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Showing posts from 2014

Baked Spicy Mexican Chicken

Baked Spicy Mexican Chicken Today's recipe is a Mexican take to baked chicken.The spice rub is spicy and flavorful. Got this spice mix from food network and it sounded interesting. Try this extremely appetizing chicken dish, you will surely love it. Ingredients Chicken - 1 1/2 lb Garlic - 3-4 Coriander powder- 1/3 tsp Cinnamon- 1 small piece Clove-2 Onion powder- 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika powder- 1/2 tsp Ancho Chile pepper- 1/2 tsp Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp Whole black pepper- 1/3 tsp Oregano- 1/3 tsp salt to taste Butter - 2 tsp (or olive oil) Wash chicken and pat dry. You can leave skin on or remove it. Put all ingredients except butter in a food processor and pulse a few times to get a course mixture. Rub the spice mix over the chicken, cover and leave it to marinate over night in the refrigerator. Pre heat oven to 350 degree F. Place the chicken on a roasting pan. Melt butter and brush on top of the marinated chicken or drizzle olive oil. Bake for 30 m

Mushroom Fry

Mushroom Fry Mushroom fry is spicy pan roasted mushrooms.It goes well with steamed rice or fried rice. I used button mushroom for this recipe, you can also use oyster mushrooms which has a meaty texture.  Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it. Ingredients Mushrooms- 8 oz/ 15-18 medium sized Onion - half thinly sliced Curry leaves a few Thinly sliced ginger- 1/2 tsp Cashew nuts- 6-8 Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Kashmir Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp Pepper powder- 1/3 tsp Garam masala- 1/3 tsp Salt to taste lemon juice- 1/2 tsp  Clean mushrooms and pat dry with paper towels. Cut each into quarters and mix chilly powder, pepper powder and salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry cashew nuts till golden brown, drain and keep aside. Into the same oil, add thinly sliced onions, curry leaves and ginger. Saute till onion turns translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute in medium high heat for two minutes. Add garam masala,reduce heat and continue to stir fry for one or two minute

Unda puttu- Rice Dumpling with Prawns- Malabar Snack

Undaputtu- Rice Dumpling with Prawns- Malabar Snack Today's recipe is Unda puttu, a north Kerala seafood delicacy. People of Kerala love their seafood, and rice and fish is a staple everyday meal. But will you be surprised if I say that they can even snack on seafood delicacies? This recipe is a classic example. It is a steamed rice dumpling with spicy prawns filling. This is a snack from Malabar region of Kerala and is easy to make and very appetizing. It is a popular Iftar recipe and is made during the fasting months. It is served along with black tea or lemon tea. To me, this is brunch or a meal that I can have at any time of the day. You'd be surprised at how simple and filling, this can be. It is a full meal in itself with carbs and protein in one. Undaputtu is a gluten-free and guilt-free snack with so much flavor and taste. Do these round dumplings look familiar to you? Yes, it is very close to kozhukatta , the steamed rice dumplings with the sweet coconut fil

Padavalanga Parippu Curry

Padavalanga Parippu/ Snake Gourd Mung Dal Curry  Padavalanga/ snake gourd curry is a coconut and lentil curry which is perfect with rice.Snake gourd is soft fleshed and can be easily cooked.Tender raw snake gourd has an unpleasant smell, but it disappears when cooked. In Kerala it is common vegetable and is used in recipes like aviyal, sambar etc. I usually make thoran with parippu and padavalanga and the combo is yummy. This curry can be served over rice and is quick and easy to make. Ingredients Padavalanga- 1 medium sized ( 2 1/2 cup of cubed padavalanga) Onion- 1 medium Green chilly-2 Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Chilly powder- 1/3 tsp salt to taste Moong dal/ cheruparippu- 3/4 cup To make a paste Coconut grated 3/4 cup Cumin- 1/2 tsp Fennel-a pinch Green chilly- 1 To temper Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp Shallot- 2 diced Dry Red chilly- 2-3 Coconut oil - 2 tsp Curry leaves Dry roast the moong dal/ cheruparippu till it gets a nice aroma but it should not be b

Chakka Ada- Steamed Jack fruit Rice Cakes

Chakka Ada Chakka Ada is a traditional tea time snack of Kerala made with jack fruit. It is similar to elada and Kozhukatta. It is steamed rice flour dough with sweet coconut filling and wrapped in banana leaves. But jack fruit makes it flavorful and irresistible. Do you love jack fruit? Jack fruit is a seasonal fruit, and there are several delicious made with jack fruit. To make this ada, cooked jack fruit/ chakka varattiyathu is mixed with rice flour and steamed in banana leaves. It is healthy and aromatic with the fruity flavor from the jack fruit. Jack fruit is the most versatile of all tropical fruits and is a common fruit in Kerala and South India. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamin c, magnesium, and potassium. It is naturally sweet and tastes like honey. Ripe jack fruit has a distinctively strong fruity fragrance when ripe. You can make chakka ada two ways- either with mashed fresh ripe jack fruit or chakka varatti or jack fruit preserve. Chakka varatti is a popular jack

