White Forest Cake

White Forest Cake                                                    

Baking for someone you love is always special 😊. Last week my little one celebrated her birthday and I baked a special white forest cake for her 😍. She was too excited while cutting the cake 😘, and of course I was thrilled too 😃. Seeing her all excited made me super excited. She told she doesn’t need a cake from outside, "Amma you bake me a cake". I was totally confused what to bake.  As she is fond of white chocolates I baked a white forest for her 😍. The cake turned out exceptionally well. Unlike black forest here we don’t use dark chocolates instead we use white chocolates. Whipped cream, white chocolate and sponge cake are the main ingredients for a white forest cake. Here first I have baked two sponge cakes (vanilla), and then this is layered one above the other. The layers are filled with melted chocolate and whipped cream. Finally it is frosted with whipped cream and decorated with white chocolate shavings and cherry. The cake literally melts in your mouth 😋. I have used sugar syrup to make the cake super soft. Pls don’t skip this step it makes the cake real moist .So get ready to surprise your loved ones with this super soft white forest cake 😍. Okay then let’s get started.

Chicken Tikka

Chicken Tikka              

It’s been a while since we met and it’s been a while since I posted a non vegetarian recipe 😉. So here we go a perfect starter for any party; it’s chicken tikka 😋. Chicken tikka is a north Indian cuisine and is popular all over the world 😊. Small pieces of boneless chicken are marinated and baked using skewers.  Just the marination and baking is the only thing you have to do . For best results overnight marination is preferred.This helps the chicken to absorb the spices and makes the chicken juicy and tender. Cooking the chicken in oven is easier than on stove top 😉.  In oven you cook the chicken evenly 🍗.  Last 5 minutes you can opt for broil to give that charred effect. It is served with chopped onions, lemon wedges or green chutney 😋. 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.

Parippu Pradhaman

Parippu Pradhaman / Lentil Pudding

                                         

                                

Yes… it is Vishu. In Kerala when the sun enters in to Sidereal Aries it is called Vishu. Vishu symbolizes the beginning of spring. It is celebrated as a harvest festival and  is called by many different names like Ugadi, Bihu in different states.The harvest festival is known as Vishu in Kerala. The main specialty of Vishu day is that there will be equal number hours of day and night. The festival is dedicated to lord Krishna / Vishnu.

Aviyal

 Aviyal / Mixed Vegetables in Coconut - Yogurt Sauce
                                                                         

Aviyal is a thick mixture of vegetables, coconut and coconut oil 😋. It is considered as an essential side dish in Kerala sadya/ feast. It is a mainly a South Indian dish, originated from Kerala. It is pretty easy to prepare this 😃. As I said it is a delightful mix of all vegetables 😃. You can use almost all veggies to prepare this. The mainly used vegetables are carrot, beans, drumsticks, raw plantain, yam, white pumpkin, cucumber, broad beans and snake gourd. You cut these veggies and mix it with coconut paste and yogurt. Only the cutting part consumes time 😤, you can finish the recipe in a few minutes 👍. Apart from sadhya I usually prepare during this during the weekend when you have all veggies left in the refrigerator but it’s not that enough to prepare one single dish in bulk.  This is also very healthy as you have all possible vegetables 💪. A sadya/ feast can’t be served without this healthy- tasty side dish 👌. You can serve this a side dish for rice and chapatti / roti 😉. 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.

Sambar

Sambar/ Lentil Gravy

                                                                    

A sadya/ feast is incomplete without Sambar… this is THE MAIN DISH. Sambar is nothing but gravy made of lentils, tamarind, vegetables and spices.  Here I have prepared typical a Kerala Sambar (Sothern state of India). The specialty of Kerala Sambar is that you make use of two or more vegetables. The mainly used veggies are potato, ash guard, egg plant, drumstick, carrot etc… you make sambar with or without coconut. When we use coconut it is called “Varthuarcha Sambar”/ Sambar with roasted coconut. Sambar made with freshly ground sambar powder is a real treat to your taste buds. Last week I have shared fresh sambar powder, I’m using the same powder here to make sambar. Tamarind is a must to make sambar, and also the seasoning that you add in the end. Sambar can be serves not only as a side dish for rice but also for idli (rice cake) or dosa (rice pancake).  Do give it a try I’m sure you all will like it...Okay then let’s get started…

Pachadi

Pachadi  / Beetroot Pachadi

                                                               

                                                       

Here comes a very tasty  sadya / feast dish … its pachadi. Pachadi is another dish which is made with yogurt. Other than yogurt you add coconut, cumin seeds and any fruit 🍍  or vegetable . The fruits mainly used in pachadi are pineapple, grapes and banana; if fruits are used then pachadi is called madhura pachadi. Commonly used veggies to make pachadi are cucumber, carrot, raw mango and beetroot. Here I have used beetroot to make pachadi. It is more or less similar to salad / raita except you add seasoning and coconut 😊. This gorgeous looking beetroot pachadi is an indispensable dish for sadya / feast 😊. It is super easy 😉 and super yummy 😋. Okay then let’s get started…

Erisserry

Erisserry/ Elissery / Pumpkin & Redgram Gravy

                                                                

 Here comes another sadhya / feast recipe … erissery or elissery.  It is an essential dish during festival feasts 😃. It is a combination of pumpkin, red beans and coconut.  It is usually prepared thick. You can also use yam and raw plantain. It is too easy to prepare this 😉. Unlike other sadya dishes you don’t add yogurt here. Coconut is a must for this curry. You add coconut paste and also you add it while seasoning the curry.  The seasoned coconut adds extra flavor to the curry 😋. Okay then let’s get started.

Sambar Powder

      Sambar Powder/ Sambar Podi
                                                     

Who doesn’t like homemade goodies? 😋I love them...😍 I’m sure you all love the same. Yes ….today I have something similar … homemade sambar powder .We have many brands of sambar powder available in stores, but nothing can beat the taste of homemade powder👍. It is too easy to prepare. Sambar is nothing but lentil gravy with added vegetables and tamarind and flavored with spices and seasonings. These spices mainly include coriander powder, chili powder and turmeric powder. Sambar powder is a combination of these powders in appropriate quantities. Here I have added a drop of coconut oil to the powder so you can’t store it for long. It is better to use it in a week or two if stored properly.  Will post a sambar powder with longer shelf life soon 😊. Vishu is around the corner so roll up your selves and get ready to prepare this homemade goodie 😉. You can serve your loved ones something special as sambar is an inevitable part of “Vishu Sadhya “(feast).  Okay then let’s get started.