how to make Adai

INGREDIENTS :

Chana dal - ¾cupToor dal - ½ cupUrad dal - ½ cupMoong dal - ¼ cupRedchilles - 10 noGinger - 2" pieceIdly Rice - 2 cups Chopped Onions - ½ cup

Seasoning Ingredients:

Musatard seeds,Red chilles,Urad dal,Curry leaves,chopped Onions
Coriander - chopped ¼ cup

Soak the rice and all dals separately in two different vessels for 5 hours.Soak the redchillies also.

Grind redchilles,ginger along with dals and rice into a coarse paste.It should be thick than the dosa batter.Add sufficient water to change the consistency. Add Seasoning (mustard seeds,urad dal ,Red chilles,curry leaves,chopped onions) ,salt ,chopped coriander leaves stir well into the batter.Start making adais after 1 hr .Since the seasoning is soaked in the batter it gives more taste.

Heat non stick pan and add a little bit oil to the pan.

Pour a laddle full of batter and spread in a circular motion from inside to outside.Drizzle little bit oil on both sides and roast for golden brown color.

Serve hot with any chutney.

ANDHRA FISH PULUSU

A very tasty authentic Andhra Fish Pulusu (Curry) recipe. It goes very well with rice. Try to use fleshy fish like Porgees or Tilapia. This recipe is very different than any kerala fish curry recipe. 

INGREDIENTS

Fish - 1 kiloOil - 10 tbspCurryLeaves - 1 sprigWhole Green Chillies - 6Big Onions - 2TurmericPowder - 1 tspSaltGarlic Paste - 3 tspChillyPowder - 3 1/2 tspTamarind - 1 big lemon sizedHot Water - 2 cupsGaramMasala - 1/2 tspCorriander Leaves - 2 tbsp

DIRECTIONS

Step 1

Soak tamarind in 3 cups of warm water.

Step 2

Grind onions to paste.

Step 3

Cut the fish into medium pieces. Use fish like tilapia or porgees.

Step 4

Heat Mud Pot and spread oil (10 tblsp looks too much but fish pulusu need lot of oil).

Step 5

Add Curry Leaves, Whole Green Chillies (if you need more spiceness for the curry while eating, break the green chillies) and fry it for few minutes.

Step 6

Add Onion Paste, Turmeric Powder, Salt and mix it. Fry it for around 7 mts so that onion paste is cooked well.

Step 7

Add Garlic Paste, mix and fry it for few minutes until the raw smell goes away.

Step 8

Add Chilly Powder and Fry it for few minutes.

Step 9

Add tarmind water 2 cupes and mix well. Let it boil.

Step 10

Add Hot Water (1 or 2 cups), curry shouldnt very watery.

Step 11

Close with lid and let it boil for 7 minutes.

Step 12

Add fish and mix it. Check the sourness before you add the fish. Add more tamarind water if needed. Close the lid and cook it for 10 minutes.

Step 13

Add Garam Masala, Corriander Leaves, Mix it without breaking fish.

Step 14

Close the lid and cook for 5 mts.

Step 15

Enjoy the fish pulusu with hot rice. It tastes even better the next day

Palak Paneer/ Cottage Cheese in Spinach Sauce

There is no fun in blogging anymore. Once upon a time, there were few blogs and there were few bloggers and being food crazy was frowned upon. Hence there was this thrill in writing lustily about a particular recipe, as if you just stumbled upon its virtues,as if it changes your life (it may have!!),  as if you were the only one in the world who could make it well and photograph it like never seen before, tempting lots and lots of readers who still haven't discovered the secret.
What secret, you ask? Well the secret is that dear readers, anybody can cook and just like any other skill, the more u cook, the better you become....But now there are sooooooooooo many blogs.. that there is no need  for me to blog anymore.

