Devils Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Cocoa powder                --   ½ cup
Dark brown sugar         --   ½ cup
Boiling water                   --   1 cup
Unsalted butter             --   9 tbsp softened
Sugar                                  --   ¾ cup
All purpose flour          --   1 ½ cup
Baking powder              --   ½ tsp
Baking soda                    --   ½ tsp
Vanilla                             --   2 tsp
Eggs                                   --   2 large 

Frosting:

Water                                --   ½ cup
Dark brown sugar        --   2 tbsp
Unsalted butter            --    1 ½ stick
Dark chocolate             --   11 oz

Preparation of the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and grease two 9inch cake pans.

In a heat proof bowl, mix the cocoa powder and brown sugar together. Add the boiling water to it and stir to combine. Keep aside.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Keep aside.

In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy on high speed. Add the vanilla and beat well to mix.

Add one egg followed by a scoop of the flour mixture.Add the other egg and beat it in. Keep mixing and add the remaining flour mixture little by little.

Finally, stir in the cocoa mixture.

Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 30 minutes or until done.

Let the cake cool completely.

Frosting:

In a large saucepan on low heat, bring the water,sugar and butter to a soft boil. Add the chopped chocolate and let it sit a minute. Stir the frosting so that the chocolate melts from the heat. Let it cool completely.

The frosting will take sometime to thicken up. I will turn thick and glossy. As mentioned by the author, I too used the refrigerator to chill it.

Reciepe Courtesy: Ria

Chicken Roast–In coconut Milk

Ingredients

Marinade:
 
Chicken                            --   1 kg, cut into medium sized pieces, I prefer chicken with bones
Turmeric powder        --   ¼ tsp
Chilli powder                 --   2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste      --   2 tsp
Fennel seeds                  --   2 tsp
Pepper powder             --   2 tsp
Fresh lime juice           --   1 large lime
Salt                                    --   as required

Gravy:

Onion                              --   3 medium size
Pearl onion                  --   10-15
Curry leaves                --   6-7 sprig
Garlic                             --   1 pod / 10-15 cloves
Ginger                            --   ½ cup chopped
Tomato                          --   1 medium sliced
Turmeric powder      --   ½ tsp
Chilli powder               --   3 tsp
Tomato ketchup        --   2 tsp
Coconut milk              --   ½ cup
Coconut oil                  --   4 - 5 tbsp
Cashew Nuts                --   a handful, optional
Coriander leaves       --   a handful, chopped, optional
Salt                                  --   as required

Garam masala:

Cinnamon sticks       --   3, ½  inch piece
Cloves                           --   6 - 8
Whole Pepper            --    10 - 15 pepper corns
Fennel seeds              --    2 tsp

Preparation of chicken roast:

Marinate the chicken pieces with the ingredients in the marinade section for at least 1-2 hrs.

Finely crush the whole spices for the garam masala and keep aside.

In a heavy bottomed pan, add the coconut milk and chicken and cook on a medium flame. Water comes out of the chicken and hence no extra water is required.Once the chicken is cooked, add 1 - 2 tbsp oil, preferably coconut oil and sauté the pieces in medium heat so that the chicken pieces will be crispy.

        
Meanwhile in another nonstick pan heat coconut oil,add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves and the cashew nuts and saute for couple of mins. Then add chopped onions, pearl onions and  salt and sauté them until the onions are brown.Then add the tomatoes, mix well and sauté until they are mashed up.

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and garam masala. Mix well.Now add the  ketchup and mix well.

       

Finally add the chicken pieces and mix well,make sure you do not break the chicken pieces. Sauté for a couple of minutes in medium heat so that the pieces will be covered with the gravy.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot. This goes well with rice & any Indian breads.

