Pepper Chicken Gravy - Dry

   The winter this year's been a little harsh when compared to last year.We usually escape the winter by running away to warm India for a month's vacation .I really miss the sun and its warmth this year and the winter here is '50 shades of Gray'.I was checking the best sellers (fiction)of all time list and was surprised to see 50 Shades of Grey on it for such a long time,not to mention that it's been made into a movie too.That book clearly belongs to the list of 'over-rated' things along with 'why this kolaveri di ?" song.I found Alchemist on the list and I really did feel that the book belongs on the list. I'm yet to meet a person who wasn't moved by the book,you wouldn't believe that such a tiny book would change your perspective of life(at least for  a few days :)).The next book I found was' Gone Girl' by 'Gillian Flynn' .I looked for it in the library and couldn't find it,so ended up borrowing another book by the same author 'Dark Places',the cover claimed that the book was even better than her previous ones. I'm only 20 pages through the book and it's too early to pass a judgement on the book.But the book doesn't really give me a good feeling.Why are books and movies that leave you with a bad or sad feeling critically acclaimed.Don't we read books and watch movies to escape from the harsh reality of life.I do respect and appreciate the effort behind these books and movies,but I rarely find them enjoyable.I recently watched a malayalam movie 'Artist',the movie had some wonderful acting skills and it's share of tragedies,but in the end it left me with a feeling of depression.Some times I feel movies with not so good a plot, but full of comedy like 'Happy New Year' are way better :)
  I hardly post regularly and when I do ,I end up rambling :) Coming to today's recipe,with the winter comes our regular share of cold and cough.And this peppery dish is real comfort food,I prepare this on weekends when it's real cold outside. It pairs up well with anything.So off to the recipe !

You'll Need:
Chicken - 400 - 500 g(with bone,cleaned and cut into small pieces)
Onion - 1 real big(finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 big(finely chopped)
Garlic - 4 - 6 medium sized cloves
Ginger - the equal amount as garlic - one 1 -2 " piece,scraped and chopped
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp
Curry Leaves Powder - 1 tsp(optional)
Turmeric Powder -1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - leaves from a sprig
Oil - 2 -3 tbsp
Salt - as needed

To Dry Roast and Powder :
Whole Pepper Corns - 1 - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 1" piece
Cloves,Cardamom - 1 each
Fennel - 3/4 tsp

Method:
-In a pan of slow heat,dry roast the ingredients to be dry roasted and ground to a semi coarse powder.
-Grind the Ginger and garlic to a fine paste - about 2 tsps.
-In a pan add the oil and when it heats up splutter the curry leaves.Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until they turn sightly brown.
-Add the Ginger Garlic paste and sauté for 3 -4 minutes, until well browned.
-Add the Tomatoes and mix well.Add the Turmeric powder,Red Chilli powder,Curry leaves powder and Coriander powder.And mix well.Cover and simmer on low heat for 3 -4 minute or until the mixture starts to ooze out oil.
-Add the chicken pieces and mix well.Add very little water if needed.Cover and simmer on low heat until it its 3/4 done.Keep removing the lid and stirring it as it tends to burn.Sprinkle water when needed.When it is 3/4 done add the dry roasted powder and mix well .Let it cook until the chicken is fully cooked.
-This is a thick gravy,to make it more thinner add required water before adding the dry roasted powder  and mix well. Done !

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a nice day !

Mango Bhapa Doi - Mango Curd Dessert

  Long long ago I made a few mango desserts out of a big tin of mango pulp.I posted the other ones ,but this one's been lying in my drafts for quite some time.If you asked me why I made this dessert there are two reason,firstly it's extremely easy to make and secondly,I fell for it's name.I have this weakness for dishes with fancy names :) This is a simple Bengali dessert that can be prepared in no time.I love all kinds of Bengali milk sweets and this one's no exception.So off to the recipe !

You'll Need:

Condensed milk - 350 g( I used unsweetened condensed milk)

Quark -Hung Yoghurt - Greek Yoghurt - 250 g

Whole Milk - 100 ml

Mango Pulp - 1 1 /2 cups

Nuts (mixed) - 2 -3 tbsp

Sugar - 1 tbsp or as needed (Depends upon the sweetness of the mango)

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

or 

Quicker Version:

Condensed Milk - 400g (sweetened) - one tin

Quark - 250 g

Milk- 125 ml

Mango Puree- 125 ml

Any chopped nuts - 2 -4 tbsp

Almond powder - 1 tbsp(optional)

Method:

-In a blender,blend the condensed milk,the yoghur,milk,mango pulp,sugar and cardamon powder.

-.Add the nuts and mix well.Check for sugar.

-This can be steamed in pressure cooker(without the whistle) or baked in an oven:

   -In a steamer or pressure cooker:

     Fill the vessel with a little water .Add the contents of the blender to another vessel and cover a lid        or aluminium foil.Place the vessel in the steamer and cover  and steam for 30 - 40 minutes or until      it's set.

 -In an oven:

     -Preheat the oven to 350°F/162.5°C

      -Fill small ramekins with the mixture until they are almost full.Place them in an oven tray half        filled with water.
    -Bake in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes.Check after the 25th minute to see if it is set,a knife inserted comes out almost clean,the mixture would be harder and not wobbly.Done !

Thanks for stopping by !Have a nice day !

Pazha Paniyaram - Banana Paniyaram

  I had a few Nendram Pazhams/Malabar Bananas lying around for quite some time.I had bought to them to make one of my favourite evening snacks "Pazham Pori",but as always forgot about them totally .They had gotten very ripe and I decided to make paniyarams out of them.Ever since I brought my little paniyaram pan I exploit the poor thing to the fullest.It lets you make so many fried snacks without actually having to deep fry them.Preparing healthy evening snacks can be a real challenge,and this Paniyaram is a regular and favourite snack at home.Usually Paniyarams are made with more flour,but I like it when the banana flavour dominates.So I use very little flour and lots of bananas,this works perfectly well with any big banana.And I love making them with ghee,it simply enhances the taste.Oil works fine too,but nothing beats ghee :)I haven't stopped at your blogs for a very long time,will soon stop by :)So off to the recipe.....

You'll Need:
Bananas (ripe big ones) - 2 ( I used Kerala NendramPazham/Malabar Bananas)
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
All purpose flour or Wheat Flour - 1/4 cup
Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
Water - 1.5 cups(or more as needed)
Coconut - 4 - 5 tbsp (Finely grated)
Ghee or oil - as needed
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Raisins - 1 - 2 tbsp(optional)

Method:
-Peel,chop and grind the bananas to a fine paste.
-In a small vessel boil the jaggery with 1. 5 cups water till it is is melted.Then filter it.
-Mix the Banana,coconut,flours and Jaggery syrup.Mix well with a Whisk.Add the cardamom powder and give another good whisk.The batter will not be runny like idli or dosa batter ,will be more like a thick paste.Add a little water if you feel that the batter is too thick and sticky.
-Heat a paniyaram pan and fill all the molds with a little ghee. Add about 1 tbsp of batter to each mold and let it cook.Drizzle a little  ghee on top of each mold.
-Once you feel the underside is cooked, flip the paniyarams over and drizzle some more ghee.When they are fully cooked on both sides,remove them from the pan.Repeat the same process for the left over batter.Since the batter doesn't have a lot of flour flipping it can be a little difficult,

Note:
-If you like a floury version double the quantity of the rice flour and wheat flour.

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a nice day !

