Homemade Chocolate Fudge

My aunt makes these amazingly drool-worthy cakes and chocolates! I remember how, as kids, we used to wait for holidays just so that we could lay our hands on them.

Sigh!

Then many years later, my cousin Jolnah came home to spend the weekend with me. Now Jolnah is the 'choco-aunt’s' daughter. We were reminiscing about old times when she said she could make homemade chocolate that tasted as good as her moms.

Now, who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

I literally hustled her into the kitchen. There she proceeded to mix and stir and chop and heat. Until, at the end of her labored efforts we were rewarded with a warm, gooey, chocolaty mush.

She told me that it would take a few minutes to harden.
(I believed her :D) And so we waited. … And waited

Until finally, after 3 hours she suggested that MAYbe we should keep it under the fan instead.

So we did. And waited… and waited some more

When S and T came home we told them this was liquid chocolate… and they bought it, the silly things! :D

Anyway, we decided that the next morning it would’ve hardened... so there!

But on Day 2 – t’was the same old goo

Lol! I don’t remember what we did with the ‘remains’ but to this day I pull her leg about her famous ‘liquid’ chocolate.

Anyway, here’s one of my favorite recipes for homemade chocolate. Err, don’t worry… I won’t leave you holding on to chocolate goo this time… hopefully :D

You Will Need:

Milk powder – 2 cups

Cocoa powder – 10 level tbsp

Vanilla essence – 3 drops

Chopped almonds/cashew nuts – 3tbsp

Instant coffee powder – 4 level tsp

Sugar – 2 cups

Water – ½ cup

Unsalted butter – 8tbsp (chopped)

Method Of Preparation:

- Mix the milk powder, cocoa, coffee powder, vanilla essence and nuts in a dish

- Take a small flat dish/tray and grease it with 1/3tsp of butter

- In a separate pan, combine the sugar and water and heat it on high flame

- When it begins to boil, lower the heat to ‘medium’ until you get a ‘single string consistency’
* You will get this consistency 3 to 5 minutes after the sugar has completely dissolved. To check this stage just dip a spoon in the syrup and let it cool for few seconds. Take a drop of the syrup from the spoon with your fore finger tip. Press your fore finger tip your thumb and slowly bring the two fingers away from each other. The syrup drop should form a thin thread between your fingers.*

- Add the butter, stir for a minute and switch off.

- Immediately add the rest of the ingredients and blend well

- Pour into the greased tray and cut into small squares after 5 minutes.

Malai Kabab

S and K were supposed to come over for dinner today. And there I was running around like a headless chicken, because I didn’t know what I could cook that would suit both the desi and videsi palettes. Then, luckily, I remembered K telling me that her mom loves kababs.

So I decided to make Malai kababs, since they wouldn’t be too spicy and yet would be flavorful enough to tease the taste buds.

(To Appu: Babe, don’t even dream of dumping your favorite white pepper into this and crying foul later. Hmmph! :D )

You Will Need:
2lb boneless chicken - cut into small (1 inch) cubes
3tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
½ cup yogurt
1/3 sour cream
3tbsp minced cilantro
2tbsp ginger garlic paste
1tbsp garam masala powder
1 ½ tsp chilly powder (or according to you taste)
1 1/2tsp salt
1tbsp oil

Method Of Preparation:
- Wash the chicken well and mix it with the lime juice

- Rub the lime juice into the chicken (err, with your hands) for a minute or two

- Meanwhile, in a separate dish, prepare the marinade by combining all the other ingredients (except the oil)

- Add the chicken to this marinade

- Mix well so that all the pieces are coated evenly

- Leave it in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours (or preferably overnight)

- Take the chicken out half an hour before you plan to cook

- Preheat the oven to 500 degree F

- Coat your baking tray with the oil

- Thread the chicken on wooden/metal skewers and place them on the tray

- Roast for 25 minutes

P.S. Make sure you turn the skewers every 5 minutes

The ‘Throw-In Whatever You Can Lay Your Hands On’ Soup

I LOVE soups! Not the kind of stuff you get in the US but the Indo-Chinese version ;)

When I make it at home, I just thrown in whatever I can lay my hands on, some sauce and herbs… and bam! Soup ahoy!

If you’re too lazy to cook, this is a great option because it’s A) easy B) quick C) nutritious (unless you decide to add cheese and bacon and whatnot) and D) scrumtilicious!

(Note to Chech: This won’t kill you… hopefully :D )

You Will Need:
Chicken/meat (OR) Veggies of your choice – 1 ½ cups
Water – 3 cups
Ginger-garlic paste – 1tsp
Black pepper – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Fresh corn – 1 cup
Celery – 2tbsp (chopped)
Carrots – 2tbsp (chopped)
Green chilly – 2 (diced)
Cilantro (coriander leaves) – 3 tbsp (minced)
Corn-flour – 3tbspmixed with 1 cup of water
Soy sauce – 1tsp
Green chilly sauce – 2 tsp
Vinegar – 1tbsp

Method Of Preparation:
- Pressure cook the chicken/meat/veggies with 3 cups water, ginger-garlic paste, pepper and salt, till done

- Remove the chicken/meat, shred it finely and put it back into the broth

- Add the corn, celery, carrots, green chillies, cilantro, soy sauce, vinegar and chilly sauce
(P.S. add whatever you want to at this stage… at your own risk :D)

- Mix well, add more salt f required and simmer for 15-20 minutes on a low flame

- Add the corn-flour mixture and stir for 2 minutes

- Switch off and serve

Vendai Mor Kuzhambu

I have a funny way of eating my vegetables. I make the regular sabji/poriyal/upperi first, and then I dump yogurt into it, mix, taste and hog away. It makes me feel oh so sanctimonious, :D like I’m doing my tummy a good deed after all the burgers, junk food and unholy crap I feed it ritually.

