Savoury Cornmeal Crumble with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta

I love fall season and I love its beautiful colours. So I thought of sharing wonderful butternut squash recipe from Ivy Liacopoulou of Kopiaste.

If you have a favourite butternut squash recipe please do share with me...waiting to hear from you.

Savory Corn Crumble with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta, recipe by Ivy Liacopoulou of Kopiaste…to Greek Hospitality

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Baking time: 1 hour

Serves: 1 baking dish (about 12 pieces)

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 2 lbs butternut Squash, grated
• 1 lbs spinach, squeezed
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 lbs feta, crumbled
• ½ cup parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup fennel fronds, finely chopped
• Salt (with caution) and freshly grated black pepper
• A pinch of cumin

Crumble:

• 1.5 lbs corn meal
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 200 ml Greek yogurt 2%
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp salt

Additional ingredients:

• 3 tbsp margarine divided (to grease the baking tin and to add on top)

Directions:

1. Grate the pumpkin and mix all the filling ingredients.
2. In a large bowl add the crumble ingredients and mix using your hand until the ingredients are well blended to form the crumble. If you still see corn meal, add more olive oil, if necessary.
3. Grease a 35 x 25 cm baking tin with 2 tbsp margarine. Add half of the crumble on the baking tin.
4. Add the filling on top and sprinkle the remaining crumble on top of the filling.
5. Add the remaining margarine in small pieces scattered all over the baking tin.
6. Preheat oven to 180o C / 350o F and bake for about 1 hour or until the crumble is golden on top.

Serve as a main dish, a side dish or a snack.

This sponsorship is brought to you by GLAM Media who we have partnered with for this promotion.

Savory Corn Crumble with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta from Ivy of Kopiaste

Eggless Banana Walnut Cake

This an basic Eggless Banana Cake recipe, this recipe can also be prepared in muffin molds to make Eggless Banana Muffin recipe. I have added chopped walnuts( akrot) to this recipe try adding chopped almonds( badam), cashew nuts or any nuts of your choice.

Eggless Banana Walnut Cake

Ingredients

Banana ripened- 4 nos( Dole or Morris variety)

Powdered Sugar- 3/4 cup

All purpose flour or Maida- 1 and 1/2 cup

Butter- 200 gms( at room temprature)

Banana essence or Vanilla essence- 1 and 1/2 tsp

Baking powder and Baking soda- each 3/4 tsp

Walnuts chopped- 100 gms

Banana Nut Cake

Method

Mash the banana well without any lumps to puree.

In mixing bowl add butter, powdered sugar, banana essence, banana puree and mix well until sugar is dissolved and everything blended well.

Sieve all purpose flour along with baking powder and baking soda, add this sieved flour to the mixing bowl with banana puree and gently fold the batter until everything blended well and creamy cake batter is formed.

Add the chopped walnuts to the banana cake batter and fold well, reserve some chopped walnuts for garnishing top of the cake.

Grease loaf pan with 1/2 tbsp butter, pre-heat oven at 350°F or 180°C, fill 3/4th of the loaf pan with cake batter and top it with chopped walnuts.

Place the batter filled loaf pan in the center rack of the oven and bake cake for 55 mins until the top of the cake is golden brown

( insert a knife in the center of the cake to check if it is done, if the knife comes out clean then cake is done).

Allow the cake to cool for 20 mins before removing it from pan, after removing the cake place on wire rack and allow it to cool again for 10 mins.

Enjoy Eggless Banana Walnut Cake with chocolate sauce if preferred.

Eggless Banana Cake

Mushroom Maggi Noodles

Mushroom Maggi Noodles Recipe

Another exciting maggi noodles recipe with sauteed mushroom and bell pepper.

Ingredients

Button White Mushroom- 200 gms

Maggi Masala Noodles- 3 packet

Onion small minced- 1 no

Capsicum/ Bell pepper small( chopped)- 1 no

Ginger( minced)- 1 tsp

White pepper powder and Salt- if required

Oil- 1 tsp

Maggi Noodles Recipe

Method

Clean and slice the button mushrooms.

Heat oil in a sauce pan when oil is hot add minced onion, ginger and chopped capsicum, saute for few seconds. Next add the sliced mushrooms and saute for few more secs. Add water to the sauce pan as per maggi masala noodles packet instructions  Bring the water to boil, add the maggi masala noodles tastemaker and mix well. Now  break each maggi noodles cake into four and add it to the boiling masala water( if required season with salt and white pepper). Stir well the noodles, reduce the heat, cover the pan and cook noodles for 2 minutes or until semi dry. Serve hot.

Spicy Chettinad Poondu Kuzhambu/ Kaara Kulambu

Chettinad Poondu Kuzhambu

This another traditional and authentic Chettinad recipe from my family. Normally we prepare all kuzhambu recipes with kuzhambu milagai thool for easy and quicker preparation. But in this traditional Poondu Kulambu recipe we prepare everything from scratch for more aromatic and delicious taste. These full process Kara kuzhambu recipes are made during functions and for family lunch.

Ingredients

Garlic cloves( peeled and halved)- 15 nos

Small onion/ Shallots( minced)- 10 nos

Tomato medium( chopped)- 1 no

Curry leaves- few

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds/ Venthayam- pinch

Whole dry red chilli- 2 nos

Vegetable oil- 3 tbsp

Gingelly oil- 3 tbsp

Salt to taste

Water- 1 and 1/2 cups

Tamarind extract- 1/4 cup or Tamarind paste- 1 tbsp

Masala to grind

Garlic cloves- 5 nos

Whole dry red chilli- 5 to 6 nos

Coriander seeds- 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp

Fennel seeds/ sombu- 1/2 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds/ Venthayam- pinch

Peppercorns- 1 tsp

Kaara Kulambu

Method

Dry roast the masala to grind ingredients and grind to smooth paste with few tbsp water.

Heat both oils in a pan, when hot add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, allow to crackle. Add garlic cloves, minced onion and curry leaves, fry for few secs until garlic turns light brown. Now add the ground masala paste, chopped tomato and tamarind paste. Fry in low heat until the oil seprates on the sides from masala paste. Add water and required salt, mix the kuzhambu well and bring to boil. Once starts boiling reduce heat and cook kuzhambu on low heat for 10 mins or until the kuzhambu thickness and oil floats on top. Serve hot.

Garlic Kara Kuzhambu

Tips

I used Kashmiri dry red chilli instead of whole dry chilli to get vivid red color kuzhambu.

You can add few tsp of sugar or jaggery to the kuzhambu to make it slightly sweet.

If you dont have time to grind masala ingredients, try using 3 tbsp kuzhambu millagai thool instead.

Chettinad Prawn and Vegetable Curry/ Eral Kulambu

We call this eral nattu kaikari kuzhambu, this is very simple and easy to prepare curry. This curry goes well with steamed rice and no side dish is required since its loaded with veggies and seafood.

Prawn and Vegetable curry

Ingredients

Prawns/ shrimp- 20 nos

Mixed country vegetables- 200 gms

Onion small chopped- 1 no

Tomato small chopped- 1 no

Garlic cloves crushed- 2 nos

Curry leaves- few

Kuzhambu thool/ podi- 4 tbsp---click for recipe

Water required

Salt to taste

Oil- 4 tbsp

Vadagam- 1/2 tsp---click for recipe

Eral Kaikari Kuzhambu

Method

Heat oil in kadai, when hot add vadagam fry for 2 secs. Add chopped onion, garlic and curry leaves, fry for another 2 secs. Now add the cleaned prawns and vegetables saute for few mins. Add the chopped tomato and cook till tomatoes are done. Add required water, kuzhambu thool and salt. Bring the curry to boil and simmer curry for few mins until vegetables are cooked and gravy thickens. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips

Use country vegetables like plantain, drumstick, brinjal, broad beans etc.

