Fish Pollichethe(baked in plantain leaf)

Ingredients
1. 1 kg pomfret, Pearlspot(karimeen)

For the marinade
1.  pepper powder -1tsp
2.  turmeric powder-1tsp

3.ginger-garlic paste-1 tbsp
4. Salt to taste

For the masala paste and gravy

1. Shallots(kunjulli)-sliced 1 cup and onion sliced -1
2 Garlic cloves-10
3. green chillies, slit -3
4.Ginger-1 inch(chopped)
5.  mustard seeds -1tsp
6. 1 cup thick coconut milk
7.Curry leaves
8.Fish masala-2 tbsp which I used eastern masala

Method of preperation
1. Clean fish . If using whole fish, make gashes on both sides.
2. Rub the fish well with pepper powder, turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste and salt. Marinate for 1 hour.
3. Mix the fishmasala with ttle water to make masala paste.
4. In a pan, heat 2 tp oil and saute  onions,shallots, garlic, ginger,green chillies and curry leaves. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
5. Fry the fish lightly in the same oil and keep aside.
6. Add 1 tbsp of oil(I prefer coconut oil). Splutter mustard seeds. Add the masala paste and saute until the masal seperates from oil
7. Add fish and coconut milk.

8. Add sauted onions, garlic,ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Simmer on low heat until fish is coated with gravy.
9. Wrap each fish in a piece of plantain leaf . Tie securely and bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Milk Peda ( Microwave oven Method)

Who doesn't like Indian sweets ??? Especially milk pedas ..Hmm yummyyyyy !!!

Here  is an easy recipe ,  with just 3 ingredients and can be prepared so quickly . Adapted from showmethecurry , Thanks Anuja n Hetal for this wonderful easy recipie.

Ingredients:
Milk Powder – 2 cups 
Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 can
Unsalted Butter – 1  stick (4oz)

Method:

1.     Melt butter in a ovensafe dish .Add milk powder and mix well.now add condensed milk and mix well avoiding lumps .
2.     Cook in the microwave for 3 minutes, stir the mixture very well after each minute, stirring is very important .
3.     Once this is done allow the mixture to cool down enough to handle.
4.     When it has cooled down,take a little  mixture and make balls after greasing the hands with a little butter/ghee.
5.     Gently press the balls and flatten them to shape,round and flat.
6.     Decorate them with any dry fruits or almonds, cashew,pista. Let the pedas set and cool down.

Note : Keep in refrigerator to keep for a longer time.

Tandoori chicken (Conventional Oven method )

Ingredients:

Chicken – 5 pieces 

Potato  - 2

Carrot  - 1 

Onion - 1

For Marination :

Yogurt - 1 1/2 cups, well beaten

Ginger Paste – 1 tbsp

Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp

Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp

Paprika – 1/2 tsp (Red Food Color also can be used)  

Tandoori Masala - 1 tbsp

Coriander Powder – 1 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp

Green Chili - to taste, ground

For Basting:

Lemon Juice – 1/2 cup

Tandoori Masala- 1/2 tsp

Salt – to taste, optional

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Wash the Chicken well and with a knife, make 1-inch slits in it.
2. Put the chicken in a gallon size zip lock bag and add in the Lemon Juice, half of the salt and chilly powder.
3. Give it a good mix and let it sit while getting the marinade ready.
4. Pour all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
5. Do a taste test for the marinade and adjust the salt and other spices as needed.
6. Add the marinade to the chicken (in the zip lock bag) and give another good mix. Make sure all the pieces get well coated with the yogurt mixture.
7. Store in the refrigerator to marinate overnight or minimum of 4 hours for best results.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400-450 deg F . Cut the potato , carrot , onion into big chunks .In a oven safe dish spread the cut vegetables , and make a bed for chicken . these veggies will absorb the juice which ooze out from chicken  .
2. Get the baste ready by mixing all the ingredients together.
3. With tongs, place the chicken on the bed of veggies .
4. After 10 mints Flip the chicken, coat it with the baste and allow it to cook for a few minutes.  Flip again.  Baste again. Repeat a couple of times until the chicken is fully cooked.
5. The Chicken needs to cook for approximately 30 minutes total.
6. Remove Chicken into a platter.  Always let it sit for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle in..

Note : You can use drumsticks also for the recipe . Drumsticks need lesser time for cooking as compared to thighs . Also you can use a wire rack used for grilling instead of veggies .

Spicy Chettinad Chicken curry

I have been trying various chettinad chicken , and finally I got the perfect recipe , courtesy :Kothiyavunnu.com . I tried only with a little variation and it came out reallly nice !!!

Ingredients:

Chicken : 1 kg 

Pearl onions : 1 cup (If using Onion finely chop it )
Kashmiri Chilli Powder : 1 tbs
Tomatoes : 2  (small, finely chopped)
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Bay leaves : 1

Chicken masala : 1 tsp
Curry leaves : 2 sprig
Coconut milk : 1 cup 

Salt to taste
Oil : 1 tbsp

For Marination :

Ginger Garlic paste : 1 tsp 

Turmeric Powder :1 tsp 

Pepper Powder :1 tsp 

Lime juice - as reqd

For grinding :
Cumin seeds : 3/4 tsp
Fennel seeds : 3/4 tsp
Coriander seeds : 11/2 tbsps
Dried red chillies : 7-8 or to your spice level
Pepper corns : 1 tsp
Cardamoms : 3 pods
Cloves :  2 nos
Cinnamon : 1" stick
Curry leaves : 1 sprig
Oil : 1/2 tsp
Green chillis : 3-4
Garlic : 5-8 cloves
Ginger : 2" piece
Poppy seeds : 1 tsp

