Sumi's Kitchen

Eggless Banana Nut Muffin

2012-05-22T17:31:00.000-05:00

Its been a long time since I baked a muffin. I have been baking this eggless version of the simple banana muffin for quite sometime now, but I got to get the pictures only this time. Flax seeds are an excellent substitute for egg in baking recipes especially turns out well with Muffins or Quick bread recipes.
Basic recipe for this muffin is from Saffron Hut.

Ingredients:
3 large ripe bananas
1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
1 and 1/2 cup Flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tblsp Flax seeds + 3tblsp Water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method:
Preheat the Oven to 375F
Soak the Flax meal with the 3 tblsp of water, allow it to sit for 10 min.
Roast the walnuts slightly in a dry pan and then chop coarsely.
Peel and mash the bananas using the back of a fork in a small bowl.
Combine the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat till they become creamy.
Sift the Flour, baking powder and baking soda together in a separate bowl.

To the butter and sugar mixture add the flax meal mixture and vanilla extract and beat well to combine.
Now add the flour mixture in batches and mix gently to combine, until no visible streaks of flour left. Its okay if the mixture is a little lumpy.
Fold in the mashed banana and the chopped walnuts.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin pans lined with paper cups.
Bake for 15-18 mins.

Make 12 Muffins.

Wish You all a very happy and relaxing long weekend:)

Tomato Rice Noodles With Egg

2012-05-16T14:28:00.003-05:00

Hope you all had a great Mother's day weekend. I sure did. I made this tomato rice noodles on Saturday morning to kick start the weekend. Its easy to make just like any regular noodles, except that this is made of rice and not maida/flour. You can skip the eggs if you don't use it, I added them to make it interesting for the kid. Quite a filling dish for a weekend brunch.

Ingredients;
3 cups of cooked noodles.
1 medium onion.
2-3 medium tomatoes
1 tsp chilli powder
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dhal
2 eggs

Method:
Cook the noodles as per package instructions.
Wash noodles in the strainer with cold water to remove the starch if any.
In a wide pan, add 2 tblsp of oil.
Add the mustard and urad dhal when the oil is hot.
When the mustard pops add the chopped onion and fry till translucent
Now add the tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes get mushy.
Add the chilli powder and salt and fry till the pulp releases oil.
If not using egg, add the cooked noodles and stir well to combine.
If using egg, move the tomato gravy to a corner of the pan, and break open the eggs on the other side.
Allow them to set for a couple of seconds and then scarmble then till they are cooked.
Now mix the scrambled eggs along with the tomato gravy and then add the cooked noodles.
Mix in the noodles, till they are nicely coated with the tomato gravy, occasionally breaking the long strands of the noodles with the back of the ladle.
Keep in low flame uncovered for 2 mins and the switch of the stove.

Note:
I used Chinese rice noodles/Rice Vermicelli (Mie Hoen) -thin ones for making this. But we can also use the Indian rice sevai packets like MTR for making this dish.
We can also adding some frozen peas or corn to this to make it more colorful.

Fish Curry/Salmon Curry with Coconut.

2012-05-06T23:17:00.000-05:00

I feel that Salmon doesn't pair up well with the South Indian fish Kulambhu. I usually make a simple salmon curry with tomato paste which I have blogged here or bake the fish like I mentioned here.But this delicious curry is my recent favorite and as salmon is loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids I make it at-least once a week now.

Ingredients:
Salmon Fillets -4 (I used frozen)
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium tomato chopped
2 tblsp chopped garlic
1 tblsp chopped ginger
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp fennel/sombhu seeds
few curry leaves

To grind
3 tblsp shredded cococut
1 tblsp whole black pepper seeds
1 tblsp jeera/cumin seeds

Method:
In a wide pan, add 2 tblsp of olive oil.
To the hot oil add the fennel seeds and curry leaves.
Now add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger, fry till the onion is browned.
Add the chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Fry till the tomatoes turns mushy.
Add the chilli and the coriander powder, fry till the oil is released from the tomatoes.
Now add 1/2 cup of water, mix well and bring it to a boil. Add the fish gently , reduce the heat to medium and close with a lid.
After 5 mins open the lid and gently turn over the fish. Again close and cook for another 3 mins.
Meanwhile grind the coconut, pepper and jeera and add the paste to the gravy along with 1/2 cup of water.
Mix gently and cook till it comes to a boil. Add chopped coriander leaves and switch off the stove.

Note:
The gravy should be slightly thick and not very thin.
Do not over cook the fish, else it will turn rubbery.
If you want to avoid coconut, substitute with 3 tblsp of Dhalia /pottukadalai. Fry the chutney dhal in a pan without oil for 2 mins and then grind with pepper and jeera.

Collard Greens Thanni Saaru

2012-04-25T19:07:00.000-05:00

'Thanni Saaru' is a soup like curry, made predominantly with greens and coconut milk. The slightly bitter tasting greens like drumstick leaves, Manathakali keerai, or Agathi keerai are used for this saaru.
I experimented this dish with the fresh bunch of collard greens. Traditionally it is made with freshly made coconut milk (thin and the thicker version), but I used the coconut milk from the can. This is a great way to use collard greens apart from the porial/stir fry.

