Monday, August 23, 2010

Beautiful Brownies

Unbleached Flour : 11/4 cup
Salt : 1/2 tsp
Butter: 1/2 cup
Organic Unsweetened Chocolate Chip : 3 tbsp
Organic Baking Cocoa : 1/2 cup
Organic Sugar : 11/2 cup or as needed
Vanilla Extract : 2 tsps
Large Eggs Lightly Beaten : 3
Baking Powder : 1/4 tsp

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Direction:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13 by 9 inch baking pan.
  2. Gently mix all the dry ingredients together. Lightly beat eggs and set aside. Melt butter in a pan, add sugar and vanilla essence to it. Add lightly beaten eggs into the wet ingredients.
  3. Now add the dry ingredients and gently blend the mixture by hand till everything is evenly blended. Avoid over beating to prevent  a cakey texture.

Dosa/Iddly

Iddly  rice: 2 cups
Urad dal : 1/4 cup
Chana Dal : 2 tbsp
fenugreek Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Aval or Poha : 2 tbsp

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Direction:

  1. Soak all ingredients overnight except aval because it only needs an hour to soak. Grind in the order of rice first, then dal along with fenugreek seeds, chana dal, and aval together.
  2. Keep it overnight. Add salt after fermentation. If needed add water little by little to get a consistency of a nice batter that is not too thick or runny.
  3. Heat and grease an iron griddle , and pour a spoonful of batter on it till is cooked on one side  and gently  toss it over for few seconds or till it is done.
  4. To make masala dosa, spread the batter nicely around the griddle into a thin layer. Fill in with the cooked vegetable and fold from both sides like a crape.

 Potato Filling

  1. Boil one large peeled potato. Add 1/2 tsp of salt into it. Cut into small cubes. Slice an onion into thin layers, few green chilies slit, curry leaves, small piece of ginger finely chopped and one thinly sliced garlic pieces.
  2. Heat and add a table spoon of oil into a pan, crack some mustard seeds and a half teaspoon of  urad dal into it, add onion first  for few minutes till translucent. Afterwards add all the other ingredients till nicely cooked till it looks caramelized. Now add a 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, and a pinch of red chili powder and stir well.  Add potato cubes and mix well. Check for salt. For a slightly loose consistency add a bit of water.
  3. Place a spoon full into the dosa and fold from both sides. Enjoy it along with sambar and coconut chutney.

Notes:

To get a softer dosa, add more dal. For a crispier one, add more rice.

Sangria Blanca

Dry Red Wine : 26oz
Sugar : 1 tbsp
Large Lemon : 1
Orange Sliced Thinly Crosswise : 1
Lemon Sliced Thinly Crosswise : 1
Medium size peaches peeled, pitted and cut into chunks: 2
Sparkling water : 8 oz.

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Combine all and refrigerate immediately before serving. Mix in club soda, and add ice cubes just before serving.

Spanish Potato Omelet

Large Potato : 2
Onion : 1
Olive Oil : 3 tbsp
Garlic Crushed : 2
Dried Oregano : 1 tbsp
Bay Leaf : 1
Large Eggs : 6
Tobasco Sauce : Few drops
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Parsley

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Direction:

  1. Heat oil in a pan, stir fry potatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, and bay leaf over high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. Whisk together egg, tobasco, and seasonings.
  3. Transfer the potato mixture into a skillet and remove bay leaf from it. Pour in beaten eggs over low heat and stirring the set egg from the edge of the pan inward. Cook the mixture down well and continue to cook for 5 mins or till it is ready.

 Notes:

This recipe is taken from a Spanish cook book.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Crispy Cake Rusk

An unforgettable delight for everyone back in those days.  Papa always bought it and brought it home for his three girls and Mother would  keep them  in an air tight container for us to have it for later with our evening tea, and how eagerly we  looked  forward for that tea time snack! Each bite of it tingled my tongue with joy as I dipped it in the milky tea. Years have passed now, yet memories of the past linger  in between and I brought a piece of my childhood back to life today!

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Sugar : 1 cup
Eggs : 2
Wheat Flour or All Purpose Flour : 1 1/2 cup
Almond Oil or Another available kind : 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp
Baking Powder : 1 tsp
Vanilla Essence : 1 tsp

Direction:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Beat eggs and sugar for about one minute.
  3. Mix flour and baking powder together.
  4. Pour oil, milk, and vanilla into the beaten egg and sugar. Pour this in to the  egg and sugar mixture. Beat for one minute.
  5. Pour the mix into an appropriate pan, preferably a cake loaf pan. Cook for about 40 minutes or a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. When it cools, cut it into small slices.
  6. Spread it on a cookie sheet  in the oven on 200F  for about 45 minutes, turning in between or till the desired crispiness is reached.
  7. Store in an air tight container and it will stay for weeks! Enjoy it with tea or coffee.

