Marble Loaf Cake

While I have made this next cake quite often, when I was writing this post, this cake was intended for my dear sister, whom I am going to meet after like a zillion years (actually it’s just two). The one’s got a mix of both vanilla & chocolate flavour & that is one of the reason that helps me out whenever I am confused to bake a chocolate cake or vanilla cake. This one can be baked either in a square or Bundt pan. Recipe by:  Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients

• 170 gms of Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup  Granulated Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• ½  cup of Whole Milk
• 1 tsp. of Vanilla Essence
• ¼  tsp. of Baking Powder
• 2 cups of All Purpose Flour + 2 tbsp.
• 4 oz of semi-sweet chocolate melted

 Preheat the oven to 200°C, spray a 9*5*3 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and set aside. Line with a parchment paper.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until very creamy, add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to mix until you have a nice thick and pale colour. Add vanilla.

 Alternately add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin with the dry ingredients), mixing only until each addition is incorporated.

Divide the batter in half. Add melted chocolate into one half.

Drop spoonful of dark and light batter randomly into the pan, and then plunge a spatula/butter knife deep into the batter and zigzag through the batter not more than 5 times.

Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in to the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before inverting onto a platter. 

Peas Pulao

Ingredients

• 2 cups of basmati rice (soaked in water for 30 mins)
• 4 cups of water
• ½ cup Frozen peas thawed
• 2 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon bark
• 1 star anise
• 1 ½ chicken/veg stock cubes

Drain the rice and keep it aside.

In a non-stick wide bottom pan, add ghee and splutter cumin seeds, star anise and cinnamon bark. Add rice and stir for about 10 seconds gently. Do not stir vigorously or else the rice may tend to break. Add water and chicken/ veg stock cubes, mix well. Cover and cook for about 15 – 20 minutes. Check after 12 minutes and add peas and cover and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove from flame and let the rice sit closed for a while. Serve with your favourite curry !!!!

Chilli Chicken Roast

This is an Indo-Chinese dish, but I opted out a few ingredients and have gone for a simple version. In the original version this dish is garnished with spring onions, but over here I have gone with curry leaves and coriander leaves instead. I have made this dish really spicy but in the recipe I have toned down the spice. Best tasted when served with plain rice/pulao/roti - I have gone with a peas pulao.

Ingredients

• 1 kg Chicken –cleaned and cut into small pieces
• ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. Chilli powder
• 1 tbsp. Pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. soya sauce
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 1 tsp. Chilli sauce (optional) 
• 2 onions large julienned
• 3 Green chilies slit
• 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
• 1 Tomato medium sliced
• 1 stalk Curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. Soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Pepper powder
• 3-4 tbsp. veg oil
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric, chilli powder, pepper powder, soya sauce and if using, Worcestershire & chilli sauce for about 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan at medium heat. Fry the chicken pieces until nice golden brown colour. Fry them in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. Set aside and drain them on a paper towel.

In to the same pan add 1 tbsp. of oil and fry the onions, green chillies curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Sauté till onions turn golden brown. Add pepper powder and sauté. Add tomatoes and add ¼ cup water/chicken stock and cook till tomatoes are done. Add the fried chicken pieces and add soy sauce & mix well.

Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot!!!!

Chicken Burrito

Sometimes my hubby goes on a cranky mode & I have dish out something international. This next Mexican dish was served out during one of these exploits. Ideally the burrito is made with red meat and mashed beans, but over here I have gone with a simpler version involving white meat. Easy, simple and tasty – a couple of burritos should satiate ones appetite quite well.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of chicken cleaned
• 1 tbsp. Bbq Sauce (optional)
• 1 Onion large finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves
• 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 green bell pepper julienned
• 1 yellow bell pepper julienned
• 1 cup cooked rice
• Salt and pepper to season
• 1 slice of cheese grated
• 4 tortillas Wraps

In a pan, add enough water to cook the chicken. Add salt and pepper. Cover and cook until chicken is done. Reserve the stock. Take the chicken pieces and shred them finely with a knife or with your fingers. Here you can add the bbq sauce or you can follow the next step.

In a small non-stick bottom pan, add 1 tsp. veg oil and add the chicken along with the Bbq sauce and fry till golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Into the same pan, roast the bell peppers for about 5 minutes and set aside.

Add 2 tbsp. Of veg oil and sauté onions till translucent. Add clove and sauté for a while. Add pepper and salt. Add tomatoes and add the reserved ½ cup chicken stock; cover and cook until tomatoes are done. Add rice and stir. Add tomato paste and add ½ cup of stock and cook on a high flame. Check for salt and pepper. At this stage it will taste like tomato rice. Yummyy!!!

Warm the tortillas and place the rice in the middle of the wrap; top with bell peppers, then with chicken and then with grated cheese. Fold the both the sides inwards and downside up and roll in a foil.

Serve hot!!!!

Mushroom Masala Curry

Mushroom is one of those few vegetarian dishes that my hubby munches without much complaint & these days they are available with ease in grocery stores. This next dish is quite the spicy one. You can add either boiled potatoes or paneer to this for a different taste. This dish can be served with plain rice/pulao/roti.

Ingredients

• 500gms mushroom cleaned and cut into small pieces
• 1 onion medium chopped or cut into squares
• 1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes finely chopped
• ½ tsp. turmeric powder
• 3 tsp. chilli powder
• 2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 5-6 cardamom pods
• 4 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. dry fenugreek leaves( kasoori methi)
• 1 green bell pepper/capsicum cut into small squares
• ½ cup Veg oil

In a non-stick pan, dry roast, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, dry red chillies and dry fenugreek leaves for about 4-3 minutes. Grind together and set side.

Heat ¼ cup oil in a non-stick pan, and fry mushroom until half done. Set aside. Add the balance oil and sauté onions, ginger garlic paste till onions turn golden brown. Add chilli, turmeric and coriander powder. Saute for a while.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are done. Add the rounded masala and stir. Add the mushroom and add ¼- ½ cup hot water to this and stir. Add capsicum cover and cook until the gravy thickens on a low flame. Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

I served it with Jeera Rice and yogurt!!!!!!

Crispy Prawns Fry

Like the name suggests this next dish is a real easy one. It just involves fried prawns, topped with some crispy onions and green chillies. This one serves as an ideal side with your main course.

Ingredients

• ½ kg Prawns cleaned and deveined
• 1 tsp. Ginger Finely chopped
• 1 tsp. Garlic crushed
• ½ cup Shallots/cheriya ulli finely chopped
• 1 onion medium julienned
• 3-5 Green chilies splits
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 tbsp.  chili powder
• 1 tsp. Black pepper powder
• ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. Coriander powder
• ½ tsp. Garam masala powder
• 1-2 tbsp. coconut oil
• Salt to taste

Combine prawns with chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Keep aside for marinating for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a pan and onions and 2 green chillies and sauté them until golden brown. Set aside. Into the same pan, add shallots, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and the rest green chillies and sauté until cooked. Add the marinated prawns. At this stage you can add 1 more sprig of curry leaves. Add salt, if required. Cover and cook on a low flame until prawns are done. Now garnish with fried onions and green chillies.

Serve hot. 

Mutton Curry

This dish is also from my mom’s kitchen and figures out in my favourite list (this list growing a lot I believe). I have used plantain/raw bananas as a combo for mutton. But then this is optional & you can substitute them with potatoes. You can serve this dish with plain rice/pulao/parotta/chapatti.

Ingredients

• 1 kg mutton, cleaned (cut into small pieces)
• 3 raw plantain/kaaya (optional)
• 2 onions medium chopped
• 1 inch ginger chopped
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 4-5 green chillies
• 1 tomato medium finely chopped
• 1 stalk curry leaves
• ½ tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. chilli powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds/ perumjeerakam
• ¼ cup coconut grated
• 1 tsp. pepper corn
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• Coriander leaves  to garnish

In a cooker, add mutton pieces, plantain (If using), turmeric powder, little water and salt. Pressure cook for about 3-4 whistles. Remove from flame and set aside. Wait until the pressure settles down.

In a non-stick bottom pan, fry grated coconut without adding any oil till it turns slightly golden brown. Add garam masala, chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel seeds/ perumjeerakam and pepper corn. Remove from flam and set aside to cool. (This is our first masala)

Meanwhile, add oil to a pan, and sauté onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies until done. Add tomato and cook till tomato softens. (This is 2^nd masala)

Open the cooker lid and set on low flame. Now grind the first masala with a little water. Pour it into the cooker and mix well.

Now grind the 2^nd masala mixture and add it into the cooker. Mix gently. Check for salt.  Cover and cook on a low flame for about 5-8 minutes until the gravy thickens.

Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Lemony Squares

The smell of lemon is something which soothes my mind and body. I go Zestyyyyyyy (ok that is a little exaggerated)!!!!! This dessert is something I always wanted to try and is adapted from one of my cook books. Easy to make and all the ingredients can be easily available.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Flour
• 1/2 cup of Powdered Sugar 
• 230 gms of  Butter unsalted softened
•  14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 4 Eggs
• 2/3  Cup of Fresh Lemon Juice
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 Tbsp. of Flour

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with aluminium foil and set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, butter and powdered sugar and mix together until it forms dough. Press the dough in the bottom and half way up the sides of the baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.

In a large bowl combine condensed milk, lime juice, eggs, salt, baking powder and flour. Here you can add 3-4 drops of yellow food colouring to get a bright yellow lemony colour. Well I have opted that out. Mix well.

Pour into the baked crust and bake for 30 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes at room temperature and 2 hours in the fridge until set.

Dust with confectioner sugar and cut into squares.

