Brigadeiro

The brigadeiro is a traditional Brazilian dessert, created by a confectioner from Rio de Janeiro, Heloisa Nabuco de Oliveira. It is made of condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, and chocolate sprinkles covering the outside layer. It is a popular confection throughout the country, especially for festive events.

What attracted me towards these beauties is nothing but their beauty itself! They look so elegant and at the same time cute too. What strikes my mind is that these can be made as a treat for kids. Roll them in golden sprinkles and make them look classy and gift them to loved ones by placing them in fancy cupcake holders and boxing them beautifully. Perfect for gifting during festivals. I made them as gift boxes during the Diwali season- a Brazilian touch to our Indian festival. Everyone loved them!

Ingredients

1 tin condensed milk (396 grams)

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

And that's it! So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and start making these delicious Brazilian Chocolate Truffles!

Method

• In a pan add one tin (396gms) of condensed milk, butter and cocoa powder. Mix everything well.
• Now cook this on medium-low heat, stirring continuously.
• Cook until the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan and turns thick. (Please have a look at the video to understand the right consistency.)
• In the meantime, grease a plate with butter and keep it ready.
• Transfer the mixture from the pan to the greased plate and spread it. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature.
• Grease your palms with a little butter. Scoop out small portions of the mixture and roll them into balls between your palms.
• Now roll these balls over sprinkles/chopped nuts/chocolate shaves/desiccated coconut or anything of your choice. You can keep them plain as well.
• Place them in small cupcake holders and present these elegant cute sweet treats for your loved ones.  Now isn't that really simple!

Paalada Payasam

 Ingredients 1/2 cup rice ada (palada - choose the smallest ada) 4 cups milk 3/4 cup sugar + 2 tbsp sugar 3 tsp water a dollop of butter

For the creamier version (optional): 1/2 cup milk 3 tbsp milk powder

Method

• Boil enough water(around 4 cups) of water and add the rice ada.
• Cook for three minutes and then strain it through a sieve. Run some cold water over the strained ada and keep aside so that the water drains out completely.
• Now into a pressure cooker (a three-litre pressure will be required for 4 cups of milk) pour the milk.
• Add 3/4 cup of sugar and the cooked strained ada.
• Heat for one to two minutes, mixing everything well and then keep aside.
• Meanwhile, in a pan add 2 Tbsp sugar and 3 tsp water. Bring this to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sugar to caramelize. (Please note: Do not stir in between as that will lead to the sugar crystallising on the spoon. You can lift the pan and rotate it gently to ensure an even caramelisation).
• Take care not to burn the sugar. The colour should be an amber colour. Remove from heat as soon as it attains an amber colour. Watch my video to get an idea about the caramelization process and the correct colour and consistency.
• Now very slowly and carefully add the caramelized and hot sugar syrup into the milk mixture.(Remember to do this step very carefully and slowly as it may splash out)
• Close the cooker and keep it on medium-high heat. Once the steam starts to show up through the vent of the cooker lid put on the weight and cook for 20 minutes on the lowest heat.
• After 20 minutes switch off the heat and let the cooker remain as such until the steam has settled on its own.
• Open the cooker once the steam has settled and mix well.
• Add a dollop of butter and our sadya style paalada payasam is ready. 

  For a creamier version, you can do this step as well👇

• To half a cup of warm milk add 3-4 Tbsp of milk powder and mix well so that there are no lumps.
• Pour this to the prepared payasam through a sieve(to remove any milk powder lumps).
• Cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring continuously. 
• Add more butter if preferred and serve.

Instant Malai Kulfi

 

Kulfi is nothing but an ice-cream with a Hindustani touch or an Indian touch. The creamy taste of the normal ice cream along with the infusion of cardamom and saffron makes it the Indian frozen dessert. A very simple recipe that anyone can make when you crave to have a frozen dessert.

 

Ingredients

2 cups full fat milk

1/2 cup condensed milk

3/4 cup milk powder

1-2 tsp sugar

a few saffron strands

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

 

Method

• Whisk together the milk, condensed milk, milk powder and sugar in a sauce pan.
• Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest and add the saffron and cardamom. Whisk well.
• Simmer this for about 10-12 minutes, whisking continuously until the the mixture turns slightly thick and creamy.
• Remove from heat and allow this to cool(whisk at regular intervals until it cools to room temperature).
• Pour this mixture into popsicle molds or even small kulfi cups/matkas. Freeze until set.

