BIRDS EYE CHILLI PICKLE/VELLA KANTHARI ACHAR

VELLA KANTHAARI ACHAR

This recipe was adapted from my mother in law when she came to Dubai for the first time with us. I must say that she is a very good cook especially with Achars and Namkeens :).

Ingredients:
Birds Eye Chilli/Kanthari Mullakku - 145 pieces ( I forgot to see the weight so ended up counting them)
Small Lemons - 6 nos
Garlic - 1 full head ( I had around 11 cloves)
Ginger - approx. length of your palm
Turmeric Powder - <1 p="" tsp="">Kayam/Asoefetida - 2 big pinch
Fenugreek Seeds - 1.25 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Sesame Oil - 200-250 ml
Vinegar - 5 tbsp.
Warm Water - 1/4 cup
Salt


Preparation:

Steam the lemons in a steamer till they are soft. Dry them and slice them in four and again into half. If you cut a lemon by this method, you will get 8 pieces.

Wash the chillis and dry them properly. Slit them through the middle keeping the head of the chilli intact. This is to make the spiciness seep through the oil liquids.

Wash, dry and slice in strips, the garlic and ginger.

Heat oil in a kadai/cheenachatti. Once hot, add in the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add in the fenugreek seeds and kaayam. As soon as seeds change slightly in color add in the sliced ginger garlic and saute till they wilted slightly. Then add in the slit chillis and turmeric powder and saute in oil for about 5-7 mins. You can see that chillis gets bigger in size (more like swelling). Add in the sliced lemons and saute further for 5 mins. Switch off flame and add salt, vinegar, water. Once cooled store in a tight container and can be used after a week. Enjoy with kanji, rice or even rotis :)

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

Notes:
There is basically not much right or wrong about this pickle. You can add in the ingredient quantities according to your wish if you have made achars before. Beginners, you will get there for sure :)
 

Button Idli Sambar aka Mini idli dipped in sambar

Ingredients:

For Button idlis:
Idli rice - 1 cup
Urad dal - 1 cup

Preparation:
Soak the rice and urad dal in separate bowls for 6-8 hours. Grind them in a mixie or stone grinder with little water, The batter should be slightly thicker than dosa batter. Mix and keep them in warm place to ferment for a minimum of 8 hours. Add salt once fermented. Spoon them into idli moulds that is greased with oil. Steam them for 10 mins or till done. Spoon them out once little cold. Or you can dip spoon in cold water and take hot idles out :).

For Sambar:
Toor dal - 1.5 cup
Shallots/sambar onions - 10 nos sliced thinly
Tomato - 1large chopped finely
Tamarind -a small lemon size soaked in 1/4 cup water
Potato - 1 medium cut into small cubes
Carrot - 1medium cut  into small cubes
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 2 tsp ( I used eastern)
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - half handful
Salt to taste
Oil

To roast & grind:
Coconut grated - 2.25 tbsp
Chana dal - 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1.25 tsp
Red chilly - 3 nos
Curry leaves - 7 leaves
Asafoetida - a pinch

Preparation:

Roast all the ingredients on low flame (under the grind ingredients). Then grind them in grinder when cooled.

Meanwhile pressure toor dal in almost 3 cups water till done. Then mash them nicely with back of the spoon. Keeping the dal to further boil, add in the vegetables.

Meanwhile, in a pan add a tsp of oil and to this add mustard seeds. Once seeds splutter, add in the onions and sauté. Once light, add in tomato and add a bit salt for faster cooking. Cook till tomato gets smashed. Then add in the turmeric powder, sambar powder. Sauté till oil starts leaving sides.

Crush the tamarind in soaked water with fingers to remove the pulp from seeds. Then add the pulp paste to the dal mix. Now add the onion mix sautéd to the dal mixture. Stir. Finally add in the roasted powdered masala and stir nicely. Add salt per taste. The consistency of sambar should not be too thick. A little thin will be right. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serving:
Serve in a bowl with mini idlis soaked in hot sambar.

