Chatti Pathiri......!!!

Ramadan Kareem dear all..... This is indeed the month of blessings..... and this is the time we ladies spend most of the time in kitchen ;) Here is one the most common iftar dish in north kerala.... especially in Kannur, Calicut and all..... My hubby is from Thalassery and this dish is one of the most common among their snacks.... For them there is no occasion without this..... They have a different way of making the pan cakes for this, I have done an easy method here....

Preparation Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 15 - 20 mins
Serves : 6 - 8

Ingredients:

All purpose flour	1 cup
Milk	1 cup
Eggs	8
Salt	A pinch
Coconut grated	1 cup
Cashews	15
Raisins	15
Sugar	1/2 cup
Cardamom powder	1 tsp
Ghee

Method:
For Pancakes:
1. Mix one cup of flour, water, 1 egg, milk and salt together to form a loose batter.
2. Heat a pan and make about 8 - 10 pan cakes of similar size. Keep aside.

For Filling:
1. Heal ghee in a pan and fry cashews and raisins till golden brown. Keep aside.
2. Now in the same ghee fry the coconut until light brown. 
3. Beat 2 eggs with 1 tbsp sugar and add to the coconut.
4. Mix it well and when the eggs are done, add the cashews and raisins to this and mix.

Layering:
1. Beat 5 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp cardamom powder together.
2. In a thick bottom vessel, pour 1 tsp ghee. Don't switch on the flame.
3. Place one pan cake on it and pour the egg mixture on to this.
4. Put the filling above it.
5. Place the next pan cake above this and continue doing the same until the last pan cake.
6. Pour the whole egg mixture left on to the topmost layer.
7. On the flame and on simmer, close and cook for about 15 - 20 minutes.
8. After 10 minutes, try to place the chatti pathiri upside down for even cooking.
9. Chatti pathiri ready..... Serve hot or cold!!! :)

Prawns Biriyani.......!!!!

Prawns is one of mine and my hubby's favorite seafood..... I have tried a lot of recipes with prawns and surprisingly they all taste heavenly..... This is one them..... Prawns Biriyani have turned to be a common dish now a days where as in our childhood days we have mainly had only mutton or chicken in the biriyani varieties.... This tastes really yummy and do try this!!! 

Preparation Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 20 mins + Dum Time : 20 mins
Serves : 2 

Ingredients:

For Rice :
Jeerakasala Rice (Khaima Rice)	1½ cup
Onions	1
Cinnamon Stick	1 pc
Cloves	3
Cardamom	3
Bay leaf	1
Nutmeg	1
Water	3 cups
Ghee
Salt
For Masala:
Prawns	½ kg
Onions	4
Ginger	1 pc
Garlic	5-6 cloves
Green Chilly	6-7
Tomato	1 big
Turmeric Powder	1 tsp
Coriander Powder	1½ tsp
Red Chilly Powder	1 tsp
Garam Masala	1 tsp
Fish Masala	1 tsp
Cinnamon Stick	1 pc
Cloves	3
Cardamom	3
Bay leaf	1
Nutmeg	1
Cashews	10
Raisins	10
Coriander Leaves

 Mint Leaves
 Oil
 Ghee
 Salt

Method:
Rice:
1. Wash and drain the rice.
2. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan. Sputter cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and bay leaf.
3. Add one sliced onion to this and saute.
4. Add salt. Add the cleaned rice to this and fry for 5 mins.
5. Pour 3 cups of water to this and cook the rice until done. Keep aside.

Masala:
1. Clean the prawns and keep aside.
2. Grind green chilies, ginger and garlic to fine paste.
3. Heat ghee in a pan and fry half of an onion slices, cashews, raisins till golden brown, keep this aside.
4. In the same ghee,sputter cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and bay leaf.
5. Add onion to this and saute well. 
6. Add the green chilly,ginger, garlic paste to this and saute well.
7. Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, fish masala and garam masala and saute until the raw smell goes off.
8. Add the tomato to this and saute until they become soft.
9. Now add the prawns and chopped coriander and mint leaves to this and mix well.
10. Cover and cook until the prawns and done. (Prawns should not be over cooked). Once done off the flame.

Dum:
1. In a thick bottom vessel pour 1 tbsp ghee.
2. Add about 2 big tbsp of rice.
3. Above this our 1 tsp ghee, add the masala and chopped coriander and mint leaves and also the little of fried cashews raisins and onions. 
4. Continue to do this for about 3 layers of rice, that is the topmost layer must be rice.
5. Cover it tightly and cook on low flame for about 20 mins.
6. Yummy Yummy Prawns Biriyani ready.....!!! :) :)

Chilli Gopi......!!!

