Sunday 28 December 2014

Grilled Chicken

Have to try this !!!!!!!!!!
Ingredients

Chicken: 6 big pieces (Almost 1kg)
Oil/Butter: 1 Table Spoon (Optional)
Water

For Marination
Garlic Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Ginger Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Onion Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Kashmiri Chilly Powder: 2 Table Spoon
Red Chilly Powder: 2 Table Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Yogurt: 3 Table Spoon
Lime Juice: 2 Table Spoon
Oil : 2 Table Spoon
Salt

Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Method

Mix all the ingredients mentioned under for marination.  Add water as required and make it a paste
Make gashes on the chicken pieces
Marinate the chicken pieces well and keep in fridge for 1 day.  If not for at least 3 to 4 hours
Preheat the oven to 200 C
Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on the rack and place it in the oven

Reduce the temperature to 180 C and grill the chicken for approx 30 to 40  minutes.
Flip the chicken pieces in regular interval and apply butter or oil on top of it at the same time
Serve hot..

Note:
Adjust the spice level accordingly
The time of cooking may differ in different ovens. So you be the judge.
It is always good to marinate and keep the chicken for 24 hours in fridge.
Can use ginger and garlic paste instead of powder.

Thursday 25 December 2014

Chowari Payasam / Sago Payasam / Sabudana Kheer

Yummyyyyyyyyy !!!!
Ingredients

Chowari/Sago/Sabudana/Tapioca Pearls: 1 Cup
Water: 3 Cups
Milk: 3 Cups
Sugar: 8 Table Spoon
Saffron: A few strands soaked in 1 table spoon of milk
Cashew nuts and Raisins fried in ghee: Optional

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Method

Soak chowari in 2 cups of water till it swells up and becomes soft ( 3 to 4 hours)
To a pan pour milk, 1 cup of water and sugar and mix well
Drain water from the soaked chowari and add it to the milk mix and cook on medium flame
Keep stirring and cook for about 20 minutes. By the time the mixture will start to thicken and chowari will be cooked well
Switch off the flame and add soaked saffron to it and combine well
Can add cashew nuts and raisins fried in ghee if you wish to
Keep aside and let it cool
Serve cold

Note:
Increase or decrease the sugar as per your wish
Can add condensed milk if you like it to be more sweet
At the end can add a pinch of cardamom powder or 2 to 3 drops of rose water
I personally like adding rose water and without cashew nuts and raisins.
I also add little evaporated milk at the end to give it that light pink color.

Sunday 21 December 2014

Kadala Koottucurry

Try this for the next Sadya!!!

Ingredients

Black Chickpea / Kadala: 1 Cup
Elavan (Ash guard): 1 Cup
Pachakkaya (Raw banana): 1 Cup
Chena(Yam): 1 Cup
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Black Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Grated Coconut: 1 ½ Cup
Green Chilly: 2 - 3
Mustard Seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Coconut Oil: 2 - 3 Table Spoon
Dried Red Chilly: 2 - 3
Curry Leaves
Salt: As Required
Water: As Required

Cooking Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Method

Soak kadala over night in water
Cook the kadala well
Boil sliced elavan(ashguard) and pachakkaya(raw banana) and chena (yam) adding turmeric powder, red chilly powder and salt
Once this cooks well add the cooked kadala
Grind together 1 cup of grated coconut and green chilly.  Do not make it a fine paste only crush
Add the coconut mix to the kadala and vegetable mix
Blend well and allow to boil
Once boiled add curry leaves and mix well

Pour coconut Oil to a pan, add mustard seeds and once this pops, add dried red chilly and 1/2 cup of coconut
Roast till the coconut becomes light brown in color.
Switch off the flame and then add pepper powder and mix it well.
Add this to the koottucurry
Serve hot with rice.
Note:
Adjust spice levels accordingly
Some people add a piece of jaggery at the end. As for me personally, when i make koottucurry with chana dal i add jaggery, but when i make with kadala i dont add jaggery.
To see the recipe for koottucurry with chana dal click here

Wednesday 17 December 2014

Masala Paneer

For the Vegans!!!!

Ingredients

Paneer Cubes: 250 gms
Onion: 1
Tomato: 1
Chilly Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Chilly Flakes: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Garam Masala Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Coriander Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Sunflower Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Crushed Ginger & Garlic: 1 Table Spoon
Salt
Coriander Leaves

Cooking Time: 25 Minutes

Method

Marinate paneer with Chilly flakes, 1/2 tea spoon garam masala powder and salt.

Keep it for 10 to 15 minutes
To a pan pour 2 table spoon of oil and add crushed ginger and garlic to it
Saute for 3 to 5 minutes and then add chopped onion to it

Once the onion cooks well add chopped tomato and saute till tomato cooks well and oil starts to leave

Reduce the flame and add chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, 1/2 tea spoon garam masala powder and salt
Saute well till the raw smell of the masala is gone
Now add the marinated paneer and cook in low flame with lid closed
Stir in between and keep on flame for about 10 to 15 minutes in low flame or till the paneer gets well coated in the masala
Add coriander leaves and switch off the flame
Serve hot with roti or naan.
Note
After adding the paneer stir carefully, else paneer might break
Or you can shallow fry the paneer before adding to the gravy.
Adjust the spice levels as per your taste buds

Tuesday 16 December 2014

Crispy Chicken Strips

Have it as a Starter or a Snack.....


Ingredients

Boneless Chicken: 300 gram (Preferably breast piece)
Pepper Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Lemon: 1
Plain Corn Flakes: 1 Cup
Maida/All Purpose Flour: 3 Table Spoon
Egg: 1
Red chilly flakes: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Italian Seasoning: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Salt
Oil:  For Frying

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Method

Cut the chicken into strips and marinate with pepper powder, salt and lime juice

Keep this in fridge for at least 15 minutes

Put the corn flakes to a cover seal it and crush it with a rolling pin

To this add all purpose flour, chilly flakes, Italian seasoning and salt and mix well

Whip the egg and add it to the chicken and mix well
Coat each strip with the corn flakes mix and deep fry in oil
Serve hot..


Note:
Adjust spice levels as per your needs
Before frying make sure the oil is heated well. Then reduce the flame and add chicken strips.

Saturday 13 December 2014

Avoli Pollichathu / Black Pomfret wrapped in Banana leaf

For the fish lovers....
Ingredients

Avoli fish: 4 Slices ( If the fish is small to medium size you can use whole fish)
Shallots: 1 Cup
Chopped Garlic: 2 Table Spoon
Chopped Ginger: 1 Table Spoon
Chopped Green Chilly: 3 - 4
Tomato: 1
Red Chilly Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Coriander Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Coconut milk: 1/2 Cup
Coconut oil : 3 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

Requirements

Banana Leaf / Aluminium foil
Steamer

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Method

Marinate the fish with 1/2 tea spoon red chilly powder, 1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder and salt
Keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes
Pour coconut oil to a pan and fry the fish for about 5 minutes by flipping sides as necessary.

Remove fish on to a plate and to the same pan add chopped ginger and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes
Then add chopped shallots and saute till shallots cooks

Reduce the flame and add 1/2 tea spoon chilly powder, 1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and salt
Saute till the raw smell of the spices is gone.
Now add chopped tomato and  cook well
Add curry leaves and pour coconut milk and keep on flame until the mixture is completely dry and oil starts to leave
Wrapping
Put some of this mixture on the banana leaf/ aluminium foil

Place the fish on top of it

Now put some more of the masala mix on top, spread well and fold the banana leaf / aluminium foil

Fold the banana leaf/aluminium foil to wrap the fish completely else the masala might come out.  If using banana leaf tie it with a twine.

Steam this for about 10 to 15 minutes..

