Kitchen Corner-Try It

Mambazha Kalan
Kalan is an important dish in the Kerala sadhya menu. It is a flavorful yogurt and coconut based curry.I have already posted the traditional sadhya style kalan. This one is flavorful sweet and sour version with ripe mangoes or mambazham.
Kurukku Kalan/katti kalan with vegetables is a specialty in Central Kerala. It has a thick consistency and is served as side dish. It is also popular in South Kerala where it is a thinner gravy and is served over rice.

Ingredients
Ripe Mangoes -2
Pepper powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp

Ghee- 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste
Yogurt- 1/2 liter
Fenugreek powder- 1/3 tsp

To make a paste
Coconut- 1  1/2 cup
Cumin- 1/2 tsp
Green chilly- 3
Curry leaves-2-3

For the tempering
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/3 tsp
Dry red chilly- 2
Curry leaves  a few

Oil- 2 tsp


Cut mangoes into small pieces.Mix pepper powder with little water and strain it with a thin cloth. In a pot add this water along with mango cubes, turmeric powder, salt and ghee an…

Bread Bonda Bread bonda is a tasty snack made with bread slices and a tasty potato filling. The balls are deep fried till they attain a crispy golden exterior.This was very common in our college canteen menu and was served with chutney, ketchup and hot tea. Try this snack,you will surely love it

Ingredients
Bread slices- 8-10
Egg white- 1
Bread Crumbs- 1/2 cup

For the filling
Potatoes cooked and mashed- 1 1/2 cup
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Hing- a pinch
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Onion- 1/2
Curry leaves chopped- 1 tsp
Chopped chilly-2-3
Ginger chopped- 1 tsp
Lemon juice- 1tsp
Cilantro- finely chopped- 2 tbs


Wash and boil potatoes till it is soft (2 medium sized potatoes). When it cools down remove the skin and mash with a fork.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when it splutters add urad dal  and roast till golden. Add hing, turmeric powder,onions,ginger and chopped curry leaves and saute for a minute.
 Add mashed potatoes,salt and mix well. Finally add the lemo…

Semiya/Vermicelli Upma
Semiya/Vermicelli upma is a quick and filling breakfast. There are sweet and savory recipes with vermicelli. Upma is a popular south Indian breakfast. Add vegetables of your choice to make this light and healthy.

Ingredients Semiya/Vermicelli- 1 cup
Onion medium- 1
Ginger chopped- 1 tsp
Green Chilly-2
Mixed vegetables chopped- 3/4 cup
(carrots, green beans )
Chopped dates- 2tbs
Cashew nuts- 5-6
Water- 2 1/3 cup
Salt to taste
Sugar-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/3 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Ghee- 1 tsp

Hing- a pinch
Curry leaves- a few




Heat one tsp ghee in a pan and roast semiya/vermicelli in medium flame for about 3-4 minutes or till it slightly changes to golden. Keep this aside.

In the same pan heat oil and add mustard seeds and when it splutter add urad dal and cashew nuts. Fry till nuts change color. Saute chopped dates, curry leaves and hing. Next goes in chopped onion,green chilly and ginger. Fry till it becomes golden brown.
 Add the mixed vegetables and sprink…

Paneer Pakora
Pakoras/pakodas are yummy tea time snack and also served as appetizers. They are batter dipped and deep fried. You can make pakoras with sliced vegetables or meat. This one is made with paneer.
Ingredients
Paneer cut into thin slices- 12-14 pieces
Gram flour- 3/4 cup
Rice flour- 2 tbs
Chilly powder- 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/3 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp Amchur powder- 1/3
Cumin powder-a pinch
Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves- 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Cut paneer into small thin slices. Make a batter with rest of the ingredients except oil. Batter should be a medium thick consistency.
Dip each piece of paneer into the prepared batter, coat evenly and drop into hot oil and fry this on both sides. Fry each side for two minutes on medium flame. When it is slightly brown and crispy remove from oil and place  fried pakoras on a paper towel so that the excess grease is removed.
Serve this with dates and tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup alo…

