White chocolate mocha

Today was a hectic day. I decided to spend time at home.  As i had some cleaning chores to complete , i decided to take the day off. But no sooner than lunch break came, i get the call to go to office for an emergency case ,  .. i groaned at Aj for such situations. When husbands are boss its a  difficult situation . I love my work but i really miss my cooking , being with kids and the reason why I just love harthals and sundays . Its a huge relaxation time for Me and Aj on weekends and we try to be recreational most of the time . But there are days when weekends are just dozzing in beds. Anyways me and zame had lunch together and that was a relief for me . Anyways  zame was complaining its been long since i  had lunch together . With that fulfilled i was content and rushed to work. Sometimes  everything is complicated nowadays. But  i always fight it out and tell my kids if your Imaan is strong then there is nothing to worry as long as we are doing it the right way. 

Actually i am not a chocolate fan. the main reason is baking too much in chocolate cakes make me dizzy by just the smell of it.But my kids love it . recently i had few bars left behind and it wouldn't last for any dessert  . I gave to zamee and he made recipe right away .  

Ingredients

• Milk - 1 cup
• 50 grams Good Quality White Chocolate 
• 1 tablespoon Coffee Granules 
• 1.5 teaspoon  sugar 
• Hot water as needed.

Method

Heat milk in  pan to boiling point  and cook till it is reduced .

Let it simmer for 5 mins.

Add in white chocolate  whisking gently till  melts.

In the serving glass pour the coffee and the granules with hot water

Add while chocolate mix and whisk well

Serve hot.

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Manakeesh,| ARABIC DISHES

I just wish to  jump into a pool. I love swimming . It simply let's you go of everything that just brainstorming.  I have been on  stress, my usual time partner and anxiety that always has a way with me.We are given the best by our master and still we are not able to understand its value . The stress really churns us upsides down in tummy and we end up leaving everything we put be to do further. For me my only  stress reliever is my kitchen and cooking .
I love baking and always have enjoyed it ever since i was young . While I posted chicken mandi recipe  , I had an array of dishes to make for this  month . So far, the process has been slow but steady. I am slowly wakening to try a few new and old dishes that are not yet on my space .  Very dearly you will find a couple of arabian dishes featuring on the blog  in the coming posts . 

I was introduced to Manakeesh by our Egyptian friend  . Actually i didnt like it at first . It was too salty for me .  That was when the bread festival at cornish bakes happened and I got my first bite of this dish. Mashallah it was so delicious  I ended up eating  and bought a whole bunch for dinner that night . That little portion that our friend gave us was a little mistake of overdose of salt . Realized myself then  From then, I had been wanting to make this at home and i found  manakeesh and cheese combo are my favorite. 

Ingredients

• 3 and 1/2 cups all purpose  flour 
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• A pinch salt 
• 1 teaspoon  yeast
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• Zatar paste
• 1/2 cup olive oil 
• 1/2 cup zatar

Method 

• Add all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix  well . 
• Add olive oil and water and knead well  to smooth dough . Cover for one hour . 
• Mix zatar and olive to paste. Keep aside.
• After it has risen to  double the size, make small patties gently with hand, size of the inner palm .
• Add a tablespoon of zatar paste to one flattened dough . And spread grated cheese to the other . 
• I made 10 zatar and 10 cheese manakeesh each. 
• Bake for 5 to 10 minutes at 200 degree c.

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Instant white sauce pasta

This year is nearing its end. And my kids are enjoying planning their  coming vacation. And three of them want to go three different places . They are  in their own world of joy.  And as parents we are constantly calculating , changing and .... getting old.  Why am i feeling old  all of a sudden.... well the other day i was on my way to the office . I travel mostly by bus.. Actually I love it . Aj doesn't like it . Only when he is busy i get to travel by bus. . 
Usually the bus is a suffocating crowd and amidst all that its when the conductor calls me 'Amma . .. u may please move aside. !! ' ohh goodness.   First it was sister and now its amma ?!!. I gave him a look that made the poor thing shrink . The whole day i kept looking at the pouch mirror and .. quizing myself.   Am i old .. do i look old.. or was the guy just mistaken someone for me . .. 樂
My family is in full swing after listening to this hilarious story..
My Faizi .. youngest .. he remarked "umma dont get old otherwise you have to wear a nightgown like umama ( grandmom) and you wont look good in it. My heart melted when he said that . Young children always tell their innocent stories honestly.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon   Plain flour
1 cup Milk
A pinch of Salt
2 chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon Oregano
 2 cups Pasta (i  used shells)
1/2 cup cream
2 cubes cheese ( cheddar)
1/2 cube maggie.
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Chilli flakes.

