VANILLA ICECREAM

  Vanilla is frequently used to flavor ice cream, especially in North America and Europe. Vanilla ice cream, like other flavors of ice cream, was originally created by cooling a mixture of sugar, cream and vanilla above a container of ice and salt. But my recipe is without ice cream maker. 

  Surprised ………yes you heard it right. This recipe blows my mind!!! It’s wonderful and so easy to make. You just have to remember to make it ahead of time! If you don’t have an ice cream maker no worries because this recipe doesn’t need ice cream maker. No cooking involved in this recipe for homemade ice cream. Only whisk the whipping cream with a electrical beater and add condensed milk in it. Just fold it and pour it in a ice cream mold and freeze it. Everyone will be impressed by this smooth and creamy classic ice cream.

INGREDIENTS: 

600 ml Whipping Cream

1 tin/400 ml Milkmaid [see notes]

3-4 drops Vanilla Essence

METHOD:

STEP 1 - Whip the cream till soft peaks appear.

STEP 2 – Then add condensed milk (milkmaid) in it and just fold it with the rubber spatula.

STEP 3 - Then transfer the mixture in the ice cream mold and freeze it.

STEP 4 – After 20-30 minutes cover it with a cling wrap or aluminum foil and then freeze it for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

STEP 5 – Remove it from freezer and scoop it and serve to dear once.

Serve it with a little chocolate sauce/ you can serve it with hot brownies/ use it for your milkshakes or other desserts.

This is my families all time favourite combo....Chocolate Walnut Brownie with Vanilla Ice cream.

NOTES: * Here I used homemade condensed milk for my recipe. You can find the recipe of homemade Condensed milk in my blog itself –www.kalpanaslacucina.blogspot.in under the title –Other Recipes or @http://kalpanaslacucina.blogspot.in/2016/04/homemade-condensed-milk.html

*If using Nestle Milkmaid, it’s more sweet so your ice cream is more sweeter than regular one.

APPAMS

Appam is nothing but the fermented bread made out of Rice and Coconut. Appam is specially popular among the Christians of Kerala. This recipe of Appam is shared by my friend Sushma Hiten from Bangalore who is not South Indian but a masterchef and very dear to me. Some say that Appams was adapted from Jewish people who migrated to Kerala. Times have changed and I would say, Appam has become an identity of all Keralites. There are numerous variations of Appam. I tried it for very first time but only two came out properly. But will definitely going to try again and again. This Appam recipe is made with yeast. But you can make appams without yeast too and I will be adding this without yeast version also in some days. This recipe need only minimum ingredients  I served this with Chicken Stew and it was delicious. So here is the recipe with step by step pictures. Hope you all like it.  

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Rice Flour

1 ½ tablespoon Yeast

2-3 tablespoon Sugar

 Coconut Milk as required [fresh or tetra pack is also fine]

METHOD:

For Yeast Proofing:

STEP 1 - Take ½ cup warm water. Sprinkle yeast and sugar on it.

STEP 2 - Cover and let this solution sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or till it becomes bubbly and frothy. If it doesn’t froth in 10 minutes, just throw it away and again proof the yeast.

For Making Batter:

STEP 1 - Add this frothed yeast mixture to rice flour along with coconut milk. It should be thinner consistency then idli batter.

STEP 2 - Mix well so that no lumps are there. Cover and let it double or triple in volume. 2 hour time is enough 

STEP 3 – Just give a stir and at last add salt when doing it.

STEP 4 – Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Pour a ladle full batter on it and just rotate the pan so as to spread the batter.

STEP 5 – Cover the pan and cook it for few minutes.The base would become nicely light golden. Once it’s free from the pan remove it.

STEP 6 – Repeat the same with the rest of the batter and serve.

                                      Serve with coconut chutney/ veg or non-veg stew and enjoy.

CHICKEN STEW

Chicken Stew is famous all around the world. Kerala Chicken stew is a popular traditional breakfast and much-favoured dish it is one must have recipe on Christmas Day. This recipe is shared by dear friend Mincy Jeevan from Chennai. Thanks Minc for the yumm recipe . My family and especially my hubby really enjoyed this stew recipe. This is nothing fancy, just an easy, simple stew. As you know chicken stew is famous all around the world. Everyone has their own version. Traditionally this stew is served with Appam. I also made Appam but as it was my first try I am not be able to make more than 2 appams properly. You can add bolied potatoes in this recipe or this can be made with only veggies. Try this Kerala style chicken stew and I am sure you will love it. So give a try and enjoy and don’t forget to share your experience with me.

INGREDIENTS:

500 Gms Chicken Pieces, washed properly

10-15 Garlic Cloves paste

1 Inch Ginger paste

1-2 Potatoes [optional]

1 Onion Sliced Finely

Few strands of Curry Leaves

2-3 Green Chilies, slit lengthwise [remove seeds if you don’t like spicy]

4 Green Cardamoms

1 Black Cardamom

4-5 Cloves

1 Inch Cinnamon

1-2 Bay Leaves

¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

Salt as per taste

1 tablespoon Oil [see tips]

2 Cups Coconut Milk [see tips]

½ teaspoon Lemon Juice

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Pressure cook the chicken in thin [second] coconut milk. Cool it and keep it aside.

STEP 2 – In a wide pan heat oil and add the khada/ whole masala in it and sauté for few seconds till the aroma emanates the kitchen.

STEP 3 – Add the curry leaves and slit green chilies in it.

STEP 4 - Add sliced onion in it and sauté till the raw smell goes off.

STEP 5 – Now add ginger-garlic, green chilies and curry leaves paste in it and sauté well.

STEP 6 - Add pressure cooked chicken pieces and mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.

STEP 7 – Then add salt and thick [first] coconut milk we have kept aside. Mix it properly.

STEP 8 – Now add turmeric powder and garam masala in it and let it cook for further few minutes.

STEP 9 – Simmer till the chicken turn tender and the gravy thickens.

STEP 10 – Turn off the heat.

STEP 11 - Make a tempering with 1-2 teaspoon oil and curry leaves and add it to the cooked stew with lemon juice and mix well and serve.

Serve the ready chicken stew with appam, rice or chapatti.

NOTE: * Grind one full coconut in mixie and take its milk twice. Keep first milk aside and use second milk for cooking the chicken.

           * You can use the Tetra Packed Coconut Milk for this recipe.

            *You can add some other oil if you don’t have coconut oil.

           *I have not added potato but if you want to add, pressure cook potatoes and peel them and make big sized cubes.

           *Add potatoes at STEP no. 8 if using.

           *Chicken may be substituted with mutton and vegetarian can be replace with vegetables.

           *If your stew is very thin then you can thicken it by soaking 7-8 cashews in hot water and blend well and add to the curry.