Rava/Thari kachiyathu (Semolina Payasam)

Rava/Semolina 4 tsp
Ghee 2 Tbsp
Sugar as rqd
Milk 2 1/2 cup
Shallots -3
Cashew nuts as rqd
Raisins as rqd

1.Mix together milk and sugar. Boil it well. Then reduce the heat and add the rava into it.
2.Stir it continously for 5-6miutes.Note that it should not be over cooked.Remove from fire.

3.Place a pan and add the ghee and fry thinily sliced shellots.When the shellots starts to change its colour add raisins and cashews and pour it into the payasam.
Serve hot.

Idli / Steamed Rice Cakes

Idlis are a regular break fast in most south indian homes.I learnt the perfect recipe for Idli batter from my neighbour...Befor when i make idli it dont came out success..Now i make nice idli.Befor my hubby dont eat much,but now......he he he he he ...It is served with a varieties of chutneys, sambhars.

Ingredients:

1/2 cups Par Boiled Rice
1 1/2 cup Raw Rice
1 cup Urad Dal/Split Black Lentils (skinned black gram)
1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek/Methi Seeds (Optional)
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Idli Batter Procedure:

1.Wash and soak together the rices for at least 5 hours. Soaking urad dal for 1 minutes is sufficient. If using fenugreek seeds, soak it separately in hot water so that grinding will be easy.
2.Drain the urad dal reserving some of the soaked water.
3.First grind the urad dal Fenugreek (if using).When it graid to fine paste transfer the dal batter to a big container(so that the batter does not overflow while it ferments)
4.Now grind the rice.The rice batter need not be as smooth as the urad dal batter.Now add this to urad dal batter and mix well.Add salt and mix it with your clean hand thoroughly.Cover the bowl with a plate and leave it undisturbed for at least 15 hours.

Idli Procedure:
1.Grease idli moulds with ghee/oil.Depending on the size of the idli plates fill between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter in each mould.
2.You could use a pressure cooker or any vessel for that matter to steam idlis. I steam mine in a pressure cooker. Before filling the idli plates, add some water in the cooker (about 1 inch) and switch on the stove. So by the time you are done with the batter the water will start boiling and you can place the idli stand in the cooker and close the lid. Since the water is already hot and steaming the idlis cook very fast. Around 9-10 minutes you will see steam escaping from the lid's vent.
3.After 5 – 7 minutes open the lid. Use an oven mit or kitchen towel to remove the idli stand because it will be very hot.
4.Remove each plate one by one,and let it rest in room temperatur for 5-10 minutes.This will loosen up the idlis and will help in scooping out the idlis from the plate.
5.Run a knife or a spoon around the edges and remove the idlis from the plate.
Now enjoy it with your favorite chutney or sambar.Me and my hubbie need both the chutney and sambar.

squid / Kanava / Koonthal Roast

Ingredients

Cleaned Squid-1/2 kg
Big Onion-3 big
Tomato-2 medium size
Green chilly-3
Curry leaves-1string
Chilly Powder-3/4 tsp
Coconut Oil
Ginger-1 big piece
Garlic-4-5
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Salt-to taste

Method

1.Clean and cut the squid in round shape and keep aside
2.Heat oil in a pan and add onion slices ,green chilly,ginger,garlic and curry leaves.Add salt to taste
3.Saute well till the onion become light brown in colour.
4.Then add all powder and saute till its raw smell goes .
5.Now add the tomato,and let it cook.
6.Now add the squid and stir well ..Cook untile done,also when all the water is evaporated remove from fire.

cheera thoran

Cheera/ Spinach is an excellent source of many vitamins,minerals and anti-oxidents.This thoran is one of my favourate.....

Ingredients:-

Cheera/Spinach chopped fine – 2 1/2 cups
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
Shallots chopped – 5
Green chillies chopped – 2
Garlic chopped –3
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – a sprig
Salt – to taste
Oil – as needed

Method:-

1.Execpt mustard seeds and oil mix all the ingrediants with cheera,using ur hand.Make it soft.
2.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds into it.Allow it to splutter,then add curry leaves,stir and add the spinach.Stir for few minutes and cook until all the water evaporates and thoran becomes dry.
Serve with rice.

Egg Puff

Puffs are my all type favourate snack.No matter what the filling is...When we go for vaccation...all most all days we will have puff as our evening snack.When I knew puff pastries were available here I was really excited to bake them at home..I tried this for the first time...It came out a great hit..

Ingredients:

1.Puff pastry sheets-4
2.Egg-2
3.Onion-1 meduim
4.Green chillies-2
5.Curry leaves
6.Meat masala-1/2 tbs
7.Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
8.Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
9.Egg white(for polishing)
10.Salt
11.Oil

Method:

1. Saute Onion,Green chillies,Curry leaves and add meat masala ,chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt.

2.Boil eggs

3.Pre-heat oven for 10 mins in 350 F.

4.Thaw the sheets for 30 mins.

5.Cut the egg into halves.

6.Put the Onion masala mix in the sheet and keep an egg half on top of it.

7.Then fold it and apply beaten egg white on it to get polish look.

8.Bake it for around 15-20 minutes.

Re Post- Chiku Shake

This is my Chiku shake re post for Divya Vikram's show me your smoothie

Ingredients

Chiku/Sapota - 6 nos

Milk - 2 cups(Freezed)

Horlicks-2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tspn (According to sweetness of the fruit)
Water - 1/2 cup (Optional)

Ice cubes - few (Optional)

Preparation Method
Wash, remove skin, seeds and chop the chiku into small pieces. Reserve few for garnishing.In a mixer/juicer add all the ingredients and grind.Chiku/Sapota Milkshake is ready to drink. Garnish with chopped chiku.
You can serve them normal or chilled.
Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Leaves Thoran / Mathanga Leaves Thoran

Ingrediants:
1 bunch of Pumpkin Leaves (Mathanga Leaves)
Onions-1 sliced
Green chilies- 4 or 5 chopped
Turmeric- ¼ tsp
Garlic- 2 cloves
Curry leaves-1 strip
Coconut- ½ cup.
Salt to taste
Mustard Seeds-1tsp
Oil- 1 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Soak the Pumpkin Leaves in water for 5-10 minutes to get rid of the sand. Wash it well under running water. Let it drain thoroughly.Remove the small small thorns like how we remove the skine of drumsticks.and rube using your both hands in order to become it soft.Now choppe like we do the spinach thoran.
2. Execpt oil and mustard seeds mix all together using your hand.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they splutterand add the Pumpkin Leaves mix .
Let it cook covered on medium flame for 5-10 mins till all the water evaporates. Serve with rice.

Kozhi Nirachathu Stuffed Chicken And My 100th Post

Now the time to celebrate my 100th post.I really feel proud :).First of all i would love to thank my dear friend Aparna of Ladies Special Adukkala (http://ladiesspecialadukkala.blogspot.com/) for introducing this blogging.....She have a very beautiful blog....

Also in this occation i thank all my blogger friends for there loveliy commends.....

In this special i would love to share Kozhi Nirachathu Stuffed Chicken with u.....

When i saw kozhi nirachathu in (pranis http://pranithworld.blogspot.com/2010/03/kozhi-nirachathustuffed-chicken.html) nithu (http://neetzkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/kozhi-nirachathu-wo-oven-stuffed.html)...I was in hurry to try it out.....So i thought i will post it in my 100th post

Ingredients :

Chicken : 800 g

For marination:

Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 3/4 tsp

Lime Juice - 1/2 lime

Salt and water

Make a paste of all the ingredients under marination.Marinate the chicken and keep it in the refrigerator for 2-4 or more hour.

For Stuffing:

Egg - 1no

Onion - 1 large thinily sliced

Ginger Paste - 1/2 tsp

Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 twig leaves

Green Chilli - 3 nos chopped  

Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves -few

Cashew Nuts - 6 nos

Raisins - 5 nos

Salt to taste

Oil

Preparation for the stuffing:

1.Boil the egg and keep aside.

2.In a pan, add oil and saute cashew and raisins till light brown and remove.

3.Now add in the onion and add some salt.When its colour changes add ginger garlic and green chilli and saute for 5 - 10 minuts. Then add in all the powders listed and saute till the raw smell goes.