Method

Cook macaroni in salted water as per package directions
Heat butter in a pan, add garlic and saute for a min.
Add in oregano and mix well.
Add flour and mix well.Add milk and cook till it starts to thicken.
Add the cream , cheese and maggi stock.
Add salt to taste.
Add cooked macaroni and mix well.
Serve

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Overnight oats

I must say this  is very old post backed up in my drafts and let me present you a full on, tummy filling recipe.  As much as i love  baking cooking has always inspired me   and it is evident with the amount of failure i had on my blogging experience i jump right back and start again with more recipe  which will be  included in it. My first and only big break was while moving to India. But i was extremely busy and excited too. The joy was all in the umpty no. of recipes i can  get hold of . Kannur is a food land . A place for just never ending snacks  and  bakes and this time i was this one, who was in a hurry to reach back  . But i love the Arab land i always have a feeling I will return next day back as though i am born to be there.  It's during my stay that i started having simple meals.  Especially living in flats and and a almost no- fun life ...we usually don't cook much . This was a runner recipe for me . I loved it on my first trials itself  As far as I am concerned, it was that tempting!

Oats and fruits  are  a beautiful combo.. i used honey . As i hate sugar in my oats anyway. . Normally i don't add sugar in anything like tea or coffee.  Somehow, I hate the taste of it and so...oats and fruits and honey . That's it.  I feel they are just too artificial! If we add sugar  .. My mom always says have sugarless u will know the real world and also how bland food really taste wonderful.
I thought she was being just scientific but it's true. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup full fat milk
½ cup old fashioned oats
1 tbsp honey
I cup dry fruits of choice.
Few chopped strawberries.
Pistachio almonds and raisins to top

INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk the milk and oats in a glass bottle. Keep closed in the refrigerator overnight.Next day morning, top with fruits honey, pistachio and raisins and enjoy!
That simple isn't it .

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Chicken mandi

How fast time flies and its just like we had a get together yesterday!which we actually enjoyed last sunday . I didnt feel like cooking today and every time this feeling seeps in me ... i land up in the kitchen making an elaborate and a quick meal for all. Aj wanted fish and i wanted to make chicken mandi !. A recipe i wanted to make for ages . We always order for it . So why bother cook at home . But after settling back home .i craved for this recipe . And it all happened one night .My uncle happened to visit india and he said he got new recipe for mandi .

My uncle who is also a great cook in the kitchen delivered us a casserole filled with mandi . And i was all wow for it. ! It tasted perfect . We usually want lots of masala for our biryani but mandi rice is full of flavour that we can just enjoy it as it is.

Ingredients

For the marination
 1 kilo chicken
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
3 tablespoon chicken masala
1/2 teaspoon  turmeric powder
2 tablespoon curd
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 tablespoon pepper powder
Salt to taste

For the masala

1 kilo ripe tomato , skinned off and paste.
4 big onions
5 green chillie slit
1 teaspoon ginger garlic crushed
1 cup corriander leaves
1 teaspoon mint
A handful curry leaves

For rice 

4 cups rice wash and drain.
Whole garam masala 2 each . ( cardamom , cloves, cinnamon bay leaf )
1/4 cup  oil and ghee

Method 

Soak the washed rice . Marinate the chicken for an hour with the ingredients mentioned above.
Shallow fry the chicken in oil . Cover and cook till done . You can roast a little. Keep aside.
Heat the ghee and oil .
Add the whole garam masala  and ginger garlic paste.  Saute till raw smell disappears.
Add the onions. Saute till wilted.
Add the tomato paste .. i got 3 cups.
Boil and add 5 cups water .
Add the rice  and salt . Boil .
Now add the green chillies . I added 10 green chilies . For the extra spice .
Cover and cook till done . Keep a check on the rice to cook evenly.
Once done add the herbs and place roasted chicken on top .
 Steam for another 5 minutes .
The flavours of the chicken masala and the oil , it was roasted in ,melts through  the rice .
Have it hot .

