Easy Coriander Masala Chicken

Recipe 

Ingredients 

Chicken – 500 gm (10-12 small pieces) 

For marination 

Curd – 2 tbsp 

Crushed black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp 

Salt – to taste 

For masala 

Onion sliced thinly – 1 large 

Green chillies – 3 slit longitudinally 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tbsp

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp 

Salt – to taste 

Hot Water – 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves – to garnish 

Cooking oil – 2 tbsp 

Steps 

1. Marinate chicken with ingredients under marination and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes or overnight. 
2. Heat a kadai and add in cooking oil when hot. 
3. Then add in onion and sauté till medium brown in colour. Add green chillies and ginger garlic paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes 
4. Now add in turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and sauté till the raw smell goes. 
5. Then add in marinated chicken pieces to this and mix it.
6. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium flame. Then open and add in garam masala. Continue to cook  till chicken falls off bone. 
7. You may add hot water 1/2 cup or so and cook for 3-4 minutes if you want a semi gravy or roast consistency. 
8. Switch off flame. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot. 

Easy Peasy spicy chicken fry

A quick easy yum recipe if you want to have a Chicken fry in minutes. It pairs well with Rice, Chapati or on its own as a tasty snack.

Here is the Recipe 🙂

Recipe 

Ingredients 

For marination

Chicken – 4 large drumsticks (500g chicken) 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Chilli powder – 1/2 tbsp

Crushed black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Fennel powder – 1/2 tsp 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste 

While shallow frying

Coconut oil or cooking oil – 5-6 tbsp 

Onion – 1/2 sliced thinly 

Curry leaves – a sprig 

Green chillies (optional)- 3 slit longitudinally 

Steps 

1. Marinate the ingredients listed under Marination and keep it aside for 30 min atleast or overnight for best results.
2. Heat a kadai and add in oil when hot. Fry the chicken pieces in oil on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes turning sides. 
3. Add the sliced onion, curry leaves and green chillies when half way through with the frying. 
4. Increase the heat to high after 10 minutes to brown the surface of the chicken and then switch off flame when done. It usually takes 3-5 minutes on high. 
5. Serve hot 🙂 it goes well with rice, chapati or even on its own as a snack. 

Airfried Drums of Heaven

This is a IndoChinese dish I have always craved for. During college days used to have this from a take away joint nearby and it was always a favourite. Have been wanting to try it at home too but the deep frying kept me to keep delaying it off. So this time I decided to try it with Airfried Chicken Lollipops and they came out quite well. 

Sharing the recipe here with all of you. 

RECIPE

Ingredients 

For the Marinade

Chicken Lollipops – 8 in no 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp 

Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp 

Kashmiri chilly powder – 1 tbsp 

Chilly powder – 1/2 tbsp 

Salt – to taste 

Soy sauce – 1 tbsp 

Chilli garlic sauce – 1 tbsp 

Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp 

Cornflour – 1 1/2 tbsp 

Egg – 1 

For the gravy sauce 

Onions finely chopped – 1 large finely chopped 

Green chillies finely chopped – 3 

Garlic finely chopped – 1 tbsp 

Ginger finely chopped – 1 tbsp 

Soya sauce – 1 tbsp 

Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp 

Chilli garlic paste – 3 tbsp 

Cornflour – 1 tbsp 

Hot water – 1/4 cup to mix the cornflour to make a slurry 

Spring onions finely chopped – to garnish 

Steps 

1. Marinate chicken lollipop pieces with the ingredients listed under marinade. Set aside for minimum 1 hour and then air fry it 
2. Heat a pan/kadai and add in oil when pan is hot. Now add in chopped onion, green chillies, ginger and garlic and required salt. Sauté for 5 min till onions turn soft. 
3. Add in soya sauce, tomato ketchup and the chilli garlic paste. 
4. Now mix cornflour with warm water well till it’s all dissolved in it. 
5. Then add this mixture into pan. Mix well. It should be a semi runny consistency.
6. Lastly add in the Airfried chicken lollipop pieces and mix well. Switch off flame in 2 minutes 
7. Serve hot 

P.S – Instead of air frying you can also deep fry it if you wish to in cooking oil/bake it.

Making of homemade grape wine part 3

Finally after the prep shots and stories, here it is. The final outcome and the product right in front of my eyes😍 I must say I am excited and thrilled to have not messed it up and yes it tastes divine 😋😋 Fully worth the wait and effort. Yay Lejna and Cicily we did it after almost 40 days 😬🥳💪 so so proud of us for having taken up this task with lot of uncertainties. All thanks to our master plan we can enjoy drinking homemade grapewine this Christmas season (hopefully if it lasts till Christmas day😂)

The recipe for the wine has been adapted from our family recipes. So we consider it truly precious to have inherited those recipes from our grandmas cookbooks and having the pleasure and joy of trying this many decades old recipes. Also seeing the product right in front of our eyes makes us feel closer to home in this otherwise difficult year when many of us are spending this festive season away from our loved ones and families. So if food or a drink can take us closer to the feeling of Home, why not?😊❤️

I did add spices (cinnamon and cloves) to the ingredients while soaking the grapes as I like my wine having a nice spice punch and personally don’t prefer the really sweet tasting wines. Also neither me nor hubster likes plum or fruit cake so plum/fruit cakes won’t sell in this household (yes yes you heard it right)😅 hence baked a Date and Walnut cake to go with the wine. So it’s wine and cake after all😊❤️ and it’s definitely a divine combo. 

I know it’s a bit too late to try this for Christmas this year but hoping it will be helpful for those of you who wants to try it out later. Well after all you don’t always need a reason or occasion to enjoy good homemade wine 😊💕

Recipe 

Ingredients 

Grapes – 2 kg 

Sugar – 1.5 kg 

Wheat grain – 1/4 cup or 1 handful 

Yeast – 1 teaspoon

Boiled water (warmed to room temperature)- 1.5 litre 

Cinnamon (optional) – 4-5 sticks 

Cloves (optional)- 10 in number 

Steps 

1. Put all the above in a pot (earthen pot or Bharani or glass jar cleaned and dried well before use) after squeezing the grapes well by hand or in a mixie pulsing it gently. 

2. Close the pot with a cloth and tie it.

3. Make sure that 1/4 th of the pot or jar (top portion) should be left empty. 

4. Mix daily (around same time) with a wooden spoon for 20 days. Make sure that the sugar also gets mixed completely within 5 days.

5. On the 21st day, filter the wine using a Muslin cloth and put the filtered wine in the same jar (make sure you clean and dry the jar well with no moisture content) for another 15 days to settle and clear. You may now close the jar with its lid.

6. After 15 days you can pour out the wine into bottles using a funnel gently from the pot so that the sediments settled in the pot below will not get mixed up with the wine.

7. If the wine doesn’t have much colour, you can caramelise sugar and add into it.

8. You may also keep the wine chilled as it can be tastier when chilled.

Making of homemade grape wine - part 2

We started the wine making process by soaking all the grapes and other ingredients.. Initially the crushing of the grapes and mixing all the ingredients was therapeutic I must say. The divine smell of the grapes and everything mixed together in itself was so captivating. 

I must say that this is one of the most lengthy and patience testing process I have ever taken up till date in the kitchen considering I am someone who likes to always take on the easiest and quickest recipes and short cuts in cooking as well to get the dish done immediately. The task of daily mixing was something I wasn’t sure if I would keep upto but big hugs and thankful to Mr P who religiously did it on many days and even on the days I completely forgot about it. 

The fun discussions with my wine buddies/partners in crime Lejna and Cicily added more excitement to the process. We would share our daily mixing stories and pics with each other and also sort out our queries between us or ask our parents who had better experience with wine making who happily answered our doubts each time. We ourselves did lose patience many a times and even used to taste a bit from the wooden ladle after mixing on some days. We eagerly waited for the day we could strain the wine and keep it for resting after almost 3 weeks. 

The wine making process is indeed an experience and truly enjoyed every bit of it. Looking forward to trying to make many more different types of wine. If not for Lejna and Cicily, I would have missed out on this fun experience this Xmas season so a big thanks and hugs to both of you💕

Making of Homemade Grape wine

It was a few weeks ago that my dear friends Lejna and Cicily kindly asked me if I would like to join with them to try and make homemade grape wine this year for Christmas. Neither of us were fully sure about the outcome then but we decided we will do this together starting at around the same time so that the journey and process would be more fun whatever be the end result. We dug out a few of our family recipes tried and tested by our grandmothers and mothers/aunts and decided to set forth with this adventure. 

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Sourcing the grapes we thought would be a easy task but alas it wasn’t for me. We wanted seeded grapes for the wine as it’s said to add more structure and flavour to Wine than seedless grapes. It wasn’t easy finding seeded grapes in UK supermarkets but finally as I was about to give up on it, atlast found Black Seeded variety. And there we were all ready to start the process. Thus in early November we started off our wine making process. 

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Can’t think of a Christmas celebrated back home without some homemade grape wine. Even though I have tasted a few homemade wines, grape wine still remains a favourite. I still remember Ammachi (grandma) used to store different types of wine throughout the year in bharanis (earthern jar) in our storeroom. It’s taken out on special occasions when guests arrive or for Christmas and we would long to get a sip or taste the wine. So sweet are the memories and stories about Homemade wine and so making this ourselves at home this year brought back all those nostalgic memories.

(To be continued)

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P.S Green grapes wasn’t used in the wine making. 

Fudge Oreo Brownies

Hope all of you are in the Christmas cheer. Well Christmas has been associated with some baking always back at home. Amma would start baking cakes for the festive days ahead. Last weekend I too did start with some baking and one of those was these lovely chocolatey fudgy brownies. Brownies are always a favourite and love baking them fresh. Brownie and icecream is a favourite combo as well. So here’s sharing the recipe for all of you as well. 

