Happy's Cook

Monday, October 31, 2016

Butter Chicken Recipe | Indian Butter Chicken Masala | Murgh Makhani

Butter Chicken is probably one of the most popular Indian dishes across the globe. The butter chicken is made by cooking the tandoori (grilled) chicken in the tomato based buttery & creamy gravy. It is the most famous dish in Indian restaurants paired with Naan or Kulcha for its mild and rich taste. Being a south Indian, I am very much towards the spicy chicken gravy. However, I have tasted it quite a few times in restaurants. After coming to Sydney, I came to know much about it. Even non-Indians are very much fond of Butter chicken and Naan Bread since it is less hot and spicy, unlike other Indian curries. Once in the nearby Westfields mall, for some food-related event, they were demonstrating the preparation of butter chicken. Also, at the end, they gave the recipe card and I adapted the recipe from that with few modifications. It turned out super tasty and we paired it with Jeera rice. For veg variations, check out my Paneer Butter Masala and Mattar Paneer. Let us move on to the recipe:
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Saturday, October 29, 2016

Coconut Burfi Recipe | Thengai Burfi | Diwali Special Sweet

Happy Diwali to all my readers, friends and their families. Hope everyone is enjoying the festival with a variety of sweets and snacks!! I am very happy about the outcome of all the Diwali recipes I tried this year. Everything turned out super awesome and I am almost tired now. I should take a break from this sweets and snacks until next occasion. To wind up this, I thought of posting an easy and yummy coconut burfi. When I was a kid, mom used to make this for me. She always makes it in pink color by adding a little beetroot juice. I still have mom's handwritten recipe of this, which she got it from a teacher who worked with her. To replicate her burfi, I tried this white and pink double layer burfi. Though Jany doesn't prefer most of the sweets, coconut burfi is one of his childhood favorites. Let us move on to the recipe:
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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Tirunelveli Halwa Recipe | Wheat Halwa | Godhumai Halwa | Diwali Sweet Recipes

Being from the southern tip of Tamilnadu, I grow up eating Thoothukudi Macaroon, Kerala Chips and Tirunelveli Halwa. Already I have tried macaroon and chips recipe at home, but never had an idea about, how the halwa is made. I had a paper cutting from a Tamil magazine and an article from The Hindu about the preparation of Tirunelveli halwa. However, the measurements were for bulk quantity and I had doubts in that. When I was planning for Diwali recipes a month ago, this top's the list. From that day I started analyzing about this recipe, visited many blogs and youtube videos too. Finally, I adapted the recipe from Rak's Kitchen and it came out extremely well. The last Sunday I attempted it and it was like a final assessment for me. I woke up early in the morning before Jany and Happy wake up so that I can cook peacefully without getting diverted :) I would say it is not very tough if we try it in a small quantity and we should take extra care while caramelizing the sugar and in the consistency check. Do try this delicious and melt in the mouth halwa for this Diwali. Check out my Kasi Halwa, Corn Flour Halwa, Badam Halwa, Carrot Halwa and Khajoor ka Halwa too. For the entire Diwali sweet and savories, please visit this page.
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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Coconut Milk Murukku Recipe | Thengaipal Murukku | Diwali Special Snacks

I am really excited about this year's Diwali since I was able to make so many sweets and snacks successfully. I face many failures when it comes to snacks and I lose confidence every year. This time I have not faced any challenge with the recipes I tried so far and I am really happy about that. After Potato murukku, I tried this coconut milk murukku and it was so delicious. Jany and Happy liked it very much. I was very tired after trying three new recipes in a row and hence I don't have patience in shaping the murukku.  Finally, I made it like this broken (uthiri) murukku and it was super easy to press directly to oil. Do check out my Potato Murukku, Butter Murukku, Pottukadalai Murukku, Thenkuzhal Murukku, Mullu Murukku and Coconut Murukku too.  Also, visit the entire Diwali snacks and sweets collection. Let us move on to the recipe:
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Monday, October 24, 2016

Bread Gulab Jamun Recipe | Instant Gulab Jamun | Diwali Special Sweet

When I was a kid, Gulab Jamun was a very fancy dessert that is served at many festivals and occasions as a dessert. Mom used to make gulab jamun with the readymade mix. After starting the blog and for the very first Diwali,  I made Gulab Jamun with Khoya. It was a super hit at home. From that day I wanted to try this Instant Jamun, which is easy to make with minimal ingredients. Finally, it happened this year and here I am with the recipe. Check out my other Diwali Snacks and Sweets too.
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Sunday, October 23, 2016

Keerai Vadai Recipe | Keerai Vadai with Urad Dal | Spinach Vadai | Diwali Special Snack | Chef Venkatesh Bhat Recipes - Recipe #14

