Chicken Stew

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 kg

Big Onions - 2 medium size 

Tomato - 2 medium size

Green chillies - 4 

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Ginger - 2 inch 
Salt - to taste

Maida (All purpose flour)- 1 tbsp

Thick coconut milk – 1 cup (first milk, Take 2 cups of grated coconut and grind in mixer with 3/4 cup of water. stain and take milk separately. This is first milk.)

Thin coconut milk (second milk)– 1 1/12 cup. Add 2 cups of Water to the mixer with the coconut from which the milk was already extracted and grind . Strain and extract the milk for second time. This is second milk. This will be thin compared to the first milk.)

Pepper Powder- 1 tsp

Cloves - 4Cinnamon - 1 inch

Method:

Wash and clean the chicken pieces. In a pressure cooker, add the chicken pieces, onions, green chillies, ginger, salt and a little water -just for the chicken to cook (do not add too much water as we need to add coconut milk at a later stage). Let it cook till one whistle. 

Once the pressure cooker has cooled, open and  add Thin (second) coconut milk to the cooker.

Once it’s boiled, lower the flame, mix 1tbsp of maida in water and add to the cooker. Also add cubed tomatoes and cook.

In thick coconut milk (first milk)add pepper powder and keep aside.

When the stew is the cooker is done and become thick add  thick coconut milk (first milk) into the cooker and switch off the gas. You should not boil stew after adding first coconut milk.Also add chopped coriander leaves. In a separate kadai, saute some onions and add to the sew. This gives a good aroma.Give it a gentle mix (taking care not to mine the chicken)

Garnish with coriander leaves and Serve hot with Appam, Noolappam,Ghee rice, bread or chapattis. you can use this stew recipe and make mutton stew and beef stew too.....:)

Recipe Courtesy: Mrs.Prassana Sugathan (Amma)

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

Raw Rice / Par boiled Ponni Rice - 1 cup
Water-2 cups
lemon - 1

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp
Dried red chillies - 2

Bengal gram - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - Few

Sesame oil - 2-3 tsp
salt - to taste

Method:

Soak rice in water for 15 minutes and pressure cook in water giving one whistle on high flame and one on low flame. When pressure releases open and  keep it aside. It should be cooked in such a way that the grains are separate.If you have any left over rice,you can use it also.

 Heat sesame oil in a kadai and temper it with dried red chillies, mustard seed, Urad dal, , Bengal gram and curry leaves.Once the mustard seeds splutter.Switch off the stove and squeeze the lemon in the kadai. Add salt and turmeric powder, Asafoeitida and mix well.

 

Add the cooked rice and mix well.If you want more sour taste you can add more lemon juice now.

 
Lemon Rice ready......:) Enjoy with pickle.....:)

Curd Rice

Ingredients:

Raw rice/Par boiled Ponni Rice - 1 cup
Water- 3 cups

Curd/ plain yogurt 1/2 cup 

Milk - 1/2 cup 

Butter (optional) - 1 tsp 

Shredded Pomogranate -1/4 cup
Grapes - 1/4 cup

Coriander leaves, Finely chopped- 1 tblsp 

Curry leaves - few 
Big Onion - Finely chopped 1

Green chillies, Finely chopped 1 

Ginger, chopped very finely - 1 tsp 

Salt as needed 
Sugar - 1/2 tsp.

Asafoetida - a pinch 
Mustard - 1 tsp
Full Red chilly - 1 (broken)
Manga inji (Mango Ginger) - 1/2 inch Piece (optional)
Grated carrot - 1/2 cup.

Method:

Soak rice in water for 15 minutes and pressure cook in water giving one whistle on high flame and two on low flame. When pressure releases open and  keep it aside. When done mash the rice nicely with the back of the spoon.

 

Heat a pan, add oil and splutter the mustard seeds and add the broken red chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida . Add finely chopped onions , ginger and green chillies to this. once they get sauted switch off the flame and add rice and mix well. 

When it is slightly warm add milk to this. Mash it nicely and mix it up nicely with the rice. When it is completely cool add the yogurt/curd to this and mix it up smoothly without any lumps. Add salt and sugar to this. Add chopped coriander leaves, grapes and pomegranate to this.  Ensure that the coriander leaves are chopped finely. Adding manga inji gives a special taste to curd rice.

 

Garnish with grated carrots and serve. Curd rice or thayir sadam Ready....:)

koorkal / koorka upprei / Stir Fried Chinese Potatoes

Ingredients:

Koorka / koorkal/ Chinese potatoes -  1/2 kg, cut into strips.

