The Frenck Kiss

So are yo still blogging thesedays??? hmm thats a question i've been asked by many, from the time i had my bundle of joy in last august. And amist all the laughter the cries the sleepless nights and loads of diapers that comes with the bundle, all i could manange was to get a few clicks once in a while. And well with this blog post i am by no means implying that i gonna be the come back kid on blogosphere. So for now its gonna be the same "on-again off-again" story happening on this blog. How frank... ;) And coming back to this post... its a mocktail (the non-acaholic twin of cocktail) that i made as a welcome drink for my son's birthday party.

Kumquat Pudding

Finally I made it!!! ...."the kumquat pudding".... and how did that happen? well if you ask me that.... i gotta see an amazing tiramisu dessert that was beautifully decorated with these tiny cuties:Kumquats. I had hardly noticed that this stranged named fruit even dwelled among the fruit aisles at the local super market. And each time I laid my eyes on it... I just knew that all I was just waiting for was for an occasion to give it a try. And yes, the occasion was my dear husband's birthday.... so somethings more sweeter than a cake.

I made this over basic milk pudding, decorated it with candied kumquats and topped it off with the thickened sugar syrup left behind from the candying the kumquats.... which gives its beautiful marriage between the unlikely tastes of the sweet & the bitter. All I can say that it was worth trying... for I got a thumps-up from my one I had made it for... my itchu :)

Nadan Beef Olathiyathu

www.idayz.blogspot.com, on Flickr">

Ice Cream Cake

My latest cake endevour : "the Ice Cream Cake.... for my ever bubbly friend Fami's birthday bash and she loves ice cream.... So, the theme of the cake. The cake is classic white cake frosted with vanilla buttercream frosting and the ice cream cones done with cream cheese frosting.

iDayz In News

iDayz had its debut in print news media on the 13th of December 2008.... the blog entry on the Homemade Carrot Wine appeared in the Mumbai edition of the leading daily newspaper in India "Times Of India". The post appeared under the name "Winery at Home" in the Rouge, the lifestyle supplement that comes with The Times of India.

For a closer look, click on the thumbnails below:

Chicken Lollipop / Mock Drumsticks

"............spiced pulled back chicken winglets."

Chicken lollipops has always stayed among the top list of yummy appetisers while visiting an Indian restuarant. But I always shyed away from the idea of making it at home as sometimes you get to a notion that some stuffs are meant only by a professional chef. Its was the Matha Steward Show that got me on my spritis to give this sizzling appetised a try.

You'll Need...

Chicken Winglets.... 1 lb

Chilli Powder... 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder... 1/2 tsp

Ketchup... 1 tsp

Salt... to taste.

Egg White, lightly beaten... 2 no:s

Bread Crumbs... 1 cup

Oil... for deep frying

Here Is How...

1. In a large non-reactive mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for chilli powder to salt to make up the marinade. Set aside.

2. Cut the wind as the two joints to yield three pieces and discard the tip portions of the wings. Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife, loosen the meat around the middle joint & push the meat down gently, scrapping the bone, to about three-forths of the length. Turn the meat inside out around the big joint to form a "drumstick".

3. Transfer the chicken in to the marinate pan and toss to combine well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for one to two hous, or overnight.

4. In a small bowl, place egg whites with a pinch of salt and beat until smooth. Place bread crumbs into another small bowl. Dip the pieces of chicken into the egg mixture and then in the mixturebread crumbs. Allow your chicken to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before frying.

5. Meanwhile, pour enough oil in to a deep skillet and set over medium-high heat and deep fry the "drumsticks" till crispy & golden brown. For heatier cooking options, either arrange the "drumsticks" in a large baking tray & bake for about 25-30 minutes in a 400F oven until crispy & golden brown or grill the "drumsticks" over hot coal for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown, or . Serve with desired dipping sauce.

Flower Cake

Knock Knock at the door.... its a Surprise Birthday Party. I made this cake about half a year back as part of throwing a surprise birthday party for my friend Pam. The basket weave design is made from butter cream frosting & flowers are from royal icing.

Chatti Pathiri ...... "The Malabar Lasagnia"

Sometimes the best of modern cuisine borrow ideas for the dishes & entrée from traditional cooking.... Chatti Pathiri a.k.a Chatti Pathil a.k.a Adukku Pathiri was just another strange name, that belonged among the rather long list of yummy sounding Malabar dishes, described to me by my friend "Famitha" who hails from the malabar region. Nothing... yes nothing gets my friend excited... not even fashion... and not even our usual gossip talks are good enough to gets her this excited than when talking about malabari food :). You Rock Girl!!! So this time she went ahead and described chatti pathiri as - the malabar lasagnia, similar as to the of layer upon layer of soft chapathi with the deliciously seasoned meat masala, eggs, cashew & raisins between the layers, and baked crispy perfection. I couldn't wait to get into the kitchen and try my hands in making Fami's chatti pathiri.

Traditionally, the baking of chatti pathiri is done in a sealed container with the coconut husk coals at the bottom and more on its lid which also has the added virtue of imparting a very delicate coco-nutty scent of its own to the dish baking crisp in the container. Although the traditional method of preparing them calls for placing them on hot coals, chatti pathiri may be prepared on regular oven or stove-tops.

You don't have to give up good tasting food to eat healthfully. Some smart choices can made in the original chatti pathiri recipe which would not only keep the calories under check but also save you a ton of time too. Rotisserie Chicken : shredded meat from the store bought rotisserie chicken may be used in place of the fried chicken called forth in the recipe. Egg Whites : each whole egg may be replaced with two egg whites. Tortillas/Chappati : the store bought tortillas/chappati makes a good alternative to homemade ones. Furthermore the chatti pathiri can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the fridge and then baked just in time for any feast. Fresh-baked chatti pathil would fill the house with tempting aromas, whetting appetites for any happy feast.

"Happy Holidays!!!"

You'll Need :

For Ottada....
All Purpose Flour(Maida)... 2 cups
Egg, lightly beaten... 1 large
Salt... to taste.

For Erachi Pundam....
Onions, chopped... 1 large
Ginger, grated... 2tbsp
Garlic, grated ... 2 tbsp
Green Chillies, chopped... 4-5 no:s
Chilli Powder.... 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder... 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala... 1 tsp
Chicken, shredded... 1/2 kg
Curry leaves... 1 sprig

Between The Layers....
Eggs, beaten.... 6 no:s
Cardamom Powder... a pinch
Sugar (optional)... 1/2 tsp
Salt.... to taste.
Ghee... 200g
Shallots, sliced... 4 no:s
Cashews... 100g
Raisins... 100g
White Poppy Seeds(Khus-Khus)... 25g

For Ottada:

1. With a electric mixer over medium speed, beat the all purpose flour, egg and salt with required water to blend into a thick batter.

2. Set a flat non-stick pan over medium-high heat & make about 10-12 round thin crepe/dosa of uniform size (approx. about the same diameter as that of the baking dish). This forms the "Ottada" that makes the layers of the chatti pathil. Keep aside.

For Erachi Pundam:

1. Marinate the chicken in chilli powder, turmeric powder & salt for about 30 minutes. Heat oil and shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces till golden brown. Let cool & shred the fried chicken into fine pieces.

2. Set a bottom heavy Saute Pan on medium-low heat, heat oil and saute onions, minced ginger, garlic & green chili with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook till translucent or golden brown.

3. Add curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder stir. Also stir in the shredded chicken. Sprinkle garam masala and roast for 5-10 minute and remove from heat. This forms the "Erachi Pandam" (Chicken Masala) that goes between the layers of the chatti pathil. Keep aside.

For Egg Mixture :

1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cardamom powder, sugar and salt.

2. Heat ghee a small omelet pan & saute the thinly sliced shallots till golden brown. Remove from heat & cool and add it to the whisked eggs. This form the "Egg Mixture" that goes between the layers of the chatti pathil. Keep aside.

Assembling The Layers :

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use about 1 tablespoon butter to grease the side of a round cake pan(8-inch) or any flat-bottomed oven proof dish.

2. Now start assembling the layers of the chatti pathil, starting with an initial layer of "Ottada" at the bottom of the pan... top it with a generous layer of "Erachi Pandam".... pour a layer of beaten "Egg Mixture".... sprinkle a few cashews, raisins & khas-khas.

3. Repeat the process by adding layers of Ottada, Erachi Pandam, Egg Mixture, Cashews, Raisins and Khas-Khas, in the order, till its done. On the top of the final layer, arrange a generous layer of cashews and raisins as garnish.

4. Close the pan with aluminium foil and bake in a 350°F oven for about 35-40 minutes till the sides have turned crispy & golden brown. Remove from the oven and keep aside for a few minutes till cool to handle.

5. With a sharp knife, loosen the sides of the chatti pathiri from the pan and unmold the chatti pathil onto a serving plate. Serve hot either as a starter or as a main course.

Homemade Carrot Wine

"Carrot Wine... a delicious orange coloured wine."

