MURUKKU

MURUKKU

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo Maida
• 1/4 kilo Oil 
• Asafetida 
• 1 tbsp Salt 
• Hot water(hand bearable)

Method:

1.Steam cook maida for 15 mins (I laid a white cloth inside the container then added the flour). After 10mins - When you take it, it will have lumps formed . Cool down and break the lumps formed and  spread it in a plate and leave it to cool down until it is dry.

2.Then sieve it and collect it in a container, now the flour for murukku is ready.In a mixing bowl, add maida, required salt and mix it once. Then add hot water and combine.

3.Combine  to form a smooth dough. Then divide them equal portions and set aside. I used the star shaped press for the murukku.

4.Grease the murukku press(it is like cookie press) and add the dough till it fills 1/2 to 3/4th of the murukku press. Then press it circular to form a pattern.

5.Form a round pattern . Heat oil in a kadai (as required for the murukku to immerse fully) - carefully flip the laddle and drop the murukku in oil.Cook the murukku on both sides till the 'shh' sounds ceases and they turn golden brown in color(Fry it in medium low flame.).Drain in tissue paper and then store in an airtight container.

CHICKEN FRY

CHICKEN FRY

Ingredients:

1. Chicken (medium sized pieces)- 500 gms
2. Oil

For Marination

1. Kashmiri  chili powder-1 tbsp( or to taste)
2. Turmeric powder-1/2 t
3. Garam Masala -1/2 tsp
4. Black Pepper-1/4 to 1/2 tsp(or to taste)
5. Ginger-1" piece
6. Garlic-4 cloves
7. Shallots- 4 nos
8. Salt to taste
9. Water-( as required)

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients for marination in a blender with sufficient quantity of water and grid to form a smooth paste.Rub this on to the chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a non stick pan and shallow fry the chicken pieces over medium flame until browned on all the sides.( make sure you turn the pieces once in between for even cooking).
• Drizzle lemon juice on it just before serving ,if desired.

FRENCH TOAST

FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients:
        

• 2 eggs (depending on the number of breads)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 slices bread
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 
  
• Method:

1. Put eggs in small plastic Tupperware container and add milk, sugar and cinnamon
2. Mix with fork until frothy.
3. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan or tawa over medium heat.
4. Take one slice of bread at a time and cover it in the eggs. Depending on the size of your pan, place each slice of bread on the pan.
5. Flip each slice over once the sides are cooked with the spatula (don't overcook).Cook bread until both sides are lightly browned and crisp.
6. Pour some syrup on your homemade french toast if you desire it!

                                                                                                                                       

CHICKEN ROLL

CHICKEN ROLL

Ingredients:

1. Minced Cooked Chicken – 900 gm
2. 2cups -Onion chopped
   2  ” - Ginger, grated
   10  Cloves of garlic, grated
   8-10 Crushed Green chilli
3. ½ tsp Turmeric
   1 tsp + 1/2 tsp Pepper powder
   1/4 + 1/4 tsp garam masala
4. Salt – as reqd.
   3-4 tbs- Oil
   1 tsp – Lime juice
5. ½  cup- chopped coriander leaves
6. Chicken  Masala preparation:

In a sauce pan, add 2 tbsp oil and add minced chicken. Add 1 tsp pepper powder,1/4 tsp turmeric powder,¼ tsp garam masala and enough salt. Cook until the chicken is tender and all water has dried up completely. 

Slice the onion and chop them into even smaller size. Grate ginger, garlic and Green chillies. In a large non-stick sauce pan or frying pan add oil and set the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, grated ginger, garlic, green chillies and salt and sauté until onion becomes just translucent i.e. they have become soft and started turning pale. Don’t brown them. If you see any moisture in the onions at this stage, just turn up the heat, and dry them out. Once the water has completely dried up,add ½ tsp of pepper powder and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder and sauté for few more seconds.

Add cooked minced chicken and lime juice to this; mix well and simmer for about 5- 10 minutes on medium flame by covering with the lid. Add chopped coriander leaves and rest of the garam masala to this and stir well and cook for further couple of minutes until the leaves are wilted. 

Pancake

1 cup Plain Flour 
1 1/4 cup water
1 medium size egg
Salt to taste

Pancake preparation:

To make the batter, mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl using  a blender until everything is blended without lumps. Heat a small frying pan onto medium heat; pour ½ a ladle of batter to form circles of 5” diameter. Just cook the pancake on one side  and take them out..Place them in a plate rubbed with oil. Place a heaped teaspoon of the masala on the uncooked side. Place it in the top part from middle, an inch away from the sides. Fold both sides to enclose the filling in and then roll it completely to seal the filling in . When you fill one spring roll, you can start making the next one.

1. 1-2 Eggwhites
   Breadcrumbs- As required
   Vegetable oil- To deep fry the rolls.

Dip the roll in lightly beaten egg whites and then roll it in breadcrumbs until fully coated.Heat a frying pan filled halfway with oil. Fry these rolls in the oil until golden and crisp.

