Chicken Biriyani... Wish you all a wonderful New Year....!!

Ingredients:

For Rice:

• Rice 1 kg
• Water 7 1/2 to 8
• Lime juice of 1 lime
• Cinnamon 1 big piece
• Cardamom 1 to 2
• Cloves 2 to 3
• Ghee as rqd
• Salt

Wash the rice and drain it for 10 to 15 mins. Add 1 tbsp ghee, lime juice, crushed whole spices and salt into water and boil well. At the same time saute the rice in little ghee. When it starts to crack, pour the boiling water into the rice. Cover it and cook well. When it becomes void of moisture content, remove the rice and keep it aside.

For Garnishing:

• Cashew nuts 1/2 cup
• Raisins 1/2 cup
• Fried onion as rqd
• Rose water 1 to 2 Tbsp
• Corriander leaves as rqd
• Mint leaves as rqd

Fry thinly sliced onions in ghee till it turns golden brown. Fry cashews and raisins in the same ghee and keep it aside.

For Marinating Chicken:

• Chicken 1 kg
• Curd 1/2 cup
• Corriander 1/4 bunch
• Mint leaves 1/4 bunch
• Crushed ginger 1 big piece
• Crushed garlic 1 pod
• Green chilly 4 to 5
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Crushed pepper 1/2 Tsp
• Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp

Marinate the chicken pieces with finelly chopped mint and coriander leaves. Add the crushed ginger, garlic and sliced chilly along with turmeric pdr, chilly pdr and crushed pepper. Finally add the curd and mix well. Keep it aside for 2 hrs.

For Curry:

• Onion 6 to 7 med
• Tomato 3 to 5 med
• Green chilly 2 to 3
• Mint leaves 1/4 bunch
• Coriander leaves 1/4 bunch
• Ginger garlic paste 2 to 3 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander pdr 1 Tsp
• Garam masala 2 Tsp
• Crushed pepper 1 Tsp
• Cashew paste 30 g
• Oil or ghee

Grind together coriander and mint leaves into a paste and keep it aside. Heat oil or ghee in a pan and add ginger garlic paste and sliced onion. Stir it till it turns light brown. Then add the turmeric pdr, chilly pdr, coriander pdr, crushed pepper corns and garam masala. Cook it well. Pour the above prepared coriander mint paste into the masala and stir it well. Now add the tomatoes and green chilly. Add the marinated chicken and mix well. When the chicken is half done, add the cashew paste. Add rqd amount of salt into it and cook well.

For Layering:

Add fried onion, coriander leaves and mint leaves on the top of chicken. Then add the rice and spread it with a spoon. Sprinkle little rose water and add the fried nuts, raisins and onion. Repeat the same process. Arrange the top most layer with rice and garnish it with fried nuts, raisins, onion and rose water. Cover it well and cook it or bake it for 5 to 10 mins.

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Melting Moments Cookie... Happy X'mas to all....!!

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour (maida) 1 1/2 cup
• Powdered sugar 1/4 cup
• Unsalted butter 1 cup
• Cornflour 1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence 1 Tsp
• Salt 1/4 Tsp

In a bowl mix together all purpose flour, corn flour and salt. Keep it aside. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and the flour mixture into the butter and combine well. Cover and refrigerate the dough for minimum 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and keep it aside. When the dough is firm, form it into 1 inch balls and place it on the tray. Bake it for 12 to 15 min or until the edges starts to turn brown. Remove it from oven and cool it. When it cools completely, sprinkle powdered sugar on the top of the cookies.

[Recipe Courtesy: JoyOfBaking.com]

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Vazhakka Thoran

Ingredients:

• Raw banana (vazhakka) 3
• Shallots 5 to 10
• Green chilly 3 to 5
• Garlic 5 to 10 pods
• Coconut 1 to 1/4 cup
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Peel the skin of the banana and cut it into medium sized cubes. Cook it with salt and little turmeric pdr. Drain the water and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the crushed shallots, garlic, green chilly, curry leaves, little salt and turmeric pdr. Saute till it turns light brown colour. Reduce the heat and add the grated coconut and pepper pdr. Stir it for a few minutes and add the cooked raw banana. Saute it till it becomes dry.

[Recipe Courtesy: From a cookery show.]

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Cabbage Potato Curry

Ingredients:

Potato 1
Chopped cabbage 1/2
Chopped onion 1 big
Crushed ginger 1 Tbsp
Crushed garlic 5 to 6
Chopped chilly 2 to 4
Thick coconut milk 1/2 cup
Meat masala 3 Tsp
Vinegar 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Cumin seeds
Water
Salt
Oil

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, crushed garlic, ginger and chilly. Saute it for few mins and add chopped onion and salt. Stir till it turns brown. Then add meat masala and combine it well in low flame. Add potato pieces and cook it for some time. Then put chopped cabbage and mix well. Pour rqd amount of water and vinegar into this. Cook it in med flame. Finally pour the thick coconut milk and heat it for few min. Remove it from fire.

