Muttakuzhalappam (Coconut Pancake)

Muttakuzhalappam or Coconut Pancake is a Kerala Christian delicay. It is an ancient traditional recipe. We all love to eat it at breakfast time. Kids will surely love to eat it as a snack!

What you need:

All purpose flour (maida) -2 cups
Eggs -2
Salt -to taste
Water

For the filling:

Grated coconut -2 cups
Cardamom powder -1 tsp
Sugar -5 tbsp



Method:

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them well. Add some water and mix well. Add the flour and salt and mix with an egg beater to form a smooth batter. The batter should be thinner than the dosa consistency. Add more water if needed. In another bowl, mix together grated coconut, sugar and cardamom powder. Keep aside. Heat a non stick frying pan and smear some oil on it. Pour a large spoonful of batter and tilt the pan to make a thin round pancake. Keep on mediun flame. Fry lightly on both sides. Transfer the pancake on to a plate. While you make the next one, place a tablespoon of the coconut filling on one end of the pancake and roll it. Transfer it to a serving dish. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter. You can make 12 pancakes out of it.

Ribbon Sandwich

I have been making this sandwich for years whenever there is a kids' party at home. It is a healthy sandwich and is yummy too! Coriander leaves and mint leaves are used to make the green chutney which enhances the nutritive value of this sandwich.

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging which is the brilliant idea of Kalyn. It is being hosted this week by Nami Nami.

What you need:

Bread -1 loaf

For the green chutney:

Grated coconut -1\4 cup
Coriander leaves -2 tbsp
Mint leaves -2 tbsp
Green chilli -1
Juice of half a lime
Salt -to taste
Cheddar cheese -1 cube

For the red chutney:

Tomato sauce -4 tbsp
Butter -2 tbsp
Pepper powder -1\4 tsp
Salt -to taste

Method:

Grind together all the ingredients for the green chutney to a fine paste except the cheese. Transfer it to a bowl and add grated cheese. (Add less salt for both the chutneys as the cheese and butter already contain salt.) Mix well and keep aside. In another bowl, mix together tomato sauce, butter, pepper and salt. Take a slice of bread and spread the green chutney on it. Place another slice of bread on top of it. Spread the red chutney . Place one more slice of bread on top. Press firmly and cut the edges. Cut it diagonally. Repeat the same with other slices. Serve immediately. If you need to make them before hand, keep them wrapped in a wet cloth. The chutneys can be refrigerated for 1 or 2 days.

Pachoru

Pachoru is an ancient Christian delicay. It is usually made during Church Festivals. In olden days, when one's wishes come true, people used to make Pachoru and take it to the church and distribute it to the devotees, on the festival day. It is served with melted jaggery and can be eaten as a snack or a dessert. Kids will love it too!

Velankanni is a famous pilgrim centre in Tamil Nadu. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Health. It is one of the most visited pilgrim places in India. The festival is celebrated on September 8th every year. Mother Mary is lovingly known as 'Annai Velankanni' throughout Tamil Nadu. You can read more about Velankanni here.

What you need:

Raw rice -1 cup
Grated coconut -1 cup
Water -6 cups
Cumin seeds -1 tsp, crushed
Salt -as required
Melted jaggery -as required

Method:

Cook the rice along with 4 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 7 minutes. Grind the coconut to a fine paste. Open the cooker and add the ground coconut paste, salt and 2 cups of water. Mix well and simmer it for about 5 minutes till it is thick. Finally add crushed cumin seeds and mix well. Transfer it to a serving dish and let it cool. Cut it into pieces and serve topped with melted jaggery. It can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Veg Pizza

Most of the kids prefer pizzas, burgers, fried rice and noodles than our traditional food. Why not make a healthy pizza for them with less cheese and without burning a hole in your pocket?

