Kitchen Corner-Try It

Rice Vermicelli/Rice Noodle Pancake
Rice vermicelli pancake is filling and yummy breakfast.This recipe is inspired from the crispy Asian style rice noodle pancakes. This is a sweet version with plantain, dates and eggs. You can also make a savory version as per your taste. Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Dried rice noodles- 5 oz.
Sweet ripe plantain- 2 small chopped
Eggs-2
Milk- 1/3 cup
Chopped dates- 1/3 cup
Chopped nuts- 1/4 cup
Sugar to taste
Cardamom powder- 1/3 tsp
Salt- a pinch
Butter


Soak dry rice noodles in hot water for 10 minutes. When soft drain into a colander and set aside. When all the water drains off break into smaller pieces.
In a separate bowl beat eggs, milk, sugar and cardamon powder. Add rice noodles, chopped plantains, chopped dates and nut and mix well.
Heat pan and lightly grease with butter. Take ladle full of the rice  noodle mixture and place on hot griddle. With the back of the spoon press lightly to form a disc. Cook on one side for three mi…

Baby Scallop Ginger Stir Fry
Scallops Stir fry is tasty and it cooks fast. It is a star when it comes to quick fix meals. This is the first time I cooked scallops and I am already in love with this sea food delicacy. The recipe is adapted from here.  It has a mild sweet flavor with a soft buttery texture. Scallops can be pan roasted and the flavor is enhanced with ginger,soy sauce and  oyster sauce, along with the crunch of walnuts. Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Scallops- 1/2 lb
Onion- 1 medium
spring onions- 1/3 cup
Walnuts- 1/3 cup
Chopped ginger- 2 inch thick
Oyster sauce- 1 tsp
Soy sauce- 1 1/2 tbs
Sugar- 1/3 tsp
Dried red chilly flakes- 1/2 tsp(optional)
Vegetable oil- 1 tbs
salt and pepper to taste



Toast walnuts in a large skillet over medium flame. Toast for 2-3 minutes and set aside.

Wash and pat dry the scallops and add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix.

Heat oil in the pan, saute chopped ginger for a few seconds and add scallops. Fry the scallops two min…

Tomato Dates Curry/Thakkali Enthapazham Curry
This is a sweet and sour curry made with tomato and dates. It can be served as a chutney or as a thodu curry for sadhya. It can be served along with pickles and pachadi. It is quick and can be made in a jiffy. Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Tomato- 3 medium

Dates -8-10 seedless
Ginger- 2 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small
Tamarind- small ball
Jaggery- 2 tsp (powdered)
Curry leaves- a few
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Chilly powder-11/2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder- 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder- 1/8 tsp
Oil
Mustard seeds- 1/3 tsp
salt to taste


Soak  dates for one hour. When it gets soft remove seeds and mash  with hands to into a pulp. Soak tamarind and also extract its pulp.


Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters and add chopped onion,ginger curry leaves. Saute till it turns golden brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till it is soft. Next goes in turmeric powder,chilly powder, fenugreek powder, pepper …

Elaneer Rose Payasam/ Rose Tender Coconut Payasam
 Elaneer payasam is made with young tender coconut water. Elaneer is refreshing and sweet in its own. Tender coconut meat will be soft and jelly like and can be scooped with a spoon. This payasam is made extra flavorful with the addition of rose petals. You can use tulasi leaves instead of rose  petals.Sago pearls is also added and helps thickening up puddings Try this, you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Tender coconut meat - 1 cup
Tender coconut water- 1 1/2 cup
Milk- 1 1/2 cup
Condensed milk- 1/2 tin
Sago pearls/ chowari-1/2 cup
Sugar- 2 tbs
Rose petals - course paste- 1 tbs
Rose water- a few drops
Chopped cashew nuts- 8-10
Crushed cardamom- 2-3



First step is to cook the sago. In a heavy bottom pan add 5-6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the chowari and allow it to boil for two to three minutes, drain and add fresh batch of boiling water (again 5-6 cups) and continue cooking till it is clear and translucent.  Strain and r…

Sesame Brittle/Ellu Mittai
Ellu Mittai/ sesame brittle is old fashioned sugar and nuts candy. Earlier I posed sesame ladoo recipe with jaggery. This brittle is made with sugar. It is easy to make at home and make crunchy,delightful and tasty snack. Crispy nuts with the rich caramel flavor is something that is irresistible and kids will surely love it. Here I have used sesame seeds,but you can use peanuts, cashew nuts or any nuts of your choice.

Ingredients
Sesame seeds- 1 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1 1/2 cup
Water- 3 tbs
Oil- 2 tbs
Ghee- 1 tsp
Baking soda- 1/4 tsp
salt- a  pinch
Cardamon powder-  1/2 tsp



Dry roast sesame seeds till it starts popping up and there is a nice aroma. Allow this to cool down.
Grease a baking pan with ghee and set aside.

In a heavy bottom pan add sugar, water, oil and a pinch of salt. Put this on the stove on low medium flame and heat it. The sugar will start melting and slowly caramelize. There is no need to stir in the first stage. Allow it to slowly melt. It will tak…

Crab/Njandu Thoran
If you love crab/njandu,here is a tasty dish that you can try. Crab is a tasty and fragrant sea food and it is one of my favorite.It is a quick side dish that is best with steamed rice and moru curry.This is very similar to prawns thoran.Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Crab- 4 medium
(approximately one cup of cooked crab meat)
Onion- 1 small chopped
Grated Coconut- 3/4 cup
Green chilly-3-4 chopped
Ginger- 1 inch thick
Garlic- 4 pods
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
Tamarind pulp- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves -a few


Clean and cut crab, add a pinch of salt, pepper powder, turmeric powder and 2 tbs of water. Cover and cook for five to six minutes.When it cools down break the shell and scoop out the meat and set aside.

Chop onion , green chilly,ginger and garlic into small fine pieces. In a mixer add coconut, ginger and garlic and pulse till it forms a course mixture.

Heat oil in…

Padavalanga Chena Kootu/ Snake gourd Yam Curry
Padavalanga Chena Kootu/ Snake gourd Yam Curry is delicious and healthy combo of vegetables and chickpeas. Kootu curry is an integral part in Kerala Sadhya and is relished along with aviyal and erisseri .Kootu curry has a wonderful aroma of roasted coconut.You can use any combination of vegetables and lentils to make kootu curry. Earlier I posted a combination of plantains and yam. Try this, you will surely love it.


Ingredients
Chena/elephant yam- 2 cups
Padavalanga chopped- 2 cups
Chickpeas- 1/2 cup
Whole Black Pepper- 1 tsp
Dry red chilly- 4
Grated coconut- 3/4 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Cumin- 1/3 tsp
Ghee- 1 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For seasoning-
Shredded coconut- 1/3 cup
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Whole Pepper - a few
Dry red chilly -2
Curry leaves- 2 springs




Soak chickpeas for about 4 hours and then pressure cook it and keep aside. Add water to the same level as chick peas in the pressure cooker and cook till three to fo…