UNNIYAPPAM

Its been ages since I have blogged. After the arrival of the newborn it was tough for me to find time to take pix and post it here. Now that kids are able to handle themselves a bit, I started getting time trying to cook. This recipe a traditional Kerala snack, took no time while I was thinking it takes a ton of your time and energy :D. Yes, I did distribute to my friends and I did get a very good positive feedback. Even from my kids and family :). So here goes...

Ingredients:
Rice Flour - 2 cups
Chukku Podi - 3/4 tsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Banana (Palayamkudam)* - 4 nos (I hope the spelling is right)
Jaggery - 200 gmsWater - 1 cup
Sesame Seeds - 3 tsp
Coconut pieces(thenga kothu) - 3 tbsp
Jeerakam/Jeera - 2 tsp
Ghee - 1/2 tbsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Oil + Ghee - for frying

Preparation:
Take 1 cup water in a pan and add jiggery to it. Keep it on flame for the jaggery to melt.
Meanwhile, grind the banana in a grinder till thick paste. Transfer the grinded banana to a big bowl. To this add in the chukku and cardamom powder. Then add in the rice flour. Now sieve the melted jaggery to the rice flour - banana mix. mix with a ladle while pouring in the melted jaggery slowly in batches. While I made, jaggery liquid was not enough to form the batter. So I added extra milk till I got the batter in the form idli batter. .

(That's my little one reaching for one :D )

In a shallow pan, add in ghee, and fry the coconut pieces, sesame and jeera. Pour this over the mixed batter. Now add the baking soda and cover and let it stay to ferment about 1-2 hours. (I did for 2 hours)

In a 'unniappam chatti', add in ghee in the holes provided. You can even use oil. I mixed ghee with oil. Once the oil is hot add tbsp of batter to each holes. Keep rotating the appams when one side is done. Take out when done to a plate with tissue to drain the excess oil out.

Enjoy while its warm. You will be saying hmmmmmmmm.... ;)

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

NOTES:
In case the small banana (palayakudam) is not available, you can substitute with 2 large robust bananas.

Frying in ghee is purely optional.
 

TUNA PUTTU (STEAMED RICE CAKE WITH TUNA)

Tuna Puttu

Puttu is one of the main dishes of Kerala especially for breakfast. Its very tasty and a filling food and the best combo for this usually are with kadala curry (chana) or with banana and sugar. I somehow never used to like much when i was a kid. but now i simply crave for it now and then :)... This recipe is same as the usual puttu made, except that i added an extra layer of tuna masala.

Ingredients:

For the Tuna :
Canned Tuna in water - 1 tin
Onions- 1 medium chopped finely
Garlic - 1 clove chopped finely (opt)
Ginger - one small piece chopped finely (opt)
Green Chilli - 2 nos chopped finely
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Tumeric Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
Salt if needed

For Puttu:
Chemba Puttu Podi - 1 cup
Coconut grated - little
Salt
Water

Preparation:

For the tuna masala :

Heat little oil in a pan and add in the onions, ginger garlic and green chilli. Saute till onions turn slightly brown in color. Add in the podwers. Saute till raw smell of the powders go and then add in the tuna. Saute till tuna gets fried on low flame and keep aside.

For the Puttu :
Mix in the chemba puttu podi, salt and water. Mix in such a way that you get soft lumps of the mix, at the same if you knock with your finger it falls down. Thats how you will know the mix is proper. If the lumps are too hard you will get a hard output.

In a' puttu kutti' or you can even use coconut shell, put in coocnut grated first then a bit of puttu mix and then tuna. Then again add puttu mix, then tuna and puttu mix and last on top coconut grated. You can do the mixing however you wish. Steam over a pressure cooker till you see steam coming out of puttu kutti's holes. Poke out with a putti kutti stick and VOILA, your tuma puttu is ready :)

Have as it is or with kadala curry or banana :)

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

TIP :
You can use white outtu podi instead of chemba puttu podi.
You can arrange the fillings in whichever way you like it.
I havent used the optional items for the above mix. You can add in for more flavour and taste.

FISH BIRIYANI

Fish Biriyani

This is always a big hit and favourite of all people in my house :).. One of another famous chef Sanjeev Kapoors recipe and sure gonna be liked by all if you cook this :)....This was one of another easter special lunch for us. Do try and you will know the difference in cooking the Sanjeev Kapoors way :)

Ingredients:
King Fish - 700gm

For Marination :
Chilli Powder - 1tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Lime - 1/2 no
Salt

For the Gravy :

Onions : 4-5 nos big sliced
green chilli - 2-3 nos chopped
ginger galric paste - 1 tbsp
Tomato - 1 big cut into four
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Garam masala - 2 tsp
Salt

Rice - 3 cups
Bay leaf - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamom - 2 nos
Water

For final Garnishing:
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Nuts - 6-7 pieces roasted in ghee
Raisins - 9-10 nos roasted in ghee
Safrron a pinch (soaked in warm water)
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Mint Leaves - 1/2 cup

Wash and Soak the rice in water for 1 hour.

