Malabar Paratha

Malabar paratha, the very name itself makes the mouth water. Any dish from the Malabar region is a delicacy. The delectable gently cooked, mild flavored malabar recipes are a pride to South Indian cooking. The malabar cuisine is famous for the non vegetarian recipes. When it comes to the vegetarian dishes the Malabar parathas takes the top position. These layered flakey flat bread just melts away in your mouth. This is one bread which demands ultimate patience and care while in process. This is made of maida and tastes excellent with Veg Korma or any gravy.

Ingredients :

Maida – 2 cups (all purpose flour)

Milk – 1/2 cup

Sugar – 1/2tsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Salt to Taste

Luke warm water as needed

Method :

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and knead the dough together thoroughly just like you prepare chappathi/roti dough.Keep it for 1 hr..covered with a wet muslin cloth.Also you can keep it in an air tight container. Otherwise the top of the dough may become dry.

Divide the dough into 10 equal portions of size a little ball.

In a flat surface apply oil again and roll out the portion to the maximum. Apply a little more oil over the rolled dough.

Using both hands make pleates on the rolled dough, starting from one end. Then holding at one end of the pleated dough ,rotate it just like a spiral.

Repeat the above procedure for each portions and keep it aside.Again use wet muslin cloth to cover it or keep it in an air tight container.

Roll out each portion just like roti,but not soo thin.Porotta should be a medium thick.Remember do not apply any flour on it.You can apply some oil/ghee if you like.

Cook each roti with a little butter/ghee for 1 or 2 minutes,turning frequently ,until speckled brown and firm.Keep the cooked porotta in an aluminium foil or in air tight container.

This goes well with any non-veg,Egg roast,Green/ Yellow Peas Masala.

Spicy Long Bean Curry

This simple recipe is a version of a classic yogurt and tomato based curry which makes a decent side with rotis or rice. Yard long beans are good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, iron, phosphorus, and potassium, and a very good source for vitamin C, folate, magnesium and manganese. it is one of the easiest ways to prepare any vegetable, while retaining it's nutrition, taste and colour.

Ingredient :

Long beans -250 gms
Potato-2(medium)
Fresh peas - 1/2 cup
Tomato-2 (medium)
Curd-1/2 cup
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Asafoetida-1/4 tsp
Ginger-1 tsp
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder-1 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Garam masala-1/3 tsp
Bay leaves - 1
Salt-1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :

Wash and chop long beans into 1/2 inch size pieces, peel and cube potatoes. Chop ginger and tomatoes into small pieces.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add bay leaves and cumin seeds.

When seeds start spluttering add asafoetida and then add chopped tomato and ginger.

Add salt and cook till tomato become soft .

Now add  beaten curd and all the spices, stir fry  for a minute .

Then add chopped beans,potatoes and peas, stir for a minute .

Now add water, mix and pressure cook on medium flame for 2- 3 whistles or till cooked well.

Let it cool down completely and then open and cook for few seconds.

Serve hot with roti or rice.

 

Mushroom Pulav

Ingredients

1. Basmati rice- 1 cup
2. Mushroom( sliced thick)-250 gms
3. Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
4. Bay leaf- 1 no
5. Cardamom pods- 2 nos
6. Cloves- 4 nos
7. Cinnamon stick- 2" piece
8. Onion (chopped)-1 no ( medium)
9. Green chilies (chopped)- 1 no ( or to taste)
10. Ginger ( chopped finely)- 1/2 tbsp
11. Garlic ( chopped)-1/2 tbsp
12. Green peas( frozen)-1/4 to 1//2 cup
13. Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
14. Garam masala-1/2 tsp
15. Coriander leaves( chopped)- 1/4 cup
16. salt to taste
17. Oil
18. Water-2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cup( appr)

Method

• Wash basmati rice,drain well and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
• Add bay leaf,cardamom,cloves and cinnamon ,saute for few seconds or until fragrant.
• Now add onion ,green chili,ginger and garlic.Saute until translucent.
• Add the sliced mushroom and salt,saute for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the moisture released from the mushroom is completely absorbed.
• Now add green peas,turmeric powder and garam masala.Mix well.
• Add rice and chopped coriander leaves ,Saute for about a minute.
• Now add water  and salt to taste to the pan and bring it to a boil.
• Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes or until the rice is just done.
• Switch off the stove and fluff up the rice using a fork.Keep it covered for another 5 minutes before serving.

Sending this to EP series @ SpiceNFlavors
and Fast& Quick Healthy dishes Event by Priya's versatile recipes @ Life with spices

Adhirasam SNC Challenge

I am glad to be a part of SNC hosted by our friend Divya pramil  from YOU TOO CAN COOK.. This is my first challenge recipe really exicited to take part in this challenge as it is learning experience for each and every blogger  including me . I am proud to be in north team and it is good for me because I can learn all south indian dishes with the help of our south
Indian team friends  :) This months challenge from South Indian team to North Indian team is  "Adhirasam" by Yashodha from YASHODHA'S KITCHEN...

Adhirasam is a South Indian delicacy made with fresh ground rice flour and jaggery. Although the ingredients are simple, care has to be taken while preparing them to get the right consistency. Adhirasam is a crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside.

Ingredients :

Raw rice - 2 cups
Jaggery / Brown sugar - 1 cup
cardamom powder - a pinch
Water -1/4 cup
Milk - 5 or 6 tsp (optional)
Ghee - 1 or 2 tsp (optional)

Method :

Soak the rice for 30mins. After 30 mins, rinse it and drain the water.

Spread the rice in a towel for about 10 mins to absorb the excess water content of the rice. When 3/4th dried, grind the rice in a mixer to a form of powder should be neither coarse nor fine.

Add jaggery and water in the heavy bottomed vessel. Allow them to boil. Add cardamom powder on it.


Boil the jaggery water and keep stirring it until the jaggery comes to stone consistency. This means when we take a drop of jaggery juice and pour it in water, it should not dissolve rather we should be able to make a ball out of it. It should not be hard as well. This is the right consistency. When you allow the syrup more than the stone consistency, then the adhirasam will become hard. If the syrup is taken before the stone consistency, then the adhirasam will break while frying. You should be very careful at this stage. 

Now remove the jaggery from flame.  After few minutes add rice flour slowly and stir well until you get soft dough. Mix well, so that no lumps are formed till you get chappathi dough consistency. Now the adhirasam mixture is ready for preparation.

Keep this adhirasam mixture aside for at least one day.

Heat oil for deep fry. Make a small ball of the adhirasam mixture and place it in a oil greased banana leaf. Spread the mixture like vadai and drop it in oil once the oil is hot.

Deep fry the adhirasam till it becomes golden color. Don't put more than two adhirasam in the oil. Repeat the above steps for the rest of mixture.

Remove adhirasam from the oil and squeeze the excess oil by pressing flat bottomed bowl on the adhirasam.

The Delicious Adhirasam is ready to serve...



Linking this to Yashoda's Kitchen's Adhirasam.

Mutton Pepper Fry

Ingredients

1. Mutton-1/2 kg
2. Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
3. Curry leaves- 2 sprigs or more
4. Onion ( sliced)-2 nos( medium)
5. Shallots( sliced)-10 to 12 nos
6. Ginger and garlic( chopped)- 1tsp
7. Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
8. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
9. Garam masala powder - 1 tsp + 1/4 tsp
10. Fennel powder-1/2 tsp
11. Water
12. Coconut oil( or any other vegetable oil)
13. Salt to taste

For Marination

1. Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
2. Coriander leaves( chopped)-1/4 cup
3. Mint leaves- 4 to 5 nos( optional)
4. Green chilies- 2 nos( or according to taste)
5. Whole black pepper- 2 tsp( adjust according to taste)
6. Ginger ( 1" piece)- 2 nos
7. Garlic( Indian )- 8 to 10  cloves
8. Lemon juice-2 tsp
9. Salt to taste

Method

• In a blender,combine together the ingredients for marination and grind to form a smooth paste.
• Rub this onto the mutton pieces and keep aside for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let it splutter.Now add curry leaves,onion and shallots.Saute until it turns golden brown.Add chopped ginger and garlic and saute for few seconds.
• Now reduce the flame to low and add the coriander,turmeric,garam masala and fennel powder along with 2 tbsp of water and mix well.Saute until oil separates for about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the marinated mutton pieces and mix well.Pour in required amount of water ( appr 1 1/2 cups) and salt to taste.Cover and cook over a medium flame until mutton is done.
• Cook until all the water is absorbed .When it is almost dry add 1/4 tsp garam masala and more curry leaves.
• Continue frying ,stirring in between ( drizzle more oil if required) until it turns brown.

Note: You can also use a pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time.In that case when the mutton is cooked transfer it to a non stick pan for frying.

Sweet potato mash

             When my 13 months old completes her food without her ryhmes/cartoons or opens her mouth for the next scoop of food,it is like a credit that food is tasty. i don't have words to explain the satisfaction i feel once she completes her food with no nakhras. This sweet potato mash is one evening snack which she loves.

              You can serve this for babies more than 6 months old(if you had started solid foods). do check with your pediatrician before you introduce any root vegetable(potato varieties produce gastric problems for the younger ones).

Ingredients:

Sweet potato   -   1 no (3/4th of your palm size)
Butter             -    1 teaspoon
Water             -    To boil them

Method:

• Wash and peel the sweet potato.
• Pressure cook the diced sweet potato with required water(2 to 3 whistles)
• Drain them. run your mixer adding into it a teaspoon of butter with the boiled sweet potatoes 
• Sweet,healthy and tasty mash is ready(it might get a bit thick after sometime. add some warm milk to bring to required paste consistency)

Pressure cook the diced sweet potato with required water(2 to 3 whistles)

Drain them. run your mixer adding into it a teaspoon of butter with the boiled sweet potatoes

Sweet and healthy mash is ready

Rasamalai (Rasagullas in Sweetened Milk and Nuts) – Sweets for Diwali Eve

Rasmalai or Rasamalai is an all time favorite sweet for all festive seasons, especially Diwali. Rasmalai is a rich indian delicacy, The spongy and mildly sweet paneer balls dunked in the richness of milk, with the slight flavour of sugar syrup, creaminess of nuts and  flavours of cardamom and saffron. Heaven!

Happy Diwali to all my viewers and readers

Ingredients :

Rasgullas - 10 to 12
Milk - 1 ltr
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Chopped Nuts (Almond) - 3 tbsp
Saffron - 3 to 4 strands
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method :

Heat milk in a wide mouth pan and heat it up..

Let it boil until it reduces in half..This will take around 20 mins..

Then add the sugar  and keep stirring. The mixture is called rabri and it tastes divine by itself.

Keep in sim and stir it till it reduces in volume.

Throw in cardamom pods and mix well..and give a quick mix.

Now finally add the rasgullas and let it cook in low flame for 5mins till the rasgullas absorb the milk.

Switch off , cool completely and then chill it. 

Serve chilled with some more nuts..........

 Sending this to Nivedhanam's "Authentic Indian sweets" event

Spicy Diamond cut (Savory Maida Biscuit)

Diwali isn't only about sweets. Savoury dishes are just as much part of regional traditions. Spicy diamond cuts are also called as savory maida biscuits. It is a best evening time snack for all age group.  It is made out of plain flour or maida flour and simple ingredients.  It tastes crunchy and spicy with bursting flavors. Perfect to munch on teatime!

Ingredients:

Maida flour / All Purpose Flour- 1 ½  cups

Wheat Flour - ½ cup

Ajwain - 1 ½ tsp

Nigella seeds - 1/4 tsp 

Red chilly pwd - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Method :

In a wide bowl, add the maida, wheat flour, ajwain, nigella seeds, red chilly pwd, sugar and salt. Mix all the ingredients well.

Knead the dough until its soft with little water and  2 tbsp of oil or ghee. Cover and let it rest for 30 mins.

Divide the dough into large lemon size balls.

Roll into thin chapati and cut first into strips and then diagonally to make diamonds using a knife/pizza cutter.

Use a thin spatula to take out the diamond cuts from the rolling board.

Don't worry if it gets together. When you drop in oil, it will separate. But be 

gentle when you gather while dropping.  

Deep fry in hot oil with medium flame and keep turning constantly for even cooking.

Now slow down the flame and keep turning until it turns crisp & golden colour.

Take out the biscuits and keep it on the paper towel to remove excess oil.