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Cookies and Cream Cake

I have been wanting to make a cake for the blog and so many varieties to choose from !     There is one thing with me baking a cake has always been so easy but decor is tough if your not prepared . No  cake lasts more than 3 days at home and so much plea from my kids especially Faizan . I have chosen oreo chocolate and butter cream .and thats ..wow in goodness – I love to decorate the cake more than having them actually.  And baking is fun  ! I love my sweet tooth but only limited.I don’t like them overly sweet, so my cakes is absolutely low in sugar most of the time .. only to the minimum.

OK, so coming back to wanting to bake a cake, my faizu wanted a special delicious chocolate cake .  I kept looking for recipes up and down and googled a lot. but most of the cakes had lots of colorful ingredients in it, which was disappointing as i dont like the aspect of giving colors to the cake .   Most of the cakes had a  sugary frosting loaded with it, but that’s not  what I wanted too.  I wanted a cake that is simple but loud on the table thats chocolaty and crunchy in every bite,so i adapted the recipe from here . And this one is exactly like how I wanted it to be…so here we go .

Ingredients

For the Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup powders sugar
 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
 1 cup chopped Oreos ( i used three packs)

For the Buttercream:

1 1/2 cup butter 340g, room temp
5 cups confectionary sugar.
 1and  1/3 cups crushed oreos
1/4 cup heavy cream
 a pinch of salt.

For the Ganache

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 200g
200 gms Heavy cream  heated

Method

For the Cake

Butter and flour a  three ,six inch pans.

With the egg beater ,beat butter( at room temperature) until light and fluffy.

In a large bowl , sift dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to butter . Beat well.

Scrape the sides well.

Mix wet ingredients in a bowl .

Add the wet ingredients  and  mix well

Next combine  in crushed Oreos and mix until just combined.

Divide equally  into the cake pans

Bake at 340 for 30minutes or until the centers are just soft  to the touch.

For the Buttercream

Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Mix the confectioners' sugar and beat well.

Reserve one cup of the buttercream for the frosting.

Mix in the crushed Oreos  to the buttercream.

For the Ganache

Melt chocolate and cream together on low heat. Whisk together and set aside.

For the Assembly

Oreo buttercream goes between each layer as well as a swirl of chocolate.

Coat outside with buttercream and smooth.

Add a skirt of crushed Oreos at the bottom of the cake
 Smooth top of the cake.
Drip the ganache all through the sides of the cake.

Pipe white buttercream dollops on top.

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Simple butter pudding

I am  looking  to fill up my pudding recipes in this blog as much as possible . But think of it , i do control on having sweets as much as i am not, a big fan of sweets . My family has a diabetic history . So we try to keep a check every month. We are so used to having  dessert  for lunch but that could be anything from sweets snacks or very rarely i cook up something like puddings . Actually this pudding is quite common. This is where i cannot control my health . Need to pull up on my posts for the blog and not eat the wonderful dishes i cook which ofcourse are my favorite when it comes to sweets ..how can i control. I have already started to put on weight as to this regard . I am trying to trim myself .. mmm let's just wait and watch .. 

Coming to today's recipe i am posting  this  butter pudding  which has won best simple pudding in our food group which I am a part of.
Though I have made soo many variety puddings i have never posted a single one.
So i thougt lets start with simple . 

Ingredients 

10 grams chinagrass
1 litre milk
1 tin condensed milk
250 gms butter
4 tablespoon sugar
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon custard powder
4 slices breads

Method 

Soak the  chinagrass in little water .Boil and keep aside for 5 minutes. And boil the chinagrass again till it melts.
Take 1/2 cup milk, add the egg and custard powder   bread (brown sides  removed) Beat well.
Boil the rest of the milk, butter ,add the milkmaid, bread (brown sides  removed) and sugar.
Add the egg mixture and whisk well .
Cool the whole pudding mixture .
Beat it in a mixer grinder and then set in pudding dish.

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How to cook corn

Some foods are so addictive that we cannot go without it if it comes to season . Corn is one such addiction . I always felt that  grilled corn is really yummy but having them cooked at home is much better . Last time as we had visited my brothers home in banglore and we just went on having corn soups grills patties .Inshahaallah i will be adding  them soon . Alhamdulillah, we had a lovely time. Even though it did rain for just few hours but then we never stopped going out and having fun . , the trip was much wanted by us . We needed a break from work and kids wanted to see cousin Zain.  Banglore always has nice climate and i jsut love the everlasting cold weather there .never dries out . My mom always says who ever visits Banglore will never return home .
Heres the recipe for my corn.
This is for beginners to cooking corn at home .

Ingredients

• 4 corns
• Salt to taste 
• A sprinkle of maggi masala

Method 

• Peel the corns 
• Cook the corns immersed in water in a pressure cooker to 4 whistles. 
• After done serve the corns with salt  and maggi masala powder. 
• You can also add pepper or butter too. All to ones tastes and trials

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Masala chickpea fry

We have a craze and thats for chaats . Mom makes paani poori and all the sides to go for it. Actually my daughter zehna loves chaats  and so we all join in to make to my relief from having to make something for tea time. But normally i never have chaats just tea  and something light as in biscuits and occasional fries. But my kids and Aj are not too much into fried snacks but they would love some tummy filling variety once in a blue moon . But eventually the only thing I used to love is the homemade simple tea munchies. Though i love cooking to the core i do get lazy at times . And chai and kaddis (snacks ) in kerala is a soothing past time . My kids are the most hunger striken at this point of time . No five star hotel would have such kind orders as these three give me their own ways of having tea . Zamee would have a strong 'teabag' tea. Zehna goes for horlicks milk . Faizan loves Hershley milk ..but i dont give it to him everyday ... but he is my angel boy so i fall for all his demands .  So u see i have a hard time to meet all their damands. But chaats is  one  thing they all .... no ... we all have a common admiration to.
So went ahead and made this chaat .

We always have a frozen chickpeas and peas for the breakfast process to go easy .
So if  you freeze up boiled peas  its very likely you would end up making chaats quite often  . I love eating raw cooked chickpeas and when i had this chaat i just loved it . It is very spicy and strong tea is a perfect match.. Do try it out.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup  chickpeas 
• 1/4 teaspoon   masala powder 
• 1 green chilli slit 
• 1/4 tsp pepper powder 
•   1 tblspn Onions 
•  1 small sized chopped finelyCoriander leaves  Salt – as required

Method

• Soak chickpeas  overnight for atleast 6-8 hours.Pressure cook chickpeas   until done.
• In a pan, add a tablespoon of oil .
• Add  chickpeas combine it with masala powder, chilli powder, salt,   and mix well.Just toss and cook the masala till done. Remove to serving dish .
•  Finally add onions and garnish with coriander leaves on top.

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White promfret biryani

We had our getogether yesterday . We had our oldies to a corner to catch up with their petite talk of yester years  Just to cheer up, we had to bring all the 50 members of family together , still many couldn't make it . We went bonkers with the fun and noise . Music and dance that filled the beach hotel with night getting colder, all had a fun night . But the next morning was a little  tiring . Hehe i lost my mind last night thinking who cares how old i am ,we get to be kids only in such times . Body was aching but thats it .. I just managed the day with leftover home chores and light lunch prepared  in 1/2 hour. Having a harthal is cool as we get to catch up on home and kids . Schools have  started and the mornings are getting busier and   InShaAllah, I am hoping to get back to my blogging routine from today as well. Thinking about everything is making me excited  but I have to get my anxiety levels low  guess I take it as it comes…

Food has a lot of nostalgia associated with it. So is this fish biriyani that Aj loves the most .  SubhanAllah, life is moving really fast and so is our changing appetite for the taste of fishes here …alhamdullillah fish is also cheap here.... after eons we have started getting fresh ones   we have really spicy masala but if  the spice level doesnt satify do add more . So you can add some chilli powder while preparing the masala if you need a little bit of spice there. Its difficult to grab the complete satisfaction  from Aj ..But he enjoyed it and said he would pack some to office ! Off to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

FOR MARINATION:

• 500 gm avolli fish ,cleaned
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp coconut oil for fry

FOR MASALA:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 4 large onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoon chillies, paste 
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 4 tbsp chopped mint leaves
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 2 strands curry leaves 
• Salt and pepper to taste

FOR RICE:

• 2 tbsp ghee
• 3 cardamom, split
• 1 pc cinnamon3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise
• 1 tbsp peppercorn
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cups waterSalt to taste
• 2½ cup ghee rice, soaked for 15 minutes, washed and drained