This Keerai Vadai is very close to my heart since this is one of my cravings during pregnancy. I was deputed to TCS ILP centre Ambattur for few months when I was pregnant since I opted for fewer hours of relaxed work at that time. In the office canteen, we get this keerai vadai on one particular day of the week. My friends and I will go there sharp 4 o'clock to relish this piping hot vadai. I like the texture of the keerai vadai with few crunchy urad dal here and there that is very different from our normal medhu vadai. When I saw the recipe in Vijay TV's samayal samayalI had noted the recipe immediately. I was also really impressed with the recipe when Chef Venkatesh Bhat explains how he learned it. So, apart from the Medhu Vadai and Mysore Bonda for Diwali breakfast , do give this a try this year. Check out my Vazhaipoo Vadai, Paruppu Bonda, Kadamba Vadai and Masala Vadai too. Also, check out my diwali collection of recipes. Let us see the preparation:
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Saturday, October 22, 2016

Boondi Ladoo Recipe | Boondi Laddu | Diwali Special Sweet

I am super excited to share you all this very famous and delicious sweet which can be prepared for any occasion. I love boondi ladoo very much and I cannot restrict myself with one ladoo. So, I avoid to buy it frequently and when I crave for it, I ask dad to buy it from Nagercoil Cake world or Greatest bakery which are my favorite bakeries. 
Making Boondi ladoo at home was really a big project for me. I am very much confident in making the boondi's after trying Motichoor ladoo, Kara Boondhi and South Indian Mixture. Hence, during last Diwali, I tried this and it was an utter flop because of the sugar syrup. However, I wanted to try it again and searched few websites for making perfect sugar syrup with correct sugar quantity. I adapted the recipe from here and it turned out too good. Though I was not able to make perfect round ladoo's, the taste was awesome. I am very much satisfied and here I am with the recipe.
To make Happy try a new dish is really tough for me and if it is a sweet, then she will immediately say 'No'. She had not tasted ladoos before and I really wanted her to try atleast one ladoo. I was even searching some rhymes (silly me!!) about ladoo to tempt her and a tamil rhyme 'vattamana ladoo' came to my rescue :) Finally, she tried one ladoo and liked it. Hopefully, she will have one tomorrow too :) Jany was teasing about my marketing strategy, but I am very happy that they liked it. Check out my entire diwali collection. Let us move on to the recipe:
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Friday, October 21, 2016

Potato Murukku Recipe | Aloo Chakli | Diwali Special Recipes

Diwali came to our house very early in the form of snacks and sweets :). Usually, I don't make many snacks apart from the regular cooking, but this festive season is making me go crazy and as a result, we are relishing on the yummy sweet and savory snacks. I make everything in a very small quantity (mainly with 1 cup flour) and it is enough for just 3 of us. Happy and Jany likes the murukku very much and hence this is my next try after Butter Murukku for this Diwali. Coming to today's recipe it is a very flavourful and super crispy Potato murukku. I adapted the recipe from here and it came out very well. Do give it a try for this Diwali. Check out my other murukku recipes like Coconut Murukku, Pottukadalai Murukku, Thenkuzhal Murukku and Mullu Murukku too. Do check out my entire Diwali Collection for more sweets and snacks ideas.
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Thursday, October 20, 2016

Malai Ladoo Recipe | Paneer Ladoo | Chef Venkatesh Bhat Recipes - Recipe #13

This is one of my favourite paneer sweets from Adyar Anandha Bhavan and I never thought about making it at home until I saw Chef Venkatesh Bhat's recipe from the show Samayal Samayal in Vijay Tv. He demonstrated it very well and even the beginner can do it perfectly in the first attempt. I just followed his instructions blindly and the sweet turned out super awesome. Jany liked it very much and Happy doesn't show much interest since it is a milk based dessert. Try my other Paneer desserts like Rasagulla and Rasamalai. Do check out my other ladoos like Besan Ladoo, Poha ladoo, Rava LadooMaa ladoo and Motichoor Ladoo. Check out my entire Diwali collection too.
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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Butter Murukku Recipe | Easy Butter Murukku Recipe | Diwali Special Snacks

When I was browsing my Diwali Recipe Collection, I found out that I have very limited murukku recipes. Hence, I thought of trying few more murukku's this year. A few years back when I was in Chennai, my neighbour gave me this Butter murukku during Diwali along with few other snacks. Jany and I loved it so much because it was very crispy and at the same time it had the 'melt in the mouth texture'. The very next day I asked the aunty about the recipe and she gave it to me. However, I misplaced it and couldn't find it until now. So, I googled it and adapted the recipe from here.  Jany and Happy, though they were not showing any interest for the sweet dishes, finished the entire murukku on the same day :) Next day, I had to make another murukku (will be posting it soon) after seeing their interest. Do try the recipe at home and share the feedback. Check out my Coconut Murukku, Mullu Murukku, Pottukadali Murukku and Thenkuzhal Murukku. Off to the recipe:
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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Pachai Payaru Ladoo Recipe | Whole Green Gram Ladoo | Pasi Payaru Ladoo | Payatha Maavu Ladoo | Diwali Special Recipes

