Fish Moilee

Ah! The decadent Fish Moilee! Every Christian household has its own signature touch added to this delicate dish. I love the fact that albeit standing strong in flavours independently, the moist fish and the rich, coconutty gravy work in a beautiful tandem to give your taste buds a right treat!

Ingredients:

Onions: 3 large (sliced)
Green chilli: 5 nos (sliced)
Ginger: 1 tbsp (crushed)
Garlic: 1 tbsp (crushed)
Turmeric: a pinch

Black pepper
Elaichi
Cinammon
Clove
(a fine masala mix needs to processed from the above 4 ingredient. 1/2 tbsp of mix)

Fish: 1 kg. (Tip: it is best to use pearl spot or sear fish as apart from absorbing the gravy well, they lend quite a flavour burst to the dish themselves)

Cashew nut: 10 nos
Raisin: 1 tbsp
(process the cashew and raisins into a paste and mix it with a little water)

Coconut milk: 1st ans 2nd milk of 1 coconut
Curry leaves: 2stalks
Coriander leaves: a handful
Cornflour: 1 tsp
Tomato: 3 large
Lime juice: to taste
Salt
Oil

Preparation:

- In a wok, pour in the oil, add the onions and saute until half caramalized.
- Add the chilli, ginger and garlic and saute
- Add the freshly prepared masala mix and stir well to combine
- Add curry leaves and coriander leaves
- Add the 2nd milk of coconut and squeeze in some lime (Tip: do not add the lime juice after this step as it will split the gravy)
- Mix the cornflour in well with the 1st milk and add to the bubbling mixture (Tip: keep stirring to avoid lumps)
- Once the mix has come to a good boil, add the fish
- Add in freshly sliced tomato
- Pour in the cashew and raisin mix
- Add salt and taste

Serve hot with just about any accompaniment from rice and appams to chapathies and dosas and enjoy!

BETTER Beef Cutlets

Ah beef cutlets! They bring back wonderful childhood memories! I loved to watch my mum and her four sisters sit around the kitchen chit chatting whilst mixing, rolling, dunking, dressing and frying these crispy discs of deliciousness! Of course the amount of work that goes in is the last thing on ones mind when one bites into the humble yet scrumptious cutlet. I tried it out for myself and boy!! The amount of work sure pays off in every crunchy mouthful! This recipe comes with a twist! One that makes the cutlet a lot more filling, super juicy and a whole load of fantastic!

(Of course i know it's not the prettiest picture I've put up but i couldn't resist clicking a picture when my 2 year old reached out for a piping hot cutlet!)

Ingredients

Beef (boiled and pulled apart into shreds- 500g

(Tip: This is the twist folks, rather than a mince, use boiled beef that's pulled apart. I swear you will have everyone asking for what you did different)

2 large onions (finely chopped)
1 large tomato (finely chopped)
Large piece ginger, 7 pods garlic, 5 large green chillies (finely chopped)
Garam masala- 1 teaspoon
Cracked pepper- 2 teaspoons
Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder- 1 teaspoon
Soy sauce- 1 teaspoon
Tomato sauce- 1 teaspoon
2 potatoes and 1 carrot (boiled and roughly mashed)
Coriander and mint leaves- a mixed handful
Salt- as per ur liking
Egg- 2
Breadcrumbs- enough to coat all cutlets
Oil- for deep frying

To prepare the cutlets

- Dry fry the pulled beef, finely chopped onions, chilli, ginger, garlic and tomato in a kadai

- Once most of the water evaporates, put the mixture into a large saucepan and dry fry till there are no juices in the pan

- Add all the masalas, stir well and add salt to taste

- Add the soy and tomato sauces

- Once it is cooked to a deep brown colour, add in the roughly mashed potato and carrot and mix so that the veges are evenly distributed in the meat mixture.

- Mix in the chopped coriander and mint leaves

- Crack the eggs and whisk in a bowl. Add breadcrumbs onto flat plate

- With clean hands make balls with the meat mixture and press into firm, thick patties

- Dip the patties into the egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs till the patties are coated completely

- Rest in the fridge for half an hour and deep fry. Serve it up with your favorite condiment and enjoy!

Twice cooked chicken with jus

Love roasted chicken but hate the dryness of overcooked flesh? This twice cooked recipe will change the way you see, taste, touch and smell an oven roasted chicken! Gobble it up on it's own or with some soft bread for company to mop up that luscious jus!
Big hugs to Jaya aunty for this fantabulous recipe!

