Sweet Banana Rotti ~ Pazham Gothamba Rotti

Oh i am back from Kerala , after a small vacation... The weather there was so so lovely and moody... The rain was so beautiful ( I miss rains after being relocated to Bangalore)...I had a few posts in my drafts ... so let me start with those....
Usually when you hear the name 'ROTTI', the picture that will come to your mind is the 'ROTI'S'  we make. All of us make different kind of rotti's and innovate our own recipes. We usually make savory rottis, adding chopped onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Today i am sharing , a sweet version of the whole wheat rotti's using Kerala plantains . This was something i made , when my kids were small and they used to love this . I serve it with ghee and sugar for tea,  when they are back from school. So recently when here was ripe plantain's i made it again for tea and they were like, mummy we still remember the taste and smell of this rotti. So i thought , why don't i share it with my bloggers.. so here goes  the recipe.

Ingredients

1. Wheat Flour - 2 cups
2. Kerala plantain / Kerala banana - 4 nos (was about 1/4 Kg)
3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 Tsp
5. Salt - a pinch
6. Sugar - optional (I did not use)
7. Water - as needed
8. Ghee - as needed

Preparation

• Peel and mash the bananas using a blender or a wooden spoon.
• In a bowl mix all the ingredients except ghee, using water into a thick batter. Check the taste of the batter, if sweetness is less, you can add sugar.

• Heat a pan/tawa on a medium flame, drizzle little ghee, now pour a ladle of batter and spread it using your hand (if not just spread using the bottom of the spoon). Cover with a lid. Let it cook for 3 minutes.
• Open the lid and drizzle oil on the sides and flip to cook the other. When you see light brown spots on top, stop cooking and transfer it to a serving plate, drizzle some generous amount of ghee...and Serve hot. (Tastes best) .

Notes

• The batter shouldn't be too thick nor too loose, should be spreadable.
• Add sugar only if the banana is less sweet.
• Should be eaten when it is warm.
• While serving you can drizzle ghee and sprinkle little sugar.

Linking this to Dish it out event hosted by Hasna of Kachuss Delights ; originally hosted by Vardhini of Cooks Joy"

Unnakkaya - A Malabar Ramadan Snack and My 150th post

With this post today,A Bowl Of Curry completes it's 150th post here.It was a journey with lots of interactions,friendships and   learning experience through valuable comments .I would love to thank each of my fellow foodies out there,for their valuable response and support !

It is Ramadan period, a holy month for Muslims all over the world.As all of you know it is the time when they fast and pray each day and break their fast in the evening. Each Iftar day they make delicious snacks, juices, and rice and much more.Each one differ in taste and preparation from one another.

Malabar cuisine is known for their rich,flavourful and exotic in all senses.Being from Malabar, i have tasted many for their recipes and have shared some of them like Chatti Pathiri,Kakkarotti , Pazham Nirachathu , Arikadukka . Today i am sharing one of the famous and a perfect snack from Thalassery, which will melt in your mouth from the first bite, "Unnakkaya". The name and shape of the snack represents elongated "Cotton Pods". When we think of preparation feel it is a long process, but i would say even a bachelor who loves cooking can give it a try. The steamed plantain is filled with mixture lightly sauted coconut , sugar, scrambled egg, elachi powder in ghee called "Pandam" and deep fried in oil. If you don't like or use eggs you can avoid eggs and make it pure vegetarian. Over to the recipe... 

Ingredients

1. Ripe plantains /Nenthrapazham - 5 
2. Grated coconut - 1 cup
3. Sugar - 3 Tbsp or as needed
4. Raisins -  2 Tbsp
5. Almonds /badam  roughly chopped - 4 Tbsp (You can also use cashew nuts)
6. Cardamom powder - 1 Tsp
7. Egg - 1
8. Salt - a tiny pinch
9. Ghee - 1 Tbsp
10. Oil - for deep frying