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped collard greens
1 cup coconut milk from the can
1 cup water
2 green chillies(slit) / red chillies
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium tomato chopped
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp fenugreek/methi seeds(optional)
1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds.

Method:

Wash the Collard greens and remove the center stalk from the leaf. Roll the leaf and chop finely.
Add 2 tsp of oil in a sauce pan.
When the oil is hot add mustard seeds, methi and jeera.
When the mustard pops, add the onion, garlic green chillies and fry till translucent.
Now add the tomatoes and cook till mushy Add the collard greens, and salt.
Add the water, cover and cook in medium heat for atleast 10 minutes.
Once the greens are cooked, add the coconut milk and give it a stir.
Bring it just to a boil. Switch off just when it becomes frothy.
Do not over boil or it will become curdled.

Enjoy with hot steamed rice.

A Baby Shower Cake | Buggy Cake

2012-04-25T18:46:00.001-05:00

I made a baby shower cake for a friend of mine past weekend. This cake has a long story to share. I baked the cake the day before the get together and decided to decorate it late night after the kid goes to sleep. So as per plan started decorating the cake and it came pretty good . When its all done, I tried to lift it up to place the cake in the fridge, and all of a sudden I dropped it. :( . My heart was broken completely that I could'nt think of anything else for the next half an hour. After that I did some clean up, luckily the cake was not broken, just the icing got messed up, and the wheels in the cake were broken. I manage to make two more wheels from the left over cake and somehow finished the cake again by 5.30 in the morning with whatever left over Icing I had.

So what do u think of this Cake which got a complete makeover:(..believe me the first version came out really good..:)..But I am glad I could pull it through :)

How I made the Cake:

I baked 1 - 9 inch round vanilla cake , and 2 - 8 inch chocolate cakes.
Cut out the shape of the buggy from the 9 inch vanilla cake. I carved the handle out of the cut out piece.
Cut two 3 inch circles out of the 8 inch chocolate cakes.

Icing used - Betty Crocker whipped vanilla Icing for the buggy, chocolate frosting for the wheels and handle.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie

2012-04-19T18:17:00.000-05:00

I know what you are thinking on seeing the title. No, this is not the infamous Neiman Marcus cookie recipe which is associated with an urban legend that a lady was mistakenly charged $250 for this recipe back in the 40's. But this one is from a little cookie book named '500 Cookies', which claims that this is the original Neiman Marcus recipe which is also published in the store's website. The recipe calls for a tsp of instant coffee powder which gives it a unique taste and stands apart from the regular chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tblsp granulated sugar(optional)
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp.instant coffee powder
1 1/2 cups(8 oz) semisweet chocolate chips.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
Sift together the dry ingredients including the coffee powder.
Beat the butter and sugar together till creamy.
Add in the egg and vanilla extract.Beat well to combine.
Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix in chocolate chips.
Roll into balls. Flatten it slightly using your fingers onto a non stick baking dish 2 in apart.
Bake for 8 to 10 mins. Cool for 10 mins.
Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Red Swiss Chard Greens Stir Fry/Porial.

2012-04-17T23:30:00.002-05:00

I have tried a variety of greens like turnip, collard, mustard that are available in the US to make stir fry /porial. Each of these tasted good in its own way, but didnt get close to the authentic South Indian keerai porial (stir fry). That includes spinach too as I make only dal with spinach, the porial either turns up a little bitter or gets soggy. Recently I tried a bunch of these Red Swiss Chard for a simple stir fry with shredded coconut and am hooked to the taste ever since. It tastes more like 'Ponnanganni Keerai' that we get in back home in Chennai. (I am a great fan of that one)
Do try this porial when you get a chance to grab a bunch of these Chard, it has such delicate taste and flavor.

Ingredients:
1 bunch of Red Swiss Chard
1 small onion finely chopped
2 green chillies/red chillies(optional)
2 tblsp shredded coconut (optional)

for tempering:
1 tsp mustard
2 tsp urad dhal
1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

Method:

Wash the Greens well. Remove the thick part of the center stalk and then chop the greens finely
In a pan add 2 tsp of oil. When the oil is hot add the mustard, urad dhal and jeera seeds. (If using red chilli add it at this stage).
When the mustard pops, add the chopped onion, and slit green chilies
Fry till translucent .Now add the chopped greens and stir to wilt. Add salt to taste.
Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook for about 10 mins. ( no need to add water.)
Add 2 tblsp of shredded coconut , mix and switch of the stove.

Notes:
Reduce the flame to 'low' after wilting.
Do not discard the stems. Store it in a ziplog bag and use them when making sambhar or dhal, tastes delicious.
Coconut is completely optional. I did not use in this picture.

Fish Fry

2012-04-08T22:43:00.000-05:00

Fish fry is one of the simplest method or way to cook fish. My Mom always fries fish in the dosa pan(kal) with generous amount of oil. I have chosen the less greasy version of using a nonstick pan with 1 to 2 tsps of oil, works fine for me. The trick to get a good fish fry without being dried out on the inside is to fry the fish in medium to medium high heat. If fried for a long time in low heat, the fish tends to become dry.

Baking is another option, but it depends on the variety of fish, I do that for salmon as here.

Ingredients:

Fish steaks or fillets(8 pieces)

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp fennel /sombu powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp chopped garlic

salt as required

Method:

Clean and wash the fish fillets.

Add the chilli powder, fenel powder, turmeric, garlic, and salt and mix well to coat.

Marinate for atleast 15 mins.

Take non stick pan, add about 2 -3 tsps of oil.

Fry the fish in batches under medium heat until crisp and brown on both sides.

Remove and place in the paper towel to drain excess oil.

Enjoy with white rice and rasam my favorite combination.

Eggless Pineapple Bread

2012-04-05T22:08:00.000-05:00

I opened a large can of chopped pineapple while experimenting with different toppings for my English muffin pizza. Apparently I used about two table spoon of it and the rest went into the refrigerator. Every time I opened the fridge I kept thinking of how to use the left over fruit.With new job and all I didn't have any time to browse for a new baking recipe with pineapple and finally decided to bake my favorite pineapple bread, which I have already blogged here. On a Sunday evening when I was all set to bake I realized that I ran out of butter and hence went ahead with oil and made it eggless too, nevertheless the bread turned out moist and soft.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 tin chopped pineapple (approx 2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 tblsp flax meal(powder) mixed with 3 tblsp warm water

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
Butter or line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Mix the flax seed powder with 3 tblsp of warm water and set aside for 10 mins.
In a bowl add the dry ingredients flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mix well to combine.
In a large bowl mix in the oil, sugar, flax meal and vanilla extract. Beat well to combine.
To this add the dry ingredients and gently mix to incorporate. Do not beat or over mix.
Now add the chopped pineapple along with the liquid and stir to combine.

Transfer the batter to the loaf tin and bake for 45 - 50 mins.
The time can vary depending on the oven.So check periodically after 40 min's,a knife or toothpick inserted in the middle should come clean.

Note: If you want a mildly sweet bread reduce the sugar to 3/4th of a cup.
Replace the flax meal and water with 1 egg if you want to try with egg.

English Muffin Pizza

2012-04-01T19:23:00.000-05:00

This recipe immediately caught my attention when I came across this in the food network channel a few weeks ago. I prefer to have english muffins over bread for breakfast everyday whereas its the reverse with the rest of the family, but making pizza with these bread seemed to be a great idea for a weekend dinner. So without any second thought I grabbed a pack of my favorite brand of english muffins during my grocery shopping and am so glad I did that.
I experimented with a variety of veggies for the toppings right from eggplant to zucchini and each mini pizza's turned out absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:
6 English muffins
2 cups Pizza/ pasta sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Your choice of sliced vegetables.
(I used Onions, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, olives)
Method.
Preheat the oven to 425F
Split open the Muffin using a fork. Do not use a knife.
Place the muffins on a baking tray.
Spread about 2 tablespoon of sauce over the base.
Spread some mozerrella cheese, and the add your toppings.

Bake for 10- 12 minutes or until the cheese melts and spread evenly.

Note:
If using eggplant, add 1/4 tsp of salt and some lemon juice to the slices and allow it to rest for atleast 10 mins. Squeeze and drain the water before adding to the pizza.

Enjoy!

Coriander/Cilantro Coconut Chutney

2012-03-25T01:08:00.002-05:00

Here is a simple recipe for a coconut based chutney from my day to day cooking. This chutney brings out the flavor of cilantro/coriander and is a great accompaniment for idli's and dosa's.

Ingredient:
1 bunch coriander (approximately 3 cups, loosely packed)
2 tblsp urad dhal
2 red chillies/green chillies
1 inch ginger
4 tblsp shredded coconut(fresh or frozen)
1 small marble size tamarind (1/2 tsp tamarind paste)
salt as required.
Tempering
1 tblsp sesame oil(or any oil)
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dhal

Method
In a pan add 1 tsp of oil and fry the urad dhal till golden brown.Keep aside.
In the same pan slightly fry the red/green chillies and ginger.
Reduce the heat to low and the stir in the roughly chopped coriander/cilantro leaves for about a min or until wilted.
Grind everything along with coconut and tamarind to a smooth paste.

For tempering .
Add a tblsp of sesame oil in a pan.When its hot add the mustard and urad dhal.When the mustard pops switch off the stove and mix in with the chutney.

Notes:
If using frozen coconut, defrost in microwave for 2 mins and then grind using some luke warm water.
Equal parts of mint and coriander can also be added to make mint coriander chutney.
Do not cook the coriander leaves for more time, stir in low heat just until they are wilted ( just a minute or less).I usually do this after switching off the stove.

Linking this chutney to Julie's " Herbs and spices event " at Erivum puliyum where this months theme is coriander - cumin .

Lemon Blueberry Bread

2012-03-16T12:44:00.000-05:00

I had a packet of frozen blueberries in the freezer with the idea of making a smoothie. Tried it once and the kid didnt like it at all. So I used half of them in this blueberry muffins earlier and the rest went into this delicious blueberry bread. Do try this recipe, its definitely a keeper.

Source - JoyOfBaking
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup butter softened at room temperature
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tblsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberrries
1/2 cup milk

For the lemon glaze:
2 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

Method:
Preheat the Oven to 350F
Prepare a loaf pan by buttering up the sides and bottom.
In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder and salt, whisk well to combine.
Take a table spoon of this flour mixture in a small bowl and gently coat the blueberries.

In an other bowl cream the butter with the electric mixture until soft.
Add the sugar and beat for another 2 -3 minutes till it becomes creamy.
Add the egg one by one and beat well to incorporate.
Scrape the sides of the bowl using a spatula and beat the mixture till its smooth and pale.
Now add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the milk, ending with the flour.
Gently fold in the blueberries. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 mins or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the glaze:
Place the pan on a wire rack.
In a microwavable bowl add the sugar and lemon juice , warm it up for 20 secs or just until the sugar dissolves.
Poke holes on the bread with a tooth pick and then gently brush the top with the warm liquid.
Remove from the pan after 20 minutes.

Notes:
If using frozen blueberries , do not thaw, toss with flour and directly add to the prepared batter.
Do not skip the glazing part, its not too sweet and gives the bread a moist texture.

Chunky Guacomole With Baked Pita Chips

2012-03-13T09:55:00.000-05:00

I used to hate Guacomole when I first tasted it in a mexican restaurant and stayed away from avacado for quite some time. But then a few years back I was introduced to this chunky version of the dip by a dear friend S (back in Belgium) in her son's birthday party. After numerous assurances from her I gave this a try and absolutely fell in love with the dip and also with the wonder fruit - avacado ever since.

Thanks to S ,nowadays I make it atleast once a week for snack as my son loves this 'green' dip (as named by him) a lot. The tastes of the Guacomale is at its best when the Avacado is ripe, moist and in season. Never use the blackened or over ripe ones as it tends to spoil the taste.

Serve with some baked pita bread for healthy version or with some store bought tortilla chips for quite an indulgence :)

Ingredients:

1 ripe and firm Avacado

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes(without pulp)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 small green chilli finely chopped.

salt ,coarse black pepper and fresh lemon juice to taste

Method

Cut and scoop the pulp of the avacado int a bowl.

Cut the tomato into half, and sqeeze the pulp out of it, discard the pulp and add the chopped tomato to the bowl.

Now add the onions, chilli, salt, coarse black pepper and chopped cilantro

Give it a mix with a fork, gently breaking down the avacado pieces..

To make the pita chips.

Cut open the pita bread into two discs. (I used it whole here)

Cut into triangles and bake in 400F preheated oven for about 10 -15 mins, or until it becomes crisp.

Notes:

If you like the smoother version, mash the avacado well with a fork to a smooth texture and then add all the other ingredients.

Always use freshly ground coarse black pepper as it gives much better flavour to the dish.

Rasmalai

2012-03-08T09:04:00.002-06:00

A yummy dessert for all the sweet and beautiful women out there!!!

Happy Womens Day to you all...You truly rock.

Recipe source : Manjula's Kitchen

I am at level zero for making any bengali sweets, so I followed Mrs.Manjula's recipe to core and no wonder it turned delectable.

Ingredients:

4 cups milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

11/2 cup sugar

4 1/2 cup water

For the milk mixture

3 cups of milk

2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar (adjust to your taste)

1/8 teaspoon crush cardamom

1 tablespoon sliced almonds and pistachios to garnish

Method:

Paneer:

Mix lemon juice in half a cup of hot water and keep aside.
Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed over medium-high heat, stirring frequently making sure milk do not burn on the bottom of the pan.
As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice slowly and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separting from the whey, turn off the heat.
Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.
Wrap the curd in a muslin cloth, rince under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth, or press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about one hour. Taking the right amount of water out of the paneer is the most important part of this recipe.
To check if enough water is out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer on your palm and rub with your fingers. After rubbing the paneer for about 15-20 seconds, you should be able to make a firm but smooth ball.
If the paneer is too dry, add a few drops of water, using the water squeezed from the paneer.
Once the paneer is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the paneer for 3-4 minutes until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough.
Knead the paneer by dragging the palm of your hand hard on the paneer. Keep scooping it back to together and knead more. Your palm will be little greasy.

For the Rasmalai:

Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll them in smooth balls.

To make the balls apply some pressure at the first and then release when forming the balls, lightly press to make about 3/4″ patty shape.

Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker on medium high heat and bring to a boil.

Add the paneer balls and close the pressure cooker. After the pressure cooker starts steaming, turn the heat to medium and cook for about seven minutes.

Make sure the cooker is large enough to accommodate the finished rasgullas patties, as they will expand to about double in the volume while cooking in the syrup!

Close the heat and wait a few minutes before opening the pressure cooker. Pour cold water over the cooker before opening.

Take out the patties from the syrup and squeeze them lightly,and keep aside.

Boil the milk in a frying pan on medium heat until the milk reduce to about 2 cups.

Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.

