Monday, December 12, 2016

Manthal/ Sole fish fry



Ingredients
 3 big sole fish/ manthal(approx 750gm)
2-4 shallots
6-7 garlic pods, peeled
1 Tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
 few curry leaves
salt to taste
1Tbsp coconut oil
1tsp sesame oil

Method
  • Clean the fish, wash and cut into medium size pieces.
  • Grind together the shallots, garlic, curry leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt with one teaspoon coconut oil  into a fine thick paste(you can sprinkle little water to make the grinding easy, but take care not to add too much)
  • Marinate the fish with the grinded paste for atleast 15-20 minutes(the more the better).
  • Heat a nonstick pan. Pour the remaining coconut oil and sesame oil.
  • Once the oil is hot,turn the heat to medium low. Place the marinated fish on the pan and fry, flipping over after few minutes until both the sides of the fish is cooked and roasted well.
  • Remove from the pan and garnish with curry leaves.
  • Serve with rice and any curry of your choice.

Thursday, December 08, 2016

Potato Stir Fry

Nothing is more comforting than a simple potato stir fry. Make this as an accompaniment with curd rice.
Pure bliss...
Ingredients
2 medium sized potatoes
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
salt to taste
2 Tbsp oil
a pinch of fenugreek powder
2 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves

 Method
  • Peel, wash and chop the potatoes into small cubes
  • Heat oil in a wok. Add the chopped potatoes and stir fry for 2 minutes on a medium high flame.
  • Reduce heat and add the chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
  • Cover and cook on a low flame for 5-7 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
  • Sprinkle the fenugreek powder and stir fry for 1-2 minutes more.
  • Remove from heat and add the chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and serve.


Recipe courtesy: Our friend Usha. Thankyou Usha for sharing this simple and easy recipe with us.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Chicken Piccata


A delicious chicken dish that is usually served with a lemon flavoured butter sauce. An absolute favourite of all. Here I have made a simple dip which goes well with this. An impressive dish that is so easy to make. Serve with a dip and garden fresh green salad.
Ingredients
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp thyme
salt to taste
a pinch of crushed black pepper
1 egg, beaten well
1 cup bread crumbs
oil

Method
  •  Slice the chicken breadth wise into thin rounds(like potato chips) and keep aside.
  • Marinate the chicken with the chopped parsley, thyme, pepper, salt and lime juice. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
  • Add the beaten egg to the marinated chicken and rub it on to the chicken pieces well.
  • Coat each slice of the chicken in with the bread crumbs and deep fry in oil until golden on both sides.
  • Drain onto an absorbent paper.
  • Serve hot with a dip.


For the dip
4 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp finely chopped parsley

Mix all the ingredients for the dip well in a bowl and serve with the chicken piccata.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Carrot Kheer




Wishing everyone a Happy Diwali...


Ingredients
250 gms carrots
2-3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp ghee
2 cups milk
4-5 Tbsp condensed milk
2 cardomoms, crushed to a powder
few raisins
few cashewnuts

Method
  • Peel and chop the carrots into big chunks.
  • Add the chopped carrots to a pressure cooker, add a little water (approx.1/4 cup). Close and cook on a medium flame until the cooker gives off one whistle. Allow the pressure to subside , then open the cooker and transfer the carrots to a blender.
  • Blend the cooked carrots into a puree.
  • Heat 2 Tbsp ghee in a non stick kadai. Pour the blended carrot into the hot ghee and keep stirring until the water is absorbed from the carrots and the ghee starts to leave from the sides.
  • Now pour the milk, sugar and condensed milk. Keep stirring until  the mix starts to turn thick.
  • Switch off the flame.
  • Fry the raisins(until they puff up) and the cashenuts(until they turn golden brown) in the remaining ghee. Add to the prepared carrot payasam.
  • Sprinkle the cardamon powder. Mix and serve hot or cold.

*Adjust the amount of sugar and condensed milk as per your taste. You can even skip adding sugar and add only the condensed milk too for a more creamy flavour.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Chembu/Taro root mulakittathu


If you are fond of fish curries that use gambooge i.e kudampuli in Malayalam then this curry is also something you are sure to fall prey to. I should say a vegetarian version of a fish curry with kudampuli. Cook it in an earthern pot(manchatti) just as you would do for a typical Kerala fish curry and enjoy with hot steamed matta rice.




Ingredients
1/2 kg taro root/chembu, peeled and cut into small pieces(keep it soaked in water)
1 Tbsp garlic chopped
1 Tbsp ginger chopped
2 green chillies slit
5-6 shallots, sliced thin
2-3 small pieces of kudampuli/gambooge
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
few curry leaves
2 cup water
3Tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste


Method

  • Soak the gambooge/kudampuli in a little water and keep aside.
  • Heat the oil in  a pan or earthern pot(manchatti).
  • Splutter mustard seeds followed by the fenugreek seeds. Saute for a few seconds, then add the chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies and shallots. Saute well for 4-5 minutes or until the shallots start turning golden brown.
  • Reduce to low flame and add the turmeric powder and chilli powder . Saute for 2-3 minutes on low flame itself.
  • Add 2 cups of water and soaked kudampuli. Bring this to a boil. Let it boil for a few minutes. Now add the chembu, salt and curry leaves. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the chembu is cooked well and the gravy thickens slightly.
  • Serve this fish curry tasting chembu mulakittathu with steamed rice.


Tuesday, October 04, 2016

Vendakka/ Ladiesfinger curry

Have you found yourself wondering as to what  curry to make for dinner tonight that goes well with chapatti ! I am sure many of you out there must have. Well here comes a dish to your rescue. An aromatic ladiesfinger curry that goes very well with most of the Indian breads.


Ingredients
10-15 ladiesfinger
1 onion sliced thin
1" ginger chopped
few curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder(reduce if you don't prefer a very spicy version)
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp fennel/perumjeerakam powder
1 small piece cinnamon stick
1 cardamom
2 cloves
1 1/2 cup thin coconut milk
1/2 cup thick coconut milk
1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
salt to taste
3-4 Tbsp oil(preferably coconut oil)
Method
  • Grind together the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and fennel powder into a smooth paste by adding little water.
  • Wash the ladiesfinger well and then pat dry them. Cut them into 1 inch pieces and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan. Fry the ladiesfinger pieces on a medium flame until it shrinks slightly and changes colour. 
  • Using a slotted spoon remove the fried ladiesfinger from the pan  and keep aside.
  • In the same pan add the sliced onions, curry leaves and ginger.
  • Saute  until onion turns light brown in colour.
  • Add the ground paste and fry well until the water is absorbed and oil starts to show up from the sides.
  • Now add the fried ladies finger and mix well.
  • Pour the thin coconut milk and add enough salt.
  • Allow this to simmer for 8-10 minutes.
  • Finally add the thick coconut milk and just as it begins to boil remove from flame.
  • Sprinkle the crushed pepper on top and cover and keep aside for 10 minutes before serving.


Sunday, October 02, 2016

Onion Rava Dosa


Ingredients
1 1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup rava/semolina
2 Tbsp all purpose flour/maida
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp whole black pepper corns
1 very finely chopped green chillies
1/4 cup thick buttermilk
1 onion, very finely chopped
2 3/4 cups of water
oil
salt


Method
  • Mix rava with the buttermilk and leave it for 15 minutes.
  • In a bowl mix the rice flour,maida, cumin, pepper, chopped green chilli and salt.
  • Add the rava mixed with the buttermilk. Add water little at a time mixing well so that there are no lumps. The batter should be very thin(so add water accordingly). Check salt.
  • Heat a non-stick tawa. Sprinkle little chopped onions on the tawa(Don't add too much onions as it will be difficult to make the dosa and remove it from the tawa).
  • Mix the batter well(remember to mix the batter well before making each dosa so that the rava does not settle at the bottom). After mixing take a laddle full of the batter and start filling the outer corners of the tawa with the batter and come towards the middle, pouring the batter. Fill in the gaps if any with the batter.
  • Once the dosa gets cooked slightly, drizzle oil on the dosa.
  • Flip the dosa when golden brown on one side. Cook the other side also for few seconds and then remove the dosa onto a serving plate.
  • Serve hot and crispy with coconut chutney and sambar.
Rava dosa takes more time to get cooked than the normal dosa. It tastes best when its hot and crisp.
Remeber the batter should be of very thin consistency in order to get thin and crisp dosas.
You can substitute rice flour with dosa batter . The dosa will be more tasty.
You can omit adding the onions to make normal rava dosa.

Recipe adapted from here

Monday, September 19, 2016

Frosted Lemonade






This is something you must try on a hot summer day. Unbelievably refreshing....
Ingredients
juice of 4 small lemons
4 Tbsp sugar
few ice cubes
2 scoops of vanilla icecream

Method

  • In blender, blend the lemon juice, sugar and ice cubes well until the ice is crushed well and  the mixture turns frosty white.
  • Now add the vanilla ice cream and blend again well.
  • Pour into serving glasses and serve immediately.
  • Relish frosted lemonade on hot summer days to leave you energized

Monday, September 05, 2016

Modhak


Happy Ganesh Chaturthi 
Ingredients
1 cup rice Flour 
1 1/4 cupwater 
1 cup grated coconut
3/4 cup jaggery(crushed or powdered)
1-2 tsp ghee
a pinch of cardamom powder
salt to taste