  Preparation

• Cut each of the bananas into half and also the stems at both the ends. Steam the bananas in a steamer until cooked soft. You can even microwave the bananas and cook. BUT DO NOT OVERCOOK THEM as later it becomes mushy and wont be able to roll it tight .
• After cooling it, peel off the skin and cut into half and remove the black seed thread.
• Now mash it using a wooden spoon or with your hand into a very smooth dough without any lumps. Keep aside.
• Beat egg with a teaspoon of sugar, 1/4 tsp cardamom powder and salt. Keep aside.
• Heat a tsp oil in a nonstick pan and scramble egg. Keep aside.
• Now heat ghee, fry the raisins, let it puff up , remove from heat and keep aside.
• Add grated coconut and saute for 5 minutes till the moisture is absorbed.
• Add sugar, cardamom powder, raisins, scrambled egg and almonds. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.
• Grease your palm and take little banana mixture, about a lemon size and flatten it with your thumb, place a 2 tsp of the filling inside., seal the edges and roll into cylindrical shape with elongated edges. Shape the remaining the same way.
• Heat oil in a kadai/deep bottomed pan for deep frying. Deep fry each of them into golden . Fry both the sides.
• Drain on paper towel and serve them hot.

Check out the recipe for Pachamulaku Thengaa Chammanthi

Notes

• Do no overcook the bananas, it will become watery and will become difficult to hold.
• If you don't like or use eggs you can avoid eggs and make it pure vegetarian.

Check out for more Ramadan recipes

        

    

   

Special Pineapple Pachadi - Kerala Style

Hi friends.... i think it is now almost two months that i have not been blogging. After i was back from Kerala.. i was feeling really lazy to type , post and even cook special for m blog.Did i really ignore my blog??? i feel yes.I wanted to cook some dishes and post for Vishu, but unfortunately at home here was no internet connection for a month. I have prepared this special pineapple pachadi for Vishu,(luckily i took these beautiful clicks) which i had written it down in my cook book long back. It is really a special one...the sweet and sour blend of pineapple and plantain just lifts your taste buds, also it has the richness of the added dry nuts in it.

This can also be served a dip too..

Ingredients

1. Ripe Pineapple - 1 Big
2. Ripe Plantain(Kerala Banana) - 1/2 of 1 Big One
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
4. Red Chilli powder - 1 1/2 Tsp
5. Salt - as needed
6. Water - as needed
7. Sugar - 1/2 cup
8. Cashew Nuts - 25 gms
9. Grapes - 1/4 cup
10. Mustard - 1/2 Tsp
11. Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
12. Crushed Mustard Seeds- 1/4 Tsp

To Temper

1. Coconut Oil (Must) - 1 Tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
3. Dry Red Chilly - 3
4. Curry Leaves - 2 to 3 Sprigs
5. Raisins - 1 Tbsp

Preparation

• Cut pineapple into very fine pieces.Cut the plantain into two from the middle lengthwise and then cut into small pieces.
• In a sauce pan, put both pineapple and plantain. Then to it add turmeric powder , red chilly powder and salt. Add a cup of water to it. Mix well.Then cook it closed. In between give a stir.
• Add water if not enough to cook to soft.
• When it is cooked and water is absorbed, add sugar and cashew nuts to it.
• Stir it continuously on medium flame.You can see that the sugar is getting caramelized and colour changes(let it be light brown in colour).When it is dried remove from heat and let it cool.
• In the meanwhile, in a mixer just crushed grated coconut and mustard seeds.
• Wash the grapes and wipe with a cloth.
• Now when the pineapple-plantain mix is cooled add the coconut mix and grapes to it and mix gently and combine.
• To temper heat a kadai, add coconut oil,when hot, add mustard seeds,let it crackle
• Add dry red chilly , curry leaves and raisins. When raisins puff up , off the flame and pour this over to the curry.Mix well.
• Finally add the crushed mustard seeds.
• Serve with rice , or even as a spread.. You can even call it as a Chutney.....

Check out other dish with Pineapple

 

Linking this to Lets cook for father's day

Fruit Custard / Fruit Salad with Custard

Fruit Custard or rather Fruits Salad with custard is one of the easiest dessert anyone can prepare. This is a very creamy delicious dessert with a crunch of fruits in between. This can be best served as a party dessert, for  get togethers or parties for a large crowd.Basically you can add any fruits , but it tastes much better with fruits like bananas, apples, mosambi, orange, grapes, mangoes, pineapple and pomegranate.

