Merry Christmas(Christmas Cake)

Ingredients

Maida -2 ½ cup
Butter – 1 ¾ cup
Brown sugar -2 ½ cup
Eggs - 5
Salt - ¼ pinch
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon and nutmeg powder – ¼ tsp
Dry fruits –1cup
(raisins, cherries, sultanas ,figs)
orange peel, lemon peel -1tbsp
Rum or brandy - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - ¼ cups
Pineapple jam - ¼ cup
Vanilla essence - ½ tsp

Preparation

Preparation for this cake starts
three weeks before baking.
In a glass jar, pour ½ a cup of rum
and add 4 tbsp of powdered sugar,
chopped dry fruits and orange peel.

Sieve twice maida, baking powder and spices.
Add crushed cashew nuts to the sieved flour
and keep aside.
Beat butter and powdered brown sugar
till it is smooth and fluffy.
Beat in egg yolks one by one smoothly.
Add ¼ of a pinch of salt .
Add dry fruits- in -rum and pineapple jam.
Mix well.
Beat egg whites lightly.
Fold this egg white slowly to the
butter sugar mixture.
Spoon by spoon fold in maida(flour)
See that there are no lumps.
Pour vanilla essence and fold in smoothly.

Pre-heat oven 180 degree C for 10 minutes.
Apply butter to the baking dish and dust
flour on all sides. Pour the cake batter and
tap the dish lightly on the work floor to release air .
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in convection oven.
(not in microwave)
Check the cake has left the sides.
Insert a skewer in the middle of the cake.
See that the skewer comes out neat.
If the cake sticks on the skewer,
bake it for 5 to 10 minutes more or till the skewer comes out clean.
Turn the cake on the wire mesh after 10 minutes.
When it is cooled, wrap in a
butter paper brushed with rum.
After 3 days, that is on Christmas day.
Cut the cake, share it with your family and friends .
This cake has a longer shelf life.

Tips

1. If brown sugar is not available,
use regular white sugar 2 ½ cups.
To caramelise
2. On a thick bottom pan, add 1/2 cup
of sugar and keep on low flame.
As it caramelizes, pour in 1/2 cup of
boiling water as needed.It should not be very watery nor firm like toffee . When cooled ,you can pour in
the cake batter along with butter
and powdered sugar.
3. Use only fresh flour and fresh baking powder.
4. All the ingredients should be in room temperature.5. Baking time depends on the size of your baking dish and
how moist your cake batter is .

Meen Pollichathu with Orange Salad

Ingredients

Karimeen or pomfret -1 large
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Hot chilli powder -1 tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder -2 tbsp
Pepper -1 tbsp
Shallots (small onions) -8
Garlic -2 cloves
Ginger - 2 inch
Curry leaves -1tbsp
Coconut milk -2 tbsp
Banana leaf to wrap

Preparation

Cut and make slits on the fish and clean thoroughly.
Make a paste of pepper, curry leaves, ginger and garlic
in coconut milk. To this paste add both varieties of
chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
Marinate the fish in this paste and keep aside
for 3 hours.
wrap in a fresh banana leaf and keep on a tava(iorn pan)
on a low flame for 20 minutes. Cover with a lid.
Turn the wrapped fish in between to cook
both sides evenly .
Serve hot...

Orange salad goes well with this.
Peel orange, slice onion and green chillies
squeeze lime and sprinkle salt.
Colourful and juicy salad is ready.

As no oil is used in any stage of its preparation
Karimeen pollichathu is very healthy.
This authentic cuisine is from Kerala
the land of coconut trees and back waters.

Aloo Gobi Paratha (Stuffed Indian Bread)

Stuffing

Potato - 1
Cauliflower -5 florets
Onion - ½
Green chilli -1
Grated ginger -1 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Chilli powder - ½ tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Lime juice -1 tsp
sugar – ½ tsp
salt
butter
oil

Mash boiled potato and keep aside.
Grate onion, cauliflower, ginger and chilli.
Keep a pan on low flame and pour a teaspoon
of oil and butter each. Now add the grated vegetables,
salt, chilli and turmeric powder. Saute till it is soft.
Add the mashed potato, chopped coriander, lime juice,
sugar and salt. Saute till it is mixed well.
Take out from flame,make lemon sized ball and keep aside.
(more spices can be added if you prefer so)

Paratha

Wheat flour -3 cups
Warm water
Salt
Add water as much as to knead into a smooth chappati dough.
Roll in your palm 8 lemon size balls.
Keep one stuffing in between two chappati dough.
Press all sides round and roll it with a rolling pin gently.
Dust it with some flour while rolling so that it does not stick.
On a hot tava (iorn pan) adding butter, fry the parathas on both sides.
Be generous with butter.Forget the calories.

To Serve

Parathas go well with deep fried green chillies.
Deep fry chillies for a minute.
Less hot chillies prefered.
Serve the parathas with fried chillies,
Cool thick curd accompanied by a cup of sweet
cardamom tea.
Take a bite of the green chilly, a piece of paratha
dipped in curd and then the cardamom tea.
That is the combination.

It is a breakfast enjoyed by people of north India,
especially during winter.
This brings me sweet memories of the foggy winter mornings in Delhi.

Sweet Toffees

Ingredients

Sugar -1 cup
Salted butter -1 cup
Crushed roasted nuts – ½ cup
Chocolate chips(optional) – 1 cup

Preparation

Melt sugar and butter in medium flame.
Stir slowly with a wooden spoon.
When it turns amber in colour, spread
on a butter paper and sprinkle
crushed roasted nuts.
Draw squares on the toffee
with a knife to break into desired shape.
Store air-tight.

Can add semi –sweet chocolate chips on the toffee
before cooling and spread it .

Sweet Rice( pachoru)

This recipe may be known to everyone.
I just wanted to share it .
A nostalgia that connects to the nercha
Of our Tripunitura st. Mary’s feast.
Tamuku nercha or pachoru nercha (payasa choru).
After long hours of service on the feast day,
A dollop of pachoru was an instant energy
Packed with sweetness helped us to walk back home.


Rice -3cups
Coconut grated -1cup
Milk -1cup
Jaggery (molasses) -1 ½ cup
Cardamom powder -1tsp
Clarified butter(ghee) -1tsp
Thinly sliced coconut -1tsp

Preparation

Cook rice. When it is well cooked, add milk and
Grated coconut. Stir continuously. In quarter glass of water
melt and strain jaggery(molasses). Pour this syrup into
the rice mixture. Stir till it is almost dry. Turn off the flame.
Fry thinly sliced coconut and add to this sweet rice.
Sprinkle powdered cardamom and serve cold.





One of my friends wo visit me daily. Three squirrels,two pigeons
and two bulbuls are regulars. Morning 7 ‘o’ clock is breakfast time
for them. Sharp 6.30 a.m the bulbuls will be calling for me.
Others will be impatiently walking up and down for
fresh water and food.

Thank You for the birds that sing,
Thank You ,God,……….

Easy Prawn Biriyani

Prawns -1 cup
Onions -2
Green chilli -3
Ginger -3inch
Garlic -7
Chilli powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Corriander leaves -3 tbsp
Mint leaves – 2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Curd -1 cup

Oil to fry
Ghee -2tbsp optional
Bay leaves -1
Cardamom -10
Cinnamon sticks -1 tbsp
Cloves - 6
Cashew nuts -10
Raisins -1 tbsp
Biriyani rice -3 cups

Preparation

Keep a vessel on low flame. Pour oil ,bay leaves
And half of the given cloves ,cardamom and cinnamon.
Pour enough water and put thoroughly washed rice.
When the rice is ¾ cooked drain the water.
When you break a single rice , you can see a
White spot in the middle. That is where you have
to stop cooking.

In a wok sauté the remaining cardamom, cinnamon,cloves,
Cashew and raisins , scoop it out and fry thinly sliced onions.
Keep aside fried onions and remaining oil separately to use later.

Make a fine paste of ginger and garlic.Chop finely mint and coriander leaves.
In the wok add 2 tbsp of the remaining oil and 1tbsp ghee, half
of the fried onions, spices and nuts.
Mix in it chopped mint and coriander leaves,
ginger ,garlic paste, turmeric and chilli powder,lime juice and curd,
salt and prawns. Top it with cooked rice, remaining fried
onions, spices and nuts.
Pour on this , 2 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of ghee.
Cover it with a lid and keep on
low flame for about 8 minutes.
See that the gravy has not dried out fully.
Serve it with fresh salad in curd ,lime pickles and papad.

Butter Cookies (Nankatai)

Diwali is a festival of lights and sweets.
This Nankatai will surely add a distinct flavour to your
Diwali this year.
Many times my friends call up and ask for some easy recipes;
Here is an easy one…..

Ingredients

Flour (maida) – 1 ½ cups
Unsalted butter - 1 cup
Sugar _ 1 cup
Crushed Cardamom - ½ tsp
Pistachios to garnish

Preparation

Powder sugar and keep aside.
Take out butter from the fridge.
See that the butter does not melt.
As the butter reaches the correct
temperature to kneed with the flour,
mix well all the ingredients
into a smooth dough.
Roll this into small lemon size balls.
Press these balls gently one by one
in your palm; do not press it flat.
Keep a pista piece on each cookie.

In hot and humid climate ,
if you keep butter for long in
room temperature it melts and
you will have to add more flour.
which will make your cookies more hard.

Pre-heat oven at 180 degrees C for 10 minutes.
Place the nankatai in a pan; no need to grease the pan;
There shall be space between two cookies as it tends to
expand while baking.

Now, keep the pan with the butter cookies in the oven
for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, take out the pan and slowly overturn the
Cookies to cool.
Store the cookies air-tight in a cookie jar.

Cinnamon Chicken

Traditionally, all good recipes are passed on to the
new generations by mothers ; I learnt this wonderful
recipe from my mother in law; and my daughters
Leah and Merin keep up the tradition of making this
Cinnamon chicken in our family get-togethers .
Here, I am sharing this very personal recipe
to you, young ladies…

Ingredients

Chicken – 1 kg
Onions- 6 nos(big)
Potato – 5 nos (big)
Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 tbsp
Cinnamon powder - 1 ½ tbsp
Pepper powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Lime juice - 1 tbsp
bread crumbs - 1 cup
Water - ½ glass
Oil to fry

Preparation

Marinate chicken previous day or for  an hour in chilli, cinnamon,
Pepper, turmeric salt and lime juice.

Take the chicken pieces from the marinate, roll in
bread crumbs and pan fry it on  both sides
for each side a minute.

Add half glass of water and pressure
cook the chicken in gravy for 20 minutes.
Separate chicken from
gravy and keep aside.
peel and slice onions and potatoes
in round shape.

Keep a wok on medium flame. Pour oil for deep
frying potatoes. Deep fry potato slices until
golden brown and keep aside. In the same wok,
remove excess oil and saute onions until
golden brown. In a non stick pan, pour 2 tbsp of oil
and fry chicken pieces to golden brown.

Now mix fried potatoes, onions,
chicken pieces and gravy into the pan.
Add sufficient salt to taste and keep on medium
flame till gravy thickens.

Serve hot with rice or chappatis.

Tips

1. Avoid over cooking chicken,
or else the chicken pieces will
lose its shape while frying.
2. Onions and potatoes should not be
sliced very thinly.

Glazed Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake is the most loved and relished cake in our family!!
It is soft and yummy and I make it very often as it is in great demand during all seasons and occasions.