 
*To remove the frozen kulfis from the popsicle mold, dip each popsicle in a glass of slightly warm water and pull it out gently. 

*I got six kulfis with this measurement. The number will vary depending on your popsicle mold size.

Honey Chicken

Honey chicken, a favorite take out dish which can be replicated at your home so easily and it tastes much better than the restaurant one. Chunks of crispy batter fried chicken tossed in a sticky sweet glaze is purely irresistible when served on a bed of piping hot noodles or fried rice. I have tried several versions of honey chicken but found this to be the besttt!  If you haven't tried it yet, then do try out this version...it's really lip smacking!

Some points that have to kept in mind while making this dish

• Preferably use tender chicken breasts or boneless thighs to make this. And if you are using the breast, slice the breast horizontally through the middle and then cut into small cubes.
• In the batter mix, while adding water, add ice cold water- this makes the batter light and as an end result you will get  chicken which is crispy out and at the same time soft and juicy inside.

Ingredients

250 gm boneless chicken breast or thighs

Marination

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper powder(preferably white pepper, I have used her black pepper as I didn't have white pepper in stock)

1 1/2 Tbsp water

For the honey sauce

2 1/2 Tbsp tomato ketchup

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp honey

1 1/2 Tbsp water

For the batter

1 egg

salt to taste

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup corn flour

6 Tbsp all purpose flour

5 Tbsp chilled water/ice water

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Method

• Cut the chicken into small bite sized cubes and marinate it with all the ingredients under 'marination'. Refrigerate the marinated chicken for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile mix all the ingredients mentioned under 'for the honey sauce' and keep it aside.
• In a bowl, except oil, add all the remaining ingredients mentioned under 'for the batter' and whisk well.
• Once everything is mixed well , add the oil also and whisk very well until you get a smooth consistency batter.
• Now take the marinated chicken cubes and add it into the batter. Mix well, so that the batter coats each and every chicken piece well.
• Heat enough oil for frying. Fry the chicken pieces one by one in small batches. Fry each batch for exactly one minute and remove and keep aside.
• Once you have fried all the chicken pieces, then into the same oil add all the fried chicken pieces in one go and fry till golden brown(keep turning them around in the oil). Fry for at least 4-5 minutes on a medium heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
• Now in another pan, heat the prepared honey sauce. Once it starts to bubble add the fried chicken pieces and toss well so that each and every chicken piece is nicely coated with the sauce. Remove from heat and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds.
• Serve hot with noodles or fried rice.

Easy Nutella Icecream

Never attempted to make icecreams at home, as I used to have a feel that its a herculean  task and the taste never would reache anywhere near to the store bought one, until I made this one! An utterly delicious creamy nutella icecream, that can made by kids too. Yes, my younger one is the one who makes this icecream at home, whenever we crave to eat it. It's that simple and tasty! You can whip it up in just five minutes and then freeze!

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup nutella

1 1/2 Tbsp melted butter(room temperature)

Roasted and crushed  nuts(optional)

chocolate syrup(optional)

Method

• Into a bowl add the melted butter, nutella, vanilla extract and condensed milk. Mix everything well and keep aside.
• In another large bowl, add the whipping cream(should be really cold) and whip with a hand mixer until you get soft peaks.(You can beat with a whisk if you don't have a hand mixer)
• Now slowly add in the nutella condensed milk mixture and flod everything well, slowly, until everything is mixed well.
• Transfer into a freezer safe container and freeze for 6 to 8 hours or until set.
• Scoop out delicious and creamy  nutella ice cream into serving bowls .Drizzle some chocolate syrup and sprinkle chopped/ crushed nuts on top and serve.

Punjabi Samosa

Ingredients

For the dough
1 cup all-purpose flour/maida
2 Tbsp oil or ghee
1/4 tsp carom seeds/ajwain
salt to taste

For the filling
2 medium potatoes -boiled and mashed
1/4 cup green peas- boiled or thawed frozen green peas
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp coriander seeds- crushed slightly
1/8 tsp asafoetida/hing
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp green chilies crushed
1/2 tsp ginger crushed
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp amchoor powder/dried mango powder
salt to taste

oil for frying

Method

Making the dough

•  Add the flour, carom seeds and salt to a deep bowl and mix. Now add the oil or ghee and mix well with your hands so that you get a crumbled texture(this step is very important in the making of samosas as this ensures that you get a smooth, non-bubbly and flaky outer texture).
• Now add water little by little and knead until you get a stiff dough(the dough should not be very soft, as then the samosas will drink up a lot of oil while frying)
• Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and keep aside.