You can prepare the custard ahead by boiling milk and adding custard powder to it and allow it to cool, chill it and just add in cubes of fruits available to it.When guests arrive, surprise them by serving it chilled with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, fresh cream or even whipped cream. Can also be garnished with dry fruits or glazed cherry on top or drizzle honey on top of a scoop of ice cream. So, here goes the recipe....

Ingredients

1. Milk - 2 cups
2. Vanilla custard powder - 3 Tbsp
3. Sugar - 4 Tbsp or to taste
4. Mixed fruits cut into cubes - 2 cups or more to tastes of your choice ( I used apples, bananas, grapes and pomegranates)

Preparation

• In a bowl take 1/4 cup of milk , mix the custard powder to it and make a paste. Keep aside.
• Boil the remaining milk in a thick bottomed pan on low fire, when it comes to boil, add in the sugar. Let it dissolve .
• Now add in the custard mix and keep stirring and cook for 3-4 minutes or until it thickens to a creamy texture. Switch off the flame.

• Allow it to cool completely to a room temperature. Refrigerate it.
• Chop and refrigerate the fruits just an hour before you serve it.
• To serve, add a required amount of custard in a bowl, add the chopped fruits.
• Garnish with dry fruits, glazed cherries , whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Serve chilled and enjoy................

Notes

• Do not boil the custard for too long, as it has a tendency to burn. 
• It should be a creamy/ slight runny consistency, as it will get thickened after refrigerating.
• Add the fruits just an hour before you serve it.
• When you add citrus fruits, add it fresh while serving because, it will make the custard watery.

Sending this to 50 Sweet and Savory Holiday Recipes + Add yours to win a surprise Giveaway! by Siri

Sending this to cook-with-comfort event by Sapana

Pazham Nirachathu / Stuffed Plantains

Today also i am posting another famous snack from Malabar "Pazham Nirachathu" / Stuffed Plantain. This is a very tasty and inevitable snack prepared for evening tea time. This is one of the important snack served during Iftar (nombhu thura/ breaking the Ramadan fast) in Malabar. This snack is prepared by stuffing a mixture of coconut , sugar, cardamom, cashews , raisins and sugar. Slit open the plantains and stuff the filling and shallow fry in oil.

Scroll down for the full recipe...

Ingredients

1. Ripe Kerala Plantain - 3 nos.(not too ripe)
2. Grated coconut - 1 1/2 cups
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup (add more if you need )
4. Cardamom pods crushed- 5-6
5. Cashew nuts roughly chopped - 2 Tbsp
6. Raisins - 2 Tbsp
7. Ghee - 1 1/2 Tbsp
8. Oil - for frying
9. All purpose flour/ Maida - 1/4 cup
10. A pinch of salt
11. Water - to make a thick paste

Preparation

• Heat ghee in a frying pan, add the chopped cashew nuts until golden brown. Transfer them to a paper towel.
• Add the raisins, let them puff up like cute little balls. Remove them to the paper towel before they get charred. Keep aside.
• To this ghee add the grated coconut, saute for 2-3 minutes add sugar and crushed cardamom. Mix the cashew nuts and raisins and keep the filling aside. 
• In a bowl mix maida , salt and water to make a thick paste to cover the slits of the banana.
• Now peel the plantains. Make a shallow slit lengthwise in the center of the plantain. The depth of the slit should be made until it reaches the center of the plantain.(Do not cut open the slit.). Now make another slit nearer to that, about 2 inches width. Remove the piece from the banana.
• Now using spoon , fill in the prepared coconut mixture into that gap. Press them tight using your fingers. Now cover it with the piece that you have removed from the plantain.Seal the gap with the maida paste.
• Repeat the same with the other plantains.
• Heat oil in a kadai/ non-stick pan for frying on a medium flame.
• Fry the stuffed plantains, until golden brown. 
• Carefully flip the sides in between.
• Drain them on a kitchen towel.
• Sere it hot with a cup of tea / coffee..

