Spices in the Cookie Jar

Egg and potato biryani

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 06:37:00 +0000

First of let me wish Happy Ramadan to all you lovely readers out there. I hope everyone is enjoying a peaceful and spiritual Ramadan this year with your loved ones. I am really excited to be back here doing yet another guest post for our lovely host Lubna :). She's been extremely patient with me while waiting for my post over the days, since I missed all the deadlines she gave me (I am extremely sorry dear)!!! Thank you so much for making me a part of this event for a third time and this time I am bringing you a fantastic Egg and Potato biryani which is quite easy to make and a fantastic addition to your iftaar menu. First I couldn’t decide which recipe I was going to share but made this biryani when we invited our friends over for iftaar dinner. Then I thought why can't I share this recipe because it's really simple and quick to make. So here it is! :)

Ingredients

For the gravy:

Ghee - 3 tbsp

Red onion - 5 big sliced thin (cut one half extra fine to fry for garnish)

Tomatoes - 1 big chopped

Curd 3/4 cup

Lemon juice - juice of 1/2 lemon

Potato - 1 big cut into small cubes

Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp

Chilly pdr - 1/2 tsp

Fennel pdr - 1/2 tsp

Pepper pdr 1/2 tsp

Biryani masala - 1.5 tsp

Mint leaves - a bunch chopped

Coriander leaves - a bunch chopped

Salt as required

Eggs - 6 hard boiled

Grind the following to a coarse paste:

Ginger - 1.5" piece

Garlic - 1 bulb/10 big cloves

Green chilly - 10 medium ones

For the rice:

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Star anise - 1

Cloves - 10

Cardamom - 7

Cinnamon - 2" piece

Bay leaf 1

Rice - 3 cups (I use kaima/jeerakashala rice you can use Basmati as well)

Water - 5.5 cups boiled (up to 6 cups depending on the rice)

Salt as required

For the layering/garnish:

Saffron - a few pinch (mix in 2 tbsp of warm milk)

Lemon juice - 1/2 lemon

Biryani masala - 1/4 tsp

Coriander & mint leaves chopped - a little for garnish

Fried nuts, Fried raisins & Fried onions

For the rest of the recipe please hop over to Lubna's beautiful space here.

Ghee Rice (Nei/Ney choru)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 11:12:00 +0000

We all have our list of go to recipes that we pull out when impromptu guests come knocking on our doors or revisiting some fond memories or planning a lazy Sunday meal or just because it makes you happy and its simple and easy to create yet tastes fantastic. Whatever the reason, these recipes get made quite often in your kitchen. The recipe I am sharing today ticks all the reasons mentioned above for me.

I remember while growing up my vellumma (my maternal grandmother) making ghee rice for Sunday lunches or when we had unannounced guests and it was always paired with a non-veg curry or fry, pappadam, raita, and parippu curry. Every time I make it the irresistible aroma transports me back to her kitchen. I don’t get to indulge in her cooking as often as I like to these days since she’s back home in Kerala but I do try to recreate the dish she so loving used to make for us.

Ghee rice is quite easy to make and you will fall in love with the delicate earthy flavours of rice combined with a distinct taste of ghee and whole spices and a hint of sweetness from caramelized onion. This to me is the ultimate comfort food!! :) So, what's your idea of comfort food?

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups (Kaima/Basmati rice)

Water - 3.5 cups (or 4 cups depending on the rice)

Garam masala - a pinch

Ghee - 4 to 6 tbsp

Cloves - 8

Cardamom - 8 pods

Cinnamon -2 inch long piece

Bay leaf - 1

Star anise - 1

Onions - 1/2 sliced

Salt as required

For Garnish:

Cashews- 2 tbsp,(use roasted or fry white ones)

Raisin- 1-2 tbsp

Onion- 1/2 cup, sliced extra fine

Garam masala- a pinch

Method:
Wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes, drain and keep aside. Lightly crush cardamom and cloves in a mortar and pestle. Heat 4 cups of water separately to boiling point (easier to do this in a kettle).
Heat ghee in a wide deep bottom pot and fry the cashews, raisins and extra thinly sliced onions separately till golden brown. Remove and spread on a paper towel.
In the remaining oil fry the crushed spices along with the remaining whole spices and a pinch of garam masala for a minute. Add sliced onion and fry till it turns translucent.
Add the drained rice and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Pour 3.5 cups of hot water along with salt and give it a good stir (check and adjust salt). Bring to boil on high flame, then cover and cook on low flame for 10 minutes (give the mixture a stir after 5 minutes).
After 10 minutes when there is no water visible at the top, open the lid and fluff the rice using a fork.
Take off flame, if the rice is not cooked keep the lid back on and let it rest for another 5 to 10 minutes. This will also help to absorb any excess water left at the bottom.
Fluff the rice before serving and garnish with fried onion, cashews, raisins and a sprinkle of garam masala.

Tips:
If you want the rice to be separate and non sticky, add 3.5 cup water first and add more boiling water, if required.

If the rice is cooked to your liking then fluff the rice and separate half to another bowl so the rice doesn't cook further in the steam.

Always use a wide pot to cook the rice so it doesn't get too sticky.

You can also use chopped fresh mint and coriander leaves for garnish.
Use a tsp of lemon juice along with boiled water to prevent rice from getting sticky.

New Year and some Cherry fun.....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 10:10:00 +0000

Cherry Cheesecake!!!

Hello peeps,
Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and new years eve. I am a bit late with my new year post, but better late than never, right? :) So it's adios 2014 and welcome 2015. Although my 2014 was a whole lot of fun and very exciting, I have no idea where it went. It was a series of trips which were fun but as always too short, having family and friends staying with us and lots of other things in between. I was left with no time to blog, I know it's a lousy excuse but that's all I have...:-> But I do hope my 2015 is as fun and spontaneous as 2014 with lot's of time to blog too!! :D And my resolution this year is to not begin most of my posts with a sorry note for not blogging enough. ;)
I saw this recipe while flicking through a woolworths magazine and once I saw the pictures I just couldn't leave it well alone. :) And the other compelling reason being my mum absolutely LOVES cheesecake and I wanted to make it for her before she left. I am totally glad that I tried it because everyone who tasted the cheesecake loved it, even W who's a cheesecake hater...hehe
So, let's begin this new year with some cherry cheesecake and wishing all my readers a fabulous 2015 ahead, lets move on to the recipe.

