NADAN CHICKEN FRY (KERALA STYLE)

What Goes In:

Chicken (cut into medium-sized pieces) – 1 kg

Chilly Powder – 5 tbsp

Turmeric Powder – 2 tsp

Coriander Leaves (chopped) – 4 tbsp

Lemon Juice – 2 tsp

Oil – for frying

Salt – to taste

Ginger Garlic Paste – 6 tbsp

Pepper Powder – 6 tbsp

Coriander Powder – 3 tbsp

Curry Leaves – 2 stems

Onions (sliced) - 2

Desiccated Coconut – 3 tbsp

The “How To”:

·         Make slits on the chicken pieces so that the marinade can be easily absorbed.

·         Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder, pepper powder, ginger-garlic paste, coriander leaves and lemon juice and keep in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

·         Heat oil in a pan; add the curry leaves and the chicken pieces. Cover the pan and simmer the chicken for 10 mins. Flip the chicken pieces over and keep frying till the chicken is fully cooked. Drain and keep aside.

·         In the same pan, fry the onions in the remaining oil. Add the remaining marinade to the pan and fry till the raw smell disappears. Next, add the desiccated coconut and fry for 2-3 mins.

·         To this mixture, add the chicken pieces and mix well. Take off the heat and serve hot.

UNNIYAPPAM

It was my first Onam after getting married and we were away from home. Now, even though we generally do not fuss over Onam while we are at home and make do with a mini sadya and a payasam, being away from home and watching all the nostalgic memories being shared by celebrities on television, I wanted to do my bit for the festival too. Nothing too elaborate, considering that it was a working day in Hyderabad and a sadhya had at night would have taken a year to digest, but I still wanted to go out of my way to make the day special. Pal Payasam (thick milk & rice pudding - that recipe I'll post another day) was a given since no Onam is complete without payasam. In addition to that, I decided to make unniyappams and it turned out to be a hit with the neighbours as well as at home!

What Goes In:

Rice Flour – 2 cups

Jaggery (broken into small pieces) – ½ cup

Mashed Bananas / Jackfruit – 1 cup

Cardamom Powder – ¼ tsp

Dry roasted Coconut pieces (optional) – 2-3 tsp

Roasted Black Sesame Seeds (optional)  – ½ tsp 

Baking Soda (optional) – 1/8 tsp

Salt – ¼ tsp

 

The “How To”:

1.       Heat jaggery pieces by adding a little water, allowing it to melt completely. Strain to remove residue and keep aside.

2.       Mix all the ingredients (except the coconut pieces and the sesame seeds) and make a thick batter by adding a little water.

3.       Add the coconut pieces and sesame seeds, mix well and allow it to stand for 8-9 hours (it is ideal to keep it overnight).

4.       Heat the pan (the pan used for making unniyappams is the same as that used for making paniyarams) and fill oil into each impression so that they are 3/4^th full. When the oil is very hot, reduce the flame to medium heat and fill each impression with batter and cook slowly. Do not cover the pan.

5.       When one side is done, flip over and cook till golden brown. Drain onto absorbent paper.

Tip: Do not fill the impressions completely with batter. In order to allow space for the unniyappam to puff up, it is essential that the impressions are only 3/4^th filled with batter.

I had an idea !!!

While the blog has been started with the intention of jotting down all things that spell F-O-O-D, I thought it would make sense to keep a menu for every month i.e., each month I would put up recipes that belong to the same cuisine family. That way, when I have guests coming over and I am flummoxed about what to cook for them, I will have complete menus at hand beginning with appetizers and starters to the dessert. So Feb onwards, I am going to work towards that .... of course, that doesn't mean that there would be only a limited number of recipes each month .... if I get super-excited about a particular dish, it just might get a special mention irrespective of the cuisine!

THE INDIAN SHEPHERD’S PIE

Shepherd's pie was a favorite of the English, if Enid Blyton were to be believed. Most of the stories I read when I was knee-high brought in visions of a dish that had me drooling even as I read about it. When I scoured the net to find a suitable recipe for the pie, I was however a tad bit disappointed. My taste buds have undying loyalty to all things spicy and the dish seemed quite bland, probably since it was tuned to English tastes. So I put on my thinking cap and came up with a recipe that I think and Indian shepherd may be able to appreciate a bit more :) I normally dislike potatoes but mashed potatoes oozing butter laid on a bed of yummy mincemeat was just too good to resist!

