Vadai vadai ….Masala Vadai!
Trying to stick on to my resolution for 2014..starting on my blogging spree this post is very much for my little ones most favourite masala vadais ..a typical Tamilnadu recipe.These spicy fritters are simply great with coconut chutneys. I am posting here a write up that came up in Rashtra deepika ..a regionalnewspaper..
Heres the short interview that was aired on Radio Mango 91.9 FM..pls click on the link below…
Masala Vadai
2 cups of Chana dal soaked for about 30 mins & drained
3-4 green chillies chopped
2 dry red chillies chopped
1/2 tsp of Aniseed
a small piece of ginger cleaned and grated
5-6 shallots chopped
1 tsp of garammasala powder
3-4 tbsp of coriander leaves chopped
Oil for frying
Seperate 2 tbsp of soaked and drained chana dal and blend coarsely with all the rest of the ingredients to make a coarse mix.Add required amount of salt and the seperated dal to the ground mixture.Heat oil on mediun flame , pat a tablespoon of the mix on to your palm to prepare thin patties and deep fry till both sides are golden brown in color and drain on paper napkins.Serve hot with coconut chutney …
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Woohoo..with Whoopie pies for DB!
December has been an awesome month for me with a rocking news that actually blew out my mind.Its my passion for Cooking that drove me into writing my book Lip Smacking Dishes of Kerala .I have put my heart and soul in the making of the book…giving life to every single page. Im so happy to share the news that my book is the Winner of THE BEST LOCAL CUISINE BOOK IN INDIA for the GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARDS 2013 to be held at Beijing in May 2014 and is eligible to compete for THE BEST LOCAL CUISINE BOOK IN THE WORLD. A big thanks to all my friends and family for your support ,blessings and prayers…………………..
This months challenge for the Daring Bakers was Whoopie pies.It was between a cake and cookie.It was fun baking as my assistant was actually my younger one.It was his choice that we bake Vanilla Whoopie pies.Heres the recipe……..
Whoopie Pies
2 ¾ cups(660 ml) (11-2/3 oz) (330 gm) flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) baking soda
¾ teaspoon (3¾ gm) baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) (4 oz) (115 gm) butter, softened
1 1/3 cups (320 ml) ( (10-2/3 oz) (300 gm) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla
1 large egg
2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter,
granulated sugar and vanilla with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy; beat in the egg. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 batches; beat until just combined.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 16 mounds of batter onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches (50 mm) apart (about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) batter per cookie); gently form into rounds with damp fingers and smooth the tops. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to moderately hot 400°F/200°C/gas mark 6. Bake the cookies until they spring back when pressed, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely
Vanilla filling
Ingredients
1 cup (240 ml) (8 oz) (225 gm) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) (1 oz) (30 gm) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream (about 35%)
1 cup (2 sticks) (8 oz) (225 gm) unsalted butter, cool but not cold, cut into ½-inch (15 mm) cubes
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool, at least 7 minutes. (You can speed up the process by pressing bags of frozen berries or frozen corn against the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.) Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. You can’t overbeat this mixture. Just let it go until it’s nice and smooth. Add the vanilla and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the properconsistency.
My whoopies were quite big as my son was interested in scooping out..anyways he had his fun.Wishing all a wonderful baking ……
Wishing all a Happy & Prosperous 2014 ! 🙂
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Olive fever with Olive Bread!
As a child , I used to crave a lot on Meditteranian Cuisine and olives would be my best mates.I remember the transparent bags of olives that my mom used to pop out of her kitchen when shes all set to serve the salads for dinner.The small oval fruit is widely cultivated in the Meditteranian region and is prime source of olive oil.
After coming to Kerala ..it was hard to get olives….now you get almost all the imported stuff here too.The recipe that I am posting out here is one that I got hold off during my visit to Bangalore .It was featured in a magazine.The best part of the recipe was my craze to use olives after a long time 😛
Olive Bread
650g of flour
2tsp of salt
4tsp of dry yeast
300ml of water
75ml of olive oil
200 gms of black olives pitted & chopped
1 big onion chopped
1 small bunch of parsley washed and chopped
Mix flour, salt ,water and yeast to make a soft dough.Mix together olive oil, onion, olives and parsley in a bowl.Knead this into the soft dough and keep it for fermentation for about 15 minutes.After 15 minutes tear the dough 4 portions.Shape into ovals and slash the top of each on a greased tray , cover with a wet muslin cloth and leave it for proving for about 1 1/2 hour. Preheat oven at 220 degree Celsius.Once fermented , line the dough on a greased baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes or till the crust becomes golden brown.
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Magic with leftover Idlis-Idli Uppuma!
Snacks are a must o must here at home and I’m always on the lookout for something that can be prepared in minutes.When it’s idlis for breakfast,I do a makeover with it so that I get a snack to feed my kids at four. Here.s the recipe for Idli uppuma…
Idli Uppuma
4-5 idlis cut in to small pieces
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of urad dal split
3 green chillies chopped
1 small piece of ginger chopped
2 dry red chillies broken into pieces
2tsp of oil
1/2 cup of curd
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Heat oil in a pan ,pop mustard seeds,fry urad dal,dry red chillies,ginger and green chillies .Add chopped onions and sauté till translucent.Pour in curd,add in idlis ,curry leaves,salt to taste and curry leaves.Turn off the heat and serve hot. You can mash the idlis if you want for a crumbled texture.
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
A .com munching on Empanadas ;)!
I have been working on posting on my .com for the past days.This post for basically to be put up on my blog but it lagged from all the way from September to November.As its said that ‘better late than never’..heres my post on Emapanada Gallegas.
Empanada is a basically stuffed bread that’ s been baked or fried out .The roots of Empanadas lie in Spain & Portugal…though there are many variations in many countries.This post is dedicated to the DB challenge for September.Thanks to Patri for the awesome recipe.:)
Empanada Gallega
For the crust:
Ingredients
5-1/3 cups bread flour
2 cups of lukewarm water (about 85°F/30ºC), approximately
1 tablespoon fresh yeast
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons oil
1 large egg, for egg wash
Sift the flour into a big bowl and make a well in the middle. Rub the yeast in with your fingers.In a small bowl, mix the water and the salt.Now, using your fingers or a wooden spoon, start adding the water and mixing it with the flour-yeast mixture. Keep on working with your fingers or spoon until you have added enough water and all the flour has been incorporated and you have a messy ball of dough.On a clean counter top, knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes.Clean and oil the big bowl you used for mixing and place the kneaded dough in it. Cover it with a napkin or piece of linen and keep it in a warm, drought-free place for approximately 40 to 50 minutes.Once risen, turn the dough back into a floured counter and cut it in half. Cover one half with the napkin to prevent drying.Spread the other half of the dough using a rolling pin. You can use a piece of wax paper over the counter, it will make it easier to move the dough around. Depending on the shape of your oven pan or cookie sheet, you will make a rectangle or a round.Now, the thinness of the dough will depend on your choice of filling and how much bread you like in every bite. For your first time, make it about 3mm thin (about 1/10th of an inch) and then adjust from that in the next ones you make.
For the filling:
3 medium sized Onions chopped
1 tbsp of ginger & Garlic chopped
5 green chillies finely chopped
2 cup of cooked shredded chicken
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsps of black pepper powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
curry leaves chopped
coriander leaves chopped
In a pan pour about 2 tbsps of oil,saute the ginger & garlic with the chopped onions till translucent.Add in the green chillies,and stir for a few minutes.Now add in the powders& chicken .drizzle oil on the sides of the pan stir fry the chicken mix with salt.Add 1/2 tsp of garam masala, coriander & curry leaves before turning of the flame.
Assembling
If you haven’t used wax paper, either lightly flour or line with wax paper your pan or tray.Cover the base and sides with the dough. Using the rolling pin or a knife, cut the extra dough.Place the filling, making sure it is cold and that all the base is covered. Using a hot filling will make the bottom layer of the empanada become soggy. Be careful to avoid adding too much oil from the filling, try to make it as “dry” as possible.Start preheating your oven to moderate 350°F/180ºC/gas mark 4.Take the other half of the dough and spread it out to the same or less thinness of the base. You can use a piece of wax paper for this too. Take into account that this “top” dough needs to be smaller around than the bottom, as it only needs to cover the filling.If not using wax paper, move carefully the top to cover the filling. If using wax paper, transfer the dough, turn upside down, cover the filling and gently peel off the wax paper.Using your fingers, join bottom and top dough, when you have gone all the way around, start pinching top and bottom together with your thumb and index finger and turning them half way in, that way you end up with a rope-like border.When you are finished, make a 1 inch hole in the middle of the top layer. This will help hot air exit the empanada while it’s baking without breaking the cover.Using a fork, prick the top layer or, using scissors, make snips that go all the way through the top layer.In a small bowl, beat an egg and add a tbsp of cold water. With the pastry brush, paint the top of the empanada with the egg wash. Place the empanada in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Check that the bottom part is done.
I made different shapes of empanadas..and loved simply baking them..Hope u too enjoy this Empanada Ride!
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Nutty Pancakes and spicy chutney!
There’s been quite a lot of happenings in my life for the past months..that I am not able to update my blog regularly.I have joined at my son’s school as a Culinary teacher for the High Schoolers .Its been quite fun being with my kids even at school 😉 In addition to my school work, my Lip Smacking Classes on Kerala Cooking are in full progress on weekdays.
A perfectly new environment..its been quite challenging to bring my horses on the right road.. trying to bring a balance at home and work.There was a Salad making competition at school which was between the 11th and 12th grades.The ideas that the kids came up was indeed a feast to the eyes.I am planning to post some of their recipes in my next post.So wait and watch out.:)
Today’s post is dedicated to my wonderful Culinary students of HRS.This was one of their nutty and spicy treats!
Peanut & Potato Pancakes with Coriander Chutney
For the Pancakes
4tbsp of rice flour
2 small potatoes peeled and grated
1 big onion chopped
2 tbsps of roasted peanuts
salt to taste
Combine all the ingredients with about 3-4 tbsp of water in a bowl and mix well to make a dough.Divide into equal portioned balls.Heat a tawa.Smear oil on ur palms ,flatten the balls into thin circles and cook on both sides on the tawa by drizzling little oil .
For the Coriander Chutney
2 cups of coriander leaves chopped
1 cup grated coconut
4 green chillies
2-3 shallots
juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the lemon juice and grind into a smooth paste in a blender using very little water.Mix in the lemon juice,refrigerate and use with the pancakes.
The Monsoons have started in Munnar..enjoy the rain with hot pancakes and chutney!
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Oats and Coconut cookies to sweeten a happy moment!
I have been trying to update my food court since last month and the moment to write out came today.It was a total hectic month with my kids down with sickness and the happy moment was a write up on me in a magazine called FWD LIFE(march 2012 issue).Heres the link to the online issue of the magazine(page 58)http://www.fwdlife.in/emagazine/march2012.html
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Kappa Varuthathu /Tapioca Chips with shots of Onam!
“maveli nadu vaneedum kalam,manusharellarum onnupole
amodhathode vasikkum kalam
apathangarkkumottillathanum
kallavum illa chathiyumilla
ellolamilla polivachanam
kallapparayum cherunazhiyum
kallatharangal mattonnumilla
adhikal vyadhikalonnumilla
balamaranangal kelppanilla”
All the people formed one casteless races”
(This song is one song that is sung over Onam)
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I’m back after all the Onam celebrations in our family .It was indeed an eventful Onam this year with our family gettogether.The kids were all having their piece of blast.Onam is a festival celebrated in Kerala with great pomp and food has great role to play with the traditional Sadhya and payasams..I have for all my friends my clicky Onam!;)
The recipe that I have in store for you are for homely crispy Tapioca chips..
Tapioca Chips/Kappa Varuthathu
Tapioca -2
1/4 cup of water
4-5 tsps of salt
1 tsp of Kashmiri chilli powder(optional for making spicy chips)
Oil for frying
Peel off the outer brown layers of the tapioca and thinly slice the tapioca chips on a slicer.In a glass stir in the salt and chilly powder to the 1/4 cup of water to make a salty solution.
Heat oil in a wok.Pop in the sliced tapioca and when slightly brown on the edges, pour 2tbsps of salt solution(make sure to keep a distance from the oil as it will splutter badly).When the sound subsides a little laddle out the tapioca chips from the wok.Drain it on to paper towels to remove the excess oil.Crrunchy crunch them on with ur evening tea 🙂
The pookalam that we put up this year was a kathakali face and here’s my clicky Onam for all my food buddies out there!
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Fishy ..Fish Samosas
I have been quite busy for the past two weeks with my younger one having one of those nasty viral fever.He’s recovering slowly .Its today that I sat back to type out one of my best recipes.This is one of my best and I should say that I have quite a lot fans here for this one.Here in Munnar now the Afternoon rains or should I say the evening rains have started..and theres the beautiful Misty misty hills…:)Everything so green so bliss…:)
And guys don’t forget about the giveaway I have for you guys..only 3 more days to go!
Fish Samosas
For the filling
1/2kg King fish
4 green chillies chopped
1 medium piece ginger chopped
8garlic cloves chopped
3 large onions chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2tsp black pepper powder
1tsp garam masala powder
2 potatoes pressure cooked and mashed
curry leaves
salt to taste
For the crust
2 cups of Wheat flour
1tbsp ghee
salt to taste
Oil for frying
Make a soft dough with wheat flour,ghee and salt by adequate amount of water.
Pressure cook the king fish with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and salt.Debone the fish and slightly pulse it in a blender.Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a wok/kadai add in the chopped garlic ,ginger and green chillies and fry.When the color starts changing add in the chopped onions and saute till translucent.Now add the turmeric powder and pepper powder and saute till an aroma comes.Add in the pulsed fish and blend in with the masala.Now mix the mashed potatoes into the fish masala.Sprinkle garam masala powder and garnish with chopped curry leaves.Mix well till well incorporated.If you feel the spice is not enough add a little more of pepper powder and remove from heat.
While the masala is cooling down ,make lemon sized balls of the wheat dough.Heat a frying pan on low flame.Roll out balls into discs and cut them into half.Slightly cook both sides of the cut dough pieces.Take care not to over cook.Take one piece in hand and fold both ends inwards as shown in the picture.This makes a pouch.You can stick the ends one on the other with plain water.Stuff the pouch with the fish filling and seal the samosa pouch by folding the lower side inwards and sticking the upper end with water.Pinch the corners of the samosa and now they are ready to be fried out.
Heat oil for frying in a wok and drop in the samosas.Fry them till they are golden brown and drain out the oil on a tissue paper.Crispy Fish Samosas are ready to be munched 😛
I’m sending this recipe to
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Mini Aloo Bondas for the monsoon!
The rains have started pouring out here..June and July being the monsoon months in Munnar. I really hate goin out when there are showers in Munnar. Some hot chocolate for the kids and tea for us are the best opted drinks with snacks..
The recipe that I have shared here are the ones that comes out from my Mom’s diary of recipes.This spicy Potato snack is one of my Monsoon favs!
Mini Aloo Bondas
For the filling
4-5 potatoes pressure cooked and mashed
5-6 green chillies finely chopped
a small piece of ginger finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
3 large onions chopped
cilantro chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
a pinch of asafoetida powder
1 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
For the batter
1 1/2 cup of gram flour
2 tbsp of rice flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Water
salt to taste
Oil for frying
Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan.Pop the mustard seeds and add the asafoetida powder and stir.Add in the chopped large onions,green chillies,ginger and garlic and saute till the onions turn translucent.Add in the turmeric powder,chilli powder and garam masala .Stir and add in the mashed potatoes.Mix well with the required amount of salt and chopped cilantro till well incorporated and keep it aside.Add in the lemon juice and mix.
While the filling cools, mix all the ingridients required for the batter in a bowl.Slowly pour in water to make a batter of thick consistency .Make lemon sized balls of the filling.Dip the balls in the batter and deep fry them in oil.
Your Potato balls are ready to be served with ketchup.! 🙂
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Hi! I am Nimi Sunilkumar…an award winning cookbook author /culinary demonstrator/freelance writer / food photographer/food blogger …spiced with the flavors of food..