Recipe source: Woolworths magazine

Ingredients

Unibic coconut macaroons - 2 packs

Gelatin - 2 tsp

Water - 2 tbsp

White chocolate melts - 250 g

Cream cheese - 500 g (at room temp)

Caster sugar - 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Thick cream - 300 ml (whipped)

Candied Cherries:
Cherries - 200 g (pitted and chopped)
Whole cherries - 15

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Water - 1/3 cup

Rum flavouring - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Salt - a pinch

Method:

Heat a pan and melt the sugar along with the other ingredients under candied cherry except the cherries.
Allow the syrup to thicken a bit before adding the pitted cherries, once coated set the cherries aside. Reserve the remaining syrup to use as a topping sauce while serving the cheese cake.
Lightly grease a cheese cake/muffin tray with removable bases and flatten the macaroons to the base of each muffin hole using your fingers.

In a small heatproof bowl combine gelatin and 2 tbsp water. Let it stand in a bowl of simmering water until the gelatin dissolves.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Stir the gelatin mixture into the melted chocolate until combined. Set aside.

In another bowl beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.Add chocolate mixture and beat until combined. Fold in the whipped cream and candied cherries into this.
Spoon the cheesecake filling into each muffin hole and smooth with a spatula.

Chill for 2 hours or until set.
When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, dip the whole cherries in the sauce and place them on top.

Tips:
If you can't find coconut macaroons replace the base with digestive biscuits. Grind the biscuits along with butter in a food processor until crumbly and press it down in each muffin hole.
If using a normal cake tin then line it with baking paper so it's easy to lift the cheesecake after chilling. Also run the sides with a knife after dipping in hot water to make this process easier. Please check out this link for additional help.

Avocado Milkshake {Ramadan Special} - Guest Post

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 01:02:00 +0000

Ramadan Mubarak to all! Time just seems to fly and here we are celebrating yet another Ramadan and I am doing another guest post for Lubna of Kitchen Flavours. Every year she hosts this wonderful event - "Joy From Fasting To Feasting" which brings together bloggers from all over the globe to share their wonderful Ramadan Favorite Recipes. Thank you Lubna for letting me be a part of this event this year as well.

Ramadan - a holy month for Muslims all over the world, a month of worship, a month of being closer to Allah. It presents the perfect opportunity to cleanse our mind and soul, to share with those in need, to rekindle and rebalance our lives away from materialistic things and lead us towards spiritual awakening. While the focus of Ramadan isn't necessarily food, it still ends up getting most of the attention. Well, it's definitely not a bad thing as it's also a time to be grateful for what you have and also share your bounties with those in need.
I am sure we all have fond memories of Ramadan associated with food. Today I am sharing a recipe I made during Ramadan when we were in Singapore - Avocado milkshake!! I had some overly ripe avocados on my hand and had no idea what to do with them. So I searched online and found a simple recipe with just 3 ingredients. The recipe has evolved since then and has been a part of my Ramadan specials...

Ingredients:

Avocado - 1 1/2

Skim milk - 2 cups

Cold water - 1.5 cups

Mint leaves - 5

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp

Condensed milk - 1/4 cup

Ice cubes - as required

Vanilla ice cream - 2 scoops (optional)

You can read the rest of the recipe here on Lubna's blog....

Kerala Beef Fry/ Nadan Erachi Varattiyathu

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Ingredients:

Beef - 1.3 kg (chuck steak)

Ginger 2" long piece

Garlic 10 cloves

Vinegar 1 tsp

Coriander leaves & mint leaves - handful chopped

Onion - 1/2 sliced

Small onion - 6 sliced

Green chilly - 3 slit

Salt as required.

Dry roast:

Coriander pdr 2 tbsp

Chilly pdr 1 tbsp

Kashmiri chilly pdr 1 tbsp

Fennel 1/2 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Pepper pdr 1 tsp

For tempering:

Coconut oil

Coconut slices - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1 med sliced

Shallots - sliced 1 cup

Green chilly - 4 slit

Curry leaves - a sprig

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Let it stand till all the pressure escapes.

Open the lid and check if the meat is cooked, if not cover and cook again.

Once the meat is cooked, heat a pan and tip the beef in.

Cook till all the water evaporates on high heat.

Stir every few seconds so it doesn't get stuck to the bottom.
In the meantime heat oil in another pan and fry coconut slices till golden.
Tip all the other ingredients except garam masala and sauté till colour starts changing to brown.
Add the garam masala and combine. Mix it into the beef and stir till everything comes together.
Let it fry till the beef is dry on low flame.

Potato masala/Aloo Bhaji

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 May 2014 06:24:00 +0000

My previous post about Poori will be incomplete without this side-dish Potato Masala. Whenever we go to a South Indian veg restaurant I always end up ordering poori masala or masala dosa and a tumbler of piping hot filter coffee. Due to the lack of any good Indian vegetarian restaurants nearby Poori masala is one of those heavenly combos that makes infrequent appearances in my kitchen. You must be wondering why infrequent? Well I like pooris for breakfast and most mornings I am too lazy to do the kneading, rolling and frying! There, now you know why! :)
In a way me being lazy is a blessing in disguise I must say because these deep fried goodies are hard to resist. But a few weekends ago I had this real bad craving to eat poori masala. So I had to roll up my sleeves and make them to appease my rumbling tummy. They turned out really well except for one sad looking poori which didn't puff. I also use this potato masala as a filling for masala dosa (so you know what to make for dinner). :)

Ingredients

Potato - 4 medium sized
Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp

Dry chilli - 3
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Ginger - 1 tsp

Green chilli medium - 3 to 4 chopped

Onion - 2 chopped medium size
Garam masala - a pinch
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Sugar - 1 to 2 tsp
Water - 1/4 cup

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp chopped

Method:

Boil the potatoes until they are cooked in a pressure cooker or microwave, let it cool.
Peel the potatoes and crumble it using your hands or a masher.
Heat oil in a frying pan on medium-high. When the oil is hot enough pop the mustard seeds.
As the seeds crack turn the heat down to medium-low and ddd the chana dal. Fry till it starts to change colour. Immediately add the dry chilly, curry leaves, ginger and green chilly, toss for a few seconds.
Add the onion and fry till it starts to caramelize. Mix the turmeric, garam masala, salt and sugar. Saute for a minute.
Combine the potato with the masala and add the water. Mix until the masala is coated well on the potatoes.
Cook till the potatoes are slightly moist and not very dry.
Mix the coriander leaves and serve hot with Poori.

