Spinach and Sweetcorn Fried Rice

Fried rice is always handy which does not require any side dish and it is full of nutrients as it has many veggies in it. It comes handy when ever i feel lack of time for cooking. It is whipped up in a jiffy with out much effort. Especially my little one also likes it as it is less spicy. Today i have come up with another combination for the fried rice.

One day morning i planned to prepare fried rice for my hubby's lunch box and opened up the fridge and there was no carrots. I found a bunch of spinach over there and i made fried rice out of that and we liked that healthy version of fried rice. So i thought of sharing with you the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach| Palak, chopped- 1 big bunch
Sweetcorn, fresh or frozen- 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Basmathi rice- 1 cup
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Garlic- 2 cloves
Soya sauce- 1 teaspoon
Pepper- to taste
Sugar- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Spring onion- 1(optional)

PROCEDURE:

• Half cook the rice with salt and enough water then drain the excess water. Spread the rice over a broad plate and allow to cool (or) Cook 1 cup of rice with exactly 1.5 cups of water and fluff the rice with fork.
• Heat oil in a wide pan or wok and add the garlic and the white part of spring onion if you wish to add.  Cook till the aroma arises.

• Now add the spinach and cook till it shrinks by constant stirring, when the moisture is almost dry add the sweetcorn and cook for a minute. Once the  mixture is almost  getting dry add the salt and cook for fifteen seconds.
• Add the cooked rice and sugar increase the flame to high and cook the rice by constant stirring or tossing for about 2 minutes.

• Finally sprinkle the green part of spring onion and switch off the gas.
• If you want this rice more spicy add a teaspoon of schezwan sauce with soya sauce.
• If you prefer scramble an egg with a pinch of salt and add with this.

• Note: Adding egg, spring onion, schezwan sauce is optional.
• Do not cook and burn the spinach before you add the rice.

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Aloo Jeera Recipe

Aloo Jeera recipe is quite similar to potato roast but here we add extra jeera for more flavour. This recipe is more popular in North India especially Punjab. Simple yet tasty dish for all potato lovers. It goes well with almost all curries like dal, sambar, rasam..etc. Quick to make dish in a jiffy with very limited ingredients available in our pantry.

You could freshly roast and grind the cumin and coriander seeds too for more fresh flavour. I have served here with Palak dal.

INGREDIENTS: 
Potato- 3 nos
Oil- 3 teaspoon
Jeera| cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder- 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves- to garnish

PROCEDURE:

• Pressure cook the potatoes for 3 whistles until they cook soft. Once they cool down peel them and cut them in to medium sized cubes or pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the jeera once the aroma arises add the potato pieces with some salt.
• Toss in the oil till the potatos coats and the outer layer starts to brown.

• Now add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and mix well and cook till the raw flavour leaves.
• Finally add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off the gas.

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Savoury Diamond cuts| Spicy Diamond cuts

Savoury Diamond cuts| Spicy diamond cuts| Maida Kara biscuit is a different take to the sweet diamond cuts which i have shared earlier. Diamond cuts have many varieties Sweet, Savoury and also Salted one. I love the sweet as well as savoury one. Savoury one tastes similar to murukku. So it suits well with tea or coffe in the evening especially at this season.

You could replace maida with wheat flour too. And you could add any flavouring agents like jeera, ajwain or caraway seeds of your choice. Easy to make tasty snack within minutes. Kids love the sweet version and this one is for the adults.

INGREDIENTS:

All purpose flour| Maida- 2 cups

Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

Jeera- 1/2 teaspoon

Ajwain| Omam- 1 teaspoon

Sesame seeds- 1 teaspoon

Salt- to taste

Ghee| butter|oil- 1 tablespoon

Oil- to fry

PROCEDURE:

• In a deep bowl add the maida, chilli powder, jeera, ajwain, sesame seeds, salt and oil.
• Using a spoon or hand mix well to combine evenly.
• Now add water little by little and knead well to form a dough.

• Transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead to make a soft dough with out lumps.
• Divide the dough into two equal parts.
• Dust the surface with flour and spread the dough using a rolling pin into thin circles.
• Cut them criss-cross to get diamond shapes using a knife or pizza cutter.

• Remove the pieces on a plate and set aside.
• Heat oil in a deep pan till smoking hot.
• Hold the plate carefully and drop the cut pieces and fry them.

• Once the diamond cuts gets deep golden colour and crisp remove them from oil using a slotted spoon.
• Drain the excess oil using a kitchen towel. Once it cools store them in an airtight container.