Ican never think about special occasions or celebrations at home without thinking about a special homemade wine. Months before the D-day my grandmother, mom and aunts would gather in the kitchen to celebrate the favorite tradition of creating the homemade wine which is to be serve for the occasion to friends and family. A small wine cup of homemade wine and a piece of fruit cake is served to guests to mark the start of any celebration and this has been a long standing tradition of hospitality among the Kerala Christians. Apart from the tradition part of homemade wines, creating your own wine and sharing it with family and friends is also a great sense of pride for any host. The varieties of homemade wine would range anything from Grape Wine, which is the most common... Beetroot Wine... Carrot Wine... Gooseberry Wine... Banana Wine... and to more rarer varieties like the Cashew-Apple Wine... JambakaChambaka(Water Rose Apple)Wine... Rose Petal Wine... Yes you read it just right; yes Rose Petal Wine which I look forward to making only if I could lay my hands on the much required rose petals which makes up the basic raw material. Just as interesting as this list of the homemade wine varieties get, my Hus T gets amused to be served various unheard varieties of wine as we go visiting our relatives during our much awaited yearly India trips. And so this time after we got back to US, I decided to try making them at home. Well only that I took quiet a while in deciding on the ingredient. Finally it was carrots that made it... Carrot Wine!!! Carrots have a natural sweetness, but lack acid. With the addition of some freshly squeezed juice of lemon and orange , carrots will make an interesting orange coloured wine. Making your own homemade carrot wine is a simple process and the following is the recipe for carrot wine.

You'll Need.....

Carrot, grated... 1 kg
Ginger, grated... 30g
Water.... 3.5 litres
Granulated Sugar.... 1 kg
Warm water.... ½ cup
Instant Yeast.... 1 tsp
Lemon Juice... 1 no:
Orange Juice... 1 no:
Cinnamon Sticks... 3-5 no:s
Cloves... 7 no:s

Here Is How....

1. Wash and peel the skin of the carrots & ginger and finely grate them using a hand grater.

2. Microwave ½ cup of water till lukewarm and dissolve a teaspoon of yeast and ½ teaspoon of sugar. Let it stand to bubble and rise. This process would revive the yeast cells prior to its use in the recipe.

3. Set a large Dutch Oven on medium-high heat and bring the water to a roaring boil. Add the grated carrots & ginger to the boiling water and boil it till its fully cooked.

4. When the carrots are well cooked, turn off the heat and let it cool off. Once the mixture cools to a temperature safe enough to handle, strain the mixture using a double cheesecloth or muslin cloth into a clean, dry and airtight container, preferably a traditional bharani. Discard the grated portion.

5. Into the wine liquid, add the sugar and the lemon and orange juice and stir with a clean and dry wooden spoon until fully dissolved. Once the wine liquid is cooled to body temperature, add the dissolved yeast froth, the cinnamon sticks and cloves.

6. Close the container airtight and allow to ferment. Store in a dry and dark space, during the fermentation period of 2-3 weeks(15 days). On the 5th day, stir the wine liquid using a clean and dry wooden spoon and let the fermentation to continue.

7. After the fermentation period is completed, strain it though a muslin cloth to remove any dead yeast and solid organic residues. Allow the cloudy liquid to clear before bottling. When clear, pour into dry bottles and store them at room temperature. Cheers!!!

Good Job Award

Wowie!!! I cant be more excited than when I'm getting my very first blog award : " GOOD JOB AWARD" for the latest blog entry on Homemade Carrot Wine. It was passed on to me by Ramya of Ramya's Kitchen Corner. And now I would like to pass this award to five of my fellow bloggers :

• Route 79
• Easy Cooking
• Tasty Treats
• Happy Cook
• Salt & Spice

Vegan Month Nov 2008

November is Vegan Month!!! November 1st is the World Vegan Day, and all of November is celebrated as Vegan month. My fellow blogger Suganya of Tasty Pallets is hosting the blogging event : "Vegan Month, Nov 2008." And I'm submitting the entry of Homemade Carrot Wine towards this event.

Read more about Vegan Month at "Go Vegan"

Kansas Chicken.... A Diffrent Chicken Curry!!!

Wondering whats with that name - Kansas Chicken??? What has Kansas, the central most state in United States Of America got to do with the name of an Indian Chicken Curry??? Well its not everyday that you get to scratch your head to name a yummy dish that you just finished making. :) But don't get me wrong on this, its not that I turned the magic wand and came up with this dish myself but its from the pages of my "Recipe Diary". Today I can say that I'm comfortable with cooking and to go a step further I have "iDayz", a food blog to my credit too. But it has not always been so, in the days before my wedding there wasn't a though as cooking that would get me all tensed up. Not that I was totally ignorant to cooking all those years but the though of not having my mom & beloveds around me to clear my seemingly endless doubts that would sprout each time I decide to put my culinary skills to test. And then, as most of you would have had it, I decided my best way would be write down every possible recipe that come my way from the mom & aunts. And when the time finally came to put my culinary skills to test I turned up my recipe diary, right to this recipe which Yeah this was the very first dish that I cooked for my sweet-heart. Simplicity to cook... yet so very different from the usual bandwagon of chicken curries.

You'll Need:

For The Marinade:
Chicken, boneless pieces...
Yogurt.... 4 tbsp
Turmeric... 1/2 tsp
Salt... to taste.

For The Masala:

Onions, finely chopped... 2 medium no:s
Ginger, finely chopped.... 1 inch piece
Garlic, minced.... 5 to 6 cloves
Green Chillies, finely chopped... 2 no:s
Garam Masala.... 1 tsp
Chilies Powder.... 2 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder.... 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder(a little)... 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes, pureed... 2 medium no:s
Curry Leaves... 2 sprig
Oil... as required.

Here Is How:

1. Marinate small pieces of chicken with curd, turmeric & salt for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Transfer the marinated chicken pieces, along with the marinade, into a wok and heat on medium-low heat till water starts oozing out and the chicken reaches a half-boil. Remove from the heat and strain the chicken pieces from the chicken stock and reserve the stock for later use in the recipe.

3. Pour the oil into a saute pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the half-boiled chicken pieces and shallow fry till they starts to brown slightly. Keep the chicken pieces aside.

4. Into the remaining oil, add the chopped onions & salt. Stir & saute until the onion is translucent. Add ginger, garlic and green chillies and let them sweat for a minute or two. Add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and stir till the raw smell goes and then add the pureed tomatoes and keep stirring till oil separates.

5. Add the reserved chicken stock and bring to a simmer & then add the fried chicken pieces. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken are just cooked through. Remove the lid, stir once or twice, taste for salt, and serve.

Recipe Source : Dearest Daisy Chechi

Black Forest Cake Recipe

Black Forest Cake is a wonderful example of German baking tradition. Black Forest Torte, as it is also known, is a classic dessert that originated in the Black Forest region in Germany where it is called "Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte". The classic Black Forest Cake combines a rich chocolate cake with candied cherries and creamy whipped cream. This classic dessert has become a popular dessert throughout the world and hence been endlessly altered in every part of the world to cater to the local tastes. In India, black forest cakes typically consists of thin layers of moist chocolate cake spread with alternating layers of chocolate ganache and whipped-cream filling and covered with fluffy butter cream frosting and then decorated with tons of chocolate shavings. This recipe here is sure to bring back to you the Indian Black Forest Cake that you have always loved to indulge in sinfully. It's not at all difficult to make, so put on your apron and get started !!!!

For The Chocolate Cake:

Unsalted Butter, at room temperature... 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks)
Dutch Process Cocoa, unsweetened... 3/4 cups
Boiling Water... 1/2 cup
Cake Flour, sifted... 3 cups
Baking Soda... 1 tsp
Salt... 1/2 tsp
Sugar... 2 1/4 cups
Eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten... 4 large
Pure Vanilla Extracts... 1 tbsp
Whole Milk... 1 cup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Use about 1 tablespoon butter to grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with circles of parchment paper and use a little more butter to grease paper. Dust with cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Set aside. Sift cocoa powder & whisk in boiling water. Set aside to cool. Once cool, whisk milk into cocoa to form the Cocoa Mixture. Set aside.

2. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl to form the Flour Mixture and set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed until creamy. Gradually mix in sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition; mix until well blended. Mix in vanilla extracts.

3. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, in small batches, to the butter mixture until everything is well mixed.

4. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans; smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. When cakes have cooled remove them from pans and peel off paper.

Assemble The Cake Layers:

Simple Syrup*... 3/4 cup
Cool Whip... 1 tub
Strawberry Preserve(Jam)... 1 pack

Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place one layer on a cake plate for serving. Spoon in the Simple Syrup on top of each of the cake layers just enough to soak lightly and for that extra moisture. Spread about 1/3rd of the Cool Whip over the cake layer and top it with a generous layer of Strawberry Preserve (I used the Smucker's brand of strawberry preserves). Place the second cake layer and repeat layers with Simple Syrup, Cool Whip and Strawberry Preserve and then place the final cake layer, bottom side up. Press lightly to secure layers and use a spatula to smooth outside of cake.

