Unniyappam

Recipe No: 283
Traditionally Unniyappam is made with fresh Rice Flour. But as making/ getting fresh Rice Flour is a bit hard here in US, this is the best alternative. Well, I don’t think that the word ‘alternative’ do justice to these Unniyappams as it is far too easy to make and at the same time tastier and softer than the traditional ones. Oh… forgot to mention one important thing… I consider this as one of the best ways to use those black skinned overripe Bananas… Isn’t it wonderful? My friend who is from the North of Kerala says they call this ‘Kara Appam’ (As these are made in a ‘Kara’/ ‘Unniyappa Kara’).

Ingredients                               Makes around 40 small ones

• Long Grain Rice……1 Cup (Pachari)
• Banana………………..1 Big/ 2 small (1/2 cup mashed)
• Jaggery……………….1 Cup (cut into small pieces)
• Ghee……………………1 1/2 Tablespoons
• Coconut Pieces…….2 Tablespoons (Cut into very small pieces)
• Cumin Seeds………..1/2 Teaspoon (Optional)
• Sesame Seeds………1/2 Teaspoon
• Oil for frying
• Unniyappa Kara or Paniyaram pan for making the Unniyappam.

Method of Preparation

1. Wash and soak the Rice for 5-6 hours.
2. Melt Jaggery in ¼ Cup Water on a medium low flame until the pieces are melted thoroughly. Strain it twice to remove the impurities. Let it cool completely.
3. Drain the Rice well and grind it together with Banana and the melted Jaggery into a course batter. (The consistency requires special mentioning… It doesn’t have to be smooth; if we touch the batter and rub it between fingers we should feel the small bits in it.)
4. Pour it into a container and let it rest/ soak for about 6 hours. (I keep this overnight. This step is very important and read the 'notes' part to know more.)
5. Heat Ghee in a shallow pan on medium heat and fry the Coconut pieces till it starts to brown. Add the Cumin Seeds; stir and off the heat immediately. Pour this into the soaked batter together with the Sesame Seeds and mix well. (Adjust the thickness of the batter at this stage; if poured from a height it should flow down easily; you may not have to add any more Water if you follow the recipe carefully.)
6. Heat an Unniyappam/ Paniyaram pan on a medium heat and add the Oil up to 3/4th of the indentations. (Please refer the picture) Let it heat up.

7. Pour a tablespoon full of batter into each indentation and let it cook on the bottom. Once cooked, the sides will detach from the pan and will start to rotate in the Oil. (Please refer the picture.)
8. Turn the Unniyappam so that the other side is also cooked. (I pour 1 Tablespoon batter each and it took a minute on one side and 30 seconds on the other…yes very fast…)
9. Remove it from the Oil and let the excess Oil drain on a paper towel.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature. This will stay good at room temperature for 3-4 days; but will stay good for a longer period in the refrigerator. In the case of refrigeration, let it come to a room temperature or slightly warm it up before serving.

Notes:

• I used the dark Kerala type Jaggery, so using alternatives can reduce the color of the Unniyappam. Also it was broken into small pieces. Grating may change the level of sweetness of the dish.
• I used the common Robusta type Banana that is available in US. These are big ones, so if you are using small variety you may have to use 2 or 3 depending on the size.
• This batter will be a little bit thinner than the Dosa batter.
•  Letting the batter rest for at least 6 hours is very important, as it helps the Rice particles soak making the Unniyappam rise; take into consideration that we are not adding any Baking Soda. Please note the bottom picture to see how much it rises without any leavening agents; this will happen only if you allow the batter to rest.
• To reduce the amount of batter sticking on to the 'Kara', let the pan heat up a bit before adding the Oil. Let the Oil heat again before adding the batter.
• The level of the Oil in the pan will rise with the addition of the batter; consider this when you pour Oil into the pan.
• Using a wooden skewer or an elongated rod with a pointed end is better to turn the Unniyappam and to take them out of the Oil.
• I put the gas stove on medium heat (on 5) throughout the whole process of making Unniyappam.(No increasing or decreasing the heat) Find a suitable moderate heat level on your stove for the process. Too high heat will burn the Unniyappam without cooking the inside and too low heat will make the Unniyappam absorb a lot of Oil.
• This recipe can be easily doubled.

