( add 1 or 2 tbsp of flour if your dough is sticky)
Milk powder - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Dry Yeast - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Luke warm water - 1 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Method
Take warm water in a bowl add the yeast ,sugar and salt mix to dissolve, cover and wait for the yeast to activate may be 5 to 10 minutes.
Once its foamy add the flour and milk powder gently mix to form a soft dough. If dough is sticky add more flour to get the right consistency.
Dough should not be very stiff like we knead for roti. Grease a bowl and place the dough , cover with a tight lid and wait for 1 to 2 hours for the dough to double in size.
Punch the dough slightly to knock out the air and knead once , divide the dough into small equal size balls. Roll the balls into thick poori or roll out the whole dough like a thick sheet and cut into circles using a cookie cutter.
Apply oil on both sides of the bun and fold it into half, place these on a parchment paper or banana leaf. Applying oil prevents the fold of the to bun to stick together.
Cover and rest for another 30 minutes to rise. Steam these buns till they puff up. Once cooked they look glossy and dry on top.
I covered the steamer lid while steaming with a cloth so the water does not drip down on the buns and the towel will absorb the water (this step is optional).
Filling ingredients
Paneer cut into small cubes - 2 cups
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Jeera powder - 3/4 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 1/4 cup
Ginger and garlic paste - 1/2 tsp)
( Take a bowl add all the above mentioned ingredients except onion and oil, mix well and marinate for 10 minutes) .
Chopped onions - 1/4 cup
Oil - 3 tsp
Paneer Bao
Garnish
Carrots, Cucumber - cut into thin strips
Chopped coriander leaves
Method
Heat oil in a pan fry the onions till colour changes but still has the crunch , add the marinated paneer along with the curd mixture. In high flame mix well till raw smell has disappeared and paneer is dry.
Switch off the stove garnish with coriander leaves.
Assembling
Take a bao bun fill it up with some panner mixture, garnish with cucumber. carrots and coriander leaves. These as served as an appetizer in Taiwan.
Note:
Be creative in making your own filling. Today i have shown a basic paneer filling.
Take a baking dish pour olive oil and all the ingredients except the fish and feta cheese, toss well till combined.
Broil them in LOW till the vegetables are roasted and light brown.
Remove from the oven and place the fish on top of the roasted vegetables , sprinkle some salt and pepper and evenly add the crumbled feta cheese on top and drizzle olive oil.
Again BROIL in LOW till the fish is cooked and feta cheese is in light brown on top.
Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves and squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve hot.
Pressure cook in low flame for about 30 minutes till mutton is soft.
Cool and open the lid pour the ground cashew/almond paste, green chillies, mint leaves , coriander leaves and boil for few minutes and switch off the stove.
Garnish with mint/coriander leaves and sprinkle some pepper powder on top and serve hot with bread or enjoy just like that.
Pat the fish with a kitchen tissue to remove extra moisture.
Sprinkle salt, pepper powder, olive oil rub both sides of the fish, sprinkle maida on both sides till well dusted. Place the fish inside the air fryer basket. You can even fry with some oil in a pan on stove.
Heat Gourmia air fryer press seafood mode and fry for 10 minutes turning the fish after 5 minutes. To get a crust i broiled the fish for 10 minutes. Each air fryer is different so temperature and frying time may vary.Keep the fish aside.
Heat butter in a pan when melted add the garlic and cook till butter changes to light golden brown colour and garlic has been roasted.
Switch off the stove and add the salt , pepper powder, few drops of lemon juice and basil mix well.Your brown butter sauce is ready
Assembling
Take a plate pour some brown sauce at the base place the fried fish on top and pour the remaining sauce on top.
Sprinkle the red chilly flakes, pepper powder, drizzle some lemon juice and serve.
This is a popular tea kadai teatime snack in districts like Kozhikode,Thissur,Palakkad.
Malabar Special Egg Fry
Ingredients
Hard boiled eggs - 4
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil to deep fry
Coating ingredients
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp ( optional)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Water few drops
Tea Kadai Egg Fry
Method
Coat the eggs all sides with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, heat oil and add an egg using a ladle keep rotating, deep fry till all sides form a crust. Do not fry all the eggs together fry only one egg at a time.
Do not leave the egg in the oil and wait they will burst, so constantly keep rotating, remove to a plate.
Mix all the coating ingredients in a plate add few drops of water to make a paste. Apply the paste to the fried eggs make sure all sides are well coated.
