Upma, Vada and Sambar - a great beginning to a great day!!

Breakfast is a must at my place and there surely is no compromising on this most important first meal of the day. The first meal of the day when you actually "break your fast" and take in the nourishment for keeping you going for the rest of the day, is what is most important. Whether you have a long day ahead or otherwise, it is important to provide your body with its nutritional requirements for a great start.

Weight watchers who are ignorant about the importance and benefits of a healthy good breakfast prefer skipping breakfast to reduce weight , however, this is the biggest mistake you can make. If you are watching your weight make sure that you have a healthy breakfast or else you end up snacking during the day which is sure to spoil your plans of loosing weight.

Breakfast can do wonders:
-See you through the day energetically and positively. If you skip breakfast then it is going to show in your energy levels and yes, sure to affect your moods and stte of mind adversely.
- Help you achieve your weight reduction goals.
-Ensure good nutrition and health
-A healthy mind and a healthy body.

Breakfast at my place is mostly a South Indian fare.Idlis, dosas (vada to add to the menu ocassionally) or upma. A change from the usual would mean bread and eggs or a North Indian speciality like Poori bhaji or aloo paratha with curds. I liked this combination of upma, vada and sambar that I had at a restaurant the other day and decided to serve the same for breakfast at home. It was great delicious soft upma combined with the flavors of the traditional favorite "Sambar" and the crispy vadas just made it perfect.This is the recipe to the plain simple upma, you can try variations with adding finely chopped potatoes and carrot pieces too.

Upma
Ingredients:
Rawa/Semolina - 1 cup
Water - 1 to 1.5 cups
Salt to taste
Onions - 1 (chopped small and fine)
Green chillies - 1(chopped finely)
Ginger -1" piece (cut into thin long stips, julienne)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (chopped fine)
Oil - 1 tbsp

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leves 10-12

Method:
1-Fry the rawa or semolina on dry heat for a minute or two till it turns golden and keep aside.
2-Take a pan and add the oil. Now add in the mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add the curry leaves for tempering.
3-Add the onions, green chillies, chopped ginger and saute till the onions turn soft.
4-Now add the salt and the water.The water should taste salty so as to ensure that the upma has the right amount of salt.
5-When the water comes to a boil, add the fried semolina or rawa. Cover and cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes till it is completely cooked. Open and add the finely choped coriander leaves and mix well.

Accompaniment: Vadas, Chutney, Sambar
(Vada and Sambar recipe would follow in a future post)

A great beginning to a great day. When I say a great day, I am enjoying some great days now - yes, a on a holiday in Kerala (Home Sweet Home) and would be here for the entire summer vacation. I am enjoying every bit of it. Kerala to me was only home till now but with so much being said and written about this beautiful place "God's Own Country", I have begun to see it in an all new light and have started exploring places which till now have just been taking for granted. Yesterday was a lovely trip to Jew Town (Kochi) and soaking in all the flavors of this colorful vibrant locality that is a treasure house of antiques and old world charm at its best. All this has got me thinking of beginning a travel blog on the sights and marvels of the God's Own Country. Think it would be first thing to do when I get back. For now, however I think would have to get down my food posts to once a week from the twice a week posting. Have to make the most of the holiday and travel as much in this beautiful land as possible. And you sure know how hectic it can get on a holiday.

Some traditional Kerala dishes are what you would find along with summer treats of course. For now its bye from me, please do keep dropping by. It feels great to see so many foodies interested in my blog and just dropping by to say a HI!! Makes my day.

Lemon cake - all that I could save

Summers and lemons sure have a strong connection. The bright yellow is one colour we do associate with summers and the refreshing fresh lemons are in plenty this time of the year. For squashes, pickles, drinks, puddings and satisfying several other creative urges is the yellow and vibrant lemon. The lemon cake is what I decided to make the other day. This is not one that I make regularly as I was a little apprehensive of how my little chef my daughter would accept the taste of lemon in a cake.

Cakes she loves but watching me grating the lemon zest into the cake batter was not one that she could digest easily. However, once the cake was baked she couldn't resist trying it. And yes, She loved the cake. She said "Amma , I like this lemon taste that comes right at the end". OOH was I relieved or happy:)
I too loved the lemon flavor and the taste that came in between the vanilla flavor. The cake came out moist and perfect. The only thing was by the time I decided to click a snap I had only this one slice left:(

Again was I happy or sad? Happy yes, the happiness and satisfaction that you get from seeing that your family loves what you cooks is truly something else. So cheers to the lemon cake it is. will get to baking one sooooon...the response at home has been truly encouraging.

