Vanilla Matcha Magic

Matcha magic is here again...

Ingredients:

1. Matcha powder - 1/4-1/2 tsp
2. Milk - 2.5 cups
3. Fresh cream - 1/4 cup
4. Vanilla icecream - 2 small scoops
5. Sugar to taste
6. Salt -  a pinch
7. Ice cubes - few

Method:

1. Blend all ingredients well and enjoy the Vanilla Matcha magic!

Chicken Curry/ Kozhi curry

Ingredients:

1. Chicken, cut - 350gm
2. Onion, sliced - 3- 4 cups
3. Ginger, chopped - 1 tbs
4. Garlic, chopped - 1 tbs
5. Green chilli - 3
6. Cardamom - 3
7. Cloves  - 4
8. Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
9. Coriandar powder - 2.5 tsp
10. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
11. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Tomato, chopped - 3 medium tomato
13. Coconut Oil - 2 tbs
14. Salt to taste
15. Coriandar leaves, chopped - 3 tbs

Method:

1. Marinate chicken with salt after cleaning it
2. Heat oil in a pan
3. Fry ingredients from 6 to 8 for a minute
4. Add ingredients from 2 to 5 and sauté till onion is slightly golden browned, not burned :)
5. Add salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder, Sauté for 1 more minute
6. Add marinated chicken and tomatoes and cook in medium flame with closed lid for 10 - 15 minutes or till chicken is done
7. Add a cup water
8. Cook for 10 more minutes till the gravy reaches required consistency
9. Add chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

Chicken curry is ready to be served with ghee rice or pathiri or porotta..

Ghee Rice/Nei Choru

Ingredients:

1. Kyma/Jeera/Basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Ghee/Clarified butter - 3 + 2tbs
3. Cardamom - 4
4. Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
5. Cloves - 6
6. Ginger, chopped - 1 tsp
7. Garlic, chopped - 1 tsp
8. Onion slice - 1/2 cup
9. Salt to taste
10. Raisins - 10
11. Cashew nuts, split - 10

Method:

1. Heat 3 tbs ghee in a heavy bottomed pan or pressure cooker
2. Fry ingredients from 3 to 5 for a minute
3. Add 6 to 8 and fry till onion is golden brown
4. Add rice and fry for 2 more minutes ( take care not to burn rice or other ingredients)
5. Add 3.5 cups of water and salt to the above and cook rice. (if you are cooking rice in pressure cooker, 7 minutes in medium flame after the pressure start should be enough)
6. Heat 2 tbs ghee in a pan and fry nuts and raisins
7. Once the rice is ready mix with the fried nuts and raisins gently.

Serve ghee rice with chicken curry and raitha.

Strawberry Matcha Shake

It tastes so delicious and refreshing...the wonderful subtle flavour of matcha brings out the best of strawberry in this milk shake.
Matcha is a special type of green tea powder which has many health benefits in it.. Google it to read the health benefits..

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Ingredients:

1. Strawberry - 5 big
2. Matcha powder - 1/4 -1/2 tsp
3. Milk - 2 cups
4. Sugar to taste
5. 1ce cubes - few

Method:

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender well and enjoy!

Mint chutney

Can't imagine kebabs without the yummy mint chutney with it?? Here goes the easy restaurant style mint chutney recipe for you.

We had been to an indian restaurant last weekend for lunch with Achan and Amma. The restaurant provided mini samosa with mint chutney and sweet manga chutney. It tasted awesome too. Then Achan asked me "can you make this kind of mint chutney at home??"

I didn't reply for it then, but I kept in mind that I will try to replicate the mint chutney at home before he goes back.(Achan was gong back in 3 days)

I researched through many mint chutney recipes and finally... I made a perfect mint chutney for Achan. After having chapathi and  vegetable jalfrezi with mint chutney, Achan told me that he liked it so much and wants to make it when he goes back. He even asked me for the recipe. 😃😃😃 wuhuuu. Getting compliment for food from Achan is not less than any award for me as he is someone who gives compliment about food very very rarely. 

Here goes the mint chutney recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Mint leaves - 2 cups
2. Corandar leaves - 1/4 cup
3. Onion - 1/2 medium - small size
4. Salt to taste
5. Cumin powder - a pinch
6. Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
7. Green chilli - 1
8. Ginger, chopped - 1/4 tsp
9. Garlic, chopped - 1small clove
10. Plain yogurt - 2 tbs

Method:

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender into smooth paste. 

Mint chutney is ready to be served. 

Unnakaya/ banana fritters

 

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Unnakaya is a malabar special evening time snack. Unnam means cotton in Malayalam. Kayu means fruit. Since the shape of unnakaya snack is that of cotton fruit, it has this name.
The option 1 given in the below recipe is the real unnakaya recipe. But I usually go with the option 2 as it is easier to make and tastier for my taste buds.

Ingredients :

1. Plantain, sweet and not too ripe - 2
2. Coconut , shredded - 5 tbs
3. Sugar - 2-3 tbs
4. Raisins - 10
5. Cashew nut , broken - 2 tbs
6. Cardamom powder - a pinch
7. Oil for deep fry

Note

• Plantains must be just ripe. It shouldn't be mushy at all
• I would like to keep unnakaya balls in fridge for at least 30 minutes before frying. 

Method:

1. Steam cook the plantains
2. Once cool, grind it into paste, don't add water for grinding.

Option 1

1. Fry raisins and nuts
2. Mix coconut with sugar , raisins , nuts and cardamom powder
3. Make a ball of plantain paste
4. Make a hole in the center and fill a teaspoon of coconut mixture in it
5. Close the hole well and slightly elongate the ball shape to form oval/ egg shape. 

Option 2

1. Mix coconut, sugar, cardamom powder, nuts and raisins to plantain paste
2. Make balls out of it

3. Fry unnakaya/ plantain balls in hot oil in medium to high flame till all sides turn light brown in color
4. Place the fried unnakaya in kitchen tissue to soak up the extra oil

Serve it warm

Cake pops

Cake pops are not just for kids party. It can be enjoyed by anyone with sweet tooth. They are so easy to make too.

Ingredients:

1. Vanilla cake, made to rough crumbs by hand or fork - 2 cups
2. Any cream frosting/chocolate ganache - 2 tsp
3. Melted chocolate - 1 cup
4. Sprinkles - 2 tsp (optional)
5. Pop sticks - 12
6. Chopped nuts/ biscuit - 2 tbs(optional)

Note:

• I have used vanilla cake crumbs, you can use any cake. I used the dome part of the cake which I cut off to level the cake
• I haven't used nuts or biscuits
• I have tried making cake pops with white / brown melted chocolate , both works fine.
• I have tried with  chocolate ganache as well as cream frosting for mixing with cake

Method:

1. Mix cake crumbs roughly with frosting or ganache using fork.  Don't add too much pressure when mixing
2. Add nuts and mix with fork
3. Make small balls of the mixture and chill it in the fridge for 3-4 hours
4. Keep the warm melted chocolate ( not hot) in a glass or any deep bowl
5. Dip the tip of pop stick in melted chocolate and insert it to the chilled cake ball. ( when inserting, you don't need the pop stick to reach the other end of the cake ball)
6. Dip the cake pop in the melted chocolate and swirl once.
7. Keep the cake pop pierced on to a thick thermocol or in a glass( cake ball side of the pop stick will be on top and the other end pierced or in the glass like the picture)
8. Use sprinkles on the cake pops when the chocolate coating is still not dried. 
9. Repeat the same with all balls and chill the cake pops in the fridge for an hour or more. 

Cake pops are ready to be served. 

Chettinad Mushroom Masala

Ingredients:

1. Button mushroom, sliced - 2 cups
2. Onion, thin slices - 1.5 cups
3. Tomato chopped - 1 cup
4. Ginger, chopped - 1 tsp
5. Garlic, chopped - 1 tsp
6. Curry leaves - 20
7. Bay leaf - 1
8. Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
9. Cloves - 4
10. Peppercorns - 6
11. Cardamom - 4
12. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
13. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
14. Oil -  3 tbs
15. Coriander powder - 1 tbs
16. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
17. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
18. Garam masala - 1 tsp
19. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
20. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Fry spices from to 6 to 13
3. Add ginger, garlic and onion and sauté till onion is light brown
4. Add spice powders from 15 to 18 and add tomatoes sauté till tomato is mushy
5. Add salt, mushrooms and mix well
6. Cook for 10 -15 more minutes with closed lid
7. Add cumin powder and mix well
8. You may add some more curry leaves now
9. Add water if needed for the curry to reach the consistency you want. 

Chettinad mushroom masala is ready to be served with Roti/Rice

 

Soy Chunks Biryani

Ingredients:

For rice

1. Kyma Rice/ Basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Cinnamon-1inch piece
3. Cardamom - 3
4. Cloves - 4
5. Salt to taste
6. Ghee/ oil - 1 tbs

For masala

1. Soy chunks - 2 cups
2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Chilli powder 1/2tsp + 1 tsp
4. Coriander powder - 1.5 tbs
5. Green chilli - 2
6. Ginger,chopped - 1 tbs
7. Garlic, chopped - 1 tbs
8. Onion, sliced - 1.5 cups
9. Coconut milk thick paste - 1/2 cup
10. Coconut, shredded - 2 tbs
11. Tomato, chopped - 1 cup
12. Cloves - 3
13. Cinnamon - 1/2 inch
14. Cardamom - 3
15. Oil - 2 tbs
16. Salt to taste
17. Coriander leaves, chopped - 1/4 cup + 2tbs 
18. Ghee fried cashews and raisins - 1/2 cup ( optional) 

Note : If soy chunks are big, cut them into half after soaking them in hot water for 15 min

Chunks masala

Method :

1. Wash rice properly and cook them with 4 cups of water along with spices and salt. 
2. Soak chunks in hot water for 15 min
3. Squeeze out the water from the chunks
4. Sprinkle a pinch of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of chilli powder and salt on the chunks and mix them well and keep it aside
5. Heat oil in a pan, add spices from 12 to 14 and fry for 30 sec
6. Add ginger, garlic , green chilli and onion with a bit of salt to it and sauté for 5 min. You may keep the pan closed with a lid till onion is slightly browned
7. Add coriander leaves and chunks and fry for 2 more minutes
8. Add tomato, chilli powder, turmeric powder , salt and coriander powder and mix well and sauté again
9. When tomatoes are soft and chunks are almost cooked, add coconut milk
10. When the gravy is almost dried, add shredded coconut and roast for 2 more minutes and switch off the flame
11. Mix rice and chunks masala well and top it with coriander leaves, fried cashews and raisins. (I haven't used cashews and raisins in my biryani)
12. Serve the biryani hot with raitha.

I have garnished biryani with carrot julienne. :)

Crusted Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

1. Flour - 1.5cups
2. Baking powder - 1.5 tsp
3. Vanilla extract -  1 tsp
4. Strawberry paste - 1/2 tsp(optional)
5. Sugar - 3/4 cup+ 2 tbs
6. Egg - 1
7. Butter, softened - 85gm
8. Salt - a pinch
9. Milk - 1/3 cup
10. Strawberry - 6

Note: All ingredients must be in room temperature. 

Method:

1. Preheat oven for 20 min at 200 Degree Celsius 
2. Blend flour and baking powder well
3. In a mixer bowl, beat butter till fluffy, about 30 sec using hand mixer
4. Add egg and beat for 1 minute
5. Add strawberry paste and vanilla essence and mix well
6. Add half of flour mixture , beat on medium for 2 minutes
7. Add milk and beat for 10 sec or until just mixed
8. Add rest of the flour and beat for 1 minute more
9. Pour into a 9in cake tin with parchment paper
10. Using a spatula level the cake batter in cake tin, batter is somewhat thick. 
11. Cut strawberries. 
12. Place Strawberries on the cake batter
13. Sprinkle some sugar on the cake, so that a nice sugar crust will be formed after baking
14. Bake for 50 minutes, 200 Deg celcius for first 10 minute, then 150 Deg Celcius( a skewer inserted at the center of the cake should come out clean when taken out )

Kadala Curry / Black chickpeas curry with roasted coconut gravy

 

 

Ingredients:

1. Black chickpeas - 1.5 cups
2. Onion, sliced - 1 big
3. Tomato, chopped - 1 cup
4. Ginger, juliennes- 1 tsp
5. Garlic, chopped - 1 tsp
6. Green Chilli - 2
7. Coriander powder - 1.5 tbs
8. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
9. Turmeric powder -  1/4 tsp
10. Curry leaves - 10-12
11. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
12. Coconut oil - 2 tbs
13. Black pepper corns - 6
14. Coconut, shredded - 4 tbs
15. Salt to taste



Method:

1. Soak chickpeas overnight
2. Cook it in a pressure cooker
3. Roast coconut in 1 tsp of oil with 2-3 curry leaves in it.
4. Take off from the stove when the coconut reaches brown colour.
5. Once the coconut cools down, make a paste of coconut and pepper with minimum water in a blender
6. Heat oil in a pan
7. Add mustard seeds and splutter it
8. Add curry leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilli and saute for 30 sec
9. Add onion and sauté with a pinch of salt added in it.
10. Keep the lid closed and allow the onion to get golden light brown.
11. Add tomatoes, and spices from 7 to 9 and saute till tomatoes and soft and mushy.
12. Add chickpeas, salt and coconut paste to it
13. Add 1.5 cups of water, close the lid of the pan and cook it for 15 minutes
14. Once the gravy reaches the consistency you like, you may switch off the stove.

Enjoy kadala curry with puttu or appam!

Theeyal / Roasted coconut and tamarind curry

 

Theeyal can be made with shallots, ladies finger, bitter gourd or fish. It has the roasted coconut flavour with tanginess from tamarind. It is usually served as side dish for Kerala sadya.

Ingredients:

1. Ladies finger, cut into 1 cm thick rings - 2 cups
2. Shallots, peeled - 1 cup
3. Dried red chilli - 4
4. Coconut, shredded - 1 cup
5. Coconut oil - 2 tbs + 1 tbs
6. Salt to taste
7. Curry leaves -  10-12
8. Black pepper corns  - 6
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Tamarind  - 2 tbs, soaked in half cup water
11. Ginger, chopped - 1tsp
12. Garlic, chopped - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbs oil in a hot pan, fry coconut in it
2. Once coconut starts to brown, add turmeric powder, ginger and garlic
3. Add red chilli once the coconut is fully brown and take the pan from flame as it will burn coconut, if kept on hot stove after browning.(Remember to keep stirring in between.)
4. Make a smooth paste of coconut once it cools down
5. Heat 2 tbs oil in a pan
6. Add curry leaves, shallots and ladies finger and sauté till ladies finger is cooked. (need not brown ladies fingers, but it shouldn't be sticky either)
7. Add tamarind juice, salt and coconut paste and cook for 5 more minutes.

Spicy Quinoa Salad

A perfect healthy dinner recipe for weekdays!

Quinoa is a very healthy seed which turns soft when cooked. Quinoa grain is sometimes called "Superfood" because of its high protein content, amino acids and other nutritional benefits.

Ingredients:

1. Quinoa - 1/2 cup
2. Tomato chopped - 1/2 cup
3. Black bean/white bean, canned - 1/2 cup
4. Red bell pepper, chopped - 1
5. Yellow bell pepper chopped - 1
6. Corn kernel - 1/2 cup
7. Chili powder - 1 tsp
8. Jalapeno pepper, sliced - 1
9. Avocado cubed - 1/2 cup
10. Coriander leaves, chopped - 1/4 cup
11. Garlic, chopped - 1 clove
12. Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
13. Red onion, chopped finely - 1/2 cup
14. Vegetable/chicken broth - 1 cup
15. Oil - 1 tbs
16. Salt to taste
17. Lime juice - 1 tbs

Method:

1. Heat oil in a big pan
2. Sauté onion, ginger, jalapeno and garlic for 1 min
3. Add all ingredients except lime juice, salt, avocado and coriander leaves and cook for about 20 minutes until quinoa is cooked well, with closed lid
4. Once quinoa is cooked well, switch off the flame and add avocado, salt, coriander leaves and lime juice and serve hot.

Note:

• The above recipe serves 2
•  I used canned white beans in tomato sauce. But I would prefer beans without sauce next time as it gives saucy taste to the salad
• You may add a bit more water to make it to a thick porridge like mine..
• You may add other veggies too in this recipe

I am linking this recipe to the below:

Meat Free Monday