Poori - Fried Indian Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 09 May 2014 16:10:00 +0000

Hello peeps,

How's everyone doing? Getting ready for an exciting weekend I hope.. :) We haven't planned anything yet,

probably laze around at home. I wanted to post this before we swing into the weekend, so it wouldn't be forgotten in my drafts for another couple of days. Besides, piping hot, puffed up pooris belong on a lazy weekend brunch menu...right? So, I wanted to share this recipe with my readers to enjoy over the weekend. :)

Pooris are perhaps the most versatile and most liked among Indian breads. Making pooris is not a difficult process, and some tips and tricks will ensure you get perfect pooris every time. The dough, although similar to chapati dough, is thicker and less moist. Too much moisture in the dough and the pooris will absorb a lot more oil. The balls are rolled out into smaller circles and deep fried in oil until they puff up. They are best served hot with aloo/potato masala.

Ingredients

Wheat/atta flour - 1 1/2 cup

Salt as required

Warm water - 1/2 to 2/3 cup (adjust as you go)
Oil - 2 to 3 cups, for deep frying

Method:

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add water little at a time and knead to form a slightly stiff, non-sticky, pliable dough. Make sure the dough is a bit more firmer and less moist than a chapati dough.
Once the dough is formed, do not allow it to sit as it will soak more oil while frying. Form longish logs by rolling the dough between your palms. Pinch off equal ping-pong sized balls and roll them into smooth balls.
Flatten the balls and roll out into circles smaller than chapatis (about 5 to 6 cm in diameter). Try not to use flour for dusting as this will leave a burnt residue in the oil. Use a little bit of oil instead while rolling out the pooris so it doesn't stick to the rolling surface.
Roll out all the pooris, lay them flat without overlapping and cover them using a paper towel. Do not stack pooris as they will not puff up properly.
Heat oil in a kadai, when the oil starts to shimmer carefully slide in one poori (work with one poori at a time). When the poori starts to float to the surface, gently push it down using a ladle so its covered in oil. Once the poori puffs up, flip it over and fry till golden brown.
Remove and drain on paper towels and serve hot with potato masala.

Notes:

Do not stack rolled out pooris on top of each other.
Avoid using flour for dusting but if you are using flour then use to a minimum.
Check if the oil has reached the right temperature by dropping a small piece of dough, if it sizzles and floats to the top immediately the oil is ready.
The oil temperature can go low once a few pooris are fried, so adjust the heat accordingly.

Eggplant fry/ Vazhuthananga mezhukkupuratti

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 May 2014 06:29:00 +0000

This is one of my all time favourite vegetable, give me Vazhuthananga mezhukkupuratti any day and I will be one happy person. I love everything about this veggie, from the royal purple colour, to the way it looks, to the way it tastes, plus it's such a versatile veggie... :) Sadly, W is not so fond of eggplants :( (he still eats it when cooked) so I don't get to cook it that often. There's only one other person who shares my love for eggplants, my little cousin M. I am pretty sure, together we can easily finish off a pan full of this eggplant fry. ;)

Ingredients
Onion - 1 big sliced thinly

Ginger - 1" piece bruised

Garlic - 1 small clove

Dry chilly - 2

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Eggplant - 5 medium sized thinly sliced length wise

Fennel pdr 1/4 tsp

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Kashmiri chilly pdr 1 tsp

Chilly flakes - 1 tsp (skip if you don't want it hot)

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Vinegar - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 3 to 4 tbsp

Method:

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a skillet and fry the eggplants on high heat till they start browning.
Remove from pan and keep it aside.
Heat the rest of the oil and tip in the sliced onion, bruised ginger and garlic, saute till lightly browned.
In goes the curry leaves and broken dry chilly.

Pop in all the spice powders saute till the raw smell disappears.
Pour a few tablespoons of water, vinegar and salt, and let the masala cook for a minute.

Now add the fried eggplant to the masala and mix till it coats well on the eggplants.

Add a little bit more oil if required and fry till nicely browned and crisp.
Serve hot with rice.

Nadan Kerala Erachi Achar / Beef Pickle

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 01:46:00 +0000

When I think of beef pickle, the first thing that comes to mind is my hostel days. This pickle was a saviour to me and my friends from many boring, tasteless hostel meals. Needless to say this goody never used to last very long. ;) My love for pickles especially non-veg is ever lasting and W loves his pickle too, so I decided to make some last weekend. And since winter is almost upon us here in Melbourne, this will be a nice addition to my pantry for those really cold days when I am in no mood to cook elaborate meals. This recipe is similar to the way my mom makes her pickle but I have made a few changes. So, here goes my recipe for nadan erachi achar...

Ingredients:

To marinate:

Beef - 1/2 kg
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri chilly pdr - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1/4 cup
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

To fry:

Oil - 2 tbsp

To make pickle masala:

Sesame oil/gingelly oil - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 1/4 cup julienned
Ginger - 1/4 cup julienned
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilly - 5 chopped (use as per your taste)
Fenugreek pdr - 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg pdr - a big pinch
Bay leaf - 1 small
Dry red chilly - 2
Curry leaves - a handful
Kashmiri chilly pdr - 2 tbsp
Beef stock - 1 cup
Vinegar - 1/4 cup (adjust as per your like)
Sugar - 1 tsp
Achar masala/garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Whole Black peppercorns - 1 tsp crushed
Salt to taste (the beef stock has salt, so check before adding more)

Method:

Clean and cut the beef into small cubes. Marinate the beef with ingredients to marinate and keep it aside for 30 mins
Pressure cook on medium flame for 2 whistles or until done and let the pressure escape before opening.
Drain into a colander and reserve the stock for making the pickle masala.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the pressure cooked beef till it's nicely browned on all sides.
In another pan heat the sesame oil and pop the mustard seeds followed by the julienned garlic. When the colour starts to change add the julienned ginger, chopped green chilly and ginger garlic paste, saute till the raw smell disappears.
Mix the fenugreek powder, nutmeg powder, bay leaf, dry red chilly and curry leaves, toss for a few seconds.
Add the kashmiri chilly powder and stir for a minute and let everything come together. Pour 1 cup of the reserved beef stock along with the vinegar and bring to boil.
Toss the fried beef pieces into the pickle masala and combine well. Add the sugar, achar masala/garam masala, crushed black pepper corns and salt into the pickle and mix well.
Allow the pickle to cool down and check salt and pepper, adjust if necessary.
Store the pickle in a clean, dry, air-tight ceramic or glass bottle.

Notes:

Always use dry spoon to take the pickle, this will increase the shelf life of the pickle.
Also you can add a couple of tablespoons more of sesame oil that is heated and cooled to keep it longer.
I would recommend that you keep the pickle refrigerated in humid climate.
To make more gravy, add more stock and vinegar. If there is no stock left then heat water and vinegar (as required) together, cool it and add to the pickle little by little.
You can reduce the quantity of kashmiri chilly and use normal chilly powder.

