Cashew Masala

Cashew masala is one of my favorite summer time curry. This is usually made with fresh raw cashew, since I can't get fresh raw cashew here this is the alternate method I use to get the same taste here in US
Ingredients:
Raw Cashewnut (Split)-1 cup
Green Chilli-2
Turmeric powder-1/4  tsp
Chilli  powder-1/4 tsp
Corriender powder-1/2 tsp
Shallots-4
Curry leaves-few
Coconut oil- 2 to 3 tbs
Coconut milk ( thick cream)-1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Method;
Pressure cook  cashewnut with the first 4 ingredients along with 2 cups water, a sprig of curry leaves and salt. Open the the cooker once pressure is released. Now remove the lid and cook till the gravy thickens. Add the coconut milk and cook till the gravy comes to a boil. We love the gravy to be thick so I let it thicken a bit more by letting it come to a rolling boil.  Mean while in a non stick pan fry the sliced shallots and remaining curry leaves with the coconut oil. Once the shallots are brown add this  along with the oil to the cashew masala and mix thoroughly. The Cashew masala can be had with rice, Chapathi, Appam or even with some bread.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Here is a delicious and easy peanut butter cookie. This is so delicious no one would believe that its so easy to put together.
Recipe Source: Foodnetwork.com
Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter(with no added sugar)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.
In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla,salt and egg until well combined. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture about 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten the mounds with the tines of a fork, making a crosshatch pattern on the cookies. Sprinkle coarse salt on top of the cookies.

Bake until golden around the edges, about 10  to 12 minutes, switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking. Transfer the cookies once cool.

In case you love cookies not so sweet reduce the sugar and replace it with some crushed roasted peanuts.

Unniyappam

It is Vishu in Kerala tomorrow. It is the celebration of New Year and it marks the Sun entering the Aries in the Zodiac.  There are a lot of regional variations of how it is celebrated in different parts of Kerala. Thrissur area where I come from, we typically have Vishukatta for breakfast, a sadya including payasam for lunch. The other highlights of the day, especially for kids is the Vishukani  and kayneettam in the morning. In my place we typically have the elders giving the younger ones money as kayneettam, wishing for a prosperous year. But what I  have heard from some of my friends from Southern Kerala is that along with the kayneettam, the kids are also given unniappam, which is also part of their Vishukkani. Hence an unniyappam recipe form me for this Vishu.

I had previously blogged another recipe for Unniyappam, but the ingredients of this are slightly different and the preparation time is a bit longer.
May this Vishu bring happiness your way.
Have a great Vishu.

Ingredients:
Sona masoori rice-1 cup
All purpose flour-1/2 cup
Jaggery/Brown sugar -1/2 to 3/4 cup
Banana-1 ripe or 2 if its small in size
Coconut-1/2 cup grated
Sesame-1 tsp
Baking soda- 1/2tsp
Salt-a pinch
Ghee- for frying
Cardamom and dried ginger powder-1/2 to 3/4 tsp
Method:
Soak rice for 3 hours,grind to a fine paste with as little water, powdered jaggery(use good quality jaggery or brown sugar) and banana.Mix in the all purpose flour, the batter should be thick as an Idlli batter or cake batter.Keep this overnight or 6 to 8 hours for fermenting. After the fermenting add rest of the ingredients except ghee and mix well. Heat an unniyappam pan and add ghee to the indention  ( you can add a few drops of sesame oil first and top it with ghee if using a nonstick pan this will prevent sticking) fill it  with ghee only half way.Now pour the batter and cook at medium heat, at about 2 minutes turn the appam and cook the for another 2 minutes till unniyappam  turns golden brown all over. Remove them and have them to your hearts content.

Aviyal

Of  all the Kerala sadya dishes if you ask me to pick my favorite dish I need not think twice. It had been, it would be and it is Aviyal. This is the Thrissur version of the Aviyal recipe.  If you haven't tried this version try this for this Vishu and I am sure you will love it.
Ingredients:
Carrot-1
Green plantain-1
Beans-4
Drumstick-8 pieces
Long Beans-4
Cucumber( Vellarikka)-1/2 cup
Yam(chena)-1/2 cup
Snake gourd( Padavalanga)-1/4 cup
Turmeric Powder-1/2tsp
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Green chilly -4
Ginger-1"
Shallot-2 crushed
Curry Leaves-3 sprigs
Coconut Oil-4 tbsp
Curd/ GreekYogurt (sour)-1/4 cup
Salt-to taste
Cumin seeds(jeera)-1/2tsp (optional)
Grated Coconut -1 and 1/2 cups
Method:
Take a thick bottom kadai and add 2 tsp of coconut oil,curry leaves and all the vegetables along with salt,turmeric,crushed ginger, shallots and chilli powder.Mix every thing well ( or you can mix all the veggies along with salt chilli ,ginger,shallots and turmeric before adding to the kadai) ,now cook this closed till half done.In a food processor add grated coconut  and cumin seeds,pulse this 2 to 3 times so that you get the coconut crushed , add green chilli and yogurt and pulse one more time ( See that coconut mix is not fine we need it to be coarse. Add this to the half done vegetables you should cook without covering the kadai from this point on wards. Once vegetables  are 3/4th done  and dry  add more coconut oil and curry leaves.Give a quick stir and transfer to serving bowl.