Lime Pickle -- നാരങ്ങ അച്ചാർ

Summer here and don't you think this is the best time to make pickles, powders, Jams and no matter what. In-laws are here with us during this summer, kids enjoying summer vacation with their grands. Or maybe I should better say grandparents enjoying with kids, it is really wonderful to watch the bonding of kids with their grands. No matter how much they love their parents and vice-verse, when me or hubby scold them for even a simple or silly issue they run to their grands. They are not satisfied until the granny scolds me or hubby and they believe granny can make us do anything.

Memories explodes seeing kids doing all the pranks. Recollecting the childhood days with my granny, the most beautiful women on earth, with magical hands, managing anything and everything around, with no so called big degrees but with simple common sense she could manage the world around her and make it beautiful. During summer vacation at granny used to make all these 'Achars'/Pickles. A bottle of pickle wouldn't last for more than a week and my granny use to recycle the achar bottle and fill them with next batch of fresh pickles. Mostly mango pickles used to be eaten right away after pickled, we used to scoop them into a bowl and eat those spicy, tangy ones

My MIL, queen of pickles as I call her, makes wonderful pickles. This recipe is from my MIL who is more than happy to make pickles asked at any point of time. I'm not into making much pickles these days other than simple cut mango pickle if I ran out of her homemade pickle in my pantry. To be precise after getting married I hardly make any pickles as I mostly have my MIL's pickles handy. Her pickles always tastes way better than store bought one's and of course the homemade one's are always fresh and without preservatives. So do try out this simple and ezee Lime Pickle and Enjoy !!!

Ingredients:-

1. Lime - 3lbs
2. Garlic Pods - 10 numbers
3. Green chilies chopped fine - 5
4. Curry leaves chopped fine - 2 sprigs
5. Sea Salt/Salt - 4 tbsp(as required) 
6. Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp
7. Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
8. Chilly powder - 3 tbsp(depends on the spice level of the powder and the spice tolerance level)
9. Fenugreek seeds roasted and powdered - 1 tbsp
10. Asafoetida Powder/Hing Powder - ½ tsp

Preparation Method:-

• Wash the lime well, pat dry fully with paper napkins or kitchen towels
• Cut the lemon in squares and move to a wide bowl or bottles. Put garlic pods and chopped green chilies into the bowl and toss.
• Sprinkle salt on top and set aside for three-five days till the skin becomes bit tender and change the   color.

• Heat up a Kadai/Pan, pour oil, splutter mustard seeds. Switch off the stove and add curry leaves. Let the oil reach to medium heat.
• Add chilly powder and asafoetida powder to the oil and gently mix(if the oil is too hot chilly powder will burn and taste bitter)
• Add the salted lemon, fenugreek powder to the pan with oil and chilly powder mix an mix well with a spatula to combine well. Let it cool completely

• Move to air tight containers and keep it at room temperature for couple of days or a a week before you use till the flavors blend in well with lemon. The skin of lime become soft and bitter-less by then.
• Lime Pickle/Naranga Achar is ready to serve with Rice or anything you wish. Splash a tsp of them on top of Yogurt Rice/Curd Rice and feel the awesomeness 

Tips: 

The shelf life of pickle last based on the preparation method. If pickled without any external moisture it will stay fresh for more than a month when kept at room temperature. 

Unakka Chemmeen Chammanthi Podi/Dry Shrimp Chutney powder

It takes days for me to compose a post these days. I have almost stopped writing anything in my posts as well, and rather go straight onto recipe. Its just because of lack of time: office, summer activities with kids and in-laws and the normal home chores takes most of my time. I still do a lot of cooking but clicking pictures have come down a lot. I try to hop on to all my blogger buddies post but that also have come down a bit. I still try to saty connected with my blogger friends and visit everyone as much as I can. I feel happy hoping onto fellow bloggers post and I enjoy seeing all the delicious posts. Thanks to all my blogger friends and readers for all the love and support you guys shower on me. Please stay tuned for more wonderful recipes from Cook-Ezee.

Moving onto today's recipe, it is something every Keralite's just love - Unakka Chemmeen Chammanthi/Dry Shrimp Chutney powder. My kids absolutely love them too. Give them rice with yogurt and a teaspoon(more tsps maybe) of this chutney powder, I don't hear any complaints like spicy, yucky, I don't want rice kinda stuff. Me and my hubby relish it equally with Rice/Idli/Dosa. Now let's check out the recipe for the very delicious 'Dry Shrimp Chutney Powder/Unakka Chemmeen Chammanthi Podi'.

Ingredients:-

1. Dry Shrimp ~ 2 Cups(good quality white dry shrimp)
2. Freshly Grated Coconut  ~ 4 Cups
3. Sour Raw Mango ~ 4(use according to the sourness needed, we used sour mango)
4. Curry leaves ~ 5 sprigs (generous amount)
5. Dry Red Chilly ~ 10 nos(adjust according to the spice level, we made it medium spicy)
6. Urad Dal-  2 Cups
7. Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

How We Made It:-

• Add oil in a pan, roast the shrimp in medium heat till light brown and crispy. Move to a plate.
• Remove any dirt. Remove head and tail part as well. Rinse them two times. Sundry them till crisp for a day or two and set aside.'
• Wash, peel and slice the mangoes. Sundry the mango slices as well till moisture is fully gone and becomes crisp. Set aside. 
• Add coconut in a deep kadai/pan, add curry leaves and stir for a minute or two. Add grated coconut to the same pan roast very well till they turn golden brown and crisp(don't over roast and burn the coconut). Move to a serving plate and set aside.
• Add red chilies to the same pan and roast well till they change to deep red color making sure not to burn. Move to plate and set aside.
• Add Urad Dal to the same pan and dry roast it till golden brown. Set set aside.
• Now next procedure is to grind all the ingredients separately and combine all of them.
• Start with Urad dal, grind the ural dal to coarse powder(not too smooth). Put into a deep vessel. 
• Grind roast coconut-curry leaves mix with needed salt. Add to the ground ural dal. 
• Grind the roasted red chilies and add to the url dal, coconut mix. 
• Now grind the sun-dried raw mango to powder it well. Add to the ground coconut mix. 
• Lastly grind the dried shrimp to powder, add to the coconut mix.
• Use a spatula or spoon and mix everything well till they combine. Let it sit for an hour or two to cool down as any ingredient can be but warm while grinding. 
• Move to an air-tight container and store

Notes:-

1.  Shelve life of the chutney powder depends on how well the powder was prepared. If you roast all the ingredients well enough without any moisture this can be stored outside for more than 3 weeks

2. But if you feel there is even a tiny bit of moisture refrigerate it. It stays fresh for months if refrigerated. 

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients:-

1. Blueberries - 1 Cup
2. All Purpose Flour/Maida - 2 Cups + 1 tsp
3. Baking powder - 1 tsp
4. Baking soda - ½tsp
5. Softened Butter - ½ Cup 
6. Pure Vanilla Extract - 1tsp
7. Sugar - 1½ Cup
8. Milk - ½ Cup 
9. Luke Warm Water - ¼ to ½ Cup(if batter is too thick)

How I made It:-

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 Degree F 
• Grease and flour a nine inch round cake pan. Set aside
• Wash blueberries two-three times in water. Pat dry with a paper towel. 
• Toss blueberries and a spoon of flour. Set aside till cake batter is ready. 
• Sift together all purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda or mix all the three very well in a wide bowl using a wire whisk.
• Add butter in another bowl, using a hand/electric mixer beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well until it turns lemon yellow color and creamy. 
• Scrape of the edges, add in the vanilla essence and run the mixer in low speed. 
• With mixer in low speed add flour and milk alternatively till everything is combined(or use a spatula to fold in both)  
• If the batter is too thick, pour warm water little by little and fold in again gently.  
• Fold in the blueberries gently. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan. Pat them on the flour to get rid of any air bubbles

• Spread couple of blueberries on top if desired but press them in a bit so that the top berries do not give burn taste.
• Bake them for 40-45 mins or until a tooth pick/sharp knife inserted comes out clean.
• Take out of the oven and let it cool completely.
• Slice them and serve warm or cold with Coffee/Tea

                         

Kallumakkaya Biriyani/Mussels Biriyani ~ Another Malabar Delicacy

Ingredients:-

To Marinate:-

1. Kallumakkaya/Mussels Big - 2lbs(before shells removed)
2. Turmeric powder - ½tsp
3. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
4. Salt - ¾ tsp(adjuslt to taste)
5. Fennel seeds crushed/coarse ground in a mortar - ¼ tsp

For Stir Fry:-

1. Onion very thinly sliced - 3 Cup(4 Med Size)
2. Ginger and Garlic chopped fine/Crushed together in a mortar - 1 tbsp each
3. Green Chilly Chopped fine - 8
4. Tomato sliced fine - 1½ to 2Cup (2 Med)
5. Salt - ½ tsp(to taste)
6. Turmeric powder -  ½ tsp
7. Garam Masala - 1½
8. Curry leaves two sprigs or more
9. Coriander Leaves chopped - 2 tbsp + to garnish

To Garnish(optional- I didn't do it this time):-

1. Cashews a handful
2. Raisins a handful
3. Deep fried Onion - 1(~ ½ cup)
4. Chopped coriander leaves ~ 2tbsp

Preparation Method:-

• Wash the mussels two-three times to remove all the dirt stick on the shell. Place them in a wide vessel/Pot with water to cover the mussels and bring to boil with lid on.
• You will see the shell open and mussel leave the shell from one side and form shape instead of sticking on both sides of the shell.
• Take off the stove and drain off water. Let it cool 
  

  

  Mussels cleaning Process in Pics

• Separate the flesh from the shell and discard the shell. Remove the black color dirt inside the mussel meat. Remove byssus(a strong group of filament like hair) inside the mussels as well.
• Pour water in a bowl and put mussel meat in it. Rinse gently to remove any sand/dirt in the meat once or twice.
• Marinate with Salt, turmeric, chilly powder and crushed fennel seeds. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat a tsp oil in a pan, place the mussels and shallow fry on both sides till they are light brown. Move them to a bowl and set aside.
• Pour oil in the same pan, add curry leaves, minced ginger and garlic and saute till raw smell goes away for a minute or two.
• Add Green chilies, sliced onions, salt  and saute very well in medium heat till they turn translucent. 
• Add tomatoes and saute till they start releasing water content. Break the tomatoes as you saute and let everything blend together well.
• Add turmeric powder, coriander leaves and saute well to mix. Add the shallow fried Mussles/Kallumakkaya and saute well to combine. 
• Cover and let it cook for three-five minutes stirring occasionally.
• Add garam masala and more curry leaves, saute well, cover and let cook for another two-three minutes. Check for salt and adjust. Switch off the stove and set aside till you prepare rice. 

For Ghee Rice:-

1. Jeera Rice/Basmathi Rice - 3 Cups
2. Water - 5 ½ Cups 
3. Cinnamon Stick - 2 inch size broken into halves
4. Green Cardamom Pods - 4
5. Cloves  - 6
6. Bay leaves 2(optional)
7. Whole Pepper corns ~ 7 nos(optional, I like to add them though normal recipes do not call for it)
8. Curry leaves a sprig
9. Ghee ~ 1 tbsp
10. Freshly squeezed Lime Juice ~ 1tbsp(optional)
11. Salt to taste ~ 2 tsp(check and adjust accordingly)
12. Garam Masala - ½ tsp

Making Ghee Rice:-

• Wash rice three to four times in water till you get a clear water, drain the rice fully and set aside. 
• Heat up a wide vessel, add ghee, saute the cashews till light brown and set aside. Add the raisins and saute till they pop up, take out and set aside. 
• Now add cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, pepper corns and saute well till you start getting a nice aroma of spices. 
• Pour water to it, add salt, squeezed lime juice, few curry leaves and bring to boil. Add rice, stir gently with a spatula till the bottom of the pan just to remove any sticky rice from the bottom. Simmer the heat to medium, cover with an air-tight lid and let it cook until almost done.  
• Open the lid once the water is absorbed(rice should not be fully cooked, but will continue to cook during the dum process) and take off the stove.
• Let it cool for couple of minutes, say around 10-15 minutes, if you try to flip or toss the rice when it is very hot it will tend to break and stick. 
• Stir gently with a spatula when the high steam subsides, move to two-three platters so that they don't form lumps and don't stick together. This way you will get a very nice non-lumpy, non-sticky rice. Proceed for the final stage of layering and dumming :-)

 Dumming the Biriyani in low heat:

• Heat up a thick bottom pan, add 2 tsp oil(or ghee), simmer the heat to medium. 
• Spread some rice on the bottom of the vessel, top it with mussels masala gravy, topped with fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, coriander leaves and sprinkle a pinch of garam masala powder

                                               

• Repeat the process with remaining rice, masala, fried cashews, raisins, onions and garama masala.
• Cover it with an air tight lid or place a kitchen towel flatten on top of the vessel and cover to seal tight with the lid. Cook in low heat until you see steam releasing from the sides of the vessel. 
• Move to a serving plate, garnish with  more raisins, cashews and fried onion. Serve warm with pappads, pickles and chutney.

Note:- 

1. You can dum biriyani in the conventional oven the same way by layering rice and masala. Use a microwaveable tray and cover it airtight using the proper airtight lid or the heavy duty silver foil sheet.

2. If you look at the recipe, I've used very less chilly powder instead have added lot of green chilies where the spice comes in. If you want them more spicy you can add chilly powder or increase the amount of green chilies as this recipes is a medium spicy one.

Mango Muffins

Ingredients:-

1. Fresh Mango Pureed or Kesar Mango Pulp - 3 cup
2. All purpose flour/Maida - 3 Cups
3. Baking Soda -¾tsp
4. Baking powder - 1 tsp
5. Eggs -2
6. Butter - ½ cup
7. Sugar - 1½ cup

Preparation Method:-

• Pre-heat the oven in 350 Degree F. Line the muffin tray with liners and set aside.
• Sift together all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder or add them to a wide bowl and whisk well to combine.
• Cream butter and sugar beating with a hand mixer/electric mixer for two-three minutes in medium speed.
• Add in eggs and beat in medium speed till creamy.
• Add in the flour mixture and mango puree little by little alternatly till everything is combined
• Pour the batter to the muffin liners till 3/4th cup.
• Bake for around 40-45 mins or till a sharp knife/cake tester inserted comes out clean.
• Take out of the oven and let it cool
• Serve with coffee/tea/breakfast/snack or whenever you crave for one :)