27 April 2011

Almond and Banana Smoothie


Even though it has been raining during the nights in Kannur, its really HOT  and humid outside during day time. So here is my COOL experiment for a HOT day.. a big glass of refreshing smoothie!!

Almonds known to be the small but MIGHTY nut had been considered too fatty to be a healthy snack. But recent research has shown that 90% of the fats are unsaturated - which is good news for all the health conscious and almond lovers. Almonds are high in protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and other antioxidants. And the best part is it is available throughout the year.
So let’s make a smoothie with almonds and banana and have an ENERGY EXPLOSION !!



INGREDIENTS
Serves 3-4

125 g  / 4 ½ oz  Whole blanched almonds
600ml                Low fat Milk
2                        Ripe bananas halved
1 tsp                  Vanilla Essence
6 tsp                   Sugar (Optional)
Ground Cinnamon for sprinkling


METHOD

Boil 1 1/2 cups of water. When it boils put the almonds in it for about 10 secs and remove from water.
Now remove the skin of the almonds.
Powder it finely in a food processor
Add milk, banana and vanilla extract, sugar to this and blend until smooth and creamy.
Chill the glasses.
Pour the smoothie into glasses and sprinkle with cinnamon.

24 April 2011

Happy Cup Cakes



HAPPY  CUP CAKES

Happy Easter to all!!!  Today’s special is the traditional Vanilla Cup Cakes.
Whenever I see cupcakes, I remember the cuppy cake song…

You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum,Pumpy-umpy-umpkin, You're my Sweetie Pie
You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop Snoogums-Boogums, You're the Apple of my Eye.

Amy sang it so well. I feel this song holds good for cup cakes too. It’s so cute. Easy to bake yet so beautiful.

There has been a cup cakes trend in the culinary world. The number of flavors is just amazing!

This being my first try at making cup cakes, I wanted to stick to the traditional vanilla cupcake which has been my favorite since childhood. I still cannot forget the aroma of the freshly baked cupcakes which my grandpa used to buy for us as kids. How we used to relish every bit of it and would almost eat up the liners too. :)


Vanilla Cupcakes
Recipe Source: Ria

INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour
2 cups
Baking powder
2 tsp
Salt
½ tsp
Unsalted butter (room temperature)
½ cup
Powdered Sugar
¾ cup
Vanilla Essence
1 ½ tsp
Eggs
2
Milk
½ cup


METHOD

Sift the dry ingredients together 3 times.
Cream the butter. Add sugar in small quantities and beat with the electric beater.
Break the eggs in a separate bowl so that if spoilt it won’t spoil the cake mixture.
Add eggs to this mixture and beat for 1 minute.
Add a cup of flour mixture. Alternate it with milk and keep mixing with the beater until you finish adding the flour and milk. The mixture should be light and fluffy..
Preheat oven at 180 degree C for 10 minutes.
Line the cup cake mould with cup cake liners. Fill the tray till about 2/3 full.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Check with a skewer or toothpick. If done it will come out clean.
Remove from the tin immediately and let cool.

CUP CAKE DECORATION

INGREDIENTS

Unsalted Butter(room temp)
50 g
Icing sugar
50 g
Vanilla Essence
2 drops
Food Colour
as required


METHOD


Mix the butter and sugar well.
Add vanilla essence.
Add colour as required.



Tips
Cream the butter sugar mixture very well. Do not worry about over – mixing as it has to be mixed more than what you think it should be. The mixture should turn almost white in colour.
But when adding the wet and dry ingredients together do not over mix.
The top of cup cakes puff up in the oven and then flatten after a couple of minutes. So if you get flat tops, don’t worry you didn’t do anything wrong.
For the butter icing decoration the actual ratio of butter and sugar is 1:2. But I find this to be too sweet. You can adjust it as per your taste.


21 April 2011

Ragi Rice Flour Puttu/ Combination Puttu/ Rice Flour Finger Millet Puttu


Puttu /Steamed Rice Flour cake is a famous Kerala Breakfast. But quite different from the ordinary puttu you all may have known/seen here is a healthier version of the Puttu- the Combination Puttu.Sounds good enough? :)
Ragi (Finger Millet) is well known for its health benefits. It is rich in Iron, minerals and protein.Finger Millets are tiny deep red grains with oodles of health benefits. And this puttu is an easy way to make kids have a healthy and yummy breakfast too!!