If you do not have kuzhambu powder handy replace it with 2 tsp chilli powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 3 tbsp coriander powder.

You can replace vadagam with 1 tsp mustard seeds.

Pattani Sundal/ Peas Sundal- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian

Pattani Sundal- Toddler Snacks Recipe

Ingredients

Dried white peas/ Vellai pattani- 1 cup

Coconut shredded- 4 tbsp

Curry leaves- few

Chilli flakes- 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Hing- 1 pinch

Salt to taste

Olive oil- 1 tsp

Lemon juice- 1 tsp

Healthy Snack Ideas

Method

Soak the white peas overnight and pressure cook for 5 mins or until tender. Remove the cooked white peas on to a bowl and add required salt, mix well. Heat oil in a tadka pan when hot add mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Next add the urad dal, chilli flakes and curry leaves, fry until slightly browned. Add this tadka to the white peas, add lemon juice and shredded coconut. Toss everything to mix well and serve.

Prawn Rava Upma.

Prawn Rava Upma

I don't know whether this non veg upma is known to others but this is a very common Sunday breakfast in our family. Prawn goes well with any-kind of recipe. Everyone in my family is die-hard fan for Prawn Rava Upma. Do try this and let me know you feedback's.

Ingredients

Small sized prawns/ shrimps- 20 nos

Roasted rava/ sooji- 1 cup

Onion small thinly sliced- 2 nos

Tomato medium chopped- 1 no

Garlic cloves thinly sliced- 2 nos

Green chilly broken into half- 2 nos

Curry leaves- few

Red chilly powder- 1/2 to 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Water- 1 cup or 1 and 1/4 cups 

Oil- 3 tbsp

Cinnamon- 1/2" piece

Cloves- 4 no

Cardamom- 2 no

Bay leaf/ brinji leaf- 1 no

Prawn Sooji Upma

Method

Heat oil in a pan when hot add whole spices and fry for few secs until the aroma rises. 

Add the sliced onion, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves, fry for few secs. Now add the cleaned prawns and saute for 2 secs, add the chopped tomato and cook for few mins. 

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and water. 

Bring the mixture to boil and add the roasted rava to the boiling masala. 

Quickly lower the heat and stir well so no lumps are formed. 

Cover the pan and cook upma for few mins until the rava is well cooked and dry. 

Serve hot prawn rava upma with gravy of your choice

Non Veg Rava Upma

Paneer Fingers( Tawa roasted)- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian

Kids Snack Paneer Fingers

This is a ideal snack for toddlers and kids.

Serves- 4 Kids

Time required- 10 mins

Ingredients

Malai Paneer( cut into fingers)- 250 gms

Cornflour- 1 tbsp

Maida/ All purpose flour- 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder/ Pepper powder- 3/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Water- few tbsp

Olive Oil- few tbsp

Tomato ketchup to serve as dip

Tawa Paneer Fingers

Method

Mix cornflour, maida, chilli powder, required salt and water to make a thin paste. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan/ tawa, dip 5 to 6 paneer fingers into the prepared flour paste and place it on the hot pan. Cook the paneer fingers on both sides until browned and crisp. Spread some tomato ketchup on top of paneer fingers and serve.

Tips

Tofu( bean curd/ soy paneer) can be used instead of malai paneer.

Garlic Coconut Chutney

Garlic Coconut Chutney 

Ingredients

Coconut shredded- 1/4 cup

Roasted bengal gram dal/ Pottukadalai- 2 tbsp

Garlic cloves- 3 nos

Green chilly- 3 nos(+/- to taste)

Tamarind- 2 pinch

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- few

Oil- 1 tsp

Garlic Chutney with Coconut

Method

Grind together coconut, garlic, green chilly, roasted bengal gram dal, tamarind, salt and required water to smooth and fine paste. Remove chutney on to a bowl. Heat oil in tadka pan add mustard seeds and allow to crackle, add urad dal and curry leaves, fry till browned. Add this tadka to chutney and stir well. Serve with hot idli and dosa.