Banana Halwa / Burfi (Banana Dessert)

In my native place in Kerala, halwa can be found in different varieties.This banana halwa is one among them and it is delicious. I was under the impression that making halwa is a difficult job since I haven't seen it prepared in my house or my relatives. I had some banana which were ripe and was searching for some dessert which I can make with it, then I came across the banana halwa and made it. It was too simply superb.So here it is..

Banana Halwa @Ruchikerala

Ingredients
------------
Ripe banana - 5
Ghee - 4 tsp
 Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - few

Process
------------

1) Peel the bananas and mash it with a wooden spatula as nicely as possible. Even if there are slight lumps its fine as it will eventually get cooked. The bananas I used are the normal ones which we get here in walmart in US (not the plantains).
2) Heat a non stick pan and pour the ghee.
3) Now add the mashed bananas and cook it for about 15 mins stirring in between.
4) Now add the sugar and continue stirring to make sure that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
5) After about 35 mins (from the start when banana was added to the pan) it will start turning to a nice brown color. Now add the cardamom powder and mix well.Switch off the stove.
6) Grease a plate with half a teaspoon of ghee and then pour this. Level this up and place the cashew nuts.
7) When it is cool (almost after an hour, if you have patience !) cut this into desired shapes.

Tips:
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1) The key here is to make sure that it doesn't stick to the bottom , so I highly recommend using a non-stick pan and also stirring often.
2) Do not add too much cardamom powder or it will reduce the flavor of banana.
3) Reduce the quantity of sugar to say 1/2 cup if u don't like too much of sweet.

Ven Pongal - How to and Tips

I never used to like Pongal. But I tasted it recently from one of my friends house and from that moment I started a liking for it. I made it and it was good.

Ven Pongal @Ruchikerala

Ingredients
--------------
Pressure Cook
-----------------
Raw Rice - 1 cup
Green gram - 1/4 cup
Water - 4 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as required

Frying
--------

Ghee - 3 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Pepper corns - 15
Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
Ginger grated - 2 tsp
Green chilly - 3
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Process
---------

1) Dry roast the green gram dal for about 5 minutes till it turns slight golden brown
2) Soak the rice and roasted green gram for about 10-15 mins.
3) Pressure cook all the items listed under "Pressure Cook" section for 2 whistles.
4) In a pan pour ghee and add all the ingredients under "Frying section" and fry for around 8 mins until the cashew nuts are properly roasted.
5) Add the pan fried mixture to the pressure cooker and add 1.5 cups water and mix well.
6) Close the cooker with a lid and cook it for about 10 mins stirring in between to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom.
7) Server hot with raitha or coconut chutney.

Tips : Add more ghee for better flavor and taste.

Raitha
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Curd - 1 cup
Onion - 1/4 of 1
Tomato - 1 (small)
Green chilly - 2 (small and sliced)
Curry leaves - 1 spring (sliced)
salt - 1/4 tsp

Mix all the above in a bowl and raitha is ready. Enjoy..

Kozhukatta / Kozhukattai

I like Kozhukatta sooo much.. In my house, mom used to prepare this and she also had a nice mould in which you could make excellent shapes for this. Though I don't have the mould here, I managed to have it in similar shape (not perfect shape as a mould). But it was delicious. So here is the recipe..

Kozhukatta @Ruchikerala

Serving : 12 kozhukatta

Ingredients
-------------
Rice Flour - 1 cup
Water - 1.25 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

Stuffing
-----------
Grated Coconut - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamon powder - 1/8 cup (powder about 15 cardamoms)

Method:
--------

1) Roast the rice flour (I used the store bought one) for about 3 min in medium heat and switch off.
2) Boil the water along with salt and oil. When it starts boiling, switch off or simmer to low and add the rice flour slowly, mixing it well. Try to avoid lumps by mixing it nicely.
3) Slightly grease your hands with oil and knead the dough nicely until you get a smooth ball.
4) Divide the dough into small balls (around 12).
5) Put all the ingredients under "Stuffing" in a pan and heat it in medium. Mix all well and in about 3 min it should have incorporated all the flavors nicely. Then switch off.
6) Make any shape you like with the dough balls and fill it with the stuffing of step 5. I made the dough into a small fat disc and filled the stuffing inside and then just folded it along side the diameter. Then just seal the edges. For the pyramid shape, just make a hole with a finger inside the dough ball (spread the rice flour too as it shouldn't be thick) and fill it with the stuffing and then just close it at the top. Anyway, just make sure that the outer rice flour layer is not thick, it should be thin about the thickness of a chapathi.

Semiya Upma

I was bored of having cereals almost every day, wanted to try a new breakfast which is easy to prepare or can be prepared overnight and next day could be taken to office. I just need to microwave it in the office and hurray I have a good and healthy breakfast.

