Irachi (Beef) Ada/Irachi Pathiri

Irachi Ada is another famous dish of the Malabar side, made by frying (crescent)semicircular shaped dough filled with beef,Mutton or chicken 'filling' (masala).It is a snack item prepared during tea time treats or at ifthar.

Here I have made the filling using beef.The recipe for this is:
 Ingredients
Boneless Beef        
   (cooked with a little chilly powder and salt;cooled and then shredded)      21/2 cups
Onion                   6 med(thinly sliced)
Garlic cloves         10(finely chopped)
Ginger             2'' piece( ''       ''        )
Green chillies        5     ( ''      ''   )
Turmeric powder   1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder 
           (homemade)         1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds powder      1/4 tsp
Salt               accord.to taste
Curry leaves      2 sprigs 
Oil                     2tblsp+ for deep frying

 Preparing the Filling
-Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add the onions
-Saute well and add the chopped ginger garlic and green chillies
-When the onions are done, add all the powders : garam masala,turmeric, fennel seeds powder and salt.
-Now add the shredded meat ,curry leaves and mix all well for 2-3 minutes.Off the flame. 
For the dough
All purpose flour(maida)
    or wheat flour(I used wheat flour;flour no:2)
                                               2 cups
Water                3/4 cup( or as needed) 
Oil              1 tblsp
Salt            accord. to taste 
-In a bowl add flour,salt and oil,mix properly.
-Now adding water make a medium soft dough.
Further procedure
-Make small balls out of the dough and flatten it (like pooris) using a rolling pin.
-You can shape this in 2 ways :1st way : you can apply little water on the edges of the poori ,add the filling ,fold it in a crescent shape press the edges with your fingers and seal and make patterns on the sides by pressing it with a fork.
2nd way : using (crescent shape) molds.Here I used  this mold,so it was easy.
-Place the poori on the mold ,add the filling on one side,close,seal and shape them (see image below)
-Now do the same with the rest of the dough and filling.
-Heat oil in a Kadai and deep fry these on medium flame till it turns golden brown on both the sides.
-Drain on tissue paper and serve with a cup of tea.

 

Linking this to Meat Lovers Month event at Recipes Passion and Haffa Bexi's Kitchen 

Chemmeen Kinnapathiri / Steamed Rice Cakes With Prawns

This tasty dish can be served as a snack or breakfast. Eating one or two itself fills the stomach but I assure you the mouth will want more.,hehe.This prawns masala can be used as a filling or topping in other recipes too.The recipe...

For the prawns masala
Ingredients
Prawns/Chemmeen   1/2 kg
Chilly powder        1 tsp
Salt               to taste
Oil               for shallow frying
Marinate the prawns with chilly powder,salt and keep
for 15 minutes.After 15 mins.shallow fry and keep  aside.
Rest of the Ingredients
Onion               4 (finely chopped)
Green chilly      3-4 (   ''      ''      )
Garlic cloves       5  (   ''      ''       )
Ginger       1'' piece ( ''       ''       )
Curry leaves   2 sprigs
Salt         accord. to taste
Oil          1-1/2 tbsp
-Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onion,saute till transparent.
-Add ginger,garlic and the chillies,add turmeric powder,salt and curry leaves.

-Saute well and at last add the fried prawns,mix well , remove from fire and keep aside.

For the 'rice cake' batter   
Basmati rice           2 cups
Thick coconut milk  11/2cup
Salt               to taste
Preparation method
-Soak the rice for 3-4 hrs,then wash,drain and keep aside.
-Make 11/2 cup of thick coconut milk from fresh grated coconut adding little water.
-Now grind the rice in the coconut milk along with salt into a smooth batter.Pour this into a bowl.

Further procedure 
-Heat a steamer (use Idly steamer) with water,now brush the idly molds with a little oil and pour a ladle of batter into the molds.
-On top of the batter add 1tsp full of the prawns masala and steam about 15 to 20 minutes on medium flame till cooked.
-Take the mould out carefully ,after 5 minutes using a spoon take out the rice cakes one by one,place them on a serving plate and serve.  

                           

                         

Dates-Coconut Cake

This is an easy cake made with dates and coconut. It tastes more like a Burfi or Halwa.The recipe for this is:
Ingredients
Dates(chopped and pitted)    1 cup
Grated Coconut      3/4 cup
Eggs                4
Sugar               2 tsp + 4 tblsp
Milk powder     3 tblsp
Ghee               2 tsp

Preparation Method
-Heat a frying pan,add the grated coconut and 2 tsp sugar.Saute well for 1 or 2 minutes on low flame.Now add the chopped dates,saute and mix well.Off the flame and keep this aside.
-In a Mixie,blend together the eggs,4 tblsp sugar,milk powder for 2-3 minutes,till the sugar dissolves and along with milkpowder combines with the eggs.
-Pour this egg mixture into a bowl and add the dates coconut mix.
-With the help of a spoon mix both by stirring slowly.
-Heat a cake pan,add ghee and spread at the bottom and sides of the pan.
-Pour the egg-dates batter,cover and keep on low flame for 20 to 25 minutes,till done(insert a toothpick and check)
-Your cake is ready.

