Our new bundle of joy!

Happy Vishu to all you friends out there...and many many thanks to all of you who have dropped in time and again and left a kind word... in spite of my blog being so silent for a long time...

Our bundle of joy who landed just a fortnight back speaks for all the silence all these days!

Kozhi pidi-RCI Kerala

Far from the blogging world....I was quietly enjoying my lazy slumber...or rather reserving all my creative energy for a greater moment in life ....but yes, I was occasionally blog hopping...and drooling over the amazing culinary creativity of my friends...Umpteen blog events... a zillion bloggers...the growth of this cyber community has been really amazing....Many a times felt like penning down a new recipe and getting back into the flow of blogging...but then i found always reasons not to do so...My sincere thanks to all you wonderful friends out there who still drop in my silent blog world and leave a comment or two...and almost kept me connected...


The Regional cuisine concept was something that I found really interesting...Kudos to Lakshmi for coming up with such a brilliant idea...it is indeed a royal treat to have all the regional delicacies under one umbrella...and RCI Kerala,this time hosted by Jyotsna won over my laziness..Yes, having blogged so many Kerala dishes, how could I miss this event!...and here I am with yet another Malabar speciality,'Kozhi Pidi'.
 














Malabaris(North Kerala), known for their salkarams/hospitality never misses a reason to throw in a banquet...and more so are the Malabar Muslims,known as Moplahs/Mappilas...You would be amazed at the umpteen variety of dishes prepared on a typical celebration.Like most Kerala dishes, the Malabar dishes also have the inevitable signature ingredient, Coconut, in various 'avatars'!

Kozhi pidi is a speciality of the Ramzan celebration...It is very much similar to the South Kerala Christian speciality Pidi and it also reminds one of Kannadiga's Kadubu or even Mudha-Saaru. Well, the basic concept is the same....steamed rice dumplings in a rich creamy non-veg gravy, served hot. So here is the recipe which many of you had asked me earlier...

Ingredients:

To make Pidi/Rice dumpling

 













Roasted Rice flour-450g(I use double horse Rice flour-extra soft)
Water-600ml(slightly more than the quantity of flour)
Fennel seeds-1/4tsp(optional)
Salt-as rqd

Method:

Boil water with salt & fennel seeds added to it. When it is boiling vigorously add the flour slowly and mix it well with a wooden spoon....take it out of the fire and knead it thoroughly before it gets too cool.(like u do for pathiri)Your kneading makes all the difference to the consistency of the Pidi. If you find it difficult to do with the hand, u may use your bread maker's dough cycle to get that uniform consistency...or else use a pestle and hit the dough hard! Now make small dumplings out of the dough...My mother's dumplings always had beautiful John-Bips style dimples...so I too have given them a cute dimple!(probably it is done to hold the gravy well). Now steam them either in your idly steamer or your veg. steamer, until done.Keep it aside...until our Kozhi curry is ready.

Ingredients for the gravy
 

Chicken breasts/thighs-1/2 kg(calorie watchers cn remove the skin,but tastes better with skin)
Ginger-garlic-corianderleaves Paste-2tbsp
Onion-2 medium-sliced
Shallots/kunjulli-100g-sliced
Green chilli-5(customise)-chopped thin
Tomato-2medium-sliced
Chilli powder-1/2tp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Coriander powder-2tsp
Crushed pepper corns-2tsp
cloves+cinnamon+cardamom-powder-1/2 tsp
Fennel powder-1tsp
Cumin powder-1/2tsp
Curry leaves-2 sprigs
Oil-as rqd
Salt-as rqd
ThinCoconut Milk-1 glass
Thick coconut Milk-1 glass
Sugar-1/2 tsp(optional)
Corriander leaves- for garnishing

Method:

Marinate chicken cut into medium size pieces, with a little salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder for half an hour.(You could do this before u make the pidi).

Heat a Kadai/heavy bottomed vessel. Add oil.When the Oil is hot, reduce the flame,splutter curry leaves,add the ginger garlic-paste.Saute it for a minute.Add the green chillies, saute for another minute.Now add the Onion & shallots.Add a little sugar to accelerate the caramalising. Saute till they become brown.Now add all the masala powders.Saute them till you get that fine aroma.Now add the tomato pieces and the chicken.Keep stirring so that the Masala doesnt stick to the vessel.When the chicken is almost cooked.Add the thin coconut milk. Allow it to cook for a few minutes. Add salt as required.Now add the steamed dumplings/pidi into the gravy. Cook for a few minutes. Finally reduce the flame to almost a simmer.Add the thick coconut milk.Stir well. Keep it for a minute on the flame and add the chopped coriander leaves for the final garnish and serve it piping hot! You would love the spicy treat!Well you could try this with any other nonveg/veg gravy items as well.

 



















Tailpiece:
I was surprised recently by the crass plagiarism on Eastern Masala Website where almost all of my Malabar recipes and a few of my Kerala recipes have been copied along with the snaps, without even the least courtesy of acknowledging the source! I found that they have very conveniently used the recipes and snaps of other blogger buddies like Annita..Have contacted their Marketing dept but they have not had the courtesy to respond so far...Big brands and cheap gimmicks!

Eastern Masala

Addendum
Eastern Marketing Manager Mr Biju has apologised and has said that they will remove the recipes from the site at the earliest.I hope Eastern will keep up the ethics they believe in.
Update
Though there has been a half hearted removal/hiding of my Malabar recipes from the Eastern site,the other Kerala recipes remain...I feel so disgusted that they still retain the recipes copied from other bloggers....Their claim for business ethics and awards seems all a farce as plagiarism continues unashamedly...I feel exasperated that they are waiting for each blogger to come out personally and tell it on their face that they are big cheats!


