Hello My friends ❤️

Christmas is almost here and it is definitely the season to be jolly. This is absolutely the best time of the year, with beautifully decorated houses, lot of shopping and gift exchanges, jingling Christmas music all around and most importantly the amazing tasty treats that the holiday season brings, like the Christmas Fruit Cake, Duck Roast, Cutlets, Stews, Appams, Beef, Chicken… the list just goes on and on!
Some of the fondest memories were from these celebrations, feasts and the fun that we all had with our family and friends. We bake delicious cakes and cookies to share with our loved ones, put up a Christmas tree and decorate it with lights and toys, would have surprise gifts and plan fun games too. Friends celebrating Christmas at their houses used to come home or send us homemade wine and cakes. We used to be so much in awe of Santa and were true believers too. We used to wait for Santa and his team to come home and sing carols. In the heart of learning and laughter at school, we embraced the magic of Christmas with boundless enthusiasm. The spirit of giving was installed and we exchanged thoughtful gifts and handmade cards which has become very rare today. The school echoed with sweet sound of carols sung by school carolers spreading cheer to everyone around. On Christmas eve, we would go out for a drive around town, gaze at the decorated houses and lights, stare at the LED-lit paper stars of various shapes, sizes and colors that are usually used to adorn homes during this season. And on Christmas, we would be wishing all our near and dear ones with greetings, have a wide spread from breakfast to dinner with Christmas cake, puddings, meals, snacks etc. Let me share some Christmas recipes with all of you. I am sure you are going to love them. Wish you all a wonderful and Merry Christmas!!!

Here I am going to present 10 must try Kerala dishes for Christmas

1 – No Soak Easy Rich Plumcake (With out Oven and Beater )

Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour – 2cups/300gm Sugar – 1 cup
• Baking Powder -2 tsp
• Spices – 1⁄4 tsp each
• Eggs-3
• Butter – 200gm
• Salt – 1⁄4 tsp
• Orange Juice/any juice – 2 cups
• Nuts and Dry fruits together – 3 cups

To make caramel

• Sugar -1⁄2 – 3⁄4cup
• Hot water – 1⁄4 cup +3 tbsp

Method

• Crush 1⁄2 cup cashew nuts and 1⁄2 cup almonds.
• Add them to 2 cups of dry fruits.
• You can use only raisins and nuts if you like it that way.
• Add the dry fruits to a pan.
• Pour 2 cups of any juice you prefer.
• Juice adds good flavour to the cake.
• You can use rum/wine too.
• The aim it to soften the dry fruits.
• Cook them on medium flame.
• Once the juice has dried up, switch off the flame and keep it aside to cool down.
• To make the caramel, add 3⁄4 cup sugar and 3tbsp water.
• Cook till it reaches a golden colour.
• Once it turns golden in colour, add 1⁄4 cup hot water to it.
• Keep stirring on medium flame until done.
• Keep it aside to cool down. Sieve the flour, spices, baking powder and salt. Keep it aside.
• Melt the butter and keep aside.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs using a fork adding 2tsp vanilla essence and 1tbsp finely chopped orange peels.
• Powder the sugar and add it to the egg mixture.
• Adjust the sweetness as per your taste.
• Add more if you feel it is less sweet.
• Add melted butter to this.
• If you don’t have butter, you can use oil.
• Add the dry fruits and mix well.
• This is a rich cake.
• You can reduce the quantity of dry fruits if you want. Heat the oven or kadayi for 10 minutes.
• Add the flour mix slowly to the wet mixture and fold it using a spatula or your hand.
• Pour half of the caramel first and fold in.
• Add the rest of the flour and the caramel syrup to this.
• Fold in slowly. Pour the batter into a lined baking tray. Decorate the top of the cake with nuts (optional) and bake it at a preheated oven or kadayi on low heat for 50mins – 1 hour.

Once the cake is done, let it cool.
Trust me! This is the best fruit cake I have ever had. It’s really amazing and easy to make. The flavours mature very well as days go by. Give it a try and you will know that I was right.

2 – Beef Curry 

Ingredients 

• Beef-1⁄2 kg
• Onion-1or2
• Shallots -5 (optional)
• Green chilli – 5
• Curry leaves
• Coconut Oil – 3tbsp
• Chilli powder – 1tsp
• Kashmiri chilli Powder – 1⁄2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1⁄4 tsp
• Garam Masala – 1⁄2 tsp
• Salt
• Ginger Garlic Paste – 1tbsp

For the marination

• Chilli Powder – 1tsp
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder – 1tsp
• Coriander Powder – 1tsp
• Garam masala – 1⁄4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1⁄4 tsp
• Salt–1⁄2tsp
• Vinegar – 1tbsp
• Curry leaves
• Shallots optional
• Coconut Oil -1tsp

Method

• Wash the beef well and cut them to small pieces.
• Soak the beef in vinegar for a while to get rid of the foul smell.
• After 10 minutes, wash well and strain them.
• Marinate the beef with the masalas mentioned in the marination list and keep it aside for at least 20 minutes.
• It can be kept in the fridge or outside.
• After 20 minutes, transfer the marinated beef to a cooker.
• No need to pour water. It tastes best when it gets cooked in the beef stock itself.
• Adjust your cooking time according to the beef you get.
• The beef we get here are tender beef and so cooking it needs just 3 whistles to get cooked.
• Switch off the flame and open it once it cools down.
• Make sure the beef is cooked. If not, cook longer.
• Those who don’t have a cooker, can close and cook it on medium flame in a thick bottomed pan.
• Keep the cooked beef aside.
• To prepare the masala for it, pour little coconut oil in a pan.
• Once the oil is hot, add ginger garlic paste and saute it o medium flame for a minute.
• Add onions, green chillies and shallots. Shallots are optional.
• Mix well adding little salt. Saute them on medium flame till it reaches a golden colour.
• Give it a stir in between.
• Once the onions turn golden in colour, reduce the flame to low and add the masala powders.
• Mix them well until the raw smell of the masalas are gone.
• Add the beef and stir well. Make sure the salt and spices are perfect.
• Increase the flame to medium and pour 1⁄2 glass hot water. Let it boil well.
• Add more water if you want more gravy.
• The curry will thicken as it cools down.
• Boil it on high flame for 10 minutes first and then on medium flame for 5 minutes.
• A layer of oil will be seen on top by then.
• Switch off the flame and add 2 green chillies slit, little curry leaves and coconut oil.
• All these are to enhance the flavour of the dish.
• Close with a lid for 10 minutes and serve with chapathi, rice etc.
  An all-time favourite dish for all at home except me, as I am a veg! But happy to serve my family and see them enjoying

 

3 – Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• Chicken – 1kg
• Curry leaves – plenty
• Ginger – a big piece
• Garlic – 5-6 cloves
• Fennel seeds – 1⁄2 tsp
• Peppercorns – 1 1⁄2 tbsp
• Green chilli – 4+2
• Onion – 4
• Shallots – 10 – 15
• Tomato – 2 small + 1
• Turmeric powder – 1⁄2 tsp
• Chilli Powder – 1tbsp
• Kashmiri chilli – 3⁄4 tbsp
• Coriander Powder – 1 1⁄2 tsp
• Garam masala–1⁄2+1⁄2tsp
• Salt –
• Hot Water –
• Coconut Oil – 3tbsp

Method

• Add coconut oil to a thick bottomed pan and sprinkle some curry leaves to it.
• Crush garlic, ginger, peppercorns and fennel seed to a thick paste and add it to the above oil.
• Saute till the raw smell goes.
• Add onions, little salt, green chillies and shallots and keep stirring this till the onions turn brown in colour.
• Once done, add turmeric powder, chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
• Stir on medium flame until you get rid of the raw smell. 10 minutes later, add 2 diced tomatoes and mix well. Close and cook until the tomatoes are well done.
• Once the tomatoes are done and the oil is seen on top, add the chicken pieces.
• Stir well, close and cook the chicken in the stock that oozes out from it.
• Give it a stir in between.
• Once the chicken is cooked, add some hot water to get some gravy.
• Sprinkle some garam masala powder at this stage.
• The chicken curry will smell awesome now and a layer of oil will be seen on top of it.
• Switch off the flame and garnish with 2 slit chillies, a small tomato deseeded and lot of curry leaves.
• Seasoning it with fried onions is optional.
  Our quick and delicious authentic typical Kerala style chicken curry is ready to serve!

 

4 – Angamali Manga Curry

Ingredients

• Raw Mango – 1
• Coconut milk – 2cups (of 1)
• Water -1 cup
• Shallots – 10
• Ginger -one small piece
• Chilli powder – 1⁄2 tsp
• Kashmiri chilli powder – 1⁄2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 1⁄2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1⁄4 tsp
• Vinegar – 1 -2 tbsp
• Salt-
• Sugar – one pinch
• Fennel seed powder – 1 pinch
• Cinnamon powder – 1 pinch
• Green chilli – 3
• Curry leaves
• Coconut oil – 1tsp
• Shallots – 3

For marination

• Chilli powder – 2 pinches
• Turmeric powder – 2 pinches
• Vinegar – 1tbsp
• Salt

• Recipe
  Discard the skin of the raw mango and cut it to pieces.
• Marinate it with turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and vinegar.
• Mix well, close and keep aside for 15 minutes.
• To extract coconut milk, grate 1 coconut and grind it with water and take 2 cups coconut milk.
• In a pot, add the shallots, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and coconut oil.
• Crush them well with your hand.
• Pour the coconut milk to this.
• Add little water also to it.
• Switch on the flame and keep stirring until it boils.
• Once it boils, add the mango pieces and give it a swirl.
• Close and cook on medium flame for 5 minutes.
• Add vinegar now. Make sure the mango is cooked.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon powder and fennel seed powder.
• Let this boil for 2 minutes.
• Check the salt and spice and adjust if needed.
• Add a pinch of sugar which is optional, give it a swirl and then switch off the flame.
• To season, heat a pan with coconut oil.
• Once the oil is hot, add thinly sliced shallots to it.
• Fry them on low flame till it turns golden brown.
• Add curry leaves at the end and top it over the curry.
• Close and keep it aside for 10 minutes letting all the flavours merge well.
  Our Angamali Mango Curry is ready to tickle your tastebuds.

 

5 – Beef Cutlet

Ingredients

• Beef – 500gm
• Ginger – 1tsp
• Garlic – 2tsp
• Green chilli – 1
• Chilli Powder – 3⁄4 tsp
• Pepper Powder – 1⁄2 tsp
• Garam Masala – 1⁄2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1⁄4 tsp
• Salt
• Water – 4tbsp

For the masala

• Onion – 2
• Ginger – 1tsp
• Garlic – 1tbsp
• Green Chilli – 2
• Curry leaves – Salt
• Pepper Powder – 1⁄2 tsp
• Garam Masala – 1⁄2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1⁄4 tsp
• Chilli Powder – 1⁄2 tsp
• Potato – 2

 

Recipe

• Wash 1⁄2 kg medium sized beef and add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, pepper powder and salt to it.
• Marinate and keep this aside for 20 minutes.
• Transfer the marinated beef to a cooker after that.
• Add ginger, garlic, green chilli and very little water to cook it.
• Cook on medium flame for 4 whistles and keep it aside.
• Adjust your cooking time according to the beef you get.
• For the masala, pour little coconut oil in a pan.
• Add ginger and garlic to it and saute it for a minute.
• Add onions, little salt, green chillies and curry leaves.
• Saute them until they turn golden in colour.
• Cook the potatoes without adding salt and keep them aside to cool down.
• Once the onions have turned golden in colour, add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder.
• Cook them untill you get rid of the raw smell.
• Open the beef and dry all the water in it and let it cool down.
• Mash the potatoes in a bowl.
• Once the beef has cooled down, either whip it in your mixi jar or use a chopper.
• I have kept few pieces aside without chopping to add it as pieces along with the rest. This is optional.

