Saturday, 8 April 2017

Athirappilly - Vazhchal Waterfalls..













Feel the serenity and tranquility embellished with
Charming greenery and enchanting canopy…
Listen the murmuring waterfalls leaping through pebbles
And rocks, spreading misty drops…
Enjoy the dazzling splendor of whispering reeds
Among the fresh waterways…. 


Located on Chalakudy River, originating from Anamudy mountains
of the Western Ghats
Near the Vazhchal Forest Division,
Thrissur District,Kerala.

























































Saturday, 18 March 2017

Carrot Laddu

Carrot Laddu
Ingredients
Grated carrot                     1 cup
Grated coconut                  1 cup
Sugar                                    ¾ cup
Water                                   ¼ cup
Ghee /Vanaspati                 2 spoons
Rava                                       2 spoons
Cardamom powder            1 spoon
Nuts & cherry                       1 spoon each


Add water and sugar, heat it to make a thick liquid. Add coconut to this and boil. Heat ghee, roast carrot, add sugar-coconut mixture, dry well. Add roasted rava,nuts and cardamom powder. Shape to balls, garnish with cherry.

Sunday, 26 February 2017

Munnar.




Mattupetty Lake Munnar



Mattupetty Lake in Munnar, a few kilometers away from Mattupetty Dam. 
A beautiful lake inside the hills of Munnar, at a height of 1700m, with still water, serene and peaceful landscape.
On the way, Jacaranda trees, locally called Neela Vaaka are in full bloom enveloped in blue dots along the lush green tea gardens.
 The rolling grasslands and shola forests also transform the area as the delight for nature lovers…








Friday, 26 August 2016

SWEETS


 
Pastry






Dates pudding
Sliced dates                    ½ cup
Sliced raisin                   ½ cup
Sugar                              1 spoon
Butter                             1 spoon
Boiled water                  ½ cup
Maida                             1 cup
Baking powder              1 small spoon
Baking soda                  1 small spoon
Milk                                1 cup
Egg                                  1
Cornflour                     1 small spoon
Sugar                                1 ½ big spoon
Vanilla essence               ¼ spoon
Mix dates, raisins, sugar, butter and boiling water well. Add sieved maida, baking powder and baking soda and mix well. Cover the mixture with a butter paper and steam to cook.
Boil milk. Mix egg, cornflour, sugar and vanilla essence and beat well. Mix these together, put in a bowl and double boil to make it thick.  Add this to the pudding. Garnish with cherry and dates.               










Ariyunda
Roasted and ground rice flour       - 2 cups
Melted jaggery                                  - 2 cups
Nuts roasted in ghee                         - ½ cup
Hot ghee                                              - ¾ cup
Grated coconut                                   -1 cup

                    Mix the ingredients well. Shape to become round balls.









Easy Falooda  

Pistha ice cream                      500 ml.
Vanilla ice cream                     500 ml.
Sliced fruits                               4 cups
Sugar                                           1 spoon
Raisins & cashews          1 cup
Almonds (sliced)                      1 spoon
Basil seeds                                 4 spoons
Jam                                             4 spoons
Cherry                                         5
Tutti frutti                                  2 spoons

Soak basil seeds for fifteen minutes. After swelling, drain water. Keep aside. Mix sliced fruits with sugar and allow to cool. Take a long glass. First add one scoop vanilla ice cream. Then add one spoon jam. Next layer one spoon sliced fruits. Then layer soaked basil seeds. Then layer one scoop pistha ice cream. Then add raisins and cashews. Add tutti frutti. Repeat the layers again. Garnish with cherry and almonds on the top.
          





Chocolate Treat
Eggs                                     5
Flour                                    250 gm.
Sugar                                   250 gm.
Butter                                  250 gm.
Cocoa                                   2 table spoon
Vanilla essence                   1 teaspoon
Baking powder                    1 teaspoon

Sift flour and baking powder together. Cream butter and sugar till it becomes fluffy. Whisk egg. Add flour to it and whisk again. Add butter, sugar, vanilla essence and cocoa and whisk again. Grease a cake tin. Pour the mixture, bake at 180 degree C in a pre-heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

              






Jackfruit Halva
Cooked & ground
Jackfruit                                   ½ kg
Jaggery                                     ¼ kg
Maida                                       1 cup
Ghee                                          1 cup
Cardamom
Powder                                     1 teaspoon
Nuts                                           ½ cup

Melt jaggery and sieve. Add ground jackfruit. Add some water to maida to make a thick paste. Mix it with jackfruit-Jaggery paste. Heat a pan. Pour the mixture. Stir well. Add ghee part by part. When it becomes thick add nuts and cardamom powder. Apply one spoon ghee to a plate and spread the mixture. Allow to cool. Cut into pieces.

Friday, 19 August 2016

VARIETY RECIPES




Fish Cutlet
Fish                                ½ kg
Vinegar                          1 teaspoon
Salt                                 1 teaspoon
Oil                                    ¼ cup
Sliced onion                  ½ cup
Sliced green chilly        1 desert spoon
Sliced ginger                 1 teaspoon
Sliced curry leaves        ½ teaspoon
Pepper powder             1 teaspoon
Boiled and mashed
Potato                             1 cup
Salt                                   accordingly
Egg yolk                            1
Egg white                         1
Bread powder                  ½ cup

Marinate fish with vinegar and salt. Steam it and mash. Heat oil, add onion, chilly, ginger and roast. Add pepper powder and fish mixture. Add potato, egg yolk, salt and mix well. Shape to cutlets, dip in egg white and again in bread powder and fry. Serve with sauce and salad.




cucumber salad

sprinkle salt and lemon juice in sliced cucumber pieces.






