Idiyappam|Noolappam| Nool Puttu|String Hoppers| Rice Sevai

Idiyappam| Noolappam| Noolputtu| String Hoppers| Sevai are Indian style steamed rice noodles generally served with coconut milk based stew. These are soft noodles tastes awesome with stew or even with sugar and coconut milk. South Indians one of the comfort food generally prepared for breakfast. It is popular in South India -Tamil Nadu and Kerala and known in various names. You could prepare this idiyappam with home made roasted rice flour or even with store bought rice flour for idiyappam too.
In our home we used to prepare stew and appam or idiyappam combination for Christmas and Easter breakfast. So would like to share this recipe for this Christmas!

INGREDIENTS:
Roasted Rice Flour|Idiyappam flour(store bought)- 2 cups
Salt- to taste
Oil- 1 teaspoon, for greasing
Coconut, grated- as required

PROCEDURE:

• Boil 2 cups of water to rolling hot.
• While it is heating up in a deep bowl ad the rice flour with enough salt and mix once with spoon.
• Add the boiling water to the rice flour and mix with a ladle while it is hot.
• Once the mixture reaches bearable hot knead with hand without lumps into a dough.

• Keep the chillu (metal sieve like thing)inside the idiyappam press|maker.
• Once the dough cools down take some dough and fill the idiyappam maker and close with the lid.
  
• Grease your fingers with oil and apply on idli plates; Now press or rotate the idiyappam maker to release the idiyappam. While pressing rotate the idiyappam maker in a circular motion to overlap the strings. 

• Using finger cut the string and repeat for the other plates.
• Now take a big pinch of coconut and keep on top of all the pressed idiyappam.
• Boil water till steaming hot and keep the idli plates with idiyappam and steam for about 10 minutes.

• Once done remove the idli plates and allow to cool and serve with Vegetable Stew, Chicken Stew..etc.

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Vegetable Stew using coconut Milk

Coconut milk Vegetables Stew| Kerala Vegetable stew| Indian Vegetable Stew| Vegetable Ishtu| Sodhi| Nadan Vegetable stew is called in the above names in various regions regions of India. It is nothing but coconut milk based stew with mixed vegetables of choice. It is popular in Kerala where lots of coconut cultivation takes place. Indians prepare stew in coconut milk base where as in Western countries they generally use wine to prepare stew with vegetables.
Vegetable or Chicken Stew goes well with any kind of appam like Palappam, Idiyappam, Puttu etc. Perfect for Christmas or Easter festive day breakfast!!!

INGREDIENTS:
Carrot, cut into cubes-1
Beans, cut into 3- 5 nos
Cauliflower- 5-6 florets
Potatoes-1 big (or) 2 small
Green peas, fresh| fozen- 1/4 cup
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Cinnamon- 1 inch piece
Cloves-4
Cardamom-3-4
Onion, chopped lengthwise- 1
Green chillies, slit-3-4
Ginger, chopped/paste- 1 inch (1 tbsp)
Garlic, chopped/paste- 2 big cloves (1 tbsp)
Coconut, grated - 3/4-1 cup
Pepper powder- 1/4 teaspoon (optional- add if required)
Curry leaves- 1 strand
Salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

• You could prepare this stew in pan or in pressure cooker. If you are running out of time you could use pressure cooker and cook for a whistle and open the pressure cooker and pour the coconut milk.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and cook for a thirty seconds till the aroma arises.
• Add the onion and green chillies with a pinch of salt. Cook fifteen seconds and then add the ginger and garlic and cook till the onion becomes translucent.

• Now add the cut vegetables(carrot, beans, cauliflower, potatoes and peas) with some salt and mix well and roast in that oil for fifteen seconds.
• Now add enough water to cover the vegetables and close with a lid and cook till soft.

• Grind the coconut with 3/4 cup of water to get thick coconut extract. Grind again the same extracted coconut with 1 and 1/2 cups of water and take the the thin coconut extract.

• Add the thin extract first and bring the curry to boil. Once the curry starts to bubble add some curry leaves and the first thick coconut extract and switch off the gas and mix well.

• Note: I used to prepare stew mostly with idiyappam so i add a teaspoon of idiyappma rice flour mix left in the idiyappam maker as a thickening agent for the stew. I add while grinding the coconut so it gives nice texture to the stew. If you wish you could soak and grind cashew nuts to thicken the gravy.

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Biryani and Pulao Recipes

Biryani and Pulao Recipes: Click on the photo for the recipe with step-wise picture instructions...

Vegetarian:

Kashmiri Pulao

Ghee Rice

Tomato Pulao

Vegetable Dum Biryani

Spicy Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable Kappa Biryani

Vegetable Pulao

Broccoli Pulao

Mint Pulao

Tricolour Pulao

Non- Veg Biryani & Pulao:

Arab- Mandi Rice

Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Lucknowi | Awadhi Dum Biryani

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Thalappakatti Biryani

Ambur Biryani

Nagercoil Biryani

Chicken Biryani- Pressure cooker

Thalassery Biryani

Egg Dum Biryani

Fish Dum Biryani

Instant Chicken Pulao

Mutton| Beef Kappa Biryani

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Indian Paratha and Roti Recipes

Roti and Paratha Recipes: Click on the photo for the recipe with step-wise picture instructions...

Stuffed Parathas| Rotis:

Soya Kheema Paratha

Chicken Paratha

Paneer Paratha

Onion Paratha

Gobi Paratha

Cabbage Paratha

Rajma Paratha

Vegetable Paratha

Aloo Paratha

Bean Sprouts Paratha

Broccoli Paratha

Plain Prathas| Rotis:

Avocado Paratha

Palak Paratha

Methi Thepla| Paratha

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Snow ball Cookies Recipe| Christmas Recipes

Snow ball cookies| Melting Moments Cookies are my favourite. I love Cake World's melting moments biscuit with cashewnuts. I can finish a whole lot with in minutes. Because it is tasty and as the name says it melts in mouth. One thing stops me eating this is the butter it is tasty but taste comes mainly from the butter. I have tried this recipe first time and happy with the outcome. Have a recipe using custard powder will try that recipe and share that soon. I have referred Joy of Baking for the recipe. A keeper recipe perfectly suits for christmas and all occasions.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

Makes- 20 medium sized cookies

INGREDIENTS:

All purpose flour| Maida- 1 and 1/2 cups

Corn flour- 1/2 cup

Salt- 1/4 teaspoon

Powdered sugar| Icing sugar- 1/2 cup+ 1/4 cup for rolling

Unsalted butter, softened- 1 cup (200 gms)

Vanilla essence- 1 teaspoon

Nuts of choice(I used cashew nuts)- 3-4 tablespoon

PROCEDURE:

• In a bowl add butter, powdered sugar and vanilla essence. Mix well till it gets a creamy texture. 
• Now add the chopped nuts and mix well. 

• In a separate bowl add the all purpose flour, corn flour and salt mix well using a whisk or stain using sieve to combine evenly. 
• Add this dry ingredients in three lots into the butter mixture and mix well. 

• Finally make a dough by combining the flour using hand and cling wrap them. I made it two balls for easy chilling process.(Use few drops of milk if required, i have not added) 
• Refrigerate the dough for 30-40 minutes until firm. 
• Take a tablespoon size of dough and roll using hand and transfer on top of a baking tray lined with butter paper. 

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 170 degrees and start to bake the cookies for about 15-20 minutes depends on the size of the ball. 
• The bottom of the cookies turns golden colour once it is done. 

• Cool the cookies for about 5 minutes. While they are warm, roll them on powdered sugar to get a coating over the cookies. Allow to cool and store it in a airtight container.

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