Mouthwatering Kerala Recipes!
Well, I couldnt resist posting these snaps which came in one of the forwarded mails...Hats off to the photographer who captured the essence of Malayali breakfast here...Like most forwarded mails, I have no clue to the Original Source of these wonderful snaps and guess that it might have come as part of some Tourism promotion...One needs no more reasons to fly to this paradise! To match the festivity of the RCI-Kerala season, I am posting these mouthwatering snaps!

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Lemon glazed chicken

Lemon glazed chicken
 

Sweet n sour bread upma,Avil Upma &Chilli Gobi

Sorryyyyyyyyyyy...all you friends out there who are really irritated by my recipe less snaps...Well,I do hope to slowly update them....Here is a quickie for probably a lazy morning breakfast or an evening snack...could be a bachelor break fast as well....a sweet n sour bread upma...which my dear mukta ma had introduced to me during my last vacation in India...Of course I did some alterations to her pure brahminic style...You could use this if you have any left over old bread(not too old!) or if you like it, the with the left over side pieces after making a Shahi Tukre or bread pudding.Well I dont like wasting food...so my bread upma came up as part of refugee operation to save the left over bread bits after making the dessert.


 















Ingredients:
Bread pieces-6 cups
Turmeric powder-a pinch
Ginger paste- 1 tsp
Lemon juice-1 tbsp
Coriander leaves-1small bunch-finely chopped
Asafoetida powder-a pinch
fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp
Mustard-1 tsp
Dry red chilli-2-broken
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Onion-2 large-chopped fine
Green chilli-2-chopped
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Salt-as required
Sugar-1 tbsp(as rqd)
Dil leaves-1 tbsp(finely chopped)-optional
Cashew nuts-25g(optional)
Raisins-25g(optional)
Ghee/Oil-as required

Method

Take a big bowl. Mix together the bread pieces, lemon juice, salt,turmericpowder,red chilli powder,dill leaves and coriander leaves-leave it aside. Now heat oil/ghee in a wok. Add the seasoning-mustard,fenugreek seeds,dry red chilli,curry leaves and the asafoetida powder. Now into the wok add Onion,Saute it till it is soft,then followed by green chilli and ginger paste.When you get the nice aroma of fried ginger, add the marinated bread pieces. Mix everything well.Add sugar as required.( It is the right mix of lemonjuice-sugar and salt which gives it that wonderful taste....so my measurements are quite arbitrary, add these ingredients until you get that desired punch.)Cook it for a couple of minutes and serve it with roasted cashews and raisins on top.



Avil Upma
 

Maddy's comment just reminded me of Avil Upma, which is my favourite as well...Avil upma is often a universal breakfast item in Kerala, like its elder brother Rava Upma, whenever there are a large no of mouths to be fed, like on a typical wedding day morning when people are busy concentrating on the grand afternoon sadya...these simpletons make their appearance on the tables often along with the small bananitos.It is indeed quite a healthy simple breakfast that can be made in a jiffy..Remember you need to use the hard aval/poha/avalakki/beaten rice and not the thin white flakier counterparts.So here goes the recipe:

Ingredients
Avil-1 cup
Onion-1 large
Green chilli-4
Ginger-1tsp(optional)
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp-optional
Fresh grated coconut-2tbsp
Mustard-1 tsp
Curry leaves-2 sprigs
Dry Red chillies-2(broken)
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt-as reqd

Method
Wash the Avil/Poha and drain all water.Heat oil in a wok.Add mustard,dry redchillies, curryleaves,ginger,green chillies,onion and turmeric, one after the other and saute till Onion becomes slightly limp.Now add the washed Avil,salt and mix well and cook it for say 5mts.Finally add the grated coconut,mix well for a minute and serve it with roasted bananas.(or just plain small bananas).



Chilli Gobi
 

Cooking and posting the snaps has always been quite easy...but the write up part was always put off for another day...for the day when the writing bug will bite me badly...and of late the bug has been too kind... it doesnt bite me at all!Probably it has understood the hibernatory mode that I am in...so just sleeps along with me peacefully...and now that I have compelled myself putting them into words...I'm caught by amnesia!!I forget my recipes...the reason being that I am the most unprofessional cook who just goes by the instinct of the moment....I dont go by memorised recipes and exact measure...very much like a typical Indian housewife...so when it comes to writing down...sometimes I get scared...and pray that my readers get it right....!!!I believe in trial and error...until we get it right....

Chilli gobi is a must in any fast food menu...I have no idea about its origin...and like many other Indian dishes I think each one of us has his/her own recipe for it...Last week we had some guests... I wanted to make some Gobi manchurian...my husband suddenly called me and said that the guests are supposed to arrive in another hour...a very bad joke by him....he wanted me to finish off things in time!!!....panic, panic, panic... Oh! I just cant work when people are around..I prefer my kitchen to be all shining n clutter free before the guests come...I had no time for Gobi Manchurian and so went for the easier Chilli Gobi..So here is what i did for my Chilli Gobi.

Ingredients

Cauliflower-250 grams-cut into florets
corn flour-3 tbsp
All purpose flour/maida-5 tbsp
Egg-1(Vegetarians may just add water)
salt-as reqd
white pepper powder-1/4 tsp
medium size Onion-1-chopped fine
Garlic-4- minced
ginger-1 1/2 inch- minced
Green chilies-2- chopped
soya sauce-1 tbsp
Maggi Hot and sweet chilli sauce-4tbsp
Colour-1/4 tp-optional
Capsicum-1 chopped(optional)
Limejuice-1 tbsp(vinegar can also be used)
Coriander leaves-chopped fine-2tbsp
Sugar-as reqd
Oil-as reqd

Method:

In a bowl beat egg,add the flours, salt and pepper to form a smooth batter.Add the cauliflower to the batter and turn them until it coats well. Now heat oil in a pan.When the oil is very hot, deep fry the florets until golden brown.Remove it and spread it on to a kitchen towel. Now in a little oil saute onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli.Once they let out a good aroma and when the onion has become limp, add capsicum. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add all the sauces,lemon juice/vinegar. Mix well.Now add the fried florets into it . Give a thorough mix until the sauce sticks to the florets well.Add sugar as reqd till you get that right balance of taste.Finally Garnish with chopped coriander leaves...In some hotels they are served even with a garnishing of chopped nuts and raisins..

