Prawns (Konchu) Kizhi | Prawns Parcel

Do you love prawns ?? My kids go mad over prawns and so I frequently buy prawns whenever I get fresh ones. This time I had fresh banana leaves and so prepared this prawns kizhi (konchu kizhi). These taste best with steamed rice or appams.

Prawns parcel is a delicious recipe that is prepared as a kizhi or parcel. The prawns are shallow fried and then added to the masala in the parcel which get cooked again with the banana leaf flavours and coconut milk adds the richness to the gravy. The masala can be prepared in advance and kept. The prawns can then marinate and prepared instantly if you have fresh banana leaves at hand.This recipe is similar to meen pollichathu, but prawn have no bones and prawns have a peculiar taste than fish. Do try and enjoy with your loved ones !!

                                               

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Cooking time ~ 20–25 minutes

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ 2 prawns kizhi (parcels)

Ingredients

prawns 250 g cleaned, deveined

salt 1/3 tsp

turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

pepper powder 1/2 tsp

hot chilli powder, 1 tsp

ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

tamarind 1 amla size, soaked (2 tsp extract)

onion 2 medium size, fine chopped

tomato 2 medium-sized chopped

garlic sliced 2 tsp

ginger sliced 2tsp

green chillies 2 fine chopped

curry leaves, a sprig

coriander powder, 1 tsp

kashmiri chilli powder 1 tsp

turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

roasted fennel powder 1/2 tsp

roasted fenugreek powder 1/4 tsp

coconut oil 3 tbsp

Watch on YouTube-

Method

• Wash and clean, devein the prawns. Add salt, turmeric powder, pepper powder, hot chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste. Mix well. Marinate and leave for 30 minutes.
• Soak the tamarind in little water. Squeeze out the extract then, keep aside.
• Heat a pan and add oil. Slide in the prawns as a single layer. Fry for 2 minutes each side and flip other side. Cook the same, drain from oil. Keep aside.
• To the same oil, add chopped onions, sliced garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté until lightly browned. Then, add the splice powders on low flame and sauté. Finally add in the tomatoes, tamarind extract and cook till tomatoes are soft and mushy. Mash the tomatoes as much as possible. 
• Add coconut milk on low flame and give a quick mix. Cook till the liquid is dried up, switch off flame. Masala is ready.
• Wash a banana leaf. Cut the mid-ridge slightly of the leaf without cutting the leaf as in video. This will be used to tie the parcels. On flame, place the leaf and wilt lightly, exposing to heat on all sides. Keep aside.
• Divide the masala in four. Add one part of the divided masala, then place half of the prawns. Top it with another part of the masala. Hold all ends together and tie the parcel using the cut mid-ridge. Similarly, make the other parcel with remaining masala and prawns.
• Place the prepared kizhi in a mann chatti and cook the parcels by turning all sides(2-3 minutes each side) until the masala and prawns get nicely cooked and coated with masala.  The leaf gets shrunk and the oil starts to appear on the leaf. Switch off, open the parcels and enjoy with steamed rice.

NOTES

* Use fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds if you don't have roasted fennel powder and roasted fenugreek powder. In that case, add the seeds to the oil just before adding onions.

* I took 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk but added only 1/3 cup.

Related Posts

* Venad Paal Konju

* Prawns Manchurian
* Chemmeen Manga Curry
* Konju(Chemmeen) Roast
* Shrimp Jalfrezi
* Chemmeen Thengapaal curry
* Prawns Pepper Fry
* Malvani Prawns Curry
* Chemmeen Theeyal
* Kadai Prawns

* Unnakka Chemmeen Chammanthi

* Churakka - Chemmeen Ularthiyathu

* Chilly Garlic Prawns

Vazhakka Erissery (Kaya Erissery) | Raw Banana Curry

Vazhakka erissery is a delicious vegetarian curry served for sadyas in the olden times, as shared by my mom. She says this erissery was one of the best served curries in the sadya. Gradually, parippu curry replaced erissery in the sadya menu as years passed by. Erissery can be made with so many veggies, but this kaya erissery is a ozhichu (gravy style) erissery. Mathanga vanpayar erissery is more of a thick erissery like kootu curry. 

Kaya erissery can be made with raw plantain too, but I love the ponthan kaya (raw banana) erissery as it mashes very well and this curry tastes best. The skin of the raw banana should be removed completely so that the banana mashes very well like mashed potatoes. This fibre rich curry is very easy to prepare and so go ahead and give this a try for Vishu !!

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ 4

Ingredients

raw banana(ponthan kaya) 2

salt 1/2 tsp

turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

hot chilli powder 1/2 tsp

to grind

coconut grated 1/2 cup

cumin seeds (jeerakam) 1/2 tsp

shallots 4-5

garlic cloves 2-3

to temper

ghee 1 tbsp

mustard seeds 1 tsp

red dry chilly 2 broken

curry leaves 2 sprigs

grated coconut, 2 tbsp

Watch on YouTube -

Method

• Wash and peel the skin of the raw bananas very nicely so that there is no green part seen (though it is said to retain the green part of the raw banana skin, but for this particular recipes it's better to peel off the green part completely). Add to a bowl of water and cut the banana in small pieces. Add rice cooked water (kanji vellam) and wash again to get rid of the thick sap.
• Add the washed banana pieces to the cooker, add water (1 cup), salt, turmeric powder, hot chilli powder. Cover and pressure-cook for 3 whistles.
• In the meantime, add grated coconut to a blender jar. To this add cumin seeds, garlic cloves, shallots and little water. Grind to a smooth paste (not very fine though), keep aside.
• When pressure is released, mash the cooked bananas almost done. Add the ground paste, give a quick mix. Add 1/2 cup water to the blender jar and add to the curry.
• Bring this mix to a boil, adjust salt if needed. Add more water if required to adjust consistency. This curry thickens on cooling, so add water accordingly.
• Heat a pan or wok, add ghee to temper. When ghee is hot, add mustard seeds. Add red dry chillies and curry leaves. Add grated coconut and fry till golden brown. Switch off and pour over the prepared curry. Keep covered for 10 minutes, mix and serve warm.

NOTES 

* You can use raw plantain too, but the ponthan kaya (raw banana) mashes well and tastes better, I feel for this curry.

* Adding ghee to temper imparts a unique flavour. You can use oil instead of ghee, too.

* Adding grated coconut to temper is very special in this curry, so don't miss doing that.

RELATED POSTS

* Mathanga Vanpayar Erissery

* Kootu Curry

* Kaplanga Erissery

* Chembu Erissery

For more sadya recipes, click HERE.

Custard Sago Milkshake

Custard Sago milkshake is a refreshing healthy drink that you can enjoy during summers or can prepare for Iftar. These are even perfect for a welcome drink. 

I have added lemon jelly, cooked sago and sabja seeds for the cooling effect. The lemon jelly can be replaced with any other flavour of your choice. I have used vanilla flavoured custard milk but you can use any different flavours. Try and enjoy!! 

Watch YouTube #shorts, click this link for recipe.

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Cooking time ~ 10 minutes

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ 4 glasses

Ingredients

for custard milkshake

milk 1/2 liters

custard powder 2 tbsp

milk 1/4 cup

condensed milk 200g

for lemon jelly 

jelly pk 1

hot water 2 cups

for assembling

sabja seeds 2 tsp

Method

• Add boiling water to the lemon jelly powder. Mix without lumps and then refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set. 

• Mix 1/4 cup milk to custard powder without lumps, keep aside. Boil milk in a sauce pan and then add the custard powder mix to the boiling milk. Add condensed milk,mix well. Cook until slightly thickened. Switch off flame and leave to cool and chill till use. 

• Boil water (1 liter) in a pan and add the sago. Cook until done, drain water. Add cold water and rinse. Keep aside. 

• Soak the sabja seeds until bloomed. Keep aside. 

• Cut the lemon jelly in cubes, keep aside. 

• Add the cooked sago to a glass, add the bloomed sabja seeds. add cut lemon jelly. Finally pour in chilled custard milk. Top again with some cooked sago, lemon jelly and sabja seeds. Mix and enjoy!! 

NOTES

* The lemon jelly can be replaced with any other flavour of your choice. 

* I have used vanilla flavoured custard but you can use any different flavours. 

* I have used 1/2 cup condensed milk (200g). You can use half sugar and condensed milk. 

Vegetable Burger (Crispy Veg Patty)

Vegetable burger is a simple-to-make recipe at home. The only time taken is to make the patties, which are very easy to prepare. These patties can be stored in freezer for one month after rolling in bread crumbs. I have used only carrots and beans in this recipe to make the patties, but you can add veggies of your choice. It's better to refrain from adding veggies that leave out water. Give this a try and enjoy your homemade veg burger !!

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ 4 burgers

Ingredients

burger buns 4

cheese slices 4

lettuce leaves 4-6

tomato 2, sliced

burger mayonnaise 4 tbsp

butter 2-3 tbsp

for patty

potatoes 3,boiled & mashed

carrots 2 small chopped

beans 4-5, fine chopped

ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp

green chilli 2 chopped

chilly powder 1/2 tsp

turmeric powder 1/8 tsp

cumin powder 1/4 tsp

coriander leaves 2 tbsp

salt to taste

oil 2 tbsp

bread crumbs 1/2 cup

corn flour 1/3 cup

water 1/2 cup

Watch on YouTube -

Method

• Heat a pan and add oil. To this, add the ginger-garlic paste along with green chilli. Sauté until crisp. Then add finely chopped carrots and beans. Add salt and sweat them till crisp.
• Add in the spice powders on low flame and sauté. Add the grated potatoes and give a quick mix. Adjust salt if needed. Finally, add chopped coriander leaves. Switch off flame. 
• Divide the mixture when it is warm in four. Shape the patties using a cookie cutter and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Make a slurry using corn flour and water to dip the patty (Don't make the slurry very watery). Add bread crumbs to another plate, dip each of the made patty in the corn flour slurry, roll in bread crumbs. Similarly, prepare all the patties.
• Heat a pan and add oil to shallow fry the patties. Slide in each of the patties and fry till golden brown, flipping all sides gently (The sides can be fried by tilting the oil towards one side). Remove using slotted spoon on a paper towel (remove the paper towel immediately as the patty loses the crispiness).
• Repeat frying all patties till crisp. 
• Heat butter (1 tsp) in a frying pan and cut the burger buns in half. Place the half buns to toast nicely on the butter. Remove to a plate, apply burger mayonnaise. Place lettuce leaves, place the prepare crispy patty. Add a cheese slice, place tomato slices. Spread burger mayonnaise on the top cut bun and place on top. Secure with a tooth pick and enjoy !!

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NOTES

* You can add an egg instead of corn flour slurry. I wished to keep as complete vegetarian recipe, so made the corn flour slurry.

* These patties can be stored in freezer for one month after rolling in bread crumbs. 

Related Posts

* Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

* Black Bean Burger