Ingredients:

Chicken- 6 pieces (thighs and drumsticks are the choicest pieces for this recipe)

Marinade mix:
Soy sauce - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
Tomato sauce- 1 tsp
Lime- juice of 1/2
Salt- to taste

Water- a little

For the jus: 
Butter- 1 tsp
Corn flour- 1 tsp
Water- 4 tbsp

To prepare the chicken

- Score the chicken to allow the marinade to penerate into the flesh
- Marinate the chicken pieces in the marinade mix for upto one hour
- In a non stick pan, place the chicken pieces with a little water, cover and let boil over low heat. Do make sure the masala does not burn.
- Wait until the juices run out of the chicken
- Over time, the juices and water will form a thick, sticky coating over the chicken. The 1st cook is done.
- Remove the chicken from the pan (reserve the sticky bits and remaining liquid to make the jus) and place into the oven at 180 degrees for about 10-15 mins or until the chicken turns golden brown. The second cook is complete.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.

To prepare the jus:

- Add the butter, cornflour and water into the pan and stir until all the sticky bits come off the pan and the liquid looks even.
- On a low flame, stir until thick. Please ensure that the jus is not too runny and can be spread NOT poured on the chicken. (In case the jus doesn't thicken as much just add in a little more cornflour mixed with warm water).

- Serve the chicken with jus spread top and get a mountain of compliments over how soft, delicious and tender your roast chicken is! Enjoy!

Spicy Egg Sambar

Yes you read right! But of course it's not sambar in its true spirit but a rather flavorful, spicy and yummy medley of masala, egg and gravy that makes ones tastebuds say "thank you!" For the meal!

Recipe courtesy: my uncle Antony (after all, some of the best chefs in the world are men!)

Ingredients:

Egg- 1
Onion (chopped)- 2 large
Tomato (chopped)- 2 large
Ginger (chopped)- 1/4th tsp
Garlic (chopped)- 1/4th tsp
Green chilli (sliced)- 1
Coconut (grated)- half
Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Garam masala- 1/4th
Pepper powder- 1/4th
Cornflour-1/2 tsp
Oil- for sautéeing
Salt- as per taste
Coriander leaves- a bunch
Curry leaves- a fewp

Method:

- Prepare the 1st and 2nd milk of the coconut and keep aside.

- In a pan, add oil, sauté the ginger, garlic, green chilli and onions till the onions caramalize.

- Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomato softens and melts.

- Add in the masalas and cook thoroughly.

- Add in the cornflour mixed with a little warm water

(Tip: for thicker sauces and gravies, cornflour is the way to go!)

-Once this mixture is cooked evenly, add the 1st milk of the coconut and wait for the oil to appear on the surface.

- Once the oil makes its appearance, add the second milk and bring to a boil.

- Once the gravy begins to boil, crack the egg into it and turn off the stove.

(Tip: egg albumin is extremely heat sensitive. A continuous supply of heat would overcook the egg. The gravy on its own has enough heat to cook the egg to perfection)

(Tip: craking the egg into the gravy rather than adding in a beaten mixture ensures that the threads of the egg are long and thick while stirring)

- Using a wooden spatula slowly stir the egg into the gravy. Slow stirring should result in long and thick threads of egg white and yolk through the gravy.

- Garnish with a handful of chopped coriander leaves and some curry leaves.

- Give the curry one final stir and serve hot with fresh chapatis, bread or rice. Enjoy!

Beef with onion (Nadan style)

Tired of the usual beef ularthiyathu? Tired of the chinesey flavors of beef with onion? Then you need to try this recipe. You have beef, you have onion, you have the masalas but aaah there is a scrumptious twist that takes this dish to a whole new level! Yum!

Ingredients:

For the beef:

Beef- 1 kg: after washing the beef drain water completely before adding into the pressure cooker; else you'll end up drowning the beef and won't get a lovely dry fry)

Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/4th tsp
Turmeric Powder- 1/4th tsp
Coriander Powder- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Onion- 1 large
Garlic- 4 large pods
Ginger- 1 tsp
Green chillies- 2 large
Salt- to taste
Oil- 1 tsp

For the masala:

Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Pepper- 1 tsp
Turmeric- 1/4th tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Curry leaves- a hanful
Garlic- 8 pods (crushed)
Ginger- 1/2 tsp
Onion- 1 small to sauté
Onion- 2 large (sliced lengthwise) to spread atop the beef (Tip: the super duper twist!)
Oil- 2 tsp

Method:

To prepare the beef:

- Into the pressure cooker, add onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and salt.

- Add 1 tsp oil and gently knead with fingers (Tip: gently crushing the ingredients leads to release of their essential oils and adds to better flavorful and fragrant dish)

- Add the beef and knead again. Add no extra water, cover the pressure cooker and cook on high flame.

- Once the pressure builds on the stopper, then reduce to low flame and cook for 12 minutes.

To prepare the masala:

- In a skillet, add oil, add the ginger, garlic, onion and sauté until the onions caramelize

- And all the masalas and sauté until the masalas cook well.

- Add a little beef stock from the pressure cooker into the skillet and cook till it reduces. (Tip: if there is too much stock, save to add in soups and curries and use only a very little in the masala)

- Add the beef only after the stock reduces completely

-  Add salt as per taste after tasting the meat.

- Once the beef has caramelized, add the curry leaves and the onions and sauté until the onions yellow and are par cooked still retaining a delicious crunch.

- Add a final dusting of pepper powder atop the beef (if need be) for an extra punch.

- Serve hot with rice, chapathies or porottas. Enjoy!

Spinach and Corn bake

Sometimes we need a recipe that is not only delicious but also acts as the perfect multi tasker. Are you on the search for that magical recipe? Well, look no further, here's a lip smacking vegetable bake that echoes the saying "simplicity at its best!" It is as versatile as it is simple; from bakes to pasta sauce to open sandies and fried into balls, this mix will definitely become an integral part of your continental repertoire.

Ingredients:

Veges:

Spinach- a large handful

Corn- a handful

Onion- 1 large 

Mushrooms (optional)- 500 gms

(Tip: mushrooms add a real meatiness to the dish. I would definitely suggest adding it)

(Tip: non vegetarians can add a whole cornucopia of ingredients; sausage, shredded chicken, fish, prawn...sky's the limit)

White sauce:

Cornflour (Tip: this is a maida free recipe, so cornflour was subbed instead)- 4 tsp 

Pepper- 1/4 tsp

Milk- 1 cup (Tip: keep a little milk separately in case the mix becomes too thick)

Butter- 2 tsp

Cheese (grated)- a small handful to sprinkle atop along with the breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs (Tip: adds a delightful crunch and texture to the dish)- enough to cover the top layer of the dish

Salt

Water- 1 tsp

Method:

- In a pan, add a little water, salt, spinach and onion and steam till the veges soften but the spinach retains its green colour

(Tip: after steaming, keep the spinach and onion mix open. Do not cover. This will help retain the green colour).

- In another pan, melt butter, add pepper and stir (this removes the rawness of the pepper), add cornflour and milk and stir well to remove lumps. 

- Once the desired consistency is reached, take the white sauce off the stove. 

(Tip: add more cornflour or milk according to how thin or thick your sauce is)

- Add ready cooked corn into the sauce, followed by the spinach and

onion.

- Mix till even and spread onto a baking dish.

- Evenly spread the cheese followed by a thin helping of breadcrumbs to finish the top layer

- Bake in an OTG until the top layer becomes golden brown and crunchy.

- Team this up with some lightly buttered garlic toast and gobble away! Enjoy!

Noodles with prawn, egg and veges

I love chinese food! Just bring me a big bowl of noodles and some honey glazed chicken and you'll have me grinning like an idiot!
And do you know when i love me some Chinese food? This is going to sound totally weird but Chinese food tastes best in the morning! So when my aunt whipped up a huge pot this mixed medley of yumminess for breakfast, i just had to give it due place in my blog!

Ingredients:

- Dried noodles: 2 packets
- Mixed juliened vegetables (carrots, capsicum, beans, cabbage, and  spring onion): 3 cups
- Prawns (medium size: cooked): 1 cup
- Eggs scrambled: 4 nos
-Minced ginger: 1 tsp
- Minced garlic: 1 tsp
- Green chilli sauce
- Soy sauce
- Tomato ketchup
(You may add sauces as per your taste)
- Sesame oil: 1 tbsp
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Salt
- Spring Onions (chopped): for the final garnish

Method:

- Cook the noodles as per the instructions on the packet.

- Heat the sesame oil, add the ginger and garlic. Saute until they turn fragrant and light brown in colour.