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Thakkali Theeyal

Ingredients:

• Tomato (thakkali) 3
• Green chilly 5
• Sliced shallots 1/4 cup
• Tamarind paste as rqd
• Coconut 1/2 grated
• Unakka kanthari mulaku (dry bird's eye chilly) 8
• Chilly pdr 1 Tsp
• Curry leaves
• Oil

Heat oil in a kadai and add the chopped tomato, sliced shallots and chilly. Saute it well. Roast the grated coconut, kanthari mulaku and curry leaves in a kadai (roast it in low flame) till it turns brown colour. Remove it from fire and add the chilly pdr and mix well. Allow it to cool and grind it well without adding water. Add this paste into the sauted tomato mix and add water and salt. Boil it well. Add rqd amount of tamarind paste and boil for few min.

[Recipe courtesy: Vanitha]

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Black Channa Masala

Ingredients:

• Black channa 1 cup
• Onion 2 big
• Green chilly 3
• Tomato 1 med
• Garlic 5 to 8 pods
• Ginger 1 big piece
• Coconut pieces 1/4 cup
• Thick coconut milk 1 cup
• Chicken masala 3 Tsp
• Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Soak channa overnight. Heat oil in a cooker and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add half of the sliced onion and coconut pieces. Saute till it turns brown and add half of the tomato. Cook it and add the channa and little salt. Cook till it turns soft. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add rest of the sliced onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and salt. When it becomes light brown, add chicken masala and pepper pdr. Roast it well and add the chopped tomato. Add little water into it and cook well. Then add the cooked channa into this and mix well. Cover it and cook it in low flame for 5 to 10 min. Then pour the coconut milk and heat it for few min. Remove it from fire.

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Gobi Manchurian (Dry)

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower (gobi) 1 small
• Capsicum 1
• Chilly 5 to 6
• Onion 2 med
• Celery 2 Tbsp
• Chopped ginger 1 piece
• Chopped garlic 2 Tbsp
• Pepper pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
• Tomato sauce 1 Tbsp
• Soy sauce 2 Tbsp
• Cornflour 1/4 cup
• Maida 1/4 cup
• Egg 1 (optional)
• Water 1 cup
• Sugar 1 Tsp
• Salt
• Oil

Soak cauliflower in hot water with little salt and turmeric pdr for 15 to 30 min. Drain the water and keep it aside. Mix together maida, little salt, egg (optional) and pepper pdr with little water and make it into a thick batter. Dip the cauliflower pieces in this batter and fry well. Heat oil in another pan and saute chilly, chopped ginger, garlic, onion and celery for few min. Then add capsicum and saute it for another 5 min. Pour soy sauce and tomato sauce into this and mix well. Add water, pepper pdr, sugar and rqd amount of salt into this and boil well. When the water thickens and becomes half the quantity, add the fried cauliflower and combine well. Transfer into a bowl and serve hot.

[Recipe Courtesy: Lekshmi Nair, Magic Oven]

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Vellarikka Parippu Charu (Cucumber Dal Curry)

Ingredients:

• Toor dal 1 cup
• Sliced cucumber 2 cup
• Coconut 1/2 grated
• Green chilly 3 to 5
• Shallots 2 to 3
• Garlic 3 to 4
• Dry chilly 2
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Cumin seeds 1/4 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Soak dal for 1/2 an hour. Cook dal and cucumber with little salt, water and turmeric pdr. Grind together coconut, cumin seeds, chilly, shallots, garlic and curry leaves. Add this grounded paste and rqd amount of salt into the cooked dal and boil it in low flame. Season it with mustard seeds, shallots, dry chilly and curry leaves.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

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Raw Plantain Peel Curry

Ingredients:

• Raw plantain peel (vazhakka tholi) 1 cup
• Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Chopped onion 1 big
• Chilly pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
• Ginger 1 big piece
• Mustard seed
• Curd 1/4 cup
• Curry leaves
• Chilly 2 to 4
• Salt
• Oil

Chop the plantain peels and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, saute the onion, ginger, chilly and curry leaves. Saute it well and add the chilly pdr, turmeric pdr and garam masala pdr. Mix it well and add the plantain peels into this and cook well. Remove it from fire and allow it to cool. Then add the curd and rqd amount of salt.

