Banana Cutlet

Banana Cutlet / Banana Croquette
                                           

Have you guys tried this before???  If you have left over bread 🍞and ripe bananas 🍌🍌 at home try this. The best part is it is ready in no time and also a best way to use those breads and bananas that you are about to throw in trash bin. I got this recipe from a TV show. Kids will love it 😋😋.  You can make this quick snack healthy by adding nuts 🍕 and raisins . You can use any banana like plantain (ripe), baby bananas and normal bananas. Unlike the savory cutlets the labor needed here is too less 😉😉.  There is no sauteing or cooking just you have to fry the cutlets.  You can use ghee (clarified butter) for frying 👌.  There is no need to add egg  or all purpose flour (maida) the moisture in the banana will hold it together. This is simple and easy recipe if you have unexpected guest at home you can serve this with a cup of tea/ coffee  if you don’t have any other snack at home. Try this simple and yummy snack and give me your feedback 😊😊. Okay then let’s get started.....

Uzhunnu Vada

Uzhunnu Vada / Urad Vada / Medu vada / Lentil Fritter  

                                                                      

Helllllo 😊!!! Hope you guys tried my Mutton Biriyani recipe… How was it?  Please do share your feedback. These feed backs are so very encouraging and inspiring, it motivates me to  try and share yummy recipes 😊😊. Today  I am here with an extremely popular tea time snack 👌. It is loved by all 😍, Yes!!! It is Uzhunnu vada or Medu Vada. Back home in Kerala a good amount of space is occupied by these vadas in all tea shops 😉😉.   This is usually served as a tea time 🍵 snack but you also serve this during breakfast as a combo along with dosa (rice pancake) or pongal (rice / lentil dish). Uzhunnu vada is made with urad dal (a type of lentil) and it resembles a doughnut 🍩 in appearance. They have a crispy exterior and soft interior 😋.  The lentils are soaked in water for a minimum of 2 hours. Then they are ground to a coarse paste. I used mixer grinder for grinding ,extreme care should be taken while grinding. Add water just enough to make it to a coarse paste. It shouldn’t be very coarse 😉.  Then they are beaten well to incorporate air in to it, this is very important as this gives a soft and fluffy vada.  Later on spices like pepper (I used pepper powder), green chilies, ginger, curry leaves and shallots (I used onion) are added 👌👌 . Then it is shaped like doughnuts and it is dropped in to hot piping oil and it is fried. Tasty vadas are ready in minutes 😋😋. It is a perfect tea time snack especially during this chilly weather 😃. Okay then let’s get started….

Dil Pasand

Dil Pasand / Dil Kush / Puff Pastry With Coconut Filling

                                                                    

Dil Pasad / Dil kush! Yes it is Dil Pasad / Dil Kush 😋. As the name suggests it means your dil (heart) kush (happy) 😍. It is a very popular snack / sweet back in India 👌. You can find this in almost all bakeries 😉.  These are one of my favorites that I used to enjoy during my school days. I tried to recreate the same feeling and yes I flew back home enjoying these yummy treats 😋. As you all know these are flaky buns that are filled with a yummy sweetened combination of coconut , dry fruits, cherries 🍒 and sugar. You can omit all other fillings expect coconut and make coconut bun .  I will post that soon. You can use either puff pastry sheets or purpose flour to make this. Here I have used puff pastry sheets. These are perfect tea time snacks 👌. Okay then let’s get started !!!

Unnakaya

Unnakaya / Stuffed Banana Roll

                                                                                        

Here is the recipe for unnakaya (stuffed banana roll) 😃.  A spindle shaped snack where the main ingredient is banana 🍌 or plantain (Nenthrapazham).  The plantains are steamed, mashed and filled with coconut dry fruits mixture. Then it is fried in coconut oil. This snack is a favorite among many and is perfect for any parties 👌. This is the main snack of Malabar region (Kerala /India). The recipe varies from region to region. The variations are mainly made in the stuffing. Coconut, dry fruits, sugar and cardamom powder are the main ingredients used as stuffing. Sometimes scrambled eggs are added to the stuffing. Sometimes coconuts are completely avoided.  Plantains are used as dough. Unnakaya is loved by all 😋😋. It is a perfect snack box item. It is too easy to prepare but care should be taken while selecting the plantains 😊. Over ripened plantains should be completely avoided. Plantain should be neither under ripe nor over ripe. Another important thing to be considered is while steaming the plantain it shouldn’t be over steamed 😉. If you over steam it the dough will be sticky and you will not be able to roll the banana to shapes. Steaming should be done properly . Keeping these points in mind will help you make tasty and crispy – soft unnakaya 👍👍 . Crispy from outside, soft from inside.  Okay then let’s get started...

Spinach Vada

Spinach Vada/ Cheera Vada/ Spinach- Lentil Fritters

                                                                                                                                                                  

Parippu vada (lentil fritters) is everybody’s favorite 😍.  Since childhood I love them a lot …so ll you 😋… it is a tasty snack, which is available in almost every place. Tea and parippu vada is a superb evening snack which can’t be missed 😋. It is made with chana dal/ kadala parippu (a type of lentil). Along with dal you add onion, ginger and chili.  Including spinach to  this combo adds  a healthy twist 💪 and you have spinach vada!!! This healthy snack is worth trying 👍. They are a guilt free snack.  Okay then let’s get started.

Ela Ada

Vishu Ada / Ela Ada/  Elayappam / Steamed Jaggery Rice Cake
                                                                                                                                                                         

Vishu ada or ella ada is prepared in the morning as breakfast for vishu. This can be served as an evening snack also. It is perfect combo for tea or coffee. It is prepared in banana leaf. It smells like heaven when it is getting cooked. The smell of jaggery and banana leaf makes us tempting to eat it. It is a steamed delicacy. I love eating this. We hardly prepare this here; the usage of banana leaf is a must. We hardly get banana leaves so it’s difficult to try this. Still I tried these with aluminum foil but that heavenly taste of banana leaves were missing. When I went to India this January my mom made this special delicacy for me. Without fail I clicked some pics. This was done by me and my mom. "Thank you amma ". Due to unpredictable weather change, Cassia fistula (kanikonna) was in full bloom, that golden shower was a real treat to my eyes and I clicked those. Okay then let’s get started.

Fish Cutlet

Fish Cutlet/ Fish Croquette

                                                           

 I am a crazy lover of sea foods 😋. I like to eat it in any form though crabs are an exception. Fish cutlets are my favorite. I used to spend all my vacations with my sister  in Bangalore.Among all snacks mutton and fish cutlets were my favorites.  Thank u Sis 😘😍…. For introducing me to all such stuffs. Our dad doesn’t like getting food from outside 😞. He always favors home made goodies. So when I was at Palakkad (my home town) I hardly get to eat these kinds of stuffs. Coming back to cutlets, here I have used canned tuna.It is too easy to make.These golden treats are always a winner 😊. This is perfect for any occasion 👍. It can be served as an apptizer or as a snack 😉. Enjoy this mouthwatering snack with a hot cup of tea. Okay then let’s get started.

Corn Flakes Mixture

                                                        

                         Wanna eat something healthy and crunchy????   Then here it is……. corn flakes mixture. It’s also called corn flakes chivda . Its a super easy recipe and super tasty too. My hubby always needs something to chew on so I make it in bulk and just store it in an air tight container so that you don’t run out of snacks. My little one also enjoys this as it’s loaded with dry fruits and she enjoys the nuts popping up from the mixture while eating. It’s a guilt free snack. You can impress your guests and friends with this.  Nowadays corn flakes are inevitable in every household. It’s a must for  morning breakfast as it is loaded with nutrients.So let’s have something healthy for our evening snack also.  Corn flakes mixture will be ready in no time.  Ok then, let’s get started.

Egg Puffs

                                        Egg puffs

                                                                       

Egg puff is a very popular snack in India. After coming to US I was missing those a lot till I came to know that egg puffs are very easy to prepare using readymade pastry sheets.  These are crunchy and crispy, a perfect tea time snack. Egg puffs are a main attraction in all bakeries and canteens.  With readymade puff pastry sheets these are too easy to prepare. The boiled eggs are sautéed with onions and other flavorful ingredients and wrapped in pastry sheets are just yum. Egg can be replaced with chicken or any other meat/vegetables. I’m sure it will be a treat to all your loved ones. It can be served as a snack or as an appetizer. A perfect item for your parties. Give it a try and surprise your friends and family. Ok then let’s get started.