Cinnamon Hot Chocolate to spice up the Monsoon rains!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā “Chocolate is natureās way of making up for Mondays.”
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Chocolate has become the most sought out fav among most.This energy booster is a real bliss to all sweet tooth fanatics.I am back to Munnar and back to work after our school Monsoon vacation.From the 22nd of last month its again into the busy bee schedule .This time the rains have been really hard.Came home on Friday night to find a large branch on the roof with a thud.Luckily it was caught up on the electric line with a portion falling on our house roof.So no power for about 2 hours and everything was cleared.Its been very windy out here more rains than last year.My hus was born and brought up in Munnar..he says its becoming the same old Munnar Ā that he remembers from his childhood with heavy monsoons. The laziest part of going to school in rain is that you never feel like getting out of your blankets. Me and my kids enjoy hot chocolate to the utmost after school ..they dont mind if its served even twice š SK likes his cup of chocolate spiced with cinnamon.
Here’s the magic to Cinnamon Hot cholcolate..
2cups of whole milk
150 gms of dark chocolate
100gms white chocolate
1/2 tsp of Cinnamon powder
Whipped fresh cream(optional)
Chop the chocolate pieces and heat with milk Ā on medium flame.Whisk the milk with chocolate pieces till they melt.Add cinnamon powder and whisk and turn off the flame.Pour the hot chocolate into a cup and top with whipped fresh cream .Enjoy the rain with the warmth of your cup of chocolaty yum….!
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 sautĆ© 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 Ā if you want for a Ā crumbled texture.
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Beat the heat with Mango& Dates Smoothie!
Mangoes these yellow beauties have always been my fav since childhood.I remember the fights that I would pick up to slurp the mango seed.This tropical fruit is high in prebiotic dietary fiber,Vitamin A , vitamin C ..etc
Be it ripe or green ones , I love playing with them in my food preparations.The school was closed for about 15 days before the new academic year started.Here in Munnar, Ā my sons normally have their vacation in June-July months when its pouring all day.The rains are pretty difficult to handle in Munnar when you have to board the bus cold & drenched.So the school closes during that time here as aĀ reliefĀ to the kids.The 15 day holiday break flew out for me this time with my classes, printing of my new cookbook and Vishu celebration.Heres a snap from the Vishu Kani..
Mango & Dates Smoothie
Pulp of 3 medium sized ripe mangoes
6-7 dates ,deseeded
3 scoops of vanilla icecream
2 cups of milk
Chocolate shavings
sugar to taste
In a juicer grind the dates and mango pulp with sugar first.Slowly add in the milk and vanilla icecream scoops and blend Ā well.Pour this in to serving glasses and top it with chocolate shavings.It is best served chilled.Beat the heat and freshen up with this mango fever!
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Cashew Ladoos -memoir of Diwali!
Diwali -theĀ festivalĀ of lights was a last week.Celebration of Diwali is all about firecrackers and sweets..this diwali I wanted to type in one of my most Ā cherished sweets…Cashew Ladoos/Kaju ladoos.This Ā is a very rich sweet made out of cashews.
CASHEW LADOOS
1/4 cup of water
1 1/4 cups sugar
3tbsp milk
1/2 kg cashew nuts
4 tsps of ghee
5-6 strands of saffron
Slightly roast the cashews in a pan and finely powder them in a mixer.Boil water and sugar in a saucepan Ā stirring continuously till the sugar dissolves on low flame.When the syrup starts becoming thick, remove from flame and add in the ghee along with the milk and saffron.Stir it and add in the powdered cashew slowly mixing well.Once the powder is well combined with the syrup ,cook the mix on medium flame stirring till the ghee comes out.Let the mix cool down Ā a little and make small Ā balls out of the mix.
My little ones were gobbling up these ladoos as I made them.Guess after all cashew is an all time fav for all š
“Ram! The light of lights, the self-luminous inner light of the Self is ever shining steadily in the chamber of your heart. Sit quietly. Close your eyes. Withdraw the senses. Fix the mind on this supreme light and enjoy the real Deepavali, by attaining illumination of the soul.”
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 SchoolersĀ .Its been quite fun being with my kids even at school š In addition to my school work, my Ā Lip Smacking Classes Ā on Kerala Cooking Ā 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 ChutneyĀ
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 Ā all theĀ ingredientsĀ with Ā about 3-4Ā tbspĀ of water in a bowl and mix well to make a dough.Divide into equal portioned balls.Heat a tawa.Smear oil on urĀ palms ,flatten the balls into thin circles andĀ Ā cook on both sides on the tawa by drizzling Ā 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 allĀ 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 theĀ 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 aĀ write upĀ 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
Kozhukkatai Payasam/Steamed rice dumpling Kheer to sweeten any day!
Hi Foodies..how have u all been?Its been long since I have been planning to put up this post.For every auspicious day after a wholesome meal Ā payasam is a total must.Payasam /Kheer is a traditional dish in the Indian subcontinent and the list of variations simply go on.Kozhukattai means steamed rice dumplings.Here’s an easy peasy Payasam for all..