Notes :

• Do not use too ripe plantains, as it will absorb too much oil and hard to hold.
• Instead of coconut, we also use a mix of scrambled eggs, sugar, cardamom and nuts-raisins 

Linking this to Lunch Box series - Kids Delight Event and a pretty Giveaway! and spicing your life 

Nandarbale Kela Thalolo Halwo - Konkani Sweet

Happy Diwali 

This is one of the easiest of halwa i have ever tried. This is a Konkani Dessert, made with the Kerala Plantain. The banana should be ripe , so that it is sweet and soft. We in Kerala , prepare this and called it pazham vaattiyathu. We cut the banana long into halves and shallow fry in ghee or oil. Finally sprinkle some sugar on it. When i saw this on tv, i bookmarked it.

Ingredients

1. Kerala Plantain(Ripe) - 2
2. Sugar - 4 - 5 Tbsp
3. Cardamom powder -2 Tsp
4. Ghee - 2 Tbsp
5. Oil - for deep frying
6. Pistachios  chopped- 1 Tbsp

Preparation

• Peel and cut the bananas into small cubes. 
• Heat oil in a deep bottom pan, and deep fry the cubed bananas till they are golden brown.
• Remove from oil, drain and transfer to a bowl.
• In a serving bowl, sprinkle some sugar and cardamom powder. Now place the first batch of fried bananas.
• Repeat the step, until all the bananas are fried and layered like this.
• Sprinkle some ghee and chopped pistachios on top and serve hot.

Note 

• This halwa is best served and eaten when hot. Because as it cools down, the sugar syrup melts down out of halwa and banana pieces will become hard and  sticky

Sending this to Cooks Joy - Diwali Bash 2013

Linking this to Fabulous Fest hosted by Preeti of Simply Tadka

Dates - Banana Fritters

Every day , when my kids were in their school days i think what can i surprise them with ,in the evening.........
Kids love to have fried foods....If its nutritious good to feed them.....
Even though they all have grown up, still they remember those evenings & foods... and like to have them even now..... Good old memories.............
Like that this Dates-Banana fry is one among them........

Ingredients

1. Dates (Deseeded&Sliced) - 20 nos
2. Nicely Ripe Plantain(Nendraphazam)  - 1 Big
3. All purpose flour (Maida) - 1/2 Cup
4. Sugar - 1/4 Cup
5. Cardamom crushed - 5-6 
6. Cahew Nuts Chopped - 8-10
7. Grated coconut - 1/4 cup (Optional)
8. Oil - for deep frying
9. Water

Preparation

• In a mixer first grind the banana, then add dates to it. (Do not grind dates to a paste, there should be tiny pieces)
• Transfer it to a bowl, add maida, sugar, cardamom , grated coconut and cashew nuts to it. Combine all the items with a spoon by adding water little by little.( The batter should be thick enough to scoop with your hand and shape it to round)
• Heat oil for deep frying.
• Drop them one by one into oil and deep fry it.
• Tasty Dates-Banana Fritters ready for the evening

Note

• You can adjust the sweetness by adding more/less sugar.
• If you can't scoop the batter with your hand, scoop it with a tablespoon and drop it to oil.

I am sending this recipe to Taste of the Tropics - Banana

Pazhampori (Banana Fritters)

Ingredients

1. Kerala Plantain - 3
2. Maida - 200 gms
3. Sugar - 3/4 cup
4. Cardamom - 8-10
5. Oil - for deep frying

Preparation

• First remove the skin of banana and slice it into halve. then slice it vertically.
• Powder sugar and cardamom.
• Now make a batter with maida and sugar mix using water. Make a thick consistency like idli batter.
• Keep oil for frying , when hot dip banana slices one by one in the batter and deep fry it.

Note 

• First fry one and see whether you have nice coating of the batter. If not adjust with maida. 
• Also adjust the sweetness.

I am sending this post to Taste of the Tropics - Banana