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Showing posts from 2018

Sweet Kozhukatta/ Steamed Rice Dumplings

Kozhukatta/ Steamed Rice Dumplings Kozhukatta is a traditional Kerala delicacy. They are soft round steamed rice dumplings with both sweet and savory fillings. It is a tasty and guilt-free treat or a snack. At home in Kerala, my mom often made these in the afternoon, so we can enjoy them as a snack at tea time. But you can have it any time of the day and if you have a sweet tooth like me kozhukatta is a perfect guilt-free snack . This is a classic one you will never get tired of eating. It seems like these sweet dumplings is an age-old traditional snack. Kozhukatta is also a popular festival offering. It is made on special days like Onam, Vishu and Vinayaka Chathurthi as offerings. Kozhukatta perunal is celebrated by the Christians of Kerala. It is the day before palms Sunday. Modhak is the North Indian version of Kozhukatta. Kerala style kozhukatta has a sweet filling. It is a quick recipe with very few ingredients, rice flour, coconut and jaggery being the tastemakers. Do

Crispy Thai Fried Bananas- Street Food Inspired Banana Fritters

Crispy Thai Fried Bananas- Street Food Inspired Banana Fritters Thai fried bananas/ Kluay Khaek is a must-try yummy Thai street food. Fritters are delightfully sweet to satisfy your sweet cravings, crispy and crunchy on the outside with the creamy soft inside. Batter-fried fruit is by no means uncommon. There are so many variations out there, and fried bananas with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or drizzled with chocolate syrup is a delicious treat. Thai bananas taste best on their own, the crispness is what makes them the best-tasting fried banana fitters out there. It is the batter that makes these fried bananas so delicious. The batter is not cakey, but light and crispy. Rice flour makes it light and crisp, and coconut milk adds flavor. Sesame seeds and freshly grated coconut add a delightful crunch. These fitters are not overly sweet but have enough sweetness to indulge with hot piping tea. Bananas are naturally sweet, and the small variety I have used here is sweet and flavor

Chicken Fry- Kodavu style (Coorg)

Chicken fry Kodavu style (Coorg) Kodavu Chicken fry is very yummy and easy to make chicken recipe. I love experimenting with chicken and one of my cousins shared this beautiful recipe last week. This delectable chicken fry is from Kodugu or Coorg. Coorg is a picturesque hill station and a dream destination. I had already tried the Coorg pepper pork. It had a unique taste and got me intrigued by this beautiful cuisine. I wanted to try this recipe and glad I tried.   The star ingredient in this recipe is kachampuli or Coorg vinegar. Kachampuli is a fruit-based vinegar. It is extracted from ripe fruits of garcinia gummi guttu, a sightly fermented dark syrup. This seems to be one predominant flavor in most Coorg recipe-the sourness from kachampuli. Coorg pepper pork, that I tried earlier also had kachampuli.I have grown up eating curries with kudampuli and the taste is so relatable. This chicken fry is beautifully balanced with the right combination of earthy spices and su

Meat Ball Curry/ Indian Spiced Kofta Curry- Delicious Tomato Gravy

Meat Ball Curry/ Indian Spiced Kofta Curry- Delicious Tomato Gravy Today's recipe is a delicious meatball/ kofta curry that goes well with rice, pulao, or naan. Tender meatballs simmered in a flavorful, spicy, and delicious tomato-based sauce. Keema is essentially ground/minced beef, lamb, or chicken, and koftas and kofta curries are party favorites. Meatballs are comfort food in many cuisines, and there are so many variations. This curry is inspired by the Moghul cuisine. If you want to try something different for dinner, why not this kofta curry. It is a great dish to serve when you have friends over for dinner. Kofta curry is worth try-juicy meatballs and rich tangy gravy enriched with aromatic spices is a die for! The first time I tried the kofta curry was in Delhi, and it was a rich curry with lots of fresh creams. The meatballs are cooked, over charcoal for a smoky flavor. So if you want that authentic flavor, try barbecuing the meatballs before adding to the gravy. I want

Ragi Semiya Caramel Payasam

Ragi Semiya Caramel Payasam Today's recipe is a sweet payasam, a dessert with the goodness of finger millet/ragi.It is a healthy treat for your taste buds.When ever its time for a celebration or festival I make semiya payasam because it is the easiest and also my favorite.I never tried ragi semiya before so was excited to try this payasam for Vishu Sadya. As you know malayalee sadhya is not complete without payasam/dessert served towards the end feast.Ragi semiya caramel payasam is enticing and luscious milk and caramel sugar payasam. Ragi or finger millet is famous for its nutritional value,it is high in iron and calcium and a good source of fiber. My mom and grandmother always made sure to incorporate ragi to our diet on a weekly basis. My favorite was ragi halwa and ragi puttu. But looking into my blog,I realized that I have rarely posted anything with ragi. Finger millet/ragi is very healthy and if you are looking for some healthy options,try incorporating it in your d

Potato Masala/ Sadhya Urulakizhangu Masala

Potato Masala/ Sadhya Urulakizhangu Masala Today's recipe is a spicy potato masala/urulakizhangu masala that I often make as a side dish for chapathi. But this is also an integral part of Kerala Sadhya. This Sunday malayalees around the world will be celebrating Vishu/ Kerala New year. So this is the perfect time to share some Sadhya recipes. Sadhya is a hearty meal, a vegetarian feast with rice and curries ranging from mild and flavorful vegetable and lentils curries to more spicy vegetable curries like this potato masala. Due to this wide range of flavors, one can doubt whether it will be hard to appreciate each dish separately. As an ardent Sadhya lover, let me tell you each curry has its distinctive unique flavor and texture. In Trivandrum area, there is another version of potato curry. It is Vada kootu curry . Small deep-fried lentil balls cooked in potato curry. Most of the recipes of Kerala Sadhya have been passed down generation after generation, but each region h

Kerala Spicy Mixture

Kerala Spicy Mixture  Mixture is a crispy and crunchy snack popular in India.  It is a snack mix or a blend of crispy fries, nuts,chips,fried lentils and  tossed with a spice powder.This is a common snack eaten anytime and at all times. You can find this in every bakery you visit, so back in India, there was no need to make it at home. This always comes handy when you have guests at home or just as a tea time snack.My Mom always stock up on mixture and there is one more reason,it is her favorite snack to this day. Because of her I also became a great fan of spicy mixture.I had never thought that one day I'll make this at home. My mom will be so proud of me when she will see this post :). I am not going to say this is easy to make,but it is definitely worth the effort. Make sure to store in air tight containers,mixture can be made and stored for a long time. There are lot of variations for this humble snack- Bombay mix, Madras mixture, chivada,chuda- different regions h

Chakka Varatti- Varattiyathu- Jack fruit Halwa/Preserve

Chakka Varatti/ Jack fruit Jam Chakka or jack fruit is a common fruit in South India. Jack fruit is a seasonal fruit and there are several delicious jack fruit recipes. Ripe jack fruit has a distinctively strong aroma and is naturally sweet. It tastes best for desserts. Chakka varatti is a popular jack fruit delicacy of Kerala which is made with fully ripe jack fruit bulbs. Chakka varatti is mainly a preserve and if made in the right consistency can be stored and used for more than a year. Never heard of jack fruit jam? Well, you're in for a treat! Making chakka varatti was a yearly tradition back home in Kerala. The smell of varikka chakka is divine. By the way varikka chakka is the variety used to make chakka varatti. It is very sweet, tastes like honey and has a firm flesh even when it is ripe. Jack fruit is the most versatile of all tropical fruits. It has a strong fragrance when ripe and your whole house with be filled with a strong fruity aroma. Jack fr

Spicy Pepper Prawns Fry

Pepper Prawns Fry Deep-fried spicy and salty prawns are irresistible and one of my favorite ways to eat prawns. Do you love prawns? Prawns are popular among seafood lovers and are my absolute favorite. This crispy fry will be a perfect treat for your family. Pepper Prawns fry is crispy fried prawns with exciting flavors of garlic, butter, zesty lemon, and a kick of pepper. It is my take to butter garlic shrimp, but a little spicy. This recipe is so versatile and easy to prepare. These crispy prawns are ready in under 15 minutes and will be the star of any meal.  If you are frying prawns, you can leave the heads on the prawns. It adds stronger flavor, and when fried, has an irresistible delicate crispness to it, juicy and equally tasty. Thanks to hubby to convinced me that the head is the most flavorful part of prawns. If you are not a fan of the head,  don’t worry. You can use regular shrimp instead. Prawns fry is easy to make. Here are a few tips to get them crispy and golden.

Easy Mexican Tuna Salad

Easy Mexican Tuna Salad Tuna salad is a versatile recipe and great for quick and tasty lunch or light dinner. Tuna salad is a delicious appetizer with toasted bread, crackers, or crunchy tortilla chips. It is always a crowd-pleaser, and besides, there is nothing like a simple and easy to put together salad when you have company. You can make a super healthy, protein-packed lunch with a few ingredients, and they taste so good. Leftovers are great for school lunches. It makes a delicious filling for sandwiches and wraps. If you like to eat fish, then this salad with fresh and zesty flavors is a must-try. I cook fish almost every day, but mostly it is curried, fried, or grilled fish. Fish in the salad was something I did not want to try for a long time. Now I make this at least once a week. Tuna salad is simple with cooked or canned tuna, fresh greens, avocado, and a zesty mayo dressing. This recipe is easy to make and is a good starting point, but there are so many ways you can ex

Spicy Stuffed Eggplant-Mediterranean Recipe

Spicy Stuffed Eggplant Today's recipe is meat stuffed spicy eggplant inspired from Lebanese and Turkish Cuisine. Recently I am trying  lot of stuffed dishes with chicken,squid and fish. This stuffed eggplant is now one of my top favorites. Eggplant is a versatile veggie and cooked in the right way, you can create innumerable recipes with it.Fried or baked eggplant is tender and tasty and goes well with rice. If you are not a great fan of eggplant/aubergine, try this stuffed version.It is insanely good and I am sure will change the way you think about this humble veggie. Stuffed eggplant is great as a main course dish. You can serve it with rice,bread or with fresh salad and you have a satisfying dinner. Recently I have been trying a Mediterranean diet and this dish is perfect and filling with veggie salad. It is also perfect when you have guests as it is filling and makes a pretty presentation.In Turkish and Mediterranean region Karniyarik is an imperial dish fit for a K

Prawns and Vegetable Stew with Coconut Milk

Prawns and Vegetable Stew Prawns and vegetable stew is quick and easy to make. Stew is made with a generous amount of coconut milk and has a delicate flavor and great taste. Coconut milk adds a creamy and rich taste to the stew. Spicy chili and earthy spices give the right balance of sweetness, heat, and flavor. Stews made with coconut milk are one of the quintessential dishes of Kerala cuisine. Appam and stew is a popular breakfast recipe. Appam and chicken stew are served as the first course at wedding parties. This is a classic one you will never get tired of eating.  Mild, creamy, and flavorful stew eaten out of the bowl with soft bread is a comforting meal. It is my go-to, especially on cold winter evenings. It is simple enough to make for a weekday dinner, and the curry is ready in under twenty minutes. This stew is versatile, and you can make countless variations by adding fish, chicken, mutton, or beef. You can use a combination of vegetables like potatoes, sweet potato

Chocolate Crepes- Breakfast Recipe

Chocolate Crepes Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends and readers! Today's recipe is a simple but cute breakfast treat for Valentine's Day. It is for those of you who want to put together something special and to feel fancy, but not elaborate cooking :) Crepes are simple and super easy to make.Crepes are thin, soft and buttery pancakes made with milk,flour and eggs. These thin pancakes are so versatile, you can roll or fold them with any filling of your choice.The classic French crepes is made with buckwheat flour and can be made sweet or savory. I make crepes almost weekly and my filling are usually sweet coconut, ripe plantains and nuts. My kid loves bananas and nutella filling for his crepes.But this simple and quick snack can be converted into an elegant breakfast or dessert.What richer and more delicious taste can you think of than chocolate,cream and fresh fruits. This is your basic go to crepe recipe but you are adding cocoa powder. To make it spe