Method of Preparation :

1. Wash and cut chicken into medium sized pieces ,marinate with above ingredients and keep it aside 

2. Soak poppy seeds in warm water for 10 mts.(You can replace it with cashew , I used cashew around 2     tsp )
3. Make a paste of the ginger, garlic, green chillies and poppy seeds. Keep aside.
4. Heat a frying pan to medium-high, add 1 tsp oil. When hot, add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves dried red chillis,curry leaves, stirring constantly until lightly roasted. Cool and grind to a powder.
5. Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the bay leave.shallots/small onions and curry leaves and saute till transparent.
6. Add the kashmiri chilli powder , turmeric powder , chicken masala, coriander powder  and just stir for few seconds.

7. Add the grounded ginger,garlic,green chilli and poppy paste. Continue to stir and fry for about 4 minutes, drizzling little water to prevent sticking.
8. Add chicken and cook on high heat,stir until they are well coated with the masala for about 4-5 minutes.
9. Reduce to medium heat, add salt,tomatoes and combine well.
Cook the chicken for 4-5 mts, uncovered, Now add the coconut milk and 1/2cup of water(if needed) allow to boil.
10. Turn the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the chicken is almost cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Open lid and combine well.
11. Finally add the ground masala powder and cook for 3 mts. Turn off heat.
12. Garnish with curry leaves/coriander leaves .Yummy chettinad chicken curry is ready.

Note : This Chettinad chicken curry is spicy , you can reduce the no of red chillies used in the grinded masala if needed . 

White tea cake

Ingredients:

•  All purpose flour 2 cup
• Eggs - 6 (White only)
• Vanilla essence 2 Tsp
• Baking powdr 2 Tsp
• Unsalted butter 1 1/2 stick
• Salt a pinch
• Milk 3/4 cup 
• Sugar 1 1/2 cup                                    

       

Method

1. Spray two 9 inch round pan with cooking oil and powder some all purpose flour 
2.  Preheat oven to 350 deg F . 
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar for 5 min till it turns fluffy using a hand mixer in med speed
4. Mix the flour , baking pdr and salt in a medium bowl.
5. Combine vanilla essence, egg whites and milk ,
6. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the milk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of milk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a wooden spoon .
7. Pour this batter into the greased pan and bake it for 25 to 30 mins.
8. Keep the cake in pan for atleast 15 min before inverting onto the plate or wire rack .
    
   
    
   
   

Prawns/Shrimp pickle - chemmen achar

Ingredients

Prawns(medium sized) - 500 g 

Garlic - 25-30                          
Ginger - 200 g chopped
Gingelly oil - As reqd
Salt - As reqd
Chilly powder - As reqd

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Turmeri Powder - As reqd
Vinegar - Little

Preparation :

1)Marinate the prawns with chilly powder , turmeric powder , ginger garlic paste and salt for 1 hour.

2)Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.

3)Fry garlic lightly in it and set aside.

4)Fry ginger in the same oil and keep it aside too.

5)Fry prawns and keep it aside.

6)Fry some green chillies in the same oil.

7)Mix together chilly powder and vinegar to a paste and fry this in the remaining oil.

8)Add all the above fried ingredients into this and mix well.

9)Allow it to cool.

Note : 

While adding chilly powder better to turn off the heat as it may get burned .

You can Deep Fry the  shrimps if needed for keeping longer time . 

Transfer to bottle only when it is completely cold .

Varutharacha mutton curry / Kerala style mutton curry

 

Ingredients :
 

Marination

Mutton/(Goat/Lamb) : 1/2 lb /250 grms (cut into medium size pieces)
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste : 2 tbsp
Vinegar/lime juice : 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Gravy

 
Onion : 1

Green chilly : 2-3 nos 

Ginger : Crushed 1 tsp

Garlic :Crushed 1 tsp

Tomato : 1

Fresh Crushed Pepper powder : 1 tsp
Gram Masala powder : 1 tsp
Curry leaves : 2 sprigs
Coconut Oil : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Coconut pieces : 3 tbsp

For Coconut Gravy

Grated Coconut  :  1 1/2 cup (Grated)

Turmeric Powder  :  1/4 tsp
Red Chilly Powder  :  2 tsp
Coriander Powder : 2 tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves : 3 sprig 

 

     

    Method of Preparation :

1.  Clean and wash the mutton and drain off the excess water and set it aside
2.  Marinate mutton pieces with above marination ingredients for half an hour .
3. Roast  the grated coconut with  2 sprig of curry leaves until completely dry. 
4. Fry the spice powders also until it become dark .
5. Cool the mixture and grind it  to a fine paste.
6.   Pressure cook the mutton with very little of water and cook 
7.  In a pan add oil and  add the sliced onions,and saute till it turns to translucent and golden in color.
    Add fresh curry leaves,green chillies , ginger , garlic  and saute it on the low heat for few minutes.
8.   Add  mutton with gravy,add pepper powder,salt and gram masala ;  now add tomatos and saute it for 3 mnts
9. Add the coconut gravy and cook it on a low flame untill the gravy thickens .
10. Heat coconut oil in a pan and shallow fry the coconut pieces to golden color and add small onions and saute for 2 mints.
11.  Season the mutton gravy with this coconut pieces and shallots .Serve with rice, appam , or roti