Chicken Pulav

 

This is for all those people who love biryani, but don't have time for the elaborate process involved in making it. Sometimes we might just wish, how nice it would be to have biryani, but feel lazy to make it and end up buying it from a restaurant and would say...oohhhh this is not the biryani I wished for! So this recipe is dedicated to all those people, for this is the next best alternative to chicken biriyani. This pulav uses almost the same ingredients as a biriyani, only the method is entirely different. So be prepared to taste the difference!

Ingredients

1. Chicken - 2.5 chicken breasts or around 1/2 kg (You can also use chicken thighs or whole chicken)
2. Basmati rice - 2 cups
3. Water - 4.5 cup
4. Onion - 1 medium, thinly sliced
5. Tomato - 1, chopped fine
6. Mint leaves - 1/2cup, chopped
7. Cilantro - 1/4 cup, chopped
8. Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tsp
9. Ginger - 1 inch, roughly chopped
10. Garlic - 2 - 3, crushed 
11. Green chillies - 3 - 4 slit
12. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
13. Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
14. Shahi jeera/ black cumin seeds - 1/2  tsp (optional)
15. Whole spices -  Cinnamon stick - 2, cloves - 5 -6, cardamom - 3-4, bay leaves - 2-3, whole pepper corns- 5-6
16. Cashews - 2 tbsp, to garnish
17. Raisins - 2 tbsp, to garnish
18. Oil / ghee - 3 tbsp
19. Salt - To taste

Method

1. Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain water and keep aside.

2. Clean and cut the chicken to small pieces. Marinate them with around 1/2 tsp salt for at least 30 minutes. This step is optional.

3. Boil 4.5 cups of water in a vessel adding enough salt, roughly chopped ginger, crushed garlic and half of the whole spices mentioned under the ingredients. Add the chicken pieces and cook until just tender (for around 8 - 10 minutes). Take out the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon. Keep aside. Reserve the stock for cooking rice. Discard the whole spices along with the chopped ginger and garlic. You can pass the stock through a fine-meshed sieve if you want.

 

4. Heat ghee / oil ( 2 - 3 tbsp) in a pan at medium heat. Fry cashews until golden brown. Drain on to a paper towel. Now fry the raisins until they get plump. Drain on to a paper towel. Finally fry sliced onion until golden brown. Drain 2 tbsp of fried onion onto a paper towel. Keep aside for garnishing.  Now add the remaining whole spices to the pan. Mix well and saute for a few seconds. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies. Saute until their raw smell is gone. Now add the chopped tomato pieces. Saute for 2 minutes and add chilly powder, shaji jeera, little salt and garam masala powder. Mix well and add the chicken pieces, chopped cilantro and mint. Saute until the chicken pieces are lightly browned or for around 8  - 10 minutes. Add the strained rice and mix well. Saute for another 2-3 minutes.

 

 

 

5. Now add 4.25 cups of chicken stock to the pan. Give it a mix. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook at medium flame until the liquid gets absorbed. I prefer cooking it in a pressure cooker. Pressure cooker procedure - Transfer the whole mixture to a pressure cooker after step 4 and add 4.25 cups of the chicken stock to it. Give it a mix. Let the mixture come to a boil. Close the pressure cooker with its lid and cook at medium heat. When steam starts coming out continuously and profusely from the vent, put the pressure cooker weight and switch off the stove. Open the pressure cooker when the pressure releases or after 12 - 15 minutes. The rice will be perfectly cooked. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer immediately to a wide serving bowl. Garnish with fried onion, cashews, raisins, 1 - 2 tbsp chopped cilantro and mint leaves. Serve hot along with raita.

 

Roasted Asparagus

 

 

 

Ingredients

1. Asparagus spears -  15 - 20
2. Pepper powder - 1/2 - 3/4 tsp
3. Garlic - 1 -2 cloves minced
4. Olive oil - 2 tsp
5. Lemon juice - To taste
6. Salt - To taste ( I used garlic salt)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

2. Wash the asparagus and trim off their hard woody ends. Pat with a paper towel. Spread them on an aluminium foil in a baking sheet. Rub them with olive oil, pepper powder, garlic and  salt.