In the same hot oil fry by rotating with a ladle to for a crisp even brown coat on top.
Again do not leave it in oil they will burst if not rotated constantly.
( i used peanut oil, you can skip butter and replace with 1/4 cup oil ,so total 1/2 cup oil)
Butter - 1/4 cup
Pine nuts to sprinkle on top
( I used chopped Brazilian nuts instead)
Thahini to grease the baking pan
( I replaced with peanut butter)
Method
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add all the wet ingredients in another bowl and mix till sugar has dissolved.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients mixture and mix well till combined.
Grease a tray with thahini and pour this mixture into the pan and tap slightly.
Bake this cake at 375 deg F. for 30 minutes or till done.
Cool the cake completely and cut into desired shapes otherwise they will crumble and enjoy!
Note:
a) Buy semolina from a middle east store which is yellow in color, white rava may not work that great for making this cake, there are chances to crumble.
b) Cool completely and then cut the cake.
c) Each oven is different so temperature and baking time may vary.
Method
Heat oil in a pan temper it with kalonji.
Add chopped jalapeno chilly and saute next add the ginger and garlic paste.
Then add all the vegetables except potato,fry till vegetables are cooked.Do not over fry.
Add all the dry masala powders and fry till raw smell has completely disappeared.
Switch off the stove add the mashed potato and coriander leaves & mix it well.
Divide the mixture into equal size balls.
Ingredients for the dough
Wheat flour-3 cups
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Warm water to knead the dough- as needed
Method
Put all above ingredients in a bowl,pour water and form a soft dough.
Cover it with a plate and rest it for 5 minutes.Now divide the dough into equal size balls.
How to make paratha
Take small ball of the dough & flatten it slightly,place the vegetable ball in the middle & cover the dough.Seal it well to make sure the filling doesn't come out.
Flatten it with your palm & roll it out into a semi thick disc.
Cook this on a tawa with little oil smeared on both sides till cooked &light brown on all sides.
Serve it hot with any side dish you like.
Boil water add some salt and 1 tsp of oil add the pasta ,cook till done. Do not over cook and loose the shape. Rinse them in cold water and transfer into a bowl.
Add above mentioned ingredients and gently toss till well combined.
Arrange them in a single layer and fry them in batches in Gourmia air fryer at 400 deg for 10 minutes till crisp and light golden brown.
Make sure you shake the air fryer basket after 5 minutes for even browning.
Each Air fryer is different so temperature and frying time may vary.
Serve immediately with any dip you like.
Feta Cheese Dip
Ingredients for Feta Cheese Dip
Feta cheese - a small block ( 8 oz)
Greek yoghurt - 1/4 cup
( i use thick homemade curd)
Freshly grated garlic - 2
Salt to taste
( Feta cheese already had salt so i did not add)
Red chilly flakes as needed to sprinkle on top
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Method
Blend all the ingredients together in a food processor ,transfer into a bowl.
Sprinkle red chilly flakes on top and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Take a bowl cream sugar and butter well till pale.
Sieve maida, salt, milk powder and corn flour add it to the butter mixture. Pour the essence and mix well.
Add milk little by little to form a soft dough. Divide the dough into tiny crack free balls and slightly flatten.
Grease a baking tray and arrange all the cookies and bake at 325 deg. F for 15 minutes or till light golden brown. Each oven is different so temperature and baking time may vary.
Take a bowl add the curd, water, salt, hing and turmeric powder whisk well.
Add the chilies into the curd mixture and mix well and leave to soak overnight. Make sure chilies are well immersed in the curd otherwise they will be floating on top.
Next day remove only the chilies from the buttermilk mixture on to a plate or tray and dry it in hot sun. In the evening put the chilies back into the buttermilk mixture cover and soak it overnight.
Repeat this process till all the buttermilk is absorbed by the chilies and dried well crisp to touch and no moisture left in the chillies. Store them in a clean container or ziplock.
Fry the chilies till dark brown in oil and enjoy with curd rice.
Grease an aluminum square tray with ghee and keep it aside.
Warm ghee and oil together remove 1/2 cup ghee/oil mixture separately to add later. To this add the besan and whisk well to get a smooth lump free mixture.
Dissolve sugar and water in a non stick pan cook till the syrup reaches to an one string consistency. this will not take too long.
Lower the flame and add the besan /ghee mixture and keep mixing vigorously till combined. Once the mixture is getting to thicken add the remaining 1/2 cup ghee mixture and in medium low flame keep mixing till the mixture has started to come together like a soft ball, started to leave the sides of the pan and raw smell of the besan has completely disappeared.
