BARLEY UPMA

This Upma is made similar to how we prepare Rava Upma, using barley. This can be taken in lunch boxes or can be had for brunch, it makes you feel full for a long time. Barley is a whole grain which is an important source of dietary fibre, vitamin and minerals. 

It is said that barley may reduce the level of bad cholesterol in your body. I tried this because of the health benefits of barley. 

Barley Upma

Now to the detailed recipe 🤗

Ingredients:

• Barley pearls 1/2 cup 
• Potatoes 1/4 cup (sliced) 
• Carrot 1/4 cup (sliced) 
• Green beans 1/4 cup (sliced) 
• Green peas 1/5 cup (fresh/frozen) 
• Tomato 1 no
• Onion 1 no. 
• Ginger one small piece 
• Green chillies, curry leaves
• Chana dal 1 tbsp 
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp 
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp 
• Lemon juice - 1/ tsp 
• Coriander leaves/ cilantro 
• Salt & water - as required

Method of preparation:

1. Cook barley with just adequate water to cover with a pinch of salt. Remove the water and set the barley pearls aside. 
2. Clean and chop the onion and vegetables. 
3. Take a pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Then add chana dal, green chilli, ginger pieces and the curry leaves. Add the sliced onion and sauté well. Now add a pinch of turmeric powder and then the tomato pieces. 
4. When the tomato pieces softens, add the sliced vegetables with salt to taste and cover and cook after sprinkling little water. 
5. When the vegetables are almost done, add the barley, stir in and cook for a few more minutes. 
6. Squeeze in a few drops of lime and remove from flame. Barley Upma is ready. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Note:

• Instead of using cooked barley, you can crush barley pearls in a mixer and use this coarse mixture in the Upma. If doing so, add adequate water after adding the barley and cook well (similar to Rava Upma). 
• Barley water is very healthy, that was the reason why I cooked barley first. Add lemon juice and a few drops of homey to barley, an excellent healthy drink is ready.

DYNAMITE SHRIMPS

I have been planning to try this recipe for such a long time, been on my saved list for a few weeks. This dish is made by tossing batter fried Prawns in a spicy, creamy and sweet sauce. It is simple to make. The colour and the taste of the sauce varies according to the combination of sauces.

DYNAMITE SHRIMPS

Ingredients:

1. Shrimps 500 gms
2. Marination- turmeric, chilly and pepper powders

a) For frying the shrimps: 

• Eggs 2 no.s
• Cornflour 1/2 cup
• All purpose flour 3/4 cup
• Ground pepper 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste

b) For the sauce: 

• Mayonnaise 1/2 cup
• Chilli sauce (Asian) 1-2 tbsp
• Honey 2 tsp
• Salt

C) To serve:

Iceberg Lettuce leaves to serve, Green spring onion to garnish

Method of preparation:

1. Clean, peel and devein the shrimps. Marinate the shrimp with the powders and enough salt and set it aside for 15 minutes. 
2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs. In another bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients listed under A, for frying the shrimps. 
3. Take the marinated shrimps one by one, dip in the flour mixture, then the beaten eggs and then dip in the flour mix. Ensure to form a thick crust around the shrimps, shake off any excess. 
4. Fry these coated shrimps in batches until lightly golden. Please make sure that the shrimps are properly cooked in low to medium heat. 
5. Drain the fried shrimps in paper towel. 
6. Mix the mayonnaise, the hot chilli sauce, honey and salt. Here I have used Sriracha sauce (Thai chilly sauce). Toss the fried Prawns in this sauce mix. 
7. In a bowl, arrange the lettuce leaf, spread the sauce coated shrimp, garnish with sliced green onion and serve.

Yummy dynamite Shrimps are ready, trust me these are addictive.

DRAGON CHICKEN

 

This dish is of Indo-Chinese cuisine. Dragon chicken is spicy and tasty fusion dish, a real appetiser. The blend of sharp sauces and spices give it a distinct fiery flavour. This can be served as a starter and also goes well with rice, roti etc.

Ingredients: 

1. Boneless chicken 1/2 kg

For marination of chicken pieces:

• Corn flour 1/4 cup
• Plain flour/ maida 1/2 cup
• Ginger garlic paste 1.5 tsp
• Soya sauce (dark) 2 tsp
• Red chilli paste 1 tbsp
• Egg 1 no.
• Pepper powder 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

For sauce:

• Onion 1 large
• Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
• Capsicum 1 no. (Medium sized)
• Dry red chilli 3-4 no.s
• Red chilli paste 1 tbsp
• Dark soya sauce 1 tbsp
• Red chilli paste 1 tbsp
• Tomato sauce (thick) - 4 tbsp
• Sugar 2 tsp
• Cashews - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste

For garnishing:
Coriander leaves, Spring onion, cashew pieces, white sesame seeds

Method of preparation:

1. Clean the boneless chicken piece and cut into small pieces. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for marination and add the chicken pieces. Mix well and leave it to marinate for half an hour. 
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated chicken pieces till golden. Drain in a paper towel and keep it aside.
3. Add cashew pieces and dry chillies to the pan and fry. Now add the onion and capsicum pieces and toss it in the pan. Add the ginger garlic paste, sauté well, then add the red chilli paste, the sauces, salt and sugar. 
4. Cook this in low heat and when the sauce mix thickens add in the fried chicken pieces. Toss well to mix the chicken pieces in the spicy sauce. 
5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves & spring onion, fried cashew bits and sprinkle a bit of white sesame seeds. 