Making the filling

• Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and crushed coriander seeds. Saute for 1-2 seconds and then add the crushed green chilies and ginger and saute for a few seconds.
• Add the mashed potato and mix well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes stirring continously.
• Add the green peas and salt and mix well. Cook on medium heat for a minute.
• Add the amchoor powder and garam masala powder. Mix well stirring continuously until everything is combined well. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then switch off the heat.  Allow this mixture to cool down completely.

Making the samosa

• Knead the dough well and make small balls of the dough(approximately 4 balls or you can make smaller ones for small samosas) and keep aside.
• Roll out each ball into approximately 5-inch diameter circles(try not using any flour to dust while rolling out the circles, if the dough consistency is not soft, dusting of flour while rolling out won't be required).
• Cut each circle in the center so that you get two semi-circles.
• Take each semi-circle and bring the two edges along the straight line of the semi-circle together slightly overlapping each other so that you get the shape of a cone. Press the overlapping ends slightly so that the cone structure is maintained.
• Now stuff little of the filling into the cone. Smear little water on the edges of the cone and seal them together so that stuffing is sealed inside the cone.
• Do the same with the remaining dough and filling.
• Deep fry the samosas in hot oil until golden brown on all sides and drain on to a kitchen towel.
• Serve samosas with tomato ketchup or dates and tamarind chutney or mint chutney. And don't forget to have some masala tea too along with your hot samosas.

Ghee Mysore Pak

Ingredients

1 cup gram flour/besan

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 cup ghee

Method

•  In a pan roast the gram flour on a medium low heat until turns aromatic. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
• Sift the roasted gram flour into a bowl.(Sifting the gram flour ensures a smooth textured mysore pak)
• Heat the ghee until it is totally melted. Add one cup of the melted ghee to the sifted gram flour and using a whisk mix well until smooth without any lumps.
• In a wide pan add the sugar and measured water. Bring this to a boil stirring continously until the sugar is dissolved completely. Continue cooking until the sugar syrup reaches a one string consistency(when you take a drop between your fingers you should be able to get a single string of the syrup between your fingers). 
• Once the sugar syrup reaches this consistency add the gram flour and ghee mixture to the sugar syrup stirring continously.
• Cook this mixture on a medium low heat stirring continously until the ghee is absorbed by the gram flour.
• As the ghee gets abosrbed by the gram flour, add the remaining half cup ghee little by little (approximately 2 Tbsp at a time) to the mixture. 
• When the ghee is absorbed and the whole mixture starts leaving from the sides of the pan, pour it into a greased pan or mould. Level the top with the back of a spoon or spatula.
• Keep this aside and let it cool. Once cooled cut into rectangles or squares and serve.

Pineapple Pachadi

 Pachadi is another regular dish in a traditional Kerala sadya. An authentic dish that can be made using various fruits and vegetables. Pineapple pachadi  is my favourite pachadi, the sweet and sour taste it imparts is really drool worthy. Regarding the method of making the pachadi, again the recipe varies in different parts of Kerala. The recipe I am sharing is how my mom makes it. The addition of ghee and jaggery is her variation while making this pachadi, as usually ghee and jaggery are not added in the traditional way of  making pachadi. But I personally love the taste it imparts to the dish and hence this is my favourite recipe. You can skip adding ghee and jaggery and proceed with the remaining recipe for the authentic way of making the dish, but I recommend to give this a try...it's really yummy.