Carnivorean pleasure...

Pepper Chicken Dry Fry

 



















Chicken-Prawn-Egg Pepper Fry

 

Chilli Chicken

 















Mutta Masala Pothinjathu
 



















Kheema Biryani

 

Lamb Masala
 

Tandoori Prawn(Gambus) Pakoda
 

Ingredients:

Gambus/Prawn-250 g
Tandoori Masala-1 tbsp
bread crumbs-2tbsp-powdered
flour-1tbsp
cornflour-1 tbsp
Egg-1
Salt-as rqd
Yoghurt-1 tbsp
Oil-for frying


Marinate the cleaned deveined gambus in tandoori masala and yoghurt mix for half an hour. Now dip the marinated gambus in plain flour.Dip in a cornflour-egg batter.Roll it in powdered bread crust.Deep fry it in oil.Serve with any sauce or dip of your choice.

Tandoori Masala Recipe

You can either buy the ready made masala or do it from scratch.

Ingredients

Garlic powder-1 tsp
Ginger powder-1tsp
Aamchoor-1/2 tsp(dry mango powder)
Anardaana powder-1 tsp(pomegranate powder)
Cloves powder-1 tsp
Cinnamon Powder-1 tsp
Black cardamom powder-1/2 tsp
Mace Powder-1 tsp
Cumin Powder-1 tsp
Black pepper powder-1 tsp
Red Chilli powder-1 tsp
Methi Powder-1 tsp
Red colour-optional

Instead of using the powdered version you can either dry roast all the spices, powder them and stock in airtight container or dry roast the powdered spices carefully on low flame, without getting burnt and store it in airtight container.

An Utsavam/Festival in Kerala-Glimpses

Tiruvangad SreeRamaswamiTemple,Tellicherry....
From my Home town

Well this is a picture that I had taken last time I went home...Tiruvangad Utsavam is something that we all look forward to...It comes during the Vishu days....The Utsavam that we Tellicherrites would love not to miss..It is an Utsavam which has still retained its beauty and grandeur ....It is a nostalgia that we cannot live without.... those traditional copra lit lamps filling your nostrils with a wonderful aroma, its golden flame beautifully reflecting on the decked elephants making them look ethereal, the traditional drummers-the 'panchavadyam' and 'tayambaka'-resonating in your ears....it is an experience that you would love to cherish...I was feeling homesick...and I couldnt do anything more than just browse these snaps...So thought I'll share my nostalgia with many out there who carry the whisperings of their hometown in their heart.....
 
 
 
 

Paneer Roll,BananaHalwa,DahiBaingan

Paneer Roll














Sorry..... all you wonderful people out there in the cyberworld who took interest in my blog and really coaxed me to shed a little bit of my laziness...Let me go to the recipe quickly without much of the usual banter... I'm a Procrastination incarnate...I may fall into my lazy snooze again!
Ingredients:

1.Paneer-100g(minced)
2.Ginger paste-1tsp
3.Garlic paste-2 tsp(fresh please!)
4.green chilli-3-4(as rqd)-minced
5.Onion-1 small-minced
6.coriander leaves-finely chopped-2tbsp
7.Potato-1 large-cooked
8.salt-as required


Bread-5 loaves
Water/milk-for soaking bread

Oil-for deep frying

Method

Mix all the ingredients 1-8 to form a soft filling.(You could put ingredients 1-8(except potato) in a blender/mixer/mincer and give a couple of quick whisks.)Mix it with the cooked potato,the filling is ready.

Now quick soak a bread loaf in water/milk.Squeeze out the excess fluid by pressing the loaf between your palms.Now lay it on a flat surface.Take a tbsp of the filling already prepared and spread it in oblong shape in the middle of the loaf.Now start rolling the loaf carefully from one end to form a spindle shape.Roll the remaining loaves similarly.Keep it in the fridge for an hour,so that it doesnt break apart while frying..If you dont have much time put it in the freezer compartment for 10mts.

Now heat oil in a wok.When the oil is hot enough slowly slide in the rolls into it and fry them till golden brown.Enjoy it with any dip/sauce of your choice!

The filling can be customised to your taste.Instead of Paneer,you could add cooked prawns,minced meat,chicken breasts,firm fleshed fish etc...and you could even spice it up differently adding different masalas!It is a wonderful snack for the evening and more so if you want to get rid of all those extra loaves of bread sitting in the fridge for a while!

Banana halwa













Many a time the over ripe banana with her 'deglam' look ends up in the coffin of my waste bin.... and I have had to mourn over the untimely death of my banana maiden...I have felt very sorry for her...once in a while I try to salvage her with a make over...an unniyappam,a paniyaram,a milkshake, or into the gorgeous form of a banana halwa...So get rid of all those sulking, black, over ripe bananas in your pantry waiting for 'moksha' by a complete make over to a charming banana halwa now!

Ingredients
ripe banana pulp-1 cup(over ripe the better!!)
sugar-1cup
Ghee/Butter-1/2cup chalega!(preferably 3/4cup)
Banana Essence-1/2 tsp
Cashews-25g
Raisins-25g
Melon seeds-15g
Organic food colour-optional-1 drop

Method

Blend together the ripe bananas and sugar into a smooth pulp.Heat a heavy bottomed vessel.Pour the pulp into it and cook it at a very low flame by stirring occasionally until it thickens.Now add half the portion of ghee and mix well....now keep stirring continuously...Be careful it might splash onto your hand...so use proper gloves..and a big ladle. Meanwhile keep the tempering ready, for which take a small portion of the ghee.Heat it and roast cashews,raisins and melon seed lightly and keep it aside.Add this tempering and the remaining ghee into the cooked pulp when it starts leaving sides and is of the consistency of Jam.Keep stirring, and it reaches a mouldable consistency.Pour it into a greased tray.Spread it evenly.Allow it to cool and refrigerate it for 10mts.Your halwa is ready to be cut into desired sizes/shapes.