GHEE RICE

GHEE RICE

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Onions - 2,thinly sliced
Cashewnuts - 10,halved
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - 1' stick
Cloves - 3
Water - 2 cups
Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash the rice well under running water 2-3 times or till the water runs clear.Soak in enough water for 10-15 minutes and drain.
• Heat the ghee in a pan, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cashewnuts and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the onions and cook till they turn golden brown. Remove some onions and keep aside for the garnish.
• Add the rice and 2 cups of hot water and salt and cook for 15 minutes.
• Garnish with the fried onions, cashewnuts and raisins and serve hot.

KERALA FISH CURRY

KERALA FISH CURRY

Ingredients:

Fish (King Fish/Ney meen) – 500 gms (1/2 kg)
Tamarind – one big lemon size
Mustard – 1 tsp
Fenugreek – half tsp
Garlic pods – 6
Ginger – one medium piece
Green chillies – 5
Shallots – 10
Curry Leaves – a few
Turmeric powder – half tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder – 3 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1/4tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste

Method:

1)Clean the fish, drain and keep aside.

2)Mix together the red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and fenugreek powder with little water, to make a smooth paste.

3)Heat oil in a pan.

4)Add mustard seeds and when they start spluttering, add fenugreek seeds followed by the sliced onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and the paste and fry till the oil separates.


5)Add tamarind extract and check the level of sourness.

6)When the water starts boiling, add the fish pieces and salt. 

7)Add enough water to cover the pieces.

8)Cook on a gentle heat. 

9)When the pieces are almost cooked, increase the heat and cook till the gravy thickens and the oil is visible. 

:- Serve hot with rice.

Tips:

• If you want to keep this curry more than a day, at room temperature, it's better to avoid coriander powder.
• The addition of raw coconut oil and fenugreek powder at the end,does magic to the texture and taste of this curry. If you really like coconut oil,go ahead and add one more spoon and a little bit more fenugreek powder too.

KULCHA

KULCHA (NORTH INDIAN)

Ingredients:

For the Kulcha:
300 gm all purpose flour
2 Tbsp Yogurt
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp  baking powder
1 tbsp. Ghee
1/2 tsp. dry yeast
To prepare yeast:
3/4 cup Warm water
1/2 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp Sugar

For Filling:
250 gm Potatoes
1 tsp. Chili chopped
1 tsp. Salt 1/2 cup Finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp. lemon juice
Oil 

Method:

Method for preparing yeast:

1. Sprinkle yeast in warm water.
2.Add sugar and leave it for ten minutes.
3. Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice to it and your yeast is ready.

For Masala Kulcha:

1. Sieve all purpose flour and add baking powder, salt, Ghee, and yogurt to it.
2. Prepare the soft dough with yeast- water, and leave the dough for about two hours.
3. For the filling boil the potatoes and mash it very smoothly. Now mix the remaining masala and prepare a mixture.
4. Make small ball from the dough, roll into a disc shape and put potato filling on it. Give it a ball shape by sealing its edges. Finally roll it into a thick paratha . Apply Ghee or oil n a griddle and bake.

CHICKEN BALLS

CHICKEN BALLS

Ingredients:

1/2 kg boneless chicken pieces, cleaned and washed

1/4 kg onions finely sliced

8-10 fresh green chillis

5-6 dry red chillis (adjust according to your choice)

5 garlic flakes

1' piece ginger chopped

2tbsps coriander powder

1 1/2 tbsps cumin seeds

2″ cinnamon stick

3 green cardamoms

5-6 cloves

10 cashewnuts

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

Method:

1.  Heat a tbsp of oil in cooking vessel. Add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamom, red chillis and cashewnuts and stir for a minute till a nice aroma emanates the whole kitchen. Be careful not to burn the spices. Cool.
2.  First grind the roasted ingredients along with ginger, garlic and green chillis to a coarse paste. Next add the chopped raw onions, coriander leaves, chicken and salt and grind further to form a smooth paste like shown in the picture above.
3.  Add a tbsp of oil to the ground mixture and mix thoroughly before shaping into small lemon sized balls.
4.  Heat oil for deep frying. Once its piping hot, reduce flame to medium and place these balls in the oil and fry them to a crisp, golden brown color.
5. Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Mango Chammanthi

Mango Chammanthi

Ingedients:

Green mangoes sliced – 1 cup
Green chillies – 4-5(use it accordingly)
Shallots – 2
Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
Grated coconut- 1 cup
Salt – to taste

Curry leaves- 2 leaves

Method:

Grind all the ingredients together in a wet grinder/small jar in the Indian mixer. At the end, try shaping it round.....

TAPIOCCA PANEER CUTLET

TAPIOCCA PANEER CUTLET

Ingredients

• 3-4 tapiocca, boiled and mashed
• 1/2 cup crumbled paneer/cottage cheese
• 1 grated carrot
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs or crumbled bread
• 2-3 green chilies, minced 
• 1/2 tsp  ginger- garlic paste
• 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp jeera powder
• 1/2 tsp amchur powder/dry mango powder – optional
• oil for deep frying 

Method

 Mix together all the ingredients except the oil. Take a handful and form a flat round shape. Totally makes around 8-10 small cutlets. Thats it. Now, you could simply deep fry in hot oil.