Citrus Queen of Puddings

This is a different variety of bread pudding.Main difference being the presence of lemon curd.

Ingredients

Fresh Bread - 170g,torn into small pieces
Butter - 2 tsp,at room temperature
Castor sugar-90g
Egg yolks - 4
Milk - 2 cups + 2 tbsp milk
Lemon rind - 2 tsp
Lemon curd - 4 tbsp or more
Lemon juice -2 tbsp

Lemon curd

Sugar - 1/4 cup
Cornflour -1 and 1/2 tsp
Hot water - 1/2 cup
Salt-a pinch
Butter - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice -1 and 1/2 tbsp
few drops of yellow food colour

For the meringue

Egg whites - 4
Castor sugar - 3 tsp
Dessicated coconut - 1 tbsp (for sprinkling)

Method

In a pan,bring milk to a gentle simmer with lemond rind. Remove pan from heat ,add sugar and butter.stir well till combined. Soak bread pieces in it for 10 minutes. Mix in egg yolks and turn onto a greased shallow ovenproof dish. Bake in a preheated oven 180 degree celsius oven for 25 minutes.

To make lemon curd,mix sugar,cornflour,hot water and salt in a small pan and cook until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat,add butter and lime juice. Add yellow food colour and allow to cool. Combine lemon curd with lemon juice and spread over the baked bread.

With an electric beater at high speed,Beat egg whites stiff. Sprinkle sugar little by little till all the sugar is used up. Carefully spread the meringue over the lemon curd and sprinle the coconut gratings over the meringue. Bake in a pre heated oven at 160 degrees celsius for 5 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown. Serve hot or warm.

Mutton Chilli Fry

Ingredients

1. Mutton-750g
2. Dry chillies-16
3. Ginger sliced fine-2 dsp
4. Garlic sliced-2 dsp
5. Chopped tomatoes-1 cup
6. Onion sliced-2 and 1/2 cups
7. turmeric powder-1 and 1/2 tsp
8. cinnamon-1 piece
9. Cardamom-5
10. Cloves-6
11. Coriander seeds-1 and a 1/2 tbsp
12. Curd-3/4 cup
13. oil (3 tsp)
14. salt to taste
15. Lemon juice-1 lemon
16. Chopped coriander leaves-a small bunch

Method

Wash and cut the meat into 2 inch cubes.Marinate the meat with turmeric powder and salt for half an hour.

Heat 1 tsp oil and roast the dry red chillies and keep aside. Add more oil and saute the ginger and garlic pieces and keep aside. Heat the coriander seeds in 1 tsp of oil and keep aside to cool. Once cool, grind all the ingredients in a dry ginder.

In a pressure cooker, fry half the onions till dark brown and keep aside (this is for the decoration). In the rest of the oil, saute the rest of the onions, when golden brown add the marinated mutton pieces. Saute well till the liquid has evaporated.then put the chopped tomatoes and stir till dry. Put the ground ingredients and mix well. Pour the curd and mix well. Then add about 1 cup water and enough salt and cook till soft after closing the pressure cooker. Remove with very little gravy. Pour the lime juice before taking off from fire.

Serve in a dish and sprinle with the fried onions and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Goosberry Pickle

Ingredients

Goosberry - 1/2 kg
Chilli Powder - 6 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Garlic - 6 cloves (chopped)
Green Chillies - 6
Asafoetida Powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 1/4 cup
Musterd seeds - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 3/8 cup (1/2 of 3/4th)
Cumin Seed Powder - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 3/4 tsp

Method

Boil the goosberries with water and salt till tender. Drain and slice into four. In a sauce pan (kadai) add some oil, sputter mustard seeds, ginger and garlic till get aroma. Lower the fire add powders and saute till you get an aroma.

Pour the vinegar and salt, when it boils add goosberries. Mix sugar and remove from fire. When cool store in a jar.

Black Gooseberry Pickle (KARINELLIKKA)

Black Gooseberry Pickle (Karrinellika Pickle)

Ingredients

Gooseberry - 2kg
Garlic - 50grms (chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch piece (finely chopped)
Green Chillies - 100grms
Small onions - 225 grms
Salt - 125 grms
Water - 1ltr
Gingelly Oil - 100ml
Musturd Seeds - 1 tsp
Whole pepper powder - 2 tsp or coarsely powdered pepper: 2tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida Powder - 1 tsp (fried & powdered)
Curry leaves 2 stalks

Method

Wash and dry the gooseberries thoroughly. Keep the gooseberries and all ingredients (2-10) in an earthen pot (meen chatti). Cover the mouth of the pot with banana leaves or aluminium foil and secure it tightly with a string of thread. Keep the pot over very low flame and allow it to boil. Shake the contents in between to mix well. Remove from fire. Do not open the pot. Repeat the same procedure of heating and shaking for 21 days till all the water has been absorbed and the gooseberries have turned black and soft.