Method
  • In a pan heat the jaggery. Once the jaggery starts to melt add the shredded coconut and cardamom powder.
  • Mix well.Cook until the mixture is almost dry. Remove from heat and keep aside.
  • In a saucepan boil the water with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp ghee.
  • To the boiling water gradually add the rice flour, whisking it well to avoid lumps.
  • Mix well. Remove from  heat and allow to cool slightly or until it reaches to a temperature that you can knead.(should be warm while kneading, don't alllow it to cool completely as it might get dry)
  • Once the mix is warm enough so that you can knead, knead well into a soft dough. 
  • Grease your hands with a little ghee or water and make small balls of the dough. 
  • Flatten each ball between your palms into small rounds.
  • Now place a small amount of the coconut jaggery mixture in the middle of the round. Gather the sides of the round together and  seal it on the top by pressing slightly.
  • Steam these modhaks either in a steamer or idli cooker for 20 minutes.
  • Serve at room temperature.






Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Aam Ras




Ingredients
2 ripe Alphonoso mangoes
2 Tbsp sugar
1- 2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk(optional)
few saffron strands

Method

  • Peel and chop the mangoes.
  • Blend in a blender the mangoes along with sugar, milk and condensed milk.
  • Serve chilled garnished with saffron strands along with puris.

* Add sugar according to the sweetness of the mangoes. Moreover you can skip adding sugar while using condensed milk.Adjust the milk as per the consistency you like.

Monday, June 20, 2016

Beetroot stir fry






Ingredients
3 medium-small beetroots, peeled and grated
2 big onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, chopped
4 green chillies, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
3 tsp freshly grated coconut
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp urid dal
2 whole red chillies,broken to pieces
few curry leaves
salt to taste
1 Tbsp +1tsp coconut oil

Method
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once it starts to splutter add the urid dal and red chillies. 
  • Fry for a minute and then add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Fry for few seconds.
  • Add the chopped onions and saute until the onion turns golden brown in colour.
  • Now add the turmeric powder  and mix well.
  • Add the grated beetroot and salt. Mix well.
  • Cover and cook on a medium to low flame, stirring now and then.
  • Once 3/4 th cooked open  and continue cooking on a low flame until it becomes dry and dark in colour.
  • Add the grated coconut and curry leaves. Mix well.
  • Finally add the pepper powder, mix well and continue to cook for a minute more.
  • Switch off the flame and drizzle 1 tsp coconut oil on top.
  • Serve as a side dish with steamed rice and curry.


Monday, June 13, 2016

Winter Melon Payasam




Winter Melon/Ashgourd or kumbalam is a vegetable that is known by  many names. The health benefits of this vegetable is also something that has been known since ages. In North India a sweet called 'petha' is usually made from this vegetable whereas in South India this is mostly known only as a vegetable to go into the regular dals and other curries. Here I have experimented a payasam something like our 'palada' with this vegetable. Believe me, no one could guess that it was ashgourd payasam. So for your next get together or celebrations try out this dessert.
Ingredients
1 cupWinter Melon/ Ashgourd/ Kumbalam; chopped into very small squares(like the size of ada pieces in palada)
3 cups milk
1/2 tin condensed milk
1 tsp ghee
a pinch of cardamom powder
few cashewnuts and raisins(optional)
Method
  • Wash the chopped ash-gourd well and drain the water completely.
  • Heat ghee in a wide nonstick pan and add the chopped ash-gourd to it. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed and it is somewhat dry.
  • Add the milk and mix well. Allow the milk to boil . Once the milk boils lower the flame and cook until the ash-gourd gets cooked and the milk reduces in quantity slightly.(this will take approximately 15 minutes)
  • Add the condensed milk and mix well. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes or until the payasam attains a thick consistency.
  • Switch off the flame, add the cardamom powder and mix well.
  • Fry the cashewnuts(until golden brown) and raisins(until it puffs up) in 1 tsp of ghee and add it to the payasam before serving for an enhanced taste. (Here I did not add the cashewnuts and raisins as my kids are not so fond of these in their payasam.)

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Coconut chammanthi

Coconut chammanthi, a staple food of the homes in Kerala, especially when one falls sick or on a cold rainy day most of the Keralites prefer a steaming hot bowl of kanji(rice gruel) and to accompany that a nice thenga(coconut) chammanthi.

 Ingredients
1 cup grated coconut(use freshly scraped for best results)
2 tsp red chilli flakes(or crushed whole dried red chillies)
1/2 inch ginger piece(chopped)
4-5 shallots (sliced)
1 small lime sized ball tamarind
salt
1 Tbsp coconut oil
few curry leaves

Method

  • In a pan heat the coconut oil. Add the chilli flakes,ginger, shallots and curry leaves and roast well for 2 minutes until a nice aroma comes.(Take care not to burn the chilli flakes). 
  • Add the grated coconut and mix well. Roast for one minute(no need to brown the coconut) and then take off from heat and allow the mixture to cool.
  • Grind this mixture along with the tamarind and salt. Preferably do not add water but in case you find it difficult to grind add 1 or 2 tsp of water while grinding. The consistency should be thick.
  • Serve this chammanthi with rice, idli or dosa.




Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Hyderabadi Prawns Biriyani




Ingredients

500 gms prawns, cleaned and deveined
500 gms basmati rice
3 big onions sliced thin
6 green chillies, chopped fine
1 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
juice of 1 lemon
2 bay leaves
300 gms yoghurt, whisked
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
6 Tbsp oil + extra for frying onions
1 Tbsp ghee

For the biriyani masala
1 tsp shahi jeera
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 cardomoms
5 cloves
4 half inch cinnamon sticks
Method
  • The ingredients under the biriyani masala  have to be dry roasted for 2 minutes and then ground into a fine powder.  In this recipe 2 tsp of the this masala is only required(use less if you are prefer a milder biriyani).The remaining powder can then be stored in an airtight jar.
  • Fry the sliced onions until they turn crisp and golden brown. Drain from the oil and keep aside.
  • Soak the rice for 30 minutes and then drain and keep aside.
  • Marinate the prawns with turmeric powder, chilli powder, 1 tsp of the prepared biriyani masala, ginger paste, garlic paste, half of the fried onions, chopped green chillies, half of the mint leaves, lemon juice, salt and yoghurt.
  • In a large cooking pot, add water(three times the amount of rice). Add 1 tsp of the biriyani masala, bay leaves, 1 Tbsp oil(you can add the oil in which the onions were fried),  few mint leaves and salt.
  • When you taste the water it should be salty. Bring this water to a rolling boil.
  • Meanwhile in a heavy bottomed pan, add the oil and ghee. Spread the marinated prawns along with the marinade over the oil and keep aside.
  • Add the soaked rice to the boiling water. Allow to boil for 4 minutes. Rice should only be half cooked. Remove from heat and drain the rice immediately.
  • Once drained spread the rice over the prawns marinade evenly. Sprinkle the remaining mint leaves, coriander leaves and fried onion on top. (You can aslo drizzle 1Tbsp of saffron infused milk(a pinch of saffron strands soaked in 1 Tbsp of warm milk) on top of the rice at this step)
  • Cover  with a tight lid and cook on high flame for 7 minutes. Then bring down  to a medium-low flame and cook for 5 minutes. Finally turn the flame very low and cook for 7-10 minutes. Switch off the flame. Do not open immediately. 
  • Allow the biriyani to stand for atleast 30 minutes before opening the lid.
  • Serve hot with raita, pickle and pappad.

Wednesday, March 09, 2016

Eggless Milk Powder Cake

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla essence


Method
  • Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius.
  • Mix the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda,milk powder and sugar together in a bowl.
  • Add the melted butter, milk and vanilla essence.  Mix everything well.
  • Pour the mixture into a greased baking tray.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Once cooled cut the cake into slices.
  • Serve with whipped cream 



Monday, March 07, 2016

Yam & Peas croquettes

Ingredients
250 gms, elephant yam/jimikand/suran/chena
1/4 cup green peas
1 large onion, chopped
3 green chillies, chopped fine
2 Tbsp ginger- garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp onion powder(optional)
1 tsp mango/amchur powder
1 tsp black pepper(freshly ground)
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
few curry leaves chopped fine
salt to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
oil to fry

 Method
  • Peel the yam and cut it into big chunks. Cook the yam along with the green peas, turmeric powder and little salt in water until the yam is fully cooked and soft.(Alternately you can pressure cook the yam and peas too. One whistle in the pressure cooker on a medium flame will be enough for the yam to get cooked.)
  •  Drain the yam and peas from the water and mash them well and keep aside.
  • Heat 2 Tbsp oil in  wok. Add the ginger- garlic paste, green chillies and curry leaves and fry until the raw smell is gone.
  • Now add the chopped onions and fry until the onion starts to turn golden brown.
  • Reduce the flame, and add the pepper powder, garam masala powder, amchoor powder and onion powder. Saute for one minute.
  • Now add the mashed yam and peas mixture. Mix everything well until everything is combined well. Check salt and add more as required. Remove from heat and keep aside.
  • Add water to the all purpose flour, mixing well until you get a smooth and semi thick batter.(dosa batter consistency). Keep this aside.
  • In a separate plate keep the bread crumbs ready.
  • Take small portions of the yam mixture and shape them into your desired shapes. Dip each in the prepared all purpose flour batter and then roll them in the bread crumbs and keep aside. Do the same with the remaining yam mixture.
  • Heat oil in a wok and deep fry these croquettes until golden brown and crisp. 
  • Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

*You can also freeze these and fry later as and when required.