Rice Flour Ragi Puttu/ Combination Puttu/  Healthy Puttu

INGREDIENTS
Recipe Source: My sis in law - Nishna

Rice flour – 1 cup ( I used Malabar Puttu Powder)
Ragi Flour- 1 cup (I used Nirapara Ragi Puttu Powder)
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Water – 1 cup or as required



METHOD

Add salt to 1 cup of water. Sprinkle this water to the rice flour and mix till you reach breadcrumbs consistency. It should not be too dry. The right consistency is reached when you press little flour in your fist and it  forms a shape and not crumble off. Now take a separate bowl and mix the salt water with ragi flour.  Follow the same procedure. Now keep approximately 2 cups water to boil in the puttu maker. By the time the water boils fill the puttu candles. First add 1 tablespoon of coconut at the bottom then a layer of rice flour ( as in the picture) then again coconut and alternate it with ragi flour. Keep the Puttu candle on the steamer and steam the puttu (appox 5minutes). The steam will start coming out from the top of the puttu candle. Wait for 2 minutes and remove the candle from the steamer. Again wait for 2 minutes before you use a skewer and push the yummy steaming puttu to a plate. Serve this with ripe bananas-sugar-ghee combination or with Kadala (Brown Chickpea) Curry / other combination like Cherupayar curry/ Stu. For the non veggies puttu is a great combination with fish curry or even chicken curry!


Tips:
To make puttu flour at home:
Using raw rice: Soak raw rice for 1 hour. then drain away water well. Keep the rice in a strainer for some time so that all the water gets drained away. Then powder it in a dry mixer(no water at all). Then you need to fry the powder in a thick bottom pan. About 10-15 minutes till the vapor starts coming up and when you lift the powder with a ladle it should fall off easily and not stick to the laddle. But make sure you keep stirring.
Using boiled rice: With boiled rice  the puttu turns very soft. For this you need to soak for 1/2 hr max or only until the rice still breaks when u bite it. It should not get soaked more. Then dry it on a cloth. And follow the same procedure.

17 April 2011

Chicken Fried Rice




One of children’s favorite – the Indo Chinese Chicken Fried Rice. This one has been a hit with kids and everyone at home. Once the ingredients are ready this recipe is an easy and quick one to prepare mainly on weekends when you do not want to spend much time in the kitchen.



Chicken Fried Rice   
INGREDIENTS
Basmati Rice                2 cups
Chicken                        ½ kg
Garlic                           1 pod (cut into small pieces)
Ginger                          2’ (cut into small pieces)
Onion                           2 large (cut into small cubes)
Carrot                          2 medium
Beans                           7
Frozen peas                  ½ cup (optional)
Spring onion                 ½ cup
Eggs                             4
Cornflour                      ½  tbsp
Pepper                         1/2  tsp + 1/2 tsp+1 tsp
Soya sauce                   6 tsp
Chilly sauce                  1 1/2 tsp
Tomato sauce               2 tsp
Oyster sauce                1 tsp (optional)
Salt                              as required
Vinegar                        5 tsp
Veg oil                         4 tbsp

METHOD
Cut chicken into small pieces.
Marinate chicken with corn flour, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 egg,1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp Soya sauce and salt for ½ hour
Soak basmati rice for ½ hour and let drain
To cook rice boil 7 cups water. Add salt. When it starts to boil add the rice and drain when half cooked.
Heat vegetable oil. Add the marinated chicken and close lid to let cook on medium fire for 5 minutes tossing in between.
When cooked remove from fire and place on kitchen tissue.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a Kadai, add ginger garlic and sauté for 30 secs. Add onion and fry till translucent.
Move the cooked ingredients to one side of the pan and add eggs.
Add salt and ½ tsp pepper to the egg and scramble it.
Once done mix it with the other ingredients and sauté
Add vegetables, 2 tsp soya sauce, 2 tsp vinegar, salt and 1 tsp pepper.
Keep stirring till the vegetables are almost cooked.
With kitchen scissors or knife cut the chicken into small pieces after removing bones.
Add the chicken to the mixture and toss well. Check salt. It should be a little more than required so that when we add the rice it will be sufficient.
Now keep adding rice and mix well. Take 2 wooden spatulas and toss the rice and vegetable mixture.
Add the remaining soya sauce and vinegar.
Add chilly sauce, tomato sauce, oyster sauce.
Keep tossing for 5 minutes with spatulas on high flame.
Add spring onion and toss for a minute.
Remove from fire and serve hot with chilly chicken.

