Mama's Chicken Kakkathil
This is one chicken fry that gives me all the vibes of my childhood. My mom's signature chicken Kakkathil is a chicken fry that is reduced in the chicken broth with a slight tanginess from either tomato paste or tomato ketchup or both.
Chicken Kakkathil is prepared by marinating the chicken pieces with some spices and cooked in apan covered without adding any water. The chicken stock that oozes is reserved and added to a tomato base that is reduced by adding the reserved stock water. Definitely a super hit and don't forget to have it warm! Mama has to make this chicken fry for most of her parties. It's teh easiest to prepare yet lip smacking and I love to have it with any dosas or malabar aleesa/ harees.
Let's see how to make this easy recipe,
Ingredients :
- 500 gms Chicken pieces
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 2-3 tsp Kashmir Chilli powder
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- A squeeze of lemon
- Salt, as required
- 4-5 tbsps Coconut oil
- 2 Garlic cloves, minced
- Curry leaves
- 2-3 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
- 1 tbsp tomato paste, optional
Instructions:
- Marinate cleaned chicken pieces with turmeric powder, chilli powder, garlic paste, and salt as required and set aside for half an hour.
- In a pan, add the marinated chicken and cook covered for 15 minutes on low flame (the flame must be medium high for the first five minutes).
- Reserve the stock water that oozes out from the cooked chicken.
- In a fry pan, pour in coconut oil and fry the chicken for around 5 minutes and transfer it to another dish.
- In the same fry pan with the fried oil, add in the minced garlic and curry leaves, sauté and add in the tomato paste and/ tomato ketchup and allow to cook on low for a couple of minutes until you see the oil separating from the tomato base.
- Slowly add in the stock water to the tomato base to form a thick gravy. Mix continuously and add in the fried chicken pieces and combine well so that the gravy coats the fried chicken well.
- Serve immediately with wheat dosa, or as a side dish.
Notes:
If using cast iron pan, make sure you transfer the tomato gravy and chicken from the cast iron pan to a serving dish immediately as tomato reacts with iron.
Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡
Meen Thala Varattiyadh/ Malabar King Fish Head Curry
A very common fish curry that we malabaris (people living in the Malabar coastal region) make on a daily basis is this Meen Varattiyadh. Fish pieces are simmered in a spicy tomato based gravy that is then given an extra sourness by adding Tamrind water that gives it its special flavors. Some very basic ingredients found in a coastal malabar kitchen turned into a finger licking good curry that is usually accompanied with puttu (Steamed Rice cake), ari dosa (rice crepe), thenga pathal (rice and coconut pancake) etc.
The same curry is prepared in various forms, it's like biryani, each house has their own varrattiye/ molotta recipe. I make this way and also prepare by sautéing each ingredient (depends on my mood ;)). In our place, we specifically call it molotta AKA mulagu ittadhu. I love King fish/ ayakoora molotta and also the head part of it, that has tender meat and the bones can be chewed too, which is upto you.
Have the curry warm and it always tastes the best the next day.
Ingredients :
- 700 gms King Fish Head/ King Fish chunks or slices
- 2-3 Medium Tomato, chopped roughly
- Curry leaves
- 1 tsp Rock salt
- 2 cloves Gralic, pounded
- 1 small piece Ginger, pounded
- 5 tsps Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- Green Chillies, optional
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Coriander leaves
- 1/2 cup water
- Tamarind, smaller than lemon sized ball soaked in hot water
Tadka/Tempering:
- Coconut oil
- Mustard seeds Curry leaves
- Fenugreek seeds/ Fenugreek powder, optional
Instructions:
- Roughly chop tomatoes, and add curry leaves, rock salt and squeeze well with clean hands.
- Add slightly ponded ginger and garlic, and the spice powders, and mix well.
- Add water as required and allow to come to a boil.
- Next add tamarind water, and check and add according to taste. Check for salt.
- Add cleaned king fish head pieces to the gravy and cover and cook for no more than 10 minutes, this will make the fish meat hard.
- Temper mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds (optional),and curry leaves in coconut oil and add to the curry.
- Enjoy hot with your choice of roti/ rice. Preferably malabari rotis. Tastes best the next day.
Ps: You can use any fish of your choice manthal, prawns, ney meen/ ayakoora, sardines etc being my favorites
Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡
Strawberry Turnovers
As much as I love strawberries, I hate the super sour ones (obvious when strawberries are not in season anymore). My girl loves strawberries but since these were too sour for both of us, I was thinking of ways to use up the strawberries.
