Chicken Pie

          

Chicken Pie

This is a very delicious continental dish & is one of my favourites.

Ingredients:-
Potato – 2 big
Butter – 50 grams
Milk – 1/4 cup
Salt as needed
Chicken – 200 grams, finely chopped
Onion – 1 big, finely chopped
Greenchilly – 2 numbers, chopped
Ginger – 11/2 tbsp, minced
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 3/4 tsp
Egg – 1, large; seperated
Bread crumbs – 2 tbsp.

Method:-
Cook the potatoes along with their skin in your pressure cooker. Simmer for 20 minutes after the first whistle. Open the cooker after the pressure completely subsides. Peel the potatoes & mash them very well adding the milk when still hot. Add salt & the butter. Mix well & keep aside.

Mashed potato

Heat the oil & saute the onion, greenchillies & minced ginger. When the onion changes its color to light brown add the pepper powder, 3/4 tsp salt & the chopped chicken pieces. Stir fry for a minute; add 1/8 cup of water & cover cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Finally add the garam masala powder & fry for 1 more minute. Remove from heat & keep aside. Let the mixture cool slightly; add the beaten egg yolk & mix well.

The chicken mixture

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Spread the chicken mixture on your pie dish followed by the mashed potato. Spread the well beaten egg white on top of the potato & sprinkle the bread crumbs.

Bake at 180C for 30 minutes/ till the top of the pie is lightly browned.

Cut into wedges, serve hot & enjoy!!

Kerala Pizza

          

Kerala Pizza

Here’s another lip smacking dish from Lakshmi Nair. Try it out & u would definitely love it. It tastes good when served hot. For best results use cheese slices instead of grated cheese.

Ingredients:-

For the pizza topping:-
Chicken chopped – 1 cup / 225 g (I used Al Saffa Chicken breasts)
Capsicum – 1/4 cup chopped
Pepper powder – 1 tsp.
Soy sauce – 2 tsp
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Butter/ Oil – 1 tbsp
Mozzarella cheese slices as needed (I used grated cheese)

For the batter:-
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Milk – 11/4 cup
Egg – 1
Sugar – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Butter – 1 tbsp

Method:-

To make the pizza topping,  at first cook the chicken pieces with 2 tsp soy sauce & 1 tsp pepper powder adding 1/2 cups water (I didn’t add salt). Let boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes till all the water has evaporated. Heat oil/butter. Add the cooked chicken pieces and the chopped capsicum. Stir fry till the chicken pieces turn golden brown. Sprinkle a little salt if needed while sauting the chicken.

To make the batter sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and milk; add to flour mixture, stirring only until smooth. Blend in melted butter.

Heat a pan. When it becomes very hot,  grease the pan, pour a ladleful of pancake batter and reduce heat to low. When u see bubbles on the surface,  place little filling on top of the pancake batter. Also sprinkle little cheese. When the underside turns golden brown carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side till the cheese melts.
 

Rava Idly

 

Rava Idly

Ingredients:-
Rava – 2 cups
Curd – 11/2 cups
Milk – 11/4 cups
Baking powder – 1/2 tsp
Ghee – 2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Greenchilly – 4 numbers, chopped
Ginger – 1 tsp
Cahews – 10 numbers
Grated carrot – 1/2 cup
Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Baking soda – a pinch
Salt as needed

Method:-
Heat the ghee & splutter mustard seeds. Add the urad dal & asafoetida. Also add the cashews & fry.

Add the ginger & greenchilly & saute till you get a nice aroma. Mix in the semolina & fry for 7 minutes on medium heat. Let it cool completely.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Add upto 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water to get the consistency of idly batter. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

To be steamed

Steam on medium heat for 15 minutes. Let the idlis cool. Take them out carefully with a spoon dipped in hot water.

Bun Puri with pumpkin & grated jaggery

          

Pumpkin puri

Ingredients:-
Pumpkin ( with orange skin) – 1 cup, grated
Thick curd – 1 cup
Powdered/ grated jaggery – 1/2 cup / to taste
All purpose flour – 2 3/4 cups
Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Oil – 4 tsp + as needed to deep fry
Salt – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1/2 tsp

Method:-
Heat 2 tsp of oil & saute the grated pumpkin on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Let cool.

Add the powdered jaggery, pumpkin, baking soda, pepper powder & salt to the curd & mix well.

Add the flour little by little till you get a slightly stiff dough ( it should be harder than the chapathi dough).

Add 2 tsp oil & knead well. Apply little oil on the kneaded dough & keep covered for 3-4 hours / better overnight in your fridge for fermentation.

Divide the dough into small balls ( these should be of the same size as that of puris) & roll out ( it should be a bit thick to puff up).

Deep fry the rolled out puris in hot oil. Drain on kitchen towels. Serve hot.

Kadala Parippu Pradhaman / Chana Dal Payasam

          

Parippu Pradhaman

Ingredients:-
Chana dal – 13/4 cup
Sago pearls / Chowari – 3 rounded tbsp.
Jaggery – 600 grams ( Use the brown colored one. I used 450 g Royal & 150 g TDM brand)
Moonam paal – 1/4 cup (/use 1 rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Randaam paal – 3 tea mugs / 750 ml. (/ use 6 heaped rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup / 100 ml.(/ use 1heaped rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
Dry ginger powder – 1/4 tsp
Cashews – 2 tbsp.
Raisins – 1 tbsp.
Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp.
Coconut cuts – 2 tbsp.
Ghee as needed

Method:-
Soak the tapioca pearls in hot water for 1 hr. Put it in boling water and cook for 5 minutes till soft. Drain the water completely and reserve this cooked sago.

Heat 2 tsp. ghee and roast the chana dal till very hot for 2 minutes. Wash it several times under running water. Cook the chana dal in a pressure cooker adding 1 rounded tbsp ghee  and 3.5 cups water. Simmer for 20 minutes after 1st whistle. Open the cooker when the pressure subsides and let the cooked dal cool slightly. Mash this dal to a paste ( I used my mixer/grinder). Mix the moonam paal with this paste and make it slightly loose.

Melt the jaggery adding 3/4 cup water. Strain it to remove any dirt. Add the cooked chana paste and 1 rounded tbsp ghee. Bring it to a boil. ( I used a non- stick pan). Lower heat to medium – low & cover cook for 25 minutes, stirring occassionally. When the mixture starts to get dry keep stirring for 10 more minutes, till the whole thing gets dry.






Now add the randaam paal and mix well. Let boil. Lower heat to medium- low and cook it till it becomes thick for 20 – 25 minutes.

Finally add the cooked tapioca pearls, the thick coconut milk, cardamom powder, cumin powder and dry ginger powder. Mix well, bring it to a very slow boil & remove immediately from heat.

Toast the cashews, raisins, coconut cuts & sesame seeds seperately and pour into the payasam. Keep the payasam covered for 3 – 4 hours till it reaches the PATHRAPAAKAM.

Soy Chunks Koottu Curry

             

Soak 11/2 cups of soy chunks in water for 2 hours, squeeze the excess water & cut each chunk into 2.

Heat 11/2 tbsps of coconut/canola oil & saute 2 medium onions cut into square pieces. Add 1 tsp of red chilly powder, 2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder & 3/4 tsp of pepper powder; fry on low heat for 1-2 minutes. Add soy chunks & saute for a minute on medium high heat.. Add 1 cup of thin coconut milk (randaampaal) & enough salt; bring to a boil. Cover cook on low heat for 15-10 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk & 3/4 tsp of garam masala powder & remove from heat immediately.

Heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a wok. Splutter 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds. Add 2 sprigs of curry leaf & 2 dry red chillies. Pour this seasoning over the curry.

This goes well with rice & roti.

Stuffed Buns

          

 

Stuffed Buns

Recipe Source:- Ria’s Collection

Ingredients:-

For the Buns:-
Yeast – 2 tsp.
Sugar – 1/4 tbsp.+ 4 rounded tbsp (bit heaped)
Lukewarm water – 2 tbsp.
Milk – 1/2 cup
Canola oil – 1/4 cup
Salt – 1 tsp.
Egg – 1, beaten
All purpose flour-2.5 cups
Egg white – of 1 egg (beat well); this is for egg wash
White sesame seeds – for sprinkling on top of the buns

 For the stuffing:-

Onion – 2, medium
Ginger- garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1/2 tbsp
Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder – 1/2 tbsp
Garam masala powder – a generous pinch
Frozen greenpeas – 1/2 cup
Carrot – 1/2 cup
Chicken (cooked and shredded) – 1/2 cup
Cilantro – 2 tbsp (chopped)
Oil as needed
Salt as needed

Method:-

Prepare the stuffing:-

Heat the oil.Add the chopped onions and saute till golden brown.Add the gg paste and saute for 7 minutes.Add all the spice powders (except garam masala powder) and fry for 2 minutes.
Add greenpeas and the chopped carrot.Stir fry for 10 minutes/ till veggies become soft.Add the shredded chicken, garam masala powder, cilantro and enough salt.Mix well and switch off heat.
Let cool.

Prepare the buns:-

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 2 tbsp. of lukewarm water.Cover and keep aside for 10 – 15 minutes/till frothy.

The yeast solution after 15 minutes

Boil the milk and cool it to lukewarm tempearture.Add sugar, salt and oil.Mix well till the sugar dissolves completely.Add the beaten egg, yeast solution and 1 cup flour.Mix well to make a smooth paste.Add the remaining flour little by little till you get a smooth and soft dough.Knead it well for 10 minutes.

The kneaded dough

Apply little oil on the dough and let it rest covered in a warm place for 2 – 3 hours / till it doubles in volume.

The dough after 2 hours

Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal balls.Take each ball in your palm, flatten and place 1 tbsp. (heaped) of the filling and shape it again into a ball.

Place the stuffed buns on a non-stick baking tray lined with a lightly greased Al foil.Cover and let them rest again for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200⁰C.

Apply a little well beaten egg white on the buns and sprinkle the white sesame seeds.

Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 15 minutes/ till brown.