Vegetable Cutlet

   I heard a funny program on the radio on the day after New Year's day "The fastest resolution breaker" and I could relate so much to it :)It's been a week since New Year's day and this time I made it a point to make no resolutions.The resolutions have remained almost the same for the past few years,be more organised,stop eating sweets,be more patient.But the speed at which I break the resolutions is usually more than the speed at which I make them.So this year I made a resolution to not make a resolution, and I did manage to keep this resolution :P

  Coming to today's recipe,this is one fried food that I simply love.love. I've tasted cutlets at many places,but believe me nothing beats the taste of  the cutlets ,that I've tasted as a kid when we used to travel by trains,chair cars to be more specific.The tomato soup and cutlets that could be bought on trains those days used to be simply yummy.A long train journey was the most exciting adventure for us as kids.It used to be a rare occasion and much awaited.Sleeping on a train berth with the gentle (or not so genlte)rocking of the train was such a wonderful feeling.And not to forget the loud announcements with the standard ting,ting,ting sound as the train stopped at every possible station,and getting up in the mornings to the sound of 'tea,kaappi,kaappi'.The trains are faster today and the journeys shorter .I miss those days when we used to eat everything without wondering about whether it was hygienic,healthy and so many other factors.Simpler days ,simpler thoughts and lots of fun which the current generation will never experience ! 

You'll need :
Potatoes - 2 -3 (big)
Carrots - 2
Beans - 15 - 20
Boiled Peas - 2 handfuls
Green Chilli - 1(finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 2 - 3 sprigs(chopped finely)
Ginger & Garlic (grated) - 1 tsp
Onions - 1 (small)(chopped finely)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp(optional)
salt as needed
oil - 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1 -2 tsp

Egg white - from 1 egg or a tbsp of Flour mixed with water to a thin lump free batter.
Bread Crumbs - as needed
oil - for deep frying

Method:
-Boil,peel and mash the potatoes.
-Grate the carrots and chop the beans finely.
-Beat the egg whites with a fork a little.
-In a pan on medium heat,add 1 tbsp oil.When it heats up add the Ginger,Garlic,Green chilli,coriander leaves and turmeric powder .Sauté for a minute until the Ginger and garlic are slightly browned.Add all the powders and mix well for a few seconds.Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté for a minute or two until the onions turn soft.
-Add the carrots,beans and peas and mix well.Add salt as needed.Sprinkle a little water and cover and cook on low heat until it's 3/4th cooked.When it's 3/4th done remove the lid and sauté on high heat till the mixture becomes dry.The mixture should be very dry ,be careful to not brown it.
-If the mixture has a lot of mixture then the cutlets might break on frying.You could also let the mixture cool and squeeze it to remain any extra moisture if present.
-Mix the mashed potatoes and the vegetable mixture well.Add the lemon juice and mix well.Check for salt and add some if needed.Let it stay in the Fridge for an hour or two.You can also make it a day ahead and let it stay in the Fridge overnight.
-Shape the mixture into any shape of your choice.Dip the cutlets in the egg whites and roll them on the bread crumbs,so that they are fully coated with the bread crumbs.
-Heat the oil and when they are hot,add the cutlets and fry them on medium heat until they are well cooked. Done !

Note:
-If you feel that the mixture is not firm enough and tends to break,add 1 - 2 tbsp of Cornflour and mix again.
-If you want to make them ahead for a party:Fry each of the cutlets just for a few seconds and let them cool.Arrange them in an airtight container with each layer separated by a plastic sheets or baking paper and freeze them.When needed,take them out and fry them.You don't have to defrost them.
-You could add other vegetables like Cauliflowers too.

Date Cake - Eggless version - Happy New Year !

   If there's a competition for the most inconsistent blogger or the Disappearing Blogger,I'm pretty sure that I'll win it hands down :).It's been 3 months since I posted,it's been one thing after the other.Can't believe it's again the time of the year to reflect and retrospect,the year 2014 flew by real fast .Guess all of us would have had our share of ups and downs,beautiful and sad memories.Yet the beginning of a another New Year fills us also with new Hope and energy,reminds us of another chance that life has bestowed upon us.Wishing you all a very happy and beautiful New Year !