Chocolate Heart of Darkness Cakes

This is baking partners second challenge recipe for April 2015. It is mini warm molten chocolate cake with a gooey chocolate center. These are highly addictive and can be served warm just like itself or with ice cream. The chocolaty center is attained from frozen truffles with melts as they bake in the oven. Thanks Swathi for giving me the opportunity to suggest recipes for this month's challenge. These cakes was in my to do wish list. I am so happy that I finally got and opportunity to try them.
Recipe source:Death By Chocolate Cakes  By  Marcel Desaulniers

To make Chocolate truffle

8 ounce semisweet baking chocolate
heavy cream- 3/4 cup

For the cake

Butter- 5 ounce cut into pieces+ 2 tsp melted
All propose flour- 2/3 cup
Unsweetened cocoa- 1/2 cup
Semi sweet baking chocolate- 8 ounce
Egg-3 large
Egg yolk- 2
granulated sugar- 1/2
vanilla extract- 1 tsp



To make the truffles

Place 8 ounce semi sweet chocolate in a bowl. Heat 3/4cup heavy cream in a …

Chocolate Pecan Cookies
Baking partners challenge this month was to attempt one gluten free recipe.For me it was intimidating as I have never tried flour less baking. Swathi recommended Dominique Ansel's chocolate pecan cookies. These cookies are utterly addictive, chocolaty goodness. They are light and crispy in the outside with a soft gooey center.This recipe is a keeper and currently my kids favorite chocolate cookies. The original recipe has cornstarch,but they turned out a little flat. Then I tried using almond flour/meal and it came out well.Thanks Swathi for the recipe.

Recipe Source:  The Secret Recipes by Dominique Ansel

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Chips- 2 cups (12 ounce)
Unsalted butter- 3 tbs+ 1/2 tsp
Granulated Sugar- 1 cup+ 2 tbs
Almond Flour- 1/3 cup
(or 1/4 cup corn starch)
Baking powder- 3/4 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Egg- 3
Coarsely chopped Pecans- 1/2 cup


Day one making the dough

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Fill the pot with about 3 inches of water and bring i…

Vishu Kanji
Happy Vishu to all my friends and readers! Today I am sharing a Vishu special recipe popular in central Kerala.  It is a sweet rice and bean porridge/ dessert served as breakfast on Vishu /Kerala New Year. This recipe is shared by my mother-in law. Thanks ammachi for this recipe.It is a yummy porridge and definitely worth a try.
Ingredients
Rose matta rice- 1 cup
Vanpayar/ red cow peas- 1/2 cup
Jaggery- 1/2 cup (powdered)
Coconut milk thin- 2 cup
Coconut milk thick- 1 cup
Ghee- 1 tbs
Sliced coconut- 2 tbs
cashew nuts a few
Sesame seeds- 1 tsp


Cook vanpayar till soft and keep aside.
Add half cup of water into jaggery and make a syrup. Strain impurities and keep aside.
In a heavy bottom pan add washed rice and thin coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Cook till the rice is almost cooked and add in the cooked vanpayar.  Simmer for four to five minutes. Add the jaggery syrup and allow it to reduce and thicken. Pour the thick coconut milk and after a minute switch off the flame.
…

Chena Varuthathu/Yam Fry
Yam fry/chips is deep fried crispy and yummy snack. It is quick and easy and can also be served as a side dish with rice like crispy potato fry.In some regions of Kerala it is served along with banana chips for sadhya. Give this spicy fry/chips a try,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Yam thinly sliced- 2 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - a few
Dry red chilly- 3-4
coconut oil- 1/2 cup



Cut yam into thin slices. Mix it with turmeric powder, salt and a few drops of coconut oil. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves and the yam. Fry in medium heat for 3-4 minutes till it is crispy. Drain into paper towels. Serve with ric.

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy!

Kumbalanga Moru Curry
Moru Curry is spiced  butter milk curry and is most common curry for lunch in Kerala. It is usually made simple,but you can also add vegetables like ash gourd/winter melon or cucumber/vellarikka.

