Mathi Ilayil Pollichathu (Sardine Fish in Banana Leaf wraps)

Ingredients

Sardines 10
Shallots crushed 2 cups
Ginger crushed 2 1/4 tbsp
Coconut milk 1/4 cup
Banana Leaves (shown over fire so that it is easier to wrap up,doesnt tear off) 5
Salt
Coconut Oil
Curry leaves 3 springs

For Masala

Red Chilly Powder 1 tsp
Coriander Poder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Powder 1 dsp
Ginger garlic Paste 1/2 tsp
Vinegar 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp

Preparation

Clean Sardines and make slits lengthwise
Make a paste of the masala ingredients and coat 2/3 of marinade thoroughly and keep aside for 15 mints
Fry the sardines slightly on medium heat, till they are half cooked.
After all sardines are done, in the same pan, add some more oil and saute shallots, ginger, and curry leaves.
Once they are sauted well, add the 1/3 of marinade and saute again.
When raw smell gone add thick coconut milk, boil and simmer.

Once the mixture is dry, switch off.
Take a banana leaf, add a small amount of the mixture and put 2 sardines over it.
Pour some more mixture over it and wrap up the banana leaves with the thin strand you get from the banana leaf itself
Repeat the same for the rest of the fish.
Now heat some oil, preferably in a manchatty , and let it cook for some time on both sides.
Serve hot with rice. Or eat it as such..
Sorry it dint last for me to click the final picture..I too was digging myself inside the banana leaf...

Milky Melon - to cool off this summer !!

Ingredients


Water Melon 2 cups
Milk maid 1/4 cup (or more as required)
Water 2 cups
Sugar (add if needed)


Method


Remove the seeds and grind the melon to smaller pieces.Chill in freezer. Blend all ingredients together to make a thick shake.  Put some ground melon pieces on top if you prefer.
It is super simple and kids are going to love this.

Easy Apple Crumble

I am a beginner baker. And I recently came across this recipe. It is simple, different and very delicious.
The recipe is from Nags cooking and me.I blindly followed her recipe for the crumble.
Here is the Original recipe.
Nags Apple Crumble with vanilla custard sauce
Btw, I dint get time to make the sauce. Maybe I will try next time..
 This is the simplest way you can make apple crumble. Go ahead, try it.

Ingredients:

Apples - 500gm (about 2-3 medium-sized apples)

Wheat flour / atta - 1 cup

Salted butter - 100gm + a bit for greasing

Sugar - 2tbsp + 2 tbsp

Salt - a pinch

Lemon juice - a few drops (optional)

Cinnamom stick - 1 (optional)

Method:

1. Wash peel and chop the apples. Add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent browning. Mix in 2tbsp sugar and cook on a low fire until soft and mushy. Set aside to cool.

2. Mix salt and 2tbsp sugar with the flour. Lightly mix in the butter without kneading until you get a mixture that resembles bread crumbs.

3. Grease a pie dish/cake tray with butter. Lay the cooked apples evenly. Add the flour mixture evenly on top and press down gently. Sprinkle sugar on top.

4. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 25-30 mins.

Nadan Kerala Parippu Curry

Ingredients:
Peas parippu - 1-1.5 cup
Coconut - 1/3 cup
Jeera - 2
Green chillies - 2
Shallots -4-5
Curry leaves- 1strand
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies -2
Turmeric powder 1/2 dsp
Salt - as required


Method:
Cook dal along with turmeric powder, green chillies and required salt.
Grind coconut, shallots, Jeera and little salt to a fine paste.
Add it to the cooked dal in another pan.
Stir well to mix them well in a low flame.
When mixed well, season with mustard seeds, red chillies & curry leaves

Fruit Custard

 Ingredients


Fruit Juice(Any fruit, I used grape) -  4 cups
Corn Flour 6tbsp
Sugar 11/4 cup
Salt 1/4 pinch

Method
Keep aside 1/2 cup juice.
Keep a thick bottom pan in stove and  boil the rest of the juice with continuous stirring.
Add salt and sugar and dissolve them well.
Dissolve the corn flour in the kept aside juice, without any lumps.
Add cornflour mix to the juice in the stove.
Lower the flame and stir well, until the custard thickens.
Switch Off after the custard has thickened.
Transfer to little moulds once cooled.
Sprinkle some sugar granules over each.
Allow to cool and refrigerate for 4 hrs.
Flip off the custard in serving dish.
The custard assumes the shape of the mould, so be sure to keep in cute li'll bowls.

Recipe Courtesy: Dr.Lakshmy Nair in MagicOven

Ghee Rice (Neychoru)

Ingredients:

1.Rice - 2cups
2.Ghee - 4tbsp
3.Cashews - 10,broken
4.Raisins - 10
5.Onion - Sliced thin
4.Cardamom -2
5.Clove -2
6.Cinnamon - 2 small
7.Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Method:

Roast cashews and raisins in ghee seperately and keep aside.
Roast the onions till lightly brown with the same ghee.
Now add in cashews, raisins, cardamom, cloves & cinnamon sticks.
Add 4 cups of water.
Add salt and let the water boil.
When boiling add rice and cover the pan.
Cook in low flame until all water is absorbed.
It should take around 15-20mins.
Garnish with coriander leaves, cashews, raisins, fried onions, etc

Kerala Nadan Ari Puttu

Ingredients: 

Rice Flour (Puttu podi) - 2 cups
Water -  1/2-3/4 cup
Salt
Coconut grated  - 1/2 cup

Method:
Mix little salt with water. The water should be a little salty when tasted.
Slowly sprinkle water over the rice powder and mix using your hands.
Crumble the lumbs as you mix.
Mix till the right moisture content. The flour shouldnt be powdery.
Puttu is made in a special vessel called puttu kutti.
Add coconut, then add handful of rice flour twice, followed by coconut into the puttu kutti.
Continue until the puttu kutti is filled
Now place this over a pressure cooker/ puttu kudam. and steam for 10 mins.

Enjoy with Kadala Curry, Fish Curry, Chicken curry ,Bananas or simply with plain sugar and ghee.