Kaaju Katli (Cashew / Almond)

I’ve always been wondering how to make Kaju (Cashew) Katli at home. I even, thought it’s not possible to make that sweet at home like many other sweets. But once I heard from one of my friend that it’s easy to make it and so I researched in the internet and wanted to try it out for 2017 Diwali. But then something went wrong with the consistency that kaju katli turned out to be kaju halwa J . Then after an year Mohan’s wife, Amlu said that she made it at home and it came out really well and around couple of months from then, N had a office party and I was wondering what to make for that… then Amlu gave me that spirit and encouragement and she said she will do a video call with me and we can do it to gather. Then with that as a motivation I started making the sweet. It came out really well… better than I expected ;)

Here goes the recipe for it…

1 cup Cashew or Almond Flour

a little less than ½ cup of sugar

2 tbsp. of water

Take a pan, put the sugar in it and add the 2 tbsp. water and let it heat until the sugar gets dissolved in the water. Then add the Cashew or Almond Flour to it and keep the flame low so that the content in the pan doesn’t get burnt. With the low flame, make sure everything gets mixed up so well without any lumps and do it until it comes to a dough consistency. Then take the dough immediately out the pan (from the heat). Now take a wax paper / parchment paper / aluminum foil, apply butter on one side and then place the dough on it. Leave it there until the heat is gone and you are able to touch the dough and kneed it. Then take another wax paper / parchment paper / aluminum foil and apply butter on one side and place this paper on the top of the dough. Now take a rolling pin and roll it to the thickness you need. Remove the top paper once done and then take a pizza cutter and start cutting the cake in diamond shapes. TA-DA!!! The sweet is ready like in the stores… This is a very quick and easy recipe if you have the flour already ready. If not it just takes another couple of minutes to grind the nuts to make the flour.

Chicken Kuzhambu

Chicken

½ big onion finely chopped

1 big tomato finely chopped

Ginger garlic paste

1 tsp sambar powder or as needed

Turmeric powder

Garam masala powder

Whole garam masalas

Salt

Coriander leaves

Coconut paste or milk

In a pan, add some oil and use all whole garam masalas and add onions and sauté well. Then add ginger garlic paste. Add tomatoes and cook well. Then add turmeric, sambar powder and garam masala powder with salt. Add the chicken pieces and sauté them really well and add some water and keep it in a cooker for couple of whistles and then add coconut paste or milk finally and bring to one boil.

Chicken kuzhambu is ready to be served.

Chicken Biriyani

1 cup Basmati Rice soaked while prepping

½ big onion

½ medium tomato

3 green chilies depending on the spice level, you may increase the count

2 tbsp curd

Chicken pieces for one cup rice

½ tsp of sambar powder

Ginger garlic paste

Cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cloves

Mint leaves and coriander leaves

Lemon juice

If you are using marinated chicken , here are the items for margination

Chicken

Chilin powder

Dhania powder

Garam masala

Turmeric powder

Curd

Ginger garlic paste

Salt

In a pan, heat the oil and add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cloves. Then add onions, sauté a few mins and add ginger garlic paste. Then add tomatoes, green chilies, mint, coriander leaves and sauté it a little bit. Then add chicken pieces and add sambar powder and salt. Sauté for couple of minutes and then close the cooker and leave for couple of whistles. Then open the cooker, add curd and then add 1: 1 water and then when the water boils, add the rice and add little bit of lemon juice (make sure its not too lemony) . close the cooker little bit until the water begins to get absorbed in the rice. Then close the lid and put the whistle and keep the flame in between low and medium for 20 mins and switch off. Immediately open the cooker and transfer it in a bowl or hot pack. Chicken biriyani is ready. A loves it so much. She just requests me to reduce the spicy flavor J