As mentioned in the yesterday's Suzhiyam post, I am here with another Diwali snack using green gram. This ladoo is very easy to make with minimum ingredients and less time. The same ladoo can be made using yellow split moong dal too. Green grams are always healthy and do give it a try this Diwali. To make it more healthy replace the sugar with jaggery. Check out my other ladoo recipes like Motichoor Ladoo, Maa Ladoo, Til(Sesame Ladoo), Poha(Aval) Ladoo, Besan Ladoo and Rava Ladoo. Check out my entire Diwali collection of Sweets and Savoury snacks too. Let us move on to the recipe:
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Saturday, October 15, 2016

Suzhiyam Recipe | Pachaipayaru Suzhiyam | Mothagam with Green Gram Filling | Diwali Special Recipes

Suzhiyam is one of my childhood favorite snacks and I have posted a version of Suzhiyam with Channa dal filling earlier in the blog that was based on my mom's recipe. Recently, I was asked to create few recipes using green gram for an event and I had created 13 recipes for that. I will be posting all those recipes here one by one. One among them is Suzhiyam with green gram filling. Instead of the outer layer with maida, I tried the healthier version with Idly/Dosa batter. It turned out super awesome and we all loved it. Let us see the preparation steps. Also, please checkout my collection of Diwali recipes.
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Friday, October 14, 2016

Hara Bhara Kabab Recipe | Patties using Spinach Peas Potato | Chef Venkatesh Bhat Recipes - Recipe #12 | My 300th Post

I have tried few recipes for Diwali and I am planning to post it starting from Monday. Until then check out my last year's collection of Diwali recipes. Today's post is a famous north Indian kabab recipe and I saw this preparation in Chef Venkatesh Bhat's show Samayal Samayal in Vijay Tv. I was super excited after seeing a full episode featuring varieties of kababs and I wanted to try at least one from that. So, I chose this recipe with readily available ingredients from my pantry and it came out really well. I am planning to try the rest of the recipes from that episode. Let us move on to the preparation steps:
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Monday, October 10, 2016

Strawberry Yogurt Recipe | Sweet and Creamy Strawberry Flavored Yogurt | Flavored Yogurt

Yet another interesting and easy recipe to enjoy the strawberry season. Everyone at home really loves flavored yogurt and I always stock some flavored yogurt in the fridge to relish after lunch. Though I try all the available flavors and brands, Yoplait Strawberry is my favorite. Hence, I thought of replicating it at home and the recipe justifies it. To make this best-flavored yogurt, just beat the mixture of freshly pureed strawberry and sugar (can use condensed milk instead) or homemade strawberry jam with plain yogurt. I have used the homemade strawberry jam that I have posted earlier for this recipe. However, I have given another recipe without using the jam too.  I adapted this recipe from here, let us move on to the recipe:
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Sunday, October 09, 2016

Milk Kesari Recipe | Paal Kesari | Kesari using milk | Milk Kesari | Milk Semolina(Sooji) Pudding

I love anything sweet while Jany and Happy don't show much interest. If I am posting anything that is very sweet, then they just taste it for my sake and the rest goes into me :( I exclusively made this dish for the blog as a special festive season recipe and I adapted it from here. It came out super awesome and I relished it in my breakfast along with Idli and Sambhar. This recipe is similar to our rava kesari however rava is cooked in milk instead of water. I have already posted Aval kesari and Semiya Kesari too. Without much delay let us move on to the recipe:
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Saturday, October 08, 2016

Sabudana Vada Recipe | Sago Vada | Javvarisi Vadai | Navaratri Special Recipes

This is one such recipe which I was longing to try for years after seeing other bloggers photos of Sabudana Vada. I have never tasted this before when I tried and tasted this yesterday, I could find a unique taste in this vada when compared our normal Medu Vada and Masala Vada(Parippu Vada).  This delicious and crispy snack from Maharashtra is made during the fasting days of Navratri(Navatri Vrat) since it is made without onion and garlic. It is a popular street food in Maharashtra where it is served with sweetened yogurt. I adapted the recipe from here.  Do give it a try and let me know the outcome. Also, please check out my other Navarathiri recipes.
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Thursday, October 06, 2016

