Biscuits and Gravy

Recipe No:91

The Biscuit part of this recipe is adapted from food Network’s Paula Deen  with very minimum modifications. It is a very easy recipe if you follow the directions. Please make sure to read the ‘notes’ before making attempts. Gravy part is also very easy and  it can be made with or without Sausage... Either way it goes well with Biscuits. So here goes the American style Biscuits…

Biscuits

Ingredients                                         Makes 8 big ones

• Flour………………………...2 Cups
• Sugar………………………..2 Teaspoon
• Baking Powder…………..1 Tablespoon
• Baking Soda……………....1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt…………………………..3/4 teaspoon
• Cold Butter………………..8 Tablespoons
• Cold Milk……………….….3/4 Cup
• Egg…………………………..1
• Water…………………….…1 Tablespoon
• Pepper Powder………....As per needed

Method of Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F/ 218˚C
2. Mix together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Sugar and Salt; mix really well.
3. Chop cold Butter into small pieces and gently mix into the flour until it makes a  coarse consistency. Small pieces of Butter should be present in the flour at this stage. If you are using a food processor this will be achieved in a few pulses and if you are using a stand mixer, mix it for two minutes or until butter forms the size of Peas.
4. Add cold Milk and mix lightly till a dough is formed.
5. Dump this into a well floured board and pat the dough together into 1 inch thick disc. Don’t knead the dough.
6. Cut the Biscuits using a round cutter of desired diameter and place them on a buttered baking sheet. Chill this for 10 minutes.
7. Beat Egg and Water together (This is egg wash) and brush the top of the Biscuits with the egg wash and sprinkle some coarsely ground Pepper  on top.
8. Bake for 14-16 minutes in the middle rack of the oven  until the Biscuits achieve a light brown color on top.

Notes:

• It is very important that the butter is cold in this recipe and it should be crumbly and not melted into the dough so that when the heat hits the cold butter it melts and the steam will make the Biscuits puff up. This is the same reason why you shouldn't knead the dough, for if you knead the heat of our palm will melt the Butter.
• You can use Red Chilly Powder to sprinkle the top of the Biscuits instead of Pepper Powder.
• The leftover Biscuits can be used to make sandwiches.

Sausage Gravy 

Ingredients                                       Makes 1 1/2 Cups

• Spicy Italian Sausage......….1 (Uncooked is the best)
• All Purpose Flour…………....1 ½ Tablespoons
• Milk……………………………....1 ½ Cups
• Oil…………………………………1 Tablespoon
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Heat Oil in a pan on medium heat and add the sausage meat that is taken out of the casing.
2. Try to separate the meat as much as possible using a spoon and fry it in the oil till slightly brown.
3. Reduce the temperature to medium low and sprinkle the Flour on top and fry it for two minutes or till the raw smell of the Flour is gone.
4. Add the Milk and mix well without any lumps. Let it start to simmer along the edges. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
5. Serve it hot on top of Biscuits.

Notes:

• Its very important to fry the flour well in the oil or the gravy will taste like raw flour.
• If you don't eat Sausage then start by frying Flour in Oil  (1 1/2 tablespoons of Oil and   1 1/2 tablespoons of Flour)and then add the milk and the rest of the procedure is same as that of the Sausage gravy.
• Raw Sausage is available in the fresh meat section of your grocery store.

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

Stuffed Idiyappam/ Stuffed String Hopper

Recipe No: 90
Most of the Kerala households are familiar with Idiyappanm or String Hopper as a breakfast dish and there are a lot of recipes for that in the internet. So as a part of giving a twist to the regular Idiyappam and to make it a bit more exiting, I came up with the idea of stuffing it.  After all we stuff a lot of things…from Peppers to Parathas to Chicken and even  Pigs…

Ingredients                                          Makes 16
For the Stuffing

• Oil………………………..........1 ½ Tablespoons
• Minced Beef…………..........200 Grams
• Onion Chopped……...........1 Cup
• Ginger Garlic Paste….......1 Tablespoon
• Chilly Powder………….......3/4 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder……......1 Teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder…….......1/4 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder….3/4 Teaspoon
• Pepper Powder…………….1/2 Teaspoon
• Vegetables……...................1 Cup (I used grated Carrots and Fresh Green Peas)
• Chopped Tomato……….…1 Large
• Soy Sauce………………….…1 Tablespoon
• Coriander Leaves………….2-3 Tablespoons (Chopped)
• Salt as per taste

