Masala Kuzhi Paniyaram / Phann Gallelo Appo (seasoning with grated coconut)

Masala Kuzhi Paniyaram / Phann Gallelo Appo (seasoning with grated coconut)

A delicious breakfast dish or serve as an evening snack !!!

Appo in Konkani cuisine

Kuzhi Paniyaram in Tamil

You will need

Non – stick Kuzhi Paniyaram Kadai

Idli batter- 1 bowl (for 14 kuzhi Paniyaram)

Cooking oil / ghee- 3 teaspoon

Basic batter recipe (for dosa too):

Please use standard measuring cup to measure rice and dal (measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

You will need

¾ cup boiled rice (puzhukkalari / ukkada chawal / idli rice)

¾ cup raw rice (pachari )

¼ cup urad dal

½ teaspoon salt

Method

Wash and soak rice and dal separately for 4 hours in water (2 1 /2 cups water for rice and 1 cup water for urad dal). Make a paste of dal and rice separately in a mixer or grinder. Add little water when making paste. Transfer both the batter in another big vessel / container. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Mix batter well (stir continuously with a thick ladle) and keep aside for 5 – 6 hours to ferment. Batter should be of pouring consistency.

For the masala / seasoning/ phann:

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

1/4 teaspoon urad dal

1 small green chilli, very finely chopped

1 teaspoon very finely chopped ginger

6 curry leaves, very finely sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons grated coconut

Method

For masala / seasoning:

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add jeera and urad dal. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add finely chopped ginger, green chilli, onion and curry leaves. Fry on a low to medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes until fragrant / golden color and crisp. Switch off the heat and add grated coconut. Gently stir well for 2 minutes.

Pour the seasoning over batter batter and mix well evenly.

Final preparation:

Heat Kuzhipaniyaram Kadai on a medium heat. Smear each mould with little oil / ghee.

Pour Idli / Paniyaram batter in each mould. ( 3/4 th of the mould ). Sprinkle oil / ghee.

Cover with a lid. Cook for 8-10 minutes in a medium heat . Cook till crisp and sides will turn golden brown ( until the edges separate from the moulds of the kadai).

Turn the other side with the help of a stick and cook till done / under side should be golden in color. Serve hot with coconut chutney / hing chutney / tomato chutney / sambar / any gravy dishes of your choice.

Kottayam Style Chicken Curry or Naadan Kozhi Piralan

Kottayam Style Chicken Curry or Naadan Kozhi Piralan

A fantastic chicken curry, goes well as a main curry with Rice, Pulao, Kerala Parotta, Appam, Idiyappam, Rotis … and also without coconut paste / coconut milk. Recipe adapted from Suriyani Pachakam by Mrs. Bava Lukose, Kottayam, Kerala, cookery book available @ DC Books or online stores).

Serves: 5 – 6

Ingredients

For the spice paste:

1 – inch piece ginger, chopped

10 garlic cloves, chopped

15 shallots (chuvannulli / small onion), sliced

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

2 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon pepper powder

½ teaspoon saunf (fennel / perumjerakam) (or 1/4 level teaspoon saunf powder)

8 cloves (or 1/4 level teaspoon clove powder)

2 cinnamon sticks (1 – inch size) (or 1/4 level teaspoon cinnamon powder)

Make a fine paste of above ingredients. Keep aside. Sprinkle very little water (1 tablespoon) when making paste in a mixer.

Other ingredients

2 tablespoons oil

2 onions, very finely sliced

Spice paste

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 springs curry leaves (12 nos)

1 kg chicken (cut into medium size pieces), wash well and drain out water thoroughly

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 cup (200 ml) hot water

Method

Wash and clean chicken pieces. Drain out water and gently wipe with a kitchen towel.

Heat oil in a wide pan. Add finely sliced onions and fry till golden color on a medium to low heat.

Add spice paste and gently stir on a low heat for 3 – 4 minutes or until well combined with onions and thickens.

Add vinegar and curry leaves. Stir well.

Add chicken pieces, salt to taste and 1 cup (200 ml) hot water. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 30 – 35 minutes or until done / chicken pieces softens / gravy slightly thickens. Serve with Rice / Kerala Parotta / Appam / Idiyappam …

Tip: Keep this curry for half an hour before consuming. Then it will absorb all the flavors / light brown in color / gravy will be thick too !!

Mixed Vegetable Cutlets

Mixed Vegetable Cutlets - A deep fried  delicious evening snack. Best with tea / coffee...

Makes: 8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, finely sliced

3 curry leaves, chopped

3 medium size potatoes, boiled and mashed (quantity of potatoes should be more than other vegetables. You can use any vegetables of your choice)

2 tablespoons grated carrot

1 tablespoon grated beetroot

1 tablespoon finely shredded cabbage

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder (or a mix of 1/4 teaspoon clove powder + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder + 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder)

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 egg white (or dilute 2 tablespoons maida (all purpose flour) with 4 tablespoons water. Make a smooth smooth solution and keep aside).

80 g bread crumbs (approximately ½ cup)

200 ml oil (to deep fry)

Fresh salad and tomato ketchup to serve

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onions and fry till golden color on a medium to low heat until golden color.

Add curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes.

Add boiled and mashed potatoes, grated carrot, beet root and cabbage. Mix well.

Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste. Stir all the ingredients well for 3 minutes. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Open the lid and stir continuously for 5 minutes. Do not add water when cooking. Switch off the heat and keep aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Divide cutlet mixture into 8 parts. Make round or oval shape. Dip each cutlet into egg white (or diluted maida mixture) and roll in breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs should  be coated nicely and make strong cutlets. Deep fry immediately.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium (wait for 1 minute, please do not fry on high heat) and deep fry 4 cutlets at a time till brown color and crisp on both the sides. Drain out from oil and place on kitchen towel  / paper towel to absorb extra oil. Serve hot with fresh salad (challas) or tomato ketchup or tea / coffee.

Here's the recipe of Challas.

For Mixed Vegetable Fingers:

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Make 6 cm long finger shaped pieces and roll it over breadcrumbs (breadcrumbs should be well coated on each vegetable finger).

Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce heat to medium and deep fry till golden color and crisp on both the sides. Drain and place on kitchen towel / paper towel to absorb extra oil.

Serve hot with mayonnaise or tomato sauce or with tea / coffee..

Paneer Fry (with mixed vegetables & kasoori methi)

Paneer Fry (with mixed vegetables & kasoori methi)

A very tasty side dish, goes well with Rotis / Pulao varieties !!!

Serves: 4

You will need

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, cut into thin slices (about ¼ - inch thickness), separate each layer

1 tomato, cut into thin slices

1 capsicum, remove seeds and cut into thin slices

1 yellow bell pepper, remove seed and cut into thin slices

1 red bell pepper (optional), remove seeds and cut into thin slices

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon jeera powder (cumin seed powder)

200 g paneer, cut into thin slices

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 teaspoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and jeera powder in 2 tablespoons water. Make a smooth solution and keep aside (spice mix).

Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onion and fry on a medium to low heat until light pink in color.

Add tomato, capsicum and yellow, red bell pepper slices. Mix well and fry for 3- 5 minutes until color changes and softens (or ½ done).

Add diluted spice mix and stir well for 2 – 3 minutes or until the raw smell goes and water dries up.

Add paneer pieces and salt to taste. Do not add water when cooking. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 8 minutes or until done / paneer softens and spices well mixed with all the vegetables. Switch off the heat.

Heat a small pan. Add kasoori methi and dry roast on a low heat for 3 - 5 minutes until crisp. Remove from the heat and crush it into a fine powder. Sprinkle powdered kasoori methi over paneer fry and serve hot with Rotis or Pulao ..