Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients:

Beetroot               --   1 no medium size
Grated coconut --   ¼ cup
Ginger                   --   a small piece
Green chillies     --   2 nos
Thick curd           --   ½ cup
Red chilly            --   1 big
Curry leaves       --   3 - 4 leaves
Mustard seeds   --   1 tsp
Salt                         --   to taste
Oil                           --   1 tbsp, preferably coconut oil.

Preparation:

Peel and grate the beetroot. Add one slit green chilly, salt and a little water to the grated beet and cook until the water is absorbed.

Meanwhile coarsely grind grated coconut, ginger, ½ tsp mustard seeds, remaining green chilly and curry leaves.

Add ground coconut mixture to the cooked beetroot and let it just come to a boil. Remove it from the flame and keep aside. Slightly beat the thick yogurt and add to the beetroot mixture. Mix well.

Heat oil in a kadai or small pan, add the remaining mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add dry red chillies and switch off the flame. Fry it for few seconds and pour this over the pachadi.

Serve with hot rice.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The first time I made a pineapple upside down cake, I did not bother about its authenticity or origin or even how it is served. But I just followed the recipe from my friend and got a yummy outcome. This time, I just came across few pics of this upside down cake and there I noticed a cast iron skillet. That was a news to me and on further browsing I came to know that these upside cakes has its origin in the cast iron skillets.

This being an interesting fact, I thought of giving a try.  And now I am sure that I ll definitely make this many more times and this recipe is a sure keeper. Since I broke one whisk of my hand mixer, I wanted one recipe which does not call for beating egg whites to peak. That’s how I landed here and I wasn’t wrong.  – Quick, easy and yummy.

Ingredients:

Topping:

Unsalted Butter          --   5 tbsp
Dark brown sugar      --   ½ cup, firmly packed
Pineapple rings           --   7, I used Dole 20 oz can
Maraschino cherries --   7
Chopped walnuts        --   ½ cup

Cake:

Unsalted Butter          --   5 tbsp, softened
Granulated sugar       --   ¾ cup
Egg                                   --   1 large
Salt                                   --   1 tsp
Baking powder            --   2 tsp
Vanilla extract            --   1 tsp
All-Purpose Flour      --   1-1/3 cups
Whole milk                    --   ½ cup

Preparation of the cake:

Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F.

For the topping,  melt the butter over medium heat in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle brown sugar over it and stir.Swirl it and make sure you have an even layer. Once it start bubbling, remove from heat and keep aside.

Drain the rings from the pineapple can. Place the rings over the caramel. Place a cherry in the center of each ring. Sprinkle the chopped walnut in the remaining area over the caramel. Keep it aside.

Beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg, salt, baking powder and vanilla and beat well until combined. Divide the flour into 3 and add each portion followed by half of the milk and repeat, to end with the flour.

Carefully spread the cake batter over the pineapple rings and smoothen the top using a spatula or spoon.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Make sure you do not poke into the pineapple while testing the cake.

Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place the serving plate over the top of the skillet and flip over. Let the cake fall onto your serving plate. Remove the skillet. There might be pineapple rings or cherries sticking onto the pan. Never mind - Using a fork or spoon, pick it from the pan and place it on the cake. It would not be difficult/sticky as we have enough butter in the caramel.

Reciepe Courtesy : Food Family & Finds

Chilly Fish (with gravy)

Ingredients:

Fish                                    --   500 gms , I used tilapia but better to for harder fishes like salmon or king fish or tuna.
Soya Sauce                      --   1 tbsp
Corn flour                        --   4 - 5 tsp
Chilly powder                 --   2 tsp
Onion                                 --   1 medium size
Ginger                                --   2 tbsp, finely chopped
Garlic                                 --   2 tbsp, finely  chopped 
Green Chillies                 --   3 - 4
Capsicum                         --   1 ,  medium size
Green chilly Sauce       --   1 tbsp  + more as per your taste and tolerance
Tomato Sauce                --   2 tsp           
Pepper Powder              --   ½ tsp 
Spring Onion                   --   2 stalks
Coriander Leaves          --   to garnish
Oil                                         --   as required
Salt                                       --   to taste

 

Preparation of Chilly Fish:

Clean and cut the fish into cubes. Marinate it with 1 tbsp of soya sauce, 2 tsp corn flour, chilly powder and a little salt. Keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the onions and capsicum into small cubes, slit the green chillies and finely chop the ginger , garlic and spring onions.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish until they are cooked and slightly brown. Drain it into another bowl and keep aside.

In the same pan, add more oil if required and add the chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic. Fry until the onions are slightly transparent. Add the chopped capsicum. Fry for few minutes and then add the chopped spring onions. Fry for a couple more minutes.

Add the chilly sauce and the tomato sauce.Add water if required for gravy. Mix well.Add the fried fish, and give a stir to mix. Make sure not to break the fish pieces.

If more gravy is required or if the gravy is too thin, mix the remaining corn flour in ½ cup of water. Add this to the curry and let it slightly boil. Switch of the flame, sprinkle the pepper powder and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Recipe Courtesy : Amma