MALABAR STYLE VARUTHARACHA CHICKEN CURRY

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Varutharacha chicken curry is one of my amma’s specials. I love her varutharacha chicken curry and varutharacha sambar with rice most(more than her thalassery chicken biriyani !!!!). She learned this recipe also from my ammamma. Ammamma don’t eat chicken. But she makes yummy chicken biriyani and chicken curry. It Is really Yummy. Try it.

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Ingredients : 

  1. Chicken : 1 kg
  2. Onion : 3 big sliced
  3. Ginger : 2″ piece chopped
  4. Garlic : 1 whole garlic chopped
  5. Green chilly : 2 nos
  6. turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
  7. coriander powder : 1 1/2 tbsp
  8. garam masala/ chicken masala : 1 1/2 tbsp
  9. chilly powder : 1 tsp
  10. pepper powder : 1 tsp
  11. curd : 2tbsp
  12. salt
  13. tomato : 1 big sliced
  14. coconut grated : 1 1/2cup
  15. coconut oil
  16. shallots : 5 nos sliced
  17. curry leaves
  18. Dried red chilly : 2 nos (split into 2)
  19. coriander leaves

Method : 

  1. Marinate the chicken with ingredients 2 to 12 and keep it in a refrigerator for 1 hour.
  2. Heat coconut oil in a nonstick pan and dry roast the grated coconut with 1 spring curry leaves until it becomes golden brown color. Let it cool and grind it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
  3. After 1 hour cover cook the marinated chicken by adding enough water. (You can pressure cook it also).
  4. Add the sliced tomato to this and cook until the tomato is well cooked.
  5. Add the grounded coconut with 1/4 cup water and mix well. Adjust the salt and cook for few mins until the gravy thickens.
  6. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in another pan and fry shallots ,red chilies  and 1 spring curry leaves until shallots become golden brown color. Add this to cooked chicken and mix well.
  7. Switch of the stove.
  8. Garnish it with coriander leaves.
  9. This yummy curry goes well with rice, puttu , pathiri, kerala porotta and chappathi.

Note : Fry the grated coconut carefully in medium heat . continuously stir it. If it is over fried or burnt(black color), then the curry will have a bitter taste.

SIMPLE CAKE (MADE IN NONSTICK PAN)

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It is a very simple and easy cake recipe by using nonstick pan. It is really yummy…

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Ingredients :

  1. Butter : 100 gm
  2. All purpose flour : 1 cup
  3. powdered sugar : from 1 cup sugar
  4. eggs : 2 nos
  5. baking powder :  1 tsp
  6. milk : 3/4 cup
  7. vanilla essence : 1 tsp
  8. badam chopped(take 1 handful badams). You can use other nuts too.

Method :

  1. Take a bowl and beat butter well.
  2. when it melts add powdered sugar and beat well.
  3. Now add eggs and beat well.
  4. Then add maida slowly to this and mix well.
  5. Add baking powder and mix it.
  6. Now add milk  to this and beat well.
  7. Add vanilla essence and mix it.
  8. Add chopped nuts and mix everything well. Keep it aside.
  9. Grease the nonstick pan with ghee or butter.
  10. Pour the batter into the pan and close the lid.
  11. Cook in very low flame for 20 to 25 mins.
  12. Insert a fork to check and when it comes out clean,switch off the stove.
  13. Your cake is ready.

PARIPPU PRADHAMAN

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Pariipu pradhaman is my ammamma’s and  amma’s special . It is really very yummy. It is one of my favorite payasams. On every onam and vishu my ammamma come to my home with cherupayarparippu prepared by her using ural and ulakka. (cherupayar uralil ittu kuthi parippu edukkum.)  . Amma make parippu pradhaman with that parippu in every onam and wishu. It is really yummy. I can’t explain it in words. It is  heaven.

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In my place Vatakara on 2 days before every marriage, women from neighborhood makes the parippu on the same way, using ural and ulakka. After that  they fry the parippu. That time a nice aroma came from the marriage house.

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Now i am in qatar i can’t make pradhaman with ammamma’s parippu. I used cherupayar parippu bought from supermarket and made this pradhaman. Every one try this, I can assure you it is really yummy.

