Thalassery Veg Biriyani

Thalassery biriyani recipe is a traditional biryani recipe from Thalassery(North Kerala).The main spices in this biriyani is the green chillies and garam masala.There is no use of red chilly powder,coriander powder and other spices. For this Malabar biriyani, ghee rice and masalas are prepared separately and put it in "Dum" 

Ingredients:
to cook rice

1. basmathi rice 4 cups
2. cardamom 4
3. cloves 4-5
4. cinnamon 2strands
5. bay leaves 2-3(optional) 
6. pepper corns(optional) 7-8
7. salt as needed
8. ghee 3-4tbsp 
9. water 6 cups

to  prepare masala

1. Potato/Mushroom
2. onion 7; very thin sliced
3. tomato 7 ;chopped
4. ginger garlic paste 2tsp
5. green chillies 12; crushed
6. garam masala 1tbsp
7. mint leaves 5-6 tbsp
8. cilantro 5-6 sprigs
9. lemon juice 1 squeezed
10. ghee 1 cup /half oil & ghee 
11. salt 

to garnish

1. raisins 4tbsp
2. cashews 4 tbsp
3. fried onions

Preparations:

1.       Wash and soak basmati rice for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2.       Make a paste of red chilli powder, turmeric powder, 1 tbsp lemon juice and salt. And      mix Aloo/mushroom in this paste.

4.       Heat oil in a fry pan. Shallow fry Aloo/mushroom and keep aside.

5.       Heat ghee in the pan. Add one sliced onion. Saute till it is golden and keep it aside.

6.       In the same pan add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.Wait for them to crackle. 

7.       Add soaked rice and water. Add little ghee/oil.

8.       Pressure cook till the rice is 3/4th done.

9.       Now, heat ghee/oil in the pan. Add the remaining onions, salt, green chilli paste and  ginger garlic paste and stir well.

10.    Add chopped tomato pieces and cook for a minute.

11.    Next, add garam masala powder.

12.    Allow the mixture to cook well.

13.    Now, add the fried Aloo/Mushroom pieces.

14.    Cover and cook the pieces in the gravy. Add freshly chopped coriander and mint leaves. Switch off the gas.

15.    Take a heavy-bottomed pan.

16.    Add this aloo/mushroom masala

17.    Add a layer of cooked basmati rice over it. Sprinkle chopped coriander and mint leaves and lemon juice. Top it with another layer of rice and masala.

18.    Add fried onions, raisins and cashews.

19.    Close the lid tightly and place the weight on top. Keep in simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from flame.

Crab Curry with Roasted Coconut /Nadan Njandu Varutharacha Curry Recipe

Ingredients :

For Gravy :

Whole dungeness Crab : 1 or Soft Shell Blue Crab : 4 medium size or frozen 5-6 large legs with claws. (cleaned and cut into pieces)

Shallots / Red Small Onion : 8-10 (thinly sliced)

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Red Chilly Powder : 1 tsp or to your tolerance level

Ginger : small piece (crushed)

Garlic : 3-4  cloves (crushed)

Green Chilly : 4 (crushed)

Freshly Grounded Pepper Corns : 1 tsp or to your tolerance level

Gamboge /Kudam Puli  : 2-3 pieces

Oil  : 1 tbsp (preferably coconut oil)

Fresh Curry Leaves : few

Salt to taste

Water as needed

For Roasted Coconut Paste :

Grated Coconut : 1 cup

Small Red Onions /Shallots : 4-6 nos

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Red Chilly Powder : 1 tsp or your tolerance level

Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Fennel seeds : 1/4 tsp

Fresh Pepper Corns : 1 tsp or your tolerance level

Curry Leaves : 3 sprig

Oil : 1/2 tsp (preferably coconut oil)

Garam masala : 1tsp

For Tempering :

Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds : 1/4 tsp

Shallots / Small Red Onions : 4-5 (thinly sliced)

Dry Red Chillies : 3 (broken into 2 pieces)

Curry Leaves : few

To make Crab Curry :      

• Heat a pan (preferably in ‘Kalchatti’ an earthen pot) add all ingredients listed above ‘ For Gravy’ along with  water, just to cover all the pieces.

• Stir to mix and bring to boil. Close and cook for 5-8 minutes.

         

• Meanwhile roast the grated coconut with 2 sprig of curry leaves, small onions/shallots over low heat. Keep sauteing till aromatic and nice brown color.

         

• Add all the spice powders  listed above ‘For Roasted Coconut Paste’ and fry on a low heat for a few minutes. (Note: Care should be take not burn the spices).
• Cool the mixture and grind it well with 3tbsp of water in a mixer to a fine paste.

    

• Add the above grounded coconut paste to the pan in which the crab is cooking ; mix well, close and cook it for 5-8 minutes. (Note : If needed add little more water and stir well.)

• Now open the lid and sprinkle the half of freshly grounded garam masala and adjust the salt.
• Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and splutter mustard seeds, followed by all the above listed ingredients “To Temper”.

          

• Pour it over the gravy and keep covered till u serve, so the gravy absorbs all the flavors.

• Delicious  Nadan Njandu/Crab Curry is ready.Serve with steamed rice, roti or with appam…Enjoy!

Kerala Unniyappam

Ingredients

• Rice flour - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 100 gms
• Water - 1 cup
• Coconut bits (thengakothu) - ½ cup, fried in ghee
• Black sesame seeds - ½ tbspn (optional), fried in ghee
• Mashed ripe bananas - ½ cup (mashed it in mixie)
• Sugar - ½ tbsp
• Oil- for frying (I used coconut oil)

Instructions

1. Melt jaggery in 1 cup water till it becomes syrupy, but not thick. 
2. Add the melted jaggery to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. The batter should be of dropping consistency. If the batter is too thick, add water to loosen it. I added 3-4 tbspn of water.

3.Heat oil in Uniyappa chatti, make sure the oil is hot, but not smoking hot. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into hot oil and deep fry till golden brown.

Black Forest Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour / Maida - 1 cup / 120 grams

Sugar - 3/4 cup / 150 grams

Unsalted Butter - 150 grams Soft

Eggs - 3

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Cocoa Powder - 1/2 cup / 55 grams

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 Degree C.

First prepare the cake tins by applying butter on the bottom and sides and dusting some flour on the tin and remove the excess.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Take butter in a bowl, add in sugar and vanilla. Use a beater to whip this till fluffy. Add in eggs and whip again till fluffy.

Now add in the sifted dry ingredients and fold gently.

Tip this in the tins and place this in the oven.Bake for 25 mins.Check the cake by inserting a knife in it,if the knife comes out clean then the cake is ready.Remove the cake from the oven and let the cake cool for 15 min.

Now invert the cake from tine and set aside to cool down.

Now drain the cherries from tin and reserve the juice in which they are packed. Remove the seeds from the cherries and break them into small pieces.

Whip the icing ingredients together until peak stage is formed.(ie)if you take the beater out,it forms a peak without folding over.

Now Take a plate, place a cake over it, cover the sides with parchment paper. Now brush the cake with the juice generously. Now 

Take this whipping cream and apply between each slice and add a generous layer of chopped cherries and cover the entire cake with icing..

Decorate the cake with cherries,chocolate sprinkles or chocolate shards.

Chill the cake for 3 to 4 hours or over night in the refrigerator.Slice and Enjoy..

Cocoa Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 4 tablespoons sugar or add as required

Instructions

1. take 2 tbsp butter and 4 tbsp sugar in a saucepan.
2. heat and melt the butter. also the sugar should dissolve. once the sugar has dissolved switch off the stove top. the sugar should be just dissolved. we don't need to cook the sugar in its various stages.
3. next add 4 tbsp cocoa powder.
4. with a spatula stir so that the cocoa powder gets mixed evenly with the butter-sugar mixture.
5. add 3 tbsp milk. stir very well. to make a slightly thick frosting, you can also add 2 tbsp milk. the cocoa frosting is ready.

Eggless Chocolate muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1cup granulated sugar

• 2tablespoons cocoa

• 1teaspoon baking powder

• 1teaspoon baking soda

• 1⁄2teaspoon salt

• 1⁄4cup oil

• 1teaspoon vanilla

• 1 tablespoon vinegar or 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 1cup warm water

• 1⁄2cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven.
2. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and sieve it.
3. Make a well in the centre.
4. Add oil, vanilla, vinegar or  lime juice and warm water.
5. Stir just until moist.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling to top.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes.