Simply Cooking and Health

Making of brine for easy pickles of Onion, Chili, Mango and fiery chili.

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 17:46:00 +0000

Brine for pickling

I still use the old fashioned way of pickling which our forefathers used. It is simple and easy. It works. If you are serious about making your pickles you should visit Sandor Katz's website '"wild fermentation" or read his book - Wild Fermentation. There is a lot of information about pickling and fermentation there.

I regularly do lacto-fermentation for my regular intake of probiotics. This article is not about lacto-fermentation. It is well covered in my post – Probiotics.

But occasionally, I make vinegar fermented pickles that make the food more enjoyable. They last longer. They can also be consumed as a snack.

The heart of the pickling process is in the brine. Brine is a mixture of water and sea salt. If you add one table spoon of sea salt to 4 cups of water (1 quart) you will get 1.8% brine solution. If you use 2 table spoons of salt to 4 cups of water you will get a 3.6% brine solution. Three table spoon of salt to 4 cups of water will give you 5.4% brine solution. Some recipes call for a 10% brine solution. The amount of salt in the brine is enough to float a fresh egg. The resulting pickle will be very salty. But this solution will keep the pickle for a long time. You should wash the pickle in cold water to get rid of the excess salt. Even after washing there will be enough salt in the vegetable to make it tasty.

I use 1 teaspoon of salt to every cup of water. I use this ratio for my probiotics also. This is about 2.4% solution. A 3.6% solution will be suitable for many vegetables. The pickles will also have a longer shelf life. A 2.4% solution is weak and the pickles will become soft sometimes. I use less salt because of my heart condition. With low salt the shelf life of the pickle will also be shorter. Tougher vegetable will require more salt. Every time you make a brine solution taste it, soon you will be able to tell the right amount of salt.

I use 2 tablespoons of vinegar for every cup of water. Some recipes call 1:1 ratio of vinegar. And some require half the amount of vinegar. I think this is too much vinegar. High concentration of vinegar will give longer life to the pickles.

To make the brine solution: add the salt, vinegar and bottled water and bring to a boil. Fill the bottle with vegetable leaving only about an inch empty space at the top. Compact the vegetables. Pour the solution to cover all the vegetables. The vegetables should be fully submerged in the solution.
I normally bring the solution to the boil and then reduce the heat and blanch the vegetables in the solution for about 3 minutes. Drain the solution and set aside. Compact the vegetables in the bottle pour the solution when cool. If you add the hot solution the vegetables will continue to cook and will become mushy. Blanching of the vegetables will make them softer and less crunchy. The boiling kills some bacteria in the vegetables.

You can add spices to the brine. Pickling spices can be bought from the stores. You can use garlic, ginger, dill, coriander seeds or garam masala. I normally do not use any spices. I like the natural taste of the vegetables. The pickle will have to be kept for a week or two for the spices to permeate the vegetables. Then you run into the risk of spoilage. I do not keep the pickles for long.

Recipe summary
for
Onion pickle

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Onion pickle

Cooking time: 3 minutes

Ingredients
250 grams shallots
3 cups of bottled water
3 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of vinegar

Preparation

1. Peel 250 grams shallots, wash and dry.

2. Pack the shallots into an air-tight bottle leaving one inch space at the top of the bottle.

3. Make the brine solution by adding 3 cups of bottled water, 3 teaspoon salt,6 tablespoons of vinegar and bring to boil and cool (see introduction)

4. Fill the bottle with shallots.

5. Cover with an air-tight lid.

6. Keep in a dark warm place for 2 days.

7. After that move the pickle jar into the refrigerator.

This pickle will stay in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

Onion and chili pickle

2) Onion and chili pickle
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes

Peel 100 grams shallots and dry.
Remove the stem of 50 grams green chili wash and dry.
You can use red chili too.but it is hotter than green chili.

Brine as in the previous onion pickle recipe
Preparation and method is based on the previous article.

Mango pickle

3) Mango pickle
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Peel 150 grams mango

Slice the mangoes into bite size pieces.
You can peel the mango and discard the peels
or slice the mangoes with the peels.

The cooking mango will be slightly sour.
If the mango is sour you reduce the amount of vinegar used.

Preparation and method is based on the previous article.

4) Mango Dip

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 3 minutes

Wash and slice 150 grams unripe mangoes.Use only raw, green, cooking mangoes and not the mangoes for consumption as fruit.

Mango Dip

Wash and cut 15 grams chilies roughly.

In a medium saucepan add 1 cup bottled water,
1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoon white vinegar.
Bring to the boil. Stir well to dissolve the salt. Taste it.
The salt and sour should be balanced.
If one is strong, add some more of the other.
When the water comes to the boil add the mango slices and chilies.
Boil for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and drain the brine water and let it cool.

When the mango and the brine are cool add them to a blender. Puree the mixture fine. If you need more water for the blender to operate properly add bottle water. After blending pour the mix into a clean jar. Cover the jar with an air-tight lid. Leave the jar at room temperature for 24 hours. After that move the jar to the refrigerator. Wait for 3 days for the dip to mature. The dip will keep up to a month in the fridge.

5) Fiery Chili pickle

This is truly a fiery stuff. We call it dynamite. One word of caution! Chili is addictive. Don’t tell me later that I never warned you.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Fiery chili pickle

Cooking time: 3 minutes

In a medium sized sauce pan add 2 cup bottled water, 4 tablespoon of vinegar
of your choice and 2 teaspoon of salt.

Stir continuously until all the salt is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Add 20 red chilies roughly chopped and 2 large onions roughly chopped. Boil for 3 minutes. Switch off the heat. Let it cool. Put in a bottle with and air-tight cap. Let it sit on your counter top for 24 hours. Move it into you fridge. Leave it for 4 days for the pickle to mature and become slightly milder.

This goes well with all forms of fried noodle, rice, tortilla, chapatti, naan and many other starchy dishes.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

1) Onion pickle

This is type of old fashioned vinegar pickles.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes

Onion pickle

Ingredients
250 grams shallots
3 cups of bottled water
3 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of vinegar

Preparation

Peel the onions, wash and dry. Pack the onions into an air-tight bottle leaving one inch space at the top of the bottle.

Make the brine solution as shown above. Fill the bottles with vegetables and brine solution.

Cover with an air-tight lid.

Keep in a dark warm place for 2 days.

After that move the pickle jar into the refrigerator.

Use as and when required.

This pickle will stay in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

2 ) Onion and chili pickle

Onion and chili pickle

Ingredients

100 grams shallots

50 grams green chili

We can use green or red chili to make this pickle. Red chili will be more tastier. It will also be hotter than the green chili. So I decided to go ahead with the green chili. Some heat will be transferred from the chili to the onions, The onions then will also become slightly hotter.

Brine as in the previous onion pickle recipe

Preparation and method is based on the previous article

3 )Mango pickle

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Mango sliced for pickling

Ingredients

150 grams mangoes

Preparation

Slice the mangoes into bite size pieces. You can peel the mango and discard the peels or slice the mangoes with the peels.The peel will be crunchy. Flesh will become soft after a couple of days. The mango used is a variety that is for cooking. We do not use the mango variety that is meant for fruits.

green mango

The cooking mango will be slightly sour. The more sour the better. If the mango is sour you reduce the amount of vinegar used.

Mango pickle

I use the same brine and the cooking method as shown for other pickles above.

4) Mango Dip

Mango Dip

Mango dip is a versatile accompaniment to breads like chapatti, naan, tortilla, rice. It can be used as a sauce also.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes

Ingredients
150 grams green unripe mango sliced
15 grams of chili (red or green – 6 pieces)
1 cup bottled water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon white vinegar

Mango

Preparation

Use only raw, green, cooking mangoes and not the mangoes for consumption as fruit. Wash and slice the mangoes. Wash and cut the chilies roughly.
Method
In a medium saucepan add water, salt and vinegar. Bring to the boil. Stir well to dissolve the salt. Taste it. The salt and sour should be balanced. If one is strong, add some more of the other. When the water comes to the boil add the mango slices and chilies. Boil for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and drain the brine water and let it cool.

Mango slices and chili

When the mango and the brine are cool add them to a blender. Puree the mixture fine. If you need more water for the blender to operate properly add bottle water. After blending pour the mix into a clean jar. Cover the jar with an air-tight lid. Leave the jar at room temperature for 24 hours. After that move the jar to the refrigerator. Wait for 3 days for the dip to mature. You can use it after that. The dip will keep up to a month in the fridge.

5) Fiery Chili pickle

Fiery chili pickle

This is truly a fiery stuff. We call it dynamite. If you are fain hearted it is not for you. If you have ever tried any chili sauce or cut chili sauce in any Thai, Korean or Chinese restaurant then you can handle this. The broken chili and the exposed chili seeds give the extra bite to this pickle. Don’t try to make it milder, because there are numerous recipes which are milder and with the addition of sugar or palm (brown) sugar. This meant for those select few who enjoy chili and who dare to defend their country.

This chili will fight your inflammation, help you lose weight, help your digestive system, assist you in fighting pain, improve your bowel movements and so on. Please read my post on chili.

Normally in restaurants in the east they tend to serve chilled and sweetened lime juice with a hot meal. Don’t take that when you have bitten a piece of chili that was too hot for you. Instead take a sip of warm to hot water or tea without milk. This will produce opposite sensation but will soon adjust to what is in hand and you will want more of it. One word of caution! Chili is addictive. Don’t tell me later that I never warned you.

Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes

Ingredients
20 red chilies roughly chopped
2 large onions roughly chopped
4 tablespoon of vinegar
2 cup bottled water
2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoon of vinegar of your choice

Method

In a medium sized sauce pan add water, salt and vinegar. Stir continuously until all the salt is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Add chili and onion. Boil for 3 minutes. Switch off the heat. Let it cool. Put in a bottle with and air-tight cap. Let it sit on your counter top for 24 hours. Move it into you fridge. Leave it for 4 days for the pickle to mature and become slightly milder.

This goes well with all forms of fried noodle, rice, tortilla, chapatti, naan and many other starchy dishes.

Home made spring chicken soup with 13 spice powders

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 14:00:00 +0000

Home made spring chicken soup with 13 spice powders.

Chicken soup is not new for us. People prepare this soup in different ways. Ingredients may vary. The purpose of this soup to give energy for weak body. Today I am going to make a chicken soup with 13 spice powders.

Recipe summary
For
Home made spring chicken soup with 13 spice powders Preparation time: ½ an hour Cooking time: one and a ½ hours Serves: 1 person (5 table spoons per day) Preparation Wash and cut 1 kilo spring chicken. pound the chicken pieces tenderly. Make a bouquet garni with the following spice powders. ( In a white 100% cotton cloth add all the spice powders and tie it with a cotton string. Never use polyester material or string) and put in the pot along with the chicken. If you cannot find a cotton cloth just put all the spice powders and cook. Once it it cooled strain the residue 1 table spoon cinnamon powder 2 teaspoon turmeric powder 2 table spoon coriander powder 2 table spoon onion powder oven made onion powder 2 teaspoon garam masala 2 teaspoon biriyani masala powder 2 teaspoon ginger powder 2 teaspoon garlic powder Garlic dried in the oven and air fryer and powdered at home 2 teaspoon roasted fennel powder Powdering cumin seeds and fennel seeds 2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder 2 teaspoon curry leaves powder Indoor air dried curry leaves powder 2 teaspoon lemon grass powder Indoor air dried lemon grass powder 2 teaspoon pepper powder Method In a big pan add chicken, bouquet garni, ( Tie all the spice powders in 100% cotton cloth twist and tie with a 100% cotton twine or thread. Never use polyester material or string) 3 liters water, 1 ½ teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce fire and simmer for 1 ½ hours in slow fire. when it is cooled strain . Yield is 1 ½ liters of chicken soup. Measure 5 table spoons and tie in small plastic bags and freeze it. You can use one a day when needed. If you think it is difficult to make the bouquet garni, you can use fresh ingredients like onion, garlic, ginger , lemon grass, curry leaves and other powders what you have. You can also add vegetables like carrot, French beans, celery and leeks. When the soup is cooked, cool it and strain. when you serve add lime juice Home made spring chicken soup with 13 spice powders is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time : ½ an hour
Cooking time : one and a ½ hours
Serves: 1 person (5 table spoon per day)

Preparation
Wash and cut 1 Kilo spring chicken.

Pound the chicken pieces tenderly.

Cut pieces of spring chicken

Add all the 13 spice powders and make a bouquet garni ( In a white 100% cotton cloth add all the spice powders and tie it with a cotton string. Never use polyester material or string) and put in the pot along with the chicken. If you cannot find a cotton cloth just put all the spice powders and cook. Once it it cooled strain the residue.

2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 table spoon coriander powder
1 table spoon cinnamon powder
2 teaspoon pepper powder
2 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoon biriyani masala
2 teaspoon ginger powder

2 table spoon onion powder

Oven made onion powder
2 teaspoon garlic powder

Garlic dried in the oven and air fryer and powdered at home

2 teaspoon roasted fennel powderhttps://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2018/09/powdering-cumin-seeds-and-fennel-seeds.html
2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder

2 teaspoon curry leaves powder https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2017/05/drying-curry-leaves-and-pandan-leaves.html

2 teaspoon lemon grass powder
Indoor air dried lemon grass powder

Onion powder, garlic powder, lemon grass powder, cinnamon powder, roasted fennel powder, roasted cumin powder, curry leaves powder and pepper powder were made at home.

You can buy most of the powders. I am not sure about lemon grass powder. Roasted fennel and cumin powders cannot be bought. Buy the seeds and roast. Curry leaf powder cannot be bought, then use the fresh leaves. It is not necessary that you have to add all the powders.

You can make the soup with what you have.

If you think it is difficult to make the powders ,you can use fresh ingredients like onion, garlic, ginger , lemon grass, curry leaves,

cumin seeds, fennel seeds and other powders what you have. You can also add vegetables like carrot, French beans ,celery and leeks.

When the soup is cooked, cool it and strain. when you serve add lime juice

Method
In a big pan
add cut pieces of chicken.
3 liters water.
bouquet garni .
1 ½  teaspoon salt and bring to boil.

Reduce the fire and simmer for 1 ½ hours in slow fire.
the yield was 1 1//2 liters soup of chicken.

Home made spring chicken soup

Measure 5 table spoons.

Tie in small plastic bags and freeze. Serve one a day or when necessary.

Indoor air dried screw pine leaf ( pandan leaf) and its powder

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 11:40:00 +0000

Dried screw pine leaf and powder

Screw pine leaves are narrow elongated leaves that comes in a bunch of leaves. It can grow up to 2 metres. But it is harvested shorter.

Screw pine leaf

Screw pine is called by different names. Daun pandan in Malaysian, Bai Toey Hom inThai, Rampa in Hindi and Sinhalese(Sri Lanka) Takonoki in Japanese, Chan Xiang Lan in Mandarin and Screw pine in English.

It is a fragrant spice used in coconut rice called nasi lemak using knotted pandan leaf.It is served with fried yellow tail fish,fried sprats and fried peanuts, fried chicken wing, bullseye egg or boiled egg, sambal and slices of cucumber . You can choose to your taste. It will be a delicious meal. I cook this rice using pandan powder and lemon grass powder.

It is used in meat curries and variety of sweets and sweet desserts. It is used in steaming, boiling and as wrapper for Glutinous sticky rice.

Juice is extracted from bruised leaf to make Pandan Chiffon cake which is famous in Singapore and Malaysia.

kaya bread spread is also made from pandan leaf and coconut milk.

Pandan leaves are used as cockroach repellent in the house and cars.

Pandan leaves are rich in essential oils.

When it comes to storage place the fresh pandan leaves in a plastic bag and store in the vegetable compartment for 4 days. If you want to keep for long it is said to freeze in baking sheet. Then keep in the zip lock bag and freeze.

Today I am going to dry pandan leaves indoors and get pandan powder.

Recipe summery For Indoor air dried Screw pine leaf and its powder Preparation Time : 30 minutes Drying time: one week Air dried screw pine leaf Method: 1. Snip the leaves separately. 2. Cut away the bottom of the leaves. 3. Wash well since there will be sand and dirt. 4. Place in along towel and wipe out the water. 5. Cut into three parts of each leaf. Fresh cut leaves 6. Place in a kitchen towel or news paper and leave it to dry in an airy place. Direct sun is not needed. 7. Stir now and then everyday. 8. When it is dry cut into small pieces and grind in a grinder. 9. When it is cooled store in a bottle. Indoor air dried Screw pine leaf and its powder is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Drying time: one week

Preparation:

Snip the leaves separately. Cut away the bottom of the leaves. Wash well since there will be sand and dirt. Place in a long towel and wipe out the water. Cut into three parts of each leaf.

Cut fresh leaves

Place on a kitchen or news paper and leave it to dry in an airy place. Stir now and then every day. Direct sun is not needed.

When it is dry cut into small pieces and grind in a grinder.

When is cooled store in a bottle.

Screw pine leaf powder

I dried 270 grams leaves and got 30 grams powder.

Oven made onion powder

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 16:11:00 +0000

Oven made onion powder

Onion which is also known as bulb onion is a widely cultivated vegetable.

Onions are low in calories and packed with nutrients and minerals. Onions are eaten raw and raw onions are used in salads which are delicious. Onions are fried, used in curries and soups. The smell of fried or caramelized onions is irresistible.
Today I want to bake onion in the oven to make onion powder which is expensive in the shops. I am going to bake 3 kilos of onions.

Recipe summery For Oven made onion powder Preparation time: 2 hours Cooking time: 6 hours

Method 1. First clean the outside skin of the onion. 2. Wash well and wipe them with a napkin. 3.Cut the onion into quarter pieces. 4. Then cut them into small pieces. I used a food processor to do this. 5. Spread the processed onion in an oiled tray.Please don't use aluminium foil as I did.It is troublesome. 6. Bake the onion at 100 degree Celsius stirring occasionally. 7. It took 6 hours to bake. 8. Cool the produce in the tray and grind. 9. The yield was approximately 330 grams. If you bake 1 kilo onion you will get 111 grams. 10. It can be used in soups, stew and in marination. Oven made onion powder is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 2 hours

Cooking time:6 hours

First clean the outside skin of the onions. Then wash well and wipe them with a napkin. After that cut the onions into quarter pieces.Then cut them into small pieces. I used a food processor to do this part. It is impossible to cut 3 kilos by hand. You can bake 1 kg at a time.

Spread the processed onion in an oiled tray. You can see aluminum foil at the bottom of my onion tray. It is troublesome. Please don’t use. as I did. I do not know about laying a baking sheet. I have not tried.

Shredded raw onion

Bake the onion at 100°Celsius, stirring occasionally. I used two trays and it took 6 hours to bake. It turned out be good. Cool the produce in the trays and grind it. The yield was approximately 330 grams. When you bake 1 kg you will get around 111 grams.

After baking the shredded onion

To make a small quantity we can use the air fryer. I will try and let you know.

Final oven roasted onion

The yield was approximately 330 grams. When you bake 1 kg you will get around 111 grams

Stored Onion Powder

To make a small quantity we can use the air fryer. I will try and let you know.

Onion powder can be used in soups, stews and marination. Few of my recipes in which I used onion powder will follow.

Making of indoor air dried lemon grass Powder

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sat, 04 May 2019 07:06:00 +0000

Indoor air dried lemon grass powder

Lemon grass is a native plant from Sri Lanka and India and is grown in many parts of the world. It is used in cooking mainly with the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka and Thai dishes. It has oil. it has some medicinal properties.It has been used in Ayurveda medicine. In Chinese medicine for stomach problems . It is used in soaps and. cosmetics. In food it serves as a fragrant in chicken and mutton curries.It has a mild taste of lemon. It is said to lower cholesterol and improves sugar levels. And relieves pain.used in aromatherapy

Recipe summary
For
Making of indoor air dried lemon grass Powder

Preparation time: 1 hour
Drying time: 1 week

lemon grass

Preparation
1. Wash 500 grams lemon grass and wipe with a towel.
2. Peel the outer layer.
3. Cut away 2 inches on the top and ½ an inch at the bottom.
4. Cut 3 inches from the white part at the bottom and slice into thin round pieces. I got 130 grams.
5. Shred it and place on a kitchen paper or news paper and leave indoor.

Shredded hardest
part of lemon grass

6. The green part of lemon grass is difficult to cut. cut about one and inch inch
pieces. I processed in the food processor.

I got 50 grams.

7. Place on a kitchen paper or new paper and leave indoor.

It will take 1 week to dry.

Indoor air dried
lemon grass powder

8. When it is dry grind using a coffee grinder store in a container.
9. I Got 30 grams of powder.
Store in a bottle.
It can be used in curries, rice, soups and stews.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 1 hour
Drying time: 1 week

Ingredients
500 gram Lemon grass

Preparation
Wash the lemon grass and wipe with a cloth. Or towel.
Peel the outer layer.

lemon grass

Peel the outer layer.

Peel the outer layer

Cut away ½ an inch at the bottom

Cutting ½ an inch at the bottom

Cut away 2 inches the top

Cutting 2 inches on the top

Cut 3 inches of the white part . slice into thin round pieces.

Cutting 3 inches of soft part

Slice into thin round pieces.

Slicing the soft part

I got 130 grams. Place on a kitchen paper or
new paper and leave indoor.

Shredded softer part of lemon grass

The green part of lemon grass is difficult to cut. I processed in the food processor.

Hard part of the lemon grass

I got 50 grams. Place on a kitchen paper or new paper and leave indoor.

Shredded hardest part of lemon grass

Drying harder part of lemon grass separately

It will take 1 week to dry.
When it is dry, grind using a coffee grinder store in a container.
I Got 30 grams of powder.
Store in a bottle.
It can be used in curries, rice, soups and stews.

Lemon grass powder

Other powders I made

Spicy cucumber curry

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 12:09:00 +0000

We think of using cucumber in salads and pickles. Today I am going to make a spicy cucumber curry.

Spicy cucumber curry

Recipe summary
For
Spicy cucumber curry

Cucumber

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

Preparation
Peel and cut the cucumber into bite size pieces.

Method

1. In a large pan heat 2 table spoon of oil. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low.

2. Add half of 150 grams onion.

3. Add 1 dry chili chopped.

4. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and ½ tsp fennel seeds and fry for 30 seconds.

5. Add rest of the onion and fry till translucent.

6.Add 1 green chili cut into small pieces and 1 red chili , 3 cloves garlic sliced, 20 grams ginger finely chopped cut into small pieces and 10 curry leaves chopped and fry for 7 minutes

7. Add 1 kg cucumber pieces and fry for 1 minute.

8. Add 1 cup of water, 2 tbsp curry powder, 40 grams tamarind juice, and ½ tsp turmeric powder and mix well. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes.

9. Add 1 tsp salt salt. Once you add salt and cover the pan the cucumber will start releasing a lot of water and you want most of it evaporated.

Spicy cucumber curry

10. Add ½ cup coconut milk.

11. Add pepper powder.

12. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Simmer for another three minutes and take the pan off the heat.

The spicy cucumber curry is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves:4

Cucumber

Ingredients
Main
1 kg cucumber

Spices
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp black pepper powder
2 tbsp curry powder
1 dry chili

Others
150 grams onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
20 grams ginger, finely chopped
1 green chili, cut into small pieces
1 red chili, cut into small pieces
10 curry leaves, chopped
40 grams tamarind, juice extracted
1 tsp salt
½ cup coconut milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water

Preparation
Peel and cut the cucumber into bite size pieces.

Cucumber

Method
In a large pan heat 2 table spoon of oil. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low. and add cumin seeds and fennel seeds and fry for 30 seconds.

Add half of onion and fry till becomes brown. Add dry chili and fry for 2 minutes.

Adding dry chili

Add some more onion. Fry for 1 minute.

Adding more onion

Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds and fry for 30 seconds.

Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds

Add green and red chili, garlic,ginger and curry leaves and fry for 7 minutes or until the onion turns translucent.

Add cucumber pieces and fry for 1 minute.

Adding cucumber

Add water, curry powder, tamarind juice, and turmeric powder and mix well. Bring to the boil.

Mixing cucumber with the spices.

Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. Once you add salt cover the pan.

Adding salt

The cucumber will start releasing a lot of water and you want most of it evaporated.

Curry is cooking

Add coconut milk.

Adding coconut milk.

Add pepper powder.

Adding pepper powder

Taste for seasoning and adjust. Simmer for another three minutes and take the pan off the heat.

Final curry

The cucumber curry is ready. Serve while hot with rice.

Spicy cucumber curry

YOU MAY LIKE TO SEE

Easy mild cucumber curry

https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2014/10/easy-mild-cucumber-curry.html

Broccoli soup with tofu

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 11:40:00 +0000

Asian style Broccoli soup with Tofu

Broccoli belongs to cabbage family and is believed to have originated in Italy some 2000 years ago. It is said that broccoli helps people in many ways.Broccoli is also found to be helpful in problems concerning arthritis, heart, eyes, kidney,diabetes and skin. It also has anti-aging properties along with its content of nutrition such as potassium, calcium, protein and vitamin C. Not many vegetable can have such a long list of benefits.

Tofu is made from soybean curd is an excellent source of iron and calcium.

Celery is packed with antioxidants and vitamins, including A, B6, C, and K.

Broccoli

Recipe summary
For
Asian style Broccoli soup with silken tofu
Today Broccoli belongs to cabbage family and is believed to have originated in Italy some 2000 years ago. It has many health benefithttps://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2014/06/broccoli-stir-fry.htmls.

Broccoli

Tofu is made from soybean curd is an excellent source of iron and calcium.

Celery is packed with antioxidants and vitamins, including A, B6, C, and K.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time:30 minutes
Serves:4

Main ingredients

Preparation
1.Wash 300 grams broccoli and cut into florets and put in salted water for 15 minutes to free from insects

2. Wash and cut 180 grams tomato into 4 pieces and scoop out the seeds. Then cut into small pieces.

3. Slice 300 grams silken tofu into pieces.

4. Wash and slice 100 grams celery into small pieces.

5. Cut 1 onion into small pieces.

6. Slice 3 cloves garlic

7. Cut 8 grams ginger either into tiny pieces or mince it.

Method
1. Heat a wok add 2 tablespoon oil and heat it and add chopped onion and fry for 2 minutes.

2. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute.

3. Add garlic and ginger to it and fry for 2 minutes.

4. Add chopped tomato and fry for 3 minutes.

5. Add celery and fry for 2 minutes.

6. Add 2 cups water, cover, cook 3 minutes and reduce heat to cook celery and release aromatic smell.

7. Add broccoli and silken tofu to the cooking water .
Let it cook open as we don’t cook broccoli too long.

Asian style Broccoli soup with Tofu

8. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. taste for seasoning.

9. Leave 5 minutes in the cooker and switch off the fire.

10. Cool and liquidize to make a soup.

Asian style Broccoli soup with Tofu is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time:20 minutes
Cooking time:30 minutes
Serves:6
Ingredients
Main
300 grams broccoli
300 grams tofu
180 grams tomato
100 grams celery
Others
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
8 grams Ginger
2 tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon salt
Spices
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon pepper powder
Preparation
Wash broccoli and cut into florets and I put in salted water for 15 minutes to free from insects.
Wash and cut tomato into 4 pieces and scoop out the seeds. Then cut into small pieces.
Slice tofu into pieces.
Wash and slice celery into small pieces.
Cut onion into small pieces.
Slice garlic
Cut ginger either into tiny pieces or mince it.

Main ingredients

Method
Heat a wok add oil and heat it and add onion and fry for 2 minutes.

Frying onions

Add cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute. Add garlic ginger to it and fry for 2 minutes

Adding garlic ,ginger, and cumin

Add tomato and fry for 3 minutes.

Adding tomato

And celery fry for 2 minutes.

Adding celery.

Mix and frying

Add 2 cups water and cover and reduce heat to cook celery for 3 minutes and release aromatic smell.

Cover and cook

Add broccoli and silken tofu to the cooking water. Let it cook open as we don’t cook broccoli too long.

Adding broccoli and tofu

Leave 5 minutes in the cooker. and switch off the fire.

Cooking broccoli and tofu

Add salt and pepper. taste for seasoning and switch off the fire.

Cool and liquidize to make a soup.

Asparagus soup with spices and coconut milk

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 04:58:00 +0000

Asparagus is low in calories. It is a great vegetable for those who want to lose weight.
For those with diabetes, Chromium in asparagus, helps in better utilisation of glucose and the fibre helps slowing the release of carbohydrates in the blood stream and prevents sharp insulin spikes
It is boiled, steamed and eaten raw. Today I want to make a soup.

Asparagus soup with spices and coconut milk

Recipe summary
For
Asparagus soup with spices and coconut milk

preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Preparation
Wash 200 grams asparagus well. cut off about ½ an inch at the bottom. And keep aside.

Ingredients

Cut 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 green chili and 10 curry leaves into small pieces.
Method
1. In a pan add 150 ml water and add 1 table Coriander powder,
½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, ½ teaspoon pepper

2. Bring to boil cook for 10 minutes and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.Add asparagus and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add coconut milk and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
It is a nourishing soup.

Asparagus soup with spices and coconut milk is ready

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Main
200 grams asparagus
Others

Ingredients

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
I green chili
10 curry leaves.
150 ml water
½ cup coconut milk

Preparation
Wash the asparagus well. cut off about ½ an inch at the bottom. And keep aside.
Cut onion garlic, green chili and curry leaves into small pieces.

Method
In a pan add water and add onion,garlic,green chili,curry leaves
coriander powder,turmeric,fennel seeds.

Ready to cook

Bring to boil cook for 10 minutes and simmer for 10 minutes.

Soup is boiling

Add asparagus and cook for 3 minutes.

Adding asparagus

Add coconut milk. Cook for 2 minutes.

Adding coconut milk

Add pepper.

Adding pepper

It is a nourishing soup.

The soup is ready

spicy knol khol curry(kohirabi)

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 05:51:00 +0000

Knol khol is a vegetable with full of vitamins especially vitamin B. It is called German turnip.It has calcium,potassium and magnesium. It can be eaten raw and the leaves are also suitable for cooking.Today I am going to make a spicy curry.

Spicy knol khol curry

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 5

Recipe summary
For
Spicy knol khol curry (kohirabi)

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 5

knol khol

Preparation
Peel and cut knol khol into bite size
Method
1. Add 2 table spoon oil and heat up fry 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp
fennel and ½ tsp mustard, ½ tsp fenugreek seeds.

2.Add 1 onion chopped

3. Add 1 green chili, 10 curry leaves,and 3 cloves garlic

4.Add ½ tsp turmeric

5.Add 1 table spoon coriander powder

Spicy knol khol curry

6.Add 2 cups water and bring to boil

7. Add 1 tsp salt

8. Add ½ cup coconut milk

9. Cook for three minutes

Spicy knol khol curry(kohirabi) is ready.

Ingredients
Main

knol khol

Others
1 onion
1 green chili
3 cloves garlic
10 curry leaves
2 table spoon oil
½ cup coconut milk.
2 cups water
Spices
1 table spoon coriander powder.
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tea spoon fennel seeds
½ tsp mustard
½ teaspoon fenugreek

Preparation
Peel and cut knol khol into bite size

knol khol pieces

Method
Add oil and heat up fry cumin and fennel and mustard and fenugreek

Frying mustard cumin ,fennel and fenugreek

Add onion

Adding onion

Add green chili, curry leaves,and garlic

Add chili curry leaves and garlic

Add turmeric

Adding turmeric

Add coriander powder

Adding coriander powder

Add Water bring to boil

Adding water

Add salt

Adding salt

Add coconut milk

Adding coconut milk

Cook for three minutes. The curry is ready.

Final curry

How to store fresh curry leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sun, 02 Dec 2018 04:24:00 +0000

Storing fresh curry leaves

Recipe summary
For
How to store fresh curry leaves

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 0

Curry leaves

1. Strip the curry leaves from the stem. Wash the curry leaves.

2.spread on a towel and cover it with the remaining towel.

3. Give some time for the towel to absorb the moisture from the curry leaves.

4. Open the cover and wipe the excess water from the curry leaves using kitchen towel.

5. Take a clean plastic container and lay a sheet of folded kitchen towel.

spreading fresh

curry leaves

6. Spread the curry leaves.

7. Cover it with another folded kitchen towel.

Covering curry leaves
with a paper towel

8. Close the container.

Closed curry leaves
container

9. Leave the curry leaves container in the refrigerator.

It can be kept for two weeks if you take what you need and put the box back in the refrigerator as soon as possible. If you keep the curry leaves box out for longer time out side the curry leaves will ooze water and get spoilt.

How to store fresh curry leaves is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 0

Curry leaves

1. Strip the curry leaves from the stem. Wash the curry leaves and spread on a towel

Stem after stripping curry leaves

2. Cover it with another towel or other side of the towel. Give some time for the towel to absorb the moisture from the curry leaves.

3. Open the cover and wipe the excess water from the curry leaves using kitchen towel.

4. Take a clean plastic container and lay a sheet of folded kitchen towel.

Lay Kitchen towel in the container

5. Spread the curry leaves.

Storing fresh curry leaves

6. Cover it with another folded kitchen towel.and close the container.

Covering with
paper towel

5. Close the container.

Closed container

6. Leave the container in the refrigerator.

It can be kept for two weeks if you take what you need and put the box back in the refrigerator as soon as possible. If you keep the curry leaves box out for longer time the curry leaves will ooze water and get spoilt.

How to store Green chili fresh.

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 12:35:00 +0000

Green chili

Keeping chili in the container

Recipe summary
For
How to store fresh Green chili

Preparation time: 15 minutes.

Keeping chili
in the container

Method
1. Remove the stems from the chili.
2. Wash the chili and wipe out the water using a cloth or paper towel.

3. Take a clean plastic container and lay a sheet of folded kitchen towel.

4. Spread the chili

5. Cover it with another folded kitchen towel.Close the container.

Covering chili
with kitchen towel

5. Close the container.

6. Leave the container in the refrigerator.

Closed chili container

It can be kept for two weeks if you take what you need and put the box back in the refrigerator as soon as possible. If you keep the chili box out for longer time out side the chili will ooze water and get spoilt.

How to store Green chili fresh is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
1. Remove the stems from the chili.
2. Wash the chili and wipe out the water.
3. Take a clean plastic container and lay a sheet of folded kitchen towel.
4. Spread the chili. Cover it with another folded kitchen towel.Close the container.

Covering chili with kitchen towel

6. Leave the container in the refrigerator.

It can be kept for two weeks if you take what you need and put the box back in the refrigerator as soon as possible. If you keep the chili box out for longer time the chili will ooze water and get spoilt.

Frozen Coriander leaves cubes

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 16:37:00 +0000

Coriander frozen cubes

Coriander leaves frozen cubes

Recipe summary
For
Frozen Coriander leaves cubes

Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time: 0

1. Wash 30 grams coriander leaves with 1/2 tea spoon salted water. Wash well with water.

2. Liquidize with one cup water.

3. fill the juice in the ice cube tray and leave it in the freezer.

4. Once it is frozen put two cubes each in small bags.

5. Put all the bags in a box and keep in the freezer.

6. You can add in curries, soups and juices.

Frozen Coriander leaves cubes are ready.

Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time: 0

Ingredients
Main

30 grams coriander
1 cup water
1/2 tea spoon salt

Coriander leaves

wash the leaves with salted water. Wash well with water. Liquidize and fill the ice cube tray. Leave it in the freezer.

Frozen Coriander leaves cubes

Once it is frozen put two cubes in small bags.

Cubes in small bags

Put in a box and keep in the freezer.

Packed box for the freezer

This can be used when necessary. Can be used in juices , soups and curries.
I make mint cubes in the same process.

Mock chicken cutlets

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 15:52:00 +0000

Mock chicken cutlet

Mock chicken cutlets

Recipe summary
For
Mock chicken cutlets

Preparation
1. Boil 250 grams chicken and shred it.

2. Boil 1 big potato cut into small pieces. You can wash the potatoes and prick the potatoes with a folk and microwave with two table spoon of water for four minutes or till it is soft.

Ingredients

3. Cut 150 grams onion, 20 grams garlic, 10 grams ginger, 10 curry finely.

Method
1. Lightly temper onion, garlic, ginger , 1 green chili and curry leaves in 2 table spoon sesame oil.
2. Mix shredded chicken and potato. Mix the tempered onion mixture.

Lightly tempered onion mixture.

3. Add 1/2 tea spoon chili powder, 3/4 salt and 1/2 tea spoon pepper and mix well.
4. Make balls and shape the cutlet in to oval shape.

Deep fried Mock chicken cutlets

Mix 1 cup flour and 1 cup water water in a blender to make the batter.
Dip the cutlet in the flour mixture an roll it in 100 grams bread crumbs.
Deep fry in 1 cup oil covering the cutlet.

Ingredients
main

Mock chicken

250 gr Chicken
1 big potato

Ingredients

Others
150 grams Onion
20 grams garlic
10 grams ginger
1 green chili
10 curry leaves
¾ salt
2 table sesame oil
1 cup oil to deep fry.

Spices
½ tea spoon chili powder
½ t spoon pepper

For the batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
100 gr bread crumbs

Preparation
Boil the chicken and shred it
Boil the potato cut into small pieces. You can wash the potatoes and prick the potatoes with a folk and microwave with two table spoon of water for four minutes or till it is soft.
Cut onion, garlic, ginger, curry finely.

Method
Lightly temper onion, garlic, ginger and curry leaves in sesame oil.

Tempering

Lightly tempered onion mixture.

Mix shredded chicken and potato. Mix the tempered onion mixture.

Mixed items

Add chili powder, salt and pepper and mix well.
Make balls and shape the cutlet in to oval shape.

Cutlets

Mix flour and water in a blender to make the batter.
Dip the cutlet in the flour mixture an roll it in bread crumbs.

Breaded cutlets

Deep fry in oil covering the cutlet.

Deep fried Mock chicken cutlets

Kale and silken tofu stir-fry

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 15:02:00 +0000

I decided to use silken tofu because I thought that firm tofu will not blend with the soft kale leaves.

Kale and silken tofu stir-fry

Recipe summary
For
Kale and silken tofu stir-fry

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time:20 minutes
Serves:6

Ingredients

Preparation
Wash and clean kale and shred.
Cut onion, garlic and curry leaves

Method

1. In a large pan heat 2 table spoon of oil. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low.

2. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.

3. Add coarsely chopped 150 grams onion and fry for 5 minutes.

4. Add sliced 4 cloves garlic, and 5 curry leaves finely chopped and fry for 2 minutes.

5. Add 500 grams kale, cut into fine pieces and sauté for 2 minutes.

6. Add 3/4 cup of water to cook the ,eaves.

7. 300 grams silken tofu and 1 tsp salt salt and mix well. Saute for 5 minutes.

We want to evaporate the excess moisture from the tofu. Otherwise the stir-fry will be watery and soggy. We want this dish to be very dry.

That is it. The kale stir-fry is ready. It can be served with rice or noodles.

Kale and silken tofu stir-fry is ready .

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time:20 minutes
Serves:6

Ingredients
Main
500 grams kale, cut into fine pieces
300 grams silken tofu

Spices
½ tsp cumin seeds

Others
150 grams onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
5 curry leaves, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3/4 cup water

Preparation
Wash and clean kale shred them into pieces.
Cut onion.garlic and curry leaves

Ingredients

Method

In a large pan heat 2 table spoon of oil. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low and add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.
Add onion and fry for 5 minutes.

Frying cumin and onion

Add garlic, and curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes.

Adding garlic and curry leaves

Add kale and sauté for 2 minutes.

Adding kale

Add water to cook the green.

Adding water

Add silken tofu and salt and mix well. Sauté for 5 minutes. We want to evaporate the excess moisture from the tofu. Otherwise the stir-fry will be watery and soggy.

Adding tofu

We want this dish to be very dry,
That is it. The kale stir-fry is ready. It can be served with rice or noodles.

Stir fry is ready

Quick stir Fried delicious sausages with pepper and roasted cumin

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sun, 09 Sep 2018 16:31:00 +0000

Quick stir fried sausages with pepper and roasted cumin

In this fastmoving world people are crazy about fast foods. Hot dogs, frankfurters,

sausages are some of them. What are they? Yes, they are processed meat with added flavourings or spices including sodium. They are made of pork, beef turkey and chicken or sometimes mixed. I am not giving the calorie count as they differ. If you think of having a low calorie one, chicken is full of protein and it is the best choice apart from its high sodium content. People with high blood pressure, kidney disease and diabetes should be careful.

Are they all same?

Somehow the same product is called by different names in different parts of the world. In America the name hot dog is famous. In some parts of Europe frankfurters are known as just German sausages.

In sausages the meat and fat are ground and stuffed into casing from animal intestine or artificial casing which can be eaten. In hot dogs the meat is more like a paste.

Chicken franks

Today we find many varieties of sausages in the supper market. They are precooked.

We normally eat the hot dogs and sausages with mustard sauce and tomato sauce. Today I want to make a quick stir fry of sausages with my own recipe. I always stir fry sausages with a little butter, pepper powder and roasted cumin powder. It is delicious

Recipe summary
For
Quick stir Fried delicious sausages with pepper and roasted cumin

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 5

Separate and Boil

Preparation
Boil 340 grams sausages
Strain and cool . Slice them into ½ inch pieces

Method

Adding pepper and cumin

1.Heat a pan. Bring to low flame.

2. Add 1 table spoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter together.
Heat it.

3. Add the sausages and stir for 2 minutes.

4. Add 1 tea spoon pepper and 1/2 tea spoon cumin stir one minute.
It is done.

Hot dogs and sausages are really nice with their sodium content and easy to prepare as they are pre cooked. It is good to have occasionally.

Stir fried sausages

I make this dish when I have a Christmas party for children. The sausages flies from the plate in no time. As I use pepper and roasted cumin they give additional flavour and they are stomach friendly and easy to digest.

Quick stir Fried delicious sausages with pepper and roasted cumin is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves:6

Ingredients
Main
340 grams Chicken franks

Others
1 tsp pepper powder
½ tea spoon roasted cumin powder
1 tea spoon butter
1 table spoon olive oil

Preparation
Boil the sausages for 5 to 7 minutes.

Boiling sausages

Separate and Boil

Strain and cool

Sauces are strained

Slice them into ½ inch pieces

Boiled sausage slices

Method
Heat a pan. Bring to low flame.
Add olive oil and butter together.

Adding butter and olive oil

Heat it.
Add the sausages and stir for 2 minutes.

Frying sausages

Add pepper and cumin stir one minute.

Adding pepper and cumin

It is done.

Hot dogs and sausages are really nice with their sodium content and easy to prepare as they are pre cooked. It is good to have occasionally. I make this dish when I have a Christmas party for children.The sausages flies from the plate in no time. Since I use pepper and roasted cumin they give additional flavour to the sausage and they are stomach friendly and easy to digest.

Powdering cumin seeds and fennel seeds.

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 16:39:00 +0000

Powdering cumin seeds and fennel seeds.

Roasted cumin and fennel powder

Cumin and fennel are spices that have been used in cooking from old ages. They are mostly used as seeds in curries, stews and soups. They are tempered in oil to release the fragrance and enhance the flavour and aroma.You can also use these without tempering in oil. Sometimes we use cumin at the end of cooking as seeds or ground. In dhal curry cumin is ground with pepper corns and added at the end to release the aroma.
These seeds are dry roasted and powdered to be used in rolls,cutlets, dips and savoury dishes. Powder form is used in small quantities.
Today I am going to write how to roast and powder cumin seeds and fennel seeds.

You can read about cumin seeds
https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2018/09/powdering-cumin-seeds-and-fennel-seeds.html
and
fennel seeds in my other articles.
https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2018/09/fennel-seeds.html

Recipe summary
For
Powdering cumin seeds and fennel seeds.

Cumin seeds

Preparation time:5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Preparation
Don’t wash.. Clean the residues in cumin seeds.

Method
1.Heat a pan or wok bring to slow fire.
2. Add 100 grams cumin seeds and roast, stirring constantly.
3. You will see that it get roasted and crispy.
4. Don’t wait it turns dark.
5. Remove and cool.
6. Use a coffee grinder and grind it to powder.
7. Cool and store in a bottle.
If you don't use often refrigerate.
It is aromatic and can be used in curries, soups, stews, rolls, dips and cutlets.

Fennel seeds

Preparation time:5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Preparation
Don’t wash. Clean the residues in cumin seeds.

Method
1. Heat a pan or wok bring to slow fire .
2. put 100 grams fennel seeds and roast, stirring constantly.
3. You will see that it gets roasted and crispy.
4. Don’t wait it turns dark.
5. Remove and cool.
6. Use a coffee grinder and grind it to powder.
7. Cool and store in a bottle.
8. If you don't use often refrigerate.
It is aromatic and can be used in curries, soups, stews, rolls and cutlets. It is mainly used at the end of cooking chicken curry, mutton curry, beef curry, egg curry and potato curry and covered with the lid because the aromatic flavour linger in the curries.

Roasted cumin and fennel powder

Variation
Curry leaves can be added when roasting fennel seeds.
Wash and wipe the curry leaves.
Heat the same pan after removing the roasted fennel seeds.
Roast curry leaves in very slow fire and mix to the fennel seeds. Grind together and get the powder.
Cool and store in the refrigerator as we won’t use often as cumin powder.

