Thursday 30 July 2015

Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lets make some yummy cookies....
Ingredients

All Purpose flour/Maida: 2 Cups
Butter: 1/2 Cup (In room temperature)
Powdered Sugar: 1/2 Cup
Baking Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: 1/2 Cup
Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: 4 Table Spoon
Orange Zest: 1/2 Table Spoon
Salt: 1 pinch

Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Method

Preheat the oven to 150 C
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and keep aside
In a bowl beat powdered sugar and butter until it becomes fluffy
Add orange juice, orange zest and combine well
Now add the sifted flour mix and fold in gently
Use your hands and knead it to a smooth dough
Add chocolate chips and mix well

Roll out small gooseberry sized balls out of the dough and roll it well and press it slightly with your palms
Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top. (Optional)
Arrange the cookies on a baking tray and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes at 150 C

Remove from oven and let it cool well
Serve with tea or coffee.

Note:
While keeping the cookies for baking leave some space in between as cookies will expand while baking
Baking time may vary depending on the oven, so adjust it accordingly

Monday 27 July 2015

Konju / Chemmeen Theeyal (Prawns in tangy fried coconut gravy)

Another favorite delicacy in Kerala Cuisine!!!
Ingredients

Prawns: 250 gms
Shallots/Cheriya ulli: 10 - 12 nos
Tamarind: 1 Gooseberry size
Turmeric powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Coconut oil : 1 - 2 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves
For Roasting
Coconut Oil: 1 - 2 Table Spoon
Grated Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Dried red chilly: 4 - 5
Coriander Seeds:1 Table Spoon
Fennel seeds/Perumjeerakam: 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
For Seasoning
Coconut oil: 1- 2 Table Spoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Coconut Pieces: 1/2 Table Spoon(Optional)
Dried Red Chilly: 2 - 3

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Method

Clean and wash the prawns
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, fennel 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 little water
To a pan add 1 table spoon of coconut oil and saute the shallots for 2 minutes
Squeeze the tamarind well and add the water to the shallots
To this add cleaned prawns, turmeric powder and salt and allow it to cook well (4 to 5 minutes)
Add the coconut paste with enough water and let it boil
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 coconut pieces
Saute till the coconut pieces turn light brown in color and then dried red chilly and saute for few more seconds
Now pour this on top of the theeyal
Enjoy with a cup of steamed rice, or appam, chapathi, pathiri etc

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 substitute coriander seeds and dried red chilly with coriander powder and red chilly powder. But add it only after the coconut is fried well.

Saturday 25 July 2015

Chuttaracha Chammanthi / Roasted Coconut Chutney

Chuttaracha Chammanthi, Pappadam and Kanji.......
Ingredients

Grated Coconut: 1 Cup
Shallots: 5
Garlic Cloves: 3
Ginger: 1 Small Piece
Dried Red Chilly: 5
Tamarind: Small Gooseberry size
Oil: 1 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves: 1 Sprig

Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Method

To a pan pour oil and add shallots, garlic, ginger, dried red chilly and curry leaves
Saute on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes
To this add grated coconut and saute on medium flame for another 5 more minutes
Add salt and let it cool
Once cooled put the mixture to mixer along with tamarind and grind it
Add little water if needed
Serve with hot rice gruel.

Thursday 23 July 2015

Shawaya Chicken / Whole Grilled Chicken / Rotisserie Chicken

Another Arabic Delicacy!!!
Ingredients

Whole Chicken(with skin): 1 (Approx 1 kg)
Butter: 1 Table Spoon
For Marination
Onion: 1
Tomato: 1
Green Chilly: 1
Olive Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Chat Masala: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Kashmiri Chilly Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Lime Juice: 3 Table Spoon
Yogurt: 3 Table Spoon
Chopped Ginger: 2 Table Spoon
Chopped Garlic: 2 Table Spoon
Salt

Preparation Time: Over night
Cooking Time: 1 Hour
Method

Clean and wash  the chicken well
Using a fork or knife prick the chicken on all sides
Grind all the ingredients mentioned under for marination and make a fine paste
Add the paste to the chicken and marinate well.  Cover and keep in fridge overnight.  (Do not freeze)
Take the chicken from fridge and keep it out for 5 minutes
Preheat the oven to 180 degree
Use tooth pick or wooden skewers and fix the legs and wings together(Optional)
Skew the chicken on to the rotisserie, tighten the clamps and grill it for 30 minutes
Then carefully take the chicken out of the oven and spread little butter or olive oil and keep it back in the oven and grill for another 30 minutes
Serve hot with kuboos or pita bread along with hummus or garlic sauce and salad

Note:
For the recipe of hummus click here
Baking time may vary depending on the oven.
After marinating the chicken put it in a zip lock pouch and keep in fridge.
As i was running short of yogurt I used laban instead of yogurt, that`s why my marination looks little watery.

