Beef Cutlets

Cricket fever was there  in the air for the last few days. All the status messages on facebook was revolving around cricket. I enjoy watching cricket but I can't say that I am a big fan of it. But 'A' likes cricket. This time we couldn't watch the world cup series as we haven't bought a TV or many other stuffs at our present home due to our short stint in the United States. We missed all the fun in watching it. I don't like to watch it in the small screen of my laptop. But I was enjoying the updates of my blogger friends on Facebook. One of my fellow blogger Ria suggested to do a virtual party of preparing some snacks to munch away while watching cricket.  I prepared it and didn't get time to post it as I was busy attending the bake sale. I had a fun time with my fellow bloggers with lot of laughing and giggling. It was good to meet and to discuss about all the baked treats which was available over there. The event was very successful with lot of people turning up. We were able to relish few of the baked goodies available for sale and  the yummy stuffs Magpie Recipes  lovingly baked for us.  Thanks Rose for your sweet gesture.

I am so happy that India made a mark in the history by winning the world cup. Let me share with you all a snack which you can prepare well in advance and save it for rainy days. I usually make this well in advance whenever I have a party at home. Here is a virtual snack of crispy crunchy goodness for everyone !!!

Recipe Source : My Mom

Ingredients:

Beef - 1 kg

pepper powder - 2 tsp

Salt - 1 1/2 tsp

Vinegar - 1 Tbsp

Potatoes - 700 gms

Lemon - 1

Eggs - 2 

Bread Crumbs - As required

Grind:

Green Chillies chopped - 16

Garlic cloves - 1 handful

Ginger - 2 big pieces

Onions - 2 cups 

Method : 

Cut the beef into pieces. Wash and drain. Add salt and pepper powder to the beef and cook for 5-7 minutes without weight. Needn't be well cooked.Boil the remaining water if any and cool. Mince the meat. Add the vinegar to the minced meat and keep it aside. Grind the onion mix and combine it to the meat and fry in low heat by adding little oil. The meat must become brown but not fried. Add juice of one lime and set down. 

Wash the potatoes and cook in pressure cooker with level water and weight for 10 - 12 minutes. Drain the water. cool. peel and mash. If you mash while it is hot, it will be easier. Add to meat and mix well. Correct salt. Make into cutlet shapes. Dip in beaten eggs , (beaten with salt and little pepper powder or chilli powder). Roll in breadcrumbs and deep fry till brown.

I am sending this to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Magpie

Prawn / Shrimp / Chemeen Biriyani

I am a sea food fan. Prawns always tops the list. Whenever I Visit home my mom preapares prawns curry. But I was not in the mood of having a curry. I wanted to make biryani. Biriyani is used to denote a dish where the rice  is cooked separately from the (curry of meat or vegetables). The curry and the rice are then brought together and layered, resulting in a dish of the contrasting flavors of unflavored rice and intensely flavored sauce and meat or vegetables. At my home everybody prefers using chicken for biriyani, So hopes of having prawn biriyani was never materialized.  I was searching for a good recipe for a long time. I got this recipe from maria. I prefer more masala in the biriyani. Her recipe was perfect for us. You should visit her lovely space. I have followed her recipe with very few variations here and there.  While making biriyani or pulao I always avoid the garnishing layer. I don't prefer corriander leaves in my food. So my readers please feel free to add corriander leaves, fried onions, raisins and toasted cashew nuts and garnish the biriyani. You can serve this along with raita , pappad and pickle.

Recipe Source:

Slightly adapted from www.mariasmenu.com

For the rice:

Basmati rice – 3 cups
Water – 6 cups
Cardamom & clove – 3 each
Cinnamon – 1 medium size stick
Butter – 3 tbsp (Unsalted)
Salt - To Taste

For the masala :

Prawns – 1/2 kg (cleaned & deviened)
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Chilli powder – 1/2 tbsp
Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Onions – 3, chopped finely
Green chilli -5-6
Tomato – 2-3, chopped finely
Coconut – 1 handful
Curd – 1/2 cup
Cashews – 6-8 (soaked in 2 tbsp water)
Garam masala – 1 tsp


Rice preparation :

Wash and soak the rice in water for 25 minutes. Drain the water completely. Boil 6 cups water with half the quantity of whole masala & keep it aside. Heat butter in a vessel/pan, splutter the remaining whole masala and add the rice. Fry the rice for around 5-7 minutes or until the rice starts cracking. Add the boiled water,  & salt. Cook till the rice is done and water is completely dried. Spread the rice in a tray & keep aside.

Masala preparation :

Marinate the prawns with 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, pepper powder and salt and keep it for 2-3 hours in the fridge. Meanwhile grind a handful of coconut  with a little water & keep it aside. Also grind the soaked cashews into a smooth paste.

Shallow fry the marinated prawns after the specified time. Once the prawns are fried, keep it aside and use the same oil to cook onions, remaining ginger garlic paste (1 tbsp) and green chilli. Once onions are fried well, add chopped tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add curd, coconut,  paste. Once it boils add fried prawns and cook in low flame for 5-6 minutes. Add the cashew paste & 1 tsp of garam masala. Mix well. Cook for 2 more minutes & remove from fire.