Ingredients:

Butter- 1 cup
Brown sugar- 1 ½ cups
White sugar- 2 ½ cups
Eggs- 4 nos
Flour (Maida) - 3 ½ cups
Dark Cocoa powder- 4 tbsp
Baking powder- 3 tsp
Salt- a pinch
Vanilla essence - 2 ½ tsp
Curd - 1cup

Ingredients for glazing the cake:

Chocolate chips- 1 cup (250 ml)
Instant coffee powder -1 tbsp
Water- ½ cup
Powdered sugar - 1 tbsp
Rum – 2 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp

Preparation

Powder white sugar and brown sugar in a grinder.
Take a bowl and mix this powdered sugar with butter
and beat till it becomes very smooth.
Separate egg whites from egg yolk; add egg yolks into the bowl
and mix well to make it fluffy and soft.
Beat the egg whites till it is stiff and frothy.
Add this to the bowl and blend gently.
Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder thrice.
Add the flour to the sugar, butter and egg mixture
spoon by spoon; make sure that you
mix the flour gently so that there are no lumps.
Pour the curd in between, in little amounts and
fold the mixture slowly. Repeat this many times
so that the air gets into the mixture.
Add vanilla essence and salt and mix well.

Pre heat the oven in 180 degrees for 10 minutes.
Take a large pan and grease it with butter and dust with flour.
Now , pour in the cake batter. Level the batter in the pan
by swirling it and then pat the pan gently to remove the trapped air .
Now bake it for 45 minutes at 180 degrees.
Take the pan out from the oven; insert a skewer in the center of the cake
and remove to check whether it has come out clean without
anything sticking on to it. Run a knife around the cake
and transfer the cake on to wire mesh to cool it.
You can glaze the cake when it is cool.
Glazing the cake
In a double boiler add water, coffee and sugar powder.
As it simmers, add chocolate chips and stir it till it melts and thickens.
Remove it from fire; and then add rum.
As it cools, blend in butter; now you can pour the glaze over the cake.

Tips

1. All the ingredients used in the preparation of the cake should be fresh and should be in room temperature.
2. Use only unsalted butter available in market. Do not use homemade butter as it contains more moisture.
3. Baking powder should be freshly purchased and used well within the expiry date.
4. While beating the egg white, add a drop of lime juice which helps them to hold their stiff peaks.
5. Medium tea cups are used for measurement in this recipe.

Travancore Fish Red Curry ( Meen Vevichathu )

Meen vevichathu is very much a southern Kerala
Christian dish , red and hot .
Our children call it meen red curry.

Among the Syrian christians of southern Kerala,
four days prior to the wedding day i.e if the wedding
is on a Sunday, four days before on Thursday, is the day for
kalunattal (the first pole is planted to make a pandal), moru kachal
(buttermilk curry), and meen vevikal. It is a small funtion when
elderly ladies of the family and neighbourhood assemble
in the kitchen and start cooking with their expert hands, which is
enhanced with a pinch of laughter, and a dash of gossip. The
outcome is a perfect meen vevichathu and moru kachiyathu
which are the indispensable dishes in a Christian sadhya.
Other items are kozhi curry,beef fry, fish fry, thoran ,
pachadi, avial ,poovan pazham and hot jeera water
on a hot summer after noon .
The wedding sadhya is complete.

Fish pieces - ½ kg
Chilli powder -3tbsp
Kashmere chilli powder-2tbsp
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Shallots -4tbsp
Garlic -2tbsp
Ginger grated -2tbsp
Fenugreek (methi) -1tbsp
Curry leaves -bunch
Kudampuli -6
Coconut oil -7tbsp
Earthenware(chatti)
Nothing in this recipe is optional.

Skin the fish and cut into medium pieces. Put some salt
and keep aside for 15 minutes; then wash and drain it.
(it is important to skin the fish, or else a white substance
from the skin, changes the colour and taste of the curry)
Seer fish (neymeen) is the most suitable fish for this curry.
Neymeen looks like tuna, but has white meat.

In a chutney grinder, put chilli powder turmeric powder,
1tbsp shallots (sambar onions), 1tspgarlic and a pinch
of salt. Grind it into a fine paste. Kashmere chilli is
not hot ,it just gives colour.

Cut finely shallots ,garlic, ginger and keep aside.
Wash curry leaves ; do not remove the stem.
Fry fenugreek (methi/ uluva) and powder it in
a pessel and mortar.

In a wok on low flame, pour 3 tbsp of coconut oil
and add the sliced shallots, garlic and ginger.
Stir till it turns golden brown.
Add 1 tbsp oil and then add chilli paste and
stir continuously, till oil comes out see that it
is not burnt. Mix the fish in chilli paste
with a lighter hand, and keep aside.

Keep a chatti on low flame, pour 3 tbsp of oil and
swirl the chatti So that oil is coated all around.
Now lay the curry leaves criss- cross,
in the chatti and keep on it washed and cut kudampuli pieces.
Again layer the fish pieces coated in chilli paste.
On the fish pieces keep again Kudampuli pieces,
and on top curry leaves. Pour water to immerse the
contents and keep on low flame till the oil floats.
Sprinkle the methi powder.

Now your favourite red fish curry is ready.
Serve it with rice.

During marriages, this chatti is kept on low flame every day,
And by the wedding day the whole gravy will be drunk by the
Fish pieces. Very little gravy will be left behind.

Meen vevichathu with kappa(tapioca) is the best combination
>

Onam Ada

Banana leaves -2
Rice flour -1 cup
Boiling water -2cups
Salt
Grated coconut -1 ½ cup
Jaggery - ½ cup
Water -4tbsp
Cardamom powder- ½ tsp

In a bowl put rice flour and sprinkle some salt.
Make a well in the middle and pour boiling water
little by little, while mixing with a spoon. Pour
as much water to get a smooth dough.

On a low flame in a wok , pour water and put jaggery.
As the jaggery melts, add grated coconut and cardamom
powder. As it turns thick, yet juicy, turn off the flame.

Wash and wipe the banana leaves.Tear the leaves into
rectangular pieces. Apply a drop of oil in each piece.
Dip your fingers in water, take a lemon sized dough,
keep on the rectangular leaves and lightly press
backward and forward to get a paper - thin look
on the leaves. On the half of the thin dough on the leaves,
put the coconut in jaggery and fold the leaves and press
it on three sides. In a steamer ,keep these
ada and steam for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Paper thin ada is ready. Have it hot,
it almost melts in the mouth.

