Canned Tuna Cutlet

Canned Tuna Cutlet

Ingredients
1. Tuna (in vegetable oil)  - 1 can 
2. Onion - a big one, finely chopped
3. Ginger - 1 tbsp grated or paste
4. Garlic - 2 tbsp
5. Tomato - a small one, chopped
6. Green Chilies - 1 or 2, as per taste ( optional ), if you want to avoid green chilies, you can use black pepper powder or Red chili powder.
7. Potato - 1 medium sized, boiled
8. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
9. Salt -
10. Egg - 1
11. Breadcrumbs -
12. Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
13. Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Method :

1.  Open the can of Tuna, drain the oil and keep the Tuna aside.
2.  Add the chopped onion to the pan, saute it till it changes the color to light brown, add ginger and garlic. Stir it, cook until the raw smell goes off. Add the chopped tomato to it, sprinkle some salt. Cook it till the tomato becomes soft and smashed. 
3. Add the coriander powder and green chilies, garam masala. Stir it and mix it, till oil starts separating from the sides of the pan
4.  Add the Tuna,  keep stirring for 5 to 6 minutes more or until it is well cooked. Add the potato, smashed it with a spatula and mix well with Tuna. Here potato will help the mixture to bind it nicely.
5. Let it cool down first, the tuna-mixture is almost ready to fry.
6.  Divide the mixture 8 to 10 equal balls, give them shape into round or cylindrical.
7. In a small bowl whisk the egg with 2 tbsp water and on a another flat dish spread the     breadcrumbs.
8. Take a ball first dip into the egg mixture, then roll it on the breadcrumbs till it gets a nice coat of  breadcrumbs all over it. Do the same process for rest of the balls.
9. Deep fry the tuna balls.
10. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Note : Be careful while adding salt as the canned tuna is already salty.

Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients 

2 cups Basmati Rice
3/4 kg Chicken Pieces
1/2 cup Milk
1 cup Yogurt (curd)
3 sliced onion
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
1/2 cup Tomato Puree
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder 
1 tsp Turmeric Powder 
1 tsp Roasted cumin powder 
2 tsp Garam Masala Powder 
1/2 tsp Green Cardamom Powder 

Cloves - 3

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon - 1/4 inch piece

Bay leaf - 1

Saffron a pinch
1 tsp Coriander Powder 
2 tbsp Green Coriander Leaves 
Salt to taste 
7 tbsp Oil

To Grind

Coriander leaves- 1/4 cup

Mint leaves -1/4 cup

Green Chillies- 2

Tomato - 1 big sized

Method:

1. Soak basmati rice in water for atleast 20mins, set aside.Grind the ingredients under 'to grind' with little water to a fine paste. Set aside. Clean chicken and rinse it thrice , add turmeric powder and set aside
2. Heat oil+ghee in a pressure cooker and add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf, then add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.Then add onion and saute till its golden brown. Then add tomato, saute till raw smell leaves.
3. Then add coriander mint paste and saute for 2mins. Then add curd, chicken along with turmeric, red chilli,coriander,garam masala powders and required salt.
4. Saute till it forms a thick gravy and chicken changes color.Add 1 cups of water and pressure cook for 1 whistle.Once pressure releases, open and give a quick stir.
5. .Drain water from rice and add it to the gravy, stir once. Then add coconut milk.
6. Pressure cook for 1 whistle. Once pressure releases fluff it with a fork carefully without breaking the rice. Serve hot with onion raita.

Notes:

1 Cup Rice-2 Cups Water

Vellayappam

Vellayappam

Ingredients

1. Rice Flour -  2 cups
2.  Yeast – 1 tsp
3. Sugar – 3 tbsp
4. Rava (Semolina) – 2 tbsp
5. Thick Coconut Milk – 1/2 to 1 Cup (I use Canned Coconut Milk)
6. Water – As needed
7. Salt – to taste

Batter Preparation

1. For making Rava Kurukku (Semolina Paste) which is a thick paste, take 2 cups of water in a saucepan and add 2 tbsp of rava (semolina). Bring it to a boil stirring continuously. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring. When the mixture changes to a thick paste, remove it from heat and allow it to cool.
2. In a big bowl, combine 2 cups of Rice Flour, 3 tbsp Sugar, cooled Rava Kurukku (Semolina Paste), 1 tsp Yeast along with 1/2 cup Coconut Milk and a pinch of salt. Add around 1/2 to 1 cup water or more and whisk everything to form a smooth and thick batter. The batter should be thick because after fermentation it will rise and become thinner in consistency.
3. Leave the batter in a warm place for around 1-2 hours and allow it to ferment.

How To Make Vellayappam

1. Heat a flat Non Stick Tava or griddle and pour a ladle full of batter. Do not spread the batter with the ladle.
2. Cover with a lid and allow it to cook on medium heat for around 2-3 minutes. 
3. Turn the appam and cook the other side till it is slightly brown.

Vattayappam

Vattayappam

Ingredients

Double Horse Easy Vattayappam Mix  -  1 Packet

Grated Coconut –  1 cup

Sugar – 10tbsp

Water – 1/2 cup

Salt – a pinch

Yeast – 1/4 tsp

Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

Cashews and raisins for garnish

1.  In a blender, blend together the rice flour, grated coconut,  sugar and water to a smooth consistency.
2. Transfer the mix to a deep bottom bowl and add in the salt and yeast and rest for about 1-2 hours , till the batter doubles.
3.  Grease pans with butter or ghee and pour the batter to these greased pans, garnish on top with some cashews and raisins  and steam them for about 5-10 mins or till done. 
4. Enjoy Vattayappam .

