CINNAMON-COATED COOKIES

These basic cinnamon cookies are simple and delicious. I use a the bottom of a glass to flatten and shape the cookies

Ingredients :

Butter : 100, at room temperature
Castor Sugar : 350
Vanilla Essence : 1tbsp
Egg : 3
Milk : 1/4 Cup
Plain flour : 400g
Bicarbonate of soda : 1tsp
Walnuts : 55g, finely chopped

For Coating :

Sugar : 5tbsp
Ground cinnamon : 2tbsp



Method :

1. Preheat oven at 190˚C. Grease 2 baking sheets.

2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until light. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue mixing until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then the milk.

3. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda over the butter mixture and stir to blend. Stir in the nuts. Refrigerate for 15minutes.

4. For the coating, mix the sugar and cinnamon.

5. Roll tablespoonfull of the mixture into walnut sized balls. Roll the balls in the sugar mixture. You may need to work in batches.

6. Place 2in(5cm) apart on the prepared sheets and flatten slightly. Bake until golden, about 10minutes. transfer to a rack to cool.
Note for a beginner : Each oven has different temperature level. So bake for 5min at 170˚C. Then if needed change the temperature and bake till done.

This goes to Srikar's Cookies series

MYSORE BANANA BONDA

A teatime snack , but delicious at any time.
Its made with banana, sugar, maida and cardamom powder. Here im adding coconut too, as i like dat taste. Its quick and easy to make. Actual bondas are like small balls in shape. But i never use oil much. So i couldnt make d round shape. So to make round bonda's you can add more oil and deep fry them.

Ingredients :

Ripe banana : 1, mashed
Maida : 3/4Cup
Sugar : 5tbsp
Turmeric powder / yellow food color : 1pinch, optional
Coconut grated : 1/4Cup
water (if needed to make batter)

Method :

1. Just mash the banana with the help of potato masher or using hands. Add flour to it and knead it well. Now add sugar Turmeric powder / yellow food color and coconut to it. Along with that add few tbsp of water to form a dough. Then increase/decrease sugar level according to your taste.

2. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Take a spoonful of dough and put it in the oil. Don't worry about the shapes... Deep fry it till it become brown color.

3. Serve as a tea-time snack.

MUSSELS COCONUT FRY / KAKKA THORAN

Ingredients :


Mussels / Kakkayirachi : 250g
Shallots : 5 -8
Ginger : 1/2 inch piece
Green chili - 1 or 2
Curry leaves - 1 or 2 sprigs
Turmeric Powder- 1/4
Chilli Powder : 2tsp
Grated Coconut : 3/4Cup
oil - 4 tbsp
salt to taste


Method :


1. Boil the shelled mussels for 5minutes. Then it will be easy to remove the shell. Clean the mussels well.


2. Chop the shallots, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves.


3. In a bowl, mix the mussels, turmeric powder, chilli powder, curry leaves, chopped chilli, shallots, ginger and salt. Marinate it for some time.


4. Add 1/2 cup water, marinated mussels and grated coconut in a sauce pan. Close it with a lid. Cook in low flame till the gravy becomes dry. Add salt if required.


5. Add oil in the pan and cook well. Enjoy!!!!!

BEETROOT SHAKE

Having beetroot every day can help reduce one’s blood pressure..Beet juice should always be mixed with other vegetables and/or fruits.Along with having numerous health benefits, beet root is also beneficial for the skin.
As me n my husband doesn't like the taste of beetroot, i make use of it by making beetroot kesari, this shake and beetroot pachadi.

Ingredients :

Beetroot : 2
Banana : 1
Dates : 10
Milk : 1Cup
Sugar : 4tbsp
Honey : 1tbsp
Crushed ice cubes
Pudina leaves : 2

Method :

1. Make beetroot juice first.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and Combine using a mixer and pour into the serving glass.

This goes to Mahima's "15minutes cooking"

SUKHIYAN / MODAKAM

KIWI & DRY FRIUTS SHAKE

Ingredients :

Kiwi crush : 10tbsp
Milk : 1/2 ltr + 1/4 Cup
Custard powder : 3tbsp
Butterscotch ice cream : 2scoops
Green food colour : 1/8tsp
Kiwi : 1
Milkmaid :3tbsp
Dry fruits : 3tbsp, chopped
Cherry : 6

Method :

1. In a sauce pan boil 1/2ltr milk. In a Bowl mix custard powder and 1/4 cup milk. Combine it with the boiling milk. Stir well.

2. Add the milkmaid to the custard and stir continuously. When it gets medium thickness, add the dry fruits and turn it off.

3. Add the food color and mix it well in one direction.

4. Refrigerate for a while when it becomes cool.

5. before serving, mix the icecream in the custard and add 2tbs of Kiwi crush. If the custard is thick, with blender or with mixer make it loose.

5. In a serving glass, put 1 1/2tsp of kiwi crush first. Now add the kiwi custard slowly. You can see the layers formed. Chop one kiwi and put 1tsp in each glass. Garnish with one kiwi slice and cherry.

6. enjoy!!!!

Note : If u dont have bottled kiwi crush, buy 6 kiwi and chop it finely. Now in a sauce pan, put kiwi and then 1/2Cup sugar. Join in nicely and cook in low flame. Make it a thick paste. In the same way u can use strawberries instead of Kiwi.

