06 novembre 2009
Colombo Chicken Curry / Colombo de Poulet
Colombo Chicken Curry
Ingredients
1 kg chicken
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 onions finely sliced
1scotch bonnet pepper (asura parangi)
1 tsp ginger + garlic paste
3 potatoes (cubed)
1 courgette (cubed)
2 bay leaves
2 dried springs of thyme
Colombo Masala
2 cloves
1 tsp malabar black peppercorns
1 tsp musturd seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp coriander seeds
Method
Dry roast all the masala ingredients & then grind to fine powder.
Dunk chicken pieces in flour & fry till light golden brown.
Warm the oil in a casserole . Add bay leaves & thyme.
Then add finely sliced onions.
When it turns golden brown, add ginger-garlic paste.
Then add fried chicken & colombo masala.
Stir for a while & add water .
Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 25min, stirring from time to time.
When half cooked, add potatoes & courgettes.
When the chicken is cooked thoroughly, remove from fire.
Add lime juice & just swirl the casserole.
Garnish with freshy chopped parsely & serve with rice / any type of bread.
Colombo Curry is the speciality of French Islands - Martinique & Gaudeloupe. Colombo Curry powder / Poudre de colombo is French Caribbean Curry powder. Readymade ones are available in supermarkets. But I prefer freshly ground curry powder.
26 octobre 2009
Koki - Sindhi's Roti
KOKI
Ingredients
500 g flour
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp salt
2 green chillies (chopped)
2 shallots (chopped)
1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds
1 tbsp crushed cumin seeds
1 tbsp crushed dried pomegranate-anardana seeds(optional)
Chopped coriander leaves
200 ml water
Oil
Method
Mix all the ingredients & keep aside 1 hour.
Make evenly sized balls.
Take a lemon sized ball & flatten it using a roller.
Heat non stick pan . Spread oil on it .
Cook the roll out paratha.
Spread some oil & press the edges.
Flip & cook the other side.
Repeat the process with other balls.
Serve hot with veg / non veg curry.
This is the traditional breakfast item of Sindhi's.
16 octobre 2009
Coconut Almond Rolls - Happy Diwali !
Coconut Almond Rolls
Ingredients
225 g dessicated coconut
125g icing sugar
3 tbsp condensed milk
A pinch of saffran / yellow colour
1/2 tsp cardomom powder
Filling
10g butter
25 almonds
2 tbsp sugar
Method
Heat a sauce pan & mix the first four ingredients.
Stir continuosly on medium heat.
When the mixture becomes thick add cardomom powder.
Remove from heat & let it cool for 15mn.
Coarsely grind almonds alonsg with sugar.
Add butter & cardomom powder.
Roll as shown in the photo.
Pat the coconut mixture on a plastic wrapusing a spatule.
Place the roll out almond mixture in the middle.
Roll in the plastic wrap & place in the refrigerator for 5 hours.
Cut in slices & serve your loved ones.
13 octobre 2009
Aloo Kachori - A Rajasthani Snack
Potato Kachori
Ingredients
500 g flour
200 ml water
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
oil for frying
Filling
4 medium size potatoes (Quartered)
2 onions (thinly sliced)
2 green chillies (half slit)
A piece of ginger (chopped)
1 leek (thinly sliced)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp musturd seeds
1 tsp urud dal seeds
Curry leaves / coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Method
Boil the quartered potatoes in salted water until tender (20 mn).
Drain & let it cool.
Peel , mash it & keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Splutter musturd seeds.
Add urud dal & fry .
Fry chopped onions till light golden brown.
Add sliced leek, chillies & ginger.
Fry for a while & add tumeric powder & salt.
Add water & simmer for 10mn.
When the water has dried up, add the mashed potatoes.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves & keep aside.
***
Mix first three ingredients & knead well.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth & keep aside for 1 hour.
Take a lemon sized ball & flatten it using a roller( 8/10 cm discs).
Place the filling in the middle & wrap it with greased hand.
Flatten the ball with ur palm & keep aside
Repeat the process with other dough balls.
Heat plenty of oil.
Gently slip kachori's in hot oil.
When it pops fully, splash hot oil on the top.
Turn over & fry the other side.
Remove using a slotted spoon & drain on a kitchen paper.
Serve hot with chutney of ur choice.
Kachori's can be served as a starter / for tea.