For The Finishing Touch:

Butter Cream Frosting.... 2 cups
Dark Chocolate Bar, shaved... 1/2 cup
Maraschino Cherries, drained.... 6-7 no:s

Frost sides and top of cake with butter cream frosting/Cool Whip, reserving a small amount for garnish. Using a vegetable peeler, grate the chocolate bar into fine shavings. Neatly pat the grated chocolate onto the side of the freshly frosted cake. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe dallop shapes around top edge of the cake and Shell border around the bottom edges of cake. Top the dallops of frosting with the drained maraschino cherries. Wipe rim of cake plate clean. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Lets Sin!!! :)

Note ~ Chocolate Cake Recipe adapted from "Martha Stewart Living, February 2006".

Tips & Adaptations: The original Black Forest Cake uses the juice reserved from the drained Maraschino Cherries which sometimes has a acidic smell to it. In the above recipe, I have adapted it to my taste by replacing Cherry Juice with Simple Syrup. * Simple Syrup which is made by boiling 1cup water and 2cups sugar until fully dissolved and then cooled. Further the original Black Forest Cake also would have a cherry pie filling between the layers which has also been substituted with a Strawberry Fruit Preserve(Jam). You may further simplify the entire cooking time by starting with a good brand of Devil's Food Chocolate Cake Mix, like Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines, which would save you much time.

Love Letter.... Madakku San.... Mutta Kuzhalappam.... Thera Ada.... Coconut Crêpe

One Dish, Many Names : Love Letter / Mutta Kuzhalappam... in Ernakulam, Madakku San.... in Kottayam, Pola... in Thrissur, Tehra-ada... in Kasargod & Coconut Crêpe... in English. Hmmm... Isn't that a long enough list of names for this simple and easy-to-make tea time munchie? Ever wondered why this four o’clock snack had this many names to it credit. Hah??? might be people found it so in their favorite list that they gave it a name and made it their own :) Well whatever reason it would hold for the long list of names, the Love Letter (my favorite name) and chai still reigns my heart... On a cold monsoon evening, sitting down for a hot cup of tea & mutta kuzhalappam ummm there is nothing like it. Further more this recipe can be whipped up with unlimited variations of fillings. My favorite variation, however, is the one which uses jaggery to make a sweet sticky filling.

You'll Need:

For The Crêpe:

All Purpose Flour(Maida).... 2 cup

Milk... 1/2 cup

Water... 1/2 cup

Egg... 1 large

Butter, melted... 2 tbsp

Salt... a pinch

For The Filling:
Grated Coconut... 1/2 cup

Jaggery*, melted... 1/2 cup

Cardamom Powder... 1/2 tsp

Cashew Nuts... 6-7 pieces

Raisins... 1 tbsp

Salt... a pinch

Here Is How:

For The Filling : Heat ghee in a saucepan. Roast cashew, raisins, grated coconut and add the melted jaggery, stir continuously. On medium low heat, make it into a thick sticky filling. Remove from heat and stir in the cardamom powder. Keep it aside.

For The Crêpe :

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine and make a dosa like batter. If seems too thick, thin it out with a little more milk or water. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

2. Heat a lightly oiled non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly & form a thin round crepe.

3. Cook the crepe until the bottom is light golden. Loosen the side with a spatula and flip the sides and cook the other side and remove from heat. Lay them out flat so they can cool.

4. Once the crepes are cool enough to handle, scoop out about 1 tbsp of the prepared filling into the center of each crepe and roll it into a pipe. Mutta Kuzhalappam ready!!!

*Jaggery : This dark, coarse, and unrefined sugar is made from the sap of the coconut palm tree. It has a sweet flavor and usually comes in the form of a solid cake with crumbly texture.

My Desk : EAT THIS... NOT THAT

My Latest Read : EAT THIS NOT THAT.
Reading though the various featured articles in Yahoo! I got to notice that the source of many of the health article was this best seller book which claimed itself to be incredibly helpful for people trying to eat healthier in this unhealthy world. Lots of great information, good advice, and useful photographs. So having found an interesting pick, my next instinct was to fish out my library bar code and check out if it was available at my local library... Yes! its was right there and even two copies of it... but a closer look showed me a waiting list of... Guess which number I was.. 35!!!! Not bad hah...But that's a long enough a wait for me forget all about this book or rather not... And finally when I got the automated call telling me its ready for pick-up.... Requested this book???.... Who me??? ;)) Well after all the wait the book was a good read or rather a comprehensive guide to what to eat at home, from the supermarket, even at a fast-food counter.