3. Bake at 425 F for 12 - 14 mts turning them over in between, until lightly browned and tender. Adjust the seasonings. Sprinkle a little lemon juice and serve.

 

Parippu Pradhaman…..it’s time to Celebrate!

    There is a very happy news that I would love to share with you all. Lakshmi is blessed with a baby boy on Oct 22nd. Both the mother and the little one are doing fine. Lakshmi has decided to take some time off to devote herself to her baby boy.....and so you guys would have to wait a few months to get more of the naadan recipes.

    To celebrate this very happy occasion, I am sharing with you a parippu pradhaman recipe. This recipe belongs to one of my friend, Girija. It is soo easy to make and would turn  out to be a nice dessert to a naadan meal. Long back , parippu pradhaman used to be served in sadyas for weddings but now a days its mostly semiya, ada pradhaman, pal payasam, palada, pineapple payasam etc etc. Heres the recipe:

Ingredients

1. Split mung dal /  skinless split green gram /cherrupayar parippu - 3/4 cup
2. Jaggery - 1 - 1.5 cup or to taste
3. Coconut milk - 1/2 can or 1.5 - 2 cup thick coconut milk
4. Milk - 3/4 cup
5. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Cashew nuts - 10 - 15
8. Coconut bits (thenga kothu) -2 tbsp
9. Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Heat  ghee in a pressure cooker. Throw in some cashews and fry them until golden brown. Drain them on to a paper towel. Then add the coconut bits and fry until brown. Drain on to a paper towel. Now add the split mung dal and fry for 2-3 minutes until they turn a little golden brown. Now add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for one whistle.

2. Meanwhile melt the jaggery in 1 cup water, at medium heat. Stir until it reaches a light syrupy consistency. It would not take more than 10 - 15 mts. Open the pressure cooker when the pressure releases.  Mash the mung dal really well with the back of a spoon. Add 3/4 cup milk and the jaggery syrup to the pressure cooked mung dal. Mix well and bring to a boil at medium heat.

3. Add the coconut milk. Stir  well until it reaches a thick consistency at medium heat. Now add cumin powder and cardamom powder. Mix well. Finally add the fried cashews, coconut bits and 1/2 tsp ghee (optional). Serve warm or chilled.

Tips:

 

1)  You can add brown sugar instead of jaggery.

2)  Adding milk is completely optional. You can add thin coconut milk (second extraction) instead of milk in step 2.

3) If the payasam is very thick, add hot milk to dilute.

4)  I added chaokah (canned) coconut milk. Fresh coconut milk will taste best. For fresh coconut milk - Add around 1/4 - 1/2 cup warm water to grated coconut and squeeze to extract thick coconut milk(first extraction). Now add more water to the already squeezed coconut and squeeze again to get the second extraction or thin coconut milk. Finally strain the extractions through a fine sieve. You can make this process easier using a mixer. Grind the grated coconut with little warm water in a mixer. Then use a meshed strainer and press down on the coconut for the first extraction. Repeat the same for the second extraction.

 

 

Love

Maya

Mathappoo Thoran / Pumpkin Flower Stir fry

 

  We can prepare delicious thoran with flowers too!! For example muringappoo (drum stick flowers), banana flower, yam flower, pumpkin flower etc. All these thorans are highly nutritious, healthy and tasty. They have lots of medicinal values as well. Here is the recipe for mathappoo thoran:

 

Ingredients

• 1. Pumpkin Flowers (Mathappoo) –  10 - 12
• 2. Grated coconut – 1 tbsp 
• 3. Turmeric powder - A pinch
• 4. Pepper powder - 1-2 pinches
• 5. Oil - 1 tsp
  6. Mustard – 1 tsp
  7. Curry leaves – A few
  8. Dry red chilly – 1
• 9. Salt - As required

Method

1. Wash and chop the pumpkin flowers finely.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustards. When it splutters, fry the dry red chillies, then add the chopped pumpkin flowers, pepper powder, turmeric powder and coconut. Stir fry until cooked. It would take only a few minutes. Serve hot with rice.

