Spicy Shrimp Dry - Asian Oriental Style

This is one easy way to cook up shrimp with spice and taste. The traditional shrimp/prawn curry takes time cause they use lots of onions for gravy or if it is cooked in kerala or Thai style the coconut milk forms the base for the gravy. But for weekday dinners when we want something quick yet not compromising taste...this could be one recipe for shrimp.

No need to cut a whole lot of onions or grind ginger garlic paste or extract fresh coconut milk(off course now most of us use canned). Though I named it spicy, we can reduce the chilly and make it less hot so kids could enjoy too.

Ingredients:
1 Pkt frozen jumbo shrimp(deveined, deshelled, tails intact)

Spices:
4 pods Garlic finely chopped
1 inch Ginger piece finely chopped
2 long Green Chillies finely chopped
2 Onion leeks chopped
1 tsp Red Chilly Flakes
A sprinkle of Pepper powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Sauces:
1 tsp Worcester sauce
1 tsp Teriyaki sauce
1 tsp Soya sauce
1 tsp Oyster sauce
1 tsp Chilly Coriander sauce

Others:
1 tbsp sesame or canola oil

Garnish :
Spring onions rounds
Coriander finely chopped

Procedure :
In a wok heat 1 tbsp of oil and add the shrimp along with turmeric and little salt...
Saute' for a 1 to 2 minutes and remove from the wok and keep aside.
This will possibly take off any raw shrimpy smell and lets out a nice aroma.
Now in the same wok add garlic and ginger, saute' a little, add green chillies and onion leeks saute' for a minute.
Transfer the sauteed shrimp to the wok, coat with the fried ingredients.
Add all the sauces. You can omit some sauces if you don't prefer them.
Add salt, red chilly flakes, and give it a nice mix to evenly coat the shrimp with the sauces and other ingredients.
Saute more till the raw smell of the sauces is gone and the shrimp are fully cooked.
Remove from heat and garnish with coriander and spring onions.
Serve with fried rice or even just as starters.

Bulgur or Cracked Wheat Porridge

If there is one term that tops the healthy diet list with good carbs and good fats that is none other than "Bulgur" Bulgur wheat or cracked wheat is so rich in fibre and has lesser carbs than in white or brown rice...You read any health article this is one grain that you can readily see in the healthy carbs list...

Bulgar, cracked wheat, cous cous, qiunoa are a few terms in the world of diet and health which are talking there place instead of rice.

Bulgur is differentiated with cracked wheat, which is crushed wheat grain that has not been parboiled. Although traditionally de-branned, whole-grain, high-fiber bulgur and cracked wheat can be found in natural food stores. Bulgur is a common ingredient in Turkish, Middle Eastern, Indian and Mediterranean dishes. It has light, nutty flavor.

Its high nutritional value makes it a good substitute for rice or couscous.

Bulgur has low glycemic index of 46 than compared with rice at 83

Bulgur can be used in pilafs, soups, bakery goods, or as stuffing. It is also a main ingredient in some salads. In Indian cuisine, bulgur or daliya is also used as a cereal with milk and sugar, which is what I'm posting here.

I had this cereal once in a restaurant in Delhi, North India...Usually I'm bad at trying new foods..But this porridge didn't disappoint me.

I have yet to discover the other versions of this wheat where it can act as a substitute to rice. I remember my aunt used to make upma with this...But the cracked wheat which I got from Indian groceries is a larger grain and more firm and hard. So I don't know the ratio of water to be added to it for upma or to cook rice.

For now I'm happy consuming this as a porridge to benefit from its goodness.

Ingredients :
This is one filling porridge, packed with fibre and protein and has a nuty chewy texture which is perfect for me...

1/2 to 3/4 cup Bulgur or Cracked Wheat
1 + 2 cups low-fat or 1% milk
1 cup or more water
4 Tbsp Brown sugar or 4 sachets of Sugar free or Splenda
A Pinch of salt
A few saffron strands
Raisins (Completely optional, omit if your on a diet, I just used them here for presentation)
Thinly crated nuts like cashew, almonds or pista (I didn't use nuts either)
Few drops of Almond and/or Rose Essence ( This is optional again, I used it to flavour my porridge, instead of having a bland one or to balance the wheaty flavour)
1 pinch of Cinnamon or All spice or Nut meg powder if you want to spice it up more. ( I preferred without these spices)

Procedure:
Read the instructions on the Wheat package to boil or pressure cook wheat with 2 cups of milk and 1 cup water along with salt
If using cracked wheat variety it will take longer time to cook.
Soak the saffron strands in the rest of the 1 cup milk
When almost cooked add brown sugar, rose or almond essence, spices (if using) and cook till wheat is soft.
Once fully cooked add the remaining 1 cup saffron milk and remove from heat.
Serve hot in bowl garnished with crated nuts, raisins(if using) and a saffron strand.
The above measures make around 3 to 4 cups of porridge.