Notes:

  • For this recipe, all purpose flour was used.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Strawberry Mango Cobbler

What a great way to eat up those fruits that was sitting in the fridge unnoticed!  Simple ,easy and healthy recipe without spending much time in the kitchen!

Strawberry hulled and diced : 2 cups
Mangoes Sliced : 1/2 cup
Raw Sugar : 2 tbsp
Water : 4 tbsp
Corn Starch : 1 tsp
Almond Flour : 1/3 cup
Instant Oats : 1/2 cup
Butter : 2 tbsp
Brown Sugar : 2 tbsp or to taste
Silvered Almonds : a few
Salt : a pinch
Baking soda : a pinch

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Preparation:

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Mix raw sugar, corn starch and water. Cook it on medium heat till it thickens. Stir in mangoes and strawberries.
  • Butter an oven proof pan, add the fruit mixture to it and coat the fruits with the syrup.
  • Using your finger tips make a coarse mixture of almond flour, oats, butter, brown sugar, salt and baking powder.Pour it over the top of the fruits and let it cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it rest on the counter for few minutes to set.
  • Serve it with a dollop of whip cream.

Notes:

Serves 4 to 5. 
Done in 30 minutes! 

Friday, March 5, 2010

Corn Bread

Laura Ingalls Wilder, a great narrator and a story teller, grew up in the 1890s, talks about her mother cooking and baking corn bread. I sat there reading through the pages of the ‘ little house on the prairie’ and seeing it through the pages and drooling at the same time. The aroma of nice , fresh baked corn bread is simply delicious! What more can I say? I made it and loved it!!

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Corn meal : 3/4 cup
All purpose flour : 1 1/4 cup
Sugar : 1/4 cup
Baking Powder : 2 tsp
Salt : 1/2 tsp
Milk : 1 cup
Egg Beaten : 1
Oil : 1/4 cup

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 8 or 9 inch round pan.
  2. Blend all dry ingredients.
  3. Stir in remaining ingredients until dry ingredients are moist.
  4. Pour batter into greased pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Makes about 9 servings. Serve warm with stewed black eyed peas.

Note

This recipe is as appeared on Kroger foods corn cake recipe.

Stewed Black Eyed Peas

A very satisfying meal, great for those who have less time handy and want to eat something healthy, home made and delicious. This was done in no time, quick and easy, and a great weekend meal for all especially vegetarians! Only thing to remember is to soak the peas overnight or for at least eight hours.  Want to make it to a soup? Simply add another cup of water or vegetable broth and enjoy!! Don’t forget to eat it with the corn bread!!

Black eyed peas  soaked overnight : 1/2 cup
Yam peeled and cubed :1
Tomatoes: 2
Carrots : 1
Onion medium size : 1
Garlic : 2
Oil : As needed
Salt: As needed
Pepper : As needed or a tsp.
Red Chili powder : 1/2 tsp
Dried Basil : As needed
Water : 2 cups or as needed or Vegetable broth may be substituted

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Preparation:

  1. In a pressure cooker or an appropriate stew pan add some oil, sauté onions and garlic till translucent.
  2. Add all the dry spices together along with salt and sauté for a few seconds.
  3. Now add all the other ingredients together. And mix well with a spoon. Add water. Pressure cook for one whistle. Check for salt and pepper.
  4. Serve it with corn bread. Non vegetarians can serve it with chicken drumsticks also.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Chilli Chicken Naughty

Chicken breast : 2
Mushroom Sliced : 1/2 cup
Green Pepper Thinly Sliced : 1/2 cup
Red or Yellow Pepper Thinly Sliced : 1/2 cup
Tomato : 1
Green Onions : 1/4 cup
Ground Fresh Chilli Paste : 1 tbsp
Soy Sauce : 2 tsps
Cashew nut : a few
To marinate:
Oil : 2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder : 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As needed

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Preparation:

  1. Cut chicken breast into small pieces.  Marinate it with all the ingredients listed above.  Let it sit for few minutes.
  2. In the mean time, slice all the vegetables and sauté them in the order of peppers and mushrooms first for few minutes and transfer it to a plate, in the remaining oil add the cut chicken pieces and cook for few minutes till it is done.
  3. Now add the soy sauce and the chili paste on it and stir well to coat the chicken and transfer it into a plate.
  4. Lastly add the chopped tomatoes and onions and when it is done cooking, fold in all the other ingredients. Check for salt and spice.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Jackfruit Muffins/Chakkappazham Cupcakes

Make the dough by following the recipe for chakka kumbil : 1 1/2 cup (use half of the suggested in the above recipe )
Milk : 1/4 cup
Olive Oil : 1/4 cup
Beaten Egg : 1
Broken Cashew Nuts : A few
All Purpose Flour : 3 tbsp
Raisins : a few
Baking Powder : 1tsp

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Preparation:

  • Add milk, oil, and beaten egg together. Pour this mixture to the dough and make it into the consistency of the dosa dough. Mix it well with the flour, cashews and raisins. Add baking powder also.
  • Grease muffin tray. Pour a tbsp of dough to each muffin cup.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for 25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Unakka Meen Chammanthi/Dry Fish Chammanthi

Dried Fish of Any Kind : 5 pcs. or as needed.
Fried Thinly Sliced Shallots : 1/2 cup
Fried Dry Red Chilies : To taste or about 10
Fried Coconut : 1/2 cup
Fried Curry Leaves :  a generous portion
Enough oil to fry
Red Chili Powder (optional) : 1/4 tsp

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Preparation:

  • Clean and dry fish with a paper towel. Fry it in oil. Drain it on a paper towel.  Let it cool.
  • Transfer all the above ingredients to a mixer and blend it well.
  • A bit of lightly roasted red chili powder can be added to the mixer while mixing.

Tips:

It can be stored in an air tight glass container  in the refrigerator for weeks for later use.

It is better to brown the coconut than shallow fry it.

Chakka Kumbil / Steamed Jackfruit Cakes

Varattiya Chakka or Jackfruit Steamed : 1 1/4 cup.
Jaggery Syrup : 1 cup
Coconut Grated : 1 cup
Roasted Rice Flour : 1 1/4 cup
Roasted Corn Meal*  : 1/4 cup
Cardamom Powdered : 3
Cumin Seeds : 1/4 tsp
Bay Leaves( if not shape it into small balls in your palm)

IMG_9934IMG_9931 

 Preparation:

  • Make the dough. First add jaggery syrup or molasses, varattiya chakka, crushed spices, and slowly add flour mixture while stirring it well with a spoon.
  • The consistency should not be too thick or thin. It should be in between. (See the picture above)
  • Shape each bay leaf into a cone, and fill it with the dough.
  • Steam cook this in a suitable steamer for about 20 minutes or till it is done.

Tips:

  • *Rava can be substituted for corn meal.
  • If no bay leaves available, shape it into small balls using your palm, and steam it. It will be good.

Cherupayar Payasam

Cherupayar or Moong dal : 1/2 cup
Water : As needed
Jaggery Syrup or Molasses : 1/2 cup
Powdered Cardamom : 1 tsp
Chukku Powder : 1 tsp
Fried Coconut Bits : a few
Fried Cashews and Raisins : a few
Ghee : 2 tsp

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Preparation:

  • Roast the cherupayar or dal till it starts to show a slight color change, when cooled, wash and drain. Pressure cook it with sufficient water. It should not be overcooked.
  • In some ghee, fry the coconut, cashews, and raisins and set aside.
  • Add jaggery to the cooked dal, then cardamom, chukku, nuts and coconuts. Add some melted ghee to enhance the taste.  Enjoy!

Tomato and Garlic Rasam

Rasam Mix  : 2 tbsp
One Red Tomato Chopped
Garlic Pods Thinly Sliced : 3
Water : 1 1/2 cup
Oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds : a few
Pearl Onions Chopped : a few
Curry Leaves : a few

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Preparation:

  • Pour oil into a Kadai, when it is heated through crack mustard seeds.  Add curry leaves and thinly sliced pearl onions and brown it.  Add garlic and sauté for few minutes.
  • Add tomatoes and stir till it is cooked.
  • Bring the rasam powder and add it to this mixture and sauté for a few minutes till the raw smell disappears, and pour water to it. Let it cook on slow heat for another 10 to 15 minutes. Serve it with rice and yumm..

Friday, February 19, 2010

Baked Lamb Loin Chops

Lamb Loin Chops  : 4
Ginger Paste : 1 tsp
Garlic Paste : 1 tsp
1/2 of an Onion Thinly Sliced, divided
Curry Leaves : A few
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
coriander powder : 1 tsp
Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper : 1 tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1 tsp
Cardamom Crushed
One Clove Powdered
Olive Oil : 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice : 1/2 of a lemon

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Preparation

  1. Make a paste of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, cayenne pepper, coriander, black pepper, garam masala and nicely coat the lamb chops with it. To this add  garlic and ginger paste,  crushed cardamom and clove and the onions. Mix all together and let it sit in the refrigerator for 4 hours. The longer the better for the flavors to absorb.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 and coat the pan with olive oil and put the rest of the onions at the bottom and lay the chops on the bed of onions. Add any remaining marinade to this as well.  Cook it in the oven for about 2o minutes. Afterwards turn the oven mode to broiler and cook both sides for another 10 minutes, looking in between to see that it doesn’t get burned.
  3. If it requires more cooking, turn the oven down to 400 and cook for another few minutes till it is well done.

Tips:

  1. In this recipe, the meat was well cooked, and even browned a bit.

Nadan Aviyal or Mixed Vegetable Curry

Serves : 4 to 5

To Pressure Cook:
Runner Beans : 2 cups
Tindora thinly sliced lengthwise  or Kovakka : 1 cup
Carrot thinly sliced lengthwise : 1/2 cup
Fresh Green Peas : 1/4 cup
Taro or Chembu : 1/2  cup or 3 Taros washed and sliced
Pearl Onions Sliced Lengthwise : 4 or 5
Fresh Curry Leaves : a few
Green Sour Mango Slices : Few pieces
Salt : 1 tsp or to taste
Water : 1/2 cup or as needed

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To be ground:
Fresh grated coconut : 3/4 cup
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Green Chilies : 3 or 4
Turmeric : 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves : A few
To Season:
Coconut Oil :  1 tbsp divided
Sliced pearl onions : a few
Curry leaves : a few
Mustard Seeds :  a few
Preparation

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  1. Pressure cook all the vegetables with 1/2 cup of water for a few minutes. Make sure to add all in the ‘to pressure cook’ list together. Total pressure cooking time for this preparation was about 11 minutes without a whistle . Do not let the vegetables over cook or become soggy.  Take it off the heat  before the first whistle blows and allow it to rest.
  2. Coarsely ground all the ingredients mentioned above and set aside.
  3. In a kadai or ‘Cheena Chatti’, add half a tbsp of oil, splutter mustard seeds, add onions and curry leaves and brown them.
  4. Into this add the grounded paste and sauté for  a few seconds till the raw smell disappears. 
  5. Now add all the cooked vegetables and gently stir it all together.  Drizzle some coconut oil over it and gently mix.  Turn off the heat. Check to see if the salt is sufficient.

Tips:

  1. For a better presentation the vegetables should be cut with same length and width about 1 1/2” length pieces, as pictured above.
  2. Add the vegetables in layers, making sure that the one takes more time to cook goes at the bottom.
  3. If available pieces of raw plantain  and yam may also be added.

Coconut Dry Roasted Chickpea or Thenga Varutharacha kadala curry

 

Step 1.

Ingredients:
Chickpea : 1/2 cup
Tomato : 1
Curry Leaves : a few
Salt : 1/2 tsp

  • Soak the chickpeas or garbanzo beans in enough water overnight or for 5 to 6 hours. Pressure cook it with enough water, one chopped tomato,  curry leaves, and salt.

Step 2

Ingredients:
Grated fresh coconut : 1/2 cup
Coconut Oil : 1tbsp
Cumin Seeds : 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tbsp
Garam Masala : 1 tsp
Chopped Ginger :  a small piece
Chopped Garlic : 2
Water : As needed
  • To one tbsp of oil heated add chopped garlic and ginger and brown it, remove from the oil and set aside.
  • In the remaining oil fry the coconut till it reaches a golden brown color, add the remaining ingredients to this and fry for a minute on low heat till a nice aroma spreads in the air.
  • Spread this on a plate and let it cool, add the already roasted garlic and ginger and make a fine paste of it using a little bit of water, just enough to make a paste. Set it aside.

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Step 3

Ingredients:
Shallots or pearl onions : 1/2 cup
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Green Chilies Slit : 2
Curry Leaves : a few
Oil : 1 tbsp
  • Using the same kadai, add one tbsp of oil, crack mustard seeds, and caramelize the onions along with rest of the curry leaves and green chilies.
  • Add the coconut paste to it, any remaining water from the chickpea, which can be used to wash out the remains of coconut paste from the blender. Add this water to the mixture.
  • Now add the cooked garbanzo beans or chickpeas and let it sit on the stove top for few minutes on low heat, till all the flavors and nicely blended in.
  • Serve with white rice. For Puttu this recipe is not recommended. It will soon be posted!

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Monday, January 25, 2010

Lemon Rice

Cooked Basmati Rice : 2 cups
Oil : 2 tbsp
Chana Dal : 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1tsp
Finely Chopped Green Chilies : 3
Lemon Juice : One lemon
Curry Leaves : A few
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Grated Carrots : 1/2 cup
Sweet Peas : 1/3 cup
Cashew Bits : A few
Raisins : A few

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Direction:

  1. Cook Basmati Rice according to package direction and set it aside. Add salt to water while cooking rice.
  2. In a heavy bottom pan add oil, crack mustard seeds ,  add chana dal and stir till it slightly browns, now add cumin seeds , green chilies, curry leaves, cashew pieces and raisins, and  sauté for few minutes on low heat followed by grated carrots, and green peas and turmeric and gently stir for few minutes till the carrots are cooked. 
  3. Now add lemon juice and a pinch of salt to it. Stir in cooked rice and gently mix all ingredients. Let it rest for an hour or half till all are blended in well.
  4. Serve with a cucumber salad and Pappadam.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Tuna Sandwich with a touch of the East

Canned tuna drained : 1 can
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Red Chili powder :  1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : if needed
Green chilies sliced thinly : 2 tsp
Crushed ginger : 1 tsp
Onions thinly sliced : a few
Mustard Seeds : a few
Boiled Egg  mashed : 1
Shredded Cheese : A few (Any kind)
Round multigrain sandwich bread : 4 slices
Olive Oil : 1 tbsp

IMG_9545

Preparation:

  1. Add olive oil to a pan, when heated crack mustard seeds. Sauté onion,green chilies , and ginger for few minutes but not till browned. 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Add cooked fish and turmeric powder, chili and fenugreek powders and stir for five minutes on medium heat.
  3. Into this add mashed egg and stir it all together. Add a pinch of salt if needed. Sprinkle some shredded cheese. Turn off the heat and when it cools down a bit, spread it in between the bread and yum!  This makes sandwiches for 2 people.

Macadamia Triangles

Recipe Source:  As seen in ‘ Good Housekeeping  Best Loved Desserts’ cook book.

All purpose flour : 1 cup
Granulated Sugar : 1/4 cup
Salt : 1/8 tsp
Cold butter or Margarine :  6tbsp
Cold Water : 3 tbsp
Macadamia Nuts : 1 Jar
Light Brown Sugar : 2/3 cup
Large Egg : 1
Vanilla Extract : 2 tsp
Chocolate Chips : a few  (optional)

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Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 425F. Grease 9 inch square baking pan. Line pan with foil. Grease foil.
  2. In medium bowl, with wire whisk, mix flour, sugar and salt. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, about 1 tbsp at a time, mixing lightly with fork after each addition, until dough is just moist enough to hold together. With lightly floured hand, press dough evenly on to bottom of prepared pan. With fork, prick dough at 1 inch intervals to prevent puffing and shrinking during baking.
  3. Bake crust until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Crust must crack slightly during baking. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Turn oven control to 375F.
  4. Coarsely chop 1/2 cup macadamia nuts; reserve for topping. In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse remaining macadamia nuts and brown sugar until nuts are finely ground. Add egg and vanilla. Pulse until just combined.
  5. Spread macadamia filling evenly over cooled crust. Sprinkle reserved chopped macadamia nuts on top. Bake until filling has set, 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.( At this point add chocolate chips also and bake).
  6. When cool, lift foil with pastry out of pan and place on cutting board; peel foil away from sides. Cut into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 squares. Cut each squares diagonally in half.

Quick and Easy left over chicken sandwich

Whole grain sandwich bread : 2 pieces
Butter : Enough to spread on bread
Avocado sliced and mashed : 3 tbsp
Cooked chicken pieces as needed  
Swiss cheese : 1 piece
Caramelized onions: a few
Spinach: a few

Preparation:
Toast the bread and spread it with some butter, and mashed  avocado and top it with caramelized onions,  chicken,  and spinach  leaves and Swiss cheese. Sprinkle some salt and pepper if needed. Serve it with a piece of cucumber pickle and some chips of your choice and Yum! A great quick and easy lunch!