Dahi Baingan
I'm not very much of a fan of Brinjal/Baingan...but my husband is!Quite often I cook baingan a bit half heartedly...This was an attempt to approximate it to something of my taste as well and lol...I should say that I love baingan now...It is a very yummy curry which goes well with Chappathi.

Ingredients
Brinjal-3-4(Cut into medium size pieces)/you could just slit them and leave the tail intact.(like in Noona Vankaya)
Ginger+Garlic+coriander leaves-ground into a coarse paste.
Green chilli-5(as rqd)
Yoghurt-1 cup(Give a quick whisk)
Aamchoor/DryMangoPowder-1tbsp(reduce it if the yoghurt is too sour)
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Fennel powder-1tsp
Seasoning
Cumin-1/4tsp
Shah jeera-1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1/2tsp
Dry red chillies-3
Mustar-1tsp
Curry leaves-2 sprigs

Oil-as rqd
Salt-as rqd
Method
Mix together ginger-garlic-coriander paste,tumeric powder,fennel powder,aamchoor and salt.Now marinate brinjal in this paste 15-20 mts.Heat oil in a wok for deep frying. Deep fry the brinjal(Oil will splurt,so be careful)(Alternativel you could shallow fry as well).Now In a wok heat 2tbsp of oil.Add all the seasoning ingredients. Now add the left over marinade into it.Fry it till you get that aroma of ginger and garlic.Now add the fried Brinjal into it.Fry it for some till till it mix well with the seasoning ingredients...Now finally add the whisked curd slowly.Lower the flame..Cook for a minute or two...(You could reverse the process and add the seasoning last).Dahi Baingan ready!

A few side dishes for Chappathi/Paratha

Thottakoora Pappu
 














Baingan kothameer
 
















Kozhi Kurumulakittathu-Nadan style
 
















Chemmeen Mulakuvaratti-Nadan style
 

It is one of the simplest prawn recipes that I make quite often at home...I thought it was quite a very common recipe in Kerala...I was feeling too silly to write out the recipe for this until I found a few queries on this item...so I thought I'll share my simpleton chemmeen...It is one prawn dish that I love to have with a hot steaming 'kanji'(rice gruel) and pappadam or with chappathi or with kerala porotta.

Here's how I make it....

Ingredients:

Cooked Prawns-250g
Red chilli powder-3/4 tbsp(depends on how hot u can bear!!)
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Garlic/Garlic powder-1 tsp
Tamarind paste-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Oil-as reqd
Salt-as reqd

Method:

Heat Oil(I take oil slightly more than what is usually required for a shallow fry).When the oil is hot, add curry leaves. Once it has spluttered, add all the spice powders. Heat on a low flame for a minute. Now add the cooked prawns( cooked in a little salt water)into the masala. Add the tamarind paste and salt as required. Mix well. Let it cook for a few minutes until the masala coats it well.Serve hot with kanji/chappati.

Guddu Pulusu & Kidney Pepper Masala

Guddu Pulusu

 
 















Kidney Pepper Masala
 

Holige and a few other Kannada festive treat....

 



















I always wanted to learn it and the last vacation at my bellary home paid off...Our 85 year old Ajji is my Guru here! You would be surprised to see how dexterous she is even at this age!Squatting on the floor, with the gas hobs pulled to her side her hands moved quickly between the hot griddle and the Holige...While I was trying to rotate the holige on the griddle very cautiously....she did it all in a jiffy....there was magic in her hands the way she flipped it around! Her hand shivers otherwise but it is very firm when it comes to cooking!!...and what an amazing cook she is...you name it and she does it....her only complaint is that we all have become addicted to the instant food and the bakery items that we dont give her much chance to feed us...in fact we didnt wish to trouble her...it was never a love for all those insta products...we wanted her to take rest...which she never does!
 

Poli,Holige,Obbattu.....you call her whatever you want...but she is just an amazing sweetypie that you dont feel sinful to associate with....!!Hot Olige with a dollop of desi ghee is a real treat....Be it in Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil nadu and even in some parts of Kerala,a festival or celebration is not complete without this treat...
When I was in the hostel in B'lore my Iyer ponnu used to get me wonderful Obbattu during Ugadi or Navaratri... and whenever we felt a craving for it we queued up near the Arya Bhavan to eat it hot...

Making Obbattu/Holige demands some amount of patience...so do it only when you are in a mood to spend some good quality time with her....Otherwise be happy with the frozen ones that we get in the Indian shops.....but of course it is no comparison to the fresh treat! By the way you can add variety to this holige, like kai holigai/kobbari Holigai(kannada) for instance, which is coconut based....and I have noted that Holige made by Tamil Iyengars taste slightly different, may be because they add pachakarpooram(edible camphor)and nutmeg to the Poornam/Hoorana/filling.So try it as well if you like it that way...

So here goes our ajji's recipe:

Filling/Poornam
Bengal gram/kadalaparippu-1 cup
Jaggery-1 cup(customise)
cardamom powder-a pinch

Ingredients for the cover
1/2 cup maida
1/2 cup wheat flour(You could use maida alone as well)
Turmeric powder-a pinch
1 cup oil (can reduce,but it affects the fluffiness/softness)(ghee-optional)
Salt- a very small pinch
Milk/water-as rqd for mixing the dough
(Quite a lot of people mix rava, but unfortunately my experience with rava has been a disaster,may be I was not good at handling rava)


Method

Mix the flour with water/milk(add carefully), adding(half the quantity) oil and make it into a soft pliant dough.One degree softer than a chappati dough.Now pour the remaining oil on top of the dough and leave it aside for some time till the Poornam/filling is ready.