Ingredients:
Flour- 3/4 cup
Baking powder - 3/4 tsp(not heaped)
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Eggs -3
Butter - 1/2 cup (about 60 gms)
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Zest of lemon - 1/4 tsp (be careful while grating that you take only the yellow and don't grate in the white portion under the yellow)
Yellow colour - 2 drops (optional) (I prefer not to use colour)

Method:
1- Sieve all the dry ingredients together.
2- Cream the butter and sugar and slowly add in the dry ingredients.
3- Add the vanilla essence, colour(optional) and the lemon zest. Fold.
4- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes till done.

Thayir saadam - curds, a summer special

Have a few dishes on my camera to be posted and was wondering what it should be today. The scorching heat outside gave me the instant answer - Curds it is!!Homemade Yogurt or curds is my favorite. My mom says that even as a small kid I loved my curds and would just freak out on curd rice any time of the day. Curd rice or Thayirsaadam the South Indian speciality is my post for today.

Made it for lunch yesterday with some homemade yogurt and milk. Yet another quick and easy recipe and best suited for a summer special menu. Making yogurt as I have seen from several non-Indian blogs is considered to be a task in itself and curds or yogurt is generally bought. Here in Indian yogurt making is part of the daily activity. Curds are set every single day in most homes. In Bengal you would find the sweetened curds "Mishti Doi" which can also be had as dessert. Just yummm...Yogurt nutrition I am sure I really need not elaborate on as it is a great source of protein, calcium and is considered to be better than milk.Homemade yogurt is both nutritious and healthy as it is made right in your kitchen in the most hygienic way. I prefer making curds with skimmed milk and do away with all the fat before using the milk for yogurt making. Flavored yogurt is yet another wonderful creation, with so much variety it is one thing that you can just go on with.

Coming back to my curd rice or the "Thayirsaadam", this is one refreshing dish to soothe and cool your body during the summers. An essential part of most South Indian homes, this is a simple and easy dish that is ready in no time.

Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 2 cups
Curd - 1 to 2 tbsp
Milk - 1/4 to 1/2 cup(depending on the consistency you prefer)
Salt - To taste
Ginger - 1" piece (cut into small pieces)
Green chillies - 2 (cut into small pieces)
Oil -1/2 tsp

For tempering:
Curry leaves - a handful
Mustard seeds - 1/2 to 1 tsp
Urad dal- 1/4 tsp

Method:
1-Mix rice with the curd, milk and salt and keep aside for a minute.
2- Take a pan and add the oil. Now add the mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add in the urad dal and curry leaves. Let the urad dal turn golden. Add the rice, mix well and mash it a little.

Accompaniment: Lime or mango pickle

Chicken Stew Recipe - a Kerala speciality

This recipe for chicken stew is a delicious and simple Indian chicken stew recipe from the southern state of Kerala - God's Own Country. Chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces and cooked in a mildly flavored coconut milk based sauce or gravy. The mild spices and the coconut milk bring out the flavours and essence of Kerala cuisine. It is a must add to your chicken recipes for dinner. Simple chicken recipe that is easy to make, quick and a pot full of flavours is what this chicken stew is all about.

There are a few dishes that I have made over the past month and photographed to be posted on a later day. This recipe of chicken stew is one among them. Due to a busy schedule at work and sorting out things at home, have not been able to post most of them.

Cooking and then photographing have become a part of my daily activity ever since I have started with this food blog. I may not post it immediately but the photograph of the dish is saved on my camera for the blog post that I would be making in the coming days. In fact, these days if I do not photograph a dish that I cook then there are raised eyebrows and questions from my hubby:) and daughter as to why no photographs today. Sometimes however, it becomes a little difficult to finish cooking on time and then, the hungry waiting faces have me serving the dish rather than clicking away. I am sure most of us food bloggers have similar experiences to share.

Coming back to my recipe for chicken stew. The chicken stew recipe is a popular dish in my menu. This chicken stew recipe is a traditional Kerala dish. It is especially a favorite among the Christian population. Breakfast with chicken or rather mutton stew with soft fluffy appams is the usual Sunday or holiday breakfast menu in most Christian homes in Kerala. I like the chicken twist to it probably coz vegetable stew is not one that is very popular with hubby dear and my little one and being allergic to mutton, chicken is the best choice.