Yummy dragon chicken is ready. 

SPICY AMMINI KOZHUKATTAI

This is a spicy version of Ammini kozhukkatta. Ammini kozhukkatta is made by steaming small rice balls and tempering with mustard, curry leaves etc. There is also a sweet version prepared with sweet coconut milk.This version is spicy and flavourful with masala coating.

Ingredients:

1. Fine rice flour 1 cup 
2. Water 
3. Coconut grated 1 tbsp
4. Salt to taste 
5. Coating: Red chillies 2-3 no.s, Chana dal 1 tbsp, Urdu dal (whole) 2 tbsp 
6. For tempering: mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves

Method of preparation: 

1. In a pan dry roast the mix for coating and grind it to a powder.
2. In a wide mouthed bowl, mix rice flour with salt and add boiling water to it. Mix little by little with a wooden ladle. When the mixed flour cools down a bit, knead it to a soft dough with your hands. Slightly grease your palms with oil and roll the flour into small round balls (gooseberry size).
3. In a steamer, steam these till just cooked. Be careful not to overcook as it may turn hard.
4. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and cumin seeds, add the curry leaves. Add the spice powder and toss in the steamed rice balls. 
5. Add the grated coconut, fry for a minute or two and switch off the flame.

These spicy kozhukkatta can be served warm or cold. This makes a nice tea time dish too.

SABUDANA JAGGERY PAYASAM

A simple Payasam made with Sabudana (Sago/Tapioca pearls), Jaggery and coconut milk. This dish is of Tamilnadu cuisine style.

 

Ingredients:

• Sago (Sabudana) 1 cup 
• Jaggery 1/2 cup
• Coconut milk 1 cup 
• Ghee (clarified butter) 1 tsp 
• Cardamom, powdered 1/2 tsp 
• Cashew nuts & coconut bits 1 tsp each 

Method of preparation:

1. Clean sago pearls by washing a couple of times. Soak this in adequate water for 4 hours. 
2. In a pan, heat ghee, fry the coconut bits and cashew nuts, set this aside. 
3. Melt jaggery with little water and drain it using a sieve to remove impurities. 
4. Cook Sago in water by boiling in medium heat, till the sago pearls are transparent. 
5. Add the jaggery syrup and the crushed/ powders cardamom. Simmer for a few minutes. 
6. When the mix thickens, gradually stir in the coconut cream. Keep gently stirring and remove from flame after a few minutes. 
7. Garnish with fried coconut bits and nuts (you can add raisins too, here I haven't used it). This Kheer can be served warm or cold. 

Note: If using canned coconut cream, slightly dilute it before adding. Sago Kheer tends to thicken when left for sometime. 

TAPIOCA (KAPPA) PUTTU

Tapioca (Cassava) is an all time favourite for Kerala folks, known as Kappa in Malayalam. Tapioca is prepared in many ways, by boiling, by mashing & mixing it with grated coconut or by simply making a curry by itself or mixed with beef.

This is a recipe of Kappa Puttu where Puttu (Steam cake) is prepared with grated tapioca.

KAPPA PUTTU

Ingredients:

• Tapioca / Kappa 500 grams (ideally soft & tender)
• Grated coconut 1 cup
• Cumin seeds (jeera) 1/2 spoon (optional)
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Clean and wash the tapioca, make this into suitable pieces to grate. Grate the tapioca, mix it with little salt and keep it aside. After 10-15 minutes, water would have drained. Strain and squeeze the water out of grated tapioca. Add in the cumin and mix.
2. In a Puttu maker, add a spoonful of grated coconut, then two spoonfuls of grated tapioca, followed by coconut. Repeat this pattern of alternating kappa and Puttu, till the Puttu maker is almost full. Close the lid and steam it for upto 4-5 minutes.

Nice & hot Kappa Puttu is ready, serve with spicy fish or beef curry. 

In this picture, Puttu is served with spicy fish head curry.

EGG BHURJI

Egg Bhurji is scrambled eggs with a delicious touch of spices. It is a dry dish, very popular in India. This is usually served with rotis, chapathis, rice etc. 

Egg Bhurji

Ingredients:

• Eggs 6 no.s
• Onion 1 cup (chopped)
• Tomato 1 no. large, chopped
• Ginger - a small piece sliced
• Green chillies - 2-3 no.s chopped
• Chilly powder 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala 1/4 tsp
• Pepper powder 1 pinch
• Coriander leaves/ Cilantro few
• Oil & salt 

Preparation: 

1. In a bowl, beat all the eggs together with a pinch of salt.
2. Take a pan, heat it and add oil. Add the chopped onions and sauté till translucent. Add the sliced ginger and green chillies. Now add the tomato pieces and fry till it is soft and mushy. Add the spice powders to it and stir well.
3. Stir in the beaten eggs. Cook in low flame by stirring continuously, make sure the eggs are scrambled nicely with the tomato spice mix evenly coated. Add salt to taste. When dry, remove from flame and garnish with cilantro. 

Spicy Egg Bhurji is ready.