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

MUTTON BIRIYANI (My Way)

Mutton Biriyani (serves 2-3)

Ingredients:


Marination:
Mutton - 1/2 kg
Curd - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt


For Pressure cook:
Marinated mutton
Water - 1/4 cup


For Masala:
Onion - 1 large grinded to paste
Ginger-garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
Tomato - 1 medium grinded to paste
Cashew nuts - 4 nos soaked in milk for atleast 30 mins. (optional)
Green chilli - 3 nos
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup
Salt

For frying

Onion - 1 large sliced thinly

For Rice:
Basmati Rice - 1 bowl (measure of a normal 4.5" rice bowl)
Cardamom - 2 nos
Bayleaf - 1 no
Clove - 3 nos
Star anise - 1 no
Cinnamon Stick - 1 no
Salt

Pudina leaves - 1 cup
Rose water
Ghee

Preparation:

Marinate the mutton pieces once cleaned well with all the ingredients mentioned under marination, for atleast an hour. (I kept for 2 hours)

Then in a pressure cooker, add water and rest of ingredients mentioned under pressure cook and cook for 3-4 whistles.

Meanwhile cut all the ingredients for masala and grind then one by one. Grind greenchilli and coriander together and set aside. Gind tomato and cashew and keep aside. Likewise, onion paste too.

In a pan, add about 4 tbsp oil and add onion paste. Saute till it turns light brown in color and then add ginger garlic paste Saute till brown in color and then add green chilli - coriander paste and saute for 2-3 mins. Then add cashew-tomato paste and saute till oil starts leaving the sides. Then add the masala powders one by one and saute till oil starts leaving the sides again. Then pick only the pressure cooked mutton pieces (leaving the stock behind) and add to the masala mix. Then add coconut milk and cook covered till all the water is evaporated and you get a thick dry gravy. Now you have the mutton pieces ready.

Soak rice for 20 mins and in a deep pan add the soaked rice, the spices and little salt and then instead of water add the mutton stock that we got in the pressure cooker. Measure of rice to water will be 1 cup of rice to 2 full cups of water (take water in the same cup you measured rice). Measure the stock first and rest add water to it. Boil till water is evaporated and rice if half boiled. Now rice is ready.

While rice is being done you can slice the 1 large onion and fry in batches till golden brown in color and drain in tissue. Cut pudina leaves and keep aside.

Now for the arrangement:
Rub ghee on the base of the dish and layer first with rice. Then on top layer with mutton pieces and on top pudina and fried onions. The again on top layer with rice again and finally pudina and fried onions again. Since quantity was less I got only 2 layer of rice with mutton in middle. Drizzle drops od rose water on top of the rice and add few drop of ghee too here and there. Cover with a aluminium foil and bake at preheated oven 190C for about 30 mins.

BIRIYANI JUST OUT OF OVEN

For non-oven users, you can arrange the dish as said above and cover with a tight lid and then coverig the edges with a dough or masking tape. Then on very low flame, dum for about 1 hour.

Serve warm with Onion raita, achar and pappad :)..

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

NAADAN MUTTON ROAST (Weekend Special)

Mutton Roast Kerala Style

Ingredients:

Mutton - 1/2 kg
Onion - 2 medium sliced
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Green chilli - 3 sliced
Chilli Powder - 1.5 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Fennel Powder - a large pinch
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt
Small Onions - 8 nos sliced
Curry Leaves - 2 springs
Coconut pieces sliced - 1/2 cup
Coconut Oil

Preparation:

Clean, wash and drain the mutton pieces.

Make a paste of all the powders and keep aside.

In a pan add around 3 tbsp oil and once hot add sliced onions and saute till light pink color. Then add in the ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes. Add in the green chilli and saute further for a min or two. Now add the powder paste and saute on low flame till oil starts leaving the sides. Add in the washed mutton pieces and pour in 1/2 cup water, salt and cook covered till done. It took for me almost an hour over medium flame. You will get cooked pieces with minimum water. Optionally to cook faster you can add 1/4 cup water, salt and pressure cook for almost 5 whistles till done. I feel cooking covered gives even more tastier dish :).

