Christmas day recipes

http://www.vazhayila.com/p/christmas-specials_01.html

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PALLAPPAM (Crisp Laced Rice Pancakes)
A classic Kerala bread, this is supposed to have been introduced by the Portuguese centuries ago, from Ceylon. It was for many years a typical Syrian Christian food. It s still served in Christian families for breakfast. It has also developed appeal among other peoples of Kerala too, and is regularly served as a starter for lunch and dinner.
Ingredients

Rice Flour - 1 cupSalt - ½ tsp.Ghee - ½ tspGrated Coconut - ½ cupWater - 2 cups

Method:
• Prepare a thick porridge with the semolina and water. Cool
• Mix together remaining ingredients other than salt; beat in a blender for 2    minutes.(The batter should have a single cream consistency)
• Cover the bowl and prove for 6 to 8 hours
• When double in size, add salt and more coconut milk
• Heat an ‘Appam’ pan, ladle ¼ cup of the batter into the center of the pan
• Lift the pan and swirl the batter a little bit toward the edge of the pan to get
  a thin layer of batter around the center
• Cover the pan and cook 4 to 5 minutes till the center is cooked; the edges   ought to have a golden brown crust
• Use a spatula to gently lift the appam out, so the crust is intact and curved   upwards
• May be served with a Vegetable or Meat Stew

Nimmy paul

MOPPILAH BIRIYANI
Moppilah is a Malabari term used by local people to respectfully identify Muslims. Traditionally the Muslims served Biriyani on all important occasions. Over the years it has become of very popular with other communities in Kerala. Rice and chicken are baked in rich gravy to produce a highly aromatic and deliciously spicy preparation.
Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 1 kg.
Chicken pieces - 1 kg.
Ghee - 300 gms.
Onions - 500 gms.
Garlic - 100 gms.
Green Chillies - 50 gms.
Ginger - 50 gms.
Cinnamon - 3 pcs.

Cardamom - 6 nos.
Cloves - 4 nos.
Aniseed - 1 tsp.
Caraway - 1 tsp.
Chilli Powder - 1 ½ tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp.
Tomato - 100 gms.
Coriander leaves - 30 gms.
Mint leaves - 30 gms.
Cashews - 50 gms.
Kismis - 50 gms
Salt - to taste.

Method:
   Grind to a paste the ginger, green chilies and garlic

• Peel and slice the onions very thin, also the tomatoes
• Powder the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, aniseed and caraway
• Combine the chilly, coriander and turmeric powders with the salt and apply    onto the cleaned chicken pieces. Keep to marinate
• In a heavy, moderately deep, vessel, heat half the ghee
• Fry and remove the cashews and kismis / raisins
• Sauté the onions in the hot ghee, when they start turning slightly brown,    toss in the chopped tomato, the fresh ground paste, and half the spice    powder mix
• Stir the whole mixture well and add the marinated chicken pieces.
• Cover and cook. Take care not to overcook
• Bring salted water to the boil in a large vessel
• Pour the washed rice into the boiling water and cook till three fourth done.   The rice should also not be overcooked. Drain
• Into an oven proof dish, spoon in a quarter of the boiled rice
• Place one third of the chicken pieces and pour a little of the gravy
• Sprinkle a little spice powder and few shreds of coriander and mint leaves.    Also a few cashews and kismis/ raisins
• Repeat for the remaining two portions
• Dibble the remaining half portion of the ghee over the last layer of rice
• Cover the dish with a tight lid or with aluminum foil and bake fifteen to
   twenty minutes
• Serve hot. Kept overnight in the refrigerator, the flavors will mellow and the    taste will improve. Reheat in the oven if you do so

LAMB/MUTTON CUTLETS

https://reneesrecipe.wordpress.com/2011/03/05/mutton-cutlets/

Ingredients

• Minced lamb – 500 grams (I used freshly minced lamb from the store)
• Onion – 2, chopped
• Ginger – 1 tablespoon, chopped
• Green chilli – 3-4, chopped (I like it a little spicy)
• Curry leaves – chopped
• Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
• Pepper powder – 1 teaspoon
• Salt
• Potato – 1 medium (boiled & mashed)
• Bread Crumbs – 1-2 cups (home-made or store-bought)
• Egg white – 1 egg (my MIL uses one whole egg, inclu the yolk….so your choice)
• Oil for frying

Method

Cook the cleaned minced meat so that all the water absorbs from the meat. And then once cooled, mince the meat using a food processor once again (this is optional..I did it because the meat store didn’t mince it real fine the way I like).

Meanwhile, saute onion till it becomes soft. To this, add chopped ginger, green chillies and curry leaves.

Then, add minced meat. Mix well. Add salt, garam masala and pepper. Stir for another 2-3 minutes and take it off the flame. Allow the mixture to cool.

While that’s cooling, you can boil the potato. How? Well, just wash the whole potato without peeling the skin. And boil it in water for about 20 minutes.. Or else, put it into the pressure cooker for about 4-5 whistles. To test if the potato is done, insert a knife right into the center to see if it’s cooked.  Then let it cool, peel off the skin and mash it using your hand or potato masher. Make sure there are no lumps.

Once the meat’s cooled, add mashed potatoes & mix the entire mixture properly. Check for salt.

Make small balls and then press lightly with fingers to get an oval/round shape. Do all.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white. And in another bowl/plate, put in bread crumbs. For the next step you need both hands. Dip the meat cutlet into the egg-white using your left hand, take it out from the egg using the same hand and place it into the bread crumbs. Now with your right hand, roll the cutlet in the crumbs. When you do this way, you make sure that the crumbs don’t get into the egg-white bowl and vice-versa.

Deep or shallow fry in oil. Serve hot with tomato sauce or with onion salad (thinly sliced onions mixed with salt, a drop of vinegar and chopped green chillies).

Note:

1. After you’ve dipped and rolled the meat cutlets in egg whites and breadcrumbs, you can freeze them for a month. When you want to make it, just thaw and deep fry.
2. You can substitute lamb with beef or chicken too. The procedure is the same. If you’re using, boneless meat cubes, then cook them in a pressure cooker and mince well once cooled. And then the process is the same.
3. You can even substitute it with vegetables (peas, carrots and beans), but then don’t add ginger.

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