I serve the chicken stew with either bread or the Kerala Appams. I make it generally for dinner as it is one meal that all three of us sit down together and enjoy. For this I use either chicken breasts cut into small pieces or then the boneless chicken. The readymade coconut milk powders and packs have made making this recipe for chicken stew an easy to make quick dish. My blog I guess is turning more into a quick and easy Indian food guide. With my fast to cook , good to eat "funda" think most recipes that I cook come under this category. The chicken stew can be done instantly however, there is some planning required for making appams as rice has to be soaked and then ground for making the batter. If however, you just feel like having the chicken stew today then it goes perfectly well with bread or maybe even plain steamed rice. This chicken stew is one of the really easy chicken recipes, yet another from my fun and easy cooking list.

Will be posting the appams too very soon as my little one wants to surprise "papa" with appam and chicken stew when he gets back:)

Kerala style Chicken Stew Recipe
Ingredients

Boneless chicken - 500 gms
coconut milk - 200 ml (I use the Dabur hommade coconut milk tetra pack)
Curry leaves - a handful
Onions - 3 (medium sized, cut into thin long strips)
Ginger - 1" piece (cut into long strips)
Green chillies - 2 (cut into thin long strips)
Potato - 1 (cut into small cubes)
Carrot - 1 (cut into small cubes)(optional)
Whole spices - cardamom 3, cloves 3, cinnamon 1" piece
Saunf(powdered fine) - 1 tsp
Butter - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
1-Take a saucepan and add in the oil. Now add in the ginger, green chillies and the chopped onions. Saute till the onions turn soft and slightly golden in colour. Now add the potato, carrots and salt. Saute for a minute.
2- Add the washed and cleaned chicken. Mix well. Add in the curry leaves and cover and let cook till the chicken is done. You may add 1/4 cup of water if you wish, however the chicken would start leaving out its water soon. If you are using fresh coconut milk, the second milk must be added at this stage and the chicken must be cooked in it.
3- Once the chicken is almost done add saunf powder and the coconut milk(readymade or the thick first milk in case you are using fresh coconut) and keep on slow fire and simmer for a minute or two. Do not let it boil. Add fresh curry leaves.
4- Heat the butter in another pan and add the whole spices. Fry for half a minute and add to the chicken stew. Cover and keep for 10 minutes (so that the flavor of the spices blends well into your stew) before serving. You can also add fried onions, cashews and raisins to the chicken stew.

Note: I have used the Dabur Hommade coconut milk tetra pak ready to use coconut milk in this recipe. Alternately I also use the Maggi coconut milk powder which too gives the chicken stew an authentic Kerala taste and flavour.

How to make coconut milk at home?
If you intend to use fresh coconut as is done in the traditionally made Kerala chicken stew. Take one coconut,scrape it and put it into a bowl. Add 1/2 a cup of warm water and use your hands to take out the coconut milk or alternately you could run it in the blender for a few seconds, squeeze out the milk and strain. Keep the milk aside. This is the first milk(thick) and must be kept aside to be added at the end after the chicken is cooked. Do not boil after adding the first milk at the end just let it simmer.

Now add a cup of water to the scraped coconut and take out the milk. This is the second milk(thin) and is one in which the chicken would be cooked.

Accompaniment :Bread, Appam or Idiappams

I am sending this over to Deesha's "South Indies". This is an event that would showcase the South Indian cuisine from the 4 South Indian states. This recipe for chicken stew is one delicious representative of the State Of Kerala and a coconut special.

Paneer Burji - an attempt at pleasing my daughter

With Hubby away for a few days, have to play the tough role of the single parent and keeping my daughter entertained. While he is here every weekend is a fun weekend and we make it a point to go somewhere, a long drive, the beach, checking out a restaurant or at least catch up on some good movie (all 3 of us). So it really has been tough for me trying to keep her happy and occupied.

With the scorching heat of Vizag, it is next to impossible to go out on a picnic or any outdoor activity during the day time. So we both have been out this weekend for pizza and ice cream(sitting in the comforts of an air-conditioned restaurant)and have watched a movie together. With such violent and explicit movies being released by the day I really have no option but watch some of the absolute dumbo films that would appeal to my little one. I must admit that too is a great feeling just sharing some wonderful moments with her. With quite a few holidays and a long weekend( the Good Friday weekend, Ambedkar Jayanti and now the elections tomorrow there are plenty of holidays to tackle). We have been both trying to keep each other happy and counting days:) . In fact, this post I guess is more about trying to pour out my guilt on shamming on the cooking front. She has been tolerating my simple cooking and high thinking:) for some days now (poor thing when he is away then she too makes it a point to cooperate with Amma and keep me well-humored).

