Beef Curry

Beef is always my favorite - be it curry or grilled or fry or whatever. This recipe is my wife's and she got it from her Mom (who she got it from her Mom (who got it from Mom (... and so on ...))). In short it's a family secret... hehehe…

It's yummy and flavorful... try it for yourself.

Serves: 4
Spice level: Mild

Preparation time: 35 Mins.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time):  1 Hr.

Ingredients:

1. Beef - 1 Lb. (cleaned and cut to small cubes)
2. Veg. Oil - 4 Tbsp.
3. Fennel Seed - 1/4 Tsp.
4. Fenugreek Seed - 1/4 Tsp.
5. Red Onion - 1 (Large, thinly sliced)
6. Salt to taste
7. Green Chilli - 3 (split lengthwise)
8. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp.
9. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
10. Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp.
11. Coriander Powder - 1 1/2 Tbsp.
12. Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
13. Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
14. Tomato - 2 (chopped)
15. Water - 1 1/2 Cups
16. Coriander Leaves - 1/2 Cup (chopped)

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a medium sized pressure cooker. Add fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds and cook for 1 min. or until nicely fried.
2. Add onions along with salt and sauté till the onion are translucent.
3. Add green chillies and ginger garlic paste to the cooker and sauté for couple more mins.
4. Add all the powders (chilli, turmeric, garam masala, pepper and coriander powder) and cook until it's cooked and raw smell vanishes (about 2 mins.).
5. Add tomatoes and sauté till its cooked and the oil separates.
6. Add beef to the cooker and mix well. Add water to the cooker (just enough to cover the beef) and cook it for about 20-25 mins. until the meat is soft.
7. Remove the cooker off the burner and open it carefully after letting all the pressure off.
8. Mix in the coriander leaves and serve with roti or rice.

Chicken Fajitas

"A fajita is a term found in Tex-Mex cuisine commonly referring to any grilled meat usually served as a taco on a flour or corn tortilla." -- Wikipedia.

I used to have fajitas before I became a hardcore "Halal"-ian. It's been a while since I have been craving for fajitas and luckily i found this recipe. I didn't expect it to be half-way close to the restaurant quality. But, surprisingly the flavors were spot-on.

Try it out...

Serves: 2
Spice level: Mild

Preparation time: 15 Mins.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time):  2 Hrs. 20 Mins.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken Breast - 1 Lb. (sliced to 1 inch across the grain)
2. Olive Oil - 1 1/2 Tbsp.
3. Honey - 1 1/2 Tbsp.
4. Vinegar - 1/2 Tbsp.
5. Garlic - 2 Cloves (crushed)
6. Dried Oregano - 1 Tsp.
7. Red Chilli Flakes - 1 Tsp.
8. Red Bell Peppers - 1 (seeded and cut into 1 inch strips)
9. Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp.
10. Salt to taste
11. Roti or Tortilla or Pita bread

Preparation:

1. Mix oil, honey, garlic, oregano, chilli flakes, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
2. Add chicken, toss it well in the marinade and keep in the refrigerator for about 2 hrs.
3. Heat a frying pan (preferably a grill pan) and fry the chicken pieces. Note that we are deliberately frying without any oil. This is to get the char on the chicken to increase the flavor. Fry for about 15 minutes or until the chicken pieces are cooked completely.
4. Get the chicken pieces off the pan onto a serving plate.
5. Fry the bell peppers in the same pan for about 4 mins. flipping it occasionally.
6. Add the fried bell peppers onto the serving plate and serve it with Roti or Tortilla or Pita bread.

Chicken Wrap

This one is for the "forced cooks"...

Saw this recipe on a cookbook and looked interesting and really simple. Moreover I was tired and as usual hungry. Salad doesn't appear anywhere on my menu but somehow there was enough lettuce and cucumber in the fridge to make the wrap. The wrap tastes awesome, but real cool part is the grapes. The sweetness of the grapes in between bites is such a nice feeling... Try it out...

Serves: 2
Spice level: Mild

Preparation time: 15 Mins.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 40 Mins.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken Breast - 1 Lb. (diced)
2. Yogurt - 2/3 Cups
3. Whole Grain Mustard - 1/2 Tsp. (or crushed whole mustard)
4. Iceberg Lettuce - 5 oz. (finely shredded)
5. Cucumber - 1 (medium size, thinly sliced)
6. Black Seedless Grapes - 1/2 Cup (halved)
7. Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp.
8. Salt to taste
9. Water - 3 Cups
10. Roti or Tortilla or Pita bread to wrap

Preparation:

1. Cook the chicken cubes in a microwave for about 20 mins. with salt and enough water.
2. To a mixing bowl add yogurt, mustard, salt and pepper and mix well.
3. Add chicken to the bowl a toss it well so that it’s evenly coated with the yogurt mix. Keep it aside.
4. Mix lettuce, cucumber and grapes to make a salad.
5. Make cone using the bread or roti and fill the bottom half with the salad and the later with the chicken mix. Repeat the same with other bread and serve it fresh.

Mutton Kabsa

"Kabsa is a family of rice dishes that are served mostly in Saudi Arabia - where it is commonly regarded as a national dish. In places like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq and Kuwait the dish is popularly known as machbus" - Wikipedia 

All said, my wife got this recipe from her Mom and it delicious and flavorful. Try it out with Raita (yogurt salad) and enjoi...