*If you feel the top part has to be done a little more,you may flip the cake and cook for 2 minutes.
*Use good quality soft Dates.

                 
  

Watermelon Milk Shake

Watermelon is at its best during summer.Eating it just like that or preparing juices or shakes all are excellent thirst quenchers.You can make a simple juice by just blending watermelon,sugar and water or can prepare a crushed watermelon drink or a Milk Shake.

Plain Dosa

Breakfast is also called as the brain food.It is said to eat breakfast like a king because it is the important meal of the day,so its better not to skip breakfast as it is the actual fuel for the whole day.Dosa is very popular in sounth indian breakfast it is made from a fermentation process of rice and lentils batter.There are different varities of dosa. Here is the recipe for plain(sada) dosa. 

Ingredients
White rice/Pachari/Raw rice  2 cups
Split black gram/Urad dal  1 cup
Fenugreek seeds              1 tbsp
Cooked(parboiled)rice      1tbsp
Salt          to taste

Procedure
-Wash and soak the rice, split black gram and the fenugreek seeds in water for 4 to 5 hrs(soak black gram separately)
-Grind the soaked dal first with little water into a smooth paste and pour it into a large bowl.
-Mix the raw rice,fenugreek seeds and cooked rice and then again grind this into a smooth paste.  
-Combine this batter to the dal batter.
-Now mix this very well (the consistency of the batter should neither be too thick nor too thin).Cover and keep aside (in a warm place)to ferment overnight.
-Next day,heat a nonstick or iron griddle to medium- low heat.
-Add salt to the batter and again stir well.
-Grease the pan with little oil and pour a ladle of batter in the center, quickly using back of the ladle spread it into a round shape.
-After 2-3 minutes flip it once,take it out and serve hot with Sambhar or chutney.

*After pouring the batter into the heated pan you can cover it with a lid;this way you don't have to flip the Dosa.After 1 or 2 minutes you can take it out.
*When the sides raise a little and you see a light brown colour at the bottom,then its time to take out  the Dosa.
*Each time while pouring the batter the pan should not be over-heated,keep it at low flame and brush oil so that the batter does not stick to the pan,then bring it to medium flame to cook. 

  
     

Crushed Watermelon Drink

To imagine summers without Watermelons is next to impossible.I think its a favorite summer fruit for many ,surely for my family.

Stuffed Bananas(Plantains)/Unnakkaya/Kaayada

Unnakkaya or kaayada is a very popular snack in the North Malabar side,mostly found in the 'treats' given by Malabar Muslims.It is also prepared during Ramadan.
  Stuffed Banana is a snack made with a sweet  filling.In Malabar where Stuffed mussels has its place in spicy snacks,similarly this Unnakkaya has its own place in sweet snacks 
   It is a good and healthy snack item for kids.Here the Plantains used,should neither be too raw nor too ripe   it should be medium ripe.Here goes the recipe

Ingredients
Plantain          1 kg(semi ripe)
Eggs               5
Cashew nuts   2 tbsp
  (break each cashew nut into 3-4 pieces) 
Raisins          2tblsp
Sugar            5-6tblsp 
Ghee             1tblsp
Cardamom powder   1 tsp
Oil             for deep frying

Method
-Peel and cut the bananas in round shape of 1 inch thickness.
-Place these bananas in a steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes.
-Mash them well without any lumps into a dough consistency.Keep aside.

 -In a bowl break the eggs, add sugar and beat a little (the sugar doesn't have to dissolve at this stage)set aside.
-Now in a pan heat ghee,add nuts then raisins.When the raisins puff add the egg-sugar mix completely and scramble them by stirring continuously on medium-low heat till the egg gets cooked.
-Add the cardamom powder,stir and remove from fire 

-Take small balls out of the banana dough,flatten each ball,add a little filling and seal the sides.Roll and shape
the stuffed plantains(see image below)
-Finish the whole dough and filling this way.
-Heat oil in a wok and fry the Unnakkaya/Kaayada till golden brown.

*You can use a little oil on your palm and fingers while flattening and shaping these.

*To mash the bananas you can use a potato masher or back of a ladle or bottom of a steel glass (traditionally wet grinders are used to grind the steamed bananas without adding water,you can also use a food -processor)
*Non-vegetarians,can use grated coconut instead of eggs in the filling.Saute the coconut till light brown in

colour along with cashew nuts and raisins.