                                                             


15 April 2011

Ada Payasam/ Rice Chips Kheer


Wishing everyone a Happy Vishu(New Year)!! May you all be blessed with happiness and prosperity!!
Hope you all will like this Kani I set at home.




The day starts very early for us on Vishu day, this time at 4 AM to prepare the Kani and bring everyone blindfolded to see the kani first thing in the morning.  We believe that if we see good Kani (omen) then the whole year goes well for us!!

Kani consists of many things like Konna flowers, Holy book, Silk, gold, Silver, rice, beetel leaves, vaal kannadi( a mirror with long handle), lots of vegetables, fruits. All this is decorated and arranged in Uruli's(vessel made of bell metal) with Diya's lit up in front of Lord Krishna's idol (preferably Little Krishna). After everyone sees the Kani  the sky lights up with crackers and everyone is enjoying..( to see the list of kani items click here)
Then its time to freshen up, wear new clothes and get the blessings from elders - the Vishu Kaineetam. 
Since this day marks the start of a new year, Vishu is celebrated as a feast day and celebrated like Diwali. Traditional Kerala cuisine is prepared and the whole family has a meal together.


Today's recipe is Ada Payasam.Ada Payasam is made of rice flakes and is one of the important part of the feast.Payasam is a dessert prepared in Saddyas( traditional meal in Kerala feast which we eat on banana leaves).
Ada payasam is one of my favourite payasam. I have seen people who do not like Payasam  happily taking two or three servings of this one. It takes a lot of time but worth the effort and you are going to love it..

Loads of kisses to Mom for this lovely recipe.. I'm loving it..yummmmmm


 Wishing you all a happy and safe Vishu!!

Ada Payasam/ Rice Chips Kheer

Recipe Source : My mom

INGREDIENTS

Ada
200gms
Jaggery
¾ Kg
Coconut
2 Medium
Cardamom
10
Coconut pieces
3 tbsp
Banana (Poovan pazham)
2
Cashew
3 tbsp
Kismis
3 tbsp



METHOD

Soak ada overnight.
Drain water. Cook with double the quantity water. It should be soft when you press it. It will take approx 20- 25 minutes. When cooked drain away water and keep aside.
Add 250 ml water to jaggery and melt it.
After melting strain so as to remove the impurities.
Cook ada in this melted jaggery in low flame for 1 hour.
In the mean time make thin coconut slices from the coconut and keep aside.
Grate coconut and press with hand to remove coconut milk. This is called the first milk(onnam paal). Add powdered cardamom in this milk and keep aside.
Now add little water blend a little in a mixer/blender and now press it to remove more coconut milk about 250ml. This is the second milk(randam paal).
Add more water and remove the coconut milk -250 ml. This is called the third milk(moonam paal) .
When the ada is cooked for one hour add the 3rd milk, a pinch of  salt and banana. Keep on simmer.
The payasam has to reach a thick consistency. Then add the second milk. Keep on simmer and let it thicken again.
Keep the cashew and kismis ready.
When the payasam reaches a thick consistency add the first milk and it is time to add the rest of the ingredients.
Heat ghee in a small kadai. Add coconut pieces and fry till light brown. Then add cashews and fry till brown and last add the kismis. When it bloats up remove kadai from the stove and pour it over the payasam.
Yummy tasty Ada Payasam is ready!!
Sending this recipe to The Kerala Kitchen Event hosted by Ria.

10 April 2011

Ela Ada/ Vazhayila Ada / Steamed Jaggery Rice Cake

Ela Ada is one of Keralites favorite breakfast/evening snacks made out of rice flour, coconut and jaggery. But the speciality here is that it is encased in a banana leaf and steamed! Ela Ada is a traditional Kerala dish. Ela means leaf. The leaf used here is banana leaf. It has to be slightly wilted on low flame to remove the stiffness.

Whenever I make Idiyappam(steamed rice noodles), I make Ela Ada as it is my son’s favourite. Now my little one likes it too. It' easy to make and very yummy. The aroma of steamed banana leaves and jaggery along with rice flour is mouth watering!!

