VEGETABLE MASALA (DRY)

I usually make vegetable masala gravy as a side dish for chappathi ,appam or idiyappom.This time my intention was to make aloo gobi. But when I opened the fridge I saw bits of many vegetables lying here and there.Suddenly  the plan changed ,all those bits became this colorful delicious masala.Unlike vegetable masala gravy this dry version pairs well with rice as well. If you have  all these vegetables handy do try this dry version.it is simple and super yummy.You can use the assorted frozen vegetables for making the same.Here goes the recipe..

Ingredients

1.     Mixed vegetables- I used 2 medium potatoes,1 medium carrot,around 1 cup of cauliflower florets, handful of frozen green peas

2.     Onion- 2medium, thinly sliced

3.     Ginger- 1 big piece

4.     Garlic-6 big pods

5.     Green chilly- 1or 2 slitted

6.     Tomato- 1medium

7.     Chilly powder- 1 tbsp

8.     Coriander powder- 1 tbsp

9.     Turmeric powder- ½ tsp

10. Garam masala- 1tsp,heaped

11. Jeera powder-1/2 tsp

12. Jeera (cumin )seeds- ½ tsp

13. Oil- 2 tbsp

Method of preparation

1.     Cut the potatoes and carrot in to cubes. Separate the florets of cauliflower.

2.     Crush ginger and garlic.

3.     Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds .when the aroma comes, add onion,crushed ginger garlic and green chilly. Sauté until onion turns soft. Add in tomatoes and all powders saute until tomatoes melts and the raw smell of powders disappears.

4.     Now add carrots and potatoes mix well. Add 1 cup of water and salt. Cover the pan and cook in medium flame. When the they are ¾ th done add cauliflower and green peas. Cover and cook again. If needed add little more water. Stir in between. When all the vegetables are well cooked and coated with the masala switch off the flame. If any water remains, let it cook with the lid off. Make sure to stir in between to prevent from sticking to the bottom. Lastly add some coriander leaves (optional).

Serve with rice,roti or appam

INSTANT BADAM MILK USING HOME MADE KESAR BADAM MIX

How about having a glass full of goodness? I would call this badam milk a super drink. Yes, look at those ingredients, all are claimed to be the most nutritious things on this earth! Just mix a spoonful of this powder in a glass of milk and feed your kids, there is nothing better than this. delicious, healthy and vitamin rich drink.

There are lots of brands of badam mix are available in the market. But have you ever taken a look at those ingredients listed on that packets. If not please do read it before buying.It contains very less percentage of almond and a huge numbers of artificial preservatives and flavorings.so next time rather buying a ready mix get some almonds and make your own within minutes.here goes the recipe.it is super simple and easy. Do give a try and enjoy…

  KESAR BADAM MIX

Ingredients

1.     Almonds- 20

2.     Saffron-  a pinch

3.     Cardamom-  1, skin removed

4.     Sugar- 1 or 2 tbsp.

5.     Turmeric powder- a good pinch

Method of preparation

Dry roast the almonds in a pan for a minute. Put all ingredients in a blender and grind in to fine powder. While grinding stop the mixer in between ,scrape it from the sides and pound again to ensure uniform mixing. With this measurement around 3 glasses of badam milk can be made.

Store this in an airtight container and use within one month.

INSTANT BADAM MILK

Ingredients

Milk- 1 glass

2.     Badam mix- 1 heaped spoon

Method of preparation

Boil milk. Add the powder and mix well. Serve warm or chilled. Sugar is not needed as it is already added.

CHICKEN CUTLETS

Some foods remind us of some good memories and good peoples right? This chicken cutlets is that kind of one which is very much related to one lovely person Suja aunti,my ammas friend and colleague in Rubber board . Suja aunti had  resigned the job long time back and went abroad to join with her husband. The last time I met her was around 25 years back, such a long time. Though I was  too small to memorize things, I clearly remember her smiling face and the cutlets she used to pack for us via amma.She makes the best cutlets in the world. I believe it is her love she puts in makes her cutlets yummy. My amma is not good in keeping the contacts  ,so we do not have any idea where suja aunti is now. But whenever we have cutlets me and amma used to have long talk about her. Regardless of distance and time, good peoples stay close to our heart forever.

cutlets are one of the most demanded bakery item in kerala.it is a family favorite.it is one snack that can be made easily and is able to please everyone. Do try and win applause J

ingredients

1.    Chicken -10 small boneless pieces

2.    Potato- 3 medium,peeled and squared

3.    Ginger- 1medium size piece,roughly chopped

4.    Garlic-5 or 6 pods,chopped

5.    Green chilly-3 or 4 nos,finely chopped

6.    Onion-1 big,roghly chopped

7.    Bread crumbs-1 n ½ cup or as required

8.    Bread slices- 1 or 2 (optional)

9.    Garam masala -1 tsp

10.  Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

11.    Pepper powder-1/2 tsp

12.     Salt

13   Oil- for deep frying

14.   Egg- 2 ,lightly beaten

Method of preparation

1.    Cook chicken pieces by adding turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt.

2.    Boil potatoes. Mash it and keep it aside.

3.    Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in pan. Sauté onion, ginger garlic and green chilly till onion turns soft.no need to be browned.