Ingredients
Ash Gourd- 2 cup cubed
Yogurt- 2 cup
Coconut- 2 tbs
Cumin- 1/2 tsp
Ginger- 1/2 inch thick piece
Green chilly slit-3
Garlic- 2 clove
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Pearl onion-2
Curry leaves a few
Dry red chilly-2
salt to taste and coconut oil



Cut ash gourd/kumbalanga into cubes. In a pot add the kumbalanga pieces,two green chilly slit, salt and turmeric powder. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook till the vegetable is soft.
Make a fine paste of coconut ginger and cumin. Add one green chilly, pearl onion, and garlic and crush them. If in the mixer,blend for 5-6 seconds. Into this paste add the yogurt and mix well. Pour this into the cooked vegetable and return to the stove. Simmer in medium heat for one to two minutes or till it is warm ( do not boil). Switch off the flam…

Yeung Chau Fried Rice
Yeung Chau Fried rice is popular menu in Chinese restaurants. Yeung Chau is a province in China known for its superior fried rice dishes.  It is colorful and flavorful with with tender crispy vegetables, prawns and meat. Barbequed pork is one of the key ingredient n this fried rice. I used grilled salmon fish instead. So this is a seafood Yeung chau fried rice. Oyster sauce, curry powder or Chinese five spice  is used instead of soya sauce. Give this recipe a try, you will surely love it.

Recipe source: Leeann Chin and Katie Chin, Everyday Chinese Cooking.
Ingredients White rice/ basmathi rice- cooked- 2 cup Egg-1 Chopped onion- 1/2 cup Garlic- 2 cloves Vegetable oil- 2 tbs Peas- 1/2 cup Carrots- 1/2 cup chopped Green beans chopped- 1/3 cup Grilled Prawns- 3/4 cup Grilled salmon- 3/4 cup shredded (or barbecued pork or chicken)  Oyster sauce- 1 tbs Pepper and salt to taste


Heat oil in a pan. Stir fry onions and garlic till translucent. Add the vegetables and fr…

Mango Smoothie
Creamy and refreshing mango smoothie is nourishing and satisfying.This is a yummy drink for breakfast and is perfect for all mango lovers.

Ingredients
Milk- 1/2 cup
Greek yogurt/ regular yogurt-1/2 cup
Chopped ripe mango- 1 cup
Vanilla essence- 1/3 tsp
Ice cubes- 2-3
Sugar- 2 tsp
(or honey- 1 tsp)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.You can also chop mangoes and freeze it to make the smoothie. Thaw for 10 minutes and add to the blender.Serve immediately.

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy!

Spicy Biscuits/Kaara Biscuits
Kaara biscuits is bakery style spicy and salty cracker. This is popular in Kerala and my next favorite after butter biscuits/Nankattai-  its sweet version. It is a perfect tea time snack too. These cookies are flavorful with spices,mint, fried onions and sesame seeds. It is light and crispy  biscuits.You can also try egg less version of this recipe. Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
All purpose flour- 2  cup
Salt- 1 tsp
Sugar- 2 tbs
Egg- 1
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
Green chilly-finely chopped-2
Fried onion powder-1/4 cup (optional)
Grated ginger- 1 inch thick
Clove and cardamon powder- 1/3 tsp
Cumin powder- a pinch
Chopped coriander leaves and mint-2 tbs
Margarine- 1/2 stick
Vegetable oil- 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds- 2 tbs




In a bowl add flour,salt,sugar, baking powder, chilly powder, fried onion powder, clove and cardamon powder. Whisk it together till well combined.
Add room temperature butter and shortening into t…

Tomato Rice/Thakkali chooru
Tomato rice is quick and tasty one pot meal.  The rice is tangy and mildly spicy. Takkali sadam is a common menu in south Indian restaurants. It can be served with papad, pickle and yogurt.
Ingredients
Cooked Basmathi rice- 3 cups
Tomato -3 chopped
Tomato puree- 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 medium

Urad dal- 1 tsp
Peanut- 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Ginger sliced- 1 inch thick
Green chilly slit- 3
Dry red chilly-2
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Chilly powder- 1/3 tsp
Hing or asafoetida 1/3 tsp

ghee- 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
Sugar- 1/2 tsp
oil- 2 tbs
Curry leaves- a few



Cook rice and allow to cool down.For this recipe you can also use left over rice.
Dry roast peanuts and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when they splutter add curry leaves, dry red chilly and chana dal and urad dal and fry till slightly brown.
Saute onion till golden brown and add turmeric,chilly powder, salt, sugar and hing. Saute for a few seconds and add ginger and slit green…