Ulli chammanthi

Ingredients
 1 cup shallots; peeled and washed
2 tsp red chilli powder(use kashmiri for the bright colour) or 4-5 whole dry red chillies
a tiny ball of tamarind
3 Tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste

Method

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Roast the shallots in it for 2- 3minutes.
• Reduce the flame and add the chilli powder. Roast for a few seconds(take care not to burn the chilli powder). If you are using whole red chillies you can roast them along with the shallots.
• Allow this to cool to room temperature.
• Coarsely grind this along with the tamarind and salt, adding only 2 tsp of water.(The chammanthi should be thick).
• Transfer the chammanthi onto a serving bowl and drizzle the remaining coconut oil on top.
• Serve this chammanthi with idli or dosa.

Chicken Mulakittathu

Ingredients

500 gm chicken, cut into small pieces

2 tsp chopped ginger

2 tsp chopped garlic

2 green chillies sliced

2 sprigs curry leaves

2 tomatoes chopped

1 big onion chopped

3 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 cup water

1 tsp vinegar

salt to taste

For tempering

1 Tbsp coconut oil

2 cloves

1" cinnamon stick

1 cardamom

1/2 star anise3 dry whole chillies, broken into pieces

1 sprig curry leaves

2 shallots sliced

Method

• Put the chicken along with all the ingredients(excluding the ingredients under tempering) into a pan(preferably an earthen pot(manchatti)).
• Mix everything well and cook on a low flame until the chicken is cooked, gravy thickens slightly and oil is seen to float on top. Remove from heat and keep aside
• For the tempering, heat oil in a separate pan.Add the whole spices, curry leaves and sliced shallots.
• Fry until the onions turn golden brown.
• Now pour this over the prepared chicken curry and cover the pot immediately so that the aroma lingers in the curry. Let it remain covered for 10 minutes.

• Open, mix well and serve delicious chicken mulakittathu with steamed rice, dosa or chappathi.

Recipe adapted from here

Paneer Barfi

Ingredients
250 grams grated paneer
200 ml condensed milk
1 tablespoon milk powder
2 pinches cardamom powder
A pinch of salt
Pistachios for garnishing

Method

• Soak paneer in hot water for 10 minutes.
• Drain and squeeze water from paneer completely.
• Place it in a grinder, pulse it and keep aside.
• In a bowl, mix well all the above ingredients.
• Pour the above mixture in a non stick pan and stir on low flame until it starts leaving the sides of the pan.
• Pour it into a greased plate and allow it to cool down.
• Cut into squares and garnish with pistachios.