Kit Kat Milkshake

Kit Kat Milkshake – A tasty milkshake, made Kit Kat, milk and sugar.  It’s quick energy drink too !!

Serves: 1

Ingredients

2 mini Kit Kat or 1 big Kit Kat, break it in quarter

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz milk (cooled or normal temperature)

2 – 3 teaspoon sugar

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a blender or mixer bowl  and blend until smooth. Serve in tall glass. 

Ney Pathal / Ney Pathiri

Nei Pathal / Nei Pathiri – Deep fried rice puris in Malabar cuisine. Recipe from Vanitha magazine !!

Makes: 12 – 14

Ingredients

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz boiled rice (puzhukkalari / ukkada chawal)

2 cups water

1/2 cup grated coconut (5 - 6 tablespoon)

6 shallots (chuvannulli / small onion), chopped

1 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

½ teaspoon salt

6 – 8 tablespoon rice flour (for final mixing)

1/2 teaspoon oil (to grease plastic or banana leaves )

3 greased plastic sheets or banana leaves

250 ml oil (to deep fry)

Method

Wash and soak boiled rice in 2 cups of water for 6 hours or overnight. Drain out water completely. Transfer soaked rice in a mixer bowl and make a smooth paste with grated coconut, chopped shallots, salt and jeea. Use very little water to make a smooth dough. Just sprinkle 1 – 2 tablespoon water to run the mixer.

In a wide bowl, mix the rice paste with 6 tablespoon rice flour (normal rice flour) and make a dough. Add extra 1 – 2 tablespoon rice flour if required to make a soft dough. Knead well and make a soft dough. This dough is totally different from chapatti / puri dough. Adding rice flour helps to make a soft dough. This recipe step is very important.

Divide this dough into 12 – 14 portions and make balls.

Keep each rice balls in between two greased plastic sheets (15 x 15 cm) / banana leaves. Press gently and spread it by palm to make the shape of a  puri - 4 - inches in diameter (nei pathiri / nei pathal). Give perfect round shape with the help of an inverted sharp lid / katoris / cookie cutter .. Arrange these nei pathals on another plastic sheet / banana leaf carefully.

Heat oil in a kadai / deep frying pan. Reduce heat to medium and deep - fry nei pathal (one at a time and  gently press top portion of the pathal with  a flat slotted ladle. Then it will puff puff slightly) till golden color on both the sides.  Please do not fry on high heat.  Keep medium heat.

Drain out from oil and place it on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Please use 3 – 4 paper towels. Serve with any veg or non – vegetarian gravy dishes (korma / lamb or chicken curry and also a  plain snack with tea / coffee too) This  nei pathal is very crispy and tastier than normal atta / flour puris.

Vegetable Spring Roll

Vegetable Spring Roll- A delicious snack, best with  tomato ketchup !!!

Makes: 7

Any filling of your choice (Chicken, Egg, Paneer,  Lamb ..)

Or

For the filling:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, finely chopped

6 French beans, very finely chopped

2 carrots (medium size), very finely chopped

4 tablespoon very finely shredded cabbage

½ piece capsicum

3 teaspoon soy sauce

¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

¼ teaspoon pepper powder (or to taste)

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and fry until golden brown. Add finely chopped vegetables (or minced meat). Stir fry for 5 minutes on a low heat. Add soy sauce and mix well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper powder.  Keep aside to cool for 10 minutes.

For the spring roll pastry:

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure  flour and water.

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz  all purpose flour / maida

2 teaspoon  ghee

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup  + 3 tablespoon water

250 ml oil to deep fry

Maida paste to close the edges (dilute 1 tablespoon maida  (plain flour)with 1 tablespoon water. Make a thick paste and keep aside)

Method

In a wide bowl, mix maida , ghee and salt. Add ½ cup water (add extra 1 – 2 tablespoon water if required)  and make a  medium soft  dough (not very  soft  like chapatti dough).  Knead well  for  5 – 7 minutes. Cover and keep aside in a container for half hour.

Final preparation:

Divide spring roll dough into 7  parts. Roll out each portion very thinly to form a square shape or normal chapati  of  13 cm (or make chapatis of 15 cm in diameter and cut each chapati into a square shape of 13 cm x 13 cm).

This recipe step is very important.

Heat roti tawa on medium heat.  Reduce the heat between medium and low. Toast each side of the  rolled roti very slowly. Do not allow to get golden brown spots (just warm the rotis on both the sides). Remove from tawa and keep aside. Repeat this process for remaining chapatti balls. This process helps the spring roll crispy. 

Sample photo of square shape spring roll wrapper

Divide the stuffing into 7  portions. Place each potion on the chapatti just below the centre, fold the bottom half over the stuffing. Fold the right side towards the centre, do the same for the left side. The shape should look like an envelop (or please see the photo above and prepare like that ) and seal the edges tightly with  paste made with the flour and water.

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Heat oil in a pan. Reduce the heat to medium and wait for 1 minute. Do not fry on high heat. Deep fry spring rolls (3 - 4 at a time) until golden color on both the sides (approximate frying time for each side is 6 – 7 minute on  a  medium to low heat). Drain out from oil  and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Paneer Masala

Paneer Masala  (no added ginger – garlic paste) – A tasty and  less spicy curry. Best with Indian breads / pulao / rice ..

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the onion paste:

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion (big size), roughly chopped

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add chopped onions and fry until golden color. Switch off the heat. Keep aside to cool until room temperature  and then make a smooth paste in a small mixer. Do not add water when making paste. Keep aside.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 ¼ teaspoon coriander powder

Fried onion paste

2 tablespoon tomato puree (or in a bowl, boil 2 tomatoes with 1/4 cup / 50 ml water for 10 minutes. Keep aside to cool  until normal temperature. Gently remove the skin of the tomatoes and then make a smooth paste in a small mixer bowl (along with water, then it ‘ll be very creamy) or Microwave method – In a microwave safe bowl, boil 2 tomatoes (poke tomatoes) with ¼ cup water/ 50 ml water for 4 minutes on high power (750 W). Keep aside to cool until normal temperature. Gently remove skin and make a smooth paste in a small mixer bowl (along with water)

200 g paneer (cottage cheese), cut into desired shape and size or cubes

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

¾ cup water (150 - 175 ml)

2 teaspoon fresh cream

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in 2 tablespoon water and make a smooth paste (spice mix).

Heat oil in a pan / karahi. Add sliced onion and fry on a medium to low heat until golden color.

Add diluted spice mix and gently fry on a low heat for 1 minute until the raw smell disappears / well combined with other ingredients.

Add tomato puree and  fried onion paste. Stir well continuously for 2 – 3 minutes until well combined with other ingredients.

Add  salt to taste and ¾ cup water. Gravy won't be tasty if it's more than 1 cup water. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes until  it boils well / the gravy slightly thickens.

At this stage, add paneer cubes. Mix well. Cover again and cook on a medium for 5 minutes until done / paneer softens (paneer cooks very fast).

 Switch off the heat. Now add 2 teaspoon fresh cream and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. Creamy paneer masala is ready now. Serve  hot with rotis / naan / parathas / pulao .. Consume immediately.

Padavalanga Curry (with raw mango)

Padavalanga Curry – A delicious main curry  (ozhichu curry) with rice in Kerala cuisine !!

Serves: 3

Ingredients

For the coconut paste:

1/2 cup (75 g / 5 tablespoons) grated coconut

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

4 shallots (chuvannulli / small onion), chopped

2 tablespoons water

Make a smooth paste of above ingredients with water in a small mixer bowl.  Keep aside.

Other ingredients

250 g padavalanga (snake gourd / poddele), gently peel off the outer skin and cut into ½ - inch square pieces

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 green chilli, slit lengthwise

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

3 thin raw mango slices or  2 tablespoon tamarind juice or ½ teaspoon thick tamarind paste

1 cup water / 200 ml water

Final preparation:

In a bowl, mix padavalanga pieces with water (just to cover padavalanga), mango slices (or tamarind juice or tamarind paste), 1 slit green chilli, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes or until ¾ done and color changes.

Add coconut paste and mix well. Adjust with salt  and extra 1/4 cup water (50 ml) if you required. Gravy should of pouring in consistency.  Cover again and cook on a low heat for another 8 – 10 minutes or until done and padavalanga well cooked.  Switch off the heat.

For the  seasoning:

2 teaspoons oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 spring curry leaves (6 curry leaves)

Method

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter,  add curry leaves, and saute for 1 minute  until fragrant. Pour the seasoning over curry and mix well. Serve with rice, thoran, pickle, fish fry, pappadam …

Peanut Brittle / Peanut Chikki (no added corn syrup)

Peanut Chikki / Peanut Brittle (no added corn syrup)

Serve: 16 – 18 peanut chikkis

Please use same measuring cup to measuring cup to measure peanut and sugar.