Onion - 1/2 chopped or shallots 10.

Green chilly -  3, slit. or Red chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Garlic - 4 pods

Turmeric powder -  a pinch.

Curry leaves - few

Salt - to taste

Water- 1/2 cup or to cover koorakal

Coconut oil as needed or about 3 to 4 tbsp.

Method

Soak koorkal in water for some time. Scrape the skin, clean and cut into strips.

 

Put this in a Pressure cooker along with the  salt, turmeric, and water. Cover and pressure cook for two whistles. Keep less water so that that you need not throw away the water. If there is excess water, dry the water. Don't discard.

 

In another kadai heat coconut oil, add Crushed garlic and saute. Add onion or shallots, green chilly/ red chilly powder, curry leaves and saute.Put the cooked koorka into this and saute for sometime on very low flame.And again saute for another 15 to 20 minutes on very low flame....slow frying is the idea here...can drizzle more coconut oil if needed.

 
Koorkal Upperi ready...:)

 

Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

Par Boiled Ponni rice/Raw rice / Basmati rice -1 cup
Water - 2 cups

Grated coconut –3/4 cup

Mustard seeds –1 tsp

Channa dal/Bengal Gram/ kadalai paruppu – 1 tbsp

Urad dal – 2 tsp

Red chillies – 2

Curry leaves – few

Oil /coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Asafoetida/Hing – a pinch

Cashew nuts/groundnut -8-10 (Optional)

Method:

Soak rice in water for 15 minutes and pressure cook in water giving one whistle on high flame and one on low flame. When pressure releases open and  keep it aside. It should be cooked in such a way that the grains are separate.

 

Heat oil in a kadai/ pan, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add channa dal/ Kadalai paruppu, urad dal, cashew nuts and roast till it becomes slightly brown. (add channa dal / kadalai paruppu  first as it will take time to get roasted, then add urad dal and cashew nuts)Add red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for a few more seconds. Add grated coconut and saute for a few minutes till it becomes slightly brown. Add salt needed.Switch off the flame.

 

Add cooked rice and mix it well. Serve with papads or chips or any gravy of your choice.

 
Coconut rice or thenga sadam ready....:)

Recipe Courtesy: Mrs.Latha , Coimbatore.

Fish Molee

Ingredients:

Pomfret/King Fish/Any big fish -   ½ kg

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder-1 tsp

Salt- ½ tsp

Oil- 3 tbsp

Onion- 2

Green chilies- 6 

Ginger-1/2 piece

Tomato-1 tomato

Maida - 1 tsp

Pepper Powder- 1tsp

Salt - to taste 

Thick Coconut Milk – 1/2 cup

Very thin coconut Milk- 1 cup (Dilute the thick milk with water)

Curry leaves- few
Corriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon-1" piece 2 nos

Coconut oil or refined oil-  2 tbsp

Method:

 Clean and slice the fish.  Marinate with the salt, chili powder and turmeric for at least 15 minutes .Heat the oil in a shallow pan till medium hot and gently pan fry the fish  for about a minute or two on each side, just until it changes color and firms up.  keep aside.

Slice ginger, green chillies and onions.  Heat oil in a pan and saute sliced onions ginger, cinnamon and  curry leaves. Make two extractions of coconut milk. First extract 1/2 cup and then second 1 cup. Thin coconut milk is the second extraction with shredded fresh coconut and water which is considerably thinner than the thick milk from the first extraction. Keep aside.  Add the second extraction of coconut milk, and salt to taste.

Mix maida in little water and add to the boiling mixture. When it starts boiling nicely and when done, add the tomatoes .The tomatoes should not get cooked much. Cook on a slow heat for about 5-10 minutes. 

In the first milk add pepper and garam masala. Switch off the stove and add the first coconut milk mixture. Do not let it  boil after that.The pepper added in the end gives it an irresistible aroma. Add chopped coriander leaves also.

 

Add fried fish to this and keep closed for some time. Serve after some time with a piece and little gravy on top in a plate. 

 

Fish molee can be relished with bread, appam, etc etc.

Recipe Courtesy: Mrs.Prassana Sugathan (Amma)

Marble Cake

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour (Maida) - 1 1/2 cup

Unsalted butter- 1/2 cup

Powdered Sugar - 1  cup

 Eggs - 2 large

Curd - 1/2 Cup

Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon

baking powder - 1 tablespoon

Baking Soda - 1/2 teaspoon

Cocoa powder- 2 tablespoon

Milk- 4 tablespoon

Method:

In a bowl with a hand mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs  and beat until incorporated.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.Reduce the mixer's speed to low. Alternately, add the flour and curd mixture until a smooth batter is formed. Add vanilla essence and ccontinue mixing for 5 minutes. 

Butter  9 inch (23 cm) pan and then line the bottom of the pan with tracing Paper. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c.Whisk cocoa powder and milk. Transfer 1/3 of the batter to a bowl and whisk  the cocoa mixture to this.

 

Pour the cake batter into the pan; then spoon the chocolate batter around. Run a fork through the batter, cutting the batters together to create a marbled effect. (Do not stir.) Bake this at 180 degree c for 30-40 minutes.or 

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

 

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for an hour. Run the knife through the sides of the baking pan and turn upside down. Remove the tracing paper and the cake is done.....:)

 
 slice and serve......:)

 

Recipe Courtesy: Maya Mathew

Lemon cake

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter, room temperature - 1 cup (226 grams) 

Granulated white sugar - 1 cup (200 grams)

Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon

Eggs - 4 

Zest of  lemon (outer yellow skin of lemon) - 1

All purpose flour (Maida) - 2 cups (260 grams) 

Baking powder - 2 teaspoons

Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

Fresh lemon juice - 1/4 cup (60 ml) 

Lemon Frosting:

Icing sugar, sifted - 1 cup (115 grams)

Fresh lemon juice - 2  tablespoons
Water - 2 tablespoons

Lemon Cake: 

Preheat oven to 180 degree C and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Scrape the Yellow color of the Lemon. Don't Scrape white color as it will be very sour.

 

Butter  9 inch (23 cm) pan and then line the bottom of the pan with tracing Paper.

 

In a bowl , with a hand mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in color (about 3-4 minutes). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs and mix well (batter will look curdled).

 

Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the flour mixture (in three additions) alternately with the lemon juice (in two additions), mixing until you have a smooth batter. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Bake about 40 - 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cake will be dry.) 

 

Place on a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes, then gently remove the sides and bottom of the pan.Remove the tracing Paper.

 

Lemon Frosting: 

Place the sifted icing sugar in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and stir until you have a thick and smooth glaze. Add more lemon juice or powdered sugar, as needed. 

 

Pour the frosting over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Spread with a Knife. Let the frosting dry before covering and storing. Decorate with grated chocolate and sugar balls.

 

This cake will last for several days in an airtight container.Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) cake.

 

Recipe Courtesy: Joy Of Cooking.

Banana Cake with chocolate Fudge Frosting

Ingredients:

 Sugar - 2 cups (400 grams)

All-purpose flour/Maida - 1 3/4 cups (245 grams)

Cocoa powder - 3/4 cup (75 grams) 

Baking powder - 1 1/2 teaspoons

Baking soda - 1 1/2 teaspoons 

Salt - 1/2 teaspoon

Eggs - 2 large

Mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large sized bananas) - 1 cup

Warm water - 1 cup (240 ml)

Milk - 1/2 cup (120 ml)

Refined oil - 1/2 cup (120 ml) 
Tracing Paper - 1 Sheet.

Filling:

Butter - 1/2 cup

icing Sugar - 2 cups

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

Unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped - 90 gms

unsalted butter, room temperature - 1/2 cup (115 grams) 

Icing sugar, sifted - 1 cup (230 grams) 

Vanilla essence - 1tsp

Method:

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour/maida, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

 

In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, mashed bananas, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract.

  

 Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir, or whisk, until combined. You will notice that the batter is quite thin. 

 

In your baking pan apply butter. Cut the tracing paper in the shape of your baking pan and keep it in the baking pan. Pour the batter in to the prepared pan . Preheat the oven at 180 degree C. Keep the pan in oven and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  

 

 Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for an hour. Run the knife through the sides of the baking pan and turn upside down. Remove the tracing paper and the cake is done.....:)

Cut the cake into half, horizontally.

 

In a bowl Beat butter and icing sugar until fluffy. Spread this on cake and sandwich the cakes.

 

In the bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. 

 

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes).

Cover the cake with frosting ans make design with a fork. Do the writing with a piping bag. Sprinkle some sugar balls on top for decoration.

 

And there your yummy Banana Cake with chocolate Fudge Frosting  is ready....to gulp....:)  

Recipe Courtesy: Joy Of cooking.