 I can spend my days surfing on others blogs and see and enjoy the thrill in the younger blogs while I secretly miss the old hats whose blogs lie still and dead, gathering dust like the empty tharavadus in Kerala.  I wish all these bloggers would wake up and blog once more, just to see some new words from them..just for a new line of conversation... not for the recipes which abound everywhere.
Between the frozen aisle which imports everything u miss, to the multitude of new bloggers, there is no recipe left to cover now. Its just versions and versions...which is really what a recipe is... a version of a food played out in your family, customized to your family's tastes.

Rant apart, an old standby which is the best way to get spinach into my kids, though my better half refuses to touch it..:) Palak Paneer, which is fried cubes of cottage cheese in a spiced up spinach gravy. Some fry the paneer, some toss it with tandoori spices and grill it, some put in bland... it works any way..just don't add cream to the final gravy , Ala restaurant style.


Paneer cubes - 15-20 .
Onion - 1 small onion
Garlic Clove-3
Coriander Powder-1 Tsp.
Cumin Seeds -1/2 tsp Tsp.
Turmeric- 1/8 tsp
Asafoetida- A pinch
Red Chili Powder-1/4 tsp
Garam Masala- A pinch.
Oil -2-3 Tbsp.

For Gravy Base :
Spinach- 1 bunch.
Ginger small-1/2 inch
Onion- 2 tbsp chopped
Green Chilies(Small) 2-3 Nos
Salt to taste
Cream (Optional) 1 Tbsp

Preparation:
1. You could use fresh or good quality frozen spinach. Since this is one leaf that soaks up all the insecticides and stuff sprayed on it, use organic as much as possible.  Spinach if bought as fresh bunches from the farmer’s market or the Asian stores has a lot of sand on it. Soak the spinach in a large vessel with water for 10 minutes and rinse each leaf well under running water. Do not stint on washing it well. The sand can destroy all your hard work! If you are using pre-washed spinach, you could cook it as it is. Wash & drain the water from Spinach. Chop them coarsely.

2. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of oil in a non stick pan and sauté the paneer pieces till light golden on all sides. Take care not to leave the pan unattended as it gets burnt quickly. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Drain onto paper towels and keep aside.

3. Cook the spinach with the ginger, green chilies, ½ cup water and one clove of garlic in a pan till soft. If using a pressure cooker, cook for one whistle only.
When it cools down, blend the cooked spinach to a coarse paste using a hand blender or food processor. Use quick pulses to avoid blending it to a paste.

4. In the same wide pan heat the remaining oil, fry the chopped onions till translucent. Add the remaining garlic and sauté. Add the spice powders, 1 tablespoon of water and sauté for a minute. Take care not to burn the spices. Add the yogurt and when the liquid in it dries up add the blended spinach paste and salt.

5. Cover and let it simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes and add the paneer cubes. Let it cook for another 5-6 minutes to combine the flavors, check seasoning and add the tablespoon of cream. It should be slightly tangy and spicy. Add a pinch of garam masala before serving.

Tips to Note:
Do not add any additional water for blending. The spinach should be coarse but should not be fibrous.
Do not add any water while cooking the gravy. The gravy has to get thickened on medium heat so the more the water, the more time it will take and it will dilute the flavor of the spinach.
Add tomato instead of yogurt in the first cooking of the spinach for the tanginess.

Roasted Cauliflower..Indian Style.

I was in hibernation as the wind turned cold and the days got short, making each day a mad dash from one warm place to another. Packed, moved, unpacked yet again and in between all this my poor blog lay neglected, without a kind glance..
Today is Ground Hog Day, so I definitely had to post.. a day made memorable for me by the classic movie of the same name wherein the Bill Murray gets stuck in Punxsutawney, PA and relives the same day over and over over again till he... Well..watch the movie if you can. This is the day when a poor ground hog in Punxsutawney, PA comes out of its hibernation and see a mass of people waiting to see his reaction..
 " According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks."
Apparently, spring is coming early.. the days are already getting longer..
So why am I so excited..?
Well, for one.. this signifies the beginning of the end of the frosty day!! Yahoo!!This has been a relatively mild winter with intermittent spates of freezing cold.. to think positively, if there was no winter, where would I wear all those sweaters and scarfs?
And also for me the last one year has been like reliving the same day over and over again..Get up, pack lunch, drive, work, cook, clean, eat... all verbs, with no fun adjectives to sprinkle around it.  Like a scene from the movie when the hero finally knows the day and road so well that he automatically dodges a pothole and avoid getting splashed on, have fine tuned the day activities to a  semi-automatic form.
 So have to pay homage to the movie and day that I use as a analogy for what our routine sometime becomes!! Is it like that for everyone?

