The Daily Grind

Blueberry Buckle

2009-11-05T17:40:00.001-08:00

Today was supposed to be a “pretend you are a sloth” day. You know… where you sit around doing nothing more strenuous than gaze at your toenails? And then I went to get some berries from the ‘fridge… and BOOM! Inspiration!

The Horned One whispered, “Cake! Cake!!” The Halo-ed One said “Nooooo! Go to the patio and read!”

Guess who won?

ANYway :D I ended up digging up this recipe someone sent me.. for Blueberry Buckle. Just a fancy name for coffee cake with berries in it :D During baking, the buckle/batter rises and fruit sinks giving the cake an uneven ‘buckled’ look. Hence the name (DUH!).

As you bake, the berries explode in the slow heat and their juices trickle through the batter giving rise (no pun intended) to a melt-in-your-mouth dessert that’s easy to cook and easier to finish :D

YOU WILL NEED:

For The Cake:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup softened unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 pint blueberries

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

For The Streusel (Topping)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup sifted all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together

Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl

Beat in the egg into the butter mixture

Add the vanilla essence

Stir in the flour along with milk and blend well

Add the berries to this along with 2 tablespoons of flour and fold in

Pour this batter into a greased 8” pan and set aside

Combine ingredients for the Streusel with a fork to make a crumbly mixture

Sprinkle this over the batter

Bake for an hour

Yenjoi!

You can serve this with whipped cream and blueberries or with blueberry gelato (I’ll post the recipe in a couple of days).

Cutlets... My Comfort Food ;)

2009-01-28T13:55:00.000-08:00

It’s been SO long since I’ve posted on any of my blogs… No particular reason why. Ummmm, maybe there is, but then again… :D I guess I needed some time off.
Anyway, no big deal… I guess here’s a good place to begin as any.

:D

I wanted to take some goodies to class for Peeps. It’s been awhile since I had last made something for her. And while I lay on my bed (littered with project note, thumbnails, and other unmentionables… which is a whole different story altogether) making faces just for the heck of it, it hit me… Cutlets! That’s what I’ll make!

I’d been looking for the perfect excuse to indulge in my favorite snack, and it couldn’t get any better than this :D

They make me very homesick though, because cutlets remind me of those long winter evenings spent lazing with my cousins in the guest room (which was by default our domain). Cold cold evenings spent curled up in the bed reading Debbie, Mandy, Bunty and Judy … and the oober delicious cutlets. Piping hot, they’d be delivered to our ‘kingdom’ by a lowly minions (usually one of our aunts :D)

Sigh! I wanna go home!!!
Err… not exactly!
Hell no!
Muhahahahahahahaaa!

Anyway, You Will Need:

For the chicken
Chicken/meat – 0.5 lb
Ginger (chopped) – 1 inch piece
Garlic – 4 pods
Salt – just a little to taste

(If you want a vegetarian option, skip this step and use 200 grams carrots, 200 grams beans and 100 grams peas instead)

For the filling
Onion (diced) – 0.5 lb
Green chilly (minced) – 100 grams
Mint leaves (minced) – 1 cup
Coriander leaves (minced) – 2 cups
Spring onion minced – ½ cup
Celery (diced) – 1 cup
Potato – 2 medium sized ones
Bread – 2 slices
Oil 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

For the crust:
Egg – 1 large
All purpose flour – 2 tsp
Bread crumbs – as needed
Oil to fry

Method Of Preparation:

- Pressure cook the chicken, ginger, garlic and salt (without water) till done.
- Strain and cool. Finely shred the chicken (I used my shredder) and keep aside.
- Boil the potatoes, peel, mash and keep aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the onions green chilly, mint leaves, coriander leaves, spring onion, celery and salt until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the chicken (meat/veggies) to this and fry for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the potatoes and bread slices and combine well for 5 minutes.
- Allow it to cool for a while.
- Meanwhile make beat the egg and all purpose flour until there are no lumps.
- Take the breadcrumbs in a separate flat plate. You can keep adding more crumbs as and when you finish.
- Next make small patties of the chicken (meat/veggie) mixture
- Dip each patty in the egg mix and roll in the breadcrumbs (gently) to give it an even coating.
- Deep fry on medium flame for 3-4 minutes on each side and transfer onto a paper towel.

Serve with Tomato sauce or Coriander chutney...
Enjoy… :D

Triple Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars

2008-06-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

Etta and Preethi are coming over tomorrow and I’m SUPER excited!!! Yay! Two days isn’t enough :( But, what the hell! I can’t wait to see them again. Sigh!

Preethi is MY kinda person - an unapologetic foodie and fellow chocolate freak. So I made this for her because I know she’s one person who’ll fully appreciate and fully do justice to your cooking no matter what.

Anyway, this is one of the simplest cookies ever. Don’t be scared by the seemingly long process. It’s not so difficult (as long as you remember to stir the caramel continuously till it’s done) and your taste buds will implode with joy with the very first bite :D

Lol!

So, You Will Need

For The Base:

250g all purpose four

½ cup castor sugar

3/4^th cup unsalted butter, softened

For The Caramel Filling:

7 tbsp unsalted butter

½ cup light brown sugar (muscovado)

2 * 14oz cans condensed milk

For The Chocolate Topping:

90g semisweet/bitter cooking chocolate

90 g milk chocolate

50g white cooking chocolate

Method Of Preparation

For The Cookie Base:

- Preheat the oven to 350 F

- Line and grease a 13*9 inch baking dish

- Combine the flour and castor sugar in a bowl and work in the butter with your hand, until it looks like fine breadcrumbs

- Put the dough into the tray and press it out with your hand to cover the base

- Smoothen the surface with a spoon and prick holes al over with a fork

- Bake for about 20 minutes and set aside to cool

For The Caramel Filling:

- Combine all the ingredients in a pan and heat on a medium-low flame, stirring all the while until the sugar has dissolved

- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer on a low flame for 10 minute

- Stir constantly and make sure it does not burn

- Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the cookie base

- Leave it aside until cold

For The Chocolate Topping:

- Melt each chocolate separately in the microwave for 40 seconds (or in a double boiler)

- Spoon lines of plain chocolate alternating with milk chocolate and cover the surface of the caramel filling completely

- Add dollops of white chocolate and use a skewer to form a marbled effect

- Leave it to cool and cut bars once the chocolate has set (if it’s still gooey, refrigerate it till it sets and then cut bars)

*Excuse me for the ridiculous picture :D I was trying to do too many things with one hand*

Mathew Mishmash-ed!

2008-05-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

There’s this little lady I visit online almost every other day, just to torture myself.

Not because she’s a great cook (she is!!) but because she goes one notch up above the rest and displays works of art rather than mere dishes. Droolworthy, eyepopping creations which make me want to run to the refrigerator and stuff myself up.

That’s the lady Mishmash.

Anyway, couple of weeks ago I came across this recipe of hers which I knew I HAD to try. I was waiting for a weekend when again, I chanced upon this other blogger’s post on his Mom’s biryani – Mathew - of the tongue-in-cheek, and sometimes tongue-outside-cheek wit and priceless humor.

His post reminded me of Kerala. Now, what I like BEST about Kerala is the FOOD! Actually what I like about ANY place is the food… but lets not get into that now. :(

*cough cough*

So, where was I? Oh yeah, Food.

So.. I made this for the ‘Hungry Mouths’ a week or so ago and have been waiting to post this. But you know how busy a jobless person can be. :D

Anyway, ‘featured’ ;) here is Mishmash’s Mutton Fry on a bed of carrots (my idea of healthy salad… who am I kidding!) and a tomato cup of thick creamy yogurt embedded(?) in Mathew’s Savolaa.. Giri.. Giri.. Biryani.

Shn? Mathew? Very many thankoos for the deliciocity ketto! ;)

And that’s echoed by my phriends who masquerade as my guinea pigs.

Double Chocolate Fudge Macadamia Marble Cake

2008-05-12T22:21:00.001-07:00

I should really have called this the 'Macadamia's Lost Her Marbles' cake. How else would you describe a cake born out of nervous energy and a craving for chocolates, nuts and everything decadent? Sigh!

It was past midnight I think, when I decided to bake. Anything to escape from 'actual work' ;)
And since I didn't have the patience to follow any particular recipe, I just threw in this and that on-the-fly. You can see my complete lack of focus in the frosting and decoration :D Mybad!

But it turned out ok, so I decided to let it materialize here.

And Chech? When you read this, look at the date and REMEMBER what you FORGOT.
Hmmpfhh!

Anyway, You Will Need:
Eggs – 5
Butter – 250 gms
Maida – 250 gms
Sugar – 250 gms
Cocoa/coffee – 4 tsp (mix the powder with half of 1/4th cup of milk)
Milk 1/4th cup
Baking Powder – 2 tsp
Vanilla essence – 2 tsp

Preparation Method:

1. Let the butter soften at room temperature

2. Powder the sugar

3. Separate the egg whites from the yolks

4. Cream together the butter and sugar

5. Add the egg yolks to the above mixture

6. Beat well

7. Sift the flour along with the baking powder onto a clean dry dish (sift 3 or 4 times to get rid of the air pockets)

8. Add this to the butter mixture

9. Add the vanilla essence

10. Beat the egg white till stiff and add

11. Separate the mixture into two halves

12. To one half add the cocoa (or coffee) and mix well

13. You now have two colored mixtures - one light and creamy and the other a dark chocolaty.

14. Add some chopped cashew nuts to the creamy mixture and chopped macadamia nuts/almonds to the chocolate mixture

Layering The Cake pan:

Scoop the mixtures alternatively into the prepared cake pan, making inch-wide stripes with the cream and dark dough so that you have a cream strip followed by a dark strip

Repeat till you cover the entire pan

When you’ve lined the pan, take a fork and lightly run it in a zig-zag motion over the mixture, once horizontally and once vertically.

Meanwhile, preheat the over to 180 degree Centigrade

Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges start leaving the sides of the pan

Frosting:
For the frosting, I followed THIS recipe, only I added some dark cooking chocolate for the middle layer of frosting.

Assembling The Cake:
- Ummm, you can go ahead and indulge in some creative license ;)

- For this one, Make two separate cakes in 9" pans

- Spread the frosting with dark chocolate evenly on it

- Sprinkle some nuts and dry sweetened coconut flakes

- Place Cake 2 on it and press down lightly but firmly

- Spread the normal frosting evenly, including sides

- Decorate with strawberries, sweetened coconut flakes, and whatever you can think of at the time ;)

(For the chocolate coated strawberries, simply melt some milk chocolate and coat the strawberries with it)

P.S. I'm going to dedicate this to my 'parasite' friend who's sold his soul to the devil ;)

Chilly Chicken For Fire Eaters

2008-04-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think the only reason people come to visit me when I go home, isn’t to go huggy kissy on me but to eat Latha’s food. Sigh!

But hey, who cares as long as I get to do the honors first :D

This is (she claims) her original recipe for chilly chicken. And I have to agree. I’ve never quite had the same taste elsewhere. But a note of warning: You might want to adjust the spice level, because her’s always leaves me gasping for water after the first few bites.

And since I like gasping I follow her proportions to a T :|

;)

Anyway, You’ll Need:

For The Marinade:

Boneless chicken cut into small cubes – 2 lb

Maida/All purpose flour – 3 tablespoons

Cornflour – 2 teaspoons

Chilly powder – 1 ½ teaspoon

Freshly ground pepper – ½ teaspoon

A small pinch of red food color – optional

A small pinch of ajinomoto – optional

Egg – 1 large

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tablespoon

Soy sauce – 1 tablespoon

Tomato sauce – 1 ½ tablespoon

Juice of one lime

Salt to taste – Add less than the quantity you normally use, because Soy Sauce is salty. You can add more later after you mix everything.

For The Butter Fry:

Unsalted butter - 1 ½ teaspoon

Green chillies slit lengthwise - 10

Curry leaves – 15 leaves

Method Of Preparation:

- Combine all the marinade ingredients together (except chicken)

- Check the salt and spice proportion

- Add chicken and mix well

- Refrigerate for 30 minutes

- Deep fry on low to medium heat – I burnt them this time :(

- Remove and keep aside

- Now in another pan, heat the butter

- Add the green chillies and curry leaves and fry for two minutes on medium heat

- Remove and empty the contents on to the fried chicken

- Toss well and serve

My Favourite Mallugirl's Microwave Kalakand

2008-04-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

I’m a die-hard fan of microwave sweets! :D

Anything easy and tasty is welcome. ;)

And thanks to Mallugirl, my friends and I pigged out this weekend.

Love ya Mallugirl!

The only ‘customization’ I did was cook it for an extra minute or two, and add macadamia nuts instead of pistachio

Check out her original recipe here.

Thakkali (Tomato) Chutney

2008-04-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Hostel food used to be unbearable!! Its only saving grace was the “gunpowder” and tomato chutney which we were doled out in less than generous rations. Sigh.

But the nuns didn’t know they were dealing with hooligans here :D not mere kids.
Every night, after ‘lights out’, we used to sneak into the kitchen.
Loka was the gang leader of sorts for our gastronomic expeditions (where are you now Lux ??! I still have the coin. Can’t believe we’ve lost touch ! )

Err, I digress.