FOR DUM:

• 3 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 15 cashews
• 15-20 raisins
• 1 tbsp garam masala powder
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 4 tbsp chopped mint leaves.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine all ingredients except oil in the "for marination" section till well combined. Allow to marinate for at least one hour
• .Fry the marinated fish in the coconut oil flipping the sides, till browned and almost 75% cooked. Set aside.
• In a saucepan,  start making the masala by heating the coconut oil. 
• Add the onions and few curry leaves  and saute till the onions are soft.
• Add the ginger garlic crushed  and cook till the raw smell goes away .
• Add in the turmeric and saute well. Continue to cook till the tomatoes are totally cooked.
• .Add in the fried fish and cook for a few more minutes. Sprinkle in some water if the masala looks too dry.Add in the garam masala powder, mint leaves, coriander leaves and seasoning. Mix well and switch off.
• While the masala is getting cooked, make the rice. 
• Heat the ghee and fry the whole spices.
• Add the curry leaves and onion and saute till witled.
• Add the water and bring it to boil. 
• Add salt.
• Add in the drained rice and keep on high flame till the water comes to a rolling boil.Keep it on the lowest flame possible and cook on closed lid till the water is absorbed and the rice is almost cooked .
• Switch off
• .For the garnish ingredients, heat the coconut oil and ghee in a deep frying pan
• .Add the sliced onions with a sprinkle of salt and fry till browned. 
• Drain and set aside.
• Fry the cashews and then the raisins and set aside. Keep the frying oil aside.
• Now for the dum ..
• Spread one layer of rice . Transfer the fishes on a plate and layer only  masala on top. Sprinkle half fried onions, cashewnuts, raisins, chopped mint and coriander leaves and garam masala.Layer the remaining rice over the masala. 
• Layer the fishes on top .
• Sprinkle the remaining dum ingredients, the leftover fried oil .
• Cover with foil and close the lid tightly. 
• Keep on high flame for 5 minutes, then reduce to the lowest and keep it for 20 minutes. Switch off.Open the lid and remove the foil at the time of serving. Mix well and serve hot with raita and pickle.

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Pola appams

This was actually  recipe for the ramadan but some reasons i couldn't do it. But after a lot of  mind boggling i just gave a go for it . 'Just post it 'my inner self said I love steamed food and for that one reason my ramadan was mostly oil free iftar items .  So I thought, instead of giving a long break for this recipe till next year  , I will give a try now itself. I have taken a loooong break from blogging and now restarting it all from scratch is like pulling the zip from my back.! I wasn’t sure how and when i will will reach to point where  I am going to handle it like a easy peasy  but i want to do it like a pro ...to do it, running smooth like others .

I am not sure but this is a long forgotten recipe by many .... correct me if I am wrong . Pola appam is usually breakfast for us and we love to have it with coconut milk sugar and bananas. They are a size larger than the idlies and so one will be mostly enough for one.
Pola appam  is my  long time awaited recipe. . When i started blogging i hunted for the recipe but many had to say it was a tough process in making . And yes it was ! . But then a friend sent me homemade ones and i just loved it... emm we always had it ordered from a restaurant ..  so one day she sent me the recipe and thats it i was pola making the whole month ..  for dinner too with chicken stew .

Ingredients

2 cups raw rice
2 cup boiled rice
1/2 teaspoon urad dal
1/2 teaspoon yeast
Salt to taste .
1 teaspoon sugar
Coconut water

Method

Soak the rice and urad dal over night .
Grind all the ingredients and ferment for 4 to 5  hours .
Steam cook in greased pans ( large idli pans will do.) Till done .
Serve warm or cold .

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Malabar Mutton biryani , Kannur style.

I am thriving in a society where food culture is at its maxim. Malabar food has so much to offer that i at times find it difficult to grab it all. As no challenge is unturned .. i love to explore and dig in everything i can get my hands on. Inshahaallah i promise (myself ) to bring everything to this blog . Kannur the place i am from is no different from Kozikode and Thalassery  in many ways . 