THAKKALI PACHADI / Tomato Pachadi

Ingredients :

Tomato : 3

Water : 1/4Cup

Curd : 1 1/2Cup
Coconut grated : 1/4Cup

Green Chili : 1

Pepper : 4
Cumin Seeds : 1/2tsp

Mustard seeds : 1tsp + 1tsp

Fenugreek seeds : 1/2tsp

Dried Red Chili :3

Curry leaves : 2Spring

Coconut Oil : 2tsp 
Salt

Method :

1. In a clay pot, add the sliced tomato, water and salt . Mix well with hand and then cook in medium flame till water absorbs completely. Keep aside to cool.

2. Grind together grated coconut, pepper, Cumin seeds and green chili. Make it a fine paste. Now add 1tsp of mustard seeds and grind for 1min to crush them. Do not over grind.

3. Add the coconut paste into the cooled tomato mixture along with curd. Adjust the salt now.

4. Now for thadka, Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When it splutters add red chillies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Pour over the pachadi and close the clay pot with a lid. Serve hot.

AALOO PARATHA

Ingredients :

Potato : 3
Wheat Flour : 500g
Green Coriander : 3-4springs
Green Chilli : 2
Ginger : 1/2inch piece
Salt : to taste
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Red chilli powder : a pinch
Oil :2tsp
water

Method :

1. Boil potato with salt and turmeric powder.

2. Cut green chillies, coriander leaves and ginger into small pieces.

3. Add the above ingredients to the reconstituted flakes.

4. Add salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder.

5. If the mix is watery, put it in a sauce pan and make a thick paste which u can make into rolls.

6. Make a dough from wheat flour by adding oil, water and salt. Make chappathi balls.

7. Fill the spiced potato mash balls with in the chappathi roll. chappathi balls should be double the size of aaloo roll.

8. Roll them carefully to get paratha. Fry on tawa along with ghee.

KERALA RESTAURANT STYLE PEPPER CHICKEN ROAST

Chicken pieces cooked with freshly crushed black pepper and other spices gives the authentic Kerala touch to this Pepper chicken roast.  It is a quick and easy to make chicken gravy recipe and goes well with appam / rose matta rice / pulao / chappathis / Kerala parotta.

How to make the best Pepper chicken Roast / Kurumulaku Chicken?

Preparation time : 30min

Serves : 3

Calories : 332cal per serving

Ingredients :

Chicken : 500g, small pieces with bones
Onion : 1 large, thinly sliced
Tomato : 1, medium sized, roughly chopped
Ginger : 1inch piece
Garlic : 6 cloves
Green chillies : 2 or 3
Cumin (jeerakam) : 3/4tsp
Black Pepper : 2 1/2tsp ++(add more according to your spice level)
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Coriander powder : 1 1/2tsp
Dried Red chillies : 2
Garam Masala : 1/2tsp
Coriander leaves : handful, chopped / Curry leaves : 2springs (both gives different aroma)
salt
Oil : 1tbsp

Directions for Kerala Restaurant Style  Pepper Chicken :

1. Wash and drain the chicken pieces using a colander.

2. Crush together garlic, ginger, black pepper, cumin, curry leaves and green chillies. Keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a Kadai or wide non-stick pan and add dried red chillies followed by onions. Saute till the onions turns to translucent. Now add the crushed masala (step2) and stir fry for 2 to 4 minutes.

4. Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala at this stage and fry for another minute. Now add the tomatoes and combine well. When it becomes soft, add the drained chicken pieces, salt and combine well. Cover the pan with a tight lid and cook for 20minutes in low flame. (Do not add water)

5. When the chicken pieces are cooked, turn the heat into medium flame and saute till you get a thick gravy. Adjust the salt and pepper powder according to your taste.

6. Remove from flame and  Serve hot with kerala matta rice / pulao / chappathi / appam.

Old picture of pepper chicken taken in 2009

KALAN / KATTI KALAN / KURUKKU KALAN / Thrissur style Kalan

Ingredients :

Raw banana :2peeled and cubed
Yam :1Cup , peeled and cubed
Sour Curd : 1 1/2Cup
Coconut grated : 1Cup
Green Chili : 2
Chili powder : 1/2tsp
Pepper :5
Turmeric powder : 1/2tsp + 1/2tsp
Garlic : 4cloves
Cumin seeds : 1/2tsp
Mustard seeds : 1tsp
Fenugreek seeds : 1/2tsp
Red Chili :3
Curry leaves : 2Spring
Coconut Oil : 2tsp


Method :


1. Pressure cook chopped and cubed raw banana and yam with one cup water, chili powder, 1/2tsp turmeric powder and 1tsp salt.


2. Grind grated coconut, 1/2tsp turmeric powder, garlic, cumin seeds, pepper and green chili. Make it a fine paste.


3. Transfer the boiled vegetable in to a clay pot to make traditional kerala Kalan. Leave it for some time to cool.


4. Add coconut paste and curd at same time. mix it well and cook till the gravy is very thick and cover the vegggies. Add salt to taste. (Cook in low flame for 5-6min.)


5. For thadka, Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add red chillies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Pour over the Kalan and close the clay pot with a lid. Serve hot.

CABBAGE CARROT THORAN

Ingredients :

Cabbage - 1/2 cabbage, finely shredded
Carrot - 1 , finely shredded
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 2, finely chopped
Onion : 1, chopped
Curry leaves : 2 springs
salt
Oil
Turmeric powder : 1/2tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Mix all ingredients together with hand except mustard seeds, oil and urad dal(uzhunnu parippu). Keep aside for 10 minutes.

2. In a sauce pan, add oil and put mustard seeds and den urad dal.When the mustard stops spluttering add the cabbage carrot mixture and mix well. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes. Open and add 1tsp of water and mix well. cover the pan with a lid and Dry completely.

3. Serve hot with rice.