Easter is here, and I am back with my second Easter Special Recipe in a week’s time, n it’s a Savoury dish! This traditional chicken stew is very popular in Kerala, especially among the Christian families, and is also favored for breakfast. The original recipe is said to be British, but was improvised in the kitchens of Kerala by their Malayalee chefs who served them during the British rule. They gave their own touch to it by adding coconut milk & spices, but keeping the soul of the original English dish intact, and affectionately called it “Ishtu”.

My beautiful memories of Easter go all the way back to my Hyderabad days; thoughts of the invite from my dear friend Meera to her grand Easter Feast makes me drool even today! Her menu was lavish with chicken n beef dishes, cutlets, wine, desserts, and so on, of which her Chicken Stew with Appam was my favorite. So as I was finalizing my Easter recipes, these sweet memories floated by and I decided to try my hand on it. Quickly dialed Meera for her recipe and tips, prepared it and you know what… it was a huge success, it tasted sooo good and my husband loved it!! The unique aroma of the spices with ginger and garlic, along with coconut milk makes it a wholesome meal. And it’s Gluten Free too!! This dish goes well with Appam or Idiyappam, you can also try with Naan or other breads too.

Thank You Meera for this wonderful recipe!
Enjoy, Happy Easter everyone!!!

Interested in other Stew recipes? Check these out:

1. Kerala Style Mutton Stew
2. Vegetable Stew
3. Fish Molly / Fish Stew
4. A must try side for stew – Kerala Style Appam / Palappam

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

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Chicken Stew

Warm, Comforting n Hearty…! A Kerala Style Chicken Stew, Packed with Spices, Simmered in a Creamy Coconut Milk… A Traditional Easter Dish…!! 

Course Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chicken stew, christmas, kerala easter stew

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken (bone-in preferred, cut into small pieces)
• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 small piece of ginger (finely chopped)
• 3-4 green chilies (finely chopped)
• ½ cup carrots (sliced into round)
• ½ cup potato (cubed)
• ¼ cup peas
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• ½ - ¾ cup thick coconut milk
• 1 each Spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf, star anise)
• Pepper (as required)
• Salt (as required)
• 1 sprig of curry leaves

For Tempering

• 1 tbsp ghee / clarified butter
• 3 pearl onions (sliced)
• 3-4 cashews
• 1 sprig of curry leaves

Instructions

• Heat oil in a pan, add the spices and saute until they become aromatic.
• Add sliced onions to the pan and saute until it turns translucent.
• Add chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves. Saute for 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped vegetables and chicken, and season with salt and pepper.
• Follow by adding thin coconut milk and stir. Close the lid and cook on a low flame until the chicken turns white and cooked.
• Add the thick coconut milk. Adjust the quantity added to suit your choice of creaminess.
• Check salt, stir and cook for 2 more minutes on a low flame. Turn off the flame.
• To prepare the garnish, heat the ghee / clarified butter in another pan. Add pearl onions and saute until they brown, then add cashews and curry leaves and saute. Add this tempering to the prepared chicken stew, mix well and serve hot.
• Serve with Appam, Idiyappam, Naan or any other bread.

Notes

• This recipe also works well with other meats, substitute the chicken with mutton, turkey or beef. If you are vegetarian, replace the meat with vegetables of your choice.
• Preferably use chicken /meat with bone in, as it adds more flavour.
• It is ideal to use freshly squeezed coconut milk for this recipe, but you can substitute with canned coconut milk or coconut milk powder. I have used canned coconut milk in this recipe, which was very thick. To thin the milk, dilute with equal amounts of thick coconut milk and water.

The post Chicken Stew appeared first on Pepper Delight.

“Sharing is caring” and sometimes when you share your knowledge, it becomes an inspiration for others too. On that note, I am starting my new segment of Guest Post Series by introducing my first guest writer, Beena Rajan.
I have known Beena aunty for a while as my friend’s mom, but lately did I get to know her well as an amazing cook, a hidden talent with a strong passion for cooking. Since I’ve opened my blog, she has been an active follower, critic, a silent mentor, and has given me a lot of valuable feedbacks, suggesting wonderful ideas to cook (White Chocolate Mango Mousse), helping me with my baking doubts (Christmas Fruit Cake), and taking me through a valuable learning phase. With her amazing experience in cooking, interest in experimenting, talent in combining modern and traditional styles to create unique fusion recipes, and the influence and inspiration she has been, I cannot think of anybody else best suited to be my first guest writer.

This fusion recipe from Beena aunty, Kheer aka Payasam with Mango Mousse is simply delicious. The blend of Kheer with dates gives it a subtle flavour making it well balanced with the fruity mango flavour. I am sure that this fusion combination can definitely woow your guests for any occasion. And another major advantage of this dessert is, it is a make-ahead recipe which allows you to plan your desserts early when arranging parties.

So go give it a try and let us know how it turns out in the comment section below.
Photo Credits: Pepper Delight

I am so excited to have Beena Aunty here, off to You!

