Ramadan Day 3

Day 3 i kept on thinking what should i cook because as my daughter was not fasting i didnt get any input form her! i just hate to think and think what to cook. At last i ended up on the banana as usual and some bread pakoras along with Malabar chicken curry and pathiris.

Sometimes i just wonder how people back in calicutat  dads and moms home used to cook so many things during Ramadan. All day they would be reading the Quran and by 3 pm everyone will be in this kitchen making something or the other. Well those are the joys of a joint family! Every time i go there its a totally different world and i find it very difficult to come out of it especially when we have lots of same age cousins and have a lot to catch up!

This is yet another Malabar speciality. During Ramadan there will be at least one banana snack item everyday. And I’m just used to having it here also so cant pass a day without a banana! Thank god we get the same banana here is Singapore other wise i would have been lost during Ramadan!

When i made this yesterday my hubby as usual was saying wow! i haven’t seen this since last Ramadan! (he says this when ever he sees any Malabar snack item!)

For this recipe you’ll need

2 ripe kerala bananas cut in small cubes

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

10 cashew nuts crushed

sugar to taste (i used around 3 tbsps)

2 tsp oil

Heat oil in a non stick sauce pan and add the bananas. Fry it till brown.

Beat eggs, milk, sugar, cashew nuts  together and pour in to the banana.

Mix well and close the sauce pan.

Make sure the bottom doesnt get burned. I use a very thin metal plate to keep on top of the stove and keep the pan on it so that the things inside wont get burned.

Cook for around 10mts open and see whether its done. Serve hot!

Ramadan Day 2

Day 1 was very eventful as our daughter fasted for the first time. masha allah! She had her lunch at 1pm played for some time and then took a nap. After waking up form her nap straight away went to the kitchen to drink some juice!! But then when she was reminded that shes fasting she just played for some time watched some TV and hubby kept her engaged till magrib. Masha allah im so proud that she kept away from food and all the sweet temptations!

Unnakaya or Vayakkada is one of the very famous snack in Malabar. My hubby and daughter loves this so i make this atleast once a month. Today when i asked my daughter what she wants for Iftaar she said samosa and vayakkada again!

For Vayakkada youll need kerala banana not so ripe and not so raw just in between. It should not be soft or hard when you press it. Boil it in a closed pan till the skin comes apart.

After its cooked run it in a food processor to mash and make it like a roti dough. Alternatively you can also mash it when its hot with a heavy spoon.

Make lemon sized balls and set aside.

For the filling scramble 2 eggs and add sugar to taste and some crushed cashew nuts and raisins.

Flatten the banana balls, fill in 1/2 a tsp of the egg mixture in it and close it and make it in to ball again.

Smoothen the top and bottom of the ball in to a cone with ur palm.

Deep fry the vayakkada. This snack can be served any time breakfast or after lunch or teatime!

Vayakkada goes to Lubna’s Ramadan Event!

Ramadan Day 1

Badaam Milk is very refreshing during Iftaar. Those who have gastric problems and heart burn due to fasting can try this to reduce it. Its very easy to prepare and you can make the mix in large amounts  and refrigerate it and use it when ever you need.

A handful for badaam or Almond socked in water and peel the skin.

3-4 elaichi or cardamom seeds

Grind both in a dry mixer. Sieve it till its clear and no grains and refrigerate.

Blend 2 cups of milk, sugar to taste and the badaam mix. Chill and serve.

This post goes to Lubna’s Ramadan Event.

I have completed my 7 yrs in Singapore wow! i really didn’t think i would stay this long from my home and family!! Calicut/Kozhikode is famous for the parties and weddings and all the fun related to ti!! All these 7 yrs i have missed a lot of family fun.

We eat red meat here very rarely here. Of course people be very health conscious once they come out of Kozhikode!! .. My husband says that for all the food he eats from Kozhikode in 2-3 weeks during our yearly vaccation  is the reward for being healthy for the rest of the year!

Marinate all together and leave it for 2-3 hours. Then pressuer cook it without water for 15 mts. Deep fry once its cooled. Serve hot with green chutney!!!

This recipe is from the best cook in this whole world!!! not me my Mom!!! I make a lot of variation in her recipes but this time i thought I’ll try the authentic one!

In a large pan or cooker heat the oil and add the whole spices. When the aroma comes add the onions and saute till brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute again. Add the powdered spices and saute for another 2-3 mts. Add tomatoes, chicken and salt to it and cook till the chicken is done. Do not add water. Keep on stirring the chicken if its getting burned. When the chicken is cooked add some water if u want some gravy otherwise mix well and garnish with the green leaves. Serve with rice, roti, prata, bread or what ever!!!

My grandma makes the best coconut rice in the whole world!!!! it is so delicious that even if we make it just like her it wont taste the same. she sure has a magic touch. Today i have tried my best to make it just like her i know it doesnt taste like hers but still i tried my best.

In calicut coconut rice is made of matta rice. its round and brown and takes some time to cook. Malabaries usually use this rice. There is also white matte rice but as its not available in singapore i use the brown rice. Another rice which is commonly used is ponni rice. Its white long grain rice and very easy to cook. But my son doesnt like it so i hardly use it.