Recipe adapted from here Youtube Irene magazine Oreo brownies

RECIPE

Ingredients 

Brown sugar (I used dark) – 1 3/4 th cup 

Melted Butter (unsalted) – 275g 

Plain flour – 1/3 cup (80 g)

Eggs – 4 in number 

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Cocoa powder – 100 g 

Oreo cookies – 15 broken into small bite sized pieces 

Oreo cookies – 10 (each broken into 2 or 3 bigger pieces) 

Salt – 1/2 tsp 

Steps 

1. Take a large baking bowl and first add in brown sugar and the butter and microwave it for 90-120 seconds and mix well till combined. 
2. Now add in the eggs one by one and mix each time. 
3. Then add in the flour into the mixture and mix well followed by vanilla extract, salt and cocoa powder till batter is well combined. Do not mix excessively. 
4. Now add in the bite sized Oreo cookie pieces and fold into the batter mix. 
5. Grease a square tin and place parchment paper over it. Pour the mixture into it and arrange the rest of the bigger Oreo cookie pieces on top. 
6. Preheat oven to 180C/350F for 10 minutes and place this pan into it and bake for 45- 55 minutes

Easy Garlic Chicken

This is a quick yummy IndoChinese dish that can be prepped easily and pairs well with fried rice. 

Recipe 

Ingredients 

Boneless/Bone in chicken (cut into small cubes) – 500g 

For marination 

Crushed black pepper – 1 tsp 

Garlic powder – 1 tsp 

Salt – to taste 

For the dish 

Onion – 1 finely chopped 

Finely chopped Garlic – 2 tbsp 

Soya sauce – 2 tbsp 

Oyster sauce – 1 tbsp 

Chilli garlic sauce – 2 tbsp 

Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp 

Spring onions chopped – 1/2 cup 

Cornflour 2 tsp mixed in 1/2 cup water 

Cooking oil – 2 tbsp 

Steps 

1. Prick chicken pieces with a fork and then marinate chicken pieces with the ingredients listed under marination.
2. Heat a wok or pan and add in oil . When hot add in chopped garlic and sauté for a minute then add in chopped onions and sauté till light brown.
3. Now add in the marinated chicken and cover and cook for 10 minutes. 
4. Now when chicken is 3/4 cooked open and add in sauces and black pepper powder and on medium high flame cook till chicken is fully done. 
5. Keep mixing so that the chicken doesn’t stick to bottom of the pan. 
6. You may add the cornflour water mix and slowly cook till the desired consistency is achieved – whether you want it as dry or semi gravy. 
7. Finally switch off flame and garnish with chopped spring onions and mix well.

Kerala Beef Stew

This is a traditional stew dish prepared for special occasions(Christmas/Easter) along with Appams/Bread

Recipe 

Ingredients 

To pressure cook

Beef – 1 kg 

Green chillies – 3 

Ginger chopped – 1 tbsp 

Garlic chopped – 2 tbsp 

Black pepper powder – 1 tbsp 

Salt – to taste 

Water – 1/2 cup 

For the stew 

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp 

Whole spices 

Cloves – 4-6

Peppercorns – 1 tsp 

Bay leaves – 2

Cinnamon stick – 2 small

Onion – 1 large 

Green chillies – 3

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp 

Curry leaves – a sprig

Carrots diced – 1/2 cup

Potatoes (diced into cubes) – 2 medium 

Black pepper powder – 1 tsp 

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp 

Coconut milk (thin) – 1 1/2 cup 

Coconut milk (thick) – 1/2 cup 

Salt – to taste 

Steps 

1. Pressure cook the ingredients under ‘to pressure cook’ – 1 whistle on high and then on low flame for 5-8 minutes depending on cut of beef. 
2. Heat a kadai and add in whole spices and sauté in coconut oil for 1-2 minutes. 
3. Now add in onions and sauté till they are light brown. After that add in ginger garlic paste, curry leaves and green chillies now and sauté for a minute.
4. Then add in pepper powder and garam masala powder and the thin coconut milk along with some beef stock (pressure cooked left over liquid) and bring to boil on medium flame. Add in potatoes and carrots. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 
5. Now add in the pressure cooked beef pieces along with left over beef stock and  mix everything well. Add salt if needed after checking. Cover and cook for 10 minutes till beef and potatoes, carrots are cooked well. 
6. Now open and reduce flame to low and add in thick coconut milk and mix well. Switch off flame in 1-2 minutes. 
7. You may sprinkle some garam masala and pepper powder if required at this stage. 
8. Serve hot. 

Prawns Pepper Masala

This is a tasty prawns dish cooked in Indian spices and coconut milk. Here goes the recipe 

Ingredients 

Prawns – 500g

Marination 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Crushed black pepper powder – 1/2 tbsp

Salt – as needed 

For the Masala 

Onion – 1 large thinly sliced 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp 

Curry leaves – 1 sprig 

Green chillies – 3 in no 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp 

Crushed black pepper powder – 1 tsp 

Chilli powder – 1/2 tbsp

Coconut milk (thick) – 1/4 cup 

Oil – 2 tbsp 

Steps 

1. Marinate the prawns and keep aside for 30 min.
2. Heat a kadai or pan and when hot add in oil.
3. Now add in the sliced onions and sauté it till they are golden brown. Add salt as it helps in easy browning.
4. Then add in ginger garlic paste, green chillies and curry leaves.
5. Now sauté for 1-2 minutes till the raw smell goes off.
6. Add in turmeric powder, black pepper powder, garam masala and chilli powder and sauté well till the oil separates from the masala. 
7. Now add prawns and mix well. Then add in coconut milk and cover and cook for 4-5 min.
8. Open to cook for 2-3 and let the coconut milk get absorbed well so that the dish gets a masala consistency and is not runny.
9. Switch off as overcooking will cause prawns to be rubbery. 
10. Serve hot.

Naadan Pork Varatiyathu

This is a Pork preparation that is a favourite as a starter or appetiser and also as main course. Indian spices are sautéed along with coconut slices to make this dish. This is made at Christian homes in Kerala during Christmas or Easter and during weddings and festivities. Here is the recipe for this super yummy Pork preparation. 

Ingredients 

To pressure cook 

Pork – 1 kg 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp 

Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tbsp 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Meat masala – 1 tbsp 

Black pepper powder – 1 tsp 

Salt – to taste 

Water – 1/2 cup 

For masala 

Onion – 2 medium 

Green chillies – 5 slit longitudinally 

Chopped garlic – 1 tbsp 

Chopped ginger – 1 tbsp 

Sliced thin coconut pieces – 1/2 cup 

Curry leaves – a sprig

Malabar tamarind (washed)- 2 pieces

Meat masala – 2 tbsp 

Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 tbsp 

Coriander powder – 2 tbsp 

Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp 

Garam masala – 1/2 tbsp 

Steps 

1. Pressure cook the ingredients under ‘to pressure cook’ till 80 percent done. I do 1 whistle on medium high flame and then lower flame and cook for 5 min. This can vary depending on your cut of pork meat.
2. Heat a kadai, when hot add in coconut oil. Now add in sliced onions and chopped ginger garlic and green chillies along with curry leaves and sliced coconut pieces. 
3. Now sauté it well till onions turn dark brown. Then add in Meat masala, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri chilli powder, black pepper powder and Malabar tamarind. Sauté for 2-3 minutes till raw smell goes. 
4. Now add in pressure cooker pork pieces into this kadai with the masala and mix well.
5. On medium flame cook till pork is well cooked.
6. Lower flame to low and then cook till you get a dry consistency of the pork. 
7. Serve hot. 

Kerala Fish Pickle/Meen Achaar

Pickle or Achaar is an emotion isn’t it. Like I have told in one of my earlier pickle posts – a lot of us have memories of it linked with college days where we had bottles of Pickle packed with love from home for us to last a semester or term in college till the next visit or holidays back at home. 

This is my first attempt at Fish Pickle. The other day we were watching Annammachedathis Youtube video and she was making Meen Achaar (Fish Pickle) and that moment I decided this is my weekend task. At home Amma used to make it mostly with kingfish or prawns or Anchovy. I decided to try Frozen Tuna as it was easily available and also what if it turned out to be a flop show since it was a trial attempt😅 anyway contrary to that it was a success and here I am with the recipe for the Fish Pickle. 

P.S I have made Beef pickle too but the recipe for Beef pickle varies quite a bit in technique and also in ingredients – so will be uploading that later. For the time being, here is the Fish Pickle recipe. I will upload the Beef Pickle recipe too seperately on the blog. 

Recipe adapted from Annammachedathi Special Youtube channel. 

Recipe 

Ingredients 

Fish – 1 kg cut into small cubes (I took Tuna. You may use Kingfish, Seerfish, Anchovies, Sardines)

For marination 

Kashmiri Chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp 

Salt – to taste 

Oil (vegetable or gingelly/sesame oil) – 1 cup for frying 

Curry leaves – a sprig for frying 

For the pickle masala 

Gingelly/Sesame oil – 4 tbsp 

Garlic – 20 cloves (each chopped in half)

Ginger – 3 tbsp (finely chopped lengthwise) 

Green chillies – 10 slit longitudinally 

Dry Red chillies – 6 to 8 

Curry leaves – a sprig 

Kashmiri chilli powder – 3 tbsp 

Fenugreek powder – 1/2 tsp 

Vinegar – 3 tbsp 

Salt – to taste 

Water – as required acc to consistency of gravy needed (I added 1 cup as I keep it with less gravy) 