To make the Dough

• Roasted Rice flour…………1 ½ Cup (Finely Powdered)
• Salt…………………………...…1/2 Teaspoon
• Boiling Water..………………1 ½ - 2 Cups

Other Ingredients

• Grated Coconut……...…….as per needed

Special Equipments Needed

• Idiyappam Maker
• Steamer
• Idli Mold

Method of Preparation 

To Make the Filling

1. Heat Oil in a pan (Start with the pan of a pressure cooker  to reduce the number of dishes to wash in the end)  on high heat and saute the Onion until it is wilted.
2. Add the minced Beef and fry till it starts to brown.
3. Add the Ginger- Garlic paste and continue frying until the raw smell is gone.
4. Lower the heat to low and add Chilly Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Pepper powder and Garam Masala Powder and saute for two or three minutes.
5. Add Vegetables, Tomatoes and Soy Sauce and mix well; add 1 Cup of water  and Salt and Pressure cook till 3 whistles.
6. Once the pressure is gone open the cooker and let the extra water (if any) evaporate. (Don’t make the stuffing too dry or two watery)
7. Sprinkle the Coriander leaves and keep aside till ready to be used.

To make the dough

1. Mix Rice Flour and salt well and add boiling water and mix with a spoon. Once the mixture is cold enough to handle, knead into smooth dough. Start with 1 ½ Cups of water and then add more if needed. The dough should be soft enough  so that it will come out easily when pressed though the small holes of the Idiyappam Maker.

To assemble and Steam the Idiyappam

1. Fit the attachment with the small holes to the Idiyappam maker and fill it with the rice dough. Wet your palms with water to avoid the dough sticking.
2. In the bottom of the Idli mold add a teaspoon of grated Coconut and press a layer of  Idiyappam strands on top of that.
3. Once a nice layer of strings are formed, place a teaspoon full of the filling in the middle and press more dough on top of the filling so that the filling cannot be seen.
4. Keep this in a steamer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through.
5. Once slightly cooled, invert the Idiyappam carefully and serve hot.

Notes:

• In this amount of ingredients there will be some left over filling, which can be a very delicious side dish with stuffed Idiyappam.
• The minced meat mentioned in the recipe is raw minced beef. If you have only cooked and shredded meat then there is no need to pressure cook.
• You can use the filling of your choice.

 



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

Broiled Chicken (In Thandoori Style Marinade)

Recipe No: 89
This is a very easy way to enjoy the flavors of Thandoori Chicken at home without the help of the Grill or Thandoor.

Ingredients

• Chicken cut into big pieces….1 ½ Kg or 3.3 pounds (Make two to three slits per side or pierce throughout the chicken pieces with a fork so that the marinade will be absorbed into the Chicken)

For the Marinade

• Thick Curd…………………………….1/2 Cup
• Ginger Garlic paste…………………1 1/2 Tablespoons
• Chilly Powder………………………...1 Tablespoon
• Coriander Powder………………..…1 Tablespoon
• Roasted Cumin Powder…………..1 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder…………...1 Teaspoon
• Nutmeg Powder……………………..1/4 Teaspoon
• Kasoori Methi………………………..1 1/2Teaspoon (Crush it with your palms before mixing.)
• Pepper Powder………………………1/2 Teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder………………..…1/4 Teaspoon
• Lemon Juice……………………….…2 Tablespoons
• Salt………………………………………1 Tablespoon
• Red Food Color if needed

Method of Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together and marinate the Chicken. Keep this in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Overnight is better. Bring it back to room temperature before cooking.
2. Preheat the oven on high broil mode for 5 minutes.
3. Arrange the Chicken pieces on a baking tray and put the tray on the second rack from the top.
4. Broil till done. The time will vary according to the oven. It will take approximately 15 minutes per side. Or look for the desired dark color on the Chicken pieces. Check whether the Chicken is done by piercing one piece with a knife. If the juices are running clear, then it is done.
5. Serve hot with Lime or Lemon wedges and sides of your choice.

