Payasam - a Kerala treat

Going on leave to Kerala(my hometown) on Wednesday the 23rd of April. A two week vacation is what we have planned. Oh! I am just waiting to go home. The scenic beauty and the excellent food all make me feel so nostalgic.



Although I have spend my childhood and all my growing up years outside Kerala , the place holds a special place in my heart. I have done my schooling and college in the beautiful city of Mumbai yet the excitement of going home during the summer vacation and being with grandparents and cousins was just soemthing else. We used to spend the whole vacation playing ..playing and playing. From the flats of Mumbai to the independent bungalows in Kerala was a big change, the excellent food and the time spent enjoying with cousins, oh can't find words to express what I feel.

Even now going on a vacation to parents and inlaws is something I am eagerly looking forward to. Come Wednesday and Kerala...here I come. While I am reminiscing the memories of my hometown thought I would add a recipe of the payasam or the traditional Kerala kheer that I made for vishu. "Vishu" the harvest festival was celebrated this Monday the 14h of April. Although
I didn't make an elaborate "sadya"(the traditional Kerala meal eaten on a banana leaf), I did make
a few dishes.

Ingredients
Milk-1 ltr
Vermicelli-1 1/2 cups
Sugar- 1 to 1 1/2 cups (as per taste)
Elaichi or green cardamom-2 to 3
Cashews and raisins (fried in ghee) - a handful
Ghee-2 to 3 tbsps

Method:
Fry the vermicelli in the butter till golden brown. Add boiled milk and stir continuously. Add the sugar and keep stirring regularly. Stir till the vermicelli cooks completely and the payasam is slightly thick in consistency. Do not make it too thick as it thickens further after cooling. Add the fried cashew and raisins and Enjoy!!

Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken has been a part of my mom's menu. She makes this yummy tandoori chicken on the gas tandoor. So when I got married and started working to improve my culinary skills a gas tandoor was what I was on the lookout for. After many unsuccessful searches on the Internet however, I was lucky enough to find one in a home appliances store near my place. I like the burnt edges that I get while making it on my gas tandoor. It provides it the authentic Tandoori taste like that of the restaurants serving the dish.




Ingredients
Chicken -1 (1 kg – cut into 4)
Yogurt- 3 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Cummin powder( jeera )- 1 tbsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 to 2 tsp (according to taste)
Salt – as per taste
Garam masala powder- 1 tsp
Juice of 1 lemon
Method:
Wash and clean the chicken. Marinate the chicken in a mixture of all the ingredients. Keep marinated overnight in the refrigerator. Take out. Cook in the gas tandoor or the oven for 15-20 minutes on each side (or till done). Serve with any of the Indian breads.

Hakka Noodles –ready in minutes

Have been dying to make a post here for so many days now, however, my daughter’s exams, guests at home and other domestic commitments has been holding me back for quite long now. A lot of cooking has been happening in the last few days but sitting down to actually write a post somehow has not worked out. What I have realized over the last few days is that I truly miss the bonding with other foodies with this blog. Blogging sure has become a part of my daily life that I truly look forward to. So finally today I decided that all things aside for some time and will just sit down and pen down my latest first thing this morning.

This is a hakka noodles recipe that is ideal for the lazy Sunday when you really don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen yet want to feed your family something delicious. Chinese cuisine is one that I love and yes thank fully all at home do agree with me. So this hakka noodles combined with a Chicken Manchurian or a sweet and sour is one that we all enjoy. It is a regular at my table. This dish also works wonders in getting my daughter to eat vegetables without fussing.

Ingredients
1 packet egg or veg noodles
1 bell pepper(sliced thin)
1 onion (sliced thin)
1 carrot (juliennes)
2 spring onions (chopped fine)
1 stalk celery (chopped fine)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ketchup
½ tsp vinegar

Method:
Take a pan. Add water and salt to it. Add the noodles and cook till done. Strain the excess water and rinse under cold water. Add a tsp of cooking oil. Mix and keep aside.
In a wok, add 2 tbsp cooking oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, carrot, half the celery and spring onions. Stir fry for a minute or two. Add the cooked noodles and stir. Add the soy sauce, ketchup and vinegar. Stir. Garnish with the remaining spring onions and celery. Serve.