These turnovers have been a ‘thing’ of the past, as we have so many innovative recipes around, that we forget to cherish the golden ones. These turnovers are so easy to make and so scrumptious too! I gave it my touch by adding in pieces of Kinder Chocolate in a couple of them and some had Cream cheese. I loveeed the chocolate ones. My hubsy loved both, though my girl complained that I could have added a couple more pieces in each turnover. 😄
Let’s make these easy yet delicious treats right away!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Fresh Strawberries, chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Corn Flour
- 2-3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest (optional)
- Salt, a pinch
- 7-8 Frozen Puff pastry sheets
- Kinder Chocolate Bars (optional)
- Cream cheese spread/ Kiri Cheese (optional)
- 1 egg, for egg wash/ mayonnaise *
- Vanilla Ice cream to serve
Instructions:
- In a sauce pan, add in your chopped strawberries, sugar, corn flour, and lemon juice.
- Cook on low for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in lemon zest, vanilla Essence and a pinch of salt.
- Spread the strawberry compote on each puff pastry square and add in kinder chocolate/ cream cheese cubes and overlap to shape into a triangle and seal the ends using the help of a fork and make a small slit on the top of the puff so that air doesn’t get trapped and in turn the filling oozes out from the sides ( I forgot to do that).**
- Finally, give it an egg wash/ apply Mayo and bake in a preheated oven at 200 deg C for 25-30 minutes or until golden and puffed.
- Enjoy warm with a dollop of ice cream and fresh strawberries.
*Mayonnaise is a great alternative for egg wash, that has minimal egg smell.
** I forgot to give a slit on the top, so that the filling doesn’t ooze out from the sides when baking.
Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡
Halal Fish and Chips
One of the most popular dishes of England is their Fish n Chips. Fish that is filleted is coated in flour and dipped into a batter and deep fried. I love my fish n chips piping hot and seasoned well. Sometimes, the fish n chips that you get in food joints does not match your expectations. That's when I started making them at home. The original recipe requires beer in the batter. The carbon dioxide helps the batter to be light and airy. Since beer is not an option for us, I use baking soda, and always gives me the best crunchy fish. I have used frozen fish fillet (that is mostly cod or haddock fish) here, you may use fresh fillet of cod, cream dory, tilapia etc
The chips in this dish is usually on the thicker side, with thick slices or that of thicker French fries. I like my fries thin, so I have cut them thin, you may prepare the thick ones. And most of the time, the fish n chips is served with mushy peas, but as my family is not very fond of peas, I made the corn on the cob instead with steamed beans. You may use any choice of your favorite dip, I usually have it with mayo garlic, but I forgot to place it in the frame of my picture.
Have them piping hot, and your kids will love them too!
Ingredients :
- 2-3 Frozen/ Fresh Fish Fillet (Cod, haddock etc)
- Corn on the cob
- Beans
- Potaties, for chips
For the batter:
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 Corn Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- Salt, as required
- Freshly crushed Black Pepper
- Water
For the dry flour mix:
- 1/4 Corn Flour
- 1/4 All Purpose flour
- Salt, as required
- Pepper powder, as required
Chips:
- 2 Medium-Large Potatoes
- Salt, as required
- Oil for frying
Instructions:
- Chop up the potatoes (thick pieces, I like them tin), and wash the potatoes well, to remove any excess starch. Boil and cook them in hot water for around 5-6 minutes on low.
- In a bowl of ice water, add the half cooked potatoes and allow them to cool.
- Once cool, drain them and place the potatoes on a kitchen towel and allow to dry.
- Place another kitchen towel above the potatoes to soak up any excess moisture.
- Fry the chips for 8-10 minutes or until when mixed with a slotted spoon, the chips feel cooked, you may drain the cjips onto a dry kitchen towel ans fry again for a couple of minutes on low for that added crispness.
- Combine the ingredients under batter and mix well to make a loose battery but not watery too. Set aside.
- Cut the fish Fillet lengthwise in half and half them again as well. If the strips are too long, cut them horizontally again. Now coat the fish in the dry mix and dip them in the batter and fry immediately in hot oil for around 4 minutes on each side.
- Serve the fried fish hot with crispy chips, boiled corn on the cob and / steamed beans or mushy peas.
Ps: You may add your choice of seasonings too
Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡
