Hiii Friends...Taking A Long Break...

Hiii friends...

Its been a long time since i posted ..The good news behind this is that I'm expecting our first baby....So going through Ist trimester,suffering from all pregnancy signs morning sickness,tired and everything..I can't cook anything due to smell sensations.. My hubby is on cooking duty these days...of course our friends are helping a lot....So I'm planning to take a long break...Hope all ur prayers and wishes are there with us...

Wishing u all Happy Onam .....

Vermicelli veggies upma

Roasted Vermicelli(Semiya) - 2 cups
Ghee or butter - 5 tbsp
Onion(medium) - 1 no
Peas,beans and carrot chopped - 1.5 cups
Green chillies - 2 nos
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Red chillies - 2 nos
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - A few
Salt - As reqd
Water - 2 cups
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup


Chop onion, ginger and green chillies into small pieces.Heat 3 tbsp ghee or butter in the kadai.
Add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add chopped onions, green chillies, dry red chillies, ginger and curry leaves.Fry, till the onions turn brown.Add the peas ,beans, carrots mixture. fry for 1-2 mins, sauting frequently.Once its 3/4 cooked,Add water along with sugar and salt.Veggies shld not be fully cooked,3/4th cooked enhances the taste.U can use frozen veggies to save time.Allow it to boil.When it starts to boil, add fried vermicelli, stirring continuously.Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame, till vermicelli is soft and almost all water has dried up. Add coconut and stir for 2 mins.
Serve hot with sugar or pickle. Healthy breakfast ready in 15 mins.This Upma is for Raaga for WBB Express Breakfast Event....

Chicken Biriyani

Among keralites 'Biriyani' will be top favourite food,either chicken,mutton or fish.Same with us,Partners may have different interest,But in case of having biriyani...we are one.I remember after our marriage,when ever we go to resturants,'S' orders only biriyani.I call him Biriyani FREAK!!! Before i thought making at home is a complicated and time consuming process.After coming to US,now biriyani is not meant for special occasions.Its became a part of our usual menu.Traditional way is 'Dum' process,I havent tried that.Instead I cook rice and chicken masala separately,layer them and baked in conventional method.Special thanks to Annita and Shynee for giving this wonderful Malabar recipe....

Ingredients....

Basmati Rice - 1 kg
Chicken cut into big pieces - 1 kg
Thinly Sliced Onion- 3 big
Sliced Tomato - 2 big
Ghee - as needed
Broken cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
Raisins - 1/4 cup
Curd - 1 cup
Lime - 1 big
Chopped Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
Chopped Mint leaves - 1 small bunch
Curry leaves-2 sprigs
Biriyani Masala Powder 3tsp
Rose water - 2 tbsp(optional)
Saffron - 1 gm(optional)
Boiled eggs - 2
Salt - as req

For Marinating Chicken

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed

For Grinding

Green Chillies - 7-8
Garlic - 2 tbsp
Ginger - 2 tbsp
Poppy seeds soaked in water for 5- 10 mts - 2 tsp

Method...

1) Marinate chicken with ingredients listed.Apply well and let it stand for 1 hr or so in refrigerator.

2)Wash and soak rice for 15 mins.In a heavy bottomed pan,cook rice along with salt,cloves,cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cardamom with enough water.when its 3/4 cooked,strain the excess water.Spread the rice in a flat serving dish,and sprinkle 3-4 drops of lime juice, allow it to cool.

3)Heat a little ghee in a pan and roast cashews and raisins till brown and keep it aside.Now add half of sliced onion and fry them until they are well browned.Add more ghee /oil if needed.Drain them into a tissue paper and reserve .Now into the same oil,add marinated chicken pieces and shallow fry them for a while. This can enhance the taste and also make the chicken pieces more firm.

4)Now add rest of the onions and saute them till translucent(add 1 tbsp of ghee/oil,if needed0.Mix in tomatoes,salt and the ground paste and saute them for 2-3 mts.Stir in curd and lemon juice and saute until oil separates.Now add fried chicken pieces,mix well,cover and cook.

5)When it is half done,add Coriander leaves,Mint leaves,curry leaves and 2 tsp Biriyani masala powder.Mix and allow the chicken to cook well in medium heat,until all water is absorbed and chicken pieces are coated with gravy.Switch off the stove.

6)Take a biriyani pot,spread chicken pieces along with the gravy in the bottom.Now add one layer of cooked rice over chicken.Sprinkle a little biriyani masala powder,fried onions,cashews, raisins and saffron(mixed in rosewater)U can even use leonjuice+turmeric powder mixture instead of safforn,here i used this.Repeat the same for 2 more layers with chicken ,rice and fried cashew-raisins-onions etc.Seal the vessel with aluminium foil and bake it for 15 mts at 300 F.Mix thoroughly and serve hot with whole boiled eggs ,Raita ,Pickle and Pappad or Ulli surka.

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Yesterday I was watching 'Konkana Sen ' movie.."Life in a metro"...Its an Awesome movie...While watching i craved for some goodies to eat...Nothing was there...One and only thing that came to mind is MUFFINS!!!!...I'm a Muffin freak now a days.Now its like almost every week or so i make muffins.Thought about trying some new healthy and of course simple....I googled for healthy versions.Just found one and changed it to my interest n made it with ingredients with me.A batch of healthy muffins with crunchy on the top and soft inside are right here .....

INGREDIENTS

1 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup Wheat flour
1/2 cup Quicker Oats
1 cup Raisins
1 cup Sugar/Brown Sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 Cup Fat free Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2tsp Orange zest
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Egg

Toppings

Cornflakes /Sliced almonds

Preheat the oven in 350 F .Beat the wet ingredients like egg,oil,milk,vanilla,orange zest and sugar with hand beater for few Min's.Mix all purpose flour,wheat flour ,oats ,baking powder and salt. Add raisins to it and mix.Add this dry ingredients in two batches to the wet ingredients.Mix with a wooden spatula.Do not over mix.In a muffins pan,arrange muffin cups or spray it.Pour muffin mix to 2/3 of each cup.Add cornflakes as toppings .Bake for 15 Min's or until toothpick comes out clean.This yields 12 muffins.

Chicken Korma

Chicken korma is a popular Mugalai dish Of North India.Its a mild creamy chicken dish served on all households or restaurants.Its a blend of spices,chicken/meat braised in a creamy sauce on cashew/almonds ,yogurt and coconut milk.There's wide variation in preparing korma ,some times fresh coconut , onions and spices are blended into a paste and cooked along with chicken.'S' was having a potluck party at office yesterday,i made this Korma with less spices , so that everyone can enjoy having it especially Americans and Chinese.

1 Pound Boneless and skinless chicken cut into small pieces
4 Whole cloves
2 Cinnamon sticks
4 Cardamom seeds
2-3 Onions pureed
2 Tomatoes finely chopped
1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste
1 Tbsp Garam masala
1 Tbsp Cumin powder
1 Tbsp Coriander powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 Cup Coconut milk
1/3 Cup of Almond/Cashew paste
1 Cup Yogurt
2 Tsp Red chilly Powder(Use accordingly)
Canola oil
Salt to taste
Cilantro for Garnishing

Marinate chicken pieces with salt,turmeric powder and 1tsp chilli powder for half an hour.soak cashew in warm water for 1/2 an hour and make a smooth paste.In a wide pan,pour oil and add spices whole cloves,cinnamon sticks,cardamom seeds cumin,coriander,garam masala,tsp chilli powder and saute for few mins.Add onion pureed and ginger garlic paste ,stir well till oils separates and raw smell goes off.Add chopped tomatoes ,yogurt and saute till tomatoes are cooked .Add marinated chicken pieces and salt to it.Cover it and cook on meduim flame for about 20 mins.Don't add water.Water will squeeze out from chicken pieces.Stir in between,be careful that it doesn't stick to bottom.If needed add water in between.Once chicken is cooked,add cashew paste to it,saute for few mins.Add coconut milk,cilantro and cook for 5 mins or until gravy thickens.Goes well with Ghee Rice, Naan or even plain rice.

