Special Toast and Egg

Overview
Simple toast and egg presented in a special way which your kids and grown ups are definitely going to like. You can use Italian bread or normal plain bread of your choice. The egg cooked inside the bread makes an elegant presentation.

Toast and Egg

Ingredients
Eggs - 2
Bread 2 thick slices of Italian bread
Unsalted Butter
Salt and pepper for eggs

Steps
1. With a glass or empty can cut of the center of the bread in a circle or any shape you like.
2. Butter both sides of the bread including the center cut piece.
3. Heat a hot griddle or pan. butter it well and brown the bread slices  and the center piece on one side. Turn is over and a little butter in the center cut portion of the bread and gently break an egg in it.
4. Cook it in low heat and cover the bread so the egg cooks.
5. Remove the lid and sprinkle salt and pepper on the egg.

Serve hot for breakfast

Kaya Mezhukkupuratti ( Plantain Stir fry)

Overview
A very quick and easy dish that can be made with raw plantains. Can be served as a side for any rice dish or chapati.  This is a delicious side dish which requires very few ingredients and can be prepared very quick. This is yet another Kerala speciality since we get plenty of plantains in Kerala.

Kaya Mezhukkupuratti ( Plantain Stir Fry)

Ingredients
2 Raw plantains cut into two inch long strips
Half of one medium onion cut length wise
6 garlic cloves cut into thin slices
Curry leaves 3 sprigs
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Crushed red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons
Olive oil - 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Cut the plantain to two inch strips and immerse in water. The thickness should be like that of french fries.
2. Cook the cut plantain pieces with salt, half of the turmeric powder and 1/2 cup water on low flame till it is cooked well about 6 - 8 minutes. Make sure you do not overcook the plantains and they do not get mashed.
3. In another pan heat the olive oil. When the oil gets hot add the thin sliced onions and garlic. Saute  till the onions are light brown.
4. Add crushed red pepper flakes to this and saute 1 -2 minutes. Add the curry leaves and let it fry. Add the cooked plantain to this and mix well till all water has evaporated and it is dry.

Serve hot with rice or chapati

Vegetable Pulao

Overview
Vegetable Pulao is a delicious blend of vegetables and rice.  I have used six kinds of vegetables in this dish. You can use any vegetables of your choice. This is a healthy dish since it has a whole serving of vegetables in it. Vegetable Pulao is usually served with any Indian picked and yogurt raita.

Vegetable Pulao

Vegetables for Pulao - Carrots, Potatoes, Green Peas, Cauliflower, 
Green Beans, and Cabbage

Ingredients
Long grain rice or Basmati rice 2 cups
Carrots  - thin sliced - 3/4 cup
Green beans thin sliced - 3/4 cup
Cabbage thin sliced - 1 cup
Cauliflower florets cut into small pieces - 3/4 cup
Green peas - 3/4 cup
Large potato peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
Onion - 2 medium size thin sliced
Garlic - 6 cloves finely crushed
Ginger  2 inch piece finely crushed
Freshly ground black pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Cinnamon stick - two one inch pieces
Cloves whole - 6 - 8
Cardamom whole - 4
Fennel seeds - 2 teaspoon
Black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil - 6 tablespoons
Cilantro - 1/4 cup finely chopped
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Clean the rice in plenty of water 3 - 4 times and soak in water and keep aside for about 20 minutes.
2. Bring about  a gallon of water to boil. Add half of all the whole spices to the water with salt.
3. When the water begins  to boil add the soaked rice to it and bring it to boil. Simmer heat and cook rice till done and drain water. Make sure rice is not overcooked. When the rice has drained well, spread out rice in a big tray so that it does not get sticky. Remove all whole spices.
4.  In a heavy bottom pan heat oil. When the oil gets hot add the remaining whole spices to it saute few minutes and then add the thin sliced onions.
5. Fry the onions few minutes till it is soft add the crushed garlic and ginger to this and saute till the onions are light brown. Add turmeric and pepper powder to this and saute few for minutes and then add all the sliced vegetables to this. Mix well cover pan with lid and cook till all vegetables are cooked well.
6. Uncover lid and saute few more minutes till all liquid has evaporated. Add the rice to this and mix well. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with any pickle and raita.

Dry Chicken Curry (Chicken Chukka)

Overview
A very tasty dry chicken curry which goes well with any rice or Indian bread. Usually the chicken pieces are marinated and then deep fried  and then mixed with gravy but here I have not deep fried the chicken just marinated chicken pieces and then made the curry and it came out very well. The freshly ground fennel seeds, black pepper and fenugreek seeds powders adds a very distinctive flavor and aroma to this dish.

