OROTTI

Iam having the time of my life here in Kannur. I don't even remember the last time I planned a menu. Amma does all the cooking and I get to eat all the deliciousness made with love! Ian on the other hand is enjoying a lot more than me. He has some kind of a fascination towards lighthouses and since we have one very very close to our home, Appa takes him there everyday. You should really see that glow on his face when he comes back home after that!

Zara kutty is 5 months old now and she is growing up very fast! She can crawl all over the place,in a caterpillar like fashion and can sit up too! She has been introduced to her first solid food and totally loves it! She even cries when I take the bowl away. I hope she grows up to be a foodie like Ian,then things will be awesome in that department.

So yesterday when Amma made these totally scrumptious Orotti for breakfast, I immediately told her I need to tell you all about it. I am sure some of you must have eaten this at some point in your life. We make this 'palaharam' either for breakfast or for tea time and it's always cherished. The aroma while making Orotti's are simply awesome! So the Orotti's you've been seeing here were made by Amma. I just took some photographs of it. ;-)

OROTTI
Recipe source: Amma

Ingredients:
2 cups fine roasted rice flour (Appam/Idiyappam podi)
1 cup water
Salt to taste
1 cup grated coconut
Coconut oil

Method: In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the roasted rice flour all at once and mix well.Take off the heat, add the coconut,cover the pan and let it sit till it's warm to the touch. Pinch off tennis ball sized dough balls and flatten it in your palms.
Heat some coconut oil in a flat bottomed pan, a tablespoon or two and put the flattened disc of dough over it. Pat it out a little bit more to make that dough disc to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Cook till the bottom side is golden. Before flipping it over, smear some coconut oil over the second side. Cook till the second side is golden. Take off the heat and transfer it to a hotbox till needed. Serve it with some honey/paani or some spicy curry.

All those who make it at home, do you call them the same? Do you make it the same way ? There are so many ways to make one dish, right? I am intrigued to know if it's the same with Orotti. Anyway, give this a try sometime and let me know what you think! I need to be honest, it feels good to come back here to share a recipe with you all! Thanks for sticking by! I haven't forgotten about sharing Zara's baptism photos, will do so very soon!

VAZHAKOOMBU & SWISS CHARD CUTLETS

The other day, all of a sudden I felt like eating a cutlet made with Vazhakoombu. So when we went to the Oriental store to buy some ripe mangoes,which currently is my favourite fruit, I spotted some Vazhakoombu and bought 2 small ones. I also grabbed some Swiss Chard, my another current favourite thing to eat along with rice. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to combine the two. Vazhakoombu & Swiss Chard, that is!

It turned out that they were literally made for each other. Those two made beautiful, delicious cutlets that we all enjoyed thoroughly. I usually make vegetable cutlets with carrots, beans,green peas etc but this time, it was a choice of vegetable that I've never attempted of combining before.

When I was talking to Amma, I mentioned about my plans on making Vazhakoombu cutelts and that's when she mentioned that Mamma made them quite often! I was really surprised because I have never had them before! Well, I did eat them in a few hours after that conversation and I am so glad that they made their way into my belly!

It's a simple mixture,just like any cutlet mixture. Have I told you that my two most hated things to do in the kitchen are 1. Powdering sugar 2. Making cutlets. I don't know why! The first one is so simple but time consuming to make sure its finely ground and the second one is a lengthy three step process. I always whine about it to Amma and her advice remains the same. Don't give it too much thought,only then will you feel that it is a chore! I think she is right! :-)

VAZHAKOOMBU & SWISS CHARD CUTLETS
Makes 38-40 pcs
My own recipe

Ingredients:
3 heaping cups of chopped Vazhakoombu
3 heaping cups of chopped Swiss Chard
1 medium red onion, diced
3 serrano chilies, slit
1 sprig curry leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
5 large russet potatoes, peeled,boiled & mashed
Salt & Pepper
Oil
Fresh breadcrumbs made from 4 slices of sandwich bread
1 egg

Method: In a saute pan, heat about 4 tablespoons of oil and when hot, add the diced onion and saute till they are translucent. Add in the slit green chilies, curry leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chopped veggies and cook them uncovered till the raw taste is gone, about 5 mins.Add garam masala,mashed potatoes, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Divide them into balls, form patties, dip them in beaten egg and roll them in breadcrumbs.

Deep fry in hot oil. Drain on paper towels and serve them with ketchup or Challas. Enjoy!

Ian totally fell for these delicious cutlets with a crisp coating. Jobin and I enjoyed it equally and I was wondering why didn't I ever think of making them before! A quick update about me and Hyatt. So I started working there a week ago and it's been really exciting and challenging. Challenging mostly because I need to start my at 4.30 am on weekdays and on Saturdays, I wake up at 3.30 am! I really thought I was more of a night owl than a morning person but things are changing,people! :-) It's fun and time just flies when I am at the Hotel. Every second is precious since we are churning out desserts like a factory! :-)