Serve it hot with rice..
Note:

Do not over fry the fish.
This recipe is mostly done with Karimeen / Pearl Spot fish.  But you can also try it with Tilapia, King fish, Salmon, Mackerel etc..
I have personally tried with Mackerel and Sardine.  Comes out very good.
After wrapping the fish in banana leaf in some recipes i have seen they fry it in oil or toast it on a pan.
You can try those variations too
You can  also try marinating the fish with pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt without adding red chilly powder.
Instead of tomato you can add lime juice also
As you all know wrapping in banana leaf gives the dish a unique flavor but as in some places where banana leaves are not easily available use aluminium foil.  I have always used aluminium foil to make this dish.
If using banana leaf wash the banana leaf well and wipe out water from it.  Place the banana leaf on low flame for a few seconds on each side so that it looses stiffness and becomes flexible so that while wrapping it wont tear. Be careful that you don't burn the leaf.

Wednesday 10 December 2014

Ulli Theeyal / Shallots in tangy fried coconut gravy

A Perfect combination with steamed rice !!!

Ingredients

Shallots/Cheriya ulli: 1 Cup
Tamarind: 1 Gooseberry size
Grated Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Dried red chilly: 4 - 5
Coriander Seeds:1 Table Spoon
Cumin seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Black pepper corns: 6 - 8
Asafoetida: A Small Piece or 2 pinch of  asafoetida powder
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Turmeric powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Coconut oil : 4 - 5 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

For Seasoning

Coconut oil: 2 Table Spoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Dried Red Chilly: 2 - 3

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Method
Chop the shallots and keep aside. No need for fine chopping


Soak tamarind in water and keep side
To a pan pour 2 table spoon coconut oil and add dried red chilly, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper corns, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds and saute for 2 minutes.


To this add grated coconut and fry till the coconut becomes light brown in color
Make sure you roast everything in medium heat.
Let this cool a bit and grind it to a fine paste adding enough water


To a pan add 1 table spoon of coconut oil and saute the shallots for 5 to 6 minutes
Squeeze the tamarind well and add the water to the shallots
To this add turmeric powder and salt and allow it to cook well
Add the coconut paste with enough water and allow it to boil well
Add curry leaves and reduce the flame and allow it to boil for another 4 or 5 minutes and then switch off the flame


Pour coconut oil to a pan and add mustard seeds and once it finishes spluttering add dried red chilly and allow it to change color
Now pour this on top of the theeyal
Enjoy with a cup of steamed rice.


Note
Adjust the spice levels as per your taste
Add water as per the thickness required for the gravy
You can add a few curry leaves while frying coconut also
Can make variations using Bitter gourd, Yam, Brinjal, Ladies finger etc
Can substitute coriander seeds and dried red chilly with coriander powder and red chilly powder. But add it only after the coconut is fried well. 

Sunday 23 March 2014

Easy Chicken Cake..

For everyone who loves Malabar dishes!!!

Ingredients

All purpose flour/Maida: 5 table spoon
Egg : 2
Chicken breast: 1
Onion: 1
Green chilli : 2
Crushed ginger: 1/2 table spoon
Crushed garlic: 1/2 table spoon
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tea spoon
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tea spoon
Pepper powder: 1 tea spoon
Coriander powder: 1/2 tea spoon
Oil: 1 table spoon
Ghee: 1 table spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves
Coriander leaves

Cooking times 20 to 30 minutes
Method

Cook chicken adding 1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder and 1/2 tea spoon pepper powder required salt and water
Once the chicken is cooked shred it into bite size pieces removing the bones. Do not put in a mixer and mince the chicken
Do not throw  the water in which the chicken is cooked. 
To a pan pour 1 table spoon of oil and add crushed ginger, garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes
To this add finely chopped green chilly and onion and saute till the onion cooks well
Now add a pinch of turmeric powder, red chilly powder , coriander powder and required salt
Saute till the raw smell of the masala is gone
Now add the cooked chicken and mix well

Add chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves and keep the mix aside
In a blender put maida, 2 eggs, little salt and pour some of the water in which the chicken was cooked
Blend it well and make it to a thick and smooth batter. Do not add more water and make the batter runny
Pour this batter to the chicken mix and mix well
To a round medium sized pan add the ghee and spread it well to the sides also
To this add the mix and close the lid  and cook in low flame 
After 8 to 10 minutes slowly turn it around and cook for another few more minutes
Serve warm