4.    Take cooked chicken, sautéed onion mix in a mixie jar. Grind all this. Just one or two pulse is enough. This is to mince the chicken and blend well with other ingredients.

5.    Transfer chicken mix, mashed potatoes in mixing bowl. Add salt,garam masala and bread slices soaked in water. Mix well. the mix should not be too thick and too thin. You should be able to make balls out of this. Adding bread pieces makes the mix thick and prevent from breaking while frying.

6.    Take lemon sized ball out of it and flatten slightly. Dip in beaten egg, roll in bread crumbs.

7.    Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan. When the oil is really hot, reduce the flame to medium and fry the cutlets for few minutes until both sides turn brown in color.

Serve hot with tomatosauce.

MALAI KOFTA

This is one of my favorite vegetarian curry.I wanted to try my hands on this ever since I learnt cooking. I have come across many recipes but any of them was not easy .The thought of getting it right made me stayed way from trying this.one afternoon when I was taking my daily nap, I dreamed of this koftas;).suddenly I woke up and googled the recipe.Adapted from here and there and made it within 30 minutes.It turned out truly delicious. What I love in this recipe is that, no chopping and cutting involves though we need to spend a bit long time in the kitchen. I don’t mind spending some time for something interesting J

Ingredients

For the koftas

1.    Paneer-150gm, grated

2.    Potatoe-2 medium, peeled and squared

3.    Coriander leaves- a few

4.    Cumin powder-1/4 tsp

5.    Chilly powder-1/2tsp

6.    Garam masala-1/4 tsp

7.    Salt

8.    Oil for deep frying

For the gravy

9.    Onion-3medium

10.   Tomatoes-2 medium

11.  Cashew nuts-10 nos, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes.

112   Ginger-1 small piece

13.Garlic-5 pods

14.Chilly powder-1 tsp

15. Coriander powder-3/4 tsp

16. Garam masala-3/4 tsp

17.  Cardamom-3 nos

18.    Fresh cream -1/4 to ½ cup

19   Water  or milk -1cup

20.     Salt

21.   Oil or butter -2tbsp

Method of preparation

1.    Boil potatoes by adding some water and salt. Once cooked, mash it.take a mixing bowl. Add all  ingredients for kofta . Mix well and knead well without lumps. Make small lemon sized balls out of this.

2.    Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the prepared balls till brown and keep it aside.

3.    For the gravy- grind together onion ginger and garlic to smooth paste. Heat oil or butter in a pan .Add cardamom. When the aroma comes add onion paste. Sauté well until it turns brown.

4.    Meanwhile grind tomatoes in to smooth paste. Once onion, ginger garlic paste is sauted well, add in tomato paste and all powders. Sauté again until raw smell goes and oil ooze out from the masala.

5.    Add water or milk and cashew paste. Once gravy thickens and achieved desired consistency add cream and kasuri methi.Give a nice stir. Switch off the flame. Drop fried koftas and chopped coriander leaves in to the gravy. Keep the curry closed for some time to let the koftas absorb the flavors from the gravy.Garnish with some cream or grated paneer.

Serve with roti or pulav.

EASY CHICKEN DUM BIRIYANI(KERALA STYLE)

Kerala biriyanis are distinct by the dominating flavor of green chilly. This is a spicy, rich biriyani bursting with Kerala flavors.

I already have an easy biriyani here. Though it was flavorful, it was more of rustic style (a thattikootu biriyani). unlike the former this I made it in authentic Dum method. I called this one easy as it requires no sautéing process, the most time consuming process in cooking. Here we don’t need to chop heaps of onion again sparing you from shedding tears. One sad thing is that, it cannot be prepared in a jiffy as the poultry required to be marinated for long hours. That’s not a matter when we don’t need to sweat in the kitchen, right? I was very dubious about the outcome as I never ever imagined a biriyani masala without adding onions. All such misconceptions were just vanished when I tasted it.

It was such a delicious  or even more tastier than the normal one. I would say it is a must try. Once you make this, you will end up in making this again and again

Ingredients

1.    Chicken- ¾ kg ,cleaned and cut into medium sized pieces

2.    Cashew nuts-10nos

3.    Poppy seeds (kus kus)2tsp

4.    Oil or ghee-2tbsp

5.    For the marinade

Ginger-1 big pieces,peeled

Garlic-around12 pods,

Green chilly-7 nos

Mint leaves-one handful

Coriander leaves-one handful

Unsour thick curd-1/4 cup

Biriyani masala powder-2tbsp( I have used eastern brand)

red chilly powder-1tsp

garam masala powder-3/4 tsp

salt

6.    For the Rice

Basmathi rice or jeera rice-2 n ½ cup (around 500 gm)

Whole spices-cardamom 8nos,cinnamon sticks 2,star anise 1,cloves 1nos

Salt

Lemon juice-1tsp

Water of cooking the rice

7.    For layering

Ghee-2tbsp (optional)

Saffron- a pinch soaked in 3 tbsp. of warm milk

Cashew nuts and kismiss-50 gms each

Onion-2 medium, thinly sliced

Chopped mint and coriander – a few

pineapple-chopped,1/4 cup

Method of preparation

1.    Cook rice by adding plenty of water and whole spices. When it is half cooked, add lemon juice and salt. Cook till ¾ th done. Drain it and keep it aside.