So, *ahem* we’d raid the kitchen, find the preserved chutney and snack on it with raw carrots and bread.

Well, yeah… desperation has peculiar taste buds me friends :D

Anyway, here’s my recipe for Tomato Chutney. I clung to this one after many failed permutations and combinations. :D You can save this for a week or two - if it lasts that long. It goes well with Rice, Roti, Bread… err, ditch the carrots though ;)

P.S. Next time I’ll post the gunpowder recipe…

You Will Need:

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon asafoetida powder

3 dry red chillies

1 cup curry leaves

10 ripe tomatoes, chopped

20 pods of garlic, finely chopped

A small piece of ginger, minced

2 teaspoons chilly powder

1/2 cup oil

Salt to taste

Method Of Preparation:

- Heat the oil

- Temper with mustard seeds

- When they begin to sputter add the fenugreek seeds and sauté for a 30 seconds in medium flame

- Add the red chillies, garlic, ginger and curry leaves and sauté for 6-7 minutes

- Next add the tomatoes and salt

- Cover and cook on a low flame for 10 minutes, stirring once in between

- Open the lid and add the asafoetida powder

- Cook uncovered until the oil starts to separate and the mixture begins to thicken

- Add the chilly powder and stir for 5 minutes

- Cool and refrigerate in air tight containers.

Semiya Uppuma

2008-04-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

3 cups of vermicelli (semiya)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, cubed
4 green chillies, finely chopped
3 tsp Ginger paste
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp Chana dal
Handful of Coriander
salt to taste
oil to saute
4 cups of water

Method:
1. Saute vermicelli in 4tsp of oil until light golden brown
2. Add 3 cups of water and let it boil.
3. Make sure semiya is cooked. If not add just minimal amount of water and let it cook. The cooked semiya should be dry and preferably loose.
4. Saute with oil: mustard, cumin seeds, once they splutter, add the ginger paste and the vegetables
5. Add the cooked semiya and keep sauteing.
6. Add salt to taste(add it along with minimal water , so that it mixes well)
7. Add the finely chopped Coriander.

Serves 2-3.

Homemade Chocolate Fudge

2008-03-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-25T22:34:00.001-07:00

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

2008-03-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-18T15:00:00.002-07:00

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

2008-03-18T15:00:00.001-07:00

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

2008-03-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

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

Quickie Sambar

2008-02-28T09:32:00.000-08:00

My friends and sister have been complaining that A) I don’t post often B) I post crazy time-consuming recipes and C) That I have no common sense

(Hmm!!??!! I’m not quite sure that I like complaint number 3 grr! Lol!)

Anyway, I’m going to post some ultra simple recipes for a while now, till I’m bored I guess.

I’ll start with the humble (but my favorite) sambar.

I’m not a patient person. I normally don’t have the time to make elaborate dishes on a daily basis. This is my easy-to-cook recipe for sambar ( I hate the ones made using ready-made sambar powder. EW!).

This takes just a few minutes to cook and I manage to bathe and dress between the cooking intervals ;) What’s more, this tastes best on the 2nd day. So I don’t have to cook for a few days. Yeah, well I never said I wasn’t a lazy mutt.

The Quickie Sambar

Ingredients

To pressure cook
Toor dal – 3/4th cup
Tomatoes (Roma or the Indian variety) – 2
Turmeric powder – 3/4th tsp
Onion sliced – 1 (medium sized)

To temper
1. Ghee – 1 ½ tsp
2. Mustard – ½ tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
4. Dry red chillies – 3 (broken in half)
5. Curry leaves – 10
6. Red chilly powder – 2 level tsp (or adjust according to taste, because the brand I get here is not very hot)
7. Coriander powder – 2 heaped tsp
8. Asafetida powder – ½ tsp
9. Tamarind paste – 3/4th tsp mixed with 2 tsp water (adjust according to your preference)
10. Vegetable(s) of your choice – 1 ½ cup (Note: if you’re using Lady’s Finger, fry it lightly first before adding)
11. Coriander leaves – ½ cup chopped

Method:

- Pressure cook the toor dal, onion, tomatoes and turmeric powder till cooked
(I keep it for 6 whistles as I like it really mashed :D)
- Lightly mash them together with a ladle and keep aside

- Heat the ghee
- Add the mustard seeds
- When they begin to pop add the fenugreek seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and sauté for 20 seconds on medium flame
- Remove from flame and add the chilly powder, coriander powder and asafetida and fry till the raw smell leaves
- Combine this with the mashed dal mixture and cook on medium flame
- Add the vegetables and tamarind paste and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium-low flame
- Garnish with coriander leaves

Tiramisu Cookies

2007-11-16T07:54:00.000-08:00

You will need:
Unsalted butter – 50g (at room temperature and diced)
Caster sugar – 90g
Egg – 1, beaten
Plain all purpose flour – 50g

For the filling
Mascarpone cheese – 150g (check here for substitutes in case you don’t find it http://www.heavenlytiramisu.com/mascarpo.htm)
Dark rum – 15ml
Instant coffee powder – ½ tsp
Molasses – 15 ml (or use light muscovado sugar)

For the topping:
White chocolate: 75g
Milk – 15ml
Crushed chocolate flakes – 2 tbsp

Preparation method:

For the filling:
1. Mix the rum and coffee powder well, stirring till the powder is completely dissolved

2. To this, add the cheese and muscovado sugar

3. Combine well

4. Cover with a plastic wrap and chill until required

For the cookie:
5. Now pre-heat the over too 400 degree Fahrenheit

6. Line two or three baking sheets with baking parchment

7. Cream together butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy

8. Add the beaten egg and mix

9. Stir in the flour slowly

10. Combine well

11. Put the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm nozzle.

12. Pipe small blobs on the baking sheet (remember to space them well as the dough expands)

13. Bake for 6-8 minutes until the centers are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown

14. Remove from oven and set aside to cool

To assemble:
15. Spread a little filling on half of the cookies and places the other halves on top to create cookie sandwiches

16. Combine the chocolate and milk in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of hot water

17. When the chocolate is completey melted, stir to make a smooth paste of spreadable consistency

18. Spread the topping evenly over the cookies

19. Sprinkle with the chocolate flakes

Cheese And Onion Bread

2007-11-16T07:17:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Onion – 1, finely chopped
Unsalted butter – 3 ½ tbsp
Unbleached white bread flour – 4 cups
Dried yeast – ¼ ounce
Mustard powder – 1 teaspoon
Grated aged cheddar cheese – 1 ½ cups
Lukewarm milk – 2/3 cup
Lukewarm water – 2/3 cup
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper – to taste

Peparation method:

1. Lightly grease a 10x4-inch loaf pan

2. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a frying pan

3. Sauté the onion in the butter until its light and golden

4. Set aside to cool

5. Sift flour into a large bowl

6. Stir in the yeast, mustard, salt and pepper

7. Mix well

8. Stir in three quarters of the cheese and the onion

9. Make a well in the centre and add milk and water

10. Blend to a soft dough

11. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until its smooth and elastic

12. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let in rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes (or until it has doubled in bulk)

13. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, punch down and knead gently

14. Divide into 20 equal pieces and shape into small rounds

15. Place half in the prepared pan (you will have two rows)

16. Brush with some melted butter

17. Top with the remaining rounds of dough and brush with the remaining butter

18. Cover with an oiled plastic wrap and let it rise again for 45 minutes (or until the dough reaches the top of the pan)

19. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit

20. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top on the dough

21. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until risen and golden brown

22. Cool on a wire rack

Stir Fried Vegetables

2007-11-07T16:13:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Beans – 4-5, cut diagonally and blanched
Carrots – I, cut diagonally and blanched
Cauliflower – 5-6 florets
Onion – 1, cubed
Capsicum – 1 cubed
Cashew nuts – 25-50 gm
Ginger – ½ tbsp, chopped fine
Garlic – ½ tbsp, chopped fine
Spring onions – 2 tbsp, chopped fine
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Soya sauce – ½ tbsp
Sugar – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 2-3 tbsp
Cornflour – 1 ½ tbsp dissolved in water

Preparation method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil

2. Sauté the cashew nuts till light brown

3. Remove and keep aside

4. Add more oil if required and sauté the onions and capsicums for

3 minutes

5. Add the blanched beans, carrots and cauliflowers and sauté for another 3 minutes

6. Remove and keep aside

7. Heat 1 tbsp oil

8. Add the ginger, garlic and spring onions and stir fry for two minutes

9. Add the soy sauce, salt, sugar and pepper

10. Mix well

11. Add 1 ½ cups of water and when it begins to boil, add the cornflour

12. Cook till the sauce thickens

13. Add the sautéed vegetables and cashew nuts

14. Cook for 2-3 minutes

15. Serve hot

Green Chilly Mushrooms

2007-11-07T16:08:00.000-08:00

You will need:
Mushrooms – 200 gm (sliced into two)
Spring onions – 2 tbsp, chopped fine
Ginger – ¾ tbsp finely chopped
Garlic – ¾ tbsp, finely chopped
Soy sauce – 1 ½ tbsp, finely chopped
Vinegar – 1 tbsp
Onion – 1, cubed
Capsicum – 1, cubed
Salt to taste
Oil – 2-3 tbsp
Green chillies – 2

Preparation method:

1. Heat 1 ½ tbsp oil in a pan

2. Sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes

3. Remove and keep aside

4. To the same oil, add the onions and capsicum

5. Sauté for 3 minutes

6. Remove and keep aside

7. Heat 1 ½ tbsp oil and add the green chillies, ginger and garlic

8. Stir fry for a minute

9. Add the spring onions and sauté for a minute

10. Then add the soy sauce, vinegar and salt

11. Mix well

12. Add 1 ½ cups of water

13. When it begins to boil, add the cornflour add the cornflour

14. Cook till the sauce thickens

15. Add the mushroom, onions and capsicum and cook for 2 minutes

16. Serve hot

Prawn And Tomato Pickle

2007-11-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Praws – 500 gms
Tomato – 250 gm
Pepper – ½ tsp
Cumin – ½ tsp
Red chillies – 12
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Onions – 375 gms
Garlic pods – ¼ cup
Ginger – ¼ cup chopped
Green chillies – 8
Curry leaves – a handful
Oil – 4 ounces
Vinegar – 6 ounces

Preparation method:

1. Grind pepper, cumin, turmeric and red chillies in 5 ml vinegar

2. Chop the onion and mince prawns

3. Heat oil

4. Add curry leaves and onions

5. When they start becoming brown add the ground masala

6. Add the chopped ginger, green chillies and garlic

7. Sauté for 4 minutes

8. Add the prawns

9. Stir for a few minutes

10. Add the tomatoes

11. Add the remaining vinegar and salt

12. Keep on low flame and cook till the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan

Malaysian Vegetable Pickle

2007-11-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Cauliflower florets – 750 gm
Beans – 375 gm
Small onions – 500 gm
Green chillies – 20
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Mustard powder – 4 tsp (remove the skin)
Sugar – 100 gm
Water - 4 cups
Vinegar – 1 bottle
Salt – 9 tsp

For the masala:
Dry ginger powder – 4 tsp
Garlic – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 8
Vinegar - 5 ml

Preparation method:

1. Clean and chop the vegetables

2. Add water and salt to the vegetables

3. Leave it overnight and strain the next morning

4. Keep one ounce of vinegar aside and mix with it the pepper and mustard powders

5. Dissolve the ground masala in the rest of the vinegar

6. Add the sugar and salt

7. Heat the vinegar

8. When it starts boiling add the vegetables and the one ounce vinegar mix kept aside

9. Take of the fire before it boils.

Prawn And Brinjal Pickle

2007-11-07T13:56:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Shelled prawns – 1 cup
Brinjal cut into small pieces – 2 cups
Sliced onions – ½ cup
Vinegar – ½ cup
Sugar – 2 tsp
Oil – ½ cup
Salt to taste

For the vinegar paste:
Vinegar – 5 ml
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Mustard – 1 tsp
Garlic – 1 tsp
Ginger – 2 tsp

Preparation method:

1. Combine prawns with 1 tbsp vinegar, salt and a little water and cook till done

2. Drain the excess water

3. Clean and dry the brinjal pieces

4. Fry without breaking any, till they are a nice golden brown

5. Set aside

6. Sauté onions in oil and add the prawns

7. Remove before the onion turn brown and keep aside

8. Fry the ground masala in the same oil for 5 minutes

9. And ¼ cup water to it

10. Fry well

11. Add the rest of the vinegar.

12. Add sugar and fried ingredients

13. Cook till thick

14. Bottle after it cools

Mixed Vegetable Pickle

2007-11-07T13:48:00.000-08:00

I don’t have measurements for this. I just go by my instincts each time ;)

You will need:

Mixed vegetables
Mustard seeds
Ginger
Garlic
Refined oil
Fenugreek
Chilly powder
Vinegar
Salt
Sugar – (no more than ½ tsp)
Gallnut powder – ¼ tsp (optional)

Preparation method:

1. Heat oil
2. Temper the mustard seeds
3. Add the ginger and garlic paste
4. When it turns brown add the vegetables
5. Fry for 5 minutes
6. Add the chilly powder, vinegar, salt and sugar
7. Cook without covering for 5 minutes
8. Add the gallnut powder and take off the flame at once
9. Cool and store

Chicken Pickle

2007-11-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Chicken – I kg (boneless)
Sunflower oil – enough to fry the chicken
Gingely oil – 1 ½ cup
Vinegar – ¾ cup
Curry leaves - a few sprigs
Garlic – 2 pods cut fine
Ginger – 2 two inch pieces cut fine
Slit green chillies – 12
Chilly powder – ½ cup
Mustard – 1 tbsp
Fenugreek – 1 tsp
Sugar – ½ tsp
Salt to taste

For the vinegar paste, grind:
Vinegar - 5 ml
Garlic – 4 big pods
Ginger – 2 two-inch pieces
Mustard – 3 tbsp

Preparation method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces in salt and turmeric for an hour

2. Deep fry in oil

3. Heat gingely oil and pop the mustard

4. Add fenugreek and curry leaves

5. Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies and sauté till brown

6. Add the vinegar paste and chilly powder

7. Add sugar and sauté till the flavor is released

8. Add the vinegar and cook on low flame for a few minutes

9. Add the chicken pieces and cook till the pieces are nicely coated with the paste

10. Remove from flame

11. Bottle when cool

Fish Pickle

2007-11-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Fish – ½ kg
Slit green chillies – 3
Chopped ginger – 1 inch piece
Garlic 3 pods
Curry leaves – a handful
Pepper corn – ¾ tsp
Chilly powder – 1 ¾ tbsp
Vinegar -50 ml
Oil – 125 ml
Mustard - 1 tsp

To grind:
Garlic – 2 pods
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Cumin – ¾ tsp

For the vinegar paste, mix:
Vinegar – 5-10 ml
Turmeric powder – 1 ½ tsp
Chilly powder – 1 tbsp
Salt – according to taste

Preparation method:

1. Wash, drain and cut fish into 1 inch cubes

2. Apply the vinegar paste and leave aside for and hour

3. Heat oil and fry the pieces on medium flame till they are browned on both sides

4. Remove and set aside

5. Add a little more oil and pop the mustard

6. Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies till the chillies change color

7. Add the pepper corns and curry leaves

8. Add the ground paste

9. Fry for 2 minutes

10. Now add the fried fish pieces and mix well

11. Remove from fire and add the chilly powder

12. Add the vinegar

13. Mix well and put the pan back on the stove

14. Cook till the oil leaves the sides of the pan

Lime Pickle

2007-11-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

This one lasts for a year

You will need:

Lime – 25 nos.
Oil
¾ cup
Red chilly powder – 2 2/1 tsp (heaped)
Salt – 3 tsp
Garlic – 1 cup
Chopped ginger – 2 sp
Slit green chillies – 15
Curry leaves – 10 sprigs
Asafetida – to taste
Fenugreek powder (to taste)
Vinegar – 1 cup

Preparation method:

1. Add salt to the lime and keep aside in a glass container in a dark place for 2 days

2. Mix the red chilly, fenugreek and asafetida powders in a little water to make a paste and keep aside

3. Heat oil

4. Fry the ginger and garlic lightly

5. Add green chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute

6. Add the paste and sauté for 4 minutes

7. Add the vinegar

8. Now add the carrots and cook till it boils

9. Take off the flame just before the carrots lose their crispness

Beef Pickle

2007-11-07T13:33:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Beef – 2 kg
Ginger – 2 ounces
Garlic – 6 pods
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Chilly powder – 4 heaped tsp
Mustard – 1 tbsp
Cumin – 1 tsp
Oil – 1 cup
Vinegar – 1 ounce (divided into three parts)
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Preparation method:

1. Cut the beef into small pieces

2. Cook it with one part of vinegar and the salt

3. Cook till the broth is completely dry

4. Heat oil and fry the pieces to a nice golden brown

5. Keep in a container overnight to allow excess oil to drain

6. Grind the ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilly powder, cumin and mustard with one part of vinegar

7. Heat oil and add curry leaves

8. Add the ground ingredients

9. Sauté till its light brown

10. Add the beef and rest of the vinegar

11. Add salt if needed

12. Cook on low flame till thick

13. Bottle when cool

Carrot Pickle

2007-11-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Carrots – 3 cups (cut long and fine)
Gingely oil – 1 ½ cup
Chilly powder – 2 dessert spoons (big)
Mustard seeds – 1 tbsp
Powdered mustard - to taste
Fenugreek powdered – to taste
Asafetida powder – to taste
Turmeric powder – to taste
Chopped ginger – 2 tsp
Garlic – 12 flakes
Vinegar – 1 ½ cups
Salt – 1 ½ cups

Preparation method:

1. Add salt to the carrots and keep aside

2. Mix the fenugreek, asafetida and turmeric powders in a little water to make a paste and keep aside

3. Heat oil

4. Add the mustard seeds

5. When they pop, add ginger and garlic

6. Add the paste and mustard powder to this and sauté for 4 minutes

7. Add the vinegar

8. Now add the carrots and cook till it boils

9. Take off the flame just before the carrots lose their crispness

Tomato Pickle

2007-11-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Tomato – 2 kg
Gingely oil – 1 kg (reduce if you wish to)
Vinegar – ½ bottle
Garlic – 10 pods
Ginger – 125 gm
Mustard – 125 gm
Green chillies – 125 gm
Chilly powder – 100 gm
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt – ½ cup ( or according to taste)
Curry leaves – a handful

Preparation method:

1. Grind ginger, garlic, fenugreek, cumin and mustard

2. Chop green chillies and tomatoes

3. Heat the oil

4. Add the ground masala

5. Sauté it till it turns brown

6. Add the green chillies, tomatoes, turmeric and curry leaves

7. Sauté till the tomatoes turn mushy

8. Add chilly powder and salt

9. Sauté for 5 minutes

10. Add the vinegar and sauté till the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan

Marshmallows

2007-11-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Gelatin – 30 gms
Sugar – 450 gms
Water – 300 ml
Food color (preferably raspberry) – a pinch
Raspberry essence – 2 drops

Preparation method:

1. Soak and dissolve the gelatin in 150 ml of water for 8-10 minutes

2. Combine sugar and the remaining water in a pan and boil for 12 minutes

3. Add the gelatin mixture to it

4. Remove from flame and add the color and essence

5. Whip thoroughly till it foams

6. Pour into a ghee/butter paper lined dish

7. Allow to set for hours

8. Cut into bite sized pieces, roll in powdered sugar and enjoy

Fried Beef With Coriander

2007-11-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Beef – 1 kg
Ginger – 2 inch piece
Chillies – 5, finely chopped
Coriander powder – 1tbsp
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – I tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Grated coconut – a handful
Onions – 2 chopped
Tomato – 1 large, chopped
Curry leaves – ½ cup
Coriander leaves – 1 bunch
Water – to cook
Oil – 3 tbsp
Salt to taste

Preparation method:

1. Pressure cook beef with salt, a pinch of turmeric powder, ginger and chillies

2. Cook till only one cup water remains

3. Once done, remove the stock from the meat and keep both aside

4. Heat the oil

5. Fry onions till they turn translucent

6. Add the coconut and fry till it turns golden brown

7. Add the coriander powder, chilly powder and turmeric powder

8. Sauté on a low flame for 5 minutes

9. Add the curry leaves and tomato

10. Sauté till the oil is completely absorbed

11. Add the garam masala and pepper and sauté for 3 minutes

12. Add the beef and coriander leaves fry for 7-8 minutes

13. Add the stock and stir till the gravy dries up completely

14. Continue to cook on low flame till brown and dry

15. Serve only if people praise you for your efforts ;)

lol!

Spicy Mustard Chicken

2007-11-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Mustard – 2 tbsp
Chicken – 1 kg
Onions – 3
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 3
Chilly powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp
Garam masala – ¼ tsp
Tomatoes – 4
Yoghurt – 2 tbsp
Water – 1 cup
Cilantro leaves – a small bunch
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Preparation method:

1. Heat oil

2. Add the mustard seeds

3. When the popping stops add the chicken to it

4. Fry on high flame till the chicken is brown on both sides

5. Remove and keep aside

6. In the same vessel fry three onions

7. Add the ginger garlic past and fry for 2 minutes

8. Add the green chillies and fry for a minute

9. Add chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and fry till the raw smell abates

10. Add the tomatoes and yogurt

11. Cover and cook till the tomatoes are completely mashed

12. Add water and salt

13. Bring to a boil

14. Add the chicken and cook on low flame for 7 minutes

15. Garnish with coriander leaves

Marinated Shallot Chicken

2007-11-06T09:34:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Chicken – ½ kg
Tomato sauce – 1 tbsp
Soy sauce – ½ tbsp

To grind:
Spring onions – 3 (with leaves)
Green chillies – 3
Garlic paste – ½ tbsp
Lime juice – 1 tbsp
Paste made of chilly powder and water – ½ tbsp
Cornflour – 2 tbsp
Egg white – 1
Pepper – 1 tbsp
Ajinomoto – a pinch (optional)
Oil – as required
Salt – as required

Preparation method:

1. Grind the above ingredients with a little water to make a coating paste

2. Mix this with the chicken and combine well

3. Marinate for two hours in the refrigerator

4. Heat oil and fry the chicken pieces till they turn golden brown

5. Remove and keep aside

6. Take 2 tsp of that oil and add the remaining marinade to it

7. Boil till the raw smell goes away

8. Add the sauces and stir for a minute

9. Add the chicken to this and mix well

Chicken Mint Roast

2007-11-06T09:12:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Chicken – 1.5 kg
Green chillies – 2
Mint leaves – a small bunch
Yoghurt – 1 cup
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Red chilly powder – 1 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Garam masala – 3 tbsp
Pepper powder – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Preparation method:

1. Grind the chillies and mint leaves into a smooth paste

2. Combine yoghurt, turmeric powder, chilly powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, garam masala, pepper and salt in a bowl

3. Add the mint paste to this and mix well

4. Make small slits in the chicken pieces (ensure that the cuts are not too deep)

5. Smear the paste well

6. Marinate for 6 hours in the refrigerator

7. Pre-heat the over to 350 degrees centigrade

8. Place chicken in a foil on the baking tray, cover it completely with the foil and bake for an hour

9. Grill for 20 minutes at 400 degrees centigrade

Beef Steak With Curried Sauce And Mushrooms

2007-11-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

You will need:
Beef – 1 kg (thinly sliced)
Water – 4 cups

For the sauce:
Mushrooms – 1 pack
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Garlic – 6-8 pods
Celery – a few stalks
Oil – 1tsp
Butter – 150 gms
Milk – 500 ml
Maida – 150 gms
Pepper powder – 1 tbsp (or according to taste)
Salt – to taste

Preparation Method:

1. Cook the beef with salt and water for 30 minutes, or till done

2. Slice mushrooms and chop the ginger and garlic

3. Heat oil, add the mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes

4. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 3 minutes

5. Keep aside

The Sauce
6. Heat the butter

7. After it melts completely add the flour and fry till its light brown

8. Add the milk, salt, pepper, celery and fried mushrooms

9. Now take the beef slices and fry them in a tawa one by one
(fry each side for 5 minutes)

10. Serve it with a topping of the sauce

Beef Pickle

2007-11-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

You will need:

Beef - 750 gms
Turmeric - 3/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 cup
Ginger - 3 inch piece
Garlic - 20 pods
Mustard - 3/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Til oil - 1 cup
Cloves - 8
Cinnamon - 2 pieces
Salt - as required

Preparation method:

1. Boil the beef with salt and half of the turmeric powder till the meat is tender

2. Heat oil and fry the beef till the oil is completely absorbed

3. Set aside

4. Grind together the chilly powder, ginger, garlic, cumin, fenugreek, clove and cinnamon with a little water and set aside

5. Heat a tsp oil, and temper the mustard

6. Add the ground paste, vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt, turmeric and fry well

7. Add the fried beef to this and cook till its done

Wicked Rum Truffles

2007-11-06T08:41:00.001-08:00

I love to cook what I love to eat :D
And chocolate is something I base my entire existence on.

This recipe, in particular is one of my most prized possessions simply because of the way it comes together within minutes to create a finger lickin’ sensation. You have to taste it to know what I'm talking about ;) trust me, you won’t be disappointed. But be warned, this thing packs quite a punch, especially if you go overboard with the rum.

You will need:

Dark cooking chocolate - 400 gms
Milk chocolate - 400 gms
Honey - 80 ml
Butter - 150 gms
Fresh cream - 200 ml
Raisins - 150 gms (optional)
Rum - 30 ml (add more if you want to get drunk)
Cocoa powder/drinking chocolate/chocolate dust - 3 tbsp

Preparation method:

1. Melt 400 gms dark cooking chocolate and milk chocolate with honey and butter over a double boiler

2. Heat the fresh cream seperately till it reaches boiling point and pour over the chocolate mixture

3. Combine well until it has a lovely velvety texture

4. Fold in the raisins and rum

5. Allow it to set

6. Shape into small balls

7. Roll them in cocoa powder, drinking chocolate or chocolate dust just before you serve

Luscious Marble Cake

2007-11-06T07:50:00.000-08:00

I started my foray into the world of baking with the Marble Cake. It’s a simple and easy to make dessert where you can’t go wrong unless you’ve seriously screwed up the measurement of each ingredient ;) Try it when you have the urge to eat something light and chocolaty.

