Velleppam/Soft Proved Pancake

                 Velleppam or fermented dosas are very widely seen in Kerala.Its one of the delicious preparations of Kerala.Velleppam goes best with egg curry.It also accompanies any goodies made of vegetables or meat or chicken or anything. 

 Ingredients

Serves :4; Makes:13 Aappams; Soaking time:2 hours; Rising time:2 hours:Preparation :30 to 40  minutes

1 1/2 Cup Pachari/Long Grained Raw rice
1 Cup Grated Coconut
1 1/4 Cooked Parboiled Rice
Salt to taste
1/2 Tspn Yeast
1 Tspn Sugar
Water(As needed)

 Method

1. Soak washed Pachari for 2 hours.After 2 hours drain the water.
2. Now mix all the ingredients and blend in a mixer until it is ground into smooth paste.
3. While grinding,water should be added to the level upto which the raw materials are in the blender.
4. Keep the consistency in a way that it is neither too thick nor too watery.
5. Now keep this mixture covered to ferment near the stove for about 2 hours so that it gets maximum heat for the yeast to rise.
6. After 2 hours,take it and its ready to make aappams.
7. Heat an iron kadai,rub it with some vegetable oil and pour the batter little in a way that it is enough to make these round shapes and this thick.Only the thing is to make the aappam thick at the center.
8. Now just round the kadai soon so that it sticks to the sides of the kadai.
9. Close it with the lid and cook for 2 minutes.
10. You can check if it is done by touching the center of the aappam.If it does not stick to the fingers,then it is done.
11. Now leaven the sides of the aappam from the kadai with the help of a spatula.
12. Serve hot with egg curry,chicken curry or chana masala.

Beef Roast

         Beef Roast is one of the famous and most loved dish of Malabar.Beef Roast with neypathiri is a superb combination.This is often send to gulf countries or abroad to the dear ones.Though not a ritual,it is treated somewhat like a ritual ;-). If there is anyone going abroad,the relatives there would be restlessly waiting for the beef roast and neypathiri.The main advantage of this dish is that since it does not contain too much moisture in it,it wont get spoiled even if kept at room temperature the whole day.And that aspect of this dish helps in carrying them abroad.
        And now I dedicate it to my loving father's best friend,Abdulla uncle.I remember how badly my father wanted us to serve uncle the best beef roast and neypathiri all the time he visit us.Paining memories.....Even now we try to serve our uncle and his family the best beef roast and neypathiri.
        I believe there is no one to beat my mother in this recipe.She is such an expert in this dish that you will surely crave for it the next time.And ya my Ithoumma(mother in law) is also an expert in this dish.I find her's similar to my mother's.Luv u uppa and luv u ummas......
         Now over to the recipe.....

Ingredients 

Serves:4;Preparation time:30 Minutes;Cooking Time:1 Hour

1 Kg Beef cut,cleaned and drained

2 Medium Sized Onions sliced

2 Tomatoes sliced

1 1/2 Inch Ginger Crushed

10 Cloves(big) Garlic crushed

 4 Green Chilllies or to taste

1 1/2 Tblspn Chilli Powder

1 1/2Tblspn Coriander Powder

1/2 Tspn Fenugreek Powder(Roasted and powdered)

1/2 Tspn Cumin Powder(Roasted and Powdered)

1/4 Tspn Turmeric Powder

Few Curry Leaves

Salt to taste

1/2 Tspn Garam Masala powder

1/2 Tspn Pepper powder

2 + 1 Tblspn Coconut Oil

 Method

1.  First heat a pressure cooker and spoon in the 2 Tblspn oil.
2. Saute the onions with salt until it becomes transparent.
3. Then add the split green chillies,garlic and ginger to it.
4. When the aroma comes,add the tomatoes and keep the lid on and let it cook in low flame for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes become mushy.
5. Add the chilli powder,coriander powder and turmeric powder to it and mix well.
6. Then add the beef to it immediately and mix well.Now put the lid and vent weight on and cook until 4 whistles.
7. When the pressure inside escapes open the lid and add garam masala and pepper powder and stir it.
8. You can see water in it,though we haven't added any.
9. Keep the pressure cooker open and keep the stove in medium flame and stir continuously until the moisture evaporates completely.
10. For this,you can transfer the entire stuff to a non stick pan so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
11. Finally when it is dry(not too much,because it tends to dry more when cooled),add the fenugreek powder and cumin powder and spoon in the extra 1 Tblspn oil reserved and add curry leaves.
12. Now toss/stir the stuff occassionally until the curry leaves gets fried up from it.

Serve warm with hot neypathiri or plain pathiri,naan,chappathi,paratta,velleppam,oothappam or anything of your choice.This dish blends well with all goodies....

Chana Masala/Chana in North Indian Gravy

       I have always disliked veg dishes.But now I am forced to have veg dishes coz my ayurveda doc has insisted me to stay away from all non veg items.....sighhhhh!!! It has been about one month that I haven't looked at non veg dishes.Have to wait till May 4th to begin my appetite of non veg dishes.
      Anyways I won't keep you veggy all these days :-).Today I am going to post Chana in north Indian gravy.I remember those days when I used to hate chana.But since I have no option now,I have started liking veg dishes ;-p.
     This is not a Kerala style chana curry but a north Indian style.

Ingredients

Serves 4;Soaking time:8 hrs,Preparation Time:10 Minutes;Cooking time:20 Minutes

1 Cup Chana/Kabuli Chana(velutha kadala)

1 1/2 Onion Diced

1 Onion cut into chunks

1 Tomato+1 Tomato

2 Green Chilli

4 Cloves Garlic

1/2 Inch Ginger

Few Sprigs Cilantro(Coriander Leaves)

Few Sprigs Mint Leaves

1/2 Tspn Cumin Seeds

1/2 Tblspn Chilli Powder

1/4 Tspn Coriander Powder

2 Pinches Garam Masala Powder
Salt to taste

1 Tblspn Oil

Method 

1. First soak chana in water for 8 hours.Or you can also soak it in hot water for 2 hours.Then boil it with some water and salt.Let it get cooked until very soft.
2. By the time heat another pan and add oil to it.Put the diced onions and salt and saute till golden brown.
3. Grind the onion chunks,1 tomato,green chillies,garlic,ginger,mint leaves,cilantro and cumin to a fine paste.
4. Then add the paste to the fried onions and saute till it gets cooked ie for about 2 minutes.
5. Add in the chilli powder and the cooked chana with the stock water.
6. Let it boil for another 5 minutes with the lid on.
7. Then grind the other tomato and add to it.
8. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
9. Finally add garam masala and remove from flame.
10. Sprinkle some cilantro and serve hot with batura,naan,chappati,velleppam...

Brownie Balls

       Brownie Balls are one of my innovations and so proud to introduce it to you.This dish is too simple to prepare and at the same time delicious and yummy too.Our kiddoos will certainly love it.
       Brownie ball recipe is dedicated to my Ponnu,Mannu,Ishal,Sahil,Sama,Maazin,Ali,Shaza,Sheza,Heba,Shahnaz,Nihala,Nafih,Zayan and to all the lovely kiddoos in the world :-).    

Ingredients

Makes:20 balls;Preparation time:1/2 hour;Cooking time 30 Minutes

Cake

3 Eggs

6 Tblspn Sugar

3 1/4 Tblspn Flour

1 1/2 Tblspn Cocoa Powder

1/2 Tspn Vanilla Essence

Chocolate Sauce
1 1/4 Cup Milk
1 1/4 Cup sugar
1 1/2 Tblspn Cocoa Powder
1 Tspn Butter
4 Tblspn of Sweetened Condensed Milk(Optional)
3 Drops of Vanilla Essence

Brownie Balls
Few Almonds/Cashews/dessicated coconut

Method

Chocolate Cake

1.  Preheat the oven to 180 C.
2. Beat the eggs and sugar until creamy and pale color with an electric hand mixer.
3. Strain the flour and cocoa powder so that it mixes up well.
4. Add vanilla essence to the beaten eggs.
5. Fold in the flour mixture softly with a metal or wooden spoon.
6. Butter a baking tray and cover with parchment paper or butter paper.
7. Pour the batter into it and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. It can also be prepared in a pressure cooker without putting its vent weight on.For further details check the chocolate cake recipe here.

Chocolate Sauce

1. First boil milk with sugar stirring continuously so that it does not stick to the bottom or separate.
2. When the mixture,when touched on the stirring spoon seems to be slightly sticky,add the cocoa powder and stir continuously.
3. When it becomes a bit more thick(not too thick,it should be in a loose consistency which would thicken when cooled),add sweetened condensed milk and butter to it.
4. Stir well until butter dissolves and remove from flame.

Brownie Balls

1. Shred the cake into tiny particles with hand.
2. Now pour in the sauce and mix well to a dough consistency which should be moist enough to melt in the mouth.
3. You may add the sauce only upto the level needed.Need not use the entire amount of sauce.
4. Make balls in the size of a lemon with the dough.
5. Crush the nuts if using nuts or you can also use dessicated coconut instead of nuts,spread it on a plate and roll the balls on it,such that it gets coated completely.
6. Serve immediately or can be stored in refrigerator for 1 week.

Note: You can also add crushed nuts or diced dates to the cake particles while mixing it with the sauce.But I like it very soft and melting in mouth and so I don't add nuts inside but only outside to coat the balls.

Beef Biriyani

          Friday is always special for muslims all over the world.Since it is friday tomorrow,I think I will    post a biriyani which is prepared by most of the muslims on fridays.
         Before that I would like to display few pics which is from my workshop of improvisation on photography.On my coming posts I would be displaying few such pics of fruits and flowers from my lawn.

        This is a sort of tamarind found here in Kerala.It is called Kovaykka puli/meenpuli.I dont know its name in english.It is a medicine used for reducing cholestrol.If added in fish curries,it gives an amazing taste for the dish.
       Now lets move on to the recipe.....

 Ingredients

Serves:5;Preparation time:30 minutes;Cooking Time:50 Minutes

Beef Masala/Gravy

2 Tblspn Oil

750 gm Beef (cut,washed and drained)

6 Big Onions

4 Tomatoes

1 Tblspn Garlic paste

1 Tblspn Ginger paste

7 Green Chillies (ground)

1/2 Tblspn Coriander Powder

1 Tspn Garam Masala Powder

Few sprigs of Cilantro/Coriander Leaves

Few Mint Leaves

Salt to taste

1/2 Tblspn Red Chilli Powder(Optional)

1/4 Tspn Turmeric Powder

Rice

3 Cup Basmati Rice/Cheriyari

6 Cup Water(or double the qty of rice)

4 Tblspn Ghee

1 Inch piece Cinnamon

2 to 3 Cardamom

5 to 6 Clove

1/2 Onion Sliced

Salt to taste

Few Cashews and Raisins to garnish

1 pinch of turmeric or saffron dissolved in warm water/Milk

 Method

Masala/Gravy

1. You can prepare masala in two ways,either by cooking the meat with salt,chilli powder,coriander powder and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker.Or you can also prepare by making the masala and then adding the meat to it and cooking it in the pressure cooker.For this you have to make sure that your pressure cooker has no problem in maintaining the pressure inside it or else you will burn the masala.
2. I am going to introduce the second method because its much tastier.
3. First heat the pressure cooker and add oil to it.When hot add sliced onions to it and add salt.Saute it well with no lid on it in medium flame so that you will get it done soon.Be careful to stir often so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. When the onions are brown,add ginger,garlic and chilli paste to it.And let it cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Now add tomatoes to it and keep the lid and saute it well.
6. Now add the coriander and turmeric powder to it.Chilli powder is optional in this method.
7. Add the meat and garam masala powder to it.
8. Now close the lid tight and cook till 4 whistles.First cook in high flame until the pressure starts escaping and then lower to medium flame.Or else you will burn the masala.
9. Finally after opening the lid let it cook in medium flame so that the moisture content evaporates.Then add cilantro and mint leaves and remove from flame.

Rice

1. Heat a heavy bottomed pan,add ghee to it and fry cashew and raisins and remove.
2. Now in the same ghee,fry onions and add cardamoms,cloves and cinnamon and saute until the aroma comes.
3. By the time boil water in another pan.
4. Put the rice in the ghee with spices and saute for 1 minute and pour the boiling water to the rice.
5. Stir and add salt and close it with the lid.Salt should be a bit more than normal.Only then it will be balanced coz the rice extracts the saltiness.
6. Keep in high flame and after boiling reduce to medium flame.
7. Stir occasionally.
8. You need to cook the rice only till 3/4th done.Rest of the cooking will be done while in dum.
9. Now in a heavy bottomed large pan,firstly spoon in 1/4 th of rice and sprinkle some diced cilantro,mint leaves and garam masala.And sprinkle the saffron or turmeric water on it.
10. Now spoon in the masala or gravy on top of it completely.Spread it evenly and sprinkle the herbs again.
11. Now spoon in the left over rice on top of it completely.Sprinkle the turmeric or saffron water, herbs,garam masala powder and the fried cashews and raisins on top of it.
12. Now keep the pan on top of the flame and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the aroma escapes.
13. Serve with pickle,salad and paappad.

Note:You can also fry some onion and garnish.
Never take curd with beef biriyani coz it damages your digestive system.Digestion problem occurs while you take curd/yoghurt with meat.