PANEER FINGERS

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 2 cups

2. Rava - 1/2 cup

3. Milk - 1/2 cup

4. Finely chopped ginger - 2 tsp

5. Finely chopped green chillies - 2 teaspoons

6. Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tablespoons

7. Salt as required

8. Oil for frying

9. Bread slices - 5 to 6

Method:

Mix Paneer in a mixer for a minute. Mix rava and milk together and cook stirring continuously until mixture become solid. Allow to cool. Mix together paneer, rava mix, chopped ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves and salt. Sieve well and make a fine dough. 

Take equal portions from the dough and shape into fingers. Make bread powder from bread slices using a mixer. Roll Paneer Fingers in the bread crumbs and cover them well.

Place a Kadai on fire and pour in oil for frying Paneer Fingers. When oil comes to smoking point add prepared Paneer Fingers one by one carefully.

Fry till colour of Paneer Fingers turns golden brown. Remove from fire.

Serve hot with sauce.

Read more »

COCONUT BUTTER BUN

I won 2nd Prize for this dish in a Cookery Competition organized by Kochi Women's Forum.

Ingredients:

1. Maida - 1 cup
2. Water - 1 cup
3. Butter - 25 gm
4. Salt as required
5. Mixed fruit jam - as required
6. Strawberry Jelly powder - 3-4 tablespoons
7. Dessicated Coconut - 1 cup
8. Sugar - 2 tablespoons
9. Oil to fry

Method:

Boil Water, butter and salt together. Turn fire to low and slowly add maida. Stir well. Mix the dough well and make a smooth dough. Make big balls [bit bigger than chappathi balls] from this dough roll a bit in the size of cutlets. Heat oil and fry these buns until color turns brown.

Mix Jelly powder in 1/2 cup water and boil. Set aside.

Cut each bun without being separate completely and apply jam inside each of them.

Dip these buns in strawberry jelly liquid and roll in dessicated coconut.  

Read more »

SARDINE PICKLE

Ingredients:

1. Sardine Fish - 1/2 kg
2. Finely Chopped ginger - 1 1/2 tablespoons
3. Finely Chopped Garlic - 1 1/2 Tablespoons
4. Finely Chopped Green Chillies - 1 1/2 Tablespoons
5. Kashmiri Chilly Powder - 1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons
6. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Salt as required
8. Vinegar -1 cup
9. Water - 1 Cup
10. Sugar - 1 tsp
11. Curry leaves
12. Fenugreek Powder - 1 teaspoon
13. Sesame Oil - 1/2 cup
Method:

Mix 1/2 teaspoon Chilly Powder, turmeric powder and salt in some vinegar to make a paste. Apply this paste on cleaned cut sardine pieces. Set aside to marinate. If it is kept for sun-drying process for half to one hour it's best.
Boil water and vinegar together and keep aside.
Pour half of the gingelly oil in a well cleaned heavy bottomed vessel. Fry fish pieces in medium fire until all the moisture is vanished. Fish pieces shall not be hard fried. Remove fish pieces from oil. Strain that oil and pour in the vessel again. Add the remaining sesame oil. Add chopped ingredients and curry leaves and saute in medium fire. Fry until moisture went away completely. Shall not change the color. Add Chilly powder. When it's raw smell disappeared add fenugreek powder. Fry in medium flame until an aroma appears.
Add Water-Vinegar mixture into it. Add salt and sugar. Allow to boil well. Add fish pieces and allow to boil for one more minute. Switch off fire and allow the pickle to come into room temperature. Use after 3 days.

Tips:

1. Dont prepare pickles in Aluminum, non-stick or mud vessels. Indolium and Steel vessels are good.   
2. Prepare bottles for storing pickles by cleaning them well and keep under sun-rays to dry well. After that, pour some vinegar in them and rotate the bottle so that vinegar reach each and every parts of the bottle.
3. Take pickle in a small bottle from the main bottle for daily use. 
4. Dont keep any spoon in the bottle after using the pickle.
5. Pickle in the bottle shall not be touched by hand.

Read more »

MEAT BALL CURRY

Ingredients:

1. Minced meat [beef/mutton] - 1/2 kg
2. Chopped Onions - 1 cup
3. Chopped green chillies - 1 tablespoon
4. Chopped ginger - 1 teaspoon
5. Chopped garlic - 1 teaspoon
6. Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
7. Kashmiri Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
8. Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
9. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
11. Cinnamon - 1 piece
12. Cloves - 5
13. Cardamom - 1
14. Nutmeg powder - 1/2 teaspoon
15. Onions -3
16. Green Chilly - 3
17. Curry leaves
18. Salt as required
19. Coconut Oil - 3 Tablespoons
20. Vinegar - 1 teaspoon
21. Thin coconut Milk - 2 cups
22. Thick coconut Milk - 1 cup
23. Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
24. Peppercorns - 1 tsp


Method:

Place a kadai on fire and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil in it. Add chopped ingredients to the oil and saute in medium fire. When onion become transparent switch off the fire and allow the sauted ingredients to cool. Mix them in the minced meat with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Knead well. Make small balls from it.
Grind Peppercorns, chilly powders, coriander powder, nutmeg powder, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, fennel seeds & nutmeg powder into fine paste.
Place the kadai again on fire and pour in remaining coconut oil. Fry 3 chopped onions until the colour turn golden. Add slit green chillies and Curry leaves. Add ground masala and fry in low fire. Add Thin coconut milk and salt. Allow to boil well. Add meat balls one-by-one. Dont stir with ladle. Cook the meat balls well in the gravy for 20-30 minutes. Take care to reduce fire after the gravy boiled for 10 minutes.
Add thick coconut milk and vinegar before putting off fire. Serve with rice, rotis etc.

Tip: Put the meat  balls in the gravy when the gravy is at the top boiling point only. Otherwise meat balls will break down into pieces.

Read more »

POTATO GARLIC UPPERI

Ingredients:

1. Potato - 500 gm
2. Garlic - 15 flakes
3. Red Chillies - 4
4. Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
5. Curry leaves
6. Salt as required
7. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Coconut oil - 2 tablespoons

Method: 

Peel Potatoes and cut into small cubes. Skin Garlic flakes and chop finely.
Place a kadai on fire and pour in coconut oil. Splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies cut into pieces. Low fire. Add garlic and curry leaves. Saute for 1-2 minutes. When nice aroma of fried garlic appears (color of garlic shall not change) add turmeric powder. Mix well. Then add potato cubes and salt. Do not add water. Mix together all ingredients well. Close the kadai with a lid. Cook in low fire for 10 minutes. Potao Garlic Upperi is ready. It is a very simple but very tasty accompaniment with rice. 

Read more »

FISH MAPPAS

Ingredients:

1. Silver Pomfret or Seer fish or Pearl Spot - 1/2 kg
2. Garlic - 4 flakes
3. Peppercorns - 1 tsp
4. Chilly Powder - 2 tsp
5. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
6. Coconut oil
7. Shallots - 1/4 kg
8. Garlic - 6 flakes
9. Ginger - 1 piece
10. Green Chillies - 4-5
11. Mustard - 1 tsp
12. Red Chillies - 3
13. Coriander Powder - 1 tablespoon
14. Fenugreek Powder - 1/2 tsp
15. Tomato - 3
16. Curry Leaves
17. Coconut milk - 1 cup thick + 1 cup thin
18. Salt as per personal choice

Method: 

Clean fish and cut into the size of your choice. Round pieces are best. Grind together 4 flakes of garlic, ginger, peppercorns, 1 tsp chilly powder and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and apply well on fish pieces with salt. Keep aside at least 1/2 hour for marination. Shallow fry fish pieces in coconut oil. You can use the same oil for further cooking. Crush together shallots, 5-6 cloves garlic, 1 piece ginger and 4-5 green chillies. Splutter mustard and red chillies in oil. Add shallots mixture and saute in medium flame till onion becomes tender and changes color. Add 1 tsp red chilly powder, coriander powder,1/2 tsp turmeric powder and fenugreek powder and fry well. Add curry leaves and saute. Add finely chopped tomato. Turn flame to simmer and cook till tomato cooked well. Mash all the ingredients. Add both cups coconut milk and allow to boil. Add fried fish pieces and boil for 1 minute in low fire. Serve with rice, appam etc.

Read more »

COLD COFFEE

Ingredients:

1. Chilled Milk - 1 cup
2. Fresh Cream - 1/2 cup
3. Instant Coffee Powder - 1 tsp
[If Expresso can be used it is the BEST!!]
4. Sugar - as required

Method:

Beat all the ingredients in a mixer or blender and serve instantly.