Have been feeling a little guilty at shamming it out on my cooking for a few days now. So being the paneer freak my daughter is, I decided to make her one of my paneer dishes that she likes very much. She was at it from when it was done with her tooth pick, picking out the bite sized paneer pieces. We enjoyed having this paneer burji with hot phukas(rotis). Have a little left over for today and we are both looking forward to having that for lunch. Ya but surely will make some chicken too and am planning to bake a cake too. Enough of shamming now have to get to making something nice for my little sweetheart.

This paneer burji recipe is one from my quick, easy and delicious lists. After a long day a quick and easy dish that would satisfy your taste buds and make you feel good. If you like Tofu, you can substitute the paneer with tofu here (for the vegans especially).

Ingredients:
Paneer(cottage cheese)/Tofu 200 gms
Onions - 1 (big, sliced thin and small)
Tomato - 1 medium sized(cut into small pieces)
Capsicum/Green Peppers/Shimla Mirch - 1 big (cut into thin strips)
Salt - to taste
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp(I like using it for the low spice and the great color)
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves/Dhania/Cilantro - 2 to 3 tbsp finely chopped
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp (optional) (I didn't add garam masala)
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp

Method:
1)Cut the paneer into bite sized cubes and keep aside.
2)Take a saucepan and add in the oil. Now add the onions and ginger-garlic paste and saute till the onions turn color and become soft. Add the tomato and capsicum and saute till they turn soft.
3)Add the turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well. Saute till the oil starts to separate. Add in the paneer cubes and half a glass of water. Mix well. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes. Now open and add half of the choped coriander leaves(cilantro). Let the water dry completely. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Accompaniment: Rotis, Butter Naan, Plain Rice

I am sending this Paneer side dish for the WYF-Side dish Event hosted by Simple Indian Food.

Butter Naan - my favorite Indian bread

Butter Naan is a favorite with me and my family. So much so that everytime we go out to a restaurant, butter naan surely figures in our order. The curries or other dishes may vary however, butter naan and most times the butter chicken remains a constant phenomenon. Seeing the delicious butter naan on "Receipeswap" got me really tempted and just couldn't resist it any longer. With a simple and easily available set of ingredient list and procedure this is one that I had to try. It came out very well and both my husband and daughter were all praise. Thanks n33ma.

I did make a few changes to the recipe to suit my palette and creative instincts too. Must admit that every time I find a recipe I feel an urge to tweak it a bit to satisfy myself. I am sure almost all of you would agree with me on this one. I did add some sugar to my naan dough as I like that slight sweet taste. A nice chicken curry or for the vegetarians a great paneer dish and your day would be made. I tried making this naan in my gas tanddor, however, found it tastier and also easier to make on the regular tawa/skillet (chapati tawa). A little preparation of making the dough in advance is all that is needed(giving the dough time to rise). I made my Naans a little small as it seemed easier to handle:)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour(maida)(add in only 2 cups initially if you find the dough a little sticky you could add the remaining flour to make it just perfect)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp sugar
Oil -1 tsp
Butter -2 tbsp
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Note: Instead of yogurt you could even use the water remaining after you prepare paneer (whey)

Method:
1- Take a bowl, add in the flour (2 cups initially), salt, baking powder and the sugar. Mix well.
2- Add in the yogurt or whey and knead into a pliable dough. Add the leftover flour to make it perfect if you feel that your dough is too sticky.
3- Smear 1 tsp of cooking oil over the prepared dough and keep aside covered with a damp cloth.
4- Let the dough remain for an hour or two till it rises. Roll out into triangular shaped naans of approximately 1/2 inch thickness. Cook the naan in your oven, tandoor or the tawa(skillet) till it is done on both sides. Put a blob of butter on the Naan(Indian bread) just before serving. The Naan is best served hot.

Accompaniment: Paneer Makhani/Tandoori chicken/ Butter Chicken, any other spicy Indian vegetarian or non-vegetarian curries

Chicken Biriyani - Quick and Easy

Chicken Biriyani has been a favorite with me. I love the biriyani and it is one that I make atleast once a week. Chicken biriyani with a delicious raita, pappad and pickle can get my mouth watering any time. I make it either with chicken cut into small pieces or even like the idea of making it with boneless chicken. I just finished my biriyani yesterday and now all this writing about it is making me crave for it again. I just don't seem to get enough of it. Mom makes great biriyani and while she was here I would ask her to make it and don't ask had a wonderful time savoring her special biriyani. This is one of my quick and easy biriyani recipes , in fact, got my mom too hooked on to this. It makes it so easy to make this tasty dish.Instead of using the usul biriyani masala , I like to use the Everest chicken masala(great taste guaranteed).

In this method, I cook the rice using the pressure cooker, time is very important here or else the rice may be over cooked or may even get burnt.

Ingredients
Chicken (boneless) - 500 gms
Basmati Rice - 3 cups(400 to 500 gms) (depending on the rice chicken ratio you prefer)
Whole spices - cardamom 3, cloves 3, 1" piece cinnamon, star anise 1 bay leaf 1
(there is another spice which is orangish in color and can be taken out as strands - a little of that, standard Andhra biriyani addition)
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp
Butter 2 tbsp
Everest chicken masala - 2 to 3 tbsp(as per individual spice levels)
Onions -4 (sliced thin and long)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Chopped fresh coriander 3 tbsp
Chopped fresh mint leaves 2 tbsp

Method:
1-Soak the rice in water for half and hour.Wash, drain and keep aside.
Take the pressure cooker, add in 1 tbsp oil and a tbsp of butter. Add in the rice and whole spices. Saute till the rice is crisp and changes color slightly. Now add water(for 1 cup add 1.5 cups of water thus, we would add 4.5 cups)and salt. Cover and cook in pressure cooker (While cooking basmati rice in the pressure cooker, after putting on the weight on the cooker, let rice cook for 10 mins on slow flame. Switch off gas and open the cooker only after 15 minutes).

2- Now for the chicken. Take a pan, add in the oil. Add the onions and ginger-garlic paste and saute till the onions turn golden. Now add the Everest chicken masala and saute till the masala is cooked and the oil starts to separate. Now add the chicken. Cover and let cook till the chicken is done (approx 10 mins). Open and let the entire water content of the chicken dry. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp coriander leaves.

3-Now for combining rice and chicken. Open the rice and let cool then separate the rice grains and keep aside. In a large serving dish, add a layer of rice. a layer of chicken and sprinkle some fresh coriander and mint leaves over it. Repeat for the rest of the rice and chicken. Pour the 1tbsp of melted butter over the biriyani and cover and keep aside for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with raita, pappad and pickle.

Garlic Butter Prawns(Shrimps) - it was yummmm

Prawns or shrimps figure right on top in my list of seafood. Mu daughter loves it. However, it is not really popular with my hubby. Idon't buy it very often, but now when my parents were here (they especially my mom being a seafood lover) we freaked out on lots lots and lots of shrimps. Curried, fried and in may other forms. Generally my mom is the one who cooks it when she is around, however this was my very first attempt at making a shrimp dish(one that was not based on my mom's recipe for a change).

This was one that I put together with just my cooking instincts. A simple recipe but turned out very delicious and my dad was all praise for it. Actually when my sis and I used to cook something during out school days it was dad who was the encouragement (he still continues to provide good support and encouragement to any culinary experiments:)). He would actually finish the dish(unless it was just not edible). He would have his expert comments to make it better the next time but we could be sure that the dish would be well-appreciated. My daughter does a good job at it these days. With really strong tastes, she is my best critic but sometimes if she seems me a little disappointed then she would have praise flowing and her cut smile and simplicity is enough to make my day. I am sure all moms here would agree.

Coming back to my Garlic butter prawns, I am a huge fan of the garlic and this recipe brings out the flavors very well.
Ingredients:
Prawns - 200 gms (de-shelled, de-veined and washed clean)
Onion - 1 (large , cut into thin slices)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder(Kashmiri) - 1 tsp(as per taste)
Garlic - 2 tsp(freshly minced)
Butter -1 tbsp
Oil -1 tbsp
Curry leaves - a handful

Method:
1-Take a pan and add in the oil. Now add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute till the garlic starts giving out a nice aroma.
2- Add in the washed and cleaned prawns and the curry leaves. Add the turmeric powder and Kashmiri chilli powder and mix well.
3- Cover and let cook for 5-7 minutes (do not add water as the prawns would give out a lot of water itself).
4- Open and let cook till the prawns and well-cooked and all the water dries up. Now add the butter and saute on low flame till the prawns turn golden brown. The onions and the little garlic masala that coats the shrimps are just too good. Garnish with a few fresh curry leaves.

Accompaniment : Goes best with plain rice