tea or Coffee.

Chakka (Jack fruit) Halwa

2011-07-13T12:50:00.000+02:00

A malayalee's dream... chakka halwa/chakka varatiyathu/ Chakka vilayichathu/ by any other name tastes as good!!!!!

Jackfruit: 2 kg
Sugar: 3/4 kg
Ghee: 250 gms
Cardamom powder: 2 tsp

Dessed the jack fruit and blend it in a mixie.

Now add sugar to it and let it boil and get cooked on a medium heat

When the water is reduced add the cardamom powder and start adding the ghee and keep stirring.

When all the ghee is used up and you get a thick consistency, take a little amount in your hand and make a ball. If it forms a ball, then your halwa is ready.

Pour it in a greased tray and allow to set.

When it cools you can cut into desired shape and serve.

Store it in airtight containers. If you wish to keep it for a longer time, refrigerate.

Ethakka Tholi (Plantain Skin) Thoran

2011-07-11T16:01:00.000+02:00

This is one of my favourite thorans. Well, I love plantain in any form..from chips to steamed plantains to ethakka appam to ethakka porichathu to whatever you can think of. So next time you make plantain chips, dont throw away the skin. You can make yummy thoran with it.

Plantain skin: of 8 plantains

Coconut grated: 1 cup

Green Chillies: 2

Cumin seed: 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

Garlic: 2 cloves

Mustard: 1/2 tsp

Oil and salt: as required

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Peel the plantain skins from the plantain like shown in the picture below and rinse it in turmeric water and let it dry on a cotton towel

Finely chop the plantain skins in a food processor

Coarsely grind the grated coconut, garlic, cumin seed and green chilly and mix it with the chopped plantain skin.

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard, curry leaves and add the coconut-plantain skin mixture to it.
Sprinkle water and cook covered on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve with rice.

Kaliyadakka / Cheeda /Uppu Seedai

2011-06-23T09:23:00.001+02:00

I cant even remember one Onam without these highly addictive crunchy snacks.There are two versions- a sprial sweet cheeda and the salty Kaliyadakka - well, Iam no guru in Kerala Snack names but this is how I remember- the sweet version was usually called cheeda (both rice flour and maida versions are there) and the salty version Kaliyadakka. To be frank, I wasnt very fond of this till I made Chennai my home. In Tamil Nadu, it is called Uppu seedai and the ones at Grand Sweets in Chennai are the BEST tasting Uppu Seedai on EARTH!!!!! So if you've not had it yet, this recipe comes very close!!!! So over to the recipe:

Rice flour: 1 cup

Urad Dal Flour: 3 level tbsp

Coconut Grated: 3 level tbsp

Butter: 2 tbsp

Sesame Seeds: 1 level tbsp

Cumin/Jeera: 1/2 tsp

Salt: as required

Asafoetida: 1/2 tsp

Water: to make the dough

Oil: for deep frying

Take all the ingredients in a bowl, rub the butter in.

Add water and make a stiff dough

Make small smooth balls (the size of a marble) with your palm and arrange it in a tray.

Once you are done with rolling, heat the oil.

Drop a few balls carefully into the oil and lower the flame to medium.

Deep fry till golden yellow to brown colour

Drain on an absorbent paper.

Once cooled, store it in airtight containers.

Believe me, it wont last long.

Notes:

1. I make it with both roasted and plain rice flour, the ones made with the roasted flour usually will be a darker shade and those with the plain flour is lighter in shade. Also, I personally feel it is easier to make the balls with the dough made out of plain rice flour

2. Roll the dough with the help of both your palms to get a smooth ball

3. Dont fry it as soon as you roll it coz it wont be crunchy. So make balls out of the whole dough and then start frying in batches.

Wheat Diamond Cuts

2011-06-20T08:09:00.000+02:00

Diamond cuts is something my mom used to make regularly during my childhood. Her version is with maida and then dipped in either sugar syrup or powdered sugar (both version are absolutely yummy). But in Chennai, Wheat savoury diamonds are popular and when I was there, I used to buy it regularly from Primas Bakery... (hmmmm absolutely yummy stuff they have!!!!) So here's how Wheat Diamonds are made...

Wheat Flour: 2 cups
Cumin: 2 level tsp
Chilly Powder: 1 level tbsp
Warm Oil: 3 tbsp
Salt: as required

Water: for making the dough
Oil: for deep frying

Mix the flour, cumin, chilly powder and salt.
Add the oil and rub it in to resemble fine bread crumbs.
Now add water little by little and make a firm dough.
Keep it covered for about half an hour.
Now make small balls out of it and roll it out like for roti/chappati/pita bread
Prick with fork all over and cut it with a knife, first vertically and then diagonally so as to get diamond shapes.
Heat oil and once it is hot, lower the flame to medium and fry in batches till golden brown.
Drain on an absorbent paper and once cooled, store it in an airtight container.

Thattai Muruk

2011-06-19T12:53:00.002+02:00

Whenever I bite into a Thattai, I go back to my Coimbatore days. There was a snack shop very close to where we lived and most evenings, I used to buy Thattai from there. It was so tasty and addictive and I used to love having it with my evening tea. This is how I make rice flour thattai and within minutes of making, it will be all over, so Ive never had the chance to store it in airtight containers.

Rice Flour: 2 cups
Urud Dal flour: 5 level tbsp
Coconut grated: 1/2 cup
Melted Ghee: 5 tbsp
Sesame seeds: 1 tbsp
Channa Dal/Kadalaparippu/Bengal gram: 4 level tbsp
Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp
Salt: as required

Water: to make the dough
Oil: for deep frying

To make Urud Dal flour:
Dry roast Urud dal on medium heat without burning it. Once cooled, powder it properly in your dry grinder.

Wash the Channal Dal properly and soak it in water for half to one hour.
When it is soft, take it off the water and mix in all the other ingredients.
Now add a little water and make a stiff dough
Make small balls from the dough and flatten it on your palm or on a plastic sheet.

Heat oil and fry the flattened dough on medium heat till golden brown.

Flip and fry the other side too.
Drain it on a tissue paper and have it with your evening tea.
If you feel it will last for more than a day, then you have to definitely store it in an airtight container.

Prawns Pulao

2011-06-18T15:54:00.001+02:00

This is another lunch box speciality from my kitchen. If you have cleaned prawns in your freezer, this is very very easy to prepare.

Prawns: 15 shelled, deveined ad cleaned properly

Cooked Basmati rice: 2 cups

Onion: 1 chopped

Green Chillies: 2 slit

Ginger: 1 inch chopped fine

Turmeric Powder; 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder: 1 tsp

Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp

Oil and Salt: as required

Cinnamon: 1 inch

Cloves: 2

Cardamom:1

Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.

Saute the onions and ginger till onions turn slightly brown

Now add the green chillies and the dry powders and saute till the raw smell is gone.

Add the prawns, salt and let it cook on low flame, sprinkle water if necessary.

When the prawns are done, take off fire and mix in the cooked rice.

Serve with raitha and pickles.

Curd Rice

2011-06-18T15:43:00.000+02:00

Though Iam not very fond of curd rice, I make it often coz my husband just LOVES it... and I love to prepare it coz " its easy peasy lemon squeezy"... LOL!!!

Cooked Rice: 1 cup

Curd: 1 3/4 cups

Warm Milk: 1/4 cup

Green chillies: 2 chopped fine

Ginger: 1 tbsp chopped fine

Salt: as needed

Chana Dal: 1 tsp

Urad Dal: 1 tsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Dried red chillies: 2

In a kadai, Heat a tbsp oil and splutter the mustard, chana dal and urud dal.

Add the dried red chillies, green chilly and ginger and saute for a minute on low flame.

Take off fire and mix in the rice and salt.

Now mix in the curd and warm milk and adjust the salt if needed.

Serve with pickle and papad.

Tomato Pacchadi

2011-06-14T08:36:00.002+02:00

This is the easiest Pacchadi you can ever make. This was my grandom's easy way out for a quick dish when someone came for lunch unaanounced.

Onion: 1 medium chopped fine

Tomato: 1 medium chopped

Green chilly: 2 chopped fine

Ginger: 1/2 tsp chopped fine

Curd: 1 cup

Salt: as needed

Oil: 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Dried red chillies: 2

Curry leaf: 1 sprig

Mix the onion, tomato, green chilly, ginger and salt in a bowl.

Add the curd and salt and mix well.

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard, dried red chilly and curry leaves.

Pour it over the curd mix.

Serve with rice.

Linking this to Anyone Can Cook

Adai Dosa and Tomato Roast

2011-06-13T10:51:00.000+02:00

This is a very tasty and healthy breakfast from Tamil Nadu. You can serve this with sambar or chutney or even tomato sauce, but somehow I like Tomato roast, my Mom's style, with this.

So heres what U need for the Adai Dosa

Raw Rice: 1/2 cup

Urud Dal: 1/4 cup

Toor Dal: 1/4 cup

Channa Dal: 1/4 cup

Moong Dal or Masoor Dal: 1/4 cup

Onion: 1 chopped fine

Green Chilly: 2 small chopped

Ginger: 1 tsp chopped

Pepper: 1/4 tsp

Salt: as required

Soak the Raw rice, Urud Dal, Channa dal and Masoor/moong dal for 8 hours (overnight) and grind to a smooth paste adding water. The batter should be slightly thicker than the dosa batter.