Serves: 4

Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 1 Hr. 10 Mins.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time):  2 Hrs.

Ingredients:

To Cook Mutton:

1. Coconut Milk - 1/4 Cup (Thick)

2. Cashew Nut - 10 (soaked in water for 4 hrs.)

3. Mutton: 1 Lb. (400 grms., Medium sized cubes)

4. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.

5. Salt - to taste

6. Garam Masala - 1 Pinch

7. Black Pepper Powder - 1 Pinch

7. Water - 1 cup

To Cook Rice:

8. Ghee - 1 Tbsp.

9. Basmati Rice - 2 cups

10. Ginger - 1 Tsp. (chopped)

11. Garlic - 1 Tsp. (chopped)

12. Salt - to taste

13. Water - 3 3/4 cups

To Make the Gravy:

14. Veg. Oil (2 Tbsp.)

15. Cloves - 4

16. Cinnamon sticks - 2 (1 inch pieces)

18. Cardamom - 4

19. Onion - 1 (thin slices)

20. Green Chillies - 2

21. Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)

22. Garlic - 5 Cloves (chopped)

23. Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp.

24. Turmeric - 1/4 tsp.

25. Garam Masala Powder - 1 pinch

26. Tomato - 2 (chopped)

27. Yogurt - 2 Tbsp.

28. Lime Juice - Squeezed from half lime

29. Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

30. Mint Leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

31. Salt to taste

32. Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

33. Mint Leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

Preparation:

1. In a grinder, add coconut milk and cashew nut to make a thick creamy paste.

2. In a pressure cooker add mutton, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, salt and garam masala along with water just enough to cover the meat. Cook the meat for about 20 mins. till the meat is soft and tender and until all water is evaporated.

3. Remove the pressure cooker off the stove, add the cashew-coconut paste and mix well until the mutton pieces and evenly coated with the creamy paste. Set aside.

4. Meanwhile, in another large vessel boil 3 3/4 cup water with ghee, ginger, garlic and salt. Add rice to the pan once the water reaches hard boil. Cook for 20-25 mins. or until all the water is evaporated. Keep it aside.

5. Heat oil in a sauce pan and add Cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and sauté for 1 min.

6. Add onions and green chillies with a pinch of salt and sauté till the onions are transparent. Add ginger and garlic and cook it for 2 mins.

7. Add Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and a pinch of garam masala powder and cook till the raw smell of the powders vanishes.

8. Add tomatoes and sauté for 2 more mins. Mix in yogurt, lime juice, coriander leaves and mint leaves and cook for 2 more mins covered.

9. Remove the pan off the stove and add this masala into the pressure cooker with mutton.

10. Layer the cooked rice on top of the masala, sprinkle with chopped coriander and mint leaves and close the lid with the weights on.

11. Hard boil water in a large vessel and get it off the stove.

12. Place the closed pressure cooked with mutton and rice into the vessel with boiled water and leave it there for about 20 mins.

13. Remove the pressure cooker, empty the Kabsa onto a serving bowl and serve it warm.

Shahi Mutton Curry

 My wife's friend Sheji Shakeer contributed this recipe and image. On the lighter side, she wants us to get back to UAE and as all of my dear friends know that there's no better incentive than great food... hehe...  just kidding.

Seriously it's a great dish, try it out...

Serves: 4

Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 1 Hr. 10 Mins.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time):  2 Hrs.

Ingredients:

1. Mutton - 1 1/2 Lbs. (cleaned and strained)

2. Red Onion - 3 (medium sized, thinly sliced)

3. Almonds - 1 Oz.

4. Garlic - 4 cloves

5. Coriander Seeds - 1 oz.

6. Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp.

7. Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 Tsp.

8. Salt - to taste

9. Saffron - 1 pinch (soaked in water)

10. Plain Yogurt - 3/4 Cups

11. Fresh Cream - 3/4 Cups

12. Veg. Oil - 1/2 Cup

Preparation:

1. Blend the coriander seeds, 1 onion, almonds and garlic together. Marinade the mutton in this mixture for about 2 hours.

2. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and fry the remaining onions. Get the fried onions off the pan using a fork and set aside.

3. Add the mutton to the oil and fry until the liquid dries up.

4. Add 3/4 cups of hot water and pressure cook the mutton for 20 minutes with the lid on or until the mutton is about three-fourth cooked.

5. Reduce the heat and let the pressure completely off through the nozzle. Carefully open the lid and add salt and pepper. Cook it for some more time on medium-high flame to dry off the liquid

6. Add the beaten yogurt and sauté until the oil separates. Grind the fried onion and add it to the cooker.

7. Beat the cream for about 5 minutes or until it is to a thick consistency.

8. Add the soaked saffron and mix it with the cooked mutton.

9. Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees F.

10. Add the garam masala to the mutton and bake at 250 degrees F for 30 mins.

11. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm with chapathi/bread or rice.

Cantaloupe - Ginger - Lemon Smoothie

Saw a recipe for melon-ginger spritzer and modified it to get this. To my surprise it was yummy and my 3 year old Aisha enjoyed it a lot.

Check it out.