There are basically 4 steps to making Ela Ada:

  • Preparing the dough
  • Preparing the filling
  • Wrapping the Ada
  • Steaming




INGREDIENTS
Recipe Source: My Mom

Rice Dough

1      ½  cup rice flour/Pathiri powder
1 - 1 ½ cup boiling water
Salt – As required

Filling

Jaggery – 150 gm
Coconut – 1  cup
Cardomom – 2-3

Wrapping

Banana leaves



METHOD

Preparing Rice Dough:
Boil water in a pan. Add salt.
Add this water slowly to the rice powder and make a soft dough. First you will need a ladle to mix the dough. Once it cools a bit make it into a dough like chapathi dough with hand.
Add water carefully. Do not add the water all at once. Keep adding slowly and mix with hand.

Preparing the filling
Take  3- 4 tbsp water in a pan. Keep to boil. Add the jaggery and let it melt.
Once melted filter it to remove sand and other dust particles.
Keep it again on low flame. Add the coconut and powdered cardamom and let it become thick.
Remove from flame and let cool.

Wrapping the Ada
Wash the banana leaves. Place it on low flame for few seconds. You can see the leaf soften.
Cut it into rectangular shapes.
Make small balls of the dough.
Now take one cut banana leaf and keep one rice ball on it.
Keep dipping your hand in little water so that you can spread the dough to make a circle.
Place the filling and close it. Wrap the leaf around it.
As you do these, keep an Idli maker on the stove with water to boil on high flame(Keep it closed).
When the water boils, open the lid, place the banana wraps and steam for 15 minutes.
Remove the cooked Ada’s from the Idli maker and serve hot.




Tips
You can use fine rice powder like the pathiri powder.
You can also soak rice overnight and grind it to a thick paste by adding very little water and make Ada's.
The amount of water used to make the dough using rice flour cannot be exact as it depends on the rice/rice flour you use.
To make circles of the rice dough place another banana leaf on top of the dough and press it with a steel lid. It’s easier and comes even on all sides :)
You can use sugar instead of Jaggery.
Add bananas( Nendra variety) to give a different taste to the Ada's.
Banana leaves give a nice aroma and taste to the Ada’s but if you can’t get them, you can use parchment paper.



08 April 2011

Easy Kalathappam in a Pressure Cooker


I have always been a great fan of this rice cake called Kalathappam. It’s only after I got married that I tried my hand at making this. I have always wondered and admired the way Kalathappam looks when you cut it. Lovely!!





So here is the recipe. I have seen many tedious never ending recipes for Kalathappam. This ones easy!!
This again is a North Malabar speciality. Very famous in Kannur and Thalassery. :)
Kalathappam is a rice cake which can be made in a traditional oven/ Pressure cooker/Oven.
It is made of rice flour, jaggery, fried shallots, cardamom and coconut flakes.




INGREDIENTS
Jeerakashala Rice /Short grain rice               1 cup
Cooked boiled Rice                                     ¼ cup     
Water                                                          1 cup + ½ cup
Cardamom                                                   2
Salt                                                              As required
Jaggery(Light brown)                                   200 gm (300g if you like it sweet)
Coconut Oil                                                3 tbsp
Coconut Flakes                                          2 tbsp
Shallots (Cheria Ulli)                                   2 tbsp     
Baking Soda                                              A pinch
SmallJeera                                                 A pinch




METHOD

Soak rice for 1/2 hour to 1 hour and keep to drain.  
Grind rice fine with 1 cup water, boiled rice, a pinch of salt, cardamom(remove skin) and jeera.
Transfer to a bowl/ vessel.
Add baking soda to the rice mixture and stir well.
In a vessel add jaggery with half cup water and let it melt on slow fire. Stir in between.
Pass the melted jaggery through a sieve into the rice mixture.
Add salt if required.
Heat the pressure cooker.
Add oil and sauté coconut flakes first and then add the finely chopped shallots.
Stir till its light brown and pour the rice jaggery mixture. Do not stir.
Close the cooker. Do not place the weight.
Cook on high flame for 1 ½ minutes and in low flame for 15 minutes.
Check if the Kalathappam is cooked by inserting a toothpick. It should come out clean. Else cook for another 5 minutes only.
Remove cooker from cook top and let cool.
When cool invert and serve.. 
  




