Friday, August 31, 2012

Bread Gulab Jamun




Ingredients:
5 Slices of Fresh white bread
4 tbs Fresh Milk 
3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup WaterFew strands of Saffron
1/2 tsp Cardamon powder
Oil to fry
Finely sliced Almonds and pistachio (for garnishing)  

Method:
  • Trim off the brown edges from the bread and soak them in milk for a few mins.
  • Now knead the bread to a soft smooth dough and shape into marble size balls.
  • Take sugar, water and cardamon powder in a pan. Boil it and make a thick syrup. Keep on very low flame.
  • Add the saffron strands to the syrup.
  • Meanwhile heat oil in a deep bottom pan on medium high flame and fry the bread balls till golden brown.
  • Drain the bread balls on the kitchen towel and immediately drop them into the syrup.
  • Let them soak in the syrup for atleast an hour. The balls would have doubled in size by now.
  • Serve it hot or cold garnished with finely sliced almonds and pistachio.

Spicy Pan Grilled Salmon





Ingredients:
2 Salmon fillets
1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
11/2 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Roasted ground cumin
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
salt to taste
1/2 tsp Olive oil

Method:
  • Wash and clean the salmon fillets. Pat it dry and place on a wide plate.
  • In a small bowl, combine the spice powders with salt  and rub everything together to mix well.
  • Rub the spice mixture on the salon fillets, making sure that all sides are well coated. Marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
  • Heat an outdoor grill or heat olive oil in a grill pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, place the salmon skin side up.
  • Cook for about 5 mins each side till the salmon fillets are opaque and cooked thoroughly.
  • Serve it pipping hot with salad or pasta dishes.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Kuzha Puttu



Ingredients:
2 cups Red rice puttu flour
water
salt to taste
3/4 cup freshly grated coconut
A pinch of Cardamon powder
Ripe bananas
Sugar

Method:
  • Heat a wide non stick pan and dry roast the red rice flour on low flame till it emits a nice aroma. Cool the flour and sieve it.
  • In a big bowl, add the red rice flour, cardamon powder and salt and rub well to mix.  
  • Sprinkle water little by little into the rice flour and mix well till it resembles bread crumbs. 
  • In the meanwhile, boil water in the puttu maker base pan.
  • Now fill the puttu maker's top with 2 tbsp of grated coconut followed by the puttu flour till you reach half of the puttu maker. Then again fill it with 2 tbsp of coconut  followed by the puttu flour till you reach the brim of the puttu maker. 
  • Make sure you don't press the puttu flour and pack it loosely in the puttu maker. 
  • Now place the top of the puttu maker to its base and steam for 6-8 mins. Remove and carefully push the steamed puttu out of the puttu maker.
  • Serve the puttu hot with ripe bananas and fine sugar.

Urulai Varuval/Spicy Potato Roast


Ingredients:
3 New Potatoes
1 Onion (Chopped)
5 cloves of Garlic ( Chopped)
4 strands of Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
11/2 tsp Red Kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Urad dhal
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
2 tbsp Cooking oil
salt to taste

Method:
  • Wash and scrub the skin of the potatoes and cut it into semi thick even size pieces. Keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a non stick pan, splutter the mustard and urad dhal then add the fennel seeds followed by onion, garlic and curry leaves. Fry for 2 mins.
  • Then add the potatoes, stir fry, cover and cook till the potatoes are almost done. The potatoes should retain their shape and must not become mushy.
  • Now add the salt, turmeric and chilli powder and stir fry on low flame till the potatoes are roasted.
  • Serve it hot with rice and sambar or rasam.