SWEET DIAMOND CUTS

    Tis' the Season and here I come with a festive goodie we make at home during Christmas - Sweet Diamond Cuts, one of my MIL's speciality recipe. She makes these snacks along with other Christmas Goodies like Kerala Plum Cake/Christmas Rich Fruit Cake, homemade Wines, Murukku etc. Diamond Cuts turns out to be one of the default snacks during Christmas & sometimes alternated with Shakkarpare/Kul Kul (we call it as Square Biscuits at home).

    Sweet Diamond Cuts are simple snacks prepared with a dough of All-purpose Flour, kneaded and then rolled out into nor too thin or thick circles, cut into Diamond Shapes using a knife or a Spiral Cutter. These Diamond-shaped goodies are then deep-fried on a medium-low flame until it turns into light golden yellow in colour and until it turns crispy & crunchy. Deep-fried Diamond Cuts turns out to be a wonderful snack as such, but the best part is yet to come. These deep-fried goodies are finally coated in a thick Sugar Syrup. We need a sugar syrup melted into a consistency slightly thicker than One- String Consistency for this snack. This part is of course, tricky if you cannot get the string consistency correctly, which can make the snack Soggy. So remember that the Sugar Syrup should be slightly thicker than one string consistency. Once coated these Sweet Diamond Cuts become extra crunchy with a mild note of Sweetness in it.

    Sweet Diamond Cuts are a popular Kerala Snack, a Nadan Palaharam made in most of the Kerala households. You can even see most of the Bakeries in Kerala selling these snacks. It is also called as Maida(All-purpose Flour) Biscuits. These Diamond Cuts are so similar to its counterparts Shakkarpare/Kul Kul & Namak Pare, but the difference is the shape, thickness and Diamond Cuts are coated with Sugar Syrup. And in Kerala, I believe the snack is deep-fried in Coconut Oil which gives it an authentic touch of a Nadan Palaharam.

    As such, there are several variations when it comes to this Diamond Cut Recipe. My MIL prepares the dough with Eggs and flavour it with Cardamoms. There are even some recipes which call for adding Vanilla Essence. Some even add Yellow Food Colouring for a brightly hued Diamond Cuts. Then for extra crunchiness, some recipes call for adding Baking Soda. But my Diamond Cut Recipe is a simple & straight forward recipe with NO EGGS, NO FLAVOURING & NO BAKING SODA. I hate the Eggy smell in snacks & so the recipe goes with no Eggs. And when it comes to flavouring the Diamond Cuts, Cardamom is a good choice. But the GREAT TABOO of using it in snacks at home, insisted & instructed by my two kids, especially my son, at home, Diamond Cuts are usually made with no flavourings whatsoever.

    But trust me this recipe yields you with crispy & crunchy Diamond Cuts with a mild note of Sweetness. And also it retains the crispiness even after a week or so. If stored properly, Diamond Cuts lasts up to 7-10 Days. But the irony is that this snack gets over so soon at home that it doesn't even last for more than three days.

Please do remember to follow these steps before making Diamond Cuts, which will yield you with Crunchy Diamond Cuts:

• Knead the All-purpose flour into a slightly stiffer dough.
• Use just the required amount of water, as mentioned in the recipe.
• Roll out the dough into nor too thick nor too thin Circles.  
• Cut it out into Diamond Shapes, using a knife or a Spiral Cutter(Pizza Cutter).
• Do not just too much of flour while rolling out the dough and leaving the cut Diamond Shapes. 
• The flour tends to get fried in oil, making the oil dark and eventually the diamond cuts also get coated with these dark flour lying in the oil.
• Deep fry the Diamond Cuts on a medium-low flame until it turns into light golden yellow in colour and until it turns crispy.
• Consistency of the Sugar Syrup plays a vital role. So make sure the Sugar syrup is slightly thicker than One-String Consistency.  
• Coat the Deep-fried Diamond Cuts in the Sugar Syrup when the Syrup is hot.
• Let the pan be wide & big enough to hold both the Diamond Cuts & Sugar Syrup, and it should also have enough space while mixing up.
• Otherwise, some pieces might not get coated with the Sugar Syrup.
• Gently mix both the Diamond Cuts & the Sugar Syrup in quick motions, until each & every piece is well-coated with the Sugar Syrup.
• Initially, the Diamond Cuts would have a shine. When the Sugar Syrup cools down, it tends to thicken giving a white coloured coat to the snack.
• Allow the snack to cool down completely before storing them up in an airtight container.  
• If stored properly, it lasts up to a week to 10 days.

For more CHRISTMAS RECIPES, Click here...

Cuisine - Kerala (South India) 
Recipe Type - Snack

Difficulty - Medium
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15 -20 Minutes

Leavening Time - 10 Minutes
Cooking Time - 30 - 45 Minutes

For more KERALA NADAN PALAHARAM, Click here...

HOW TO MAKE SWEET DIAMOND CUTS - MAIDA BISCUITS

SWEET DIAMOND CUTS

 

INGREDIENTS:

For Diamond Cuts:

Maida/All-purpose Flour - 3 Cups

Water - 11/4 Cups(Approximately)

Salt - To Taste

Oil - 2-3 Tbspn

For Frying:

Oil

For Sugar Syrup:

Sugar -11/2 Cups

Water - 1 Cup

Cardamom Powder - 1 Tspn(optional) 

SWEET DIAMOND CUTS

 

METHOD:

For the Dough:

• Sieve the All-purpose Flour (maida) along with salt once.
• Pour in the Oil/Ghee.
• Add little water at a time and knead it into a slightly stiffer dough.
• Add water at intervals. Do not pour in all the water at a time.
• I used approximately 11/4 Cups of Water.
• Amount of water required depends on the quality of the all-purpose flour.
• The dough should be slightly stiffer.  
• Leave the dough aside for about 10-15 Minutes.
  

For Diamond Cuts:

• Divide the dough into 5-6 Balls and keep them aside.
• Dust the Dough Balls with some All-Purpose Flour and roll it out into a flat, neither too thin nor thick circle.
• Cut the circles into Diamond shapes with a Knife/ Spiral Cutter.
• Transfer the Cut Diamonds to a plate lightly dusted with All-Purpose Flour.
• Follow suit for rest of the dough balls.

For Deep Frying:

• Heat Oil in a Deep Pan or a Wok.
• Once the oil becomes hot, reduce the flame to medium-low.
• Gently drop the Cut Diamonds into the hot oil.
• Fry the Diamond Cuts on a low- medium flame until it turns into light Golden Colour.
• Once done, remove the fried Diamond Cuts with slotted spoons.
• Drain them on Paper towels.

For Sugar Syrup:

• Add Sugar and Water, in a wide heavy-bottomed pan.
• Keep this on a low flame and stir well until the sugar dissolves completely.
• Do not stir when the sugar solution starts to boil. Stirring will affect the consistency of the sugar syrup. 
• When the sugar solution starts to boil, stir in the cardamom powder(if you are using).
• Boil the Sugar Syrup on a medium-high flame until it reaches one string consistency. 
• SLIGHTLY THICKER THAN ONE STRING SYRUP: For Diamond Cuts Recipe we need a Sugar Syrup consistency, slightly thicker than one string consistency. Cook the Sugar Syrup for a bit longer after it reaches one string consistency. The sugar syrup would start to bubble and would turn into WHITE COLOUR.
• Switch off the fire and leave the sugar syrup aside.
• Overheating the sugar solution will caramelize it or thicken it, which will alter the texture of the Diamond Cuts, making it dark & chewy.

SWEET DIAMOND CUTS

 

For Sweet Diamond Cuts:

• Immediately, add all the deep-fried Diamond Cuts into the Sugar Syrup when it is still hot.
• Gently mix both the Diamond Cuts & the Sugar Syrup in quick motions, until each & every piece is well-coated with the Sugar Syrup.
• Initially, the Diamond Cuts would have a shine. When the Sugar Syrup cools down, it tends to thicken giving a white coloured coat to the snack.
• Allow the snack to cool down completely before storing them up in an airtight container.  
• If stored properly, it lasts up to a week to 10 days.
• These crunchy & crispy mild sweet Diamond Cuts serves best as a tea time snack.

KOTHU PAROTTA

    The truth is that I have never tasted a "KOTHU PAROTTA" from a street vendor. A dish which came into my acquaintance through the words of tastes & memories by my husband. Then gradually through his process of compensating & cooking the same for us. He has his specifications when it comes to cooking Kothu Parotta, as & how a Parotta Master does. Sauteing the seasonings, specifically squeezing out the tomatoes & not chopping them, adding the spices, then adding the Eggs & scrambling them up finely, pouring the Salna, mincing the Parotta etc., & etc. Then comes the main process, mixing it up until all the ingredients are well incorporated with the final result of a wholesome Kothu Parotta. This is where the exact skill & technique of a Parotta Master shows off when it comes to making Kothu Parotta, he shreds a whole Parotta while mixing them up with the seasonings & the Salna with his Iron spatula over a griddle. Kothu Parottas are best eaten at a street-side stall. But this version of homemade Kothu Parotta is the one I have ever known as Kothu Parotta.

    Kothu Parotta is made with shredded flaky Parotta's(Malabar Parottas) that are cooked with a medley of Onions, Green Chillies, a clove or two of Garlic, loads of Curry Leaves, Tomatoes and flavoured with Salna & masala powders. We usually make it along with Eggs, which is a default style at home. You can even add shredded Chicken/mutton pieces into it. The trick to getting perfectly textured(not soggy) Kothu Parotta is to cook them on a medium flame, Mincing & mixing the ingredients until all the seasonings & spices are well incorporated into the minced Parottas. Serve Kothu Parotta, piping hot with a hearty serving of Salna. My husband suggests & prefers it to be served along with Coconut Chutney & Salna.

    Though the total credit of inventing Kothu Parotta goes to Madurai, a food haven for Street Food & hospitality. The place & people are famous for their inventive varieties of street food & fast food that it is a common saying that they serve more than 7-10 side dishes along with a humble Dosa. But the tradition of Kothu Parotta has become the identity of Street Food or the ones commonly called as Kaiyendhi Bhavans/Thattu Kadai in & around Tamil Nadu. Also, we can see this dish in the name of Kothu Roti, which is equally a popular dish in Sri Lankan Cuisine.

    Kothu Parotta is a popular street food sold in most of the South Indian Kaiyendhi Bhavans, Military Hotels and Small Restaurants. Even popular Vegetarian restaurants like Saravana Bhavan & Coimbatore Sree Annapoorna Gowrisankar sell these Kothu Parotta, in the name of a vegetarian version. But in my opinion, the ones sold in Kaiyendhi Bhavans takes the total credit, with their unmatching style of preparation, taste with a medley of spices and seasonings added into it, converting it into a wholesome meal by itself.

    The street food stalls colloquially called Tattu Kadais/Kaiyendhi Bhavans which pop up with the setting sun cater to a wide range of local delicacy/fast food varieties. These small eateries along the roadside are popular among the local crowd for cheap and homely food. Along with the long list of dishes they serve, Kothu Parotta has become the identity of a Kaiyendhi Bhavan in due course. The unflawing sound of the street vendors alias Parotta Masters, indirectly invites their customers to their stalls, announcing the preparation of the so-called Kothu Parotta or minced Parotta. The cling-clang sound which comes out during the process of mincing the Parottas & incorporating them with spices, Salna*, Eggs or sometimes with shredded chicken/mutton pieces with their iron spatula over the iron griddle, is a default sound most of the Street food lovers are accustomed to.  

    This Kothu Parotta Recipe is the way how my husband makes it at home. You can get easy with what you need in your Kothu Parotta recipe. Can add Eggs, shredded chicken/mutton pieces or avoid all these, pour Salna and cook it along or substitute Salna with Mutton/Chicken/Curry Masala, add finely chopped vegetables etc., & etc. No strict rules & recipes to adhere, the idea is to get the taste and feel of a Kothu Parotta you Love the Most. So one final word - Kothu Parotta is best eaten at a street-side stall. But if you cannot get enough of it or if you are living in a place where you cannot get hold of it, then try this homemade Kothu Parotta which is equally good, and convincing to the terms of a Street Food - Kothu Parotta. What you would need are some homemade or store-bought or frozen Parottas, a bit of Salna/Masala Powders & there you can play with it to convert it into Kothu Parotta of your choice.