Ingredients : 

  1. cherupayar parippu / moong dal : 2 cups
  2. sharkara / Jaggery : 800 gm
  3. grated coconut from two 2 coconuts
  4. ghee  : 3 tbsps
  5. cardamom powder : a pinch
  6. cashew nuts, raisins and  coconut pieces

Method:

  1. Roast the parippu in a pan until it turns golden brown and crisp. Keep it aside for cooling.
  2. Make 3 coconut milks from the 2 grated coconuts(thick, medium and thin coconut milks). Keep it aside.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast cashews, raisins and coconut pieces. Keep it aside.
  4. Wash the parippu well.
  5. Pressure cook the parippu with third(thin) coconut milk for 2 whistles in low flame.
  6. Melt the jaggery in another pan with some water.
  7. Transfer the pressure cooked parippu to big kadai and add melted jaggery to it. Mix well  and cook for 2 mins.
  8. Add the second(medium) coconut milk and boil well for 5 mins. when it becomes thick (not too thick) add the first (thick) coconut milk.
  9. When it boils well switch off the stove.
  10. Add the cardamom powder.
  11. Then add the roasted cashews, raisins and coconut pieces with remaining ghee.
  12. Add  one more tbsp ghee on the top.
  13. Parippu Pradhaman is ready to serve.

Note :

  1. Pressure cook the parippu only in low flame. Otherwise the thin coconut milk added will boil out.
  2. You can keep the pradhaman in refrigerator. Cooled Pradhaman is also really yummy.
  3. You can serve the hot pradhaman with pappadam and banana that’s the best combination and it tastes really yummy when mixed together.

RAVA UNDA/RAVA LADOO

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Rava ladoo is my all time favorite sweet and more than me, my husband loves it.

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Ingredients :

  1. Rava/Semolina : 1 cup
  2. grated coconut : 1 cup
  3. Sugar : 3/4 cup
  4. milk : 3 or 4 tbsp
  5. cardamom powder : a pinch
  6. roasted cashew nuts & raisins
  7. ghee : 4 tbsp.

Method : 

  1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a nonstick pan and roast cashews and raisins.
  2. Powder the grated coconut and sugar separately and keep it aside.
  3. In the same nonstick pan add 3 tbsp ghee .
  4. Add rava and roast the rava till a nice aroma arrives.  Make sure the rava does not get burnt.
  5.  Add powdered sugar and mix well in low flame. stir continuously.
  6. Then add powdered coconut and mix well.
  7. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
  8. Remove from fire and transfer  it to a bowl. Let it cool.
  9. Add roasted raisins and cashews.
  10.  Sprinkle 2 tbsp milk and mix well with your hands & try to make balls. If it is too dry to make balls then sprinkle 1 or 2 tbsp milk again and make balls.
  11. Yummy Rava unda is ready to serve.

DATES CAKE (MADE IN NONSTICK PAN)

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Ingredients :  

  1.  All purpose flour : 1 cup
  2. Butter : 75 g
  3. sugar :  3/4 cup (powdered)
  4. egg : 3 nos
  5. date : 1 cup
  6. milk : 3/4 cup
  7. baking powder : 1tsp
  8. vanilla essence : 1 tsp
  9. chopped nuts (badam, pista etc)
  10. chopped dates

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Method :

  1. Remove the seeds from dates and cook with enough water and make a smooth paste with spatula.
  2. In a bowl beat butter and powdered sugar well.
  3. Add egg into this and beat well.
  4. Add maida slowly to this mix and mix well.
  5. Add baking powder .
  6. Now add cooked date paste and mix well.
  7. Add milk and beat well.
  8. Add vanilla essence ,chopped nuts and chopped dates and mix well. Now the cake batter is ready.
  9. Grease the nonstick pan with butter or ghee and pour the batter into the pan.
  10. Close the lid and cook in very low flame till done(20 to 30 minutes).
  11. Insert a knife or fork into the cake. If it comes out clean, then cake is cooked well.
  12. Switch off the stove.

 

FRUIT CUSTARD

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Fruit custard is a delicious, nutritious, yummy, simple and easiest dessert. It is a perfect dish for kids especially who don’t like to drink milk and eat fruits.