Semiya Upma @Ruchikerala

Ingredients
-------------

Semolina (Semiya) - 1 cup
Oil
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 1
Chana dal - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chilly -2
Frozen vegetables (I used carrot + corn + beans + green peas + lima beans) - 1 cup
Tomato - 2 small
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Ginger - 1.5 tsp
Garlic - 1 tsp
Green chilly - 4
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt
Water - 1.5 cup + 1 tbsp

 Method
------------
1) Fry the semolina in a little oil or ghee till its golden brown. Or you can buy the roasted semolina itself. I actually used that since its easy.
2) Pour some oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, red chilly, green chilly, ginger and garlic. Fry it for 2 min.
3) Add onion and fry till it turns golden brown.
4) Meanwhlie microwave the frozen vegetables with little water for about 5 mins.
5) Now add the frozen veggies and tomato.
4) Then add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder and stir fry for 5  min.
5) Add salt as required and add water (1.5 cups + 1 tbsp extra for the veggies).
6) When water is about to boil add the semolina and mix well.
7) Fry till the semolina is cooked and the water evaporates.
8) Switch off and serve hot breakfast.

Chicken 65

Chicken 65 - I have read so many stories on why it is called so. Instead of debating on all those, lets see how its prepared and lets enjoy having it.

Chicken 65 @Ruchikerala

Ingredients
--------------
Chicken - 1 lb (skinless and boneless)

Marinade
-------------
Salt
Pepper powder - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Corn flour - 1 tbsp

Egg - 1

Oil - for frying  (the chicken should immerse in the oil)

Next step ingredients
-----------------------
Oil
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 1 tbsp
Green chilly - 5 (small)
Curry leaves - 2 springs

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Soy sauce - 2  tsp
Hot chilly sauce or chilly garlic sauce - 1.5 tsp

Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Onion rings

Method
----------
1) Wash and cut the chicken into cubes. Chicken should be boneless.
2) Mix the chicken with the items listed under "Marinade" except oil.
3) No need to marinate and keep it for some time, you can start the frying process soon after mixing.
4) Pour enough oil in a pan such that the chicken will be immersed and then fry the chicken for just 5 mins in high heat. Make sure you don't fry the chicken too long as the chicken will turn crispy. It should be soft when pierced with a fork. Basically, the chicken will become light golden brown and then its time to switch off.
5) Take the chicken pieces from the pan and spread it in a paper towel so that the extra oil oozes out.
6) In another pan, pour some oil (you can take some oil from the earlier frying pan).
7) Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ginger, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves.
8) Fry for a while (2 min) and then add all the 5 powders (pepper, chilli, cumin, turmeric, garam masala) and fry for 2 more mins until the raw smell goes.
9) Now add the soy sauce and chilly sauce and mix well. Add salt too. Add 2 tsp of water just to coat well.
10) No add the fried chicken pieces and toss it well so that it is coated well with the whole mixture.
11) Fry for 2 mins and switch off.
12) Add lemon juice and serve with onion rings.

Note : I haven't added the red food color as didn't want to add something just for color which is not good for health too. If you want, you can add it just after adding the sauces to get the bright red color.

Prawn Sticks Appetizer

This is the best thing you can make when you have friends/ relatives visiting you and you need to impress them with a great looking and tasty appetizer/ starter.

Prawn Sticks @Ruchikerala

Ingredients
--------------

Prawns - 10
Egg white - 1/2 cup
Bread crumbs - 1 cup
Toothpick
Oil


Paste
-----------
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Lime juice - 2 tsp
Green chilly - 3
Corrainder leaves - 1 tsp chopped


1) Make a paste of all the ingredients listed under "Paste".  You can even crush the green chilly and coriander leaves and mix with all others.
2) Marinate the cleaned and deveined prawns with the above paste and keep it for 2 hours. You can refrigerate it for 1 hr and 1 hr outside.
3) Then insert the toothpick from the head portion till the tail. Be careful while doing this.
4) Arrange all these prawns with toothpick in a plate.
5) Now dip each prawn stick in egg white and roll it in the bread crumbs.
6) Heat oil in a pan and put the prawn sticks. when it turns golden brown take it out.
7) Serve hot with tomato ketchup, onion rings and lemon.

Kappa with Meen Curry (Tapoica and Fish curry)

I never used to like kappa so much. My hubby is from the southermost part of kerala where fish is a inevitable part of daily food !! So I also started experimenting on different fish recipes and this one came out to be really superb, it's kind of spicy, hot and delicious with the kappa (tapoica). In my house, kappa was made by just boiling it and I hated that. So after I tasted this kappa meen curry combination am now a fan of this.

Kappa and Meen curry @Ruchikerala