I am a big fan of this dish.... There are a wide varieties of recipes made out of cauliflower including Chinese and Indian... This one is a North Indian cuisine... Its easy to make and its really yummy........

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:

Cauliflower	1
Onions (Chopped)	1
Ginger (chopped)	small piece
Garlic  (chopped)	5 cloves
Green Chilly	2
Tomato	1
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	½ tsp
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil

Method: 
1. Separate the cauliflower into small florets.
2. Put this in hot water with turmeric powder, this helps to clean it. Drain the water after 10 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the cauliflower with salt and fly till slightly crispy and keep aside.
4. Now, drain the excess oil and sputter cumin seeds. 
5. Add chopped onions and saute well. 
6. Add ginger, garlic an green chilly and saute again.     
7. Now add turmeric powder and chilly powder and saute until the raw smell goes off.
8. Now add tomatoes and saute until they are soft.
9. Once done, add the fried cauliflower and mix well. Add more salt if required.
10. Close and cook for few minutes until dry.
11. Add chopped coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot... :)

Sausage Masala......!!!

Sausage masala is one of the easiest dinner recipe... There are no much ingredients... But this tastes so yummy... You hardly might require 20 mins all together to get this done... I am indeed a fan of this curry :D 

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 10 mins

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Chicken Franks (Sausage)	1 packet (10 fingers)
Onions	2
Ginger	small piece
Garlic	4 cloves
Green chilly	2
Tomato	1
Turmeric powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Red chilly powder	½ tsp
Pepper powder	½ tsp
Garam masala	½ tsp
Water	¼ cup
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil

Method:

1. Clean and cut the sausages to small rounds.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add the onions and saute well.

3. Once the onions are done add ginger,garlic and green chilly and saute for another 2 mins.

4. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly powder, pepper powder and garam masala to this.

5. Add tomatoes ad saute till the tomatoes are soft.

6. Add the sausages and mix well. Pour ¼ cup of water and cook until the sausages are done.

7. Add the coriander leaves. Off the flame. This goes well with khubus ,bread, chapattis.

Mathi Mulakittath....!!! (Spicy Sardine Curry)

This is a complete Kerala dish.... This might be many of yours fav... But am not a big fan of sardines.... I used to cook it for my dad coz he loves this kind of curries..... Its an easy fish curry which goes well with plain rice.... 

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 15 mins

Serves : 3-4

Ingredients: 

Sardines	1/2 kg
Onion (sliced)	1
Green chilly (split)	2
Ginger garlic paste	1/2 tbsp
Tomato	1
Tamarind juice	1/4 cup
Turmeric powder	1/2 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder	1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds	a pinch
Curry Leaves	a hand full
Salt
Oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter fenugreek seed.

2. Add onion,green chilly, ginger garlic paste and saute well.

3. Once the onion is done add tomato and saute again.

4. Add chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.

5. Add tamarind juice to this and 1/2 cup of water to this.

6. Let this boil for 5-10 mins in medium flame.

7. Add the cleaned sardines to this and cook until the fish is done.

8. Off the flame and add curry leaves.... Serve this spicy gravy with plain rice or even chapattis.

Sponge Cake Triffle Pudding.....!!!!

Preparation Time : 15 mins

Cooking Time : 0

Serves : 6 - 8

Ingredients:

Sponge Cake	1 small
Sugar	½ cup
Milk	1 cup
Whipping cream	1 cup
Strawberry Ice cream	½ cup
Caramelized nuts	½ cup
Almond flakes	¼ cup

Method:

1. Layer the sliced sponge cakes in a pudding tray.

2. Mix sugar with milk and pour a little above it.

3. Put some caramelized nuts above it.

4. Spread a layer of strawberry ice cream.

5. On the top layer pour the whipping cream.

6. Decorate the pudding with almond flakes and nuts.

7. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

8. Serve chilled.....!!! :) :)

Banoffee Pie.....!!!

Its a yummy dessert with bananas and toffee(dulce de leche) as major ingredients... and that's how it is known as "banoffee pie".....