Badam/Almond Kheer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 13:27:00 +0000

I have been counting days since last Monday due to the heat-wave Melbourne has been experiencing this entire last week. It was freaking HOT!!! And thank God we are finally over it! We are back to normal now. Since I was holed up at work it wasn't that bad but for once I wasn't looking forward to getting home. Haha, never thought I would say that. :P
I did end up getting home though and wanted to drink something really really cold. That's when I remembered about this recipe my cousin Jaz had shared with me earlier. So, went right ahead and gave it a try and it was delicious. Thanks J for sharing this wonderful recipe! :)

Ingredients:

Almonds - 20 to 30
Milk - 1 litre
Sugar - as required
Cardamom pdr - 1/2 tsp
Saffron - a pinch, soaked in 2 tbsp cold milk
Nutmeg pdr - a pinch

How to:
Soak the almonds in hot water for 10 - 15 minutes.
Remove the skin by squeezing it between the fingers and grind it to a fine paste using 1/2 cup milk.
Transfer this to a non-stick pan and cook it on low heat until it starts to bubble.
Add the rest of the milk and bring to boil, continue to simmer till the raw smell disappears about 10 minutes.
Stir in the sugar at this stage and simmer for 3 more minutes before adding the soaked saffron, cardamom and nutmeg powder. (I added half cup water at this stage to reduce the thickness)
Mix well and take it off the flame. Let it cool before keeping it in the refrigerator.
Garnish with crushed pistachios and almonds while serving.

Achari murgh

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 00:45:00 +0000

Hello peeps,

How's everyone doing? I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas & New Year's. I had a well deserved break from everything and simply enjoyed being at home and meeting up with some friends.
Ok, first of all let me apologise for my long absence and lack of updates. Although it was disheartening to see this space die I simply didn't have the enthusiasm to even string together a few words, let alone make meaningful sentences. Also, my parents and brother were here and that's the other reason that kept me away from this space for so long. I'll try and be more regular in posting stuff, but hey no promises okay (only because I don't want to eat my words later ;)).
Well now that we are well into the new year, how are those new year resolutions coming around? :D Have they become life long habits yet or have they been long forgotten and shoved to the back of your mind to be dusted off and reused again come another year? ;) Since I fall into the latter category I don't really bother making resolutions because I know only too well that I am never going to stick to them....hmm :( So if anyone asks me about my resolutions I go "New year resolutions!? Meh! They are overrated!"
It doesn't make sense to me, why does the resolve to change only come around during the New Year's? Shouldn't we all strive to be better individuals, leading the best life and making the most out of life whenever we can? Why wait around for the New Year to make those changes?
So, my only resolution is to have the best year possible by riding through life's ups and downs, and to look back and say - yeah, that was a fun year! :) I know this is coming a few days (17 to be exact :P) too late but here's to a wonderful New Year, to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold.
Happy New Year everyone! :) So let's get to the recipe then.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 600 g (I used boneless, with bone is also good)
Onion - 2 medium, chopped
Ginger,garlic,green chilly paste - 1.5 tbsp
Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
Oil as required

For marinade:
Curd - 1 cup
Kashmiri chilly pdr - 1.5 tbsp
Amchoor pdr - 1/4 tsp
Achar masala - 1 tsp
Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp
Melam biryani masala - 1 tsp
Nutmeg pdr - 1/4 tsp
Lime juice - 1/2 a lime
Salt as required

For achar masala:
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Kalongi (onion seeds) - 1/4 tsp
Fennel - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry roast the above spices and let it cool before grinding it to a fine powder. Use 1 tsp for this recipe and store the rest in an air tight container for later use.

For tempering:
Mustard oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a sprig, chopped
Dry red chilly - 2
Coriander leaves - for garnish

How to:
Wash and clean the chicken and cut it into bite sized pieces.
In a bowl whisk all the ingredients under marinade. Add the chicken into this, mix well and keep it aside for at least an hour.
In the meantime, heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion. When it turns translucent add the ginger, garlic and green chilly paste, fry till nicely browned. Mix the tomatoes and cook till it turns soft and mushy.
Add the marinated chicken and combine well. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on low flame.
Remove the cover and cook till the gravy thickens or move to the next step if you prefer having more gravy.
Temper the mustards seeds, curry leaves and dry chilly and pour into the curry. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti or rice.

Mini Chicken Pies...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 04:18:00 +0000

Ramadan came and went, leaving me with a ton of recipes in my draft. I haven't had the time to sit and calmly go through it all, but I am hoping to get on top of it soon. :) It was during that time I had asked my cousin Jasmin, a very passionate cook, if she would be interested in sharing some of her tried and tested Ramadan specialties on my blog. She happily accepted and forwarded a few recipes that were made often at her home for Iftar. She lives in the beautiful city of Hyderabad with her husband and lovely daughter Aaliyah. So, over to her and her delicious chicken pies...

"I love to cook and click pictures of anything and everything experimented in my workshop(kitchen :))...my husband is my sole motivator who puts in lots of suggestions in improving my cooking and we share a common passion for food :)..
When aishu itha asked me to do a guest post for her blog, i was surprised and thrilled, as it would be my first guest post ever and being part of her beautiful blog is actually something really special. we discussed about a few recipes and finalised this simple yet wonderful chicken pie dish..this is a very simple pie even though the recipe looks bit lengthy, but it tastes just like the ones we buy from bakery. I made this twice for iftar this ramadan and it came out really well.."

recipe courtesy: marias menu

Ingredients

for pastry:

All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cup
Butter - 100g (kept at room temperature for 15 min)
Egg - 1
Water - 1 tbsp

for filling:

Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 big, finely chopped
Capsicum - 1 medium, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 tsp grated
Garlic - 2 tsp grated
Green chilly - 1
Chicken (cooked and shredded) - 1 cup
Celery - 1/4 cup, chopped
Spring onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

for white sauce:

Butter-2 tbsp
All purpose flour -1 tbsp
Milk -1 cup
Italian seasoning -1 tsp
Pepper powder - a pinch

Method:

Preheat oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes before baking
Mix the flour and butter, rub to form a crumbly mixture. Add beaten egg and water to this mixture and form a soft dough. Do not knead too much. Keep the dough in the fridge for half an hour.
In the meanwhile start making the filling. Heat oil in a pan, add onion and capsicum and saute till they become soft, no need to brown them. Then add garlic,ginger and green chilly, saute for 2-3 min. Then add celery and spring onion along with salt and pepper powder. Add the shredded chicken and mix well. Cook for few minutes and switch off flame
To make white sauce: Heat another pan and add butter and plain flour, and saute on low flame till raw smell goes. Then add milk to it and stir well so that no lumps are formed. Add pepper powder and italian seasoning, when sauce begins to thicken switch off flame.
Now mix the chicken filling and white sauce, combine well and keep aside.
Grease pie tins with butter. Take the dough from fridge and roll out the dough. Shape them according to the size of your pie tins and transfer them to the pie tins, trim the sides if necessary. Prick the base all over with a fork. Bake the pastry for about 7-8 minutes at 180 degrees till it turns light biscuit colour.
Once its done take the baked pastry out of the oven and fill them with the chicken white sauce filling.
Now make the lattice on top of the pastry by cutting thin long straight stripes from the rolled dough and placing it on top of the pastry as shown in the picture. Brush the top of lattice with a beaten egg.
Now place the pie tins in the oven and bake them for 12 -15minutes
Increase the temperature to 200 degrees and bake for 5 more minutes till lattice turns light golden brown colour.
Remove the pie tin from the oven and allow to cool for few minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and have it warm..and enjoy......

Notes:

Adjust the quantity of salt depending on whether you use salted or unsalted butter.
Adjust the baking time depending on the thickness of the pie and size of baking tins used.
I got 10 chicken pies from the above recipe using a muffin tray.

Unnakaya... and a second guest post!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 09:12:00 +0000

A week ago, I got a message from Lubna from Kitchenflavours asking if I'd do a guest post for her blog, where she's hosting a Ramadan event - Joy from Fasting to Feasting. I was totally psyched to do my second guest post and hopped over to her blog to find out a bit more about her and her space. I was awed when I saw the drool worthy pictures and the fantastic recipes she has shared. Lubna had asked me if I could share a recipe I made often during Ramadan at my home. So, I decided to share a wonderful snack recipe I make at home called Unnakaya. I first had this mouthwatering dish when ummi (wasi's mom) made it for me and I have been crazy about it ever since. So I make these for Iftar quite frequently and freeze the extras for later. I love the textural difference from the crunchy first bite to the smooth melt in the mouth interior with a surprising coconut, cashew and raisin filling. It tastes as heavenly as it sounds, so do try it out... :)

Ingredients:

Plantains - 4 large, ripe but firm
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup, chopped
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Granulated sugar - 2 tbsp or as needed
Cardamom powder - a big pinch
Nutmeg powder - a pinch
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil for frying

Method:

Steam cook the plantains till soft, allow this to cool slightly.
Peel off the skin and run a knife through the center to remove the black seeds inside.
Mash this using a food processor or masher, without adding water and form a dough with no lumps.
To prepare the filling, heat ghee in a pan, fry the cashews and raisins till golden and plump.
Add the coconut, sugar, nutmeg and cardamom and toss till the sugar melts and the coconut turns slightly golden. Remove from heat and set it aside.

To read the rest of the instructions, please go to Lubna's amazing blog... :)

Beef Shami Kabab!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 07:09:00 +0000

I have been wanting to share this recipe for a few days now, but never got around to it. Well, better late than never!! Right? ;) Shami kebabs have been on my list of recipes to try for a long time now and a few days ago, I got the perfect opportunity to do just that, when we invited our friends over for Iftar. What attracted me to try this dish was that it required minimum effort, yet the result was lip smackingly good! These kebabs are to die for with a unique smoky flavor, melt in the mouth texture and a crunchy exterior.

Ingredients:

To pressure cook:

Oil - 1 tbsp
Beef - 500g
Chana dal (chickpea lentils) - 1/2 cup
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Salt
Water - 3 tbsp

Whole & powdered spices:

Black peppercorns - 6
Cinnamon - 1 stick, broken down into smaller pieces
Cardamom - 4
Cloves - 5
Bay leaf - 2
Dry red chilli - 6 or Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Other ingredients:

Red onion - 2 medium, finely chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
Mint leaves - a handful, chopped
Green Chilli - 4, finely chopped
Egg - 2 (1 beaten, 1 whole)
Ghee as required for shallow frying

Method:

Wash the chana dal and soak it 1/2 an hour. In the meantime wash and drain the beef and keep it aside.
In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tbsp oil and add all the other ingredients under to pressure cook and whole & powdered spices and mix thoroughly.
Cook the mixture for 3 whistles on medium-low heat. Take off heat and let it rest till the pressure escapes.
Open the lid and cook again till all the water evaporates. Let the mixture cool for a bit before grinding it to a fine paste in a food processor.
Now incorporate all the items under other ingredients except the beaten egg and ghee, into the ground mixture and form a dough.
To make the kebabs, take a small portion of the mixture and form them into small, round patties.
Dip the patties in the beaten egg one by one and carefully place them on a plate.
Heat the ghee in a skillet and shallow fry the kebabs on both sides till golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Serve the kebabs with green chutney, ketchup or onion salad and lime.

Oats chicken soup - A guest post!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 23:17:00 +0000

I am a very happy gal today!!! You might be thinking why? Well, today I did my first guest post for Humi, who blogs @ Gheza-e-shiriin. It's been only a few days since we came to know each other. So, you can imagine my surprise when Humi asked me to be a part of her Ramadan celebrations by doing a guest post on her blog. I was extremely thrilled not just because of the fantastic opportunity to blog on Humi's wonderful space and be a part of her celebrations but also because this is my very first guest post. Thank you Humi, for presenting me with this chance to do a guest post and be a part of a wonderful event. :) Since the post was related to Ramadan, I decided to blog about something healthy, nutritious and filling.
During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world fast from morning till evening and what better way to break the fast than with a healthy, warm and delicious Chicken and Oats Soup. My mom always made this soup for Iftar and I used to fill up on it, so I called her up to get the recipe and recreate it in my kitchen. It's a very simple recipe and takes very less effort, which is very important when you are working full time, fasting and trying to get food on the table, in time to break the fast. This hearty soup is like a blanket of warmth, it's warm, comforting and helps you cope with the dreaded cold days we have been experiencing here as well... ;)

Ingredients:

Butter - 2 tablespoon
Onion - 1 medium, chopped fine
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Beans - 1/4 cup, cut thin
Carrot - 1/4 cup, minced
Chicken - 250g
Oats - 1/2 cup
Chicken stock or water - 2 cups
Milk - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped
Salt as required
Pepper as required

To read the rest of the post, hop over to her wonderful blog! :)

Classic French Toast with mini croissants

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 12:34:00 +0000

A lazy Sunday brunch doesn't get better than this! A classic breakfast item, French toasts are so simple to make, yet so delicious. My grandmom used to make these for us when we were kids as an evening snack. The perfect French toast has a little crunch when you bite in but is slightly moist from within. It should not be soggy and falling apart. Last Sunday, I wanted to make this decadent treat, but was out of bread and only had a bag of mini croissants on hand. Since I was in no mood to run to the shop I decided to make do with the croissants. And they turned out to be yummy!