Prawns Curry (With Raw Mangoes)

Along with crabs the next seafood option that stirs me up are prawns. This next dish is a typical Kerala curry dish. This dish can be prepared without raw mangoes as well but I love the sour taste of mangoes which makes the curry extra delicious. To get the best of this curry serve it with plain rice. 

Ingredients

• 1 kg Prawns/chemeen cleaned and deveined
• 2 Raw Mango/pacha manga
• 1 ½ tbsp. Chilly Powder
• ½ - ¾ tsp. Turmeric Powder
• 1 small dried gamboge/kokkum( KudumPuli)
• 2 Green Chillies slit
• 1 inch Ginger crushed
• 3-4 shallots/pearl onions/small onions
• Salt-to taste
• 2 stalks Curry leaves
• 2 ½ cup coconut grated
• 1 tbsp. Coconut oil

In a grinder, grind chilli, turmeric and coriander powder with grated coconut. 

Transfer this into a bowl and add 2 ½ cups of water and with the help of a sieve (Arippa) extract the coconut mixture. You will get a thick spicy coconut milk mixture. Add a little more water to the grinded coconut and extract the content by adding ½ cup of water. Keep the spicy coconut milk aside and discard the coconut mixture.

In a non-stick pan or I used clay pot (meen chatti), add the coconut milk, green chillies, curry leaves, ginger and gamboge/kudampuli and salt. Bring to boil on a medium high flame for about 5-6 minutes. Discard the gamboge and add raw mangoes and prawns. Cook till prawns are done and the curry thickens. Remove from the flame.

In a pan, add coconut oil and sauté shallots/ cheriya ulli/small onions till brown. Add this to the top of the curry.

Serve with plain rice.

Crab Roast

I am not a fan of fish (I am one of those few Keralites who don’t do well with fish), however when it comes to crabs, you can say that I am very much a CRABAHOLIC!! In fact the way I used to gorge crabs used to give me disgusting looks even from my hubby. This next dish is something that is always made for me both my mom & my mom-in-law whenever I visit them & the sight makes me go bananas. This dish can be served with plain rice/veg puloa.

Ingredients

• 500 gms Crab-cleaned in vinegar
• 2 medium Onion finely chopped
• 2-3 green chilies slit
• 2 stalks of Curry leaves
• 1 Tomato medium finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. Ginger chopped
• 1 tbsp. Garlic chopped
• 1 tbsp. chilli powder
• 2 tsp. Coriander powder
• ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
• ½ tsp. Black pepper powder
• 1 tsp. Garam masala powder
• ¼ cup Thick coconut milk (Optional)
• 1 cup Water
• Salt- to taste
• 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil

Heat oil in a deep bottom non-stick pan and add onion, green chilies and curry leaves. Saute until cooked. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for a while. Add chilli, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder. Cook for about 5 minutes till oil separates.

Add tomato and cook until it cooked. Add salt.

Add crab and 1 cup of water) and mix well. Cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes. Open the lid and cook until gravy thickens.

Here at this stage, you can add coconut milk, if using, and mix well .Cook until the gravy becomes semi dry.

Transfer to a serving dish.

Beef Ularthiyathu (Beef Fry)

This is one dish that majority of us Keralites will call as irresistible. One of the all-time favourites of my husband (seems like this is also a favourite side dish along with booze). This dish has small boneless beef cubes fried with coconut pieces. It practically stays fresh for like 1 week or more and seems to get tastier each time you reheat it. In my case my hubby’s version usually ends up tastier than my version & for his IP reasons he hasn’t shared his recipe with me yet!!!!

Ingredients

•        1 kg beef boneless- cut into cubes
•     1 tsp. Fennel seeds (Perumjeerakam)
•     1 inch Cinnamon stick
•     4 Cloves
•     1 tbsp. chilli powder
•     3 tsp. coriander powder
•     ½ tsp. turmeric powder
•     1 inch ginger crushed
•     10-12 garlic cloves
•     ½ cup Coconut pieces cut into small pieces
•     ¾ cup shallots/ pearl onions crushed
•     2-3 green chillies
•     1 onion medium finely julienned
•     Salt to taste
•     2 stalks curry leaves
•     5-6 tbsp. coconut oil

Grind together clove, cinnamon and fennel seeds into a fine powder. In a pressure cooker, add grounded spices, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilli and coriander powder, salt, 1 stalk curry leaves, shallots, coconut pieces and beef together. Add ½ cup of water.

Pressure cook for about 15-20 minutes on a low medium flame. Once the cooker release its pressure, open and cook on a high flame till the water, if any, evaporates.

Meanwhile in a heavy non-stick bottom pan, add oil and sauté onions till translucent. Add green chillies and sauté. Add the beef and the rest of the curry leaves and fry well slowly on a low flame. It takes time but the result will be FAB!!!! Fry till the colour changes into dark brown.

Transfer to a serving dish.