Steps 

1. Marinate the fish pieces with turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder and salt atleast for an hour.  
2. Heat a kadai or round bottomed pan and pour in oil when hot. Fry the fish pieces in batches and keep aside.
3. Now heat a kadai and add in gingelly or sesame oil to it when hot. It’s important this masala is made with gingelly oil for the pickles longer shelf life and authentic taste. 
4. To the oil add in chopped ginger and garlic, green chillies, curry leaves and dry red chillies and salt and sauté well for 3-4 minutes on medium to high flame. 
5. Now lower heat and add in Kashmiri chilli powder, fenugreek powder and salt and keep sautéing for 2-3 minutes and Make sure it doesn’t burn or sticks to the bottom of the pan. 
6. Then add in the fried fish pieces and mix well. 
7. Now add in vinegar and water and on low to medium flame cook it for 5-8 minutes.
8. Switch off flame. Add salt as per your liking if required after tasting. Since it’s a pickle, salt and vinegar should be on the slightly higher side for it to stay preserved longer. 
9. Once cooled well, transfer it into air tight jars tightly packed  and preserve. When taking it each time use a dry spoon and make sure no moisture content comes into the jar. You may place curry leaves as top layer before closing the jar.  
10. When you use it after few days, if it’s too dry and if you need more gravy, you can mix vinegar and water and boil it and then add the pickle to this and mix well. Let it cool before you transfer into jar again.

Naadan Chicken Curry

Recipe 

Ingredients 

Chicken – 1 kg cut into medium pieces

Onion – 1 large, thinly sliced

Potato – 1 large potato or 2 medium diced into cubes 

Ginger garlic paste  – 1 tbsp

Green chillies – 4 slit longitudinally 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder – 2 tbsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Crushed black pepper – 1 tsp 

Chicken Masala powder (optional)– 1 tbsp

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Thin coconut milk – 1 cup

Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup

Salt – To taste

Vinegar – 1/2 tbsp

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

Steps 

1. Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a kadai or flat bottomed pan over medium heat. 
2. Add in the onion, green chillies and saute well until onion turns transparent and light golden brown. 
3. Now add in the ginger garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Lower the heat now and add in the turmeric powder first and sauté for 2-3 minutes 
5. Then add in the coriander powder sautéing it for 2 minutes followed by the crushed black pepper and chicken masala powder (optional) and and sauté well for 2 minutes
6. Lastly add in the Kashmiri chilly powder and sauté for a minute. 
7. Now add in the chicken pieces and diced potato cubes and mix well.
8. Add in thin coconut milk and cover it well and cook for 10-15 minutes.
9. Open the lid and mix well and add in garam masala and thick coconut milk and keep cooking on low flame for around 10 minutes or till chicken and potatoes are well cooked and chicken should fall off the bone. The gravy consistency must not be too runny. So if it is runny, keep cooking it on low flame till you attain the right consistency.
10. Add in vinegar just before switching off flame. 
11. Switch off flame and serve hot 

Notes 

• The chicken pieces need to be cooked on medium flame with lid closed till it gets half cooked before we open lid and cook on low flame till fully cooked. 

Keema Masala

Ingredients 

Minced meat/Keema – 500g (I took minced lamb here) you may use minced beef or minced chicken/turkey

Onion – 1 large chopped finely 

Green chillies – 3 chopped finely 

Tomato – 2 medium finely chopped 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp 

Masala powders

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp 

Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp

Crushed black pepper – 1 tsp 

Meat masala – 1 tbsp

Water – 1/2 cup (if needed)

Salt – to taste 

Oil – 2 tbsp 

Steps 

1. Heat a kadai and add in oil when hot.
2. Now add in chopped onions and sauté well until light brown. Then add in ginger garlic paste and sauté until brown and transparent.
3. Then add in masala powders starting with turmeric powder. Sauté well for a few minutes till raw smell goes.
4. Now add in chopped tomato and keema and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. If on opening the masala looks dry, can add in water 1/2 cup or as needed and cook till water dries up. 
5. Switch off flame when done and Serve hot. 

Fish Pollichathu

Ingredients

Fish – 500 g (4 medium sized pieces) (I used Kingfish) 

You may use Seabass, Pomphret, pearl spot, Seabream, Snapper

For marinating fish 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 tbsp 

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp 

Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp 

Salt – to taste 

Water – as needed to make the paste 

For frying fish

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp 

For the masala 

Onion – 2 large (thinly sliced)

Shallots – 1 cup 

Ginger – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)

Garlic – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)

Green chillies – 3 slit longitudinally 

Curry leaves – a sprig 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tbsp 

Garam masala – 1 tsp 

Fennel powder – 1/2 tsp 

Crushed black pepper powder – 1 tsp 

Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 1/2 tbsp 

Tomato puree – 3 tbsp (you can use raw tomatoes 2 small in number if you don’t find purée)