Salna* 

    Salna is nothing but an Onion- tomato-based neither thin nor thick curry, which also slightly fall under the category of a South Indian Kuruma. It is a default side dish served along with Parotta in most of the restaurants, Kaiyendhi Bhavans(Thattu Kadais), Military Hotels etc., Commonly served as an EMPTY SALNA/PLAIN SALNA & sometimes as Chicken Salna/Mutton Salna and also Veg Salna. Goes well not only with Parotta, but also with Chapati, Idli, Dosa, Idiyappam, Appam, Puttu, Uthappam etc.,  This is not a Curry that is served/ladled out but instead it should be poured-out over the dish. You can see them served in Buckets in roadside eateries or restaurants. I just realized that I haven't yet posted Salna recipe in my blog, will post it soon...

For a detailed Recipe on  HOW TO MAKE PAROTTA(ROTI CANAI),Click here...

Cuisine - South Indian, Sri Lankan
Course - Main
Spice Level  - Medium
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM

HOW TO MAKE KOTHU PAROTTA

INGREDIENTS:

Parotta - 6 Nos.

Onion - 2 Nos.

Green Chillies - 3-4 Nos.

Garlic - 2 Cloves

Ginger - 1/2 " Piece

Fennel Seeds - 1/4 Tspn

Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs

Tomato - 2 Nos.

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tspn

Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn

Mutton Masala Powder/Curry Masala Powder - 1 Tspn

Egg - 3 Nos.

Salna - 1/2 - 1 Cup

To Garnish:

Coriander Leaves - a few

METHOD:

• Shred the Parottas into small pieces and keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, reduce the flame to medium-low, splutter Fennel Seeds and Curry Leaves.
• Saute finely chopped Onions, Green Chillies, Garlic & Ginger until Onions turn translucent.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Mutton Masala Powder to the above and fry for a while on a very low flame.
• Add finely chopped tomatoes and saute it until tomatoes are well cooked, and oil separates from the mix.
• Alternatively, if you are using Nattu Thakkali(locally grown tomato) then you can easily squeeze it out and add it into the masala. 
• Sprinkle some water, if required.
• Now add Eggs to the above masala, and scramble it up finely. 
• Add salt and mix well.
• Once the eggs are well scrambled up, pour in a few ladles of Salna and give a quick stir.
• Now add shredded Parottas and mix well.
• Mix all the ingredients on a low flame, adding another few ladles of Salna.
• Mince, mix & cook until all the Salna is well absorbed by the shredded Parottas.
• Cook on a very low flame mixing and stirring it continuously until the Kothu Parotta becomes slightly dry. 
• Garnish Kothu Parotta with finely chopped Coriander Leaves.
• Serve Kothu Parotta hot with Salna & Coconut Chutney(If preferred).

NOTES:

• Can make Parotta/Roti Canai & Salna from scratch & then make Kothu Parotta.
• For a quick version, go ahead and buy Parotta from a restaurant, & there you get Salna along with Parotta which makes the job easier.
• Alternatively, make Kothu Parottas with frozen Parottas.
• If you do not have Salna, you can substitute it with any Chicken gravy/Kuruma.
• Or add Mutton/Chicken Masala Powder/Curry Masala Powder and skip adding Salna into your Kothu Parotta recipe.
• For a vegetarian version, skip adding Eggs.
• I have shredded the Parotta before adding them into the dish.
• A Parotta Master would mince up whole Parottas along with the seasonings with his Iron spatula over the griddle.
• To make the job simpler & if you are using a non-stick pan to make this Kothu Parotta, shred the Parottas and then mix them along with the seasonings & Salna.
• Slow cooking the masala on a very low flame enhances the flavour.
• If preferred can add more tomatoes.
• Adjust the number of spices to your preference.
• Cook Kothu Parotta on a low flame until all the Salna & Masalas are well absorbed by the shredded Parottas and cook until it becomes slightly dry.

PRAWN MASALA - SPICY SOUTH INDIAN ERAL MASALA

    Prawn Masala or simply, Eral/Iral Masala is a typical South Indian Style spicy gravy prepared with Prawns/Shrimps and freshly ground Masala. Very few ingredients, simple spices and above all, it is a quick fix recipe. This South Indian style spicy Eral Masala has very few spices but comes with bold flavours. This is one recipe I had jotted down from Chef Damu's Cooking show years back. The local spices added into this recipe enhances the overall flavour and taste of this Prawn Curry.

    The spices are pretty similar to the ones in most of the curries but vary a bit here & there. But a small variance makes a huge difference in a curry. And this Prawn Masala/Eral Masala is an amazing example for the same. A simple addition of Fennel & freshly ground Masala gives a whole lot of flavour to this Prawn Recipe. The secret behind this flavour-filled Prawn Masala is perfectly sauteeing the ground Masala on a low flame & slow cooking. Slow cooking makes the Masala aromatic, well cooked and also enhances the overall taste, helping the Masalas to get well infused into the Prawns/Shrimps. 

    Once you get the Prawns cleaned this Prawn Masala can be incorporated within 20-30 Minutes. A simple and easy to cook Prawn recipe. One main factor, we have to consider while cooking Prawn is to maintain the texture. It should turn out to be soft and succulent once cooked and not chewy or rubbery. So the trick is to cook the Prawns quickly. Longer you cook the Prawns/Shrimps they turn out to be chewy. So, add the Prawns/Shrimps only after the Masala is well sauteed & wait until oil separates from the mix. Make sure the raw flavour has gone before adding the Prawns. Prawn Masala/Eral Masala goes well with both Roti & Rice. This Spicy South Indian Style Prawn recipe is so quick to make that you can easily sneak it into your Party Menu.

For more SEA FOOD RECIPES, Click here...

 Cuisine - Tamilnadu, South India

 Course - Side Dish

 Spice Level - Medium - High

 Difficulty - Medium

 Serves - 3-4

 Author - SM

 Preparation Time - 30-45 Minutes

 Cooking Time - 20-30 Minutes

For more recipes with PRAWNS/SHRIMPS, Click here...

HOW TO COOK PRAWN MASALA - SPICY SOUTH INDIAN ERAL MASALA

PRAWN MASALA - SPICY SOUTH INDIAN ERAL MASALA

INGREDIENTS:

For Prawn Masala:

Prawns/Shrimps - 1 Kg

Onion - 1 No.

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tspn

Oil - 2 Tbspn

Fennel Seeds - 1/2 Tspn

Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs

Tamarind - a lime size

Salt - To Taste

To Grind:

Onion - 2 Nos.

Garlic - 10-12 Cloves

Turmeric - 1/2 Tspn

Dry Red Chillies - 8-10 Nos.

Coriander Powder - 2 Tbspn

Peppercorns - 1 Tspn

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Tspn

To Garnish:

Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

For Prawn Masala:

• De-shell & De-vein the Prawns, clean and wash them well and keep it aside. 
• Grind the ingredients mentioned under "To Grind" into a fine paste and leave it aside.
• Soak Tamarind in water for a few minutes and extract tamarind juice out of it.
• Heat oil in a deep wok, splutter Fennel Seeds & Curry Leaves on a very low flame.
• Add finely chopped Onions and saute until onions turn translucent.
• Add Ginger Garlic paste and saute until aromatic.
• Pour in the ground paste and give a quick stir.
• Cook this on a low flame for about 15-20 minutes or until the raw flavour goes, and oil separates from the mix.
• Add Prawns into the Masala along with a dash of Salt, and mix well.
• Prawns tend to ooze out water. So add water only if you find the Masala mix to be dry.
• Cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes on a medium-low flame.
• Once the Prawns get cooked, pour in the Tamarind extract and cook for another 3-5 minutes on a low flame.
• Adjust the consistency of the Prawns Masala to suit your preference.
• Switch off the flame and garnish Prawns Masala with finely chopped Coriander Leaves.
• Serve Spicy South Indian Prawn/Eral Masala hot along with Rice or Chapati.

NOTES:

• Adjust the number of Dry Red Chillies and Peppercorns to suit your spice level.
• Adding Tamarind extract is purely optional.
• Saute the Masala on a low flame until the raw flavour goes before adding Prawns into it.
• Do not over cook the Prawns, which will make the texture chewy & rubbery.