Layering the Biriyani :

Preheat the oven to 180 degree 10 minutes before baking the biriyani. Apply some ghee to a baking dish. Put one layer of masala in the dish. On top of that spread some rice and make another layer. Again spread another layer of masala on top of the rice. Repeat the process until the masala and rice is finished. The top layer should be of rice. You can drizzle ghee in between the layers. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Verdict : Strongly reccommended for any sea food lovers.


PS: Maria has suggested to put a wet cloth and cover the biriyani while baking. 


I am sending this to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Magpie

Poori Masala

I am sure all my readers are aware of my love for cereals. I can eat cereals for any meal of the day. Sometimes if I don't have any leftovers in the fridge I used to have cereals for lunch. I know it's weird !!! But eating it any time of the day is fine with me. We usually take cereals for breakfast everyday. But only during weekends I cook something else. Once 'A' got so bored of cereals and asked me whether I can make his favorite poori masala. As usual I couldn't deny his request and started myself preparing it.

Recipe Source : My Mom

Ingredients:

For poori

Wheat Flour - 1 cup
All purpose Flour - 1 cup
Oil - 1 Tbs
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup

For Masala

Potatoes - 1/2 kg
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Onions - 2
Green chillies - 4
Ginger - 1 small piece
Dry red chilli bits - Few

Method :

To make poori: Add the water and mix the dough. Make small balls. Then roll in flour and roll out into thin rounds and deep fry in oil ( preferably coconut oil ).

To make Masala: Wash the potatoes well. Put in pressure cooker with level water and cook with weight for 10 minutes. Peel and mash coarsely. Heat Oil. Add onions. When the onions are transluscent, add little water and salt and boil. Add the potatoes and mix well.

Ps: For any measure you use, remember equal quantities of wheat flour and All purpose flour.

I am sending this over to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Magpie

Egg Roast

Egg roast/ Mutta roast is one among the favorite accompaniments for breakfast dishes in Kerala. This dish is very popular in thattukada's (street shops) as well. I love to have it along with bread. This dish is super easy to prepare and you will be out in couple of minutes from the kitchen. Each households in Kerala have their 

own recipes for egg roast. This is one dish which can be prepared in many ways. By adding coconut milk you will get a thick gravy . I have seen some people shallow fry the hard boiled eggs. Like I said each one has their own way of making it. I am penning down my way of doing it.

Recipe Source : My Own

Ingredients :

Eggs - 6 (Hard Boil for 10 minutes)

To Crackle:

Mustard Seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

To Fry :

Onions - 2

Green Chillies - 4

Ginger - Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp

Tomatoes - 2

Powders :

Corriander Powder - 2 Tbs

Chilli Powder - 1/2 Tbs

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - To Taste

Method :

Heat oil. Crackle the items. Add the onion mix and fry. When light brown add the powders and roast. Then add the ginger garlic paste and roast. Add the tomatoes and fry till oil separates. Add salt and little water and mix well.  Add the eggs. Mix gently and set down.

I am sending this to The Kerala Kitchen  hosted by Magpie

Date Pickle

Anybody in the mood for sweet, tangy, spicy pickle??? Well, both of us are very much in the mood. I have never tried my hands at making pickle. I never knew it's so simple and easy process. I love spicy food and I don't have to mention how much I am fond of pickles. When I was in hostel my roomie and myself used to survive on mom's homemade pickle. It used to get emptied very fast. All of us in my office will also be waiting for the spicy goodness. Whenever I go home I will be getting demands from my colleagues to bring packets of it. I remember stocking up her fish pickle in my hostel room and whenever the food is bad, pickle becomes our Saviour.

I usually don't like to do much of cooking during weekends. Saturdays are resting day for me and I won't be in a mood to cook anything on sunday after church. Lunch will be from church on all sundays and by the time we reach home it will be almost evening. This weekend was little different. 'A' was preparing for a certification course and I was having all the time in the world. Both of us don't like to eat dates in the raw form. But recently when we visited one of our relative they had yummy date pickle and I forgot to ask them about the recipe. I started searching relentlessly on the net. Finally I got some recipe to hang on. Now I am sure this one will top my list of favorite pickles !!!

Here goes the recipe:

Seedless Dates – 500 gms

Ginger-garlic paste – 4 tbsp

Chilli powder – 5 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Salt – 5 tsp

Sugar – 3 tbsp

Vinegar – 1/2 cup

Water – 1/2 cup

Oil – 5 tbsp

Method :

Cut each date into 4 pieces.  Heat oil in a pan and add the ginger-garlic paste. Fry on a low flame till the aroma comes out. Add chilli powder and turmeric powder. Stir and add vinegar, water, sugar and salt. When it starts boiling, add the chopped Dates. Simmer till the gravy is thick and it coats well on the Dates. Put off the fire. Cool and transfer it to a glass jar. This pickle can be served immediately. Store in the refrigerator. It has a long shelf life. Enjoy!


I am sending this to Kerala Kitchen contest hosted by Magpie Recipes 


The details about the group can be seen here.

Banana Fritters Aka Pazhampori

The name itself makes ever keralites mouth water. Bananas are abudantly available in kerala. In most of the keralite households I have seen that bananas are eaten after a meal. But 'A' and I don't enjoy to eat it raw. But if it's given as fritters , then we won't be having a count of how much we are eating. Each time 'A' visits home , amma used to make it. He called me from office and asked me to make it. Luckily I found plantains in the Indian store. Now I know what should I do to make him come home early from office :-) .

Recipe Source : My Own


Ingredients:

In The Mix

Large ripe plantains - 3

All purpose flour – 1/2 cup

Milk – 1/2 cup

Water – 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Sugar – 4 tsp (Depend upon your sugar needs)

Oil – Enough so the banana pieces are half submerged in it when frying

Method:

Peel and cut the plantains in half and then each half into three pieces.

Mix all of the above except the oil together with a whisk. The amount of ingredients can be adjusted according to your taste buds.Dip the cut plantains into the prepared mix.

Heat oil in a pan and when hot enough, add the dipped plantains one by one. Fry on each side for 1 min or so and drain on paper towels. Enjoy !!!

I am sending this to kerala kitchen contest hosted by Ria

  

Beef Ularthiyathu

I have taken a long break from my blogging world. I know this is unacceptable from a person who keeps on updating her blog very frequently , sometimes even twice a day. I am back with a delicacy from the God's Own Country - Kerala. Two things which are considered unavoidable - a must serve  in any Syrian Christian families during Christmas or Easter are beef and dishes prepared with coconut. I should say I am not a big fan of both of these. I am happy that I am not so fond of it especially while reading articles related to the consumption of red meat. But 'A' is a hard core beef lover. I surprised him by making his favourite beef preparation with coconut shells. Cooking has always been a fun activity for me to do and I especially love the smile that erupts on sweet hubby’s face when he comes home and sees a bunch of treats ready for him! 

Recipe source : My Mom


Ingredients

Roast with oil

Corriander powder -4 1/2 Tbs

Chilli powder - 1 Tbs

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Roast and powder

8 each of  cardamom, cinnamom and cloves

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 , Sliced long

Mince

Green chillies - 8

Ginger - 1 big piece

Garlic Cloves - 1 handful

Vinegar - 2 Tbs

Beef - 1 kg

Coconut shell - 3/4 cup

Onions - 2

Salt - To taste

Method

Remove the coconut from the shell, cut the brown skin with a knife, Cut the pieces into thin long pieces.Wash and keep. Add all the items as they are ready to the meat and mix. Keep for 15 minutes. Then cook in pressure cooker with weight with 1/4 glass water for 8 - 20 minutes depending upon the beef. When cooked, boil till the water content is gone.

Heat oil. Add 2 onions. When transluscent , add the cooked meat and the coconut and roast. Shouldn't be fried too much.

I am sending it to this month's kerala kitchen contest.

  http://magpiesrecipes.blogspot.com/p/keralakitchen.html

Chicken Biriyani

I have suddenly been bitten by the blogging bug. These days flipping through food blogs have become one of my favorite pass times, whether I make something out of it or not is a different question. The recipes should look really impressive and kinda easy to make, for me to come to that - "Try-it-out" mode. It's been quiet a long time that I am thinking about making Biriyani.It is something I ate with enjoyment, I had never dreamed that one day I would make these! As usual I asked my mom about the recipe. I religiously note down each and every step. I read through the whole thing and I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive about whether I can make it or not. Finally I rolled my sleeves in the afternoon and got down to start the preparation. So here is a virtual feast for all my friends out there with a chicken Biriyani.

Recipe Source : My Mom

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1kg

2. Chicken - 1.5 Kg

3. Garlic - 1 Handful

4. Ginger - 7 Big Pieces

5. Green Chilly - 10 

6. Tomatoes - 3

7. Curd - 1 cup

8. Turmeric Powder - 1 teaspoon

9. Nuts - 1 Cup

10. Raisins -  1 Cup

11. Ghee - 1 Cup

12. Onions - 1 Cup

13. Coconut - 1 cup

14. Cardamom - 5 Each

15. Cinnamon -5 each

16. Cloves - 5 each

17. khus Khus - 2 Tablespoon

18. Jeera - 1/2 tsp

19. Lime Juice - 4 Tablespoon

20. Salt - To Taste

Method:

Rice:

Grind nuts and raisins. Boil the rice. Add cardamom, cinnamon, lime juice and paste of nuts and raisins to the cooked rice.

Chicken

Grind garlic, ginger, green chilly, tomatoes and apply on the chicken by adding curd, salt and turmeric powder. Cook the chicken in this paste and make the gravy very thick. 

Garnishing Layer:

Fry the onions first and when it turns light brown color add coconut and khus khus.

Put half portion of rice, ghee, and garnishing layer in the baking dish. Add chicken on top of it and put the balance rice. Add little ghee and 1/4th cup milk. Bake for 15 minutes at 180 deg c.