LOVELETTER(kerala pancake)

Never gave a thought about how this delicious snack got its name as loveletter when i was a kid.But now i know why it is called so.Irresistible sweetness and love  filled inside which makes you fall in love with it;indeed a loveletter..It has other names like madakku saan,elanchi etc in different parts of kerala. But i feel loveletter is the best suitable one🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

This was an usual after school snacks during childhood. The moment i stepped into my home coming back from school my mom while making loveletters,the aroma of cardomom and coconut rush into my nose...aahhhh..nostslgic.My mom used to add egg and used only maida to make these loveletters,which would make it even more delicious

Adding egg is optional.But it adds taste.you either use whole wheat flour alone or all purpose flour or mix of both as i did here.Either ways its a yummy snack.

INGREDIENTS

Whole wheat flour - 1/2cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Baking soda - a pinch
Water - 1 cup
Egg -1 optional
Ghee - as required

FOR THE FILLING

grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Jaggery  - 1/2 cup
Cardamom  - 3 pods ,crushed

HOW TO MAKE

In a bowl add flour ,salt ,baking soda ,water and mix well.the batter should be loose

Grate jaggery and mix with grated coconut and crushed cardamom  and keep aside

Heat a pan..apply some ghee
Pour a big ladle of batter into the pan and spread thinly
Flip it once its cooked
Again flip it when the other side is cooked
Now take a spoon full of coconut Jaggery mixture and place in the middle of the pancake
Fold both sides of the pancake to the inside and cover the filling..
Loveletter is ready .
move to a serving plate

CHOCO OREO ICECREAM

I am on cloud9 that i made this delicious icecream today...my daughter is a biiig icecream lover and she has been craving for it for many days..we are hypersensitive to the preservatives added in most of the popular brands of icecreams.But i didn't have the courage to try making at home and i didn't know it was this easy to make icecream at home.I love my electric beater☺

I was going through some videos in youtube for the recipe.but i have gone through so many videos that i finally ended up mixing all the recipes.i even added a tablespoon of leftover dalgona coffee cream which is completely optional. The texture of the icecream was perfect nothing less than the shop bought ones.Needless to say that toppings are totally customizable. And we can make few changes in the recipe to make different flavors of icecreams like strawberry ,mango ,fig n honey ,tender coconut ,coffee  n cookies etc which i would love to try in the future

My daughter loved it very much.she didn't allow the icecream to set overnight..it got hardly 8hrs to set.And blame my excitement  for the quality of the pics😁.let's see how to make this delicious icecream

INGREDIENTS

Amul fresh cream - 250ml
Condensed milk - 1/4 cup
Vanilla essence  - 1tsp
Oreo biscuits Amul- 5 numbers
Coco powder  - 2 tbsp
Chocochips ,nuts,raisins,  chocolate syrup - for toppings

HOW TO MAKE

Take fresh cream in a bowl.

Immerse this  bowl in another bowl with icecubes or cold water in it.

Now using an electric beater beat the cream at high speed for 5minutes

Add condensed milk to it and start beating at high speed for another 5 minutes

Now add vanilla essence and cocoa powder  and beat for another 5 minutes

Add crushed oreo biscuits into the mixture and gently fold in

Transfer the mixture to a container or bowl and  cover with lid or aluminum foil

Keep in the fridge to set for minimum 5 hrs or overnight

Scoop the icecream and top it with chocochips or chocolate syrup or honey or nuts of your choice

And you are ready to dive in:))

MOONGDAAL NAMKEEN

Haldiram's moongdal namkeen is my daughter's favorite. Since its lockdown we have the constant urge to keep munching all the time and its best to try homemade snacks  always.

The first time i tried this it was a flop because i didn't soak the moongdal as i assumed it need not be soaked.then i googled , found the recipe and made it yesterday. It is very easy to make and only bad thing about this simple yet yummy n crunchy snacks is that its deep fried.lets see how its made

INGREDIENTS 

Skinless split moongdal - 1 cup 

Oil - for deep frying

Salt - as per taste

HOW TO MAKE

• Wash and soak moongdal for 2 to 3 hrs 
• Drain the moongdal   and keep aside 
• Heat a pan and add oil for frying the  moongdal 
• Add the moongdal into the pan and deep fry them till its crispy or about to change into brown colour 
• Spread the fried moongdal in a plate an when it is slightly cooled add some salt  and give it a mix
• Now moongdaal is ready to much on.

CHICKEN STEW

I wanted to try a different version of chicken gravy and ended up making this yummmmmy chicken stew.My sister used to make mutton kurma most of the times when i paid a visit to her .

This stew is creamy and thick and goes very well with appam pathiri idiyappam. But i had it with dosa as i was lazy to make pathiri or idiyapam.Trust me it was a great combo...crispy dosa and chicken stew.....So let's go to the recipe

INGREDIENTS

1. Chicken-1/2kg
2. Oil - 2tbsp
3. Onion - 1 big.finely chopped 
4. Potato - 1 cubed
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
6. Green chilli - 2 or 3
7. Pepper - 1tsp
8. Corriander powder - 1tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Fennel powder - 1tsp
11. Cashew nut  - 5 or 6 
12. Coconut milk - 1/4 cup
13. Salt - as required 
14. Cardamom - 3
15. Cinnamon - one small stick
16. Cloves - 4
17. Bayleaf - 1
18. Curry leaf - 1 spring

How to make

• Wash chicken and drain aside
• Soak cashew nuts in hot water 
• Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices(cardamom, cloves,bayleaf,cinnamon)
• Add chopped onions and saute well
• When the onions become translucent add ginger garlic paste and crushed green chillies curry leaves and saute
• Now add the crushed pepper corriander powder,fennel powder , turmeric powder and saute for 2 minutes
• Add  chicken pieces cubed potatoes  and salt
• Add half a cup of water and close the lid and let it cook
• Meanwhile grind the soaked cashews into a fine paste
• Once the chicken is cooked add the cashew paste and give a stir keeping the flame in sim
• Check salt and add the coconut milk and mix well for 3 minutes.
• Do not let it boil after adding the coconut milk.
• Switch off the flame and now the stew is ready to serve.

DALGONA

This one needs no introduction now because of its huge popularity during this lockdown..i used to make coffee this way ..creamy and rich ,but had no idea that it had a name like "dalgona"...i am not a "coffee" person.but whenever i have ,i love to have it strong and creamy.

Needless to say this coffee is addictive,rich and creamy just like the one we get from cafe coffee day or any fancy coffee shop.the good news is we don't need any fancy ingredients to make this one...let's move on to the recipe..

INGREDIENTS

1. coffee powder - 3tbsp
2. Sugar - 3tbsp
3. Water - 3tbsp
4. Milk - 1/2 cup

HOW TO MAKE

• Take a bowl add coffee powder, sugar ,water  and beat well with hand wisk or electric beater untill the mixture is creamy.Using hand whisk will take more time but you can get the same consistency. 
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• Boil milk and pour into serving glass
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• Top the milk with coffee cream we made

You can garnish with chocolate chips or cookie crumbs or bit of coffee powder or even honey.

Enjoy your dalgona coffee:)))

MURINGAYILA(drumstick leaves) MORU CURRY

This was one of my favourite childhood dishes.My mom used to make this curry often.Her moru curry was awesome.she used to pluck drumstick leaves from our backyard and  cook

Today I got a call from my dear friend and she was asking about my blog whether I have posted any new recipes.That was really sweet of her to ask and suddenly I got motivated to post something here.Thanks a ton dearieeee...Surprisingly I have made this moru curry today.My husband went down in the morning for a walk and came back with a big bunch of fresh drumstick leaves.The association people were cutting down the drumstick tree in our premises.Without a second thought he asked them for some leaves which they offered happily.Drumstick leaves have immense health benefits..I made moru curry as well as muringayila mutta thoran


INGREDIENTS

drumstick leaves -1cup
Coconut - 4tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Garlic pods - 3
Green chilli - 1
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Curry leaf - 1spring
Curd - 1 cup
Oil -1tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Shallots - 5
Dry red chilli - 2

How to prepare

Wash clean and drain the drumstick leaves and keep aside

Grind the coconut cumin green chilli turmeric powder curry leaves and keep

Now heat a Kadai or clay pot and add oil

Then add mustard to splutter

Then add dry red chilli and chopped shallots and sauté for a while

Add the drumstick leaves and sauté for few minutes

Add the coconut paste along with little water
Close the pan and cook for 5minutes

Now beat the curd well and add into the pan

Switch off the flame immediately to avoid curdling

Now the curry is ready to serve

BEEF VARATTIYATHU

Hello folks...Happy 2020 to everyone...as usual i am a bit late to wish you all..but its better late than never.So here i am with a simple and heavenly recipe .Once again wishing you all a wonderful and prosperous year ahead

This one is a typical kerala dish which is very easy to make.Taste depends on the quality of meat we use.I have used wheel beef which is tender and gets cooked in few whistles.

This beef varatiyat is a dry dish with no onions or tomatoes. It goes very well with rice dishes like puttu,pathiri idiyapam, appam,paalada etc

INGREDIENTS

To pressure cook

Beef - 1/2kg
Chilli powder - 1tbsp
Corriander powder-1tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-2tbsp
Fennel powder -1tsp
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Green chilli- 2 or3
Salt as needed
Water - 1/2 cup

To saute
Oil -2tbsp
Cloves -2
Cardamom-2
Cinnamon - one small piece
Coconut pieces
Curry leaves
Red chillies


How to make

• Pressure cook all the ingredients given under to pressure cook  for 7 or 8 whistles
• Once done heat a pan and add oil
• Crush the cloves cardamom and cinnamon stick using mortar and pestle or mixer and add
• Add coconut pieces and saute
• When the coconut turns light brown colour add red chillies and curry leaves
• Now add the cooked beef  into it and  mix
• Keep the flame in sim and let all the water gets evaporated and masala coats well on the beef pieces
• Switch off flame and garnish with curry leaves or corriander leaves