Moist Chocolate Cake

Moist Chocolate Cake
Yields - One 9" round cake

Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 11/2cup
Baking Soda - 1tsp
Salt - 1/4tsp
Butter - 1/2 stick or 50gms or 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/2cup
Chocolate Syrup - 1cup
Vinegar - 1tbsp
Water - 1/2cup
Vanilla - 1/2tbsp

Method:

Sift flour with baking soda & salt.
In a bowl cream butter. Add sugar and continue beating till the mixture is fluffy. Add chocolate syrup, vinegar,vanilla & water and mix well. Gradually add the flour and beat till the ingredients are incorporated.
Preheat oven to 170 degree centigrade. Butter a 9" cake pan. Pour the batter in the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40-45 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven & cool on a wire rack for about 10minutes. Invert the cake & let it cool down completely, before slicing.

And this is my contribution to JFI(January) - Chocolate hosted by Deepz of "Letz Cook"

Other Related Recipes

Duck Roast

Duck Roast - Adapted from this recipe
This duck preparation is a Easter/Christmas specialty.

Ingredients:
Duck, cleaned - 11/2 kg
Black Peppercorns - 1tsp
Onions, sliced - 3nos.
Ginger, sliced/grated - 2tbsp
Garlic, sliced - 11/2tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Chilly powder - 1tbsp
Coriander powder - 2tbsp
Garam Masala - 11/2tbsp
Whole red chillies - 8nos
Curry leaves
Coconut oil
Salt

For garnishing
Arvi/Taro root, peeled & sliced - 4nos.
Cabbage leaves - 4nos.
Carrots, sliced - 2nos.

Method:

Cut Duck into medium sized pieces. Wash & drain well.
Heat oil in a pan. Add peppercorns. When it starts to crackle, add onions and saute till transparent. Now add ginger & garlic slices. Saute till the raw smell goes. Mix all the powder spices in a little water and add to the pan. Cook on a low flame till oil separates. Now add curry leaves & crushed whole red chillies. Add salt to taste. Next add the drained duck pieces and stir fry for 10 minutes. Transfer the contents to a pressure cooker. Add 1 1/2 cups of hot water & cook till done.

Heat oil( if you are using duck with skin, use the fat that has cooked out from the duck and is floating on top of the gravy)in a frying pan and fry the cooked duck pieces till brown. Drain on paper towels. In the same oil fry the sliced arvi/taro root. You can sprinkle a pinch of salt while frying the arvi pieces. Steam the cabbage leaves. Serve the fried duck pieces with gravy & garnished with cabbage leaves, sliced carrots & fried arvi.

Other Related Recipes:

Potato Cheese Omelet

Potato Cheese Omelet - Simple & yummy omelet to brighten up your day! :-)
One Serving

Ingredients:
Potato, medium - 1nos.
Eggs - 2nos.
Cheese, singles - 1nos.
Spring Onions - 6-8nos.
Green Chillies - 1nos.
Salt & Pepper to taste
Oil

Method:

Pressure cook the potato for 2 min. Once the pressure releases, Take the potato out & cool it in the refrigerator. Once cooled, peel & coarsely grate the potato. Heat a tsp of oil in a nonstick pan and fry the grated potato till golden. Add finely chopped deseeded green chillies & finely chopped whites of spring onions. Fry for another minute & switch off. Transfer to a bowl. Cool. Blend in the eggs. Add chopped cheese & remaining onions and mix well. Season with freshly ground pepper & salt.
Heat oil in a pan. Pour the egg mixture & tilt to distribute the mixture evenly. Cook on low to medium heat, else the cheese might get burnt. When done on one side, carefully flip the omelet & cook till done.

...and this is my contribution to the event "Ode to Potato" hosted by Sia of Monsoonspice

Other Related Recipes:
Mutta Choru

Spicy Mushroom Curry

Spicy Mushroom Curry

Ingredients:

Mushrooms, sliced - 250gms
Onion(big), sliced - 1nos.
Green chillies, slit - 1nos.
Garlic, chopped - 1tbsp
Ginger, chopped - 1tbsp
Tomatoes, chopped - 1nos.
Yogurt - 2tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Coriander powder - 1tbsp
Cumin powder - 1/2tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Oil

Method:

Heat a little oil in a pan. Add sliced mushrooms & salt and saute till the mushrooms are cooked & all the water evaporates. Remove & keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil, add onions & green chillies and fry till onions turn translucent. Add garlic & ginger and saute for another few minutes. Next add tomatoes & yogurt and fry till oil separates. Add all the powders except for garam masala and saute for few minutes. Now add garam masala and switch off the heat. When the masala cools, grind half of the masala(adding water). Add this masala paste to the rest of the masala and bring to a boil. Now add the mushrooms. Check for salt & consistency. Add water if needed and stir cook for a few minutes & switch off the heat. Serve with rice or chappathi.

Other Related Recipes:

Mathanga Payasam

Mathanga Payasam - Easy & Nutritious.
Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Mathanga/Yellow Pumpkin/Butternut Squash - 250gms
Thick Coconut Milk - 1cup
Sugar - 1/4cup(or as per taste)
Rice powder - 2tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1-2tsp

Method:

Cut the pumpkin into cubes. Pressure cook the pumpkin pieces in a cup of water. With the back of a spoon mash the cooked pumpkin pieces. Now add the coconut milk & sugar. Mix well & bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes. Mix the rice powder in a little water(Do not substitute cornflour instead of rice flour, as it is the rice flour which gives the payasam a distinct flavour.) Add this to the pumpkin mixture slowly. Keep stirring while adding to avoid lumps. Stir cook for few more minutes & switch off the flame. Add the cardamom powder. Can be served warm or cold.


Quick Pumpkin Facts:

The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body.Beta-carotene offers protection against Cancer, Heart disease as well as some degenerative aspects of aging.

Pumpkin Nutrition Facts
(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)

Calories 49 Protein 2 grams Carbohydrate 12 grams Dietary Fiber 3 grams Calcium 37 mg Iron 1.4 mg Magnesium 22 mg Potassium 564 mg

Zinc 1 mg Selenium .50 mg Vitamin C 12 mg Niacin 1 mg Folate 21 mcg Vitamin A 2650 IU Vitamin E 3 mg

Gobi Manchurian

Gobi Manchurian - Recipe from Blogs
I made it exactly as per Annita's recipe. Made the "dry type" & it came out really good. Thanks Annita for this great recipe!

Jihva For Toor Dal - Toor Dal Salad

Toor Dal/Lentil Salad - A simple cold Salad with French dressing & my fIrSt JFI eNtRy!
Found this recipe here.

Ingredients
Toor Dal - 1cup
Onion, medium size - 1/2
Garlic cloves - 1
Carrot, cut into 4 - 1/2
Celery stalk, cut into 4 - 1/2
Bay leaves - 1
Cloves - 1
Spring Onions, thinly sliced - 2nos.

For Lemon French Dressing
Olive Oil - 2tbsp
Lemon juice - 1tbsp
Garlic, mashed - 1/2clove
Thyme, dried - a pinch
Freshly ground pepper
Salt

For Garnish
Carrot, thinly sliced - 1/2
Parsley, minced - 2tbsp

Method:

In a saucepan, bring to a boil lentils, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf & clove(stick it into the onion). Simmer & cook on a very low heat until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain the lentils & remove the vegetables.

Combine the ingredients for French dressing and mix well.
Turn the drained lentils into a bowl while still hot. Add spring onions(didn't have spring onions so added 1/2 an onion chopped) & the French dressing to it and mix well. Check for pepper & salt. Cover & refrigerate for 2 hours.

At serving time, drain off any excess dressing. Turn into a flat serving dish, garnish with the sliced carrots and sprinkle with the parsley.

