rava /semolina /sooji - 1 cup
sugar - 3/4 cup (adjust as per your taste)
ghee - 1/4 cup + 2 tbs
water - 3 cups
cashews - 1/2 cup
raisins - 1 tbs
cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp
turmeric powder - a pinch
Method :
step 1
- heat up 2 tbs ghee in a kadai
- fry cashews and raisins
- drain and keep aside
- to the same ghee add in the rava
- roast it on medium flame till a nice aroma come and the colour get slightly changed (6-7 minutes)
- transfer the roasted rava into a vessel and keep aside
step 2
- boil 3 cups of water along with salt,cardamom powder and turmeric powder
- add in the roasted rava slowly and stirring simultaneously
- cover and cook in low medium flame till the entire water get absorbed
- then add in 1/4 cup ghee and fried cashews and raisins
- mix well and switch off the flame
- serve kesary hot or warm
- mix sugar and salt with rice flour
- add coconut to this gradually to make a loose batter
- add in coconut oil,cardamom powder and mix well
- let the batter rest for 15 minutes *(see notes)
step 2 : cooking
- boil water in the steamer
- apply oil generously into a mould
- pour the batter (1/4-1/2 inch thickness )*(see notes)
- place it in the steamer and cook for 15 minutes or until done
- once it is done take it out and allow it cool completely
- cut into desired shape and serve
*Notes
- if the batter is thick after 15 minutes of rest, add more coconut milk and make it thin
- it tastes better when it is thin.
cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
raisins - 1/4 cup
onion - 2 cups (thinly sliced)
For chicken masala
chicken - 1 kg
green chillies - 11 (adjust as per taste)
garlic - 1/4 cup
ginger - 3" piece
onion - 4 medium sized
biriyani masala powder (previously made) - 1+1/2 tbsp
tomatoes - 2
curd - 3 tbs
coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
mint leaves - 1/4 cup
salt
For rice
jeerakasala rice - 1 kg (4 cups)
whole spices ( bay leaf-1,cinnamon -1"stick,cloves -4, seeds of 3 cardamom,1 small star anise )
ghee - 2 tbs
water 7 cups
salt
Method
step 1 : making biriyani masala powder
- prepare biriyani masala powder by making a fine powder of all ingredients listed under "for biriyani masala powder"
- I didn't roast them; You can roast and powder them
step 2 : frying the toping
- fry cashews till get a golden shade and then drain and keep aside
- fry raisins till they puffed up and then drain and keep aside
- fry thinly sliced onions in batches till get pretty golden colour then drain and keep aside
step 3 : chicken masala
- crush ginger-garlic-green chilly into a paste and keep aside
- saute 4 sliced onions till become very soft
- add in the crushed ginger-garlic-green chilly paste
- saute till the raw smell gone
- add in the biriyani masala powder and turmeric powder and saute for 1 minute
- add in the cleaned and draine chicken pieces
- stir well till the colour of the chiccken pieces turned white (2-3 minutes)
- add in chopped tomatoes, salt and curd
- mix well
- cover it and cook on low flame till the chicken pieces are done (10-12 minutes)
- no need to add extra water; moisture released from chicken is enough to cook them well
- stir in between to prevent burning
- once the gravy become thick and chicken pieces are cooked add in the coriander leaves,mint leaves and half of the fried onion
- mix well
- chicken masala is ready now; turn off the flame.
step 4 : rice preparation
- heat up 2 tbs ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel
- saute the whole spices for 1 minute
- add the washed and drained rice and stir for 2 minutes (no need to soak the rice)
- then pour 7 cups of hot boiling water
- add in enough salt
- add in 1 tbs lemon juice
- mix well
- cook it covered on medium flame till the rice absorbed entire water.
step 5 : dum
- line a heavy bottomed vessel with ghee
- layer the chicken masala first
- then layer half of the rice
- add some of the fried cashews,raisins and fried onions
- sprinkle some biriyani msasala powder
- then layer the remaining rice
- add in the cashews,raisins,fried onions
- sprinkle biriyani masala powder and 1 tbs rose water
- add in 1 tbs ghee
- cover the top with aluminium foil and seel the edjes and then place the lid
- heat up an old tawa
- place the biriani pot over it
- cook in low flame for 20 minutes and then switch off the flame.