Our delights are never ending and how much  i try to explore  the load just increases. 
Today's recipe is first of malabars favorite dish .
Mutton biryani has always been the no. One dish ... for Aj . A nice well cooked juicy mutton and perfect well blended masala .. ya you heard me right .. it has to be perfect for him .
And by luck every time this recipe for some reason turns out well for me .

 it all. As no challenge is unturned .. i love to explore and dig in everything i can get my hands on. Inshahaallah i promise (myself ) to bring everything to this blog . Kannur the place i am from is no different from Kozikode and Thalassery  in many ways .  



Our delights are never ending and how much  i try to explore  the load just increases. 
Today's recipe is first of malabars favorite dish . 
Mutton biryani has always been the no. One dish ... for Aj . A nice well cooked juicy mutton and perfect well blended masala .. ya you heard me right .. it has to be perfect for him . 
And by luck every time this recipe for some reason turns out well for me .



INGREDIENTS

3 cups basmati rice
1 kg mutton , cut into meduim sized peices
3 tableapoon oil 
4 large onions, slliced
2  tablespoon ginger paste
2 tablespoon garlic paste
6 green chillies, crushed (depending on your spice level)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoon  coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon garam masala powder
3 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped
1 inch cinnamon
2 pods cardamom
3 cloves
6 cups of boiling water
1 tablespoon mint leaves
Salt to taste
4 tablespoon ghee
1 small onion, chopped
6-8 cashewnuts
2 tablespoon raisins
A bunch chopped coriander and mint leaves for garnishes.

Method 

Wash and drain rice .
Heat oil in pressure cooker, add half the coconut  oil and add the chopped onions ,cook till soften .
Add grinded  ginger garlic chillie pastes . Cover  Cook for five minutes.
 Add tomatoes and cook till mushy.
Add the spice powders and salt . Stir well on low flame .
Add the mutton ,, mix well and pressure cook for a whistle and lower flame and cook for 20 minutes minimum. This depends on the mutton also.
Off the flame let the cooker cool off the pressure.
Now open and simmer on high flame if the water quantity is high .the gravy must be thick .
Add the remaining coriander mint leaves. 
Add half teaspoon of the garam masala and stir well
. In a large saucepan,heat  the ghee. Fry the  onion slices cashews  raisins and keep aside. Reserve the ghee for late use.
Take a huge vessel ,heat ghee and add  whole masalas and stir fry. Add the rice  and stir fry for some minutes .Add 6 cups  hot boiling water into this.
Keeping on high .Add few mint curry leaves  and salt,  .
Cook on low flame till 3./4 cooked . mix well.
Now take out half of the rice , spread the mutton  masala, t. sprinkle fried onion, cashews and raisins,  garam masala,  chopped coriander mint leaves.Add the remaining rice on top  and then sprinkle all remaining ingredients. Close  the lid tightly  and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes.
Serve hot with raita and coconut chutney and of course nice lemon pickle .

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Rava idli

As ramadan has gone out normal working days have begun.  Kids school work home and of course cooking to be precise.  We had  a nice break as kitchen is closed in the mornings during the ramadan and no rush for tiffins. Two elder kids are independent enough to get things done on time . I just have to run after my kindergartner . As of this week we have a full morning circuit to catch. Packing lunch boxes is quite a stir in the mornings . No one is into curries . Aj just wants his eggs and stir fry bananas. Zameel  would go for toast and spreads . While Zehna just loves proper Indian breakfast ... just like me .so today is her favorite recipe.

How ever time flies my love for idlies and dosas never  die out. Hot spicy green chutney served with my recipe for today. I love green rava idli .. thats loads of corriander leaves chopped finely and mixed well with the better .
Its quick easy and instant . And overall very healthy.  I am so addictive to this that I have them for tea too.

Ingredients:

1 cup Rava / samolina

1 cup curd

1/2 cup rice flour

Water as required

1 chopped onion

1 grated carrot

2 chopped green chillies

1 tablespoon crushed ginger

Curry leaves few

1 teaspoon Mustard seeds

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 tablespoon oil

3 tablespoon Coriander leaves

Method:

Add rawa,rice flour,salt,curd and mix well.Add little water and mix to This should be of  medium consistency batter. Set this aside for 15 min.

Take a kadai and heat oil .

Add mustard seeds and let it crackle.

Add in ginger, curry leaves.

Next add  the onion,carrots, and mix well

 cook for 3 min.

Add this to the batter and mix well.Add in a bunch  of chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

Add in baking soda and beat well till frothy.

Add a tablespoon  of the batter into well oiled idli stand.
 Steam it for 10 mins…

When it is cooked,remove it with a spoon

Serve hot with any chutney or sambar.

Note
I love to serve with ghee fried cashews . Just as my pic shows 

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Tharri kachyathe

I am ending this Ramadan with a heavy heart .. How time flies and alhamdullillah we have made our way to attain how much ever time we had to complete our ibadadah.
This ramadan  we planned on having a warm drink evey alternate days .I guess many of you must have be wondering what choices do i have . Well here , Malabar is famous for the luxurious warm drinks. I always like to try something new but with the same ingredients. Last Ramadan, we went only for cold and icy drinks and eventuality would fall sick , so i guess i am having silent break from the flu and the fever so far . So my first recipe for warm drinks this ramadan is samolina drink / thari kachyathe .

 It is served warm not hot . Served with roasted ghee fried nuts straight  from stove top . Anything  served with ghee  and nuts is a way to hint the time to relax  and have it right away , it is the nuts and dry fruits ,  that  floats in the milk which is very slurpy .

 Ingredients 

2 cups milk
2 tablespoon roasted samolina.
4 tablespoon sugar
2 Cardamom crushed
1 teaspoon ghee
Nuts of your choice.
A pich of salt.

Method

Boil the milk and let simmer .
Meanwhile heat a non stick pan .
Roast the samolina/rava for 2 minutes
Add to the simmering milk.
Stir well .
Roast the nuts in ghee.
Add to the milk and add the cardamom powder.
Add sugar and a pinch of salt .
Cover and serve after 10 minutes.
It will thicken by then .
Serve warm .

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Prawn masala cups

Mashallah we are nearing the end of this Ramadan . Working hard to our better deen and cleansing ourself soulfully with dhikr (chantings) and zakath , tharaweeh and still we have so much more to make duas for ourselves . With the time running out it is sense of sadness ... something i cant describe . How time flies during Ramadan . Last 10 days  of Ramadan . The most blessed of all nights and we must attain as much as we can from the prayers asking for forgiveness. The mosques are filling with more crowd amd it is  during these last nights for prayers considered better than thousand nights   ( Laylatul Qadr) that we ask for all good deeds be accepted and sins forgiven ... Ameen. 

Coming to today’s recipe – anything oil free goes out well on the iftar table .this is   unusually  rare presentation of a steamed rice cups filled with prawn masala and fried rice balls.! Lots a pretty easy and lovely colorful idea of a snack to be served in iftars .and kids passed it to be cup pizza. Such crazy ideas came up and i just went by to recreate for our snacks and i wanted  something oil free . And meat free too . Feel free to change the recipe to a filling of your choice .  I used my cupcake moulds  so got a dozen done at one go.
I just love making them and enjoyed it too .and just remember to have them warm .
Here's the recipe.

Ingredients for grinding.

1/2 Coconut grind.
1 teaspoon fennel seeds,
2 small onions .
1 green chillie
Curry leaves few.

For the rice dough

1 cup rice ( jeerakashala/pathal rice ), soaked for 4 hours
Salt to taste

For the prawns masala

500 gm large  prawns , cleaned and deveined.
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion,
1 small tomato
1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
3 green chillies chopped
Curry leaves and coriander leaves

Method
Grind the ingredients with very little water, for the rice dough till coarse  and add 2 tbsp of rice flour and make a soft dough .
Add more flour if needed. It should be coarse.  Add in the coconut grind mix..
Heat a steamer. Grease each cup cake case with oil . And press little rice doughs onto the cups  with 1 inch thickness and cook in steam till done. Make small balls and steam cook too,
Steam for around 10 minutes or till firm to touch. Allow to cool slightly before taking out of the cups
Fry the prawns with the red chilli powder and salt till done  and keep aside .
Fry the rice balls in 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and salt. Keep aside.
Heat oil and saute the onions  for 5 minutes.
Add all the ingredients saute till mushy .
 Add in the fried   prawns and the rice balls
Mix them up till the masala is well combined.
Keep aside to cool .
Stir in the coriander leaves. Adjust seasoning and set aside.

Now fill the masala in the cups and serve .

