Instant Unniyappam

My mom's version of instant unniyappams have been always a hit. It always helps to bring down our cravings for unniyappams and to finish off the overripe bananas. And the word instant is so apt. As it doesn't need any soaking of white rice and hence no delay in making it.

Whenever we have guest who pay a surprise visit and I have hardly anything to serve them to snack on, I choose to make it. It has been a hit. Make it and let me know if you loved it.

Khandvi

Ever since I started blogging, these pretty khandvi's had been in my to make list. Come on, there would be hardly anyone who wouldn't notice them. They are so pretty that you just can't resist to taste them and once tasted, you will fall for it. 

Usually when I give a try for the first time, I make it during snack time, so that if it doesn't come out well or if it is not liked by anyone, they would have an alternative in the pantry to go grab some quick bite. When I tried these the first time, Jacob thought I had really put in a lot of effort to make these. When he tasted it he liked it and then started asking how I made it and he too was amazed that these pretty looking khandvis are quite easy to make. They look so much more pretty for the least effort that goes into making it. So if you too want to try making it, here is the recipe.

Homemade Wholewheat Cracker

Summer Holidays are on. When kids stay at home during the hot summer mornings; demands for snacks is on high. They keep munching on snacks continuously to avoid being bored. Stocking up on snacks which are homemade, simple to make, healthy and yum is always looked up to. These crackers are something I tried a long ago. No matter how big a batch I make, I always run out of it pretty soon. But if they tend to last, they store well too. 

These crackers are great to eat as it is or when paired with a dip. Make it this summer season and enjoy it while at home or carry along, if you are hitting the road for a trip. Because homemade is always the best.

Cherry Loaf

One good thing about summer is the cheeries . We cannot have enough of them. Even though we don't mind having it raw; trying different and variety desserts out of them is fun. This cherry loaf was just an outcome of a such a trial and we loved it. The bite into a juicy piece of cherry within the loaf piece is so refreshing.

The loaf is very easy to put together. At the same time, it is so addictive and gets over really quickly that you may want to bake more than a loaf at a time if you would want them to last more than a day :). Here is the recipe for the cherry loaf.

Chocolate and Cashew Biscotti

Anything chocolate goes so well for the festive season. I have been packing up edible treats to give away to family and friends and apart from the fruit cake, these chocolate biscotti is making into every treat bag. I don't know when will I succeed cutting down all those extra pounds already added and to be added this month. By the time I would exercise and diet to bring it down, it will be Christmas again .. he he.. But I must say it is just the happiest time of the year for me and I would just put away the worry of shedding down the gained pounds.

These chocolate biscotti's are good for any time of the year. Just dunk it into you coffee and enjoy or have it as is. They are super yum. And that extra crunch from those cashews is just a bonus, so don't miss out on that part. You could try walnuts or pecans or pistachios for a change.

Bread Pakoda

When I was a kid, I remember my mom would ask me to wait at the gate having heard the ringing of a cycle bell. My job would be to call up the guy by the time mummy would fetch the money to be handed over. It would be bread wala bringing in fresh bread and buns from the bakery. The packets would still have some vapours trapped in them and still a little hot.

Mummy would then make hot bread pakodas out of the hot bread. Or it may take the shape of sandwiches or French toast etc to be packed for tiffin to the school.

Potato Sandwich

The most filling, easy and made with regular ingredients is what I could associate potato sandwich with. Pack it for tiffin for school, serve it for breakfast or for tea time snack, include it in Party or picnic menu - they never loose their charm. It's always a hit. 

Served with some tomato chilly sauce they are perfect to tickle the taste bites. Here is how I make it. 

Paneer Pockets

Having something for tea time snack is just so fulfilling. It's not a must in our family though. Just tea or milk with some biscuits or fruits would serve the purpose. But I love to see the happy faces when served with some home made snacks. All the more I come from a family where my mom used to make an effort to serve us something hot and homemade to munch on snack with our milk. I used to love it and I try to continue the same.

Now the other day, my intension was to make a fried paneer pocket. But then I had a packet of bread bought the previous day which I had to use up before it goes dry and bad. So I ended up making these and named them paneer pockets because they look like them, don't they.

Mullaku Bhajji / Chilly Bhajji / Mirchi Bhajji / Mirchi Pakoda with Yogurt Dip

Chilly bhajji reminds me of Pala Jubilee perunnal. Its the biggest of the carnival at the small town Pala. I remember Baby uncle taking all little ones in his car to take a round of the town to see the decorations. He never let the doors open because of the fear of atleast one of us gone missing in the crowd.

Since he had taken us late in the night, most vendors had already closed their shops and so the only cart vendor we could get hold of was making chilly bhajji and uncle bought us those hot bhajjis. Thats when I first tasted these bhajjis.

Biscotti and Christmas memories!

How does your Christmas look like this year? Have you put up a tree and decorations? We did put up a tree late November. Even though its been days we have had the decorated tree in the living room, I still like to go sit by its side and admire each bell, balls etc. hanging on it.... with the Xmas songs in the background. Ahhh.... I have always loved this season.

As kids, my brother and me used to put up a Xmas crib and a tree. The planning and preparations start by beginning of December - growing wheat in small boxes, making of small huts, bullock carts, rocks for the waterfalls, collecting the dry hay from fruit vendors to make the manger, hunting for sand to make the roads in the crib, etc... These then formed the little details that go in to making a Xmas crib. In the middle of all these we would have to bare a test series in school ( I always though it to be killing the Xmas spirit for us kids :( ). But we would be done with it by the 22nd. Then we would have Xmas carols that go all through midnight....go help to put up the decorations at church... the midnight mass...It all gets nostalgic and these memories do come back to me every Xmas.

Homemade Puff Pastry and Chicken Puffs

During my hostel days, I remember that my parents/brother/uncle/aunt whoever visited me, a package from the bakery would come along with them. In that package, puffs would be one of the things. It used to be one thing that you take with you when you are visiting family members / having a tea party / having a bride viewing at home etc. etc.

I have noticed the current generation have a different trend these days. They would rather prefer fried chicken, burgers, hot dogs, pizza... Since the demand for puffs has gone down, the bakeries tend to make only a hand full of them and only the early birds get lucky. So, it had been a while that we had them. 

Neyyappam ~ Vishu special

Wishing you all a very Happy Vishu!

Vishu - Malayalis newyear - is here. What have you been up to? Did you put up a Vishukkani? Well, we made Neyyappam here and that was our Vishu special. I did try to hunt for Kanni konna but no luck. As a kid, the main attraction of Vishu used to be crackers, movie series in TV, get together of cousins and ofcourse payasam. This time we had to restrict it to Neyyappams..not bad ehh..

Do you like Neyyappams? I love them. After I had made the batter and let it sit for 2-3 hours, the smell of melted jaggery was so tempting that I wanted to make it as soon as possible. I can't blame myself because it had been sooo long since I had them. Well here is the recipe to it. Hope you like it and try it.

Parippuvada!!!

Its raining!

What best could one do on a rainy day? Hot parippuvada with a steaming cup of coffee/tea..hmm my mouth is getting watery with the very thought of it. Some people like having parippuvada as it is , but for me having it with bananas makes me feel content.

These remind me of the childhood days when we used to travel by train to kerala to spend our summer vacations. The train would reach Palakkad station and the noise of the chaiwala's would wake you up. The Parripuvadas and Pazham poris would be in the scene, offered with a small glass of chai.

Namkeen

What do you like more - sweet or salty ? Well for me, I don't really have a sweet tooth and would prefer salty. On a lazy day, I was just looking in for some snack that I could make quickly. I had this namkeen in mind but was not sure if its called the same everywhere. I would definitely update the name, if I ever come across it, in the future. Having failed to figure out the recipe from the internet, I called up my mom to double check if the recipe that I had in mind was okay to continue with.



These namkeens are quick and easy to make. Well, I say that quite often about most of my recipes, don't I ? :). But trust me, with very few ingredients and minimal effort I could make a heap of namkeens :). So I love making these.

Uzhunnu Vada / Medhu Vada / Lentil Dumplings

Uzhunnu Vada - yet another favorite snack either during tea time or with idli/dosa in the morning. For a south indian, if you are out looking in for a restaurant for breakfast, what would be the item that you would have pre ordered in mind - Idli-vada. Yes, any restaurant that you get into would have it as the first item on their menu. And the server would also recite the menu starting with idli- vada, dosa-vada, masala dosa....

I have made these vadas a number of times.These are easy to make if you are not bothered about the hole that is supposed to be present in the center of these vadas. I never used to get the consistency of the batter right. Well, I should not call it a batter as, these get its shape only if, the mixture has the consistency between a dough and a batter. I still don't think I have gained that perfection, but atleast the hole is there,  is what I say to myself :).

Sukhiyan

Sukhiyan, yet another well known tea time snack in Kerala, had been on my to-make list for quite some time now. Finally, I succeeded in checking it off from the list. These snacks are found in most tea shops in Kerala, strategically arranged in small glass cupboards, right next to Ethakka Boli, making people tempt to have it.

My mom used to make these at home, whenever we would be home for vacation. Home made snacks have its own advantages, because you know that these are fried in fresh set of oil unlike in tea shops. Moreover, you get to decide the way you would like to make it; the type of oil you want to use ; how sweet it should be etc... etc. All said, I had to make it at home, as we don't get it anywhere around here :P. Turns out, the only thing that you should be careful about while making it, is not to overcook the grams.