Chettinad Liver pepper Fry

Ingredients

Liver-250 Gms (cut into very small pieces)
 small onions-100 gms
Chopped tomato-1
Chopped garlic-2
Ginger Garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Chili powder -1tsp

corriander powder-2teaspoon
Freshly ground pepper-1 teaspoon

oil -3 tsp

For seasoning

Cinnamon-2 small pieces

cardamon-2 nos

cloves -4 nos
Fennel seeds-1 tsp
Curry leaf-little

Procedure

Heat oil in a pan add the seasoning items

 Add onions sauté it till it turn translucent

Then tomatoes, ginger, garlic paste one by one and cook in medium flame.

 Now add the small liver pieces and sauté till they turn white.

 Now add turmeric powder and a cup of water. Keep the flame in medium. Cook for 5 minutes .

 Then add chili powder,corriander powder and the salt . 

Add little water

 When the curry turns to your desired consistency add the pepper powder. Mix well. Cook for 2 more minutes.

 cook till the oil separates. 

Chettinad Poondu Kuzhambu

Ingredients 

small onion - 125 gms

Garlic - 50 gms

Tamarind - lemon  size - approximately 40 grams,

Sesame seed oil - 4 tbsp

Turmeric- 1/2 tsp

chilli powder - 1 tsp

corriander powder 2 tsp

Tomato - 2nos

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Fenugreek  seeds- 1/2 tsp

Red chillies - 3nos

curry leaves - 1 spring

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required 

Preparation

Soak tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes.Then extract the juice (around 3 cups) and discard the pulp.

Peel the onions and garlic and cut it into half if it is big.

Heat sesame seed oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add fenugreek seeds, hing and curry leaves.

Then add garlic and  onions and saute nicely for a few minutes.

Then add the tomatoes ,

Add masala powder, salt and tamarind water and bring it to boil.

Keep it in medium flame and cook till it thickens and oil separates.

Chettinad Meen Kozhambu

Ingredients

King fish -250 gms
Small onion -50 gms
Tomato -2nos 
Green chillies- 2 nos 
Garlic - 5 cloves
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Tamarind – 1 medium sized lemon 
Curry leaves – 1 spring
Mustard Oil – 2 tbsp

For seasoning: 
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp

To dry roast and grind:
Red chillies - 5nos
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Pepper -1tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2tsp
Fennel seeds – ¼ tsp
Coconut – 3 table spoon

Directions


Soak the tamarind in one cup of  water .  After sometime squeeze and extract the juice and keep it aside.

Marinate the fish with Turmeric powder and salt rest it for 30mins

In a panheat oil and season with mustard, Green chillies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.

Once it splutters, add chopped onion, tomato, minced garlic with little salt. Saute it until the tomato cooks 

After that add the dry roasted, ground spices, turmeric powder and tamarind water. Allow to boil till the raw smell goes; add fish, once the oil starts floating.

Simmer it for 15 mins 

Adjust the seasoning

Spinach and Sun dried Tomato Frittata

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped 
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 3 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Sun-dried tomatoes, about 2 Tbsp chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 oz goat cheese

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 250 degrees

2 Cook spinach in 1/4 cup of water in a covered saucepan until just wilted, a couple minutes. Drain water and set aside.

3 In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Add in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

4 Sauté onions in olive oil in an oven-proof, stick-free skillet, until translucent, about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Add garlic and cook a minute further. Add cooked spinach and mix in with onions and garlic.

5 Spread out spinach mixture evenly on bottom of skillet. Pour egg mixture over spinach mixture. Use a spatula to lift up the spinach mixture along the sides of the pan to let egg mixture flow underneath.

 

6 Sprinkle bits of goat cheese over the top of the frittata mixture. When the mixture is about half set, put the whole pan in the oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until frittata is puffy and golden. Remove from oven with oven mitts and let cool for several minutes. 

Tuna and Macaroni Salad

Ingredients 


Macaroni boiled -2 cups
Sour cream-2tsp
Mayonnaise-4 tsp
Celery -1 stalk
onions-1/2  finely chopped
Tuna canned-1 nos
olive oil -2 tsp
salt -1 tsp
pepper-1/2 tsp
Black olives-2 tsp
cherry tomatoes-15 nos halved
Basil leaves-1 small bunch fine cut


Method

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and cool.
2. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, onion, celery, olives,cherry tomato, tuna, and salt and pepper into macaroni. 
3. finish with basil and serve cold

Home made Guacamole

Guacamole, a dip made from avocados, is originally from Mexico. 

The name is derived from two Aztec Nahuatl words – ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). The trick to perfect guacamole is using good, ripe avocados. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe. If there is a lot of give, the avocado may be past ripe and not good. In this case, taste test first before using.

 

Perfect Guacamole Recipe

• Prep time: 10 minutes

All you really need for guacamole is ripe avocados and salt. After that, the next most important ingredient is lime juice (or lemon if you don't have lime). Then come the cilantro, chiles, onion, and tomato.

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped 
• 1-2  chilles, stems and seeds removed, minced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro (leaves and tender stems), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

METHOD

1 Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl. 

2 Using a fork, roughly mash the avocado. (Don't overdo it! The guacamole should be a little chunky.) Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness. Be careful handling the peppers; wash your hands thoroughly after handling and do not touch your eyes or the area near your eyes with your hands for several hours.

Chilling tomatoes hurts their flavor, so don't chop the tomatoes or add to the guacamole until ready to serve.

Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.

3 Just before serving, chop the tomato, add to the guacamole and mix.

Home made Hummus and Tahini

Hummus is commonly used as a dip or an appetizer in the Middle East. It is also served as an accompaniment to falafel,sandwiches,salad,crackers etc.Hummus makes for a great snack or appetizer. Tahini is an important part of the hummus recipe.

Hummus is a healthier  option ,it  is high in iron and vitamin C and also has significant amounts of folate and vitamin B6. The chickpeas are a good source of protein and dietary fiber;tahini consists mostly of sesame seeds, which are an excellent source of the amino acid methionine, complementing the proteins in the chickpeas.

Tahini

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of sesame seeds

,1 tablespoon of lemon juice,

1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic,water and salt to taste.

Method-
Toast sesame seeds for 2-4 minutes in the oven, tossing the seeds frequently with a spatula. Do not allow to brown.Let it cool down.Pour sesame seeds into food processor and add water. Blend for 2 minutes.Then add lemon juice,garlic and salt. Check for consistency.

It should be thick, yet  of pourable texture.Tahini can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container  for up to 3 months.

Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 cup  of chickpeas (Soaked overnight and then boiled)
• 1/4 cup liquid from boiled chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves roasted garlic,
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Soak the chickpeas overnight and then boil them till they crack open.Allow them to cool down.Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid. Pour the chickpeas in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Then add tahini,garlic,olive oil,salt and lemon juice and blend again.

Green pea and Spinach soup

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups veg stock 
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp black peppercorn
250 gms green peas
400 gms Spinach
4 teaspoons plain  yogurt, 

Directions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over moderately-low heat. Add the onion, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock  and  black pepper and bring to a boil. Add the peas ,spinach  and cook just until it gets soft. Finish with yogurt.

In a blender, puree the soup in  until very smooth.

Roasted Cauliflower soup

Ingredients

• 2 nos. cauliflower florets
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp oil
• 2 tsp pepper
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cups veg stock
• 1 2/3 cups heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Preheat an oven to 425F. Toss cauliflower, onions, and garlic together in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the vegetables with the oil, season them with the pepper and thyme, and toss lightly to coat. Roast the vegetables uncovered for 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown.

Place the roasted vegetables into a large saucepan with the  stock and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and salt; heat through. Puree the soup with  blender . Serve hot.

Mint Infused Strawberry Bisque

Ingredients

Strawberry         - 125 gms
Mint leaves          - 1 bunch
Sugar                    - 50 gms
Sour cream            - 3 tsp
Heavy Cream         - 25 gms

Method

Make a simple syrup with sugar and water
Wash the mint leaves and add to the syrup boil it together
Wash the strawberry and add to the syrup
Add the heavy cream and sour cream to it
Stir it and simmer it for 10 mins
Cool it and blend it

Potato and Leeks Soup

Ingredients 
 
Potato - 500 gms
leeks - 1 nos
onions-50 gms
milk- 250 gms
peppercorn- 2tsp
garlic- 3cloves
salt as required
oil or butter - 2tsp

Directions 

Peel and cube the potatoes
Heat oil in a pan add onions garlic and peppercorns
Once the onions becomes translucent add the potatoes and celery
Add water and bring to boil
Reduce the flame and simmer it
Cook it till the potatoes are well cooked
Coarsely crush the potatoes don't mash it well
Add milk and bring to boil
 adjust the seasoning