Once done, inn a pan add 2 tbsp oil. To this add onions, and coconut pieces. Saute till onions turn light brown color. Then add curry leaves and add the cooked mutton pieces. Roast till almost all the water is evaporated and dry and the end product will be in a roasted form.

Serve with Rice, chappati, or any traditional kerala breakfast dishes :)

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

NAADAN CHICKEN CURRY



Naadan Chicken Curry (Kerala chicken curry)

Ingredients:

Chicken - 700 grams

Big Onion chopped/sliced - 3 medium

Tomato - 1 large sliced

Garlic - 8 cloves chopped finely

Ginger - 1/2 inch chopped finely

Corainder Powder - 2 tbsp

Chilli Powder - 1.5 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tsp

Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Curry Leaves - a handful

Salt

Oil

Raw Masala:

Cinnamon Sticks - 2

Cloves - 2

Cardamom - 2

Star anise - 1

Red Chilli - 2

Preparation:

Cut chicken into small/medium pieces, clean well till you get clear water and keep aside to drain.

In a pan, add sufficient oil ( 4-5 tbsp). Once hot, add in the raw masalas and saute for a minute. Then add in the onions and saute till pale. Then add in the ginger, garlic and saute till you get the mix as light brown color. Once color has changed add in the masala powders and saute till oil start leaving the sides. Then add in the tomatoes and saute till tomatoes become soft and suple. Add in the curry leaves and salt and saute for 2 mins. Then add in chicken pieces and mix well with the sauted masalas. Cover and cook for 5 mins. Then add in the water and cover and cook till you get thick gravy. You can check salt in between. Excellent side dish for rice, chappati or any kerala

breakfast items.

Cheers,

Neetz ;)

KERALA ROAST CHICKEN

Kerala Roast Chicken

Ingredients :

Chicken - 750 gms (cut into small pieces)
Onion - 2 medium chopped finely
Ginger - garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
Tomato - 1 medium (sliced)
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 3/4 - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 handful
Salt

For marination:
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp (adjust according to the spice)
Vinegar - 1/5 tsp
Salt
Oil for frying (Coconut oil preferred for the authentic taste)

Preparation:

Take the ingredients mentioned under the marination part and make a paste with vinegar without adding water. Marinate the chicken nicely adn kepp for a minimum of half an hour atleast. I had kept for 1 hour.

Then in a pan, add sufficient oil and fry the chicken pieces lightly.(Dont literally fry them!). Remove and keep then on tissue to drain excess oil. 
In the same oil, add the onions and ginger garlic paste. Saute till onions become light brown in color and add in the sliced tomato and curry leaves. Saute till tomato gets smashed nicely. Then add in the powders and saute till raw smell goes. Add in the drained chicken pieces and then sufficient water, cover and cook till chicken pieces are soft and tender. If water remains still open the lid and cook further till water evaporates and the gravy thicken to a roasted form. Serve warm with rotis, chappati, rice with onion rings and fresh chopped green chilli.

I am sending this dish for the entry of Kerala Kitchen

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

TRADITONAL X'MAS CAKE

X'mas special Kerala Plum Cake

About 1.5kg
Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour : 300gm
Powdered Sugar - 300gm
Butter - 300gm
Egg - 300gm (approx 5 large eggs)
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Orange Juice - 1/2 cup
Caramalized Sugar - 6 tbsp
Lime Juice - 1 tsp
Orange skin - 2 tsp*
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
Cardamom - 2
Nutmeg Powder - 1/2 tsp
Clove - 2
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cashew nuts -  a ahndful roughly chopped
Tutti frutti - 1/2 cup
Cherries in syrup - 1/2 cup
Dates - 10 nos
Rum - 2-3 tbsp*

For the Caramalized Sugar:
Sugar - 1/3 cup
Boiled water - 1/3 cup

In a thick bottom pan, add in the sugar and melt it over low-med flame. After some time you will see the sugar startes melting and changing its color to light brown. Gradually it will turn dark brown and almost blackish color. Switch off the flame and pour in the hot boiling water. Keep aside to cool. (While pouring hot water be very careful as it will splatter)

Preparation:

Soak the cherries, dates, tutti frutti and raisins in rum for atleast a week. I had soaked themmore than 2 weeks. When needed, drain them and keep them aside.

Sieve the all purpose flour and baking powder.

Seperate the egg whites and egg yolks. Beat till egg is fluffy. Same way beat egg yolks till light in color.

Powder the spices together and keep aside.

In a bowl, add in the powdered sugar and butter and beat till creamy. Add in the egg yolks and mix once again.

Now add the egg whites and whisk nicely.

Then add in the flour little by little and start whisking. Add in the caramilized sugar, lime juice, essence, orange skin, nuts and the masala powder and whisk nicely till all are properly mixed.

Now in a plate add in the fruits and dates and rub in flour lightly. his helps the fruits to be in the flour. Otherwise if its wet it will go below while baking.

Add this to the batter and mix. if you want you cna save few for garnish too.

Transfer the batter to a pan and into the pre-heated oven at 180C/350F for about 50 mins. Since the quantity was more my oven took more time. Some may take hardly 30-40 mins. Check the cake with toothpick test.
Cheers,
Neetz ;)

Notes :
Youc an use freshly grated skin of an orange and then powder them or even dried orange skin. I used fresh powdered skin.
For the orange juice, you can freshly squeezed one and also add a bit more than the said quantity if the batter is too thick.
If you dont have rum, you can use brandy or even wine too.

AVAL UNDA (Flatten Rice Balls)

Aval Unda

I had no idea how to make this or even heard of it. Recently during the Harvest festival in church, my father told me that he bought these. I asked him what was added in it and he said he thought the ingredients where so and so. Thats when i decided i should give a hand on this recipe and see how it will be :). I was surprised the outcome was awesome and definitely tasty!

Ingredients :

Aval (Brown flat beaten Rice) - 1 cup
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Sesame Seeds - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Water - 1/4 cup
Cashew Nuts - 1/4 cup chopped roughly

Preparation:
Place pan over stove and once hot add in the flat rice and fry for 2-3 mins over low flame till the rice flakes are crispy. Make sure they dont change color. Remove the rice flakes. Then add in the sesame seeds and roast till nice aroma comes. It took me nealry 3- 4 mins. Remove from flame to cool.

Powder the rice flakes in a grinder. Optionally you can keep as it is or even half grind too. I preferred the grinded version.

Now in another pan. add in jaggery and 1/4 cup water and melt the jaggery. Once melted completely sieve for any impurities. Then to this add coconut and nuts. Mix properly. Mix in the sesame seeds and grinded aval powder and mix nicely. Once slightly cooled start making small balls with them and keep to cool completely. You can store them in an air - tight container for days :).

I would like to send this over for the event conducted by Julie :)

I would like to send this also over to Jingle all the way , a event conducted by kavi :)..

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

BANANA FRITTERS (Pazham Pori)

Banana Fritters/Ettakka appam/ Pazham pori

Ingredients:
Ripe Plantains (Ethakka) - 3 numbers
Maida - 5 tbsp
Rice Flour - 2 tbsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
Jeera Powder - a large pinch
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Sugar - 1 tsp *
Salt - a pinch
Water just enough for making the batter
Oil/Ghee for frying

Preparation:
Mix the flours, powders, sugar and salt. Add water little by little till you get a thick flowing batter. Make sure the batter is not very thick or very thin. When you dip the spoon and take out, the batter should flow slowly from the spoon.
Remove skin and cut the plaintains into half. Then cut each half vertically into 3. If you want thick ones you can cut into 2. I prefer the thinner version.

If you are not into calorie counting feel free to use ghee for frying to enhance the flavour. I used oil. Pour in oil in a pan and once hot, add in the dipped plantains(banana) and fry till both sides are light brown color. Serve warm with tea/coffee.

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

Notes:
Add in sugar quantity in accordance tot he sweetness of the plantains. If its nicely ripe and sweet and in very less sugar.