• Cut them to pieces and add it to the above mix.
• Add little salt to the potatoes.
• Mix beef with the onion mixture and stir well.
• Cook on medium flame for 5 minutes.
• Add little by little of the mashed potatoes and mix well.
• Taste and adjust the salt or spice if needed.
• Once well mixed, keep it aside to cool down.
• Make small balls, hape and place them on a greased plate.
• Beat egg whites in a bowl.
• Heat a pan with oil to shallow fry the cutlets.
• You can use any oil you want.
• Dip the cutlet in egg white and then fry them.
• Turn them over when they turn golden brown in colour.
• You can even roll them in bread crumbs after dipping in egg white and then fry them.
• Since that gives it a sweet coating, I prefer just egg white covering.
• Remove the cutlets when it turns little dark in colour and transfer them to a kitchen tissue.
• Serve them hot with sauce or as it is.
• Cutlets may look a bit tough.

But believe in yourself, be it in the kitchen or anywhere and you are bound to find success.

 

6 – Vattayappam

Ingredients

• Idli Rice  / White Rice – 2cups
• Grated coconut – 1⁄2 of 1
• Coconut Milk – 1cup
• Salt
• Sugar – 3 or according to ur taste
• Instant Yeast – 1⁄2 tsp
• Water – 2cups
• Cardamom Powder – 1⁄4 – 1⁄2 tsp

Recipe

• Soak idly rice for 3 hours and wash them well.
• Grate a coconut, grind half of it and extract coconut milk from it.
• Pour little coconut milk to the rice and grated coconut and grind it to a fine batter.
• Grind the rest the same way.
• Pour water and adjust the thickness of the batter. First, we have to take a ladle of batter and thicken it by pouring a glass of water to it.
• Keep stirring making sure it doesn’t form lumps.
• Cook on medium to low flame stirring continously.
• After 5 minutes, it will begin to thicken.
• Switch off the flame at this stage and keep it aside to cool down.
• Transfer it to a mixi jar with yeast and sugar and grind well.
• Mix this with the batter well.
• Add sugar now if making a sweet snack.
• You can make the same adding jaggery syrup instead of sugar.
• The batter is smooth now.
• Close and keep it aside for 3 hours.
• It will rise and so it is best to be put in a deep vessel. Or you can even immerse this in a bigger vessel.
• Check after 3hrs. If it hasn’t rose well, keep it longer.
• Powder cardamom with sugar in the mixi jar.
• Add cardamom powder and salt to the batter and begin to make Vattayappam.
• Those who don’t have a steamer, take a wide kadayi and lace a lid in it. Pour water till that level.
• Place a greased oven proof glass dish or steel plate in it.
• Once you begin to see the steam, pour half of the batter into the plate.
• Those who have a steamer can use that.
• The more batter you pour, the more time it takes to get cooked.
• Cook it on high flame for 20 minutes.
• Test with a skewer and make sure it comes out clean.
• Take out the plate carefully and let it cool down.
• The first one is ready.
• I have kept another batch to steam now.
• When the appam is 75% ready, you can top it with cashew nuts roasted in ghee which is optional.
• Cook the rest. Once it is done, carefully take them out of the steamer and keep it aside to cool down. Cut and serve for tea or can be had at any time of the day.
• I am sure this is the kind you always wanted to make, but never figured how to. Now you have the recipe. Give it a try and trust me, it’s a fail proof recipe!

 

7 – Palappam

Ingredients

• Idly Rice / White Rice – 2 cups
• Coconut – 1 small
• Sugar – 4tbsp
• Salt
• Yeast – 1⁄4 tsp
• Water – as required

Recipe

• Wash the rice well and then soak it for 4 hours.
• If keeping it longer, keep it in the fridge.
• Grind the grated coconut and rice in two batches to a fine batter adding 1⁄4 – 1⁄2 glass water.
• Grind the rest to. The consistency should be thinner than a dosa batter.
• Take a ladle of batter in a pan.
• Add 1 glass water to it and stir continuously on medium flame till it thickens.
• When it thickens, switch off the flame and keep it aside to cool down.
• Once done, transfer it to a mixi jar and add one more ladle batter to it.
• Add sugar, salt, yeast and 1⁄4 glass water to grind to a fine batter.
• Mix it with the previous batter.
• The consistency should be thin.
• Close the batter and keep it to rise for 3-4 hrs.
• Place this in a deep vessel to avoid the batter over flowing and going for a waste. Just for\a precaution.
• Keep the batter aside for 3-4hrs.
• If you are not making it the same day, keep it in the fridge.
• Try an appam when the batter is ready.
• Taste and see if the salt and sugar are correct.
• Heat a pan on high flame and pour a ladle of batter.
• Once you see the holes around, reduce to medium flame, close and cook for a minute.
• Now it is crispy at the end and soft in the centre.
• Make the rest the same way.
• You can have it with any curries you like.
• Those who don’t have an appam pan, can make the same on a dosa tawa.
• Don’t spread the batter.
• Once you see holes around, close and cook it till done. Serve hot.Kerala’s own lace hoppers, an all time favourite for all around the world.

 

8 – Chicken Stew

Ingredients

• Chicken – 300gm (with bone)
• Green chilli – 3
• Ginger – small piece
• Garlic- 1
• Curry leaves – 1 string
• Pepper powder – less than 1/4tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Potato – 1 medium
• Coconut Oil – 2tbsp
• Thin coconut milk – 2 cups
• Thick coconut milk – 1⁄2 cup
• Water – 1⁄4 cup

For the masala

• Onion – 1 medium
• Green chilli – 2 Curry leaves
• Ginger – 1tsp

For the Garam masala

• Fennel seeds – 1⁄2 tsp
• Cloves – 10
• Cinnamon – 2
• Cardamom -3
• Star anise – 1

Recipe

• Wash fresh chicken with bones.
• Transfer the chicken to a cooker.
• Add finely chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves and pepper powder.
• Add salt as required and mix them well.
• Keep it aside for 20 minutes.
• Add very little water to cook the chicken as stock will ooze out of it.
• Cook the chicken for 3 whistles on medium flame.
• To make a garam masala, finely powder fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and star anise.
• Transfer this to an air tight container and keep it aside.
• Grind 1.5 coconuts with 1⁄2 glass water to extract 1⁄2 cup thick coconut milk.
• Add 1.75 glasses of water to the coconut again and grind to extract 2 glasses of thin coconut milk.
• Peel and cut a medium sized potato to cubes and cook it with little water and salt on medium flame for a whistle.
• To saute the masala, pour little coconut oil to a pan and saute thinly sliced medium sized onion until they turn translucent.
• Add thinly sliced ginger, green chillies and little curry leaves.
• Sprinkle little salt to the onions and saute for a while.
• Once done, add the cooked chicken with the stock and potatoes to this.
• Cook till the stock has evaporated.
• Add 2 cups of thin coconut milk and cook the chicken till it thickens.
• Add 1⁄4 tsp garam masala powder that was powdered earlier.
• Stir slowly and cook for 5 minutes on high flame.
• Once done, reduce the flame and add the thick coconut milk.
• Mix slowly and do not boil. Switch off the flame and keep the stew aside.
• Sprinkle little garam masala powder, some curry leaves and drizzle little coconut oil on top.
• You may season it with fried onions or roasted cashew nuts.
• Close and keep this aside for all the flavours to merge well.
• Serve with appam, ghee rice or any breads.

How could you think of a Christmas breakfast without appam and chicken stew, right?

 

9 – Vegetable Stew 

Ingredients

• Potato – 2
• Beans – 6
• Carrot – 1
• Cinnamon – 1
• Cloves – 3
• Cardamom – 2
• BayLeaf-1
• Coconut Oil – 1tbsp
• Ginger – Small piece
• Garlic – 3
• Onion – 1
• Green Chilli – 4
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• Water -1cup
• Garam Masala -1/2 tsp
• Pepper Powder – 2 pinches
• Coconut Milk -1 1⁄2 cups

For Garam Masala

• Cardamom – 5
• Cloves – 15
• Cinnamon – 2
• Star anise – 2
• Fennel seeds – 1tsp

• Recipe
  Pour little coconut oil to a kadayi.
• Add a bayleaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
• Saute this on medium flame till the aroma is known.
• After 2 minutes, add a thinly sliced onions, ginger, garlic, little curry leaves and green chillies.
• Add litte salt and saute till the onions turn light brown.
• Once done, add diced carrot, potatoes and beans.
• You can add cauliflower and green peas too.
• Saute for 5 minutes or give a whistle in the cooker.
• Powder the garam masalas mentioned in the ingredients.
• Transfer the vegetables to a cooker and add water to it.
• Add powdered garam masala powder.
• Close and cook it on medium flame for 1 whistle.
• Once done, add thick coconut milk.
• I extracted coconut milk from 2 boxes of coconut grinded with 1.5 glasses of water.
• As it begins to boil, switch off the flame.
• Taste and adjust as required.
• Adding little garam masala powder and a pinch of pepper powder too.
• Top with curry leaves and drizzle little coconut oil over it.
• Close and keep it aside 5-10 minutes so that the flavours merge well.
• Serve with palappam, idiappam, bread or any you like.
  Veg stew for the vegetarians this Christmas!

 

10 – Duck Roast

Ingredients

• Duck-1kg
• Chilli Powder – 1.5tbsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1⁄4 tsp
• Coriander Powder – 1.5 tbsp
• Garam Masala – 1.5tsp
• Crushed Pepper – 1⁄2 tsp
• Green chilli – 6
• Garlic-6+10
• Ginger – 1 medium
• Curry leaves
• Shallots -10 +10
• Onion – 2
• Oil
• Vinegar – 3tbsp
• Hot Water – 1cup

• Recipe
  Cut 1kg duck to medium pieces.
• You may use with or without skin.
• Rub it with vinegar and salt and then wash it well (optional).
• In a kadayi, add shallots, an onion, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt, curry leaves, vinegar and little coconut oil.
• Mix them well with your hand.
• Add the duck pieces to this, mix well and pour hot water, close and cook it on low flame.
• Give it a stir in between and make sure it doesn’t get burnt.
• This is the slow cooking process.
• If you are using a cooker, cook on medium flame.
• Once the duck it cooked, fry it.
• Heat a pan and add little coconut oil to it.
• Take the pieces from the curry and drop them in the oil.
• Fry them on both the sides in 2-3 batches.
• Do not over fry them. Fry all till done.
• Transfer the pieces to a bowl.
• If not frying, skip the frying process and continue with the next step.
• Take little oil from the fried oil in a pan.
• Add shallots and garlic to it and roast till it turns crispy.
• Add little salt to the onions and roast till it turns brown.
• Transfer them to the masala and cook on high flame.
• Check the salt, spice and sourness.
• Add little garam masala to this now.
• When it begins to thicken, add the fried duck pieces to itand stir well.
• The duck pieces should be coated with masala.
• Add some crushed pepper at the end or now and mix well.
• The duck roast is ready. Garnish it with curry leaves and little coconut oil.
• Mix them well.
• Close and keep it aside for a while.
• Duck roast is ready to serve.
  There is barely anything to do at all, but at the end you are rewarded with the tastiest duck roast ever!

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• Hope u all will enjoy above recipes . Once again wish u all a Merry Christmas and Happy Newyear
• With Love ❤️
• Veena Jan