Rajma Sundal Recipe | Kidney Bean Sundal | Navarathiri Recipes

I used to make Rajma Sundal for Happy's snack box when we were in Chennai. She doesn't like spicy sundal and hence I make rajma sundal with jaggery and coconut for her, which is similar to the sweet green gram sundal I have already posted.  For us, I follow this simple delicious sundal recipe with fennel seeds and coconut. To add it to the Navratri sundal recipes in the blog, I tried it again today. I shared it with my friend Neena and she too liked it. Please check out other Navarathiri recipes too. Check out Rajma Chawal/ Rajma Masala as well. Off to the recipe:
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Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Chana Dal Sundal Recipe | Kadalai Paruppu Sundal | Navarathri Sundal Recipes | Kid friendly Lentil snack

Happy Navaratri to the people who celebrate this special occasion. I was planning to post few sundal recipes for Navaratri. However, I was completely busy over the last weekend and hence I couldn't click any new recipe. Today I somehow managed to try this simple and easy to make Chana dal sundal. It was very flavourful and here I am with the recipe. Apart from Navaratri, this healthy sundal can be served as after school snacks for kids. Check out my other Navaratri Special Recipes too:
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Monday, October 03, 2016

Strawberry Jam Recipe | Homemade Strawberry Jam | How to make fresh Strawberry Jam | Bread Butter Jam

It is springtime in Sydney and strawberries are in season. Sweet strawberries are flooding the supermarkets and I have managed to create simple exciting things with strawberries. I will be posting them one by one. Today's post is about homemade strawberry jam. Strawberry jam is very easy to make and it is much better than the store bought jam without preservatives.

In my schooldays, my friend Ramya used to bring tomato jam which her father makes. We literally licked each bit of it and I always ask mom to make it for me. Also, in my native in wedding along with ghee rice and biryani they serve tasty pineapple jam and I am a big fan of that too. So homemade jams are always my weakness and I want to try many other jams too. Let us move on to the preparation steps:  
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Recent Videos

Recipes from the Kitchen

Sakkarai Pongal
Poosanikai Halwa (white Pumpkin)/Ash Gourd Halwa
Rava Kesari
Aval Urundai with Jaggery/Poha Balls
Aval Payasam(with Jaggery)/Poha Payasam
Paal Kozhukattai(with Sugar)
Ellu Urundai/ Sesame Seed balls
Vella Kozhukattai / Modhagam (Modak)
Pasi Paruppu Payasam/ Moong Dal Payasam (Kheer)
Unniyappam/Neyyappam
Semiya Payasam/Vermicelli Kheer
Suzhiyam/Susiyan
Motichoor ladoo
Paruppu Poli/ Puran Poli
Corn Flour Halwa
Adhirasam
Carrot Halwa/Gajar Ka Halwa
Mysore Pak(Krishna Sweets style)
Gulab Jamun(with Khoya)
Paal Payasam
Maa Ladoo/Pottukadalai Urundai
Sakkarai Pongal(without milk)/Sweet pongal
Sweet Pidi Kozhukattai
Thengai Poorna Kozhukattai
Chakka Pradhaman
Sarkara Varatti(Sweet Banana Chips)
Ada Pradhaman
Chakka Varatti(Jackfruit Jam)
Rasgulla
Thirattipal(Palkova)
Rasamalai
Vattayeppam
Kalkandu Pongal
Akkaravadisal
Pazham Pori
Banana Dosa(Chef Venkatesh Bhat Recipe)
Rava Ladoo
Ellu Poorna Kozhukattai
Ragi Kozhukattai
Badam Halwa
Aval Kesari
Besan Ladoo
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fudge
Khajoor Ka Halwa(Chef Venkatesh Bhat Recipe)
Semiya Kesari
Poha Ghee Ladoo(Aval)
Palada Pradhaman
Milk Kesari
Pachaipayaru(Green Gram) Suzhiyam
Pachaipayaru(Green Gram) Ladoo
Malai(Paneer) Ladoo
Boondi Ladoo
Bread Gulab Jamun
Tirunelveli Wheat Halwa
Coconut Burfi
Sweet Bonda(Wheat Flour Unniyappam)
Munthiri Kothu
Achu Murukku(Achhappam)
Sweet Diamond Cuts
Wheat Rava Sweet Pongal
Makkan Peda
Wheat Flour Kesari
Green Gram Poli
Paneer Kheer
Green Gram Sago Payasam
Pineapple Kesari
Vella Seedai
Jackfruit Ela Ada
Therali Kozhukattai
Jackfruit Appam
Kaju Kathli
Vettu Cake(MuttaiKose)
Ashoka Halwa
Samai Sweet pongal
Health Mix Ladoo
Mango Kesari