Nadan Chemmen Varattiyathu

Calling all seafood lovers!!! If you haven't tried this traditional spicy prawns entrée -"Nadan Chemmen Varattiyathu" which is authentic to Central Kerala yet, then this recipe is a good excuse to do so. The nadan chemmen varattiyathu celebrates age-old recipes used by Christian families in the regions of Central Kerala where high quality fresh seafood are ready available through out the year. The backwaters of Central Kerala can proudly boast that it produces one of the the best fresh water prawns in the world. I have some really fond memories of prawns, whether it be the curious visits as a child to the family paddy fields where a rice-prawn rotation is practised (After the rice is harvested, the paddy fields are leased out to prawn farmers for a certain period) or be it eating the prawns in various spice slathered dishes. Nadan Chemmen Varattiyathu - this slow roasted spicy dish is rich tasting, savory and indulgent. How do they do it??? By slow roasting the prawns in spices to release every bit of their delicate flavor. When they came out cooked, dark brown and slathered in spices, you almost could contain the drool!

It is highly suggestive that you use fresh prawns for this dish -"Nadan Chemmen Varattiyathu" because of its superior taste & texture. But that's no problem if fresh prawns are not available - thanks to the "Peeled & Cleaned" packaged prawns that are widely available in the freezer aisle of the super-market. If you have bought prawns that have already been cooked, then they should be added a few minutes before the end of the cooking time, just to reheat them, as overcooking would make them tough & rubbery.

You'll Need:

Raw Shrimp, cleaned.... 1.5 lb
Shallots, thinly sliced.... 1 cup
Garlic, chopped.... 6 pods
Ginger, chopped..... 2" piece
Green Chili, chopped.... 5 no:s
Curry Leaves.... 2-3 sprigs
Chili Powder.... 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder.... 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder.... 1.5 tbsp
Coconut Slices.... 1/3 cup
Coconut Oil.... 3 tbsp
Kudam Pulli (Gamboge)....1 no:
Varatharacha Paste.... 1 tbsp*
Garam Masala.... 1 tsp
Lime Juice.... half of a lime.
Salt.... to taste.

Here Is How:

1. Wash & soak the kudam pulli in just enough water to make it soft. Keep aside.

2. Peel and devein the shrimp and then rinse them under cold water. Drain well. Marinate the cleaned & deveined prawns with the mixture of garam masala, turmeric, salt & lemon juice and let it stand, for 20 minutes to overnight, in the refrigerator.

3. Set a bottom heavy Saute Pan on medium-low heat, heat coconut oil and saute shallots, minced ginger, garlic & green chili with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook till translucent or golden brown. Now add curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder stir. Also stir in the coconut slices and fry or a minute or two.

4. Add marinated prawns and the soaked pulli without adding any water even to cook the prawns.

5. Once prawns cooked, add Varatharach Paste* and roast them on low flame for about 10-15 minutes, until the prawns are in brown colour & the gravy is fully dried up.

6. Just a few minutes before turning off the heat, make a well at the center of the prawn mixture and add a little coconut oil & to it add curry leaves and then cover the well with prawns. This would give this dish its typical varattiya aroma.

Culinary Tips:

If you have bought prawns that have already been cooked, then they should be added a few minutes before the end of the cooking time, just to reheat them, as overcooking would make them tough & rubbery. I highly suggest that fresh prawns be used for this particular recipe which would better absorb the spices as its gets cooked.

* Varatharach Paste : is made by dry roasting various spice & grated coconut till dark brown, which is then dry grinded to form into a thick smooth paste. This paste can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 6 months. Again the fully prepared & ready-to-use varatharacha paste are now available at your local malayali grocers under the brand name *"Saras Varutharacha Paste".

My Desk : Lipstick Jihad

My latest read.... "Lipstick Jihad : A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America and American in Iran". With its intriguing title, the book gave me the sense of a guided tour through the rather unknown youth culture in Tehran. An intresting read on the Iran.

Indo-Chinese Chicken Manchurian

Ask me my favorite childhood cuisine and without missing a beat, I would have told its Chinese and it had literally remained unchanged right into my adulthood, or I should rather say until I had the taste of Chinese thats served here in the US. So what I had been my fav all these year was "Indo-Chinese" which are immensely popular with Indians. Indo-Chinese cuisine is the adaptation of Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian tastes. In India, people frequent Chinese restaurants which serves the spicy adaptations of Chinese food which has naturally evolved out from the marriage of Indian spices with classic Chinese recipes & cooking techniques.