Cool biscuits completely to room temperature. Now spread some chaat masala and black salt.

Store it in air tight container to preserve crispness for long time..!

Gobhi Pakora (Cauliflower Fritter)

Cauliflower or gobhi pakora is one of the best appetizers or side dishes what we crave for whether in parties or simply at regular meals or with tea. Delicious and hot pakodas made by dipping cauliflower chunks in a batter of besan, rice flour, cornflour with a pinch of various spices.

Ingredients :

Cauliflower florets - 8-10 nos. medium size ,
Besan - 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 3 tbsp
A pinch turmeric powder
A pinch red chilli powder
A pinch of baking powder
Roasted cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
salt to taste,
Oil for deep-frying

Method:

Cut the cauliflower into medium size pieces. Take the pieces in a pan and then add waterand salt. Boil the cauliflower pieces for 5-10 mins so that the cauliflower are half boiled. (You can steam cauliflower florets using microwave too. For that, add cauliflower florets and salt into water and put in microwave for 7 mins)

In a large bowl, mix rice flour, besan, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, baking powder together. 

Heat oil in a pan. Dip the half boiled cauliflower in the batter and fry them until golden brown. Then add little warm water to the mixture to prepare thick consistency batter and then mix steamed cauliflower florets. 

Heat sufficient oil for deep-frying. For my pan, I use about 5-6 florets for frying at a time.

Let them cook in med-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden/reddish brown. Drop them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Serve them hot along with Ketchup or any of your favorite chutney.

Nankatai

Ingredients

1. All purpose flour-1/2 cup
2. Whole wheat flour- 1/2 cup
3. Chickpea flour/besan-1 tbsp
4. Semolina-1 tbsp
5. Baking Powder-1/4 tsp
6. Salt-1 pinch
7. Granulated sugar- 1/2 cups
8. cardamom-3 nos
9. Nutmeg powder-1/4 tsp
10. Butter-1/2 cup
11. Almonds -as required

Method

• Preheat oven to 150 deg C.
• In a large mixing bowl combine together,all purpose flour,whole wheat flour,chickpea flour ,semolina baking powder and salt.
• In a blender,add sugar,cardamom and nutmeg powder and grind to form a fine powder.Add this to the flour mixture.
• Add butter and mix well until everything comes together.Knead this well to form a soft dough.
• Cover and keep aside for about 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into equal sized balls of about 2 inch dia.(Make sure the balls are smooth with no cracks.)
• Place these balls on to a baking tray lined with parchment paper,leaving 2" in between each one.Gently press halved almonds on top of each ball.
• Bake at 150 deg C for about 20 to 22 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies turn golden brown.
• Allow it to to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing.

Doodh Peda

Doodh Peda is one of  the most popular North Indian desserts. Pedas are rich, sweet and quick to make traditional sweet recipe. I have taken the short cut method to prepare Doodh Peda using condensed milk and milk powder. The traditional version of Doodh Peda is labor intensive but has a flavor and texture that is creamy and absolutely melt-in-the-mouth.

Ingredients:

Milk Powder - 2 cups
Condensed milk - 14 oz ( 1 can)
Butter - 1 stick (unsalted)
Nuts - 1/4 cup (cashew, dry grapes)
cardamom - 6 ( just grind the black seeds inside the cardamom )
saffron - a pinch

Method :

Microwave the butter stick in a wide bowl for a minute.

Now add the milk powder and condensed milk and mix them all gently. Just fold everything.

Now microwave the whole mixture for 4 minutes and every other minute take it out mix it gently and evenly.

Finally add the ground cardamom powder and saffron into it.

After that let it cool until you can handle the mixture in your hand.

Take  a wide plate and grease it.

Now make a round balls out  of the mixture using your hand and flatten them to form pedas and place it in.

And just decorate them with your favorite nuts.

Sending this to Indrani's "Spotlight: Festive Food" event hosted by me, Vardhini's "Diwali Bash" event, Preeti's "Let’s Party- “Fest Celebration- Diwali” Event", Sumee's "Bon Vivant #10 - Festive Feast" event, Nupur's "Come Celebrate - Indian Sweets" event, Sara's "Dish in 30 mins sweets" event and Nivedhanam's "Authentic Indian Sweets" event