Palmier Cookies

Elegant palmier cookies  are one of my all time favorites treats. These are melt in mouth, buttery, flaky, layered cookies. This is a super easy dish which is prepared using puff pastry sheets and sugar. The cookies are also called as elephant ears, french hearts, french palmier cookies.

I first had this amazing cookies, when I went for a potluck. Among the desserts, I saw these delicious cookies and tasted one. I fell in love with the light, flaky, buttery layers. I googled and was shocked to see that with just two ingredients a luscious, delectable, appetising dessert is made. Ufff!!!! I don’t have words to describe these cookies.

During this Ramadhan fasting time, I thought of baking and this was the result. Everybody will love it.

Not only sugar, you can also experiment by adding cinnamon, dried fruits, candied ginger as a filling for the cookies. Try this out and let me know...

Ingredients:

1. Puff Pastry Sheets- 1 sheet
2. Granulated Sugar- ¼ Cup

Method:

1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets and roll out into even rectangle shape by placing the sheet on granulated sugar.
2. Using a rolling pin roll the sugar into the rolled pastry sheets.
3. Fold the left and right sides of the sheet to middle, sprinkle some sugar and roll lightly.
4. Again fold from middle, so that it looks like a book. Press lightly and keep this refrigerated for about 30 minutes, so that the dough will be firm.
5. Preheat the oven for about 400 degrees F. After chilling, slice the folded pastry sheet using a sharp knife roughly 1 inch wide.
6. Grease a baking pan and transfer the sliced cookie pieces laying them cut side up. Sprinkle some more sugar on top. Make sure you place the cookies few inches apart as they will puff quite a lot.
7. Bake for about 18- 20 minutes. Cool and serve. They will become crispier as they cool. Store in airtight containers.

Kerala Fish Curry In Coconut Milk/ Nadan Meen Thenga Paalill Patichath

Today I am going to share something from my home land, also called as “God's Own Country”.The flavors of coconut milk will take this simple fish curry to another level. A fail proof dish, which my mom makes  within minutes. A perfect and a delicious dish on a lazy day, which can be prepared by anybody, any time.

In Kerala, for a seafood lover, a meal is never complete without rice and a fish curry. During lunch or dinner time, in almost all the houses a pot of fish curry is served.

A rice based dish(puttu, appam,...) is often accompanied with a fish curry. A variety of dishes are made with fish. In this the fish pieces are simmered along with the spices and coconut milk. The curry tastes good the next day and even more tastier if made in an earthen pot. The sauce is a mixture of tangy, spicy and salty. Kokum gives sourness to the dish along with a smoky earthy flavor. Chunks of meaty fish fillet like the salmon, basa, tilapia best suits this dish.

Do try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

1. Seer Fish- 500gms
2. Sallots( sliced)- 1 Cup
3. Grated Ginger- 1 tbsp
4. Crushed garlic- 1 tbsp
5. Slitted Green Chillies- 3 nos
6. Oil- 2 tbsp
7. Curry Leaves- few
8. Salt- as required
9. Kokum- 3- 4 pieces
10. Mustard Seeds- 1 tbsp
11. Fenugreek Seeds- 1 tsp
12. Kashmiri Chilli Powder- 3 tbsp
13. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
14. Coriander Powder- 1 tbsp
15. Fenugreek Powder- 1 tsp
16. Thin Coconut Milk- 2 Cups
17. Thick Coconut Milk- ½ Cup

Method:

1. Wash, drain the fish pieces and keep this aside.
2. Heat oil, splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds. Add the sliced shallots and green chillies.
3. When they turn translucent, add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves, kokum pieces and salt as required.
4. Add the kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and fenugreek powder. Stir well.
5. When the raw smell of the powders disappears, add the thin coconut milk and let it boil.
6. Add the fish slices,boil till the pieces are cooked well and the sauce has reduced. At last add the thick coconut milk and switch off the flame.
7. Serve this amazing dish along with warm rice.

Kozhi Ada/ Savory Chicken Pockets

This is my 4th consecutive year since I have become a member of Joy from Fasting to Feasting IX, hosted by "Yummy Foods", the awesome blog by my friend and a fine blogger Lubna.

When she asked me to send a iftar special recipe, I choose this kozhi ada which is an authentic Kerala iftar snack and also a very special dish to me. To know more about the dish just check this blog page about kozhi ada and let me know....

Banana dates Milkshake

A perfect filling drink for iftar. Dates are good source of energy, have a rich source of protein, fiber and also rich in vitamins. Since they have natural sweetness, no need of adding sugar in the milkshake, which is good for health.

For iftar I have made this and just with a glass full of this amazing drink, you will feel energized, refresh and rejuvenate your body and no need of having anything else. Nowadays for iftar I am making fresh juices out of orange, apple and so on. Now this has become our favorite drink. Just try this out and let me know…..

Ingredients:

1. Banana- 1 no
2. Dates- 6-7 nos
3. Mixed Nuts( Cashew,Almonds and pistachios)- few
4. Bournvita- 1 tbsp
5. Milk- ½ Cup
6. Water- ½ Cup

Method:

1. In a blender, process the dates along with milk at high speed till it becomes smooth.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend it to a fine smooth puree.
3. Pour into serving glass and garnish with chopped dates and nuts.

Chicken 65- Restaurant style….

The holy month of Ramadan is here and many will be busy praying. By the time of sunset, it will be iftar i.e evening meal, which we have after long hours of fasting in summer. Iftar is usually enjoyed with friends and family. A variety of foods are prepared for iftar which includes fruit juices, appetizers, main meals, desserts and so on. Each region has there own special iftar dishes. During Ramadan fasting, we have to take care of our health and so we have to eat healthy.

In India, during fasting, at the time of sunset we will have some light food like pathiri, chole bature, falafel, appam so on, and after praying we will have heavy meal like rice/ chapatis. But after coming to US, because of the long hours of fasting, by the time of iftar it will be night and so we will have direct dinner. No need of spending much time in kitchen. But my daughter was not happy as she cannot eat any appetizers  or light snacks and so when she insisted, I thought of making something that we can eat along with rice or chapatis and ended up making chicken 65.

I love chicken 65 that which we get in restaurants, with lot of curry leaves on top. I tried making a restaurant style and it came out perfect. I know that a fried snack is not good during fasting, but having it in very less quantity is fine.

Ingredients:

1. Boneless Chicken- 250 gms
2. Ginger and Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
3. Red Chilli Powder- ½ tbsp
4. Salt- as required
5. Yogurt- 2 tbsp
6. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp
7. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
8. Corn Flour- 2 tbsp
9. Maida- 1 tbsp
10. Oil- deep frying

For Tempering:

1. Oil- 1 tbsp
2. Curry Leaves- few
3. Chopped Garlic- 2 tbsp
4. Chopped Ginger- 2 tbsp
5. Green Chillies- 3 nos
6. Yogurt- 2 tbsp
7. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp
8. Turmeric Powder- ½ tsp
9. Coriander Powder- 1 tsp

Method:

1. Mix the boneless chicken pieces along with yogurt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, pepper powder, lemon juice and turmeric powder, for about 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Meanwhile add corn flour and maida to the marinated chicken and mix well.
3. Fry the chicken pieces by not crowding the pan and cook on medium flame. Once the pieces turn golden brown in colour remove on kitchen towel.
4. Heat oil in another pan. Add the curry leaves, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, slitted green chillies, yogurt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Stir well.
5. In the above toss the deep fried chicken pieces and stir on high flame till all the moisture gets absorbed and now the chicken is well coated with the yogurt mixture.
6. Remove onto serving plate and enjoy.

Fish Molee/ Meen Molee

Kerala cuisine is full of flavours and spices and so Kerala is called as the “Land of Spices”. Almost all the dishes are flavored either with grated coconut or with coconut milk as coconut is in abundance in Kerala. Sea food is very popular in Kerala. There are many different varieties of dishes made out of fish, among them karimeen pollichath and fish molee are some of the popular dishes.  

This fish molee, I have made some n number of times, but I am surprised that it never got posted in my blog. This fish molee which is my one of the best dishes,have never been in my blog. I am a bit lazy and whenever I make this dish, I will be like next time I will take a pic (as frequently I will be preparing this dish) and so it got delayed for so long.

This dish goes well with chapathis, appam, bread and so on. In this the fried fish pieces are slowly simmered in the flavorful coconut milk until done. The creamy and mild spicyness of this dish is good for kids.

One of my mom’s wonderful dish, which is my favorite and now daughter’s also. Just try this out and let me know...

Ingredients:

1. Kingfish/ Any fleshy fish- 6- 7 slices (cleaned and cut into pieces)
2. Onions( sliced)- 3nos
3. Slited Green Chillies- 3 nos
4. Tomatoes(sliced)- 1no
5. Cardamom- 4nos
6. Cloves- 3 nos
7. Cinnamon- 1” stick
8. Ginger (chopped)- 1 tbsp
9. Garlic( chopped)- 1 tbsp
10. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp
11. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
12. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp
13. Thin Coconut Milk- 1 Cup
14. Thick Coconut Milk- 1 Cup
15. Salt- as required
16. Curry leaves- few
17. Oil- 2 tbsp
18. Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp

Method:

1. Marinate the fish pieces using red chilli powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt. Keep this for about 30 min. Shallow fry the marinated fish pieces till done not crispy and remove on a kitchen towel.
2. Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
3. Add the sliced onions, when they turn translucent add the green chillies and ginger and garlic. Stir well.
4. In this add the tomatoes and also add the thin coconut milk. Bring this to boil, add salt. Add the fried fish pieces. Stir in between gently till the gravy thickens.
5. Add the thick coconut milk, switch off the flame after 5 min. Don’t let it boil or else it will curdle. Add more tomato slices, if desired. Serve hot this amazing delicacy along with appam/ steaming hot rice.