4.Add the egg,nuts and raisin and saute.

5.When it cooled down add this stuffing inside the marinated chicken and then with a neddle and thread stich the flesh in between the legs.Then tie the legs with thread or twine and also the wings (hands).

6.Fry the stuffed chicken.Heat oil in the pan..Fry the chicken until all the four sides get light brown.

7.Preheat the oven in 350F. Place the chicken in to the oven safe bowl.. Bake it covered for 30 - 45 minutes .

Now for the Gray Part :

Ingedients :
Onions - 2 large nos sliced
Tomatoes - 2 large nos chopped
Curry Leaves - 3 twig leaves
Fennel Seeds - 1 tbsp powdered (perinjeerakam)
Green Chilli - 4 nos chopped
Ginger Paste - 1/2 tsp
Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup

Preparation :

Heat oil in a pan(use the same oil for frying the chicken) and add the onions and then add in the curry leaves, green chilli and ginger and gralic paste and saute till onions are almot borwn in color and then add the tomatoes and saute till tomatoes are cooked . Add in the powders and spices and saute till raw smell goes. Add in the water to make a thick gravy and leep aside.

Pour this gravy into the half baked chicken and bake it for another 20-30 minute.Serve Hot.

Varutharacha Sambar(Sambhar with roasted coconut and spices)

Ingredients
Parippu/Toor Dal – ¾ cup
Mixed vegetables – 2 cups[I used drumsticks,carrot,potato,beans,tomato,big oninon,bringal,ladies finger]
Tamarind – 1 small lemon size
Hing – 1 tsp
Salt to taste

To roast and grind:
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Chilli powder -3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Pepper powder -1/2 tsp
Cumin -3/4 tsp
Curry leaves -2 strip
Chopped ginger garlic – 2 tsp
Small onions/Shallots* – 2
Grated coconut – ½ to ¾ cup
Coconut oil – 4-5 tsp

For Seasoning:
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Dry chillies -3-4

For garnish
Coriander leaves – 2-3 tbsp,chopped

Method
1.Cook the dal till soft.
2.Dry roast the ingredients given for the masala till golden brown and grind to a smooth paste.Note:first roast coconut and other ingrediants exept powders,when it change to golden colour only add the powders.
3.Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract as much as 1 cups of ‘puli vellam’-tamarind water from it.
4.Cook the vegetables in this tamarind water till done.
5.Add the ground masala and dal to the cooked vegetables and let it boil-till everything gets mixed.Add hing to it.
6.Prepare seasoning in a pan with coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds,dry red chillies and add curry leaves.
7.Add the seasoning to the sambhar and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Egg Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:
1 cup of vegetables like beans,carrots and potato.
Some coriander leaves
Some curry leaves
3 eggs
1onions
1 tomatoes
salt to taste 
1/2 pepper powder
1/2 termeric powder
1/2 chilli powder
1/4 fennel seeds
1 1/2 cup of thin coconut milk
3/4 cup of thick coconut milk

Directions:
1. Fry sliced onions and green chillies.Add spices and fry well.
2. Add vegetabels expect tomatoes, salt and thin coconut milk and cook.
3. When vegetabels are half done, add tomatoes. Cook till vegetabels are tender and gravy is thick.
4. Add shelled haveld hard-boiled eggs. Also all curry leaves.
5.Now add thick coconut milk and remove from fire befor boiling.Garnish with corindar leaves.

Best with appam,poori and chappathi.

Chana Masala / Chickpeas Masala

Ingredients
White Chickpeas (soaked overnight in water) – 1 and 1/2 cups 
Onion (sliced) – 1 large
Tomato (sliced) – 1 large
Green Chillies (slit) -2
Curry Leaves – A sprig
Oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Ginger Paste -1 tsp
Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Chicken Masala Powder – 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Cilantro – A few
Salt – As required
Water – As required

Preparation Method

1.Soak the Chickpeas overnight or for at least 4 hours. Wash the chickpeas and drain the water.
2.Pressure cook the chickpeas with a pinch of turmeric for around 20 minutes. Add enough water so as to cover the chickpeas.
3.Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok and splutter mustard seeds.
4.Add sliced onions and saute till the onions are translucent.
5.Add slit green chillies, chopped tomatoes and curry leaves and saute till the tomatoes are cooked well.
6.Next add 1 tsp ginger paste and 1 tsp garlic paste and saute for a minute.
7.Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp chilly powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp Chicken masala powder and stir fry for two minutes.
8.Add the cooked chana along with the leftover water from the cooker. Add more water (around 1/4 cup) if required to make enough gravy.
9.Sprinkle some cilantro leaves and mix well.
10.Cover and cook on low flame for another 10-15 minutes, till the gravy is thick and finely coated on the chickpeas.

Serve along with rice or chappathis.

Capsicum Thoran

Ingredients
Capsicum (diced into medium cubes) – 2 big
Sliced Onions – 1 medium
Curry Leaves – A sprig
Oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 3
Salt – as required
Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup

Preparation Method
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.
Add onions, curry leaves, green chillies,and saute till the onions are translucent.
Add turmeric powder.
Now, add the capsicum pieces along with required amount of salt and mix well.
Mix well. Cover and cook for around 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile add grind coconutto the cooked capsicum and mix well
Allow it to cook in the coconut  for another 5 minutes until all water has evaporated.
Serve this tasty capsicum thoran with Rice.

Kozhakattai (sweet coconut dumplings)

Kozhukattai is a popular dish of south India. It is a steamed food.This is one of my hubbies favt snack.I always love to make this for him....


Ingredients

For stuffing:
Coconut grated – 1 cup
Chopped jaggery – ½ cup
Cardamom – 4 no
Ghee – ½ tea spoon

Dough:
Rice floor - 1 cup
Boiling water - 1 1/2 -2 cup
Salt - 2 pinch

Stuffing:
1.Put coconut, jaggery, ghee and cardamom powder in a hot pan; keep stirring till jaggery melts and mixes with other items.
2.Remove from heat when you find the mix leaving the sides of the pan without sticking.Now the stuffing for kozhukattai is ready.

Dough:
3.Boil two cups of water and add one cup of rice flour with pinch of salt; stir continuously to form a dough; cool and knead it to a soft, firm dough.

Now how to make Kozhakattai
4.Now lightly apply oil or water in hand and take lemon size dough; press it with your both hands;now fill it with stuffing.
5.Seal it and steam cook for 5 to 7 minutes or till done; after cooking you can see the change in colour.

Ella Ottada(Steemed one)

Ingredeints:
1 cup roasted rice flour
1-1 1/4 cup of boiling water (It may varies)
3/4 cup of grated coconut
salt to taste
Banana leaves for wrapping

Method
1.First add enough salt and blend using your hand.
2.To this add boiling hot water just enough o make a soft and smoot dough.use a spoon to blend.when it is warm enough kneed using your hand.Note that it should be little looser than the idiyappam dough.
3.Take a piece of banana leaf and place one rice dough ball and flatten it gentily.U can rube some water on your hand while applying.
4.Now spread some grated coconut on the dough.
5.Steam this untile done.

Serve with Veg or non veg curry.

Chickpea Salad And Award

Ingredients 1 cup cookedchickpeas

1 cucumber, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
3 lettuce leafs
1/2 lemon
Salt o taste.

Directions

1.In a medium bowl combine chickpeas, cucumber,carrot,lettuce leaf,leamon and salt. Mix well and serve.

I am very very... happy to receive the following awards from my friend sweet friend Suhaina & Maya and Lakshmi of(Yummy O Yummy) .Both has a very beautiful blog...and very interestig recipes....Thank you my dear.....
And i would like to share this with all my blogger friends...

Whoever receives these awards should list 5 favorite recipes from their blogs. Here are our favorite recipes.

Kalathappam(Rice flour Cake)

Bread Sausage Pizza

Kakka Irachi(Clams) Thoran

Ney Pathiri/Fried Rice Rot

Methi Fry(Sardine fry)

Neetz
Hari Chandana
Jay
simply.food
Kairali sisters
PranisKitchen
Nithu Bala
Gita Jaishankar
Nitks
Jagruti
Fathima