Ingredients:

Mini croissants - 8, sliced in half length wise
Milk - 1/4 cup
Egg - 2
Sugar - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp to sprinkle on top
Salt - a big pinch
Nutmeg - 1/8 tsp
Allspice - a pinch
Cinnamon - 1/8 tsp
Cardamom - a big pinch
Butter - 1/2 tbsp

Method:

Break eggs into a wide bowl and whisk gently.
Stir in the milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and cardamom, combine well.
Heat a griddle over medium-low flame, lightly coat with butter.
Dip the croissants in the egg mixture for a few seconds and coat both sides, drain the excess egg mixture before placing on the griddle.
Cook the french toast for 2 minutes or until golden brown, flip to the other side and do the same.
Remove to a warm plate, lightly brush butter on both sides. Sprinkle the remaining sugar and serve hot.

Al Kabsa - from the heart of Saudi Arabia....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 07:07:00 +0000

Good memories are truly a gift, sometimes they inspire you to be more creative and try your hand at something new. I still remember from when I was a kid, my mom and grandmom making Kabsa for the very first time at home on a warm summer afternoon in Saudi Arabia. The exquisite aroma of spices wafting from the kitchen, all the excitement and eagerness to try the homemade dish, the delighted look on mom's face when everyone liked the dish...with all these memories floating around I finally decided to make Kabsa one evening....and what a great decision it was! :)
Al Kabsa is a traditional Middle Eastern dish very famous in Saudi Arabia, sort of like their national dish. There are many variations of this dish depending on the different regions they come from and each variant acquires its unique flavours from the spice mixture used. The characteristic flavour of Kabsa comes from a combination of spices and the choice of meat used. Usually this dish is served at large family gatherings and parties in a very large platter with the meat in the middle of the rice. Traditionally everyone sits around the platter and the food is eaten from the same platter :) Kabsa is usually served with a homemade tomato sauce called salata hara.

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1 kg (cut into 8 pieces)
Onion - 2 medium, finely chopped
Tomato - 1 medium, finely chopped
Tomato paste - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 4 medium cloves (bruised)
Green Chilly - 4 bruised
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Water - 3 3/4 to 4 cups
Oil - 2 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Salt as required

Powdered spices
Pepper pdr - 1 tsp
Dry ginger pdr - 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Allspice pdr - 1/4 tsp
Cumin pdr - 1/2 tsp
Coriander pdr - 1/2 tsp
Paprika - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne pepper - 1/2 tsp

Whole spices:
Cloves - about 10
Cardamom - 6 (bruised)
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Bay leaves - 2
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Black cardamom - 1
Black lemon (dried lemon-loomi) - 1 or 2
Saffron - a small pinch

For garnish:
Raisins - 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup (you can use almonds or pine nuts as well)
Fried onion - 1/4 cup (1 medium sized onion sliced extra thin)

Method:

Clean and cut the chicken into 8 big pieces, wash well and set aside to drain.
In another bowl, rinse the rice 3 or 4 times and let it soak for about half an hour. Then drain the water and set aside.
Heat oil+butter in a deep bottom pan on medium heat, fry the onions for garnish till golden brown and crisp. This will take about 10 mins on medium heat, once done remove and drain on paper towel.
Stir fry the cashew nuts till golden, remove and drain. Next fry the raisins till golden and plump, remove and drain as well.
Add a bit more oil or butter to the same pan and fry the whole spices except saffron and black lemon till fragrant.
Stir in the chopped onion and cook till it starts to brown. Tip the crushed garlic and green chilly, toss till raw smell disappears.
Add the chicken pieces and brown them over medium-high heat, until lightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Mix the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Once the tomato starts to sweat and gets mushy, mix the powdered spices and cook for a minute.
Add the salt, saffron and black lemon, pour in the water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cover the pot. Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces and keep warm. Add rice to the broth reserved from cooking meat, cover and cook on low heat until the water is absorbed completely.
Once the rice is cooked, serve it with the chicken pieces arranged on top.
Garnish with fried onions, cashew nuts and raisins.

Notes:

The Kabsa spice mix is called Baharat which is available in stores.
Pierce the black lime before adding it to the broth.
Measure 4 cups of the broth once the chicken is removed to cook the rice.
Always use less water when cooking rice and add more water if required to ensure light and fluffy rice.
The chicken can be pierced with a fork and marinated in the spice powders overnight.
You can use chicken with skin on and brown the skin in the oven when removed from the sauce.

Chicken Roast

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:40:00 +0000

Ingredients needed:

Chicken (bone in) - 500 g
Curry leaves - 1 or 2 sprigs
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Onion - 2 medium, thinly sliced
Green chilli - 3 chopped
Water - 1/4 cup

Whole spices

Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Cardamom - 4
Cloves

Spice paste

Kashmiri chilly pdr - 1 tbsp
Coriander pdr - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp
Cumin pdr - 1/4 tsp
Hot water - 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

To garnish

Coriander leaves

Method:

Cut and clean the chicken, set aside to drain.
Heat oil in a pan, add the curry leaves, ginger and garlic paste, toss for a minute.
Tip in the onions and green chillies, sauté till nicely caramelized.
Crush the whole spices using a mortar and pestle, add to the pan and give it a swirl.
Now mix the ingredients under the spice paste to a thick consistency, add more water if required.
Add the spice paste to the caramelized onions and toss well till the raw smell disappears.
Place the chicken pieces into the pan and mix well, so that all the masala sticks to the chicken.
Toss the pieces till the color starts to change. Now add 1/4 cup water and salt, combine well.
Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat.
When the chicken is cooked enough, remove the lid and reduce the stock on high heat, until the gravy gets very thick and sticks to the pieces.
Check for salt and add a bit of lemon juice if required.
Once done, remove from heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Serve with rice, roti or any bread of your choice.

Meen Peera with Canned tuna

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:58:00 +0000

Here's another hassle free recipe using canned tuna :)

Ingredients:

Tuna - 500g can
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Dry chilly - 2
Shallots - 5 bruised
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chilly - 2
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Kokum - 2 or 3 soaked in 4 tbsp of warm water

To grind:

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Shallots - 4
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chilly - 2
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Grind the above ingredients to a coarse mixture.