Coconut milk (thick) – 1/2 cup 

Salt – to taste 

Water – 1/2 cup 

Coconut oil – 3 tbsp 

For baking 

Banana leaf – 4 small rectangular shaped ones to wrap the fish pieces 

Coconut oil – 1 tbsp to brush on top of the leaves 

Steps 

1. Marinate fish pieces with ingredients listed under marination for atleast 30 minutes or overnight 
2. Shallow Fry the marinated fish pieces in coconut oil and keep aside. 
3. Heat a pan on medium flame and when hot add in add in coconut oil. To that add in chopped ginger and garlic, curry leaves and green chillies and sauté well for 2 minutes. 
4. Now add onions and shallots and sauté well. Add salt as well as it helps to brown onions faster and absorbs their water content too.  
5. When it’s brown, turn flame to low and add in turmeric powder followed by coriander powder, garam masala, fennel powder, Kashmiri chilli powder and crushed black pepper. Sauté on low flame for 3 to 4 minutes. 
6. Now add in tomato purée and half cup water and mix well. Cover and cook it on medium flame for 2-3 minutes 
7. Lastly open add in thick coconut milk and mix and switch off flame after cooking it for a minute. 
8. Now take a banana leaf and place the fried fish and put masala on top. Then wrap it up and use a cooking string or thread to tie it. 
9. Brush coconut oil on the packed banana leaf packets.
10. Preheat oven to 170C for minutes and then place the wrapped fish in banana leafs on a tray into the oven for baking.
11. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Serve hot 

Spicy Pork Fry

Pork Fry is a favourite in many households specially in Central Kerala. The authetic Kerala Pork Roast/Fry is prepared mostly during Christmas and Easter as a special dish on the festive menu. 

Here I tried a slight variation adding an Indochinese touch to the same. You can adjust the spice levels by cutting down on the Pepper powder if you like it that way. 

Here is the recipe

RECIPE

To pressure cook 

Pork – 500 gms

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Crushed black pepper powder – 1 tsp 

Green chillies – 2 slit longitudinally

Salt – to taste

For the fry

Onion – 1 medium

Shallots – 1/2 cup

Green chillies – 2 slit longitudinally

Ginger – 1 tbsp chopped finely

Garlic – 1 tbsp chopped finely

Curry leaves – A sprig

Crushed black pepper powder – 2 tbsp

Soya sauce – 1 tbsp

Red Chilli sauce – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Cooking oil (Vegetable/Coconut oil) – 2 tbsp

Instructions

1. Pressure cook all the ingredients mentioned above under ‘To pressure cook’ till the meat is 90 percent cooked. I go for one whistle and then turn down the flame and cook for 1 more whistle or 10 minutes on low flame. this can vary depending on cut of meat that you use.
2. Heat a pan and add in oil when hot. On medium flame, add in the chopped ginger and garlic and saute well for 2 minutes till browned. 
3. Now add in onions and saute till light brown and soft. Then add in shallots, curry leaves and green chillies and saute well till its all browned well.
4. Add in the cooked pork and crushed black pepper powder and mix well and saute for 5-8 minutes. 
5. Lastly add in the soya sauce and red chilli sauce and mix well. Add in more crushed black pepper powder and salt after tasting to adjust it according to your spice levels. Cook for a few minutes more to ensure pork is not chewy and is cooked well.
6. Switch off flame once its nicely brown and done.
7. Serve hot.

It pairs well on its own as a appetizer or you can pair it with rice dishes or breads.

Tuna Fish Cutlets

Ingredients 

Canned Tuna – 5 cans (100 g * 5 = 500g)

Onion – 2 large (chopped finely)

Potato – 2 large (boiled and mashed)

Green chillies – 6 chopped finely

Ginger – 1 tbsp (chopped finely)

Garlic –  2 tbsp (chopped finely) 

Garam masala powder – 1 tsp 

Black pepper powder – 1 tsp 

Salt – to taste 

Egg (beaten)- 2 (to coat the cutlets)

Breadcrumbs – 1 cup (to coat the cutlets) 

Cooking oil – 2 tbsp + 1/2 cup

Steps 

1. Heat a pan and add in 2 tbsp of the cooking oil when hot. 
2. To this add the chopped onion, green chillies and ginger and garlic and sauté well. 
3. Once golden brown add in the canned tuna and mashed potato and sauté well for a minute. 
4. Add in the garam masala powder, black pepper powder and salt and mix and let it cook for 5-8 minutes on medium flame. Sauté in between taking care it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. Now switch off flame and let the mix cool.
6. Shape into round or oval cutlets and then dip each in egg first followed by breadcrumbs. Double coat again by mixing in egg again and then breadcrumbs to give an even coating. 
7. Deep fry in cooking oil (1/2 cup) on medium high flame. Make sure the oil is hot before adding in the cutlets. Otherwise the cutlets can break off easily if it’s done at a low flame. Turn over after a couple of minutes when you feel it’s brown and done on one side. Switch off flame once done.
8. Serve hot. 

Notes 

• I keep the potato at a lesser ratio as I like biting into the fish more. You can add more potato according to your liking. 
• Pressure cook the potato and then mash it well without any solid pieces before adding it into the cutlet mixture. 
• Instead of deep frying you can shallow fry or air fry the cutlets as well. But the outer coating and texture would be slightly different. 

