Thalassery Chicken Dum Biriyani

                                                                               

Well, it's New Year Eve today. Guess, we all have our New Year Resolutions ready. Just in case,before any Resolutions for Weight loss are  made why not try the famous "Thalassery Biriyani"  :)

Yup, that's right!What's more to look forward to a Malabar wedding than to enjoy the famous and delicious Biriyani!!

In my hometown, we have another special dish known as 'Aleesa', which is served as the first course before the Biriyani. Insha'Allah, I will be posting this recipe in the near future.

Mutton Biriyani and Chicken Biriyani are equally famous. For the time being, let's try out the Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients:

For Masala:

Onion - 5 big sliced finely
Tomato - 3 large
Green Chilly - 10 -grinded
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Chopped Corriander and Mint leaves - 3 tbsp
Lemon Juice - juice of 1 medium sized lemon
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
RKG / Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Chicken Fry

Chicken - medium sized pieces - 1 kg
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Ginger garic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For Dum:

Fried onions - 2 medium
Fried cashew nuts and raisins - 1/2 cup each
Chopped Corriander and Mint leaves - 3 tbsp each
Yellow colour - as required
Garam masala- as required

Preparation Method:

First step is to prepare the Ghee Rice.

Next, lets keep the Dum ingredients ready.

Dum ingredients include fried cashew and raisins, fried onions, yellow colour and garam masala powder.
While frying the onions sprinkle little salt over the onions so that they remain crisp.

Next to prepare the chicken. Clean the chicken and cut into medium sized pieces and drain.
Cook the chicken with chilly powder, turmeric, salt and little water. Once the chicken is ready, fry the chicken pieces and keep aside.

Here we needs two large cooking pans. Once for making the ghee rice and the other for making the masala.

Heat the ghee and oil required for making the masala. Saute the onions, grinded green chillies and ginger garlic paste well till the onions start becoming translucent. Cover with lid and keep on low flame, so that the onions gets cooked really well and changes its clour to dark brown. Take care not to burn the onions. The masala tastes as good as how well the onions are sauted. Next add the chopped tomatoes and saute well again. Add the chopped leaves, garam masala powder, lemon juice, salt as required.

Cover with lid and keep on low flame, till the tomatoes are well cooked and gets smashed well in the masala.
Now, add the fried chicken. Mix well till the masala gets coated well on the chicken. Cover, keep on low flame till there in no excess water and the masala gets dry.
                                                        
All, right, take a deep breath, we are going towards the finishing step which is called the DUM. :)

First, lets layer the masala with one level of rice. Put the dum ingredients on the rice- few cashews and raisins, chopped dhanya and mint leaves, sprinkle of food colour- this actually depends on how yellow you like your Biriyani to be, few fried onions, sprinkle of garam masala powder.

Next we have to repeat the process, layer of rice then the dum ingredients, till the last level will be the dum.

Cover with lid,  and keep on very low flame for around 5 mins. Remove from flame.

Now we have to remove the rice and move into another pan. Mix the rice well so that all our dum ingredients gets mixed well. Please note that Masala and Biriyani rice are served sperately.

Our Thalassery Biriyani is ready !! Serve it hot with cucumber raita and spicy corriander chutney.....

"  Wishing you all a very Happy and Prosperous 2012 !!! "                     




                                              



                                      

Baked Cheese Pasta

                                                         


'Pasta' is the Italian name for 'Dough'. In Italy Pasta is served as a first course. Whereas, at my home, we enjoy it anytime !! :)

There a different types of pasta available.What I have used here is Penne pasta. My kids are very fond of pasta and that's what inspired me to try this out and trust me, this is a very easy dish.

I have used Oregano, which is a strong , aromatic herb popular in Italian and Greek cuisine.

Ingredients:

For Tomato Sauce

1. Tomatoes - 2 medium sized
2. Onion - 1 small finely chopped
3. Garlic - 2 cloves finely chopped
4. Oregano - 2 tbsp
5. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Olive oil - 2 tbsp

For Pasta

1. Penne pasta - 300 gm
2. Shredded Mozzarella cheese - 200 gm

Preparation Method:

Cook pasta according to package directions with 1/2 tsp salt  and 1 tbsp oil. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Next, lets prepare the tomato sauce. Heat water in a pan. Once the water starts boiling well, remove from flame. Pop the tomatoes in the water and keep aside for say 10 mins. This is to peel of the skin.