Powdering cumin seeds and fennel seeds. is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Cumin seeds

Preparation time:5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
100 grams Cumin seeds

Ingredients:
100 grams cumin seeds

Preparation
Clean the residues in cumin seeds. Don’t wash. If you wash you must dry in the sun. It will take 3 to 4 days.

Method
Heat a pan or wok bring to slow fire put the cumin seeds and roast.
Keep stirring.

Roasted cumin seeds

You will see that it get roasted and crispy.
Don’t wait it turns dark.
Remove and cool.
Use a coffee grinder and grind it to powder.
Cool and store in a bottle.
If you don't use often refrigerate.
It is aromatic and can be used in curries, soups, stews, rolls , dips and cutlets. Roasting enhances the flavour.

Roasted cumin powder

Fennel seeds

Preparation time:5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
100 grams fennel seeds

Fennel seeds

Preparation
Clean the residues in cumin seeds. Don’t wash. If you wash you must dry in the sun. It will take 3 to 4 days. You have fennel seeds in brown colour too.

Method
Heat a pan or wok bring to slow fire put the fennel seeds and roast.
Keep stirring.

Roasted fennel seeds

You will see that it gets roasted and crispy.
Don’t wait it turs dark.
Remove and cool.
Use a coffee grinder and grind it to powder.
Cool and store in a bottle.
If you don't use often refrigerate.
It is aromatic and can be used in curries, soups, stews, rolls and cutlets. It is mainly used at the end of cooking chicken curry, mutton curry, beef curry egg curry and potato curry and covered with the lid because the aromatic flavour linger in the curries. Roasting enhances the flavour.

Roasted fennel powder

Variation
Curry leaves can be added when roasting fennel seeds. Wash and wipe the curry leaves, Heat the same pan after removing the roasted fennel seeds. Roast curry leaves in very slow fire and mix to the fennel seeds.

Roasting curry leaves

Roasted curry leaves

Roast curry leaves in very slow fire and mix to the fennel seeds.Grind together and get the powder.

Roasted fennel powder with curry leaves

Cool and store in the refrigerator as we won’t use often as cumin powder.

YOU MAY LIKE TO SEE

https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2016/11/easy-and-mild-red-lentils-with-green-di.html

Adding the fried green, pepper and cumin

Quick stir Fried delicious sausages with pepper and roasted cumin
https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2018/09/quick-stir-fried-delicious-sausages.html

Fennel seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 15:02:00 +0000

Fennel seeds

Fennel is native to Southern Europe and grown extensively all over Europe, Middle-East, China, India, and Turkey. It has been used as a flavour enhancer since Mycenaean times – 1500 BCE.

It can be used both whole and ground into powder. It has a flavour and aroma closely resembling those of anise seed and cloves. It is used with to enhance their flavour. It is one of the ingredients in the five-spice powder and curry powder. In recipes, only a very small quantity is used. Usually less than half a teaspoon is used in most recipes. If you watch Jaime Oliver’s cooking videos, you will see him using a generous amount in his recipes.

It is commonly used in breads, sausages, cheese, soups, sauces, marinade for meat, fish or vegetables, salad dressings, coleslaw, meat dishes, stews, casseroles and curries. It is added to poaching or steaming liquid for fish and shellfish.
Ground fennel seeds is sprinkled over fish or meat. It is used in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Anise, cumin, caraway seeds and dill are used as substitutes for fennel.

To grind fennel seeds into powder dry roast them until lightly brown and grind them in a spice mill. In powder form it loses its strength if kept for long. It is good to make the powder freshly before each use. For curries, temper them lightly in oil. Dry roasting and frying releases the essential oil in the seeds and enhances the flavour and aroma.

In home remedy fennel seed is sometimes used for relieving flatulence and indigestion in. For this purpose, usually it is made into a tea by either boiling it making an infusion by steeping it in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Fennel tea can be used as gripe water for infants. In India, seeds are chewed to prevent bad breath and to aid digestion.

Fennel has some medicinal properties and contains some nutrients. There will be no significant values in the very small quantity that we use in day to day cooking. It has flavonoid anti-oxidants like kaempferol and quercetin, metabolically inert insoluble fibre, volatile essential oil compounds such as anethole, limonene, anisic aldehyde, pinene, myrcene, fenchone, chavicol, and cineole and minerals like copper, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc, and magnesium.

Fennel essential oil is said to be a powerful convulsant due to its highly reactive monoterpene ketones. The oils of Fennel seed contain anethole, fenchone, camphene, sabenine, myrcene, limonene, camphor, and several other volatile constituents. Skin contact with the sap or essential oil is said to cause photosensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people. Intake of the oil can cause vomiting, seizures and pulmonary oedema.

Cumin seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Mon, 03 Sep 2018 17:32:00 +0000

Cumin

Cumin seeds

Cumin is an herb. Cumin is native to the Middle East and Egypt. It is widely used in Morocco. Seeds were found in Old Kingdom Pyramids. The Romans and the Greeks used it medicinally. In the Bible, cumin is mentioned in Isaiah 28:27 in the Old Testament and Matthew 23:23 in the New Testament.

Cumin is used to flavour curries, soups and stews. Cumin is an ingredient in the Indian, Mexican and Tex-Mex curry powders. To grind cumin seeds into powder dry roast them until lightly brown and grind them in a coffee mill. In powder form it loses its strength if kept for long. It is good to make the powder freshly before each use. For curries, temper them lightly in oil. Dry roasting and frying releases the essential oil in the seeds and enhances the flavour and aroma.

In Morocco cumin is kept at the dining table in its own container much as pepper is kept in other parts of the world. The seeds of the plant are used to make medicine.

Cumin is sometimes confused with caraway. Many European languages do not distinguish clearly between the two. People also confuse with unrelated Nigella sativa seeds because it is sometimes called black cumin.

In home remedy, people take cumin for digestion problems including diarrhoea, colic, bowel spasms, common cold, asthma and gas. Cumin is also used as a diuretic to increase urine flow. It helps to relieve bloating.Cumin oil is used as a fragrance in cosmetics. It has come narcotic effect and has been smoked in a pipe and taken orally. It is addictive.

In clinical trials, cumin has shown positive results in weight reduction.It is also said to help in burning abdominal fat. It is also known to lower blood sugar level.

World Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences the prominent medicinal properties of cumin include anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, anti-carcinogenic/anti-mutagenic, anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory, anti-epileptic, estrogenic/anti-osteoporotic, anti-tussive, anti-aggregatory.

In ancient times in India many of the spices were used for medicinal purposes. Then they incorporated some of them as condiment in their cooking.

Side effects from cumin are: heartburn, belching, liver and kidney damage.

Nutritional value of ground cumin is found here in the USDA Nutrient Database. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/82425?manu=&fgcd=&ds=

Multi vitamin plant leaves stir fry (Sauropus androgynus,Thavasi murungai,chekurmanis)

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 20:36:00 +0000

Multi vitamin plant leaves stir fry (Sauropus androgynus,Thavasi murungai,chekurmanis)

Multi vitamin plant (Sauropus androgynus) is a popular leaf vegetables in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Its common name, chekurmanis, is derived from the Malay name cekur manis. In Tamil it is called thavasi murungai. The leaves are high in vitamins. It is a medicinal plant.
It is believed to improve the flow of breast milk for breastfeeding mothers.It is a good source of vitamin K, vitamins B and C, protein and minerals. A study has suggested that excessive consumption of juiced Katuk leaves (due to its popularity for body weight control in Taiwan in the mid '90s) can cause lung damage, due to its high concentrations of the alkaloid papaverine. It is advisable to eat in small quantity.

Today I am going to make a stir-fry of chekurmanis leaves. This a very simple recipe. We consume this vegetable once in a way.

Multi vitamin plant leaves stir fry
(Sauropus androgynus,Thavasi murungai,chekurmanis)

Multivitamin plant leaves

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

I

Preparation
Strip 250 grams leaves from the stem. Wash and chop

Ingredients

finely.

Method
1. In a large pan heat 2 table spoon of oil. When the oil is hot reduce the heat to low and add 1 dry chili broken into small pieces and fry for 1 minute.

2. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.

3. Add 150 grams onion and fry for 5 minutes.

4. Add 1 chopped green chili, chopped 4 cloves garlic, and finely cut 10 curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes.

5. Add chekurmanis leaves and fry for 3 minutes.

Multi vitamin plant leaves Stir fry

6. Add ½ cup grated coconut mixed with ½ tsp turmeric powder and fry for 3 minutes.

7.Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ tsp pepper.

The chekurmanis leaves stir-fry is ready.

Serve with rice, porridge or bread. It is
said that it should be eaten in small quantity.

Multi vitamin plant leaves Stir fry is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Multivitamin plant leaves

Ingredients
Main
250grams chekurmanis leaves, finely chopped.
½ cup grated coconut

Spices
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp pepper powder.

Others
150grams onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 dry red chili, broken into small pieces
1 green chili, cut into small pieces
10 curry leaves, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preparation
Strip the good leaves from the long stem .Wash and let it dry. Then cut the leaves into fine.

Stripped leaves

Shredded thavasi murungai leaves

Cut the onion, curry leaves green chili and garlic.

Ingredients

Method
In a large pan heat 2 table spoon of oil. When the oil is hot reduce the heat to low and add dry chilies and fry for 1 minute.

Add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Add onion and fry for 5 minutes. Add green chili, garlic, and curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes.

Frying dry chili,cumin and garlic

Add onion and fry for 5 minutes.

Frying onion

Add green chili and fry for 2 minutes.

Adding green chili

Add chekurmanis leaves fry for 3 minutes.

Add grated coconut mixed with turmeric powder an fry for 3 minutes.

Adding the leaves

Add salt and pepper stir. The chekurmanis leaves stir-fry is ready. Serve with rice, poridge or bread.

YOU MAY LIKE TO SEE

August tree leaves stir fry
with grated coconut
(Agathi varai)
https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2016/08
/august-tree-leaves-stir-fry-with-grated.html

Powerful white vegetable salad with green apple

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 05:40:00 +0000

Powerful white vegetable salad with green apple

Salad contains mostly raw vegetables. We always go for coloured vegetables that are rich in minerals and vitamins. There are some white vegetables like cabbage, turnip that go well with coloured vegetables.

Today I want to concentrate only on white vegetables that are healthy and nutritious and make a salad.

white vegetables and green apple

Recipe summary
For
Powerful white vegetable salad with green apple.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 0
Serves: 4

Preparation
Wash and peel the skin of 150 grams radish and Shred, sprinkle salt, toss and leave it in a bowl for 15 minutes as it has a pungent taste. Squeeze using your hand. Pat dry to remove excess water and keep aside.

Shredded vegetables

Wash 150 grams cabbage leaves put in salted water, pat dry and shred.

Wash and peel the skins of 150 grams turnip (jicama), 150 grams cucumber and shred separately.

Wash and peel the skin of 140 grams apple, slice and put in salted water for 5 minutes as it will get oxidized. shred it.

Peel the skin of 150 grams onion. Wash and shred.

Method
Mix all shredded vegetables and add 2 table spoon apple cider vinegar, 2 table spoon extra virgin olive oil, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper and toss. Sprinkle white 1 tsp of sesame seeds.

This is a crunchy salad which you can eat on its own or with rice or bread.

Powerful white vegetable salad with green apple is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 0
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Main
150 grams Radish
150 grams Cabbage
150 grams Turnip (jicama)
150 grams cucumber
150 grams white onion
1 green apple 140 grams

Others
½ tsp Pepper powder
½ tsp Salt
2 table spoon extra virgin olive oil
2 table spoon apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sesame seeds

Preparation
Wash, peel the skin of radish and Shred, sprinkle salt, toss and leave it in a bowl for 15 minutes as it has a pungent taste. Squeeze using your hand. Pat dry to remove excess water and keep aside.

Wash cabbage leaves and put in salted water, pat dry and shred.

Wash and peel the skins of turnip and cucumber and shred separately.

Wash and peel the skin of apple, slice and put in salted water for 5 minutes as it will get oxidized. shred it.

Peel the skin of onion. Wash and shred.

Shredded vegetables and green apple

Method
Mix all the vegetables and add vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle white sesame seeds.
This is a crunchy salad which you can eat on its own or with rice or bread.

Powerful white vegetable salad with green apple

Garlic dried in the oven and air fryer and powdered at home.

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 16:07:00 +0000

Garlic dried in the oven and air fryer and powdered at home

Garlic is a member of the Allium family with onions and leeks. It has been used in the kitchen from ancient times as ingredient for curries soups stews stir fries and dips.
It is anti -bacterial and anti-fungal. It has medicinal properties with vitamin B 1 and 6, manganese, iron, calcium, potassium, prosperous and selenium.

Garlic

Today I want to dry garlic in the oven and air fryer to make garlic powder which is aromatic.

Recipe summary
For
Garlic dried in the oven and air fryer and powdered
at home.

Garlic

Oven made garlic powder

Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Cooking time: 5 hours.
Oven temperature: 100 degrees Celsius.

Ingredients:
500 grams Garlic cloves

Preparation
Peel and wash the garlic and wipe it dry using a cloth or kitchen paper.
I used the peeled garlic from the supper market to save time.

Shred the garlic. I used the food processor to shred. It took 5 minutes.
Method1. Spread the shredded garlic on a stainless-steel tray without foil or baking sheet as it easy to scrape the garlic with a spatula as shredded garlic is sticky.

2. Preheat the oven for 10 minutes and keep the tray in the centre. Keep watching and stir now and then.

3. In 5 hours time it should be done.
you will get the smell of roasted garlic.

4. Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool. Dried garlic will now be in the form of granules.

5. Grind the granules into powder. I got 160 grams of powder.

6. When cooled store in a glass bottle and refrigerate.

Garlic powder can be used in curries, stews, cutlets, and soups.

Air fryer dried garlic cloves and powder.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Cooking time: 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Oven temperature: 100 degrees Celsius.

Ingredients:
main
70 grams garlic cloves

Preparation

Peel and wash the garlic cloves and wipe them dry using a cloth or kitchen paper.

Slice the cloves into half and then cut into small pieces.

Method

1. Place the cut pieces of garlic in a small pan.
2. Preheat air fryer at 100 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes.
3. Place the pan into the air fryer. Set the time for 20 minutes.
4. At the beginning stir every 10 minutes so it that does not stick to the pan.
5. Repeat the process 9 times giving 20 minutes every time. In my case it took 3 hours and 20 minutes to complete the process.

Let the air fryer cool for five to ten minutes in between.

6. Finally the colour of the pieces will change into light brown and it will be firm and done.

7. Powder in grinder when it is cooled. I got 25 grams of garlic powder.

8. When cooled store in a glass bottle and refrigerate.

Garlic dried in the oven and air fryer and powdered

at home is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Oven made garlic powder

Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Cooking time: 5 hours.
Oven temperature: 100 degrees Celsius.

Ingredients

500 grams Garlic cloves

Garlic cloves

Preparation
Peel the skin and wash the garlic and wipe it dry using a cloth or kitchen paper.
I used the peeled garlic from the supper market to save time.
Shred the garlic. I used the food processor to shred. It took 5 minutes.

Spread the minced garlic on a stainless-steel tray without foil or baking sheet as it easy to scrape the garlic with a spatula. Minced garlic is sticky and it will be difficult to remove from the aluminium foil or baking sheet.

Shredded garlic

Preheat the oven for 10 minutes and keep the tray in the centre. Keep watching and stir now and then. When it is done you will get the smell of roasted garlic.

Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool. Dried garlic will now be in the form of granules. Some like to use the granules.

Dried garlic cloves

Grind the granules into powder. I got 160 grams of powder.

Oven made garlic powder

When cooled store in a glass bottle. I keep in the garlic powder in the refrigerator as we use only a little at a time.

Oven made garlic powder

Garlic powder can be used in curries, stews, cutlets, and soups.

Air fryer made garlic powder.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Cooking time: 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Oven temperature: 100 degrees Celsius.

Ingredients:
main
70 grams garlic cloves

Preparation

Peel and wash the garlic cloves and wipe them dry using a cloth or kitchen paper.

Slice the cloves into half and then cut into small pieces.

Sliced garlic cloves

Method

Place the cut pieces of garlic in a small pan.

Preheat air fryer at 100 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes.

Place the pan into the air fryer. Set the time for 20 minutes.

At the beginning stir every 10 minutes, so it that does not stick to the pan.

Repeat the process 9 times giving 20 minutes every time. In my case it took 3 hours and 20 minutes to complete the process. Time may vary according to the air fryer.

Let the air fryer cool for five to ten minutes in between.

Finally the colour of the pieces will change into light brown and it will be firm and done.

Garlic cloves are dried

Let the dried cloves cool. Once it is cooled use a grinder and make the powder. I got 25 grams of garlic powder.

Garlic powder made in the air fryer

After the powder is cooled store it in a glass bottle and keep in the refrigerator.

Garlic powder can be used in curries, stews, cutlets, and soups.

Garlic dried in air fryer and powdered

Garlic powder can be used in curries, stews, cutlets, and soups.

we use in small quantity as it is concentrated.

Easy raw bitter melon and unripe green mango salad

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 16:20:00 +0000

Bitter melon is an ugly looking vegetable with warty skin and bitter taste. People turn their heads away from it due to its bitter taste. but it is nutritious. It gives phytonutrients like dietary fibber, minerals, vitamins, folates, flavonoids and anti-oxidants. It helps in digestion and bowel movement.It has many medicinal properties. Most well known use worldwide is in diabetic condition.

We all know the sweet taste of mango. It is healthy too. It is known to assist in prevention of cancer and reduction of cholesterol, in particular LDL – the bad cholesterol. Some hate it when it is unripe as it is sour. It will strengthen the immune system and lower glucose level in diabetics. It is also thought to help digestion.

So here I am with a delicious and mouthwatering salad using raw bitter melon and unripe mango.

Easy raw bitter melon and unripe green mango salad

Recipe summary
For
Easy raw bitter melon and unripe green mango salad

Mango and
bitter melon

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 0
Serves 3
Preparation
1.Wash and peel the skin of 150 grams mango. Cut large pieces of the flesh and remove the seed.
Grate the flesh using a grater.

2. Wash 100 grams bitter melon cut into half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out.

Ingredients

Grate the flesh using a grater.

3.Slice 50 grams cherry tomatoes into 4 pieces
4. Chop 1 onion finely.
5. Cut 1 green chili into tiny pieces.
Method
mix all together and add salt and grated coconut.

Mango is sour it helps to remove the bitterness
of the bitter gourd. The salad

If you like you can add a little lime juice to make it more sour.

If you don't like to add coconut you can add grated carrot.

Easy raw bitter melon and unripe green mango salad is ready.

RECIPE FOLLOWS IN DETAIL WITH PICTURES.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 0
Serves 3

Mango and bitter melon

Ingredients
Main
150 grams raw mango
100 grams bitter melon
50 grams cherry tomato
Others
1 onion
1 green chili
50 grams grated coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt.
1/2 lime(optional)
Preparation
Wash and peel the skin of mango. Cut large pieces of the flesh and remove the seed.
Grate the flesh using a grater.
Wash bitter melon cut into half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out.
Grate the flesh using a grater.
Slice the cherry tomatoes into 4 pieces
Chop the onion finely.
Cut the green chili into tiny pieces.

Ingredients for Easy raw bitter melon and unripe green mango salad

Method
mix all together and add salt and grated coconut.
Mango is sour it helps to remove the bitterness of the bitter gourd. If you like you can add a little lime juice to make it more sour.

If you don't like to add coconut you can add grated carrot.

Easy raw bitter melon and unripe green mango salad

Cauliflower stew with mung bean and coconut milk

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 07:29:00 +0000

Cauliflower stew with mung bean and coconut milk

Today I want to make a stew with cauliflower and mung bean which is a marvelous dish as cauliflower and mung bean blend well. A must try stew.

Cauliflower is a lovely white vegetable. A good source of anti oxidant. It has vitamin C and k. It provides beta-carotene. It boosts heart health and brain health. Easy to digest. We bake, make curry,stir fry. It is a must in your diet.It helps to fight cancer and inflammation and it supports detoxification.

Cauliflower stew with mung bean and coconut milk

Recipe summary
For
Cauliflower stew with mung bean and coconut milk

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Cauliflower

Serves: 4

Preparation

Roast 1/2 cup split mung bean in microwave for 3 minutes or till it is roasted.
Add 11/2 cup of water and boil in slow fire for 15 minutes and keep aside.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets and put in salted water to
make it insect free.

cut the mini capsicum lengthwise.(optional)

Method
1. Add 2 table spoon oil in a wok and heat.
2. Fry 1 chopped onion till it turns light brown, may be around 10 minutes.
3. Add 20 grams shallots and fry for 3 minutes.
4. Add 3 cloves of chopped garlic and 10 grams chopped ginger and fry for 1 minute.
5. Add 1 chopped green chili and 5 curry leaves cut fine and fry for 2 minutes.
6. Add cauliflower and stir fry for 2 minutes.
7. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds and
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and stir.
8. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil and lower the heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
9. Add the capsicum . Cook till cauliflower is soft.
10. Now stir in the boiled mung bean and cook for 5 minutes.
11. Add in 1/4 cup of coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and cook for 3 minutes.
12 The stew is ready.
13. If you like you can cool and liquidize it as a soup. Instead of coconut milk when you liquidize you can add carnation milk.

Cauliflower stew with mung bean
and coconut milk

14. You can also leave the spices and make the soup It is delicious too.
15. It is a marvelous stew as the cauliflower and mung bean blend well.

Cauliflower stew with mung bean and coconut milk is ready.

RECIPE FOLLOWS IN DETAIL WITH PICTURES.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Main

300 gr cauliflower

Onion, ginger,curry leaves,shallots
garlic,green chili

½ cup mung bean
Others
1 onion
20 grams Shallots
3 cloves Garlic 60 grams
10 grams ginger
1 green chili
1 sprig curry leaf
1 mini bell pepper 80 grams(optional)
2 cups water
1 tea spoon salt( to your taste)
SpicesI
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
¾ teaspoon pepper powder.

PREPARATION
Roast mung bean in micro wave for 3 minutes or till it is roasted

Roasted mung bean

Boil for 15 minutes and keep aside.
Cut cauliflower into florets and dip in salted water to make it insect free.

Cauliflower florets

Cut mini capsicum length wise

Mini capsicum

Method

Add oil to a heated pan and fry onion till it turns light brown may be around 10 minutes.

Frying onion

Add shallots and fry for 3 minutes and add garlic and ginger for 1 minutes.

Adding shallots ,garlic and ginger

Add green chili, curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes.

Adding green chili and curry leaves

Add cauliflower and stir for 2 minutes.

Adding cauliflower

Now add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and turmeric powder and stir.

Adding cumin,fennel seeds and turmeric

Add salt and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil, lower the heat and simmer for 8 minutes

Adding water

add the capsicum cook till cauliflower is cooked.

Adding capsicum

Now add the boiled mung bean stir and cook for 5 minutes.

Adding boiled mung bean

Add coconut milk and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Stew is ready.

Adding coconut milk and pepper

Cauliflower stew with mung bean and coconut milk

YOU MAY LIKE TO SEE

Mild Cauliflower stew with
black eyed beans in coconut milk

https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2016/08/mild-c

auliflower-stew-with-black-eyed.html

Indoor air dried curry leaves and powder

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 16:00:00 +0000

Indoor air dried curry leaves and powder

Curry leaf is an essential ingredient in curry. Curry leaves are not merely a flavouring agent but are also packed with nutrition. They contain premature greying of hair. They also help in controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels. They are a rich source of vitamins A, B, C, and B2, calcium, and iron.

Fresh Curry leaves

We normally use fresh curry leaves. When we are short of fresh curry leaves and in places where curry leaves are not readily available, dried curry leaves come handy. I wrote about drying curry leaves in the oven.

https://simplycookingandhealth.blogspot.com/2017/05/drying-curry-leaves-and-pandan-leaves.html

Today I am going to show how to air dry curry leaves and make powdery.

Recipe summary
For
Indoor air dried curry leaves and powder

Preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking time:0

Dry in a weeks time

Indoor air dried curry
leaves and powder

1.Buy two to three bunches of curry leaves.
2. Strip the leaves.
3. Wash them.
4. Spread on a tea towel and pat dry.
5. Spread on a kitchen towel or news paper.
6. Leave it on the table indoors.
It will dry naturally in a weeks time depending on the temperature.

Curry leaves powder

7. If the leaves a fully dry they will crumble when you crush them with your fingers.
8.Store in a bottle and keep aside.
9. use it as fresh leaves in curries.
10 Put them in a grinder and powder it.
Store in a bottle.you can use it in stews,soups or cutlets.

Indoor air dried curry leaves and powder is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking time:0
Dry in a weeks time

Buy two to three bunch of curry leaves and strip the leaves. Wash the leaves and spread on a long tea towel and wipe out the water.

Spread it on kitchen paper or news paper and leave on a table inside the house.It will dry naturally in one weeks time depending on the temperature. If the leaves a fully dry they will crumble when you crush them with your fingers. If not, put them in a microwave for 10 seconds until they become brittle.

Stripped curry leaves drying on a paper

Store the leaves in a bottle and leave outside. in the kitchen. You can use anytime as needed.

Dried curry leaves in a bottle

Take some of the dried leaves and grind in the grinder to make the powder.

Curry leaves powder

Store in a bottle. You can use it for cutlets,stews, soups and in curries.

Curry leaves powder in a bottle

I have also made pandan leaves ,lemon grass and moringa powders.

Home made moringa,lemon grass,pandan,and curry powders

Dried curry leaves and pandan leaves in bottles

Simple breakfast fruit salad with avocado and cherries

noreply@blogger.com (Ivy Fernandes) — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 14:10:00 +0000

Simple breakfast fruit salad with avocado and cherries

We normally have fruit salad after dinner. We have one fruit like banana or apple after breakfast. I thought it is good to have a fruit salad for breakfast after two pieces of sandwich, instead of just one fruit. It resulted in creating this fruit salad.

Recipe summary
For
Simple breakfast fruit salad with avocado and cherries

preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time : 0
Serves: 4

preparation

Ingredients

1. Wash 300 grams avocado, cut and remove the seed. squeeze lime or lemon on it cut into 1 inch pieces.
2.Wash and cut 100 grams straw berry to bite size pieces.
3. Peel 100 grams tangerine and separate.
4.Remove seeds from 100 grams cherries and cut.

Fruit salad

5. Finely cut 5 grams mint and 7 grams parsley

Method
mix all and squeeze 1/4 piece of lemon,1 table spoon olive oil that's it.



  Simple breakfast fruit salad with avocado and cherries is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time : 0
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Main
300 grams Avocado
100 grams cherries
100 grams tangerine
100 grams straw berries
Others
1/4 lemon
5 grams mint leaves
7 grams parsley
1 table spoon olive oil

Ingredients

preparation
Wash avocado cut and remove the seed. squeeze lime or lemon on it and cut into 1 inch pieces.

wash and cut straw berry .
peel tangerine and separate
deseed cherries
finely cut mint and parsely

Cut ingredients

Method
mix all and squeeze lime and olive oil that's it.

Simple breakfast fruit salad with avocado and cherries