Fish Moilee in 4 steps

Ingredients 

Fish – 10 medium sized pieces or 500 g 

I have used Asian Sea bass here but you can use any firm white flesh fish like Kingfish, Pomphret, Seabream, Pearlspot, Tilapia. 

Onion – 1 large thinly sliced 

Ginger and garlic (chopped finely) – 1 tbsp each

Green chillies – 4 slit longitudinally 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Coconut milk (Thick) – 1 1/2 cup 

Tomato – 2 medium (sliced as round shaped pieces )

Salt – to taste 

Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Steps 

1. Heat a kadai and once hot add in coconut oil. When hot, add in onions, chopped ginger and garlic and green chillies and sauté for a few minutes on medium flame till onions turn just light brown.
2. Now reduce heat to low and add in turmeric powder and sauté well for 3 minutes. 
3. Now add in coconut milk and salt to it and let it boil on medium flame. 
4. Once it’s boiling, add in the tomato and fish pieces. Keep covered for 8-10 minutes till fish is cooked and gravy thickens. Switch off flame and serve hot. 

Enjoy it with bread, appam, rice 😊

Tips 

1. I used canned coconut milk which was on the thicker side. If you think the coconut milk is too thick you may add some hot water too along with the coconut milk to dilute it. Alter gravy thickness according to your liking. I like it a bit thicker. 
2. If you are using coconut milk powder, you may use 4 tbsp coconut powder for 1 1/2 cups of water to prepare it. 

Easy Peasy Mutton Stew (no oil, no onion)

Ingredients

Mutton – 500 g

Veggies (diced)- 1 cup 

I added cut Carrot, Beans and Green Peas.

You may use potatoes as well. 

Minced ginger – 1 tsp

Minced garlic – 1 tsp 

Green chillies – 3 slit longitudinally 

Salt – to taste 

Black pepper powder – 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Coconut milk (thick) – 1 cup 

I use tinned coconut milk 

Garam masala – 1/2 tbsp

Steps 

1. Add into a pressure cooker the mutton pieces and then rub salt and pepper into the mutton pieces.
2. Add in the cut veggies into the pressure cooker along with minced ginger garlic and green chillies. 
3. Then add in salt and black pepper 1 tsp powder to the cooker. 
4. Now add in the coconut milk and mix everything well and close the lid. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles or till mutton is done. This would vary depending on the meat you have got. 
5. Let the steam go off and then open the cooker and check the consistency of the gravy. If you want it more dilute can add in some boiling water to it and let it cook for some time keeping it open on medium flame. If you want it more thicker , you can add in some more coconut milk to it and cook keeping it open for a few minutes.
6. Now add in garam masala powder and the 1/2 tsp black pepper and mix well and switch off flame. 

Cilantro Masala Chicken

Ingredients 

Chicken (cut into medium sized pieces) – 1 kg

Onion – 2 medium 

Green chillies – 3 in no 

Whole spices 

Cloves – 3

Cardamom – 2 

Peppercorns – 6 

Cinnamon – 2 small sticks 

Bay leaf – 1 medium size 

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp 

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Chicken Masala – 1 1/2 tbsp

Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves (chopped) – 1/2 cup

Water – 1/2 cup

Cooking oil – 2 tbsp

Steps 

1. Heat the Kadai/pan on medium heat and when hot pour in oil. 
2. When oil is hot add in whole spices and sauté for a minute and then add in onions and green chillies adding in some salt and sauté well till onions turn brown. It needs to be done more than light brown for the dish to get a good colour.
3. Lower the flame and now add in ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes. 
4. Keeping the heat low first add in turmeric powder and sauté for 1 minute followed by chicken masala powder and sauté for 1  minute and finally add in Kashmiri chilli powder keeping heat low and sauté the mixture together well. Add some oil at this stage if the mixture is too dry. 
5. Now add in the chicken pieces and mix well. Keep covered for 5-7 minutes on medium flame. 
6. When you open, some water would have started to come out from the chicken. Now add in 1/2 cup water. Reduce water quantity added if too much water has come out from chicken. At this point again cover and cook till chicken is cooked well. 
7. Now open and cook till water evaporates and chicken gets a semi gravy consistency. 
8. Once you get the masala like consistency add in chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Keep on low flame for 3-5 minutes. 
9. Switch off and serve hot. 

Grilled Fish (Indian Style)

Recipe 

Ingredients

Whole fish (slitted) – 1 kg 

Alter these ingredients according to the size of the fish. I took a medium sized 1 kg snapper.

For marination 

Lemon juice – 1 whole lemon 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Black pepper powder – 1 tsp 

Kashmiri Chilli powder – 1.5 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp 

Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste 

Water – 1-2 tbsp as needed for a paste 

Steps 

1. Prepare after cleaning well any whole white fish for grilling like Red Snapper, Seabass, Seabream, Pomphret etc. Make slits in the fish from top to bottom. 

2. Make a paste of the ingredients mentioned above under marination.

3. Now rub it well into the fish into the slits as well. 

4. Marinate it overnight for best flavour or atleast a minimum of 1 hour. 

5. Keep the fish over a grill rack and drizzle some olive oil over the fish and veggies if any before keeping in the grill.