Devils Food Cake

A sinful chocolate cake with simple whipping cream and orange frosting..Its a been a while i was thinking of baking this cake.Everyday is a new day for celebration.I made this Yesterday for celebrating our first year in USA :)...This is only a reason to make it he he he....Coz being weight conscious..i was controlling not to try any sweets n snacks this month..But seeing beautiful dishes all over blog sphere,i lost my control and baked it....When "S" asked me ..'what about ur resolution? Me answered..."Its gonna be a year since we came to USA...we need to celebrate it....i made it for u..." He replied."So sweet of u to break ur resolution for me" and passed a funny smile....

Devils food cake is a rich,chocolate layered cake with chocolate,butter cream or any frosting of Ur choice...I tried Recipe from Shyamala's blog ,check here and frosted with whipping cream orange frosting.

For whipping cream frosting...
Whipping cream 1 can
Powdered sugar 2tbsp(according to ur taste)
Orange juice 1tbsp

Beat whipping cream and orange juice with hand mixer .Add sugar little by little.Beat till high peaks are formed.

Palappam and Egg in coconut milk curry

There's an old saying like "Eat breakfast like a king".Its true,always begin your day energetically with healthy breakfast.A balanced breakfast should be fat free,which supplies a protein,fiber and other nutrients.Breakfast is like 'Waking up to healthy start.Avoid the temptation to be a breakfast skipper like 1.If u have no time : Build a breakfast that are ready to eat or take little preparation time like fresh and canned fruits, milk, yogurt, cheese, instant breakfast mixes.2.Take it to go:Try celery stuffed with peanut butter , fruits or vegetable juices,sandwiches. Drink juice. Something is better than nothing. Have some bread or crackers later in the morning. There's no evidence that skipping meals will help you lose weight. In fact, studies show that most people who skip breakfast tend to eat more later in the day. Some even select more caloric ally-dense foods than those who eat breakfast.
When Mansi announced Balanced breakfast this month.I thought giving two birds in a shot like same with srivalli's Dosa mela.Here's my post to both events Kerala's special breakfast Palappam and Mutta thegapal curry(Egg in coconut milk gravy).Its quite delicious and easy to make.


Palappam
For kappi/kurukku
Combine 1/4cup of sooji(rava) /Rice flour with some hot water on stove top to create a gooey mixture.Keep aside.
For batter
Rice flour 2cups
(Use palappam podi or slightly fried normal rice flour)
Coconut milk 1.5cup
Yeast 1tsp(dissolved in some lukewarm water with 1tsp sugar,keep for 15 mins to rise)
Salt

After making the above kappi/kurukku.Mix rest if the items ie rice flour,yeast dissolved,coconut milk.Leave overnight to ferment.Keep in warm place or Preheat the bake oven at 200F for 5 mins.Switch off the oven,keep the palappam batter inside oven.Morning just before making appams,add warm milk if batter is thick,it should be slightly watery than dosa batter.Place appachatti on stovetop in med flame.Take a scoop of the batter and drop it into the appachatti. Hold the two handles of the appachatti and give it a quick twirl to spread the batter around. Do it once ,dont make two twirls, the edges get too thick and wont get proper laces. Cover and leave on for about 4 min.Repeat the same.Serve hot with Egg curry ,coconut milk or any curry of ur choice.


Here's simple Egg in coconut milk gravy for Palappam.
Eggs 3
Onion chopped 1cup
Tomato chopped 1
Green chillies chopped 3
Ginger-garlic paste 1tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2tsp
Coriander powder 1tsp
Coconut milk 1/2cup
Rice flour 1tsp
Oil 1tbsp
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Red chillies 2
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Salt

Boil eggs,Cut into halves and keep aside.Heat oil in pan,add mustard seeds,when it pops up,add red chillies,curry leaves.Add ginger-garlic paste,onions,fry it till raw smell goes and onions are translucent.Add green chillies chopped and saute.Add tomatoes and rest of the spices ,saute.Add some water.Let it boil for few mins,till raw smell of spies goes off.Add salt,now add eggs,coconut milk.Don't break the eggs .Stir carefully.If the gravy is too watery,add 1tsp rice flour mixed in 1/4cup of water.Cook in simmer,till the gravy thickens.Rice flour act as thickening agent.Remove from flame and keep for 10 mins covered,so that eggs absorbs spices.Serve hot with Appams or Idiyappam.