Pepper Chicken

Ingredients :

For Marination :
Chicken with bones : 1.1 lb /1/2 kg (cut into medium size pieces)

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Freshly crushed Whole Black Pepper Powder : 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice : 3/4 tsp  

Salt to taste

For Masala :

Shallots /Red Small Onion  /Kochu ulli  : 25-30 nos or Onion : 1 large ( finely sliced )

Garlic : 6 cloves (crushed )

Ginger : 1 medium sized pieces (crushed )

Green Chillies : 2-4 nos ( slit lengthwise)

Tomato : 2 medium sized  (chop and grind it to a paste )

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Freshly Grounded Black Pepper Powder  : 2-21/2 tsp or to your tolerances level

Homemade Grama Masala : 1/2 tsp (To Make Fresh homemade masala: Fennel Seeds /Perum Jeerakam : 1 tsp, Cinnamon Stick/karugapatta : 2 inch pieces, Cloves/Grambu : 2, Star anise / Takkolam : 2, Green Cardamom //elakka : 2 pods (or) Use Store Bought Garam Masala : 1/4 tsp)

Coriander powder : 2 tsp

Grated coconut  : 1/2 cup
Curry leaves : 2 sprig
Salt to taste
Coconut oil : 2tbsp

Method of Preparation for Fresh Homemade Garam Masala :

1. Dry roast all the ingredients listed above for "To Make Fresh Garam Masala" and grind to fine powder and keep it aside. (Note : You can prepare this in bulk and store, but fresh masala taste too good or use store bought garam masala.)

Method of Preparation for Kerala Pepper Chicken : 

1. Clean and wash the chicken pieces with turmeric powder and drain it.
2. Marinate the chicken for 1/2 hr to 1 hrs with above listed ingredients 'For Marination' and set it aside.
3. Heat 1tbsp of coconut oil in a pan; add few curry leaves followed by crushed ginger, crushed garlic and saute for couple of minutes. Now add finely chopped shallots (or) onion (whichever you use) and green chillies; saute it over medium-low heat  till it turns to translucent.
4. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder and saute for a minute. Add ground tomato paste along with coupled of tbsp of water and cook till the tomatoes are nicely cooked and almost all water is evaporated.
5. Add marinated chicken pieces, mix it nicely and make sure that chicken pieces are coated with masala; adjust the salt and cook covered for around 20 minutes without adding water. 

6.  Now open the lid and then cook uncovered for another 10 more minutes. Now add freshly crushed black pepper powder, homemade garam masala, grated coconut and 1sprig of curry leaves. Combine everything well and cook it in a low flame till the chicken pieces dry and  have attained the light brown color (Note : Stir in between to avoid burning and it takes 10 minutes approximately.)

7. At this point add 1 tbsps of coconut oil and  dry roast it till browned up . Do not close the lid after adding oil to roast the chicken.

8 Once the chicken meat starts to fell apart and have attained the dark brown color then remove from the fire.  Keep covered for 10-20 minutes, let the flavor set.
9. Tasty Kerala Pepper Chicken is ready to serve.

Egg Puffs

Ingredients

1. Eggs – 6, hard-boiled and sliced into halves

2. Onion – 1 large or 2 medium, finely chopped

   Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp

   Green chilly – 1 - 2, finely chopped

   Curry leaves – 4 – 5, chopped

3. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

    Chilly powder - - 1/2 tsp

    Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

    Chicken masala powder / meat masala / garam masala – 2 tsp

4. Tomato ketchup – 1 - 2 tsp

5. Salt – To taste

6. Oil – 1 – 1.5 tbsp

7. Egg-white – of 1 egg, for egg wash

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan. Saute chopped onion, little salt, green chilies and chopped curry leaves. Saute until onion turns golden. Add the spice powders numbered 3. Mix everything well and saute until their raw smell is gone. Add ketchup. Mix well and cook for a minute. Check for salt. Add the halved eggs and mix everything well. Set aside. 

2.  Thaw the puff pastry sheets as instructed in the package. I used pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets. Each packet has 2 puff pastry sheets. You can make 6 puffs from each sheet. Cut the puff pastry sheet into desired shapes. Put some onion masala on each pastry and place an egg half on top of it. Seal the puffs using your fingers. Arrange the prepared puffs on a baking sheet lined with foil/ aluminium paper or greased with oil. Lightly beat the egg white and brush it on top of the stuffed puff pastries. Preheat the oven to 400 F and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until the puffs turns golden brown on top. Serve warm with a cup of tea or with ketchup.

Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 3 cups
2. Butter-3 cube size
3. Ginger Garlic Paste-1tsp
4. Fried onions-2 tsp
5. Coriander Powder-1tsp
6. Garam Masala-3/4 tsp
7. Chili Powder-1/2 tsp
8. Tomato Sauce-1tsp
9. Tomato Puree-1tsp
10. Milk-1 cup 
11. Salt to taste

Method:

• Take a bowl and add coriander powder, Garam masala, chili powder, tomato sauce, tomato puree and mix
• Add milk to it , mix it well.Keep it aside
• Take a pan ,add butter
• Once the butter melts add ginger garlic paste
• Stir it for 2 minutes
• Add friend onions and stir for less than a minute.
• Add the ingredients from the bowl .
• Simmer the flame and cook it for another 3 min.Make sure that you close the lid as the ingredients are raw and we need it to cook through...
• Open the lid ,you can see that oils getting separated and if the sauce is thick you can add more milk to it .Make sure that mik doesn't get cuddled so cook in low flame 
• Add panner and cook it for another 3 min.