Add the sugar and the Rasmalai patties in milk. Let it cook for few minutes.

Add the cardamom and mix in. Garnish with sliced almonds.

Serve the Rasmalai chilled.

And finally this ones for me as today is my 7th blog anniversary. Ya its a long time...but its been a slow and steady adventure for me, with lots of pictures :) and also breaks!!.

I am learning new things everyday through this wonderful community of bloggers and I love every bit of it. I started taking pictures of the food just to post in the blog and now its become a passion for me. I am also learning new tips and techniques on that front through all my fellow bloggers and thank you all for sharing your experiences.

Have a great Weekend !!!

Mutton Kuzhambhu / Lamb Curry

2012-03-06T22:44:00.000-06:00

Here is a delicious recipe for mutton kuzhambhu passed on by my grandmother to my mother and now to me. We rarely include mutton/lamb in our diet probably once a year and that's the reason why it took so many years for this recipe to be posted in this blog.The original recipe calls for grinding the masala one by one to a smooth paste. Ya, they did that in the good old days when they did'nt have any access to ready made masala powders, using the 'Ammi kal' (stone grinder) by hand. Though my mom followed the method for quite some time she switched to the mixer eventually. She also adds some potatoes which gives a unique flavor to this dish.
I have given the original recipe as such and also some modifications needed to suit our kitchen :)

Ingredients :
500 gm Mutton/lamb chopped
1 medium onion
1 medium tomato
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 medium potatos peeled and cubed
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
for tempering
1 tsp sombhu/ fennel seeds
few curry leaves
Paste 1
8 cloves garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
Paste 2:
1 inch cinnamon
4 cloves
Paste 3:
1 tsp whole pepper
2 tsp jeera/cummin
Paste 4:
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp poppy seeds (optional) - I didnt use

Method:
Traditionally each masala set is ground seperately.
But here is how I made it.
Grind the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper and jeera to a smooth paste.keep aside.
Next grind the coconut and the poppy seeds (optional) to a smooth paste. keep aside.
Pressure cook the mutton with salt, turmeric, and 1/2 tsp of chilli powder and 1 cup water for upto 4 - 5 whistles.

In a thick bottomed sauce pan, add 2 tblsp of oil.
Add the fennel seeds and curry leaves when the oil is hot.
Then add the chopped onion and fry till translucent.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the ground masala paste and fry for couple of minutes.
Then add the chopped tomatoes and salt fry till the oil seperates on the sides.
Now add the chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder and mix well.
Add the cubed potatoes and about 1/2 cup of water and cook covered for 3-4 minutes.
Then add the cooked mutton along with the water. Mix well, cover and cook for 10 mins.
At last add the ground coconut mixture, chopped coriander leaves and cook uncovered for another 2 mins or just until it comes to a boil again.
Serve hot with steamed white rice

Notes/Variations:

Poppy seeds are optional, I didnt use it for this dish
I follow the same recipe to make chicken kuzhambhu
This recipe is a bit on the spicier side, reduce the spice levels or increase the coconut to 1/2 cup for a mild/less spicy version and vice versa.
If its difficult to make the paste in your blender try the following - Mix together 2 tblsp of ginger garlic paste(readymade) with 2 tsp of garam masala , 1 tsp pepper powder and 1 tsp jeera powder.
You can also use thick coconut milk instead of coconut paste although there will be a slight difference in taste.
Cauliflower and potatoes makes a great vegetarian substitution.

Cilantro Yoghurt Dip

2012-03-01T23:36:00.004-06:00

I started using this dip as a basic sauce for my pita bread sandwich.We liked it so much that nowadays I prepare this as a dip for any type of North Indian (Samosa, Aloo tikki, Pakora...) or South Indian snacks( Bhajji, Pakoda, Chilli gobi...). Its also a great way to finish off any leftover sour cream in the refrigerator, which is a nice alternative to yoghurt.

Ingredients:
2 cups Cilantro/Coriander leaves tightly packed.
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup of thick yogurt/sour cream
1 green chilli *
1 tsp Jeera/cumin seeds.
1 tblsp lemon juice.

*Increase or decrease the amount of green chillies as per your spice level.

Method:
Add all the ingredients to the blender and grind it to a smooth sauce.
Serve with your favorite snack.

Sending this delicious dip over to The Big Chutney Chow Down At Priya's Now Serving and
The Ep- series : Herbs and Spices at Erivum Puliyum where this months theme is Cilantro and cumin.

Before ending this post I want to thank Asiya Omar for passing on this beautiful award to me
I love both her blogs in tamil and in english full of authentic recipes.

Thanks Asiya for thinking about my blog :)
I would like to pass it on some of the other wonderful bloggers that I recently came across..