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Pita bread with Garlic yogurt sauce

Ingredients:

Pita Bread

• Dry yeast 2 Tsp
• Warm water 1 cup
• Flour 3 cups
• Salt 1 Tsp

Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water. Sift together the flour and salt. Add yeast and water into the flour and make it into a dough and knead for several minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. With a rolling pin, pat and press each portion of dough into a thickness of 1/2-inch. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the pita are light golden brown.

Garlic Yogurt Sauce

• Plain yogurt 1 cup
• Garlic 2 pods grounded
• Pepper pdr 1 pinch
• Olive oil

Beat yogurt gently with a fork or whisk until it's smooth and creamy. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Cover and chill until needed.

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Diamond Cuts

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour 2 cup
• Beaten egg 2 1/2 Tbsp
• Cardamom seeds 2
• Water 1/2 cup
• Pinch of salt
• Oil

For Sugar Syrup:

• Sugar 1/2 cup
• Water 2 Tsp
• Cardamom seed 1

Mix the all purpose flour, salt and beaten egg. Add water little by little into the flour and knead it into a soft dough, like chappathi. Add crushed cardamom into this and knead well. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep it aside for 15 mins. Divide the dough into medium sized balls and roll it out into thin rounds. Then cut it diagonally from left and from right to get diamond shaped pieces. Heat oil in a kadai and fry the diamonds till it turns into golden colour. Transfer it to a paper towel and cool it.

For preparing sugar syrup, mix together sugar and water and boil it, till it reaches to a consistency that will help coat the fried diamond cuts. Add the crushed cardamom and coat the diamond cuts in syrup. Transfer it to a tray and cool it.

[Courtesy: Mishmash]

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Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients:

For Rice:

• Rice 2 cup
• Lime juice 1 Tsp
• Water 3 1/2 cup
• Oil 2 Tbsp
• Spring onion chopped
• Mushroom 1/2 cup
• Capsicum 1 small
• Cabbage 1/4 cup
• Carrot 1/4 cup
• Celery chopped
• Beans 1/4 cup
• Ginger 1 Tbsp chopped
• Garlic 1 Tbsp chopped
• Soy sauce 1 Tbsp
• Chilli sauce 1/2 Tbsp
• Tomato sauce 1/2 Tbsp
• Salt
• Oil

To prepare rice, wash the rice and drain it for 10 to 15 mins. Add 1 tbsp of oil, salt and 1 tsp lime juice into 3 1/2 cup water and boil it well. Fry the rice in little ghee or oil in low flame. When it starts to crack, pour the boiling water into the rice. Cover it and cook well. When it becomes void of moisture content, remove the rice and keep it aside. Allow it to cool.

Heat oil in a kadai and add chopped ginger and garlic. When it turns light brown colour add beans, carrot and celery and saute well till its soft and crispy. Then add the sauces. Combine well and add celery, mushroom, capsicum and cabbage. Cook it in high flame for few minutes and add the cooked rice and spring onion. Mix well and remove it from fire.

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Fish Molly

Ingredients:

• Fish 1/2 kg (Pearl spot or king fish)
• Onion 2 big
• Tomato 1
• Green chilly 2 to 3
• Garlic 5 to 7 pods
• Ginger 1 big piece
• Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
• Pepper pdr 1/4 Tsp
• Curry leaves
• Cloves 2 to 4
• Cardamom 2 to 3
• Whole pepper few
• Cinnamon 2 to 3 pieces
• Thick coconut milk 1 cup
• Semi thick cococnut milk 1 1/4 to 1/2 cup
• Cashews few
• Oil

Clean and cut the fish into med pieces. Marinate the fish pieces with pepper pdr and turmeric pdr for 15 to 20 min. Then shallow fry it and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan or kadai and add sliced onion, ginger, garlic, salt, few cashews and curry leaves. Saute it for few min and add the crushed whole spices. Pour the semi thick coconut milk into this and boil. Then put the fried fish and cook it. Add the thick coconut milk and sliced tomato. Cook it for few minutes (do not boil) and remove it from fire.

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Onion Chicken

Ingredients:

• Chicken 1 kg
• Onion 2 big
• Tomato 2 med
• Dry chilly 2 to 3
• Ginger paste 1/2 Tsp
• Garlic paste 1/2 T
• Coriander pdr 2 Tsp
• Chilly pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Clean and cut the chicken into medium pieces. Grind together tomato and onion into a paste and keep it aside. Remove the seeds from the dry chilly and boil it in water for few mins and then grind it well. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the dry chilly paste and roast it well. Add the curry leaves, crushed ginger and garlic. Saute and pour the onion paste into this. Mix it for few min and add the coriander pdr, turmeric pdr, chilly pdr, garam masala pdr and salt. Reduce the heat and cook it till the raw smell goes. Add the chicken pieces and rqd amount of water. Cook it in med flame.

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Vendakka Mezhukkupuratty

Ingredients:

• Okra (ladies finger) 1/4 kg
• Onion 1 big
• Garlic 7 pods
• Chilly pdr 2 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• Oil

Clean and cut the okra (vendakka) into thin pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, sliced onion and garlic. Saute till it turns goldren brown and add okra. Stir it for few minutes and add the turmeric, chilly, coriander and garam masala pdr into it and combine well. Reduce the heat. Stir it occassionally till it turns dry and crispy. Finally add the rqd amount of salt. Remove it from fire.

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Idiyappam

Ingredients:

• Rice flour 2 cup
• Coconut 1/2 grated
• Water as rqd
• Salt as rqd

Mix together salt and rice flour. Boil water and pour little by little into the flour and mix immediately using a big spoon. Keep it aside for few minutes and mix it well. Put the dough into the idiyappam maker and press little on the idli steamer and put grated coconut on the top. Then press rest of the dough to the top of the coconut. Steam it well.

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Peanut Chutney

Ingredients:

• Peanuts 1 cup
• Garlic 2 pods
• Onion 1 small
• Dry chilly 2 to 3
• Coconut 1/4 cup
• Tamarind pulp 2 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Shallots few
• Salt
• Oil
  

Roast the peanuts in low flame for 5 mins. Remove it from fire and allow it to cool. Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion, garlic, dry chilly and curry leaves for few mins. Grind together roasted peanuts, coconut, onion, garlic, dry chilly, curry leaves, salt and tamarind paste using little water. Transfer it to a bowl and season it with mustard seeds, curry leaves and shallots.

[Recipe Courtesy: Kothiyavunnu.com]

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Sponge Cake with Walnuts

Ingredients:

• Maida 1 cup
• Sugar 1 cup
• Butter 2 Tbsp
• Baking pdr 1 Tsp
• Hot milk 1/2 cup
• Chopped walnuts 1/2 cup
• Grated lemon rind 1 Tsp
• Vanilla essence 1 Tsp
• Honey 1 Tsp
• Salt 1/4 Tsp
• Egg 2

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Grease the baking pan with butter and maida and keep it aside. Sieve together maida, salt and baking pdr and keep it aside. Add butter to the milk and heat it. Beat egg until it thickens and slowly add the sugar. Beat it for another 5 min. Add the dry ingedients into it and mix well. Then add the hot milk, vanilla essence, honey and lemon rind and combine well. Finally add the chopped walnuts into the batter. Pour it into the greased pan and bake it for 35 to 40 mins.

[Recipe Courtesy: niyasworld.blogspot.com]

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Spicy Chicken Fry

Ingredients:

• Chicken 1
• Cumin seeds 1/4 Tsp
• Fennel seeds 1 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1 Tsp
• Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
• Vinegar 1/2 Tsp
• Bread crumbs
• Maida 2 cups
• Egg 2

Clean and cut the chicken into medium pieces. Beat the eggs and keep it aside. Ground together cumin seeds to vinegar and add salt to it. Marinate chicken with this paste and keep it aside. After half an hour, roll marinated chicken pieces in maida and then dip it in beaten egg and roll it in bread crumbs. Fry it well.

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The Wonderful News

My dearest friends.... By the grace of the Almighty, we had this wonderful baby girl, Nia, born to us on the 2nd of July, 2010. Everyone is doing good....!! Thanks for all your prayers....!!

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Vazhachundu Cutlet

Ingredients:

• Vazhachundu (the flower or cone of plantain plants) 1
• Grated coconut 2 Tbsp
• Green chilly 3 to 5
• Ginger 1 big piece
• Garlic 5 to 7 pods
• Curry leaves few
• Potato 2 med
• Onion 2 med
• Shallots 2 to 3
• Pepper pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Garam masala 1 Tsp
• Bread crumbs as rqd
• Water as rqd
• Maida 1 cup
• Oil

Chop vazhachundu and mix it well with little coconut and keep it aside. Boil potato, allow it to cool and mash it. Chop onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, chilly and shallots. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped ingredients. Saute it and add salt, pepper pdr and garam masala. Add chopped vazhachundu into it and cook well. Make it dry. Allow it to cool and keep it aside. Then slowly add the mashed potato into the cooked vazhachundu and mix well. Make cutlets in desired shapes and keep it aside. Mix together maida and water and make a thick batter. Make bread crumbs from fresh bread slices. Then dip cutlets in maida batter and roll it in bread crumbs. Fry it.

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Cauliflower Masala

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower 1
• Tomato 1 big
• Onion 1 big
• Crushed ginger 1 Tsp
• Crushed garlic 1 Tsp
• Pepper pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 14 Tsp
• Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Meat masala 3 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Clean and cut the cauliflower into small pieces and soak it in hot water for 10 min. Drain out the water and marinate the cauliflower with salt, chilly pdr and turmeric pdr. Keep it for 15 min. Shallow fry it and keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add curryleaves, chopped onion, crushed ginger, garlic and salt. Saute till the onion becomes transluscent. Reduce the heat and add the meat masala and pepper pdr. Mix it well and add the chopped tomato into this. Add little water and cook well. Then add the shallow fried cauliflower and combine well. Add rqd amount of salt and water and cook it. Remove the lid and saute it for few mins till it becomes dry.

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Semiya Payasam (Kheer)

Ingredients:

• Vermicelli 1 cup
• Milk 3 to 3 1/2 cup
• Milk maid 1/2 cup
• Cashew 1/4 cup
• Raisins 1/4 cup
• Water 1/2 cup
• Cardamom 3
• Sugar as rqd
• Ghee 2 Tbsp

Roast the vermicelli in ghee. Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and keep it aside. Boil milk and water in a thick bottom vessel (Uruli). Add rqd amount of sugar and mix well. When it boils, slowly add the roasted vermicelli into the boiling milk and combine well. Reduce the heat and cook the vermicelli and add the crushed cardamom and milkmaid. Finally, add the fried cashews and raisins into the payasam (kheer). Remove it from fire.

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Chocolate Banana Cake

Ingredients:

• Sugar 2 cup
• Maida (All purpose flour) 1 3/4 cup
• Cocoa pdr 3/4 cup
• Baking pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
• Baking soda 1 1/2 Tsp
• Salt 1/2 Tsp
• Vanilla essence 1 1/2 Tsp
• Mashed banana 1 cup
• Warm water 1 cup
• Veg oil 1/2 cup
• Milk 1/2 cup
• Egg 2

Pre-heat oven to 350 deg F(180 deg C). Grease one 9 inch pan and keep it aside. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, all purpose flour, cocoa pdr, baking pdr, baking soda and salt. Keep it aside. In another bowl whisk together egg, mashed banana, warm water, milk, veg oil and vanilla essence. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine well. Pour this batter into the prepared cake pan and bake it for 35 to 40 mins. Remove it from oven and cool it.

[Recipe Courtesy: JoyOfBaking.com]

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Tomato Curry with Meat Masala

Ingredients:

• Chopped tomato 3 med
• Sliced shallots 1/4 cup
• Grated coconut 1/2 cup
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Meat masala 2 Tsp
• Chilly pdr 1 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Dry chilly 2
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Chop the tomato well. Grind together coconut, turmeric pdr, chilly pdr and meat masala into a fine paste and keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add curry leaves, sliced shallots and splitted dry chilly. Saute till it turns golden brown. Add chopped tomato, salt and little water into it and cook well. Then pour the grounded paste along with rqd amount of water and heat it in low flame. Mix well and remove it from fire.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

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Avalose Podi

Ingredients:

• Raw rice 1/4 kg
• Cumin seeds 1 Tsp
• Grated coconut 1
• Salt little

Soak rice for few minutes and drain the excess water. Powder it well. Add grated coconut, salt and cumin seeds into rice flour and mix well using hand. Keep it aside for 30 mins. Heat cheenachatti (wok or kadai) or other thick bottom pan and roast the flour mix. Stir it continously till it turns golden colour. Remove it from fire and kept in an air tight container. Serve it with sugar.

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Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

• Cooked basmathi rice 2 cup
• Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
• Cumin seeds 1/2 Tsp
• Mustard seeds 1 Tsp
• Channa dal 1 Tbsp
• Urad dal 1 Tsp
• Peanuts 1 Tbsp
• Dry red chilly 2
• Green chilly 2
• Chopped ginger 1 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
• Lemon juice 1 Tbsp
• Hing a pinch
• Salt
• Oil

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow it to splutter and add dry chilly, channa dal, urad dal and peanuts. Saute it in low flame till it turns golden colour. Then add turmeric pdr, hing, ginger and lemon juice. Add required amount of salt and cooked rice. Mix well and garnish it with coriander leaves.

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Mangalore Fish Masala

Ingredients:

• Fish 1/2 kg
• Sliced onion 2
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Pepper pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Chilly pdr 3 Tsp
• Salt
• Oil

For Masala:

• Grated coconut 1 1/2 cup
• Tamarind small ball
• Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
• Sliced onion 1
• Green chilly 1

Marinate fish pieces with salt, turmeric pdr and pepper pdr for 15 min. Shallow fry it and keep it aside. Saute one sliced onion and chilly and grind it with coconut, tamarind and pepper pdr. Heat oil in another kadai and saute the rest of the sliced onion till golden brown. Then add the chilly pdr and stir it well. Add the grounded mixture into it and stir it  till it's void of the raw smell. Then put the fried fish and rqd amount of salt and cook it in low flame for 5 mins. Pour 3/4 cup of water into it and cook till the oil starts to separate.

