Home Made ~ Meat Spring Rolls - Kerala Style

                                             
The credit for this recipe goes to my sister's mom-in-law (Mary Mathew). The recipe makes wonderful use of a traditional Pallappam Chatti. I have personalized the recipe with my own additions. It tastes awesome when eaten immediately :-)
Ingredients

1) All purpose flour -2 cups
2) Salt -per taste
3) 1-2 eggs
4) Water - to achieve medium thin consistency. 
5) Oil to fry (extra virgin coconut oil,used in this case)

6) Filling of choice : Prepare any filling that you would use for Puffs/ Patties/ Spring rolls. I used a Beef filling with potatoes and chickpeas.  Any combination of sauteed julienne vegetables (cabbage , carrots -thinly cut -would work well as well)

Method:
1) First prepare the filling and keep it ready. This can be prepared per taste. I prepared a beef fry (olarthiyade) and ground it with a baked potato and cooked chick peas. Grind ingredients as desired.

Filling

 2) Mix together flour , eggs, salt and water to a thin consistency.

3) Preheat a Pallappam chatti (very popular in Kerala, India). If you do not have one, use a frying pan that is slightly deep. Pour one spoon of the batter into the center.

4) Swirl the pan/ chatti just like a Pallappam (basically hold the handles and rotate the pan clockwise) The batter will spread to form a thin pancake.

5) When the pancake is partially cooked flip it over and fill some filling. This can be done in a plate as well.

6) Fold the ends of the pancake to make a spring roll / puff as shown below.

7) Prepare additional rolls in the same mannerand keep them ready

8) Either deep fry the rolls (authentic spring rolls) or bake them in the oven (healthy version)

9) Your delicious spring rolls are ready to relish ..

Butternut Squash Dessert

Here is a recipe of a Special Thanksgiving dessert. This is the perfect season for butternut squash. This same recipe can be used on a pie shell as well.  

Ingredients
Butternut Squash (Boiled and mashed - 3 cups)
Low fat Condensed milk (1/2 can)
3 Eggs  (yolk optional)
Flour ( 2-3 tablespoons)
Butter / Olive oil - 1/2 cup
Brown Sugar -1.5 cups
Regular sugar 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence -2 tsp
Pinch of salt
Nutmeg powder (per taste - about 1/2 tsp)
Cinnamon powder (per taste - about 1/2 tsp)
Cranberries / Rice-Crispies for decoration.

Method:
1) Cream together  softened butter and sugar and beat together. Beat eggs and add to mixture.
2) Add condensed milk, flour,vanilla essence and mix.
3) Peel butternut squash and cut into pieces. Pressure cook butternut squash with little water.
4) Drain the water and blend it into a puree when cool. Picture below shows puree added to the mixture prepared in steps 1 and 2.

5) Mix ingredients, add nutmeg powder, salt and cinnamon powder. The picture below shows the final mixture. The butternut squash had an exceptionally brilliant hue this time. Usually it is slightly lighter in color but tastes just as good.

6) Lightly grease a Pan and pour this mixture into it. Lightly sprinkle some more nutmeg powder on the surface.
7) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake mixture for about 45 minutes or until a fork comes out clean from the center.
8) Remove from oven. Spread cranberries and rice-crispies for decoration. Note: Rice crispies should be added just before serving as they may get soggy if added earlier.
9) Cut into pieces and serve.