Poori Masala/ Fluffy Puri and Potato Masala

Poori Masala/ Fluffy Puri and Potato Masala Poori Masala is a hugely popular breakfast staple in India. Poori/Puri masala is a fantastic meal combination, with fluffy puri and potato curry. Everyone loves flatbread that is deep-fried until crispy perfection. Frying the perfect, beautifully puffed up, and flaky poori is an art by itself. Once you master making perfect fluffy puris, you'll find lots of ways to enjoy it. The most delicious combo with puri is potato curry, chickpeas, mixed vegetable curry, and also egg masala goes well with puris. On festive occasions, poori's are enjoyed, with desserts like semolina halwa. Puri/poori is made all over India. But the curry combination with puri usually has the regional flair to it. The yellow potato masala that you see with this recipe is a typical South Indian specialty. Poori masala/ bhaji was my favorite for school lunch. My mom also makes them for picnics and trips. The train journey was incomplete, without homemade poor

Meen Vevichathu (Kottayam Fish Curry)

Meen Vevichathu (Kottayam Fish Curry) Today's recipe is Kerala;s spicy and sour red curry. Different regions of Kerala have their own version of fish curry and meen vevichathu is a popular recipe in central Kerala. The main ingredients in this fish curry is chilly paste and kudampuli/gambooge. This curry does not have coconut milk which is a main ingredient in Kerala fish curry. So it can be kept in room temperature for up to two days. It tastes best with rice/tapioca.  Try this,you will surely love it. Ingredients Fish- 1 1/2 lb ( I used golden pomfret) Pearl onions sliced - 1/2 cup Onion cubed- 1 small Ginger thinly sliced- 2 tbs Garlic crushed- 4-5 pods Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder-3- 3 1/2 tsp ( adjust according to spice tolerance) Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp Hing- a pinch (optional) Fenugreek powder- 1/2 tsp Kudampuli- 3 piece Fenugreek seeds- a few Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - 2 springs Coconut oil and salt to taste  C

Banoffee Pie

Banoffee Pie Banoffee is an irresistible English dessert with bananas and toffee.This dessert is a combination of bananas,boiled condensed milk and cream.I made graham cracker pie crust and if you have store brought dulce de leche this dessert can be put together an elegant looking dessert  in minutes. You can also make toffee from boiled condensed milk. Try this quick and easy dessert,you will surely love it. Ingredients  To make the pie crust Graham Cracker powdered- 1 1/2 cup Butter- 1 stick ( For the regular pie crust check recipe here ) For the filling Bananas-3 Dulce de leache-1 tin Heavy cream- 1 1/2 cup Confectionery sugar- 1/3 cup Vanilla essence- 1 tsp Chocolate shavings In a food processor pulse powdered  graham crackers  and melted butter. Pulse a few times till it becomes a course mixture that resembles wet sand. In this way you can moisten the biscuit powder and it will easily stick to the pie dish. Put this mixture on a greased pie d

Mutton Keema Samosa Recipe/ Samosa With Minced Meat Filling

Mutton Keema Samosa Recipe/ Samosa With Minced Meat Filling Mutton Keema Samosas are deep-fried tea time snacks with a flaky pastry crust and delicious meat filling. You might have seen this type of triangular pastry with all sorts of filling.  If you are a meat lover, then Keema samosa or minced mutton samosa is the one for you. It is irresistible! The term samosa refers to an entire family of triangular pastries, found in India and South Asian countries. Samosa with potato filling is arguably the most popular Indian snack, and you find it everywhere- at parties and festive occasions or as street food. Hot piping Indian tea and samosas are absolute comfort food and a timeless favorite as party appetizers. You will love this savory appetizer with the delicious filling flavored with aromatic and earthy spices. The crust of the samosas is like pastry dough and is crispy tender. Ghee or clarified butter is mixed with the dough, which makes it flaky and aromatic. The stuffing I have

Koorka Mezhukkupuratti (Chinese Potato Stir Fry)

Koorka Mezhukkupuratti (Chinese Potato Stir Fry) Mezhukkupuratti is a staple side dish for Kerala lunch. It is a quick and easy vegetable stir fry, and you can use several kinds of vegetables to make this stir fry. The term mezhukkupuratti means stir-fried or coated with oil. Shallots, garlic, chilly, etc, are crushed into a coarse mixture and stir fried with the vegetables. Koorka/ Chinese potato stir fry tastes delicious, and it is a healthy side dish for rice. Koorka/ Chinese potato is one of my fav vegetables, and it has a distinctive taste and flavor. It is moist and grainy when compared to potatoes and can hold its shape. It has a distinct aromatic flavor, meaty, and earthy. It is a healthy vegetable and is a rich source of iron, vitamins, and calcium. This seasonal root vegetable is popular in Kerala. For an authentic taste of mezhukkupuratti, it is best to use coconut oil. Shallots, garlic, thinly sliced coconut bits, and curry leaves add flavor and taste. This is a sim

