VELLARIKKA PALU CURRY / GOLDEN CUCUMBER GRAVY WITH COCONUT MILK

 Vellarikka / Golden Cucumber will remind about Vishukkani to every keralite. Cucumber helps in Kidney & Urinary bladder disease, Liver disease and Pancreatic disease. Its highly beneficial in Diabetics. Cucumber has more than 90% water content. So its an ideal vegetable to have in summer. 

Ingredients : 


Vellarikka / Golden Cucumber : 1,small
Shallots : 4 or 5, sliced
Green Chillies : 2, halved
Curry leaves  : 2Springs
Coconut milk 1st extract  : 1/2Cup
Coconut Milk 2nd extract  : 1Cup
Mustard Seeds : 1/2tsp
Dried Red Chillies : 2
Salt

Method :

1. Peel the skin and cut the vellarikka into small cubes. Pressure cook this with 1/2 Cup of water, shallot, green chillies and 1spring of curry leaves.

2. When pressure releases, remove the lid and add 2nd extract of coconut milk. (If you feel the water content is more, cook till the gravy reduces by half and then add 2nd extract of coconut milk).  Cook for 10-15minutes in medium flame.

3. Add Thick coconut milk and cook in low flame for 1minute. Turn of the flame.

4. In a tadka pan heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add dried red chillies and saute for a minute. Add the curry leaves and turn of the flame immediately. Add this to the curry and serve hot with rice.

Note  : Make sure  that you add correct amount of water to cook Vellarikka. Vellarikka will release lots of water while cooking. If you are adding more water with vellarikka, then you wont get correct thick gravy.

CELEBRATING MY BIRTHDAY TODAY :)

Today I am a year wiser today!!!!! For me the the most happiest thing is to celebrate birthdays with friends and family. I was eagerly waiting for the clock to strike 12,  waiting for the gifts, cake, phone calls..... woww... i could hardly sleep yesterday night because of all the excitment.

CHOCO BANANA SMOOTHIE

A quick, cool, tasty treat, perfect for a hot summer day!!!

 

Ingredients : 

Frozen Milk : 2Cups
Drinking Chocolate  : 2tbsp
Sugar  : 2tbsp
Banana  : 2, medium, cut into slices
Peanut Butter : 1tsp 

Method :   

Put everything in a blender and Continue beating till you get a smooth mixture. pour into glasses and top with ice cream / whipped cream / chocolate sauce / chocolate strands.

MUSHROOM BIRIYANI

This is a very popular South-indian biryani with mushroom.  Mushroom contains 80-90% of water and are very low in calories(only 100cal/oz). Mushrooms are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke.

Ingredients : 

Basmati Rice : 1 1/2Cup, washed and drained

Mushroom : 500g, Halved

Onion  : 2, thinly Sliced

Tomato  : 1, chopped finely

Green chillies  :3

Ginger  :1 inch piece

Garlic  : 6cloves

Mint leaves  :10

Coriander leaves  : 1bunch

Chilli powder : 1tsp

Bay leaf  :1

Ghee  :1tbsp

Coconut Oil  : 1tbsp

Lemon Juice  :1tsp

Salt

Coconut milk : 1Cup

For the Biriyani Masala : 

Coriander seeds  :1tbsp

Cumin seeds  :1tsp

Black peppercorns :1tsp

Cardamom : 3 pods

Cloves : 3

Cinnamon  :1inch stick

Method  :

1. Dry roast all ingredients for biriyani masala on a skillet and grind  it to a fine powder after it cools. 

2. Make a paste of ginger, garlic, green chilli, mint leaves and half of the coriander leaves. Heat Ghee and coconut oil in a pressure cooker and add the ginger+ garlic+mint+chilli+coriander paste to the oil and cook till you get a nice aroma. Now add onion and cook till they turn to golden brown in color. Add tomato and saute well over medium flame.

3. Add the dry roasted biriyani masala and chilli powder and stir in for 2minutes. Now add the mushrooms and basmati rice and combine well with the masala. Add salt and Cook for 3minutes.

4. Now add coconut milk, 2 1/4 Cups of water and lemon juice. Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and cook till done.(i cooked for 1whistle and kept for 5minutes before opening the cooker).

5. Garnish with the rest of coriander leaves and serve hot with raitha.

BABY CORN 65

An easy to cook, crispy  starter 

Ingredients : 
Baby Corn : 10
Cornflour : 2tbsp
Maida : 2tbsp
Ginger-garlic Paste : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp
Chilli Powder : 1tbsp
Garam Masala  : 1tsp
Kasoori Methi Powder : 1tsp
Egg  : 1 OR 1tbsp maida mixed with 1/4cup water
Salt
Orange red Food Color : a pinch 
Lemon Juice :1tsp
Oil

Method :

Cut the baby corn into 2 inch pieces. Beat egg and add all dry ingredients to it and make a thick batter. Marinate baby corn in this batter for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry each baby corn pieces. To garnish, insert 2 tikkas into a skewer separated by red/ green capsicum. Serve hot with tomato sauce / green chutney. 

STRAWBERRY PANCAKE

American-style Strawberry pancake served with rich and elegant strawberry glaze. 

Ingredients :

Strawberry: 10

All purpose flour : 2Cup

Baking powder : 2tsp

Sugar : 4tsp

Milk : 1Cup

Egg : 1, Slightly beaten

Salt : 1/2tsp

Melted Butter : 1tbsp

For Strawberry Glaze : 

Strawberries : 5, Halved

Powdered Sugar : 4tsp

Butter : 1tsp

Method : 

1. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Keep aside.

2. In another bowl, combine the milk, sugar and Egg. 

3. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.

4. Using a mixer mash 5 strawberries and finely chop remaining ones. Mix all this into the pancake mixture.

5. Heat a griddle / frying pan on medium flame and add butter. Now pour the batter on the hot griddle (almost 1/4Cup) and cook for 2-3mins on each side. 

6. Serve hot with strawberry glaze / maple syrup.

To make Strawberry Glaze :

Combine all ingredients for strawberry glaze in a sauce pan and cook on a low flame for -3minutes. Pour this over hot pancakes and serve :)

PERSIAN CUCUMBER SALAD WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

A simple salad that can be served with any dish. 

Ingredients  :

Cherry Tomatoes  : 8, halved

Cucumber : Half

Onion  : 1/2, finely copped

Lettuce : 1/2Cup

For dressing  :

Olive Oil  : 1tbsp

Lemon Juice : 1tbsp

Garlic  : 1 Clove, Crushed

Salt & Black Pepper

Method : 

1. Cut the cucumber into small cubes. Tear the lettuce into small pieces.

2. Place the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion and lettuce in a large salad bowl and mix lightly together.

3. To Make the dressing, pour olive oil in a small bowl, add  lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt. Mix well and pour the dressing over salad. Toss lightly to mix. Sprinkle black pepper and serve.

FISH BIRIYANI IN KERALA STYLE

All time favorite of all non vegetarians, biriyani is a highly seasoned rice cooked with chicken / Fish / Mutton / Beef, Egg or vegetables. My sister's  favorite is this mild spicy Fish Biriyani.

Ingredients :

Fish : 500g

Basmati Rice  : 3/4kg

Onion : 2, Thinly Sliced

Shallots : 10

Ginger : 1inch piece

Garlic : 6cloves

Green Chilli  : 2

Coriander Leaves : 1/2Cup, Chopped

Curd : 1/2Cup

Turmeric Powder  : 1/2tsp

Chilli Powder  : 1 1/4tsp

Fennel Powder : 1/2tsp

Garam Masala : 1/2tsp

Coconut Milk : Ist & IInd extract from a half coconut

Mint leaves : 10

Lemon Juice : 1tbsp

Salt

Ghee : 1tbsp

Coconut Oil  : 1tbsp

Method  :

1. Marinate Fish Pieces with turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt for 30minutes. 

2. Make a paste of shallots, ginger, garlic, green chilli and coriander leaves. Mix it with curd and 1/2tsp of salt and keep aside.

3. Heat coconut oil in a frying pan and fry the thinly sliced onions till they are golden and mix this with curd from step 2 and keep aside. Shallow fry the fish pieces in the same pan. Keep the fish pieces in the pan itself and let it cool for 10minutes.

4. Cook the rice in a heavy bottom vessel (i used pressure cooker). When its 80% done remove it from fire and drain well. 

5. Add curd (from step 3) to the fish pieces and let it cook on medium flame (Add salt if needed). When its cooked completely remove from fire.

6. Take 2tbsp of above fish masala and add it to coconut milk To this add 1tsp of lemon juice, mint leaves, fennel powder and garam  masala. Cook the rice in this masala in a heavy bottom vessel. 

7. For layering add the fish masala first and then add a layer of rice along with some ghee and lemon juice. For better results you can make this layering in a oven proof vessel and bake for 15minutes. 

8. Serve hot with raitha, green chutney / biriyani chammanthi, pappad and pickle.

MY 2ND BLOG ANNIVERSARY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEMON & SPICE :)

 WOOOW!!! I can't believe its been 2years since i started "Lemon & Spice". I never imagined that I will be blogging with the same drive and energy 2 years later. Blogging helped me understand different cuisines, cultures and ingredients. It helped me to attempt different recipes that i haven't heard or tasted before. 

I really thank my husband, who convinced to start the blog and record my kitchen experiments. He is the one who discovered a 'cook' in me. He helped me convert my hobby into a passion.

I really thank my sister Nish, who religiously visits my blog and post comments on each and every post. A big thanks to my friend Krisha Kumar for helping me import hard to get cooking stuff from US :). Sincere thanks to my dear blogger friend Teena to give the inspiration to start baking.

A big thanks to each and every one of you for giving me all the support and encouragement that has kept me going these wonderful two years.