Breakfast smoothie

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1. Banana - 1
2. Apple - 1/2
3. Strawberries - 3 large
4. Spinach leaves - 1 cup 

Method:

• Put all the ingredients in a blender along with 1 glass of water and blend into smooth paste.

Idiyappam and Vegetable Istew

Idiyappam is also known as Noolu Puttu in Malayalam. These are string hoppers which are made of rice flour. This is a steamed dish and served as breakfast in Kerala. Traditionally in Malabar regions of Kerala, they are served with coconut milk and sugar. If you are looking for some savory side dishes then you should try with ishtew or mutta roast(egg roast).

Ishtew is basically Stew and made with a mix of vegetables in coconut milk.

Vegetable Ishtew:

Ingredients:

1. Mixed vegetables (carrots-1/4 cup , beans-1/2 cup, potato-1cup and green peas-1/4 cup)
2. Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 inch
3. Green chillies - 2-3
4. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
5. Coconut milk: thin - 1.5 cup, thick - 1/4 cup
6. Shallots - 5-6 thinly sliced
7. Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon
8. Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a deep vessel, add cut vegetables, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, shallots and thin coconut milk. Add required amount of salt and cook till vegetables are well done.
2. Turn off the stove and add thick coconut milk and coconut oil. 

How to extract coconut milk:

1. Take around 1.5 cup of freshly grated coconut. The milk we get by squeezing the grated coconut is called the thick extract.
2. Add around 1 cup of warm water to the squeezed grated coconut and give it a good mix. Squeeze out the thin coconut milk through a strainer.

Idiyappam:

Ingredients:

1. Idiyappam powder/Rice flour - 1 cup
2. Oil - 1 teaspoon
3. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil 1 cup water and add a teaspoon of oil and salt to taste.
2. Add the rice flour little by little and stir with a wooden spatula. Mix everything well together until a soft, smooth dough is formed.
3. Once the dough is cool enough to handle, knead it for couple of minutes.
4. Take a portion of dough in idiyappam press. Grease idli plate or any steamer with little oil. Press the idiyappam in idli plates and steam for 5-7 minutes. 
5. Let them cool for couple of minutes before you remove from the idli plate.

Serve these hot idiyappam with ishtew. 

I am linking this recipe for this month's "Shh Cooking Secretly" event. This month's theme is Kerala Cuisine. I am paired with Priya Mahesh who gave me rice flour and carrots as my secret ingredients. Here comes my idiyappam and stew with these secret ingredients. I gave Priya, plantain and coconut and she made vazhakka thoran. Check out her blog at200deg for a collection of delicious dishes.

Banana Walnut Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 1.5 cup
2. Baking powder - 1 tsp
3. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
4. Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
5. Salt - 1/2 tsp
6. Banana - ripe - 3
7. Sugar - 1/2 cup
8. Brown sugar - 1/4 cup
9. Butter (melted) - 1/3 cup
10. Egg - 1
11. Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon
12. Walnuts - 1/4 cup chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F(180 deg C). Line muffin tray with muffin cups or grease with butter.
2. Sift all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder and salt and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mash the ripened bananas. Add sugar, brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla essence and combine them together.
4. Fold in flour mixture into wet ingredients in small quantities. 
5. Add in half of the chopped walnuts and mix well.
6. Equally distribute the batter in muffin cups.
7. Sprinkle little walnuts on top of the batter. 
8. Bake for 25 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Cool for couple of minutes and serve.