Tips:
Use a small pressure cooker.
You can use good quality raw rice or basmati rice. (My readers tried it and it was successful)
I grind it in a mixer. It's easy.
Increase the jaggery if you like it sweet. 300 g would be sweet enough.
Stick to the time instructions for success. Make sure the flame is very low after 1 1/2 minutes of high flame else it will get burnt.
As the flame size may differ make sure you insert a toothpick in the center to see it its cooked. If it's not then cook for another 2 - 5 minutes and check.
Use good quality rice else it may become sticky.
Use fresh stock of baking soda.        
Adjust salt as required. It helps to bring out the flavours. 
Do not reduce the quantity of oil used else it may stick to the bottom of the cooker.                      


Have you prepared any recipes from the blog? If you feel like sharing your experiences and thoughts with me and the readers of my blog, you can send me a photo and your comments about the recipe (anything you changed / improved). I would be delighted to hear from you. Mail me to rinkuskitchentreats@gmail.com. Thank you!

05 April 2011

Nadan Kappa Puzhukku(Tapioca) with Chemmeen Mulakittathu (Chilly Prawns)


KAPPA PUZHUKKU/ TAPIOCA  THE KERALA WAY

Kappa Puzhukku is another authentic Kerala style recipe. It can be eaten all by itself or in combination with spicy Kerala style fish/prawn/beef curry. It is a mouth watering delicacy. It tastes best when served hot with curry.  




INGREDIENTS
Recipe Source : My Mom


Tapioca(Kappa)
    500 gm 
Grated coconut
     ½ cup 
Green chillies
      2 
Turmeric powder
       ½ tsp 
Onion
      1 medium chopped small 
Curry leaves   
            1-    2 sprigs 
Mustard
      ½ tsp 
Red Dry Chilly (Vattal Mulaku)
      2 
Coconut Oil
     1 tbsp


METHOD

Wash, clean and remove the skin of the tapioca and cut it into 2” long pieces
In a pressure cooker, cook the tapioca with excess water, turmeric and salt.
Turn off the cooker after 1 whistle.
Drain away the water.
Heat oil in a Kadai. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
Add red chilly(vattal mulaku) and then add curry leaves.
Add the onions, chilly, ginger and sauté till light brown.
Add little salt in the onion mixture. Add the tapioca and the coconut.
Mix well and serve hot with Chilly Prawns (Chemeen Mulakittathu / Chilly Fish (Meen Mulakittathu).




CHEMEEN MULAKITTATHU /  CHILLY PRAWNS

INGREDIENTS

Prawns
500 gm
Onions
3
Chilly
3-4
Tomatoes
2
Chilly Powder
1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder
¼ tsp
Coriander Powder
2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste
2 tsp
Salt
As per taste
Coriander Leaves
A bunch
Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp
Water
200 ml

METHOD

Wash, devein and clean prawns
Marinate prawns with turmeric, ½ tsp chilly powder and salt for ½ hour.
Heat oil in a Kadai. Sauté onions till transparent.
Sauté chilly and ginger garlic paste.
Mix remaining masala’s in little water and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add water, close and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.
Open lid and mash tomatoes well. Add salt and prawns. Add water if needed.
Close and cook on medium flame for 15 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.



04 April 2011

Cheera Upperi /Spinach Dry

Upperi/Thoran is a Kerala speciality which you can find in every Kerala house. We have an endless list of upperi's which is eaten with boiled rice. To name a few are Cheera (red/ green) Upperi, Long Beans Upperi, Long Gourd Upperi, Lady's finger Upperi, Cabbage Upperi, Beetroot Upperi, Ulli thandu Upperi, Vazhakkai (Raw Banana) Upperi, Thalolinga upperi...it goes on and on..

Cheera/Spinach  like other dark green veggies, is an excellent source of beta-carotene, a powerful disease-fighting antioxidant. It is rich in vitamins C & E. You should be careful not to overcook it as it may lose its vitamins.



INGREDIENTS

Spinach - 200 gm
Coconut- 1/2 cup
Chilly - 2 slit into half
Shallots- 3 chopped fine( or onion 1 medium)
Curry Leaves - 2 stalks
Chilly powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Coconut oil - 2 teaspoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Salt - As required

METHOD

Wash and drain spinach
Chop it fine.
Add salt, Chilly, Shallots/onions, chilly powder and mix well with hands for 2 minutes.
Heat oil in a kadai.
Add mustard and let it splutter. Add curry leaves.
Add the mixed Cheera/Spinach. Add a little less salt as it may become more once cooked. You can check and add more salt if required later.
Add the coconut.
Cover and cook till done. Do not overcook.
Serve hot with rice and curry.