 

Idli Podi / Uzhunnu Chammanthi Podi

 

Ingredients

1. Whole urad dal / uzhunnuparippu - 1 cup
2. Red rice (Kerala rosematta rice / kuthari) - 1 cup
3. Whole pepper - 2 tsp
4. Chilly powder - 1.5 tsp ( I added 3 tsp whole pepper corns and 1/2 tsp chilly powder. You can adjust these spices according to your taste preference.)
5. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
6. Hing / asafoetida - 1 tsp
7. Salt - To taste

Method

1. Heat a pan and roast the urad dal, whole pepper and rice at low heat, stirring occasionally. When they are about to turn brown, change the flame to medium heat and roast them until golden brown, stirring continuously. It will take around 20 - 25 minutes. ( Ariyum uzhunnum kadichal pottanam). Take care not to burn them. The color of this idli podi depends on how much you roasted them.

2. Switch off and add chilly powder, coriander powder, hing and salt. Mix well. Keep aside to cool. Grind to a coarse or fine powder in a mixer or coffee grinder. Store in an air-tight container, at room temperature. It will keep for at least 2-3 months. Mix required podi with enough coconut oil  / sesame oil and enjoy with dosa / idli.

 

 

 

Tips:

 

You can substitute red rice / kuthari / rosematta rice with Bengal gram / kadala parippu / chana dal.

Bottle Gourd (Lauki/Churakka ) Curry

 

  I am trying to incorporate more veggies into our daily menu these days. We usually have chapatis for dinner so I am always on the lookout for different vegetarian side-dishes for chapatis. Bottle gourd has become one of my favorite veggies recently. Though I had seen this veggie in the Indian stores before, I had no idea how to cook them. Recently I had a lauki thoran which I really loved, that made me search for more dishes with this veggie. I will be posting the recipes for lauki-dry prawn curry and lauki dal soon. Today I would love to share my friend Reshmi’s lauki curry recipe. It is a simple yet delicious curry that does not take more than 15 - 20 minutes to cook as it is cooked in a pressure cooker. You could also prepare it the regular way but that will take more time. Moreover cooking in a pressure cooker helps to achieve a thicker gravy consistency and makes the lauki really soft. The juice of lauki is considered to have many medicinal properties and is very good for health. It also aids digestion and is excellent for people who are on diet. So why don’t you try this healthy and tasty dish?

 

Ingredients

1. Lauki - 1 medium sized, peeled and chopped to small cubes ( Remove the spongy middle portion of the lauki that has seeds)
2. Ginger - 1/2 inch, chopped
3. Garlic - 3 pods, finely chopped
4. Red Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
5. Green chillies - 2 slit, seeded
6. Tomato - 2 medium, chopped
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Chilli powder - 1tsp
9. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
10. Garam masala -1 tsp
11. Cilantro - 2 tbsp, chopped
12. Salt - To taste
13. Oil - 2 - 3 tsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a deep pan. Add the chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies, chopped red onion. and little salt. Saute until oil starts to separate. Then add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Saute for a few seconds and add the chopped tomatoes. Again saute for a few seconds and add the lauki cubes.

2. Saute for a few seconds and add around 1/4 - 1/2 cup water. Adjust the salt. Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and cook for two whistles. When the pressure is released, open the pressure cooker and throw in the chopped cilantro. Mix well and check for salt. Serve hot with chapatis.

