Potato in yogurt gravy

Ingredients

3 medium. potatoes boiled and peeled
1 cup curd or yogurt beaten
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 pinches asafoetida
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp each ginger, garlic grated
2 green chillies slit
1 tsp each cumin, mustard seeds
1/4 tsp wheat flour
1 tbsp oil

Directions

Cut potatoes into cubes.Mash 3-4 pieces fine with hand. Keep both aside. Mix all the dry masala in 1/4 cup water. Heat oil. Add the seeds (cumin and mustard). When they splutter, add ginger-garlic, chilli and curry leaves. Add the masala mixture and fry for 2 minutes. Add beaten curd and fry for 5 minutes or till the curd loses its whiteness. Stir continuously after adding curd. Add the remaining water and all the potato and flour. Stir well. Boil and simmer for 10 minutes or till gravy thickens. Garnish with chopped coriander.Serve hot with Chapati/Rice.

Semiya payasam

Ingredients

3/4cup  Semiya 

1/4 cup Saboodhana (soak 15mins)

3/4 Cup Sugar

3 tablespoons Sultana Raisins

3 tablespoons Cashew Nuts 

1/4 teaspoon Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)

Boil 1(1 cup) litre milk with sugar .1 cup keep it aside and reduce the flame for 10mins.

Saute semiya in ghee and 1 cup water along with sabudana  for 1 whistle.Add Boiled milk and boil it for few more mins.Add Cardamom Powder ,switch of the flame and add the remaining milk.

Saute cashew and raisins in 1 tbsp ghee and add it to the prepared payasam.

Note : Dnt add milk to pressure cook the milk.

Coffee cup cake

Ingredients

1 cup All Purpose Flour(Maida)
1.5tsp Baking Powder 
¾cup Sugar 
½ unsalted Butter(100gm) 
2 Egg 
2 tsp Instant Coffee Powder 
¼ cup Milk 

Directions

Preheat oven to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners, or grease and flour cups.Sift the flour and baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer (or wooden spatula) until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. At this stage , if there is any tendancy to  curdle add some flour and beat it again. Add coffee powder and mix well. Gently add the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternating milk, mix using wooden spatula until just combined, do not over mix. Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-30mins.Take them out and leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.

kashmiri chicken

Ingredients

1kg  Chicken
1tbsp Chilli powder
1tbsp Coriander powder
2tsp Garlic paste
2tsp Ginger paste
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
1/2tsp Jeera powder
1tsp Garam masala powder
1 Egg
Salt

In a bowl combine chicken and add all the above ingredients.Mix it well & marinate it for atleast for an hour.Fry it in oil till golden brown.

For Gravy

3 big Onion(finely chopped)
3 small  Tomato (make paste)
2tsp Ginger & garlic paste
1 ½ tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 ½ tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Garam masala powder
½ Jeera powder
6 Dried red chilli paste
10 Cashewnuts (soaked in water)
10 Raisins (soaked in water
2 cups Water - 2cups
Salt - to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a pan, saute onion until brown and add ginger & garlic paste.When its raw smell disappears add coriander powder, chilli powder, jeera powder and saute for 2 mins. Add tomato paste and sauté well. When the gravy becomes thick and see oil appearing on top of the gravy add cashew paste, water and salt When this gravy becomes thick add fried chicken pieces, raisins paste and let it boil on low flame for 5 mins. Remove from fire, garnish it with  fried cashews & raisins. Serve it hot with chapatti/fried rice.

Egg Spinach Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 Bunch spinach chopped
3 eggs
2tsp rice
½ Cup grated coconut
4 green chili
¼tsp turmeric powder
½tsp black pepper powder
2d garlic
Curry leaves
Oil
Salt

Directions

Clean and chop the spinach. Crush coconut and garlic and keep it aside.Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds.When it splutters, add rice,curry leaves, onion, turmeric powder and green chili.once the onion is soft ,add spinach and sauté for few mins. Cover and cook for 2mins.Once the spinach is cooked and water is evaporated, make some space in the middle of the pan and crack the eggs and add black pepper powder. Scramble it well. Now add the crushed coconut and cook for 2-3 mins on medium flame.Serve with Rice.