What Goes In:

Minced Lamb – 450g

Vegetable Oil – 2 tbsp

Bay leaves – 2

Onion (finely chopped) – 1

Green Chillies (finely chopped) – 2

Carrots (peeled and sliced) – 2-3

Frozen Green Peas – ¼ cup

Salt – ¼ tsp

Cumin (ground) – 1 tsp

Maida – 25g

Lamb / Chicken Stock – 300ml

Tomato Puree – 1 tbsp

Potatoes – 700g

Butter – 25g

Milk – 4-5 tbsp

Cheddar Cheese (grated) – 50g

Chilly Powder – 1½ tsp

Pepper Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Garam Masala – 1 tsp

Ginger-garlic Paste – 1 tsp

The “How To”:

1.       Heat oil in a pan; add bay leaves and onions and sauté till the onions turn transparent.

2.       Add the green chillies and the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell of the paste disappears.

3.       Now, add the chilly powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and sauté for 1 minute.

4.       Into the above mix, add the carrots, green peas and minced lamb and fry for 7-8 minutes till the mince turns brown. Combine the salt, cumin powder and flour (mixed in a little water) with the mince and stir for 1 minute. Blend in the stock and tomato puree. Cook covered till the mix thickens and the meat is cooked through.

5.       Peel and boil the potatoes and a little salt in boiling water for around 20 minutes or till they turn soft. Drain the excess water and mash the potatoes with the butter and milk (if you are using salted butter, you are not required to add salt while boiling the potatoes).

6.       Preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius.

7.       When the lamb mixture is cooked, tip it into an oven-proof dish. Spread the mashed potatoes on top. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the potatoes and dot with butter.

8.       Bake for 15-20 minutes till the crust turns golden brown.

Tip 1: Can be served as a meal in itself with garlic bread.

Tip 2: Stock can be made by dissolving stock cubes (easily available in supermarkets) in lukewarm water.

CHEESE BALLS

It was Aravind's birthday and I had an elaborate four-course dinner surprise planned but the only problem was that there was just a day to do it and a pair of inexperienced hands to make it! So I needed recipes that would be easy to cook within the limited time I had and would taste yummy at the same time. Came across this recipe and thought it made a great starter. Hope you all enjoy it too!

What Goes In:

Processed Cheese (grated) – 10 cubes

Onion Shallots (finely chopped) – 4

Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp

Bread Slices (with edges trimmed) – 20

Green Chillies (finely chopped) – 8

Pepper Powder – to taste

Salt – to taste

Oil – for deep frying

The “How To”:

1.       In a bowl, mix together the cheese, onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, pepper and salt.

2.       Flatten the bread slices with a rolling pin. Apply water on the slices and squeeze the excess water out.

3.       Place a heaped tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the center of a bread slice, gather the sides and shape into small balls. Repeat with all the slices.

4.       Deep fry the cheese balls in hot oil till the color changes to golden. Drain onto absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

5.       Serve hot with tomato ketchup or schezwan sauce.

Tip : Can be served as a snack in itself or as a starter for a big meal.

SINGLE MAN’S MUD CAKE

This is a recipe that is very easy to find on the internet and all it takes is a total of 5 minutes to make the cake from scratch. I love to have something sweet to end my meals, especially dinner and this is a cake that I make every other day, with a few variations each time!

What Goes In:

Maida / All Purpose Flour – 4 tbsp

Powdered Sugar  – 4 tbsp

Cocoa Powder – 2 tbsp

Egg  – 1

Milk – 3 tbsp

Oil  – 3 tbsp

Vanilla Essence – 2 drops

Chocolate Chips (optional) – 2 tbsp

Grated Carrots (optional) – 1 tbsp

The “How To”:

1.       To a buttered microwave-safe mug, add the maida, sugar and cocoa powder and mix well.

2.       Add the egg, milk and oil and blend well with a spoon. Mix in the vanilla essence. Add the chocolate chips or carrots, if desired.

3.       Microwave on high (1000w) for 3 minutes.

4.       Allow to cool and enjoy – straight from the mug.

Tip 1: As variations to this recipe, you could replace the cocoa with 1 tbsp of instant coffee powder for a coffee cake, 2 additional tbsp of maida for a plain tea cake or 2 tbsp of strawberry syrup for a strawberry cake.

Tip 2: Adding 1 tbsp of fresh cream can make the cake more moist.

Tip 3: You could also pour the contents into a greased muffin tray for some instant muffins.

Tip4: The cake batter may rise up and threaten to overflow, but there is no need to worry!

DATES FRITTERS

I am a total foodie and I do not need a particular time or place to dig into food. Of all the meals that can be consumed in a day, it is the tea time snacks that always seeking something new and interesting. I came across this recipe in some kind hearted person's blog and thought that I should definitely give it a try. And it sure didn't disappoint me! I saw Aravind hogging it in plenty - after claiming that he just wasn't interested in eating dates :)

What Goes In:

Seedless Dates – 10-12

Maida / All Purpose Flour – ½ - ¾ cup

Baking Powder – 1 pinch

Salt – 1 pinch

Water – to make a thick batter

Oil – for deep frying

Grated Coconut (optional) – 2 tbsp

The “How To”:

1.       Make a smooth batter of the maida, salt, baking powder and water. Add coconut, if desired.

2.       Dip the dates in the batter and deep fry till golden. Drain and keep on an absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

3.       Serve with tea or coffee.

Tip: You can also make fritters with Apples or Bananas. Add 2 tsp of sugar to the batter as apples and bananas are not naturally as sweet as dates.

