Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Vazha Yellai Kozhukattai


Irrespective of the fact whether we celebrated a particular festival or not,  My Amma always ensured that all the delicacies of the season is cooked at home. We never once felt deprived of anything.

This is my childhood favorite and i can just go on eating this....... Its a simple and Yummy dish.

Outer Covering 

Ingrediants

Rice Flour - 250gms
Ghee - One Spoon
Hot water - As required
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Cooking Method

In a large mixing bowl, Add Rice Flour and salt, Mix well.
To the above mixture slowly add boiling hot water and mix it using a spatula. When the mixture turns like chapati dough, add ghee and knead the dough until you get a smooth dough.
Set it aside.



 For Filling

Ingredients

Coconut - 1 Full (Grated)
Jaggery - 1 Big Cup (As per taste)
Cashew / Raisins / Badam / Dates - 1 Cup (Finely Chopped)
Ghee - 5 tsp

Cooking Method

In a large pan, add coconut and powdered Jaggery, Slowly heat it and mix until Jaggery melts.
Heat Ghee in an other vessel, fry all the dry fruits and add to the coconut mixture.
Add the remaining ghee and mix well.
Once the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, remove from heat.





 Making Kazhukattai

Take Banana leaf, cut into small rectangles, Wash and dry it.
Take a small ball of the outer covering and spread it on the Banana leaf, wet fingers in cold water if you find it difficult to spread.

Place half a spoon of filling in the center, press the sides and close the leaf carefully. Make many such Kozhukattai's and steam them for 5 min in a steamer or cooker.


The Kozhukattai is done, if you are able to remove the leaf without breaking kozhukattai.


Serve hot with a generous drop of Ghee :)





Remember :

1. Do not cook the filling for too long, It will turn hard and become a candy
2. Do not cook the stuffed kozhukattai for long, It will lose its shape and become watery, The filling might come out.
3. Make the outer covering thin, else it will become rubbery.




Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Minced Chicken Biriyani


Wish you all a very Happy New Year.
I know i have just not done any justice to this blog for the last 2 years, Hence i am here with this new recipe... Of late i have been trying a lot of new dishes, I just hope i have time to post them here.....

Minced Chicken Biriyani is a dish which was born out of my boredom, This is a very simple dish with loads of protein and very simple too, this is a boon to every working woman. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did....

Ingredients

Minced Chicken - 1/2 Kg
Rice - 3 cups
Onion - 3 (Finely Chopped)
Tomato - 2 (Chopped)
Green Peas - 100gms
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Curd - 1 tsp
Clove - 3
Cardamon - 1
Cinnamon - 1"
bay Leaf - 1
Salt
Oil

Grind - Masala
Pudina (Mint leaves) - 1/2 Cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 Cup
Green Chillies - 4
Ginger - 2"
Garlic - 15 pods

Cooking Method

Soak rice in water for 30 min
In a thick bottom broad vessel, pour oil, Once oil is hot, add clove, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf.
Add onions and once they turn light brown, add tomatoes and fry till tomatoes are fully cooked and mashed.
Add the green Masala and fry till the oil separates from the Masala. Add turmeric powder and Garam Masala powder fry for a minute.
Add the ground masala and fry till the raw smell goes and the oil leaves the sides
Now add ghee followed by curd and fry till the curd blends with the Masala.
Add the minced chicken and green peas, fry for a minute. Add the soaked rice and add water in the ratio of 1:2, i.e for one cup of rice add one cup of water.
At this stage I transferred the entire contents to my rice cooker and set it on cook mode.
However you can cover and cook on slow flame or even pressure cook for 3 whistles on slow flame.

I served this dish with a simple curd salad and Lemon n Onion wedges.

Cooking time : 30 minutes
Serves  : 4