Prawn Biryani

Prawn Biryani - Malabar Style

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 3cups
Prawns(Whole) - 1kg
Onion, sliced thinly - 3nos.
Tomatoes, chopped - 2nos.
Lemon juice - 2tbsp
Coriander leaves, chopped - 1 bunch
Mint leaves, chopped - small bunch
Whole spices for rice - cardamom - 5, cinnamon - 2" , cloves - 4, star anise -1 & bay leaves - 2
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Biryani Masala powder- 11/2tsp
(Biryani Masala powder -
Dry roast & grind to a fine powder the following:-
Cardamom-3, Cinnamon(1" stick) -2, Cloves-4,
Nutmeg-quarter, Mace-3
Fennel seed-1/2tsp, Shahjeera-1/2tsp, Cumin seed-1/2 tsp)
Ghee/Butter - 1tbsp+1tbsp
Oil as needed
Salt as needed

For Marinade
Chilli powder - 1tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2tsp
Salt as needed

For Grinding
Green chillies - 5nos.
Garlic,chopped - 11/2tbsp
Ginger,chopped - 11/2tbsp
Coconut grated- 3tbsp
Curd - 4tbsp

For Garnish
Onion - 1nos.
Cashew nuts - few
Raisins - few

Method:

Soak rice in water for half an hour. Rinse and drain. Heat 1tbsp of ghee. Add the whole spices and fry for a minute. Add the drained rice & roast it for few minutes. Add 6 cups of boiling water & salt and cook rice till done. Spread rice in a flat plate & sprinkle lemon juice.

Clean & de-vein the prawns. Marinate in chilli, turmeric, pepper powders & salt for 30 min.
Grind together green chillies, garlic, ginger and grated coconut into a coarse paste adding curd.

Fry raisins and cashew nuts in ghee, till brown and keep aside. Carmelise one onion(thinly sliced for garnish) & keep aside. In the same pan fry the marinated prawns to a golden tinge. Keep aside a few prawns for garnishing.

To the fried prawns, in the same oil, add 3 onions chopped. Fry till the onions turn translucent. Add tomato, ground paste, chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves and the lemon juice. Cook covered for a few minutes. Then open cook till the masala reduces in quantity. Add chilli powder. Check for salt. Finally add the Biryani Masala & switch off the heat.

In a microwave safe dish, spread half of the rice, layer the prawn masala on top and layer the remaining rice on it. Cover & microwave for 4 min on high. Alternately you can bake it for 15-30 min at 150 deg. celsius. Mix thoroughly and serve garnished with fried prawns,roasted cashews,raisins and caramelized onion and serve hot with onion raita & pickle.

Other Related Recipes:
Malabar Chicken Biryani
Unnakka Chemeen Chammanthi/Dried Shrimp Chutney

Rasgulla

Rasgulla
Soft, Juicy & Spongy sweet made from milk. The very popular Bengali sweet is originally from Orissa(India).

Recipe from blogs
Yields: 16 Rasgullas

Ingredients:
Whole Milk - 1 liter
Lemon - 2nos.
All purpose flour - 2tsp
Sugar - 1 1/2cups
Water - 3cups

Method:

Extract juice from the lemons. Boil whole milk in a big pot on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the milk starts to boil, add lemon juice.After the milk starts to curdle.Turn off the stove and pour them into a cheese cloth. Wash four or five times in cold water to rinse out all the lemon juice from curdled milk. Tie a knot and hang them over a kitchen sink to drain out the whey. This should take about 1 to 2 hours. The cheese should be dry.

Process the cheese with 2 tsp of flour in a processor(for no more than a minute). Remove the mixture on to a plate. Slightly knead the mixture and divide the mixture into 16 equal parts and roll each part into a ball, taking care that there are no cracks on the surface. Place the cheese balls on a plate dusted with flour.

Pour 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Add sugar and bring to a boil on medium heat. When the sugar comes to a boil, gently drop the cheese balls to the sugar syrup. Close the cooker(I use a 4 liter, steel cooker from Prestige). Cook on medium heat throughout.After the first whistle, wait for 5-6 minutes and turn off the stove. Open the cooker after the pressure has come down. Cool before transferring them to a container and refrigerate. Serve cold.

Tips
1. Make sure you do not overcook the rasgullas, they might break apart.
2. For syrup you can use rose essence or cardamom powder or Saffron.
3. If you are using one gallon of milk which will yield about 40 to 45 sphere, make sure u cook only by batches of 12 to 15 depending on the size of your pressure cooker, because the spheres double in volume when cooked. And do not use the same syrup for the second batch.

Another good recipe (non pressure cooker recipe)

Mathi Vatichathu

Mathi Vatichathu - Sardines cooked dry

Ingredients:
Sardines/Mathi/Chaala - 1/2kg
Ginger, julienned - 1/2tsp
Garlic cloves, crushed/sliced/chopped - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Cocum, washed, soaked and shredded in water - 3nos.
Coconut oil/refined vegetable oil - 1/2cup
Water - 1/2cup
Salt to taste

For masala:
Red chillies - 10nos.
Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tsp
Peppercorns - 8nos.
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Button onions, sliced - 1/2cup

Method:

Clean the sardines & make gashes on both sides of the fish.

Coarsely grind ingredients for masala. Mix the ground ingredients with the coconut oil, shredded cocum, ginger, garlic & curry leaves and salt.

Grease an earthenware vessel(Mud pot) with coconut oil and layer the fish and the mixed masala alternately; finish with a layer of masala on top.Add water to cook the fish and bring to boil.Simmer over low heat till dry. Serve hot.

Other Related Recipes:
Fish Curry with Mangoes

Chettinad Mutton Curry

Mutton Chettinad

Original Recipe

Ingredients:

Mutton cut into small pieces - 1 kg
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Onion chopped finely - 2(large)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Tomato sliced - 2
Salt - to taste
Oil - as needed

For Grinding:-
Shallots(Kunjulli) - 1/2cup
Ginger - 1" piece
Garlic cloves - 8
Cinnamon(Karuvapatta) - 2 pieces
Cloves (Grambu) - 4 nos
Fennel seeds(Perumjeerakam) - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 1/2 tsp
Pepper corns(Kurumulagu) - 3-4
Chilly Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Grind all the above ingredients into a coarse paste and keep it aside.

Method:

Marinate the mutton pieces in the ground paste and salt for 1/2 an hour. Heat little oil in a pressure cooker,add the marinated mutton pieces and cook until the mutton becomes tender.

Heat oil in a another pan and allow mustard seeds to splutter. Add in curry leaves and onions and saute until onions are golden brown. Add tomatoes and saute until they become soft. Finally add the cooked mutton pieces and fry it till the oil seperates.

Other Related Recipes:
Mutton Curry

Mutta Choru

Mutta Choru
Recipe from Blogs

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice -1 cup
Eggs - 3
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 1
Ginger paste - 1/2tsp(no ginger in the original recipe!)
Ghee -1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves -1 sprig
Coriander leaves - few sprigs
Salt-as required
Boiled Water - 1 1/2cup

Method

Boil 2 of the 3 eggs. Cut into halves.
Soak the washed rice for 5 minutes.
Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a vessel and roast the rice till the grains become slightly soft on biting. Add boiled water and break into it 1egg and mix well. Add coconut milk,pepper powder and salt and cook till it is done.
Now heat oil in a wok. Add curry leaves, green chillies & ginger paste. Add red chilli powder,turmeric and garam masala. Cook at at a low flame or else chilli powder will get burnt. Next add the boiled eggs. Roast it till it becomes golden.
Add these eggs along with the masala to the cooked rice. Mix well. Finally garnish with chopped coriander.

Mutton Curry

Mutton Curry (with potatoes)

Ingredients
Mutton - 900gms
Potatoes, boiled & diced - 2nos.
Onions(Big) - 2
Pearl Onions - 1/2cup
Tomatoes - 2nos.
Green Chillies - 4nos.
Ginger - 1"piece
Garlic(Big) - 2
Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp( or as per taste)
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Coriander powder - 3tsp
Bay leaves - 2nos.
Garam masala - 1/2tsp
Curry leaves - 2sprigs
Salt to taste
Oil

To grind
Fennel - 1tsp
Clove - 4nos
Cinnamon - 2" piece

Method
Wash the meat and drain well.
Heat oil and add the bay leaves.
Next add the chopped big onions & green chillies.When half cooked add the chopped pearl onions & cook till slightly brown in colour.
Now add the ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
Next add the chilli, turmeric & coriander powders. Stir for a while and then add the chopped tomatoes & curry leaves. When oil starts to separate add garam masala & the ground masala. After few min add the mutton & salt mix well and cook for another 5 minutes on medium flame.
Transfer the contents to a pressure cooker, add hot water and cook till done. Open cooker and add boiled potatoes, check for salt and cook covered on low flame for 5min. Serve hot with rice or chappathi.

Other Related Recipes:
Chettinad Mutton Curry

Vatteappam

Vatteappam
This recipe yields one 8" appam(1"thick). Serves-2

You will need:
Rice flour - 1cup
Semolina/Rava/Sooji - 1tbsp
Yeast - 1/4tsp
Sugar - 1/2tsp
Grated Coconut - 1/2-1/3cup
Cardamom powder - 1/4tsp
Sugar - 1/3cup
Salt to taste
Raisins for garnishing

Method:
Cook rava in a cup of water till it becomes soft. Let it cool.
When lukewarm, add yeast & 1/2tsp sugar to it. Allow it to froth.
Next, add rice flour to it and mix well. Set the dough aside to rise for 6 hours.
Grind coconut with sugar to a fine paste and add it to the dough.
Add cardamom powder. Mix well & let it ferment for another 4-6hours.
Add salt & pour the mixture into a greased 8" pan. Place raisins on top & steam for 5-10 minutes in a steamer or in a pressure cooker without keeping the weight. When done a toothpick inserted will come out clean.
Cool, cut into wedges and serve.

Tips: Alternately, for a quick vatteappam, you can mix rava gruel, yeast, rice, coconut & cardamom and keep aside to ferment for 3-4 hours. Add sugar & salt. Mix well and steam till done.

Flowers from my Mom-in-law's garden

White Orchid

Closeup .....


Another closeup....

Aviyal

Aviyal

Ingredients:
Raw Banana - 2nos.
Drumstick - 2nos.
Carrot-1
Snake Gourd - 1cup
Raw Mango - 1small
(Potatos, Yam, Beans, Kumbalanga/Ash Gourd can also be used)
Curry leaves - few sprigs
Turmeric - 1/4tsp
Salt
Coconut oil

For Grinding:
Coconut, grated - 1/2
Green Chillies - 3nos.
Shallots/Pearl onions - 3nos.
Curry Leaves - few
Garlic Cloves - 1(big)
Cumin powder - 3/4tsp
Curd as required, depending upon the sourness of the mango.

Method:
Cut the vegetables into thin long pieces. Cook the vegetables with salt & turmeric.
Grind coconut with rest of the ingredients. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the ground coconut.
Stir & cook till the raw smell of garlic goes. Add curry leaves & about 2tbsp of coconut oil , stir & switch off the flame.

Other Related Recipes:
Sambhar
Mathanga Erissery

Chilli Chicken

Chilli Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1kg
Onions - 4nos.
Capsicum - 2nos.
Green Chillies - 4nos.
Tomato Sauce - 1tbsp or to taste
Cornflour - 1/2tbsp
Orange color
Salt

For stock:
Celery - Diced, handful
Carrots - Diced, handful
Onion - Diced, 1/2nos.
Ginger-Garlic - Chopped, 1tbsp
Pepper corns - 10 nos.

For marinade:
Soya Sauce - 2tbsp
Tomato Sauce - 1tbsp
Red Chilli Sauce - 1tbsp
Salt

Eggs -2 nos.
Corn flour - 1tbsp
Maida - 1tbsp

Method:
Clean & cut the chicken into cubes( bone-in or without bones, we prefer bone-in!). Marinate the chicken with the sauces & salt. Let it stand for at least 1 hour.
Pound the remaining chicken and to it, add the other stock ingredients. Add water(double the quantity of solids) and cook over low flame till done or longer(u can even simmer for 2 hrs!). When done, strain the broth & keep aside.
Add beaten eggs, cornflour & maida to the marinated chicken and mix well, Fry them over medium flame and drain on paper towels.
Closeup of fried chicken...

Fried Chicken

Heat oil. Fry the chopped onions, capsicums & green chillies slightly/till cooked. Add the stock. When it comes to a boil , add the fried chicken pieces. Add tomato sauce & salt to taste. Finally make a paste of cornflour & color in a little water and add it to the chicken. Stir well & serve hot.
Tips: For a richer stock you can roast the pounded chicken & vegetables in an oven for half an hour.

Other Related Recipes:
Malabar Chicken Biryani
Chicken Curry
Kerala Chicken Roast

Parippu Vada - Dal Fritters

Parippu Vada - Dal Fritters

Crunchy Parippu Vada is a favorite accompaniment with a cup of hot tea in Kerala. The following recipe yields 12 medium sized vadas.

Ingredients:
Dal(Bengal Gram) - 1cup
Onion - 1/2nos.
Shallots - 2-3nos.
Green Chillies - 3nos.
Ginger - 1/2"
Curry Leaves - 2sprigs
Salt - 1/2tsp. or to taste

Method:
Wash & soak the dal for 3-4hours. Drain well & grind to a coarse paste. Do not add any water. The moisture retained by dal will be enough. Chop the rest of the ingredients.(I usually grind the chillies with the dal.) Add the chopped ingredients to the ground dal and mix well. Add salt just before frying the fritters. To fry the fritters, take a spoonful of the dal mixture, shape into vadas and fry in oil on a medium flame.
Tips: Save a spoon or two of the soaked dal. Add to dal mixture at end. This will make the vadas more appealing!

Pound Cake

Pound Cake

Sambhar

Sambhar

Ingredients:

Tuvar Dal - 1/2 cup
Onions - 1 nos.
Green chillies - 1nos.
Vegetables, diced - 3-5 cups of your choice mix
(Potato/Raw banana/Brinjal/Yellow Pumpkin/Yam/Drumsticks/Ladies Finger/Carrots/Tomatoes )
Sambhar Masala - 2tbsp.
Asafoetida - 1/4 - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Tamarind - half the size of a lemon
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Salt to taste

Method:

Pressure cook the dal with turmeric. Mash it & keep aside. Soak tamarind in water.

Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, chopped onion & slit green chillies.
Fry for a while(not till brown!). Add asafoetida followed by the vegetables(except for ladies finger & tomatoes). Fry for a min or two. Add water. Add salt and cook till almost done. Add tomatoes & ladies finger and cook till done. Add tamarind extract & bring to boil. Mix Sambhar in a little water and add it to the vegetables. Cook for a little while and then add the dal. Check for consistency. Add water if required. Let it boil for few minutes and then switch off. Serve hot with rice.

Other Related Recipes:
Avial
Mathanga Erissery

Mussel/Kadukka Fry

Mussel/Kadukka Fry

Channa Pulao

Channa Pulao
Yield - 2servings

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1cup
Kabuli Channa/Dried Chick Peas - 1 cup
Onions, thinly sliced - 2+1nos
Garlic cloves - 3nos.
Whole spices for Rice -
Cloves - 2nos.
Cinnamon - 1"
Peppercorns -4nos.
Bay leaves - 1nos.
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 1 bunch
Salt to taste
Ghee/oil

Method:

Soak the chick peas in water overnight. Wash rice & soak for 30min. Drain & keep aside.
Pressure cook chick peas with salt & keep aside. Heat ghee/oil in a pan. Add whole spices. Roast for a minute & add the sliced onions(2nos.). Saute till the onions are translucent and add the drained rice. Saute for a few more minutes. Add salt & 2cups of hot water and cook till done.
Grind to a paste the remaining one onion & garlic cloves.
Heat Ghee/oil. Add the ground paste & cook till the raw smell goes. Add chilli powder & chopped coriander leaves(alternately u can grind coriander along with onion & garlic). Cook for a minute and add rice & channa. Mix well & serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati/Long Grain rice - 1cup
Lemon Juice - 2-3tbsp
Onions, chopped finely - 1nos
Ginger, chopped finely - 1tbsp
Green chillies, chopped - 1nos
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Urad Dal - 1tsp
Channa Dal - 1tsp
Dry Red chilli - 1nos.
Peanuts, roasted - handful
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil as needed
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash rice & soak for 30min. Drain & cook in 2 cups water(Add salt to water). The grains should be separate and not sticky.

Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add the dals & dry red chilli and fry till they turn light brown. Now add chopped onions, ginger, green chillies & curry leaves. Saute till light brown. Add turmeric powder and switch of flame. Add boiled rice and sprinkle lemon juice over rice. Add peanuts & mix well and turn on the flame. Cook for 2-3 minutes and switch off. Serve with pickle.

Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice

Ingredients:
Long grain rice - 11/2cup
Tomatoes, chopped - 3nos (4 for a tangier taste)
Onions,chopped - 1nos
Green chillies,chopped - 2-3nos
Coriander leaves,chopped - 4-5 sprigs
Coconut milk powder - 3tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch

Whole spices
Bay leaves - 1
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 3
Cinammon stick - 1" piece
Star Anise - 1

Oil as needed
Salt as needed

Method:
Wash rice and soak in water for 30min. Puree the tomatoes. Dissolve the coconut milk powder in a cup of water.

Heat oil in a pan, fry the whole spices for a few minutes. Add chopped onions & green chillies and saute till it turns brown. Add the chilli & turmeric powders. Now add the pureed tomatoes & coconut milk followed by coriander leaves. Add salt to taste. When it starts to boil add the drained rice. Add water as needed & cook till done. Serve hot with onion raita.

Tomato Rice served with onion raita....

Malabar Chicken Biryani

Malabar Chicken Biryani - Recipe from Blogs

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 3cups
Chicken - 1/2kg (About 8 big pieces)
Onion, sliced thinly - 3cups
Tomatoes, chopped - 11/2cups
Curd - 1/2 cup
Lemon juice - 1tbsp+1tbsp
Coriander leaves, chopped - 1 cup(or half a bunch)
Mint leaves, chopped - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - a few
Biryani Masala powder- 2tsp
(Biryani Masala powder -
Dry roast & grind to a fine powder the following:-

Cinnamon-1 big stick,Cardamom-3,Cloves-4,
Nutmeg-quarter, Mace-3
Fennel seed-1/2tsp,Shahjeera-1/2tsp,Cumin seed-1/2 tsp)

Boiled Eggs - 2nos.
Raisins & Cashewnuts for garnishing
Rose water - 1tbsp(optional)
Saffron - a few strands(optional)
Ghee/Butter - as needed
Oil as needed
Salt as needed

For Marinating chicken
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2tsp
Salt as needed

For Grinding
Green chillies - 5nos.
Garlic,chopped - 1tbsp
Ginger,chopped - 1tbsp
Poppy seeds,soaked in water - 1tsp.

Method:
Soak rice in water for half an hour. Rinse and drain. Roast the drained rice in ghee/ghee+oil/oil for few minutes. Add 6 cups of boiling water & salt and cook rice till done. Spread rice in a flat plate & sprinkle 1tbsp lemon juice.

Marinate chicken pieces in turmeric, chilli & salt for 30 min(preferably in refrigerator).

Fry raisins and cashewnuts in ghee, till brown and keep aside. Fry half of the sliced onions till golden & keep aside. In the same pan shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces for a few minutes.

Heat oil/ghee in another pan and saute the remaining onions till translucent. Add the ground paste and saute. When the raw smell goes, add tomatoes, curd, lemon juice and salt. Saute till oil separates. Add the chopped leaves and fry for a minute. Now, add the chicken pieces, mix well & transfer it to a pressure cooker. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of boiling water and pressure cook for 5-6 minutes or till done. If there is more gravy, open cook till the required consistency is obtained.

In an oven-proof dish, spread half of the rice, layer the chicken pieces on top and layer the remaining rice on it. Sprinkle saffron(mixed in rosewater). Garnish with fried cashews, raisins & onions. Cover & microwave for 4 min on high. Alternately you can bake it for 15-30 min at 150 deg. celsius. Mix thoroughly and serve with boiled eggs(hidden in rice), raita & pickle.

Other Related Recipes:
Prawn Biryani
Chilli Chicken
Chicken Curry
Kerala Chicken Roast

Chicken Curry

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
Chicken(Cleaned & cut into small pieces) - 1 kg
Onions, chopped - 4nos.
Green Chillies, slit - 6nos.
Ginger-Garlic paste - 3tsp
Tomatoes, chopped - 2 nos.
Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 4 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil as needed

Whole spices, powdered
Cloves - 6nos.
Cardamom - 4nos.
Cinnamon - 2" stick
Pepper corns - 6nos.

Method:

Heat oil, add onions and saute till it turns brown. Add green chillies & ginger-garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell goes. Add chilli, turmeric & coriander powders. Fry for a while. Throw in the chopped tomatoes & saute till oil start to separate.

Add the powdered spices. Fry for a while and then add chicken & salt. Cook uncovered for a few minutes, stirring well. Now, add 1-2 cups of boiling water. Stir. Add curry leaves & cook covered till done.

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Other Related Recipes:
Malabar Chicken Biryani
Chilli Chicken
Kerala Chicken Roast

Flowers from Mom's garden

DALIA

ORCHIDS

Mushroom Pulao

Mushroom Pulao - Recipe from Blogs
I have made a couple of changes...like avoided mint leaves, made it more spicy etc....

Ingredients:
Button Mushrooms(Cleaned&Sliced) - 1 cup
Potato - 1nos.
Basmati Rice - 1cup
Onion - 1nos.
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1/2-1 tsp
Coriander Leaves
Curd - 1tbsp.
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Salt to taste

Whole Spices
Whole Red Chilli - 1
Bay Leaf - 1 small
Cloves -2
Cardamom-1
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Star Anise - 1 small piece(Not the whole!)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.

Method:

Wash rice and soak in water for 1/2 an hour. Peel & chop the potatoes. Slightly fry the potatoes in oil & keep aside.

Heat oil. Add the whole spices one by one and when done(aroma comes), add the chopped coriander leaves. Saute for while and then add chopped onions & ginger-garlic paste. When onions turn brown, add all the powdered masalas & salt.

Cook for a while & then add the potatoes & mushrooms. Cook covered until the mushrooms are half done or when all the moisture has evaporated. Now, add curd & cook for 1-2min. Add the drained rice & saute for a few minutes. Transfer the contents to a pressure cooker & add 2 1/4 cup of boiling water. Pressure cook until done.(2-3min). Serve garnished with coriander leaves with pickle and/or salad.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
Mushrooms - 1cup
Onion - 1nos
Garlic - 1nos.
Butter - 25gms(1/4 stick)
Flour - 1 heaped tbsp
Chicken Broth/water - 3 cups
Heavy Cream/Full cream milk - 1/2 - 1 cup
Ground Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste - optional

Method:
Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Cut half of the mushrooms into slices. Chop the remainder.
Melt half of the butter in a large saucepan and saute sliced mushrooms until golden. Remove and reserve. Add remaining butter to the same pan & saute sliced garlic. When the raw smell goes add the chopped mushrooms and onions. Add salt. Cook, until onion is soft.
Add flour and cook, stirring constantly about 2 minutes, until smooth. Slowly add chicken broth while stirring. Simmer, stirring often, until thickened. Add nutmeg and pepper(optional). Taste and adjust seasoning, if need be.
Switch off the flame. Cool & puree in a blender until smooth. Add the reserved mushrooms & return to fire. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer(Do not boil). Ladle into soup bowls and serve garnished with cream.

Bittergourd Curry with Yogurt

Bittergourd Curry with Yogurt - Recipe from Blogs

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd sliced thin - 2
Green chillies slit - 5
Tomato sliced into quarters - 1
Onion sliced - 1

Red Chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Yogurt - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Oil - as needed

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

Heat a little oil and shallow fry the bittergourd pieces till light brown. Add onions and green chillies into it and saute for 2-3 mintues. Now add chilly powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder and 1 tbsp of water.Stir them for a while and add tomato and salt.Now add coconut milk and necessary water. Bring to a slow boil. Switch off the heat. When cool add the beaten yogurt & mix well.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add curry leaves and cumin seeds into it and fry for a while. Pour it over the curry. Serve with rice.

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