Tips-
You can also roast the adas on a frying pan.
Which will give the ada a firm texture;
but will have a different flavour of the roasted banana
Leaves.
Youcan make variations in stuffing ,by adding sliced and boiled
ethapazham (Kerala banana) with grated coconut and jaggery.

In different parts of Kerala ada has different adjectives.
Onam ada –made on onam for breakfast, ela- ada as
it is made on Leaves, poovada as it is
soft and beautiful as a flower.

During festivals , from Maharashtra to south, ada is made in
different shapes with stuffings. In Karnataka ,
it is made in jack fruit leaves or turmeric leaves.
During Ganesh festival , it is modak and
in Kerala among Christians ,
it turns kozhukatta during kozhukatta-perunal.
With any shape or stuffing, ada is a healthy snack.

Fish Portuguese ( kochi style )

Fish - 2
Onions - 2
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - 2 inch
Garlic - 5 pods
Tomato - 1
Curry leaves - 3 sprig
Grated coconut - 1 coconut
Pepper - 15
Cloves - 3
Coriander powder – 2tsp
Chilli powder - 3tsp
Meat masala - 1tsp
Turmeric - ½ tsp
Ginger powder - ½ tsp
Vineger - 1tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Kanambu is the suitable fish for this curry. Mackrel can also be used.
Cut the fish, clean with salt and water. Make 3 slits and apply a mixture
of chilli, pepper, turmeric powder and salt. Fry the fish and keep aside.
Reserve the fish- fried oil to use again.

Chop thinly onion, ginger, garlic and slit green chillies.
Grate one full coconut . Reserve ½ cup grated coconut to make a fine paste.
Of the remaining grated coconut, extract first and second milk.

In a chutney grinder, put ½ cup grated coconut, pepper, cloves,1tsp chillipowder,
coriander powder, meat masala and grind it into a fine paste.

In a earthen ware, pour oil, add chopped onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and chillies. Add some salt and sauté on low flame till it is translucent. Put 1tsp
chilli powder, turmeric, ginger powder ,sauté for a minute and then add the
coconut paste. Stir till it is dry. Now add one tomato cut into 4 and pour the
second coconut milk and salt. Let it simmer till the sauce thickens.Now slowly keep the fish inside. After a minute pour the first milk . On low flame itself
let it simmer for two more minutes. Now add 1 tbsp of vineger.Add salt if needed
and turn off the flame.Now you can add the fish fried oil on top and serve with
chappati or rice.

I always wondered how this Portuguese name is attached to this curry; may be when the Portuguese came to Kerala ,their cooking style of using vineger, tomato and spices blended with the Kochi style of using coconut.

Clams in Pepper Masala ( Kakka -erachi varuthathu)

Ingredients
1. clams -50 nos
2. shallots -20
(sambar onions)
3. garlic -10 pods
4. ginger -1 inch
5. curry leaves-2 tbsp
6. pepper powder -1tbsp
7. chilli powder - ½ tsp
8. turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
9. vineger - ½ tsp
10. maida(flour) – 1tsp
11. water - ¼ glass
12. oil - 2tbsp
13. salt -to taste

Wash clams in water thoroughly to remove sand .
In a steamer , as the water starts boiling, steam the clams
for about 3 minutes. Watch, as the clam shells starts to open,
turn off the flame and scoop out the clams .In the corner of
the clams meat , you can see a black point which can be discarded.
Squeeze it out with your fingers. Now , keep the cleaned
clams aside.

Cut shallots and garlic , grate ginger and keep aside.
Deep fry curry leaves, as it turns crisp, spoon it on a paper to use
later.

In a wok on medium flame , pour 2 tbsp of oil , add shallots
and garlic. When it turns golden brown, and the aroma fills
your kitchen, add grated ginger, lower the flame and add
turmeric , chilli and pepper powder.
Saute for a second and pour maida , dissolved in water. As
it starts to thicken, add vineger ,salt and clams. Keep on high
flame and stir continuously till it becomes dry. Now crush the
crispy curry leaves and sprinkle on top.

Tips –

1. This dish is best in a sandwich, chhappati roll or with rice.
2. You need at least 200 clams to serve four.
3. Add little salt than usual .
4. Shell fish should not be cooked for longer time as it tends to get
harder.
5. Clams are eaten raw, boiled or fried.
6. Varieties of Clams are abundantly found in coastal areas.

Tropical Smoothie

Papaya - 1 cup (coffee mug)
Mango - 1 cup
Milk - ¼ cup
Sugar - 1tbsp
Vanilla Ice –Cream

Wash papaya and mango and dry them with
a napkin. Peel and cut the fruits into chunks.

In a blender first put papaya. Run the blender for
one minute. Now add mango milk and sugar.
Switch-on the blender for two minutes.

Cool it and serve with a scoop of ice - cream.
The sweet tempting smoothie to cool
you on a hot summer day….

Tips:
1. Papaya should not be too ripe.
Too ripe papaya will affect the smoothie’s
Silky consistency.
2. Use the same cup to measure all the ingredients.

Chemmeen Olathiyathu (Tangy Prawns in Coconut)

Prawns - ½ kg
Coconut - ½
Grated coconut - ½ cup
Big onions - 2
Green chillies - 2
Garlic pod - 10
Ginger - 3 inch
Curry leaves - a bunch
Red chilli powder – 1 ½ tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Kudampuli (kokum ) – 4 pieces
Water - ¼ glass
Salt to taste

Remove the shells and devein the prawns.
Wash thoroughly and keep aside.

Chop onions, ginger , garlic and slit green chillies.
Scoop out ½ coconut from its shell and thinly slice it.
Put them in an earthen ware (chatti ) along with
curry leaves , prawns ,turmeric, red chilli powder ,salt
and grated coconut.

Cut kudampuli into small pieces, wash them twice.
Add ¼ glass of water and kudumpuli to the
prawns (chemmeen ) mix in the chatti and keep on
medium flame till the water gets dried.

Keep a wok on low flame .Pour a table spoon of oil ,add
curry leaves and crushed garlic.When the garlic turns
golden brown ,add the chemmeen mix into the wok.
Stir for two minutes, on high flame and serve hot with rice .

Tips:
1.Take care not to over cook the prawns. It is more soft
and tasty when just- cooked. Adjust the flame accordingly.

Avial (Onam Special )

Yam - 100 gm
Carrot - 100gm
Ash gourd - 100gm
Pumpkin -100gm
Drumsticks - 2
Raw mango - half of a mango
Small onions - 1 ½ cup
(shallots)
water - ½ glass

grated coconut - ½ of a coconut
green chillies - 3
jeera - 1tsp
mustard - ½ tsp
chilli powder -1 tsp
turmeric powder –1tsp
curry leaves -a bunch
oil for seasoning



On a low flame, keep a vessel with ½ a glass of water.
As yam takes a lot of time to cook,
first cut yam into 2 inch pieces,wash twice and
put into the simmering water and close the lid .
Clean and cut the carrots ,
layer on top of the yam and close the lid.
Now goes in, the cut kumbalanga(gourd),
peeled and cut drumsticks ,Pumpkin,
1 cup small onions and cut - pieces of mango.

Add salt , chilli and turmeric powder .
Stir and check in between whether the
vegetables are evenly cooked.

In a chutney grinder put grated coconut,
green chillies, ½ cup sambar onions, jeera, mustard
and 2 tbsp curry leaves from the bunch.
Grind with- out adding water.

In a cheena chatti (wok) on medium flame, pour 2 tbsp of oil (coconut oil preferred ),
put the remaining curry leaves to let it turn crisp and emerald green.
Now add the Coconut mixture and vegetables,
add salt as needed and stir till it is dry.
Serve hot with rice.

Tips: 1. Can use vegetables of your choice, but try to stick to shallots and coconut oil.
2. For a gravy version , curd is used instead-of raw mango.
3. Try to cut vegetables in same length.
4. Before cutting yam, apply oil on your palm . This will reduce itching.

Prawn Fry (Konch Varuthathu)

Tiger Prawns - ½ kg
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 3 inch size
Garlic - 6 pods
Salt - to taste
Curd - 1 tbsp
Bread crumbs of 2 slices
Oil for frying

Peel the tiger prawns and remove the veins.
Wash twice and keep aside.
In a chutney grinder, make a paste of ginger and garlic by adding curd ,
Chilli, turmeric powder and salt. Marinate the prawns in this paste
overnight or keep atleast for 4 hours in the fridge.

Keep a wok ( cheenachatti) on medium flame; insert each prawn
with a tooth pick , dip in bread crumbs and deep fry.
Serve hot.
Excellent as starters or as side dish with rice.

Tips;
1. While peeling the prawns, retain the tail , for better presentation.
2. Insert the tooth pick straight into the prawn so that it does not
curl much while frying.

Fish Moly (Kuttanadan special)

Ingredients:

Karimeen (Pearl spot) or Pomfret - ½ kg
Grated Coconut - 1 whole
Big Onions - 2
Green Chillies - 5
Ginger - 3 inch
Garlic - 4 pods
Big tomato - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Maida - 2 tsp
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Cut fish into medium size. Clean thoroughly with salt. Make a slit on each piece and apply turmeric and salt. Fry the fish lightly on both sides. See that it does not turn brown and that it retains the yellow colour. Keep aside the fish and also the remaining oil. In a grinder, put the grated coconut and extract first and second milk from it. Keep them separately. Keep a cheena chatti (wok) on medium flame and pour the remaining oil that you have reserved after frying the fish. Add the onions (medium sliced), chilies cut length-wise and julians of ginger and garlic. Saute till translucent but not golden brown. Add the second coconut milk and let it simmer for a while on low flame. Gently keep the fried fish and a tomato cut into four big pieces. After about 3 minutes, add the first milk. Now mix maida in half glass of water. As the fish molly starts to simmer, pour the maida mixed in water. Let it simmer for two minutes on low flame. Now, the sauce slowly starts thickening… we are done, turn off the flame. Serve hot or cold with appam or bread.

Tips:
1. Use only green chilies for this lip smacking subtle delicacy of kerala.

Caramel Pudding

Caramel Pudding
Milk –2medium glass
Eggs –4
Sugar –6tbsp
Grated nutmeg –1/4tsp
Butter to grease
lemon zest –1/2 tsp
Sugar to caramelize –3tbsp
Take a bowl ,grease it with butter .Put 3tbsp of
Sugar and keep on a low flame to caramelise . As it
turns into deep colour ,off the flame .Tilt the bowl
And swirl it around to get a round shape .Immediately
sprinkle the grated lemon zest .Keep aside to cool .
Beat thoroughly 4 eggs and 2cups of milk with 6tbsp
Of sugar .Pour into the caramelised bowl sprinkle1/4 tsp
of grated nutmeg and double boil it .Close the bowl with
a loose lid .Keep on a medium flame for 20 minutes .
Let it cool ,then refrigerate it .Do not freeze .After an hour,
keep a serving plate upside down on the bowl , catching
firmly on the bowl and plate , turn it up .Remove the bowl .
Wow …there it is .
As jewellery is to the dressing up of a lady ,dessert is
the jewel of the dinner table .Decorate it .

To double boil - In a large vessel pour 2 glasses of water
keep the bowl raised in the vessel , so that water does not enter the bowl
while boiling.Now close the bowl and the large vessel with a loose lid .