Pressure cook dal till it is very soft.(If you are not happy with the consistency of dal, you may grind it a bit to make it soft.)Mix the powdered jaggery and cardamom powder to it. Mix it well.The Poornam,as it is called,should be in a mouldable consistency.

Take and aluminium file cut into a reasonably good size. Oil it well.Take a large lemon size dough,mould it into a smooth round ball. Using ghee/oil roll it out with your hand (light pats will do the job) to the size of a small puri.Now take about 2 tbsp filling(or rather about 1/2 the size of the dough),mould it into a smooth ball,place it in the middle of the rolled out dough.Bring all the edges together and close it. Now roll it again,preferably with your hand(no roller pins) using gentle taps. Spread it out as thin as possible, without letting the filling come out(it is little bit of a trick!).

Heat the Tava medium hot and gently slide the spread Holige on to it from the aluminium foil.Turn it around, flip flop the sides ,it will start bulging like a puri,and when it is golden, it is ready. Now serve it with a dollop of desi ghee...hmmm....it is yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!


Whenever Holige is made, the humble holige saaru accompanies coyishly! It is a sweet and sour curry made with the left over poornam/filling,ground roasted coconut,a very small quantity tamarind, a little ginger garlic paste and a tadka of cumin,fenugreek seeds,dry red chilly,mustard, curry leaves.
 

Kadubu
 













To make it simple,Holige filling mixed with coconut and a little fried poppy seeds is filled inside the maida/wheat covering (made like a small poori, and the sides pressed)and is deep fried in oil to make the wonderful kadubu!

Kosumbari
Kosumbari is an interesting salad made of blackgram dal(soaked for an hour or two),a little coconut shavings,some onions chopped,a little corriander leaves,and salt(You can add some green chillies, if you want to spice it up).You can add even cucumber cut into very small pieces.
 

Rasayana

 

Enne Badinekai/Noona Vankai

 

Paatu mami'sPoli

A Non veg treat!

Fish Finger
 













A Malayali's jugalbandhi with fish is quite well known and I am no exception. My husband says that my eye's sparkle at the mention of 'fish'!....Though it is a bit of an exaggeration,no doubt I love fish.....most of them....Thanks to the Kerala shop here, I still do get to taste all those traditional Kerala variety here...but of course the taste is compromised....as most of them belong to the BC age...frozen and shrunk...veterans chilling out in the giant freezers of the shop!The English variety of fish available here are really so excellent that we dont really miss the fresh fish....now so much...


Though very much a fan of really 'hot' n tongue burning cuisines, I do have a liking for the less spicier, simple English dishes....I love their fish pies,fish n chips and the fish fingers...which just melt into your mouth. I would say that it is just perfect for kids.

Ingredients

Fish Fillets(White)-500g(I used Cod)
Bread crumb-150g
Parmesan cheese-2tbsp(grated)
Coriander leaves or Parsley-1 tbsp -chopped fine
Lemon juice-1 tsp
Garlic salt-a pinch (optional)
Paprika-a pinch
Egg-1
(You may add a pinch of oregano or thyme for the flavour)
Double cream-2tbsp
Plain flour-100ml
Pepper-1 tsp(or as u need)
Oil-for fying

Method
Cut the fillets into finger length strips and keep it aside.

Beat egg with double cream and set it aside. In a bowl mix thoroughly the bread crumbs, the spices,cheese and salt.

Keep the flour in a bowl ready to coat the fish.


Fist coat the fish with flour. Next dip it in the egg and cream mixture. Finally coat it with the breadcrumb mixture.

Heat oil in a pan when it is medium hot, shift the coated fish fingers to the pan.
Cook until the crust is golden brown and the flesh becomes flaky.Use a kitchen towel to remove the excess oil. Serve it with any sauce or dip of your choice.

Mutton Kolhapuri
 















Mutton Chettinad
 

Dhaniya Chicken Fry
  

Going Vegan!

Alugadda Fry
 














Badinekai palya




Paneer Poriyal
 














Beetroot Palya


Bhindi Fry
 

Koovapayasam

Traditional Koovapayasam with a slightly modern face lift!!
 

mutton chops fry,mutton pepper fry& palak chicken

Mutton chops fry
 
















Palak Chicken
 















Mutton Pepper Fry

 

Magic of Cinnamon & Honey!

 















I was enjoying my short hibernation...cosy doing nothing!!....the inertia had caught me on badly until one sweet 'pari' hooked me on to some interesting information on Cinnamon & Honey magic....and ....

Honey!I couldnt control the itch to share the wonderful info...so here I go...once again to blogging...?Sloth and slumber....ah me! tis all dunlop and good year all over!! Frantically wanted to get rid off all those tyres!! So this magic came as a wonderful tip...I still do not know the authenticity of all the claims...nor do I know whether they are just another placebo...but I believe there is no harm in trying...So Here I go verbatim the whole lot of tips which my wonderful friend Pari has shared.... on the Cinnamon-Honey Magic!Sorry...the trials and experiments are absolutely at your own personal risk!! :)


"It is found that mixture of Honey and Cinnamon cures several diseases.
Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world.
Ayurvedic as well as Yunani medicine have been using honey as a vital medicine for centuries.
Scientists of today also accept honey as a Ram Ban (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases.
Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.
Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients as well.
A famous magazine named Weekly World News published in Canada dated 17 January, 95 has given a list of diseases that can be cured by Honey and Cinnamon as researched by western scientists."
Here goes the list and recommendations.
Arthritis:

"Take one part honey to two parts of luke warm water and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder, make a paste and massage it on the paining part of the body slowly.
It is noticed that the pain recedes within a minute or two.

Arthritis patients may daily-morning and night, take one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
If drunk regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured!!

In a recent research at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week out of the 200 people so treated practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis, started walking without pain!