Make sure the whole process is cooked in medium low flame otherwise your mysore pak will taste raw..
Immediately switch off the stove and mix the mysore pak for couple more minutes to get a glossy finish and then pour into the greased tray.
Pat the tray to even the top and wait for 30 minutes. Loosen the sides with a knife and invert the tray. While still warm cut into desired pieces and enjoy.
( Add all above ingredients into a mixi jar and grind to a thick paste. Do not add any water while grinding)
Other ingredients
Fish fillets - 4 ( cut into medium size pieces)
Salt and pepper powder to taste
Lemon juice from 1/2 of a lemon
Bread crumbs - as needed
Beaten egg - 1
Oil to shallow fry
Method
Take a wide plate massage the fish with salt ,pepper powder and lemon juice, rest for 10 minutes. Add the ground paste to the fish and coat both sides well and marinate for 30 minutes.
Dip each masala coated fish into the beaten egg and roll them into the bread crumbs.
Make sure the fish is coated all sides with the bread crumbs. Repeat the process again, rest the coated fish for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and gently drop the fish and shallow or deep fry in medium high flame till light golden brown and crisp on all sides. Place the fish on a kitchen tissue to get rid of excess oil.
Wash and soak rice, red chilies and thur dal together for 3 to 4 hrs, then grind to a coarse semi-thick batter. Do not grind to a smooth batter the paniyaram will absorb more oil while frying.
Transfer to a bowl and add all other ingredients mentioned above and mix well.
As I don't have the traditional Bungalow paniyaram pan today I am using a kuzhi paniyaram pan or use a kadai pour oil and shallow fry.
Heat the paniyaram pan add oil into the holes, pour a ladle of batter, and make sure the paniyaram is soaked into the oil. Fry till both sides are crisp and light brown, remove from the pan and enjoy hot as a tea time snack.
Heat oil in a pan temper it with the above ingredients.
Add the onions, curry leaves, crushed garlic, ginger, green chillies and saute till the onions are brown.
Reduce the flame add the salt, turmeric powder and red chilly powder saute till the raw smell has disappeared. Pour the whisked curd and mix it well till combined.
Do not boil and switch off the stove, garnish with curry leaves and serve with plain rice.
Take a bowl add the banana, sugar, cooking soda, salt mash to form a lump-free puree using your fingers. Do not beat it with any blender use only hands. Add the curd and jeera, mix well till combined.
Now add the maida and gently fold to form a semi-sticky dough.do not make a tight dough.
Usually, the dough is sticky, rubbery, and a bit messy to handle.
Cover and rest for 8 hours, next take divide the dough into small equal size balls, dust the surface well with flour to handle the sticky dough better.
Gently using a rolling pin roll out to a thick disc do not roll it too thin. The thickness should to a bit thicker than regular pooris.
Heat oil in a Kadai when hot gently slide the poori into the hot oil in the medium-high flame gently press the pooris to puff up.
Deep fry till light golden brown on both sides and remove from oil.
Best served with thin coconut chutney as a tea-time snack.
Note:
a) Make sure the bananas are very ripe and squashy.
b) These buns are usually made with maida but some make it with whole wheat flour.
c) The dough should be slightly sticky do not knead hard like a chapathi dough. Adjust the flour measurement accordingly.
d) Minimum of 8 hours or overnight fermentation is needed to get the best result.
Take a wide bowl add all the above ingredients except bread and oil. Pour water to dilute the batter, do not make the batter too thin.Cover and rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
Heat a tawa dip each bread slice into the batter and coat them well with the vegetables and toast on both sides with little oil till cooked crisp and light brown.
( remove the skin and make few cuts on the chicken using a knife)
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves few
Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Sliced onions - 1/2
Slit green chillies - 6
Thick coconut milk - 1 cup
( I used the tinned coconut milk, fresh coconut milk will taste even more better)
Method
Take a wide bowl add all the above ingredients and mix well till the chicken pieces are well coated. Cover it with a lid and rest this mixture for 30 minutes.
Take a kadai add the marinated chicken along with the masala, in low flame cover and cook the chicken till well roasted turning in intervals for all sides to cook well.
Make sure the whole process is in low flame.
Fry till the raw smell has disappeared and the chicken is roasted well. This chicken is cooking in the coconut milk and they leave the oil for the chicken to cook.
Lastly garnish with few curry and coriander leaves and serve as a side dish for rice or roti.
