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