Makes: 2 Cups (12 oz. each)
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 20 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 30 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Cantaloupe - 1/2 (seeded and cubed - about 4 cups)
2. Ginger - 3 Inch (chopped)
3. Water - 1/2 cup
4. Sugar - 1/2 cup
5. Lime Juice - Squeezed from 1/2 lime
6. Ice Cubes - 4

Preparation:

1. In a small sauce pan boil water with sugar and ginger for about 10 mins. Remove the ginger pieces and set aside the syrup.
2. Blend cantaloupe, lime juice and sugar syrup for 3 mins.
3. Add ice cubes and blend for another min. and we are done. Serve chilled.

Potato Egg Roll

Someone had the brains and patience to re-invent the traditional "bonda" (another popular Malabar snack) into a more complex and crispy snack. Do try it out... enjoi...

Makes: 10

Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 30 Min.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 50 Mins.

Ingredients:

1. Potato - 4 (large, peeled and cubed)

2. Red Onion - 1 (large, chopped)

3. Green Chilli - 2

4. Eggs - 3 (hard boiled and quarter length wise)

5. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp.

6. Coriander Leaves - 1/4 Cup

7. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp.

8. Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 Tsp.

9. Salt - to taste

10. Oil - 4 Tsp.

11. Water - 2 cups

12. Egg whites - from 2 eggs

13. Vermicelli - 2 cups (fried, broken to small pieces)

14. Oil - to fry

Preparation:

1. Boil the potatoes with water and a pinch of salt for about 15 mins. until its completely cooked and mashable. Get the potatoes off the stove, strain it, mash it and set it aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and sauté chopped onions and green chilli till the onions are translucent.

3. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for couple more minutes

4. Add turmeric powder, black pepper powder, chopped coriander leaves and salt and sauté for one more minute and set it aside.

5. Take a medium sized potato ball and roll in the onion mix and egg as shown in the picture below:

6. Get the egg whites in a large bowl and the vermicelli in a flat plate.

7. Dip the potato roll in egg white and get it coated evenly. Transfer it to the vermicelli plate and roll it to coat evenly with the vermicelli.

8. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the roll to golden brown. Serve it warm.

Chemmeen Pathil (Shrimp Stuffed Rice Bread)

This super awesome recipe in a traditional Malabar recipe. It requires a bit of patience to make this and my wife had all the patience in the world to make it for me. It's totally worth the effort.

It's a full meal in a bite. You could try the same with meat too and it's another popular dish "Erachi pathil" across the Malabar region.

Try it out... Enjoi...

Serves: 4

Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 40 Min.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 1 Hr. 30 Mins.

Ingredients:

For Filling:

1. Shrimp (Prawns) - 1 Lb. (cleaned)

2. Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 Tsp.

3. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.

4. Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 Tsp.

5. Black Pepper Powder - 1 pinch

6. Salt - to taste

7. Veg. Oil - 6 Tbsp.

8. Red Onion - 2 (Large, sliced)

9. Ginger - 1 Tbsp. (finely chopped)

10. Green Chill - 2

11. Garlic - 1 Tbsp. (finely Grated)

12. Fennel Seeds - 1/2 Tsp.

13. Coriander Leaves - 1/4 Cup (chopped)

14. Mint Leaves - 1/4 Cup (chopped)

15. Shredded Coconut - 1/4 Cup

For Pathiri:

16. Rice Flour - 1 Cup

17. Shredded Coconut - 1/4 Cup

18. Shallots - 2

19. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Tsp.

20. Water - 1 1/2 Cup

21. Salt - to taste

Preparation:

Filling:

1. Marinate the shrimp for about 15 mins. with 1/4 tsp. of red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder and salt.

2. In a sauce pan, cook the marinated shrimp with water just enough to cover the shrimp. Cook for about 20 mins. on medium flame until the shrimp is soft.

3. Remove the cooked shrimp off the flame and set it aside.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and green chillies. Cook until the onions are transparent.

5. Add ginger and garlic into the pan and sauté for couple more minutes until the raw smell is gone.

6. Add all the powders (ingredients 2-7) and cook for couple more minutes until its cooked

7. Add cooked shrimp, coconut, coriander leaves and mint leaves, mix well and cook it covered for 10 mins.

8. Get the pan off the stove and set aside.

Pathiri:

9. Add water, salt, shredded coconut, cumin seeds and shallots into a sauce pan and let it boil.

10. To the boiling water add rice flour in parts constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. Make sure not to get any lumps.

11. Reduce the flame to the lowest cook covered for a minute. Covering the pan is very important as this lets the rice flour absorb all the water.

12. Get the mixture off the flame and kneed the warm mixture on a flat surface to make a thick dough.

13. On a butter paper, place a 2 inch ball of the dough and roll it out to a flat thin circular disc (pathiri) and set it aside.

14. Take another slightly bigger ball of dough and rill it out similar to the first one, but an inch bigger in diameter than the first one.

15. Place the first pathiri along with the butter paper on a flat surface and spread the filling mix evenly over it.

16. Cover it with the second pathiri and stick the edges by pressing it with fingers or a fork.

17. Keep the pathiri along with the butter paper in a steamer and cook for 10 - 12 mins. or until the upper part is firm.

18. Get it off the steamed, cut into slices and serve it warm.

Soya Chicken Strips

I was reading through a cook book and found a very simple recipe "soya chicken wings". Checked my fridge and all I had was chicken breast and hence tried making it with chicken strips and it worked well... It came out so nice that I am still thinking if this recipe was actually meant for chicken strips and not wings...

