Dry Crab Curry with Fresh Blue Crab

I am back with a delicious and enticing post for you all... Last week I just couldnt find any time for myself, to draft a post and share with you. I didnt make anything new at all last week and so I am posting about the Crab curry - JZ style that I made sometime back.

We have an oriental foods market in MN which is about half an hour or more drive from my home. The market is famous for its wide variety of fresh seafood and vegetables, many of which are also available in Kerala. So the Keralites in MN love to visit this particular shop and try their hands at all the veggies and seafood just like the ones available back at home. Since its really far from my home, we dont go there often, but we do when we can. Once when we went there, they had some fresh blue crab. When I say fresh, I mean frrrrrrrresh!! They were alive, moving around in the basket they were in. I saw a few people try hard with tongs to pick them up and put them in brown paper bags all the while thinking about the delicious stuff they are going to come up with!! But the crabs were fighting tooth and nail, with their claws, viciously attacking the tongs coming at them. I felt envious of the people buying them, I had never made anything with crab before! I didnt even know how to clean or cook the crab.

Anyways, I felt adventurous that day and I asked JM to buy me two of them. JM generously passed me the "honor" of getting the crabs into the bags. After a lot of wrestling around, I got two of them into the bag. All the while we were driving back home, I imagined them escaping the bag and crawling around in the trunk, ready to pinch me with their claws!! ;-)

But to my relief, they were still in the paper bag. After researching on the internet, I boiled them whole for a few minutes and then cleaned them. I cut them in half and proceeded to make a curry that I just thought up then and there. I made the crab curry in a traditional fish pot, the one made with clay, used for making fish curries. I should say that it was really delicious!! Believe me, it really was! It was amazing, with the flavors reminiscent of Kerala Fish Curry. I got good reviews from JM - a true seafood buff, so I am sure that it really was good. I loved it too, apart from the fact that I dont believe in working hard to get a small morsel of delicacies such as shrimp and crab!! ;-) Hopefully you would love this recipe. Try this out and share your results with me.

Recipe (Serves 2):

Blue crab - 2 nos (1 lb)
Green chilli (Serranos) - 1, sliced lengthwise
Onion - 1/2, chopped
Ginger - 1" piece, sliced thin
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Kudampuli (Camboge) - 1, cut into pieces

Method:

Clean and cook the crab for a few minutes with the shell on.

Cut the crab in half.

Saute the ginger, chillies and onion in oil in a saute pan or fish curry pot.

Add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder, saute well.

Toss in the crab halves.

Pour some water in, just enough to cover the crab partially.

Season with salt.

Close the pan with a lid and cook until the water is evaporated and the masala coats the crab.

Serve hot with rice.

Enjoy!!

Tips:

1. I still am not an expert in cleaning the crab, so check out the experiences from others on how to clean it.

Hope you enjoyed reading my post. Wishing you all a great day and an awesome week ahead!!

Garden Tuna Melt from Kraft foods

Good morning everyone! Hope you all are doing fine. Last week was really hectic with last minute stuff to be taken care before my work and with lil LM starting school and all. She's going to her new school from tomorrow onwards. Hopefully everything will go alright, keeping my fingers crossed!!

I am kind of bummed that I was not able to post regularly the last couple of weeks. I am all the more bummed that my regular readers seem to have given up on me!! I am so sorry for the infrequent posts, I hope to get it back on track now!! Hope you all will continue to visit me and drop me your cheers, I really do miss it!

This recipe is from kraftfoods.com an excellent source for quick meals and creative desserts. Check out the actual recipe here. I tweaked the recipe a little and made it in my own way according to our tastes. Please make sure that you read the tips for a crisp sandwich. All of us love tuna sandwiches and this recipe was delightful as well, with the added crunch of crisp green bell peppers. It was delicious, trust me!! This recipe is a keeper for us and I hope it will be for you too!! Its THE BEST recipe for a quick and healthy munch any time of the day!

Recipe (Makes 3-4 servings) :

Canned tuna in water - 1, drained and flaked
Mayonnaise - 7 tbsp, divided
Chopped green pepper - 1/4 cup
Dried oregano - 1/2 tsp
Bread - 8 slices
Cheese singles - 4

Method:

Mix tuna, mayo, green peppers and seasonings together.

Divide the mixture between four slices of bread.

Place a slice of cheese over the tuna mixture on each sandwich.