Chicken Chukka Ingredients

Dry Chicken Curry(Chicken Chukka)

Ingredients
One small chicken(about 3 pounds) skinned and cut into small pieces
Red onion 2 medium ones thin sliced
Ginger 2 inch piece - finely chopped
Garlic  10 cloves finely chopped
Green chilly crushed 4 - 6
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Black pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Fennel seed powder - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/2 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 11/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 2 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup finely chopped for garnish
Salt to taste
Oil 4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Marinate the cleaned cut chicken pieces in 1/2 teaspoon chilly powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, one teaspoon finely chopped ginger, one teaspoon finely chopped garlic and salt  and refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. When the oil gets hot add the thin sliced onions and saute few minutes. Add the finely chopped ginger, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves to this and saute well till the onions are light brown.
3. Add the chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric to this and saute well for 1 - 2 minutes. Add the fennel seed powder, black pepper powder and fenugreek powder and saute well.
4. Add the marinated chicken pieces to this and mix well. Cook covered on low flame mixing every 10 minutes for about 45 - 60 minutes till the gravy is almost evaporated and chicken is cooked well.
5. Remove lid and saute few more minutes to evaporate all liquid. Turn off heat. Add chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with any rice or Indian bread

Kinnathappam( Steamed Rice Cake)

Overview
A traditional Kerala sweet appam served during tea time. This is a special steamed rice cake made with ground rice, coconut milk, egg and cardamom. The cardamom powder mixed in the batter and the cumin seeds sprinkled on top adds a delicious texture and aroma to this appam.

Kinnathappam (Steamed Rice cake)

Ingredients
Rice long grain - 2 cups
Coconut milk about 2 cups
Sugar 1 cup
Eggs 2
Cardamom powder  - 1 tsp
Salt 3/4 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon

Steps
1. Wash the rice and soak in plenty of water for about 4 hours.
2. Grind the rice with coconut milk to make a smooth paste. Add enough coconut milk so that the batter is looser than the idly batter.
3. In a blender beat the eggs, sugar and cardamom powder. Add this to the prepared rice batter. add salt too and mix well.
4. Oil a 12 inch round steel plate well and keep aside
3. Pour the batter in the steep plate or pie pan. Sprinkle with cumin seeds and steam this for about 15 - 20 minutes till the Kinnathappam is ready.

Cut into pieces and serve warm

Soft Pretzels

Overview
My boys love soft pretzels. Once I got this recipe I make it for them all the time. You can make any kind of topping for your pretzels like cinnamon sugar , sesame seeds or salt. This pretzel is made with simple yeast dough.

Cinnamon Sugar and Sesame Soft Pretzels

Ingredients
1 packet dry yeast about 2 1/4 tsp
1 Tbsp sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup water
I large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water to glace the pretzels before baking

Pretzel topping
1/2 stick melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon plus 3 tsp sugar for cinnamon sugar coating
Salt 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on pretzels
Sesame seeds  - 3 Tbsp

Steps
1. In half cup water mix yeast  and sugar and let it rest for 5 minutes till it gets frothy.
2. Put the flour in  a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the frothy yeast mixture in the center and mix in enough flour to make a sticky paste. Let it rest for 10 minutes till it gets bubbly.
3. Mix in the remaining flour, salt and water and knead well to form a smooth dough.
4. Cover with plastic warp and let it rest in a warm place till the dough is doubled.
5. Punch down the dough and divide dough in 6 pieces and make a long ropes and shape pretzels and put on a oiled cookie sheet
6. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and let it rest again till it doubles in size.
7. Brush each pretzels with the egg and water mixture and bake in 400F till golden brown.
8. Move the baked warm pretzels to a wire rack and brush with melted butter on both sides and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or sesame seeds or salt.

Serve Pretzels warm

Stollen Twists

Overview
This is a delicious braided bread made during Christmas time with dried fruits and nuts and covered with lemon glaze. The braiding on the bread makes a very elegant presentation. You can use any dried fruits and nuts that you like. I have used candied red and green cherries and cashews. Lemon Zest and cardamom adds a very unique aroma and flavor to this bread.

Stollen Twists

Ingredients
1 cup milk
3/4 stick butter
4 cups flour plus 3 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 packet dry yeast(2 1/4 tsp)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 large eggs
2/3 cups diced candied cherries
1/3 cup diced roasted cashews
1/3 cup raisins
1 large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water

For lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice

Steps
1. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted.
2. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Gradually add in the warm milk and butter mixture, cardamom powder, lemon zest and eggs and mix well. Mix well to make a sticky dough. Sprinkle with the 3 Tbsp flour.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in warm place about an hour until it is doubled.
4.Mix the dried fruits and nuts. Transfer into a flour surface and knead well.
5. Divide dough into half and each half into 3 and make  3 long ropes.
6. Place the 3 dough ropes on a oiled cookies sheet. Pinch ends and braid the bread. Pinch the ends too. Repeat with the next three ropes to form another loaf too.
7. Cover the braided breads with plastic warp and let it rise again till it is doubled in size.
8.  Brush braids evenly with 1 large egg beaten with water and bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes till the loaf is golden .
9. Transfer bread to wire racks and while warm drizzle with lemon glaze.

Let it cool to room temperature slice and serve.