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CARROT HALWA | RAMADAN SWEETS

Asalamualikum..
As our holy month has approached upon us we are much aware of our duties and we cannot afford to forget how blessed  we are to live through this month again ... ameen .
This is a stage where i desperately wanted to be back.  How much i miss blogging . And being the month  of ramadan , a good and humble way to be back. I have been into baking and this time intense baking cakes and pastries , to be precise. Starting my own business was a tough ride and especially when the town is loaded with home bakers. Inshahaallah i will be uploading the delicacies here.
This is an all time favorite easy sweet and something my family loves to dig in after a spicy meal.

Actually carrot halwa is  pretty decade old recipe. My love for sweets will never die away . But i check on my calories once in a while to be on the safer side . Thank god  they are cleaned away as soon as i set it on the table.

This is our recipe .. hope u guys love it .

Ingredients

1/2 kilo  carrots grated finely
1/2 litre milk
1/2 cup ghee
3 tbsp Almonds, Raisans, Pista- chopped
1/2  cup sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon Cardamom powder

Method:

1. Heat half of the ghee in a kadai..Fry some badam pieces in this till golden and keep aside.
2. fry the grated carrots into it.for 5 minutes.
3. Next add milk and boil.
4. Keep stiring every 5 minutes . Add in sugar .
5. Cook this till it  leaves the sides of the dish .
6. Add the rest of the ghee.Keep stiring well careful not to burn the halwa at this point.
7. Mix in the nuts and the cardamom powder.
8. Switch off the flame and serve hot..

Note :
My personal favorite are addition of ghee fried almonds in the halwa.

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Arri paysaam/vishu/onam recipes

Arri payasam is the easiest one can make especially during  any celebrations or occassions during our busy schedules..Needless to say, yes I love anything sweet and payasam is my weakness especially this one . Payasam after a simple meal is like quenching ones craving for sweet.

Actually i am renovating my blogspace so u may find many recipes from past . Without much delay .. Here'smy recipe for today.

Ingredients

1 litre milk 

1/2 cup ghee rice.

1/2 tin milkmaid 

Ghee for roasting the nuts

Cashews and raisins as needed. 

Sugar if necessary according to taste 

Method 

Wash the rice and dry on cloth .

Just coarse grind the rice. 

Heat ghee in nonstick pan , roast cashews and raisins to golden brown. Set aside. 

Boil the milk and simmer and keep stiring for 3 minutes. 

Add the course grinded rice and cook till done.

Add in the milkmaid .

Add the sugar only if need .

Garnish withthe nuts and raisins. 

Serve warm.

Notes :

I personally dont like the addition of more sugar . 

If u find the liquid consistency too thick add more milk .

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Banana roll ups | Ramadan snack

Time just flies and we already into the middle of Ramadan.
Our goal is to fast the month of Ramadan for spiritual purification and out of obedience to the orders of Allah SWT.  However, verse 2:184 ends with the statement that

                            “for to fast is to do good unto yourselves - if you but knew it.” 

Out of God’s mercy, it turns out that when we fast, we are not just gaining spiritual benefit, but doing good unto ourselves in the physical realm as well.  So much so, in fact, that fasting has become a new vogue in medicine to help people maintain good health and longevity.  This lecture series uses the most recent medical literature to do a fairly in-depth exploration of the health benefits of fasting.  These benefits include improvements in weight, glycemic control and reductions in the risk of diabetes, decreased cardiovascular disease risk factors, improvements in immune system function, decreased cancer risk, and better neurological and brain health.
This ramadan is going to be just simpke and easy snacks.  Keeping it and light and healthy to the brim. Here i have preferred to get the best way to attain simplicity with just four main ingredients.
Try it out .. its great for a sweat slider .

Ingredients

1 ripe banana ( plaintans )
8 large slices of bread
1/4  teaspoon crushed cardamom .
2 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoon milk
A pinch salt
2 tablespoon ghee

Method

Mix the eggs ,milk ,sugar ,cardamom powders and salt into a thin batter and keep aside .
Slice the banana length wise and shallow fry  in ghee .
Flatten the bread slices .
Note that the banana  slices should be the same size as the flatten bread slices.
Place the ghee fried banana slice on the single flattened bread .
Sprinkle some sugar and roll them up .
Now dip the rolls into the egg batter and shallow  fry to slightly golden color in ghee .
Sprinkle some sugar on the hot rolls .

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