Preparation Time : 15 mins

Cooking Time : 0

Serves : 8 - 10

Ingredients:

Digestive Biscuits	½ packet
Marie Biscuits	½ packet
Melted Butter	½ cup
Dulce de leche	½ cup
Whipping cream	1 cup
Milk	¼ cup

Method:

1. Powder the biscuits and mix with butter. Layer this on a pudding tray and refrigerate.

2. Slice the bananas. Layer this on the biscuit base.

3. Pour the dulce de leche on the bananas and add one more layer of bananas.

4. Now pour the whipping cream on the top.

5. Decorate using sugar sprinkles or grated chocolate.

6. Refrigerate until set.... Yummy pie ready..... Serve chilled.....!!!! 

Gajar Ka Halwa....!!! (Carrot Halwa)

This is a yummy dessert which is a common sweet for we Indians... Especially North Indians.... This was first introduced during the Mughal period and the name originates from an arabic word "Halwa" which means "sweet" and it is made from Carrot )in Hindi : Gajar) so that it is known as 'Gajar Ka Halwa'. It is strongly associated with Punjab but it is not clear it originated there. It is very similar to the other types of Punjabi Halwa.

Preparation Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 1 hr 45 mins
Serves : 5

Ingredients:

Carrots	8
Milk	4 cups
Ghee	4 tbsp
Sugar	10 - 12tbsp
Cashews	20
Raisins	15
Cardamom powdered	1 tsp

Method:
1. Grate the carrots.
2. Heat milk in a botton thick pan and combine milk and grated carrots.
3. On low flame bring the whole mixture to boil and then simmer.
4. Keep on stirring. The carrots will have to get cooked in the milk and then the milk will start to evaporate.
5. When milk has reduced to 75% add the ghee,sugar and powdered cardamom and continue to stir.
6. When the halwa is done add the cashews and raisins.
7. Serve warm or cold.... It tastes really good if served warm :) :)

Hummus....!!!

Hummus is an arabic dip... This has been common everywhere now.... N its really easy to make at home.... 

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 15 - 20 mins

Serves : 4 - 5

Ingredients:

White Chick Peas (cooked)	1 Cup
Garlic	2 cloves
Tahina Paste	5 tbsp
Lime Juice	2 - 3 tbsp
Olive Oil	2 tsp
Salt	3

Method:

1. Blend all the ingredients together to get a smooth paste.

2. Place it in a serving bowl and top with olive oil... Hummus ready :)

Jeera Rice.....!!!

Jeera Rice is similar to ghee rice the only difference is that we add jeera to this.... Those who wants to try ghee rice, just remove jeera from ingredients, rest all are the same.... I usually use Khaimah Rice for making ghee rice,jeera rice and biriyani... I like its smell and taste... You can make this with basmati rice as well... If using basmati its always better to soak the rice for half n hour prior to preparation...

Preparation Time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 10 - 15 mins

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Jeerakashala Rice (Khaima Rice)	1 Cup
Ghee	2 tbsp
Onion Sliced	1
Fennel Seeds	1 tbsp
Cardamom	4
Cloves Cinnamon Stick	4 1 inch
Nutmeg (Jaathi Pathri)	1
Bay Leaf	1
Water	2 cups
Salt

                                             

Method:

1. Wash and drain the rice.
2. Heat ghee in a vessel. Splutter fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, nutmeg.
3. Add onion and salt and saute well.
4. Add the rice and saute well.
5. Add 2 cups of water and close and cook until the rice is done. 
6. Serve hot... :)

 Tips & Tricks:

•  If using basmati rice soak it for at least half n hour before cooking.
• For basmati rice the amount of water is 1½ cup for 1 cup rice. 

Chicken Curry.....!!!!

Chicken is most of our favorite.... For me if its non-veg its obviously Chicken... ;) This is a very simple and easy curry with chicken and potatoes. On to the recipe....

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:

Chicken	900 gms
Potato	1
Onion Sliced	2 big
Ginger	1 tbsp
Garlic	1 tbsp
Green Chilly	2-3
Tomato	1
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Coriander Powder	1 tsp
Red Chilly Powder	1 tsp
Garam Masala	½ tsp
Pepper Powder	½ tsp
Jeera Powder	½ tsp
Coconut Milk	1 Cup
Salt
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves

Method:

1.Clean the chicken and cut them into small pieces and set aside. Heat oil in a pan. Saute the onions with salt till translucent.
2. Add the chopped ginger, garlic and split green chilies.
3. Saute this well until the raw smell goes off.
4. Add turmeric powder,chilly powder and coriander powder and mix well.
5. Add garam masala and jeera powder.
6. Add sliced tomatoes and saute until they become soft.
7. Now add chopped potatoes and chicken and mix well with the masala.
8. Pour in one cup coconut milk and put some curry leaves. Close and cook until the chicken and potatoes are done.
9. Put some coriander leaves and curry leaves on the top.
10. Serve hot with ghee rice, rice pancakes, chapattis or khubus....