Prawns Bhiriyani

Ingredients:

For Rice :
Basmati rice : 2 cups
Water : 4 cups 
Cloves : 4 nos
Cardamom pods : 2 nos
Cinnamon stick : 2 (1" pieces)
Bay leaves : 1 (optional)
Onion : 1 (big, finely sliced)
Lemon juice : 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For Marinating :
Prawns : 1.1 lb /1/2 kg (deshelled, devined and washed)
Red chilly powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste: 1 tsp
Lime juice : 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee/Oil for frying 

For Prawn Masala :
Onion : 2 (medium, thinly sliced)
Green chillies : 8-10 or to your spice level
Ginger : 1"pieces 
Garlic : 5 cloves (big)
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Bhiriyani Masala: 2 tsp(nirapara prawns masala)
Mint leaves : 1/4 cup (chopped)
Cilantro/Corainder leaves : 1/4 cup (chopped)
Ghee/oil : 2 tbsp

For Garnishing :
Fried Onion : 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves : Handful
Saffron : 1-2 strand
Warm milk : 2 tsp

Method of Preparation :

Cooking the Rice:
1. Soak the rice for 30mins and drain keep it aside.
2. Heat the ghee/oil in the pan,add sliced onions,all spices and saute for few mins; now add the drained rice and saute till rice combines well with all spices.
3. Boil the required water,add flavored rice,and cook the rice for 8-10mins.(uncovered)
4. When rice done drain the excess water immediately. 
5. Sprinkle the lime juice.

Cooking the Prawns :
1. Clean the prawns and make a wet marinate with above mentioned marinate ingredients; apply it on prawns and keep it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
2. Make a paste of garlic,ginger and green chillies and set aside.
3. Heat a oil in the frying pan and shallow fry the prawns; drain the excess oil in the paper towel and keep it aside.
4. In same frying pan, add thinly sliced onion to left over oil and saute until it is translucent,add the ginger,garlic,green chilli paste, saute until brown color,now add chopped corainder,mint leaves and combine well.
5. Add briyani masala,turmeric powder,red chilli powder,coriander powder,salt to taste and combine well until the raw smell is gone.
6. Add fried prawns and mix well; if the gravy dry then add 3tbsp of water. (if needed).
7. Cover & Cook on low flame for about 5mins and wait till oil starts to separate and adjust salt.

Preparing for garnish :
1. Mix saffron strand in warm milk and keep it aside.

Final Cooking and Layering :

Cooking in Oven :
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F/180 degree C.
2. In a oven proof dish, grease your cooking dish and spread half of the prawn/shrimp masala and with some cooked rice,
3. Sprinkle bhiriyani masala ,fried cashews, raisins, fried onions and chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves, sprinkle left over ghee and few drops of saffron milk over the rice as the final layering. Repeat this process.
4. Close with tight fitting heat resistant lid or close it with aluminium foil, crimp along the side and and bake it for 20 mins.
5. When it is done, remove and keep the dish covered until serving.

Cooking in Stove top - Dum Method :
1. Make a dough out of the wheat flour / maida with little water, the same way you would do it for chappathi and set it aside.
2. Place flat cast iron skillet or tawa on the lowest burner of your stove. The flame should be at the lowest setting.
3. Layer the prawn masala and rice; sprinkle bhiriyani masala , fried cashews & raisins, fried onions and chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves, sprinkle left over ghee and few drops of saffron milk and  over the rice as the final layering. Repeat this process.
4. Close with tight fitting lid seal the edges of the lid with above prepared dough. (Note : There should not be even the slightest opening) (or) if you don't prefer sealing it dough, then close it tight fitting lid and place the biryani vessel on top of the iron skillet or tawa and cook on for 15 mins and turn off the flame.
5. Let it rest unopened on tawa for another 15 mts and break open the seal; now dum is also done.

Serve hot with Pickle, Raita and Pappadam on the side and Enjoy! 

Mussel Fry With A Twist

Ingredients:

• Mussels-1/2 kg(cooked)
• Carrots-3 Medium Size(sliced in cube shape,try to slice it as thin as possible)
• Onion-1 Large
• Ginger-2tsp
• Garlic-3tsp
• Red Chili Pwd-1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala-2tsp
• Termeric Pwd-1/4 tsp
• Green Chili-3 Splited
• Curry Leaves-few
• Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat Oil in a pan
2. Add onions into it 
3. Add ginger and garlic. Saute it for few minutes
4. Lower the flame and add red chili pwd,garam masala and termeric.
5. Saute it for 2 min
6. Add mussels and carrots 
7. Add salt 
8. Close the lid and let it stand for 5 min
9. Open the lid and stir it and keep it open for another  min
10. Add green chili and curry leaves