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped ripe pineapple

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/4 tsp cumin seeds/jeerakam

2 green chillies(adjust according to spice level)

a pinch of turmeric powder

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 cup yoghurt

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp ghee(optional)

1/2 to 1 tsp grated jaggery(optional)

salt to taste

For seasoning

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

few curry leaves

1/4 tsp fenugreek powder

Method

•  Take a heavy bottomed pan and cook the pineapple with little salt and turmeric in half a cup of water on a medium low flame.
• Cook covered  until the pineapple is cooked well. Once cooked cook without lid until the water is absorbed.
• Add the ghee and jaggery(if the pineapple is not very sweet, then only jaggery should be added. Or else, you can skip adding the jaggery) and saute well until the water is totally absorbed and the mixture is somewhat dry.
• Grind the coconut, cumin, green chilli and mustard in yoghurt into a smooth paste.
• Add the grinded paste and salt (check and add, as we have already added little salt to the pineapple before) to the pineapple mixture and mix everything well.
• Cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and keep aside.
• For seasoning, heat coconut oil in a small kadai. Add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters add the curry leaves and fenugreek powder. 
• Remove from heat and pour this on the prepared pineapple pachadi. Cover immediately with a tight lid.
• Leave it undisturbed for 5 minutes. Then mix and serve.

Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup basmati rice

3 onions sliced thin

3 Tbsp ghee

2 bay leaves

2 inch cinnamon stick

1 star anise

5 cloves

4 green cardamom

1/2 tsp whole pepper

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 tsp ginger garlic paste(freshly pound- not the store bought one)

5 beans chopped

10 cauliflower florets

1/4 cup green peas(I used frozen, you can use fresh too)

1 carrot chopped

1/2 cup paneer cubes

1 potato cubed

1 cup yoghurt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp kashmiri chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp biriyani masala powder(I used eastern biriyani masala, you can use any brand)

salt to taste

handful coriander leaves chopped fine

20 mint leaves

2 Tbsp saffron, soaked in 3tbsp water

2 cups water

Method

• Wash and soak the rice in for atleast 30 minutes. Then drain and keep aside.
• Fry the sliced onions in oil, until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a kitchen towel.
• In a large pressure cooker(I used my 3 ltr pressure cooker), heat 2 Tbsp ghee and saute the whole spices(bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamom, whole pepper, cumin seeds) for a few seconds.
• Add the chopped onion and saute until onion turns pink.
• Now add the ginger- garlic paste and saute for few seconds.
• Add the vegetables(beans, carrot, cauliflower, peas, potato and paneer). Fry everything well until the vegetables shrink .
• Now reduce the heat to  minimum and add the yoghurt. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, biriyani masala powder and salt. Mix everything well.
• Cook stirring for about 3-4 minutes on a medium flame.
• Now reduce the flame to minimum. Spread the soaked basmati rice on top of the vegetable curry evenly in a layer.
• Sprinkle little biriyani masala and a pinch of salt on top of the rice.
• Sprinkle the coriander leaves,mint leaves and fried onion on top.
• Pour the saffron soaked water on top.

• Drizzle the remaining one Tbsp of ghee on top.
• Pour the measured 2 cups of water through the sides without disturbing the layers.
• Close the cooker and keep on the lowest heat, simmer for 25 minutes.
• Let it stay in the cooker until the steam settles. Then open the cooker and fluff up the biriyani.
• Serve with onion raita, lime pickle and pappad.

Recipe courtesy - Hebbar's kitchen

Besan Ladoo

A versatile Indian sweet is what ladoo is known to be. With a variation of the ingredients there are so many types of this sweet that is a quintessential part of most of the Indian festivals. Motichoor ladoo and besan ladoo are my personal favourites. The former one requires a bit more more longer procedure of making the boondis and all whereas the latter one is a very easy one. Sharing with you the besan ladoo recipe.

Ingredients

 2 cups besan/ gram flour

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup ghee

4-5 cardamoms crushed

raisins, chopped nuts(optional)

Method

• Dry roast the besan in a wide pan on a low flame for about 12 minutes. Keep stirring continuously to ensure even roasting of the besan,taking care not to burn the powder.
•  Meanwhile melt the ghee and keep aside.
• Once the besan is roasted, add the melted ghee and mix well. Cook stirring continuously for about 5-6 minutes. The mixture will start giving out a nutty aroma and will start releasing the ghee.

• Remove from heat and add the powdered sugar. Mix very well, avoid lumps. 
• Add the crushed cardamom  and raisins, nuts etc.(I did not add nuts or raisins). Keep this aside to come down to room temperature.
• Once cooled, make medium sized balls with the mixture by rolling between your palms.
• Garnish with chopped nuts and serve or store in an air tight container.