Method:

Open the canned tuna, drain the liquid and set aside.
Heat oil in a manchatti (clay pot) and pop the mustard seeds.
Add dry chilly, shallots, curry leaves and green chilly, saute till translucent.
Mix fenugreek, turmeric and ground coconut mixture into the pot, toss for a minute.
Combine the tuna and the kokum with water to the coconut mixture.
Add salt to taste, mix well, cover and cook for 10mins.

Beef Bhuna

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:28:00 +0000

Bhuna is a cooking style or process where the meat is combined with aromatic spices and slow cooked in its own juices to bring out the flavours resulting in a very thick sauce. Simmering the meat in a deep bottom kadai for 2 to 3 hours enhances the flavors and tenderises the meat. So if you have the luxury of time, cook the meat in a kadai or cook in a pressure cooker if you would like the process to be quick. But trust me cooking in a kadai for almost 2 hours is well worth it, as this allows all the flavours to infuse into the meat. You can use beef, veal or goat (leg of goat bone-in) for this curry.

Ingredients:

Beef - 500g
Oil - 3 tbsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Onion - 3 medium (finely chopped)
Ginger paste - 1.5 tbsp
Garlic paste - 1.5 tbsp
Tomatoes - 2 medium (finely chopped)
Garam masala - 2 tbsp
Chilly pdr - 1 tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Fresh coriander leaves - 4 tbsp (finely chopped)
Green chilly - 1 chopped
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash and clean the meat, set aside to drain.
Heat oil in a deep bottom pan (non-stick preferably), add the whole spices and wait till fragrant.
Stir in the onions, ginger and garlic, saute until caramalised.
Mix the tomatoes, cook till soft and mushy. Combine chilly powder, garam masala and salt in little water, mix it in with the sauce, simmer on medium heat till oil separates.
Place the drained meat into the sauce, toss till the sauce is well coated on the meat. Add water, cover and cook on low heat for an hour.
Check if the meat is tender, mix 3 tbsp of fresh coriander leaves and cook till the sauce is reduced by half on medium high heat.
Take off heat, garnish with remaining coriander leaves and chopped green chilly.
Serve hot with ghee rice, roti or plain rice.

Poached Pear Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:34:00 +0000

This recipe was inspired from a visit to a restaurant (Money Order Office) in Melbourne CBD for one of our team lunches. I believe recreating a salad is a lot less trickier than other dishes as you can see almost all the elements that went into it can be seen on your plate. It's a very interesting dish with each ingredient imparting its own unique flavour - sweet poached pear, tangy lemon vinaigrette, salty cheese, peppery wild rocket and crunchy toasted almonds. The salad tasted amazing and it was a great start to a wonderful lunch....

For the salad:

Wild rocket leaves - 1 packet
Poached pear - 1/2 cup (add more if you like)
Slivered almonds - 1/4 cup
Blue cheese (Valdeon) - 50 g (cut into small cubes)
Lemon vinaigrette - as required
Salt as required

In a salad bowl mix all the ingredients except the blue cheese and lemon vinaigrette.
Add the cheese and dressing just before serving.

Lemon vinaigrette

Olive oil - 4 tbsp
Honey - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tbsp
Dijon mustard - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Method:

Place all the above ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well to combine. Taste and add more lime juice & salt if required, set aside.

Poached pear

Corella pears - 2 firm
lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 cups
Vanilla pod - 1 cut & scraped
Honey - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 2 crushed
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Rose water - 1 tsp
Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1" piece bruised

Method:

Peel and core the pears and cut them lengthwise. Sprinkle lemon juice over the cut pieces to avoid browning.
Heat water over medium heat in a saucepan with vanilla bean, honey, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, rose water, nutmeg and ginger. Bring to boil.
Add the pear, flat side down and continue to simmer on low heat.
Cover the pear with a round parchment paper, with a small hole in the center.
Using a paring knife or fork, poke the pears to check for doneness. If it slides through without resistance the pears are done.
Remove the pears using a slotted spoon and let it cool, cut into 1 cm cubes.
Strain the spices from the stock, reduce it by half over medium heat.
This sauce can be used in the salad as dressing instead of lemon vinaigrette.

Trivandrum Chicken fry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:57:00 +0000

Who doesn't like fiery red, crispy fried, tender, succulent chicken that tickles your taste buds and leaves you wanting more??? Well I haven't come across anyone who doesn't.....I was first introduced to this delectable dish by my mom and she through her sister...so a big thanks to both of them. The enticing aroma, the visual feast of colours and explosion of flavours when you bite in.....what more can you ask for in a dish? This is a crowd pleaser people and hands down one of the best chicken fries I have had. Also the fact that you can do all the prep work in advance is an added bonus, how good is that? All you got to do when the guests arrive is to fry and serve this deliciousness and even before you plate up the guests will be tantalised by the intoxicating aroma wafting from the kitchen.... So what are you waiting for, go ahead and serve this at the next party and get swarmed with compliments.... :)

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 kg

for step 1:

Shallots - 3 or 4 grated
Lime juice - 2 tbsp
Fresh ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp each
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Kashmiri Chilly pdr - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste

for step 2:

Dry chilly flakes - 3 tbsp (adjust to spice tolerance)
Fennel seeds - 1 to 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp

Other:

Oil as required
Shallots - 4 chopped
Green chilly - 2 sliced
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Method:

Clean and wash the chicken, pat dry using a paper towel. Make incisions in the chicken for the marinade to coat properly.
In a wide bowl place all the ingredients under step 1 and make a thick paste (add a little water if necessary). Add chicken to this marinade, rub it well into the gashes. Cover the bowl and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Take it out and sprinkle the ingredients under step 2 on the marinated chicken, let it stand. In the meantime, heat oil in a kadai or wok and fry the shallots, green chilly and curry leaves one by one. Remove using a slotted spoon when colour changes and drain on paper towel.
Place the chicken carefully into the oil and deep fry until deep brown, remove and drain. Garnish with fried shallots, green chilly and curry leaves.

Notes:
Cut the chicken into fairly big pieces or use chicken drumsticks or maryland.
Make sure the oil is at the right temperature before putting the chicken in and do not over crowd the wok.
Be careful not to burn the chicken on the outside so keep the heat between low and medium and ensure the insides get cooked properly.