Carrot Rice
Basmati rice                       2 cups
Carrot                                 50 gm.
Sliced onion                       50 gm.
Raisin                                 1 spoon
Nuts                                    1 spoon
Cardamom                          3
Salt                                       accordingly
Ghee                                     ½ cup
Coriander leaves                  accordingly
Sliced tomato                       ½ cup
Water                                    4 cups

Wash and drain basmati rice. Heat a pan. Pour one spoon ghee and roast rice. Keep it aside. Boil water. Add basmati rice, salt and mashed cardamom. Cook for ten minutes.  In a pan, heat one spoon ghee, roast onion,carrot,raisins and nuts.Serve cooked rice in a plate garnishing with coriander leaves, sliced tomato, roasted onions, carrot, raisins and nuts.








Steamed Fish (in banana leaf)
Sliced fish                   400 gm.
Salt                               accordingly
Turmeric powder        ¼ teaspoon
Pepper powder            ¼ teaspoon
Oil                                   5 spoons
Mustard                         ¼ teaspoon
Fenugreek                      a pinch
Sliced ginger                 2 small spoons
Sliced green chilly        2 small spoons
Sliced Onion                  150 gm.
Ginger-garlic paste       2 small spoons
Turmeric powder          ¼ teaspoon
Chilly powder                 4 small spoons
Salt                                    accordingly
Tomato                             2
Gambogia                         3 pieces
Coconut milk                    2 spoons


Marinate fish pieces with turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt. Heat oil, frost mustard, fenugreek, ginger, green chilly and onion. Add ginger-garlic paste. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt. Then add tomato pieces. Add soaked Gambogia with its water and allow to boil. Add coconut milk. Stir well till the fish masala becomes a thick gravy. Take a banana leaf, layer fish masala, add fish pieces, top with masala again, put curry leaves upside and down side of fish pieces, cover well and steam for twenty five minutes. Open the leaf, Garnish with vegetables and serve.







Mango Curry
Sliced mango                      1 cup
Sliced green chilly              1 spoon
Sliced ginger                       1 spoon
Sliced onion                         ¼ cup
Chilly powder                      1 teaspoon
Coriander powder                1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder                 ¼ teaspoon
Curry leaves                          accordingly
Salt                                        ¼ teaspoon
Oil                                          1 spoon
Mustard                                  ¼ teaspoon
Red chilly                               3
Heat one spoon oil in a pan. Add mustard. Add onion, chilly, ginger, curry leaves and roast. Add sliced mango. Stir well. Add chilly, coriander and turmeric powders and roast. Add second coconut milk and salt. Cook for five minutes. Add first coconut milk. Stir till it becomes slight hot. Remove from heat.
         




Cauliflower Curry
Cauliflower                                        : 1
 Tomato                                              : 1
 Onion                                                 : 6
Chilly powder                                    : 1 teeaspoon
Coriander powder                            : ½ teaspoon
Pepper powder                                 : ½ teaspoon
Salt                                                      : accordingly
Oil                                                        : 2 desert spoons
Mustard                                              : ¼ teaspoon
Garam masala powder                     : 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves                                        : accordingly
       Separate cauliflower petals. Soak in salt water for half an hour and steam. Mix chilly powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and salt. Marinate steamed cauliflower with this mixture. Keep aside for twenty minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Roast mustard and curry leaves. Add tomato and onion. Add marinated cauliflower. Stir well and cook. Add garam masala powder. Serve hot.






 Vegetable Rice
Basmati rice                               : 3 cups
Green peas                                 : 200 gm.
Oil                                                :2 teaspoons.
Cardamom                                    : 4
Cloves                                            : 3
Cinnamon                                     : 4
 Onion                                            : 2
Garlic                                             : 1
Ginger                                            : 1 piece
Green chilly                                   : 2
Beans                                              : 50 gm.
Carrot                                              : 3
Tomato                                            : 1
Salt                                                   : accordingly
Ghee                                                 : 2 spoons
Nuts                                                  : 50 gm.
Kismis                                              : 50 gm.
Garam masala powder                  : ¼ teaspoon
  

Cook basmati rice in 4 cups of boiling water. Cook green peas. Heat oil in a pan. Fry cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Keep it aside. Add sliced onion to the remaining oil and fry, add garlic, ginger and green chilly. Add sliced beans and carrot. When it becomes half cooked, add sliced tomato and salt. Close with a lid and cook. Mix cooked rice and green peas to it.Sprinkle garam masala powder. Heat ghee and roast nuts and Kismis. Add it to the rice-vegetable mixture. Serve hot.




Fish Fry

Marinate fish with pepper powder,turmeric powder,garlic-ginger paste, chilly powder,salt and lemon juice. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour and fry.




Buttermilk Salad

Add one sliced onion,two green chillies,salt and curry leaves to one cup  buttermilk.