Beetroot Thoran / Stir Fry

My space here is filled in non-vegetarian recipes. Being from Kerala, where  a meal is not complete without a thoran / stir fry, I thought I need to have some of those here too.

The main reason why I do not have any such varieties is that I always cook for just two of us and never prepare as much as to fill in a bowl and click a picture – You know AJ was not a big fan of veggies; yeah I meant - “WAS” .

But nowadays I cook for 1 – 2 days at once and hence my veggie dishes also gets a chance to pose J

Ingredients(Serves 2 - 3):

Beetroot                      --   1 large
Green chillies            --   3 - 4
Shallots                       --   1 - 2
Turmeric powder   --   ¼ tsp
Shredded Coconut  --   ¼ cup
Mustard seeds          --   1 tsp
Red chillies                --   1 - 2
Curry leaves              --   8 - 10 leaves
Oil                                   --   1 tbsp
Salt                                --   To taste

Preparation of thoran:

Cut the beetroot into small pieces. You can also use a grater but I feel grating makes it sweeter and so I do cut them usually. Cut the shallots into thin slices and slit the green chillies.

Mix the beetroot,shallots,green chillies,shredded coconut,turmeric powder,salt and curry leaves. Rub them thoroughly with your hands.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the red chillies and fry for few seconds. Now add the beet mixture and close the pan with the lid.

Let it cook on a very low flame. Stir in between to make sure that it does not burn.

Serve hot with rice.

Chocolate cake in a mug

This is another recipe that I ve always bookmarked. And the day I saw @ Collaborative Curry; I decided not to bookmark it again but try it out at that moment. Yeah I made this long back and it now that my cake got a chance to take a place here. Thanks for the wonder recipe Nami..

Ingredients:

All purpose flour         --   5 tbsp
Granulated sugar       --   5 tbsp
Cocoa                               --   2 tbsp
Salt                                    --   a pinch
Baking powder            --   1/2 tsp
Egg                                    --   1 large
Milk                                   --   4 tbsp
Vegetable oil                 --   4 tbsp
Pure vanilla extract   --   1 tsp

Preparation of the cake:

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat the eggs in a another bowl. Add other wet ingredients and mix it well until they are blended together. Now add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Pour the batter into 2 tall microwave safe coffee mugs,half - filled. If you have short mugs you can use 3. I had one tall mug in which it came out perfect and the other was a bit short and the cake overflowed :), as you can see.

Microwave the mugs,one at a time for a minute. If it does not get done in a minute, keep for another 20-30 seconds. Make sure you do not overcook. Mine came out in 1 min and 10 sec. Let it cool and then enjoy.

Chocolate fudge

I always used to drool over the chocolate fudge in all my friends’ blog. I was a bit conscious on the calories and the extra pounds I would gain J. But that could not stop me from preparing this. My sweet chocolaty tooth and my calorie consciousness came to a compromise. So I halved the below quantity.  Also I kind of did a mix and match from a couple of recipes as I did not have all the ingredients from one recipe. But after all its all chocolate and this was yummy too…

Ingredients(Yields 16 decent size pieces):

Semisweet chocolate chips  --   1 cup
White chocolate chips            --   1 cup
Bittersweet chocolate            --   4 oz (a baking bar)
Condensed milk                         --   14 oz (1 tin)
Any nuts of your choice        --   1 cup - I used a mix of walnuts, brazil nuts,almonds and cashews.
Unsalted butter                         --   2 tbsp
Vanilla Extract                          --   1 tsp

Preparation of chocolate fudge:

  

First line the bottom and sides of a pan with parchment/al foil. If you are preparing with the above quantity use an 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan. I used a 4 x 8 x 2 pan (My lunch box).  

Melt all the chocolates in a pan on a low flame, stirring constantly. Make sure you do not burn the chocolate. You can also opt to use a double boiler to be on a safer side.  I was lazy to do so and did it directly on the stove.   

Once the chocolate melts and is smooth, switch off the flame, and add the condensed milk, butter and vanilla essence. Let the pan still be on the hot stove. Mix well until smooth.

  

Stir in the chopped nuts.

Spread the fudge into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. 

Let it cool and then refrigerate. Cut into pieces and enjoy...... yummmm......

Fish Curry

Ingredients(Serves 4):

Fish                              --    ½ kg
Onions/Shallots     --    ½ cup chopped(I always prefer shallots)
Garlic                          --    3 - 4  big cloves
Ginger                         --    1 big piece
Green chillies           --    2 - 3
Tomato                       --    1 medium
Turmeric powder   --    ¼ tsp + a pinch
Chilly powder          --    2 tsp
Tamarind                   --    a small ball (size as that of a walnut)
Ground coconut      --    ¼ cup
Mustard seed & curry leaves     --   For garnishing
Oil                                  --    3 tbsp (Preferably coconut oil)
Salt                               --    to taste

Preparation of Fish Curry:

Soak the tamarind ball in 2 cups of water. Clean the fish, cut into small pieces and keep it aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the finely chopped ginger,garlic and green chillies. Saute until the raw smell goes off and add the chopped onions.Saute until they are translucent and then add the chopped tomatoes. Saute until the tomatoes are squishy.

   

Meanwhile squeeze out the pulp/juice from the tamarind. Add more water, around half a cup, to squeeze out the juice, if required. Also grind the coconut with a pinch of turmeric powder. You should grind it into a smooth paste.

Add salt,turmeric powder and chilly powder to the onion-tomato mix and saute for a minute. Add the strained tamarind juice and let it boil. You can add more water depending upon the gravy required.

Add the fish and let the fish cook on a low flame. When the fish is half cooked add the ground coconut. Mix carefully making sure that you do not break the fish pieces. To be on a safer side, you can add the ground coconut before adding the fish. I do it both the ways depending upon the fish.

    

Fry the mustard seeds and the curry leaves in another pan and add it to the curry once the fish is completely cooked. Serve hot with rice.

This goes well with dosa/idly too.

Green Peas Curry

It’s been a while since I wrote something here other than the recipes. Nowadays I hardly find time to post the recipes and do some blog hopping. Work & Home Management… ufffff .. tiring… All working ladies, I admire and respect you now.. And all husbands who have set a “Lakshman Rekha” to the cooking & cleaning activities – Its time to wake up and help your better half. (Of course, Yes, AJ helps me a lot J)

Now this curry makes me really nostalgic. This was always a part of my lunch box, either with pathiri or idyappam or chapathi or even bread. I could have this 3 times a day and when I moved to hostel, this was the major dish I missed there.  I am sure anyone would love this curry…

Ingredients(Serves 4 - 5):

Green peas                    --    1 cup
Carrot                             --    ½ of a medium size one(optional - I add this at times).
Turmeric powder      --    ½ tsp
Coriander powder    --    2 tsp
Onion                              --    1 medium onion
Garlic                              --    2 medium cloves    
Ginger                            --    ½ inch piece
Green chillies              --    3 -4
Tomato                          --    1 medium size
Shredded Coconut    --   ½ cup
Coriander leaves      --   ½ cup chopped, loosely packed
Water                            --    1 cup
Oil                                   --    2 tbsp
Salt                                --   to taste

Preparation of Green peas Curry:
Soak the Green peas in water overnight.
Extract both thick and thin milk from the shredded coconut. If using ready made coconut milk/coconut milk powder, adjust water to get the thin & thick consistency.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute for a minute. Add the onions and saute until they are translucent and then add the chopped tomatoes. Saute until they are slightly mushy. Now add the masalas and fry until the raw smell goes off.
Add the soaked green peas and chopped carrot(if using).  Add water and mix well. Pressure cook for around 2 to 3 whistles or until done depending upon your pressure cooker. Let it cool and then open the cooker.

Add salt and the thin coconut milk and let it boil until the gravy thickens. Add the thick coconut milk and remove from fire as soon as it starts boiling. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.

Channa Masala

Ingredients:

White Chick peas /Channa --   2 cups
Onion                                           --   1½ medium size or 1 large

Tomato                                      --   2 medium size
Ginger                                         --   1 tsp
Garlic                                          --   1 tsp
Turmeric powder                  --   ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder                  --   1 tsp
Channa Masala powder     --   2 tsp
Coriander leaves                   --   ½ a cup, chopped
Lemon Juice                            --   2 tsp
Oil                                                 --   1 ½ tbsp
Salt                                              --   to taste 
Cloves                                        --   2
Cinnamon                               --   ½ inch piece
Fennel seeds                           --   1 tsp

Preparation of Channa Masala:

Soak the channa overnight and pressure cook until done. Keep aside, do not drain of the water.

Let it cool. Grind  ½ cup of cooked channa and keep aside.

Add oil in a pan, when hot, add hole spices and then add ginger and garlic and fry until the raw smell goes off. Then add the chopped onions and salt and fry until they are transparent. Add the tomatoes and fry until they are mushy.

      

Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and channa masala powder and fry until the raw smell goes off.

Now add the ground paste and saute in low flame for few minutes. Add the cooked channa, with the cooked water depending on the amount of gravy required. Mix well and let it cook on a low flame for 5 minutes.

    

Stir occasionally to make sure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.Switch off the flame when the gravy is of the required consistency.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice and Keep the pan closed for a while. Serve with hot poori or battoora.

Mango Pudding

Ingredients:

Philadelphia cream cheese  --   200gm
Mango puree                              --   1 can (3 ¼ cups)
Heavy Whipping cream        --    1 cup
Milk                                                --    1 cup
Sugar                                             --   1 cup
Powdered gelatin                    --   3 Tbsp(3 envelopes)

Preparation of pudding:

Sprinkle gelatin over milk and mix well. Heat it in a double boiler until all the gelatin granules melt. Don't boil the gelatin for long. Strain the gelatin and milk mixture to remove any lumps. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks.

Add in cheese, mango puree(you can use fresh mango puree or store bought ones. I ve used both.), sugar and mix well until well combined. I used an egg beater.

Add the cooled (make sure it is not hot and not cold, because gelatin sets as it starts to get cold) gelatin-milk mixture to this and mix well until well combined.

Pour in a large dish that can hold almost 2 liters of liquid and chill in the refrigerator for about 8 hours or until set. Serve cold. This can also be served in individual serving dishes.