Easy Chicken Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 06:15:00 +0000

I don't look forward to spending time in the kitchen after work. If there's a way to get out of it I'll take it but two hungry stomachs need to be fed :(. So I drag my sorry self to the kitchen in hopes of finding something interesting (read very simple and easy to put together dinner) to motivate me to cook. And I always settle for something quick, doesn't require constant stirring, and has minimal cutting and chopping ;)...This chicken curry falls in that category.....roughly chop onions, tomatoes, bruise ginger garlic, cut chicken, pop these along with spice mix into the pressure cooker, wait for 2 whistles and voila! Easy chicken curry is ready to serve!!!
And the other interesting/motivating factor this time around was fresh coriander leaves from my herb garden....ok not a true garden per se but more like herbs in pots :)....Of late I have developed this interest for gardening and bought a couple of potted herbs....I didn't dare to buy more for fear of killing them all (I have a history of neglecting my plants and eventually they all die) :(....But this time I am proud to say I have successfully maintained the herbs so far without destroying them yaaaaaaaay! :D Well it's a huge progress considering my "history" hehe.... and the fresh coriander gave the curry heaps of flavour and I only had to use very little compared to the shop bought ones.....given a choice I would grow all my food, well at least the ones I can manage ;)....

Ingredients:
Chicken (bone in) - 500 g
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 3 medium (sliced lengthwise)
Tomato - 1 large chopped
Ginger - 2" piece bruised
Garlic - 5 cloves bruised
Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tbsp (adjust to spice tolerance)
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - handful for garnish

Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add onion and sprinkle some salt.
Sweat the onion till it's translucent, add ginger and garlic, toss till the raw smell disappears.
Put the spice powders and combine well, let it cook for a minute.
Add the chopped tomato and mix it in, also check the salt and add more if required.
Put the chicken into the cooker and toss it till the pieces are completely coated in masala.
Place the lid and cook for 3 whistles.
Remove from heat and let all the steam escape before opening the lid.
Reduce the gravy if you prefer a dry dish.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve.

Chilly Tuna & Crab Lettuce cups

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 06:07:00 +0000

I love fish but not so much when it comes out of a can, I cannot stand the fishy after-taste. However, I do love to cook with canned fish as it's hassle free and helps me whip up a light lunch/dinner in no time. No cutting, no cleaning, no de-boning, no foul smell, just open, drain, enjoy! So, due to this very reason of convenience and me being my lazy self :D, I always end up with a few cans of tin fish in the pantry in spite of my dislike for the after-taste. And with time I have found ways to disguise that taste by buying flavoured tin fish and incorporating other ingredients. This recipe takes less than 30 mins to put together and tastes amazing. Do give it a try.... :)

Ingredients:
Out of a can:

Canned tuna - 300 g (chilly, lime & ginger oil flavour)
Canned crab meat - 170 g

To chop:

Red onion - 1 medium chopped fine
Red chilly - 1 chopped (deseed if you like it less spicy)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp each
Lemongrass paste - 1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves - 2 tbsp chopped
Tomato (roma) - 2 or 3 chopped (seeds removed)
Spring onion - 1 stalk chopped roughly (use more if you like)
Red capsicum - 1 tbsp chopped
Celery - 1 stalk chopped (optional)
Bean sprouts - handful (optional)
Iceberg lettuce - 3 or 4 trimmed.

Spices:

Cinnamon pdr - 1/4 tsp
Cardamom pdr - 1/4 tsp
Chinese 5 spice pdr - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Sauce:

Vinegar/lemon juice - 2 tsp
Soy sauce - 1 tsp

Garnish:

Orange segments - 1/2 orange (optional)
Fried shallots - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp(use more if required)
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a wok and fry the onion and chilly till transparent.
Add ginger, garlic and lemongrass, sauté till the raw smell disappears.
Mix the spice powders in and combine well for a minute.
Place the tuna & crab meat in the wok, break the tuna into smaller chunks and toss till the whole mixture comes together.
Pour the soy sauce and vinegar or lemon juice and stir it in.
Turn the heat to high and add all the ingredients from fresh coriander leaves to bean sprouts.
Toss for a minute till well incorporated, take of heat.
Garnish with orange segments and fried shallots.
Check for salt, add more if needed.
Serve the tune in the lettuce cups.

Notes:
Another alternative is to mix all the ingredients and serve without cooking, as the main ingredients - tuna and crab are pre-cooked.

Creme brûlée

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Do you ever have days when you wake up with so much energy and enthusiasm, ready to tackle all the rough balls life throws at you? You have a spring in your step, a smile on your lips and a feeling that the whole universe is conspiring to get you what you want! I am not talking about winning the lottery here :P but small simple things or gestures which makes you happy. Well, I had one of those days last week and I wish all my days were filled with such positive vibe. Sadly things don't always go as planned. Today's recipe is for those blue days, guaranteed to lift up the spirits and put a smile back on your face... :).
Creme brûlée is a French desert which means burnt caramel. Silky smooth custard topped with caramelised sugar baked in the oven, popped into the refrigerator and served chilled. The best part of eating a creme brûlée is cracking the hard caramel shell and indulging in the velvety smooth custard...rich, creamy & delicious.... yum! and I love using the blowtorch over the sugar :P....

Ingredients
Thickened cream - 600 ml
Nutmeg - a pinch
Vanilla pod - 1
Cinnamon - a pinch
Cardamom - 2 bruised
Egg yolks - 6
Caster sugar - 1/4 to 1/2 cup (depending on your sweet tooth :), I used 1/2 cup)
Demerara sugar as needed

Method
Preheat the oven to 140°C.
Split the vanilla pods and scrape the seeds out.
Put the cream, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla pods along with seeds in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat.
Take off heat and discard the cardamom shells & vanilla pod, cover and set aside.
In another bowl quickly whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale, this will take up to 3-4 mins.
Pour the hot cream a little at a time over the egg & sugar mixture, continuing to whisk until well combined.
Strain the mixture and make sure there are no air bubbles in the mixture before pouring it in the ramekins.
Line a deep pan with tea towel and place the ramekins.
Carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of ramekins.
Cover the pan loosely with foil.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the custard has just set, but still wobbly in the center.
Remove ramekins from the hot water bath, allow them to cool a bit before popping it in the refrigerator.
Sprinkle the top of each ramekin with demerara sugar.
Caramelise the sugar until golden brown using a kitchen blowtorch or place under a preheated grill, careful not to burn it.
Put it back in the refrigerator to allow the sugar to set hard.

Notes:
The oven temperature may differ depending on the appliance you use, I use a fan forced oven.
You can swap the vanilla for any flavour you like, lavender is a good choice.
I used 8 x 100 ml ramekins, if you use bigger ramekins adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Lining the pan with tea towel helps to reduce direct heat from the metal pan to the ramekins.
The cream custard can be made 1 day ahead and the caramelization can be done 1 hour before serving.