Hair Loss:

Those suffering from hair loss or baldness, may apply a paste of hot olive oil, one tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder before bath and keep it for approx. 15 min. and then wash the hair.
It was found very effective if kept for 5 mins. also...(Hmm...a medicine for kashandi(baldness), then what abt asooya(jealousy)?!!...(for the less informed,a malayalam proverb says that there is no cure for baldness & jealousy!!)

Bladder Infections:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of luke warm water and drink it.
It destroys the germs of the bladder.


Tooth Ache/Bad breath?:

Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey and apply on the aching tooth.
This may be done 3 times a day daily till such time that the tooth has stopped aching
People in some parts of South America,it seems,the first thing they do in the morning is to gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water so that their breath stays fresh throughout the day.... hmmm...interesting...

Cholesterol:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, if given to a cholesterol patient,reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours( I really hope this works!).

As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken 3 times a day any chronic cholesterol can be cured.

As per the information in the said journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

Common Cold& Influenza:
Those suffering from common or severe cold should take one tablespoon luke warm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days.
This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.(Well, this seems to have worked for me too!)

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ingredient which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.


Infertility-Come Honey! let's have some honey!! ;):

Yunani and Ayurveda has been using honey for years in medicine to strengthen the semen of men. It is said that if impotent men regularly take two tablespoons of honey before sleeping, their problem can be solved!

In China, Japan and Far-East countries, women who do not conceive were given cinnamon powder for centuries to strengthen their uterus.

Women who cannot conceive may take a pinch of cinnamon powder in half teaspoon of honey and apply it on the gums frequently throughout the day, so that it slowly mixes with the saliva and enters the body.

Here is a story-A couple in Merryland, America had no children for 14 years and had left hope of having a child of their own. When told about this husband and wife started taking honey and cinnamon as stated above, the wife conceived after a few months and had twins at full term!!!

Stomach Upset:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache(this also seems to work!) and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.
GAS : According to the studies done in India & Japan, it is revealed that if honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food, relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals!

Pimples&Skin Infections
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste.
Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it can remove pimples from the root.

Eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections are cured by applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts.


Wanna strong Heart?
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread or chappati instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast.
It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack.
Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this daily, are kept miles away from the next attack!!!
Regular use of the above relieves one from breathlessness& palpitations .

In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients with this successfully and have found that due to the increasing age the arteries and veins which lose their flexibility and get clogged are revitalized.

Hurray!Weight Loss!!

Daily morning, half an hour before breakfast, on an empty stomach and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup water.
If taken regularly it reduces the weight of even the most obese person!!
Also drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet! Yippee!! God! this should work...pl.....ease!!(1tsp Cinnamon powder+1 tbspHoney in 1 Glass of warm water).


Immune system
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks.
Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts.
Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

Cancer

Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully.
Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should take daily one tablespoon honey with one teaspoon cinnamon powder for one month 3 times a day.

Fatigue

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful than detrimental to the body strength.
Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon power in equal parts are more alert and flexible.
Dr. Milton who has done research says that half tablespoon honey taken in one glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3.00 p.m. when the vitality of the body starts decreasing, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

Hearing Loss
Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder taken in equal parts restores hearing too!


Live longer!!
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly arrests the ravages of old age.
Take 4 spoons of honey, 1spoon of cinnamon powder and 3 cups of water and boil to make like tea.
Drink 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age.
Life span also increases and even if a person is 100 years old, starts performing the chores of a 20 year old.

Arey! what more do we want...come let's have some honey!!...hmmm....cinnamon too!!

Cinnamon

Honey

Caution:
Dont go bananas hearing all the benefits of Cinnamon and use it lavishly....it can be toxic as per several other researches...So use cinnamon in less quantity..(max-1tsp at a time)...The simple fact that cinnmon oil has been proven to be an effective mosquito killer tells us that it can be toxic as well.."Adhikamayal Amrutum visham"(A proverb in malayalm which translates as "Even ambrosia can become poison if taken in excess quantity).

A potpourri

Chana Batoora


  

  

Prawn Pakoda

 
Kerala Style Raw Mango Prawn Curry












Tiramisu

  

Wish You All A Wonderful New Year!

 

















Wish you all a Wonderful New year filled with whispers of love,thumping joy,luck galore,sound health and blissful peace...

I think I enjoy the self imposed hibernation...indulging in a silent conversation with myself....or is it the new indolence incarnate?....I find it easier now to drool over the lovely recipes of all my blogger buddies and eat my private meal with absolutely no qualms about picture perfect looks....somewhere the urge to write remains....but I now rather enjoy learning from others...though I trot around the blogs very less these days....It is nice to see you all becoming super creative every day....

Thanks to all you wonderful people out there in this cyberspace who has always remembered me and left a loving phrase once in a while...love u all...


  

Kabhi Alwida Na Kehna....

 















I'm taking a long break from blogging....Blogging...I had stumbled upon it quite unexpectedly....happy to have got to know so many of u....it was a media for me which kept the threads of life more colourful....learnt a lot about not only food...about places,cultures,traditions,values,ethnicity....for me personally it has been a very rewarding experience....your comments,your words of appreciation....they werent just a virtual socialising for me...it was a greater feeling of being a part of a large community,a sense of satisfaction and happiness...Solitude of a housewife is at times a bit painful....especially when u have had earlier a career and a lot of people around...the transformation at times is a bit frustrating....but blogging has definitely kept me ticking...has made the transition easier....Thanx....thanx a ton....I enjoyed it....every smile on u'r face brought a lot of happiness to me....thanx thanx a lot....Thanx to blogging for having given me so many wonderful friends many whom I feel I know them for years.....LG/Inji who saw to it that she left a word of appreciation for almost every new post when I had just begun ... Sumitha,Archana,Annita,Ashwini,Shilpa,Indira,Manisha,Pushpa,Karthi,Tanuja,
Arjuna,Vaishali,Anthony,Priyas,shankari,Shaheen,Sailu,Vineela,starryN ....
I have always feltlike age old friends....and a host of new blogger
buddies like Gattina,Prema,Chandrika,Indosun,Surya,Asha,Lera,Linda,
Daagh,Maddy,Mathew,Menu today,Where's my mind,Velu.... to mention a few and
Aqua,who used to try my recipes and come up promptly with his feedback..
the other non bloggerfriends like Devi,Kerala Girl,Rg and a host of many anonymous friends....Thanx dear friends....u have all brought me a lot of happiness....So ....Let's not bid adieu....hope to meet u all somewhere some time...All the best to everybody... 

