Monday 31 December 2012

Crab Masala

A Very Tasty and Spicy exotic Sea food.....


Ingredients (Serves 2 to 3 people)

Crab: 3
Onion: 1

Green Chilly: 4 - 5
Crushed Ginger: 2 Table Spoon
Crushed Garlic: 2 Table Spoon
Tomato: 2
Grated Coconut: 1 cup
Red Chilly Powder: 2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Garam masala Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Corriander Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Coconut Oil: 4 Table Spoon
Mustard: 1/4 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves
Corriander Leaves

Cooking Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Method

Clean the crab well and cut into pieces

Pour a table spoon of oil and fry the grated coconut till it becomes light brown in color
Let it cool and grind it to a fine paste
To a pan pour 2 table spoon coconut oil and add crushed ginger and garlic and saute till the raw smell goes
To this add chopped onion and green chillies and saute till the onion cooks well
Now add chopped tomato and saute till the tomato becomes mushy
To this add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, corriander powder and salt and blend well and saute for 3 to 4 minutes
To this add warm water and let it boil
Once it boils  add the cleaned crab and give a good stir and reduce the flame and keep the lid closed for about 6 to 8 minutes

Now add the coconut paste, curry leaves and corriander leaves and allow it to boil.
Once it boils close the lid keep in low flame for 3 more minutes
Pour a table spoon of oil to a pan and add  mustard, once it finishes popping add it to the curry
Serve hot with rice, roti or bread


Note

After cutting the crab cook it soon.
To clean the crab cut the legs and then remove the outer shell and remove the hair like thing.  Cut off the sharp ends of the legs and can use the rest.


Friday 28 December 2012

Gobi Manchurian (Cauliflower Manchurian)

An all time Vegetarian Favorite and also a favorite starter.....

Ingredients (Serves 2 to 3 people)

Cauli flower: 1 Cup
Green Chilly: 2 - 3
Onion: 1
Crushed Garlic: 1 Table Spoon
Soya Sauce: 1 Table Spoon
Chilli Sauce: 2 Table Spoon
Tomato Sauce: 2 Table Spoon

Red Chilli powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Pepper powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Corn flour: 4 Table Spoon
Maida/All purpose flour: 2 Table Spoon
Oil: 2 Table Spoon + For Frying
Salt
Water

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Method

Cut and clean the cauliflower well
To this add red chilly powder, pepper powder, salt, 3 table spoon corn flour and all purpose flour.

Mix all the ingredients well and marinate adding little water and keep aside for 5 to 10 minutes

Deep fry the cauliflower and keep aside

To a pan pour 2 table spoon oil and add crushed garlic and saute for 2 minutes
Then add chopped green chilly and finely chopped onion and saute till onion cooks well
To this add soya sauce, chilly sauce and tomato sauce
Stirr well and keep in low flame
Mix 1 table spoon cornflour in half cup of warm water and add.
Once it boils well add the fried cauliflower.
Stir well and keep on flame till all the sauces get coated on to the cauliflower. 
Serve hot

Note:

As per your taste increase or decrease the amount of chilly sauce.
If you need gravy switch off the flame once you achieve the desired consistency. 
Can garnish with spring onion.
Be careful while adding salt, as the soya sauce is slightly salty.


Wednesday 26 December 2012

Vermicelli Ada

A Variation of authentic Kerala Ada

 Ingredients (Makes 5 to 6 pieces)

Roasted Vermicelli: 200gms
Banana: 2

Grated Coconut: 1 Cup
Sugar: 4 - 5 Table Spoon
Cahewnuts/Raisins: 1 Table Spoon each
Cardamom powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon

All Purpose Flour/Maida: 2 Table Spoon
Water

Requirement : Plantain leaf

Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes
Method

Cook the vermicelli adding water
To this add grated coconut,cashew nuts, raisins chopped banana, sugar, cardamom powder and all purpose flour and mix well

Layer it on a banana leaf and steam for about 6 to 8 minutes

Note:
If you have plain vermicelli slightly roast it before you cook so that the vermicelli wont become mushy

Vermicelli needs very less time for cooking

Increase or decrease the sweetness as per your wish





Tuesday 25 December 2012

Spicy Chatti Pathiri (Spicy Layered Pan Cake)

This is the spicy version of Chatti Pathiri.  To see the sweet version Click here



Ingredients (Serves 6 to 8 people)

First Set of Ingredients

Maida / All purpose flour: 250gms
Vegetable Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Milk: 4- 5 Table Spoon
Water
Salt


