Sharjah Shake

Sharjah shake was one drink which my friends used to have regularly during college days. I didn't like it much then as they used milk cubes. It was so chilly that I couldn't handle it much. So when I started making it myself I use chilled milk instead of the frozen milk cubes. That is how my family also likes and we enjoy it almost often due to the heat here. And the best part is that I've no idea why this is called a Sharjah shake. :) The below ingredients together serves one.

You need

• Banana - 1 small
• Chilled milk/Frozen milk cubes - 1 cup
• Almonds/Cashews- 5
• Cocoa powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp

Method

• Blend all the ingredients together in a blender. Serve chilled

Wheat chocolate cake with apple topping

Made these wheat flour dark chocolate cake to satisfy the family's chocolate craving. It was yum and never felt that I've not used maida (all purpose flour). Added a little instant coffee to bring out the dark colour. The apple topping also came out well and seemed best when served warm on cake.

 You need

• Wheat flour - 1 cup
• Dark cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
• Eggs - 2 
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 3/4 cup (increase to 1 cup if you need it more sweet)
• Oil - 3/4 cup
• Instant coffee powder - 1/2 tsp
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Warm water - 1 tbsp

For apple topping

• Apple - 1 grated
• Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Corn flour - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tsp

Method

• Sieve together wheat flour, baking powder and dark chocolate powder. Keep aside
• Mix water and instant coffee powder to get coffee liquor. Keep aside
• In a bowl break the eggs and beat well. To this add oil and mix well
• Add powdered sugar to the above and mix well to get a fine batter.
• To this add vanilla essence. Mix well
• To the above add half of the the sieved wheat flour, dark choco and baking powder mix and blend well. 
• Add coffee to the above and blend well 
• Blend in the remaining flour mix. 
• Pour in a baking dish and bake at 150 degrees for 20-25 minutes. (Ovens work differently, so adjust your oven accordingly).

For apple topping

• In a pan cook grated apple in little water. Add cinnamon and sugar. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
• Make a paste of corn flour in cold water. Add this to the above and let it become saucy.
• Switch off.

To serve top the cake pieces with apple topping. It tastes better when served warm.

Fish Fry (Ammachy fish fry)

I got this fish fry recipe from mathrubumi newspaper. They call it Ammachy fish fry. They also say this is the nadan fish fry of travancore style. It is a very delicious recipe, and a must try atleast once. The below recipe is for 3 kingfish steaks. You can do it with karimeen (pearl spot) or white pomphret.

You need

1. Kingfish (neymeen/ayacura) - 3 steaks
2. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
3. turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Shallots - 5 nos.
5. Ginger - 1 small piece (when chopped 2 tsp)
6. Ginger - 1 big clove
7. Green chilli - 2 
8. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
9. Salt to taste
10. Oil for shallow frying (Use any vegetable oil, but they say coconut oil is best for this)

Method

• Make a paste of chilli powder, turmeric and salt.
• Marinate the fish with the above paste and keep aside for 20-40 minutes. 
• Grind together ingredients 4-9 (remember you added salt while marinating, so add accordingly here) into a almost fine masala. It will be coarse as you're not using water.
• Take the marinated steaks and cover each steak well with this coconut masala.
• Shallow fry on a hot tawa on low flame.

Finally you'll lick the plate not to leave behind the last bit of coconut masala!!!

Sending this to the kerala kitchen hosted at Ramya's recipe

An Award

A big thanks to Preethi of PinknPurple for passing on this beautiful award. 

Rules

• Thank the person who has nominated you and shout out loud
• Pass on the award to 10-15 bloggers
• State 7 random facts about yourself
• Post the award picture on your wall.

Thanks once again Preethi for sharing this award

Passing on this award to 

• Manjus eating delights 
• Recipe grab bag 
• Misha's aromatic kitchen
• Shobha's food mazaa 
• Kitchen flavours 
• Only fish recipes 
• Kurry leaves 
• Curry masala 
• Mahaslovelyhome
• Erivum Puliyum 
• Good food ends with good talks 

Enjoy and share your award. Have a good day!

Minty Baked Chicken Drumsticks

This is a simply marinated baked chicken recipe. It is perfect as starters for a party or as a snack for kids after school. All will love biting this juicy drumsticks. The mint marinade seeps into the chicken and leaves a tasty flavour in it. Have this hot with tomato sauce. :)

You need

1. Chicken legs (without skin) - 1/2 kg
2. Mint leaves - 1 bunch
3. Ginger - 1 piece (when chopped gets 2 tsp)
4. Garlic - 2 big cloves
5. Green chilli - 4
6. Curd - 2 tsp
7. Salt to taste

Method

• Grind together ingredients 2 to 7 into a very fine paste
• Marinate the chicken legs with the above paste.
• Keep in refrigerator for 30-40 minutes.
• Preheat oven at 200 degrees
• Lay the marinated chicken legs in an oven dish and pour the marinade over it if any left. 
• Cover with an aluminium foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes. At this stage there'll be some gravy in the dish that oozed out from chicken
• After 30 minutes remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes until all the gravy dries off and chicken turns slightly crisp outside.
• Serve with tomato sauce.

Sending this to Julie's evnt EP Series Mint and coriander hosted by Surabhi
Sending to Guest Quest Event at Amina Creations

Carrot Cauliflower thoran/stir fry

Refrigerator was calling out "give me some veggies to store". I realized then only that I had a small piece of cauliflower and two carrots to make a side dish for rice. You must've tried this combination when you ran out of choices. But they complemented each other to give a nice tasty result. Now this thoran/stir fry is going to be in my menu for a long time.

You need

• Cauliflower - 1 small (I had a very small one)
• Carrots - 2 
• Onion - 1 medium size
• Grated coconut -  1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli - 3
• Garlic - 1 clove
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Shallots - 2 sliced
• Salt to taste

Method

• Chop cauliflower, carrots and onion. (I used chopped to get very tiny pieces)
• Grind coarsely grated coconut, turmeric powder,  green chilli, garlic, cumin seeds. Keep aside
• In a thick bottomed vessel, heat oil.
• Add mustard seeds when oil is hot. Let it splutter. Add sliced shallots.
• When it turns light brown, add the chopped vegetables.
• Stir for 2 minutes and add the coconut mix. Put on low flames.
• Add salt to taste and mix well. 
• Cover and cook until done. If needed add little water (1 tbsp)
• Open the lid when done and leave on flame for 1 more minute until all water dries up.
• Serve with rice.

Sending this to the kerala kitchen hosted at Ramya's recipe

Vegetable Sandwich

I was lazy to make the usual dosa/idli breakfast and landed with a wonderful sandwich. I had some frozen vegetables and a packet of bread which was saying "use me". The mixed vegetables was a combination of diced carrots, beans, corn and green peas. Then I cooked some potato in pressure cooker and the rest took only less than 10 minutes.

 You need

• Brown bread slices - 6
• Mixed frozen vegetables - 3/4cup
• Paneer - 5 small cubes
• Garlic - 1 clove
• Onion - 1
• Potato - 1 cooked
• Tomato sauce - 3  tsp
• Mayonnaise - 1 tsp
• Oil for sauteing
• Salt to taste
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Ghee - 1 tsp (optional)

Method

• In a pan add thawed vegetables. Add salt. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. No need to add water.
• In a frying pan heat oil. Add chopped garlic.
• When it turns light brown, add the cooked vegetables, pepper powder and saute for 2 minutes.
• Switch off the flame.
• Cook the potato in the pressure cooker adding salt. Keep aside

To arrange

• Mix together tomato sauce and mayonnaise.
• Place one slice of bread in a plate and  spread the sauce mayonnaise mix on it.
• Place two slices of onion and then a patch of crumbled potato.
• Top with another bread slice. Again spread sauce mayonnaise mix. 
• Spread the sauteed vegetables. Top with 3rd slice of bread. 
• Your sandwich to go in toaster is ready
• Apply little ghee on outer slides of the sandwich (Omit this step if you don't want)
• Keep in preheated toaster for 4 minutes. 

Sending this to Let's Party-Breakfast, Bon Vivant breakfast ideas, SPotlight Healthu breakfast IDeas Roshni's kitchen (Nithu's event)

Easy Chicken Kabab

I had some friends at home and since it was sort of party mood I decided to go for this easy chicken kebab. I took this recipe from Lakshmi Nair's recipe book which has got awesome collection of variety recipes. The kebabs came out really well and I didn't have to serve it with anything as it was over in seconds.

You need

1. Boneless chicken - 1/2 kg minced 
2. Egg - 1
3. Corn flour - 2 tbsp
4. Onion - 1 chopped
5. Green chilli - 2 chopped
6. Ginger - 2 tbsp  chopped
7. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp chopped
8. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt to taste 
10. Oil for shallow frying

Method

• Mix together all ingredients from 1 to 9
• Use a wooden skewer, and put this mince chicken mix around it. Be careful it will slide off. 
• If you don't have skewers make patties of the above.
• Shallow fry on a hot tawa until done. 

It is quite a quick recipe!... enjoy :)

White Chocolate Icecream

I too wanted to make an icecream at home with handmixer. Many are using this method to get smooth soft icecreams. I used white chocolate chips as the key element and it was awesome. We were licking our icecream bowls even after it got over. Actually my husband didn't believe it was homemade

You need

• Milk - 1 cup
• White chocolate chips - 50 gms
• Cream - 170 gm tin
• Corn flour - 3 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tsp (increase if you want more)
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Orea biscuits - 2 crushed (optional) 

Method

• Make a paste of corn flour by adding little cold milk.
• In a thick bottom vessel pour remaining milk. Add vanilla essence and sugar. Mix well. Switch on flame.
• When the milk starts boiling, add corn flour paste, and stir well on low flame. It is better if you use double boiling method. 
• Once you get a thick custard, switch off the flame and keep aside to cool.
• In a sauce pan boil water.
• Keep a bowl over it. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water below. 
• Put chocolate chips into the bowl and stir. The heat from boiling water will help it melt. 
• Once done switch off and remove from flame. 
• Into this bowl with melted chocolate, pour cream and beat at high speed for 2 minutes. 
• Add custard. Blend well and pour in freezer safe bowl and freeze.
• After an hour, take the bowl from freezer and beat well again 
• Repeat this process for 2 more times. 
• In the last blending time add crushed oreo biscuits, beat and allow to freeze for 5-6 hrs. 

