Chicken chilly roast

Ingredients(Serves 10 - 12):

Chicken                    –- 2 kg
Turmeric powder -– ½ tsp
Chilly powder        -– 1 ½ tsp
Black Pepper powder -– 2 tsp
Pearl onions           -– 10 - 15
Green chilies          -– 6 - 8, depending upon how spicy they are.
Ginger                       -– 1 inch piece
Garlic                        -– 8 - 10 cloves
Onion                        –- 2 cups, thinly sliced
Tomato                    –- 3 cups, chopped
Curry leaves          –- 1 sprig
Chilly Sauce           -- 2 - 3 tbsp
Soy sauce               –- 2 - 3 tbsp
Coriander leaves -– ¼ cup + 2 tbsp, for garnishing
Oil                              -–  3 tbsp or as required
Salt                            –-  As required

Preparation:

Clean and cut the chicken in to medium size pieces. Marinate it with turmeric powder, chilly powder, black pepper and salt. Keep is aside for 2 - 3 hours or refrigerate if leaving it for more time.

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan at medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and fry until brown. Drain and keep aside.

Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry them until golden brown. You might want to do this in batches. Drain and keep aside.

Meanwhile crush the pearl onions, ginger, garlic and the green chillies.

Once the chicken is fried, add the crushed mixture, few curry leaves and saute until the mixture turns light brown. Add the chopped  tomatoes and saute until they are really mushy.

Now add the fried chicken pieces. Mix well and add the chilly sauce and soy sauce. Mix well and then add the fried onions and ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.

Mix well and leave for couple of minutes.

Serve with any kind of bread / rice.

 

Recipe Courtesy:  Lekshmi Nair – TV show

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients (Serves 10 - 12):

Butter                       -- 2 tbsp
Olive oil                    -- 2 tbsp
Onion                         -- 1 cup, diced into small pieces
Garlic                         -- 1 tbsp, minced
All purpose Flour -- ½ cup
Heavy Cream          -- 1½ cup
Chicken stock         -- 1 cup
Cajun Spice Blend -- 1 tsp
Sugar                          -- 2 tsp
Hot sauce                  -- 1 tsp
Lemon juice             -- 1 tbsp
Sour cream               -- 1 cup
Cream cheese           -- 8 Oz., softened
Spinach                       -- 1½ lb, frozen
Artichoke Hearts    -- ½ lb.
Parmesan cheese    -- 1 cup,grated
Monterey Jack Cheese -- 1 cup, shredded
Paprika                        -- ½ tbsp

Preparation:

Thaw the spinach to room temperature and drain the the excess moisture. You will end up with 1 lb or more of the thawed/drained spinach.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute until they are translucent.Add the flour and mix well. Saute until the flour absorbs all the moisture and starts turning light yellow.

Add the heavy cream and warm chicken stock and using a wire whisk blend the mixture until smooth. Simmer over low heat for 5 - 8 minutes.

Add the Cajun spice blend, sugar, hot sauce, lemon juice, ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese and stir well with a large spoon to incorporate.

Add the spinach and artichoke hearts and mix well with a large spoon, continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.

Transfer to an oven proof dish and then sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese and then the remaining Parmesan cheese, and then sprinkle the paprika over the top.

Heat the dip in a 375º F oven for 30 – 35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly browned on top.

Serve with chips of your choice.

Recipe Courtesy: CajunChef

Aval Payasam

Ingredients (Serves 3 - 4):

Aval / poha  --  ½ cup
Milk                 --  2 - 3 cups
Sugar              --  ¼ cup
Cashews        --  5 - 6 broken
Raisins           --  5 - 6
Cardamom powder -- a small pinch
Ghee                -- 1 tbsp

Preparation:

In a pan with relatively high walls, heat the ghee. Fry the cashews until golden, drain and keep aside. Then add the raisins and fry until it bloats up.Drain and keep it along with the fried cashews.

To the same pan, add aval/poha and fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add milk and sugar to the pan and let it boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the fried poha and let it cook. Add more milk, if the consistency is too thick.

Switch off the flame and add the fried cashews, raisins and cardamom powder.

Serve hot or cold.

Kaaya Mulakooshyam

Ingredients(Serves 4 - 5):

Raw Banana     -- 2 small
Pearl onions    -- 12 - 15
Garlic                 -- 4 - 5, small cloves
Whole pepper corns -- 1½ tsp
Chilly powder -- ½ tsp
Coriander powder -- 2½ tsp
Kudam Puli      --  3 – 4 pieces
Curry leaves    -- 1 sprig
Coconut oil      -- 2 - 3 tsp
Salt                      -- To taste

Preparation:

Soak the kudam puli pieces in a cup of warm water. Keep it aside.

Cut the banana into medium-sized cubes, into a vessel filled with water. Water helps to save the colour of the banana from turning to black / dark.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Add chilly powder and coriander powder.Saute for 2 - 3 minutes on low flame. Meanwhile cruch the peppercorns in a mixer. Add the pearl onions and garlic to the mixer and crush all to a coarse mixture. Immediately add this to the pan and saute until the water is evaporated.

Too much grinding or keeping the ground mixture for a while will induce the bitter taste of the pearl onions.So take care to just crush it and saute it immediately.

Add the kudam puli pieces with the soaked water, few curry leaves, enough salt and bring to a boil. Drain the chopped banana and add to the gravy. Cook until the banana cubes are fully done and the gravy is thick.

Add coconut oil and a few curry leaves. Close with the lid and keep aside for few minutes to help the flavors blend.

Serve hot with rice.

Recipe Courtesy: YummyOYummy

Beef Curry

Ingredients(Serves 5 - 6):

Beef,cut into cubes  --  ½ Kg
Onion                             -- 2 medium / 2 cups ,sliced
Ginger                           --  1 tsp, finely chopped
Green chilies              --  2
Curry leaves               -- 3 - 4 sprigs
Coconut oil                 --  as required
Mustard seeds           -- 1 tbsp
Salt                                 --  to taste

To grind :
Ginger                           -- 1 tbsp,chopped
Garlic                            -- 1 tbsp,chopped
Fennel seeds              --  ½ tsp
Cinnamon                    --  1" piece
Cloves                           -- 2
Cardamom                  -- 2
Star anise                     --  1 small
Whole black pepper --  ½ tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder -- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder     --  ¼ tsp
Coriander powder    --  1 tbsp

Preparation:

In a small blender, grind all the ingredients in the "To grind" section into a thick paste.

Heat oil in pan. Add sliced onion,ginger,green chillies and 2 sprigs of curry leaves. Saute until onion turns translucent.
Now add the ground masala and fry until oil starts to separate. Add beef and salt and mix well.

I used a slow cooker for cooking. At this stage, transfer the mix into the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or until done.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. Pour this on the curry and give a quick stir.

If using a pressure cooker, add required amount of water to get it cooked and cook for 2 - 3 whistles or until the beef is done.

Recipe Courtesy: Kurryleaves

Dal Makhani

Ingredients (Serves 4 - 5):

Whole black gram  --  ½ cup
Red kidney beans   -- 2 tbsp
Red chilly powder  -- 1 tsp
Onion                           -- 1½ cup, chopped
Green chillies           -- 2
Ginger                         -- 2 inch, thinly chopped
Garlic                          -- 6 cloves, chopped
Tomatoes                  -- 2 cups, chopped
Cumin seeds             -- 1 tsp
Cloves                         -- 2
Cinnamon stick       -- 1 inch piece
Black cardamom    -- 1
Bay leaf                      -- 1
Kasoori methi         -- 1 tsp
Garam masala         -- 1 tsp
Heavy whipping cream -– 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves   -- 1 tbsp, chopped finely
Butter                         -- 3 tbsp
Oil                                -- 1 tbsp
Salt                              -- to taste

Preparation:

Wash and soak black gram and kidney beans overnight or for at least 6 - 8 hours.