Try it out...

Serves: 2

Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 15 Min.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 45 Mins.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken Breast - 1 Lb. (cut into medium thick strips)

2. Soya sauce - 2 Tbsp.

3. Green Chilli - 3 (chopped)

4. Ginger - 1 inch (chopped)

5. Shallot - 2 (sliced)

6. Star Anise - 1

7. Sugar - 1 Tsp.

8. Water - 1 1/2 cup

Preparation:

1. Bring water to boil in a small sauce pan.

2. Add chicken, shallots, ginger and chillies, and bring back to boil.

3. Add the remaining ingredients (soya sauce, star anise and sugar) to the pan and cook it covered for 30 mins. on simmer (low flame).

4. Get the pan off the heat; remove the chicken strips using a spoon onto a serving plate.

5. Reduce the remaining liquid to a thick sauce and pour it over the chicken. Serve it warm. (if you want the chicken to be dry, you could skip the last step.)

Pineapple Arrowroot Pudding

Arrowroot is the starch obtained from plants (and I guess from tapioca). It has a lot of medical values too. This running pudding is a beautiful layered sweet dish. The sweetened pineapple adds more flavor and Tukmaria seeds adds to the cool part...

Try it.. enjoi...

Makes: 2 Cups (12 oz. each)
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 20 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 30 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Arrowroot Powder - 3 Tbsp.
2. Sugar - 5 Tbsp.
3. Pineapple - 10 oz. (300 grms. - cut into small cubes)
4. Milk - 3 cups
5. Condensed Milk - 2 Tbsp.
6. Tukmaria Seeds - 1 Tbsp.
7. Water - 2 cups

Preparation:

1. Soak Tukmaria seeds in a cup of water for about 4 hrs., strain it and set aside.
2. Cook pineapple in a pan with 1 Tbsp. of sugar. Cook until the pineapple is soft and set aside.
3. In a sauce pan add arrowroot powder, 1 cup of water and 4 tbsp. sugar and cook it until the mix is reduced to a paste of medium thin consistency. Make sure to stir occasionally to not get any lumps.
4. Turn off the flame and let the arrow root mixture get cool for 5 mins.
5. Blend cold milk, condensed milk and arrow root mixture in a blender until well mixed.
6. In a see-through cup, layer the pineapple mix at the bottom up to one-fourth of the cup. Pour the arrowroot milk mix on top and layer the soaked Tukmaria seeds on the topmost.  Served it cold.

Thari Kanji/Rava Kachiyathu (Semolina Porridge)

Makes: 2 Cups (12 Oz. each)
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 10 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 20 Min.

Malabar's own Ramadan special. This is a mandatory drink for Iftar in all homes and Masjids across Kerala. The re-energizing quality of this drink is commendable.

This is also a non-documented recipe passed on from generation to generation and here I am passing it all of you... try it out and enjoi...

Ingredients:

1. Semolina (rava) - 1/4 cup
2. Milk - 3 cups
3. Sugar - 2/3 cup
4. Cardamom - 3
5. Shallots - 2 (small, thinly sliced)
6. Cashew nut - 8
7. Raisins - 10
8. Ghee - 4 tsp.

Preparation:

1. In a sauce pan add milk and heat it.
2. Add the sugar once the milk is warm and let it boil.
3. To the boiling milk add semolina part by part stirring constantly without any lumps.
4. Add crushed cardamom and let it cook for about 3 mins. Turn off the flame and keep it aside.
5. Into a small frying pan add 2 tsp. ghee and fry the shallots until golden brown. Using a spoon, get the shallots off the pan and keep it aside.
6. Add 2 more tsp. of ghee to the pan and fry the cashew nuts till light brown. Add raisins and fry for few more seconds.
7. Season the semolina porridge with the fried shallots, cashews and raisins. Serve it warm.

Plantain Dates Pudding

This again is a very traditional Malabar dessert. It's very easy to make and tastes very rich and creamy. It has a running consistency unlike other puddings, but the richness upgrades it to the pudding level.

Thanks Mom-in-law for sharing the recipe.

Serves: 3

Spice level: --

Preparation time: 12 Min.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 25 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Yellow Plantain - 1 (large, ripe)

2. Dates - 2/3 cups (seeded, chopped)

3. Sugar - 3 Tbsp.

4. Water - 2 cups

5. Coconut milk - 1 cup (medium thick)

6. Rice Flour - 3 Tsp.

7. Shallots - 1

8. Cashew nuts - 8 (chopped)

9. Raisins - 10

10. Ghee - 4 tsp.

Preparation:

1. Cut the plantain into about 0.5 cm (not too thick or not too thin) circles and then quarter each disc into 4 pieces

2. In a sauce pan, cook chopped dates and plantains with sugar and water just enough to cover the fruits. Cook for about 4 minutes till the fruits are cooked and soft.

3. Add coconut milk to the sauce pan and let it boil.

4. Mix rice flour with little water without lumps and add it to sauce pan and let it boil.

5. Remove the pan off the stove and set aside.

6. Add 2 tsp. ghee to a small frying pan and fry the shallots until golden brown. Get the shallots off the pan using a spoon and keep it aside.