Notes:

• In order to make thick curd, take a strainer with a kitchen towel on the bottom and keep the curd on the towel. Keep this strainer in a bowl so that the strainer don't touch the bottom of the bowl. All the water from the curd will drain out in two to three hours giving you thick curd. Or simply hang the Curd in a cheese cloth.
• To make roasted Cumin powder either dry roast Cumin seeds until a bit dark and then powder it or dry roast store bought Cumin powder till slightly dark and fragrant.
• Broiling is procedure in which only the top coil or the burner will flame up with high temperature, that gives the effect of grilling. Generally it has two settings high and low that can be used according to the recipe. While doing this it is good to put the rack closer to the burning upper hot surface.
• Marinated Chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to two days and in the Freezer up to a week. Either way bring it to the room temperature before cooking to ensure even cooking.

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

Dry Shrimp and Coconut Stir Fry/ Unakka Konchu Thoran

Recipe No: 88

Unakka Konchu thoran used to be a part of Christian feasts back in the days before Cabbage started taking its place. So whenever my mother prepares a big feast for elder people, she makes this and almost all the time she gets good comments. So recently when I visited an Asian store, I came across this good and clean dried shrimp which awoke my memories on this preparation. To my amazement this didn't give that sharp smell caused by dried fishes and I should say it tasted awesome too… So here it goes a recipe straight from my mother’s kitchen…

Ingredients                                    Serves 6-8

• Clean Dry Shrimp…………..100gms./ 3.5oz/ 1 Cup
• Dry Red Chilly………………..2
• Coconut Grated……………...1 Cup
• Turmeric Powder…………...1/2 Teaspoon
• Green Chilly…………………..4-5 (Depending on your heat tolerance)
• Shallots sliced………………...1/2 Cup
• Ginger Chopped……………..1 Teaspoon
• Garlic Clove…………………...1 Large
• Coconut Oil…………………….1 ½ Tablespoons
• Curry Leaves………………….2 Sprigs
• Salt as per taste

Method of Preparation

1. Wash the Dried Shrimp really good by rubbing it in water at least three times and drain really good by squeezing.
2. Grind together Dry red Chilly, Coconut, Turmeric Powder, Green Chilly, Shallots, Salt, Ginger and Garlic well.
3. To this add the Shrimp and grind once more so that some of the Shrimp is crushed and some are left whole.
4. Put all these into a pan together with Curry leaves and salt, add ½ cup of water, close the pan and cook this on high heat till it boils and then reduce the flame and cook till all the water is absorbed.
5. Once cooked add the Coconut oil and some crushed Curry leaves on top, close the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Serve hot with rice.

Notes:

• Cleaning whole dried Shrimp can be done in two ways. One is that you can pick the head and appendages directly. Another way is heating it in a pan without any oil till it is hot and then crush it lightly with your hands; the head and the appendages will separate easily.
• Be careful while adding salt as the dried shrimp may be salty at times.

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

Vegetable-Paneer Medley

Recipe No: 87

This is a very easy and delicious way to eat your vegetables. Paneer is an addition to incorporate some protein into the dish, but it’s perfectly okay to avoid that and make with only Vegetables. Enjoy!!!

Ingredients                                       Serves 4

To Grind

• Dry Red Chilly………………5-8 (Depending on your heat tolerance. If you don't have dry Chilly, substitute it with 1-1 1/2 Teaspoons of Red Chilly Powder.)
• Poppy Seeds (Kus Kus)...2 Tablespoons
• Vinegar……………..…………1 Teaspoon
• Cashew Nuts………………..12 No
• Garlic………………………….4 Big
• Ginger…………………………1 inch piece
• Onion Chopped……….……1 Cup
• Tomato……………………….1 Big
• Coriander Powder…...…...1 Tablespoons
• Turmeric Powder…….…..1/4 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder….1 Teaspoon
• Roasted Cumin Powder...1/2 Teaspoon

To Cook

• Oil……………………………….....3 Tablespoons
• Vegetables cut into cubes.....3 Cups (Use Carrots, Potatoes, Beans, Green Peas, Cauliflower etc:)
• Fried Paneer cubed…..…….....1 Cup
• Cream……………………….…......1/2 Cup
• Coriander/Cilantro Leaves....2 Tablespoons

Method of Preparation

1. Soak Dry Red Chilly, Cashew Nuts and Poppy seeds in Vinegar and ¼ Cup Hot Water for 20 minutes.
2. Grind the Soaked Red Chilly mixture together with all the other ingredients  into a smooth paste.
3. Heat Oil in a pan on medium low heat and add the ground paste and saute till all the water is evaporated and oil begins too ooze out. This will take some time and there are chances to splutter. So partially cover the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan now and then to avoid the mixture from sticking. (The tendency to stick is more as there is Cashew).
4. Once Oil starts to ooze out, fry the mixture for two more minutes and add the Vegetables and two cups of water. Close the lid and let the Vegetables cook.
5. Add the fried Paneer to the Vegetables once it is 3/4th done.
6. When the Vegetables are fully cooked add the Cream and Coriander leaves and wait till it starts to boil along the edges.
7. Switch off the heat and Serve hot after sprinkling with chopped Coriander leaves. This goes well with Rice, Appam, Chappathi , Roti, and Bread.

Notes:

• If you are looking for a low fat dish substitute cream with fat free evaporated milk or regular reduced fat milk.
• It is perfectly okay to substitute Cashews with peeled Almonds.
• Opiates (Morphine and Codeine) can be detected in urine for at least 48  hours after one eats foods containing Poppy Seeds and hence there are chances to fail a drug test. So if you are expecting a drug test very soon, it is better to avoid using that. In you don't want to use Poppy seeds , substitute it  with 4 or 5 more Cashews.

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

Chicken Curry (My mother’s Chicken Stew)

Recipe No: 86

Well this is the Chicken Stew/Curry that served with Vellayappam in my house for breakfast on all the festivals especially Christmas and Easter as a part of our tradition…  My mother rarely goes to church for the early morning service on these special days as she will not be able to negotiate with the hungry stomachs after wards. So when all of us leave for church she will stay back and make this delicious Chicken Curry in ‘Uruli’(a big wide Bronze cookware) over wood burning stove. The nicest part of the whole thing well… I am ashamed to say this but my dedication to the food that I am cherishing here in a foreign land, helps me to overcome that shame… Returning from church and getting a bit cozier in a home dress, I will  go straight past my mother, who will most probably be making  Appam, to the wood burning stove. There in front of the fire pit I will be greeted by the Uruli with all the chicken Curry taken away but still having one piece in the bottom (the one that my mother used to keep for me) with a whole lot of gravy sticking to the sides of that vessel. With the aid of the most recently cooked Appam I will be enjoying the gravy that is sticking to the sides…guys I should confess that the Curry itself will not come any way near the taste of that sticky goodness…

When my eldest brother got married I found a good companion in my sister in law for this ‘Uruli’ conspiracy, licking the Uruli till my mother starts  to show her faces!!!!!!!!!! Good days… I still miss the Uruli taste, as the curries made in non stick cook wares are  no match to the ones made in the  old fashioned Uruli. But I learned how to stay cool with what I had….Well I have to anyway...

Even though, this cannot be called a stew as it contains a lot of spices than the traditional stew, I know a lot of people in our place that treats this curry the same way you treat a stew and call it so. This goes extremely well with Theenga Aracha Appam (Vellayappam).