 

Sweet Potato Puzhungiyathu with Thenga and Mulaku Chammanthi

 

 

 

  Have you guys tasted sweet potato before? I never knew these light orange colored starchy sweeties were this tasty, until I ate them recently. I used to buy them from the stores thinking that I will use them to make different cakes, scones and other baked goods but it never ever made it into my oven as I could never imagine tasting a cake or any other bake with sweet potatoes! Poor sweet potatoes, every time I look at them they would have grown older and older and would end up sprouting, making its way to the trash :-(. But something changed after I had this sweet potato puzhungiyathu and thenga chammanthi at my friend Manju’s place. I really loved the sweet and spicy combination and the next day itself I went for shopping these beauties and prepared the same.  My hubby too liked it and you know what, its one of our regular evening snacks these days. These chutneys goes really well with kappa puzhungiyathu/ kappa puzhukku also and they tastes best only when fresh. Sweet potato is one of the most nutritious vegetables around with loads of antioxidants. That gives you one more reason to try this recipe. Check out its health benefits here.Try and enjoy!!

 

Sweet Potato Puzhungiyathu

 

 

Wash and trim both the ends of the sweet potato and cut them into two. Steam them in an idli maker or in a rice cooker. It would not take more than 15 - 20 minutes. Peel off the skin. Serve hot or warm with thenga or mulaku chammanthi.

 

 

 

Thenga Chammanthi

1. Coconut - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
2. Pearl onion - 2
3. Green chillies or kanthari mulaku (birds eye chilli) - 2 - 3
4. Curry leaves - 2 - 3
5. Salt - To taste

Coarsely grind all the above ingredients in a mixer.

Mulaku Chammanthi

1. Pearl onion - 5 - 6
2. Green chillies or kanthari mulaku - 5 - 6 , seeded ( I usually seed the green chillies. The hottest part of a chilli is the white membrane that connects the seeds to the flesh. Removing the seeds and membrane before cooking gives a milder flavour.)
3. Curry leaves - 2
4. Coconut oil - 2 tsp
5. Salt - To taste

Crush all the ingredients except coconut oil and salt in a mortar and pestle or a mixer. Traditionally it is crushed in a mortar and pestle. If you are using a mixer, add green chillies first. Give it a pulse and then add the pearl onions and curry leaves. Pulse it again, do not grind the mixture, just crush it. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Add enough salt and coconut oil. It tastes best only when fresh.

 

Tomato Rasam

 

Ingredients

1. Ripe Tomatoes - 2, chopped
2. Pearl onion - 5 - 6, chopped
3. Garlic - 6 - 7 pods
4. Green chillies - 2 - 3, slit
5. Whole pepper corns - 15 - 20
6. Tamarind - Goose-berry sized or to taste
7. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
10. Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Hing / asafoetida - 2 pinches
12. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
13. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
14. Dry red chillies - 2 - 3
15. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped
16. Salt - To taste

Method

1. Crush the whole pepper corns, garlic, 3 -  4 curry leaves and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle or mixer. Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract its juice.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chillies. Then add the chopped pearl onion, crushed garlic, pepper corn and cumin seed mixture. Saute for a minute, add the green chillies and chopped tomato. Mix well and cook for 2 - 3 minutes stirring occasionally, at medium heat. Now add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, fenugreek powder and hing. Mix well and add the tamarind extract and around 2.5 - 3 cup water. Add enough salt.  Bring to a boil, then lower the flame and simmer for 8 - 10 mts. Add the chopped coriander leaves and a  few curry leaves. Finally add a pinch each of fenugreek powder and hing. Close the pan with its  lid. Keep aside for at least 10 mts for the flavors to set. Serve hot with rice or have it as a soup.

 

 

Unakka Chemmeen Chammanthi / Dried Prawns Chutney

 

 

  We Keralites make different kinds of chammanthi using different veggies, dry fish, prawns etc. I could never imagine a chammanthi with chena(yam), brinjal etc but recently I saw their recipes in one of Mrs. KM Mathew’s cookbooks.  Interesting, right?? I will share their recipes sometime soon. Btw I have never heard or tasted a chicken/meat chutney but I am pretty sure that someone might have the recipe. Please do share if you have it. Today we have the recipe for the mouth-watering unnakka chemmeen chammanthi which tastes great with kanji / plain rice. You can find dried prawns in any Asian store. Give this a try sometime. You will love it!!

Ingredients

1. Dried prawns / unnakka chemmeen - 1/2 cup
2. Grated coconut - 3/4 - 1 cup
3. Dry red chillies - 7 - 8
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece
5. Pearl Onions - 4 -5 
6. Tamarind - Small goose berry sized or to taste
7. Curry leaves - 10 - 12
8. Salt - To taste

Method

1. Remove head and tail of the dried prawns. Wash properly and pat dry. There is no need to wash them if they are already cleaned. Roast the dried prawns and dry red chillies together  in a pan until the prawns turn light brown and the dry red chillies turn slightly crispy. It would not take more than 5 - 10 minutes. Keep aside to cool.

 

2. Add the roasted dried prawns, dried red chillies, grated coconut, ginger, pearl onions, tamarind, curry leaves and salt in a blender. Grind well without adding any water. Scrape the sides of the jar in between. Adjust the salt and tamarind to suit your taste. Shape the ground mixture to a ball. Enjoy this chammanthi with plain rice/ rice porridge.

 

Iranian Barbari

  Iranian barbari is a type of Persian bread in Iran. They have a crusty finish while remaining soft inside and can be made in a variety of sizes. You can sprinkle some sesame seeds or caraway seeds before baking. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients - Makes 6 breads

1. Unbleached white bread flour - 8 oz / 225 g
2. Fresh yeast - 1/2 oz  / 15 g ( I used 1 envelope ( 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast)
3. Salt - 1 tsp
4. Luke warm water - 150 ml
5. Oil, for brushing

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre.

2. Mix the yeast with the luke warm water. Pour it into the centre of the flour, sprinkle a little flour over and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes. Mix to a dough, then turn out into a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 - 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

3. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with an oiled clear film and leave to rise for 45 - 60 minutes, or until doubled.

 

4. Knock back the dough and turn out to a floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each one to about 4 x 2 inch ( 10 x 5 cm) and about 1/2 in ( 1 cm) thick. Space well apart on the baking sheets, and make four slashes in the tops.

5.  Cover the breads with lightly oiled clear film and leave to rise, in a warm place, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle a few sesame seeds. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C / Gas 6. Brush the breads with oil and bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or until pale golden. Serve warm.

 

 

 

 

Recipe Source - Baking by Martha Day

Tomato and Dry Red Chilly Chutney

  If you are in search for a spicy and tangy chutney, this fits the bill. This is my mom’s recipe. Her basic dry red chilly chammanthi, made using crushed, fried dry red chillies, pearl onions, salt and oil, was too spicy for us kids. So she used to grind tomatoes along with the other ingredients to make it favorable to us. That way the chutney tastes tangy too. Tomatoes can be substituted with tamarind. This chutney is at its best when paired with idlis/ dosa.

Ingredients

1. Dry red chillies - 6 - 7  (You can adjust it according to your spice tolerance)
2. Pearl onions - 8 - 10
3. Tomato - 1 , seeded and chopped
4. Curry leaves - 4 - 5
5. Salt - To taste
6. Oil - 1 tsp  + 2 tsp
   

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Fry the dry red chillies until they turn crispy and brown. Leave aside to cool.

2. Crush the dry red chillies in a mixer. Add the pearl onions and crush them. Finally add the chopped tomatoes and grind everything together.

3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. Add the above ground mixture and a few curry leaves to it. Stir the mixture at medium heat until the oil separates. It won’t take more than 6 - 8 minutes. Serve with idli/ dosa. It will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

 

 

Tip:

 

You can temper this chutney with 1/4 tsp mustards, 1 dry red chilly and a few curry leaves. You can add more chopped tomatoes, pearl onions to make it less spicy.