Top with the other four slices of bread.

Spread 1 tbsp of mayo on either side of each sandwich.

Cook in a skillet until crisp and brown on both sides. **




Tips:

1. I omitted the onions and dried basil from the actual recipe.
2. I tried browning the sandwich in a skillet and my sandwich turned out to be a bit soggy.
3. For the second sandwich I used two slices of bread toasted in a regular toaster and then omitted the mayo spread on the surface. The result was an amazing healthier, crisp and appealing tuna melt sandwich.
4. I used wheat bread for the sandwich.

Hope you all will come visit me again. Have a great day and a relaxing weekend!!

Beef Croquettes (Cutlets)

Hey everyone!! Hope you all had a wonderful Easter and Vishu (in Kerala)! Things have been very very hectic for me back home at MN. We came back from California on Friday and have been taking care of several overdue stuff all through this week. I was busy putting together a humble Easter meal on Saturday and decided to stick to some basic dishes (mixed cuisine) including these beef croquettes/cutlets and onion salad as an appetizer, naan, fried rice, pork vindaloo, raita, pappad and pickle for the main course and caramel custard pudding to finish off the meal. I would like to share the recipe for these croquettes today!! I also have a small movie with a few of the floral pictures that I took in CA, along with a song I sung and recorded at home (WARNING : neither perfect nor professional!!). The song is from the new Malayalam movie Sagar alias Jacky. Drop me a word if you like it! ;-). More pictures of the trip will be uploaded soon on "Through the looking glass".

Croquettes are small fried food roll containing mashed potatoes and minced meat or fish as main ingredients and often encased in bread crumbs. This is one of the common appetizers made in Christian homes in Kerala, India for special occasions like Christmas and Easter, even as sides or snacks. I am sure I wouldnt be able to think of any celebration we had without sampling one version or the other of these cutlets!! We usually love the cutlets with a splash of tomato ketchup on the side when served as an appetizer or snack and is a great accompaniment to tea or coffee. It can be dressed up as a more adult-kind of snack with a side salad of onions, green chillies and vinegar rubbed together. It can also be served as a side to fried rice/pulao/plain rice. It is generally deep fried, but I usually shallow fry the cutlets in a skillet and brown them on either sides.

We really enjoyed the cutlets and I am sure you would too. Please do try out the recipe and let me know if you enjoyed it! The cutlets should be fine if made with other minced meat including chicken, pork or turkey (though I havent tried them), or can be subsituted with carrots, beetroots, mashed potatoes and peas for a vegetarian version of the croquettes. Enjoy!!

Recipe (Makes 20-30 cutlets) :

Ground beef - 3 lb chuck
Onions - 1 1/2 medium, diced small
Ginger - 1" by 1" piece, minced
Green chilly (Serrano) - 1, minced
Garlic - 2 large cloves, minced
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder - 3 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Golden Klondike Potatoes - 1 1/2 lb
Eggs - 3, beaten lightly
Breadcrumbs - as needed (~2 cups)

Method:

Cook the potatoes until very tender (in a pressure cooker, saucepan or microwave).

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed skillet.

Saute onions on medium hight heat for about 2 minutes.

Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies.

Saute until the onions are tender (for about 2 more minutes).

Lower the flame and toss in all the spice powders.

Allow the spice powders to cook by adding a tbsp or two of water, on low flame.

Cook the spices until oil separates.

Add the ground beef and separate into smaller chunks using a wooden spoon.

Close the skillet with a lid and cook the beef over medium flame for about 15 minutes, or until no longer pink and is cooked well.

Remove the lid and allow the beef keema to dry.

Allow the beef to brown lightly.

Switch off the flame and allow to cool.

Once cooled, mash the potatoes coarsely and mix in.

Mix the beef-potato mixture until everything comes together.

Shape into round or oval patties or cylinders.

Dip each beef patty in the egg, shake of excess.

Coat the patties well with bread crumbs, one at a time.

If the patties are very soft, set aside until easier to handle (it will harden a bit).

Fry the patties, a couple at a time, and serve hot.

Tips:

1. The cutlets can be deep or shallow fried. I usually shallow fry them with a bit of oil in a skillet. Deep frying gives a uniform brown color to the croquettes. The pictured ones were deep fried. The last picture shows cutlets which were shallow fried.
2. The cutlets can also be frozen (before frying) wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator or in the microwave and use as needed.
3. The cutlets/croquettes can be served hot as an appetizer with tomato ketchup on the side, or with a salad of onions and green chillies in vinegar.