Kozhukattai Payasam
For making Kozhukattais
2 cups rice flour
3 cups of water
1 tsp of coconut oil
1/2 tsp salt
Boil water in heavy bottomed vessel and add in the coconut oil and salt.Keeping it on medium flame stir in the rice flour to make a dough consistency Ā with a wooden spoon.Turn off the flame and let it cool.When the mix is medium hot..softly knead it in to a dough and then roll out lemon sized balls out of it.Steam these balls in Ā a steamer for abot 10-15 minutes.
NB: Please seperate 4 lemon sized balls without steaming.You will need these for the payasam
For making the payasam
Steamed kozhukattais
3 cups of water
3 cups of boiled milk(make sure to seperate the thin film of cream that comes when the milk cools)
1and 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp ghee
1/8 cup of small coconut pieces roasted in ghee
1/8 cup of nuts and raisins roasted in ghee
In a Ā deep bottomed vessel boil Ā 3 cups of water and then pour in the 3 cups of milk.Keep stirring while you add in the sugar.When this starts simmering keep it on medium flame.Mix the earlier sepearted 4 unsteamed rice balls with Ā 1/2 cup of water in a small bowl with your fingers(make sure you have no rice lumps).Pour this rice syrup in to the milk and pop in the steamed kozhukattais.When it starts thickening a lit bit pour in the ghee and add the roasted coconut pieces,nuts and raisins and turn off the flame.Kozhukattai payasam is ready to be devoured š
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Irumban Puli achar/ Bilimbi Pickle
I simply love Bilimbis..the thought of these green wonders can really sink a titanic in my mouth.Last month I was at my home for a marriage and I got to taste some of these green beauties pickled.During my college days eating Ā these with salt was in all means a total freak out for me.:P
My husband and dad are both cravers of this pickle.So when last week when I got a few kilos of freshly picked bilimbis..I pickled them š
Irumban puli Achar/Bilimbi pickle
1kg of bilimbis
2 tsps of mustard seeds
1 1/2 tsp tsp of urad dal
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1tsp turmeric powder
4 tbsps of kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder
3/4 cup of gingelly oil
salt to taste
curry leaves
Slice the bilimbis into four Ā lengthwise pieces and marinate them with salt.Keep it overnight and the next day ,keep them in sunlight for about 4-5 hours.Slightly roast the fenugreek seeds and urad dal and ground them into fine powder.In a kadai heat the gingelly oil and splutter the mustard seeds.Now turn off the flame and after a minute add in the powdered mix,asafoetida powder,turmeric powder,kashmiri chilli powder while stirring .Now add in the salted bilimbis and mix well till they are well blended with the masala.Add in the curry leaves.When it has cooled transfer them into clean and dry bottles.You can start using them within two days.In case after a week you feel the pickle is less spicy ,heat about 2 tbsp of gingelly oil and add a tsp or two of chilli powder and pour it over the pickle and mix well.
Hope u all will all love pickling these beauties as much as I did š
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 Ā 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 Ā 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 š
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
Vendakka(Okra) Curry and a Giveaway!
The best part after two months of heavy rain is when you see the sun smiling down on you.Clear blue skies and everything so green green..Hmm..by the way green reminds me of Okra.Yes today I have got a recipe for an Okra curry.If you are in the look out for a curry with cooked rice,this is a must try.
There’s a Ā small surprise ..scroll down after the recipe..I Ā have a free giveaway of my cookbook
Ā “Lip Smacking dishes of Kerala”!
Vendakka(Okra) curry
1/4 kg okra cut into medium sized pieces
1cup shallots sliced
2 tomatoes cut into small cubes
1tsp Sambar powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
3tsp Kashmiri Red chilly powder
1/4 tsp Yellow turmeric powder
tamarind(gooseberry sized)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4tsp Ā fenugreek seeds
oil for frying
curry leaves
salt to taste
For grinding
1 cup gratedĀ coconut
Heat a oil in a kadai Ā ,deep fry andĀ separateĀ the okra.Grind the grated coconut into a fine paste.
Heat 3tbsp of oil.Add in the mustard seeds and let it splutter.Then in goes the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.Add in the sliced shallots and saute till translucent and spoon in the yellow turmeric powder, chilli powder, sambar powder and fry.Now fry in the tomatoes till cooked and add the coconut paste with 2 cups of water and stir.When the curry starts to simmer add in the fried okra pieces and the curry is ready to served with steaming rice.:)
“Lip Smacking dishes of Kerala” my venture in ink on theĀ mesmerizingĀ and aromatic Kerala cuisine.Indulge into the flavours of my land through the recipes…and make your kitchen smell..Yumm!I’ll be giving away signe d copies of my book .The giveaway is global. š
To be eligible for the Giveaway you have to do three things:
1.Subscribe to “Nimi’s Culinary Ventures” in an RSS feed or through Email.
2.Become a fan of my Facebook page and FB cookbook page.
3.Leave me a comment telling me that you have done 1 &2 Ā with your “Email id.”
For additional entries:
4.Tweet about this giveaway on your blog or on Twitter
5.Do leave me a comment saying that you have done so that I can alott u an other entry š
Deadline for entries of Ā this giveaway is Wednesday,31st of August 2011.The winner will be chosen through Random.
Wishin u all luck!:)
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..