And what's better in this weather than to turn on the oven and roast something with the pretense of cooking while in actuality you just want to heat up the house further. The warmth and the aroma both make this a quick reach for in our house.
I grew up three recipes for cauliflower.. Alu Gobi (Potatoes and cauliflower curried together), Gobi Parantha( Flatbread stuffed with cauliflower) or Cauliflower thoran (Shredded cauliflower steam cooked with coconut).  Spouse refused to espouse the Alu Gobi and over time I forgot how to make it, much as it is a favorite for most. But this roasted cauliflower was adopted with open arms and since it doesn't involve cooking, gets made more often.
It is a healthy vegetable , a cousin of the broccoli family.. its known to lower your risk of cancer, and it is  full of antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties and is loaded with fiber.

You will need:
1 medium cauliflower torn into florets
1 Onion cut into dices
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 whole cloves of garlic (optionally with skin on)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chlli powder( or paprika)
2-3 tablespoon chopped cilantro


How to do it:
Cut the cauliflower into florets and wash the florets and drain well.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a large roasting pan or tray pan with foil. Place the cauliflower florets and onion dices in it. Pour  the olive oil all over the cauliflower, and sprinkle the salt, turmeric, sesame seeds, chili powder, cumin powder and cilantro and mix well with your hand. Add the garlic cloves too. Place the saute/roasting pan in the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, checking and stirring to ensure even roasting. Garnish with more chopped cilantro and serve immediately while still warm.

Variations:
Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala if you like.
Use only salt , pepper and finish off with parmesan cheese.
Use only sambar masala and salt.
Tell me your variation.

A Bowl of Noodles...

Left to myself, I would never have learnt cooking beyond variations of Ramen noodles or as it is called in India..Maggi.  A scrambled egg,  some spinach, some kimchi,  a lot of veggies...customize it any way you like and its is a quick meal.  Like it or hate it, it is a comfort food for many and noodles in any form is an easy meal to get to the table.. of course.. ramen is the easiest and if I thought selecting from the flavors of maggi was getting complicated, you just have to walk down the instant noodle aisle in the Asian food stores.. it ranges from the cheapest 4 for a dollar packets to the "pricier" gourmet packets of even two dollars. Plus recently I got introduced to the Nongshim  varieties of ramen...more junk food for me. Since the rest of the family did not (and still does not)  share this passion for over spiced, salty noodles, I had to learn cooking and could not take the easy way out.
So on other days, there is the stir fried noodles made with the endless varieties of noodles that you get here.. dried or fresh cooked ones too..a quick meal with veggies and chicken and egg all thrown as desired!! Spice up the noodles as you like but we like to have the spice on the side.

Boil noodles as per instructions on the package and drain. Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a wok and saute the 1 tsp each of minced ginger garlic lightly. For 4 cup noodles, add about 1/4 cup each of mushrooms, Snow peas, sliced peppers, cabbage, julienne carrots, white parts of the scallions, thinly sliced beans, etc and saute for 3-4 minutes. Then add 2-4 tsp of soy sauce , 2-3 tbsp chicken stock if you have it,  2 tsp sesame oil and  1/2 tsp pepper. Add the noodles, toss well on high heat, add 1 tsp white vinegar and taste for salt. Finally add the green parts of the scallions. Toss with some sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, chili oil, optionally add sriracha sauce, green chili sauce, black pepper sauce etc for an added spice level. I really don't have a recipe.. I start with this and taste and modify as I go along depending on the taste.sometimes heavy on spices and sometimes its light with a side of the ubiquitous chili chicken. You are welcome to leave you modifications in the comments.

