Chakka pradhaman (Jackfruit kheer ) with a nutty twist

Jackfruit kheer is a popular sweet in Kerala. The main ingredient of this kheer is chakka varatti or jackfruit jam. This jackfruit jam is made by cooking ripe jackfruit with jaggery and ghee. Chakka varatti lasts for over an year without loosing its taste. We make chakka varatti during the jackfruit season and use it through out the year for making ela ada, jackfruit halwa and other sweets. Here I am adding cashew nut balls for a crunchy taste.

Preparation of Chakka varatti or Jack fruit jam :
Ingredients : 

• Jackfruit : 1 kg
• Jaggery : 1/2 kg
• Clarified butter or ghee : 200 g

Method of preparation :

1.  Cook the jack fruit in pressure cooker by adding a cup of water.
2. Add more water if required. Pressure cook till the jack fruit is mashed.
3. Grind the cooked jack fruit.
4.  Heat a deep bottomed pan, add the jaggery and add some water till it gets completely wet.
5. Allow the jaggery to completely dissolve in water, filter it to get rid off dirts. Again boil it and add the ground fruit and mix it well.
6. Keep on stirring till it becomes thick. Now add ghee to it little by little.
7. After sometime, it will not stick the pan and now remove from heat.

Preparation of kheer :

Ingredients :

• Chakka varatti or jackfruit jam : 3 tbsp
• Powdered jaggery : 1/4 cup
• Coconut milk : 3/4 cup
• Cardamom 2 pods
• Dry ginger powder ( chukku ) : 1/2 tsp
• Cashew nuts : 50 gms

Method of preparation :

1. Dry roast and chop the cashew nuts.
2. Melt 1 tbsp jaggery, then add chopped nuts into it and keep stirring until dry. Allow it to slightly cool and make balls with it.
3. Melt remaining jaggery in 1/2 cup of water and when it starts boiling add chakka varatti. 
4. Mix well to become a sauce, simmer heat and add coconut milk, chukku and powdered cardamom.
5. Keep on stirring to avoid curdling.
6. Remove from heat when it starts boiling.
7. Add cashew balls just before serving.

Linking  this to Favorite Food Event - Payasams/ Kheers event hosted by Rafeeda of The Big Sweet Tooth and Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Eid delicacy ; Kabsa

      This Eid we celebrated with the arabian delicacies Kabsa and Fattoush accompanied by a Cream of mushroom soup. I will post the recipe for fattoush and cream of mushroom soup as soon as possible.

    Kabsa 

Kabsa or kabseh is one of the traditional dishes served in the Arabian gulf area. It is a Unique mixture of rice, meat, spices and vegetables topped with almonds and raisins. The secret of kabsa's taste is the blend of spices used in it.

Ingredients

• Butter ( oil ) : 1/4 cup
• Onion : 1 finely chopped
• Garlic ; 6 cloves minced
• 1 whole chicken cut into 4 pieces
• tomato puree : 1/4 cup
• Tomatoes : 3 chopped
• Carrots : 3 peeled and grated
• Cloves : 4
• Whole black pepper : 1 tsp
•  Dried lemon : 2
• Bay leaves : 2
• Cinnamon stick : 2 
• Cardamom : 4
• Orange zest : 1 tsp
• Coriander : 1 tsp
• Basmati rice : 2 1/2 cups washed and soaked for 45 minutes
• Hot water : 4 1/2 cups
• Raisins : 1/4 cup
• Almonds : 1/4 cup

Directions

• Melt the butter in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat, stir in the garlic and onion ; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned transculent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and brown them over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. mix in the tomato puree.
• Add chopped tomatoes, grated carrots, whole cloves, black pepper, dried lemon, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, coriander, orange zest, cardamom and salt. Cook  for about 3 minutes ; pour in the water. 
• Bring the sauce to boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken pieces from the stock and place it in a oven for 10 minutes.
• Add soaked rice into the stock, cover the pot and simmer until rice is tender and almost dry, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the rice to a large serving platter and arrange the chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle the toasted almonds and raisins over the dish.

My BH's Recipe, Shredded Brown Chicken

     Eid Mubarak to all. I am so happy to share this recipe on this special occasion, actually this is my better half's own recipe. He used to make some special dishes for us on his off days, those days i will be totally free from my kitchen. I love to cook but who doesn't like a change in daily routine :-)

     I enjoy those days when he cooks for us. Some times he makes 'butterfly chicken' (grilled full chicken with his secret masalas) and 'hummus', we have this dish with 'tandoori roti ' or ' khubs ' Its a heavy meal, we eat this for lunch.

     Off to today's recipe, a non gravy side-dish which he often makes, that goes well with fried rice, bhatura etc,. Its even used as a filling for sandwich or spring rolls. Its a kids friendly recipe too. You can make a chapati roll with this for your kid 's lunch box.

Ingredients

• Chicken breast : 1/2 kg
• Soy sauce : 3 tbsp
• Chilly powder : 1 tsp
• Onion : 3
• Capsicum : 1
• Green chilly : 2 nos slitted
• Coriander leaves : 1/2 cup chopped
• Oil : 2 tbsp

Method

      Cook chicken breast with 1 tsp chilly powder and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Shred chicken into small pieces. In a pan add oil and fry onion slices till brown, add green chillies followed by shredded chicken. Saute chicken till it becomes dry, add remaining sauce and saute again. When chicken is dried completely, remove from fire. Garnish with capsicum and coriander leaves.

Peanut Butter Grape Buzz

Preparing something good and healthy and getting compliment for that is really nice. This is one of those recipes, which is simple yet healthy and tasty and can be prepared within minutes.

Ingredients

• Grapes : 100 gms
• Water : 1 cup
• Sugar : 3 tbsp
• Milk : 1 cup (frozen)
• Banana : 1
• Espresso coffee : 1 tsp
• Peanut butter : 2 tbsp
• Chocolate syrup : 1 tbsp

Directions

   Combine grapes, water and 1 tbsp sugar in a pot and boil for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow it to cool then remove the skin. Its easy to remove the skin after boiling. Blend it (do not grind the seeds). Strain and keep aside. Crush the frozen milk. In a blender combine milk, banana, 2 tbsp sugar, and peanut butter. Blend until smooth. Pour 1/3 of this into a bowl and keep aside. Add espresso coffee and chocolate syrup into the blender, blend again until smooth. Take two tall glasses and  pour these three in layers as shown in the picture.

Dutch Apple Cake

Ingredients

• Apples : 3 large
• Lemon juice : 1 tbsp
• All purpose flour : 1 1/2 cup
• Granulated white sugar : 3/4 cup
• Baking powder : 1 1/2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon : 1 tsp
• Salt : 1/4 tsp
• Unsalted butter : 6 tbsp (cooled to room temperature)
• Eggs : 2 large
• Vanilla extract : 1/2 tsp
• Milk : 2 tbsp
• Raisins : 1/3 cup

Method

     Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease a baking tin with butter and dust it with flour. Peel, core, and chop the apples into bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Sift flour with baking powder, cinnamon powder, and salt. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla until fluffy. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the sifted ingredients. If you are using an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon powder and salt. Add the butter, eggs vanilla extract, and milk and beat until fluffy incorporated. Fold in the raisins and chopped apples. Transfer the batter into the prepared baking tin and smooth the top. Bake in preheated oven for about 35 - 45 minutes until golden brown and a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

     Serve warm with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.