In a pressure cooker,  add the black gram, kidney beans and half of the red chilly powder with required water. Cook until the kidney beans are soft ; 3 - 4 whistles.

Heat butter and oil in a pan. Add the whole spices(cumin, cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom and bay leaf). Saute for a minute until you get the aroma. Add onion, green chillies, ginger and garlic and sauté till golden.

Add the tomatoes and sauté on high heat. Add the remaining red chilly powder and sauté till the tomatoes are totally mashed up and you have a thick paste-like mix.

Add the cooked dal along with the stock. Give a good mix and add more water if required.

Simmer on low heat till the dals are totally soft and well blended. Add the crushed kasoori methi and garam masala and adjust salt.

Add the cream and give a good mix. Switch off the flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves and more cream / butter. Serve hot.

Recipe Courtesy: Sanjeev Kapoor

Ice-cream Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients (Yields around 15 sandwiches):

Salted butter        -- 1/2 cup (1 stick)
Yellow cake mix -- 1 (16.5 oz) box
Maple & Brown Sugar instant oatmeal -- 2 (1.5 oz) packets
Eggs                          -- 2 large
Mini Choco chips -- 1 bag (12 oz)

Vanilla Ice-cream -- 2 quarts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Melt one stick of butter until golden brown, whisking constantly after butter melts. Immediately pour into the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Let it cool slightly.

Add cake mix, oatmeal, and eggs and beat on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Make sure that the mixture is not too warm while adding the chocolate chips - It might melt if too hot.

Scoop 1.5 tablespoons of dough onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Let it cool completely before sandwiching.

Line a baking pan(or any freezer compatible dish) with aluminum foil or cling wrap. Spread the ice-cream evenly, thickness as required to be in the sandwich. Let it freeze for 2 - 3 hours.

Assembly:

Line a piece of Al foil or cling wrap on the counter. Take 2 cookies of almost the same shape and size.

Using a round cookie cutter, almost the size of the cookie, cut the spread ice-cream and sandwich it between the cookies. Wrap it immediately in the foil/wrap and transfer to the freezer.

When its ready to serve, Remove the wrap and serve immediately.

Recipe Courtesy: KevinAndAmanda

Fish Curry

Ingredients (Serves 3 to 4 ):

Fish                               --   ½ kg, cut into medium sized pieces
Kudampuli                 --   3 - 4 small pieces
Turmeric powder    --   ½ tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder -- 3 tbsp.
Coriander powder   --   ½ tbsp.
Fenugreek powder  --   a pinch
Black pepper powder --   ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds          --   ½ tsp
Shallots                       --   6 - 8, thinly sliced
Ginger                          --   1½ tbsp., coarsely crushed
Garlic                           --   1½ tbsp., coarsely crushed
Curry leaves             --   2-3 sprigs
Salt                               --   as required
Coconut Oil               --   3 –4 tbsp. or more as required

Preparation:

Clean and cut the fish into medium size pieces. Soak the kudampuli in half a cup of water.Keep aside.

Mix the turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, fenugreek powder and black pepper powder with water to form a thick paste. Add water in tablespoons so that you do not end up in a running mixture. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the shallots,ginger,garlic and curry leaves and saute until the shallots turn golden brown.

Reduce the flame to low and add the masala paste, saute until the masala leaves the sides of the pan and you get that dark reddish brown colour.

Add kudampuli with the soaked water and salt. Add more water as required, approx. 1 cup.

Bring it to a boil and then add the fish pieces. Mix carefully and make sure that all the fish pieces are soaked / covered by the gravy.

Cover and cook until fish is done.Take the lid off and let it cook until the gravy turns thick or the required consistency.

Add more curry leaves. Switch off the flame and keep the lid on.

Serve with rice.

Snow Peas Stir Fry

Ingredients (Serves 3 - 4):

Snow Peas                            --   250gm
Turmeric Powder             --   ¼ tsp
Green chillies                     --   2, slit lengthwise
Shallots                                 --   2 - 3
Mustard seeds                    --   1 tsp
Red chillies                          --   2
Curry Leaves                      --   1 sprig
Oil                                            --   2 tbsp ,  I use coconut oil
Salt                                          --   as required

Preparation:

Clean and cut the snow peas.

Heat oil in another pan. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves and broken dry red chillies. Add the chopped shallots,and saute until the shallots are light brown.

Add the turmeric powder, green chillies and cut peas and mix well. Keep it on a low flame and let it cook with the lid on.

Serve hot with rice.

Jam Roll / Jelly Swiss Roll

Ingredients:

Eggs                           -- 4 large
Sugar                         -- 1 1/3 cup
Water                        -- ½ cup
Vanilla                      -- 2 tsp
All-purpose flour -- 1 cup
Baking powder      -- 1 ¼ tsp
Salt -- ¼ tsp
Confectioner’s sugar -- ½ - ¾ cup(for rolling and sprinkling)
Your favorite jam or jelly -- 1 cup, or more

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 17x12 pan. Line with a piece of parchment paper and butter it as well.

Beat the eggs until very thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the water and vanilla. Still on low speed, gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt, beating just until blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Be sure to spread the batter into the corners.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile prepare a tea towel with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Remove the cake from the oven, loosen it from the edges of the pan, and immediately invert the hot cake onto the prepared tea towel. Carefully peel away the paper. Dust the cake with powdered sugar.

While still hot, carefully roll the cake and towel starting from the narrow end. Cool the rolled cake on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.

Unroll the cake and remove the towel. Spread the jam or jelly over the inside surface of the cake. Re-roll the cake. Trim the edges as required.

Decorate as per your wish. This is how I did - to have it resemble the jam roll which we get back in Kerala.

Spread a thin layer of jam on the cake roll. Roll in in Sugar crystals. The jam should be just enough to hold the sugar crystals over it.

Receipe Courtesy: Lanascooking

Crispy Coconut Cookies

Ingredients (Yields 20 - 24 cookies):

Butter -- 3 tbsp
Unsweetened shredded coconut -- 2 ½ cups
Eggs -- 2 large
Sugar -- 2/3 cup
Fleur de sel or any sea salt -- 1 – 1 ½ teaspoons

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add the coconut. Mix well so the coconut is well-coated with the butter.

Beat the eggs with a mixer on medium speed just until blended. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high until the mixture is light-colored and fluffy. Combine the butter-covered coconut gently with the egg mixture and mix well.

Drop 1 tsp of the batter onto the baking sheets and press down until it is flat. Have an inch space between each cookie. Bake for 7-10 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the tops of each cookie with a pinch of the fleur de sel.

If the cookies sit and cool too much the fleur de sel won’t stick. As soon as they are cool, store in an air-tight container otherwise they will lose their crispness.

Receipe Courtesy: Semiswede

Thin and Crispy Chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients(25-30 cookies):

All-purpose flour  -- 1 ¾ cups
Baking soda             -- ¾ tsp
Salt                              -- 1 tbsp
Butter                         -- 14 tbsp, melted
Light brown sugar -- ½ cup packed
Sugar                           -- ½ cup
Light corn syrup    -- 2 tbsp, optional - I did not use
Vanilla extract        -- 1 tbsp
Milk                              -- 2 tbsp
Bittersweet chocolate chips -- 1 ½ cups
Chopped nuts           -- 1 cup, optional - any nuts of your choice

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy(and corn syrup if using), 3 - 4 minutes.

Stir in the vanilla, then the milk. Add the flour mixture all at once and blend just until a dough forms.

Fold in the chocolate and nuts. Chill the dough.

Make small balls out of the dough(approx 2 tbsp), then place on the baking sheet and gently flatten them. Place about 2 inches apart

Chill the dough between batches. Bake until the edges are dark golden brown, 14 to 17 minutes.

Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a baking rack.