Recipe adapted from here

Gaajar ka Halwa

 A VERY HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL

A sky full of fireworks

A house full of diyas

A heart full of enjoyment 

and

A mouth full of sweets

Yes, this is what this beautiful festival is all about!
Made a very simple version of the most famous Indian sweet - Gaajar ka Halwa/ Carrot Halwa for this Diwali.

Recipe courtesy: Our dear Tasneem😍

Ingredients

2 carrots grated fine

1 Tbsp ghee

3-4 Tbsp sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk

a few nuts of your choice(preferably roasted in ghee)

 Method

• Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed pan. Add the grated carrots and sugar and saute well for around ten minutes on a medium low flame.
• Add the milk and saute for another half an hour until  the milk gets dried up and the ghee layer starts to show up from the sides.
• Add the condensed milk and saute for another ten minutes.
• Remove from heat,add the nuts and serve.

I personally love to have this gajar ka halwa with a scoop of vanilla icecream. Try it.. its really yumm..!

Neychoru/Ghee Rice

A delectable rice which though is a speciality of the Malabar cuisine is now spread across everywhere with the variation mostly being in the type of rice used. Malabar neychoru uses the tiny cumin shaped rice grains known as the jeerkasala rice. The aromatic rice is roasted in ghee along with other spices ,cooked to perfection and finally garnished with fried onions and ghee roasted dry fruits. This neychoru also serves as base for most of the biriyani recipes from Kerala

Ingredients

2 cups jeerakasala rice
4 Tbsp ghee
2-3 cardamons
3-4 cloves
2"cinnamon stick
few peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ginger paste
1 medium onion sliced
few curry leaves
3 1/2 cups water
salt to taste
1tsp lemon juice

Method

• Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat the ghee. Once the ghee is hot add the whole spices i.e. the cardomons, cloves, bay leaf and peppercorns. Saute for a few seconds.
• Now add the curry leaves, ginger paste and sliced onion. Saute until the onion turns translucent.
• Add the soaked and drained rice. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the rice grains turn dry and is covered with the ghee.
• Meanwhile boil the mentioned amount of water separately.
• Pour this hot water(3.5 cups) into the rice and stir well oh high heat.
• Add enough salt(the water should taste salty to ensure that the ghee rice has the adequate amount of salt).

• Drizzle the lemon juice.
• Once the water and rice starts to boil, reduce the heat to minimum. Close with a tight lid and leave the rice to cook for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, open and fluff the rice with a fork.(if you feel that the rice is not cooked leave on low heat covered for 5 minute more. If there is no moisture at all in the rice and the rice looks as if it needs more cooking you can add 1/2 cup of hot water and cover and cook for 5 minutes but take care not to overcook)
• Garnish with with fried onion, ghee fried cashews and raisins.
• Serve hot with a spicy chicken curry, mutton curry, egg curry,  etc

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pazha Pradhaman

How about some pazha pradhaman for this Onam?

Ingredients
1kg very ripe banana(nenthra pazham)
500gm jaggery(heat the jaggery in 1 cup water until melted, Sieve and keep aside)
4-5 cups light coconut milk(dissolve 3tbsp coconut milk powder in 4-5 cups of water)
1 1/2 cup thick coconut milk(dissolve 3-4 tbsp coconut milk powder in 1 1/2 cup water)
5 Tbsp ghee
2 tsp coconut pieces(cut into small squares)

Method

• Cut the bananas into 3-4 pieces and steam them in a steamer until cooked well.
• Once cooled,remove the skin of the bananas and deseed the  bananas(split open each piece of banana and remove the black seed layer).
• Mash the bananas well in a blender into a paste.
• Heat 4 Tbsp ghee in a pan and saute the banana paste in the ghee for some time, approximately 5-6 minutes.
• Now add the melted jaggery and allow it boil and thicken.
• Then add the light coconut milk and let it cook in the coconut milk for about 7-8 minutes, or until a thick consistency is attained.
• Now pour the thick coconut milk and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes and then switch off the flame.
• Heat 1 Tbsp ghee in a pan. Fry the coconut pieces in the ghee until golden brown and pour it over the prepared banana pradhaman. Delicious pazha pradhaman is ready to be served.

* You can pressure cook the bananas instead of cooking them in a steamer.
* Along with the coconut pieces some like to add fried cashewnuts and raisins too. You can add that too if you prefer to. As I do not prefer cashews and raisins in pradhaman I have not added here.