Meanwhile marinate the fish and keepa side for 30 mins and fry in 1/2 cup oil. In the same oil add in the onions and green chilli and saute for 2 mins. Then add in the ginger garlic paste and saute till onions turn slight brown in color. Then add in the sliced tomato, coriander and mint leaves, garam masala and salt.Saute for 3-5 mins. Add in the fish pieces and cook for a minute and then add in 1/2 cup water and cook till gravy thickens and keep aside.

Once the rice is soaked for desired time, drain and roast for 5 mins in ghee in a pan. then add in water, salt, bayleaf, cinnamon and cardamom and cook till rice is done. Then in a big round vessel, rub ghee on the bottom of vessel and sides and add one layer of rice and then in another layer fish and masala. In bettwen add in safrron water here and there. Then add another layer of rice, then fish, then again rice.Again sprinkle saffron water. On top, sprinkle roasted nuts and raisins, and coriander leaves and mint leaves. Finally sprinkle the garam masala and cover tightly and cook over low flame for 15-20 mins.

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

FISH FRY - SARDINES (Mathi)

Fish Fry

I dont have to mention how special it will be to have a fish fry with rice in afternoon or dinner. The name of fish fry itself will make us drool .
For this recipe I have used Mathi (sardines) here. You can use any fish for frying.

Ingredients:
Mathi – 15 nos

Clean the fish properly using salt and cut slits in between and keep aside.

For masala:
Chillie powder - 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 5 nos
Lime juice - 1/2
Salt – to taste
Oil
(green chillie – 1 no can be used if needed)
 
Preparation:
Grind all the masala ingredients to a paste in a grinder. with sufficeint water. paste the masala on the fish and marinate it for atleast 20-30 mins.


In a pan, put oil. Once hot, shallow fry the fish. You can garnish it with onion rings and curry leaves.

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

CHEMEEN VARATTIYATHU (Prawns dry dish)

Chemeen Varattiyathu

 

Prawns is one of my favourite dish which i cnanot avoid especially if its home made :).. When I was pregnant I used to crave for a prawn dish. But since I was working at that time I couldnt get enough time to clean for hours and then make it. I used to feel sad that no one was there to make it for me at times. But then now I m proud that I went through all of it alone and am a proud mom :)..


I made this recipe on behalf of my dear friend bloggers Tina and Reshmi. They are expecting their bundle of joy and I would like to take this oppurtunity to show my happiness for their joy yet to come :)..


Tina, Reshmi, I m not sure whether u like prawns or not.... But this is for u guys :)




Ingredients:


Prawns - 1 kg
Shallots - approx of 20-25 nos chopped
Green Chilli - 3-4 nos slit
Ginger chopped - a big piece
Garlic chopped - 4 big cloves
Coconut pieces - 1/4 cup (tengakottu)
Gamboge - 1 piece (kudampulli)
Curry leaves - 3 strings
Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut Oil - 1tbsp




For Masala Powder:


Fennel Seeds - 1 tbsp (perinjeerakam)
Pepper corns - 1/2 tbsp
Cinnamon sticks - 4 nos small
Clove - 1 no
Green Cardamom - 1 no


For Mariantion:


Masala powder
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 lemon




Preparation :


Grind the masala and mix in with the prawns along with turmeric powder and lemon juice. Keep aside for 20 - 30 mins.


Keep the pulli in water to get softened.
In a pan, heat oil, then add in the onions, green chilli, ginger and garlic and saute till onions become transparent. Add in all the powders and saute till oil leaves the sides and then add in the coconut slices and curry leaves. Combine well and add in the marianted prawns. to calen the leftover masala add a bit water and put into the mix. Put in the pulli only and cover and cook on low flame till prawns are cooked.Then open lid and cook on low flame till dry and roasted. Simple and tasty isnt??

Cheers,


Neetz ;)

FISH CURRY (KOTTAYAM STYLE)

Fish Curry

Fish Curry is one of the most traditional and adored dish in all pasts of Kerala. Me, basically from kottayam,  alway thought that fish curry in central past of kerala always had a unique and superb taste :).. So here is the recipe to fish in curry in tanni achayathi style :)


Ingredients :


King fish : 6-7 smallpieces (approx 300 gm)
Curry Leaves : 2 strings
Tamarind(kokum) : 2-3 pieces (vallan pulli)
Small Onions : 1 1/2 cups (sliced or chopped)
Garlic : 4 big cloves sliced or chopped
Ginger : a medium piece sliced or chopped
Chillie Powder : 1 1/2 tbsp
Coriander Powder : 3/4 tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Powder : 1 tsp (uluva podi)
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Salt
Coconut Oil


Preparation :


Wash the fish properly and put in the curry leaves and tamraind and close the lid and keep aside. Meanwhile chopp all the other ingredients and in a pan, once pan is hot add oil and add in the mustard seeds. Once seeds splutter add in the ginger and garlic and saute for about 1 min and then ad in the onions. Saute till onions are lightly brown in color. Then add in the all the powders and saute till the raw smell leaves and the mixture will be now dark in color. Switch off the flame and add the mixture into the fish which was kept aside. Now add water till almost the top of fish and cook on medium flame covered till the fish get s cooked. Then open the lid and add salt and cook till done and the water reaches your consistency.
Serve hot wth rice :)

Cheers
Neetz ;)