7. Add 2 more tsp. of ghee to the pan and fry the cashew nuts till light brown. Add raisins and fry for few more seconds.

8. Add fried shallots, cashews and raisins into the pudding, mix it and let it cool. Serve it cold.

Pazhappola (Plantain Cake)

This recipe should date back to when ovens and baking were not that common. I guess steaming would have been their option to make yummy cakes.

Plantains are very common in Malabar area and down there this is banana. In fact, I didn't know it was called plantain before I reached U.S. Anyways, boiled plantain are in itself is very flavorful and tasty.

Thanks Shamna for introducing me to this traditional dish.

Makes: 8 inch x 1 inch loaf
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 20 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 1 Hr.

Ingredients:

1. Yellow Plantain - 2 (large ripe, peeled)
2. Egg - 4
3. Sugar - 3/4 cup
4. Cardamom - 4
5. Salt - a pinch
6. Cashew nuts - 10 (row, chopped)
7. Raisin - 10
8. Ghee - 5 Tbsp.

Preparation:

1. Cut the plantain into about 0.5 cm (not too thick or not too thin) circles and then quarter each disc into 4 pieces
2. In a medium size frying pan add 3 tbsp. ghee and roast the plantains until golden brown and set it aside. Let it cool.
3. Meanwhile, in the same frying pan add 1 tbsp. ghee and roast the cashews to golden brown. Add resins and sauté for a minute. Remove it the flame and let it cool.
4. Powder sugar and cardamom in a grinder or using a mortar
5. Lightly beat eggs with a pinch of salt using a beater for 30 sec
6. Add the powdered sugar-cardamom mix into the egg mix and beat for couple more minute until light and fluffy
7. Mix in fried plantain into the batter using a fork
8. Add fried cashews & raisins and mix lightly
9. Grease a non-stick sauce pan with ghee. Make sure to use a sauce pan with a closely fitting lid.
10. Pour the batter into the greased sauce pan and cook it on high flame for 30 secs.
11. Reduce the flame to the lowest (simmer) and cook it for about 40 mins. until the center of the crust gets firm and cooked
12. Remove from the flame and let it completely cool with the lid open for about 40 mins. Keeping the lid open is very important or else the water drops that might accumulate on the lid might drip.
13. Carefully flip the pan over onto a flat plate and it's ready to be served.

Watermelon Banana Smoothie

This is not a very think smoothie, but its really yummy. Again, it's a good ay to consume some fruits for guys like me who hates eating fruits as it is.

Makes: 3 Cups (12 Oz. each)
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 7 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 10 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Watermelon - 3 cups (seeded and cubed)
2. Banana - 1/2
3. Yogurt - 1/2 cup
4. Sugar - 1/2 cup
5. Ice Cubes - 4

Preparation:

1. In a  blender, blend watermelon, sugar, banana and yogurt for about 2 mins.
2. Add ice cubes and blend for another minute and we are done. Serve chilled.

Watermelon Agua Fresca

"Watermelon Agua Fresca" is a very popular mocktail in Mexico. This is my version of it... it's so refreshing...


Makes: 2 Cups (12 Oz. each)
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 7 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 10 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Watermelon - 4 cups (seeded and cubed)
2. Sugar - 1/4 cup
3. Mint Leaves - 2
4. Lime Juice - squeezed from half lime
5. Ice Cubes - 4

Preparation:

1. In a  blender, blend watermelon, sugar, lime juice and mint leaves for about 2 mins.
2. Add ice cubes and blend for another minute and that's it. Serve chilled.

Strawberry Lassi

East Marries West... Lassies are common in India and it's a very refreshing yogurt drink... but it's hard and expensive out there and I am sure that this idea must have originated in the west. It's super cool...

Makes: 2 Cups (12 Oz. each)
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 7 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 10 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Sugar - 1/4 cup
2. Cardamom - 2
3. Strawberry - 1 cup (fresh, quartered)
4. Yogurt - 1 cup
5. Ice Cubes - 4

Preparation:

1. Powder sugar and cardamom in a grinder or using a mortar.
2. In a  blender, blend strawberries, yogurt and sugar-cardamom powder for about 2 mins.
3. Add ice cubes and blend for another minute and that's it. Serve chilled.

Jeera Kanji (Cumin Rice Porridge)

In our hometown (or even for the whole of Malabar), there's no Ramadan dinner without Jeera Kanji (a.k.a. Manja Kanji, Uluva Kanji, etc.). My mom used to make it on every night of Ramadan. It just wipe out the day's tiredness and preps you up for the next day's fast.

Shamna (my wife) makes these so nice that I forget that I am missing meat here... :-) This is her recipe... Try it out.

Serves: 4
Spice level: Mild

Preparation time: 15 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 30 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1 cup (washed and strained)
2. Water - 5 cups
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1 Tsp.
4. Coconut milk - 1/2 cup (thick)
5. Shallots - 2
6. Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup
7. Salt - to taste
8. Shallots - 2 (small, thinly sliced)

Preparation:

1. Grind shallots, coconut milk and cumin seeds in a mixer to make a thick and creamy paste.
2. Add rice, water, salt and fenugreek seeds into a pressure cooker and cook it for about 10-15 mins. or till the rice is cooked. The cook time varies with the type of rice.
3. Reduce the flame and open the pressure cooker. Add turmeric powder and bring the rice mix boil
4. Add the coconut milk paste to the cooker and turn off the flame when it starts to boil
5. To a small frying pan add 2 tsp. ghee and fry the shallots until golden brown.
6. Pour the fried shallots along with the ghee over rice porridge and mix well to season the porridge. Serve it warm.