Ingredients : 

  1. milk : 21/4 cups
  2. vanilla custard powder : 2 tbsp
  3. sugar : 6 tbsp or according to your taste
  4. fruits : apple, banana, chikoo, grapes,pomegranate, papaya, pineapple, mango(any fruits you like)

Method : 

  1. Chop the fruits into cubes and mix all fruits with pomegranate pearls and 2tbsp sugar in a bowl. Keep it in refrigerator. 
  2. Boil 2 cup milk with 4 tbsp sugar.
  3. Mix custard powder to remaining 1/4 cup milk without any lumps.
  4. Lower the heat and add the custard milk paste to the boiled milk and stir continuously. Once it begins to thicken switch off the stove and let it cool. Stir in between to avoid forming a thin layer over it .
  5. Once it reach room temperature refrigerate it.
  6. Just before serving arrange the fruits in a bowl and pour cold custard on  top of the fruits.
  7. Enjoy !!!

Note : Mix the fruits and custard just before serving.

Avoid fruits which release water once added to the custard. eg : watermelon.

 You can add little whipped cream and dry fruits and nuts. This will increase the taste.

POTATO AND TOMATO CURRY

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It is an easy vegetarian dish and goes well with chappathi20130316_143715s.

Ingredients : 

 

  1. potato : 2 nos ,large,  peeled and cut into pieces
  2. tomato : 1 no , large
  3. onion : 1 no , large
  4. red chilli powder : 1 1/2 tsp
  5. turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
  6. fennel powder : 1 tsp
  7. salt
  8. coconut oil : 2 tbsp
  9. garlic : 1/2 tbsp , crushed
  10. curry leaves

Method: 

  1. Pressure cook potato, tomato, onion, red chlli powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder and salt with enough water for 3 whistles and keep aside.
  2. Heat the coconut oil in a pan and saute the garlic and curry leaves for 2 mins.
  3. Add the cooked potato and tomato masala and stir well.
  4. Serve hot with chappathis.

 

BANANA HALWA(NENTHRAPAZHAM HALWA)

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It is a simple and delicious recipe.

Ingredients : 

  1. Ripe bananas : 3 nos , mashed
  2. ghee : 3 tbsp
  3. sugar : 1/4 cup (you can add sugar according to your taste)
  4. cardamom powder : a pinch
  5. cashews and raisins for garnishing (optional)

Method : 

  1. Heat ghee in a pan and add mashed bananas and saute well until it turns light brown.
  2. Add sugar and saute till banana well mixed with sugar.
  3. Sprinkle the cardamom powder and stir well.
  4. Garnish with cashews and raisins and serve hot.

APPLE CINNAMON ICE CREAM

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Ingredients:

  1.  Milk  : 2 cups
  2. Sugar  : 1/2 cup
  3. Milk powder :  cup
  4. Whipping cream : 1 cup
  5. Apples( peeled and chopped)  : 2 cups
  6. Sugar :  4 tbsp
  7. Cinnamon powder : 1tsp
  8. water : 1/4 cup

Method:

  1. Boil milk and sugar in a non-stick pan by  frequently stirring, till the sugar gets dissolved.
  2. Switch off the heat and add milk powder and whisk well. Allow it to cool.
  3. Add cream and mix well.
  4. Pour into a shallow container, cover and freeze till firm.
  5.  Cook the apples with sugar and cinnamon powder and a 1/4 cup of water on medium heat till the apples are soft.
  6. Cool the mixture.
  7.  Remove the ice cream from the container and blend it in a blender till smooth and creamy.
  8. Add the apple-cinnamon flavoring and mix well.
  9. Freeze until firm. Scoop and serve.

 

PACHAKAYA(RAW PLANTAIN) THORAN

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This is a keralite side dish prepared to be eaten along with steamed rice .

Ingredients : 

  1. raw plantain : 2 nos (cubed)
  2. onion chopped : 1 no
  3. green chillies : 4-5 nos
  4. turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
  5. grated coconut : 1/4 cup
  6. mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
  7. curry leaves : 1 spring
  8. salt
  9. water

Method : 

  1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds.
  2. Add curry leaves and onion and saute for 2 min.
  3. Add turmeric powder, cubed plantains,green chillies, salt and water and cook.
  4. Add the grated coconut and mix well.
  5. Pachakaya thoran is ready. Serve hot with rice.