- open it after 10 minutes .
- when serving make sure that each portion get equal amount of gravy and rice
ragi - 1 cup
raw rice - 1 cup
grated coconut - 2 cups
cooked rice - 1/2 cup
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
sugar - 1 tbs
yeast - 1/4 tsp
salt - 1 tsp
shallot - 1
Method
- rinse ragi and rice very well
- soak in enough water for 6- 8 hours
- drain
- grind into a fine paste along with rest of the ingredients and a little water
- cover it and allow it to ferment for 6-8 hours
- after 8 hours you can see bubbles on the top which indicate that the batter is nicely fermented
- heat a non stick/iron tawa
- pour a ladleful of batter and spread slightly
- cook one side and then flip and cook the other side also
- repeat the procedure till the batter is finished
- serve the healthy and tasty ragi appam with your favourite curry
Note
- ragi powder and rice powder can be used for this recipe
- fermentation time may vary depending on the quality of yeast and weather conditions
Falafel are middle eastern dish,made using chickpeas and some herbs.They can be served as a stuffing of pita bread or as a snack with hummus or with your favourite sauce. They are very easy snack to make at home.
Ingredients :
chickpeas - 1 cup
coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
mint leaves - 1/4 cup
onion - 1 medium sized
garlic - 3-4 cloves
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
salt - as per taste
wheat flour - 1 tbs
oil for deep frying
Method
step 1
- soak the chickpeas for overnight
- next day wash and drain them
step 2
- transfer them into a bowl
- add the all the ingredient except wheat flour and oil
- combine well
step 3
- grind them little by little into a coarse paste
- add wheat flour and mix well
- make lemon sized balls and flatten slightly
step 4
- deep fry them in hot oil till dark brown colour
- drain into kitchen tissue to remove extra oil
- serve with hummus or with pita bread or with your favourite dip.
*Note :
- If they crack during frying add a little more wheat flour or bread crumbs and again make balls.
We can make soft unniyappam with wheat flour (atta) without any compromise to taste.It is an instant unniyappam recipe as there is no need of fermentation of batter.
Ingredients :
wheat flour - 2 cups
cardamom powder - 1 tsp
sesame seeds - 1 tsp
salt - 1/2 tsp
baking soda - a pinch
jaggery syrup - 1 cup (*see notes)
fried coconut flakes - 2 tbs or as needed (*see notes)
oil for deep frying
Method
step 1
- mix all dry ingredients
- add the jaggery syrup and enough water to make semi thick batter of dropping consistency
- add the fried coconut flakes and mix well
step 2
- heat up unniyappam pan
- pour oil into the pits and heat it up
- drop the batter using a ladle until 80% full
- fry on medium flame until one side is dark brown colour (*see notes)
- then turn them and cook other side also
- once they are cooked enough drain on snack napkins
- let them cool completely and enjoy the super soft unniyappam
- they taste better on the very next day.
*Notes :
- I used about 200 gm jaggery to make the syrup. You can adjust it as per your taste.
- Fry the coconut flakes in 1 tbsp ghee or oil
- Keep the flame constant otherwise they may not be cooked properly.
- peel and cut plantain into halves and then cut into 1/4" thick slices
- deep fry them on medium flame until crisp
- then drain into kitchen tissue
- allow them to cool completely
step 2
- melt jaggery along with 1/4 cup of water
- strain it into a kadai and stir on medium flame till string consistency(* see notes)
- when it reaches the right consistency reduce flame to low
- add the fried banana slices into it and mix well
- add the cardamom powder,dried ginger powder,cumin powder and mix well
- let them cool for 1 minute
- then add the granulated sugar which help to avoid sticking of banana slices to one another
- after 10 minutes add the powdered sugar for a nice appearance
- when it is completely cool store in an airtight container.
Notes:
*To check the consistency of jaggery syrup :
- the bubbles begin to diminish
- drop a little into cold water;it will not dissolve but forms like a pearl
- when it press between fingers you can see the threads
* Make sure that the syrup do not become too thick.