6. Preheat an oven at 200 C and grill the fish for 20-25 min and towards the last 5 minutes I used the fan option or convection mode as well to get a nice crispy skin outside.

7. Serve hot. 

Note

• You may add other vegetables like carrot, beans, cauliflower, broccoli etc too around the fish while grilling. 

• All ovens differ in settings so the time taken to grill might differ too. Mine is an electric oven.

• If you use a baking tray instead of a grill rack the underside of the fish may not cook to crispy as well. 

• Also alternatively you can try flipping the fish midway for a good crispy texture for both sides but for the risk of breaking it, I left that but. 

Chicken Ularthiyathu

This is a appetiser or dry chicken dish which can be used as main course made with small bite sized chicken pieces cooked mainly with sliced coconut pieces, shallots and curry leaves 

RECIPE 

Ingredients 

Chicken cut into small sized pieces (boneless thighs or chicken with bone) – 500 grams 

For Marination 

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp 

Kashmiri Chilli powder – 1.5 tbsp

Salt – to taste 

Shallots – 250 grams 

Curry leaves – 1 sprig atleast or more 

Red Chilli flakes – 1 tbsp

Sliced coconut pieces – 1/4 cup 

Coconut oil/ Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp 

Method 

1. Marinate chicken with ginger garlic paste, salt and Kashmiri chilli powder. 
2. Heat a pan and add in coconut oil when hot. After oil is hot, now add in the shallots, curry leaves, sliced coconut pieces and red chilli flakes and sauté well till onions are soft. 
3. Add in the marinated chicken to this and cook on medium flame covered for 10 minutes and then open and cook till al water evaporates and chicken is well cooked. Add a bit of oil if needed or if chicken is drying out. 
4. Serve hot. 
   

Notes

• Shallots work best for this recipe . If no shallots, 1 medium onion thinly sliced can be used. 

• Coconut oil works best for this recipe for the authentic flavours but if not then can use vegetable oil. 

• I used boneless thigh pieces cut into small cubes. I wouldn’t recommend using boneless chicken breasts for this recipe. Chicken in bone cut into small-sized pieces can be used. 
  
• I would be generous with the curry leaves in this recipe as it adds quite a bit of flavour to the dish.

Chicken 65

Chicken 65 is a Indian spicy fried chicken dish that can be served as a snack/appetiser/main course.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Appetizer, Chicken, Indian, Kerala, Meat

Prep Time 20minutes minutes

Cook Time 30minutes minutes

Resting Time 30minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Sneha George

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg Boneless/ Chicken with bone (small sized pieces)
• 2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1/2 tbsp Crushed Black Pepper Powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
• 2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 2 tbsp Cornflour
• 1 tbsp Rice flour (optional)
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 1 Egg (optional)
• 1 sprig Curry leaves (chopped finely)
• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves (chopped finely) For garnishing
• 1 cup Coconut oil/ Vegetable oil For frying

Instructions

• Cut chicken into small bite sized pieces. You may use boneless or chicken with bone pieces.
• Marinate chicken with all the ingredients mentioned above except the coriander leaves for garnishing. Keep it aside for minimum 30 minutes.
• Deep fry the chicken in the oil and after removing it from oil, garnish it with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot. Take care to not keep it for a long while if you are using eggs in it as the coating can then turn soggy

Spicy Kerala Beef Curry

This is a spicy Kerala style Beef curry made using spice powders and cooked over a low flame till done.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Beef

Prep Time 20minutes minutes

Cook Time 1hour hour

Total Time 1hour hour 20minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 kg Beef cut into small cube sized pieces
• For Pressure cooking
• 1 large Onion thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp Meat Masala 
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp Crushed Black Pepper 
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Vinegar
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup Water
• For the curry
• 1 large Onion thinly sliced
• 4 Green chillies
• 1 tsp Ginger (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp Garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 11/2 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Coconut oil/ Vegetable oil

Instructions

• In a pressure cooker add beef with all the ingredients mentioned under 'For pressure cooking' and mix well. Then over the flame, pressure cook it till 80 percent done ( I usually go for 1 whistle on medium high flame and then lower the flame and cook for 5-7 minutes or till second whistle is also heard). Now switch off flame and open the cooker after releasing the pressure. 
• Heat a pan on medium flame and when hot add in oil. Now add the finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute well. Then add in sliced onions and green chillies and saute well till onions turn soft and golden brown.
• Now lower the flame and add in turmeric powder and saute for 30 seconds then add in coriander powder sauteeing for 30 seconds and then Kashmiri chilli powder and saute for 30 seconds. 
• Add in the cooked beef along with the stock and on medium high flame cook for 5 minutes till some water content evaporates. 
• Now lower flame and cook on low for 20-25 minutes or till beef is cooked well and gravy attains a slightly thicker consistency. 
• Switch off flame and serve hot.