Caramel banana split

Ripe banana ( ethapazham) – 1big

Clarified butter ( ghee) – 1tbsp
Sugar – 3tbsp
Honey –2tbsp
Fresh orange juice – 4tbsp
Grated orange zest – ½ tsp
Vanilla ice-cream

Take very ripe banana and slice

it into 8 pieces lengthwise ,
or into round shape. Keep a frying pan on low flame . Put 1tbsp
Of ghee and the sliced bananas in the pan . Sorte for a second and
Close the lid for two minutes. When the banana turns golden brown ,
Soft and smells great,take it out and keep aside. Add sugar in the
Same pan and let it caramelise .Now pour the orange juice with
The zest and after a minute add the golden bananas .
Turn off the fire, add 2 tbsp of honey and mix well . Arrange the
Caramelised golden banana pieces in a bowl and top it with a
Scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Pour the remaining hot caramelised
Sauce, flavoured with orange and honey on the ice-cream .
Just forget the calories and scream for more……..

Use only most ripe bananas ;do not cool after cooking.Serve hot with ice-cream.

merging of different flavours make -
this dessert distinct..

Crab Fry

Crab(medium size) - 5
Onion big -2
Ginger -3 inch
Garlic -4
Green chillies -2
Tomato -1
Curry leaves
Coriander powder -1 1/2 tbsp
Pepper powder -2 tsp
Chilli powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder –1/4 tsp
Kudampuli - 3 small pieces

Ginger and pepper are the taste makers of this recipe;
So be generous with them.

Cleaning the crab – Unlike other sea fish ,cleaning the
Crab needs lot of patience .Wash the crab twice and
Boil the crab wholly in a big vessel for about 5 minutes ,
till it turns red .As it cools, take out and turn the red side of
the crab down . Pull open the V shape. The red part
can be discarded. On the white part you see the gills which
should be removed . Now, from the 2 claws you get fairly good
amount of meat .Gently strike the claws with the handle of
your knife to crack it. Scoop out the meat and add to the main
part. From other legs you get very little meat.

Slice finely , onions, garlic,ginger and chillies .Keep a frying pan
On medium flame with one table spoon of oil .First sauté garlic
Then add onion ,ginger,chillies and curry leaves. As it turns
Translucent add finely chopped tomato and salt. Saute till
It blends well ; now add coriander ,chilli ,turmeric and pepper
Powder. Saute for two minutes . Wash kudampuli and with half
A glass of water, pour into the mixture . As it boils add crab
And keep on low flame till it turns dry.
Now you can say – move crabby move- as my children say.
Crab is the tastiest seafood ; just enjoy with your family .

Appam (Rendha appam)

Raw rice - 3 cups
Cooked rice - 1 cup
Grated coconut –1 cup
Sugar – 2 tbsp
Dry yeast fresh -1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Soak rice in the morning . In the evening
By 8 ,in a ¼ glass of warm water ,desolve 1 tsp sugar and1/2 tsp yeast .
Keep it aside for ½ an hour . Meanwhile in a
mixer grind the soaked rice , adding only the necessary water to
get a smooth batter . Now in a small mixer bowl ,separately
grind the cooked boiled rice and sugar and grated coconut into a fine paste .
Now combine the three together .Add yeast to the rice batter .
Mix well and keep in a warm place for the batter to ferment over night .
In the morning in a appa chatti ,kept on a medium flame , pour 3 tbsp of batter and tilt the vessel round and let the batter flow to the center , to get a small mount in the middle .Close the lid ,keep on a high flame for a minute and on medium flame for 2 minutes .Serve hot or cold .
Key to a fine appam is fresh yeast ,right mesurement ,fine batter
And a warm climate .
As the sides of the appam looks like a lace it is called rendayappam .

Mutton Stew

Mutton -1/4 kg
Potatoes – 3
Carrot - 1
Peas -2tbsp
Beans –6
Onion -1
Chillies - 2
Ginger - 2 inch
Garlic -3
Curry leaves
Bay leaves -1
Water -1/2 glass
Oil -1tbsp
Vineger -1tbsp
Cinnamon -2
Cardamom -4
Cloves -2
Pepper -12
One whole coconut grated
maida -2tsp , pepper powder -1tsp
Cut mutton and potatoes in big pieces .
Crush garlic , ginger and chillies .Also crush cinnamon ,cardamom ,
Cloves and pepper .
Extract coconut milk from 1 full coconut grated .Keep aside the first and
Second milk .
Keep a pressure cooker on fire , pour 1 tbsp of oil add the crushed
spices ,then chilli ,ginger ,garlic and onions . Add salt and sauté for
2minutes ,add peas ,beans ,carrot ,potatoes ,mutton , bay leaves
and curry leaves with ½ a glass of water and salt to taste .Pressure cook it for 30 minutes .
Turn off the flame . After 5 minutes open the lid and add the second
Coconut milk and let it simmer for 10 minutes .Now pour the first
Milk and keep on low flame for 2 minutes then add the maida desolved in
¼ glass of water , go on stiring for 2 more minutes .Turn off the fire and
add vinegar , pepper powder and stir .Serve after 10 minutes .
You can make a vegetable stew the same way .

Erachi ularthiyathu (mutton with raw banana )

Mutton ½ kg
Ethakaya (raw banana) –1big
Coriander powder –2tbsp
Meat masala –3tbsp
Turmeric –1/2 tsp
chilli powder –1/2tsp
pepper corns -12
cloves –2
cardamom –2
curry leaves
onions - 1 large
ginger – 2 inch
garlic - 4
green chillies -1
Cut mutton and banana into 2 inch pieces and wash
Twice and keep aside to drain .Ground the spices .
Marinate mutton and ethakaya with coriander powder ,
meat masala ,chilli ,turmeric and spice powder .In a
pressure cooker , put this marinated meat with ½ a
glass of water keep on high flame till the first whistle .
reduse the flame and keep for 20 more minutes .Keep
a frying pan on the fire with 1 tbsp of oil ,and sauté
the thinly sliced onions , ginger ,green chillies , garlic
and curry leaves till golden brown .Add the cooked
meat into the frying pan and stir till it is dry .

