Toasted almonds

Just wanted to add a quick post on how to easily toast almonds.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place almond slivers on a baking sheet, spreading evenly so they don't overlap. Toast them in the oven for 8 minutes.
Use them as topping in salads or anything you like.

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Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple Upside Down is one of my favorite cakes, if not my favorite!
I believe I first saw this cake when I was probably 10 or 11 years old on TV, being made by Sanjeev Kapoor. That used to be a time before the internet, and I would sit in front of the TV with pen and paper writing down the ingredients and procedure. Who does that anymore?
I took the recipe to my mom and we made it together. And our family loved it!! I eventually lost that recipe. But now we have the internet, and I found a good recipe of Epicurious.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake begins with melting butter with brown sugar until it starts to caramelize. This mixture is then poured into a cake pan and fresh pineapple slices (or you can use canned pineapple slices) are placed on top. If you like you can also garnish the top with maraschino cherries or candied red cherries (as shown in picture). A buttery cake batter is then poured over the pineapple slices and the cake is baked until golden brown. Once the cake cools, it is inverted onto a cake platter so the top of the cake features the pineapple slices that have become wonderfully soft and sweet from absorbing all that delicious caramelized sugar.

This is also one of the first cakes I baked after moving to the US, and my husband devoured it!
The second time I made it was a complete disaster, I'm guessing because I got a 'stick' of butter wrong and used 2, thinking I had half sticks. I didn't make it for a long time after that.
This spring, I came across a huge line of fresh pineapples at our local farm. I decided to buy one, as they come in really handy for snacking at the office. My husband however wanted the cake, so I decided to bake him one again. It turned out pretty close to the first time I tried it.
The recipe on Epicurious uses a cup of sugar, but I reduced it to 3/4 cup because I read many reviews suggesting it, and also I don't have a big sweet tooth. That was perfect for us. But if you like it sweet, go with 1 cup. Also, many reviews said that 3 tsp of cardamom powder was too much, or too overpowering. I used all 3 tsp since we love the flavor (we're Indians, duh!) and I thought it compliments the pineapple. If you don't like cardamom, then reduce it to 1.5 or 2 tsp, and you will get a more subtle flavor.
Also the recipe suggests you make this in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. I did not have one, but I highly recommend using it if you have. It will help get the pineapples nice and caramelized.
I used a 9 inch springform, which I regret because the caramel was oozing out the sides. I remedied it in time by wrapping the pan with aluminum foil. But next time I would use a regular cake pan, or hopefully a cast iron skillet.

Ingredients:

For topping:
1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored
3/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4 to 1 cup packed light brown sugar
5 or 6 maraschino cherries (optional)

For batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 tablespoons dark rum for sprinkling over cake (Black Seal or Myers would work great!)

Special equipment:
a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter the cake pan.

Make topping:
Cut pineapple crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick pieces. Melt butter in skillet. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 4 minutes. Continue cooking, without stirring, for a few more minutes or until bubbles just start to appear around the outside edges of the mixture (the sugar starts to caramelize). Then remove from heat, and pour into your prepared cake pan. Arrange pineapple on top of sugar mixture in concentric circles, overlapping pieces slightly. You can also cut the pineapple into semi-circles and arrange them like in the photo below (taken when I made it the first time). I also arranged a few halved maraschino cherries upside down, for added color coz I had them lying around. But this is purely optional.
A traditional method is to have the whole pineapple rings arranged in a circle with a marschino cherry in the center of each ring. I find this pretty but there's a lot of wasted space and you may not get enough pineapple with every bite.
Note: The original recipe asked for 3/4 cup brown sugar. I used 3/4 cup initially but found there was still a lot of butter, so I added another 1/4 cup of brown sugar. What you're looking for is a sticky caramel sauce.

Make batter:
Sift together flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and rum. Add half of flour mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Beat in pineapple juice, then add remaining flour mixture, beating just until blended. (Batter may appear slightly curdled.)
Tip: If you dont have a sifter for the dry ingredients, just combine them all in a bowl using a wire whisk.

Spoon batter over pineapple topping and spread evenly. Bake cake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cake stand in skillet 5 minutes. Invert a plate over skillet and invert cake onto plate (keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together). Replace any pineapple stuck to bottom of skillet. Sprinkle rum over cake and cool on plate on a rack.
Serve cake just warm or at room temperature.

This cake may be made a day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

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Kappa Vevichathu / Kappa puzhukku - Mashed Yuca with Coconut & Spices

Ingredients:

Yuca or tapioca root - 2 lbs. (1/2 kg)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Pearl onions - 2
Green chillies - 4
Garlic - 1 clove
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water as needed

Method:

First remove the skin off the yuca root and chop it into bite size pieces. Put them into a saucepan. Add a pinch of turmeric, salt and enough water to cover the yuca pieces. Boil the yuca till the water evaporates, and the yuca is soft.

Grind grated coconut, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, pearl onions, garlic, green chillies and 1/2 a sprig of curry leaves into a coarse paste.

In a pan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add the remaining curry leaves. Then add the coconut mixture. Stir and fry it for 3 minutes.

Add the mashed yuca. Combine and cook for about 5 minutes. Add some water if you want to adjust the consistency to your liking. I added about half a cup of water since the yuca was dry.

Serve warm with some Kottayam fish curry or beef curry. Yum!

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Honey Poppy seed vinaigrette - Salad dressing

Ingredients:

Apple cider vinegar - 3 tbsp
Honey - 1/4 cup
Dry mustard powder - 1 tsp.
Fresh lemon juice - 3 tsp
Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp
Salt and pepper
Oil - 1/2 cup (I used grapeseed oil)

Method:

Put the vinegar, honey, dry mustard, lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper into a mason jar. Put the lid on and give it a good shake to start dissolving the honey. Or use a small whisk and whisk well. Now add the oil slowly and continue whisking. Taste to make sure that the balance is right. Sometimes I need to add a little more vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
This can be refrigerated for upto 3 weeks.

Make a salad with mixed greens (or baby spinach), halved raspberries (or strawberries), crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries and toasted almonds.

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Quinoa Cauliflower Biryani

I got introduced to quinoa sometime last year, as a great substitute to rice. Its gluten-free, high in fiber and is a complete protein that provides all nine essential amino acids for good health. Its not technically a grain but still counts as a 'whole grain' food. After learning all its benefits, the only question was how best to use it in recipes. Biryani is my favorite dish in the world, but I always make a meat-based biryani. So this time I tried a vegetarian biryani using cauliflower and peas, and substituted the rice for quinoa. Turns out its pretty good! Has all the flavors of a good biryani, and you won't die of guilt.

Ingredients:

For quinoa:
Rainbow Quinoa - 1 and 1/2 cup
Green Cardamom seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black cardamom - 1
Cloves - 3-5 pcs
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Bay leaf - 1
Water - 2 and 1/4 cups
Salt to taste

For cauliflower:
Cauliflower florets - 2 cups (from one head)
Green peas (fresh or frozen) - 1/2 cup
Ghee/oil - 1 tbsp.
Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced
Green chilli - 3 or 4, thinly sliced
Ginger - 2 tbsp, minced fine
Garlic - 3-4 cloves, minced fine
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green Cardamom seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 3-5 pcs
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Bay leaf - 1
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Yogurt - 1 and 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Cilantro and mint leaves - a handful each, chopped coarsely

For garnish:
Cashews, almonds, raisins, dried cranberries, thinly sliced onion - a handful or as per your liking
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1/2 cup
Safrron strands - a good pinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Cilantro and mint leaves

Method:

First fry all the ingredients for garnish, one at a time in some ghee. First the almonds, then the cashews, then raisins, then cranberries and finally finely sliced onions. Collect them all in a bowl and mix.

For the Quinoa:

Wash the quinoa thoroughly and drain. In a large saucepan, add a teaspoon of oil or ghee. Add cardamom seeds, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. When you get a good aroma, add the washed quinoa and fry for 2-3 minutes. Then add some salt (about a teaspoon) and water. Cover and cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed. Then turn the heat off and let sit for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork.

For the Cauliflower:

In a dutch oven, add oil or ghee and heat on medium. Add cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. When you get a good aroma, add the onions, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Saute on medium heat until onion turns golden. Add coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric and garam masala. Fry for a few minutes until the raw smell dissipates. Add about half a cup of water, salt and mix. Add cauliflower and peas. Also add the cilantro and mint (save some for final garnish). Give it a good mix. Cover and cook until cauliflower turns tender but still has a slight crunch, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low, and add the yogurt and gently stir it in. Keep stirring so the yogurt doesn't split, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Final assembly:

Heat the milk in a bowl and add turmeric powder and saffron strands.

In a deep pan or dutch oven, first add a layer of quinoa. Sprinkle some saffron turmeric milk and garam masala. Then add a layer of the cauliflower gravy. Sprinkle with the nut mixture. Repeat the process until you have a final layer of quinoa. Add the last of the saffron turmeric milk and nuts. Finally garnish with mint and cilantro. Cover tightly with a lid. You can bake this at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or cook on low heat for about 20 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle some lemon juice on top for added flavor, but its optional.

Serve hot with raita, pickle and pappadums!

Enjoy!

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Okra Stirfry (Ladies Finger/Bhindi Stirfry)

I got this very simple and delicious recipe from my mother-in-law.

Ingredients:

Okra/Bhindi - 250 gms
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Asofoetida - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash and clean the okra. Chop off the ends and slice them in medium thickness.
Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add urad dal, asofoetida, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Add the sliced okra to this and stirfry so that the oil and powders coat all over. Sprinkle salt and continue stir frying for about 10 mins. Okra will start to shrink in size and get a cooked green colour. Serve as a side dish with rice.

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Shrimp curry in coconut milk

This simple shrimp curry is my go-to recipe when I want something comforting, quick and easy. There's hardly any prep involved if you buy peeled and deveined frozen shrimp. It uses very few ingredients, so I usually make this when I'm short on fresh produce.

Ingredients:

Shrimp - 1 pound, peeled and deveined
Onion - 1 large
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 2 to 3 large cloves
Fresh chillies - 3 or 4 (green or red)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Tomato - 1 large
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamom seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 4 or 5
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash and clean the shrimp. In a bowl, add the shrimp, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp salt. Mix and keep aside to marinate.
Meanwhile dice the onions, ginger, garlic and tomato. Slit the chillies in half.
In a large pan, heat a tablespoon of oil.
Add whole spices - cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and fennel seeds.
Then add the onions, ginger, garlic, chillies and curry leaves. Add some salt. Fry until onions turn translucent.
Now add a teaspoon of red chilli powder, one tablespoon of coriander powder and a pinch of turmeric powder.
Once the spices have fried in the oil, add the chopped tomato. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes till the tomato turns soft.
Then add a cup of water to the mixture and 1/2 a cup of coconut milk. Gently stir on med-low heat so the coconut milk doesn't split, but we want to heat it through.
Now add the shrimp and the remaining coconut milk. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Do not let the curry boil or it could split the coconut milk.
Serve hot with some steamed white rice.

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Spicy Cumin Beef

Food hopping in NYC is one of our favorite things to do. One spot we never fail to miss is Cafe China in Manhattan. I first came across this place while watching Unique Eats on the cooking channel. They specialize is Sichuan cuisine, so its quite spicy that appeals to our tastebuds. I guess it's because my husband went in with low expectations thinking nowhere in America can you find the real spicy food. This blew him away, so much that he actually craves for it! Lol!
One of our favorite dishes is the spicy cumin lamb, apart from their dan dan noodles, chungkiang chicken and 3 pepper chicken. The lamb is personally my favorite. I also heard about Xian Famous foods being quite popular for their spicy lamb noodles, and spicy lamb burger. So on our anniversary this year, we stopped by to see if it was as good as Cafe China. Pretty spot on I gotta say!

Spicy cumin lamb burger, chrysanthemum and jasmine tea to cool off. Food stop no.3 #foodhopping #NYC #xianfamousfoods #crazyfaces

A photo posted by Ancy Alexander (@ancyalexander) on Nov 1, 2015 at 2:05pm PST

Now that we've tried this thing in a couple of different places, I had to try and make it at home. I didn't have lamb on hand unfortunately, so used thinly sliced beef instead. I was amazed at how simple it was to make this dish. Now I gotta find me some lamb next time!

Ingredients:

Beef - 1 lb.
Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
Sichuan peppercorns - 1 tsp
Onion - 1, medium
Garlic - 2 tsp, minced
Green chillies - 3 small or one large bamana pepper - sliced thin
Scallions - 2 stalks, chopped (separate whites from green part)
Cilantro - handful, coarsely chopped (almost whole sprigs)
Chilli oil - 4 tbsp.
Salt - a pinch
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Tapioca starch or corn starch - 2 tbsp
Chinese 5 spice powder - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Hoisin sauce - 1 tbsp
Light soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Chingkiang vinegar (chinese black vinegar) - 1 tbsp
Shaoxing rice wine - 1 tsp

Method:

Toast sichuan peppercorns (1 tsp) and cumin seeds (2 tbsp) in a pan on medium heat. Grind coarsely.
Cut beef in thin slices (bite size). Add salt, cooking oil, baking soda, tapioca starch, 5 spice powder, and cumin powder. Mix thoroughly.
Chop up some onion (large chunks), cilantro with stalks and scallions.
Mix hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chingkiang vinegar, shaoxing rice wine and a teaspoon of chilli oil in a bowl and keep aside.
Cook beef in chilli oil in a large wok on high heat. Set aside. Do not put all the beef in at once. I cooked small amounts in 5 batches, or the wok will cool down quickly and the beef with stew rather than sear and toughen up.
After taking out all the beef, coat surface of wok with oil and add green chilies, garlic, onion and chili powder.
Then add beef/lamb, cumin & sichuan peppercorns, and cilantro. Add sauce mixture. Stir fry for another 4 minutes till sauce is absorbed by the beef. Serve hot with steamed rice, noodles or even in a bun.

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Peach and Goat Cheese Tartine

This was a spur of the moment invention. I had some store-bought pizza crust, goat cheese, arugula and peaches that needed to be consumed immediately. So I combined them all on a lazy Sunday morning and it turned out to be pretty good. Even the photos turned out so good, I posted them on instagram instantly. CNN food shortlisted the above photo for their 5 breakfast ideas article. Click on this link to check it out. This was so exciting and rewarding!

Ingredients:

Peaches - 2 pcs., sliced thinly

Brown sugar - 2 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp, melted

Goat Cheese - 2 tbsp
Cream Cheese - 1 tbsp
Mozzarella Cheese - 4 or 5 slices
Pizza Crust, half baked - small (square or rectangle shape preferred.
Arugula - small bunch
Olive oil - 2 tsp

Method:

First prepare the peaches by slicing them thinly and arranging them on a buttered baking sheet.
Drizzle melted butter over the peaches and brush them to distribute evenly (or pat them with the back of a spoon). Sprinkle brown sugar over the peaches. Broil in oven for 8 minutes.

Mix the cream cheese and goat cheese together. Spread it evenly on the pizza crust. Drizzle olive oil and bake for 10 mins in a 450 degree F oven, or until cheese starts to brown slightly. Take the pizza out and arrange arugula over the top. Then place mozzarella slices (optional). Arrange peach slices in groups of two or three as shown in picture. This would make it easy to cut the pizza into equal pieces.
Bake again for another 3 minutes. Divide into equal portions and serve.
You can also use slices of french bread (baguette) instead of pizza crust.

Goat cheese and peach tartine #breakfast #homemade #instafood #yum #cnnfood

A photo posted by Ancy Alexander (@ancyalexander) on Oct 4, 2015 at 10:30am PDT

So #thrilled to be mentioned on CNN.com for #cnnfood breakfast challenge! The Goat's cheese and #peach tartine was a spur of the moment idea for breakfast on a beautiful Saturday morning. Thank you @sophieeastaugh This is #inspiration to all foodies and small time bloggers like myself. Link in bio #cnn #excited #cheeseisforbreakfast #cheeselovers #cheeseloversunite

A photo posted by Ancy Alexander (@ancyalexander) on Oct 14, 2015 at 12:19pm PDT

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Fresh Apple Cake

Apples are in season. My neighbor, Kathy, made this amazing apple cake one weekend, and was kind enough to share two pieces with us. She even included a print of the recipe for us, in case we wanted to know if we were allergic to any of the ingredients, like nuts. Being Indians, I guess we're lucky not to be allergic to most ingredients. The cake was so moist and it had a beautiful glaze over it. We loved it so much that we decided to make a whole batch next time we got apples. And it was simply amazing, just like Kathy's! Special thanks to her.
The recipe was from the Deen family.

No pictures for this post. Sorry. Will post it when I bake this again.

Ingredients:

Honey Glaze:

    1 cup confectioners' sugar
    2 tablespoons honey
    2 tablespoons milk

Apple Cake:

    3 cups diced Granny Smith apples, about 2 apples
    1 cup lightly toasted chopped walnuts (I used pecans)
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    3 cups all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 cups sugar
    1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
    3 eggs

Method:

Glaze: Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and stir until smooth. Set the bowl aside.
If you don't have readymade confectioner's sugar like me, just powder some regular sugar in a spice grinder, until its fine like dust.

Cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a Bundt pan or tube pan. I used a large rectangular pan for lack of these.

In a bowl, mix together the apples, walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Using an electric mixer beat the sugar and oil, in a large bowl, until its well creamed for about 10 minutes. Break eggs into this one by one, beating well with each addition. Add in the dry ingredients and mix gently until well incorporated. About 10 folds and that's it, just stop and walk away. You don't want to mix it too much and activate the gluten. Now fold in the apple mixture.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to fully cool in the pan, about 1 hour, and then turn it out onto a plate.

Drizzle the apple cake with some of the honey glaze, serve and enjoy!

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Olan

Ingredients:

Ash gourd - 2 cups, cubed
Red beans - 1 cup - soaked overnight and cooked with salt
Coconut milk - 1 cup (preferably fresh, not canned)
Green chillies - 3 - 4, slit in half
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

Cook red beans with some salt and keep aside.
Cook ash gourd with very small amount of water and salt, covered on medium heat.
Once half cooked, add the red beans and cook uncovered until almost all water has evaporated.
Add coconut milk, leaves and cumin powder. Continue heating until it just starts to boil. Stop the heat and take it off the stove.
Heat coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds.
Add the oil into the olan. Serve with rice.

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Chinese chicken dumplings

Ingredients:

Minced chicken - 1 lb.
Shitake mushrooms (dried, soaked and squeezed dry) - 1/4 lb. (half a packet)
Napa cabbage - 5 leaves, shredded (marinated for 20 mins with salt and squeezed)
Sambal - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 1 clove, minced fine
Ginger, minced - 2 tbsp
White pepper powder - 2 tsp
Scallions - 2 stalks, minced fine
Hoisin sauce - 2 tbsp
Light soy sauce - 2 tbsp
Lime zest - 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Gyoza wrappers - 1 packet

Method:

Mix all ingredients except wrappers. Marinate in refrigerator for at least half an hour.

Fill a small bowl with water.
To assemble dumplings: Spoon 1 teaspoon of chicken mixture and place into center of wrapper. Dip the tip of your finger into the small bowl of water and run your finger along the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over to create a half moon shape, or a triangle if using square wrappers. Pinch the edges of the wrapper starting in the middle to seal, making sure all air has been removed.

To cook dumplings: Place a steamer lined with baking paper over simmering water.
Cook dumplings, in batches, for 15 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Serve.

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Chinese dumpling sauce

Ingredients:

Low sodium light soy sauce - 3 tbsp
Tamari - 2 tbsp
Coconut aminos - 1 tbsp (optional)
Sesame oil (i used chilli sesame oil) - 2 tbsp
Malt vinegar - 2 tbsp
Coriander root and stems, chopped fine (cilantro) - 2 tbsp
Ginger, minced fine or grated - 2 tbsp
Green onions, finely chopped - 2 tbsp (1 stalk)
Sweet chili sauce - 1 tsp.

Method:

Mix all ingredients and let marinate for at least half an hour before serving.
Taste and adjust as per your liking.
For an extra kick, I also ground some sichuan pepper corns and sifted it to let a small sprinkling of it into the sauce.
If you have regular sesame oil, then use 2 tbsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp chilli oil or to taste.
I was making dumplings too, so sprinkled a small amount of garlic in the sauce too (that I was going to use for dumplings).
Sprinkle some toasted white sesame seeds on it too if you like.

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Zero-oil Tomato Sambar

I've made this sambar a few times now. Its a one pot meal that requires no effort except for prepping the veggies. When in a hurry, I only use tomatoes and make a tomato sambar. You can add additional veggies to this recipe.
Veggies that go well in this sambar are spinach, carrots, beans,  snake gourd (padavalanga), drumsticks, ivy gourd (tindora/kovakka),sweet potatoes, potatoes, taro (cheppankezhangu/chembu/arbi), bell pepper, green peas.

Ingredients:

Lentils – 1 cup (use toor dal/masoor dal/moong dal/ or a mixture of these)
Tomatoes – 3, chopped
Onions – 1, chopped
Green chillies – 3, chopped fine
Ginger – 1″ thick, minced
Garlic – 4 cloves, minced
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Sambar powder – 3 tbsp.
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 tsp
Water – 2 cups
Additional veggies are optional – eg. carrots, beans, snake gourd (padavalanga), drumsticks (moringa oleifera), ivy gourd (tindora/kovakka), sweet potatoes, potatoes, taro (cheppankezhangu/chembu/arbi), bell pepper, green peas.
Salt to taste
Cilantro – a handful, chopped

Method:

Add all ingredients into a pressure cooker and cook for 2 to 3 whistles. After it’s cooked, sprinkle the cilantro over the top – do not forget this step because it lends the tomato sambar that signature flavor. It’s that simple!

You can have it with brown rice, and a side of other veggie dishes. Or on its own like soup.

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Stuffed Karelas in makhani gravy

Adapted from Tarladalal.com

Ingredients:

For stuffed karelas:
Karelas - 8 small nos. or 4 large
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 1, sliced thin
Ginger - 1" piece
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cilantro (coriander leaves) - a small bunch, minced fine
Salt

For makhani gravy
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Ginger - 1"inch piece
Garlic - 6 cloves
Tomatoes - 3
Cashews - small handful
Cinnamon - 2 sticks (about 2 inches)
Cloves - 6 nos.
Red bell pepper (capsicum) - 1 chopped or Red pumpkin - 1 cup chopped
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp (optional)
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - a pinch
Low fat milk - 1/2 cup
Cornflour - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro - for garnish

Method:

Stuffed karelas
Wash the karelas and Peel the bitter gourd and keep the peel aside for use in another recipe (Karela Theplas).
Slit each one lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, scoop out the insides carefully creating a hollow in the centre. Apply a little salt to the inside and outside of the bitter gourd and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the soaked moong dal (1/2 cup), 1 green chilli, ginger, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
Add ½ cup of water, cover and allow the dal to cook on a slow flame till it is soft and sticky.
Add the coriander leaves and mix well. Cool a little.
Fill this mixture into the bitter gourd and steam them for 10 to 15 minutes till they are cooked (I baked them at 350 degrees for 15 mins, then turned them and continued to bake for 10 mins. turned the other side and baked further 10 mins and then changed heat to broil for 5 mins). Cut each karela into 2 and keep aside - my karelas were small so I did not do this.

Makhani gravy
Make ginger garlic paste.
In a saucepan - 3 tomatoes, 1 medium onion, small handful of cashews, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, red capsicum (original recipe uses pumpkin) with just enough water and cook over medium heat till tomatoes are soft. Allow to cool completely. then strain (save the water) and puree it.
In the saucepan (i washed it again), heat 2 tsp oil and add cumin seeds. Then fry the ginger garlic paste till raw smell goes away. Then add the puree. Add the strained water. Simmer for 7 minutes or so. Add a teaspoon of tomato ketchup, add kashmiri red chilli powder (2 tsp), salt and sprinkle some kasoori methi. Take half cup of low fat milk and mix 1/2 tsp cornflour to it. pour this into the gravy. Adjust salt. It will thicken soon.
Add the cooked stuffed karelas and submerge it. sprinkle some cilantro over it.

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Date & Nut Rugelach

How can Christmas be complete without baking cookies! I was debating if I should bake a cake or cookies. I knew they had to have dates in them, because it reminds of my chidlhood and Christmas with my family in Saudi Arabia, where dates are always in the house.
I was searching for recipes on Epicurious and came across this recipe for a Rugelach. This seemed intriguing to me because they looked like mini croissants with a date filing in them. The recipe wasn't too complicated so I decided to give it a try. I also referred Ina Garten's rugelach recipe (video available in link) for the dough.
Initially I found it messy and difficult, but I played around with a few batches and got the hang of it. Refer my notes for pointers. They all tasted really good, so no problems there!
This brings an end to year 2013's series of Christmas recipes. Hope you enjoyed them, and try them any time of the year!

Ingredients:

For the dough:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

Confectioners' sugar for rolling out dough
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

For the filling:
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup fig preserves

Method:

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Do not overwork it or the dough will become tough. (I combined the flour with my hands) Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, finely chop dates and walnuts and in a bowl with your hands toss together dates, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until combined well.

On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons fig preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough.

Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges—cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Notes: Chilling the dough is key. It will make it more manageable.
The first time, I rolled out the dough without any extra flour. It stuck to everything and rolling it with the filling was a nightmare. It did not shape very well and was all mangled. I thought it was going to be a disaster. I even cursed Ina Garten for ruining Christmas for me. But I decided to bake the messy globs anyway. The finished product was really tasty and I forgot all my frustrations.

The glob (first batch - Christmas dessert)

The next batch, I placed the chilled dough between two sheets of cling film. I then rolled it out. The dough rolled out much better this way. I removed the top film and dusted a little flour on the dough. Turned it over, and removed the other sheet. Spread the fig jam and sprinkled the filling, cut it into triangular sections and rolled them perfectly.
The last one, I did the same procedure while rolling it (between cling films). But then I stuck it in the freezer to chill, to avoid dusting flour on it. It turned out to be brittle, so rolling them into crescents were a bit difficult. I think the second option works best.
You can also use confectioner's sugar for dusting instead of flour - in hindsight, I wish I'd done that. Oh well, next time. :)

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Chicken Malai Kabab

Last year, I had an American couple come over for Christmas dinner. As they were very sensitive to spices, I had to be careful about choosing milder recipes. I used a recipe for chicken malai kabab and omitted the green chillies. They turned out to be a hit, and my guests even took the leftovers home. This was one of the sides to the main course - rack of lamb.
This year, I made this again with the green chillies on the day after Christmas, as it was just the two of us. Looks like this is going to be a regular recipe for the holidays.

Ingredients:

Four pieces chicken breast

1st marination:
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp.
Garlic chopped - 1 tsp.
Malt vinegar - 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste

2nd marination:
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Cream cheese - 1/2 cup
Heavy cream - 1tbsp.
Egg - 1 no.
Coriander sticks - 2 tbsp., chopped
Green chillies - 1 tbsp., chopped
Green cardomom powder - 1/2 tsp.
White pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
Cheddar cheese grated - 2 tbsp.
Chat masala - 1 tsp.
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp.

Olive oil for basting

Method:

Cut chicken breast in thin slices 2”x 2”x1/2
Marinate chicken breast in salt, ginger, garlic and malt vinegar. (If you don't have malt vinegar, that's ok - use a little lemon juice)
Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

In a bowl add yogurt, cream cheese, and egg. Mix gently and add coriander, green chilies, cardamom powder and white pepper. Place marination to the side.

Remove the chicken and mix gently with the saved marination and add the cheddar cheese. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or leave it overnight.

Place chicken on a tray in the oven for 350 degrees for 15 minutes and turn over while cooking.
Remove and place on a plate. Sprinkle with chat masala and lemon juice.
Serve with favorite greens and mint chutney.

Note: You can also grill them. Skewer the chicken and grill for 6 minutes. Baste with olive oil and cook until the chicken is crispy.

You can also serve this with jeera rice. I also like to wrap this up in a pita with some chopped cucumber, parsley, hummus and mint chutney.

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Herb marinated Rack of Lamb

This was the main course for last year's Christmas. I served one rack of lamb among 4 people. We had several other dishes too. It was my first time grilling a rack of lamb, and yes I was nervous about serving it to guests. So I timed it exactly as mentioned in the recipe and it turned out medium (light pink center). I wasn't really able to enjoy the dinner because I was hosting too. So I decided to try it again this Christmas. Maybe this one's going to become a traditional Christmas meal for us? Time will tell..

Ingredients:

1 lamb rack (about 8 to 9 ribs)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled and crushed
6 parsley sprigs, chopped
2 (4-inch) rosemary sprigs, crushed
6 thyme sprigs, crushed
4 rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
Coarse Sea salt

Method:

Clean the rib bones well by scraping off meat and sinew with a small sharp knife. Cut the racks in 1/2 so that each has four ribs. Mix together the olive oil, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, crushed rosemary and thyme sprigs in a large bowl. Add the lamb and coat well. Grind some coarse black pepper over all. Wrap well and marinate the racks overnight. (I used a ziplock bag for this. Dump all the ingredients, close and shake it to coat well. Leave it in the fridge overnight.)

The next day remove the lamb from the marinade and scrape off as many herbs as possible. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the lamb well with salt; no additional pepper should be necessary, and sear fat side down until golden, about 7 minutes.

Turn over so that the fat side is up and roast in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Let the rack rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

To serve, cut each lamb rack into 4 equal pieces, 2 bones per chop and serve on individual plates or a platter with the accompaniments of your choice.

Notes:
1. Rack of lamb is simple to prepare and quite elegant for a proper dinner party. Racks have become so popular and expensive in the U.S. that chefs have turned to overseas sources to supply their restaurants at a much cheaper price. There are many New Zealand producers selling lamb with no added hormones or antibiotics. I buy a rack that's produced in Australia. The herb marinade for the rack really perfumes the meat if it is done a day or two ahead of time. The same marinade can be used for many other cuts as well. It is best to remove as many of the herbs and garlic before roasting as they will burn and create off flavors.
2. This year I added another 3 minutes to the oven time so the center wasn't pink (almost well done, but still juicy).
3. This maybe gross for some people. While searing the meat on the saute pan, you will notice some blood oozing out of the bones. I usually take a clean paper towel and press against those areas to absorb and remove the blood. I did this again when I got it out of the oven. Here's a comparison of the bloody and not so bloody rack:

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Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Another recipe I made last Christmas and again this year. This was served as a side to my main course of herb marinated lamb rack.

Ingredients:

4 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Place the cubed potatoes into a baking dish. (The cubes of potatoes should be about 3/4 of an inch on all sides) You can spray the baking dish with a baking spray too to eliminate anything possibly sticking
Pile on the olive oil, garlic salt, salt, paprika, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Using your fingers, or a spoon if you feel inclined, get in to the potatoes and carefully mix everything around until the seasonings coat each potato.
Transfer the baking dish into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss the potatoes with a pair of tongs. Put the baking dish back into the oven and bake for 10 minutes more. Remove the baking sheet and give them another toss and place them back in the oven and roast until they are golden and crispy.
Season with an little dusting of sea salt and extra parmesan cheese and serve.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I love making a soup as one of my Christmas dinner courses. Last year I made a delicious pea soup. I did not have the time to take photos and note the recipe down, since I had guests coming over and I was in a mad rush to get everything done on time. I think I'll make it again before the winter ends.

This year, I decided to use a vegetable I've never cooked or even tasted before. I was looking at the all the fresh seasonal vegetables at a local farm here, called Donaldson Farms. They have amazing chocolate milk there! I saw different types of squash on display, and they all looked beautiful! I've rarely eaten anything from the squash family (except for pumpkins) so decided to give butternut squash a try.

I made this in advance on Christmas Eve and served it as my second course on Christmas with Gougères.

I referred a few videos on how to cut this up. I must say, it was a lot of work and requires more strength than I had thought. Especially making the first cut in half.

I mostly followed the recipe on Food.com This recipe called for fresh parsley, which was then pureed along with the other ingredients. I feel pureeing parsley ruined the taste of the soup. It gave that raw green grass sort of taste, which made me feel like a cow eating grass! It also ruined the beautiful orange color of the soup and gave it a sickly green hue. So I would avoid this next time, and probably follow another video.
If I had watched this video first, it would have made my life much easier!

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, peeled, diced (about 5 cups)
1 medium onion, large dice (1 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 apple, skinned, large dice (1 cup)
48 ounces chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons parsley, fresh, chopped - my recommendation, do not use!!
1 tablespoon thyme, fresh, chopped
crouton (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Method:

1 Roasting: Preheat oven to 450. Peel and dice squash into 1/2 inch pieces (see tip at end). Dice onion into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss squash and onion with olive oil and spread pieces onto a large flat baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes - add diced apple - and continue roasting another 10-20 minutes (30-40 total roasting time).
I would rather roast the squash halves next time, and then puree it with sauteed onions, apple and herbs.
2 Tip: while you are roasting, make some "cheese toasts". Put some shredded cheese on top of bread rounds (we like gruyere or parmesan). Bake 10-15 minutes until crispy. These cheese toasts are fantastic soup toppers! I made Gougères.
3 Place roasted mixture into blender with about half the chicken broth; puree (keep hand on lid because hot liquids can cause the top to "explode" off with built up steam). Add remaining chicken broth, half-and-half, and herbs; puree.
4 Transfer mixture to saucepan; reheat gently.
5 Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a dash of paprika.
Tip: to prepare squash, first cut squash in half horizontally. Place flat end onto cutting board to stabilize squash and use a peeler to remove skin. Remove seeds. Then cut into lengths, and then into diced pieces.
Note: if you have leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving, add about 1/2 cup, which will thicken the soup and add a nice smoothness.
My notes: Other recipes used carrots, bay leaf and sage too. Worth trying next time instead of parsley.

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