Vattlappam - Coconut Jaggery Egg pudding

Vattlappam is a South Indian, Sri Lankan Tamil dessert. I had never tasted this when I was in India...But this so much resembles the Andhra special dessert preparation called 'Junnu'. The major difference in preparation of both these puddings is the kind of milk each use. "Junnu" is made with a special kind of milk called "junnu pal(in telugu) milked from a cow which has just delivered. Usually up to to 6 - 7 days you can get this concentrated milk from the new mummy cow. In Vattalappam we use coconut milk..People also mix evapourated milk in proportions.

So the 3 main ingredients for this pudding are Coconut milk , jaggery and eggs. Well in other combination if you replace the coconut milk with the regular milk and jaggery with sugar or brown sugar this can be the regular conventional "Egg pudding" or "caramel pudding" in simple terms.

I have tasted this in special Srilankan parties...It just took me back to those days when my mom used to make the fresh junnu, which is my favorite dessert, I literally die for it. I miss it so much. In my childhood days I used to enjoy this rare treat, when supplied with "junnu pal" by family friends who own a cow or the milk lady who supplies fresh cow milk door to door,( when the proceesed milk in packets was not so popular). Now from where will I get junnu pal in Canada. So thanks to coconut milk, which replaces junnu pal to make this pudding.

Lets see the recipe now.

Ingredients:
1 Can( 2 cups) Coconut milk (use 2 cups fresh coconut milk for best results)
1 Cup Evaporated milk
1 Cup Powered Jaggery ( depending upon how sweet you want)
4 whole Eggs plus 2 egg white
1 tsp Cardamom(Elachi) powder
A pinch of Nutmeg powder
A pinch of salt
1 tsp Black Pepper dust(optional)
2 tbsps roasted Nuts and Raisins(optional)

Procedure:

Whisk/beat eggs in a bowl with a hand blender.
Add coconut milk, evaporated milk, blend again.
Add powered jaggery whisk thoroughly till all the jaggery is dissolved in the milk and egg mixture. Taste for sweetness and increase if desired.
Add salt, nutmeg, elachi powder mix well.
Meanwhile boil hot water in a kettle.
Preheat the oven to 350c
Choose two deep baking trays(metal/glass) so that one easily fits into another leaving enough gap between the borders of the other.
Now pour the pudding mixture into the smaller tray and place it in the bigger one.
Fill the bigger tray with boiling hot water till the water comes half way to the tray inside.
Now sprinkle Black Pepper powder on top of the liquid mixture..(this is my addition)
Alternatively if you want you can use small ramekins to bake this pudding and place them in the hot water filled tray.
Now place all this equipment in the oven and bake for 45mins or till the pudding sets.
You can also steam this pudding in a cooker.
Arrange the fried cashew and raisins at this point on top of the pudding.
When the point of the knife comes clear when slipped into pudding, remove from the oven and let cool outside till room temperature and then transfer to the fridge for 1 or 2 hours.
When chill cut into desired shapes and serve.
To enjoy the flavours in this pudding it should not eaten be not too cold.
The coconut milk and jaggery contribute to the unique taste of this dessert.

Mint or Pudina Chuntey

Pudina or mint is one of my fav herbs...With all its medicinal values and great flavour this is one herb I wish to have in my fridge to make use off.

I use it in biriyanis, tandoori chicken, kebabs, to flavour my fruit punch, or lemonade, to make mint rice and to make chutney

Growing up always enjoyed my granny's thick spicy version with hot rice. But for upma we need a softer thinner version and also add a spoon of sugar to bring up those minty flavours which i really think go well to lift up mildness of upma.

Ingredients:
1 bunch Mint/Pudina leaves
1 Tbsp oil

To fry:
2 Tbsp Channa dhall
1 Tbsp Urad dhall
1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
1 Tbsp Cumin seeds
2 long Red chillies dry (increase the no. if desire spicy)
3-4 small Garlic pods skin on and crushed gently

Others:
1/4 lemon size tamarind soaked to soften
2/3 tsp sugar or powdered jaggery
Salt to taste
Enough water to grind the chutney.

Procedure:
Add oil to a hot saucepan, when heated add the dhalls and fry till color changes then add all the other frying ingredients and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or they turn the color.
Empty the fried ingredients onto a plate and allow them to cool.

Separate pudina leaves from stems and rinse them thoroughly, strain from water.
Add the leaves to tawa in which we just fried all the other ingredients.
Fry for a minute and remove from heat.
Empty these leaves onto another plate and top it with the soaked tamarind mixture to cool it fast.
Grind the fried dhal and other ingredients mixture to powder along with salt, then add the mint leaves, tamarind mixture along with sugar or jaggery and enough water to make a fine paste.
Check for enough salt, sweet and sour and add more if necessary. Add more water if the chutney is too thick and it is hard to grind.
If everything is OK, then empty into a bowl and serve with upma, idly or dosa.

Rava Upma

I'm sure this is one staple breakfast or tiffin all my friends from back home(especially from south India) would have had atleast once a week..

Rava upma is so widely popular in south India...Every home, restaurant or special gatherings like weddings, picnic have this in their breakfast menu...Upma has its high and low experiences...On the low side if it is not well done this could be one tasting so awful. Honestly this is one breakfast I would never wished to see in any special occasions...and on the high side if one is able to get it right this is one awesome tasty breakfast along with some chutney like coconut, ginger or mint and sambar(optional). Upma is also accompanied by one Andhra special pan crapes called "pesarrattu" and that is a famous combo breakfasts. Hope to blog about pesarattu sometime.

I too have mixed experiences with upma...I seldom used to like the upma my mom made..the slippery version...on the contrary use to love my grandma and aunt's versions with addition of small potato cubes and roasted ground nuts or cashew nuts , which used to have a smooth texture but not slippery.

Upma can be made in a number of ways....Addition of ghee enhances the flavour and the taste of upma...but in today's world we are not so fortunate to add it so generously for health reasons.

To some extent my upma has not been so bad in my ten years experience.

This weekend especially it really turned out so good that I'm forced to post it in my space here...BTW my hubby and two boys always enjoyed my upma..

Let see the recipe now...

Ingredients:
To Roast
2 cups fine Rava/Suji/Semolina
2 Tbsp ghee 0r oil

For Tempering
2 Tbsp ghee 0r oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp Channa dhall
12 -15 curry leaves
1 small piece ginger cut into small cubes with skin on
1 medium onion sliced
4 green chillies slit length wise
4 cups of water...increase 1/2 a cup depending upon the quality of rava
Salt to taste

Optional:
1 medium potato cut into small cubes
1 medium tomato cut into small cubes
a handful of cashew or peanuts
1 more Tbsp ghee or oil
Finely chopped coriander leaves.

Procedure:
Heat up a deep tawa, add 2 tbsp ghee or oil and roast rava/semolina till the color changes slightly with nice aroma. Take care not to burn the rava. Empty the rava into a container and keep it separate.
Now add another 2 tbsp ghee or oil to the heated vessel and allow mustard to splutter , add the channa dhall and roast and then add the nuts and roast and finally add all the other seasoning/tempering/optional ingredients and fry them till onion, tomato and potato are cooked.
Now add 4 cups of water, salt to taste and bring this to boil.
Now simmer, and slowly fold in the roasted rava into this and keep stirring thoroughly seeing that no lumps of rava are formed.
Cover and allow to cook for 3 - 5 mins
Remove lid and add the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee or oil and mix it thoroughly.
Add finely chopped coriander if desired...
Remove from heat and let stand for 10 mints or till the heat is manageable to eat.

Enjoy with your favorite home made chutney and sambar... Check my mint chutney coming next.

Gobi(Cauliflower) Manchurian

Though this is such a famous dish, some how I never got a chance to taste it. So I decided to make it myself...My version here is not too dry...perhaps if we can reduce the amount of sauces that go into it we'll get a more dry version.

I don't have any story to recite with this dish...so lets go the recipe straight.

Ingredients :

to deep fry :
1 small cauliflower cut into florets
1/2 All purpose flour
Oil for deep frying
black pepper dust
salt to taste

for thick tempering sauce :
2 tsp corn starch
1/2 cup Red chilly sambal or sauce
1/4 cup Tomato ketchup/sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Oil for tempering
6 pods Garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
2 Green chillies cut into diagonal pieces
salt to taste

Garnish:
Coriander leaves finely chopped
Spring onions chopped

Procedure :
Prepare the cauliflower florets
In a container mix flour with enough water, salt and pepper dust to form a thick batter to dip the cauliflower florets keep aside
In a wok or shallow wide pan heat oil and add minced garlic, slit chillies and onion and fry till golden.
Now add the sauces, salt and cook till the raw smell is turned into nice aroma from the sauces.
Meanwhile heat up oil for deep frying and dip the cauliflower florets in the flour batter prepared and deep fry till golden brown and florets are cooked.
Add corn starch mixture to the thickening sauce mixture so that the sauce mixture will stick to the florets, and then add the fried florets to this mixture and coat the florets evenly with the sauce mixture.
Stir for a minute or two and garnish with chopped coriander and onion leeks.
Remove from heat and serve hot with roti or any fired rice.

Masala Vada/Vadai - Channa Dhal fitters

Its been a severe winter so far in Canada...For the past two months there is no break from extreme cold temperatures and tons of snow...Of all the years I lived here this has been one heavy, cold and absolutely white winter. Life has also been hectic to the core much like the weather for the past few months...though i catch up with the food blog world now and then...I'm hardly finding time to publish posts...But I somehow wanted this month to appear in my blog archive...so pushing myself to post a recipe...

I still have few more pictures in my drafts to go on with my Egg series. But being the first post in new year I decided to post something new.

Well having lived in South India who won't long for a savoury snack like Masala vada. All the more when it is biting chill out there. And being weekend who wants to drive on those snowy roads to Tamil stores to buy them. So hubby and i decided to make them at home for one weekend evening tea.

Though growing up I liked these store bought or home made by my granny, I really tasted the best masala vadai in my life when i came to Chennai newly wed. There was this Nayar Tea kadai (Store) right adjacent to the apartment we lived in...And boy the smell that use to fill the air every morning with freshly made masala vadai was so enticing and hard to resist. In andhra the vadai are small in diameter and more thick and hard unlike those in Tamil nadu where they are flatter and big in diameter. Therefore they are crisp on the outer and soft inside. Taste wise both are good...but different.

I'm giving the Tamil version here...no doubt for the last 10 years I have been transformed into a Tamil girl. But still I'm very much Telugu too. At least I want to keep the best of both.

So lets make our Tamil Masala Vadai here.

Ingredients:
Oil for deep frying
400gms or approx 1.1/2 cups Channa Dhal
1 medium Onion
2 long Green Chillies
10 Curry leaves
5 Garlic pods crashed into small pieces skin on
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
1/4 tsp baking soda
salt to taste
Add chilly powder if desire more spicy.
chopped coriander leaves ( My addition)

If you want a fusion of Andhra an Tamil nadu then add 1/8 tsp garam masala powder and 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste. You can omit crashed garlic then

Procedure:
Soak channa dal in enough water for 2 to 3 hours.
Drain the liquid fully and keep 2 tbsp of full dhall aside.
Now grind the remaining strained dal into a thick course paste.
You can add half salt when grinding.
Heat oil in a wok or deep wide kadai/pot
Alternatively add chopped onion, chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, crashed garlic, fennel seeds, baking soda and remaining salt and mix nicely.
Make lemon size balls with this channa mixture and on a wax paper or even on wet palm pat them into small patties keeping the centre thick and tapering towards the end with approximately 2 inch diameter.
Once the oil is heated nicely drop these channa patties into it and deep fry them till orangish brown color is achieved and a savoury smell feels the kitchen.
Once done remove from oil and place on tissue paper to remove excess oil.
Repeat till all the mixture is done.
Serve hot with tea and any desired sweet dish like chakra pongal, kesari bath, gulab jamun to contrast the spice.
These don't need any chutney or sauce to go with, cause they are spicy and flavoured by them self to make them a wholesome snack/savoury.