Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Sambhar(kerala dishes)

Ingredients

Tur dal - 100gms
Drumstick - 2 (medium sized)
Brinjal - 1
Medium Onion - 2 (Cut into 6 pieces)
Medium sized potato - 1 (peeled and cut into very small pieces)
Sambar Masala - 3 tablespoons
Coriander leaves - 1 table spoon (chopped)Curry leaves - 10
Dried red chilli - 2 Cut into pieces
Salt To tste
Tomatoes - 2 (medium sized cut into pieces)
Tamarind - size of a lime soaked in 1/2 cup water
Methi Seeds - 1/4 tablespoon
Vegetable oil or Ghee - 2 table spoon
Asafoetidia - 1 tablespoon
Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon


Preparation

Cook Tur Dal in two cups of water, when half cooked add pieces of drumstick, potato, brinjal, la, onion, tomato pieces, and salt. Cook till dal is very soft. Dissolve sambar masala in little water and add it to the cooked vegetables. Take the pulp of the soaked Tamarind and add, blend well and cook. In another pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering add methi seeds, dried red chilli pieces, Asafoetida and curry leaves. Fry for two minutes and then add to dal vegetable mixture and boil it for 1 minute. Finally add chopped coriander leaves on the top.

Marbled Cheesecake Bars


Ingredient

3 (8-ounce each) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (1-ounce each) bars HERSHEY'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, melted
Chocolate Crust (Method)
  1. Prepare Chocolate Crust. Heat oven to 300°F.
  2. Beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk, beating until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
  3. Pour half of batter evenly over prepared crust.
  4. Stir melted chocolate into remaining batter; drop by spoonfuls over vanilla batter. With metal spatula or knife, swirl gently through batter to marble.
  5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate several hours until chilled. Cut into bars. Cover; store leftover bars in refrigerator.

Makes about 24 to 36 bars.

Chocolate Crust: Stir together 2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 60 wafers), 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in medium bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine until well blended. Press mixture firmly on bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Picnic Drumsticks


Chicken Ingredients:
1/3 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter
1/3 cup crushed saltine crackers
2 tablespoons onion soup mix
8 chicken drumsticks

Dip Ingredients:
1 medium (1 cup) cucumber, peeled, chopped
1 cup LAND O LAKES® Light Sour Cream
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in oven in 13x9-inch baking pan (5 to 7 minutes). Stir together crushed crackers and onion soup mix. Dip chicken drumsticks into melted butter, then coat with crumb mixture.
  2. Place drumsticks in same pan; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until no longer pink.
  3. Meanwhile, stir together all dip ingredients in medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour. Serve chicken hot or cold with dip.

Makes 4 servings (1 1/3 cups dip).

TIP: Prepare chicken as directed above. Cool completely. Place chicken in resealable plastic food bag. Prepare dip; place into covered container. Place chicken and dip in cold picnic cooler when transporting. Serve cold chicken with dip.

Café Latte Float


INGREDIENTS:
  • 6 cups milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brewed espresso, chilled
  • 1 cup club soda
  • 4 scoops coffee ice cream
  • 1 cup whipped cream


  • DIRECTIONS:
    In a large saucepan, combine the milk and the sugar and stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Place in the refrigerator until chilled, about 1 hour.

    In 4 large coffee mugs or tall glasses, pour enough milk to fill two-thirds of the way. Slowly pour about 3 tablespoons of espresso into the first mug. Add 1/4 cup club soda, 1 scoop ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. Repeat with the other 3 mugs.

    Sangria Granita



    INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 cups medium-bodied red wine
  • 3 cups chardonnay wine
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 whole oranges, sliced
  • 1 whole lemon, sliced
  • 1 whole lime, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest


  • DIRECTIONS:
    Combine the wines and the sugar in a large saucepan. Over medium heat, stir just until the sugar is dissolved, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat, add half of the sliced fruit and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain out the fruit slices and discard. Add the zest and chill in the refrigerator until cold.

    Poor the mixture into a 9-x-13-inch pan (or any pan that will fit on your freezer shelf) and freeze. When almost frozen, scrape mixture with a fork to break up the ice. Refreeze for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours, scrape again with a fork and add the remaining fruit slices. Return to the freezer for an hour. Scoop the frozen sangria into a large pitcher and serve with wine glasses.

    Saturday, July 15, 2006

    Standard Chartered: UAE economy supporting Dubai house prices | Dubai Property

    Standard Chartered: UAE economy supporting Dubai house prices | Dubai Property: "UAE economy supporting Dubai house prices
    In a briefing on the bank's latest economic forecast for the UAE its economists spelt out just how supportive the local economy was for the real estate sector. This is an argument worth examining in some detail as it sheds considerable light on the outlook for Dubai property at a time of year when inevitably sales are slack."

    Ginger Pear Crisp

    Ginger Pear Crisp

    Ingredients:

    Ingredients:

    Topping:

    6 Pears, peeled and sliced

    1/4 Cup flour

    1 Tablespoon finely chopped ginger

    3/4 Cup rolled oats

    1/2 Cup brown sugar

    1/4 Cup brown sugar

    1/2 Cup raisins

    1/4 Cup sugar

    2 Teaspoons cinnamon

    1 Teaspoon cinnamon

    2 Tablespoons butter, cut into bits

    6 Tablespoons butter

    Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss first six ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Using a fork combine the remaining six ingredients. Spoon topping across pears. Bake for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

    Spinach Quiche

    Spinach Quiche

    Ingredients:

    1 Small onion, chopped

    1 Unbaked 9 inch pie crust

    ½ Cup butter

    4 Eggs, beaten

    3 Cloves garlic, chopped

    1 Cup milk

    1 (4.5 oz.) Can mushrooms,
    drained

    1 (8 oz.) Package shredded cheddar cheese

    1 (10 oz.) Package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

    1 (6 oz.) Package herb and garlic feta, crumbled

    Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and ½ cup cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture. Bake in preheated over for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35-40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

    Friday, July 14, 2006

    Karimeen Pollichathu

    Ingredients
    1: Pearl Spot Fish
    3-4: Chopped Curry Leaves
    2: Red Chillies
    3-4: Chopped Shallots
    1/4 tsp: Turmeric Powder
    1 tbsp: Lime Juice
    1 tsp: Chopped green chillies
    1: Banana Leaf
    1/2 tsp: Chopped Ginger
    1: Thin banana stem
    1/2 tsp: Chopped garlic
    1 tbsp: Coconut Oil
    Salt to taste.

    Preparation

    Grind red chillies, turmeric powder, chopped green chillies, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, chopped curry leaves, chopped shallots, salt and lime juice to a coarse paste.

    After cleaning the fish, apply a thick layer of the paste on the inside and on the outside. Wrap the fish in a banana leaf and tie it with the banana stem. Heat oil in a pan and place the wrapped fish in it.

    Cook on each side for 5-6 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

    Thursday, July 13, 2006

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

    Ingredients

    Plain vegetable oil - 1/3 cup
    Chicken(diced) - 1/3 lb
    or
    Meat(cooked, cubed or shredded) - 2 cups
    Onion - 1 no
    (diced)
    Salt - As reqd
    Pepper - As reqd
    Garlic pods - 3 nos
    (finely chopped)
    Fresh ginger - 2" piece
    (peeled and finely chopped)
    Whole scallions - 3 nos
    (thinly sliced;white and green separated)
    Frozen corn, peas, carrots - 1 1/3 cups
    Eggs(large) - 4 nos
    (lightly beaten)
    Cold cooked long-grain rice, white or jasmine rice, grains separated - 4 cups
    Preparation Method

    1)Heat a tbsp of oil in a large heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet on a high heat.

    2)Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.

    3)Add onions, salt and pepper.

    4)Cook for 1 - 2 mins, until onion is fragrant.

    5)Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites and stir-fry, until fragrant, for about 30 secs.

    6)Add the frozen vegetables.

    7)Cook, until just defrosted, but still crisp.

    8)Transfer contents of the skillet to a large bowl.

    9)Heat 2 tbsp of oil in the same pan.

    10)Add the eggs and season with salt and pepper.

    11)Stir the eggs constantly and cook, until almost set, but still moist.

    12)Transfer the egg to the bowl.

    13)Heat up the remaining oil in the same pan.

    14)Add rice and use a spoon to break up any clumps.

    15)Add salt and pepper and stir-fry the rice to coat evenly with oil.

    16)Stop stirring and then let the rice cook undisturbed, until its gets slightly crispy, for about 2 mins.

    17)Stir the rice again, breaking up any new clumps.

    18)Add the scallion greens.

    19)Transfer to the bowl.

    20)Stir all the ingredients together with the rice.

    :- Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.

    :- Serve hot.

    Chicken Manchurian


    Ingredients

    Chicken - 1/2 kg
    (Boneless, preferably breast meat)
    Corn flour - 150 gm
    Red chilly powder - 2 tbsp
    Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
    Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
    Onion(medium) - 3 nos
    (finely chopped)
    Green chillies(split) - 4 nos
    Garlic paste - 1 tsp
    or cut into small pieces
    Ginger paste - 1 tsp
    or cut into small pieces
    Black pepper(crushed) - 1 tsp
    Olive oil
    Soya Sauce(Black) - 2-3 tsp
    Salt - As reqd
    Preparation Method

    1)Cut the chicken into small sized pieces.

    2)Mix it well with chilly, turmeric and
    coriander powder and salt.

    3)Add the corn flour and mix well with enough water.

    4)Keep the mixture on the freezer for 1/2 hour.

    5)Heat oil in a frying pan.

    6)Add onions and fry, till it becomes light brown.

    7)Add enough salt, green chillies, black pepper, ginger and garlic and fry.

    8)Add 2 tsp of soya sauce and keep on low flame.

    9)Once the chicken mix is settled, fry the mix in oil, in a separate pan, until
    the chicken is cooked well.

    10)Transfer the mix with the oil to the onion - soya mix and add extra sauce, if needed.

    11)Keep on a low flame and cook for 10 minutes.

    12)Add coriander leaves, just before switching off.

    13)Decorate with extra coriander leaves, once the dish is transferred to the serving bowl.

    :- Serve hot with chappathis.
    :- A pinch of ajinomotto would
    be nice too.

    Chemmeen Cutlet Naden Style

    Ingredients
    Prawns(Chemmeen) – 500 gm
    Onion – 2 nos
    (finely chopped)
    Potato – 250 gm
    (cooked and mashed well)
    Green chillies – 6 nos
    (finely chopped)
    Salt – As reqd
    Turmeric powder – A little
    Egg – 1 no
    Bread crumbs – As reqd
    Curry leaves – As reqd
    (finely chopped)
    Coriander leaves(finely chopped) – A little
    Oil for frying
    Preparation Method

    1)Clean prawns well.

    2)Cook it well with salt and turmeric powder. Keep it aside.

    3)Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.

    4)Add onion and sauté well.

    5)Add green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves and sauté well.

    6)Remove from flame.

    7)Add mashed potatoes and cooked prawns and mix well.

    8)Make small balls off the above mixture and shape them into cutlets.

    9)Dip them first in beaten egg and roll them in bread crumbs.

    10)Deep fry them in hot oil, till they turn brown in colour.

    Wednesday, July 12, 2006

    Special Christmas Cakes



    Ingredients
    Raisins 2-1/4 lb.
    Currants 1 lb.
    Dates, stoned and chopped 6 oz.
    Prunes (4 oz.)Cooked, stoned and chopped.
    Almond flakes 8 oz.
    Butter 14 oz.
    Raw brown sugar 14 oz.
    Eggs 8
    Grated rind of 1 lemon and 1 orange
    Molasses 1 tablespoon
    Flour 1 lb.
    Salt 1 teaspoon
    1 teaspoon each of : ground nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon & ginger
    Sherry 5 tablespoon
    Preparation

    Grease and line a 10 inch round cake tin with a double thickness of greaseproof paper. Wrap a double layer thickness of brown paper around the outside of the tin and secure with string. Make sure the paper is twice as high as the depth of the cake pan.Combine the raisins, currants, dates, prunes and almonds in a large bowl. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the lemon and or the black treacle. If the mixture looks like it is starting to curdle stir in a little flour. Mix together the flour, salt and spices. Fold the flour mixture and the fruit mixture into the batter mixture a little at a time alternating between the flour and fruit mixtures. Stir in the sherry and ensure everything is well blended.

    Traditionally all the members of the family take turns in stirring the cake and each makes a wish while doing so.

    Put the mixture into the cake tin being careful not to create any air holes and remembering to smooth the top surface before placing the cake in the oven.

    Bake in the oven at 300F for 1 hour and then reduce the heat to 275F and cook for a further 4 hours. If the top starts to overbrown then cover with greaseproof paper.

    When you remove the cake from the oven leave it in the cake tin and allow to cool overnight - the cake can stay warm for up to 24 hrs. When cool remove from the tin and wrap in a double layer of aluminium foil until it is decorated. Occasionally unwrapping and treating with sherry or an alcohol of your choosing can ensure a moist flavourful cake but be careful not to overdo this and create a soggy cake! The cake will improve with keeping.

    Decoration

    The traditional method of decorating a Christmas cake is with almond paste or marzipan and icing. You will need about 2 lb of marzipan to cover the cake.

    Place the cake on the cake plate on which it will be presented.

    Roll the marzipan out as thinly as possible and cover the top and sides of the cake. A thin layer of strawberry jam spread over the cake will help to 'glue' the marzipan to the cake.

    To make the Royal Icing sift 12 oz. of icing sugar (confectioner's sugar for Americans) into a bowl. Beat two egg whites then fold them into the sugar. Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Brush the marzipan with a little egg white to help the icing stick to the cake then add the icing in a thin layer. The icing can be thickened if necessary with additional icing sugar.

    A flat metal spatulla dipped in hot water will help to spread the icing but in general best results are obtained if the icing is 'worked' as little as possible.