Crab Masala

Ingredients (Serves 5 - 6):

Crab                        --   1 kg
Onion                      --   1 large
Shallots                 --   6-8
Ginger                    --   a big piece / 2 inch piece
Garlic                     --   10 cloves    
Green chilly         --   3 - 4
Chilly powder     --   1 tsp +  ½ tsp
Chilly powder     --   1 tsp +  ½ tsp
Pepper powder  --   ½ tsp +  ½ tsp
Garam Masala   --   1 tsp
Turmeric powder --    ½ tsp
Curry leaves       --   a handful
Oil                            --   2 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Salt                          --   to Taste
Mustard seeds    --   1 tsp
Red chillies           --   2

Preparation:

Clean and cut the crab.

Cook crab with turmeric powder, ½ tsp chilly powder,  ½ tsp coriander powder,  ½ tsp pepper powder and a little salt until done. As any shell fish, the water that comes out of crab will be salty, so take care while adding salt.

Chop the onions,shallots, ginger and garlic into small pieces. Alternately you can crush them in a chopper. Slit the green chillies.

   

Heat oil in a pan, I prefer coconut oil and add all the chopped ingredients into it. Add the curry leaves. Saute until the onions are light brown in colour. Add the remaining masalas and saute until the raw smell goes off.

Now add the crab along with the water if any is left. Mix well and simmer until the masala is well blend and the gravy is thick enough, if you had more water. If you don't have water left in the cooked crab, you can also add  half a cup of water so that the masala and the crab is well blend.

Heat oil in another pan. Splutter the mustard seeds and cut red chillies and more curry leaves if you like them. Pour it over the crab masala.

Serve hot with rice or any breads.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma 

Coconut Burfi

Ingredients (Yields - an 8x8 inch dish, approximately 16 pieces)

Shredded coconut --   1 cup (preferably only white part)
Sugar                          --   1 cup
Milk                             --   ¼ cup
Cardamom               --   2 - 3 powdered
Ghee                            --   as required to grease the dish.

Preparation:

Prepare a heat proof dish greased with ghee.

Add sugar and grated coconut in a heavy bottomed pan and keep it on the stove. Once the sugar starts to melt, add milk.

On a medium flame and stir continuously. Add cardamom powder when it is half done.

  

Stir till it thickens and bubbles at the edges of the pan. This is very important to notice this. If it is not done upto this stage, the burfi will be too soft.

Optionally you can add few drops of desired colour or essence at this stage.

Quickly transfer it to the prepared dish (might need some help at this stage) and let it cool. Before it is completely hard, cut it into desired shapes.

Let it cool completely.Delicious burfi is ready.

 Recipe Courtesy: Amma 

Bread Upma

Just a variety for the breakfast when I am bored of the usual Bread and Omlette.

Ingredients (Serves – 2) :

Onions                   --   ½ of a medium size
Tomato                 --   ½ of a medium size
Green Chillies     --   1 or 2
Pepper Powder --   1 tsp
Eggs                       --   2
Bread                     --   4 - 5 slices
Mustard seeds   --   for tadka
Oil                           --   1 tbsp
Salt                        --   as required

Preparation:

Heat oil in a pan. Throw in the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
Add the finely chopped onions and slit green chillies. Add the chopped tomatoes. Saute until the onions and tomatoes are slightly mushy.

 

Lower the flame to minimum. Break the eggs and pour it directly into the mix. Add salt and pepper. Before the eggs are completely cooked, add the bread slices, chopped into smaller pieces. I chop a normal size slice into 9 usually.
Mix well and let the eggs cook completely. Serve hot.

Recipe Courtesy: Myself