Blend the peeled tomatoes and keep aside. Take a sauce pan for making the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil, saute the chopped garlic and onions till the onions become translucent.

Pour in the blended tomato puree and stir well. Add 1/2 cup of water to it and stir. Now add pepper, oregano and salt as required. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from flame.

Our Tomato sauce is ready. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees.

Combine well the cooked pasta and tomato sauce and keep aside.

Now layer half the pasta in the baking dish. Top with half portion of Mozzarella cheese. Layer the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining cheese.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 10 mins till the cheese topping turns golden brown and looks all ready.

Remove from oven. Voila !! our Baked Cheese pasta is ready !!! Enjoy....

Ghee Rice

                               

                                                           


Ghee rice / Neychoru is an all time delicacy from Malabar. In my hometown, it is prepared atleast once in a week, mostly on Fridays.

Even in parties, it has it's very own special special place. It goes well with chicken stew or chicken curry. As the name suggests the main ingredient is ghee. What's more, this is very easy to prepare and this is the first step towards the famous 'Thalassery Biriyani'.

The rice I have used is called  " Jeerakashaala Rice". You can also try it with Basmati but in Malabar we use Jeerakashaala.

Let's have a look at it.

Ingredients:

• Jeerakshaala rice - 2 glass
• Water - 3 1/2 glass
• Small onion - 1 sliced
• Whole cardamom - 4/5
• Cloves - 3
• Cinnamon sticks - 2 small pieces
• Curry leaves - 5/6
• Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp

Preparation method:

First step wash the rice , drain and keep aside.

Next heat the ghee. When it melts completely add the oil. Next add the whole spices and saute for a minute. Add the slice onions and saute till the onions becomes translucent.

Now add the water and salt. Wait for the water to boil well. Next add the rice and curry leaves. Stir it well and set up to boil. Once, it starts boiling, cover and reduce the flame. Let it cook for 5 mins. Remove the cover, stir well.
Cover again and keep for 2/3 mins. Remove from flame.

Ghee rice is ready !!

Serve hot with Chicken stew.... : )

Crème Caramel

As this is my 10th post, I thought why not post a sweet dish. So, here it is 'Caramel pudding'

Caramel pudding or Crème Caramel is by origin a French dessert. This is a simple humble pudding welcome at our  homes.

Few days back my close friend had come to UAE for a short visit. When she came  we had a small get together. Another dear friend of mine had got for us her caramel pudding. It tasted great. Let me share with you all this recipe. Its really easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

1. Milk - 2 cups
2. Eggs - 3
3. Vanilla essence - 2 tsp
4. Sweetened condensed milk - 1 big tin - 395 gm
5. Sugar - 4 /5 tbsp
6. Water- for making caramel sauce

Preparation Method:

Here I have used Long Life milk which is milk made from milk powder. This gives the dessert a rich texture.

Whisk the eggs well with a fork for say 2/3 mins. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and whisk it well again. Now add in the milk. Stir it well so that the milk , eggs and the condendsed milk gets mixed well.

Now, lets proceed with making the caramel sauce. Take your sauce pan. Add the sugar and pour water just enough to dissolve the sugar. Turn on the flame and heat it. Stir till the sugar gets dissolved.

Once the sugar gets dissolved and the sugar syrup starts boiling stop stirring with the spoon as this will cause the sauce to crystalize.

Once the sauce starts turning caramel brown remove from flame and pour into your pudding dish used for making the pudding.

Now strain and pour our pudding mix into the caramelised dish. Its important to strain the mix in order to avoid air bubbles.Next we have to steam our pudding for around 20 mins. Remove from flame. Let it remain in the steamer for another 10 mins. 

Once the pudding has cooled  turn it upside down into a serving dish and refirgerate it.

Serve it cold.

Malabar Fish Curry

My Mom always tell me about her childhood days.How the home made food used to taste so great. Of course all the Masalas (Chilly, Corriander and Turmeric) used to be roasted and grinded at home.

Nowadays, life is so easy, go to any supermarket and there u have a line of Masalas ready to be picked.

My Dad used to tell me, in the olden days, there used to be something called as ' Uri'. This was like a 2/3 layered basket hung from the ceiling and on each layer you can place your Mannu chatti / Earthern vessels in it.

Before storing in the Uri, the curry/ gravy used to be simmered well, so that there is just thick gravy in the end. Next day, the dish tastes better than the day it was prepared.