Ingredients                                                     Serves 6

• Chicken……………………....1/2 Kg (Skinned and cut into small pieces)
• Potato……………………......2 medium cubed
• Oil…………………………......3 Tablespoons
• Onion sliced thin…….....…1/2 Small
• Ginger chopped………......1 ½ Tablespoons
• Slit Green Chilly…….....…10- 12 If you don’t like heat then take the seeds off the Chilly rather than reducing its number as its flavor is very important for this dish)
• Curry leaves…………......…2-3 Sprigs
• Coriander Powder……......4 Heaped Tablespoons
• Turmeric Powder…….......1/2 Teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder….1 ½ Teaspoons (Homemade preferred)
• Thin Coconut milk……….2 ½ Cups (Dilute ¾ Cup thick coconut milk with 1 ¾ cup water if you are using canned coconut milk. If you are squeezing grated coconut combine 2nd and 3rd milk together)
• Thick Coconut milk………1 Cup
• Vinegar…………………….…1/2 Teaspoon
• Tomato sliced……………...1/2 Large
• Salt as per taste

Method of Preparation

1. Heat 1 ½ Tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium high heat and saute Onion, Ginger, Green Chilly and Curry Leaves for 2 minutes until the Onion starts to wilt.
2. Add the Chicken pieces and saute for a minute or two till it starts to give water out.
3. Add Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder and Garam Masala Powder and saute for two more minutes.
4. Add thin Coconut milk and Salt, close the pan and let it boil. Once boiled lower the heat to medium low and let the Chicken cook.
5. While the Chicken is cooking, in another pan heat the rest of the oil and shallow fry (saute) the Potato till its sides starts to brown. Add this fried Potato to the Chicken once it is 3/4th cooked. Don’t add it earlier or the Potato will get mashed up and the curry will taste like Potato curry.
6. Once cooked, add Tomato slices, Vinegar and thick Coconut milk. Let it boil once more and switch off the flame. Cover the vessel and let it sit for ½ hour before serving.

Notes:

• Frying the Potatoes will create a crust around that will prevent them from getting mashed in the Curry.
• The amount of Coriander Powder is very important  so don't try to reduce it (even if you feel it as lots) in order to get the real taste of this dish.
• This goes well with Chappathi , Roti and the best of all Vellayappam/ Thenga Aracha Appam/ Kerala Rice Pancakes with Coconut.

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

Vattayappam (Kerala Rice and Coconut cake)

Recipe No: 85
Whenever we have a church prayer at home, my mother makes this, even if her three kids votes against it every time. But to the surprise this will be the first item in the menu to be over!!! The elder people in that community seem to adore this slightly sweet snack. Made with raw Rice and Coconut, this steamed goody is certainly a favorite among most of the Christian families.

Ingredients                             Makes two 8 inch ones

• Raw Long Grain Rice……..............2 Cup
• Unsweetened Grated Coconut….1- 1 ¼ Cups (If it is freshly grated 1 Cup and if it is frozen 1 ¼ Cups)
• Instant Yeast…………………..........2/3 Teaspoon
• Salt……………………………………....1/4 Teaspoon
• Sugar………………………………....…4 Tablespoon
• Cashew nuts and Raisins as needed

Method of Preparation

1. Wash rice properly and soak in water for4- 6 hours.
2. Grind soaked Rice together with Coconut into an almost smooth consistency using a blender. The batter should not be too runny.
3. Pour this into a container and mix in the Yeast and 1 Tablespoon Sugar. Cover it and put this in a warm place to ferment for about 4 to 6 hours.
4. Add Salt and the rest of the Sugar; mix well and let it rise once more for an hour.
5. Pour this into a mold and cover it with a foil. This will prevent the water vapor from falling back into the mold.
6. Place it in a steamer and steam it till done. Half way through open the cover of the mold and place the Cashew nuts and Raisins on top of the half cooked Vattayappam in a decorative manner and let it cook through until an inserted toothpick  comes out clean.
7. Once cooled, cut into desired shape and serve.

Notes:

• The consistency of the batter should not have to be extra smooth. Some graininess is okay.
• Freshly grated Coconut has an intense flavor than the frozen Coconut. So you need only less amount if you are using fresh.
• Adding salt in the first place may retard the growth of Yeast. So try to add it after the first rise.
• Instant Yeast can be put directly into the batter without diluting with water. But if you are using old fashioned Yeast then you must dilute it with 2 Tablespoons of water and keep it covered till frothy to activate and then pour the mixture into the batter.
• You can manage the level of sweetness by adding more or less amount of sugar.
• Fill the mold only till half as this rise really good while steaming.
• Adding Cashew in the middle of steaming will prevent them from sinking to the bottom.

 





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