Back to coconut rice/thenga chor here are the ingredients

2 tbsps dalda or ghee (i used dalda)
4-5 shallots
3 cups rice
1.5 cup grated coconut
1 tbsp methi seeds/ulluva
1 tbsp fennel seeds/perunjeerakam/saunf
7 cups water
salt to taste

In a pressure cooker heat the dalda or ghee and add finely chopped shallots to it

When the shallots are brown add water

Grind the coconut and fennel seeds into a fine paste with less water

When the water boils add the rice, methi seeds, coconut, salt and cardamon to it.

Pressure cook in low flame for 30 mts.

When the steam is gone remove the whistle and mix the rice well.

Now its ready to serve with any chicken curry with gravy!

Srivalli here goes another entry from me for the Rice Mela! i hope your not fed up of me!! LOL!

Neyichor/Ghee rice is another very famous rice in malabar. And my kiddos love it. I was late today from my daughter school so i though i’ll make this because its easy and fast and i had chicken curry to go with it!!

I usually make neychor and biriyani with kaima or kola rice, which gives an authentic malabar taste! but as didnt have it at home i made it with basmati rice.

Well another reason is i wanted to send this enty for Srivallis Rice Mela!!

All you’ll need for this is–

4 cups basmati rice
4 cardomons
4 cloves
a small piece of cinnamon
1 small onion
2 tbsp of ghee
salt to taste
8 cups of water

Heat the ghee in a nonstick vessel or any other heavy bottom vessel.
Add the spices to it.
When the smaell comes out of the spieces add the onions and saute till brown.
After that add water and salt to it.
Once the water boils add rice to it and cook till all the water drains off.

Its so easy and ur kids will sure love this with or without any curry!

Heres the pic of neyichor with chicken curry.

Today my daughter had her orientation for her new class K1. (wow! time sure flies!!!) i though i would be back soon so i took the chicken out and didnt cook any thing else and went to her school. but when i came back it was already 11:30am and my kiddos usually have lunch by 12:30 ish. i was like OMG!! what im going to do now..

i decided to make neyichor (ghee rice) and chicken curry. but i knew that with all sauteing and stuff i cant make it by 12:30.

Then my sis called me and told me to come online. While i was chatting with her she gave me this recipe. She told me just mix every thing and toss it into the cooker and add grinded coconut.. i was like what??? no sauteing and no oil???? how come.. she said try it..
And then i just did just like she told me and it really came out good.

chicken 500 grms washed and cut into small pieces
1 medium sized onion
1 small tomato
1 large potato
1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp turmeric pwdr
1 tsp red chilli pwdr
2.5 tbsp coriander pwdr
1 tsp pepper pwdr
curry leaves, mint and coriander leaves – a handful
grated coconut – 1 cup
1 tsp fennel seeds/perumjeerakam
salt to taste

mix all the ingredients except the curry,mint and coriander leaves and coconut and fennel seeds in a pressure cooker. My sis told me not to add water but i added 1/4th cup to avoid burning (i didnt want to take the risk!!)LOL! Cook for 15 mts.

Grind the coconut and fennel seeds to a fine paste with 1/4 cup of water

When the pressure is gone add the coconut paste to it. And cook on a low flame till bubbles appear. Add all the leaves to it.

Serve hot with neychor or any type of pathiris.

This is the first time im cooking a chicken curry oilless!! Thanks to my dear sis for sharing such a wonderful recipe with me. I love you and miss you. **sniff sniff**

Pal in malayalam means milk and vayakka means banana. Its not the normal banana you get all over the world LOL! Kerala has a special type of banana that u can cook and eat. And u can also make many dishes of it even when its raw, half ripe and ripe.

Im glad we get the same type of bananas in Singapore!!! with out it ramazan would not be the same

So this is recipe is the ripe bananas with sago and coconut!

2 ripe kerala bananas
1 cup sago or sabu daana
sugar to taste
salt 1/4 tsp
1 and half cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp fennel seeds or saunf
2-3 shallots

• Cut the bananas in to thin long pieces and boil in a vessel with sufficent water
• Boil the sabu daana with sufficent water seperatly.
• Mean while grind the coconut, fennel seeds and shallots into a thick fine paste.
• When the banana and the sago are cooked and soft combine it into one vessal and add the grinded paste to it and cook again.
• Mix well and serve hot!

I love cutlets.. veg or non veg this is my all time fav snack. My daughter also started liking it now so thats another reason why i should make this often!

As i said in my earlier post the masalas in the recipe are not the exact as my son was sick i couldnt make out how much i added. But in the end it turned out to be yummmy and crispy!

200 grms chicken cooked and shredded
2 large potatoes boiled and mashed.
1 large onion finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 green chills chopped finely
1 tbsp coriander pwdr
1/2 tbsp garam masala
lots of coriander leaves chopped finely
3 white bread (1 day old) or 1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
oil for shallow frying

Heat some in a kadai and add the onions. When they are brown add the ginger garlic paste and fry for another few mts. When both are mixed well add the shredded chicken and mashed potatoes to it and mix well. fry again for 2-3 mts and add the coriander pwdr and garam masala to it. Mix well and add the fresh coriander leaves to it. Let the mixture cool.

Cut small pieces of the bread and run through the mixer (the small jar) and it will turn to bread crumbs. You can also use the ready made bread crumbs.

When the mixture is cooled make small tikkis of it. Dip the tikkis in the egg and then dip in the bread crunbs. Make sure that it is well covered with the crunbs. And shallow fry.