Hello everyone, I am Beena Rajan. I am a daughter, wife, mother and mom-in-law. I am no blogger, just someone who loves food and appreciates good food. My experience in cooking comes from no professional training, but from the many dishes that I’ve cooked over and over again for my loved ones and friends. Thankfully, I’ve a family that loves my cooking (on many occasions critique my cooking too).

I grew up in Calicut, in the Malabar region of Kerala, known for sumptuous food and great recipes. I enjoy the food from this region and love cooking them too. At cooking, I’ve been inspired the most by my mother; an excellent cook who uses swift and perfect cooking techniques. Her effortless way of cooking and methods continue to amaze me.

As a young wife, my husband’s interest in food encouraged me to experiment with new recipes and gave me the confidence to repeat them at dinner parties for friends and family. My husband, with a heart that is full of love for good food, is another person who has influenced my cooking. He enjoys eating out at restaurants, and this also gives me ideas on new recipes. We love entertaining too and having friends and family over at our place; which give me opportunities to try different recipes.

I enjoy cooking vegetarian and non-vegetarian food and believe that a true foodie is someone who is willing to try a variety of food and not just a particular type of cuisine…
As for bad experiences and failures, I’ve encountered too many…Some of them have been very disappointing and my husband and kids called them “Beena’s flops”, but  it’s these “flops” that helped me improve my skills at cooking and made me a better cook.

So this is what I’ve to say to all of you who have just started cooking – “Don’t be afraid to try something new, follow the recipes, use good ingredients and be sure that you can create delicious food…”.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking !!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

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Guest Post: Fusion Dessert- Kheer with Mango Mousse

An Indian inspired Fusion of Kheer blended in a Dates Puree, paired up with a Tropical Mango Mousse…!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword dessert, kheer, mango mousse

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Beena Rajan

Ingredients

For Mango Mousse

• 3 mangoes
• 1 package of unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup mango juice/water

For Kheer/Payasam

• 3 tbsp ghee/butter
• 1 1/2 cup vermicelli
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 5 dates (seedless)
• 4+1/4 cup full cream milk
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 3 tbsp sugar

Instructions

For Mango Mousse

• Puree mangoes in a blender until smooth. 
• Add the gelatin powder to a microwave safe cup of mango juice or water. Allow it to sit for 10 mins. Stir well. 
• Place the cup in a microwave and heat for one minute. Mix and stir the gelatin liquid into the mango puree. 
• To create the angled presentation, place the serving glasses in a muffin tray at your preferred angle. You may want to line the tray first with paper napkins so that the glasses stay firm.
• Carefully pour the mango mixture into the serving glasses.
• Place the tray in a refrigerator and chill for 2hrs to let the mango mousse set.

For Kheer / Payasam

• Soak the dates in ¼ cup milk for 15-20 mins to allow it to soften. 
• Heat butter/ghee in a pan and roast the vermicelli until it turns golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and keep aside. 
• In the same pan, roast cashews and almonds, transfer, and chop into bite sized pieces. 
• Pour the remaining milk to a separate pan and bring to boil on a high flame. Then lower the flame and heat it till it is reduced to half. 
• In the meantime, blend dates along with 2-3 tbsp of its soaking milk to make a paste. Keep aside. 
• Add the roasted vermicelli to the reduced milk pan, followed by adding condensed milk. 
• Add the dates puree and sugar, stir well. You can add more sugar if needed. 
• Simmer for 10- 12 mins, it will turn slightly thick. Take the pan off from the flame and allow it to cool down completely. Your Kheer is ready.
• Pour the Kheer to the prepared mango mousse filled serving glasses, and chill for 20 mins. Top with chopped nuts. 

Notes

1. The sweetness of this recipe is well balanced with dates and mango. If you prefer your dessert to be sweeter, add more sugar during the kheer preparation.
2. For the perfect angled effect, arrange glasses in a cupcake pan first and then pour the mousse, this helps to make it clean and neat without any spills or stains. 

The post Guest Post: Fusion Dessert – Kheer with Mango Mousse appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Prep time: 15 mins; Baking time: 1 hour Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium sized beetroot
• 3/4 cup dry chickpeas / garbanzo beans
• 3 garlic cloves
• juice of one lemon
• 2 tbsp tahini sauce
• ¼ cup olive oil + more 
• salt
• 3 cup water
• fresh parsley (garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak chickpeas overnight. This helps it to rehydrate and increase in volume. Drain it and rinse well before cooking.
2. Pressure cook the washed chickpeas with a pinch of salt and water, for 3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure goes off. Drain it.
3. In the meantime, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Loosely wrap and cover beetroots in aluminum foil and place on a baking tray.
4. Roast for 1 hour or more, until it becomes soft. Allow it to cool, and then peel off the skin and chop into big chunks.
5. In a food processor, add the cooked and cooled chickpeas, beetroot chunks, garlic, lemon juice, tahini sauce and salt.
6. Add olive oil as needed and process until it becomes a smooth puree.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and olive oil.

Note:

1. Store bought Tahini sauce will be very thick with the oil separated on the top. Stir well before using it.
2. You can find Tahini sauce in any World market, or in the kosher aisle of your supermarket.

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