Kerala Parotta

For a long time I have been wanting to make Kerala Parotta of KP as it is popularily known in most of the Bangalore restaurants. I always thought it was a very difficult recipe and completely dipped in oil but was surprised to see that it was not the case.

KP's can be quite a novelty especially while having guests. Though it does take some time to prepare,some bit of early preparation can be done.

This recipe was off the internet and is the easier way to make KP's ( unlike the original Thattu Kada recipe's)...

Ingredients

Maida ( all purpose flour ) - 2 cups ( for about 4- 5 KP's)
Hot Water - as required to make dough ( about 3/4 cup)
Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tsp

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Make the flour by kneading the maida, water & salt well. It would become a very smooth white dough. It is quite difficult to make maida dough as the whole thing can get sticky if there is excess water. So add water slowly, till it is just right and smooth.

If this needs to be stored, then cover with a muslin cloth ( the dough should retain its moisture) and not become dry.

Seperate the dough into tennis ball sized balls.

Roll the dough using a rolling pin ( similar to making roti's). This needs to be done on a flat surface,like the kitchen table. Spread a little oil on the flat surface before rolling. Shape is not a problem here, it cab be rolled horizontaly, vertically, diagnonally or just about in any direction. The key is to make it as thin as possible. Even if the dough tears in certain areas, it is still pardonable.

Now using both hands pleat the rolled dough. Similar to the way saris's are done. About an inch width would be good enough. (Pleat - From any one direction fold the rolled dough back & forth across the length). At the end there would be one single length wise folded dough.

Roll this in a concentric fashion.  Even at this stage it can be stored ( covered with a muslin cloth).

Take the concentric dough and flatten using a rolling pin ( do not make it very thin, leave it thick). Use oil to flatten if required.

On a thava, heat it and turn sides. Add oil if requierd. The Kerala Paratta's are ready now.

Once about 4 or 5 KP's are made, keep them on a flat surface.Now try clapping with KP's in between. This helps in seperating the layers. This needs to be done with the KP's are hot so be careful with your hands.

It can be served with thick gravy curries..

Aviyal

Its Onakalam again.. and time to make my fav dish..aviyal. Explained in english, its a concoction of many vegetables cooked in yoghurt with mildly flavored coconut..

Aviyal is said to have a very interesting origin. There are many stories which link it to royalty. Most commonly said is that it originated during Mahabharata when Bhima ( the strong man amongst the Pandavas) was working as a cook in a palace and while the king walked into the royal kitchen he saw lots of vegetables being left over. As the King did not like waste of any kind, he ordered all the remaining vegetables to be made into a dish..and our dear old Bhima cooked the veggies in some curd and coconut seasoning..& voila a new dish was born.

Interestingly the term " Aviyal " is used colloquially for variety or for mix and matches. There is even a Kerala rock band by this name in which there is a mix of various music genres.

I make aviyal for pretty much the same purpose - to use up left over veggies and also to because its one of the most tasty recipes for having a wide variety of greens..

Caramel Custard

Caramel Custard is one of the most common desserts made across the globe in exactly the same manner. It is said to have a french origin and was intially called flan. The recipe can be however traced back to the ancient Roman period and there is even a National Caramel Custard Day which is celebrated on October 3rd when Spanish and French households whip out eggs and prepare this dish or the more sweeter version called flan.

Caramel Custard is one of my fav desserts, I like it delicate and not very sweet but with enough caramel oozing out all over :)...

Here is my recipe..

Ingredients

1. Milk – 1 cup

2. Eggs – 2

3. Condensed milk - 1 cup ( same as milk qty)

4. Corn flour – 1 teaspoon

5. Vanilla essence -  1/2 teaspoon

6. Sugar – 2 dessert spoon

For Pudding

Beat the eggs well, first the whites and then the yolks, make it nice and fluffy. The softness of the dessert comes from how well the eggs are beaten. Blend in the condensed milk and continue to mix well. Mix one Tsp milk ( should be at room temperature) with corn flour and make a paste without any lumps. Add this paste to the condensed milk/eggs mixture. Add the remaining milk and vanilla essence. Mix well.

For Caramel

Spread 2-3 dessert spoon of sugar in the caramelising dish. Add some water & caramelise it. When it becomes golden brown colour, take it off from stove. Pour into the pudding dish. This needs to be done immediately as the caramel will cystalize quickly. Pour the pudding and cover the dish with alumunium foil. Pour 2 glasses of water in pressure cooker or any covered cooking vessel. Keep the pudding dish in that & cook for 10 minutes on slow fire after putting the weight. Turn off the gas. Keep the dish in pressure cooker for another 30 – 45 minutes. Once the dish is cooled keep in fridge for 3- 4 hrs.

While serving, reverse it onto the serving plate and serve cold. It goes well with fresh cream or ice cream also.It can be decoarted with choclate syrup or cashews and choco chips...

Chettinad Chicken

Chettinad Cuisine is the cuisine of the Chettiar's,  one of the hindu castes in southern Tamil Nadu in India. It is said to have originated from Nedungadi  about 600 Km south of Chennai. The cuisine is one of the most spiciest and aromatic Indian cuisines. It uses all variety of spices liberally, but star anise, Black Stone Flower & dried flower pods are the classic trademarks of this cuisines along with ground pepper, dried red chillies and freid coconut.

It mostly goes well with meat, especially chicken, lamb and salted or dried vegetables which are called kulumabu. The curries go well with most Indian staples like steam rice, dosa, roti, paratha & so on..but watch out for the tangy taste and the aroma of spices...

Here is my recipe for Chettinad Chicken curry

Ingredients

1. Chicken – 1 kg (Medium cut, less bones or boneless)

2. Grated coconut – 1 1/2 cup
3. Spices - Poppy seeds – 2 tsp, Fennel seeds(perumjeerakam) – 1 tsp,Coriander seeds – 1 tsp,Jeera – 1/2 tsp,Red chilli – 6-8,Cinnamon stick – 1 medium size piece,Cardamom – 4,Clove – 3,Star anise – 1/2,
4. Ginger -  garlic Paste- 1 tbsp each
5. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp,Chili powder – 1 tsp
6. Onion Shallots ( Sambhar Onion) - 15- 20 ( sliced)
7. Tomato – 2 medium ( Cut into small pieces)
8. Lemon – 1
9. Curry leaves - the more the merrier ( about 10 leaves) , mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt
Oil


Clean the chicken and cut into medium size pieces. Marinate the chicken in lime juice, tumeric powder and salt and keep aside for about 20 - 30 mins.
Fry the coconut with number 3 ingredients in oil, till it turn golden brown. Let it cool completely. Do not add water while grinding.This needs to be well ground and a thin film of oil ( from the coconut) will start to appear. 


Heat oil in a bottom heavy pan, splutter the mustard seeds, curry leaves and add sliced shallots and fry it till it becomes golden brown. Add tomato and turmeric and chili powder and mix well. Add salt to taste Add the ground coconut paste and stir it continuously for a few minutes. Once the powders are fried well add chicken pieces, combine well and cook for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and 2 cups water and cover and cook till the chicken is done. This curry has a thick gravy.

The addition of Tomato and lemon juice is important to reduce the pungent taste of the spices. Serve hot with rice / dosa/ bread / roti and so on...

Kerala Beef Fry..

theOn a sunday morning  if you drive by a christian neighbourhood in kerala you are sure to know that there is some variant of beef on the stove. Nowadays it is cooked rarely ( may be in alternate weeks) becuase of all the negatives of red meat.