Aval Sharkara Payasam

Aval Sharkara Payasam Aval Sharkara payasam is quick and simple payasam/pudding. It is made with rice flakes/beaten rice and jaggery and coconut milk. Earlier I posted aval milk payasam.This is yet another yummy version. Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it. Ingredients Aval (Beaten red rice)- 1 1/2cup Jaggery ( powdered)-250 grams (Adjust according to sweetness you prefer) Coconut milk thick- 1 1/2 cup Coconut milk thin- 2 cup Cardamon crushed- 5-6 Raisins and cashew nuts- a few Ghee- 3 tsp Place aval in a strainer and rinse under running water, strain and keep aside. Add jaggery in a heavy bottom pan, add 1 1/2 cup of water  and bring to a boil.Strain the impurities and bring it back to boil. Allow this to reduce and become a thick syrup. In a separate pan heat ghee in a pan and roast the aval/rice flakes till it becomes crisp. Add thin coconut milk and cook  till aval become soft.Pour the jaggery and crushed cardamom allow the payasam to s

Caribbean Mango Chicken

Caribbean Mango Chicken A Caribbean inspired marinade for chicken..it is moderately spicy, sweet and tart.  This marinade can be prepared well ahead of time and can be stored in the fridge for over a week. Marinate the chicken with this marinade and bake for grill the chicken . It goes well with fresh mango salsa and rice. Try this tasty chicken, you will surely love it. Recipe is inspired from here and here Ingredients  Chicken pieces-6 (I used thighs and drumsticks) For the marinade Mango pulp- 1 1/2 cup Lemon juice- 1 lemon Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbs Pimiento pepper crushed-2 (Or you can used red bell pepper) Brown sugar- 1 tsp Molasses- 1 1/2 tbs Yellow Mustard-2 tbs Apple cider vinegar- 2 tbs Smoked paprika- 1 tsp Dry red chilly crushed - 1/2 tsp (optional) Black pepper-1/4 tsp Ground cumin-a pinch Cinnamon powder- 1/4 tsp Clove powder- a pinch Nutmeg- a pinch Salt to taste  Mix all ingredients listed under marinade ( except cumin, cinnamo

Coconut Shrimp Rice

Coconut Shrimp Rice Coconut shrimp rice is simple and flavorful one pot dish. This rice cooked in coconut milk. It  is aromatic with coconut, spices, shrimp. Toasted shredded coconut used for garnish gives it a unique flavor and taste. This can be paired with spicy curries or with raita and papad. Try this simple rice dish,you will surely love it. Ingredients  1)For the rice Basmathi rice -1 1/2 cup Cloves- 3 Cinnamon stick- 2 peices Cardamon- 2 Coconut milk thick- 1/2 cup water- 2 1/2 cup salt to taste 2)For the masala Shrimp- 1/2 pound Shredded carrot- 1/2 cup Grated coconut- 1/2 cup Onion- 1 medium Ginger chopped- 1 tbs Garlic- 3 cloves Green chilly- 3 slit Curry leaves- a few Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp Garam masala- 1/ 2 tsp Lemon juice- 1 medium (or you can use one tomato instead) Ghee - 1 tsp  oil and salt to taste Wash rice nicely and add all ingredients listed under( 1) rice and cook in a low medium flame. Once cooked fluff with a for

Cornmeal Scallion pancakes

Cornmeal Scallion pancakes Cornmeal pancakes are crispy and savory pancakes and can be served with sour cream or with maple syrup.This recipe is inspired from Williams Sonoma book  Essentials of Breakfast and Brunch . This is a quick and healthy breakfast recipe. You can add fresh corn kernels to get an interesting sweet crunch.Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it. Ingredients White or yellow corn meal-1 1/2 cups Egg-2 Baking powder-3/4 tsp Sugar- 1 1/2 tsp Salt-1/4 tsp Tomato- 1 medium Water- 1 1/2 cup of boiling water Spring onions- 3/4 cup Butter milk- 1/2 cup Freshly ground pepper  Butter- 2-3 tbs In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal,salt and sugar. Slowly and carefully stir in boiling water,whisk until smooth and quite stiff. Let the batter stand for10 minutes .Make sure it is completely cooled down and then add chopped onions,butter milk,baking powder, eggs, chopped tomatoes and seasoning. Place a griddle pan and heat till medium hot.

Karimeen Molly-Pearl Spot Fish Coconut Milk Stew

Karimeen Molly Karimeen molly/ fish molee is a very popular dish in Kerala. If you are a fan of mild creamy fish curry cooked with coconut milk, you have come to the right place. Kerala is a paradise for seafood lovers. Now you may ask what is fish molee/molly? It is a mildly spiced fish stew made with coconut milk and served with appam or fresh bread. It is a soothing dish that complements any spicy meal. Molee is best relished with appam and the combo is divine. Appam  is laced pancake made with fermented rice and coconut batter. Perfectly made soft appam and delicious fish molly is a personal pride that every malayalee share in common.  What amazes me about Kerala fish curries is that you have a wide range of curries- from spicy hot red fish curry, pungent and bold with earthy spices and tamarind and at the opposite spectrum is this mild fish molee cooked in coconut sauce. Now, this doesn't mean that Fish molly is bland. Coconut gives it a creamy richness, tangy acid