Beans mezhukkuperatti or beans stir fry

Ingredients:

Beans - 1/2 lb

onion - 1/2

green chilli - 1 or 2

coconut pieces - about 1 tbsp [small pieces cut from the coconut flesh]

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

oil - 2tsp

mustard - 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

Method:

Clean and slice beans,onion and green chilli.

Heat oil in a wide pan. Splutter mustard.

Add the coconut pieces and fry until browned.

Add green chilli,onion, beans and saute for a minute.

Now add in turmeric powder and salt.

Cover and let it cook in very low flame for 10 minutes.

Stir in between and check for doneness.

Then open lid and fry for another 5 minutes.

Done.

Strawberry jam

Strawberry is a lovely fruit with its rich vibrant colour and is a good source of vitamin C, fiber,folate, potassium and manganese.

Strawberries dipped in chocolate is one of our family favourite.

Its season now for this fruit in this region where we live. SO we went for some strawberry picking in a farm.

And since we got lot of them i decided to make some jam out of it. Here are those farm fresh ones we picked.

Ingredients:

strawberry - 5 cups sliced

sugar - 1 cup

pectin - 2 tsp pectin

[Strawberry is a fruit very low in pectin, so we need some for making the jam consistency. You can use any brand. Follow the package instructions on how much to use.]

Method:

Wash and slice the strawberries.

After that I blend them smooth. If you like chunkier consistency you can just mash them fork.

Mix sugar and pectin and keep.

Bring prepared strawberries to boil.

Add sugar and pectin mix and keep stirring for 1-2 minutes.

Return to a full boil and remove from heat.

Pour into containers and cool.

Refrigerate after 24 hours.

Enjoy!

Cake - Strawberry Delight

I made this cake for my husband's birthday. Its a time taking one, but will yield results :-)This is a strawberry flavoured chocolate cake with strawberry cream and whipped cream frosting.

Steps:

1) make chocolate cake.

2) infuse strawberry flavour

3) make whipped cream

4) make strawberry cream

5) assemble and decorate

1) make chocolate cake

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/Maida - 2 1/2 cups
baking soda - 2 tsp
salt - a pinch
cocoa powder - 1/2 cup
sugar - 1 3/4 cup
butter or vegetable shortening - 2/3 cup
eggs - 2
vanilla extract - 1 tsp
buttermilk - 1 cup
hot water - 1 cup

Method:

In this recipe everything goes into one bowl, so its pretty easy at the same time a very nice rich chocolate cake.

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 13 * 9 cake dish.

In a bowl take sugar and cocoa powder and whisk them together well.

To this add flour,baking soda and salt and mix well.

Next add butter or shortening, eggs, butter milk and vanilla extract and start blending..

When it starts to get thick add 1 cup hot water and continue blending until mixed.

Dont overmix. It should not go beyond 2 minutes.

Pour into dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

note: If you use butter, it will weigh the cake down. But if you use shortening it will help cake to rise. So for this cake my personal preference would be shortening. For a plain vanilla cake butter will give more taste and vice versa with shortening.

2) infuse strawberry flavour

Ingredients:

chocolate cake
strawberry flavoured JELL-O powder - 1 package
hot water - 1 cup
cold water - 1/4 cup

Method:

Add hot water to the jello powder and mix until dissolved.

Stir in cold water.

Carefully cut the cake into 2 layers.

Take a fork and poke the cake layers in 1 inch intervals all over it.

Take half of the jello mixture and pour into each layer.

Keep in refrigerator for 2 hours.

3) make whipped cream

Ingredients:

heavy whipping cream - 2 to 3 cups
vanilla extract - 1 tsp
sugar - 2 tbsp

Method:

Key to getting nice whipped cream is to start with everything cold, ingredients and the bowls for mixing.
Add whipping cream into a bowl.
Start whipping slowly until soft peak forms [That is when you lift the whisk it form peaks but falls off].
Now add sugar and continue whipping until thick peak forms [ That is when you lift the whisk peak stay on it nice and thick].
Do not over beat it. If you do so it will start curdling and will change yellowish and then you cannot use it.
Once done keep covered with a plastic wrap in refrigerator unit ready to frost.

4) make strawberry cream.

Ingredients:

fresh strawberries - 1 cup sliced

sour cream - 2/3 cup

sugar - 2/3 cup powdered

whipped cream - about 1 cup[take from the bowl resting in refrigerator]

Method:

This is an easy way for a quick cream.

Mash the strawberries and cook for 5 minutes and cool.

In a bowl add sour cream and sugar and mix well.

Mix in cooked strawberries and fold in whipped cream.

5) assemble and decorate

Ingredients:

strawberry flavoured chocolate cake

strawberry cream

whipped cream

fresh fruits sliced[you can use any of your choice, i have used strawberry and kiwi here]

Method:

Take one layer of cake and pour the strawberry cream and spread evenly.

Place the next layer of cake on top of it.

Frost the cake with whipped cream.

Just spread it all over with a butter knife.

If you have some cake decorating tools u can add more decorations as per your creativity.

I have just given a simple shell border.

Decorate with fresh fruits of top.

Enjoy!

Nadan Fish Curry (Kerala style)

Fish is a high in protein but low in fat. They are very good source of omega 3 fatty acids and one of the few natural food sources of Vitamin D.

For a person from Kerala the the picture of basic fish curry is the red fish curry which is simple; yet very tasty. This preparation does need Kashmiri chilli powder and kudampuli. Substituting these wont give you the same taste. Kashmiri chilli powder is milder than regular chilli powder but with a rich colour. Kudampuli or fish tamarind or Gambooge is an essential ingredient in fish loving kerala kitchens which has many medicinal values. Traditionally this curry is made in earthen pots.

Ingredients:

Fish - 1 lb (any fish with thick flesh preferred, here i have used salmon)

Shallots or small onion - 6 or 7

ginger - 1 inch piece

garlic - 5 or 6 big cloves

kudampuli - 2 or 3 pieces

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

kashmiri chilli powder - 2 tbsp

salt to taste

curry leaves - 1 sprig

mustard - 1/2 tsp

fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

oil - 2 tsp

Method:

Clean and cut fish into preferred size pieces. Finely chop small onions, ginger and garlic. Soak tamarind in some water.

Heat a pan add oil, followed by mustard, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.

Add small onions and ginger and garlic and saute well.

Then add turmeric powder and kashmiri chilli powder and saute until the raw smell leaves.

Now add the soaked tamarind along with the water.

Add salt and 1 to 2 cups of water.

Let it boil well for 5 minutes.

Now add the fish pieces gently and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Dont stir after this point.

Just take the pan and swirl it around if you want to.

Simmer the last 5 minutes.

Enjoy with rice or tapioca or any of your favourite combo.

( You can add 2tsp coriander powder to make it a bit more thicker)

Chicken Ziti Pasta

This dish includes a combination of pasta and ground chicken. In this recipe i have used ziti pasta, penne also works well.

And again you can use any ground meat.Both are done separately and then mixed and baked. Add more or less cheese as you wish.

Pasta (ziti or penne) - 1/2 lb or 2 cups

ground chicken - 1 lb

fennel seeds - 1 tsp

onion - 1 chopped

yellow or red pepper - 1 chopped

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

tomato - 3 medium crushed in a blender

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

coriander powder - 1 tsp

garam masala - 1/4 tsp

mozzarella cheese - 1 cup grated

cheddar cheese - 1/4 cup grated

oil - 2 tsp

salt to taste

Boil water in a large pot for pasta.

In another pan add oil, add fennel seeds , followed by onion,pepper and saute.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.

Then add turmeric, chilli, coriander and garam masala powders and saute.

Now add the ground meat and keep stirring until browned.

Add crushed tomatoes and salt and about 1 cup pasta water.

In the mean while when water boils, add some salt and add pasta and give it a stir .

Let it cook al dente or cook until how much u like it to be.

Drain and add it to the meat sauce and stir well.

Take a baking dish and add half of it into it.

Sprinkle half of the cheeses on top of it.

Repeat with the rest.

You can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top if you wish to.

Bake in 350F oven for 20 minutes.

Done.

Idiyappam

Idiyappam is a steamed rice flour dish. This is the way its done in kerala homes. There will be a topping of coconut for each of them. I just omit it because in my home the accompaniment is always a stew or kurma which already has coconut in it. In a above picture its just a potato pal curry and idiyappam.

Ingredients:

Fine rice flour - 1 cup

water -about  1 and 1/2 cup

salt to taste

Method:

Boil water and add salt to it.

Take rice flour in a bowl, add hot water slowly stir until all the flour forms dough.

Depending on the flour use water. You may not need the full measure.(some flour might take only 1 cup )

Dough should not be too tight or too loose.

Close and keep for 5 minutes.

Once it cools down a bit but still warm,knead with hand to a smooth ball of dough.

Take the idli steamer and lightly oil the plates.

Take the seva nazhi or murukku achu with the small holes.

Place some dough and press into the idli plates.

Repeat until all the dough.

Steam them for 10 minutes.

Goes well with veg or non veg stew or kurma or egg roast or any of your favourite.

Moong Dal Squash Curry

Dals are good sources of protien and when paired with a vegetable; more good.

In the below recipe I have used grey squash, you can use any of the grey or yellow or mexican squash in this.

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1/2 cup

grey squash - 2

coconut grated - 1/2 cup

green chilli -1

cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

asafoetida - a pinch

mustard - 1/2 tsp

oil - 1 tsp

curry leaves - 1 sprig

salt - to taste

Method:

Clean and cut squash into cubes.

Dry roast moong dal for a few minutes until it starts to slightly change color.

Cook dal and squash with sufficient water along with a little turmeric powder and asafoetida powder.

Grind together coconut,cumin seeds and green chilli.

Add the cooked dal and squash to the same blender and just give a quick turn just to roughly puree them.

Put in back the cooking vessel and add a little water if desired.

Add salt and simmer for a few minutes.

In another small pan, heat oil, splutter mustard and curry leaves and pour over the cooked dal.

Done. Goes well with white rice.

Liver Fry

Liver is a good source of protein, iron and vitamin A. In fact liver provides the most concentrated amount of Vitamin A of all food source. 1 oz provides 75% of the daily value.

But beware its high in cholesterol.

Below recipe I have used chicken livers.

Ingredients:

Liver - 1 lb

onion - 1

ginger - 1 inch piece

garlic - 3 cloves

tomato - 1 small

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

garam masala - 1/2 tsp

pepper powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

lemon juice - 1/2 of a lemon's

Oil - 1 tbsp

mustard - 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

Method:

Wash and cut liver into bite size pieces.

Chop onion, ginger and garlic finely.

Heat pan, add oil, splutter mustard.

Saute onion, ginger and garlic, followed by tomato.

Add turmeric, chilli, garam masala and saute.

Then add liver and 1/2 cup water and close and cook for 10 minutes.

Now add pepper powder and lemon juice and let it dry up. keep it open.

Done when desired consistency is reached.

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 lb

onion - 2 big

ginger - 1 inch piece

garlic - 3 cloves

tomato - 2 small

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

chilli powder - 1/2 tsp(according to the heat you prefer)

coriander powder - 2 tsp

garam masala - 1 tsp

cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.

oil - 1 tbsp

mustard seeds - 1tsp

curry leaves - 1 sprig

cilantro - a few sprigs.

Method:

Wash and cut chicken into preferred size.

Roughly chop onion,ginger,garlic,tomato and cilantro leaves.

Heat a cooking ware and add oil, splutter mustard, add curry leaves.

Add onion, ginger, garlic and saute until slighly browned.

Add turmeric, chilli, coriander, garam masala and cumin powders and saute.

Add tomato and cilantro and saute a couple more minutes.

Take it off the fire and cool and grind to a smooth paste adding just enough water.

Heat the pan add chicken and keep stirring in high flame for a minute until the outer turns white.

This will seal in the juices.

Then reduce flame to medium and add the ground paste and salt and mix well.

If you need more gravy add some more water, but remember some water will come out of chicken.

Cover and cook it for 15 to 20 minutes until done.