Breakfast- Desi

Vellayappam-Ishtu &Corn Puttu
  













 
















Chowchow bath &Poori-Aalu subji
 
 
 
  

Crab Masala & Shami Kabab

This is a masala gravy that we make at home often and goes well with prawns,mussels,chicken,mutton and eggs.So you may substitute crab with any of these but adjust the time for cooking accordingly. Straight to the recipe now:
Ingredients
Crab-250g( cleaned and cut into pieces-remove the dead man fingers,a spongy stuff and the smaller claws)
Onion-1 medium
Potatoes- 2 medium size
Tomatoes-2 small
Green chillies-3(slitted)
Ginger-20g(pounded)
Garlic-8pods(pounded)
Red chili powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder-4 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2tsp
Pepper- 1/2 tsp Powder
Grated Coconut -1/2 cup
Coriander leaves-a bunch-chopped
curry leaves -2 sprigs,chopped
Oil-1 tsp
Salt - as rqd
Water-as rqd

 















Method
Marinate the crab pieces with a little turmeric,salt and chilli powder and leave it for 5 minutes.Chop potatoes&tomatoes into medium size pieces.Chop onion into smallpieces.Add the marinated crabs and the remaining spice powders,onion,tomato potato,green chilli,ginger and garlic.Add 1/2 cup water and 1tsp oil.Add salt as rqd.Cook it for 7-8minutes till the crab gets cooked.You can make out from the appearance of the flesh.Grind coconut into a smooth paste.Now add the coconut paste to the cooked crab.Add coriander leaves and curry leaves.Add water if you want a thinner gravy.Mix everything well and cook it over a medium flame for 3-4 minutes.Serve hot with steamed rice or chappathi.I love this gravy with Mutton especially.
 
















Kababs/Kebabs seem to have come from Iran originally...Seems to be a Persian influence altogether.'Kebab' means broiled meat.Wherever be the origins one may trace it to, it is an absolutely wonderful dish for most nonveg lovers and no wonder it is so popular all over the world.Even the British walk into an Asian take away here and ask straight away for chikken tikka and kebabs!!The variety of kababs are amazing, like the more popular

sheekh kabab

nargis kabab,shami kabab,Bihari kabab,Reshmi kabab,Chapli kabab,Peshawari kabab,etc and the not so common Chelo kabab,Luleh kabab,Tas kabab,Kabab e soltani,Kabab e kafqasi,Chenje kabab,Mahi kabab(Fish kabab),

Bannu kabab

Jujeh kabab etc etc...!!.Shami kabab is considered to be a Tehranian hamburger.It is quite a common variety of Kebab in India and Pakistan.

Ingredients


minced Mutton-250g
Egg-1
Onion-1 small
Green Chilly-4 chopped
Bengal Gram/Chana dal-50g( soaked overnight )
Garlic-7pods
Cumin Seed-1/2tsp
Cardamoms-2pods
piece Cinnamon-1/2 " piece
Ginger -1/2 "piece
Pepper corns-6
Red Chillies-3
Ghee-as rqd

Method
Add reqd amt of water(say 1 1/2 cup) to the minced meat and salt as rqd, and allow to cook over medium flame till the meat becomes tender and all the water is absorbed.Grind the meat into a fine paste.
Now grind together ginger,grlic,cardamom seeds,cinnamon,pepper corns, red chillies and the soaked gram dal into a fine paste.Mix it with the ground meat thoroughly.Beat the egg well and add it to the mixture to make a uniform dough.Add finely chopped green chillies and onion to the dough and mix them well.Shape them into small patties or flat circles as kebabs. Heat ghee and deep fry the kebabs till they become golden brown.Serve with Chilli chutney or any sauce of u'r choice!!

  

Curry Mela by Bachelor Cooking

Onasadya-a small glimpse

I dont think many of us can ever dare to make a complete Ona Sadya which is traditionally an 8 or 9 course sadya with dishes going upto 64!! Well,probably that suited Kerala of the yesterdays with a matriarchal joint family system,where in each family you had dozens of members!!With the growing no. of nuclear family a 9course Ona sadya is just a dream and memories which we can ruminate over....Onam for Keralites is a very democratic festival...people from all walks of life,cast and creed participate in the spirit of Onam...it could be in the form of a sumptuous sadya,a beautiful floral decoration,pookkalam,various games-onakkali or even the rebates and discounts offers which flourish the market or an Onam bonus!!

Malayali's zeal for celebrating onam is best expressed in the age old saying"Kaanam vittum Onam unnanam", which literally translate as, sell even u'r possessions,but celebrate Onam!Onasadya is a real banquet which marks the celebration.It is basically eating rice with umpteen no of curries,side dishes,sweets and savouries....everything vegetarian!

A sadya starts by laying down banana leaf(Thooshanila) with its end facing left.The first item to be served is Salt!Perhaps reminding us of the existential realities of life and a gesture of gratitude.Then comes the different types of 'Upperi',the salty crisps.It could be raw banana,jackfruit,bittergourd(kondattam) or brinjal,spiced and salted, fried in coconut oil.Then comes the Sharkkarapuratti or Sharkaraupperi,which is raw banana fried and coated in spiced jaggery syrup.Different varieties of Achar,pickle follow like lemon,ginger,raw mango,beetroot etc.Then comes the Naaranga curry,which is made using a species of lemon(Maatalanaaranga).Papadam(Papad) and Pazham Nurukku(steamed kerala banana with grated coconut) comes next.Next you have the various Thoran & mezhukkupuratty items,the dry vegetable dishes,made of yam/raw banana/beans/cabbage etc.Now comes Avial,a must in any Sadya,which is an assortment of all vegetables in a coconut curd base..(Seems to have bn invented by Pakkanar of Parayipetta panthirukulam myth).Then follows the various 'Thodukarikal' which include Kichadi/Pachadi, Olan etc.By now steaming hot rice will be served in the middle of the banana leaf with all the other items decorating the border!Now comes 'Ozhichukarikal',the main curries, which include Parippum Neyyum(lentils with ghee)-served first,Erissery made of pumpkin/snake gourd/raw banana etc,Sambar(very likely a cross border influence on Kerala kitchen),Kaalan,Pulissery etc.,Finally comes a small plantain and various sweet porridges or Payasams-Palada/Palpayasam/ParippuPrathaman/ChakkaPrathaman etc.Some have sambaram,spiced butter milk and rasam, after eating payasam.Hot Water, boiled with dried ginger or cumin generally served in any sadya is wonderful for proper digestion....And finally you get up with a big smile on u'r face and a heavy stomach!! Some families have the tradition of lighting a lamp and leaving one banana leaf filled with all dishes for Ganapati before starting the banquet....and as per tradition before starting to eat, each of us are supposed to keep off a very small portion of all the dishes for 'Trikkakkara Appan' or Mahabali,the legendary king of Kerala!! When the delicious spread is all before us, sometimes we forget his share!! :)


Sambar














Sambar is one dish which has plenty of variations.You find a lot of varieties in Sambar from region to region in terms of taste,consistency,ingredients etc like for example, the slightly sweet sambar in some parts of Karnataka which comes with the addition of jaggery.For Keralites generally as

Annita

rightly said, Sambar is a curry which is made to finish of all the vegetables!!I think within Kerala itself u have different varieties of Sambar, like for instance, in the North we add coconut and in the South I have seen that majority do not add coconut.Then you have some variations like

NambooriSambar

where ghee is used, but in most of the common households in Kerala ghee is not added,rather coconut oil is added.So here goes the recipe for Kerala Sambar as made in my home.

Ingredients
Assortment of vegetables~200g(I used 1carrot,1potato,a few beans,1beetroot,1drumstick,4Okhra,1brinjal,1/2onion,a small piece of ash gourd,pumpkin&yam,5Tindora,1raw banana,2Tomato) all chopped into a finger length size.
Garlic-10 pods
Baby shallots-10
Green chilli-3(slitted)
Tamarind paste-1 tsp(as reqd)(If u r using tamarind,soak it in hot water and squeeze out the juice)
Red gram Dal/Tur Dal - 1/4 cup
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp
Ghee/Oil to add with dal - 1/2 tsp (Optional)
Water-as rqd
Sambar Masala
Grated coconut-3tbsp
Pepper corns- 1/2tsp
Dry red chilli-2
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Cumin seed-1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seed-1/4 tsp(slightly less)
Coriander seeds-1 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves-a sprig
Oil-a tsp
Seasoning
Curry leaves-a sprig
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Dry red chilli-2
Asafoetida/Heeng/Kaayam) - a small pinch
Oil/ghee-as rqd

Method
Pressure cook Tur dal,and garlic adding enough water(3/4cup or slightly less) for 3-4 whistles.(Do not add salt before the dal is cooked,for it will delay the cooking)Mash the dal and now add the vegetables,shallots and salt.Cook further (without the whistle)say 5-7 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked.Meanwhile Heat oil in a wok.Saute coriander seeds,pepper corns,turmeric powder,cumin seed,fenugreek seed,dry red chilli and curry leaves together for 2 or 3 minutes or till u get a fine aroma.Keep it separate.In the same wok saute grated coconut till it becomes golden brown.Allow all the ingredients to cool and grind them to a paste adding enough water.Now add this paste to the cooked dal and vegetables,mix well.Add the tamarind paste or juice.Mix well.Add salt if rqd.Now allow it to boil.Once it has boiled prepare the seasoning.Heat oil/ghee in a small wok.Splutter mustard seeds,curry leaves,dry red chilli,and asafoetida powder.Add the seasoning to the Sambar and mix well.Sambar is ready! One cd say that this is a stronger sambar,stronger in flavour,spices and consistency.

Koottucurry















Koottu curry is another popular side dish in any sadya.It is a mixture of vegetables cooked with whole bengal gram.It is one of my most favourite side dish in the sadya.
Ingedients
Whole Bengal gram-1 cup
Chilli powder-1 tsp
Pepper powder-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Cumin seed-1 tsp
Grated coconut-4 tbsp+1 tbsp
Green chilli-2 slitted
Assortment of vegetables like yam,raw banana,potato,pumpkin etc)-100g(cut into small pieces)
Mustard seed-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Copra/Coconut pieces-1/2 cup
Dry red chilli-2
Method
Pressure cook bengal gram adding enough water(~2 1/4 cups) till the gram is cooked well(~5-6 whistles).Now add the vegetables,chillipowder,pepper powder,turmeric powder,green chilli and salt(adding a little water,if rqd) till all the vegetables are cooked.Meanwhile grind 4tbsp coconut with cumin seed to a very coarse paste.Add this paste to the cooked vegetables.Mix well.Cook further till everything forms a thick heavily coated gravy(koottu).Now prepare the seasoning by spluttering mustard,curry leaves,dry red chilli,the copra pieces and 1tbsp grated coconut(coconut should turn golden brown).Now add this seasoning to the koottu and mix well.Koottu curry ready!!
MathanErissery