Receipe Courtesy: NY Times

Muringayila Thoran / Drumstick leaves stir fry

Ingredients (Serves - 4 - 5):

Muringayila / Drumstick Leaves -- 5 - 6 cups, separated from the branches
Coconut Oil             -- 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds       -- 1 tsp
Red Chillies             -- 2
Grated Coconut     -- ¼ cup
Shallots                     --  2 - 3
Green Chillies         --  2
Turmeric powder  -- a pinch
Salt                              -- to taste
Egg                              -- 2, optional

Preparation:

Wash the leaves well under running water. Spread it on a paper and let it dry.

Crush the coconut, green chillies, turmeric powder and shallots in a mortar and pestle or just pulse using a mixer.

If using eggs, beat the eggs in a bowl with some salt and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and scramble the eggs into small lumps. Remove and keep aside.

Heat oil in the same pan and splutter mustard seeds and then add the dry chillies. Add the crushed coconut mixture and saute for a minute.

Add the drumstick leaves and mix well. Reduce the flame to low and let it cook covered. Saute at every 1 - 2 minute intervals, so that the leaves do not stick together.

Mix the scrambled eggs into it.

Serve with any kind of rice.

Crispy Oatmeal cookies with white chocolate

A change from the regular chewy oatmeal cookies. That's what I searched for and this was the perfect – with a dash of white chocolate bites in it.

Ingredients(Yields 3 dozen medium size cookies):

Unsalted butter      - 1 cup, softened at room temp
Light brown sugar - 1 cup, packed
Sugar                           - 1 cup
Vanilla                        - 1 tsp
Eggs                             - 2
Salt                               - 1 tsp
Baking soda              - 1 tsp
All purpose flour   - 1½ cups
Sweetened flaked coconut - ¾ cup
Old fashioned oats  - 3 cups
White chocolate chips - 1 cup

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy - approximately 2 minutes. Add in eggs and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth.

Add salt, baking soda and flour and mix until incorporated. Then add in coconut flakes. Mix. Finally mix in oats and white chocolate until evenly combined.

Make balls about 1.5 tbsp and place it on the lined sheet. Lightly press to flatten.  Bake for 12­ - 15 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Allow to cool on wire rack. Store airtight for up to 3 days.

Recipe Courtesy: Cookies and Cups

Bengali Egg Curry

Ingredients(Serves 5 -6):

Eggs - 6
Large potato - 1
Oil - 4 tbsp
Onion - 2 cup, chopped
Tomatoes - 1 cup, chopped

Fenugreek - ¼ tsp
Nigella seeds (kalonji) - ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp
Fennel seeds - ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp

Ginger  - 2 tsp, minced
Garlic - 1 tsp, minced
Green chillies - 4  - 5

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala - ¼ tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Preparation:

Boil and peel the eggs. Make small slits on the eggs and marinate with bit of turmeric powder, salt and a little chilly powder on this and keep aside.

Grind the Fenugreek, kalonji, mustard seeds, fennel seeds and the cumin seeds to a fine powder. Keep aside. This is called as Paanch-phoron.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated eggs until the eggs start crinkling. Drain and keep aside.

Fry the potatoes in the same oil till they take on a light golden colour. Remove and keep aside.

In the same oil, add the chopped onion until it turns golden brown. Add the tomatoes and saute until mushy. Let this cool and grind to a smooth paste.

Put the paanch-phoron masala into the remaining oil and when it gives off an aroma, add the onion paste and fry for a minute. Add the minced ginger, garlic, and slit green chillies and a little salt and fry this masala on medium heat, until you see the oil separating from it.

Add the cumin powder, turmeric and Kashmiri chilly powder. Sprinkle a little water and keep frying the masala on low to medium heat until the raw smell of the spices goes off and the masala turns deep red in colour.

Make sure that you don't burn the masala. Sprinkle water if required while sautéing the masala. Add the potatoes and stir to coat them well with the masala. Add a cup of warm water and let it come to a boil. bring down the flame and let the potatoes cook. Once done, add the eggs, sugar and garam masala.

Let the gravy simmer for few more minutes. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Recipe Courtesy: Diverse Kitchen