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Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratty

Ingredients:

• Red gram 1 cup
• Crushed dry chilly 3
• Crushed garlic 10 to 12
• Crushed shallots 8 to 10
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Salt 
• Oil

Soak red gram for 2 to 3 hrs. Cook it with salt and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, crushed garlic, shallots and salt. Saute till its turns light brown. Then add crushed dry chilly and turmeric pdr. Mix well and add cooked red gram. Add pepper pdr and mix well. Remove it from fire.

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Chicken Hakka Noodles

Ingredients:

• Hakka noodles 1 packet
• Sliced capsicum 1 med
• Sliced cabbage 1/2 cup
• Sliced beans 1/2 cup
• Spring onion 1/4 cup
• Sliced carrot 1 big
• Chicken 1/4 kg
• Chopped ginger 1 Tsp
• Chopped garlic 1 Tsp
• Pepper pdr 2 Tsp
• Tomato sauce 1 Tsp
• Chilly sauce 1 Tsp
• Soy sauce 2 Tsp
• Vinegar 1 Tsp
• Salt 
• Oil

Cook noodles with salt and little oil. Drain it and keep it under running water for a few secs. Pour little oil into it and combine well. Cook chicken with salt and pepper pdr. Cut it into thin pieces and keep it aside.  Mix together tomato sauce, chilly sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped ginger and garlic. Saute it for few seconds and add the sliced capsicum, cabbage, beans and carrot. Cook it in high flame for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and pour the sauce mixture. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces and chopped spring onion into it and combine well. Finally add the cooked noodles and mix well. Cook it for few more mins.

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Hershey's Chocolate Cake... and a short break...!!

This is especially for celebrating my darling hubby's birthday....!! All are welcome to join in....!!

...and, I would like to mention to all my blogger friends that I would be taking a break for the new arrival in my family which is due in July....!! I am really looking forward to it. However, I will be posting recipes regularly but may not be able to respond to your queries soon enough... hope you will all continue to support me, as you have always done, during this time as well....!!

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour 1 3/4 cup
• Cocoa pdr 3/4 cup
• Baking pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
• Baking soda 1 1/2 Tsp
• Sugar 2 cup
• Vegetable oil 1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence 2 Tsp
• Boiling water 1 cup
• Milk 1 cup
• Salt 1 Tsp
• Egg 2

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C or 350 deg F. Grease two 9 inch pans and keep it aside. Combine the dry ingredients in a big bowl. Then add the wet ingredients except boiling water into it and beat for 2 mins in med speed. Stir in boiling water and combine well. Pour it into the greased pan and bake it for 30 to 35 mins. Transfer it onto the wire rack and cool it.

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Chicken Vindaloo

Ingredients:

• Chicken 1/2 kg
• Onion 1 big
• Kashmiri chilly 8
• Pepper 2 to 3
• Clove 2 to 3
• Star anise 2
• Cinnamon 1 big piece
• Cumin seeds 1/4 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
• Vinegar 2 to 3 Tbsp
• Sliced onion 1 big
• Chopped tomato 2 small
• Ginger paste 1/2 Tsp
• Garlic paste 1/2 Tsp
• Sugar 1/2 Tsp
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Clean and cut the chicken into med pieces. Sauté one big onion in oil and keep it aside. Soak kashmiri chilly, pepper, cinnamon, clove, star anise, cumin seeds and turmeric pdr in vinegar and grind it well with sauted onion. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add the thinly sliced onion. Stir it for few mins and add the tomato, salt and grounded masala mix. Roast it well and add the chicken pieces and water. Cook it. When the chicken is half cooked, add the ginger garlic paste and combine well. When it is fully cooked, add sugar and little vinegar into this and mix well.

Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha Pachakam

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Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients:

• Fish 1/2 kg
• Sliced onion 2 big
• Sliced garlic 5 to 10
• Sliced ginger 1 big piece
• Sliced green chilly 3
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander pdr 1 Tsp
• Chilly pdr 2 Tsp
• Thick coconut milk 1 cup
• Semi thick coconut milk 1 cup
• Kudampuli (gamboge) 2 piece
• Curry leaves
• Mustard seeds
• Salt
• Oil

Clean and cut the fish into medium pieces. Add little water into the spice powders and keep it aside. Soak the kudampuli in little water. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add sliced onion, garlic, ginger, chilly, curry leaves and salt. Saute till it turns light brown. Then add the masala paste and stir it till it is void of the raw smell. Then add the kudampuli and semi thick coconut milk. Heat it in low flame and add the fish into it. Cover it and cook well. Then pour the thick coconut milk and heat it for few mins. Remove it from fire.

