Feb 18

Pan seared Basa with Thai lemon garlic sauce

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I am partial towards prawns when it comes to seafood. But ever since i tasted Basa, thats become one of my favourites too. I actually salivate at the thought of it. Its so universal that you can prepare it anyway you want.

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Its such an easy fish to cook, it picks up the flavour of all the ingredients. Light flavours go really well and this broth spooned over a lovely pan sear makes it so delicious.

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Ingredients

3 Basa fillets
pinch of salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. oil for frying


LEMON-HERB SAUCE:
1/3 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2+1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves and stems, chopped
2 spring (green) onions, sliced
1 tbsp basil leaves.
2 birds eye sliced red chil (remove the seeds to adjust spice levels)
1/2 tsp. sugar
2-3 Tbsp. coconut milk (pkt variety is fine)

 

1) Place all lemon-herb sauce ingredients together in a sauce pan. Stir together and set aside.
2) Rinse fish and pat dry. Then, using a paper tissue, pat the fish on both sides, absorbing any remaining moisture. (This is the secret to getting a good sear.)
3) Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add the oil and swirl around. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish in pan and season with salt and pepper.
4) Do not move the fish once you have placed it in the pan or the flesh will tear. Allow the fish to fry undisturbed for at least 2 minutes before turning. If pan is smoking, reduce heat to medium-low.
5) Turn the fish, but again, don’t move it around – allow it to fry undisturbed for another 2 minutes. Lightly season the second side with salt and pepper. Fish is cooked when the inner flesh is opaque when gently pulled apart with a fork. One inch thickness will take roughly 5 minutes.
6) Place lemon-herb sauce over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until warm. (Don’t boil the sauce or it will lose its fresh flavor and nutrients.)
7) Before serving, taste-test the sauce. Note that this sauce tends toward the sour side; however, feel free to sweeten it with a little more sugar if it’s too sour for you. If it’s too spicy, add a little more coconut milk. If not salty enough, add more fish sauce. If too salty, add another squeeze of lemon or lime juice.
8) To serve, place the fish fillets or steaks on individual plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve any extra on the side.
Recipe courtesy – Darlene Schmidt

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Feb 18

Lemon Garlic Butter Prawns

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Amongst all the food options the sea has to offer, Prawns are my all time favourites. I would salivate when I saw prawns – in any form, tandoori, butter garlic, crisp fried, bacon wrapped. You name it.

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And then I got married, and M suffers from crustacean related allergies which means he cannot eat prawns, lobsters and crabs. I wish the oceans would part and take me into its fold. I know I am over reacting but it gets frustrating when i cant order prawns outside as he cant share them with me.

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Then I had kids and they adore prawns. The sun seems to shine now. Finally I can make prawns for more than 1 person at home. This prawn preparation is so super easy, quick and super yum too.

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Ingredients

10-15 big prawns

Half Lemon

1 tsp Worcester sauce

Few drops Fish sauce

1 tsp Chilli flakes

2 tsp nandos Peri peri sauce

Olive Oil

1 tsp Oregano

1tbsp garlic paste

Butter

1) Clean and devein the prawns. Leave the tails on if u prefer.

2) Sprinkle salt and leave for 5 mins. Wash it off

3) Marinate the prawns with all ingredients except lemon and set aside covered for 1 hours.

4) Then pan fry the prawns in little butter. Adjust seasoning.

5) Squeeze lemon over the prawns while serving

Feb 17

Saffron risotto with lemon garlic prawns

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I love watching food shows and most of the risotto challenges are a make or break in the contest. Have never ever tried risotto and even after searching I couldn’t get access to arborio rice easily. And then I visited USA, and went berserk shopping for ingredients. Arborio was one of them

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My cousin gifted me a lovely Australian wine and I knew the flavours would blend well with the risotto as the Indian wines were not working too well when used as a cooking element. I had some lemon garlic marinated prawns and wanted to make a prawn risotto but then my husband would not be able to enjoy them so instead made a creamy saffron risotto using chicken stock and parmesan. Added saffron for that stunning colour. The prawns on top are just to make me happy.

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The texture was creamy with a slight bite. Would like to work more on the flavours as I feel risottos can be a bit boring after half the bowl is polished off

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Ingredients

1 cup arborio rice

4-5 cups chicken stock

1 cup white wine

1 finely chopped onion

3-4 minced garlic

olive oil

1 tsp paprika

salt

1 tbsp butter

1 big pinch saffron

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1)  Keep the stock on a low simmer as u need to add worm stock to the risotto.

2) Heat oil in a deep heavy bottomed pan, add oil and sauté the onions and garlic.

3) When pink, add the rice and a pinch of salt, toast till it becomes pearly white. Do not brown

4) Add wine and saffron, let it simmer while stirring with a wooden spoon till the wine is absorbed by the rice

5) Add 2 ladles of the stock to the risotto, while stirring at simmer.

6) when the stock is absorbed add 1 ladle at a time till it gets absorbed again. Only add stock when the previous batch has been absorbed by the rice. Stir at intervals.

7) continue this process till the rice is cooked but still has a bite to it and its not to watery. Remember you will have to give it your attention and avoid wandering off for too long.

8) When the rice is at the right texture and consistency, stir in the butter and mix well.

9) Shut the gas and stir in the grated parmesan. Cover and let it sit in the risotto for a couple of minutes.

10) Serve immediately and top with parmesan shavings or leman garlic prawns as i have

 

 

Feb 17

Kori Roti (Chicken curry over Rice crisps)

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Kori roti is a Mangalorean speciality that is available on most menus in a restaurant specialising in Mangalorean cuisine. Spicy creamy curry soaks into the crisp rotis till they are just melt in your mouth. One of my absolute favourites.

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Now a days most rotis or (crisp dried rice dosas) are bought from the store. I remember the time one of my aunts in Puttur near Mangalore would make them at home. All the kids would sit next to her and watch as she would pour out super thin dosas on her iron tawa. they did not have electricity then, and the dark kitchen would be lit by a kerosene lamp. She would then leave it out to sun dry and we would wait eagerly for it to be ready.

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A spicy creamy coconut curry is the perfect accompaniment to the rotis, though suitable alternatives are soft neer dosas or spongy idlis.

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Chicken curry

Ingredients

1 fresh grated coconut

20 Kashmiri chillies

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 1/2 tsp jeera

1/4 tsp methi seeds

salt

1 tbsp khus khus

4-6 peppercorns

3 tbsp ghee

8 flakes garlic

1 tsp haldi

1 marble size tamarind

2 chopped onion

1 chopped and fried onion

1 tbsp butter

2-3 cups water

1 kg chicken

1) roast the grated coconut till brown

2) roast red chillies, dhania, jeera, methi, pepper, khuskhus, in a tbsp of ghee

3) grind the spices, coconut and garlic, haldi, salt and tamarind to a fine paste. 

4) put 2 tsp ghee in a vessel, add chopped onion and fry till brown

5) Add chicken, fried onions, salt and butter & fry on low heat for 5 mins.

6) add the masala paste and fry till raw smell goes. Add water. Boil till cooked stirring occasionally

Roti is store bought.

Feb 16

Wholewheat Jackfruit fritters

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I absolutely adore ripe Jackfruit. I know there are mixed feelings about this fruit but I am its biggest fan. I just wait for the season to gorge on them. Recently I found some at the supermarket and immediately bought it. Enjoyed about half of it till I thought, i should try to make something with it. Remembered mom makes these awesome banana fritters that I absolutely adore. Quickly called her and asked if i can do the same thing with the jackfruit. She said of course so here it is

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Ingredients

1/2 kg ripe jackfruit (deseeded)

1 big cup of wholewheat flour

1/4 cup of jaggery

5-6 pounded elaichi

ghee

1) Steam the jackfruit pieces till soft. I put water in a cooker, and placed a bowl filled with jackfruit. cover the bowl with a lid. Give one whistle and leave it on slow for 5 mins. Do not put water in the jackfruit bowl as the fruit will let out its juices any way.

2) when cool, grind the jackfruit, jaggery and powdered elaichi to a paste.

3) Slowly add the flour and knead to a slightly wet dough. It should be a thick pouring consistency.

4) Heat appey pan, add a drop of ghee and pour the batter, Cover and cook for 5 mins on each side or till golden brown.

Feb 16

French onion bites

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Chefs Across Boundaries is a group of Chefs who set up challenges every month to encourage the participants to innovate, think out of the box and explore the culinary world.

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This month, one of the Members Hetal Kamdar (http://hetalkamdar.blog.co.uk/) hosted the challenge and her theme was Pondicherry cuisine.he Union Territory of Pondicherry boasts of a sumptuous cuisine that shows strong French and Tamil influences. Fusing the two proved quite a challenge as I had very little knowledge of both Tamil and French cuisine.

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Lot of research and some brainstorming and I had the perfect dish. Only the ingredients proved difficult to find. Hmm, plan B. Thought about the French onion soup and a plan seemed to form. Had seen a post of the top layer of the soup being used on baguettes to make bites. Suddenly it clicked. Made a dish that is such a wonderful marriage of the two cuisines

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Ingredients

4 idlis

butter

2 large chopped onion

2 minced garlic cloves

1 thyme sprig

1/4 cup white wine

1 bay leaf

salt, red chilli flakes

Smoked paprika cheddar

1) slice the idles to 2″ rectangles and butter fry them on a cast iron pan to crisp.