You will need:

Eggs – 5
Butter – 250 gms
Maida – 250 gms
Sugar – 250 gms
Cocoa/coffee – 4 tsp (mix the powder with half of 1/4th cup of milk)
Milk 1/4th cup
Baking Powder – 2 tsp
Vanilla essence – 2 tsp

Preparation method:

1. Let the butter soften at room temperature

2. Powder the sugar

3. Separate the egg whites from the yolks

4. Cream together the butter and sugar

5. Add the egg yolks to the above mixture

6. Beat well

7. Sift the flour along with the baking powder onto a clean dry dish (sift 3 or 4 times to get rid of the air pockets)

8. Add this to the butter mixture

9. Add the vanilla essence

10. Beat the egg white till stiff and add

11. Now separate the mixture into two halves

12. To one half add the cocoa (or coffee) and mix well

Layering the cake pan:

You now have two colored mixtures - one light and creamy and the other a dark chocolaty.

Scoop the mixtures alternatively into the prepared cake pan, making inch-wide alternate stripes with the cream and dark dough so that you have a cream strip followed by a dark strip

Repeat till you cover the entire pan

When you’ve lined the pan, take a fork and lightly run it in a zig-zag motion over the mixture.

Classic Coconut Pudding

2007-11-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

I love the taste of coconut. Maybe it’s my heritage kicking into gear. Whatever the reason, I can’t help succumbing to the flavor of coconut. So its only right that the next dessert on my list is the flavorful coconut pudding, oh so light and creamy… perfect for a hot summer day and every other day besides ;)

You will need:

China grass – 10 gms
Water – 1 cup
Tender coconut water (preferably fresh) – 1 cup
Condensed milk – 1 tin
Milk – 1 tin (use the condensed milk tin to measure the milk)
Sugar – 6 dessert spoons
Chopped tender coconut white – 1 ½ cups

For the garnishing:
Desiccated coconut – 2 tbsp
Sugar – 2 tbsp

Preparation method:

1. Soak the china grass in water for a few minutes

2. Heat the mixture till the china grass is completely dissolved

3. Pour the tender coconut water into it and

4. Meanwhile, combine the condensed milk, milk and sugar in another pan and mix well

5. Add this to the tender coconut mixture along with chopped tender coconut whites

6. Mix thoroughly and refridgerate

7. Garnish with desiccated coconut and sugar just before serving.
(to make the garnish lightly fry the desiccated coconut in a dry flat pan till it turns golden brown. Add the sugar just before putting of the flame. Mix well and sprinkle over the pudding just before serving.)

Sinful Chocolate Mousse

2007-11-06T07:46:00.001-08:00

If you have a free day some week and lots of patience, you might just want to try this mouth-watering mousse. It’s a slightly messy thing to make, but worth every stir of your ladle. I usually make it in large quantities because it disappears like magic.

You will need:

Eggs – 3
Gelatin – 3 tsp (dissolved in ¼ cup of water)
Milk – 300 ml
Sugar – 7 tbsp
Cocoa – 3 tbsp
Vanilla essence – ½ tsp
Cream – 250 gms
Chocolate ice cream – 200 gms
Fresh strawberries sliced into two – 1 cup (optional)

Preparation method:

1. Heat the ice cream on a very low flame to liquefy it. DO NOT let it boil. Switch off and keep aside

2. Separate the egg yolks from whites

3. Combine the gelatin mixture, sugar, cocoa and egg yolk and milk thoroughly in a small heavy bottomed pan

4. Set the pan on the stove and stir continuously on low flame till the custard coats the ladle

5. Remove from the fire and cool to room temperature

6. Add the melted ice cream, stirring continuously

7. Chill in the freezer till its thick, but don’t allow it to set completely

8. Take it out, add 200 grams of cream to it and beat well

9. Chill again till thick

10. Add stiffly beaten egg whites and the vanilla essence and blend well (I use the food processor for each step)

11. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate it till it sets

12. Whip the remaining 50 gms of cream with 1 tbsp powdered sugar till it forms soft peaks

13. Leave to chill

To serve:
14. Dole out scoops of mousse into small bowls

15. Top them with the chilled cream

16. Garnish with strawberries

Chocolate Sorbet

2007-11-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

This is something that you can prepare and freeze for ‘a rainy day’. But, somehow, whenever I’ve made it, it’s disappeared before I could say ‘sorbet’. :P

You will need:

150 gms Dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
115 gms + for garnish Plain chocolate
1 cup Castor sugar

Preparation method:

1. Mix the dark and plain chocolate in a food processor and process for thirty to forty seconds till they are finely chopped

2. Combine castor sugar and two cups of water in a saucepan and cook on medium heat stirring continuously till sugar melts

3. Cook the sugar syrup for another two to three minutes and remove from heat

4. While its still warm, pour the sugar syrup over the chocolate with the foor processor till running

5. Continue to process (covered) for one or two minutes till the chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth

6. Strain the chocolate mixture into a large bowl and freeze in a refrigerator

7. Process this frozen mixture again in a food processor until smooth and freeze again

8. To serve allow the frozen mixture to soften for five to ten minutes and serve in scoops garnished with grated chocolate.

Fried Ice Cream

2007-11-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Fried ice cream is something of an acquired taste. But I’ve ‘acquired’ it :D and hence it’s here to stay on my recipe-ent section. But before you turn away and say “yuck”, try it first. You might just be surprised.

You will need:

1/2 litre Vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup Cornstarch
2 tbsps Refined flour (maida)
2 tbsps Powdered sugar
1/4 tsp Vanilla essence
1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder
2½ cups Corn flakes (crushed)
4-5 Walnut kernels (crushed)
Oil to deep fry

Preparation method:

1. Prepare a batter of coating consistency, with cornstarch, refined flour, powdered sugar, vanilla essence and cinnamon powder

2. In a large plate mix together crushed cornflakes and crushed walnuts

3. Divide the ice cream into four scoops

4. Quickly dip each in prepared batter

5. Roll each ball in cornflakes mixture so that the balls are coated generously

6. Place them on a freezer safe plate in a way that they don’t touch each other

7. Return them to the freezer for two hours or until frozen solid

8. Heat sufficient oil in a wok

9. Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer

10. Fry the ice cream balls one at a time for fifteen seconds or till golden brown
(here’s where you have to be very quick and VERY careful. If you fry for too long the whole thing will melt, leaving you with an unholy mess in your hands.)

11. Drain on absorbent paper

12. Serve immediately.

Basic Cheese Cake

2007-11-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

I have this uncanny ability to love everything that is fattening. So it should come as no surprise to know that another firm favorite of mine is the classic cheese cake. I’ve tried various recipes, but this one stands out as the clear winner. If you like it you can try variations like cocoa or strawberry crush.