Now mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Now heat the griddle and pour a ladle of batter and spread like for dosa (but not as thin)

Cook both sides and serve hot with chutney, sambar or Tomato roast.

Recipe for Tomato Roast:

Onions: 1 thinly sliced

Ginger: 1/2 inch chopped fine

Tomatoes: 2 medium chopped

Green Chillies: 3 slit

Pepper Powder: 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp

Mustard: 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves; as needed

Salt and Oil: as required

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Throw in the onions, ginger and green chillies and saute till onions are properly browned.

Now add the turmeric powder, pepper powder salt and saute for a few seconds.

Add the tomatoes and cook till done.

The tomato roast can be served as a side dish for chapatis, Adai Dosa etc. You can also add boiled eggs to the tomato roast for egg-tomato roast.

Lime and Ginger Squash

2011-06-01T10:10:00.000+02:00

This is my favourite summer drink. My paternal grandmom always used to make it fresh and give me. She used to say it is the best medicine for healthy digestion. Well, I do make it fresh often but this is easier especially in summer when kids come in tired- just pour the concentrate and water in to the glass and give them and make one for yourself too!! This is my aunt, Leelakochamma's recipe.

Lime: 30-40
Ginger: 80 gms
Sugar: 700 gms
Citric Acid: 1 tsp
Water: 2 cups

Squeeze the juice out of the lemon and keep aside.
Grate the ginger (or run it in the grinder for half a minute) and boil it along with the sugar and water till you get a syrup (as it reaches 1 thread) consistency.
Strain it and let it cool.
Add the lime juice, citric acid and mix well.
Store it in bottles.
While serving, Pour 1/8th glass syrup and fill with cold water and have it on hot afternoons. If you feel the sugar is not enough, you can add a little more while serving.

Caramel Cashew Tart

2011-05-31T10:33:00.002+02:00

This is the 4th bookmarked post from A tasty Challenge. Hope my blog doesnt start looking like a shadow of Asha's blog. I too am a big fan of Anns House of Sweets like Asha..and this is one of my favourite dessert from there and when Asha posted the recipe, I had to try it out immediately and it is really really Yummy-licious.. Iam sending this to Aipi's Bookmarked events. Ive done it exactly like Asha, except that I didnt weigh down the tart with beans, also I used baking powder and reduced the quantity to 1/8 spoon. Also I didnt roll the whole dough and so didnt use a cookie cutter. Otherwise it is exactly like how she has explained.

For the tart:

Maida: 2 cups

Butter: 1/2 cup
Egg Yolk: 1

Sugar:1/4 cup

Baking Powder 1/8 tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Cold Water: 4 tbsp

Preheat oven to 200C

Sift the baking powder, flour and salt

Cream butter and sugar and add the egg yolk and combine well.
Add the flour and 4 tbsp water and knead into a stiff dough

Make equal sized (lime) balls (about 14 -15) and flatten either with your hands or with a rolling pin

Line them in a muffin pan and prick the dough with a fork to prevent the tart from raising.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Take out and cool completely.

For the Caramel filling

Sugar: 1/2 cup

Water: 2 tbsp

Salt: a pinch

Fresh Cream: 1/3 cup or a small tub

Cashewnut: 1/2 cup roasted and halved

Heat Sugar, salt and water on low heat till it is golden brown in colour. Resist your temptation to stir the syrup...Please do not meddle with it but you can swirl the pan

When it is golden brown, turn off the stove and add the fresh cream and mix well.

Now add the cashewnut, mix everyting and let it cool slightly.

Now take the tart and place the caramel filling in it with the help of a spoon.

Serve and ENJOY!!!!

Sending this to Aipi's

Murungikka (Drumstick) Aviyal

2011-05-31T08:16:00.002+02:00

Drumstick: 2
Green chillies: 3 slit
Water and Salt: as required
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

To mix after cooking:
Curd: 3 tbsp
Coconut Oil- 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves -1 sprig

To Grind
Grated Coconut – 1 cup
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Garlic -1 tsp chopped
Shallots- 3
Curry Leaves -1/2 sprig

Chop the drumstick lengthwise- 2 inch. Add water, salt, turmeric powder, greenchillies and cook on medium flame till done. When the vegetables are cooked, add the ground paste to it and cook again for a few minutes. Once done, turn off the stove and add the curd and mix properly. After that pour the coconut oil place the curry leaf on top of the curry and close the lid. Open the lid after 20 minutes and serve warm with rice.