2.    Grind together ginger,garlic,green chilly and greens into smooth paste. Mix all other ingredients listed under for the marinade. Take a bowl, add the chicken and the marinade. Massage the pieces well with the marinade and keep it in the fridge for minimum of 2 hours. (should not keep in the freezer.) overnight marination is best.

3.    Grind together cashew and poppy seeds into smooth paste.

4.    Take a biriyani pot or a thick bottomed pan. Heat oil or ghee. Fry cashew and kismiss till golden brown. Also fry onions till brown. Keep this aside for later use.

5.    In the same oil add chicken. Give a nice mix. If required add ¼ cup of water and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Add cashew and poppy seed paste mix again. Once chicken is half cooked, layer the rice on top of this chicken. Sprinkle all the ingredients mentioned under for layering.

6.    now it is the  time for dum. for that take a sheet of aluminum foil which fits well to cover the pot. Cover the pot with the foil. Carefully pour ½ glass of water over the foil. Now keep the lid over pot covered with foil.(pls chk this link to see how to do dum) Keep it in low flame for 20 to 30 minutes or once the water above foil is really hot you can be sure that the biriyani is done.

8.    Open the lid carefully. Now you can feel the fragrance of biriyani all over the kitchen. Mix the rice and meat very gently. Enjoy with raitha,papad and pickle

GOBI 65

Though it is one of my favorite vegetable, I do not experiment with it. I always end up adding this along with other vegetable in Kuruma or pulav. Since I have been following vegetarian diet, I wanted to make something which resembles a non veg dish ;) .yea I am a hardcore Non vegetarian. To suppress my non vegetarian urge I made this and it did fulfill its  work J. If you have all ingredients on hand, it can be made within minutes. It is an excellent starter or can be served as a snack.

Ingredients

1.    Cauliflower – 1small,florets separated

2.    Turmeric powder- a pinch

3.    Onion-1 small,chopped

4.    Garlic-5 pods,chopped

5.    Green chilly-3 nos,cut diagonally

6.    Curry leaves- a handful

7.    Oil- for deep frying

For the batter

1.    Maida -1/2 cup

2.    Corn flour-1/4 cup

3.    Rice flour-3tbsp

4.    Garlic-4or 5

5.    Ginger- 1 small piece

6.    Chilly powder-1tsp

7.    Salt-as needed

8.    Water- as required to make thick batter

Method of preparation

1.    Wash the florets thoroughly. Cook it by adding plenty of water, little turmeric powder and salt.it should not be over cooked. Drain it in a strainer .

2.    Grind together garlic and ginger. (a tsp od ginger garlic paste can be used) Make thick batter with the ingredients mentioned under for the batter. Put all the florets into this and mix well in order to coat it well with the batter.

3.    Heat oil in a deep pan. When the oil is really hot, fry the florets till brown.

4.    In the same oil fry onions,  garlic,green chilly and curry leaves till onions turns slightly brown .put it over the fried gobi .Give a gentle mix. Serve hot as a starter or as a snack.

RAVA KESARI

This is one of the easiest sweets.it can be done within minutes.do try and enjoy this delicious sweet J

 Ingredients

1.    Rava (semolina)-1/2 cup

2.    Sugar-1/2 cup

3.    Cardamom- 4 no’s (powder cardamom pods with a tbsp. of sugar)

4.    Water-2 n ½ cup

5.    Food color- a pinch (optional)

6.    Ghee-2 tbsp.

7.    Cashew nuts-a few (optional)

Method of preparation

1.    Heat a tbsp. of ghee in a pan. Roast cashewnuts (if using) and keep it aside. add rava into the ghee and fry for 2 minutes.

2.    Transfer the roasted rava in to another plate.in the same pan pour water mixed with food color. Bring it to boil. Add roasted rava into this. Stir well. Cover the pan and cook in medium flame for 2 or 3 minutes or until the water dries up and semolina are well cooked.

3.    Add sugar,remaining ghee and cardamom powder. Mix well. Let the sugar melts and the mix thickens a bit. Switch off the flame. Transfer kesari into a greased plate. Garnish with cashew nuts.

4.    Let it cool a bit. Kesari will set once it cools down. You can either cut into squares or just scoop it with a spoon.