Second Set of Ingredients

Egg: 5
Onion: 2
Chicken: 250gms
Crused Ginger: 2 Table Spoon
Crushed Garlic: 2 Table Spoon
Green Chilly: 3 - 4
Red Chilli Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Chicken Masala: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Broken Cashew nuts:  For Garnish
Poppy seeds: For Garnish
Oil: 4 - 5 Table Spoon
Ghee: 2 Table Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Corriander Leaves
Salt
Water


Third Set of Ingredients

Egg: 4
Salt

Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Method

Making Pathiris (Chappatis)

Slightly heat the vegetable oil and add it to the flour and blend in well
To this add milk and then required salt and water and make it to a smooth chappati dough
Cover it with a wet cloth and keep the dough aside for 40 to 45 minutes
Then make it to 10 equal portions and make chappatis out of it
Make sure that the chapatis are almost of the same size and it should be thin
Cook the chapatis and keep it aside.  Do not make it too stiff.  Just a  slight cooking is enough.


Making the filling

Beat 5 eggs mentioned in the second set of ingredients adding salt and 1/2 tea spoon pepper powder
Pour 1 table spoon oil to a pan and slightly fry the cashew nuts and poppy seeds and keep aside
To the same pan pour the egg  mix and scramble it well.
Cook chicken adding salt and 1/2 tea spoon pepper powder and remove the bones (You can prefer cooking boneless chicken pieces)

To another pan pour a little oil and add crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute for some time
now add chopped onion and saute till the onion cooks well
To this add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, chicken masala and salt if required and saute well
Now add the chicken, scrambled egg and corriader leaves and mix.
Divide it to 9 equal portions

Making the coating

Beat 4 eggs mentioned in the third set of ingredients adding a pinch of salt

Layering

Take a heavy bottomed wide and deep vessel.  Good if you use a  flat bottomed vessel.
Pour a little ghee
Place a chapati on top of it.  This is the first layer, on top of it add some  chicken mixture and pour a little egg coating mixture
Dip the second chapati in the egg coating mixture and place it.
Again put some chicken mix,  pour a little egg coating mixture
Repeat the same process with the rest of the chapatis.
Add a little ghee in between the layers
The top layer will be the chapati, now pour the rest of the egg coating mixture, and sprinkle the fried cashew nuts and poppy seeds. (If you feel the egg coating mixture was not sufficient, take 1 or 2 more eggs, add salt and use the same.  But make sure the top layer should be covered with egg coating)
Close the lid of the pan and cook in very low flame.  Make sure that the lid of the pan is intact.
When one side is cooked (approx. 6 to 8 minutes) carefully turn it over and cook the other side







Thursday 6 December 2012

Vazhapindi / Unnikambu Thoran(Stir fried Plantain stem) with Rice flour

Earlier I had posted a recipe on Stir fried plantain stem with green gram. This is another version with rice flour.
 
Ingredients (Serves 4 to 5 people)

Vazhapindi(Plantain stem) chopped: 2 Cups
Turmeric powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Coconut Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Rice: 3 Table Spoon
Whole Black Pepper: 1 Table Spoon
Dried Red Chillies: 4 - 5
Mustard Seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Curry Leaves
Salt
Water

Cooking time: 15 to 20 minutes
Method

Finely chop the vazhapindi(Plantain stem)
Pour oil to a pan and add mustard seeds
Once it finishes popping add dried red chillies and saute till it becomes brown in color
Add chopped vazhapindi, turmeric powder and required salt
Stir well and close the lid and cook in low flame.
No need to add water, only sprinkle little water if required
Dry roast rice and pepper separately
Grind it to a powder.  No need to make it too fine.
Add curry leaves and the rice pepper powder and stir well and switch off the flame
Serve hot with rice

Note:

The vazhapindi(Plantain stem) will be having many layers of outer covering.  All of it has to be removed and only the innermost white part is used for cooking. (As shown in picture)
Plantain Stem
When you chop the vazhapindi(Plantain stem) you can see thread like thing.  Either remove it while you are chopping or once you chop put in water and use a stick and just rotate it.  The thread like thing will come onto the stick
The thread like thing is the fibre, no need to remove it completely.  Only the thick ones to be removed.
Once you chop the vazhapindi(Plantain stem) put it in water, else it will turn black in color.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Chicken Fried Rice

Simple and Delicious. Indian version of Chinese recipe

Ingredients (Serves 3 to 4 people)