• Note: You could make this using wheat flour too or maida and wheat flour 1: 1 proportion.
• Use the flavour of your choice like jeera, ajwain, caraway seeds.

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Sweet Diamond cuts| Maida Biscuit| Shankarpali| Shakkar Para

 Sweet Diamond cuts| Maida Biscuit| Shankarpali| Shakkar Para is a sweet deep fried biscuit which could be made easily without an oven. It retains the crunchiness for weeks. So therfore could be stored for future use. An awesome instant snack for the hungry school going kids. As a healthy version you could make this in wheat flour too.
The same snack in North India called shankarpali or shakkar para, they add more ghee than our south Indian version to obtain a soft texture such that it melts in the mouth as you have it. But both the results are finally the same.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: Indian
Makes: 3-4 cups

INGREDIENTS:
All purpose flour| Maida- 2 cups
Sugar, powdered- 1/2 cup(add 1/4 cup more for extra sweetness)
Baking soda- small pinch
Salt- pinch
Ghee| Butter| oil- 2 tablespoon
*You could add an egg instead of baking soda if desired.

PROCEDURE:

• Powder the sugar and set aside. In a deep bowl take the maida, add the powdered sugar, baking soda, salt and ghee.
• Mix with a spoon to combine well.

• Now add water little by little to combine well with out lumps to make a dough.
• Transfer the dough on a flat surface and knead to make a smooth dough. Divide the dough in to two equal balls.
• Dust the surface with flour and using a rolling pin spread the balls in to circular shape.

• Using a knife or pizza cutter cut them criss- cross to get the diamond shape.
• Remove each of the cut pieces on to a plate; set aside.

• Heat oil in a deep pan till smoking hot.
• Hold the plate carefully to drop the diamond cuts on to the hot oil.

• Fry them till crisp and deep golden colour.
• Checkout the spicy version too Savoury diamond cuts.

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Easy Kuzhalappam Recipe

Kuzhalappam is a tubular crispy yummy snack; originated from Kerala and especially popular in the Thrissur region. When I did my post graduation we used to eat a lot of these with tea during evening. I loved the taste of it and still do. If it is prepared as thin crispy tubes, the taste is really amazing. The size of the tube normally varies, however home made ones could be done in smaller sizes too. It looks similar to the Italian sweet cannoli if it is prepared as smaller tubes. I am used to seeing large tubular kuzhal appams in thrissur, so I am trying to make an extra long version of it.

INGREDIENTS:
Rice flour| Idiyappam flour- 2 cups
Sesame seeds- 2 tablespoons
Salt- to taste
Coconut, grated- 1 cup
Small | pearl onion-8-10 nos
Garlic cloves- 4
Cumin seeds- 1 tablespoon
Oil- for frying

PROCEDURE:

• Grind coconut, small onion, garlic and cumin seeds together as a fine paste; set aside.
• If you prepare rice flour from scratch, in a heavy bottom vessel roast the rice flour till you see steam from the rice flour.

• Boil 2 cups of water in another burner.
• If you use idiyappam flour just heat the flour, add the sesame seeds, salt and just mix well.
• Add the boiling hot water little by little and mix well using a laddle. 

• Transfer the dough on a flat surface; wet your hand in water and knead to make a smooth dough without lumps.
• Grease your fingers in oil and pinch a small lemon sized ball and spread the ball using a rolling pin into a small circle.
• Using a rod or thin rolling pin roll one side and bring the other side and seal the edge one over the other by slightly pressing.

• If you need perfect tubes make elongated circles and cut the edges of the dough and then roll them.
• Arrange in a plate; once you finish the whole lot heat the oil till smoking hot.

• As I have prepared elongated tubes I have used flat pan to fry them easily in 3 batches.
• Deep fry them till golden colour. Drain excess oil in kitchen towel.

• Once it cools down store in airtight container.

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Achappam| Achu Murukku | Rose Cookies

Achappam| Achu Murukku| Rose cookie is surely a childhood favourite for most of us. My mom usually made this snack during summer holidays and also during other festivals in huge lots. She used to prepare these at night keeping a vigil, as it takes a lengthy time to cook. At times we normally help her making them. Now it's my son's turn to savour this achappam and I enjoy making it for him.

I earlier used to soak rice for an hour, powder it, sieve it on a fine mesh sieve and use it as such for the achappam. Today just as a trial I wanted to try with ready made idiyappam flour as to whether it was favouring or not  so that I can make it instantly. And of course, "YEA" it is favorable and is suitable for Achappam. Do not use puttu flour as it is not finely powdered. Achappam could be made using maida too (will share that recipe later on).

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Cuisine: Kerala
Makes:15 nos

INGREDIENTS:
Rice flour| Idiyappam flour, (Roasted or non roasted)- 2 cups
Sugar, powdered- 1/2 cup(use extra 2 tablespoons for more sweetness)
Sesame seeds| gingelly- 1 teaspoon
Salt- big pinch
Egg-1(optional; vegetarians skip this)
Coconut, grated -1 cup
Water- 2 cups
Oil- for frying

PROCEDURE:

• If you use the achappam mould at the first time (new one) take the oil in the pan that you intend to fry the achappam, dip the mould inside and heat the oil till smoking hot; turn off the flame and keep the mould to temper inside the oil overnight (as then the achappam easily comes off from the mould)
• Take the coconut and add a cup of warm water; grind well in a blender and extract the thick first extract-1 cup
• Add a cup more water with the extracted coconut and grind once more to get the second thin coconut extract- 1 cup
• Powder the sugar inside the blender jar and set aside.
• In a deep bowl add the rice flour, powdered sugar, sesame seeds and salt. Mix the dry ingredients with a spoon.
• Now add the egg(if you are plan adding); mix well. Add the thick coconut milk and mix well with out lumps.

• Finally add the thin extract little by little and mix well till you get the batter to a dosa batter consistency. It should not be thick or too thin. Add water if required to dilute the batter. (If you do not add egg you could add little more thick coconut extract for more taste)
• Heat oil in a deep wide pan, the oil level should float on top of the achappam mould. Dip the mould inside the oil and heat the oil and mould together till smoking hot.

• Once the oil heated up remove the hot mould from the oil and dip 3/4 th on the batter as shown in the picture for a second.
• Lift the battered mould and just tap once to let the excess batter from the mould to drip off and immediately dip the mould on the hot oil and keep on shaking the mould.

• Once the batter cooks the achappam starts to leave from the mould. If you find difficult you could use a fork or knife to remove the achappam from mould.

• Cook till golden colour and drain excess oil using kitchen towel.
• Once you remove the achappam make sure to heat the mould well before making the next achappam. If the pan is wide enough you could keep the mould inside the oil once you remove the achappam.
• Once it cools down store in an air tight container.

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Malpua with Rabri Recipe

Malpua with Rabri is a popular Bangladeshi dessert or snack. It is pancakes dipped in sugar syrup. Often served with clotted cream called Rabri or Rabdi. Malpua is flavoured with cardamom and also with saffron. This rich dessert is simple and quick to make and also tasty too.

I am preparing this recipe on behalf of Diwali as it is a traditional dessert. I have not tasted Malpua before and before i didnot have good thoughts about this dessert before i prepare them. Once i tasted this i fell in love with this dessert as it is quick and really tasty. You could make this same dessert with khoya and maida in equal proportions too. In Rajasthan they prepare same malpua with khoya or mawa in the batter. I have not added that to cut more richness in my dessert.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Cuisine: Bangladesh
Makes:10-12 nos

INGREDIENTS:
For malpua:
Wheat flour/ Maida- 1/2 cup(You could use 1:1 ratio too)
Corn flour- 1/2 tablespoon(You could use baking powder too)
Fennel seed powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Cardamom| Elaichi powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Salt- big pinch
Milk, full fat- 1/2 cup (or) as needed.
Oil- 1/4 cup

For sugar syrup:
Sugar- 3/4 cup
Water- 3/4 cup
Saffron- 5-6 strands

PROCEDURE:

• In a deep bowl add the wheat flou or maida, corn flour, fennel powder, cardamom powder and salt; dry mix with a ladle or whisk to combine.
• Now add the milk little by little and mix the batter well with out any lumps. The consistency of the batter should not be too thick or thin. It is almost like a idli batter consistency; set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

• Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup.
• Heat oil in a flat pan and pour the batter using a small ladle(around 2 tablespoons).

• Allow to cook the malpuas in medium flame till golden. Once the colour starts to get golden flip and cook the other side too.
• Remove from the oil and cook the other batch.

• For the sugar syrup, add sugar and water in a pan and allow to cook the syrup till it gets the one thread consistency.
• Add the saffron on the hot syrup and allow to bubble for minute.

• Now add the fried malpuas on the hot or warm sugar syrup and allow to soak the syrup for 2 minutes. Remove the malpuas and keep the next batch inside the sugar syrup.
• Serve the malpuas with Rabri. Refer here for the recipe. You could consume with out rabri too. Traditionally this dessert is served with rabri.

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