Kerala Style Egg White and Peas Masala

Egg and peas cooked with spices is a delicious side dish with Indian rotis. It also tastes well with Appam. So if you are used to just making stu every time, try this different recipe. Onion, ginger, garlic, chilly and tomato are sauteed in a caste iron wok and then the spices are added. I used the egg whites only. If you like use the whole egg. This is a typical Kerala style dish. The peas with a slightly sweet taste balances the spice level. The same combination is made even with coconut milk. This is the curry usually served in restaurants for breakfast. This is my hubby's favorite dish. It is very difficult to satisfy his palate.The combination of eggs and peas sounds weird but trust me it is yummy! So what are you waiting for? Make this and get your taste buds ready for some good eats!

Chemeen Pollichatu / Kerala Prawns Pollichathu

Kerala is well known for its sea food delicacies and one of the recipes to top the list is the Chemmeen Pollichathu / Prawns Pollichathu. This is a spicy dish that will tingle your taste buds. Prawns is first marinated with the spices and then sauteed in a pan. It is then coated with the masala. This classic preparation is one of the dishes tourists coming to Kerala always look out for. I have always been a fan of Meen Pollichathu/ Fish Pollichathu. It is one of the healthiest way to have fish. It is on one of these searches on the internet that I found this recipe here. Traditionally the prawns is wrapped in a banana leaf , tied into a parcel and then baked on a heavy caste iron skillet or steamed. This brings out the flavours of the dish. This is a slightly easier version. It tasted too good!! 

Healthy Milk Puri for Kids

I haven't met anyone who does not like Puris. Puri is an unleavened deep fried popular bread of India. You go to the south or north of India Puri is a popular Indian breakfast item. It is served with potato bhaji and chutney is also an amazing combination. Today I would like to share a healthier version of puris that can be made easily. This is the Milk Puri where the dough is made with a mixture of room temperature milk and poovan bananas. The puris are soft. 

Vattayappam - A Kerala Special Steamed Rice Cake & Celebrating Blog Anniversary

Rinku’s Kitchen Treats is celebrating its 4th anniversary. Oh my time has been flying extremely fast! Creating this blog is one of the best decisions I ever made, as it allows me to connect with people that feel the same way about food as I do. And allows me to share my favorite cuisine- the Kerala cuisine with the rest of the world. I didn't have a plan when I set out on this blogging journey. But I am taking it on a slow pace and enjoying every minute of it.

Foremost, I want to thank my husband and kids who play a large role behind the scenes. And want to thank all my readers for visiting my website and following us on Facebook, and Pinterest. I truly appreciate it! It’s your readership that makes me continue blogging. I would even take this opportunity to thank my family for being so supportive, my friend Shireen,  who has been a constant guide and my other friends who are always there for me.

So to all of you who have been a part of my blogging journey, I want to say an enormous THANK YOU. I really appreciate your kind comments, shares and feedback. Wishing you all a prosperous New Year!

Homemade Chocolates

Let us make homemade gifts for our guests. Easy homemade chocolates.Absolutely delicious and can be made with very little effort and time and just 4 ingredients. This is just perfect as a guest gift even for other functions. You can add in fillings of your choice.

Easy One Bowl Chocolate Cake

The festive season is on and I am sure you have many visitors or last minute dinner guests coming in to visit. This is when you are in a fix as to what dessert can you serve them without much mess in the kitchen. Then this is the right recipe.

This super easy one bowl cake is the perfect dessert for a gathering. It just vanishes in seconds. My family loves it. Just put in all the ingredients in one bowl and you are ready to bake the cake while you are chatting away with friends or guests. Recipe is adapted from here

I added a bit of coffee powder and vanilla essence to heighten the flavour of the cake. My kids loves cakes. And this is going to be the cake I will bake when they crave for a cake. So go ahead and win all that accolades from your guests this season.

Kannur Special Erachi Puttu / Chicken Puttu

Hi everyone! I am back just in time before Christmas and New Year. I don't know if anyone missed me. But I really missed blogging and reading all the reviews and comments. So here I am with a new recipe. It had to be a specialty of my place to start with ( A fresh start) ☺

Puttu is a specialty of Kerala and an authentic breakfast item. They are steamed cylinders of rice flour layered with coconut.There are many varieties of puttu. Now there is even chocolate puttu. You can have it for dinner or as evening snack when you are really hungry. When you are bored with rotis try this chicken puttu for a change for dinner. It is filling and very healthy too.

Mango Lassi - Indian Summer Drink

For Indians, summer is synonymous with mango season. And India boasts of more than 100 varieties of mangoes. No wonder its called the 'King of all fruits' and is the National fruit of India. Mango Lassi is again one of the most popular summer drink in India and has become popular around the world.

The humidity at my place in Kerala, India is so high. There is only one antidote for this - Fresh Mango Lassi. It is a soothing cold drink to beat the heat. Mango Lassi is made with sweet mango, yogurt, honey, cardamom, milk and ice cubes.It is smooth, creamy and tastes heavenly. You can have it anytime of the day. It is an instant energy booster. And above all it is so easy to make! So go ahead and beat that heat...

Banana Bundt Cake

Peace at last for all the kids and moms in India - its vacation time after all that exam fever. Yeah, this calls for a celebration. So I decided to try out another cake which will now add up to my list of favorite cakes because it is an ultra moist, and melt in the mouth kind of cake by Dorie Greenspan. You can make this cake in a cinch with readily available ingredients especially if you are a home baker like me who is always on the look out for easy recipes.

Dragon Chicken - Indo Chinese Starter

Today I would like to share this easy Indo-Chinese starter - Dragon Chicken. We used to order it at our favourite Chinese restaurant as my son likes it. When I saw this recipe in a magazine (Grihalaxmi) I thought why not try it. And voila! I served it and it was over in a few seconds. This is a new addition to our weekly menu of Indo Chinese preparations. My other favorites are the Chicken Fried Rice, Chilly Mushroom and Chilly Chicken.

Basil Seeds Lime Cooler

If you are a fan of Falooda, you must be familiar with basil seeds. In India, basil seeds are commonly used in faloodas. They are also known by the names Tukmaria / Falooda Seeds / Sabja Seeds. Never did I know, that it had so many health benefits. If you are living in the America / Australia then I am sure you must be familiar with Chia Seeds. Chia Seeds and Basil Seeds are not the same but they are very similar when it comes to benefits. You can call them "cousins". Chia seeds are difficult to find in Asia / South East Asia / Middle East. Basil seeds are more common in these places.You can find these seeds in supermarkets / grocery shops.

Neypathiri / Malabar Special Rice Pancakes

A traditional treat of North Malabar- the Neypathiri / Neypathal. It is a deep fried rice roti which is a common breakfast, evening snack or dinner item at houses in North Kerala. There are different varieties of pathiris like the Ari Pathiri ( for all the health conscious people), Prawn Pathiri, Irachi Pathiri, Chatti/atti pathiri, Tyre Pathiri.. 

Naranga Achar / Kerala Style Lime Pickle

No Indian meal is complete without pickles. There is an amazing variety of pickles made in every part of our country with each region having its own special pickles and methods of preparation. In the non vegetarian type of pickles, the most famous in the North Malabar is the Mussels Pickle. Vegetarian pickles the most famous are the mango pickle, carrot beetroot & dates pickle and lime pickle. Some pickles which all are not aware of are the ones like Chena (yam) Achar.

Kaippakka Curry / Not So Bitter - Bitter Gourd Curry for Kids

Bitter Gourd is one vegetable that even adults try to avoid eating. But that's not the case with me. I have enjoyed having bitter gourd, thanks to my Mom. May be it's the way in which she prepared that made it easy for us to have it. Bitter Gourd is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, magnesium, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, dietary fiber and iron. It has double the quantity of beta carotine, calcium and potassium than in broccoli, spinach and banana respectively. I am sure with this recipe kids will never say no to bitter gourd. And there is no squeezing out (the essential nutrients) of bitter gourd to get rid of the bitterness. 

Easy Classic Christmas Cake

It's party time! No matter which part of the world you are in, if you are celebrating Christmas there are certain traditions that you follow no matter what. Baking is one such tradition and it is almost synonymous with Christmas. So have you decided on the center piece for your Christmas party? Here is a quick and easy Christmas cake recipe that can be made without the soaking fruits or making preparations weeks ahead.

Cardamom Fudge - Easy Diwali Sweet

Diwali - the popular Indian Festival also referred to as 'the festival of lights' falls on November 3rd this year.Many traditional dishes are prepared during this time but sweets are the most iconic of them.Whenever anyone says about Diwali the first thought that comes to mind is sweets. Shops with variety of mouth watering sweets lined up like Rasgollas, Jalebis, Chenna Payas and savouries like chivda, sev etc..This is the time when traditional meals are prepared, guests invited, sweets gifted to friends and relatives. So let's make some quick sweet this Diwali.

Cardamom Fudge - An easy Indian fudge recipe that can be made with the very few ingredients already in your pantry. It is a low fat sweet that can be served after dinner. This is a dish that does not take much of your time. It is soft and juicy and can be made in a microwave.

Low Calorie Instant Poha Chivda - Diwali Special

Chivda - the crunchy popular snack of Maharashtra. Its a low fat appetizer that can be made for guests during Diwali. It is also called the Bombay Mix or the Bombay Style Beaten Rice Mix. It is a healthy snack alternative to the usually fried mixture.Diwali is around the corner and  I am sure preparations have already started. I have tried out many recipes that is made specially during Diwali. Here is a list that can help you plan a Diwali Menu.

Naan in a Pressure Cooker (North Indian)

Sanna (Goan/ Mangalorean)

Vegetable Biryani

Gobi Mussallam (Mughlai)

Navratan Kurma (Mughlai)

Shahi Paneer(Mughlai)

Badam Halwa (Uttar Pradesh)

Easy 4 Ingredients Gajar Ka Halwa (Punjabi)

Banana Halwa (Kerala)

Chenna Payas (Bengali)
Jalebi (North Indian)

Rasogolla (Bengali)

Almond Smoothie

Erachi Ularthiyathu/ Kerala Style Slow Roasted Meat

Erachi Ularthiyathu is one of the popular dishes of Kerala. It can be made with mutton or chicken. Here the meat is marinated with the masala, cooked and then sauteed along with fried onions. It is a famous Thattu Kada (local fast food joints) special.

Pazham Pradhaman / Kerala Banana Dessert - Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal 20

Onam Sadhya is not complete without a dessert. Ada Pradhaman is the king of payasams. There are other varieties of payasams like Parippu Payasam, Ari Payasam, Semiya Payasam. I just love payasams with jaggery. Today I would like to share with you the Nendra Pazham Payasam. 

Manga Achar / Instant Mango Pickle - Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal 19

Onam  is the harvest festival of Kerala which marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. Each home in Kerala welcomes the king with flower carpets in the courtyard. Thiruvonam is the 10 day which is celebrated with great enthusiasm. This is the day when the Onam Sadhya or the elaborate vegetarian meal is prepared and served on a banana leaf.

Parippu Curry - Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal 18

Today is Atham (malayalam star), which marks the beginning of the 10 day Onam festival in Kerala. This is the day we start making the flower carpets called pookkalam. As kids we used to carry a flower basket and go about picking flowers from the garden, temple compound or even from fields.

Erivulla Malli Masala Kozhi Curry / Spicy Coriander Masala Chicken Curry Kerala Style

A simple and spicy chicken curry that goes well with Indian Rotis. This is one of my signature dish. It has a perfect blend of spices. For everyone who loves Kerala style spicy chicken curry, this is an easy chicken curry. 

Cherupayar Parippu Payasam / Split Moong Dal Kheer - Celebrating over 1000 likes on FB

Yayyy!!! So happy to have reached 1000+ Facebook likes. I thank all my blog fans for the continous support and encouragement. It has been a slow and steady growth and I am quite happy about it. It's celebration time! It really feels great when you say a recipe tried from my blog turned out perfect. Love to hear from you all. Thanks once again. 

Tricolour Rice

As we celebrate our Independence Day lets not forget to salute the people who made this happen. Let the tri colour fly high always.This month has been a busy one not because of anything else but holidays. It's hard to keep the boys busy.

Nongal Fry / Kerala Style Lady Fish Fry

A Kerala meal is not complete without a Meen Porichadu or Fish fry. Fish in Kerala is called 'Meen'. You can have it as a starter or along with the meal with rice and curry. Living on the coastal belt of Kerala, fish is considered a staple food. Lady Fish is called Nongal in Malayalam and Kane in Kannada.

Caramel Bundt Cake

It was quite a relaxed day which started off with the usual school routine and meeting dear ones.
But somehow by evening I could not stop myself from baking this ultra moist caramel cake.
I am a chocoholic but this time I was sure not to bake a chocolate cake.

Vegetable Biryani

People who are regular readers on my blog would know by now how much I love biryanis. I never stop from trying out different varieties. This time it is the vegetable biryani.

Chocolate Beetroot Cake - Birthday Special

Like everyone, I would also shrug hearing about a cake with vegetables. But not after I tasted this heavenly cake with beets. So I would suggest you too don't say 'No' before tasting it. I am sure you will never regret it. This cake is extremely moist and fudgy. Being a chocoholic, I am a big fan of plain chocolate cakes but this one is just amazing. Beetroots make this cake so soft and you will not realise that it is a beet cake unless someone tells you.

Coriander and Cumin- Flecked Roti

Glad to be back to blogging after a long break. Have been enjoying the beautiful monsoons in Kerala and the back to school routine. So how is everyone doing? Isn't it fun to cook during the rainy season. Love to do that with the music playing in the background.

Puliyappam

Need ideas to use left over Dosa batter? Let's make puliyappam with it. It is a crisp appam which goes well with Coconut Groundnut Chutney. All you need is a cast iron or non stick kuzhi paniyaram chatti / aebleskiver pan ( a pancake pan).

Bonda / Potato Bonda

I still remember the time when we as kids used to pass by Indian tea shops, the aroma of hot fresh snacks used to make us feel so hungry. Dad used to get them often for us. Pazham Pori, samosa and bonda are my favorites. Today I will share the recipe for bonda - one of the famous tea time snack in Kerala. 

5 Minute Nutella Mug Cake - Holiday Special Recipe for Kids

I am sure most of the kids in India are enjoying their vacation to the maximum. Today I will share a recipe that even kids (8 and above) can make on their own in a microwave. But make sure you have someone elder around to watch you if you are aged between 8 -10. So go ahead, enjoy the cake in just 5 minutes. So why not surprise your parents and friends with this easy cake.

I was so glad to see my 9 year old son make this with ease. I often make this on sunday evenings when I crave for something chocolatey.  ☺

Easy Homemade Tomato Ketchup

I have childhood memories of my grandmother making yummy homemade tomato ketchup. It was so tasty that I could have it with anything or just relish it. I know everyone is used to the Kissan or Heinz Ketchup but have you ever thought about making your own ketchup at home. It is so easy and you can serve it to your family especially kids without the strong preservatives added in it. I am sure you will love it. Go ahead, make them and have it with samosas, sandwiches or like my little son did have it just like that.