  My bog looked so neglected this year that I wished to end it on a sweet note.This is probably one of the easiest and forgiving cakes around.No matter how much you mess up with measuring the ingredients it still turns out perfectly yummy.To add on to,neither does it call for eggs nor do you need to get your beater out ,So any time you want to whip up a cake quickly this one would come in real handy.Off to the recipe !

You'll Need:
Dates (seedless) - 200 g
All-purpose flour - 300 g - 3 cups
Whole Milk -   375 ml - 1 1/2 cups
Sugar - 275 g - 1 1/3 cups
Oil - 150 ml or Butter - 50 g(melted and cooled)
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Nuts(mixed,chopped) - 4 -5 tbsp ( I used raisins,almonds,walnuts and cashew nuts)
Whole Milk - 1/2 cup ( if needed)

Method:
-Preheat the oven to 150 °C.
-Sieve the Flour and the baking powder and baking soda-
-In a small pan mix the dates and the milk and simmer it for 5 - 7 mins,until the dates are softened
Then grind the dates with little of the milk in which it was boiled, in a mixer to a fine paste.Then add the remaining  milk (the milk in which it was boiled)too and pulse for a second so that it's well mixed.I used lion dates,.Alternatively you can also soak the dates  for 3 - 4 hours.If using soft dates you can directly grind it in a mixer with a little milk to a fine paste.
-In a mixing bowl add the Dates and milk mixture,sugar and oil and whisk with a balloon whisk until well mixed.
-Add the flour mixture and whisk again until well combined.
-If you feel that the batter is very thick(This depends on the dates used) add from 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk and whisk well.
-Add the chopped nuts and mix well.The batter fills upto 3/4th  in an 8" by 2" round pan.
-Bake in a Preheated oven from 35 - 45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.Baking time might change from oven to oven and it's safer to check if the cake is done from the 30th minute.Done !

   Thanks for stopping by !Happy New Year !

Mango Peda - Mango Milk sweet

I read this interesting article in a health magazine recently about how a child views food.Just a tiny write up but a real good one.I could relate with most of the facts that the author had mentioned like,when kids are involved with cooking they eat better.Even it it's something small like cleaning a vegetable or sprinkling some pepper.The author started off with how children notice little details about food,more than we grown ups.They eat with all their senses,how the dish looks,smells,tastes everything matters to them :)If you serve them a lovely dish with just one ingredient that they don't like, they could probably turn down the whole dish.They love fancy and adventurous names for their food.Now doesn't that sound good,if you name a regular soup,'Pirate soup',your kid might probably finish it off in no time.This really works at our place too :)If you had read my mango cake post,you would've read about how I got this big tin of mango pulp.This was yet another dessert that I prepared with the mango pulp.Hubby and I can wipe out a big box of sweets in no time,but my daughter surprisingly doesn't like sweets.But for the first time she ate quite a lot of these pedas. Wonder whether she loved the sound of the name 'Peda' or she just loved its colour ! If you love milk sweets you would definitely love this..So off to the recipe........

You'll Need:
Makes about 15 - 20
Mango Pulp - 350 ml
Sugar - 1/2 cup(depends on the sweetness of the mango)
Paneer - 1 cup(grated)  or Fresh Chenna -1 cup
Whole milk - 1 cup
Milk powder - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 10 - 12 (broken to small pieces)
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Vanilla essence - a few drops
Pista or Almods or Raisins - for decorating

Method:
-To the big jar of a food processor add the paneer,mango pulp,milk and milk powder and pulse for a few seconds until the ingredients are well combined.
-To a pan,preferably non stick or thick bottomed, add the ghee on medium flame and when it warms up add the cashew nuts and stir for a minute.
-Then add the combined pulp,milk,paneer and milk powder and mix well .Add the sugar and mix well.Let it cook for a few minutes on  a medium flame.After some time the mixture will start spluttering.Stay at a safe distance as it splutters very badly.Then reduce the flame and cover it.Let the mixture cook until the spluttering stops.
-Once the spluttering stops remove the lid and increase the heat and start stirring it.
-After 3 -4 minutes you can see the whole mixture clamming up together Add the cardamom powder and vanilla essence and mix well..Keep stirring until the mixture doesn't stick to the pan.You'll know it's done when you get the feeling 'I'll never have to clean that pan' :).
-Transfer the contents to a container greased with oil,ghee or butter .Spread it and let it cool.You can then cut into diamond shapes or make small round pedas like how I've done.Make a small depression on each peda and fill it with pista,almonds or a raisin.It makes it look appetising and cute.Enjoy your peda !

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a nice day !

Chicken & Vegetable Rice

I feel that taking a little break from blogging is exactly like pressing the snooze button on the alarm clock in the mornings :) We've had a hectic two weeks with one thing after the other popping up and the usual dose of cold and cough.I thought I was taking a few days off from blogging and then noticed that I was gone for almost 2 weeks :)

Happy Independence day !! I always admire how fellow bloggers make each occasion special by posting appropriate dishes.Guess I was lucky today,I never actually planned this post but co-incidentally I happened to post a dish that's a little similar to our flag :)Lucky me !!

I'm not a spicy food person,luckily so is hubby.I wonder whether it has something do with the cold climate here,but on most of the days we prefer to eat mildly spiced food loaded with veggies.This is one such thing that I do often.I usually make it when I make chicken soup,it's a nice way to used the cooked chicken .I just save a little of the chicken stock to add flavour to the rice and use the rest to prepare the soup.We love it with just ketchup,but it pairs up well with any spicy gravy.

You'll Need:

Serves 4

Basmati Rice - 1.5 cups

Carrot - 1  (peeled and cut into thin slices)

Potato - 1 small (cut into thin slices)

Capsicum - 1 medium (cut into thin slices)

Broccoli - 15 florets( cut into small florets)

Chicken - 300 g ( Boneless or chicken legs )

Peas - a handful(boiled)

Spring onion - 4 stalks(chopped finely)

Soya sauce - 1 tbsp(optional)

Garlic - 2 -3 cloves(grated)

Pepper Powder - 1 -2 tsp

Olive oil - 2 -3 tbsp

Salt as needed

Method:

-Cook the rice in any method you wish,just make sure that they are well cooked but not mushy,with each grain holding its shape.I usually boil water with some salt and oil ,add the rice and let it cook.Once it's done I drain the rice in a big colander and then  keep it under the tap and let cold water run over the rice for a few minutes.Then I wait until the water drains out completely.This makes sure that the rice grains don't stick to each other. 

-If using Boneless Chicken - Cut the chicken into small bite size pieces.

  If using Chicken with Bone - Boil or Pressure cook the chicken with 1/4 cup of water and a little salt.Separate the stock and the chicken.You can use the stock for boiling the rice or preparing soup or to cook the vegetables.Remove the flesh from the bones and cut it into small pieces.If using  chicken bones the flesh usually falls apart from the bones when cooked well.

-Add the oil to a big pan,add the grated garlic and stir for a  minute.Add the chicken and a little salt and sauté until it's half done.(If using cooked chicken just sauté for a 3 -4 minutes).Then add the potatoes and sauté until the chicken and potatoes are done.Then add all the vegetables(keep a little of the green portion of the green onion for garnishing) and salt as needed and mix well.If using soya sauce add it and mix well.Sprinkle a little water or the chicken stock and cook for a few minutes covered on a low flame.

-After 3 -4 minutes remove the lid and increase the heat. Sauté again till the vegetables are done.Reduce the flame and add the cooked rice and the pepper powder and slowly mix until the rice is well mixed.Check for salt.Garnish with the chopped green onion. Done !

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a nice day !