Tuna in Grated coconut(Meen Peera)

Meen peera works well with small fish.But its hard to get podi meen:-)(small fish)here in US of A!...So an easy subsitute seems to be canned tuna.we can also try this using prawns.

Tuna-contents from 3 small cans (drained)

Ginger – 1/2” piece
Garlic pods – 3 nos
Green chillies – 4nos or as reqd

Grated coconut – 1/2 cup or as reqd
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Kudampuli – 3 – 4 nos or as reqd

Shalotts(Kunjulli) – 6 nos

Curry leaves – Plenty

Salt – As reqd

Cococnut oil – 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds-1/2 teaspoon

Preparation Method
1.Grind coconut with ginger, green chillies,shallots and garlic.

2)Mix drained tuna with the above mixture, turmeric, kudampuli, curry leaves, salt and little water. blend it well.keep it aside

3)Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.

4)Put the tuna mixture into the pan.

5)Allow it to boil and keep it on low flame, till it gets cooked and partially dry.

6)Once cooked drizzle a little cocunut oil and take off from the flame.

A baby shower cake!!!

Well it was not an easy task...

vat do u do

when your cake breaks into half while setting?

when you run short of icing?

when you feel tat this was not the colour you imagined it would become?

haaaa..Lots of trouble.......Thus my attempt to decorate a cake was a little messy.But the good thing is that now i have the answers to all those:-)

Hats off to all those ladies who decorates their cake s with so much of professionalism!

ELMO cupcakes!

The theme for my friend 'B' 's kid's second birthday party was Elmo-a furry red muppet on the children's television show Sesame Street.The kids in love with this red monster with those big googly eyes and gum ball like nose.so B ordered the entire Sesame Street character cookies as party favours.To brighten things further there were Elmo plates,Elmo cups,Elmo cake,Elmo pinatas...it was fun and ofcourse my first ever cupcake.The idea for Elmo cupcakes was taken from the cupcake blog-http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/

It is fun decorating a cupcake provided you have time and patience ...i tried making the cupcakes from the scratch..the base is chocolate..The red grass on the cake is butter cream icing and used the icing tip #233.The eyes are marshamallows and black jelly beans and nose is an orange candy which resembles gum balls.

For m ore pics visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthwalks/

Breaking the B-R-E-A-K..

Spicy ulli chammanthi(with kappa n fish curry)

shallots-10

green chilly-3

vinegar-1 tablespoon

salt to taste

Crush the shallots and green chillies together and season it with vinegar and salt..

This ones my all time favourite!

Simple decorated sponge cake..

If you are the kind of person who has had many unsucessful attempts on decorating a cake like me...this one should not let you down:-)

Sifting sugar over a template makes a very quick, simple and stunning decoration.we can easliy make a template by drawing a pattern on clean card or wax paper and cutting it out cleanly.Just that you have to be genorous with sugar to give a strong design or colour the sugar with edible powder colours:-)Here's my first successful decorated cake.

Decorating a sponge cake:-

1)Dredge the top of the cake with confectioner's sugar.place any template of your choice(i chose a star) in position,laying them gently over the sugar.Dredge with unsweetened cocoa.

2)Use tweezers to remove the template,taking care not to split cocoa on the sugar.

And for the reason behind making this cake??

My buddy Maria of Maria'sMenu have passed on the rocking blogger award to Godzown!! Thanks to her for inspiring me to blog:-)

“The Rocking Girl Blogger Award” is for blogger’s ,who are girls or women, who blog and who Rock!!

I would like to pass on this award to Mini of Mini's Kitchen who started a blog recently dedicated to the 'Starters' in cooking.For all of us who miss our mothers cooking this blog is the one you are looking for!!!

I dedicate my simple decorated sponge cake to all the Rocking bloggers!!:-))

Cheers

GODZOWN

Fish curry-the bong way!

From what i have read and heard from people Bengal too is land of paddy fields and rivers full of fish just like Kerala.so why not explore their fish curry.The recipe above was adapted from a recipe found on the net.This meen curry should be a welcoming change for all of us who are used to cook fish with the kudampuli.Moreover this is the first time ever that i tasted bay leaves in fish.Myself and my hubby enjoyed this.hope you like this too!

For curry

8 pieces medium King fish

1 tblsp red chilli powder

4 dry red chillies

salt to taste

1 tsp mustard paste

2 green chillies slit

2 tblsp coriander powder

1 tblsp garlic paste

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 bay leaf

2 cup onions chopped

1 tblsp ginger paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

For marination

2 tblsp lemon juice
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

Preparation:-
Marinate the fish with limejuice, turmeric powder and salt.
Keep aside for 30 minutes or else marinate it overnight.
Heat up a pan, mix in 1 tblsp oil, shallow fry marinated fish from both sides until slightly browned.
Take off and keep aside.

Heat up remaining oil, mix in mustard seeds, ,whole dry red chillies and bay leaf, stir fry for a few minutes till seeds crackles, mix in ginger, garlic paste and stir fry again for a moment.
Mix in cut onion and stir fry until slightly brown in colour.
Mix in mustard paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder, stir fry masala nicely until oil starts separating.
Adjust water and salt, bring to boil and then mix in shallow fried fish, put green chilli slits on top.
Stir fry on a slow flame until fish get cooked and oil starts floating on top of gravy.
Take off from the flame.

Source-Indian food forever

Chicken PUFFS..

Spicy chicken puffs.. a cup of tea..and all those memorable school days!!!

This one was made with additional layer to get tat extra 'puffness' just like the ones you get in bakeries.loved spilling those pastries on my dress..even nw i enjoy that.lol.

My first experiment was a disaster it looked sick!Was using phyllo sheets then.The only reason to grab them from the store was the tag FAT FREE.But again its no sin to overlook them once a while.so the next experiment was with pepperridge's pasrty sheets.I was quite happy with the end result.It tasted just like those we get from bakeries.so if u think your puff is not tasty blame it on the pasrty sheet:-)

The packet will have 2 sheets and it can make upto 12 medium puffs.

The filling is just a variant of the mix we use for making cutlet.

Minced chicken-2 cup

chopped onions-1

green chilly-3

garam masala-1 teaspoon

chicken /meat masala-1 1/2 teaspoon

corainder powder-1 teaspoon

turmeric powder-a pinch

ginger /garlic paste-1 tablespoon

chopped curry leaves-1 string

chopped corainder leaves-2 tablespoon

pepper-1/2 teaspoon

soy sauce-1 tablespoon

crushed fennel seeds-1 teaspoon

i also added a pinch of dry oregano leaves.

salt- to taste

Beaten egg-1

Filling

Saute the onions with ginger garlic paste and salt followed by all the masalas.once the oil is cleared put the chopped chicken and saute them for a while.i used canned chicken so it was already salted.if using fresh chicken cook them with a litlle salt and pepper beforehand.

Sheet

Once thawed unfold the pastry sheets onto a surface dusted with flour.This is to prevent them from sticking.cut them according to your requirement.small..medium or large.Three vertical and one horizontal cut will help you make a medium puff.

Brush the beaten egg on to the sheets and then spoon the filling.Stick the ends together by pressing the corners and seal them with your hands.once sealed brush the beaten egg once again on the outer surface.

preheat the oven to 350 F and let them bake for 15-20mts.

Broccoli and parippu thoran

Never been a broccoli fan till i had itwith dal.Most of the times i used to keep aside the broccoli to one corner of my plate!Especially at the Thai and chinese restaurants where they would bring any curry with tonnes of broccoli in it ..that too without the chopping off the big stalks...mhhh..whereas my hubby happily chews the broccoli however you give him.well i had this thoran at my friends place and became an instant fan,the reason being it was finely chopped and mixed well with dal.so fan of broccoli or dal?thats a question:-).so this ones for all broccoli lovers like me!:-)

Red Gram(Thuvaraparippu)-1/4 cup
Broccoli-1/2 cup(finely choppped)

Trim off the tough ends of the stalk.use the florets.

Shredded cocunut-4 tablespoon
green chilli-3-4nos
garlic-2cloves
curry leaves- 1 strind
shallots 3-4
mustard seeds-1/2 teasoon
turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
Dry red chilly-1
salt - to taste
oil-as required

Cook the red gram separately in a pan with little salt and a pinch of turmeric powder.make sure its not overcooked.once done remove from heat.
Meanwhile mix together the finely chopped broccoli, shallots, chillies,grated coconut,turmeric powder and salt.
Heat oil in a pan or a kadai. Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
Then add dry red chilly and curry leaves to it.
Now add the mixture into the kadai and allow to cook it on low flame.
Once the broccoli is cooked put the dal in.Mix them well.Cook the mixture for 2 more minutes.Remove from heat.
Serve hot!

Courtesy-Sheba

strawberry picking..weekend project

Strawberry smoothie

Guess there is no hard and fast rule for making a smoothie.whatever comes in hand
and is available is blend in together.:-)Here's the one i tried.
Flavoured yogurt-1/2 cup
strawberries-4-5nos
mango juice-1/4th cup
or 1 Ripe mango
ice cubes-5-6
blend in..and enjoy!


The strawberry farm

Our pick

Mango Frappe

Well..this was all about getting inspired by a pic..a picture of a lady(happens to be my best pal:-) )sitting next to dozens of finely displayed mangoes at the koyambedu market,chennai.This image stirred emotions across USA and UK....But the availability of fresh naadan mangoes at these places are at the mercy of the indian stores and it seems that the same night a UK pravaasi who happen to see the pic got into 2-3 Desi stores searching for the perfect mangoes only to be disappointed.such is the power of a Mango!!

Back here too i had to satisfy myself with a can of mango puree .Then the next thought is obviously what all to do with a puree?Mango shakes will be a little outdated..well indianfoodforeever gave an insight on how to make a Mango Frappe. The frappe is all about creating a frothy top or foam.The foam itself has no effect on the actual taste of the drink , and in fact, the drinker generally utilizes a straw to prevent contact with the foam. But the foam is now considered an integral part of the frappe, and many people love the texture and the taste of the foamy top. Frappe lovers will not consume the drink without the proper amount of foam present!!!But i guess my mixer was not well enough to create that distinguised look.didnt have a blender with me:-( shoulf defnitely try it next time.

Ingredients:
a drop of Vanilla extract

11/2 cup Mango cut

1 teaspoon Lemon juice

4 to 6 Ice cubes

1 cup Milk

2-3 tblsp Sugar

How to make mango frappe:
Place cut mango in freezer for 30 minutes.
Combine mango, milk, sugar, juice, and vanilla in a blender; process until smooth.
Add ice cubes
Serve immediately.

Coutesy-Wikipedia and indianfoodforever.

Pineapple Souffle

Been hunting for a simple pineapple souffle recipe for some time..have heard stories about one of my aunt who had to spend 2-3 hours to make those yummy souffles...They are essentially made with eggyolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a main dish or sweetened as a dessert.
well i was lazy to to beat eggs or make a cream puree which forms the base of souffles.so i filtered my search..without eggs or milk..mhhh.And my hunt came to an end when i came across the site flavours of india..loved the recipe for its simplicity and ease of preparation.since then i been stocking condensed milk and pinepaple slices(2 imp ingredents).so this is pineapple souffle-milk-egg...lol.literally this can be termed as pineapple pudding..no i want to call them souffle:-) Love ya soufflle!

Gelatine 2 tsp

Condensed milk -i can

Water 1/3 cup

lemon juice-3tablespoon

Cream 250 gms

Powdered sugar 1 tbsp

Pineapple essence 1 1/2 tsp

Yellow colour A few drops(optional)

Pineapple slices 1 tin - at room temperature(works well with mango pulp too ..so make it your mango souffle!hws tat)

Add the gelatine to 1/2 cup of boiling water. (boil water in a microwave for abt 90sec that is more easy).Stir continuosly till it dissolves. keep it aside.

Beat condensed milk till light and creamy.

Add the pineapple syrup,lemon juice and the chopped pineapple pieces to the condensed milk.

Add 1/3 cup of water to that.

pour the gelatine solution into the condensed milk mixture, stirring continuously.

Put in the freezer till thick. Be careful not to set it by keeping it for too long in the freezer. (1/2 hour is ideal)

Remove from freezer and beat again till smooth.

Beat the cream well and add powdered sugar,essence and colour.Mix the cream mixture to the beaten pinapple -condensed milk .

Beat all once again and put it back in to the freezer for another 15-20 minutes. Remove from freezer.

Keep it in the fridge till serving.

**make sure that the gelatine solution is not too hot and is brought to the room temperature before mixing them with the condensed milk.

Guacamole

Hey...tired of having the same dips and relishs again and again?Try this mexican dip if you dont wish to consume harmful cholesterol and saturated fats..The main ingredient in guacamole is Avacado.. This fruit ranks highest in the certain key nutrients that can promote optimum growth and help protect against a variety of diseases!!!so next time u munch tortillas ..dip them in this buttery guacamole.One more secret.. avocados are good for your skin and hair too. Mashing an avocado and rubbing it into your hair for five minutes after washing will add luster to your hair.In South Africa, an avocado mask made of mashed avocados, honey, and lime juice is applied to the face as a moisturizing treatment to counteract the drying effects of the hot sun.Now ..now..why did i go to south africa...my best buddy(from god's own) says she has this tree at her backyard and has been using the same as a face pack!!!! additional info..she's becoming prettier day by day...lol.i bet you wanna try this:-)The fruit is called 'venna pazham' or 'mutta pazham' in malayalam and Butter fruit in english. The last two pics of avacado were sent by the same friend when she went home(kottayam).Thanks to her for making my blog green:-)

I Tried my first ever Guacamole at a friend's place...i still remember how this Mexican appetizer awakened by taste buds.This is how you make this..

4 large ripe avocadoes ,pitted and peeled.(pick those ones which have the stickers marked RIPE on them.They are the best.Or check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of an avacado.)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 medium onion, diced
3/4 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 large tomato, diced

2-3 green chillies

salt to taste

3 cloves of garlic(optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin(optional) if you love these flavours add them too.

Adjust each of these ingredients to your own tastes and preferences.

Method:-

1.Using a fork,coarsely mash avocados in a bowl with lemon juice .

2.Add tomato,onion,chopped coriander leaves,green chillies,salt and stir to blend..Adjust seasoning to taste.

3.Serve with Tortilla chips.

Recipe courtesy-My friend Manju

Apple Bread

For the bread

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs (if its medium use 3nos)

1/2 cup(1 stick)butter,softened

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teasoons vanilla extract

2 apples (peeled and chopped)

Topping

2 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teasppon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon brown sugar

Preparation

1.Preheat oven to 35oF

2.To prepare the topping,combine flour,granualted sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.cut in butter until crumbly.set aside.

3.To prepare the bread,combine flour,baking soda and salt in a medium bowl

4.Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.beat in eggs,lemon juice and vanilla.

5.Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until moistened.add apples and stir gently to combine.

6.Spoon half of the batter into a buttered 9-by 5 inch loaf pan.sprinkle with half of the topping and then with brown sugar and fill rest of the batter into another pan of same size.You can make 2 loaves with this batter.

7 Bake for 25-30 mts or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.remove bread from the pan and set it on a rack to cool.

Source:cooking in style -The costco way

Lemony Jam Roll

Egg - 5 nos at room temperature

Flour-1 cup

Granulated sugar - 1 cup

Lemon zest - 2 teaspoon

Lime juice - 2 tablespoon

Jam - Half cup(of your choice)

Powdered sugar - for coating

1.Line 15 by 10 by 1-inch pan with wax paper.

2.Separate yolks from white .

3.Beat yolks;add sugar while beating

4.Add lemon peel,lemon juice into the yolk and beat until mixture is thick and coloured.

5.In another large bowl beat egg whites .

Bring in half flour, half egg white to the above yolk mixture alternating ingredients.

6.Spread batter uniformily on to the pan.

7.Bake at 375F for about 12-15 mts until GOLDEN not brown.

8.With spatula loosen edges from pan,invert into a linen towel thats dusted with

powdered sugar .peel off the wax paper

.

9.Roll up cake when its still warm .

10After its cool,spread jam.trim edges of cake if necessary and roll up again Refrigerate for a while and keep outside.later store at room temperature.

Note:-
You can put a wax paper on top of the linen towel so that you can be sure that it peels off well without being sticky.



Source-Food magazine

Stuffed Mushrooms

Last week one of my friend came down with a packet of button mushrooms and mozarella cheese.Then it was experiment time.The end result was a stuffed mushroom.
what did we do exactly???we did this in two parts first ...cleaning the mushroom and then the stuffing. heres how we dealt wiht the mushroom.

Individually stem the mushrooms and scoop out the unwanted.The stems are to be chopped and used for the filling.
so what is left behind is a mushroom bowl.
Then boil half a litre of water with salt in it...once it starts boiling put the cleaned mushrooms into that.then drain out the water after 2-3 minutes(make sure that its just soft and has not become too spongy).Then jus absorb the water in the mushrooms by using a tissue paper .keep it aside.

Preparing the filling....


Buttoon mushrooms-20 nos
chopped onion -1
chopped green pepper-1
garlic-3 cloves
ginger paste -1/2 teaspoon.
turmeric powder-a pinch
chilly powder-1/4 tsp
soya sauce-3tbsp
tomato sauce-1tbsp
pepper-crushed-1 tbsp
coriander leaves-one small bunch finely chopped
mozarella cheese-1/4 cup(finely grated)
olive oil-to saute the above
salt -to taste

1.Heat the olive oil in the saute pan.
2.Followed by ginger /garlic
3.once its done bring the chopped onions into the pan...put in a little salt at this time.
4 Followed by green pepper,coriander leaves,chopped mushroom stem,masalas and the sauce. saute them for 4-5 mts till u get all the flavours
5.once its done keep it aside.

Spoon in this stuffing to the boiled mushrooms ..and then top it with the mozarella cheese .
use the cheese to completely cover the top portion of the mushroom.

Preheat the oven to 350 F .set the whole thing for about 20-25 mts..with an occasional peep to make sure that u take it out as soon as you see the cheese starts metling and gets sticky.

Then decorate with coriander leaves or dill.and NJOY!

Note:-mushrooms may cause indigestion for few..so if u have such problems avoid them.