Once such dish is our Meen Mulakilittahu. Last year, on my vacation to India, I bought some mannu chattis :) from Calicut. My hubby helped me in selecting  some good ones but we were really shocked at how expensive these chattis have become.

Now that I own some, all fish dishes are made in it and trust me it tastes really great !! Meen Moleeru is my hubby's one of the favourite dishes.

Ingredients

1. Fish - Mackerel - 1 medium
2. Onion - 1 medium - sliced
3. Shallots - 3/4 sliced
4. Tomato - 1 large 
5. Green chilly - 2 slit length wise
6. Ginger, garlic - 1 tsp each
7. Chilly powder - 11/2 tsp
8. Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/ tsp
10. Tarmarind - 1/2 lemon size
11. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
12. Fenugreek seeds- 1/ tsp
13. Curry leaves - 1 handful
14. Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
15. Salt - as required

Preparation method:

Clean the fish and cut into medium pieces. We can use Pomfret / Mackerel as we like.

Here I have used Mackerel. Soak the tarmarind in 1/2 cup of water. Give it some time for the tarmarind pulp to get dissolved.

Heat the oil, add the fenugreek seeds, then the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add the sliced onions, shallots, green chilly and ginger garlic. all 1/2 tsp salt to it and saute it well.

Once the onions start turning light brown, add the tomoatoes and saute well till they get half cooked. Now add chilly, corriander and turmeric powder. Take care to saute this mix really well till the tomatoes gets well smashed and this becomes like a thick paste. Now, squeeze the tarmarind pulp well and keep the juice ready.

Add this to this mixture along with 1 cup of water and stir it well. Once the gravy starts boiling well add the fish pieces. We don't need to add much water as  fish gets cooked fast.

Check the salt and add more if required. Once the fish is cooked, add the curry leaves, simmer for 1 min.

Remove from flame.

Meen Mulakilittahu is ready. Serve with varavu/ thoran and hot rice. Enjoy !!

.

Aloo Bhaji

Bhaji in Gujarati and Marathi means a vegetable dish and what happens when our main vegetable is Aloo ji, then our bhaji becomes ' Aloo Bhaji'.

This recipes goes well with Puri and can also be used for Masla Dosa. Hot puris and tasty Aloo bhaji..What a delight !! to have for breakfast on our weekends.

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - medium sized 2
2. Onion - 1 big chopped
3. Green chilly- 3 slit lengthwise
4. Tomato - 1/2 chopped into 3 pieces
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Garlic - 1 clove chopped
7. Split urad daal - 1 tsp
8. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
9. Dhanya leaves chopped - 1 tbsp
10. Salt - as required
11. Oil- 2 tbsp

First step, peel the potatoes, chop into medium sized pieces and pressure cook  for 2 whistles with little water and 1/4 tsp salt.

Remove from flame. Once the pressure is completely released. open the lid, smash the potatoes, lightly with the back of your spoon.

Take a wok / sauce pan. Heat the oil. Add the the urad daal. Once it starts turning golden brown, add the cumin seeds. Saute for 1 min. Now add the chopped onions , green chilly and chopped garlic. Add salt as required. Saute it well till the onion turn light brown.

Now add  turmeric powder and saute again for 1 min.  Next, add the tomatotes and saute again till the tomatoes gets half cooked.

Add the smashed potatoes and mix it well till the sauted onion gets mixed well with the potatoes.

Keep on low flame for 2 mins. Remove, garnish with chopped Dhaniya leaves.

Aloo bhaji ready !!!!

Pepper chicken masala

Black pepper originated in Kerala. From here it spread to the rest of South and Southeast Asia where it became an important spice plant.

Today we have a variety of dishes using this wonderful spice.

Black pepper is one of the most versatile spices used in virtually in all savory cooking. In order to keep the fragrance and flavor intact, it is generally ground just before preparing dishes and added at the last minutes in the recipes.

Pepper chicken is great to have along with Appam / Porotta/ Ghee rice. Insha'Allah, I will be posting these recipes in the near future.

Lets have a look at out Pepper Chicken masala.

Ingredients

1. Chicken - 500 gm
2. Onion - 2 halved and sliced.
3. Green chilly - 3
4. Ginger and Garlic chopped - 1 tsp each
5. Tomato chopped - 2 medium
6. Corriander powder - 1 tbsp
7. Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Curry leaves- a handful
10. Dhanya leaves chopped-1 tbsp
11. Cloves - 4
12. Cinnamon sticks - 2 small pieces
13. Whole pepper - 1 tbsp
14. Salt- as required
15. Coconut oil - 2 -3 tbsp

Preparation method:

First, clean the chicken and cut into medium sized pieces.

Take a cooking pan. Heat the oil. Add the cloves, cinnamon and whole pepper. Heat it for 1min, till you get the aroma of the spices.

Now, add the onion, green chilly, ginger garlic and saute it well. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Saute the onions well till it starts turning brown.

Add the tomatoes and saute it well again. Add the corriander, turmeric powder, pepper powder and saute it will till the tomatoes gets coooked and it becomes a paste form.

Add the chicken and mix it well till the masala gets coated well on the chicken. Saute it well again for 5 mins.

Now it's time to add water. Just add enough water to cover the chicken. Reduce the flame and cook till the chicken is done.

Check the salt and add more as required. Add the chopped dhanya leaves.

Serve it hot with appam :)

Rava Kesari

                                               

"Rava Kesari" is a popular sweet dish in the south indian states of India especially TamilNadu and Karnataka.It is easy to prepare. It exists from the 18th century.

I have used rose water in my preparation. Rose water has a very distinctive flavour and is used heavily in Iranian cuisine—especially in sweets such as nougat, raahat and baklava. Rose water is used to give gulab jamuns and some types of  "Turkish Delight" their distinctive flavours.

I usually prepare it as a sweet dish for Iftar. Kesari for Iftar is always welcome in my family.

Ingredients

1. Rava - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1 cup
3. Oil - 1 /2 cup
4. Milk - 2 cup
5. Water - 2 1/2 cup
6. Cashewnuts - few
7. Raisins - few
8. Rose water - 2 drops
9. Cardamaom powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Yellow food colour - a pinch just enough to turn light yellow
11. Salt - 1/4 tsp

Preparation Method:

Take a sauce pan. Heat the oil and fry the Rava in the oil for around 3-4 mins. Add the sugar and fry it again. Take care not to burn the rava. Next add  water. Let the sugar get completely dissolved.

When the water starts boiling, add the milk to it. Mix it well, so that no lumps are formed and the texture is fine. Add the salt. Salt is required to keep the sweet flavour consistent.

 Add the food colour, rosewater and cardamom.Once the milk starts boiling, lower the flame and let it simmer for 1 min.

Mix it well. Remove from flame. Pour it into a large plate which has been greased well with oil or ghee. Spread it evenly.

Arrange the split cashews and raisins alternatively as shown in the pic. Let it cool.

Keep it in the refrigerator. Cut into square shapes / diamond shapes as required. Serve it cold.

Petti Pathil

                                                      

This recipe is dedicated to my dear sister-in-law who always enjoys my dishes and is an inspiration for me to try out new recipes : )

Petti means box in 'Malayalam' and Pathil is a term which is commonly used for roti / appam.

As this has the look of a box it's named as Petti Pathil. This snack has it's special place in our Parties / Puthiyappila (Bride groom) Thakarram as we call it LOL !!

All right, let's have a look at it...

Ingredients

1. Maida - 3 cup
2. Aata - 1 / 2 cup
3. Salt - 1/2 tsp
4. Chicken filling
5. Boiled eggs 2 or more as required
6. Oil for frying
7. Water for kneading the dough

Recipe

First step, prepare the Chicken masala / filling
Next mix maida, aata, salt and kead the dough with sufficient water to make a pliable and smooth dough.

Divide the dough into equal number of balls. Each pathil requires a base and a cover.

Roll 2 balls individually to discs. Place the masala in the centre of the first disc as shown below.

Cut the boiled eggs into two equal halves. Each pathil requires half egg. Place the egg on top of the masala.

Place the other disc on this and press the edges slightly.

Use a cutter and cut the edges to make a design on all four sides.

Now the pathil is ready to be fried.

Heat the oil and deep fry the pathil till both sides turn slightly brown. Remove and place on tissue / paper to absorb excess oil.

Repeat the same with the remaining balls.

Our Pettil pathil is ready to be served ....

Chicken masala

In my home town, in Malabar, all our snacks mostly include chicken filling. So, chicken masala / filling is a must have as a base for our dishes / appam tharangal which we are famous for :)

So, most of the dishes which I will be posting will include this filling. So, why not start with this masala. This is my Mom's recipe, in fact most of my recipies are handed over by my dearest Mom.

Mother's cooking is what each of us treasure the most, isn't it?