CHEERA MUTTA THORAN ( RED SPINACH EGG THORAN)

Cheera Mutta Thoran

My fav fav fav of all time is this red spinach thoran!! i love the combo with rice and can eat unlimited. When mixed with egg it makes even more tastier and more healthier and high in proteins :) I m sure kids will never say NO to this :).
Ingredients:
Cheera - 1 bunch
Egg - 2 nos
Onion - 1 medium chopped
Garlic powder - 1 tsp
Paprika Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Salt

Preparation:

Clean and chop the spincah finely. I even added the stems too.

Beat the egg with little salt and paprika powder and keep aside.

In a pan, add oil and add mustard seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter, then add in the onions. Saute for 2 mins and then add in garlic powder. Once onions turn light pink in color, add in the powders. Saute for another a min or so and then add in the chopped spinach. Cook for about 3-4 mins on medium flame. Then add in the coconut grated and cook further for 5 mins. Add in salt. Then pour over the beaten egg mix and saute till egg gets cooked. Serve warm with rice.

I would like to send this over for the event Kerala Event. I m glad Khushi is conducting this event. This will let us explore our range of culinary ideas :)

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

NANKATHAI (EGGLESS VERSION)

Nankathai (Eggless version)

I always loved this when i was a kid itself. I used to get in bakery shops and i used to just eat non -stop...sigh :( gone are those the days where I can eat like that..
Yes, forget about the waistline part and make a enjoy a few of these ;) .. quick and easy way to prepare when you really need to get something to eat sweet in a jiffy :)

Ingredients:
All purpose Flour - 1.5 cup
Wheat Flour - 1/2 cup
Ghee - approx 1 cup
Sugar powdered - 1/2 cup
Cashew, Almonds, Pista - 1/3 cup roughly chopped (optional)
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp

Preparation:
Put in all the flours, soda, sugar and the nuts mix. roughly mix with hand. Then slowly add in little by little ghee and keep mixing till you get a dough (a smaooth dough like a chappati dough). If the mix looks like crumbling add in a bit more spoonful of ghee.

In a pre-heated pan at 180C, place parchment paper on the baking tray. Make small balls of the dough and flatten them lightly and then place them on the tray. Bake for 8 - 9 mins approx and let it cool down completely to be stored in air-tight container.

I m sending this over for the event My Diwali My Way .

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

Note:
You can substitute the wheat flour to all purpose flour.
Wait the biscuits to cool down a bit to have a bite otherwise it might crumble.

TOMATO CHUTNEY (for Idlis n Dosas)

Tomato Chutney

Its weekend and you are lazy to make some sanbhar for the dosa or idli? Why not try this chutney which can be made in a jiffy and kids will love it too and a great combo with cocnut chutney :)

Ingredients :

Tomato - 2 medium sliced
Onion - 1 med sliced
Dry red Chilli - 3-4 nos (quantity according to the spice needed)
(Roasted Chana Dal (Pottukadalai) - 1/2 tbsp (optional)
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Add a tbsp of oil to a pan and add in the red chillies, onions and tomatoes and saute till it becomes soft. Dont turn the onions brown. Once cooled, grind the to a paste. Add the roasted dal, salt and grind. Serve with dosas or idlis. If you want to temper them you can do it by adding mustard, urad dal and curry leaves.

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

COZY COFFEE

COZY COFFEE

NO NO! Dont think its some very unique or something hi-fi recipe of a coffee.. Its a very simple yet the most tastiest way when you feel like having that special coffee with few biscuits or namkeen.

Ingredients:
Instant Nescafe or Bru granulated coffee - 3/4 tsp ( depends on how strong you want your coffee)
Sugar - 1.5 tsp
Whole Milk - 1 Cup

Preparation:
Boil the milk in a pan. Meanwhile add the granulated coffee powder to your cup and a 3-4 drops of warm milk to it and with a teaspoon start grinding the coffee powder in the milk in the cup. Make when u add milk its not too much. Just enough to wet the coffee powder. Keep grinding till you get a frothy paste. Now add sugar to this and keep grinding again faster. Soon you will get a frothy liquidified mix. When the milk boils, add milk in a thin stream from a height to the cup. NEVER ADD THE FROTHY MIX TO MILK AND BOIL AGAIN. The perfection will come the more you practise. Enjoy your cup with snacks.

Note:
-Preferable granulated coffee powder to be used
-Sugar and coffee powder add according to your taste
-Instead of wholemilk, lowfat or mix of water and milk can be added.
-Make sure you add milk to the mix not vice versa.

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

VEGGIE TUNA PASTA

Veegie Tuna Pasta

OMG! I looked back to my blog and was quite shocked how long its been since i have posted a new recipe..Sigh! ya ya i know.. cant blame always on my lazy part. Last week I got few mails and chats, asking why there are no new recipes. I then relaized I have been very lazy girl and there are many who actually really want to see a recipe. So then i decided i will now onwards i will definitely keep posting recipes :).. You wont believe even my toddler picked and had on her own and was eating it. One way to fool the kids to have the heathier way of good food is to make this! ;)

Ingredients :

Pasta - 1 packet ( a medium one)
Salt
Water
Olive Oil - 1 tsp
Cabbage - 1/4 chopped finely
Capsicum - 1/2 chopped finely
Carrot - 1 chopped finely
Beans - 15 nos chopped finely

For the Tuna :
Tuna (tin) - 2 nos
Onions - 1 large finely chopped
Tomato - 2 medium finely chopped
Green chilli - 1-2 finely chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Black Pepper grounded - 1 tsp
Olive Oil - 1 -2 tsp
Water - 1/4 cup
Salt


Preparation. In a pan add water (add enough water to make all the pasta sunk and running while boiling) and bring to a boil. To it add salt and oil and then pasta. When pasta is cooked drain and keep aside.

I bought tin tuna in water and salt. So drain the water and keep the tuna aside.

In another pan, add a tsp of oil. Once hot, add in onions, ginger garlic paste and saute till onions turn light brown in color. then add in the green chillis and tomatoes and sute till tomatoes are mushy. Then add in tuna and saute till tuna is almost fried. then add a bit of 1/4 water and then add in beans and carrot and cover and cook till they are slightly tender. Then add in the cabbage and capsicum and cook for about a minute. We want that crunchiness in the veggies so dont over cook. Add salt and pepper. Dont add too much salt as tin tuna itself has salt in it.

Next step, we have to mix paste into this mix or vice-versa. Mix and serve warm with ketchup. You can garnish with coriander leaves too :)..

Ladies, if you re so lazy you can omit the veggie and simply make the TUNA PASTA too in the same method :)...

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

IDLI FRY ( too simple to resist making ;) )

IDLI FRY

Hi all. I m back again with yet a super duper easy recipe for all of u especially a tea time snacks for the kids.
This Idli fry can be mainly be used when u have leftovers and really dont know what to do with the leftover idlis...

Ingredients:
Idli - 5-6 nos
Oil - sufficient enough for shallow frying
Salt & Pepper


Preparation:

Heat oil in a non-sticky pan (using these pans will make very less use of oil). Meanwhile cut the round idlis in vertical 4-5 strips depending ont eh size of thickness you need. Once the oil is hot, add in the strip idlis and fry on all sides till very light brown in color. Dont over fry then as they will become hard. Pick them over a tissue to absorb any extra oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over them and mix.. Serve hot with ketchup or any sauce and with tea.. yummmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyy and simple isnt it???

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

Notes:
You can add in a pinch of chilli powder or chat masala or any thing that u like. Its upto your tastebuds ;)

RAGI ELA ADA ( MILLET ADA IN BANANA LEAF)

RAGI ELA ADA

These evening snacks or breakfast is very healthy and mostly kids favourites. The sweet stuffings on the inside makes it even more tastier. Like in Kerala, we dont get to pluck banana leafs here. We have to pay to get them in bunch of 6 or 7. So I dont make these frequently as I dont have any clue what to do with the excess banana leaves.

Today I was no mood to cook, though i had to do for the dinner. My little one is so irritated today that for each and everything she keeps crying. One way or other I got her to sleep. So, while I was surfing through my cookery pics I noticed I havent uploaded this for a long while. So here goes the recipe..

Ingredients :

Ragi Flour -  1 cup
Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
Water
Salt

For the Filling:
Ripe Plantain : - 1 nos chopped in cubes
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Poha/Beaten Rice - 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1-2 tbsp (as per ur taste)

For Wrapping - banana leaf


Prepapration:

Wash and cut about more than 1/4 of the total leaf and keep aside

Mix all the ingredients for the filling and keep aside.

Mix all the flour with water and salt to make dough. Now take a small ball size from the dough and spread onto the banana leaf as shown in the pic (the pic shows for the ada made with rice flour) Dip fingers in water and spread the dough if its sticky.

Add in the filling ingredients of about a 2 tbsp or so and fold the leaf in half. Make like these more and steam them in idli steamer or any steaming utensil for about 15 mins. When warm, unfold and serve.

The above pic is made with rice flour and details are given below. In here, the filling comprises of just coconut, cardamom powder and sugar.

Note:
You can do this same with the Rice flour. For that you have to add boiling water to the dough and mix and the rest procedure is the same as for the ragi ela ada.

Fillings can be changed according to your needs and taste. Jaggery is very common filling in this. Since it was out of stock, I didnt add.

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

SOYA CHUNKS FRY

Hi All!!!

Missed u all like hell :(.. i was on vacation for almost 45 days and just came back yesterday. Boy am i glad that i m back :).. now i can blog again and be on track with all u people out here.... so how was ur all blogging.. hope everyone was having fun... so many recipes and i really dont know from where i should begin to look from each one of urs :).. i m so happy to see my friends are and have progressed a lot :)...

This is a simple easy to do dish and especially when u r out of stock of veggies in ur fridge :).. A protein rich food and very healthy one!!

Ingredients :
Soya Chunks - 15-20 pieces
Onions - 1-2 nos sliced
Garlic - 4-5 cloves big sliced
Green Chilli - 2-3 nos chopped
Curry Leaves - 2 spring
Chicken powder - 1 tsp or more as per your taste ( i used eastern chicken powder)
Salt - as needed

Preparation:
Soak soya chunks in hot boiled water and cover and keep for 20-30 mins. Then drain the soya chunks and squeeze all the water out from the chunks . Cut the soya chunks inot small pieces and keep aside.

In a pan add oil, once hot add in the onions, garlic, curry leaves and green chilli. Saute till onions are slight brown in color and then add in the powder and saute for 1 min. Then add in the soya chunks and mix properly and saute till the whole mix gets light brown in color.Add salt accordingly and serve with rotis.

Cheers,
Neetz;)

Note:
For veggie people, u can use curry powders instead of chicken one.
Chunks need not be cut into small pieces if not desired.

INJI PULLI (INJI CURRY) - ONAM SPECIAL

Inji Pulli

Onam is one harvest festival which defines love and prosperity through out the malyalam year and brings in lots of happiness and unity. Its usually a 10 day festival and for each day there is each recipes and celeberations done. Unfortunately, these days people get too busy and basically all are in nuclear family, no one really have time for all these traditions. Yest, we all malayalees make sure we cleberate the main day 'Thiruvonam' we dishes. It usally comprises of 11 -13 dishes from banana fries to achars to varies colorful dishes to kheer/payasam. They say its a 9 course meal!!!..yes its something that eacha nd everyone of you should try it out :)....Since tomorrow is Onam and its my little princesses first onam I m plannign to make a 'Sadya'. Yes first time in my life i m doing this. I know its a late to post all the recipes in one. But will try my best to do so. One of the dish is Inji pulli which is surely a lipsmacking sweet and sour dish :)

Ingredients (all are in approx) :

Part 1
Coconut Oil - 1/3 cup

Red Chilli - 2 nos
Ginger - 1 whole piece chopped finely
Green Chilli - 4 nos chopped finely
Curry leaves - 1 spring chopped finely

Part 2
Water - 2 cups
Tamarind - 1 lemon size ball
Jaggery/Gud/Sharkkara - 3/4 piece (in strip)
Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt

Preparation:
Ina pan add in part 2 ingredients and boil. Then simmer on low flame and cook till it reduces to half.
The jaggery will melt in the hot water. For the tamarind, if you have paste use it or else soak the tamarind in water for 15 mins and then squeeze the water out and use the water.