 




Make it enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Radish Pickle

Recipe No: 282
This is one of those recipes that came into life as a desperate attempt to save some Radishes that were left behind in my vegetable bin just before we moved to Atlanta. It stayed good for a long time and was a real help during the movement.
The inspiration for this recipe is the Carrot Pickle featured in one of my favorite blog Mishmash. As Radish contains lot more Water, it requires a different treatment than that of Carrots. So here is it…

Ingredients

• Radish……...............3 Cups (wash; cut off both ends and slice into thin long pieces)
• Salt……………………..1 Teaspoon

To Saute

• Oil……………………….2 Tablespoons (I used Vegetable Oil)
• Mustard Seeds……..1/2 Teaspoon
• Garlic…….…….........2 Tablespoons (cut into thin, long slices)
• Ginger……...............1 Tablespoon (cut into thin, long slices)
• Green Chilly……......3 Tablespoons (cut into thin, long slices)
• Vinegar……………....1/4 Cup
• Sugar………………….1/4 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation

1. Mix Radish and Salt; keep aside for 20 minutes. (By this time Water from the Radish will be oozing out.)
2. Squeeze the Radish really good; discard the excess liquid and keep aside.
3. Heat Oil in a pan on medium high flame and splutter the Mustard Seeds.
4. Add Garlic, Ginger and Green Chilly; sauté for a minute or till slightly wilted.
5. Add the Radish; mix well and off the heat immediately.
6. Mix in the Vinegar and Sugar. (Add Salt only if needed; most of the Salt that was added to the Radish will go while squeezing them and the remaining will give enough Saltiness to the pickle.)
7. When cooled, store in an airtight container.

Notes:

• Even though this pickle is good to serve the day it is made, I think it tastes better the second day.
• Don't leave the Radish in the heat for a long time as it may reduce its crunchiness. 
• Do adjust the amount of Vinegar according to your taste. (But the amount given in the recipe is good for mine.)

 





Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Pazham/ Banana Varattiyathu – Nurukku Gothambu/ Broken Wheat Pradhaman

Recipe No: 281
Jack fruit or Chakka Varattiya Pradhaman is one of my favorites (I had this Pradhaman more than one time from a friend of ours at Indianapolis) and as Jack fruit is not available in this part of the world (my friend used to bring Chakka Varattiyathu from Kerala), I settle with Pazham/ Banana instead of Jack fruit. Along with its tempting an addictive taste, this is a good way to use the overripe Bananas (with black/ dotted skin) that most of your family members may ignore. This Pradhaman should be thick so that it can be easily poured on to a Banana leaf without running for a traditional Sadhya/ Feast.

Ingredients                                       Serves 6-8

• Broken Wheat……......1/4 Cup (Nurukku Gothambu)
• Jaggery………………....1 ½ Cups (broken into small pieces)
• Mashed Banana……..2 Cups (4 large ones)
• Ghee……………………...3 Tablespoons
• Cashew nuts…………..2 Tablespoons (broken into small pieces)
• Raisins…………………..2 Tablespoons
• Milk……………………….1 Cup
• Cardamom Powder…1/4 Teaspoon (homemade; if not, add a bit more)

Method of Preparation

1. Add a cup of Water to the washed Broken Wheat and cook till soft. If you are doing this in a regular pan let it boil on high heat; reduce the heat to minimum and let it cook covered (There are chances of boiling over if this is allowed to boil at high temperature for a longer time.). If you are using Pressure cooker, cook it for one whistle. (I used a regular pan method.)
2. Melt Jaggery in ½ Cup Water on a medium flame and strain it twice to remove the impurities.
3. Heat Ghee in a pan on medium heat and fry the Cashew pieces till it starts to brown along the edges. Add the Raisins to the Ghee along with the Cashews and fry till plump. Remove this from the Ghee and keep aside till ready to be used.
4. To the remaining Ghee and the Mashed Banana and the strained Jaggery and cook till most of the Water is absorbed.

