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.

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:

http://www.nihariscookbook.com/search/label/curry%20paste

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.