Sunday, October 24, 2010

Amberella Curry


Ingredients:
Amberella 500g skin removed and cut in to desired pieces with the seed.
1 onion sliced
2 green chillies chopped
2 Garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp red chille powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 curry powder
1'' cinnamon stick
1/2 fenugreek seeds
1/2tsp mustard seeds
Coconut milk 2 cups
Salt to taste
1 tbsp sunflower oil

Method:
Heat oil in pan, add garlic chopped and onions and green chillie and saute till onions are translucent.
Add in the Amberalla pieces and stir and cook for a minute.
Add all spices except the mustard seeds and stir.
Add the coconut milk and salt and cook until the Amberella is softer but yet little firm and gravy is reduced.
Heat the mustard seeds in another pan and when roasterd crush them with the back of a spoon and sprinkle over the curry and stir.
Sprinkle 1/4 tsp of sugar if desired and adjust seasoning. Take the curry off fire. 
Serve as a side dish with rice.



Saturday, October 23, 2010

Cuttle Fish with Mushroom Curry


This dish was an experiment of mine and it turned out great.

Ingredients:
Cuttle Fish 500g
Mushroom (oyster) 100g
1 Onion sliced finely
2 Green chillies cut lengthwise
1 large tomato chopped
1'' of Lemongrass
1 tsp Red Chillie powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 Black pepper powder
1tsp garlic paste
1tbsp Madras curry paste *(see note on how to make the paste at home)
2tsp soya sauce
Thick Coconut milk 1 cup
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Sunflower oil

Method
Wash and cut the cuttle fish in to 1/2'' size rounds. Cut the mushrooms in to fairly large pieces.
Marinate the cuttle fish with little salt and turmeric and keep for 15 minutes.
Heat oil in pan and when heated add the cuttle fish in and stir fry until they start to curl and water comes out.
Take the cuttle fish out of fire and separate the pieces and liquid.
Keep the pieces aside.
Heat 1tbsp oil in the same pan and add garlic paste, onion, green chillie, lemongrass and stir fry until the onions are translucent.Add the madras curry paste and salt, red chillie powder, pepper powder.
Add the mushrooms in and stir in the liquid from the cuttle fish and cook for a minute and add in the chopped tomatoes and cook until the mushrooms are almost cooked and tomatoes liquidized.
Add in the coconut milk and bring to boil. 
Add in the cuttle fish and cook for 5- 7 minutes making sure not to over cook the cuttle fish as they will be chewy.  Add soya sauce and adjust the salt to taste. Sprinkle a 1/4tsp sugar if desired to enhance flavor.
Enjoy with rice, bread or roti.




Notes: How to make Madras Curry paste:


Savory Cheese Scones



Scones are a popular English Tea time snacks but traditionally they are sweet but this time I wanted to try a more savory flavor and it turned out great. I made it vegetarian but adding bacon or fried sausages should give even better taste for non vegetarian preferences.

Make 8 scones

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1tsp fresh grounded black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
60g butter cubed
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Around 3/4cup of whole milk chilled
4 scallions chopped
1/2 cup Mushroom stir fried with some soya sauce or bacon or sausages fried and cut finely
1 green chillie de-seeded and chopped
1egg

Method:
Pre heat the oven to 200C.
In  large bowl sift in the flour, baking powder. Add salt, pepper,sugar and mix with a butter knife.
Add the cubed butter and mix with knife and then with finger tips to give it a bread crumb like texture.
Add the cheese and mix roughly. Do NOT knead.
Add in the mushrooms/ bacon, scallion, green chillie and mix with the knife adding about 1/4 cup milk. Make sure to keep the crumbly texture.
If more milk is needed add little by little as its just enough to gather it as a ball with hands.
Transfer the dough on to a lightly floured board.
Gather it by pressing lightly to make a flat disc about 1 1/2'' thick.


 

Cut the flat disc in to 8 wedges with a sharp knife.
Transfer the wedges to a non greased baking tray and egg wash it with a brush. 


Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until its lightly golden.
Serve with Chiile Tomato Sauce and enjoy as a snack!!! 




Tip: The tip for making perfect scones is to handle it with hands by as little as possible and not to knead!!! Try to retain its crumbly texture when mixing but still wet enough for its to gather as a ball/ disc.


Mango Shake


Mango is my favorite tropical fruit and this is a very simple yet a refreshing drink.

Make 1

Ingredients:
Ripe Mango fruit 1 medium
1 cup cold water/ skimmed milk
pinch of salt
sugar to taste/ 2 tsp

Directions:
Peel the skin off and de-seed the mango. Put the mango flesh along with water/milk, sugar and salt in a blender and whiz till smooth.
Pour in to a serving glass and enjoy!!!

Tip:if you like it more fancy like the Indian way, top the mango drink with chopped almonds,cashew, raisins and serve with a spoon on the glass.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Eclairs


Serve 8

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs

FILLING:
400ml cups milk
3 egg yolks
100g sugar
4tbsp plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream

CHOCOLATE ICING:
60g semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup icing sugar or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons hot water
(I used only melted semi sweet chocolate in melted butter mixed avoiding extra sugar)

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine butter and water. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring until the butter melts. Reduce heat to low; add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a stiff ball. Remove from the heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
With a tablespoon, spoon in the mixture in a shape you like or with a  pastry tube fitting with a no. 10 or larger tip pipe dough into 4-in.-long x 1-1/2-in.-wide strips on a greased baking sheet.


Bake at 450°F (230C)for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F(160C) bake 20 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.


For filling, in a large bowl, whisk milk little milk with egg yonks, sugar and flour. Add remaining milk and stir under low heat on a stove until the mixture is starchy. Remove from heat and add vanilla essence. slice the cooled puffs and fill with cream.
In another large bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Fill cooled shells on top of the cream mixture.

For icing, melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar. Add hot water until icing is smooth and reaches desired consistency. Cool slightly. Spread over eclairs. Chill Eclairs until serving.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Steamed Vegetable Momos

Momos are a traditional popular fast food in Tibet and Nepal like countries. I used to taste them while in India and thought of try out this healthier version of steamed vegetarian momos. 

Ingredients for the dough

Plain flour 2 cups
Salt as per taste
Oil 2 tbsp

Method for the dough
In a large bowl combine flour,salt,oil and add enough water and knead well.Make a soft dough.



 










Ingredients for the stuffing
about 2 cups of vegetable of your choice finely chopped.
(Cabbage, Carrot ,Beans, Mushrooms etc)
I used mushrooms,snake gourd, scallion and carrots.
Onions 1 chopped finely
Green chillies 2 chopped finely

Ginger 1"  chopped
finely
Garlic 3 chopped finely
Soya sauce 1 tsp

Pepper powder 1 tbsp

Maggie stock cube 1
Oil 2 tbsp


Method for stuffing

Take oil in a pan add add ginger and garlic pieces. Fry till they are light brown in color.
Then add onions and green chillies and saute till onions are translucent.
Now add all the veges and stock cube. 
Cook for few minutes but don't cover in order to retain the colors.
Now add soya sauce and mix well.
Lastly add pepper and let the mixture cool. 




 Method for Assembling and Steaming momos

Take dough similar to size of ping pong ball and make a flat disc (similar to poori) with rolling pin.
( I roll these in between two lunch sheets to make it easier and to avoid sticking to the board.)
Put 1tbsp of the filling on the disc.Apply water at the ends and gather the disc into the center and seal of the edges.



 Apply oil to the idly moulds/ or string hopper steaming wattis and keep momos on them and  steam it for 10-12 minutes. Serve hot with tomato chillie sauce.



Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Orange Souffle'


Makes 2-3

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons flour
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier (I used 2tsp of sugar dissolved in 2tbsp of fresh orange juice)
1 tablespoon
grated orange zest
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites

pinch salt
pinch cream of tartar

Directions

Heat oven to 375° F. Grease one 16-ounce or two 8-ounce ramekins with 1 tablespoon of butter. Coat with 1 tablespoon sugar, then tap out the excess. Set aside.
Melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Blend in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Blend in the liqueur and zest. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time. Set aside. (Recipe can be made to this point up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) 

 
Beat the egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.


Pour the sauce into the whites; gently fold together. Spoon into ramekins.
Bake until puffed and browned, 40 minutes for a 16-ounce soufflé, 20 minutes for two smaller ones.
Serve immediately. 

Friday, October 15, 2010

Queen of Puddings





Makes 2

Ingredients:

280 ml milk
5 grams butter
50 grams white breadcrumbs (I made them from leftover normal bread- no crusts)
15 grams caster sugar
1 lemon, zested
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons raspberry jam
2 egg whites
15 grams caster sugar, extra

Method:

Bring the milk to boiling point - take off the heat and then stir in the breadcrumbs, butter, caster sugar and lemon zest.
Allow this to cool before proceeding.
Beat the egg yolks until creamy and then stir it through the milk mixture.
Spoon out into 4 small souffle dishes.
Bake in a preheated 160°C/320°F for about 20-30 minutes or until just set.
Place the jam into a small pan and place over a low heat - stir until the jam has melted. Spoon the melted jam onto the cooked puddings.



Place the egg whites into a bowl and whisk. Slowly incorporate the extra caster sugar ensuring it is well dissolved into the meringue.

Spoon the meringue over each pudding - no need to be precise, just dome the meringue roughly over the top.



Return to the oven and bake until the meringue is golden - about 10 - 15 minutes.
Serve chilled or warm.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

English Scones



'' Good as a snack with Tea time''

 Makes 10 scones

 Ingredients:
225g self raising flour* 
(check tab ''equivalencies and conversions'' for how to make alternative for self raising flour)
1/2tsp salt
50g butter or block margarine
50g sugar
120ml chilled milk
handful raisins
Beaten egg/ milk to glaze
Jam and Butter to serve or cream

Method:
Pre heat oven to 220C and line baking tray with baking paper lightly greased with butter.
Place flour and salt in mixing bowl. Add butter and rub with your finger tips until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
Stir in the sugar and then add half of milk and stir with a butter knife until mixture begins to stick together.Add raisins.
Add remaining milk little by little stirring. Then collect the mixture together with your hands to form a smooth fairly soft dough.
DO NOT KNEAD.
Turn on to a lightly floured board. Form in to a round flat shape about 2.5cm/ 1'' thickness. Then cut out 5cm/2'' diameter rounds with pastry cutter or from top of a glass.
Place the scones on lined baking tray spacing well apart and brush the tops with beaten egg.
Bake keeping on top racks for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and risen. 
Cool on wire rack.
To serve- cut the scones i half and fill with jam and butter or cream or serve plain.


Tip: glazing with milk wont make the scones as golden as it would be with beaten egg.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Banana Marshmellow Pudding


''Very easy light dessert''

Serve 6

Ingredients:
1tbp. gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
3 stiffly beaten egg whites
3 bananas, shredded
Method:
Soak gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup boiling water and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Cool, stirring occasionally until congealing starts. Add egg whites and beat until very light. Add bananas and stir lightly. (The bananas and soft gelatin will sink to the bottom and the top will look cloudy when set)
Chill until set. Serve. 


Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Chicken Mushroom Pizza





Makes: 2 medium pizzas

Ingredients:
For the Crust :
1/2 cup warm water (110C)
2 1/4tsp dry instant yeast
1 cup water at room temp.
2tbsp olive oil
3 1/2 cups plain flour 
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
Method for Making Crust:
To make dough, measure the warm water in to 2 cups measuring jug/cup and sprinkle yeast. Stir until yeast dissolves and dissolve 1tsp of sugar. Keep for 5 minutes till u can see forms are creating and swells.
Add the room temperature water and olive oil and stir to combine.
Mix flour, salt and remaining 1tsp sugar adding the prepared liquid little by little until dough forms to a ball. (mix with wooden spoon)
Then knead the dough until forms a smooth and elastic dough.
Form the dough in to a ball and place in a deep bowl and cover the bowl with dampen kitchen towel and let the dough rise to its double size. (Keep covered for 2 hours.)
Then press the dough to re-flat it.


Pre heat the oven to 250C for atleast 30 minutes. (preferably with the pizza stone/ pan in if u have one)
Turn the dough in to lightly floured surface and divide in t tow pieces.
Form both pieces of dough in to balls and keep back in the bowl covered with damp cloth and allow to rest and rise for 30 minutes.
Working with one dough at a time, shape the dough in to round ball and place in the middle of round parchment paper dusted with corn flour. (I used square/ oval shape and my oven is small to make a round
pizza) 
Top with desired ingredients.
Place the pizza on the baking tray or pizza stone and  bake for 15-18 minutes until cheese is golden and brown in spots.

Ingredients for the Topping
200g boneless chicken
100g mushroom cut in to small pieces
11/2tsp vinegar
1tsp salt or to taste
1tsp black pepper
1/4 cup soya sauce
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp corn flour
3/4 tsp curry powder
1tsp garlic paste
1tsp ginger paste
2 large tomatoes cut in to rounds
4 capsicum cut in to rounds and de-seeded
2 large onions cut in to rounds
100g mozzarella Cheese grated.
2tbsp oil

1egg white
tomato sauce mixture:(1tbsp tomato sauce + 1 tsp olive oil + salt and pepper to taste)
1tsp Oregano + mozzarella cheese 50g


Method:
Cut the chicken in to small pieces and boil with vinegar, salt and pepper in little water.
Drain the chicken pieces and keep the gravy aside.
Dissolve soya sauce and tomato sauce to 1:1with the gravy and thicken it with corn flour under low flame. Keep aside.
Heat pan with 2tbp oil and ginger and garlic paste and stir for few minutes, add mushroom and little salt along with curry powder and stir fry few minutes.Add the chicken pieces and mix well.
Add the prepared sauce and stir till the mixture thicken.
Now the chicken mushroom mixture is ready.




 Assembling the Pizza:
Brush the pizza with egg white. Tomato sauce mixture.
Make holes by piercing the bottom with a fork to allow heat/ air to escape.
Sprinkle with oregano and mozzarella cheese.
Top with the chicken mushroom mixture prepared.
Top again with fresh tomatoes, onions and capsicum.
Finally top it with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven of 250C for 15- 18minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden and brown in spots.
 

Monday, October 11, 2010

Miris Malu ( Hot Fish Curry)


Ingredients:
Fish (Tuna) 500g
2cloves of Garlic
2cloves
1tsp fenugreek
200ml water
spring of curry leaves
2tsp of chillie powder
1tsp black pepper powder
2pieces of Goraka
salt to taste

Method
Cut the fish in to around 8 portions and wash well using lime juice. Chop garlic.
Put all ingredients into pan with fish. Bring to boil and simmer till done.
Serve as a side dish with rice.