Tuesday 21 July 2015

Banana Chocolate chip Muffins

Have these muffins for breakfast, dessert or snack!!!!
Ingredients

Ripe Banana: 3 Medium size
All Purpose flour: 1 ½ Cup
Powdered Sugar : ½ Cup
Butter: ½ Cup (In room temperature)
Baking Powder: ½ Tea Spoon
Egg: 1
Vanilla Essence: ½ Tea Spoon
Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: ½ Cup
Salt: 1 Pinch

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Method

Mash the banana using a fork
Preheat the oven at 200 C
Beat butter and sugar well
To this add egg and mix
Add mashed banana, flour, baking powder, salt and combine well
Add choco chips and vanilla essence. (Keep a few chocolate chips to sprinkle on top)
Fold in the chocolate chips into the batter
Grease the muffin tray or line it with paper liner. (I have used individual muffin cups)
Fill the cups 3/4 full with batter and sprinkle few chocolate chips on top
Bake for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes check by inserting a wooden skewer or tooth pick in the center.  If it comes out clean then the muffins are ready.
Take out the muffins from the oven and let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack
Serve as breakfast, or snack or dessert

Note:
Cooking time may vary depending on the oven, so adjust it accordingly
The muffins are not too sweet, if you wish to make it more sweet increase the amount of sugar or chocolate chips

Friday 17 July 2015

Ayala Pollichathu / Mackerel Wrapped in Banana Leaf

For today`s Lunch!!!!!
Ingredients

Ayala / Mackerel: 2
Shallots: 1/2 Cup
Chopped Garlic: 2 Table Spoon
Chopped Ginger: 1 Table Spoon
Chopped Green Chilly: 3 - 4
Tomato: 1
Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Coriander Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Fennel Seeds:1/2 Tea Spoon (Optional)
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

Clean the fish and make gashes on it.
Marinate the fish with turmeric powder, pepper 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
Slightly crush the fennel seeds and add it
Reduce the flame and add chilly powder, coriander 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 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 etc..
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
Instead of tomato you can add lime juice
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 15 July 2015

Boondhi Laddu

A famous Indian Sweet!!!
Ingredients

Gram flour/Kadala Podi: 1 Cup
Sugar: 1 Cup
Water: 1/2 Cup + 1/2 Cup
Cardamom Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Oil: For Deep Frying
Permitted food color Orange/Yellow: 1 Pinch (Optional)
Raisins(fried in ghee): few

Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Method

Add sugar and 1/2 cup water to a pan and boil till it becomes one thread consistency
Once the consistency is achieved remove from fire. (Refer notes about one thread consistency)
Keep the sugar on hot water bath as the sugar syrup has to be warm while adding the boondhis
Make a smooth batter with gram flour and water. (If using food color add that too)
The batter should neither be too thick or thin.
It should have a flowing consistency.
Heat oil in a wide kadai and make it moderately hot
Drop little gram flour batter into the oil.  If the batter comes up steadily onto the surface of the oil its perfectly hot to make the boondhis.
Take a perforated laddle and hold it above the oil
Pour a spoon full of batter to the laddle
You can see the batter dropping as boondhis to the oil
Fry the boondhi for a minute and then drain them out of the oil
Make all the boondhis the same way
Keep adding the boondhis to the sugar syrup
Add cardamom powder and fried raisins and mix well
Apply some oil/ghee on your palms and shape the laddus. ( Make sure the mixture is warm )
Note:
How to check one thread consistency of sugar syrup
When the sugar syrup is boiling dip a wooden spatula in the syrup and then remove it
Wait for a few seconds and then touch the sugar syrup on the spatula with your forefinger and then slowly touch the forefinger with your thumb and then pull apart gently
If you see a single thread is formed without breaking then the sugar syrup has achieved the correct texture

Monday 13 July 2015

Potato Cheese Balls

Lets make a Kids Favorite starter...
Ingredients

Potato: 2
Onion: 1
Chopped Ginger: 1/2 Table Spoon
Green Chilly: 2
Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Garam Masala Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Bread Crumbs: 1/2 Cup
Corn Flour: 1 Table Spoon
Oil: 2 Table Spoon + For Deep frying
Mozzarella Cheese: 1/2 cup
Salt
Water
Coriander Leaves

Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Method

Boil and mash the potatoes
To a pan pour 2 table spoon of oil and add finely chopped ginger and green chilly
Saute for 2 to 3 minutes and then add finely chopped onion
Saute till the onion cooks
Reduce the flame and add pepper powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt
Saute on low flame till the raw smell of the spices is gone
Now add the mashed potatoes,coriander leaves and combine well
Let the mixture cool
Mix corn flour in 1/4 cup of water and keep aside
Take small portions of the mixture and flatten it into small disc and place some cheese in the center
Now carefully roll it to small balls
Dip each ball in the corn flour mix and roll it in bread crumps
Preheat the oil well and then reduce the flame to medium
Fry the balls until it becomes golden brown in color
Drain it on to a kitchen towel
Serve hot with tomato sauce or coriander chutney