You'll Need :

Boneless Chicken.... 1/2" pieces

Corn Flour... 1/3 cup
All-Purpose Flour (Maida).... 1/2 cup

White Pepper Powder 1/4 tsp
Water (approx) 1/3 cup
Salt... to taste.
Dried Red Chili.... 3-4
Onions, sliced.... 3/4 cup

Garlic Ginger Paste.... 2 tbsp

Green Chili, finely chopped... 4-5 no:s

Chili powder.... 1/2 tsp

Soy Sauce... 2 tbsp

Ketchup... 1 tbsp

Chili-Garlic Sauce.... 2 tsp

Ajinomoto(optional).... 1/4 tsp

Carrot Strips.... 1/4 cup

Bell Peppers.... 1/2 cup

Scallions (Sping Onions).... 2 no:s

Chicken Stock..... 3 cups

Salt.... 1 tsp

Vegetable Oil... 1/4 cup

Here Is How :

In a bowl mix maida, corn flour, salt and pepper by adding water to form a fine batter. Add the boneless chicken cubes into the batter and mix well. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the chicken cubes covered with batter until golden brown and cooked. Set aside.

Heat the oil in bottom heavy wok over medium-high heat. Add dried red chillies till they turn dark and stir-fry the ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and onion with a bit of salt till the onions look glossy. Now add the chili powder & stir for a minute and pour the sauce mixture of soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, tomato sauce and chicken stock. Sprinkle ajinomoto (MSG) which give the food authentic Chinese flavour. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the deep fried chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes till the chicken is fully cooked and absorbs the sauce. Simmer till the sauce thickens and becomes translucent. Add the bell peppers, carrot strips & spring onion and turn around a few times. Delicious Chicken Manchurian is ready to be served.

Bite-Size Desserts : Almond Marbles

Bite-Size Desserts topped the list of "WHAT"S HOT & HAPPENING" in a 2008 FOOD TRENDS SURVEY of chefs conducted by the National Restaurant Association. Tiny cakes, pastries, cookies, candies, and tarts are popping up on more and more menus in dining establishments everywhere. Instead of one dessert to end a delightful culinary experience, you dine on a "buffet" of smaller, one and two bite-size goodies.

It was at the seemingly endless grand buffets that we had during our recent trip to "The Sin City-Las Vegas" that totally attracted my attention to these tiny sinful treats. The bite-size versions allowed us to sample several items rather than one big entrée, even after you have gorged all the cusines imaginable right from american, italian, japanese, chinese and seafood cuisine's. This yummy, nutty dessert hails from France and adapted from C&Z. A little chewy, nutty marbles with a bit of chocolate are totally addictive. I bet you would enjoy the look of delight on the faces when you bring out the neatly arranged army of these tiny treats.

You'll Need:

Almonds, husked & toasted... 1 cup

Confectioner's Sugar.... 3/4 cup

Fine Sea Salt.... a pinch

Honey.... 2 tsp

Semi-Sweet Chocolate.... 3 ounce.

Here Is How:

1. Combine the toasted almonds, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a mixing bowl and form a well in the center. In a small bowl, combine the honey with 1 tablespoon hot water and stir to dissolve and pour into the center of the almond mixture.

2. Knead the almond paste for a minute or two, until it comes together and make it into a large ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to a day.

3. Remove from the fridge and scoop out small balls with your finger tips. Line them up on a plate and plant a wooden toothpick vertically in the center of each. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring from time to time.

5. Dip each of the marbles in the melted chocolate, holding it by the toothpick and swirling it around gently to coat. Set on the parchment paper, toothpick pointing skywards. Let it cool (but not in refrigerator) for 2 hours, until the chocolate coating is dry. The marbles will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature in an air tight container.

Makes about 25 marbles.

My Desk : Little Women

"Little Women".... a timeless classic novel published in the year 1868. Based during the American Civil War, it tells the story of the lives and loves of four sisters. It fascinated me as the story gets you back in time to the rather unknown early american lifestyle & values. Even more than one hundred years later,this book still captures the timeless themes of friendship and the strength of family. It's not difficult to see why this classic still makes in the top list of good reads.

Zero-Oil Simple Cauliflower Potato Masala / Aloo Gobi

Thanks to the stay-fit spirit that's sweeping India, their eating habits are turning distinctly healthier - more green veggies & fruits and also making the switch from the traditional medium of cooking like vanaspati & coconut oil. Recently my mom has been making numerous trials on "Zero-Oil Cooking" and as part of healthy diet changes but what I found even more interesting in the ease of cooking this dish. This is one of the easiest vegetable curries to make, simple enough to be your best try on the don't-wanna-cook days. So without much of a thought this was the one recipe i turned to as the quickest & delicious way to make dishes turn-up at the table amidst busy apartment shifting. Now guys dont come around asking me how busy I really was to have found time to click these snaps??? ;) Well... "When the student is ready, the teacher appears"

You'll Need:

Cauliflower.... 1 bunch
Potatoes.... 2 no:s medium size
Chili Powder.... 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder.... 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder.... 1/2 tsp
Shallots, finely chopped... 3 no:s
Green Chili, finely chopped.... 2 no:s
Ginger, mashed... 1 inch
Garlic, minced.... 2-3 cloves
Tomato Sauce..... 3 tbsp
Garam Masala.... 1 tsp
Curry Leaves.... 1 sprig
Salt..... to taste

Here Is How:

1. Peel the potatoes using a vegetable peeler & dice them into small bite size pieces. Boil the potatoes with 1 inch deep water, slit open green chillies & a pinch of salt until its cooked through, drain them and allow to cool. When they are cool enough to handle, break them coarsely by hand. Keep aside.

2. Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets, with an attached stem so it does not look too squat. Into a non-stick wok, toss the florets and add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, shallots, green chilies, ginger, garlic & salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients together to coat the cauliflower florets well.

3. Set the wok on medium heat. Cover and cook for a 2 to 3 minutes. No extra water need to added as the cauliflower florets will cook itself from the water oozing out. As the florets starts getting soft & cooked, stir in the tomato sauce & the cooked potato squares.

4. Bring to simmer over medium low heat so as to end up with a very thick sauce clinging to the cauliflower. Adjust the heat as necessary to achieve this. Sprinkle garam masala, turn-off the heat & stir in the curry leaves. Serve hot with rice or roti

Recipe Source : My Sweetest Mom

The Friendly Fungi !!!! ~ Mushroom Thoran Nadan Recipe

Is it a vegetable? a herb? Of all the options it happens to be a “large fleshy fungus” which is yummy too. There is a bit of mystery attached to the mushroom with all its unusual combination of qualities. Mushrooms are a fascinating life forms which seem to appear overnight and disappear just as mysteriously. Their variety of colour and shape is equally as unpredictable as when and where they will appear.

When i think of mushrooms what comes to mind are the "oyster mushroom" which was the only largely available variety in India, atleast till India opened its doors to globalisation in early 90s. My life in US has made me more familiar with various varieties of these friendly fungi where the most commonly found mushroom varieties on the supermarket shelves are the button mushrooms a.k.a white mushrooms. Now it has happened that I simply love mushrooms of all types and really appreciates how much the flavor differ between each variety of mushroom.

Low in calories... No cholesterol.... and are virtually free of fat & sodium. Oh ya, that quiet a bit of reasons to get you searching out for recipes to incorporate more of this healthy ingredient to your daily meals. And I can't tell you how many times I have gone to the supermarket with mushrooms on my mind.

Culinary Tips: Bought fresh, mushrooms should be used within a couple of days, even if stored in a refrigerator. Most fungi are 90 percent moisture so do not soak them in water as they would soak up the water which causes it to be mushy to cook & also lose its delicate flavors. The best way to clean mushrooms is to wipe them free of any obvious dirt with a clean wet cloth or paper towel. And cutting then into uniform pieces will help in the even cooking.

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms, diced... 1 bunch
Shallots, finely chopped.... ½ cup
Green Chilies, finely chopped.... 4-5 no:s
Turmeric Powder.... ½ tsp
Pepper Powder.... ½ tsp
Grated Coconut.... 1/4 cup
Curry leaves... 2 sprig
Mustard Seeds.. 2 tsp
Oil... as required
Salt... to taste.

Here Is How :

Heat oil in a bottom heavy Sauté Pan on medium heat. Sputter mustard seeds and add diced shallots & green chillies and fry till tender. Now add turmeric powder, grated coconut and stir for a minute. Stir in the diced mushroom pieces. Close the pan with a lid and let it cook, stirring every 3-4 minutes. Mushrooms release a good deal of liquid when heated. The mushroom squares will be fully cooked just as the liquids are finishing off. Now sprinkle pepper powder and the curry leaves and sprinkle salt to taste. Remove from heat and best served with rice.

Recipe Source : Sonya Chechi