You will need:

1/4 cup Glazed cherries or fresh fruits

For the cake
1 1/2 cups Cream cheese
1 cup Castor sugar
3 Eggs
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

For the crust
1/2 cup Cashewnut powder
1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Butter

Preparation method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C

2. For the crust mix together all the ingredients (preferable with your hands and not a spatula)

3. Spread in an eight inch baking dish and set aside

4. Cream together cheese and sugar till smooth and lump free

5. Separate the egg yolks from the whites

6. Lightly beat the egg yolks and mix it well into the cheese and sugar mixture

7. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla essence into the mixture

8. Using a whisk or hand blender beat egg whites till it forms soft peaks

9. Fold in the beaten egg whites into the mixture

10. Pour the mixture over the crust lined in the baking dish

11. Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degree centigrade for 30 minutes or till the center is firm and stiff

12. Cool and refrigerate.

13. Serve chilled with fresh fruits or glazed cherries

Moghlai Biryani

2007-11-06T07:35:00.000-08:00

This recipe may look complex and but trust me, it isn’t. It’s easy, simple and very very tasty. Try it once and you’ll love it.

You will need:
Rice – 400 gms
Mutton – 500 gms
Lime – 1
Cashew/almonds – 50 gms
Mint – a few sprigs
Ghee – 115 gms
Coriander leaves – ¼ bunch
Onion – 115 gms
Ginger – 5 gms
Green chillies – 5 gms (chopped finely)
Garlic – 3 flakes
Curd – 225 gms
Milk – 100 ml
De-seeded red chillies – 5
Turmeric – a pinch
A mix of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf – 2 gms
Saunf (aniseed) – a pinch
Saffron – a few strands
Wheat flour paste – enough to seal a pan

Preparation method:

The rice:
1. Boil rice with salt and cook till ¾th done.

2. Keep aside

The mutton:
3. Wash and cut mutton into small pieces

4. ginger, garlic and nuts into a fine paste

5. Heat ghee

6. Fry onions till golden crip, remove and set aside

7. Add bay leaves and the ground masala and fry for a few minutes

8. Add the meat and fry for 5-6 minutes on low flame, stirring continuously

9. Add a little tepid water and cook till the meat is tender and the gravy thick

10. Make a powder of the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and aniseed

11. Combine curds, with the powder, turmeric, chillies and the leaves

12. Add the juice of one lime and mix thoroughly

13. Add this to the mutton and stir well

The fusion:
14. Dissolve saffron in a little milk and sprinkle over half the rice

15. Make alternating layers of rice, mutton and fried onions

16. Pour remaining milk and oil over the rice

17. Cover pan and seal edges with the wheat dough paste

18. Bake for an hour at 143 degree centigrade (300 F)

Pukki Biryani

2007-11-06T07:31:00.001-08:00

I hate to admit it, but this isn’t one of my favorite recipes. But if you feel brave today and want to try something different you might want to check this one out. Warning: if you’re making it for the first time make sure its not when you’ve invited guests over :D

You will need:

For the soup:
Mutton – 500 gms
Onion – 55 gms (uncut)
A mix of cloves, cinnamon and cardamom – 2 gms
Garlic – 6 flakes
Ginger – 5 gms
Salt to taste

For the rice:
Rice – 400 gms
Sultanas – 15 gm (optional)
Onions – 115 gms (thinly sliced)
Green chillies – 10 (adjust according to your spice level)
Ghee – 115 gms
Egg – 4 (hard boiled)

Preparation method:

1. Cook together all the ingredients for the soup till the meat is nice and tender

2. Cool and remove fat from the surface

3. Remove meat, strain the soup and set aside both the spice residue and the soup in separate dishes

4. Fry the sliced onions till crisp and set aside

5. In the same oil, add the green chillies and fry for a minute or two

6. Add meat and fry till brown

7. Add the rice and the spice residue from the soup

8. Fry till the ghee is completely absorbed

9. Add the soup and cook on low flame till the rice is done

Lutchi Biryani

2007-11-06T07:27:00.000-08:00

I like experimenting with my food. Sometimes it’s disastrous :D and at others, a huge success. This is one such success story. Though the flavors aren’t traditional you will enjoy the distinctive taste it leaves behind.

You will need:

Mutton – ½ kg
Rice – 400 gms
Onions – 115 gms
Slit green chillies – 15 (I use 15 but you can adjust according to your spice level)
Coriander leaves – a small bunch
Tomato – 1 big
Curd – 200 ml
Garlic – 10 flakes
Ginger – 1 ince piece
Cumin – ½ tsp
A mix of cloves, cinnamon and cardamom – 2 gms
Saffron – a pinch
Ghee – 100 gms
Stock – 800 ml
Salt to taste

Preparation method:

1. Wash and soak the rice

2. Soak saffron in a little warm water

3. Grind the ginger, garlic

4. Cut the meat into mouth-sized bites and soak it in curds for 20 minutes

5. Slice the onions into thin stripe and fry till its golden brown

6. Remove and set aside

7. In the same oil fry the spice mix and cumin till the favor wafts out

8. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a few minutes

9. Add the green chillies and fry for a minute or two

10. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes

11. Now add the meat with the curds and fry for 15 minutes on low flame, stirring occasionally

12. Add the rice and coriander leaves to this

13. Stir in the hot stock

14. Add salt, cover the pan tightly and cook gently

15. When the rice is 3/4th done make a well of sorts in the centre and pour the saffron mix into it

16. Cover and cook till done

17. Serve garnished with the onions

Basic Chicken Biryani

2007-11-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

Sometimes friends are wont to drop it without warning, yelling for food. A chicken biryani is usually sufficient to stop their craving for Indian food. Its got meat, rice and is spicy enough to satiate even the fussiest one of the bunch. This is a basic chicken biryani recipe which you can make with your eyes closed. When there are too many people and a sense of urgency, there may not be time to do an intricate version. Enjoy!

You Will Need:

Rice – 1 kg
Chicken – 1 kg
Onion – ½ kg
Mint leaves – a small bunch, just use the leaves
Coriander leaves – 1 big bunch
Tomatoes – 2 big ones
Garlic – 1
Ginger – 3 inch piece
Cloves – 20
Cinnamon – 3-4 pieces
Peppercorn – 1 tsp
Jeera (cumin) – ½ tsp
Green chillies – 6-7
Salt to taste

Preparation method:

1. Grind together all the ingredients except for rice, chicken and onions

2. Fry onions till brown

3. Add the ground masala and salt and fry till oil separates

4. Add chicken and cook till done

5. Cook and cool rice separately

6. Layer the chicken and rice in a dish

7. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes at 250 degree centigrade