CHICKEN PEPPER FRY

• Ingredients

Chicken                      1kg.
Curd                          2dsp
Coriander pow           2dsp
Ginger paste               2tsp
Garlic paste                2tsp
Pepper pow               1tsp
Salt                            needed
Oil                             1/4cup
Pepper(crushed)        1dsp
Soyasauce                 2dsp

• Preparation method

Mix together curd, pepper pow, coriander pow, ginger and garlic paste.Make long slashes in chicken pieces.Mix together the curd  mixture, chicken and salt. Mix well and keep marinated for 2hrs.Cover and cook the chicken, make it dry. Heat a wok, add oil, add the crushed pepper, stir and then add soyasauce.When sauce starts to boil add the cooked chicken stir and mix well till all pieces are fully coated with pepper.Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

»»  read more

MASALA SHRIMP FRY

• Ingredients

Shrimps                   -500gm
Chilly powder          -50gm
Turmeric powder     -10gm
Coriander powder   -50gm
Rice flour                -50gm
Ginger garlic paste   -50gm
Salt                         -needed
Coconut oil            -for frying

• Preparation method

Make a paste of all powders and ginger garlic paste.Add needed salt. Add the shrimps ,mix well and keep for sometime. Fry in hot oil, till golden red colour.Garnish with fried green chillies and curry leaf.

»»  read more

BADAM KHEER

• Ingredients 

Condensed milk           -1tin
Milk                            - 1ltr
Cashew nuts                -50gm
Badam                        -50gm
Badam essence           -3 drops

• Preparation method

Remove skin of badams , soak badam and cashew nuts in milk. Strain and make a paste in a grinder.In a thick bottomed vessel heat the milk.Keep on stirring. When the milk starts to thicken add condensed milk. Let it boil.Then add the paste of nuts. Stir well. Let the mixture gets thickened, stirring occasionally.Add essence and remove from fire. Serve chilled.Garnish with badam slices and saffron (optional).

»»  read more

PAZHAM PAYASAM ( banana payasam)

• Ingredients

Ripe bananas          -4
Jaggery                  -1/2 kg
Coconut                -2
(From this take 1 1/2 cups of thick milk and 3 cups of thin milk)
Coconut pieces     -1/4 cup(roasted in ghee)
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

• Preparation method

Steam cook bananas , peel and remove seeds. Mash well with a ladle or can make a puree in blender by adding little water.In little water melt jaggery , strain to remove grit and keep aside.In a thick bottomed vessel, add jaggery syrup and banana and cook stirring continuously till it becomes a thick mixture.To this add thin or second milk. Stir and cook till it again gets thickened. Add the thick or first milk ,mix well and remove from flame. Add cardamom powder and coconut pieces.
                       

»»  read more

NAMASKAR

• Ingredients

Orange juice     -1/2 cup
Pineapple juice - 1/2 cup
Lemon juice     - 1/4 tsp
Sugar               -1 tbsp
Ginger juice      - 1drop

• Preparation method

To the orange juice add lemon juice, sugar and ginger juice. Whisk nicely. Add pineapple juice and whisk again. Serve chilled with an orange slice.

»»  read more

CHOCOLATE NUT CUPS

• Ingredients

Cooking chococlate          -200gm
Whole cashew nuts           -50gm
Whole badam                   -50gm
Butter/Ghee                      -needed

• Preparation method

Lightly fry nuts in ghee and spread on a tissue paper to make sure all the fat is removed. Double boil cooking chocolate.Remove from fire and add all the nuts and mix well.Put 1 tbsp of this chocolate mix in paper cups and freeze.Its an easy making , tasty dish that kids will love.
Note:
Chopped nuts also can be used.

»»  read more

KERALA PAAL PAYASAM

• Ingredients

Milk                       - 10 cups
Brown broken rice - 2 dsp
Condensed milk     - 1/2 a tin
Sugar                     - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee                       - 2tbsp
Cashew nuts            -25 gm
Raisins                     -25gms

• Preparation method

Mix 2 cups of water and 2 cups of milk and boil.Add rice and cook well.Add the remaining milk, condensed milk and sugar.Stir continuously till it becomes quite thick.Add cardamom powder.In a hot pan add ghee and fry cashew and raisins to golden brown and pour it over payasam..Serve hot or cold.

»»  read more

MUTTON JALFREZI

• Ingredients

Lamb (cubed)         - 1/2kg
Chopped tomatoes - 1 tin
Onion                    - 1 no
(finely chopped)
Curry powder       - 2 tsp
Chilly powder       - 1 tsp
Cayenne chillies     - 8 nos
(deseeded and sliced lengthways in half)
Garlic pods          - 8 nos
(sliced)
Ginger                 - 3 inches
(grated)
Vegetable oil       - 5 tbsp
Coriander leaves( chopped) - 4 tbsp
Whole coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds                - 1 tbsp
Cardamom seeds         -from 6  pods
Capsicum                   - 1 no
(deseeded and chopped)
Salt                            -needed

• Preparation method

Make a paste of the curry powder and chilly powder with a little water.Heat the frying pan without oil.Dry fry the cumin seeds and cardamom seeds for 60 seconds.Add the oil and fry the onion until translucent.Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, stir fry on medium for a further 5 mins.Add the curry and chilly powder paste and stir in and fry for a further 30 secs.Add the lamb pieces and seal well on all sides.Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 20 mins or until the lamb is cooked, stirring constantly. If needed add more masala gravy and water to prevent the curry becoming too thick or dry.Add the finely chopped coriander leaves and chopped capsicum and cook till capsicum is done. Serve with the whole coriander leaves sprinkled over the top.Can prepare chicken also in same method.Goes well with chappathi, nan, rotis.

»»  read more

BADAM HALWA

• Ingredients

Almonds        - 100 gm
Sugar             - 120 gm
Ghee              - 100 gm
Cardamom     - 2 nos
Food colouring
Vanilla essence (optional)
or Saffron  (optional)

• Preparation method

Soak the almonds overnight in warm water.Peel them in the morning.Grind it along with cardamom seeds to a runny paste.Pour the mix in a pan, stir in the sugar, add just enough water, and heat over a medium flame.Add the essence, keep stirring.As it begins to thicken, start adding ghee, 30 ml at a time.When the halwa has thickened enough to hold together, take off the flame, empty on a tray, and let it cool. Make or cut into desired shape. Have it either warm or cool.

»»  read more

GULAB JAMUN

• Ingredients
• For jamuns

Dried milk powder  - 100 gm
Melted ghee            - 2 tbsp
Plain flour               - 3 tbsp
Baking powder       - ½ tsp
Milk or water to mix
Cardamom pow    - ½ tsp
Oil for deep frying

• For the syrup:-

Granulated sugar - (250 gm)
Water                 -   (200 ml)
Green cardamon - 6 nos

• Preparation method

Sieve the flour and milk powder into a bowl.Add the baking powder, and ground cardamon.Mix together.Pour in the melted ghee.Continue mixing and add the milk or water (warmed slightly) until you have a stiff dough.Leave to rest for 20 mins.After 20 minutes, the batter will have improved into a dough. Knead this and divide into 18 - 20 even balls.Heat the oil. Make sure that it is to temperature but is not too hot.Cook the jamuns very gently (in 2 batches if necessary) turning constantly. If the oil is at the correct temperature, they should rise after a minute or so.Keep turning the jamuns until they are a golden brown all over.Remove from the oil and allow to cool.Meanwhile, dissolve the sugar in the water with the cardamon pods.When the syrup is completely dissolved, drop in the jamuns and simmer for 5 mins.Squeeze them gently so they soak up the syrup.Serve immediately or chilled.

»»  read more

RASMALAI

• Ingredients

Milk powder          - 1 cup
Egg                        - 1 no
Allpurpose flour      - 1 tbsp
Baking powder       - 1 tsp
Ghee                      - 1 tsp
Milk                       - 5 cups
Sugar                     -needed
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Saffron - A pinch
Pistachios - 8 - 10 nos

• Preparation method 

In a vessel, mix milk and sugar and boil it for 10 mins.Add cardamom powder and saffron. Let it boil on a slow flame.Mix together milk powder, maida and baking powder well in a bowl.Add one lightly beaten egg and ghee.Knead it into a dough.Make 20 - 22 small balls off it.Put these balls into the boiling milk.Cook for 10 - 12 mins.Remove from heat.Garnish it with finely chopped pistachios.Serve it cool.

»»  read more

STUFFED BANANA PATTIES

• Ingredients

Big half riped Banana(Nenthrappazham) - 2 nos
Coconut                                                - 1/2 of one
Sugar                                                    - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder                               - 1/4 tsp
Salt                                                       - A pinch
Broken cashewnuts                               - 2 tbsp
Raisins                                                  - 2 tbsp
Ghee                                                    - 1 tsp

• Preparation method

Steam banana & remove skin & seed. Mash well & keep it aside.Make a syrup with sugar & a little water (1/4 cup).Boil till you get one thread consistency.Add grated coconut & salt.Mix well for a few minutes and then add ghee and cardamom powder.Stir well till you get to roll the burfi.Make this burfi into desired shape & cover with the mashed banana.Shallow fry till golden color.This is a very tasty snack.

»»  read more

UNNIYAPPAM

• Ingredients

Raw rice             - 1 cup
Jaggery               - 1 cup
Grated coconut   - 1/2 cup
Plantain(Pazham) - 1 no
Cardamom        - 6 nos
Salt                  - A pinch
Preparation method

Soak the rice for 2 to 3 hours and grind to the consistency of dosa batter.To it, add the jaggery, coconut, plantain, cardamom, a pinch of salt and grind it in a mixer.Place the appa kuzhi (appa kara) on the stove.Pour oil in each portion until it is half full and then heat it.After oil is heated, pour a small amount of this batter into the oil in each portion.Turn over with the help of a stick and cook until the appams are fried well and become golden brown on both sides.

»»  read more

BUTTER CHICKEN (a little different)

• Ingredients

Sour cream            - 1/4cup
Ginger(crushed)     - 1 tsp
Food color(Red)    - ¼ tsp
Chicken                 - 2kg
(skinless, cut into pieces)
Butter                   - 4 Tbsp
Cinnamon            - 1" piece
Cloves                 - 6 nos
Cardamom           - 6 nos
Bay leaf               - 1 no
Yogurt               - 1/2cup
Saffron                - ¼ tsp
Raw cream          - 1/2cup
Almonds(ground) - 2 tsp
Corn flour            - ¼ tsp
Salt                   -needed

• Preparation method

Mix together yoghurt, ginger, salt and red coloring and rub into chicken.Let it marinate overnight.Place it in an ovenproof dish and brush with oil.Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 -50 mins.Save the liquid, if any.Melt butter in a saucepan.Fry cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and bay leaf for 1 minute. Add sour cream and chicken liquid.Add crushed saffron and cream.Cover and simmer gently for 5 - 6 mins. Add chicken pieces and adjust seasoning.Add ground almonds.Dissolve corn starch in water and add to the chicken. Let it thicken.Cover and simmer for 3 - 4 mins.Remove from heat.Garnish with coriander leaves and cream.

»»  read more

EGG ROAST

• Ingredients

Eggs                      - 6 nos
Onion                    - 4 nos
(sliced)
Tomato(medium)   - 3 nos
(chopped)
Garlic pods            - 5 nos
(chopped)
Ginger                - 1 small piece
(chopped)
Green chillies     - 5 nos
(chopped)
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder  - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin powder      - 1 tbsp
Vegetable oil        - 3 tbsp
Salt                      - needed
Coriander leaves for garnishing

• Preparation  method

Boil eggs, shell and keep it aside.Heat oil in the pan.Add onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic paste.Fry onions till it turns yellowish brown.Add tomatoes and fry it properly.Slit the boiled eggs and put them in the pan.Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander and cumin seeds powder and salt on the eggs.Stir it, cover the pan and let it cook for 15 mins.Remove the cover of the pan.Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve with appam, chappathi, etc

»»  read more