Cheema chakka / Kadachakka / Breadfruit bhajji

 

Ingredients:

1. Cheema chakka/ Kadachakka / Breadfruit 

2. Kadalamavu / besan powder- 1/2 cup

3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

4. Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

5. Asafoetida - 1 tsp 

6. Salt to taste

7. Water - 1/3 cup approx

8. Oil for deep frying

Method:

1.  Remove the outer green skin and the inner middle part of kadachakka. Then wash it and cut it into thin slices. I made small pieces as it will be easier for my kids to hold and eat.

2. Take a bowl and add kadalamavu, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, asafoetida and salt.  Mix it well.

3. Add water little by little to this mixture to make a semi-thick batter. 

4. Then add the kadachakka slices to this batter.

5. Meanwhile heat oil in a kadai . When the oil is hot , add the kadachakka slices dipped in besan batter one by one. Fry till both sides are golden brown.

Serve it along with sauce!!

Unniappam

Ingredients:

1. Rice flour - 2 cups
2. Grated jaggery - 1 cup
3. Banana - 2 small (Palayan kudan pazham preferred)
4. Coconut pieces - 1/4 cup
5. Water as required
6. Ghee - 1 tbsp
7. Black sesame - 1/2 tsp (optional)
8. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
9. Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
10. Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Melt grated jaggery in about 1 cup water. Allow it to cool completely. Strain for any impurities.
2. Grind the  banana and keep aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, take rice flour. Add the melted and cooled jaggery and the pureed banana to it. Mix it gently. Add water little by little if required to make an idli batter consistency.
4. Fry the coconut pieces in ghee till it is golden brown . Then add this to the above batter and mix well.
5. Finally add the baking soda, black sesame seeds and cardamom powder, if you are using, to the mixture and mix well.
6. Keep this aside in a warm place for around 5-6 hours.
7. After the batter is kept for 5-6 hours, check for the consistency.If it is too thick, add a little water.
8. Now heat oil to the unniappam chatti . When the oil is hot , reduce it to medium and add about a tbsp of batter to each of its hole. The batter should fill up only till 3/4th of each hole. Deep fry for about 2-3 minutes and flip it with a fork and fry till both sides are golden brown. Remove it into a paper towel.

Ulli vada

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 medium, sliced thinly
Besan - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Red chilly powder - 1.5 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 tsp, chopped or grated
Curry leaves - 2 sprig chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying


Method:

1. Place the sliced onion in a bowl and add salt to it. Mix it well and keep aside for 10- 15 minutes.  Water will come out of onion. There will be enough water coming out from the onion , so you need not add any more water while making ulli vada.
2. Now add besan , rice flour, red chilly powder, grated ginger and chopped curry leaves to the onion and mix well. Add more besan if required.
3. Heat oil for frying. When the oil is very hot , reduce the flame to medium and start adding small spoons of batter into it.
4. Deep fry till crispy and light brown. Drain in a paper towel.

Banana Bajji

Ingredients:

Raw banana - 2
Besan /Kadala mavu / Gram flour - 1.5 cups
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder - 1.5 tbsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Asfoetida - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Combine besan, rice flour, red chilly powder, asfoetida, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add just enough water to make a semi thick batter. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

2. Peel off the banana and cut into half. Thinly slice the banana pieces and put it in the besan mixture.

3. Heat oil for deep frying. When the oil is hot reduce the flame to low and the banana pieces to the oil. Fry on both sides till it is light brown and crispy. Drain in a paper towel.

Apple muffin from pancake mix

Ingredients:

Pancake or waffle mix  - 1 cup
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Brown sugar - 1/3 cup , packed
Sugar - 1/3 cup
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Oil - 1/3 cup
Egg - 1
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Apple - 1, peeled,cored and chopped

Topping

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 3 tsp


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the muffin tray or line the muffin tray with cups.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, pancake mix, all purpose flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon powder.
3. In another small bowl, whisk together wet ingredients( milk, oil, egg and vanilla essence).
4. Pour the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients . Mix gently until the ingredients are well combined.
5. Add the chopped apples and mix together. Pour the batter into muffin cups till 3/4th of the cup.
6. Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle 1 tsp of it over the muffin .
7. Bake to 15- 20 minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Sukhiyan

Ingredients:

Green gram/Cherupayar - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
All purpose flour/Maida - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Wash and cook green gram with enough water (approx 1 1/2 cups) in pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles in medium flame.
2. Melt jaggery in around 1/4 cup water . Strain it. Bring the melted jaggery to boil and add coconut and mix well. Then add the cooked green gram and cook till  the mixture turns thick. Now add the cardamom powder, stir well and switch off the flame.
3. When the mixture has cooled slightly, make lemon sized balls and keep aside.
4. In a bowl mix together all purpose flour, rice flour, salt and turmeric powder. Add enough water(approximately 3/4 cup) to make a semi-thick batter.
5. Heat oil in a deep frying pan in medium - high heat. When the oil is hot, dip the green gram -jaggery balls in the batter and deep fry in batches till the batter turns golden colour.

Enjoy as an evening snack!!

French toast

Ingredients:

Bread - 4 slices
Egg - 2 medium
Sugar - 2 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Beat egg, sugar and milk in a shallow dish.
2. Dip each bread piece in the egg mixture, turning to coat evenly on both sides.
3. Heat a skillet or pan on medium heat. Fry the dipped bread pieces till both sides turn golden brown.

Serve hot with butter or pancake syrup.

Pav bhaji

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 , finely chopped
Tomato - 2 small, chopped
Vegetables - 3 cups
Pav bhaji masala - 2 tbsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Method

1. Boil the vegetables in a pressure cooker with very little water, say 1/2 cup, and salt and turmeric powder. The vegetables I used are 1 carrot, 1 potato and 1 cup of other vegetables like cauliflower , capsicum and peas . Cook it for 2 -3 whistles. Mash these vegetables and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and fry till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for another one minute.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes are soft and fully mashed up.
3. Now add all the masala powders and salt and fry for another one minute. Then add the mashed vegetables to this and mix well. Add very little water if the mixture is very thick.
4. Garnish it with coriander leaves, butter and chopped onion. Also sprinkle some lemon juice

While serving, cut the pav into halves, apply butter on both sides and toast it on a tawa.

Sabudana Vada

Ingredients:

Sabudana - 1 cup
Potato - 3 medium
Peanuts  - 1/4 cup
Green chilly - 3, chopped
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Soak sabudana for atleast 4-5 hrs. I soaked it over night. Drain of the water and keep aside.
2. Boil , peel and mash the potatoes.
3. Dry roast the peanuts. Allow it to cool down completely and then remove its skin . Coarsely powder the peanuts in a mixer .
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the drained sabudana, mashed potatoes, powdered peanuts, chopped green chillies, lemon juice and salt. Do not add water. Make small balls of this mixture.
5. Heat oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, flatten the balls and slowly place it into the oil. Deep fry it in medium flame till both sides are golden brown.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney!!

Potato Murukku

Ingredients:

Potato - 1 medium
Rice flour/Idiyappam flour - 1 cup
Butter - 1 .5 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida  - a pinch
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil and peel the potato. Allow it to cool down and grind it to a smooth paste without adding any water.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add rice flour, potato paste, butter, cumin seeds , asafoetida and salt. Mix well. Make a smooth dough, by adding water little by little. Fill this into a murukku maker.
3. Heat oil for deep frying. When the oil is really hot, press the murukku maker into the oil, making small circles.
4. Fry till both sides turn golden brown. Drain it into a paper towel.

Store it in air tight container.

Gobi manchurian

Ingredients:

Cauliflower/Gobi - 1 medium, cut into florets
Onion - 1 medium , chopped
Green chilly  - 2 -3 , slit length wise or chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
All purpose flour - 4 tbsp
Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
Soy sauce - 1/8 tsp
Green chilly sauce - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Boil water and add salt and turmeric and cauliflower florets. Keep it aside for 10 min.
2. Make a batter with corn flour, all purpose flour , salt and water . The consistency of the batter should be semi thick . Add all the florets to the batter. Mix well so that each floret gets can be coated with the batter. Deep fry these florets and keep aside.
3. Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and garlic and fry till onions turns light brown. Now add green chillies and fry for few seconds.
4. Then add tomato sauce, soy sauce, green chilly sauce and salt and mix well for a minute. You can add a tbsp of water if the consistency too thick.
5. Add the fried cauliflower florets to this and toss well till the florets get well coated with the manchurian mixture.
6. Finally you can garnish it with green part of spring onion. I didnt have spring onion, so I didnt use it.

Serve hot! Enjoy!!

Parippu vada

Ingredients:

Toor Dal / Channa Dal - 1 cup
Shallots - 4-5, chopped
Green chilly - 2-3 , chopped
Curry leaves-  1 sprig, chopped
Asafoetida - a pinch
Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak dal for 2-3 hours. Drain the dal completely and grind it in a mixie for few seconds or for 2-3 pulses. Make sure you do not add any water and also do not make a smooth paste of it.
2. In a mixing bowl, add the grinded dal, chopped shallots, green chilly, curry leaves, asafoetida, chilly powder and salt . Mix it well and make small balls of it.
3. Heat oil in a deep bottom pan.  Once the oil it hot, slightly flatten the ball with your palms and add it to the oil. Fry it till both sides turns golden brown. Drain the vadas into a paper towel.

Serve hot along with hot tea!!

Notes:
-  Using coconut oil enhances the taste of parippu vada.
-  Wet your hands before flattening the balls. Also flatten the balls just before adding it to the oil.

Bread Upma

Ingredients:

Bread - 6 slices
Onion  - 1 medium, chopped
Tomato - 1 , chopped
Green chilly - 1-2 chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Dried Red chilly - 1 cut into 2-3 pieces
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Cut the bread pieces into small squares.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter , add curry leaves followed by chopped onion. Fry till onion turns transparent.
3. Now add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Then add green chillies and tomatoes. Fry till tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
4. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and salt and mix well. Sprinkle some water.
5. Add the bread pieces and mix well.

Bread Pizza

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 2
Pizza sauce/ Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
Mozzarella Cheese - 4 tbsp
Vegetables (Onion , tomato, capsicum) - 2 tbsp (chopped)


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 250 F .
2. Spread pizza sauce/tomato sauce on to the bread slices.
3. Then add the onions, followed by capsicum or tomato or any vegetable of your choice.
4. Add the cheese to cover the veggies.
5. Place these bread slices onto the oven and bake for about 5 - 7 minutes or until the cheese melts.
6. Serve hot.

Banana Roast/Pazham Pori

Ingedients:

Ripe banana/ Ethapazham - 2
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Corn flour/ Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Salt - a pinch
Water - 3/4 cup
Oil for deep frying


Method:

1. Peel and slice the bananas. You can cut the banana into half and then slice it length wise into 2-3 pieces.
2. Make a thick batter with all purpose flour, corn/rice flour, turmeric powder, sugar and salt, adding water little by little.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Dip the banana slices in the batter and put it in the oil. Deep fry till it is golden brown. Drain excess oil and serve hot.


Note:

- Adding rice flour/ corn flour makes it crispy.
- Wheat flour can also be used instead of all- purpose flour.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Oats - 1 1/2 cups
Raisin - 3/4 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup (melted)
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
Egg - 1 large
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl , whisk together all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt . Set aside.
3. In another bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. 
4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fluffy.
5. Stir in the flour mixture . Do not over mix as it results in a tough cookie.
6. Add oats and raisins and stir until incorporated.
7. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
8. Bake 10 - 12  minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
9. Cool slightly before removing from the sheet.

Kerala Egg Puffs

Ingredients:

1. Egg - 3 hard boiled and cut into halves
2. Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
3. Green chilly - 2, finely chopped
4. Curry leaves - 2-3, chopped
5. Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Chilly powder - 1/2tsp
8.  Garam masala/Meat masala - 1/2tsp
9. Tomato ketchup - 1tsp
10 . Salt to taste
11. Oil - 2 tblsp
12. Pepperidge farm puff pastry sheet - 1


Method

1. Preheat oven to 400F and prepare the baking sheet by lining it with aluminium foil or greasing with oil.

2. Heat oil in a pan . Add onion, green chilly and curry leaves and saute till onions are golden brown. Now add ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute. Then add turmeric powder, chilly powder, garam masala, ketchup and salt . Cook for 2 minutes so that everything mixes well.  Now add halved eggs and mix again.

3. Thaw the frozen pepperidge farm puff pastry sheet in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature the same day for 30-40 minutes until soft . Six puffs can be made from each pastry sheet. So cut the pastry sheet into 6 pieces.Put some masala and an egg half in each of the pieces. Seal the puffs by folding the pastry sheets from all the four sides.

4. Transfer the prepared puffs to the baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the puffs turn golden brown.


5. Serve warm with tomato ketup .

Kara pori - Kids friendly

Ingredients:

1. Pori(Puffed rice) - 4 cups
2. Peanuts - 2 fistful
3. Pottu Kadala (fried gram) - 3 tbsp
4. Oil - 4 tsp
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Dried Red Chilly  - 2
8. Hing - a pinch
9. Salt and chilly to taste
10. Curry leaves- a string

Method:

1. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and fry peanuts and gram separately. Keep aside.
2. Heat 2 more tsp of oil in the same pan , add red chilly, hing and curry leaves and fry for 2 seconds.
3. Add Pori, turmeric powder, salt and chilly powder and fry for 2-3 minutes until the pori is crisp.
4. Mix in the fried peanuts and gram and enjoy the snack!

Note: I didnt add chilly powder as my baby girl doesnt like spicy snacks. :)

Peanut butter cookie

Ingredients:

1. Peanut butter crunchy - 1/2 cup
2. Peanut butter creamy - 1/2 cup
3. Egg - 1
4. Sugar -1 cup
5. Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon


Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Grease a large baking sheet.
2. In a mixing bowl , combine both the peanut butter and sugar. Then add egg and vanilla. Stir well with a spoon.
3. Roll the dough into balls and place it on the baking sheet. With a fork , press crisscross design on each cookie.
4. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from the sheet.