Rasam Recipe for Vishu

Method of preparation

tuar dal - 1/4 cup

masoor dal - 1/4 cup

tomatoes - 1 16 oz.can or 4 large tomatoes

tamarind extract - 1/2 teaspoon

black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon

saunf (perum jeerakam/fennel seed)- 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

whole red pepper (dry red chilli) - 2 or 3

chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

hing powder - 1/2 teaspoon

methi seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

garlic cloves - 3

cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

coriander and curry leaves - a bunch

salt to taste

Cook the dal well with sufficient water. Add the tomatoes,salt,

chilli powder, turmeric powder and tamarind extract. Crush the

cumin and garlic and add to the rasam with the black pepper.

Simmer for a few minutes and add the hing powder. Heat a little

oil in a fry pan and pop the mustard seeds. Add the methi seeds

saunf and curry leaves after removing the heat source and add to the

rasam. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Kerala Sambar Recipe – Vishu Special

Direction for preparation

tuar dal or yellow split peas - half cup

onions - 2 - medium

okra - 10 or 12 (fresh or frozen) (optional)

tomatoes - 3 large (or one can) - quartered

tamarind extract (available in Indian stores) - 1 tablespoon

coriander powder - 2 tablespoon

chilli powder - 1 tablespoon

turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon

methi powder - 1/2 teaspoon

hing powder - 1/2 teaspoon

mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

methi seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

veg. oil - 1 tablespoon

salt to taste

coriander leaves, chopped - 4 Tablespoons

curry leaves - a few (optional)

Cook the dal with chopped onions,turmeric powder, chilli powder

and sufficient water. Cut the okra in two inch pieces and saute

them in a frying pan with one teaspoon oil till dry and slightly

browned.

Mash the cooked dal with a wooden spoon and add the salt,

coriander powder, methi powder,hing and the tamarind extract.

Simmer for a few minutes and add the tomatoes and okra and

half of the coriander leaves.

When the vegetables are cooked ,heat oil in a fry pan with

a splatter screen or a lid and pop the mustard seeds. Remove

pan from the fire, add the curry leaves and methi seeds. Add

this seasoning to the sambar and garnish with the rest of

the coriander leaves.

Hint. Other vegetables that can be added to sambar are potatoes

(which do not freeze well) ,shallots, pearl onions (available

frozen), cucumber, indian or oriental eggplant (baingan),

beans, carrots, lima beans drumsticks or squash.

Chilly Chicken Recipe for Easter

Ingredients

Chicken 1 lb (250gm)

Egg 1

Chilly powder 1 tspn

Paprika 1 tspn

Vineger 1 tbsn

Soy Sauce 2 tbsn

Salt as per taste

Onion 1

Green chilly 2

Cooking oil, for deep frying.

Preparation

1. Mix chicken with vinegar, 1 tbsn soy sauce, chilly powder,paprika, salt, and beaten egg. Keep aside for 2 hours.

2. Slice onion and green chilly thin.

3. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry chicken pieces. (Keep aside the remaining marinade). Remove from oil keep aside.

4. Remove oil from pan leaving about 1 tbsn. Add onion and green chillies and sauté till onion is translucent. Add the remaining marinade and cook till thickened. Add chicken pieces and remaining soy sauce and little salt. Heat through. Serve hot

Special Chicken Soup Recipe for Easter

Ingredients

Chicken Thigh (with bone) 1

Salt as per taste

Butter 1 tspn

Garlic chopped 1 tbsn

All purpose flour 2 tbsn

Dried rosemary 1 tspn

Water 4 cups

Pepper As per taste

Vineger 1/4 cup

Chopped green chilly 2 tbsn

Preparation

1. Cook Chicken with water and little salt.Let it cool and then remove the bone and shread the meat.

2. Heat butter and fry garlic till browned and add flour and rosemary and fry for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add Chicken along with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 2-3 mintes.

4. Add salt and pepper and adjust taste.

5. Serve with vineger and green chillies

Kerala Style Chicken Roast - Easter Special Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken ½ lb

Onion 2 medium

Ginger-Garlic paste 2 tspn

Garam masala 1 tspn

Chilly powder 2 tbsn

Salt as per taste

Turmeric powder ¼ tspn

Vegetable oil 3 tbsn

Chopped cilantro 2 tbsn

Preparation

1. Slice onion thin

2. Wash chicken and pat dry. Cut into thin strips of 1 inch length.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add onion and ginger garlic paste. Fry till onion is golden brown.

4. Add spices and chicken and keep frying till chicken is done and browned.

5. Serve hot rolled up in a roti or with rice.

Easter Special Carrot-Prawns Soup Recipe

Ingredients

Carrot 5

King prawns 6

Ginger 2 inch piece

Garlic 6 cloves

Onion 1

Fresh Ornage Juice 1/2 cup

Bay leaf 1

Butter 1 tbsn

Turmeric powder A pinch

Salt and pepper As per taste

Cream of coconut(unsweetened) 3 tbsn

Mint leaves 3

Preparation

1.Cut Carrot into 1 inch long rounds. Chop ginger, garlic and onion.

2. Heat butter in a pan and saute ginger, garlic, onion and Prawns for a while. Add carrots, bay leaf and 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook on law flame till carrot and prawns are done well.

3.Remove the Prawns and bay leaf and puree the soup batch by batch and return to pan. Add fresh Ornage juice and heat through.Adjust taste with salt and pepper and serve in 3 bowls.Put 2 prawns in each bowl and top with a tbsn of cream of coconut and a mint leaf.

Special Easter Butter Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken 1 lb

Tomato puree ½ cup

Cashew 10

Milk ¼ cup

Garam masala 1 tbsn

Chilly powder ½ tspn

Onion 1

Ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsn

Butter 2 tbsn

Salt as per taste

Turmeric ¼ tspn

Chopped coriander 2 tbsn

Preparation

1. Soak cashew in milk for 30 minutes. Grind cashew adding enough milk to get a fine paste.

2. Chop onion. Wash and pat dry chicken. Cut into bite sized pieces.

3. Heat 1tbsn butter in a pan, add onion and ginger-garlic paste and fry till onion is golden brown.

4. Add chicken and fry for while. Add tomato puree, Chilli powder, salt, turmeric, and masala, and cook for while.

5. Add cashew paste along with milk.

6. Cook covered till gravy is thickened and chicken is done.

7. Top with remaining butter and remove from flame.

8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with Roti or Nan

Kerala Celebrating Vishu on 15th of April this year

Vishu is a festival held in the state of Kerala (and adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu) in India around the first day in the Malayalam month of Medam (April – May). This occasion signifies the Sun's transit to the zodiac Mesha. Mesha Raasi as per Indian astrological calculations. It is also known as the Malayalam New Year day and thus the importance of this day to all Malayalees regardless of their religion or sect. Similarly the day is celebrated in almost all places in India by the Hindus albeit by different names.

DRY POTATO CURRY RECIPE

POTATO CURRY INGREDIENTS:

Yield: 4 servings

1 lb Potato; Red skins
Salt to taste
2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Onion; finely sliced
2 Garlic cloves
1 (1 inch) piece gingerroot;
1 Green chile; seeded, chopped
1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
½ teaspoon Red (cayenne) pepper
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
¼ cups Green pepper; strips

Instructions:
Cut Potatoes into ¾ inch chunks.

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water 6 to 8 minutes, until just tender. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan, add mustard seeds and onions. Cook 5 minutes until onions are soft, but not brown. Stir in garlic and gingerroot; cook 1 minute more.

Add cooked potatoes, chile, turmeric, cayenne and cumin. Stir well. Cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender and coated with spices. Serve hot, garnished with

Your DRY POTATO CURRY is ready.

Kashmiri Rogan Josh - Recipe

KASHMIRI ROGAN… INGREDIENTS:

Yield: 6 servings

1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
3¼ cups plain yoghurt
6 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 ¾" stick of cinnamon
½ teaspoon whole cloves
2½ teaspoon salt
1 pn asafetida
3 lb cubed lamb
4 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoon dried ginger
3 2/3 cups water or beef broth
¼ teaspoon garam masal

Kashmiri Rogan Josh
Instructions:

Grind the fennel seeds until find. Put the yoghurt in a bowl and beat it with a fork until smooth and creamy. Heat the oil in a large pot over a high flame. When hot, put in the cinnamon and cloves. A second later, put in the ground asafetida. A second after that, put in all the meat and the salt. Stir the meat an cook, still on a high flame for about 5 minutes. Now put in the paprika and cayenne and give the meat a good stir. Slowly add the yoghurt, a small amount at a time, stirring the meat vigorously as you do so. Add all the yoghurt this way. Keep cooking on high heat until all liquid has boiled away and the meat pieces have browned slightly. Add the fennel and ginger. Give the meat some more good stirs. Now put in the water or broth, cover so as to leave the lid very slightly ajar, and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Cover completely and cook on low heat for another 45 minutes or until meat is tinder. Stir a few times as the meat cooks, making sure that there is always some liquid in the pot. Remove the lid and add the garam masala. You should have a thick, reddish brown sauce. If it is too thin, boil away some of the liquid.

Your Kashmiri Rogan Josh is ready. Good luck!

Rogan Josh - Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

Rogan Josh
Instructions:


Yield: 6 servings
2 1" cubes of ginger chopped
8 cloves of garlic
1½ cups beef broth
10 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 lb lamb or beef stew meat
10 whole black cardamoms
2 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
10 whole peppercorns
1 1" stick cinnamon
2 medium onions
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon ground black cumin
4 teaspoon red paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoon plain yogurt
¼ teaspoon garam masala
1 black pepper


Put the ginger, garlic, and 4 tablespoons water in blender. Blend well until you have a smooth paste. Heat the oil in a wok to medium high heat. Brown the meat cubes in several batches and set to one side. Put the cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon into the same hot oil. Stir once and wait until the cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to take on color. Now put in the onions. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onions turn a medium brown color. Put in the ginger garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds. Add the fried meat cubes and juices. Stir for 30 seconds. Now put in 1/6 of the yoghurt. Stir and fry for 30 seconds or until the yoghurt is well blended. Add the remaining yoghurt, a tablespoon at a time, in the same way. Stir and fry for another 3-4 minutes. Now add the rest of the broth (a little more for beef than lamb). Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, scraping in all browned spices on the sides and bottom of the pot. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for about an hour if lamb and two if beef. Every 10 minutes or so, give the meat a good stir. When the meat is tender, take off the lid, turn the heat up to medium and boil away some of the liquid. You should end up with a tender meat in a thick, reddish brown sauce. All the fat that collects in the pot may be spooned off the top. Sprinkle the garam masala and black pepper over the meat before you serve and mix them in.

Your Rogan Josh is ready. Good luck!

Basic Fried Rice Recipe

This versatile recipe, with variations, shows you how to make a full, satisfying meal from any kind of leftover rice. Just one thing: Freshly cooked rice is too moist to achieve the right texture when fried. A night in the fridge is ideal, but a few hours will do the trick if you just can't wait.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

* 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 2 strips bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
* 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch rings (reserve 1 heaping tablespoon sliced dark green portion for garnish)
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
* 1 tablespoon minced ginger (about a 1-inch piece)
* 1/3 cup finely chopped carrot (1-2 carrots)
* 1-2 fresh chilies like jalapenos or Thai chilies, to taste, seeded and minced (optional)
* 4 cups cooked rice, at room temperature
* 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Pour the beaten egg into the pan and swirl the egg around to coat the entire bottom of the pan. When the egg is beginning to bubble, about 1-2 minutes, break it up into pieces using a spatula or wooden spoon, and remove from pan.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. (If the bacon begins to burn, lower the heat to medium.)

Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, carrot and (if using) chilies to the pan and cook, stirring often, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the garlic becomes golden. Return the cooked egg to the pan.

Add the rice and stir to coat well with the other ingredients. Cook for about 2 minutes to allow the rice and egg to become hot. Turn the heat down to medium-low and pour the soy sauce over the rice. The pan may be quite full (depending on its size), so stir carefully to allow even distribution of soy sauce throughout the rice.

Taste for salt, and add an additional 1 tablespoon of soy sauce if you like. Sprinkle with the reserved dark green scallion slices to serve.

Variations:

* Add chopped raw shrimp (1/4 to 1/3 pound) 1 minute after adding the scallions, garlic, ginger and carrot.
* Add small cubes of firm tofu (about 1/2 cup) 1 minute after adding the scallions, garlic, ginger and carrot.
* Stir in small pieces of leftover cooked chicken just before adding the rice to the pan.
* For a mellower pork flavor, try pancetta instead of bacon.
* For Thai-style fried rice, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce over the mixture before returning the egg to the pan, and squeeze the juice from half a lime over the rice just before serving.
* To get more of your vegetables, slice raw green beans (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup) very thin (1/8 inch) and add them along with the scallions, garlic, ginger and carrot.

Marinated Chicken Breasts

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup broth
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1/2 minced garlic cloves or 1 to 2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon crushed thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* Salt to taste
* 2 pounds chicken breasts, boned and skinned (8 halves)

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients except the chicken breasts in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken and marinade in a locking plastic bag, making sure the chicken is coated well (using a bag saves on cleanup, but a shallow dish works just as well). Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for several hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare the outdoor grill or preheat the broiler or a stovetop grill pan. Grill the chicken or place under the broiler for about 10 minutes per side. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees using an instant-read thermometer. Discard the marinade.