Mini Challah Bread

Overview
I love the aroma of fresh baked bread. This braided Challah bread is easy to make and has few ingredients. The topping of sesame seeds gives this bread a unique crunch.

Mini Challah Bread

Ingredients
1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour

Topping
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

Steps
1. In a small mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the oil, sugar, salt and 1 cup flour. mix well and knead until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough.

2. Turn into a floured surface, knead dough until smooth about 3 - 5 minutes. Place in bowl coated with oil turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size about one hour.

3. Punch dough down. Turn into a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 3 equal parts. Shape each portion into an 8 inch rope. Place ropes on a baking sheet coated with oil. Braid and pinch ends seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise until doubled in size about 45 minutes.

4.  Beat egg and water, brush over bread. Sprinkle the sesame seeds.

5. Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a rack to cool.

Chicken Kabobs

Overview
Fresh mint leaves and cilantro mixed with lime juice gives a burst of freshness to these kabobs. Can be put on skewers and grilled on an outdoor grill too. I have used chicken tenderloins here but chunks of chicken breast pieces can be used for this recipe too.

Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients
Chicken breast tenderloins 2 pounds
Garlic 4 cloves finely chopped
Ginger 2 inch finely chopped
Mint leaves a handful finely chopped
Cilantro a handful finely chopped
Lime juice - the juice of one lime
Olive oil 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps

1. Marinate the chicken tenderloins  with the garlic, ginger, mint ,cilantro, salt and olive oil. Keep refrigerated for 4 - 6 hours

2. Heat up your grill and grill it indoors or outdoors. 2 - 4 minutes.

Serve hot with Lemon or lime wedges.

Kerala style Chicken Roast with Potataoes

Overview
This is a special chicken dish that my mother used to make for special occasions. It is a bit tedious to make but the end results are definitely worth it. The potatoes and chicken pieces are pan fried before making this dish. Whole spices sauteed in oil infuses the chicken pieces with a unique aroma. This dish goes very well with any Indian rice or bread.

Kerala style Chicken Roast with Potatoes

Ingredients
Fresh Whole chicken  about 4 pounds
Potatoes about 4matoes - 4 large thin sliced
Plum tomatoes - 4 thin sliced
Red Onions 4 thin sliced
Ginger 2 inch piece thin sliced
Garlic - 6 - 8 coves thin sliced
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 2 tablespoon
Coriander powder - 3 tablespoon
Cinnamon pieces - 2 inch
Cloves whole  - 3
Cardamom - 2
Whole black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Star anise - 1 whole
Olive oil - 4 tablespoon
Black pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste

To marinate Chicken
Garlic 4 cloves
Ginger 1 inch piece
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
salt to taste

Steps
1.Skin the chicken and cut into big pieces. Clean and keep aside.

2.  Grind all the ingredients for marinating the chicken and marinate the chicken pieces in it . Refrigerate for 4 - 6 hours.

3. Peel the potatoes and cut into big thick slices.

3. In a flat large pan add about 4 tablespoons oil. When the oil gets hot add the Potato pieces add salt and fresh ground pepper. Brown all sides and keep aside.

4. In the same pan add little more oil if needed and pan fry all the chicken pieces  and keep aside.

5. Heat about 4 tablespoon oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the whole spices to it( Cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, whole black pepper and fennel seeds. Saute few minutes.

6. Add the thin sliced red onions garlic and ginger to the oil and saute till the onions are light brown.

7. Add the coriander powder, chilly powder and turmeric powder to the oil and saute few minutes and then add the curry leaves. Saute few minutes and then add the thin sliced tomatoes to this with salt and mix well. Cook covered till the tomatoes are cooked well.

8. Add the pan fried chicken and potatoes to this and mix well add 1/2 cup water and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Remove the lids and saute till all the liquid has evaporated.

Serve hot with rice or any Indian breads

Long Beans with Shrimp

Overview
Adding shrimp to long beans gives this dish a unique and distinctive flavor and texture. Any kind of long beans can be used. Here I have used black long beans which one of my friends gave me fresh from their vegetable garden. Small shrimps goes well with this dish but if you have large shrimps just chop them to bite size pieces.

Long Beans with Shrimp

Ingredients
Long beans cut into 2 inch pieces
Large about - 25
Onions - 1 medium thin sliced
Garlic - 6 - 8 cloves thin sliced
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Crush Red pepper flakes
Olive oil - 3 teaspoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. De vein and clean the shrimp and cut into bite size pieces. Cook the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, powder, 1/4 cup water, chilly powder and salt and keep aside. Make sure all liquid is evaporated.

2. In another dish cook the long beans with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and salt  and a little water. Cook till it is cooked.

3. Mix the shrimp with the cooked long beans and keep aside.

4. In another pan heat the oil. When it gets hot add the thin sliced onions and garlic. Saute till the onions are light brown. Add the crushed red pepper and saute few minutes. Add the curry leaves and fry for few minutes then add the cooked long beans and shrimp to this.

5. Saute till all the liquid is evaporated.

Serve hot with rice.

Watermelon Drink

Overview
A wonderful thirst quenching drink to have in summer when we get plenty of watermelons.The amount of honey or agave syrup used depends on the sweetness of the watermelon.A touch of mint and lime juice brings out the freshness of this drink. This is a simple and easy drink to make. Keep all the ingredients ready and blend it just before serving.

Watermelon Cooler

Ingredients
Watermelons chunks seedless - 4 cups
Line or lemon juice 2 - 3 tablespoons
Mint leaves a bunch garnish
Crushed ice  - 1 Cup
Cold Water - 1 cup
Agave syrup - 6 tablespoons or as needed for sweetness

Steps
1. Pulse the watermelon in a blender with about 6 mint leaves and strain if needed.

2. Mix the watermelon mixture with honey or agave syrup for sweetness, lime juice,crushed ice and one cup water in a blender and blend well.

3. Pour in a glass and garnish with mint leaves and lime/lemon wedges.

Serve chilled

Chutney Powder

Overview
This chutney powder is served with Idli and Dosa. The Chutney powder is mixed with sesame oil or any oil of your choice just before serving to make a paste. The dry roasted Dal's gives this chutney powder a nutty aroma and unique texture.

Chutney Powder

Idli with Chutney powder Sambar and Coconut Chutney

Ingredients
Whole white Urdu Dal - 1 1/2 cup
Channa Dal - 3/4 cup
Tuvar Dal - 3/4 cup
Dried shredded coconut(optional) - 1/2 cup
White sesame seed - 1/2 cup
Whole red chillies - 10 - 12
Asafoetida - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Dry roast the Dal's separately in a pan till golden brown

2. Roast dry coconut and sesame seeds also till they are golden brown.

3. Dry roast the red chillies.

4. When the dry roasted ingredients have cooled to room temperature grind this coarsely in a coffee blender or grinder.

5. Add salt, asafoetida and mix well. store in an airtight container.

Just before servicing mix 3 tablespoons of chutney powder with one teaspoon of oil and mix well and serve with Idli or Dosa. Enjoy.