Zucchini Cream Cheese Dip

Ingredients

1 Zucchini 

4 tablespoons low fat Cream Cheese

1 small green chili (optional)

1 tsp Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven at 350 F and line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Slice Zucchini and lay out slices on prepared baking sheet, drizzle a little olive oil and salt and bake for 20minutes.Cool them and set aside. Now blend baked zucchini, cream cheese, a little salt if required and green chilli in a blender until you achieve a smooth consistency. Transfer into a serving bowl and enjoy with your favourite chips.

Recipe Source  Threebellpeppers

Beaten Rice /Aval Mixture

Ingredients

2 cup (Beaten rice)/Aval
1/4 cup Roasted bengal gram / kadala paripu
1/4 cup Peanuts (roasted)
1/4 cup Cashew nuts (raw,optional)
1 Green chilli
2 Dried red chillies
1 sprig  curry leaves
3-4 chopped Garlic
1/4  tsp Turmeric powder
Oil
Salt

Directions

Dry fry the beaten rice/ aval on a low flame till it becomes crispy and keep it aside. Heat oil in a wide pan,add garlic cloves,green chilies ,curry leaves, dry red chillies and fry well till the curry leaves become crisp (in medium flame). Add roasted Channa dal, peanuts (roasted). Fry till the nuts became slight golden brown. Reduce the flame and add turmeric powder, salt. Mix well. Make sure not to burn this.Add beaten rice/ aval, and continue frying till the beaten rice/ aval becomes crispy for about 5 to 7 mins. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and store it  in a airtight container.

Morappam

Ingredients

3 cups Leftover Dosa/idli Batter
1/2 cup Sour Curd (optional,if batter is not sour enough)
1 inch piece finely chopped ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3-4 Green Chillies, finely chopped
2tbsp Coconut slices
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 sprig Curry Leaves

Directions

Combine the dosa/idli batter with sour curd, onion, ginger, green chillies, coconut,salt and mix well.Splutter mustard seeds in hot oil, add urad dal and curry leaves and mix it well with the idli batter. Heat oil(only 3/4th of each pit) in unniyappam Kara / appachatti, and when the oil is hot, lower the flame to medium. Drop tablespoons of batter to the pan When the bottom get a light  brown,turn it with a spoon and cook the other side too.Remove and drain excess oil.Serve hot.

Aloo Sandwich

Ingredients 

Bread slices

3 Potato(cooked and mashed)

1 Onion 

1 tsp Pepper powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp Chilie powder

½ tsp Vegetable masala

½ tsp Lemon juice

Salt

Oil

Directions

Saute onion in oil till soft .Add chili powder,turmeric powder,pepper powder and vegetable masala .Mix well and saute for a minute.Now add potato and mix well. switch off the flame and add lemon juice. Set aside to cool. Cut the edges of the bread .Spread a spoonful of stuffing on one bread and cover it with another bread. Grease the toaster with butter and toast the sandwich.

Notes:

Also you can spread the chutney onto one slice.

You can use other veggies of your choice like carrots, beans etc.

Toast on stove top until golden brown if you do not use toaster.

Ethakka Erissery

Ingredients

1/2 cup of whole green Moong dal (cherupayar) 

1 plantain, diced 

3-4 green chillies,slit

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1/2 cup of grated coconut (for grinding)

1 tsp of cumin seeds 

2 garlic cloves 

1/2 cup of grated coconut (for seasoning) 

1 sprig of curry leaves 

2-3 red chillies 

1 tsp mustard seeds

Oil

Directions 

Grind coconut with cumin seeds, garlic and a little water to a coarse paste and add to the mixture and keep it aside. Peel the banana and cut into small square pieces. Cook it with turmeric powder, salt and curry leaves using little water. Meanwhile cook dal in pressure cooker with water (1:3), green chilies and salt for 3 whistles in medium flame. Mix together cooked dal and banana and add the ground paste.Let it cook further on low-mid flame for 5-6 minutes.In another pan, splutter mustard seeds in hot oil , then add curry leaves and red chilly, and coconut and fry till till golden colour and pour in the curry.

Simple Potato fry

Ingredients

3 Medium size Potatoes
3 Garlic
¼ tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp  Chilli powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Directions

Slice the potatoes and put them in a bowl of water to prevent discoloration. Heat oil in a pan add curry leaves, fennel seeds and garlic. Sauté for a minute. Add the drained potatoes , salt and fry in high flame for 4-5 mins and then reduce and add , chilli powder and turmeric powder. Toss well. Add more oil if needed. Sprinkle a little water. Cover and cook on low fire, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking and burning. When the potatoes are cooked, uncover and fry in high flame till they are slightly crispy on the outside.
Enjoy with rice!!

Amma's Mutton dry

Ingredients

To marinate

1 tbsp gg paste

3 tbsp Chillie powder 

1 tbsp Kashmiri chilie Powder

3 tbsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Pepper

2 Green Chilie 

4 whistle 

To make masala

2 Onion (sliced)
1 Tomato (medium,sliced)

Kerala Fish Fry

Ingredients

4-5 Fish steaks
1tsp Chili Powder
1tsp Pepper Powder
¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Few curry leaves
Salt

Directions

Mix the above ingredients into a fine thick paste. wash and pat dry the fish. Rub the marinade on fish and keep it aside for 15-30mins.Heat oil in a pan,add curry leaves and shallow fry the fish pieces on low-medium flame.

Chicken Mappas

Ingredients

To Marinate

½ kg Chicken (cut into small pieces)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp pepper powder
½ tsp Garam masala
Salt

For the Gravy

2 Onion, thinly sliced
6 chopped Garlic cloves
1” Ginger chopped
4 Green chilies
1 tbsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Pepper powder
2 tsp Garam masala
¼ Turmeric powder
1 Chopped Tomato
Thin coconut milk – 1 cup (If you are using canned coconut milk, combine 3 tbsp with 1 cup water)
Thick coconut milk – 1/2 – 3/4 cup (Mix 1/4 cup canned coconut milk with little water)
2 tbsp Coconut oil

For seasoning

4 Pearl onions
2 tsp coconut oil
Curry leaves

Directions

Marinate the chicken pieces, onion (use half), 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, ½ tsp garam masala powder and salt . Keep it aside for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a pan , add the other half of onion and a little salt. Saute until the onions start turning brown and then add ginger, garlic, green chillies and a few curry leaves. Stir for another few more minutes. Reduce the flame and add coriander powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder , and garam masala .sauté for 1-2mins .Add tomato and mix well.Now add the marinated chicken and enough salt and mix well such that all masala coated well with chicken , add thin coconut milk and cook until chicken is almost cooked (almost 20 minutes). Now after the gravy has reduced, reduce the flame to low and add thick coconut milk and cook for another 2min (keep stirring) .Heat 1 – 2 tsp coconut oil in a small pan. Fry the sliced pearl onions until golden brown. Add a few curry leaves and fry for a few seconds. Pour over curry.

Serve with Rice/ Idiyappam/chappathi.

Sending this dish to the event South-indian-cooking-event.

Cabbage Vada

Ingredients

2 cups Cabbage
1 onion
5 Green Chillies
2 sprigs of Curry Leaves
1 cup Besan
1 tbsp Rice Flour
1tsp Red Chilli Powder        

Directions

Cut the cabbage and onion length wise . Chop the green chili onion and curry leaves .Mix all these In a bowl with salt and keep it aside for 10mins.After 10mins , add chili powder , besan, rice flour and mix thoroughly. Such that cabbage is well coated with batter. (add 2tbsp water if needed). Take a ball sized portion of the dough and press it slightly in between your palm. Slowly drop it in the oil and deep fry it. serve with chutney or tomato sauce.

Liebster Blog Award!

Hello Everyone,  I recently received my first blog award, The Liebster Blog Award!Now, to be honest I hadn’t heard of this award before it was mentioned to me, but I’m so excited to receive it and also happy at the same time to receive it in the first month itself!I was very kindly nominated by sweets and spices and easyandsimplefoods . I was really so grateful to be nominated, and I also want to thank everyone who reads and comments on my blog.

The rules for participating are as follows:

• Each nominee must link back the person who nominated them.
• Answer the 10 questions which are given to you by the nominator.
• Nominate other bloggers for this award who have less than 200 followers.
• Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
• Let the nominees know that they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them. 

Answers to the questions of sweets and spices  

What did u understand with the concept of blogging?

Sharing thoughts,knowledge and meeting interesting people.

What are the things that changed after you started blogging?

Photography and spending more time in kitchen. 

If you are a food blogger do ur family and friends support your efforts?

Yes.of course. My husband gives good feedback which helped to improve my cooking a lot. 

How is your blog different from other blogs you came across?

All the posts in my blog are tried and tested recipes. 

Do you have virtual friends? How does it feel when u interact with them?

Yes after starting blogging, I got lot of good virtual friends. 

What is your new year resolutions and why?

To learn about other culture and cuisines and experiment with new recipes.

One thing you can change about yourself?

Feed the needy and stopping wastage of food.

One thing you always fantasy about u can have?

To  become  a  Dancer

5things you love the most.

Family, friends, travel, shopping and ofcourse cooking.

Blogging is a different World!! What if u were not a blogger? and  what if u have to quit blogging  anytime???

I got introduced to blogging late. Blogging opened me to an entire new   world of friends and recipes. It helped me in trying out new dishes. All     this will be lost if I stop blogging. If I was not  blogger  would never  have tried new variety dishes. 

Answers to the questions of easyandsimplefoods . 

Who is your favorite chef?

Vah Chef

What Vegetarian Menu you like to cook when you invite guest for dinner?

Palak paneer

Mention one funny disaster you made at kitchen?

I put 250gms/1kg of chilie powder for  my first fish curry preparation ;-) 

What was your successful recipe that made your spouse to say, "best than my mom's preparation"?

Egg biriyani

While cooking do you need music?

Not always

Before start blogging, did you had the habit of clicking your food plates?

Yes

Which dish you like from my blog? (provide link)

Turmeric milk

According to you what is the best part and worst part in cooking?

Enjoying food and Washing utensils.

You prefer your dishes to be healthy or tasty?

Both.

Which restaurant you visit frequently? and mention the most   favorite restaurant dish.

Chipotle -Burrito bowl.

My nominations!

Foodaura

Theredchillies

Soupstodesserts

kozhikkodanruchi

mumsdeliciouscuisine

easycooking321

aromatic recipes  

.7aumsuvai

smithakalluraya

Avial 

Questions to my nominees:

What is the most delicious food you have ever eaten?

What is your favorite post that you’ve written? (Please provide link!)

What is your most prized possession?

What’s your go-to recipe for a weeknight?

If you had to eat one food every day, for the rest of your life, what would that food be?

What is one skill or hobby you’ve always wanted to learn?

Something that you learned recently.

Veg or non veg?

A kitchen tip that you want to share.

A recipe from my blog that you would try out.

What is something you have never done, but would love to try?

Thank you to all my followers and every comment I get, you spur me on to keep blogging!

Please link back to me when you post! I would love to read everyone’s answers.

Chicken Sukka

Ingredients

3/4kg-1kg chicken
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp  fennel seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
12 roasted whole dry red chilies
½ medium sized onion.
1tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
 2 sprigs Curry leaves
½ onion sliced
8-10 garlic flakes
¾-1cup grated coconut
1 large onion finely chopped
2 tbsp ghee/butter/oil

Directions

Dry roast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, whole dry red chilies and onion and grind to a fine paste. Marinate the chicken pieces with ground paste and turmeric powder for an hour. Mix and crush together the grated coconut and garlic. Heat oil in a pan and sauté curry leaves and onion till golden brown .Next add the marinated chicken cook till the chicken is done (Do not add water). When the chicken is almost done,add the crushed coconut and cook for another 2-3mins.Heat ghee in another pan and fry the onions and pour it to the curry.
Notes:
This curry is completely dry so before adding the coconut make sure that there is no water left in the pan.

Mulakoolam

Ingredients

1cup curd (thick sourless)
2tsp Pepper powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
A pinch of Fenugreek seeds
1/4tsp Cumin seeds
2 Dried Red chilies
¼ cup water
Curry leaves
Asafoetida
Mustard seeds

Directions

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds. Reduce the flame, add curry leaves and red chilies (broken). stirs for some time and add turmeric powder and asafetida. wait for a couple of seconds and add water followed by pepper powder and salt .When the water reduces to half add curd and stir for 2mins.(Don’t let the curd boil) switch of the flame stir continuously for 2-3mins to avoid curdling.
 Notes:
 You can keep this without refrigerating for a week.

Sending this dish to the below events:

Healthy vegetarian side dishes hosted by Nandoos and  Priya.

Dish-it-out-light-dinners hosted by Vardini and Preetha Sowmyan.