Fish Curry/Spicy Tomato Gravy

Dear friends,
Taking a short break..moving to our new destination, Ohio. Will loose some of your yummy posts.....hope to see you all soon.

Fish curry with a spicy and tangy sauce is a great combo with rice. In this curry I have not used coconut and tamarind which is the important ingredient of Kerala fish curry. But tomatoes gave this curry a unique flavor and taste

Ingredients
Fish- 1/2kg
Tomato puree- 1 cup
Onion- 1 large
Ginger- 2 inch 
Garlic- 2 cloves
Green chilly -2
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 3/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
Oil for frying

Marinate fish with half of chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice for ten minutes and fry them for a few seconds. Remove from oil before it gets browned up. This is just to prevent it from breaking while cooking.
Finely chop onions, green chillies, garlic and ginger( or you can use a kitchen chopper or food processor). Saute this along with curry leaves till golden brown in the same pan used for frying the fish. Add tomato puree and let it get cooked for two to three minutes or till the oil separates. Add chilly powder, turmeric, coriander, pepper and fenugreek and saute a another minute. Add one and one half cup of warm water and when it comes to a boil slide in the fried fish pieces and close lid. Cook in medium heat for seven to eight minutes. Finely add coriander leaves and simmer for a few second. Serve warm with rice.


Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy.

Ela ada/ Steamed Rice Dumpling

Ela ada is a simple steamed sweet delicacy of Kerala which can be served both as a breakfast or snack. In my home back in Kerala grandmother used to make ela ada as a breakfast for Onam. She prepares two types of ada...one the poovada ( just plain coconut filling ) which is an offering on this auspicious day. The second type of ada has coconut, jaggery and banana combined mixture which was relished both by young and elders. Ela ada thus also forms a quick breakfast. It has a distinct flavor - the aroma of jaggery, coconut ghee mixture and the sutle delicate aroma of banana leaf...all those nostalgic memories:)

Onam is a festival of joy and happiness, prosperity and well being...It also commemorates happy nostalgic memories of mankind..the age of goodness, when all men were equal and there was heavenly bliss in this very human world.
Happy Onam to all my friends...Celebrate and enjoy.

Ingredients

Rice Flour- 2 cups
Water- 1 1/2 cups
Grated coconut- 1 cup
Jaggery-  3/4 cup
Ghee- 1 tsp
Cardamon powder  - 1/3 tsp
salt - a pinch
sugar- 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil- 2 tsp
banana leafs- cut into small peices

Bring half cup of water and jaggery to a boil.  Strain out the impurities and bring it back to stove and boil till it attains a two tread consistency. Add coconut and cook till it becomes completely dry and leaves the edges of the pan. Add ghee and cardamon powder and allow this mixture to cool ( usually grandmother makes this the day before and keeps in air tight container )

Boil one and one half cup of water along with salt and sugar. When it comes to a rolling boil add in the coconut oil.
Take the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Gradually mix in the water little by little and mix with a wooden spoon and make a soft dough. When able to handle knead into a smooth dough and make small balls.
Take banana leaf and cut into small pieces. grease it with a little of oil. Place dough in the center of the leaf and with your fingers spread the dough on the leaf. Place spoon fulls of the coconut mixture and fold the leaf and press the edges of the leaf along with the banana leaf. Steam it in a pressure cooker with out the weight on for around ten minutes.. enjoy!


Try this..

Hope you will all enjoy.

Mango Custard

Mango Custard is a delectable and easy dessert which can be served on any occasion. The rich creamy custard with the flavor of mangoes ..it is a real treat to serve after dinner. It was quick to make with simple ingredients and my family relished every spoon of this tasty custard.

Ingredients

Milk- 2 cups

Thick Mango pulp- 1 cup

Egg-2

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp

Corn starch- 11/2 tsp

Peel and puree the mangoes and keep aside. Bring milk to a boil and switch off  the flame. Whisk together eggs, sugar and corn starch until well combined. Now add hot milk little by little and combine well. Transfer the contents into a double boiler and cook in a low flame . Stir constantly for around five minutes. Add in vanilla essence and switch off the flame. Let it cool and gently stir in the mango pulp. Cover and chill in refrigerator for two to three hours. Garnish and serve.

This goes to Akheela's wonderful event

 

Try this..

Hope you will all enjoy.