08 octobre 2009
Leek- Beans Stir Fry
Leek- Beans Stir Fry
Ingredients
3 leeks thinly sliced
100 g french beans (chopped)
1 onions (chopped)
1/2 tsp musturd seeds
1/2 tsp urud dal seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp water
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Curry leaves
Method
Heat oil in a pan.
Splutter musturd seeds & then fry urud dal seeds to light brown
Then add chopped onions & fry till light golden brown.
Add chopped beans along with chilli powder, tumeric powder & salt.
Then add leek & stir fry for 5 min.
Cover & cook for 2 min, with 2 tbsp water.
Garnish with curry leaves & serve with rice.
25 septembre 2009
Badam Halwa for Navaratri
Badam Halwa
Ingredients
2 cups almond powder
1 cup sugar
70 g butter / ghee
1 glass of milk
1/2 tsp cardomom / nutmeg powder
Method
Melt ghee & just fry almond powder.
Add sugar & milk .
Stir continuously over medium heat.
When the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, remove from fire .
Add cardomom powder & mix well with a wooden spatule.
Pat it onto a greased dish & cut into desired shapes.
HAPPY NAVARATRI
22 septembre 2009
Avocado Shake / Sinh To Bo - A Vietnamese drink
Avocado Shake 
Ingredients
1 ripe avocado
200 ml condensed milk
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cardomom powder
Ice cubes
Method
Scoop out the flesh of avocado & blend in a food processor.
Add other ingredients & mix well.
Garnish with cardomom powder & serve.
17 septembre 2009
Spicy Multilayered Pathiri - A Malabar Muslim Special
Adukku Pathiri
Ingredients
1 cup rice powder ( ponni rice)
400 ml coconut milk
1/2 tsp cardomom powder
Salt to taste
Filling
250 g minced meat
2 onions(chopped)
2 cloves of garlic + a piece of ginger (make a paste)
1 green chilli
1 tbsp masala powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Method
Heat oil in a sauce pan.
Fry onions till light golden brown.
Add ginger- garlic paste & fry again.
Then add masala,salt & minced meat.
Add some water & cook for 10 min.
Garnish with coriander leaves & garam masala.
Remove from fire & Keep aside.
***
Mix the first four ingredients & keep aside for an hour.
If you are using rice grains, soak them in hot water & grind to a paste along with coconut milk.
If the dough is thick, add some water.
Heat a steamer with sufficient amount af water.
Butter a pan & pour a ladle of dough .
Cover & steam cook for 8mn.
Open the lid, spread some oil on the top of the pathiri .
Uniformly spread the meat filling & then pour again a ladle of rice dough.
Cover & steam cook again for another 8mn.
Repeat it according to the depth of the vessel ( max 6).
The top layer must be of he rice dough.
Serve hot as a starter.
11 septembre 2009
Mughlai Chicken
Mughlai Chicken 
Ingredients
1 kg chicken
2 tbsp curd
1 tsp salt
2 onions finely sliced
1 tsp ginger + garlic paste
3 potatoes (cubed)
2 bay leaves
Coriander leaves
Garam Masala
Masala Paste
1 tsp turmeric power
1 tbsp almond powder(10 almonds)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 cardomom pods
Method
Roast all the masala ingredients in a tablespoon of ghee & then grind to fine paste.
Marinate the chicken pieces with this masala paste
Add curd + salt & mix well.
Cover & refrigerate for 1 hour.
Warm the oil in a casserole . Add bay leaves.
Add finely sliced onions.
When it turns golden brown, add ginger-garlic paste.
Then add marinated chicken.
Stir for a while & add water .
Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 20min, stirring from time to time.
When half cooked, add potatoes.
When the chicken is cooked thoroughly, remove from fire.
Garnish with coriander leaves & garam masala.
Serve hot with jeera rice / naan / Pathiri / Chapathi / "Baguette" - long skinny French bread .
07 septembre 2009
Cumin Flavoured Rice
Jeera Rice 
Ingredients
2 cups cooked Basmati rice
1 cup cooked green peas
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 green chilli ( choped)
1 tsp ginger +garlic paste
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves
2 tbsp ghee / oil
Method
Heat the oil/ ghee in a frying pan.
Add the finely chopped onions.
Stir often & when it turns light brown add cooked peas.
Then add ginger / garlic paste, turmeric, salt, cumin & a little water.
Cover & cook for a while.
Then add cooked rice & toss gently.
Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with curries.