- Add the vegetables and turn up the heat

- Stir-fry continuously until they start to soften. Reduce heat and cook further until the vegetables are softer but still remain crunchy and retain their colour

- Add the chilli sauce, ketchup, and soy sauce. Saute for a few more minutes

- Add the noodles, prawn and eggs and toss well to coat completely. Top off with pepper powder and some salt if required.

7. Garnish with spring onions.

This dish is best enjoyed as it is without any sides. It packs a great punch and a good lunch box too! 

Honey Garlic Sausage Bites

These sticky sweet, juicy, yummy little treats are perfect to grace any type of party table.
They are simple to make and absolutely delicious! Make sure you have a stack of sausage packets ready at home because this recipe is a keeper!
They are best served fresh and piping hot. With the rains paying a visit every now and then, help yourself to bites of delish with a nice hot cup of coffee.

Ingredients:

Chicken cocktail sausages- 1 medium sized packet
Onion ( cut into thin slivers)- one large
Garlic (thinly sliced)- 4-5 pods
Pepper- a pinch
Butter- a good knob
Honey- 2 heaped teaspoons
Sugar- a pinch
Salt- to taste

Method:

1) Cut the sausages into bite sized pieces and boil in a pot of water until the sausage feels springy to touch.

(Tip: for cocktail sausages, leave the size be and simply score the surface so that the garlicky honey sauce seeps through)

2) In a pan, heat some oil, add the garlic slices and sauté.

(Tip: do not brown the garlic too much as the resultant taste is bitter and not palatable at all)

3) add the onions and sauté until caramelized.

4) Add the sausages and keep cooking until the onions are completely caramalized. Add salt to taste.

5) Add the pepper, knob of butter and honey and mix until well coated

6) Add the pinch of sugar to aid the sugars in the honey to caramalize and form a sticky coating over the sausages.

7) Serve hot with a cool ranch, blue cheese or mayo dip.

(Tip: this dish does not taste as good with tomato sauce due to it being sweet on its own. You could prepare a simple yoghurt or mayo dip to pair up with all the sticky goodness)

EASY PEASY CHICKEN AND PASTA CHUNK SOUP

I must confess that if i had a choice, i would have just soup all my life! I LOVE soup! It's comforting, delicious, filling, warming and so dead versatile! The following recipe is a harmonious union of veges and chicken chunks in a warm stock base.

Seasoning is restricted to the bare minimum so as to entice the full and natural flavors of the chicken and veges into the limelight! Cosy up this monsoon season with a bowl of delicious warmth! I wouldn't say no to some fresh rolls for a dunk and chomp delight!

This soup is so versatile it's unbelievable! You can add in or remove as many veges as you like. You can also sub the chicken with boiled prawns, chunks of fish and squid complimented with a seafood stock to get a slurpalicious seafood soup!

For the soup, you will need:

Skinless chicken breast- from 1 chicken
Broccoli- 1/2 of a large sized floret
Carrot- 1 large
Butter beans- 100 gms
Capsicum- 1/2 of 1 large
Celery- 2 stalks with leaves
Spring onion- 1 bulb
Pasta- a handful (Tip: any pasta can be used in this soup. I lean strongly toward Spaghetti so a bunch of the same was used)
Pepper- to taste
Salt- to taste

Method:

Preparing the chicken:

- Cut the chicken breast into chunks, put into a pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and salt and cook till the first whistle.
- Switch off the stove and allow the pressure to escape. Once all the pressure is let out, open and add 2 more cups of water (Tip: adding all the water in one go would dilute the flavors; hence adding cups a little apart helps the flavor perculate into the liquid)
- Keeping the pressure cooker open, bring the chicken pieces and stock to a boil and switch off stove
- Remove the chicken from the stock and slice lengthwise

Preparing the vegetables:

- Chop up the vegetables in a chunky manner and steam cook them
(Tip: cook the carrots and beans first as they take a bit more time to soften)
- Once the carrots and beans are par cooked, add the rest of the veges into the steamer

Preparing the pasta

- Prepare pasta as per instructions on the packet
(Tip: if you are using spaghetti, break the uncooked pasta into two before cooking. Makes easier eating and less slaps on the face from dripping pasta!)
- Drain the pasta and add into a deep cooking pot

Assembling the soup:

- Into the deep pot with pasta, add the chicken, the stock, veges, a little pepper, taste for salt.
(Tip: if there is not enough liquid base, just add a little warm water into the mix)
- Bring the soup to a boil and serve in bowls complete with spoons and forks handy (for the spaghetti!) Enjoy!