This one here is different though. It’s meant to be yogurt based. In Kerala they make it without veggies but I like it the ‘Tamil way’ – with cooked Vedakkai (Okra) and onions.

The best part about this dish is that it can be stored for a 3-4 days. It only gets better each day. I’ve decided to re-christen it my Assignment-week curry ;)

You Will Need:

Okra – 150g (or half a packet of frozen okra) cut into one inch pieces
Onions – 1 large, sliced finely
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Dry red chillies – 5, broken into two
Curry leaves - 10
Red chilly powder – 1tsp (or adjust according to your preferred spice level)
Asafoetida powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Yogurt – 2 cups
Oil – 2 tsp

Method Of Preparation:

- Heat oil in a pan (yeah right! Like you didn’t know it already. lol!)
- Add the mustard seeds
- When they begin to pop, add the fenugreek, cumin, red chillies and curry leaves
- Sauté for a few seconds
- Add the onions and fry till the onions turn golden brown
- Add the chilly powder, turmeric powder and asafoetida
- Saute for 2 minutes
- Now, add the cut okra
- Mix well
- Cover and cook till done
- Add the yogurt and mix well (if its too ‘thick’ for your taste you can dilute it by adding a little water)
- Heat on low flame for 3 minutes, stirring continuously
- Switch off and transfer to a serving dish

Potato Masala

When we were kids we used to call this the Yellow Kootan (curry). Now we’re older, and yet none the wiser. So I’ll name this Potato Masala, just so that there are no doubts about its (debated) virtue ;) It's got its place in the Hall Of Fam-ish because it's extremely easy and fast to cook.

Anyways, I don’t have the patience to wax eloquent about food (why waste time when I can hog instead. Lol), so here goes nothing…

You Will Need:
2 large potatoes
1 onion sliced
5 green chillies slit lengthwise
1tsp mustard
1/2tsp Bengal gram
½ tsp urad dal
10 curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida
½ tsp turmeric powder
2tsp oil
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Method Of Preparation:
- Pressure cook the potatoes till done
- Cool, peel, mash and keep aside
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan
- Add the mustard seeds
- When they begin to pop add the Bengal gram and urad dal
- Stir for 10 seconds or until they turn golden brown
- Add the onions, curry leaves, green chillies and turmeric powder
- Fry till the onions become translucent
- Add the turmeric powder and stir for 10 seconds
- Now add the mashed potatoes and salt
- Mix well
- Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil
- Switch off and garnish with the coriander leaves
- Cover for 5 minutes before serving

This goes very well with Roti. And if you thicken the masala a little more you can spread it on your dosas as well… instant masala dosa ;)

Meen Curry

My idea of comfort food is Potato Chips as appetizer, followed by Meen (fish) Curry and Rice for main course and mangosteen for dessert. Weird, no? But if I have a never-ending supply of these (and unlimited books of course), I can survive on any deserted island till I die.

Err… while you’re at it, throw in those 5 people in my life as well :D

I love the way my Wallima (aunty) makes Meen Curry!
*drool*

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve called her up for the recipe. Each time, she painstaking drawls out the recipe over the phone, interrupted, of course, by my queries and dumb-ass doubts. I then make the dish and promptly misplace the piece of paper. Something I’m wont to do quite often. And the next time I want to make it, well, there’s yet another harried phone call. :D

Anyway, here’s her recipe… with some subtle changes by me to suit my palette.

You Will Need:
Salmon/ Shark (or any fish of your choice) – 1 pound
Onion – 1 big (thinly sliced)
Garlic – 4 pods (chopped fine)
Tomato – 2 (chopped)
Green chilly – 2 (slit)
Dry red chilly – 2 (broken in half)
Mustard – 1 tsp
Fenugreek – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Tamarind – 1 gooseberry sized ball
Oil – 1 1/2 tablespoons
Salt as required

Powders:
Turmeric powder – 1tsp
Chilly powder – 2 tsp (or as per your taste)
Coriander powder – 2 tablespoons
Asafoetida – ½ tsp