Meen peera

Fish -1/2 kg
Grated coconut –2 cups
Green chillies –3
Ginger –2 inch length
Onion –1big
Garlic –6
Curry leaves
Kudum puli (kokum) -2big
Coconut oil -1tbsp
Clean the fish with salt and keep aside .
In a mixer bowl, add coconut green chillies ,
ginger ,onion ,garlic and corsely grind it
without adding water.Soak the kudampuli
for 2 minutes in water and cut them into
small pieces.Drain the puli and combine with
fish ,coconut mixture ,curry leaves ,salt and
¼ glass of water in a earthenware for 10 minutes
in low flame .Turn off the fire and pour 1 tbsp ,
coconut oil on top .
hot or cold the smell itself is appetising .
-Small fishes or sardines are preferred for this dish .

Egg cutlet

Boild eggs
Bone less Meat -1/4 kg
Potatoes -3
Onion - 1
Green chillies - 3
Ginger -3 inch length
Bread crumbs -1 cup
Beaten egg to dip -1
Pepper powder -1tsp
Oil to fry
Mint leaves
Lemon -1
Clean and drain the meat .
pressure cook the meat with salt, desolved
in water and pepper powder for half an hour.
See that the meat is cooked dry .Grind the meat
in a mixer and keep it aside .Boil the potatoes,
Peel it and mash it well . Finely chop onions, green chillies
And ginger .Saute it till golden brown .Mix this mixture with
Meat and mashed potatoes . Check and add salt as you need .
Boil the eggs .Remove the the shell and scoop out the egg yolk
And mix it with , finely chopped onion , green chilli and mint leaves .
Add some drops of lemon juice and salt .Fill both the sides of the egg-
White , with this yolk mixture , close it and cover it with the meat -
Cutlet mixture ,and slowly give the shape of the egg .Pour a teaspoon of
Beaten egg on all side of it and coat it with bread crumbs .
Now deep fry it in a pan in medium flame .Serve with salad or tomato sauce .
Going on a long drive , pack these cutlets with some bread .
To make bread crumbs ,-put some pieces of bread or rusk
In a mixer bowl and run it for a minute .

Oroti (rice roti with onions)

Rice flour - 1 cup
Grated coconut –1 cup
Small sambar onions –1/1/2cup
Water –2cups
Salt
Oil
Keep water for boiling.In a bowl, take rice flour and add salt .
Pour the boiling water little by little to the bowl .
keep on kneeding the flour with a spoon till you can roll it into a nice dough . Mix the grated coconut and thinly sliced onions with the dough
,and cover it with a cloth and keep it aside to cool .
Apply oil on your palm.Take a handful of
dough,roll and pat it to a round shape.Pour a teaspoon of oil on the
hot frying pan and fry the roti golden brown on both sides.As you turn
the roti to fry on other side , pour a teaspoon of oil more. Serve the oroti after 5 minutes.

With the nice aroma of the onions this roti, is a great hit on our breakfast table. Oroti goes well with egg ,fish or chicken curry.

Egg Curry

eggs -2
large onion -1
green chillies -2
ginger -1 inch
curry leaves
vineger -1tbsp
grated coconut for paste –1/2 cup
coriander powder -1 tbsp
meat masala -1tbsp
pepper corns -5
cardamom -2
cloves - 1

oil
grated coconut to extract milk -2 cups

Boil eggs and keep aside.
Slice onions ,chillies and ginger thinly -
. Grind into a paste -grated coconut ,coriander powder ,meat masala ,
Pepper corns ,cardamom and cloves keep aside. Put 2 cups of grated coconut and
1 cup of water in a blender .Seive it into a bowl and keep the first milk, aside.
Again put the same coconut in the blender with a cup of water to extract the second milk.

Saute onion ,chillies , ginger and curry leaves .Add the coconut paste and salt and stir till it is dry . Now add the second coconut milk and boiled eggs . Keep it on low flame till the gravy is thick . Add the first coconut milk and keep on stiring on low flame for two minutes.
.Add vineger and turn off the flame.

Lauki curry (churakka)

Bottle gourd –1/2kg (churakka1/2kg)
Raw mango –1/2 of a mango
Grated coconut –1/2
Green Chillies –2
Onion -1/2
garlic –4 pods
Jeera –1/2tsp
Water - 1glass
Oil -2tbsp
Small onions -4 (sambar onions)
Red chillies -2
Curry leaves 2
Turmeric ,chilli powder -(just to add colour)
Peal the gourd and mango.Cut mango into small pieces and cut gourd
into one inch pieces.Combine grated coconut ,chillies ,onion, garlic ,jeera
with quater glass of water in a mixer bowl ,and blend it into a fine paste.
Mix the coconut paste,half glass water, mango pieces and churakka with
Some turmeric and salt in a pressure cooker.Keep on fire till a whistle is heard.Take a frying pan pour 2 tbsp of oil ,add mustard seeds, let it splutter.Now add curry leaves as it become crisp add thinly cut small onions.Stir till crisp,fry red chillies and turn off the fire.Now add a pinch of turmeric and chilli powder.Pour this on the curry and can serve with
Rice and fish fry.

Cochin fish curry

Fish-1/2kg
Grated coconut-1
Onions-1 large
Ginger- 1tsp
Garlic –4cloves
Green chillies –3
green mango –half(optional)
curry leaves –5
red chilli powder –2tsp
turmeric powder -1tsp
tomato -2 small
kokum (kudampuli) –2pieces

Cut the fish ,clean it with some salt and keep aside.

Grate one coconut, from it take half a cup and grind it into a fine paste.
From rest of the coconut make coconut milk and keep aside.
Cut onion ,ginger,garlic, and slit chillies.
Saute for some time,add salt,
which will help it ,to sweat.
Now put turmeric and chilli powder,stir till you get a good aroma.
Add half of a mango, sliced.Pour three table spoons
of water,close the lid and cook for 5 minutes.Add coconut paste, bring to a boil, and add the sliced and washed kokum(add one more piece of kokum if no mango).
Pour the second coconut milk ,fish pieces, salt to taste and curry leaves .
Cover the lid half ,keep on low flame for 10 minutes.
Pour the first coconut milk and let it simmer for 3 more minutes,keeping the lid open..
Turn off the flame and let it cool fo a while .
Special cochin meen curry is ready.

Tips –
To make coconut milk –add
grated coconut and water in a blender

Strain,for the first milk.
Keep the first milk aside.

Blend again the same coconut to get the second milk.
You get kokum in south Indian stores.It is a dried fruit ,black in colour, sour to taste.

Earthen ware (chatti)

When we buy earthen ware from a potter,we cannot use it
immediately for cooking.We have to groom it.First apply
Oil and salt on it .After cooking rice, pour the rice water in
this earthen bowl add salt then keep on slow fire. Repeat
this for four days.
(New earthen wares, absorb the taste of the curry while cooking)

Fish fry

Fish -1/2 kg
Chilli powder -1tbsp
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Pepper –1tbsp
Salt
Oil

Cut the fish and clean it with some salt.
Make slits on the
Fish so that the masala can get in.
Pepper should be coarsly ground.
Mix the four ingredients without water and apply it on the wet fish.
Shallow fry it and serve hot with fresh salad.

Beans mezhukupurati

Tender beans - 1/4kg
Grated coconut - 2tbsp
Onion - 1
Garlic - 5cloves
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2tsp
Curry leaves
Butter - 1/2tsp

Slit the beans lengthwise,
and then cut into pieces.
Add little water and salt,cook for two minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid and cook till
it is soft.
See that the beans does not loose its colour.
Crush garlic,cut onions.
Take a frying pan,pour a table spoon of oil
put the crushed garlic,onions,
Curry leaves and stir for two minutes.
Now add turmeric and chilli powder,
then add grated coconut stir for some time.
Finally put the cooked beans and butter.
serve hot.

Boiled Rice (red rice)

Many times I have encountered
this question from young ladies,
how do you cook

red rice in cooker?
This recipe is for them.

Rice -2cups

Water –10cups

Place cooker with water on fire.
Wash rice twice and add to the warm water.
Close the lid
and keep on high flame till the first whistle.
Lower the flame and let the cooker whistle twice.

Turn off the flame and let the cooker cool its pressure.
Pour it into a strainer.Serve hot steaming rice
With fish curry.


Tips-


Can take the strained water(rice soup) into a bowl ,add salt and drink it hot.
It is not only an energizer,
but also soothes your stomach when it is upset.

Mango Jam (without preservatives)

Mango pieces –5cup

Sugar _2cups

Cloves -3

Mix mango pieces and sugar in a vessel.
Keep it in low flame.As it starts to boil,
Smash it with a ladel.
Stir it continuously till it gets thicker.
Add crushed cloves
And turn off the fire.
Can keep in air tight container in the fridge for two weeks.

Tips-


For getting a deeper colour add five dark plums.
Remember to remove the seeds.

Spread on your morning toast or with chapatti, this jam is great…

Kadala Curry (chana masala kerala style)

Ingredients

Kadala - 2cups
Grated Coconut - 1cup
Coriander powder - 1tbsp
Meat masala - 1tbsp
Peper corns - 1tsp
Onion - 1 large, sliced
Green chillies - 2,slit
Ginger - 1 tsp,thinly sliced
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Small onions - 1tbsp,thinly sliced.
Dry red chillies - 2
Curry leaves

Preparation

Soak kadala previous night in water.
Fry coconut in a kadai till golden brown ,add
coriander powder,meat masala
and pepper,grind this mixture to a fine paste.
Mix coconut paste, onions, green chillies,
ginger with kadala in pressure cooker.
Pour enough water to soak this mixture.
keep on high flame for one whistle
and on sim for another two whistle.
keep a kadai on fire, pour oil add
mustard seeds, sliced onions,dry chillies and curry leaves.
Fry till golden brown.
Add a pinch of turmeric and chilli powder for colour.
Mix it with your kadala curry add enough salt and serve hot.

Tips-

Buy small brown kadala(chana), which goes well for this curry.
Puttu and kadala curry can be a good Sunday brunch.
Feeling lazy, can make the masala paste in
advance and store in the fridge.
Sure your hubby will help you Sunday morning.

Puttu

Rice flour-1 cup
Wheat flour-1/4cup
Milk -1/4cup
Warm water-1/4cup
Salt
Grated coconut-1cup

In a bowl mix rice and wheat flour,sprinkle a pinch of salt.
Now slowly add milk and rub with your fingers like breadcrumbs.
pour warm water as you rub and see that the flour dosen’t get sticky,
but have a wet look.
Tips
If gets very sticky,sprinkle some rice flour and give it a stir in your
Mixie.Just buy ordinary rice flour(not instant puttu podi).
Keep puttu kudam(pot) on the fire with 2 glasses of water.
Take puttu kutti,put 2tbsp of grated coconut and little sugar.
Now add wet flour till half of the puttukutti,layer it with
Coconut and sugur,again fill it with wet flour top it with
Coconut and sugar,keep the lid and place on top of the pot.
wait for the steam to come keep for 3more minutes on fire.
Release it to a plate and have it with hot kadala curry and
Papadam,banana and honey.

There is variety of cereals you can use to make puttu.
Chamba  rice, puttu podi which is reddish you get
 ready-made mainly from the Kuttanad Kerala.

White rice flour,wheat flour, and tapioca flour puttu
Stuff with vegetable thoran or beef ularthu or
serve it with any curry.
Serve it straight hot.

As Puttu is cooked in steam, it is considered a healthy dish.
Available in mostly all restaurants these days.

black coffee (kattan cappi)

palm jaggery - 2tbsp

coffee powder - 1 1/2tsp

water - 1 glass


Add jaggery to a glass of water and bring to a boil; add coffee powder. Strain it into a tumbler and drink it hot... a great day begins... :)

Tips-

-Palm jaggery is more dark in colour; available in super markets.

-Rich in iron and good for health.

-Use fresh coffee powder (not the instant one).