Mango Raspberry Pudding

Only my gorgeous wife can come up with such a colorful and tasty idea... It's much much more tastier. I have had mango pudding before, but never had raspberry pudding. For me, the only tasty berry was strawberry before having this... and now I am a big raspberry fan. These 2 puddings are tasty alone, but combined these are mind blowing.

Try this and you could probably join me in the raspberry fans club... hehe...

Serves: 6

Spice level: --

Preparation time: 7 Min.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 10 Min.

Ingredients:

Mango Pudding:

1. Mango - 1 cup (pureed)

2. China Grass - 1/2 Oz. (15 grs.)

3. Water - 1/2 cup

4. Milk - 1 cup

5. Sugar - 1/2 cup

Raspberry Pudding:

6. Raspberry - 1 cup (pureed)

7. China Grass - 1/2 Oz. (15 grms.)

8. Water - 1/2 cup

9. Milk - 1 cup

10. Sugar - 1/2 cup

Preparation:

1. In a sauce pan boil 1/2 cup of water and dissolve the china grass into it by stirring it for about 2 mins.

2. Add sugar and milk to it and mix well and let it boil

3. Add the Mango puree and stir it constantly for about 2-3 mins.

4. Get the mix off the flame and pour it into a deep bowl and let it cool down and set for about 10 - 15 mins. in the refrigerator.

5. To make the raspberry pudding repeat steps 1-3 by substituting mango puree with raspberry puree

6. Once done, pour the raspberry pudding carefully on top of the half-set mango pudding and refrigerate it for an hour.

7. After it’s completely set, get it off the fridge and invert it onto a flat serving plate. Cut it into slices and serve cold.

Mint Lemonade

Cool... cool... cool... great summer drink... lemonades in itself are great for summer and with a "hint of mint" (oh man... it's so rhyming) is totally cool...

Makes: 2 Cups (12 Oz. each)
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 5 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 7 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Lime Juice - freshly squeezed from 1 lime
2. Mint Leaves - 3
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup
4. Water - 2 cups
5. Ice Cubes - 4

Preparation:

1. Blend lime juice with mint leaves, sugar and water in a blender for about 2 mins.
2. Add ice cubes and blend for another minute and we are done. Serve chilled.

Raspberry Banana Smoothie

Ramadan creativity... you loose a lot of fluids in daytime and need to make for it with something cool... and this is a very refreshing drink... try it out...

Makes: 2 Cups (12 Oz. each)
Spice level: --

Preparation time: 7 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 10 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Fresh Raspberry – 1 Cup
2. Banana – 1 (peeled and chopped)
3. Low fat Milk – ½ Cup
4. Sugar – 2 Tbsp.
5. Ice cubes – 4 Cubes.

Preparation:

1.  In a blender, blend Raspberry, chopped Banana, Milk and Sugar till smooth.
2.  Add ice cubes and blend for few couple more minutes till the its fully crushed and blended. Serve it chilled.

Egg Kabob

Egg pakoda is famous in our place and it typically eaten with chutney dip. Here is what I  think might have happened... one day some lazy smart guy might have thought,  why to spend effort in dipping the pakoda, why don't we keep the chutney within the pakoda itself?... and that's when egg kabobs were born... just kidding...

This is my wife's recipe. Try it out its awesome... and the best part is that you don't need a dip (the lazy theory)...

Makes: 10 pcs.
Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 15 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 35 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Egg - 5 (hard boiled and shelled)

2. Shredded coconut - 1 1/2 cup
3. Green chilli - 3 (small ones)
4. Ginger - half inch piece (chopped)
5. Garlic - 2 pods (chopped)
6. Mint leaves - 8 (chopped)
7. Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)
8. Salt - to taste

9. All-purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup
10. Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
11. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp.
12. Curry leaves - 8 (finely chopped)
13. Salt - to taste
14. Water - as required

15. Canola oil - to fry

Preparation:

1. Using a grinder, grind ingredients 2 - 8 to make a coarse paste and keep it aside.
2. Cut the boiled egg length-wise and cover the yolk face of each half with one heaped tbsp. of the ground mix. Press it gently so that it appears like the other half of the egg. At the would look like a whole egg, with egg on one side and the ground mix on the other.

3. Mix ingredients 9 - 14 to make medium thick batter (without any lumps).
4. Heat oil in a frying pan. Dip the eggs one at time in the batter and deep fry it in the oil.
5. Garnish and serve it warm.

Chicken Cake

Whoever came up with this idea is a genius. This is my wife's recipe and she got it from one of her relatives. This is heaven...

I have never seen this in a any bakery or restaurant or eateries. Looks like these are one of those treasured Malabar recipes that were passed on from one generation to another.

Now, it's time for you try making one of these. Don't miss out on this one.

Makes: 8 inch x 1 inch loaf
Spice level: Low

Preparation time: 25 mins.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 1 Hr. 30 Mins.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken Breast - 1 Lb. (boneless cut into small cubes)
2. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
3. Black Pepper Powder - 2 pinches
4. Salt - a pinch

5. Red onions - 1 (medium size - sliced/diced to very small pieces)
6. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 Tbsp.
7. Green Chilli - 2 (chipped)
8. Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 Tsp. (add more if you need it extra spicy)
9. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
10. Black pepper powder - a pinch
11. Garam Masala - a pinch
12. Lime Juice - squeezed from 1 half of a Lime
13. Coriander Leaves
14. Curry leaves
15. Canola Oil - 2 Tbsp.

16. All-purpose Flour - 4 Tsp.
17. Egg - 2
18. Milk - 1/2 cup
19. Canola oil- 1/4 cup
20. Salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the chicken:  add ingredients 1-4 to a pressure cooker along with a cup of water and cook for about 15 min. The chicken should be cooked till it's soft.
2. Using a strainer, drain the chicken and set aside.
4. In a sauce pan, heat 2 tbsp. of oil. Add onions, a pinch of salt and sauté the onions till its transparent.
5. Add the chopped chillies and ginger garlic past and sauté for 2 mins.
6. Add all powders (ingredients 8 - 11) and sauté till it’s cooked (for 2 mins.)
7. Add shredded chicken in to it.
8. Add the lime juice, chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves to the pan. Mix well and keep the pan covered on low flame for about 5-8 mins to integrate all the flavors together.
9. Remove the pan from the flame and let it cool for about 10 mins.
10. In a blender, blend together all-purpose flour, eggs, milk, oil and salt until well mixed and creamy. Be careful not to over mix; if you over-blend the all-purpose flour could get cooked and lumpy which will make the cake hard and inconsistent.
11. Grease an 8 inch non-stick suace pan with oil. Make sure to use a sauce pan with a tight fitting lid.
12. Pour one half of the batter into it; spread the chicken mixture evenly on top the pan and pour the remaining batter on top of the chicken mixture. Basically, we need to sandwich the chicken mixture within two layers of batter.
12. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over and cook with the lid tightly closed on high flame for a minute or two.

13. Reduce the flame to the least (simmer) and cook for 30 - 35 mins. until the center of the crust gets firmed or cooked.
14. Remove from the flame and let it cool down for about 15 mins.
15. Carefully flip the pan over onto a flat plate. Flip the chicken cake once again so that the beautiful and garnished face of the cake is facing up.
16. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Chicken Spring Rolls (Malabar Version)

To put in simple words, its a fried breaded chicken wrap. We used to get it from Aroma bakery in my hometown, but never ever thought I could ever make it myself.

It's tasty, filling and idea itself makes me happy...

It was my wife who introduced me to this recipe and there after we never had a snack-time potluck without these... Try it out...

Makes: 9 spring rolls
Spice level: Low

Preparation time: 1 Hr.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 2 Hr.


Ingredients:

1. Chicken Breast - 1 Lb. (1/2 Kg.) boneless cut into small cubes
2. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
3. Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp.
4. Salt - a pinch

5. Carrot - 1 (medium sized - peeled and shredded)

6. Red onions - 1 (medium size - sliced/diced to very small pieces)
7. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp.
8. Green Chilli - 2 (chipped)
9. Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp. (add more if you need it extra spicy)
10. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
11. Black pepper powder - 1 Tsp.
12. Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
13. Garam Masala - a pinch
14. Lime Juice - squeezed from 1 half of a Lime
15. Coriander Leaves
16. Curry leaves
17. Canola Oil - 2 tbsp.

18. All-purpose flour - 1 cup
19. Egg - 1
20. Salt - a pinch
21. Water - 1 1/4 cup

22. Egg whites - from 2 eggs
23. Bread crumbs: 4 cups.
24. Canola Oil - to fry


Preparation:

1. Cook the chicken: add ingredients 1-4 to a pressure cooker along with a cup of water and cook for about 15 min. The chicken should be cooked till it's soft.
2. Using a strainer, drain the chicken and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan, add carrots and sauté for 2 min.  until it's cooked (make sure not to overcook and get it crispy). Strain the carrots and set aside.
4. In a sauce pan, heat 2 tbsp. of oil. Add onions, a pinch of salt and sauté the onions till its transparent.
5. Add the chopped chillies and ginger garlic past and sauté for 2 mins.
6. Add all powders (ingredients 9 - 13) and sauté till it’s cooked (for 2 mins.)
7. Add shredded chicken and cooked carrots slices into the pan and mix it well.
8. Add the lime juice, chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves to the pan. Mix well and keep the pan covered on low flame for about 5-8 mins. This will help integrate all the flavors together.
9. Remove the pan from the flame and let it cool for about 10 mins.
10. Blend ingredients 18-21 to make a liquid pancake batter. It should have a running consistency with no lumps, but not too thin.
11. Heat a non-stick pan and make thin pancakes of about 8 inch diameter using the batter.
12. Once all the pancakes are done, place one pancake at a time on a flat surface and add 2 heap tbsp. of the chicken mix and fold it as shown below picture. This is the actual fun part. Be patient and stay calm; you may not get it right on the first go but you will get there.

13. Beat egg whites in a bowl and also get the bread crumbs in a plate.
14. Dip the rolls one at a time into the egg whites and coat it evenly all over with egg white. Transfer the rolls to the bread crumbs plate and coat it evenly with bread crumbs and set aside.
Tips: keep the bowl with egg whites and the plate with bread crumbs close to each other. Use both your hands - one hand to coat with egg whites and the other to coat with bread crumbs. This way the egg whites will not accidentally fall on the bread crumbs and form lumps.
13. On a frying pan, heat enough oil to shallow fry the rolls till it’s nicely brown on all sides. Serve it warm with a side of ketchup or chutney.

Spicy Chicken Skewers

This recipe come from the days that I thought grilling is healthier than frying. And if you go through the recipe, you would realize that grilling is the only healthy part in it... :-)

Somehow, the concept of healthy food doesn't stick to my head. I love to eat tasty food. Try out the below recipe and enter your comments....

Makes: 4 skewers
Spice level: High

Preparation time: 8 Min.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 30 Min.

Ingredients:

1. Boneless Chicken Thighs - 1 Lb. (Clean and cut into medium sized cubes)
2. Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 3 Tsp. (Take lesser to make it medium spicy)
3. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
4. Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
5. Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tbsp.
6. Garam Masala - 1 pinch
7. Lime Juice - 2 Tbsp.
8. Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp.
9. Fennel seeds - 1/2 Tsp.
10. Salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl add ingredient 2-10 and mix well together
2. Add chicken to the bowl and coat it evenly with the masala mix
3. Cover and keep the marinated chicken in the fridge for at least 2 hrs.  (if possible overnight)
4. Get the chicken pieces out of the fridge and arrange it on the skewers.
Tip: Do not cut the chicken to very small pieces that it cannot be pierced on the skewer

5. Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F
6: Place chicken on the grill rack and let it cook for about 20-25 mins. till it’s nicely cooked and brown
Tip: Place the grill rack towards the middle of the oven, so that both sides of the chicken gets equal heat
7. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve it warm

Beef Cutlet

"Hungry? Let's have a cutlet..." these are cries from my college days in Kerala (India). We were guys with some serious appetite and even after having a heavy lunch, we would be hungry at around tea time. Just a cup of tea never worked and cutlet was the ideal solution. It's rich, heavy, tasty and filling.

Back in those day it used to be veggie cutlets; but what life without meat... he..he... And my fondness foe beef is kind of popular within my friend circle to a level that they used to offer me beef sandwiches in return for favors...

In short, its a Malabar version of breaded patties... and below is the recipe... Enjoi...

Makes: 12-14 cutlets
Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 1 Hr.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 2 Hr.


Ingredients:


1. Beef - 1 Lb. (1/2 Kg.) boneless cut into small cubes
2. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
3. Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp.
4. Salt - a pinch


5. Potato - 2 (medium size - peeled and cut to small cubes)
6. Salt - a pinch

7. Red onions - 1 (medium size - sliced/diced to very small pieces)
8. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp.
9. Green Chilli - 2 (chipped)
10. Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp. (add more if you need it extra spicy)
11. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
12. Black pepper powder - 1 Tsp.
13. Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
14. Garam Masala - a pinch
15. Lime Juice - squeezed from 1 half of a Lime
16. Coriander Leaves
17. Curry leaves
18. Canola Oil - 2tbsp.

19. Egg whites - from 2 eggs
20. Bread crumbs: 4 cups.
21. Canola Oil - to fry

Preparation:

1. Cook the meat: add ingredients 1-4 to a pressure cooker along with a cup of water and cook for about 20 min. The meat should be cooked till it gets soft and could be easily shredded with our fingers. If the meat is not cooked properly, cook it for few more minutes (probably you got a tougher piece of meat).

2. Using a strainer, drain the meat and set aside. Do not throw away the broth (liquid from the meat); we will be using this broth to cook our potatoes.

3. In a microwave safe bowl all ingredients 5-6 along with the beef broth and keep it to cook for 10 min. The potatoes cooked so that it should be mashable, but not too soft and soggy.

4. In a sauce pan, heat 2 tbsp. of oil. Add onions, a pinch of salt and sauté the onions till its transparent.

5. Add the chopped chillies and ginger garlic past and sauté for 2 mins.

6. Add all powders (ingredients 10-14) and sauté till its cooked (for 2 mins.)

7. Add shredded meat into the pan and mix it well.

8. Add the lime juice, chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves to the pan. Mix well and keep the pan covered on low flame for about 5-8 mins. This will help marry all the flavors from the meat and masala together.

9. Remove the pan from the flame and mash in the boiled potatoes. Keep it to cool for about 10 mins.

10. Roll the mixture (about 3 heaped tbsp. mixture) into medium sized circular patties and set it aside. In fact, you could make it into any shapes with flat faces, but I personally prefer circular patties.

11. Beat egg whites in a bowl and also keep the bread crumbs in a plate.

12. Dip the patties one at a time into the egg whites and coat it evenly all over with egg white. Transfer the “egg coated patties” into the bread crumbs plate and coat it evenly with bread crumbs and set aside.

Tips: keep the bowl with egg whites and the plate with bread crumbs close to each other. Use both your hands - one hand to coat with egg whites and the other to coat with bread crumbs. This way the egg whites will not accidentally fall on the bread crumbs and form lumps.

13. On a frying pan, heat enough oil to shallow fry the patties till its nicely brown on all sides. Serve it warm with a side of ketchup or chutney. My little one loves it with Mayonnaise... :-)