Ingredients

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz peanuts (Indian standard measuring cup)

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz  sugar

A pinch of salt

2 teaspoon unsalted butter (this recipe step is very important)

2 pinches pinch of cooking soda (not baking powder)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)

1 teaspoon oil / ghee / butter (to grease steel thali/ plate / baking dish)

Method

For the peanuts:

Heat an iron kadai or pan. Reduce heat to medium and dry roast (without oil) peanuts on a medium to low heat until crisp (approximate dry roasting time 15 – 18 minutes). Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and gently remove the skin of the peanuts. Transfer dry roasted peanuts into a small mixer bowl and crush peanuts for 30 seconds.

Microwave method –Arrange peanuts in a microwave safe flat dish and microwave high (750W) for 2 minute 30 seconds. Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and gently remove the skin of the peanuts. Transfer dry roasted peanuts into a small mixer bowl and crush peanuts for 30 seconds.

Grease a steel thali or baking dish with 1 teaspoon oil / ghee and keep it ready.

For the sugar:

Sorry, I'm not very  sure about candy thermometer.

Short method - Heat a heavy bottomed kadai / pan on a medium heat. Add 1 cup sugar and spread  it well with flat spatula.

When it melts (smooth and clear solution and there won’t be any sugar crystals) and color changes from yellow to golden  brown,  turn the heat to very low.  Do not stir or shake the pan / kadai. It will melt slowly. Approximate time for whole process ( medium heat – low heat 5 - 7 minutes - depending upon the quality of the sugar).

At this stage, add a pinch of salt, 2 teaspoon unsalted butter and  2  pinches of cooking soda. Mix well. Now it boil vigorously with  lots of bubbles. Switch of the heat.

Now  add dry roasted peanuts and vanilla essence (optional)  Stir well continuously until peanuts well coated with caramelized sugar. Immediately spread this peanut – sugar mixture into a greased thali / baking dish and spread it evenly with a flat spatula. Cut into desired shape and size. Keep aside to cool for 30 minutes and gently remove chikki / brittle from the thali / baking dish (once fully reaches to normal temperature). It can break easily. Store it  in an airtight container.

Kadala Parippu Payasam

Kadala Parippu Payasam / Bengal Gram Payasam – A delicious payasam (dessert) in Kerala cuisine and Konkan cuisine (Chone dali galnu paaysu) !!

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Please use same measuring  cup to measure kadala parippu, water and coconut milk.

Here I used Indian standard measuring cup of ½ cup / 100 ml / 4 oz capacity.

100 ml / 4 oz / kadala parippu  (chana dal / Split Bengal gram)

4 cups water (100 ml + 100 ml + 100 ml +100 ml water)

200 ml coconut milk (dilute 25 g Maggi coconut milk in 2  cups of water(100 ml + 100 ml). Stir well and make a smooth solution)

4 – 6 tablespoon melted and sieved jaggery

2 pinches cardamom powder

Shallow fried  6 cashew nut splits and 6 raisins (In a small pan, heat 1 teaspoon ghee. Gently shallow fry cashew nut splits until golden color on a low heat.  Remove and keep aside. Next gently  shallow fry raisins until golden color on a low heat. Remove and keep aside).

Method

Wash and soak kadala parippu in 4 cups of water for 2 hours. Cook dal in a pressure cooker with soaked water for 25 minutes until done and soft (reduce the heat after 3 quick whistles and  cook on a  medium heat for 20 minutes). Do not open the pressure cooker lid immediately.  Allow the pressure cooker to cool naturally.

Transfer boiled kadala parippu in a non stick sauce pan / or any another bowl and add 200 ml coconut milk. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes.

Now add 4 – 6 tablespoon (or to taste) melted and sieved jaggery. Mix well. Cover again and cook on a low heat for another 10 minutes. Switch off the heat. Keep aside  to  cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle cardamom powder and decorate with shallow fried cashew nuts and raisins. Consume after 1 hour. Then it will absorb all the flavours. Serve as a dessert.

Here's the recipe link of '' How to make melted and sieved jaggery''. This recipe link is very useful for jaggery related dishes.

Quick Bread Fritters

Quick Bread Fritters – A delicious snack. Best with tea / coffee / tomato ketchup. Recipe from Vanitha Magazine, Sep 1 – 15, 2012 !!

Makes: 18 – 20 fritters

Ingredients

Here I used  Indian standard measuring cup of ½ cup / 100 ml / 4 oz capacity.

½ cup / 100 ml / 4 oz all purpose flour (plain flour /  maida)

½ teaspoon salt

 6 – 8 tablespoon curd

2 tablespoon chopped onion

2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1 green chilli, thinly chopped

2 brown bread slices, chopped

250 ml oil (to deep fry)

Method

Sieve flour and salt together.

In a wide bowl, mix sieved flour with 6 tablespoon  curd and make a batter. Add extra 1 – 2 tablespoon curd if required to make medium thick batter.  Now add chopped onion, green chilli, coriander leaves and  chopped bread slices. Mix all the ingredients well with a thick tablespoon.

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan on high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and drop teaspoons (use small spoons which shape like ice cream scoop to get evenly round shape or normal teaspoon. Please do not use tablespoon ) of the  batter ( 8 - 10 fritters  at a time -  depending upon the size of the karahi ) and fry till golden color on both the sides.

Drain out from oil  and place on kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

Serve as an evening snack with Tomato ketchup  /  coconut chutney / tea / coffee..

Vada / Medu Vada (with Sabudana / Sago)

Vada / Medu Vada (with Sabudana / Sago) – Delicious & crispy vadas.  Basic recipe from Samayal by Viji Varadarajan (Cookery book available @ Landmarkonthenet online store)

Makes – 12 – 14

Ingredients

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz  urad dal

2 1/2 cup water ( to soak)

3 tablespoon sabudana (sago / chawvari)

2 green chillies. finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon hing ( asafoetida )

1 - inch piece ginger, finely chopped

1 spring curry leaves or 6  nos, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

2 tablespoon shallots (chuvannulli), thinly sliced (optional)

3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

3 tablespoons water ( for grinding )

250 ml oil for frying

Method

Soak sabudana in ½ cup of water (half an hour before preparing  the  vada batter). This recipe step is very important.

Wash and soak urad dal for 3 hours. Drain out water completely.

Grind urad dal to a thick and smooth paste in a mixer in  2 batches.  Add / sprinkle 3 tablespoons water  when making batter. Batter should be thick in consistency.

Transfer the vada batter into another flat bowl and mix it with chopped green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, shallots (optional), chopped coriander leaves and hing. Now squeeze out water from  sabudana completely and mix it with other ingredients. Add salt now (always finally add salt when making vada). Mix all the ingredients with a thick tablespoon.

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan. Reduce heat to medium. Avoid frying on high heat.

Wet your palms and take batter into the palms. Shape it like a doughnut with a hole in the centre.  Adding sabaudana helps the vada batter to hold easily. The reason for putting hole is to allow for expansion during frying as well as to obtain uniform cooking through out the cross section.

Alternately one can shape it like a ball / bondas if one find it difficult to shape it like a doughnut.

Release the doughnut shaped batter directly into the medium hot oil.

Care should taken not to splash oil. Repeat this as far as the space permitting in your kadai (4 - 5 vadas at a time).

Also too many vadas at a time may result in uneven cooking of vadas. Normally at first the underside of the vadas turn brown. So turn the vadas over so that the uniform color ( golden color ) is obtained through out the surface. Cook on a medium heat. Avoid high heat.

Drain out from oil and place on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil. Serve with coconut chutney / Sambar / Tea / Coffee.

Easy Boiled Egg Curry

Easy Boiled Curry – An easy & tasty egg curry. Best with rice / pulao / chapatti / phulkas / brown bread / parathas .. !!

Serves: 2 - 3

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 curry leaves

6  cloves garlic, thinly sliced

½ - inch piece ginger, thinly sliced

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 ¼ teaspoon coriander powder

3 boiled eggs

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

150 ml water (3/4 th cup)

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander in 2 tablespoon water and make a smooth mix (spice mix).

Heat oil in a karahi / pan on medium heat. Add thinly sliced onion and fry till golden color.

Add curry leaves, thinly sliced ginger and garlic. Fry on a medium to low heat until golden color and crisp.

Add diluted spice mix and fry on a low heat until water dries up and raw smell goes / thick in consistency.

Now add boiled egg pieces, salt to taste and 150 ml water (approximately ¾ cup, just to cover  / up to the level of boiled eggs. Gravy won’t be tasty if it’s too thin in consistency).

Gently mash 1 small piece of  egg yolk with back side of a steel ladle. Then the gravy will be creamy , thick and tasty. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes. Serve with rice / rotis …