 

Parippu Vada/Dal Fitters

Parippu vada is a simple evening snack that can be made with thuvar dal or channa dal. Crunchy and mildly spicy it is a great accompaniment with tea. This is as famous as uyundu vada or urud dal fitters in tea stall in Kerala and is served with hot piping tea.

Ingredients

Thuvar dal or Channa Dal- 1 cup 
Green chilly- 2
Red dry chilly-3
Shallot- 2 chopped
Ginger- 1inch thick
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Coconut shredded - 2tsp
Curry leaves
salt to taste
Oil for frying-1 cup


Soak dal for at least for hours and drain in a colander and set aside.
Grind dal and red chilly without adding water. Grind into a course paste and finally add green chilly , shallots, ginger, curry leaves, coconut and fennel get them crushed. Heat oil and drop spoon full of mixture in the form of small patties.Flip and fry till both sides become evenly browned up. Remove from oil to a paper napkin. Serve with tea.


Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy.

Chicken Kurma

Chicken Kurma, the mildly  spiced creamy chicken is a sure hit in every home. This flavorful chicken goes so well with bread, chappatis and rice. This has lesser amount of cream to make it a little more healthy but it gave me the same taste and flavors.

Ingredients
Chicken - 1 lb
Onions finely chopped - 3 medium
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
Chilly powder- 1/2 tp
Coriander powder 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Green Chilly- 5-8 
Yogurt- 1/2 cup
Garam masla powder 1 tsp
whole garam Masala- cinnamon stick, 5 cloves, 5 cardomon, bay leaf.
Cream or low fat milk- 1/3 cup
Cashew nuts- 15-20
Chickpea flour- 2tsp

Salt to taste
Ghee /butter- 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp


Wisk together yogurt,one tsp of salt and chickpea flour till well blended and marinate the cleaned chicken peices with this paste for half and hour.
Soak cashew nuts with half a cup of warm water  for half an hour. Mix in cream and make a fine paste.
In a heavy bottom pan heat ghee and oil ( or you can add ghee alone) and add whole garam masala and gently roast. Add chopped onions and saute followed by ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder and chilly powder and green chilly and curry leaves. Add in the marinated chicken and saute for one or two minutes till the chicken pieces lose pink shade and turn white. Pour one cup of warm water and close the lid tightly and cook in medium. Stir occasionally. When the chicken is fully cooked add the cashew-creme paste and stir and incorporate( you can also add roasted poppy seeds for a thick gravy). Add one tsp of garam masala  and simmer for another one minute. 


Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy

Custard Crepes

Sweet crepes can be served as a wonderful dessert. This is a simple and delicious crepe batter recipe. I have used flour and custard powder in this recipe with a sweet fruit filling. You can also use custard sauce as a filling which will enhance taste and serves as a tasty dessert.

Ingredients
All purpose flour- 1 cup
Custard powder- 5 tsp
Milk 3/4 cup
hot water 1/2 cup
Eggs- 2
Salt - a pinch
Sugar- 1 tsp
Choice of chopped fruits-  1/2 cup
Maple syrup- 2 tsp
Vanilla essence- a few drops

Combine one tsp of sugar and custard powder with a few tsp of water and make a smooth paste. Add 3/4 cup of hot water and set aside. Allow it to cool.( If you want to make the sauce use the same process but add milk instead)
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and flour and slowly add milk little by little and finally the custard mix and stir to combine. Scoop batter into a hot greased griddle and spread the batter just like a pan cake or dosa.Cook on both sides. Mix fruit with maple syrup ( or you can use custard sauce) and use as a filling. Enjoy


Award time:)

Two wonderful friends have passed me the following awards.
Akheela of Torview passed me this wonderful award "The Versatile Blogger Award" Thanks Akeela. It is very sweet of you. She has a lovely space with very innovative recipes.Very enthusiastic blogger who's ongoing event will surely bring blogger friends together with a wonderful collection of recipes. Check her ongoing event.

 My dear friend Rach  of Indian Food has showered me with lots of awards..thanks dear.It is so sweet of you to share these lovely awards. A wonderful blogger she has lots of yummy recipes..Do visit her blog and enjoy- it is a real visual treat.Do not forget to try her fusion recipes and seafood  section.

I am extremely delighted and honored to receive this love and appreciation form my blogger friends.Thanks all. I would like to share these awards to all my friends..I am happy to have so many lovely friends who visit, comment and encourage me.Dear friends please accept this as a token of love and friendship.


Happy Blogging

Mango Peda/ Two Layer Peda

Milk peda is an all time favorite Indian sweet. This time I wanted to try making it with mangoes ( actually I had one tin of mango pulp). The richness and flavor of this sweet is truly divine. Here I did a two layer peda. First layer is the usual milk peda. You can find the recipe here. I got the idea of using ricotta cheese from Nayana. It saves a lot of time, thanks Nayana...The second layer recipe is as follows.

Ingredients
Ricotta Cheese - 2 cups
Mango pulp- 1 cup
Mawa - 3 tsp
Evaporated  milk- 1/3 cup
Sugar- 1/2 cup ( according to sweetness of Mango)
Cardamon Powder - 1/2 tsp
Badam or pistachios for garnish


In a non stick pan cook mango puree till it is cooked and reduced . Blend in mawa, evaporated  milk and ricotta cheese and stir in medium flame for about eight or ten minutes till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and becomes a thick mass. Allow it to cool completely and add in powdered sugar and cardamon powder and knead it just like a dough. Grease your hand with butter or ghee and roll into desired shapes and garnish.


This recipe goes to Jagruthi's  and Niveditha wonderful event

And Akila's wonderful event CID 2010 event.I would love to dedicate this recipe to the "Prince of Patriots"- Subhas Chandra Bose.

 
Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy

Thalashery Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani is very important for festive occasions in Kerala. Different styles like Kozhikodan Biryani, Malabar Biryani, Thalashery style, Kayees Biryani famous in Central Kerala especially Cochin....the list goes on and on..... This recipe I had noted in my recipe book some time back  from a TV show. Talasherry Biryani ingredients are not much different from the usual Kerala styles,but the preparation and taste is definitely unique. In the ingredients you will find a total absence of curd and chilly powder. The rice I has used is long grain basmathi rice, as I did not have the smaller variety which is actually used in this biryani. Give this recipe a try..you will surely feel the difference.

Ingredients

For the Rice
Basmathi Rice- 3 cups
Salt to taste
Cloves- 5
Cinnamon 1 inch tick
Cardamon- 3
Ghee- 1 tsp
Rose water- 2 tsp
Water- 6 cups

For the masala
Chicken- 2 lb
Onions thinly sliced- 6-7 medium
Tomatoes- 4 medium
Ginger - 2 inch thick peice
Garlic- 15 pods
Green chilly- 15
Lemon juice- 1 lemon
Mint chopped- hand full
Coriander leaves- one hand full

Biryani Masala
Cinnamon stick- 1 inch stick
Whole pepper- 1tsp
Cloves-5
Cardamon- 3
Fennel seed- 1tsp
Cumin- a pinch
Javentri- 2
Nutmeg- small peice
Star Aniseed- 2


Garnishing
Coriander leaves
Cashew nuts- 20
Raisins- 15 
food color- few drops


Roast the ingredients under the masala, make a fine powder and set aside.
Bring four cups of water to boil and add in salt, whole cinnamon, cardamon and cloves and one tsp of ghee and cook rice covered until 3/4 done. When almost dry add in rose water and switch off the flame. Do not strain out the rice.
Chop onions into thin slices and fry them in ghee/oil till brown and crispy. ( I used oil and two tsp of ghee) . Drain out from the oil and set aside.
In the same oil saute crushed ginger, garlic and green chilly till a nice aroma comes. Add tomatoes and salt and fry till tomatoes are soft.Add in chicken and mint stir fry few a few seconds and pour in warm water and close the lid and cook in medium flame till almost half done. Now add the garam masala powder and 3/4 of the fried onions. Do not mix in, just layer on top and close lid for two minutes( reserve the rest for garnish) Finally mix in and cook the chicken till it is almost done. Do not allow the gravy to dry up. 
Take a heavy bottom pan and transfer the chicken with gravy into in . Garnish with coriander leaves and place one layer of rice. Again spread coriander leaves and fried onions and lemon juice add one layer of rice on top. Garnish with coriander leaves, fried onion, cashews and raisins and drops of yellow food color. Close the lid tightly. Use the dum method and also place a little weight on top. Put it in high flame for a minute and then bring to low flame for about 5-8 minutes. Serve warm with pickles, papad , salad and raita

This is going to Umm Mymoonah's wonderful event

Try this ...
Hope you will all enjoy.