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Brinjal Chutney

Ingredients:

• Brinjal 1/4 kg
• Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
• Vinegar 2 to 3 Tbsp
• Jaggery 2 Tbsp
• Ginger 1 big piece
• Garlic 5 pods
• Dry chilly 5
• Cinnamon 1 small piece
• Cardamom 3
• Peppercorn 4
• Clove 2
• Oil

Clean and cut the brinjal into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add ground ginger, garlic and dry chilly along with turmeric pdr and fry it for few mins. Add brinjal and cook it well. Add vinegar and jaggery into the brinjal and stir it till the oil starts separating. Sprinkle powdered spices into this and cool it. Transfer it to a bowl.

[Recipe Courtesy: Sanjeev Kapoor Recipes.]

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Kappa (Tapioca) Vilayichathu

Ingredients:

• Cooked tapioca 5 piece
• Roasted cumin powder 1/2 Tsp
• Fried raw rice powder 2 Tsp
• Dry ginger powder 1/2 Tsp
• Jaggery 1/2 melted
• Oil

Cut left over cooked tapioca into small pieces. Dry it in sun till it turns hard. Fry it well and keep it aside. Melt jaggery well and put the fried tapioca pieces followed by roasted cumin pdr, rice pdr and dry ginger pdr. Mix well and allow it to cool. Transfer it into a container.

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Brinjal Palu Curry

Ingredients:

• Brinjal 4
• Onion 1 big
• Chilly 3 to 4
• Garlic 5 to 8
• Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander pdr 2 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
• Thick coconut milk 1/2 cup
• Semi thick coc milk 3/4 cup
• Mustard seeds as rqd
• Curry leaves few
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Clean and cut brinjal into small (length wise) pieces. Add little water into the chilly, coriander, turmeric and garam masala pdr and make it into a thick paste. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, sliced onion, garlic and green chilly. Saute it till it turns light brown colour. Reduce the heat and add the masala paste and stir it for few mins. Then add the brinjal and cook it with little water in medium flame. Pour the semi thick coconut milk and allow it to boil in low flame. Finally pour the thick coconut milk. Heat it and remove it from fire.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

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Rava Kesari

Hi All, Today is my 2nd blog anniversary... thanks for supporting me throughout... hope you all will continue the same support in the future as well....!!

Ingredients:

• Rava 1/2 cup
• Ghee 2 Tbsp
• Water 1 cup
• Food colour a pinch
• Cashew nuts 1 Tbsp
• Sugar less than 1/2 cup

Fry cashew nuts in ghee and keep it aside. Roast the rava in same ghee till the raw smell disappears. Boil water with sugar and pinch of food colour and pour this into the fried rava. Mix it well without lumps and cook well in low flame. Add the fried cashews and mix well. Transfer it to a greased pan and allow it to cool. When it cools completely, transfer it to a serving bowl.

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Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

• Chicken 1/2 kg
• Onion 2 big
• Garlic 1 Tbsp
• Ginger 1 Tbsp
• Green chilly 4
• Red chilly 4
• Crushed clove 2 to 3
• Coriander pdr 3 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Semi thick coconut milk 1 cup
• Thick cococnut milk 3/4 cup
• Lime juice of 1/2 lime
• Ghee 1 Tbsp
• Salt
• Oil

Heat little oil in a pan and saute chopped onion, ginger and garlic. When it becomes light brown, transfer it into a kadai with ghee and stir it. Add turmeric pdr, coriander pdr, crushed clove and salt into onion and saute it. Then add chicken and stir it till it turns brown. Add red chilly, green chilly and semi thick coconut milk. Reduce the heat and cook it. Then add the thick coconut milk and boil it. Finally add the lime juice and transfer it to a serving bowl.

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Instant Mango Pickle

Ingredients:

• Mango 1 med
• Chilly pdr 3 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
• Fenugreek pdr 1/4 Tsp
• Sugar a 1/4 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Hing 1/4 Tsp
• Gingelly oil
• Salt

Cut mango into small pieces. Add chilly pdr, turmeric pdr, salt and sugar into it. Mix well. Heat gingely oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, remove it from fire and add hing and fenugreek pdr. When it cools completely, pour it into the mango and mix well.