Shobha Shyam of Good Food
Maha of Maha's lovely home
Anu of Hot Pot Cooking
The South Indian Home
Suja Manoj at Kitchen corner

Meen Kuzhambhu / Fish Kuzhambhu

2012-02-28T11:01:00.000-06:00

In Tamil fish is 'Meen' and 'Kuz(l)hambu' is a tamarind based gravy which is spicy and tangy, more like the pulusu in Telugu. Meen kuzhambhu is the most common recipe in the southern part of India and is the most favorite recipe for fish. Growing up whenever Amma cooks fish its always been this kuzhambhu accompanied by a spicy fish fry.The menu never changed and we never got bored with this dish :).
After venturing into a totally different style of cooking after marriage (Tanjore based) which was quite difficult for me adapt I was quite releaved to see that there was no change in this particular kuzhambhu made by my MIL :) . So this is the common recipe used in most of the household, with very slight changes, sometimes with coconut or without coconut. I personally prefer the no coconut version which is slightly more tangy than the other. My mother regularly adds 2 or 3 whole slit brinjals or some pieces of mangoes (when in season) which also enhances the taste greatly.

Ingredients:
1/2 kg of any white fish( catfish, tilapia, trout..)
11/2 tsp chilli powder
3 tsp coriander powder
1 lemon sized ball tamarind
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced.
1/2 cup shallots/onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped tomato

Tempering:
2 tsp of Karu vadagam/kuzhambhu vadagam *
(or)
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp methi seeds/vendhayam
few curry leaves

Method:
Soak the tamarind in warm water and squeeze the thick pulp out of that (approx 2 cups).
If using Tamarind paste , mix 1tblsp of the paste to two cups of water.
Wash the fish pieces with little bit of salt and keep aside.
In a kadai or sauce pan add 3 tblsp of gingelly/sesame oil.
When the oil is hot add the tempering ingredients, then add sliced garlic and chopped onion and fry till translucent.
Now add the chopped tomato, turmeric and salt.
Fry till the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp and the oil seperates out.
Now add the chilli powder and coriander powder and fry for 2 mins. Now add the thick tamarind juice stir and close with a lid.
Let it boil in medium heat for about 10 mins.
Add the fish pieces one by one gently. Close with a lid and simmer for 10 mins. Do not over cook the fish as it will become mushy.
Switch off the stove and let the kuzhambhu sit for atleast an hour before serving.

Notes/Variations:

I have used sesame oil which needs an acquired taste, you can also use any other type of oil except olive oil.
Vegetables like Brinjal or mango can be added while frying the onions to bring out an extra flavour.
1/4 cup of ground coconut paste can also be added as a yummy variation.
The amount of onion should be very little as given in the recipe,more onion will give a mildly sweet taste to the kuzhambhu.
If the kuzhambhu is little thin or watery - fry 1/4 cup of chopped onion. Grind to a paste and add along with the tamarind juice.
* Vadagam is a homemade combination of different spices like fennel, methi, garlic onion , mustardd etc., bind using castor oil and sundried till its completly dry. This vadagam is regularly used for tempering especially for the tamarind based gravies.

This

Simple Garlic Bread - My Way

2012-02-23T10:53:00.000-06:00

Whenever I make soup of any kind, I tend to make garlic bread. Usually I add the butter - garlic mixture to the sliced bread and broil in the oven for about 5-6 minutes. But for the past few years I have been making it in a different way and love the bread made this way to bits and pieces. It makes the bread soaked up with the garlic flavor, without making them too crusty. I came across this method of baking garlic bread when browsing through one of the cookbooks from the library. I don't remember the name of the book but this tip got struck in my head forever :)

Ingredients:

1 medium french baquette (I used a multi grain bread)

8 cloves of garlic chopped finely

2 tblsp butter

3 tblsp olive oil.

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper as per taste

Method.

Preheat the oven 350F

Chop the garlic finely.I used a garlic press from Ikea, such a nice kitchen accessory.

Mix it up with butter, olive oil, oregano salt and pepper.Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Slice the bagutte in to thin slices 3/4 the way (not into separate pieces).

Fill up the slits with garlic mixture. Brush the remaining mixture on top of the bread.

Wrap it up tightly with aluminium foil

Bake in the 325F oven for 20 minutes.

Note : You can also decrease the amount of butter and increase the olive oil, that works great too.

Home made garlic bread is always the best as you can control the amount of salt as well as butter as per our need.

For more crispier slices grill it in the broiler for a minute or two.

Banana Peppers/ Milagai Bhajji

2012-02-20T13:52:00.001-06:00

Bhaji is a classic South Indian snack that is totally irresistible. My Mom makes this whenever we have guests and she makes it so perfect without any grease, even if you press it down with a news paper (oh , thats what we do to take the grease out of the bhaji...no power towels :)). Over the period of time I have learned that its the consistency of the batter that matters. It needs to be thick enough to coat the vegetable you are using, something like the idly batter. My all time favorite bhaji is with plantains(raw banana)..nothing can beat that, but today its gonna be with banana peppers which is my hubby's favorite.

Ingredients:
Banana peppers 4
1 cup Besan flour/Kadalai maavu
1/4 cup Rice flour
1/4 tsp hing powder/asoefotida
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt as required
2 tblsp Idli /dosa batter (or) 1/4 tsp sodium bicarbonate.

Method:
Cut the banana peppers into thin long strips. Remove the seeds.
Heat the oil in deep sauce pan.
Make a thick batter by adding 1 and 1/2 cup water and all the powders together.
Whisk it well to form a smooth batter.
Dip the peppers in the batter and fry in the oil till golden brown.
Serve it with Coconut chutney or with your favorite dipping sauce.

Note: If the batter is thin or watery, it absorbs more oil, so add more besan flour to make it thick.

Vennai Puttu For ICC January.

2012-02-15T16:18:00.000-06:00

Iam participating in Indian Cooking challenge after a long time , so glad I did. Srivalli chose this months recipe as Vennai Puttu, a delicacy from Tamilnadu with the suggestion from Priya. So we had two recipes from Priya and Nirmala. 'Vennai' in tamil means Butter, so I guess the name of this dish resonates the texture of this sweet as it is melt in the mouth buttery, but as for the word puttu goes I have no clue :).

I have very vague memories of my grandmother making this for breakfast during summer vacation. She used to prepare the rice batter by personally grinding the rice with a massive hand stone grinder (Aatukal in tamil), make the porridge in the night and allow it to cool in individual cups or sometimes she puts them in empty coconut shells. Then in the morning we all would have our own pudding bowls, topped with extra ghee and freshly grated coconut.

I never knew the recipe till now, as my mother never made it but as soon as Srivalli announced this as the challenge all these memories came flashing through my mind.

I followed the exact measurements as per Nirmala. This sweet is meant to be mildly sweet
as it is sometimes taken with fresh shredded coconut, so I did'nt add any extra jaggery. I also used some moulds to make it interesting for my kid.

Ingredients

1 cup raw rice

2 cups water

1/2 cup jaggery

1/2 tsp cardomom powder

1/4 cup channa dhal

1/4 cup broken cashews

ghee as required

Method:

Soak the rice overnight or for minimum of 3 hours.

Soak the channa dhal for 1 hour and cook in hot water for 20 mins.It should hold it shape and not mushy.

Melt the jaggery in about 1/4 cup of water.Filter and keep aside.

Grind the rice to a smooth paste like Idli batter.

In a thick bottomed vessel boil the water. Keep the heat in medium.

Add the rice flour batter to the boiling water, keep stirring continuously to avoid lumps.

Once the rice flour is cooked and turns thicker add the melted jaggery and mix well to combine.I have to warn you its get kind of messy at this stage :)

Keep stiring till the mixture leaves the side of the pan. At this stage add the cooked channa dhal, fried cashews and 2 tsps of ghee.

Mix well and the pour to the greased plate or moulds

Allow it to cool or set for 2 - 3 hours.

Then gently scrape the sides of the plate with a blunt knife and turn over. Serve with freshly grated coconut on top.

Notes:

Stiring is very important and its better to use a non stick pan. But its okay to have very small lumps of rice flour tastes like palkozhukattai (kind of ).
I added the coconut to the bottom of the greased mould before adding the sweet, so that when inverting it comes out beautifully on the top.

Strawberry 'n Cream Jello Hearts

2012-02-13T15:06:00.000-06:00

A very simple and delicious dessert for Valentine's Day.

Ingredients:

1 packet of strawberry jello (30 gms)

1/3 cup boiling water

1/3 cup or 5 oz can of Evaporated milk

Any white chocolate chunks - I used 4 mini toblerone squares

Method:

Add 1/3 cup of boiling water to the jello mix. Stir well to combine.

Combine the evaporated milk and the chocolate chunks in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 mins.

Stir well to combine. Add this to the Jello mixture.

Pour into the desired moulds or Ice cube trays.

Refrigerate for 30 mins or until set.

Note:

Condensed milk can also be used instead of evaporated milk, but it turns out a little more sweet.

Sending this post to all the following events out there
"Valentine Fest - Served with Love st Sizzling Tastebuds

Cooking Concepts - Dish for loved ones at Srav's
"Sweet Luv " event at Zesty Palette
Just for fun - event at Shoba's Good Food

Check out my other heart shaped valentine treat Shortbread cookies with chocolate dipping

Happy Valentines's Day :)

Spicy Egg Pepper Fry / Muttai Milagu Varuval

2012-02-08T23:30:00.000-06:00

I never fail to make this egg pepper fry whenever I make biriyani or pulao of any sort. The main ingredient used here is the pepper -jeera powder. I always have a small box of coarsly ground pepper - jeera powder (in the ratio 1:2 ). It comes handy when you want to make quick rasam or to spice up an an egg omlette. But if you dont have that you can use the regular pepper and jeera powder seperatly.

This is a very quick and easy recipe and can be made for large crowds without any hustle or bustle :)

Ingredients:

4 eggs boiled.

2 garlic pods , finely chopped

1/2 tsp fennel seeds powder/ whole fennel seeds (sombhu)

1 tsp pepper powder

2 tsp jeera / cumin powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp curry leaves powder or few sprigs of curry leaves.

Method:

Boil the eggs with a little salt for about 10 mins. Remove from the stove, cover the pan with a lid and rest the eggs for 10 mins.

Peel the skin gently and cut into halves. Keep aside.

In a pan take1 tblsp of oil. When the oil is hot add garlic and all the powders. Stir for a minute in medium heat.

Add salt and 1/4 cup water. When the water starts to boil and reduced a little bit add the eggs , cut side down.

Cook for 2 mins.Turn them gently and cook till all the water evaporates and masala coats the eggs.

Weekend Baking - Blueberry Muffin.

2012-02-06T08:55:00.001-06:00

My Son has taken a sudden liking towards blueberries. Few months back he always said 'no' to this wonder fruit, but now he demands blueberries in everything even in dosai's. I am so surprised to see his taste bud change in such a short time. So nowadays I always make sure to pick up a box of blueberries during my weekend shopping. I am not a big fan of blueberry muffin , but since I had some fresh fruit in the refrigerator wanted to give this recipe a try and am so glad I did, it turned out soft and delicious, we all loved it .

This is also a low calorie recipe with oil and yogurt.

Recipe source: Joy Of Baking

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar

1 cup blueberries

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup yogurt

1 egg (slightly beaten)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190F

Prepare the muffin tins with paper liners.

Sift the dry ingredients , the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl.

Add the oil and yogurt in a large bowl and beat well with a whisk.

Add in the slightly beaten egg, vanilla extract and mix well.

Now add the flour mixture and mix gently to incorporate. Do not overmix.

It is ok to have small lumps. Over mixing will lead to tough muffins.

Gently fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter in to the prepared pan.

Bake for 16- 20 mins or until the toothpick inserted in the center come clean.
Cool in the pan for 5 mins before removing and cooling on a wire rack.
Makes about 12 muffins.

Note: If using frozen berries, toss them in about a 2 tablespoon of flour from the flour mixture and then add to the muffin mix.

The sweetness was on the milder side for this recipe, so if you want a sweeter muffins increase the sugar to 3/4 cup.

Potato Podimas

2012-02-03T09:38:00.003-06:00

This is the easiest way to make potato as per me. This simple side dish is made within 15 minutes and makes a great side dish for rasam or any spicy kuzhambhu/curry and you dont have to keep stiring and wait for the potatos to turn crispy and brown.

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes
1 medium onion chopped
3 green chillies chopped
1 inch piece ginger
2 tblsp chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dhal
1 tsp channa dhal
few curry leaves(optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt as required

Method:
Boil the Potatoes in a pot or Microwave.Make sure that its not mushy.
If using a microwave -
Scrub and wash the potatoes. Pierce the potatoes all over using a fork. and then cook it for 2-3 minutes in high, or if there is potato option in microwave you can use that.
If using a pot - boil the potatoes for about 10 mins

Cool and peel the skin and roughly scramble the potatoes.

In a non stick pan add 2 tsp of oil and when its hot add the mustard seeds.
When the mustard pops add the urad dhal and channa dhal.
Once the dhals are brown add the curry leaves, green chillies and ginger, give it a stir and then add onions.
Once the onions are translucent, add turmeric, salt and then the potatoes.
Sprinkle some water and stir well to combine. Add the chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
Reduce the heat to medium, close the pan with the lid and cook for about 5 mins or till all the water is absorbed.

Strawberry Fresh Cream Cake

2012-01-30T13:13:00.001-06:00

There's not much to say except that we celebrated our 11th anniversary with this delicious Strawberry fresh cream cake over the weekend. This is a very simple cake which can be made in a jiffy , but tastes rich and exotic. Strawberries can be substituted with pineapple or any fruit of your choice.

Ingredients:
For the Sponge Cake:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs (at room temperature)
1tsp Vanilla essence

For the cream:
250ml Fresh cream
2 tblsp powdered sugar
1 tsp Vanilla essence

For sugar syrup to soak the sponge
1tblsp lemon juice
3tblsp warm water

Method
Preheat the oven to 350C.
Prepare two 8inch round cake pans. Line the base and the sides with parchment paper.
Beat the eggs and sugar over simmering water for about 6-7 minutes.
Take the vessel out of water, let it cool for a minute add the essence and then beat again for 2 -3 mins till pale and creamy
Now slowly add the flour with a soon and mix gently with a spatula. Do not over mix.
Mix just until the flour is incorporated.
Pour the batter in the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins.

Cake test - The tooth pick inserted in the center should come out clean. The edges of the cake will pull away from the pan at this stage.
Cool the cake completely on a wire rack .

Prepare the cream.
Chill the bowl and the beater in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Add the cream and powdered sugar in the chilled bowl and beat for 6-8 mins in medium speed , till the cream becomes thick and clotted.
Take care as overbeating may result in grainy or curdled cream

To Assemble:
Chop the strawberry to tiny pieces
Cool the cake completly before Decorating.
Mix the lemon juice and water in a small bowl.
Place one layer of the cake in the decorating plate
Brush the top of the cake with this syrup or you can go ahead and sprinkle it.
Add the cream on the cake , level it and add the chopped strawberries on top.
Place the next layer of the cake and gently press down.
Now again apply the sugar syrup and then the cream.
Gently level the cream over the top and the sides of the cake.
Pipe desired pattern over the sides and the bottom of the cake.

Chill the cake for atleast an hour before serving.