Fruit salad

Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

1 apple

1 orange

1 cup of cubed, ripe pineapple

5-6 dates

1/2 cup of cubed, ripe mangoes (if in season)

1 small banana

1/4 cup of glazed cherries

1/4 cup of chopped cashew nuts

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp sugar

For Custard Sauce:

2 cups of milk

3 tbsp of vanilla custard powder

3 tbsp of sugar

1.       Mix the custard powder with 1/4 cup milk and whisk until smooth

2.       Bring the milk and sugar to boil

3.       Add the custard mix slowly to the boiling milk

4.       Keep stirring until the custard starts to thicken. This will take about 5-7 mins,

5.       Remove, transfer to a bowl, cool completely, and refrigerate

Fruit Salad

·         Make a slightly thick syrup with water and sugar

·         Add finely chopped fruits  to this syrup

·         Mix well and refrigerate until serving time

·         Add required amount of the fruit salad to a bowl. Top off with desired amount of custard. Serve chilled.

Nankhatai

Nankhatai


Maida - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup,powdered(measure after powdering)
Cardamom seeds,crushed - 1/2 tsp*
Ghee - 1/2 cup,melted and cooled
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Powder the sugar along with one cardamom and a few strands of saffron(if using) and keep aside.Sift(or stir) together maida and baking soda,keep aside.
3. Mix together the melted ghee and powdered sugar to a smooth paste.Add the flour 1 tbsp at a time and mix together to form a dough.Knead the dough with your fingertips until it starts to come together.
4. Rest the dough for about 1 hour and then pinch off balls of same size and then roll them smooth and place on an ungreased cookie tray.
   Bake at 180C for 8-10 minutes.

Sabudhana North Indian Kichdi

Sabudhana North Indian Kichdi

Medium green chili fine chopped – 3or 4
½ Cup of sabudana
½ Teaspoon cumin seeds
½ Teaspoon of mustard seeds 
1 Pinch of asafetida (Hing)
1 Pinch of turmeric powder
2 Whole dry red chilies in pieces - break them
4 Curry leaves (optional)
3 Tablespoons of dry roasted peanuts coarsely grinded
½ Teaspoon salt or to your taste
2 Teaspoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 Tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 Cup grated coconut
1. In a bowl, add tapioca pearls and wash. Add 1 cup of water and mix with tapoica, cover the bowl and let the tapioca soak for 1 hour or until tapioca become soft but not mushy. If the pearls are still hard then soak little longer. Each pearl should be soft to the touch then it is ready to use.
2. to check if the tapioca pearls have become soft or not, you should be easily able to press the pearl. Once tapioca become soft, drain all the water out and keep it aside.
3. Heat a nonstick frying pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafetida and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until cumin seeds become brown and mustard seeds start splattering.
4. Add red chili pieces and curry leaves and fry them for few seconds until chilies become brown.
5. Add peanuts mixture along with salt, saute for a couple of minutes.
6. Add soaked sabudana, salt, turmeric powder and lemon juice, mix with everything and continuously keep stirring for 1 to 2 minutes
7. Finally add grated coconut and mix well. . If the khichdi looks too dry then sprinkle few drops of water stir and turn the stove off. Sabudana turn translucent after cooking.
8. Garnish the sabudana khichdi with some coriander leaves, drizzle with some lemon juice and serve the sabudana khichdi

Bread Balls

Bread Balls

Bread -10 slices
Sugar – acc: to taste
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Milk – ¼ cup
Oil- for deep frying
Raisins – 10

1. Mix all together and make a dough (pls make it sure tz nt sticky).
2. Make small balls out of it ( not bigger than a grape)
3. Heat Oil in a pan and deep fry till it gets golen colour.

പ്രതീക്ഷ

പ്രതീക്ഷ

നയമിഷികം മാത്രമായ  സ്നേഹ ബന്ധങ്ങൾ 
പൊള്ളയായ  ആചാര വാക്കുകൾ 
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എവിടെ  നിന്നോ പറന്നു  വന്നു 
എവിടേയ്ക്കോ  പറന്നകലാൻ 
വെമ്പ ന്ന കിളികൾ 
അവയുടെ  ഇണക്കവും  പിണക്കവും 
മോഹവും  മോഹ ഭംഗങ്ങളും  
ശബ്ദാജനകമായ  കുറേ  ദിനങ്ങൾ 
ഇന്നലയുടെ  ഓർമ്മകളെ  അണച്ചു  പിടിച്ചു 
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അറിയാതെയെന്ക്കിലും  മനസ്സു  തേങ്ങുന്നു 

ഇതോ  പ്രതീക്ഷയുടെ  ഉൾവിളി ?

ഓർമ്മകൾ

ഓർമ്മകൾ 

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എന്തിനെന്നറിയാതെ എവിടെയെന്നറിയാതെ 
എപ്പോഴോ ഇരുളിൽ മറഞ്ഞ ബാല്യം 
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