Recipe Courtesy: YummyOYummy

Chilly Beef (Indo-Chinese Style)

Ingredients: (Serves 4 - 5)

Beef                             --   1 kg / 2 lb
Turmeric Powder  --   ¼ tsp
Chilly Powder         --   1 tsp
Coriander Powder --   2 tsp
Garam Masala         --   ½ tsp

Onion                          --   1 medium size
Ginger                         --   2 inch piece, juliened
Garlic                          --  1 pod / 10 - 12 medium size cloves, thinly sliced
Green Chillies          --   3 - 4
Capsicum / Red Pepper  --   1, medium size
Soya Sauce                --   2 tbsp
Green chilly Sauce  --   2 tbsp  + more as per your taste and tolerance
Pepper Powder        --   ½ tsp, optional
Corn flour                  --   2 tsp
Spring Onion            --   2 - 3 stalks
Oil                                 --   as required
Salt                               --   to taste

Preparation of chilly beef:

Clean and cut the beef into thin slices. Marinate it with turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. This is purely to suit our taste buds. You can also cook the beef in salt and green chillies or just marinate it with salt and directly go for the fry.

Pressure cook until done. Strain the beef from the stock and keep both the cooked beef and the stock aside.

Cut onion into small cubes, ginger and garlic into thin slices, slit green chillies,thinly slice the bulb of the spring onions and cut the red pepper into thin long slices.

Heat 2 - 3 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the cooked beef and fry on a high flame until the sides are slightly brown. Remove it from the pan and keep aside.

Add more oil, 1 - 2 tbsp to the pan, if required, and add the ginger, garlic, spring onion bulbs and the green chillies. Saute for a couple of mins. Now add the chopped onions and the red peppers  and saute until the onions are slightly translucent.

Add the fried beef and mix well. Now add the soya sauce and chilly sauce.Mix well.

Add the corn flour to the stock and mix without lumps. Then add this to the beef. Mix well and let it simmer for couple of mins and switch off the flame. The corn flour will help the gravy to thicken as it cools. You can also adjust the gravy as required – It makes a good starter with lesser gravy.

Chop the stalk of spring onions and garnish with these and pepper powder(optional).  Serve hot with fried rice or any Indian bread.

 

Recipe Courtesy: Myself / Amma

Pepper Chicken

 

Ingredients:

Chicken                                   --    ½ kg
Finely Chopped Onions    --    1 - 2 medium size onions
Ginger                                      --    1 inch thick piece
Garlic                                       --    4 - 5 cloves
Green chillies                        --   5 - 6 
Turmeric powder                --    1 tsp
Ground / Crushed black pepper              --    2 tsp
Cloves                                      --    2 - 3
Cinnamon                               --   1 inch piece
Fennel seeds                          --   ½ tsp
Curry leaves                          --   1 sprig
Salt                                            --    to taste
Oil                                              --    2 - 3 tbsp, preferably coconut oil

Preparation of Chicken Curry:

Clean and cut the chicken into medium size pieces.  Grind the cloves, cinnamon, and fennel seeds into a coarse powder. Keep aside. Crush the ginger and garlic and keep aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the turmeric powder to the hot oil. Saute for a min or two or until the turmeric turns dark brown. At this point add the powdered garam masala, green chillies and crushed ginger and garlic. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the  finely chopped onions and curry leaves. Saute on a medium flame until the mixture turns mushy and dark brown. Keep an eye and make sure that the it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.
 
Add the cut chicken and mix well. Add 1 tsp pepper powder.

 

For a semi-gravy consistency, as mine, there is no need to add water. Let it cook on a medium flame. Once the gravy is thick stir occasionally to make sure that it doesn't stick to the bottom. However, a light brown colour on the chicken adds more flavor.

Switch off the flame and add the remaining 1 tsp of pepper powder and 1 tsp of coconut oil(optional) and give a mix.

Serve hot with any Indian breads or Rice.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma

Chicken Kurma–Kerala Style

Ingredients:(Serves 4 - 6)

Chicken                                       --   1 lb
Ginger                                          --   2 tsp, thinly chopped
Garlic                                           --   4 cloves, thinly chopped
Cinnamon sticks                      --   ½  inch piece
Cloves                                          --   3
Onions                                         --   3 medium size
Green chillies                            --   5 - 6
Coriander Powder                   --   2 tsp
Potato                                           --   2 medium size (optional)
Fennel seeds                              --    ½ tsp
Shredded coconut                   --    ½ cup
Cashew nuts / poppy seeds --   6 nuts / 2 tsp poppy seeds
Coriander leaves                     --   a handful , chopped
Salt                                                --   as required
Oil                                                  --   as required

Preparation:

Soak the cashews/poppy seeds in half a cup of water for about half an hour.

Clean and cut the chicken into medium size pieces. Cube the potatoes and keep aside. Chop the onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cinnamon sticks and cloves and fry for few seconds. Add the chopped ginger and garlic and fry for a minute. Now add the thinly sliced onions and green chillies.Add salt. Saute until mushy.

Add the coriander powder and saute for a minute or until the raw smell goes off.Add the cubed potatoes and cut chicken and mix well. Let it cook on a medium flame until almost done.

Meanwhile grind the cahews/poppy seeds and keep aside. Grind the coconut and the fennel seeds into a smooth paste and keep aside.

Add the ground mixtures to the chicken and mix well. Bring it to a boil. Do a salt check and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with any breads - idyappam / pathiri / chapathi or Ghee rice.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma

Mushroom Curry (in fried coconut gravy)

Ingredients:

Mushroom                   --   200gm
Onion                             --   1 medium size 
Green Chillies             --   2 –3
Tomato                         --   1 medium size
Ginger                           --   1 inch piece 
Garlic                            --   3 -4 cloves  
Turmeric Powder    --    ¼ tsp 
Chilly Powder            --   1 tsp 
Coriander Powder   --   2 tsp
Garam Masala          --   1 tsp 
Shredded coconut   --   1 cup
Curry leaves              --   1 sprig
Coriander leaves     --    ¼ cup, chopped
Shallots                        --   1 small
Red chillies                 --   1 –2
Mustard seeds           --   1 tsp 
Oil                                    --   2 tbsp
Salt                                  --   to taste

Preparation of Mushroom masala:

Clean and cut the mushrooms into small pieces.

Fry the coconut until brown and grind it into a fine paste.

Add chopped onions, slit green chillies, chopped tomatoes, minced ginger, minced garlic, turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and curry leaves to the mushrooms. Marinate and keep it aside for 10 – 15 minutes.

Cook this on a low flame and add water as required for the gravy. Remember that water comes out of mushroom while cooking. When the mushrooms are almost cooked, add the ground coconut paste. Let it boil and then garnish with coriander leaves.

Heat oil in a small pan. Splutter the mustard seeds, add the red chillies and fry the chopped shallots. Add this to the cooked curry.
Serve hot with chapathis.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma

Mambhazha Pulissery (Ripe Mango in yogurt gravy)

Ingredients:

Ripe mangoes         --   3-4 nos,
Green chilly             --   1 - 2
Curry leaves            --   1-2 sprigs
Chilly powder         --   ½ tsp
Turmeric powder  --   ¼ ts
Curd                            --   1 cup
Grated coconut      --   ½ cup
Cumin seeds             --   ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds         --   ½ tsp
Dry red chilly          --   2 nos
Coconut oil               --   2 tbsp
Salt                               --   as required

Preparation of mambhazha pulissery:

Wash and peel the mangoes. Usually whole small mangoes are used. I used 2 big ones cut into pieces.

Add chopped green chillies, curry leaves, red chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add water if required - it depends upon how juicy the mangoes are. If more juice comes out, then you dont have to add water. Cook on a medium - low flame until the mangoes are tender. Mash them using the back of a spoon.

     

Grind the grated coconut and cumin seeds to a fine paste.Add this to the mashed mangoes and mix well. Switch off the flame when it just begins to bubble/boil.

Let it remain on the stove itself. Beat the yogurt and add it to the mango mixture. Mix well and close the pot with a tight lid and keep it for 5 - 10 mins.

In another pan, heat the coconut oil.Splutter mustard seeds and fry the dry red chillies. Add this to the prepared pulissery.

Serve hot with steaming rice, pickle and pappadam.