Strawberry Jam

2011-05-31T05:38:00.000+02:00

Making Jams and preserves every summer has become a habbit for me. When I was in Chennai, it was Mango jams, Guava jams and Mom used to make mulberry jams and send over. This time, I made Strawberry Jam. Since I made only 1 bottle which Iam sure will be over in 3 days, I didnt add any preservatives. So if you are making only a small quantity, no need to add any preservatives provided you keep it in the refrigerator, but if you are making large quantities, you should add citric acid to the boiling preserve towards the end.

Strawberries: 2 cups (Wash, drain and take off the stem)
Sugar: 1.5 cups

In a wide bottomed pan, put the strawberries and sugar and boil on a low flame.

Swirl the pan once in a while.
After about half an hour, you will get a thick consistency syrup which if you drop it by spoon on a plate, will stay like that.

Turn off stove and allow it to cool.
Yes, the strawberries will stay fruit like itself without breaking! :)

Potato Thoran

2011-05-30T16:44:00.000+02:00

I hated potatoes as a child and my Kids?....They just adore it.... anything with potato is a big hit at home and my son wants either potato mezhukkupuratty or potato thoran with his rice everyday!!!! Here is my recipe

Potatoes: 2 medium cut lengthwise like for french fries
Green Chillies: 3 slit
Mustard: 1/2 tsp
Dried red chillies: 2
Onion: 1 small chopped fine
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Oil and Salt: as needed
Coconut grated: 1 cup

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard and dried chillies.
Throw in the onions, add turmeric and salt and saute for a minute on low flame.
Now add the sliced potatoes, saute again on a low flame.
Now add the coconut grated and mix everything properly, keep the lid and let it cook on a low flame.
When the potatoes are cooked (it should be just cooked, do not mash it), turn off stove and serve with rice.

Murungikka (Drumstick) Theeyal

2011-05-30T08:48:00.000+02:00

Been almost a month since I blogged, the reason being my complete settings changed-thanks to my daughter. Finally when I corrected it, Blogspot wasnt accepting my password!!! Thats why I couldnt visit any of your sites and check out your recipes. Sorry again!!!

Iam beaming from my left big ear to my right big ear!!! My hubby's cousin's husband visited us from Kuwait day before yesterday and guess what!!!!!!!! He brought fresh coconut and drumstick for us. I was controlling myself from jumping with joy when he was here. You guys have no idea how much I was craving for some theeyal, Aviyal, thoran with fresh coconut, Fish made with fresh coconut paste...well, I can write an essay on what all I was craving for... Also, DRUMSTICK!!! very very thoughtful of my hubby's cousin, Neetha!! Really!! More than a year since Ive had drumstick and yesterday I made Murungikka (drumstick) theeyal and Murungikka Aviyal and I also made rice with Matta rice (you should understand that my matta rice is so precious... I have only 1 kilo left with me and I use it only for Kanji (Rice gruel) once in a while. Also, I fried pappads (well, thats also very very precious coz only 2 packets left from what I brought from India and pappads also we fry only when I make Kanji!!!) So now you get the picture, right!!! It was a feast last night...everything on the table were precious!!!! Sadly, we don't get coconut oil, button onion and curry leaves here...so my theeyal is without these three... but I will include it in the recipe, so that it becomes easier for first timers.

For those of you who have not read my earlier posts...well I live in Cairo and we don't get Indian grocery here... From mustard to Toor dal to raw rice to urud dal to maggi noodles to papad to matta rice to...you name it!!! we have to bring it from India!!!!

Drumstick: 2 slit and cut
Button onion: a handful
Green Chillies: 3 slit
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder: 1 heaped tsp
Tamarind: lime sized

To Roast and grind
Coconut grated: 3/4 cup
Dried Red chilly: 2
Ginger chopped: 1/2 inch

To temper
Coconut oil: 2 tsp
Mustard: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Dry roast the grated coconut, dried red chillies and ginger over a low flame till the coconut becomes brown making sure it doesn't burn.
When it cools, grind to a very smooth paste. Oil will ooze out of the coconut, so no need to add water, but if it is absolutely necessary add 1 or 2 tbsp water.
Heat Oil in a kadai and saute the onions and green chillies for 2 minutes on low flame.
Now add the slit and cut drumstick and saute again for 2 minutes.
Add the chilly powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and saute till the raw smell is gone.
Pour a cup of water and let the drumstick get cooked.
Now add the tamarind water and let it come to a boil.
Add the coconut paste and when it boils along the edges, take off fire.
Splutter mustard, curry leaves in coconut oil and pour it over the Theeyal.