Ingredients:

Pizza base -2 (from the store)
Onion -1 chopped
Tomato -1 chopped
Green and yellow capsicums - 1\2 cup sliced
Pizza sauce - as required
Tomato sauce -as required
Mozzarella cheese -1\2 cup grated
Pepper powder -as required
Oregano -as required
Salt -as required

Method:

Heat the grill for 15 minutes. Place the pizza base on the grill rack and warm for 2 minutes. Take out and spread the pizza sauce on it. Top with half the onions, tomatoes and capsicums. Sprinkle tomato sauce, pepper powder, oregano and a pinch of salt. Finally, spread the grated cheese on top. Place it on the rack and grill for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and starts browning. Repeat the same with the second pizza. Cut each pizza into four pieces and serve hot.

Pasta with Vegetables

My children love pasta. Here is a pasta recipe which is a wholesome meal. I have used 'Spirali', you can use pasta of your choice.

Ingredients:

Pasta (Spirali) - 250 gm

Onion -1 chopped

Garlic paste -1 tsp

Pasta sauce -3 tsp

Tomato sauce -1 tsp

Oregano -1 tsp

Pepper powder -1\4 tsp

Chilli flakes -1 tsp

Cream -2 tbsp

Salt -as required

Olive Oil -2 tbsp

Cheese strips -half slice

Carrot -1 chopped

Beans -4 chopped

Frozen green peas -1\4 cup

Tomatoes -2

Method:

Boil 2 litres of water in a pot . Make a cross on the tomatoes with a knife. Put the tomatoes into the boiling water and blanch them. Remove from water. Add salt amd pasta to the boiling water. Let it cook for 10-15 min. Check whether the pasta is cooked . Drain and pour cold water over the pasta. Keep it aside. Remove the skin of the tomatoes and chop them. Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan. Put onions and garlic paste, fry for a minute. Add carrot, beans and green peas. Fry on a low fire for 5 min. Put the tomatoes and mix well. Now add the chilli flakes, oregano,salt and pepper powder. Fry till the tomatoes are cooked. Add the pasta, pasta sauce, tomato sauce and cream, stir for two minutes. Transfer it to a plate, decorate with cheese strips. Serve it hot. Enjoy!

Appam

Palappam or Velleappam

Hello people, I am back after a long holiday visiting Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore. So here I am posting one of Kerala's authentic breakfast recipe; Palappam. It is also known as Velleappam. In olden days it was made using toddy which we now substitute with yeast. It can be served with mutton/chicken/beef stew or egg curry. Vegetarians can serve the appam with vegetable stew or kadala curry. Kids will love the appam with cocnut milk and sugar!

Ingredients :
Raw rice - 2 cups
Cooked rice - 3/4 cup
Yeast - 1/2 tsp
Sugar -1+1 tsp
Coconut water - 1 cup
Fennnel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt as required
Oil

Method :
Soak the raw rice in water for six hours. Dissolve 1 tsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp yeast in 1/2 cup of luke warm water for 15 min. Grind the soaked rice along with yeast, 1 tsp sugar, fennel seeds and grated coconut. Add coconut water as required. Grind it to a fine paste. The batter should be of dosa consistency. Leave it for fermentation overnight. The next day morning add salt as required and mix well. Keep it covered for 15 min. Heat a kadai or appa chatti, smear a little oil on it. Pour a large spoonfull of the batter. Rotate the pan in a circular manner so that the appam becomes in the shape shown in the picture. Keep covered on a low flame for 2 min. Appam is ready !!!

French Toast

This bread toast was one of my favourites during childhood. My mother used to make it often. She used to call it Bombay Toast. It still is an all time favourite breakfast of my family! Hope your little ones will love it too.

What you need:

One loaf of bread
Milk: 1 1\2 cups
Eggs: 2
Sugar: 5 tbsp
Butter or Ghee

Method:

Beat the eggs in a large pan. Add the milk and sugar and stir continuously till the sugar is fully dissolved. Heat a frying pan, smear 1\2 tsp butter or ghee on it. Dip each slice of bread in the milk mixture and keep on the pan, two pieces at a time. Fry lightly on medium flame. When one side is done, turn over and fry the other side. Repeat till the mixture is over. It tastes yummy!