Chicken Roast

Ingredients (Serves 6 - 7):

Chicken                   --   1 kg, approximately
Onion                       --   3 big, thinly sliced
Crushed garlic      --   1½ tbsp
Crushed ginger     --   1½ tbsp
Shallots                    --   15 - 20nos
Black pepper          --   1½ tbsp
Turmeric powder --   ½ tsp
Chilly powder        --   1½ tbsp, adjust accordingly - this level is above medium spicy.
Fennel seeds          --   ½ tsp
Garam Masala        --   1 tsp
Tomato Sauce        --   2 tbsp
Soya Sauce              --   1 tbsp
Coriander leaves   --   6 - 8 stalks, chopped
Mustard seeds        --   1 tsp
Curry leaves            --   1 sprig
Salt                              --   as required
Oil                                --   2 - 3 tbsp, I used coconut oil

Preparation:

Marinate the chicken with turmeric powder, crushed garlic, crushed ginger, pepper, chilly powder, garam masala, crushed fennel seeds, salt, roughly chopped shallots and one onion thinly sliced. Keep it aside for half an hour.

Cook the marinated chicken with half a cup of water in a pressure cooker / a wide pan until the chicken is well done. Cook with the lid open  until the gravy is semi thick consistency.

In a heavy bottomed pan, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves and the remaining two onions, thinly sliced and fry until the onions are golden brown. Add the tomato sauce and the soya sauce and saute for a minute.

                 

Add the cooked chicken to the fried onions and mix well.

                    

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.  Serve  hot with rice / chapathi.

Recipe Courtesy: Partially from Magic Oven

Mango Mousse Cake

This one was a real hit and I never had expected it to be. That forced me to have it here now. I did not actually plan this to take a place here and hence hadn't clicked any step-by-step pics. Now that I am sure to have this prepared many more times, I will definitely update this post with more pics.

Genoise Recipe:

All purpose flour --   1 cup
Baking powder      --   2 tsp
Salt                             --   ½ tsp 
Eggs                           --   6
Sugar                         --   1 cup
Vanilla                      --   1½ tsp 
Milk                           --   1/3 cup
Butter                       --   3 tbsp

Preparation:

I halved the above recipe for the mango mousse cake.

Line the 8" cake tin with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt 2 - 3 times. Keep aside. Melt the butter and add it in the milk and keep aside.

Separate the egg yolks and the whites.

Beat the egg white at a high speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, few tbsp at a time. Continue to beat until the egg whites form a peak stage. Add the yolks, one at a time and beat until the mixture falls like a ribbon.

Add the vanilla and mix well.

Divide the flour mixture into 3 and add a portion at a time into the egg mixture using minimun speed or you can also fold using your spatula. Mix until just combined.

Scoop 2 -3 tbsp of the batter into the milk mixture and mix well. Add this back to the batter and gently fold to mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top springs back when touched.

Cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.

Mango mousse:

Heavy whipping cream --     2 cups
Powdered Gelatin            --   5 tsp
Cold water                          --   5 tbsp
Mango puree                     --   2 cups
Powdered sugar               --   ½ cup , adjust according to the sweetness / sourness of the puree

Sugar Syrup                       --   ¼ cup sugar & ¼ cup water; you can substitute with any light juice of your choice.

Preparation:

Mix the mango puree with the powdered sugar, keep aside.

Prepare the sugar syrup by adding the sugar to water and let it boil for 2 – 3 minutes. Keep it aside and let it cool.
Chill the bowl and wire whisk in the freezer for an hour. Add the heavy cream and whip until soft peaks.
Soak the gelatin in the water for a few minutes. Heat the gelatin mixture just until dissolved. Bring it to room temperature.
Strain and add the gelatin mixture to the mango puree and mix well.
Add the mango mixture to the whipped cream and fold until well combined.

It is good to prepare the mousse when it is ready to assemble the cake. Else, the mousse might get set in bowl.

Cut the cake horizontally into 2 equal layers. Keep the first layer of the cake in a 9inch spring form pan.Make sure that the cake is in the center. Brush it nicely with sugar syrup / any favorite light juice.  Pour half of the mousse on top of the first layer. Fill the sides of the cake(we have an 8 inch cake in a 9 inch pan) and smoothen the top. Place the other half on top of the smoothened mousse. Brush it with the syrup and then pour the remaining mousse on top of this layer and let this also fill in the sides. Smoothen the top and also make sure that you have enough room for the glaze on the top of the pan.

Cover it with a plastic wrap / aluminum foil and chill it for 8 hours / overnight.

Mango Glaze:

Powdered Gelatin  --   3 tsp
Cold water                --   ½ cup
Mango puree           --   ½ cup
Powdered sugar     --   3 tbsp , adjust according to the sweetness / sourness of the puree

Preparation:

Soak the gelatin in ¼ cup of cold water. Add the sugar to the remaining water and heat it until the sugar is dissolved. Add the soaked gelatin to the hot sugar syrup and mix until the gelatin is dissolved.Heat more if required.Add it to the mango puree and let it cool to room temperature. Strain and pour it onto the chilled mousse. Keep it back in the fridge for another couple of hours and allow it to set.

Decorate as per your wish.

Recipe Courtesy - Mango mousse: A cup of cake

Idichakka Thoran / Tender Jackfruit Stir Fry

Ingredients (Serves 4 - 5):

Idichakka/Tender Jackfruit --   ½ kg, cubed
Turmeric powder   --   ½ tsp
Red chilly powder  --   ¼ tsp
Green chillies           --   2 - 3, depending upon the taste
Shallots                       --   3 small
Shredded coconut  --   ¾ cup
Mustard seeds          --   ½ tsp
Dry red chillies        --   2
Curry leaves             --   1 sprig
Salt                               --   to taste
Oil                                 --   as required

Preparation:

Cook the cubed idichakka with turmeric powder,chilly powder and salt adding enough water.Make sure that it is not over cooked. Drain the excess water. The frozen ones we get are in this form except for salt.

Crush the idichakka using a pestle or a mixer.Keep aside.

Crush the green chillies, shallots and the shredded coconut and mix this well with the crushed idichakka.

Heat oil in a pan,add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add dry red chilies and curry leaves and saute for couple of seconds.

Add the crushed mix and let it cook until dry and the raw smell of the shallots go off. Do a taste check and add more salt if required.

Serve with rice.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma

Muringa (Drumstick) Leaves Curry

Ingredients (Serves 3 - 4):

Muringayila (drumstick leaves) --   1 ½ cup
Toor dal                     --   ½ cup (optional)
Salt                               --   to taste
Shredded coconut --   1 cup
Green chilies            --   1
Cumin seeds             --   1 tsp
Turmeric powder   --   ¼ tsp + ¼ tsp(for dal)
Red Chilly Powder --   1 tsp + ½ tsp(for dal) - adjust according to your taste - this much is medium spicy

To temper:
Coconut oil               --   2 tbsp
Mustard seeds         --   ½ tsp
Shallots                      --   2
Red chilies                --   1

Preparation:

Separate the leaves from the stalks, wash and keep it aside.(This is the time consuming part J)

Grind together the coconut, green chillies, cumin seeds and turmeric powder. Keep aside.

If adding toor dal, cook the dal with ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp red chilly powder.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and let it sputter. Add in the sliced shallots and red chilies. Saute until the shallots are translucent and then add in the leaves and salt. Saute until they start to change the colour.

Add the cooked dal, if using.

Now add the ground paste to the mix and add required amount water (around a cup). Keep stirring and let it just start boiling. Switch off the flame and remove from the stove.

Serve hot with rice.