CARROT CAKE

Before going into the oven

When it came out

I love carrots - but only when I use them for my desserts. My palate does not look too kindly on a mish-mash of sweetness, saltiness and sourness going in with a single spoonful of food. Carrots, having been made sweet by Mother Nature, are ideal when they are being transformed into delectable desserts than anything else! What say?

What Goes In:

Maida / All purpose flour – 100g

Sugar (powdered) – 100g

Butter – 75g

Eggs - 2

Baking Powder – 1 tsp

Baking Soda (soda bicarbonate) – 1 pinch

Carrots (grated) – 2

Milk – ¼ cup

Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp

The “How To”:

1.       Preheat the oven at 180 degree Centigrade for 10 minutes.

2.       Sieve maida, baking powder and baking soda 2 times. Keep aside.

3.       Take the sugar and butter in a big bowl and mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla essence and blend into the mixture till fluffy. Add milk and mix well.

4.       Add the grated carrots to the batter and incorporate till well mixed.

5.       Fold in the sieved maida to the above batter gently.

6.       Pour the cake batter into a greased oven-proof cake tin.

7.       Bake at 180 degree Centigrade for 40 minutes or till well done.

Tip: To check whether the cake is fully done, insert a skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.

PANEER (COTTAGE CHEESE) & PEAS PULAO

This dish is a meal in itself and is easy to make when you have unexpected guests over. I have a strong dislike for the taste of peas too much but since Aravind likes it, I throw in a handful in order to satiate his taste buds. You can add more of it or avoid it completely depending on your preferences.

What Goes In:

Long-grained rice – 1 ½ cups

Water – 3 cups

Paneer / Cottage Cheese cubes – 200 g

Frozen Peas – 50 g

Onions (thinly sliced) – 2 large

Ghee / clarified butter – 3 tbsp

Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp

Green Cardamom – 3

Cloves – 2-3

Cinnamon – 1” piece

Bay Leaf – 1

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Chili Powder – 1½ tsp

Pepper Powder – 1 tbsp

Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp

Tomato (chopped) - 1

Salt – to taste

Coriander Leaves (chopped) – 1 bunch

Mint Leaves (chopped) – 1 bunch

The “How To”:

1.       Soak the rice in 4 cups of water for half an hour. Then Drain and keep aside

2.       Heat ghee in deep pan and fry the paneer cubes till they turn slightly golden. Drain and keep aside.

3.       In the same pan, fry 1/2 an onion till crisp. Drain and keep aside.

4.       To the remaining ghee, add the cumin seeds, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf and sauté for 1 minute.

5.       Add the remaining onion, and fry till the onion turns translucent (1-2 minutes). Add the chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder and sauté for 1 minute. Next, add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell of the paste is reduced.

6.       Add the rice and fry for 2-3 minutes, taking care not to break the rice grains.

7.       To the rice, add the 3 cups of water, peas and salt to taste. Once the water boils, reduce the heat, add the coriander and mint leaves, cover and cook.

8.       When the water is almost absorbed, add the paneer cubes and cook till the rice is done.

9.       Sprinkle the fried onion and serve hot with raita and pickle.

Tip: A quicker version of this pulao can be made in the pressure cooker. Fry all the ingredients in the pressure cooker, in the order mentioned in the recipe. After adding the ingredients as per step 7, add the paneer pieces also to the pressure cooker and cover and cook for 2-3 whistles.

CHICKEN IN PEPPER AND YOGURT

It is an amazingly simple dish and is my favorite when I need to make chicken but don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. Try it out and let me know how it went for you!

What Goes In:

Chicken pieces – 1 kg

Yogurt – 1 cup (beaten)

Onions – 2 (chopped)

Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1½ tbsp

Green Chilies – 2

Tomatoes Puree – 4 tbsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Green Cardamom – 3

Black Cardamom – 1

Cloves – 2-3

Cinnamon – 1” piece

Bay Leaf – 1

Black Pepper (whole) – 7-8

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Chili Powder – 1½ tsp

Pepper Powder – 1 tbsp

Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Coriander Leaves (chopped) – a handful

The “How To”:

1.       Clean the chicken pieces thoroughly and make small cuts on the flesh to allow the marinade to be absorbed completely and to allow the chicken to cook well

2.       Marinate the chicken with the yogurt, ½ tbsp of ginger garlic paste, chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, ½ tbsp of pepper powder and 1 tsp of salt. Keep in fridge for 2-3 hours.

3.       Heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds, green and black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, whole black pepper, and bay leaf.

4.       Add chopped onions and fry till the onions turn translucent (1-2 minutes).

5.       Add the remaining ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell of the paste is reduced. Add the tomato puree and fry for ½ minute.

6.       Add the marinated chicken pieces and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add the remaining pepper powder, coriander leaves and salt and cover till fully cooked.

7.       Serve hot with rice or rotis. Can be garnished with split green chilies and curry leaves, if desired.