After 21 days, heat gingelly oil, sputter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add asafoetida powder and pour over the gooseberries. When the contents have cooled down, store in an airtight jar. This pickle is excellent for invalids as it is prepared without much oil. Add more oil if it is required to be stored for a longer period.

Cooks Note: This is a very delicious pickle from central part of kerala. Store in fridge within one week. You will not get this pickle in stores!

CHOCOLATE TOWN CAKE

Ingredients

1/2 cup - Hershey's cocoa

1/2 cup - Boiling water

2/3 cup - Shortening

1 3/4 cups - Sugar

1 tsp - Vanilla

2 - Eggs

2 1/4 cups - Flour

1 1/2 tsp - Baking soda

1/2 tsp - Salt

1 1/3 cups - Buttermilk or sour milk*

Cocoa Icing

6 Tb - Boiling Water

1/2 cup - Hershey's cocoa

1/4 cup - Butter

2 tsp - Vanilla

3 cups - Powdered Sugar

Method

Preheat oven, grease and flour pans.

Stir together cocoa & boiling water in small bowl until smooth; and set a side.

Cream shortening and sugar & vanilla in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, beat well. Combine flour, baking soda & salt; add alternately with buttermilk or sour milk to creamed mixture. Blend in cocoa mixture. Pour into two prepared pans or an oblong greased and floured 9 X 13 pan. Bake until tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes - Remove from pans and frost with Cocoa icing.

Cocoa Icing Recipe

Place water in a microwave safe container, bring to a boil. Place butter in a medium size mixing bowl and pour boiling water over the top.

Mix until butter is melted, add vanilla and cocoa. Mix thoroughly, add sugar and mix until smooth and desired consistency.
Spread on warm cake. This frosting stays soft for several days.

Yield: about 2 cups

Cooks Note: Oven Temp ~ 350°, Baking Time ~ 25 to 30 Min. Pan Type ~ two 9 inch pan. To sour milk: use 4 teaspoons vinegar plus enough milk to equal 1 - 1/3 cups . Decorate it according to your creativity. You can see how I decorate it on the photo. Let me know your comments.

NASI GORENG WITH CHICKEN SATAY

Nasi Goreng or Thai Fried rice

1. Basumathi rice 500 grms


2. 200 grms for Boneless chicken strips
   
3. 200 grms deshelled prawns


4. 2 small onions finely chopped


5. 4 cloves garlic finely chopped


6. 4 red chillies ground to paste
   
7. 4-5 table spooon sweet soya sauce (or add 1 tsp Sugar to soya sauce to get a sweet taste)


8. Salt and pepper according to taste


9. 2 Eggs for garnishing


10. 1/2 cups spring onion stems
    
    

Method

Boil the rice, drain and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, saute onion and garlic till you get the aroma. Add chicken strips and cook. Sprinkle salt and pepper. When the chicken is almost done add the red chilli paste and toss in the prawns. Stir fry for few minutes. Add sweet soya sauce and mix in the cooked rice.

In an other pan make Egg omlettes and allow to cool. Make it into strips and garnish the rice with omlette strips and spring onoin stems.

Chicken Satay

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

1. 1.5kg boneless chicken diced



2. 1 Table spoon oil


3. 2 Table spoon soya sauce


4. 1 Tbsp sugar


5. 4-5 Tsp lemon juice


6. 2 Tsp crushed garlic or garlic paste


7. Salt and pepper to taste


8. Bamboo Skewers

Peanut Sauce :

1. 1 larg onion
   
2. 3 cloves of garlic


3. 4-5 red chillies


4. 2 Tbsp oil


5. 1/2 cup peanut butter


6. 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice


7. 1-2 Tbsp sugar


8. Salt to taste


9. Enough water to make sauce consistency

Basting Sauce:

1. 4 Tbsp of peanut Sauce


2. 3 Tbsp of Soya Sauce


3. 2 Tbsp oil
   

How to make Peanut Sauce:

Grind onion, chillies and garlic together. Heat oil in a pan. Saute the paste of some time. Add the peanut butter, salt and sugar and stir well. Pour enough water cook until you get smooth sauce. Add lemon juice and switch off fire.

How to make Satay:

Pierce the chicken pieces on the bamboo skewers (4-5 pieces per stick). Pan grill the chicken turning occasionally. When almost done brush with the basting sauce and allow to cook completely. Serve hot with peanut sauce.

Cooks note: Fried rice according to me is bit dry, so you may serve yoghurt or some gravy to go with it. Actual Thai style is only with peanut sauce, Indians may not prefer that.

KOSHARI

This is basically an Egyptian recipe, which I have modified according to Indian taste.

Ingredients

1. Boneless chicken :1 cup
2. Horse Gram (boiled) : ½ cup
3. Basmati Rice (boiled) : 1 cup
4. Noodles (boiled) : 1 cup
5. Macaroni (boiled) : 1 cup
6. Ginger (crushed) : ½ tsp
7. Garlic (crushed) : ½ tsp
8. Green chillies (crushed) :1/2 tsp
9. Onions (thinly sliced) : 3 medium sized
10. Red chilli flakes/ Dry red chillies: 4
11. Soy sauce : 2 tbsp
12. White pepper powder : ½ tsp
13. Papads : 3
14. Oil : ½ cup
15. Salt : as required

Tomato Sauce

1. Tomatoes (medium size) : 3
2. Garlic : 3 cloves
3. Salt : as required
4. Water : little
5. Red chilli sauce : ¾ tsp


Method:

Boil chicken with salt and shred. Boil each ingredient (2-5) separately with salt and drain to take off excess water. In a pan, heat oil and sauté onions till brown and keep aside.In the remaining oil, sauté crushed ginger, garlic, green chillies until there is no raw smell. Add boiled, shredded chicken and fry till light brown. Reduce flame and add ingredients (2-5) and mix well. Then add soy sauce, white pepper powder, fried onions, red chilli flakes and mix well again. Add more salt if required and remove from fire. Fry papads and crush into small pieces. Spread the fried papads and serve hot with tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce

Put tomatoes in water and boil to separate skin. Blend tomato, garlic, enough salt, water and red chilli sauce to make the sauce which is same consistency as rasam.

THAI CHICKEN WINGS

INGREDIENTS:

12 to 24 whole chicken wings (or buy them chopped into wings and drumlets) - Note: double the recipe for larger groups

Chicken Wing Marinade

1. 1/3 to 1/2 cup liquid honey (1/2 cup if you have more than 12 wings)


2. 3 Tbsp. soy sauce or wheat-free tamari


3. 2 tsp. dark soy sauce


4. Tbsp. fish sauce


5. 3juice of 1 lime


6. 1 Tbsp. chilli powder


7. 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger grated


8. grated rind of 2 limes (limes are easier to grate when uncut - only grate the rind, not the white flesh underneath)


9. 1-3 fresh red chillies, minced, OR 1-3 tsp. red chilli sauce (1=mild; 2=medium; 3 or more = hot wings)


10. 2 cloves garlic, minced


11. 1/2 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground (you can grind them yourself in a coffee grinder, or buy already ground)


12. GARNISH (optional): 1/2 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
    
    
    
    Method
    
    Make the marinade by combining all marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl (one that can accommodate all the wings).
    Mix the wings in with the marinade, stirring well to coat the meat.
    
    Allow wings to marinate while you warm up the oven or BBQ.
    
    Be sure to stir the wings occasionally. Make-ahead Tip: For even better flavor, allow the wings to marinate for several hours or overnight.
    
    If Baking in the Oven: Turn oven to the grill setting and place wings on a broiling pan (a grill with a pan underneath to catch drippings). Place oven rack on highest level, so that wings will be directly under the top heating element of your oven. Slide the broiling pan onto this rack. Watch the wings carefully as they cook, turning every 5 minutes or so to make sure they don't burn. As with barbecued wings, baste the wings once or twice on each side with remaining marinade from the bottom of the mixing bowl.
    
    If Barbecuing: Place wings on a hot grill on your barbecue. Baste with a brush once or twice on each side (with remaining marinade from the bottom of the bowl), or until the wings appear nice and sticky.
    
    Cook until well done (15 to 30 minutes, depending on how hot your barbecue or oven is).
    Serve wings hot with a little fresh coriander sprinkled overtop. If desired, serve with "Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce", available at most grocery stores or your local Asian store.
    

MANGO SHRIKHAND

Ingredients

Yoghurt - 2.5 Cups
Mango Pulp - Half Cup
Milk - 2 Table spoon

Icing Sugar - 2 Table Spoon (according to taste)

Saffron - 1/4 Teaspoon
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Almond Slices - 1 Teaspoon
Pistachio Slices - 1 Teaspoon
Honey - 1 Teaspoon
Pomegranate Seeds - 1/4 cup


Method

Hang the yoghurt in a muslin cloth for 4 to 5 hours. Discard the water and transfer the collected curd into a dish. In an other small bowl take 2 table spoons of warm milk and add the powdered saffron, allow to stand for 10 minutes. Mix the cardamom powder and icing sugar in the milk. Beat the curd with mango pulp till creamy. Mix the milk mixture into the curd.

Transfer to a serving dish and refrigerate for 2 hours. Garnish with almonds, pistachio slices and honey. Decorate with pomegranate seeds and serve.

Cooks Note: Serves 2. Add more sugar if needed.

BREAD CAKE

Ingredients

Egg - 4 Nos.
Butter - 150 Grams.
Sugar - 200 Grams.
Maida - 3 Ta. Spoon
Raisins - 100 Grms.
Baking powder – ½ Tea spoon
Vanila essence - 1 Tea spoon
Caramal sugar – 2 Ta. Spoon
Bread - 10 slices (Powdered)

METHOD

Beat egg and add all ingrediance to mix properly. Put in a greased pan and steam for 45 Minutes.