Carrot Ginger and Coconut Soup

Ingredients

Carrots -450 gms
Ginger -50 gms
Coconut milk -100 ml
oil    - 3 tsp
onions - 100 gms
garlic- 5 cloves
peppercorns- 1 tsp
salt as required
coriander leaves


Method

chop the onions and ginger
grate the carrots

Heat oil in a sauce pan then add the onion garlic and peppercorn
once the onions becomes translucent add the grated carrots and ginger
saute it in medium flame
cover it and cook it well
once the vegetables get soften add the coconut milk and water and allow it to boil
reduce it and simmer for 15 mins
cool it and blend in a blender
check the seasoning
heat it again
finish with coriander leaves

Quinoa Salad

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the "International Year of Quinoa"  in recognition of ancestral practices of the Andean people, who have preserved quinoa as food for present and future generations, through knowledge and practices of living in harmony with nature. The objective is to draw the world’s attention on the role that quinoa plays in providing food security, nutrition and poverty eradication

Quinao is a delicious whole grain that was prized by the incas for its nutritive value ,in fact its the only grain contains all the essential amino acids making it a complete protein 

How to Boil Quinao 

Rinse quinoa for about 2 minutes, using your hands to make sure all the saponins are removed.
Fill a medium pot with water, add quinoa and salt to taste and bring to a boil. When the water boils, reduce heat to low and cover; simmer covered 5 minutes. Removefrom heat and keep covered an additional 5 minutes without lifting the lid; then fluff with a fork and set aside  to cool.

Cover quinoa with water using at least twice the amount of water to quinoa. Soak quinoa in a bowl for 12 hours. Using running water, place the grains in a jar with a screen or cheesecloth lid; or use some other sprouting apparatus. Rinse seeds twice a day. Lay the jar sideways to give them room to grow. Cover the jar with a dark cloth loosely so that air can move through the lid. The grain is soft when finished, and best eaten in 2-3 days. 

Quinao Salad / Summer Salad 

Ingredients 

Quinao uncooked -2 cups

tomatoes - 2nos

onions-1 nos 

cucumber - 1nos

avacado- 1nos

jalapenos - 1nos

parsley - small bunch

mintleaves-06 leaves

dry cranberries - 50 gms

oilive oil - 4tsp

lemon - 2nos

lime- 2nos

Method

Cook the quinao as mentioned above

dice all the vegetables 

mix the quinao with vegetables 

whisk lemon and lime juice with oil and salt 

toss it with quinao 

adjust the seasoning if required 

serve cold 

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Sodhi / Thenga Paal Kulambu

Sodhi is a very popular South Indian  dish prepared using certain vegetables and coconut milk. 
Its a very mild flavored  curry and very easy one to prepare.
and  yet tastes so great
 It was almost like mor kozhambu that has a runny watery consistency.  
The curry is basically prepared with thin and thick coconut milk then flavored with cinnamon; and the addition of  lemon enhances the flavors. 

In Tamilnadu you can find a little sweet version and in Srilanka you can find it spicy 

Ingredients 

Coconut - one medium sized coconut 

Urad Dhal - 5 tablespoons 

Small onions - 5 to 8 

Carrots - 1 (cut in small cubes)

Beans - 10 (cut in medium sizes)

Potato - 1 (peeled and diced into small sized cubes) 

Drumstick -1 (cut in to small size)

Green chillies - 3 nos slited 

Garlic pod - 2 nos

Lemon - Juice from half of a lemon 

Curry leaves - A handful 

Cinnamon stick - 2 small pieces

Turmeric powder - 2 pinches 

Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp

Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp

Salt - As per taste 

Oil - 1 tablespoon 

Method 

Wash urad dhal and boil it . The dhal should be well cooked 

Grate the coconut and add water and grind again into a fine paste. Then strain using  a white cloth and squeeze out the thick milk. Set this aside, do not discard the ground coconut mixture, you will need it to extract thin milk. To extract thin milk pour some water to the coconut mixture mix well and extract thin milk from it and set aside. 

Now place a  kadai on heat add oil crack mustard seeds ,fenugreek seeds and curry leaves  pour the second coconut milk into it and add the chopped onions, carrots, beans, cubed potatoes, drumstick slit green chilly, garlic pods, a small cinnamon stick, add salt, turmeric powder and cook on low flame.  

When the vegetables gets half cooked add the cooked dhal stir well. Check for salt and add if needed. 

Close the pot with a lid and cook until the vegetables are done. 

Open the pot and pour the thick coconut milk after the veggies gets cooked well, stir well. Remove from flame when it boils, do not cook further. Pour the lemon juice now and remove from flame.