2) Heat butter, and cooke, bay leaf, thyme, onion and garlic with some salt and red chilli flakes. Cover and cook for 10 mins stirring occasionally

3) Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally until nicely caramelised. Another 10 mins more.

4) Add wine and cook until its entirely evaporated. about 1-2 mins

5) Discard bay leaf and thyme

6) spoon the onions on the fried idli and top with slices of the smoked cheese.

7) Microwave until cheese melts. 30 seconds to a minute. Serve hot.

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Feb 16

Triple Layered Sponge Cake

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Presenting my daughters birthday cake. It’s a triple layered vanilla sponge with one layer of white chocolate ganache, one layer of Nutella and one layer of dark chocolate ganache. It’s frosted all over with milk chocolate ganache and Kitkat.

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This recipe was given to me by Nidhi(www.soulandspicebox.com). Its a no oil, no butter recipe that works mainly because of the way the eggs are handled. Its the softest sponge I have ever made and reminds me of The Kayanis bakery, Pune sponge cake. Its that good!

 

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Vanilla sponge cake :

4 eggs,
3/4 cup powdered sugar,
3/4 cup maida,
1 tsp baking powder,
2 tsp vanilla extract,
1 tbsp hot water
4/5 tbsp simple syrup
Optional – Gel Colour of your choice
1) pre heat oven to 180 C for 10-15 mins

2) separate egg white and yolks
3) beat egg whites till they are stiff, add sugar gradually and keep beating it
4) add yolks and extract, mix it well.
5) Add the hot water and beat the mixture till it doubles in size
6) Sift maida and baking powder in a separate bowl
7) fold in the dry ingredients..dont beat it, fold it gradually
8) add few drops of gel colour and fold it in lightly. (only if using colour)
9) grease the cake tin and pour the batter.
10) bake for 30-35 minutes on 180C.
11) when cool, slice the cake horizontally. Sprinkle the simple syrup on both the layers. Leave for 10 mins and sprinkle again
12) Layer and frost as per your choice of ganache or Nutella
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Chocolate ganache (Milk, Dark)
melt 1 bar (500 gms) of Morde chocolate, 1 cup cream and 2 tbsp butter in a double boiler method. Cool the ganache in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes before use. Layer/frost the cake with this ganache and decorate as per choice.

White Chocolate Ganache

3:1 ratio of chocolate to cream. No butter needed. Use double boiler method to blend.

Double boiler Method – Heat water in a vessel, when it boils, put a slightly bigger vessel on top of the one containing the water. In the top vessel add your chocolate, cream etc. The heat from the steam generated is used to melt the ganache. Do not let water come in touch with the ganache.

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Feb 13

Eggless chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate ganache

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Birthday are never a one day affair anymore with my kids. They usually celebrate for 3-4 days and it’s the poor mom who is running around like a headless chicken.

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It’s my daughters birthday on the 14th and since its a weekend, she wanted to celebrate it in school today. She absolutely insisted that she wanted me to bake. Hmm 24 kids plus teachers plus eggless. That’s a tall order for a novice baker.

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I wanted her to jump with glee and excitement when she saw the final product. So picked up some interesting recipes that I know all the kids would love. The first one is the chocolate cupcakes and the second is the Nutella squares (which I will post separately.)

Ingredients for cupcakes

All purpose flour – 1 ½ cups

Castor Sugar – 1 cup

Cocoa powder – ⅓ cup

Baking soda – 1 teaspoon

Salt – ½ teaspoon

Water – 1 cup

Oil – ½ cup

Pure Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon

Apple cider Vinegar – 1 tablespoon

 

1) Preheat oven to 175 degrees..

2) Line a medium size 24 cupcake tray with liners.

3) Mix all dry ingredients (All purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt) in a bowl. Pass them through a sieve first

4) In another bowl mix all wet ingredients (water, oil, vanilla extract and vinegar). Add wet mixture to flour mixture.

5) And mix till it well blended together. Do not over mix.

6) Fill each cup about two-third full with batter.

7) Bake in pre-heated oven for about 17-20 minutes or till toothpick inserted in center of cupcake will come out clean.

8) Remove it from oven and after 5 minutes remove cupcakes on wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting. If cupcake is not cool enough then icing will melt down.

(Recipe courtesy spiceupthecurry with slight modifications)

White chocolate ganache

300 gms white chocolate

1/2 pkt amul cream

1) Chop or grate the chocolate.

2) Boil cream and add it to the chocolate. Mix once and leave for 2-3 mins.

3) Whip and blend the ganache. Keep in the fridge for 30 mins to set before frosting the cupcakes.

Use sprinkles and other decorations to make your cupcake look prettier.

Feb 13

Nutella Squares

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Its my daughter’s birthday and I wanted to make some eggless desserts for her to distribute in school. Had already decided on an eggless chocolate cupcake and then wanted to make one more. Nutella is everyones favourite and knew for sure that i wanted to use that as one of the ingredients.

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I had bought Pooja Dhingra’s The Big book of Treats a while back but had never attempted to bake anything from it. Recently I got to taste her renowned sea salt macaroons and cupcakes, they sure lived up to their reputation. So picked up her book and drooled over each post, finally zeroed in on the Nutella squares.

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It turned out quite well, and was quite excited to see Pooja retweet my Nutella post.

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Ingredients

75 gms dark chocolate

125 gms butter

50 gms brown sugar

100 gms all purpose flour

75 gms oats

400 gms Nutella

100 gms chopped roasted hazelnuts

1) Melt chopped chocolate and butter in a double boiler.

2) Add the brown sugar and whisk till completely combined properly.

3) Fold in the flour with a spatula and then add oats and mix.

4) Preheat the oven to 180C and line a tin with parchment paper.

5) Bake for 15-20 mins

6) Once cool, spread the Nutella evenly on top and garnish with the chopped roasted hazelnuts.

 

Feb 12

Fluffy Idlis with Sambhar and coconut chutney

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Busting some myths

– The South Indian is not always a Madraasi.
We have 5 states. Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu

– The South Indian women are only clad in heavy Kanjivaram sarees with gajra on her oily hair.
Check my profile pick as the myth buster here

– The South Indian doesn’t always speak English and Hindi in a highly distinctive accent.
I can speak Marathi too without an accent

– The South Indian is always a vegetarian.
What rubbish. Have u forgotten the drunken chicken and bacon wrapped prawns

– The South Indian only eats dosa, idli, vada, sambhar and, as a holiday treat, rasam and rice.
Well that’s not true.

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But what is true is that we sure know how to make our idlis the fluffiest cotton balls around. And accompanying the idlis is the tangiest sambhar and coconut chutney perfect for the idlis to float away to Paradise. Moms no fail recipe. Worth boasting about for sure.

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iDLI RECIPE

2 cups parimal/kolam rice

2 cups boiled or ukda rice,

3/4 cup urad dal,

1 tbsp salt,

1 tsp sugar. 

1. Soak both the rice together and soak the dal separately for about six hours

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2. Grind the rice and dal separately about 30 mins each. Add the salt and sugar when grinding rice

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3. After grinding. Mix well. take 2 big vessels and keep pouring the batter from one vessel to the other from a little height. This will mix it well.

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4. Then fluff the batter, you can use a whip. I use my hands and beat it well like a fork would whip eggs. Spread ur fingers and fluff the batter for 10 mins. It will put air in the batter.

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4. Leave it overnight in a hot area like next to the fridge.

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5. The next day the batter would have fermented.

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6. Heat water in an idli steamer, till it starts leaving steam

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7) Grease the bowls with little oil and pour the batter to fill 1/2 the bowl. Place in the steamer and shut the lid. Steam on high for 12 minutes. The 12 minutes are calculated after the steam leaves the sides of the vessel.

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8) remove the bowls and overturn them on the table. Cover with a wet cloth to cool it down.

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9) after 5 minutes gently remove the idlis from the bowls and keep them in a hot box

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SAMBHAR RECIPE

1 cup tur dal

1 marble size ball of tamarind

3-4 small brinjals – quartered

1 tomato – quartered

4 sticks drumstick – cut into 2-3″ sticks

1-2 tbsp sambhar powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

salt, haldi

Temper – 1 tsp mustard seeds, oil, karipata, pinch hing and 2-3 dried red chilli.

1) Boil tur dal in pressure Cooker for 1 whistle and then 5 mins slow gas after that.
2) Soak the tamarind in hot water. 
3) In a Separate vessel, boil drumstick, brinjal and tomato (put turn by turn as per cooking time) with some salt, haldi and red chilli powder.
4) When they are 95% cooked, add the cooked dal, sambhar powder, tamarind water. Give it a good boil. Adjust seasonings.
5) Temper separately with little oil, mustard seeds, hing, karipatta and dry red chilli and add it to the sambhar.

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COCONUT CHUTNEY RECIPE

1/2 freshly grated coconut

1 green chilli

1″ ginger

2 garlic flakes

1 small marble size tamarind ball

salt.

temper – 1 tsp mustard seeds, oil, karipata, 1/2 tsp urad dal and 2 dried red chilli.

1) Coarsely grind everything with little water.

2) Temper separately with ingredients listed under temper and add to chutney.