Ingredients:

1. Boneless chicken - 1/2 kg
2. Onion sliced- 1 medium
3. Onion chopped - 4 medium
4. Ginger - 1 inch -cut into small pieces
5. Garlic - 2 cloves
6. Green chilly -  4
7. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Curry leaves - Handfull
10. Dhanya leaves chopped - 2 tbsp
11. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Salt- as required
13. Oil - 3 tbsp

Method:

Allright, first step, let's cook the chicken with sliced onions, chilly powder, turmeric powder, ginger, garlic and salt. Take care to add only little water while cooking the chicken.

Once done, shred the chicken into small pieces. Don't discard the masala left after cooking the chicken as it we need it in the next step.

Next, heat the oil in a wok, or sauce pan. Saute the chopped onions, green chilly and curry leaves.
Add salt as per taste.

When the onions turn light brown, add in the shredded chicken and the masala which we kept aside. Saute well till the chicken and masala gets mixed with the sauted onions.

Once done, add the garam masala and dhanya leaves and mix it well. Keep on low flame for 2 mins so the flavour of the garam masala gets mixed really well.

Our chicken masala is ready.

Tea time...It'Maggi time

So, I am back after our Tea Time :)  I got enough time to blog as today is our weekend. Work starts tomorrow. Yup, busy days ahead.

We just had our tea and my elder one suggested we have noodles for tea. I checked my cabinet to see if I did have any packets left. I was glad to see that I did..

Kids are often found of these instant noodles..

Ingredients:

1. Maggi / Any pack of instant noodles.
2. Onion - 1 small
3. Green chilly- 1 chopped
4. Tomato - 1/2
5. Egg - 1
6. Pepper powder- as required
7. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

Boil the noodles and drain. Take care not to over cook then unless we want noodle soup :)

Take a wok or a saucepan. Heat the oil. Saute the onions and green chilly. Once the onion turns brown, add in the tomatoes and satue till the tomaotes are cooked.

In the mean time, beat the egg with salt and a pinch of pepper. Add this to the sauted mix and scramble it well. Once the egg gets cooked add in the boiled noodles and mix well.

Also dissolve the noodles taste maker powder in 2 tbsp of water and add it to he noodles. Mix it well and sprinkle pepper.

Please add the pepper according to your spice meter as for kids I always make it less spicy.

Its ready to be served. Topp it with a little ketchup.

It winter here in UAE. So me and my hubby, we enjoyed it with a cup of steaming tea.

I guess, Tea is always welcome :)

Carrot Milkshake

                                                          


Carrots are good for your eyes !!! We have been hearing this from our mothers and now our kids are hearing this from us :)

This milkshake is really healthy and the best part is that once that it is made, it tastes more like a mango milkshake.

This recipe was shared by my hubby. He said that he used to have this when he was a kid and when I make this he gets a little nostalgic of his childhood days.

My kids also love this as they still think that they are having a mango milkshake.

Do try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

1. Carrot medium sized - 2
2. Milk - 3 cups
3. Sugar - 3/4 tbsp
4. Condensed milk - optional

Method:

Boil the carrots. Let it cool.

Blend together the boiled carrots, 1 cup of milk and sugar. Add the remaining milk and blend it well till the shake becomes frothy.

Add the condesed milk if required. Actually the condensed milk adds more calories. So, you can skip it if not required.

Pour into the serving glasses. Add ice cubes. Serve with a smile :)

Vanilla cupcakes

        

So, here I am posting my first blog, although, I have been going over this thought again and again. To begin with let me  share with u all my cupcake recipe. Kids will love this.

Ingredients:

1. Powdered sugar - 1 cup
2. Butter - 1/2 cup (melted at room temperature)
3. Eggs - 2
4. Flour - 1 1/2 cup
5. Baking powder - 1 1/2 teaspoon
6. Milk - 1/2 cup
7. Vanilla essence - 2 teaspoon
8. Salt - 1/2 teaspoon

Preparation:

  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees for 10 mins. Take a medium bowl and beat the melted butter and sugar till the mixture becomes really fluffy. Please note that the butter needs to be melted at room temperature to get the best texture.

Add the eggs one by one into the butter mix and beat it well.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in this mixture in to the butter and egg batter. Add in enough milk just to get the right texture.

Now that the batter is ready take out the cup cake cases and pour in the cake mix.

Bake them at 180 degrees for 10-15mins.

Your cup cakes are ready. Enjoy them with a cup of hot tea !!