Notes
Don't avoid beating the icecream every hour for 3-4 times. This makes the icecream smooth.
You can add lemon zests instead of oreo biscuits if you like. Add it while adding custard to cream-choco mix.

Sending this to Preethi's event

Chilli Potato

This is a very spicy potato which goes well with rotis. It is easy to make and becomes a family favourite quite quickly. It's all about sauteing and stirring.

 You need

• Potato - 1 big
• Capsicum - 1 small
• Onion - 1 medium
• Garlic cloves - 2 big
• Green chilli - 1
• Dry red chilli - 5
• Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp
• Soya sauce - 1 tsp
• Corn flour - 1 tbsp
• Water - 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil for sauting

Method

• Dice potato, capsicum, onion. Chop garlic. Slit green chilli length wise
• In a small vessel of boiling water put dry red chillies and cook for 2 minutes
• Allow to cool, drain and grind it without water to get red chilli paste.
• Cook potato until partially done. Keep aside
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add garlic. Saute until raw aroma leaves.
• Add green chilli and diced onion. Saute until pink.
• Add dry red chilli paste. Saute.
• Add tomato sauce and soya sauce. Stir and mix well. 
• Add salt to taste (remember you've added soya sauce)
• Add 3/4 cup water. Put the partially cooked potato and diced capsicum into it. 
• Cover and cook until done. 
• Mix corn flour in a little cold water to make a paste. Add to the above curry to get a saucy gravy. 
• Let it simmer for 10 secs.
• Serve hot.

Sending this to Priya's healthy diet - vegetarian side dished hosted by Vardini

Vazha koombu thoran/banana flower stir fry

Vazha koombu or banana flower is something that brings me the pleasant remembrance of home. Actually I used to hide when amma made these thorans during childhood. Now I jump to grab these home special items just to put up that atmosphere and enjoy it totally. All these good things don't seem worth until you yearn to have it. That is the my exact relationship with banana flower and I love them. I forgot to rinse in turmeric water so lost the light colour otherwise it was delicious.

 You need

• Banana flower (vazha koombu) - 1 medium
• Red chori beans/Van payar - 1/2 cup
• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Green chilli - 3
• Garlic cloves - 2 (I used the big ones)
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Coconut oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp for tempering
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cook red chori beans in pressure cooker adding salt until done. Avoid overcooking.
• Remove the top 4 or 5 layers of petals from banana flower and chop it from the narrow end into a dish of water with turmeric powder. Rinse and drain.
• Pour 1 tbsp oil into the chopped flower and mix well with hand. 
• Grind coarsely, coconut, turmeric powder, green chilli, garlic and cumin.
• In a thick bottomed vessel combine the chopped banana flower and above coconut mix. 
• Add salt to taste. Add enough water. Cover and cook on slow flame for 10 minutes. 
• Before switching off add the cooked red chori beans and mix. Keep covered on flame for 2 more minutes. 
• Switch off and use after tempering.

For tempering

• Add mustard seed to 1 tsp hot oil. 
• Let it splutter.
• Add chopped shallots, curry leaves (if you've)... 
• Pour over thoran and serve with rice.

Sending this to the kerala kitchen hosted @ Ramya's space

Sunshine Award

Hey people I got this lovely award from Divya Pramil of You too can cook Indian food. Thank you so much Divya for passing on this award and making my day. It was quite a surprise.

There are a few rules and criteria to be followed for this award

1. Create a post with the following details
2. Thank the person who nominated you for this Sunshine Award and link them back
3. Then tell something about you
4. Spread the joy by nominationg you fellow bloggers and friends, it is a way of appreciation
5. Finally convey the bloggers about the nomination

Here is something about me

• My favourite colour is green
• favourite icecream is butterscotch
• I don't like much travelling
• Like to go for long walks
• I don't like cricket (just because my husband watches it a lot) .. :)

Passing on this beautiful award to

Irene @ Curry Masala

Misha @ Kitchen magic

Anjana @ Maayeka

Roshni @ Roshni's kitchen

Julie @ Erivum Puliyum

Preethi @ Follow foodie

Maha @ Mahaslovelyhome

Divya @ Divyas culinary journey

Faseela @ Good food ends with good talk

Share your award, spread the message and enjoy

Guava Mocktail

It is becoming very hot here and there is always an urge to drink something cool and refreshing. Tried this combo and it turned out to be an absolute thirst quencher. Loved it and so sharing

You need

• Guava - 2 medium 
• Chilled sprite - 2 glasses
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method

• Scoop out the flesh of guava and put in a blender. Pour 2 tbsp sprite and blend for 10 secs. This'll help you to separate  the flesh and the seeds. 
• Using a strainer separate the pulp and seeds.
• Pour the pulp into a glass and add sprite. Mix and drink :) (Add sugar to pulp if needed).

Sending this to Preethi's event