iCookiPost

Wish you all a happy and prosperous new year. I wish all your resolutions and dreams come true in this Chinese year of the tiger. So, I’m going to start off my first post of the year with a Chinese touch with some yummy spice

We usually make Sāmbhar using okra, but I’m going to share a unique recipe using okra in a Chinese style.

Ingredients

1. Okra (Lady’s Finger) – 6
2. Onion – 1
3. Green Chilly – 1
4. Garlic(Chopped) – 4
5. Pepper Powder – 1 1/2 tsp
6. Corn Flour – 2 tsp
7. Maida (All purpose flour) – 1 tsp
8. Egg – 1
9. Oil
10. Curry leaves

Preparation

1. Wash okra and pat dry with a tissue paper to remove stickiness
2. Cut it into long pieces
3. Mix 1 1/2 tsp of corn flour, Maida, egg, salt and 1 tsp of pepper powder
4. Marinate okra pieces with the mix and keep aside for 30 minutes
5. Dust marinated okra pieces with the remaining corn flour and fry till both sides are light brown
6. Heat oil in a frying pan again and sauté chopped onion, garlic and green chilly.
7. Add fried okra, 1/2 tsp pepper powder and stir well.
8. Serve hot

If Durian is the beloved fruit of Singaporeans, a look alike Jackfruit is a traditional and sweet fruit of Kerala. Jackfruit trees are abundant and very common in most backyards of Kerala home.

Recently while shopping at a grocery shop, I discovered a pack of Malaysian Jackfruit for around S$ 4 i.e approximately 130 Indian Rupees. I was shocked to see such a price tag for just 10-12 pieces in the pack whereas the whole jackfruit (an average size would contain more than 700-800 pieces) itself would cost less than Rs.10 (approximately 10 cents) in India. I know it is not fair to compare, but I couldn’t resist myself by doing so.

Anyway, I grabbed a pack and decided to give it a try. I was very much pleased with the quality of the pieces and I should say that it was worth the trial and we all liked its juiciness and honey like sweetness. Ever since then, my hubby never forgets to pick one

I noticed that all pieces had seeds inside which reminded me one of those rare traditional Kerala curries my mom used to make. I decided to customize it a little bit in combination with some additional vegetables to make it more unique. So, read on and give it a try and do let me know your experience

Ingredients

1. Jackfruit Seeds (Chakkakuru) – 100gms
2. Drumstick(Muringakka) – 3
3. Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
4. Snake Gourd (Padavalanga) – 100gms
5. Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
6. Cumin seeds (jeerakam) -  1/2 tsp
7. Garlic(chopped) – 2
8. Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
9. Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
10. Urad dal – 2 tsp
11. Dry Red Chilly – 2
12. Curry leaves
13. Oil
14. Salt

preparation

1. Clean and cut jackfruit seeds lengthwise. Boil jackfruit seeds,drumsticks,with turmeric powder,salt and required amount of water.
2. Once it is cooked, add snake gourd pieces and cook well.
3. Grind grated coconut with cumin seeds,garlic,red chilly powder into a coarse paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan. splutter mustard seeds.once it is done add dry red chilly, urad dal, curry leaves.and saute.
5. Add coconut paste to it and stir well for 2-3 minutes.
6. Finally add boiled drumstick-snakegourd mix to it and cook till dry.
7. Serve with rice and sambhar.

School holidays are always fun for kids and we adults too can relax a bit during this time. My first one wanted to get some sweets and thought why not I try something at home. I looked around to prepare something quick and easy, and found a tin of condensed milk which I bought sometime ago to make Kheer. If you do not know what “Kheer” is then watch this video. This Indian sweet is exceptionally easy to make as it needs only 3 ingredients.

Ingredients

1. Grated coconut – 4 cups
2. Milkmaid – 1 tin
3. Ghee – 1 1/2 tbsp

Preparation

1. Keep aside 50 gms of desiccated coconut .
2. Preferably, use a heavy bottomed pan and heat it well. Add remaining coconut and milkmaid and stir well on low flame for 5 minutes.
3. When  it starts to separate from the sides of the pan, turn off the heat and let it cool.
4. Once it is cool, grease your palms with little ghee and make balls.
5. Finally roll the laddoos in desiccated coconut spread on a plate.
6. Store yummy coconut laddoos in air tight containers.