Plantains Sauteed in Butter/Ghee..

The dog days of summer.. long hot days, humid days, a handful of thundershowers.. well.. any day a better summer than last year's wet, unseasonably cold summer.
Someone left a comment saying, " its summer outside my window" and I just realized my bog is still showing fall!!! Well, long hours of work and managing the house doesn't leave time for blogging anymore but I had to change the fall picture!!
Now its Ramzan season and all thoughts of food are centered around the traditional for me at least. 
Ramzan's fast  is a loooong day here this time and barely any time left to do the  2-3 courses of food after breaking fast. Guess we have to wait a long time before wee get winter fasts here!

Ramzan, Iftars..and Plantains..go hand in hand for me..
How many ways can you eat the humble plantains? Ask a Keralite/Mallu..
Pazham Narachathu/Plantains stuffed with coconut and sugar, or scrambled sweet egg.
Pazham Porichathu/ Plantains dipped in batter and fried.
Pazham Vattiyathu/ Plantains cut and sauteed in ghee.
Pazham Ulathiyathu/ Scrambled Plantains with coconut and sugar.
Unnakayi/ Mashed Plantains stuffed with coconut.

This one above is the simplest way to satisfy a dessert craving.. Slice Plantains into slices horizontally or vertically. Heat 2 tsp of Butter/Ghee and saute the plantains for 2-3 minutes on each side on medium heat. When they look golden halfway through the thickness, flip them and cook the other side. Sprinkle sugar and let it melt and as it starts crusting, remove and serve. Traditionally , the sugar is sprinkled after the plantains are removed onto a plate, but the slightly crusted sugar also tastes yum.
Try it on its own.. or in the Americano way.. with vanilla ice cream..:)
Don't ask if you can saute this in olive oil or vegetable oil to make it healthy...its not really meant to be.. it's meant to be enjoyed in moderation.

how to make Marinated Chicken Thighs

"This is a great basic marinade for grilling meats, and the pink peppercorns add a nice spicy kick"



Ingredients 2 cups fresh parsley leaves, chopped 8 large sprigs fresh thyme, chopped 4 large sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 small shallot, diced 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns 2 tablespoons cracked pink peppercorns 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil 8 skin-on chicken thighs Flaky salt, such as Maldon, for seasoning Salad, for serving

Directions

  

Mix the parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic, shallots, black peppercorns and pink peppercorns together in a bowl. Add the olive oil to cover the herbs/spices. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the marinade.

  Place the chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag. Add the marinade and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat the grill to medium.

Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, pat with a paper towel and place, fleshy-side down, on the hot grill. Grill until cooked through, turning once, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Finish with the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade and some flaky salt. Serve on top of your favorite salad.

how to make Spicy Chicken Tenders with Honey-Mustard

Ingredients

Vegetable oil cooking spray

Honey-Mustard:

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup Dijon or whole-grain mustard

Breading:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten

3 tablespoons hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

1 cup cornmeal

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, halved lengthwise

Olive oil, for drizzling

Kosher salt

Directions

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a heavy baking sheet liberally with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Honey-Mustard: In a small serving bowl, mix together the honey and mustard until smooth. Set aside.

Breading: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and 1 tablespoon salt. In a second medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and hot sauce. In a third medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour and then into the egg mixture. Allow any excess egg mixture to drip off and coat the chicken in the cornmeal mixture. Arrange the breaded chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, to taste. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 to 17 minutes.

Arrange the chicken on a platter and serve the honey-mustard alongside.

how to make Oven Fried Chicken

Corn cereal crumbs and crushed crackers create a delicious coating. The yogurt tenderizes the chicken. A light spray of olive oil before baking guarantees lightly crispy results. ...