Add the cooked Broken Wheat (I add the remaining Water too as it was only a little.) and most of the Cashews and Raisins (keep some for garnish); cook till the mixture starts to leave the sides. Stir occasionally to avoid burning at the bottom. Once the mixture starts to reduce considerably, do stir almost continuously. (Please refer the picture to know the stage at which you can proceed to the next stage).
Add the Milk and let it start to simmer along the edges. 
Add Cardamom Powder and switch off the heat. Mix well and serve hot or cold.

Notes:

• This Pradhaman is on the sweeter side; but it is meant to be eaten only in very less amounts. If you wish to make it less sweet, do reduce the amount of Jaggery. (Well I don't prefer that at all...)
• I used the most commonly available (in US) Robusta type banana (Not plantains) for this preparation and only 4 of them. If you are using small variety Banana, you should mash at least 8 of them to make 2 cups of mashed Banana.
• I used the dark Kerala style Jaggery and hence the dark color. The color of the dish will be a bit on the lighter side if lighter colored Jaggery is used.
• If you are using already roasted Cashews, add both Cashews and Raisins together to the Ghee. But if you have to settle with raw Cashews, do give it a head start.
• Don't let the milk boil vigorously in the Pradhaman or it may separate. Also do stir continuously at this stage.
• I like this Pradhaman on the thick side; if you want it thin, add a bit more of Milk. But I don’t recommend adding too much Milk in order to preserve the uniqueness of this Pradhaman.

 






Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

Date Cookies

Recipe No: 280

When 'Our Santa' secretly sent me a message to change the usual Sugar or Ginger Bread Cookies to something new and exciting this year, this suddenly came into my mind. So when 'Santa' was busy finishing the last minute Christmas shopping, me and my daughter whipped up this Cookies on the Christmas Eve.

Ingredients                                            Makes 14-16

To make the Pastry dough

• All Purpose Flour/ Maida……1 Cup
• Cold Butter…………………….….6 Tablespoons (unsweetened; cubed)
• Sugar……………………………..…1/4 Cup
• Baking Soda……………………...1/8 Teaspoon
• Salt……………………………….….a pinch (Avoid if you are using salted Butter)
• Rose Essence…………………....1/3 Teaspoon
• Cold Water……………………….3-4 Tablespoons

For the filling

• Dates Chopped…………………..1 Cup
• Water………………………….……1/3 Cup
• Sugar……………………...……….3 Tablespoons

Method of Preparation

To make the Covering/ Pastry

1. In a Food Processor/ electric mixer, pulse together Flour, Sugar, Salt, Baking Soda, Rose Essence and Butter (cubed) for a few times till the Flour resembles wet sand or bread crumbs. (Don’t make it very fine; there should be small pieces of Butter left in the Flour.) Alternatively you can mix Butter into the Flour using your fingertips just like you would moisten the Flour for Puttu.
2. Add 3-4 tablespoons of Water into the mixture to make a very crumbly dough. (At this stage the Flour will stick together if pressed but very crumbly.)
3. Dump the dough onto a floured board/ work surface and pat all the dough mixture together into one mass; cover with a plastic or Aluminum foil and keep in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or till the filling is ready.

To make the Filling

1. Heat chopped Dates, Sugar and Water on medium heat till it comes to a boil and the Sugar is melted. Switch off the heat and let it cool a bit. Pulse it once or twice in a food processor or the dry grinder of a Mixer Grinder. The filling should not have any big pieces and don’t make it too dry as this mixture will continue to tighten up as it cools.
2. Let the filling cool down completely before filling the cookie. If needed, add one or two tablespoons more of Water if the filling becomes too dry on cooling.

To make and bake the Dates filled Cookie

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚F/ 163˚C.

Roll out the pastry into 1/8 inch thickness and make 14 - 16 squares 2 1/2 -3 inch squares. (I used a 2 3/4 inch square cookie cutter with a pretty edge.) Bring all the scraps together and make more. If it becomes sticky, do refrigerate the dough for a while.
Divide the filling between the cut out squares taking care to place them along the middle of the pastry, leaving some space on the sides. (Please refer the picture.)
Fold both sides of the pastry over the Dates filling, so that, most of the filling is covered showing only a thin line along the middle. Press slightly on top of the cookie so that the filling and the pastry stick together.
Place it on a baking tray and continue with the rest.
Bake the filled Pastry in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes. (The Cookie should be slightly crispy with light coloration along the edges, but not fully brown.)
Serve warm or at room temperature with a glass of Black Coffee or Green Tea as a snack or as a dessert after dinner.

Notes:

• While mixing Butter into the Flour, there should be small pieces of Butter left and don’t knead this dough too much as it will melt the Butter. Just pat the dough together and roll it out. In a hot oven, the small pieces of Butter will melt creating steam that will help the dough rise making it flaky, which is very essential for this cookie.
• Apply Flour on the board/ work surface and the rolling pin to avoid the dough from sticking. 
• If you don't have the time for the dough to chill in the refrigerator, do put it in the freezer for 6-8 minutes.
• You can make this pastry without Rose Essence, but its addition gives a very special taste.
• If in case the Date mixture is too tight when cold, do add a tablespoon or two of Water and mix well to incorporate. Don’t make it very wet or it will be make the cookie soggy when cooked.
• Let the Date filling cool completely before filling the Pastry or the heat from the filling will make the dough too soft to handle.
• The low temperature setting of the oven will crisp up the cookie without browning  it too much.
• Store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate.

 

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 

serve it to your family with love...

Orange Pudding

Recipe No:279
By Christmas, I had a basket full of Oranges sitting on the counter ideally, without being eaten and totally thrown into shadows by all the Cookies, Cakes and other festive items… So this pudding came as my desperate attempt to rescue those Oranges from not ending up in the garbage and I have to say that all of us who ignored those Oranges before, treated the pudding with respect and love!!!

Ingredients                                       Serves 8-10

• Milk…………….....….1 Cup
• Sugar…………….......2/3 Cup +3 Tablespoons
• Eggs…………….....….2 Large
• Gelatin…………........1 Tablespoon (Flavorless)
• Corn Flour…….........1 Teaspoon
• Orange Juice…........1 Cup (Freshly squeezed; will need 3 large-5 small oranges)
• Orange Segments…1/2 Cup (Take off the skin and seeds; cut into small pieces)
• Heavy Cream……….1/2 Cup

Method of Preparation

1. Soak Gelatin in 3 Tablespoons of Cold Water and keep aside for 5 minutes.
2. Dissolve Corn Flour in 2 Tablespoons of Water and keep aside till ready to be used.
3. Take the Orange segments out either by peeling and removing the skin, seeds and the thin membranes around the segments. (If it is hard to peel the Oranges, please go through the ‘Notes’ section to find an alternative.) Break/ cut them into small pieces and keep aside till ready to be used.
4. Beat the Eggs thoroughly and keep aside till ready to be used.
5. Heat Milk and 2/3 cup of Sugar on medium heat till the Sugar is melted thoroughly and the Milk is heated through.
6. Pour ¼ Cup of this hot Milk into the Egg and mix well (This is called tempering, which is important; more info in the ‘Notes’ section). Pour the Egg- Milk mixture back into the remaining Milk, together with the soaked Gelatin (which will now be plump) and let the mixture start to simmer on medium low heat. Do stir often at this stage or the mixture will separate.
7. Once it shows the signs of a gentle simmer, add the Corn flour mixture and cook for a few more seconds or till thickened. (Not more than 30 seconds) Do stir continuously.
8. Switch off the heat and let it cool down completely. This process can be quickened by placing the Custard in a bowl of Ice/ Cold Water. If you have, add 2-3 drops of Orange essence at this stage. (I did not have it on hand and the taste  of the pudding was perfectly fine without.)
9. Once the Custard is cooled, strain it (to remove the solid pieces, if any) and then mix in the fresh Orange Juice and the Orange segments.
10. Whip the cream with 3 Tablespoons of Sugar till thickened or soft peaks are formed. Fold/ mix this whipped cream into the pudding as gentle as possible so that most of the air incorporated while whipping stays. Mix till everything is evenly incorporated. (No whipped cream here and there)
11. Pour it into a pan (you can decide that shape and size of the pudding, I used an 11 x 7 pan) and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (overnight is better). Cut it into desired shapes; add suitable decorations and serve cold.

Notes:

• Even though Gelatin is the component that solidifies this pudding, Corn flour gives it a soft nature so that your pudding can be cut easily into any shapes yet very soft and smooth.
• It won’t take a long time to squeeze 3-5 oranges; so try to use freshly squeezed Orange Juice. Ready- made/ bottled orange juices are not advised.

• This is how I took the Orange segments out of these Oranges which are nearly impossible to peel. Cut the top and the bottom of the Orange; place it on a flat surface and run the knife through the sides, so that the Peel along with the membrane is removed exposing the flesh. Once this is done all around the Orange, get the segments out by cutting on both sides of the flesh leaving all the membranes attached and all the flesh out. By doing this some juice will be coming out; do reserve that for the juice needed for the recipe. After taking the flesh out, do squeeze the remaining membranes to extract the remaining juice.
• If you add Egg directly to the hot Milk, the sudden rise in temperature will cook the Eggs fast to make some sort of a ‘scrambled Egg’ mess. Adding a bit of hot Milk to the Egg first will raise the temperature of the Eggs slightly, so that it will not separate/ cook too fast when it hits the rest of the hot Milk. So this step, called tempering, is very crucial in making smooth Custards.
• Corn Flour/ Starch when dissolved in water has a tendency to settle  with time. So do stir it just before adding. Don't confuse Corn flour with Corn meal...they are different. The type I mentioned in this recipe is called Corn Starch in US and  Corn Flour in India.
• Please let the Custard cool thoroughly before adding the Orange Juice and segments; otherwise the acid in the Oranges will curdle the Custard.
• As this pudding is Gelatin based, it may melt if you keep it at room temperature for a long time.

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
serve it to your family with love…

Stove top Whole Chicken with Vegetables and Caramelized Onion

Recipe No: 278
‘Mom, are you happy that our break is going to be over? You know, we still get time to annoy you in the evening’. 

My dear daughter was having a conversation with me yesterday… Even though I put a sad face to satisfy her,  inside I was like… 

'When and where did my sweet little daughter study this mind reading technique?'  

Yes, the winter break is over, I have time to breath and yes of course, some time for blogging… I didn’t get a chance to write about our Christmas lunch yet… so here is the main dish, a whole Chicken made entirely on the stove top…
Many whole roasted Chicken recipes call for cooking in an Oven, which may be a bit difficult, to at least some of us sometimes, so I decided to go entirely on stove top and the only thing needed is a big pan/ wok/ Chenachatti. So here it is…..

Ingredients                            Serves 6-8

• Chicken…………....…...1 (1 ½ - 1 ¾ Kg; without the skin)
• Oil………………………...2-3 Tablespoons
• Boiling Water….……..1 ½ Cups
• Cubed Vegetables…..4 Cups (I used Potato, Carrot and Cauliflower; Green Beans are also good for this)
• Onion sliced thin…....2 Cups
• Sugar……………….……1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt to taste; Coriander Leaves for garnish

To marinate the Chicken

• Red Chilly Powder……….1 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder…….....1/2 Teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder……......1/2 Teaspoon
• Pepper Powder…………….1/4 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder...1/2 Teaspoon
• Fennel Powder………….…1/2 Teaspoon (Peringeerakam Podi/ Anise seed Powder)
• Ginger Garlic Paste……...1 Teaspoon
• Salt………………………….....2 Teaspoons
• Vinegar…………………..…..1 ½ Teaspoons

Method of Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients in the ‘to marinade’ section into a thick paste (Can use a bit of Water if needed, but keep it on the dry side; the residual Water from the Chicken will make it thin later.) and keep aside till ready to be used.
2. Wash and clean the Chicken; remove the giblets from the inside and wipe it dry with a paper towel. (Make it as dry as possible.)
3. Spread the marinade on the Chicken (inside the cavity also) as even as possible; keep aside for at least 2 hours. (Overnight in the refrigerator is better.) Tie the legs of the Chicken together (I used kitchen twin and don't forget to take it off before serving) and tuck the tips of the wings (if using; I didn't) behind the neck.
4. Boil the Vegetables in Water till just cooked. Drain and keep aside till ready to be used. (Alternatively you can also steam the Veggies; this can be done while the Chicken is cooking.)
5. Heat 1-2 Tablespoons of Oil in a pan on medium low heat and saute the sliced Onion, a pinch of Salt and Sugar till caramelized. We are not looking for crispy fried Onion, but slightly brown, sweet and nicely wilted Onion. This will take 20-25 minutes, but can be done while the Chicken is cooking. Keep aside till ready to be used.
6. Heat 2-3 Tablespoons of Oil in a deep pan on high heat. Swirl the pan so that the Oil spreads evenly on all sides (even the edges).
7. Place the Chicken in the pan and fry till slightly brown on all the four sides.

Once browned on all the sides, place the Chicken, breast side down and add 1 ½ cups of boiling Water. (Cold Water not allowed as it reduces the temperature as a whole.)
Shake the pan once; close it and let it cook for 3o minutes on medium low heat. (The liquid should be visibly simmering at all times; adjust the temperature accordingly.)
After 30 minutes, turn the Chicken once so that the breast side is up and let it continue cooking for another 20 minutes, covered. It is advised to shake the Chicken once in a while to avoid sticking at the bottom.
Once the Chicken is cooked, (the leg meat will pull up and look as if it is gonna fall off) carefully remove the Chicken to a plate and let the gravy reduce on high heat. Usually I used to reduce it till I can see the bottom of the pan clearly when I stir the gravy. (The thickness is according to your preference; I like it on the thicker side.)

8. Take 2-3 Tablespoons of the thickened gravy out and keep aside for later use (to coat the Vegetables). Reduce the heat to low; place the cooked Chicken in the pan with rest of the gravy; let the Chicken gets heated through and the gravy is coated well on all sides (turn once or twice in between, carefully).
9. Remove the Chicken to a serving plate and slather it with the remaining gravy from the pan (if any). Garnish it with chopped Coriander Leaves and Caramelized Onion.
10. To the same pan (which already has the gravy sticking), add the cooked Vegetables and the reserved gravy (2-3 Tablespoons). Mix, so that the vegetables are coated well with the gravy. Add more Salt and Pepper if needed.
11. Once the Vegetables are heated through, serve it hot, garnished with some Caramelized Onion,along with Chicken. 

Notes:

• As this recipe is made entirely on the stove top with the cooking liquid, the skin will not crisp up. So it is better to avoid skin in this preparation. (I usually remove the skin from a whole Chicken at home; it is not a painful process at all… try it if you can’t get a skinned Chicken.)
• Don’t use regular/ cold Water while cooking Chicken as it reduces the temperature of the pan and the Chicken, which in turn increases the time of cooking.
• Do swirl the Chicken now and then while it is cooking to prevent sticking on the bottom, especially if you are not using a non stick pan or a seasoned wok. Mine is a seasoned Carbon Steel Wok... well it doesn't have a pleasing look but it is well seasoned and acts almost like a non stick without any non stick coating!!! ( If you have a wok looking like this, dont even think about making it pretty by getting rid of all those brown color as it will take all its non stick/ seasoned nature with it.)
• Don't cook the Vegetables too much or it will break apart when mixed in the pan later.
• Cook the Vegetables and saute the Onion while the Chicken is cooking in order to save the time.

 




Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love….