Meanwhile, in another pan add in the coconut oil and once hot, add in the mustard seeds. Once the seeds splutters then add in the red chilli and finely chopped, ginger, green chilli and curry leaves. Saute till ginger is light brown in color. Add these(including oil) to the tamarind water and cook for about 5 mins on low flame.
Cook till you need the desired thickens and cserve :)..
You can store this for a week in refrigerator as the oil acts the preservative.

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

P.S - The color usually is almost black in color. The Jaggery which we get here is little different the one we get in India. SO the difference of color :).

BANANA CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE AND AWARD

BANANA CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE

Its been quite few weeks since i have posted somethign new. Laziness is the key factor. Ohhh i really wish i was not lazy like this.. :(.... Yesterday was my b'day and yes, i did celeberate in a moderate way. I loved my glass set gift which i got from my best friend Roshu.. I always wanted those type of glasses and she read my mind!! :)..."U r a sweety Roshu"... Now I can show off my recipes in those glasses :)...

This recipe i made long back and i had the pic in my drafts. So this is not the glass which she gave me.....he he he... Easy recipe and really quick one when you have guest visits.

Ingredients :

Banana (Robust) - 1 no
Chocolate Icecream - 2 scoops
Milk - 1 cup (adjust the quantity as per the consistency you need) - this measurement is approx
Ice (optional)
Chocolate syrup (optional)
Chocolate Icecream - 1 small scoop

Preparation:
In a blender add in the banana, chocolate icecream, milk and ice and vroom vroom vroom!!.. serve in a tall glass and decorate the side of the glass with chocolate syrup. Add in small scoop of chocolate icecream on top and serve chill..

I recieved this award from Nivedita and I am really honoured. Thanks so much Nivedita. She is one bloggy friend who never gives up. She fights the toughest and really is one winner.. You will find various and exciting recipes in her blog. Do visit her blog :)...

Cheers,
Neetz ;)

FROSTED DATE BALLS

Frosted Date Balls

I am back again with a easy recipe which can be sweet at the same time lovely for a snack or anything.Just name it!!!... Its very easy to make and you can make it ina jiffy.This is a middle east sweet and usually people have this more during ramadan season during their fast breaking. Here dates is the most consumed during the fasting period and have them first when they break their fast... I would like to dedicate this sweet to my best friend Roshu. Since ramadan is around the corner, i actually thought of her while making this :)


Preparation:
Dates - 200 gms -seeds remove and made into paste (I had the paste packet with me)
Nuts and Almonds - approx 8 each (depends upon how much balls you get)
Butter - 1 tbsp
Dessicated Coconut - half handful for rolling the mix

Preparation:

If you have a packet of dates as paste then thats the best to use as it is time saving too.. Otherwise remove the seeds of the dates and then make them into paste ina grinder.

In a pan add butter, roast nuts and almonds and remove. In the same pan with butter, add in the date paste and saute for 15seconds - 30 seconds till butter is mixed properly with dates. Then remove and keep aside to cool. Meanwhile keep the dessicated coconut ready or grind the the grated coconut.

Make small balls of the date paste and then flatten them with hands. In between place one almond and cashew nut and cover and roll again to a ball. Roll it in coconut powder and serve!!!!

I m dedicating this recipe to all muslim blogger friends, especially to Ayeesha, Suhaina and Fajeeda :)

I would like to send this over to

Umm Mymoonah for Iftar Moments

Akilas kitchen for Celeberating Independence Day

Pari for Kids Delight

Sarasa Corner for MM Party Treats