Ingredients

1/2 sleeve (about 20) whole-grain salted crackers, pulsed in a food processor until fine (about 1/2 cup)
2 1/2 cups corn cereal flakes, pulsed in a food processor to fine crumbs (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 egg whites
1 cup low fat, plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Olive oil cooking spray
4 medium sized skinless chicken breasts and 4 skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry (about 3 1/2 pounds chicken)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.

Combine the crackers and corn cereal crumbs, sesame seeds, cayenne, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Reserve.

In a large bowl, combine egg whites, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly with the yogurt mixture.

One at a time, dip the chicken pieces in the cracker mixture, packing crumbs onto chicken. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.

how to make Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

All-purpose flour, for dredging

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

how to cook Roman-Style Chicken

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs

2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon

1/4 cup olive oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

3 ounces prosciutto, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons capers

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.

How to Bake a Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow this easy guide for mixing, prepping and baking a cake



How-To: Cake 101
Follow these easy tips for success every time you bake.


Prep Ingredients
First, set out your ingredients.


Measurements Matter
Take the time to be precise. Accurate measurements mean tastier results.


Bring All Ingredients to Room Temperature
Measure your ingredients while the butter and eggs warm up. Batter mixes best when ingredients are at room temperature.


Check Egg Sizes
Large eggs are the most common for baking.


Preheat
Preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes. Use an oven thermometer so you'll know if your oven is running hot or cold.


Oven Racks
Position racks in the center of the oven.


Sifting
Use a mesh strainer if your recipe calls for sifting. Just tap the sides and take your time.


Parchment-Paper Lining
Trace the cake pan on parchment paper and cut just inside the lines.


Butter the Pan
Butter the pan with softened butter or nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper — this will help your cake release perfectly — and butter the parchment.


Flour the Pan
Coat the sides, bottom and corners of the pan, then remove excess. The butter and flour combination will help the cake come out of the pan easily once baked. Remove excess flour when prepping the pan.


Preparing a Bundt Pan
With Bundt pans, take care to butter all the nooks and crannies, then flour the pan. You're ready to add your batter.


Baking
Only fill the cake pan to 2/3 high. Use the center rack of the oven for even cooking.


Rotate the Pan
Halfway through the cooking time, rotate the pan 180 degrees.


Done
The cake is done when it's firm to the touch.


Toothpick Test
A skewer inserted into the center should come out clean.


Cooling
Cool in the pan on a rack for five to 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Be careful — the pan may still be hot.


Bundt Cake Cooling

For a Bundt cake, invert onto a platter. Perfect baking can be a piece of cake!

how to make Green Masala Paplet Fry (pomfret Fry)

A simple fish fry in green masala.. Pomfret is one of the most easiest fish to prepare. I usually dont cook a lot of fish at home, but when I do, it has to be pomfret/ paplet. This recipe is not a traditional or regional one, its just my recipe! my taste :)

Ingredients: 

Pomfret 2

Coriander 1 cup

Pudina leaves 1/2 Cup

Garlic 2 cloves

Salt 1/2 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Green chili 1

Oil for frying

Rice flour for coating

Directions: 

In this recipe use a medium sized pomfret and do not cut in half, just give three slits in the centre. My fish monger accidentally cut the small pomfret into two :( But well you can make sure that its not cut it just needs to be slit in center

Slit, clean and wash the fish and set aside

To make the green masala blend together all the above ingredients except oil and rice flour.

Now apply this masala on to the fish, apply generously inside out.

Refrigerate the fish (do not freeze) and leave it in the masala marinade for 30mins

After 30 mins, heat oil for shallow frying.

Take the rice flour in a plate, coat the fish on both sides with the rice flour and add the pcs one by one and cook on both sides for 3 mins each

The fish may take more or less time depending on the size/ thickness.

Serve it hot with dal chawal or just like that as a starter

for dal recipe see here 

Sambar / Amma's Sambar / Regular Sambar