Read more »

CHICKEN & VEGETABLE STEW

Ingredients:

1. Chicken cooked and shredded - 1 cup
2. Carrot cubed - 1/2 cup

3. Potatoes cubed - 1 cup
4. Green Peas or chopped beans - 1/2 cup
5. Garlic - 10 cloves
6. Peppercorns - 1 tablespoon
7. Cloves - 3
8. Cinnamon - 1 stick
9. Cardamom - 1
10. Thick coconut milk - 1 cup
11. Curry leaves
12. salt - as required
13. Onion - 1 big
14. Coconut oil - 2 tablespoons
15. Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Cook vegetables in 1/2 cup of water adding salt & keep aside. Please take care to do not over cook and turn their color. Heat Coconut Oil in a Kadai and add crushed pepper and crushed garlic into it. Saute for 1 minute and add coarsely crushed cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, continue stirring until nice aroma appears. Now add finely chopped onions to it. Saute until onions turn transparent. Add shredded chicken pieces and curry leaves and saute for 2 minutes. Now add cooked vegetables straining water and mix well with the other ingredients. Add salt and garam masala powder. Mix everything well and saute for 1 more minute. Now add coconut milk. Simmer down fire. Do not allow coconut milk to boil. Add strained water from cooked vegetables if want to loosen consistency of gravy. Remove from fire when cocnut milk is about to boil.

Apt with idiyappam, velleppam, palappam etc.

Read more »

VARUTHARACHA KOZHI CURRY [Chicken curry with fried coconut gravy]

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 250 gm
2. Coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Red Chillies - 3
4. Kashmiri Chillies - 4
5. Coriander Seeds - 1 Tbsp
6. Sauf - 1 Tsp
7. Cloves - 2
8. Cinnamon - 2 sticks
9. Cardamom - 1
10. Garlic - 7-8 cloves
11. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Coconut Oil - 3 Tablespoons 
13. Salt - as required
14. Onions - 2 big
15. Green Chillies - 4
16. Curry leaves - a handful
17. Thin coconut milk - 1 cup
18. thick coconut milk - 1 cup
19. Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Method: 

Roast grated coconut, red chillies, kashmiri chillies, coriander seeds, sauf,  cloves, cinnamon sticks,  cardamom, cloves of garlic &  turmeric powder in coconut oil in low fire till all the ingredients roasted well and color of coconut turns brown. Make a nice paste of these ingredients. Marinate chicken cut into small pieces with this masala paste & salt for minimum 1/2 hour. Fry sliced onions in coconut oil. Add marinated chicken pieces with masala to this and fry for 5 minutes. Add slitted green chillies sand curry leaves. Now Add thin coconut milk and cook by closing the vessel with lid. When done add garam masala powder & let it boil for 1 more minute. Add thick coconut milk and remove from fire before boiling.

Read more »

BATTOORA with CHANA & Raita

Ingredients:

1. Maida - 2 cups
2. Yeast - 1/2 tsp
3. Sugar - 1 Tsp
4.Soda Bicarb - 2 pinches
5. Egg - 1
6. Curd - 1 cup
7. Milk - as required
8. Oil to fry

Method:

Add yeast to ¼ cup lukewarm water and sugar. Keep aside until a foam forms on the top of the mixture [5-10 mnts]. Take maida in a vessel. Mix in enough salt and soda bicarb. Hollow in the centre of the mixture and pour in the lathered yeast, beaten egg, curd. Slowly add the maida mixture from the sides and mix smoothly. Add enough lukewarm milk to make a smooth dough of poori-like consistency. Keep aside for 1-2 hours covering with a moistened muslin cloth until the dough become double in size. Make moderately big balls from the dough and roll out to rounds bigger than pooris. Fry in deep oil tapping battoora tapping gently while frying. Serve hot with Chana and/or raita.

CHANA:-  Soak chick peas (kabuli chana) for at least 6 hours. Pressure cook adding enough salt till chick peas become very tender. Splutter 1 tsp cumin seeds in some vegetable oil in a kadai. Grind 2 onion to fine paste and add to it. Saute in low flame till onion paste turns light pink color. Add ginger-garlic paste & saute till nice aroma arise. Add 1 tsp kashmiri chilly powder, 1tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp ajwain, 1/2 tsp dried ginger powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp garam masala powder. u can use vegetable masala powder instead. fry well in slow fire. Add one pureed tomato and saute again till oil oozes out. All the process shall be done in low fire. add cooked chick peas and boil for 1 minute. add chopped coriander leaves. garnish with julienne ginger. Serve with chappathi/battoora/nan etc.

Read more »

CHINESE CHICKEN ROLL

Ingredients:

1. Garlic chopped - 1 Tsp
2. Onions - 2
3. Cooked & shredded Chicken - 2 cups
4. Shredded Cabbage - 1 cup
5. Shredded Carrot - 1/2 cup
6. Spring Onion - 1/4 cup
7. Maggy's Chicken Cubes - 2
8. Soya Sauce - 1 Tablespoon
9. Tomato Sauce - 2 Tablespoons
10. Maida - 1 1/2 cups
11. Egg - 3
12. Bread Crumbs - as required
13. Oil - as required
14. Salt - as required 

Method:

Fry chopped garlic in some oil for a minute and add sliced onions. Saute until onion become tender, add cooked shredded chicken and saute for a few minutes. Now add shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, chopped spring onion and saute until raw taste of vegetables disappears. Add Maggies chicken cubes, soya sauce, tomato sauce & mix well. Please take care while adding chicken cubes and soya sauce as both having high amount of salt. Make a batter with maida, 1 egg, salt and water. Make moderately thin pancakes with this batter. Place chicken filling on one side of the pancake and roll, folding other two sides. Seal the end with the same batter. Dip each roll in beaten egg, coat in bread crumbs. Heat oil and deep fry till turns golden brown. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Tip: Chinese dishes are always prepared on high flame. Hence please place all the ingredients handy before starting cooking. The reason for this is- mostly all the vegetables are half cooked by Chinese. So it's proteins are not lost and tastes crunchy too.

Read more »

MAYONNAISE

Ingredients:

1. Egg - 1
2. Skinned Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Garlic - finely chopped 1 tsp
4. Vinegar - 1 Tablespoons
5. Lime Juice - 2 Tablespoons
6. Sugar - 1 Tablespoon
7. Vegetable oil - 1 cup

Method:

Beat egg, skinned mustard seeds, finely chopped garlic, vinegar, lime juice, salt and sugar [can increase amount of sugar as per your taste] with an electric beater in minimum speed. When colour of egg mixture turns to light yellow, dribble in 1 cup vegetable oil while keep on beating. Beat till egg mixture thickens to the consistency of mayonnaise. Chill before serving. Apt as dressing for salads and as accompaniment with burgers, snacks etc.

Read more »

BEETROOT FANTASY

Ingredients:

1. Beetroot - 1 kg
2. Water - 1.5 litre
3. Sugar - 1 kg
4. Lemons - 12
5. Tonovin Essence - 2 Tsp

Method:

Grate beetroot after removing skin. Boil it in 1.5 litres of water. Drain and squeeze out extract well. Add to the drained water and boil again. Let the syrup come to room temperature. Then add lemon juice and Tonovin essence. For preparing drink - fill 1/2 part of a glass with the syrup and fill the rest with chilled water. Enjoy...

Read more »

HOME-MADE EFC

Ingredients:

1. Boneless Chicken Pieces - 1/2 kg
2. Peppercorns - 1 Tablespoon
3. Garlic - 6-7 cloves
4. Maida - 1 cup
5. Egg -1
6. Cornflakes - as required
7. Oil - as required
8. Salt - as required

Method:

Cut boneless chicken pieces into stripes. Crush pepper & garlic and mix in chicken pieces with salt. Keep aside for marination. Make a smooth batter with maida, egg, salt & water. Dip each chicken pieces in the batter and roll in well-crushed cornflakes and deep fry in hot oil. Serve with mayonnaise and tomato sauce.

Read more »

CHILLY FISH DRY

Ingredients:

1. King Fish - 1/2 kg
2. Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
3. Corn Flour - 2 Tablespoons
4. Maida - 2 Tablespoons
5. Egg - 1
6. Red food colour - a pinch
7. Chopped Garlic - 1 Tablespoon
8. Onions - 2 big
9. Green chillies - 6
10. Tomato Sauce - 4 Tablespoons
11. Soya Sauce - 2 Tsp.
12. Chilly Sauce - 1 Tablespoon
13. Capsicum - 1
14. Spring Onion - chopped 1 cup
15. Chicken Soup Cubes - 2
16. Salt - as required

Method:

Clean fish, remove skin and cut into cubes. Mix salt and pepper powder and keep aside. Mix corn flour, maida, egg, a pinch red food color & salt and make a thick batter adding enough water. Dip each fish cube in this batter and deep fry firstly at smoking point and then on medium flame. Take 3 tablespoons of the same oil in a kadai and saute chopped garlic. Add cubed big onions and spirally cut green chillies to it. Saute well and before changing color add tomato sauce, soya sauce and hilly sauce to it. Stir well. Add diamond cut capsicum and a handful of chopped spring onion. Add crushed

chicken cubes. Mix in and add fried fish pieces. Mix well and remove from fire. Garnish with chopped spring onion.

Read more »