Basmati / Biriyani Rice: 2 Cups
Chopped Carrot: 1/4 Cup
Chopped Beans: 1/4 Cup
Chopped Capsicum: 1/4 Cup
Chopped Cabbage: 1/4 Cup
Egg: 2
Chicken Pieces: 1 Cup
Soya Sauce: 2 Table Spoon
Chilli Sauce: 1 Table Spoon
White Pepper Powder: 1/2 Table spoon
Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Spring onion

Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes
Method

Cook the rice adding little salt and keep aside.  (Do not over cook and make it mushy)
Cook the chicken pieces adding salt and white pepper powder.   Remove the bone and cut into small pieces
Scramble the egg adding little salt
To a pan pour oil and add chopped carrots and saute for 2 minutes, then add beans, capsicum and cabbage one by one and saute till it cooks.  (Do not over cook)
To this add chicken and scrambled egg and give a good stir
Now add soya sauce and chilli sauce and blend everything well
Add cooked rice and stirr well.
Garnish with spring onion and serve.
Good combination with Ginger chicken , Chilly Chicken, Garlic chicken etc.

Monday 3 December 2012

Double Layer Creamy Chocolate Pudding

December Special :)

  
 Ingredients (Serves 4 to 5 people)

White Chocolate: 200gms
Dark Chocolate: 50gm
Whipping Cream: 1 Cup
Gelatin: 3 Tea Spoon
Egg: 1
Milk: 2 Cups
Sugar: If Required
Vanilla Essence: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Cold Water: 1/2 Cup

Total Cooking time: 40 to 45 minutes
Method

Double boil the white chocolate and make it a liquid
Soak the gelatin in cold water
When soaked well double boil it and make a smooth liquid
Beat the egg well and to this add 1 ½ cups of milk and blend in well
Add this to the melted white chocolate and stir well
Add vanilla essence
Keep in low flame and stir continuously till the mixture starts to boil
To this add the gelatin liquid
Once it boils well switch off the flame and keep aside for cooling
Pour the whipping cream to a bowl and whip it well using a blender
If you are using whipping powder, pour cold water and whip it well
Once the chocolate milk mixture cools well add the whipped cream and blend it well
Pour this to a setting tray and keep aside
Double boil the dark chocolate and make it a liquid
To this add 1/2 cup of milk and stir well
Keep in low flame and allow it to thicken
Once the white layer sets well, pour the dark chocolate layer on top and keep in fridge(Do not freeze)
Serve cold

Note

Double Boiling
Keep water in a wide vessel and let it boil.  Put the chocolate in a small vessel and keep it on the boiling water and make it a liquid
Before serving put the pudding upside down to a tray if you want the white layer on top or cut and serve with brown layer on top.
I have made the dark chocolate layer as sauce form, if you want to make that too to be thick and  same texture as a pudding you can add gelatin.

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Vazhapindi / Unnikambu Thoran(Stirr fried Plantain stem) with Green Gram

I recently found that not many know this simple and healthy recipe. So here is for you...
 Ingredients (Serves 4 to 5 people)

Vazhapindi (Plantain stem) chopped: 2 Cups
Green Grams: 1 Cup
Grated Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Green chilli: 3 - 4
Shallots: 4 - 5
Garlic: 2 - 3 Cloves
Turmeric powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Coconut Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Dried Red Chilly: 3 - 4
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes
Method

Finely chop the vazhapindi(Plantain stem)
Pour oil to a pan and add mustard seeds
Once it finishes popping add dried red chillies and saute till it becomes brown in color
Add chopped vazhapindi(Plantain stem), turmeric powder and required salt
Stirr well and close the lid and cook in low flame .
No need to add water, only sprinkle little water if required
Cook the green grams.  Do not make it mushy
Crush grated coconut adding green chilly, shallots and garlic
Add curry leaves, crushed coconut mix and cooked green grams to the vazhapindi(Plantain stem) and stir well
Keep in low flame and close the lid and cook till everything mixes well and the coconut gets cooked
Serve hot with rice


Note:

The same recipe you can cook without  green grams.
Instead of green grams you can also use cow peas (Vanpayar) or horse gram (Muthira).

Plantain stem
The vazhapindi(Plantain stem) will be having many layers of outer covering.  All of it has to be removed and only the innermost white part is used for cooking. (As shown in picture)
When you chop the vazhapindi you can see thread like thing.  Either remove it while you are chopping or once you chop put in water and use a stick and just rotate it.  The thread like thing will come onto the stick
The thread like thing is the fibre, no need to remove it completely.  Only the thick ones to be removed.
Once you chop the vazhapindi(Plantain stem) put it in water, else it will turn black in color.