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Kozhukatta With Mulaku Chammanthi

Ingredients:

• Rice flour 2 cup
• Coconut 1 cup
• Water 2 cup
• Salt as rqd

Mix together salt and rice flour. Boil water and pour it into the rice flour little by little (like prepairing idiyappam). Mix well with a wooden spoon. After cooling down, add the grated coconut and knead it well. Make medium sized balls (kozhukatta) from this and steam it in a steamer for 10 to 15 mins.

For Mulaku Chammanthi:

Ingredients:

• Dry chilly 5 to 6
• Shallots 3 to 4
• Salt
• Oil

Fry the dry chilly in little oil. Grind together shallots, salt and fried chilly. Add rqd amount of coconut oil and mix well.

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Pacha Manga Curry

Ingredients:

• Raw mango 1
• Sliced shallots 10
• Chilly pdr 2 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander pdr 1 Tsp
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Garam masala 3/4 Tsp
• Coconut milk 1 to 1 1/2 cup
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• Oil

Cut the mango into small pieces (like cutting for pickle) and add salt and sliced shallots into it and keep it aside. Roast chilly pdr, coriander pdr and turmeric pdr in low flame without adding water. Add mango into it and cook it for few min. Add coconut milk into this and boil it in low flame. Add little salt and garam masala into the curry and remove it from fire. Season it with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

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Chicken Macaroni

Ingredients:

• Chicken (boneless) 1/2 kg
• Coriander leaves
• Turmeric pdr 1 Tsp
• Chilly pdr 1 Tsp
• Macaroni 2 cup
• Green chilly 3
• Curry leaves
• Tomato 2
• Onion 4
• Salt
• Oil

Take the boneless chicken and cook it with 1/2 tsp turmeric pdr, chilly pdr and salt. Cook the macaroni with salt. Heat oil in a kadai and add chopped onion, curry leaves, chilly and cooked chicken. Saute it well and add little salt and turmeric pdr. Add chopped tomato into this and saute well. Finally add cooked macaroni and coriander leaves. Mix well and remove it from fire.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

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Cabbage Mezhukkupuratti

Ingredients:

• Onion 1 big
• Cabbage 2 cup
• Garlic 5 to 6 pods
• Ginger small piece
• Green chilly 3 to 4
• Meat masala 1 to 1 1/4 Tbsp
• Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Slice the cabbage and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add sliced onion, chilly, chopped ginger, garlic and curry leaves. Saute it and add garam masala, meat masala and rqd amount of salt. Reduce the heat and mix well. Add cabbage into this and sprinkle some water into this. Cook it in low flame.

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Pacha Payar(Long beans) Thoran

Ingredients:

• Longbeans 1/4 Kg
• Coconut 1 to 1 1/2 cup
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Green chilly 3 to 4
• Shallots 2 to 3
• Curry leaves
• Mustard
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Clean and slice the long beans into thin pieces. Grind together(dont grind it too much) coconut, shallots, green chilly and turmeric pdr. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and sliced shallots. Then add the grounded coconut and rqd amount of salt. Saute and add the sliced beans into it. Mix well and sprinkle little water into it and cover it well. Cook it in low flame and remove it from fire.

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Canapé with Egg Topping

A canapé is a small, prepared and usually decorative food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite. Crackers or small slices of bread or toast or puff pastry, cut into various shapes, serve as the base for savory butters or pastes, often topped with a canopy of such savory foods as meat, cheese, fish, purees or relish. (Source: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

• Salt biscuits 5 to 10
• Egg yolk of boiled egg 2
• Grated cheese 1 Tbsp
• Mayonnaise as rqd
• Coriander leaf
• Raisins few

Mix together egg yolk and grated cheese with rqd amount of mayonnaise into a paste. Transfer this into an icing bag and pipe it into the top of salt biscuits using desired nozzle. Garnish it with coriander leaves and sliced raisins. You can garnish it with any thing you want.

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Cheerathandu (Spinach stem) Moru Curry

Ingredients:

• Spinach stem 1 cup
• Green chilly 4 to 5
• Shallots 5 to 6
• Garlic 2 to 3 pods
• Coconut 3/4 to 1 cup
• Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
• Cumin seeds 1/4 Tsp
• Curd 1 1/2 cup
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Clean and cut the spinach stems into length wise pieces. Cook it with few sliced shallots, 2 green chilly, curry leaves, pinch of turmeric pdr, salt and little water. Keep it aside. Grind together coconut, chilly, shallots, garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric pdr, water and curd. Pour it into the cooked spinach stem. Heat it in low flame and remove it from fire. Season it with mustard seeds, shallots and curry leaves.

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Happy Valentines Day 2010.....!!

Wishing you all a wonderful and Happy Valentine's Day 2010.....!!

Vanilla Cake

Butter Cookies

Chocolate Cake 1

Chocolate Cake 2

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