Mathi molishan/ spicy sardines and a blogging break

I am all ready to go for an exciting 4 weeks holidays to India and a short Dubai visit on my return.I am now in the phase of clearing out my fridge and pantry.Cooking is just for namesake these days,and I wonder how long will it take for my kitchen to be back on full swing even when I am back.Anyway coming to todays recipe..

Ingredients

Sardines - 3
Shallots - 10 -15
Tomato -1
Redchilly powder - 1 tbs
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 1 or 2
Curry leaves - few
Salt
Tamarind water - (small piece of tamarind soaked in 1/4 cup water)
Ginger -1/2 tbs
Garlic crushed - 1/2 tbs
Coconut oil

Preparation

Cut and clean sardines.In a chatty(earthern pot)/ saucepan add all the ingredients with fish adding little water .Cook till the fish is done and drizzle some coconut oil.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

Happy Onam

Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous Onam !!

Banoffee pie (English Dessert)

Ingredients(serves 4 )

Digestive biscuits - 10 biscuits
Butter - 35 gm( melted )
Banana - 2
Caramelised condensed milk - 1/2 tin( I used nestle caramel)/ Sweetened condensed milk - 2 tins( see the notes )
Whipping cream-1 /2 cup
Icing sugar - According to your sweetness
Grated Chocolate

Preparation

Place the biscuits in a plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin or powder it in a mixie/ coffe grinder.
Add melted butter to the biscuits crumbs and mix well.
                                                                                                                                                                                  

  Spread the mixture evenly in a tin with removable base and gently press it.     

                                            

Chill   it for 1-2 hours. 

Spread the caramel mixture above the biscuit layer and spread it evenly. 

Slice the banana and make a layer or two above the caramel layer.

 Finally whip the cream with sugar and spread the cream above the banana layer.

Decorate with grated chocolate.

Keep in  the fridge for few hours  before you serve it. Cut and serve  !

Notes -

If you are using condensed milk, immerse the tin in a saucepan with boiling water and simmer  for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.  Make sure that  you immerse the tin completely and the tin is always immersed in water, top up with more water when the water level comes down. Open the tin once its cool.

Ethapazham/Nenthra pazham chuttathu (oven roasted plantain)

Hello Friends,

I feel so bad for not catching up with your posts and for not updating mine too. I think for me active bloggging is not possible for a couple more months.For me winter is the best time for blogging when we dont go out much and have so much time to kill.Eventhough the word Winter itselves scares me I have blogging to look forward too.
I am also excited about our vaccation next month. We are going on to India for 4 weeks. My little boy is going to turn 2 years in september so we are planning to have a small party there with his grandparents ,friends and family. I have already started shopping which never makes me tired.I have to get some gifts for my close family and friends.
I dont have any recipe today I am posting a simple snack which my mother used to make in aduppu(grilling on charcoal),we call it chutta pazham .

Ingredients

Ripe plantains

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200 degree celcious.Place the plantains in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.Allow it cool down .Remove the skin and enjoy !!

Kalathappam/ Rice cake ( Kannur special ) cooked in oven

Kalathappam is a kannur special tea time snack ,we usually make this is in a pressure cooker but this was my first attempt in oven and the result was unbelievable, it came out so well without any burns which used to be my problem when I make this in cooker.

Ingredients

Jeerakasala rice/ kaima rice/biriyani rice - 1 1/4 cup
Cooked rice - 1/4 cup
Jaggery -5- 6 cubes( according to your sweetness)
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Shallots - 10 nos
Coconut slices- 2 tbs
Ghee/coconut oil
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder -  1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - a pinch
water - 1 1/4 cup

Preparation

Soak rice for 5-6 hrs in water.Grind rice with cooked rice and grated coconut by adding 3/4 cup water and prepare a loose batter.Add cumin powder and cardamom powder. .
Melt the jaggery by adding 1/2 cup water and add this to the batter by mixing well while adding.
In a thick saucepan add some ghee/coconut oil and saute the chopped shallots till light brown in colour.
In a small pan add some oil and brown the coconut slices.Add this to the sauted shallots.Pour the batter to the saucepan and gently warm the mixture by stirring continiously .Pour the batter into a greased tin and bake in a preheated oven at 170 degree centigrade for 25- 30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.Allow it cool down for another half and hour before you cut it.

Poori

Ingredients

Wheat flour - 3 cups
Warm Water
Salt
Oil - 1tbs
Oil - for deep frying

Preparation
Knead the atta by adding water,salt and oil and keep it aside for 30 minutes.Roll smalls balls and using rolling pin roll out the balls into small circles.In a sauceapan heat some oil and when the oil is hot ,deep fry the puris one by one.Serve hot with bhajis, kadala curry or any curry of your choice.

Beetroot pachadi

                             

Ingredients
Beetroot - 1
Green chillies - 2
Salt
Grated coconut - 1/8 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp (for grinding)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Yogurt/Curd - 1/2 cup
Whole redchillies -1-2
Curry leaves

Preparation

Grate the beetroot and cook by adding salt and green chillies.
Grind coconut with cumin seeds and mustard seeds by adding little water.Add this to the cooked beetroot.let it cook for 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame.Beat yogurt with a spoon and add to the pachadi.In a saucepan take some oil and sputter mustard seeds,add redchillies and curry leaves.Season pachadi with tempering.