Seasoning:
Oil – 1 tsp
Shallots – 8 chopped
Curry leaves – 6

Method Of Preparation:
- Soak the tamarind in ½ cup hot water
- Combine the powders and salt in a separate bowl with water to make a thick paste
- Heat the oil
- Add mustard seeds
- When they begin to pop, add the fenugreek and red chillies
- Stir for a few seconds
- Add the onions, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies
- Fry on medium flame till the onion turns golden brown
- Add the tomatoes and stir for 5 minutes
- Next, add the paste made with the powders
- Stir for 7 minutes or till the raw smell leaves
- Extract the juice from the tamarind and add
- Add 3 cups of water and bring to boil on a high flame
- Lower the flame to ‘medium’ and simmer for 15 minutes
- Add the fish and cook for another 15 minutes or till done
- Don’t stir once you’ve added the fish
- Once the fish is cooked take it off the flame
- Heat the oil for seasoning in another pan
- Fry the shallots and curry leaves till the onions are caramelized (make sure you don’t burn it)
- Switch off and pour it over the Meen Curry
- Cover for 5 minutes and then stir and serve

P.S. This tastes better on the second day. Just fyi.

Olan

The most precious memories of my childhood are of the days I spent with my Amamma and Ammacha (Grandma and Grandpa). They never failed to spoil me rotten with goodies and clothes… and a incredible kind of unconditional love.

Amamma was a great cook. In retrospect, I think she had magic fingers, because everything she touched translated into delectable dishes.

My favorite was her Olan.
Olan, rice and a good story would guarantee that mini-me ate in peace without throwing one of her famous tantrums :D

So here it is, a recipe for the Olan I used to (and still) love. It’s super easy, super tasty and super healthy if you avoid adding the oil at the end. Though most people make it with black-eyed peas, I prefer the plain version.


You will need:
Ash gourd – 250g thinly sliced
Green chillies – 6 to 7 slit
Salt - As required
Thick coconut milk(1st extract) - 1 cup
Thin coconut milk(2nd extract) - 1 1/2 cups
(I use tinned coconut milk. If you prefer using it too, then shake the tin well, divide the contents into two. Mix one half with 1 cup water. That will be your ‘second coconut milk’)
Curry leaves – 12 leaves
Oil - 2 tsp

Preparation Method
- Combine the ash gourd, green chillies and salt along with second extract of coconut milk in a pan, and bring to boil on medium flame
- Simmer and cook for 25 minutes
- Lightly mash the mixture with your ladle
- Add the first (thick) extract of coconut milk
- When you see it begin to boil take it off the flame
- Add curry leaves and oil and cover
- Open and stir well before serving

Chunky Butter Cookies

I love cookies! Especially home made ones. Though my weighing machine groans in silent agony each time I gobble a cookie in front of it, I cannot but give in to some devilish inner urging… every time.

Sigh!

Anyway, this is an extremely simple recipe which comes in handy when my sweet tooth’s a-calling and I’m too bored to drive to the nearest Mapco or Publix. Minimum mess, zero fuss and great taste, makes this one of my most favored ‘to go’ cookies.

You will need:
180g unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
90g castor sugar
250g all purpose flour (maida)
Cashew nuts according to your taste
1tsp vanilla essence
Raw sugar for coating


Method:
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until its well blended and fluffy
- Add the nuts and vanilla essence
- Add the flour a little at a time and, using your hands, work the mixture to form a smooth dough
- Roll into small sausage shapes
- Sprinkle a thick layer of raw sugar on greaseproof paper/aluminum foil
- Press-roll each piece into the sugar to coat it
- Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
- Remove the dough from the refridgerator
- Cut into thick slices and place slightly apart on greased baking trays
- Bake for 20 minutes
- Cool and store

These easily last for 3 weeks… that is, if you don’t hog them before then.

Latha's Rasam

After two disastrous years in a hostel where a breakfast of bread soaked in cold rasam *shudder* was considered avant-garde cuisine, I went COMPLETELY off rasam, concrete (aka Upma) and bread. To this day I can’t look any of these three without a shiver of repulse.

And then, one afternoon, Latha (our maid back home) cheated me into tasting her ‘special’ rasam. And I was hooked. This is probably the only rasam I will ever have. Not that the others taste bad, but just that parts of my taste buds are still hiding under the table in my old hostel refectory… hoping against hope that Mother Superior won’t catch them ;)

Anyway, for this rasam, you will need:
Tomatoes – 4, chopped
A small gooseberry-sized piece of tamarind
Turmeric powder - 1/4th teaspoon
Water - 4 cups
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Shallots - 4,finely chopped
Red chilly - 1 dry
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste

To Grind:
Peppercorn - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Red chillies - 4 dry
A few curry leaves
A few sprigs of coriander leaves
Garlic pods - 4
Asafoetida - ½ teaspoon


Method Of Preparation:
- Boil chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, tamarind and water for 7-8 minutes on a medium flame, or until tomatoes are cooked
- Cool and blend it in a mixer/mixie/blender
- Strain the juice and discard the pulp
- Dry grind all the ingredients (under ‘to grind’) without frying them.
- Heat a pan and add 1 ½ teaspoon oil
- Add mustard seeds
- When they begin to pop add the dry chilly and scallions
- Sauté for a few minutes till the shallots turn golden brown
- Add the ground masala and sauté on low-medium flame for 3 minutes
- Add the tomato juice and salt
- Boil till it start to froth
- Remove from flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves