Monday, May 25, 2009

PEPPER MUSHROOM FRY

You are in a hurry and want to prepare something spicy?.... I give you... Pepper Mushroom fry. Mushroom contains 80-90% of water and are very low in calories(only 100cal/oz). Mushrooms are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke.


Ingredients :

Button Mushrooms : 500, Chopped
Crushed Black Pepper : 5tsp + 2tsp
Onion : 1, Chopped
Capsicum : 1, Chopped
Salt
Refined Oil



Method :

1. In a Sauce pan add 5tsp oil, Crushed pepper and salt at same time. Spread uniformly all over the pan.

2. When you get the aroma of roasted pepper (1-2min) add the chopped mushroom. Saute nicely. each mushroom should be covered with crushed pepper.

3. Close the pan with a tight lid and cook in low flame some time.When it is completely cooked (4-5min max) open the lid and let it dry . You can see oil on top of the mushroom.

4. Now transfer mushrooms to another pan and add chopped onions and capsicum. Add 1tsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 2tsp crushed pepper and saute nicely. When it becomes soft, add the cooked mushrooms and close the pan with lid.(2min)

5. After that, open the lid and mix all the ingredients well and let it become dry. Add salt if needed. Pepper mushroom is ready...Garnish with spring onion.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

KERALA FISH MOLLY

Fish Molly is one of the authentic Kerala recipe made with King Fish. This time i tried with Pomfret fish. A mild dish that can be eaten with appams, plain rice or White bread.


Ingredients :

Fish : 1/2 kg ( preferably king fish ), i used pomfret.
Shallots : 5-6
Oil
Cardamom : 4
Cloves : 4
Cinnamon : 1inch stick
Thin Coconut milk - 1 cup, (Third Extract)
Medium Coconut milk - 1 cup, (Second Extract)
Thick Coconut milk - 1/2 cup, (First Extract)
Curry leaves

To make paste :

Onion :1, Chopped
Green Chilli :2, Chopped
Ginger :1inch piece, Chopped
Garlic : 4cloves
Turmeric powder : 1/4tsp
Curry leaves : 2spring

To Marinate :

Pepper Powder : 4tsp
Turmeric Powder : 3/4tsp
Salt
Vinegar : 4tbsp





Method :

1. Marinate the fish pieces with pepper powder, turmeric powder, salt & vinegar. Keep it for one hour.

2. In a sauce pan, shallow fry the marinated fish Pieces. Keep aside.

3. Heat oil in the same pan. Splutter cardamom,cinnamon & cloves. Add shallots and saute in medium heat. Now add the paste of onion, chilli, turmeric powder, curry leaves, garlic and ginger. Once it gets the aroma of masala add the third extract of coconut milk. Let it boil.

4. Add the fried fish pieces &salt. When the gravy becomes little thick add medium coconut milk. Cover and simmer for some time. Remove the pan from heat and gently add thick coconut milk & just heat it.

Note : If you require a thicker gravy please add 2 teaspoons of cornflour to this.Serve hot with Palappam or bread.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

EGG LESS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This chocolate chip cookie recipe is easy to make and a delicious treat for anyone.



Ingredients:


Butter, at room temperature : 3/4 cup

granulated Sugar : 3/4 cup ( or you can use use 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
Vanilla Essence : 1/2 tsp
All Purpose Flour : 1 1/2cups
Baking Soda : 1/2t sp
chocolate chips : 1/2 cup

Salt : a pinch


Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180˚C or 350 F. Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper..

2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until light. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue mixing until fluffy. 

3. Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Combine this dry ingredients with the butter mixture and combine well. Stir in the Chocolate chips and fold them in. (Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes for better results)

4. Roll a tablespoon full of the mixture into walnut sized balls. Place 2in(5cm) apart on the prepared sheets and flatten slightly. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Friday, May 15, 2009

MURG KAALI MIRCH KABAB / Chicken Kaali Mirch Kabab

Tender pieces of chicken seasoned with freshly crushed black pepper corn & lightly seasoned..


Ingredients:
To marinate :
Boneless Chicken : 500g
G
inger-Garlic paste : 3tbsp
Kashmiri chili powder : 1 tsp
Pepper Powder : 4tsp
Salt : 2tsp
Coriander leaves : 2bunch
Garam masala Powder : 2 1/2tsp
Black Cumin Seeds : 1 1/2tsp
Hung curd : 5tbsp
fresh cream : 50ml

To make gravy :
Crushed Peppercorns : 2tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste : 1tbsp
Kashmiri chili powder : 1 tsp
Pepper Powder : 2tsp
Salt : as required
Curd : 2tsp
Coriander leaves : 2bunch
Garam masala Powder : 1 1/2tsp
Black Cumin Seeds : 1tsp
4 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice




Method :
1. Make a paste of ingredients to marinate except curd and cream , using a mixer. Now combine this paste with curd and cream nicely.
2. Now, Mix the boneless chicken pieces with this masala paste and marinate in fridge for minimum of 4hrs. Taste will increase if you are keeping it for long time.
3. Just take the chicken pieces and avoid the thick masala in which we marinated the chicken. Skewer the chicken pieces and cook in a oven / tandoor till done. Do not keep for long time. It will make the chicken hard.
4. Now take the chicken pieces outside and make the gravy.
5. Again make a paste of all ingredients to make gravy. Take the masala paste in which we marinated the chicken pieces. Combine well in a saucepan in which we are going to cook the Murg Kaali Mirch Kabab.
6. Now add the grilled chicken pieces into this masala and cook in low flame.. stir well for 4-5minutes. Now add half of the oil on top of the gravy and close the pan with a lid.
7. When gravy becomes thick and starts to stick to the chicken pieces, remove it from the stove and serve hot...
8. Add lime juice according to your taste and garnish the dish with onion rings / tomato rose / carrots etc.




Wednesday, May 13, 2009

MOIST ORANGE CAKE

This delicious cake is rich and full of flavours.
This quick orange cake is yummy without the frosting.
I sometimes just sprinkle icing sugar on the top.




Ingredients:


Plain flour : 170g
Baking powder : 1 1/2tsp
Salt : 1/8tsp
Butter at room temperature : 115g
Castor sugar : 115g
Grated rind of one large Orange
Eggs : 2 at room temperature
Milk : 2tbsp

For syrup and Decoration:

Sugar : 115g
Fresh orange juice : 250ml



Method:


1. Preheat oven at 180˚C/ 350F.


2. Grease and line 18cm square cake tin / 9inch round pan and keep aside.


3. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder thrice.


4. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and orange rind and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Add milk and vanilla essence and continue beating.


5. Spoon into the cake tin and bake until the cake pulls away from the sides, about 25minutes. Remove from the oven but leave in the tin.


6. Meanwhile, for the syrup, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice over a low heat. continue stirring for 10minutes. Then let the syrup cool.


7. Prick the cake all over with a fine skewer. Pour the syrup over the hot cake. It may seem at first that there is too much syrup for the cake to absorb, bu it will soak it all up. Unmould when completely cooled and decorate with small triangles of orange slices arranged on top or with fresh orange icecream.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

MUSHROOM FRIED RICE


The simple way to make this healthy version of a Chinese-restaurant favorite, mushroom fried rice.



Ingredients :

Basmati Rice : 2cup
Button Mushrooms : 12, Chopped
Beans : 5, Finely Chopped
Carrot : 2, Finely Chopped
Onion : 1, Finely chopped
Cabbage : 1/2Cup, Finely Chopped
Spring Onions : 2, Finely Chopped
Capsicum : 1, Sliced
Green Chilies : 2, Finely chopped
Ginger : 1 inch piece, Finely Chopped
Garlic : 10 cloves, Finely Chopped
Soya Sauce : 1tsp
Salt &pepper to taste
Scrambled egg : 2
Cumin powder : 1pinch, optional

Sugar : a pinch to sprinkle in the end
Vegetable oil : 2tbsp


Method :

1. Heat oil in a kadai/ wok/ non-stick pan and  add ginger, garlic and green Chillies. Now add  all vegetables in following order onion, beans, carrots, cabbage, capsicum, half of spring onion and mushroom. Saute on medium to high flame.

2. After 2-3 minutes add enough salt and pepper powder. Now add cooked rice and saute gently for 2minutes. Add soya sauce and mix well. Sprinkle crushed pepper, sugar and cumin powder. Mix together and close the pan with a tight lid. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot 

3. It goes well with gobi manchurian / pepper mushroom fry, Chilli Mushroom / Pepper Chicken.

Method for cooking rice / noodles to make Chinese dishes

1. Wash and drain  the rice.

2. In a large kadhai / saucepan/ cooker , take 3/4th of water and bring to boil. Now add enough salt and then add drained rice / noodles. 

3. Add 1/2tsp of refined oil and wait till the rice / noodles is 90%cooked. 

4.  Take care not to overcook the rice / noodles. Each grain of rice should be separate. When its done strain using a colander and Spread on a wide plate. Allow to cool. 

Note : 1.  You can also use sliced baby corn, boiled green peas or sprouts.
2. Make sure you are making fried rice with cooled rice. you can make rice before 4hrs  or previous day you make the fried rice. 

Thursday, May 7, 2009

TRAVANCORE CHICKEN ROAST

Here is a wonderful Travancore Chicken roast recipe. We can make chicken roast in different styles like, malabar style, chettinadu style, travancore style etc..Great combination with paratha, bread and chappathi..




Ingredients :

Onion : 2, chopped
Tomato : 1 1/2
Chilli powder : 2tsp
Coriander powder : 2tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2tsp
Ginger-garlic-Chilli paste :1/2 tsp
Bay leaves : 2, Crushed
Garam Masala : 1tsp
Curry leaves : 2springs
Coriander leaves : 2bunch
Salt
Oil : 5+3tbsp

To marinate :

Boneless Chicken : 500g, Cubed
Chilli powder : 2tsp
Coriander powder : 2tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2tsp
Crushed pepper
Salt : 1 1/2tsp
Garam Masala : 1tsp
Coriander leaves : 3bunch
Curry Leaves : 2springs
Ginger-Garlic-Chilli paste : 1 1/2tsp
Curd : 1 1/2tsp


Method :

1. Except chicken, make a paste of all ingredients to marinate. Keep it for minimum 30minutes.

2. Pressure cook chicken along with 3/4 glass water.

3. In a sauce pan, add oil (5tbsp )and add the onions. Cook it in low flame. Saute well till it becomes translucent.

4. Add ginger-garlic-chilli paste and saute well.

5. One by one add all masalas, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, bay leaves, curry leaves and coriander leaves.

6. Add the cooked chicken in to the sauce pan and cook it till it turns to a thick gravy. Add salt if needed.

7. When it becomes thick, add remaining oil. the gravy will become as a thick layer on chicken and you can see oil on top of the chicken.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot!!!!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

PUMPKIN HALWA

Pumpkin halwa is a famous diwali sweet.
If u want, u can add coconut milk and make halwa.
This dessert can be made quickly and is quite delicious and nutritious.


Ingredients :

Pumpkin : 500g
Ghee : 8tbsp
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Cashew : 1/2 Cup
Cardamom Powder : 1/2tsp

Method :

1. Peel and chop the pumpkin. Pressure cook the pumpkin.Leave it to cool. Then put it in a mixer and make a thick paste.

2. In a saucepan, add the pumpkin paste along with grated jaggery. Stir well. When it gets medium thickness add the ghee and cashew.

3. Put in low flame till the ghee floats on top of the pumpkin halwa. Check the sweetness and if needed add honey or sugar.

4. Add cardamom powder when it starts to leave from the sides of the pan.

5. Remove from heat and serve hot.

This goes to srivalli's Mithai mela