Here's a floral treat from California with a home-recording (by JZ @ Tasty treats) as background score!!

Hope you all enjoyed the movie. Have a great day!!

Homemade Lasagna with Spinach-Egg Pasta, Bechamel Sauce and Italian Sausage Ragu

Guess what!? Its time to reveal the Daring Baker challenge for the month of March. The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper (published by William Morrow and Company Inc., 1992) as the challenge. Our instructions included making homemade spinach-egg pasta, the challenge being rolling out the pasta by hand, preparing bechamel and if interested, making homemade Meat/Veg Ragu sauce.

I chose to do the Spinach-egg pasta, the bechamel and a Ragu sauce with fresh hot Italian Sausage. I wasnt very excited about doing this challenge, I almost didnt do it. The prospect of hand-rolling the pasta and lack of my previous experience in preparing any kind of lasagna played in my mind and I decided that most probably I wouldnt do it. But then my fellow Daring Bakers posted their succesful challenges in our forum and seeing their beautiful lasagnas encouraged me to do it. Still I wasnt too eager to try it out ......

My experience:

I decided to bake individual portions of lasagna so that I wouldnt have to take any chance that the lasagna would slip and get sloppy while cutting and serving.

I halved the recipe for the pasta, but still had to add 3 large eggs to make the dough. The initial dough was lumpy which turned smooth after a few minutes of kneading. The dough was left to rest for about 1 1/2 hours. The rolling-out part was a little tough, I finished mine by dividing the dough into quarters and rolling them out real thin on the counter. (Check out the picture).

Instead of cutting the pasta into long sheets, I cut them into 4" by 4" squares because of my idea to do individual portions. The pasta squares were dried at room temperature and kept in an air-tight container.

I prepared the bechamel sauce as per the instructions, but again halved the recipe. It was a very simple and quick recipe. I looooved the sauce, the taste and the color was perfect!! The addition of nutmeg really made a big difference in the taste of the sauce, it was amazing!!! I would love to try it out as a sauce for other dishes as well.

The meat ragu recipe given was a bit complicated with a lot of ingredients, I decided to go simple using just Fresh hot Italian Sausage (ground) for my meat ragu. Again, I halved the recipe and used about 9 1/2 oz. of ground sausage substituting it for all the other meats. Using minced onions, celery and carrots, I followed the recipe, using red cooking wine for deglazing. Actually when I browned the meat, no glaze was formed! ;-). I used one 14.5 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes and one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes for the ragu. In the end I felt that I could probably reduce the amount of tomatoes by a little amount. The ragu was also deeelicous!! I was sampling it by spoonfuls in between the cooking.

Last night, I cooked the pasta in salted boiling water and as per my decision to bake the lasagna in individual portions, I made three double lined foil boxes, based on the size of the 4" pasta squares. The lasagna was layered with two sheets of pasta interlaced with the sauces and grated Parmesan cheese. The layers were finished off with a final layer of bechamel sauce and a generous dusting of grated Parmesan cheese. I got two lasagnas with 4 layers each and one with three layers. ( I lost a few sheets to extreme boiling in the water ;-)). I also came up a little short of bechamel for the last portion of the lasagna.

The foil boxes were covered with foil and the lasagnas were baked at 350F for about 30 minutes. The foil cover was taken off and baked for about 5 minutes. The lasagna was allowed to rest for 10 minutes in the oven with the door slightly ajar.

Results of the Taste test :

I must say that we liked the lasagna. JM said that the lasagna was delicious and he was happy with his share. Although I liked the lasagna, I am not too crazy about it. For me, the taste didnt justify the amount of work that went into it. It sure was a very time-consuming challenge. Eventhough the individual components of the lasagna were outstanding, they didnt come together to the degree I expected. I expected an explosion of outstanding flavors, but I didnt get it. (Maybe it was my seasoning!). Anyway, I accomplished atleast part of what I set out to do - a few firsts in my culinary journey - my first ever lasagna, first homemade pasta, my first bechamel. I also gave JM a lovely homemade meal and proudly completed the requirements of the Daring Bakers challenge. Eventhough I doubt I will make this again, I am happy that I tried this out. It sure was a delicious and satisfying meal.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)

(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)
Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows) #1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows) #2
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows) #3
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method

Working Ahead:

The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:

Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:

Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne:

Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne:

Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.


#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)
Preparation: 45 minutes
Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g or more)

10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

3&1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Working by Hand:

Equipment

A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.

A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.

A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.Note: although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.

Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.

A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.

Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough:

Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:

With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:

If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.


#2 Bechamel
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2&2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.


#3 Country Style Ragu’ (Ragu alla Contadina)
Preparation Time: Ingredient Preparation Time 30 minutes & Cooking time 2 hours
Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45 mL)
2 ounces/60g pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
4 ounces/125g boneless veal shoulder or round
4 ounces/125g pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 4 ounces/125g mild Italian sausage (made without fennel)
8 ounces/250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut (in order of preference)
1 ounce/30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
2/3 cup (5 ounces/160ml) dry red wine
1 &1/2 cups (12 ounces/375ml) chicken or beef stock (homemade if possible)
2 cups (16 ounces/500ml) milk
3 canned plum tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Working Ahead:

The ragu can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well for up to 1 month. Skim the fat from the ragu’ before using it.

Browning the Ragu Base:

Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.

Reducing and Simmering:

Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.

Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Do check out the awesome "baked-masterpieces" of my fellow Daring Bakers. Check out my previous Daring Bakers Challenges here.

Entry to CLICK : March 2009


This picture of the lasagna is my entry to Click event of Jugalbandi for the theme Wood.

Ramen Vegetable & Steak Stir-fry

I have loved noodles way back from when I can remember. Whenever we would go out to restaurants in India, my first choice always would be noodles. But I never waited around for restaurant trips to enjoy these. The Maggi noodles that we get in India was probably one of my favourite quick-fix food back home. My friends and I would come home from college, hungry, and quickly put together the delicious Masala maggi noodles and be transported to noodle heaven. Even now, they never fail to remind me that the next time I go home to India, I would have to make the noodles for our gathering, just for old times sake! ;-)

But in the US the flavors of Chinese food is markedly different from the Indo-Chinese versions that we were used to. I rarely enjoy the noodles available here (preferring fried rice more) but once in a while would long for the flavor of Indo-Chinese food. This recipe is one such making use of the very cheap Ramen Noodle Soup mix, creating a very distinct and flavorful stir-fried noodles. Those who long for the Masala flavors of Maggi would definitely love this. Make sure that you use the Oriental flavor of the ramen noodle which is what lends this dish the extraordinary flavor.

Eventhough the recipe mentions frozen veggies, I have used fresh carrots (slice thin at an angle), broccoli and white button mushrooms. Vegetarians can make the same stir-fried noodles without the steak which I guarantee would be just as good. Do try this out and let me know how it turned out!

I bought the Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off Cookbook a few months back and have had my eyes on this particular recipe for some time. As soon as I get a chance, I would definitely try out more recipes from the book and share them with you.


Recipe (Makes 4 - 1 1/2 cup servings) :

Beef tip steaks - 1 lb, cut crosswise into 1" wide strips
Garlic cloves - 2, minced
Sesame oil or Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
Cayenne pepper - 1/4 tsp
Oriental Ramen Noodle soup - 1 package (3oz)
Water - 2 cups
Frozen broccoli, Carrots, Waterchestnuts and Red peppers - 1 (1 lb) package
Sesame oil or Vegetable oil - 1 tsp
Whole mushrooms - 1 (4.5oz) jar, drained
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Green onions - 4

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine beef strips, garlic, 1 tbsp sesame oil and ground red pepper.

Toss to coat and set aside.

Remove noodles from the package.

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan.

Break block of noodles into 3 pieces and add to water with frozen vegetables.

Return to a boil.

Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender, stirring occasionally. Drain well.

Return vegetable mixture to the saucepan.

Cover and keep warm.

Rub 1 tsp sesame oil over a large skillet or wok.

Heat over medium-high heat until hot.

Add steak, cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.

Stir in vegetable mixture, mushrooms and soy sauce; heat thoroughly.

Garnish with green onions.

Source: Recipe by Linda Morten, Pillsbury Best of the Bake-off Cookbook.

Tips:

1. I used fresh vegetables like carrots, broccoli and mushrooms for the stir-fry.
2. I didnt use water chestnuts because I am not crazy about them. I would believe green peppers would work as well as the red peppers, both of which I havent used for this trial. I also havent garnished with green onions.
3. The fresh vegetables can either be cooked either by boiling or in a microwave (which I did) - except the mushrooms.
4. Experiment with additional veggies like celery, peapods, baby corn, onions and chopped cabbage.

I am sending this Ramen Noodle Stirfry to Presto Pasta Nights guest hosted by Aquadaze of Served With Love. Check out the event announcement.

Just reminding you that the deadline for Lets go nuts : Almonds being hosted right here on Tasty treats is March 31. So rush in your delicious entries with almonds to jz.tastytreats@gmail.com. Multiple entries are welcomed. I would love to feature recipes by non-bloggers too. So friends (you know who you are!!) send me your favourite recipes using almonds and a picture of the featured dish and I will include yours in the round-up as well.

Have a great day!!

Home-made Cajun Cheeseburgers

Once again I am getting the urge to get back to active blogging - to try out new recipes, to bake and cook, to plunge into the vast world world of blog events! ;-) Last night, I decided to experiment with home-made burgers, which I hoped would be simple to make but nonetheless gourmet (atleast in its looks ;-)). I had tried Sloppy Joes for the first time this week, so I had reserved the rest of the ground beef for burgers.

I went pretty simple with the execution, cut the ground beef into three patties. Seasoned it with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of Cajun seasoning. I am not adept with grills, nor is it the time to grill in Minnesota! I decided to cook it in the pan just like I had done a steak earlier on. I also worked with store-bought hamburger buns and baked them with an egg-glaze and sesame seeds to get the brown sheen on the buns. Finally topped the patties with a slice of American cheese. Served with a side of hot baked crinkle cut french fries (bought frozen from the store), I guess my burgers made the impact that I was hoping for. After baking the french fries as per package instructions, I tossed them in the pan in which I cooked the patties, for an added flavor.

JM was really happy with the execution and my lil LM was after the fries (should have expected that!). I topped mine with a few pickled jalapeno slices and I was in burger heaven, seemed like JM was following too!!

You can add your personal touch to the burger with an endless array of toppings and seasonings some of which include onions, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, jalapenos, bacon, ketchup, mustard, mayo and the list goes on. You can also experiment with chicken, turkey or even vegetable patties.

Recipe (Makes 3 burgers) :

Hamburger buns - 3
Ground beef - 1/2 pound
Salt and pepper - as needed
Cajun seasoning - 1/2 tsp (for a mild taste), divided between three patties
Butter - 1 tbsp
American cheese - 3 slices
Egg - 1, beaten
Sesame seeds - as needed
Seasonings and toppings - as per your taste.

Method:

Cut the ground beef into three patties.

Season both sides of the patties with salt, pepper and cajun seasoning.

Heat a tbsp of butter in a heavy skillet over medium high heat until smoking hot (almost brown).

Place the patties onto the hot skillet and allow to cook for 3 minutes.

Do not move the patties around too much so that the patties are caramelised.
Flip them over and allow to cook on the second side for 2 minutes.

Close the skillet with a lid and allow to cook for 2 more minutes.

Remove the lid and allow the patties to caramelise on either side.

Remove from heat and place a slice of cheese on top. (It will melt in the heat of the patty).

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F.

Brush the burger buns with beaten egg.

Sprinkle the white sesame seeds on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 2 minutes until the top is browned.

Assemble the burger with the patty and bun and add your favourite toppings.

Enjoy warm with fries.



Tips:

1. The burger cooked the way I mentioned would be well-done.
2. If using cajun seasoning, use salt sparingly as the seasoning contains salt.
3. I had the oven preheated for the fries, so I browned the buns at 400F. The burger bun can also be browned at 350F for about 5 minutes.

Awards galore:

I cannot help but thank Uma of Essence of Andhra from the bottom of my heart because she passed ALL these wonderful awards to me and overwhelmed me with her love. She is one great blogger and an adorable person. It feels great to be once again accepted and acknowledged by someone like Uma!

I would love to pass these onto,

Happy Cook of My kitchen treasures

Ivy of Kopiaste

Archy of Archy's Recipe Book

Sukanya Ramkumar of Hot n' sweet bowl

EC of Simple Indian Food

Trupti of Recipe Center
Shubha of Chutki Bhar Pyar

Enjoy your awards, girls!!

Have a great day and an awesome weekend!

Sizzling Steak Fajitas

I love Mexican food. I guess Mexican food is particularly appealing to Indian palates because it is somewhat similar to Indian food and makes use of many of the same spices. JM wasnt particularly a big Mexican food buff, but seems like its undergoing a change nowadays. One of our favorite Mexican joints is the restaurant Chipotle which is basically a fastfood place where your order is assembled in front of you just like in Subway. I really savor the taste of each of the ingredients in their burritos and fajitas, especially the red chilli sauce that they pour on the fillings. Their cilantro-lime rice is just out of the world!

All these inspired me to try out this Steak fajita recipe though its not very similar to the ones in Chipotle, in its fillings. But nevertheless, it turned out to be very delicious, one worthy fo sharing with all of you!! It makes for a very colorful meal, and wuick to put-together too, with very satisfying results. I halved the recipe to yield 2 servings, which even then was plentiful! Dont be alarmed by the long list, it is just a very handy list of simple and easily available ingredients. Do try this out soon!

Recipe (Serves 4) :

Flank steak - 3/4 pound

Ground cumin - 2 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Garlic powder - 1/8 tsp

Black pepper - 1/8 tsp

Ground red pepper - 1/8 tsp

Flour tortillas (8") - 4

Vegetable oil - 1 tsp

Sliced onion - 2 cups

Green bell pepper strips - 1/3 cup

Red bell pepper strips - 1/3 cup

Yellow bell pepper strips - 1/3 cup

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Fat-free sour cream - 1/4 cup

Green salsa - optional

Cilantro sprigs - optional

Method:

Trim fat from steak. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Combine steak and the next 6 ingredients in a large ziploc bag .

Seal bag and shake to coat.

Warm tortillas according to package instructions.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add steak, onion and bell-peppers.

Saute 6 minutes or until the steak is done.

Remove from heat, stir in lime juice.

Divide the steak mixture evenly among the tortillas and roll up.

Serve with sour cream.

If desired, serve with green salsa and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Source: The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook.

Tips:

1. I used stew-cut beef instead of the flank steak.
2. I didnt have garlic powder, so I used a minced garlic clove.

Do let me know your thoughts and suggestions. Dont forget to update me on how this turned out for you!! Hope you all had a great Valentine's day!

Have a great day ahead!!

Crab Cakes with Lump Crab Meat

Crab cakes have always had a reputation of being a gourmet delicacy. I've never had these before, but have always wanted to make them because its said to be really delicious. I didnt taken on a particular recipe, but was inspired by quite a few and made a recipe on my own. The first time I made them, I used regular crab meat which was finely minced and so for seafood enthusiasts, there is no crab meat to bite into. Lump crab meat is a bit more expensive, but has big lumps which gives the flavor of the crab meat much better.

I am not a big seafood buff, but even I enjoyed these tender cakes. JM loved them, but wanted a little less sourness imparted by the lemon juice and mustard in it. The amounts mentioned are approximate, so please feel free to adapt the recipe to your tastes. I served the cakes with tartar sauce (dont know if mine would qualify as a traditional tartar sauce). Let me know how they turned out for you! Keep warm, and have a great day!!

Recipe (Makes 4-6 cakes):

Lump crab meat - 6 oz (1 can)
Dill chips - 5, chopped fine
Yellow mustard - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Lime juice - 1/2 tsp
Bread crumbs - 3 tbsp
Mayonnaise - 1 1/2 tbsp
Pickled jalapenos - 2, chopped fine

Method:

Transfer the crab meat into a bowl, feel through the meat and discard any shells.

Add all the other ingredients to the crab meat and mix together until everything comes together into a ball.

Shape into cutlets/cakes.

Heat a skillet.

Drizzle a bit of oil on the skillet.

Place the cakes gently on the skillet over medium flame.

Gently flip the crab cakes over when the first side is browned.

Brown the second side and flip the cakes over until the cakes are easier to handle.

Drizzle more oil as and if needed.

Serve hot with tartar sauce.

Tips:

1. The crab cakes are very delicate and be careful while flipping them over as they might break.
2. Keep the skillet over low-medium flame so that the crab cakes loose mositure and become easier to handle.
3. I made the tartar sauce with some mayonnaise, pepper powder, salt and chopped dill pickles and jalapeno pickles.
   

Santa's Holiday Challenge is still going on strong. Dont forget to send in your qualifying entries to jz.tastytreats@gmail.com on or before Dec 31, 2008.

Methi Chicken

Last week had been really hectic for me with the MN Kerala association Christmas celebration and programmes, getting together for practices. So I couldnt do many posts. But today I am feeling much tired because of the nasty weather in MN today! From blizzard warnings yesterday to very low sub-zero temperatures, the weather is unbearable out here! Its -22 C here, so I decided to skip pre-school for my lil one. I feel like writing about something warm and hence today's recipe.

Methi leaves are my new-found love and I had done a post on Methi Parathas last month. Heres a chicken dish that would go with any meal, an awesome dish, with tomato and yoghurt based thick gravy which coats the succulent chicken pieces. The recipe has been inspired from a video by the Vah Chef on VahRehvah.com. Do check out his video on methi chicken. In his instructional video, the amount of ingredients have not been mentioned, so I have come up with a recipe that served the taste of my family well. So please adapt the recipe to your tastes.

Feel like curling up on the bed and snoozing the day away! ;-) Have a great warm day you all!!!

Recipe:

Chicken - 1 1/2 lb
Onions - 1 1/2 large
Tomatoes - 1 can (10 oz), chopped
Greem chillies - 1, sliced
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1" piece, chopped fine
Garlic - 2 big cloves, chopped fine
Yoghurt - 2/3 cup, whisked with a bit of water
Water - as needed
Kasoori methi - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - a handful




Method:

Heat oil in a large pan and add cumin.

Once the cumin splutters, add the chopped onions.

Saute until the onions are cooked and golden brown in color.

Add the ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder and saute until fragrant.

Toss in the chopped tomatoes and green chillies and mix well.

Once the tomatoes are slightly cooked, add the chilly powder and coriander powder and saute until fragrant.

Pour the whisked yoghurt in and stir well.

Close the pan with a lid and allow the tomato - yoghurt mix to cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.

After 5 minutes, stir the sauce well.

Add the kasoori methi and chicken and stir well to coat.

Close the lid again and allow the chicken to cook completely.

When the chicken is done, remove the lid and allow the sauce to thicken.

Once the sauce coats the chicken, remove from heat.

Serve hot.

Source: Inspired from VahRehVah.com


Tips:

1. The amount of ingredients are those that worked for me, so feel free to change it to your preference.
2. The chef on VahRehVah suggests adding chicken thigh meat in this recipe.
3. Lamb meat can also be used (suggests the Chef), but be sure to pressure cook the lamb separately and add to the sauce.

Just reminding you that Santa's Holiday Challenge is still going on. Dont forget to send in your desserts on or before Dec 31, 2008 for a chance to win Santa's gifts!! Have a great day!

Chicken Biriyani

I have always been fond of biriyanis. It truly is a treat for all senses. The wonderful aroma, color and the taste of the biriyanis would beat any other rice dish, hands down! It also has cherished memories associated with it. It reminds me of my friends whom I am proud to have as friends even after these 5 years! Hmmm!! those really were the good times! I also prefer biriyanis for entertaining because if you get it right, you dont need many other sides to complete the meal. I have already posted another version of chicken biriyani (Hyderabadi dum biriyani) in which the uncooked meat is layered with rice in a pot sealed with dough and cooked over the flame until done. This technique is called a kacchi biriyani in which the meat is cooked after layering with rice. The other one is the pakki biriyani in which the meat and rice are pre-cooked before layering and allowing the flavors to mingle.

This recipe for Chicken Biriyani is one that JM's mother made when she was visiting. It is a very interesting recipe which makes use of both cooking and baking the rice - chicken mix. Addition of ground cashews and khuskhus gives richness and body to the chicken gravy. The other techniques are the ones regularly followed in biriyani recipes. Dont be alarmed by the long list of ingredients, most of them (if not all) would definitely be available in an Indian pantry. I have tried to break up the process into easy steps and I hope it helps anyone who wants to try this wonderful and flavorful dish.

For the rice:

Basmati rice - 1 lb 4 oz

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Cloves - 3

Lime juice - as needed

Rinse the rice with water until the water runs clear.Cook the rice in a heavy pot with salt, cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves and lime juice or oil, to prevent the rice from sticking. Drain when the rice is just done (the grains should be cooked but separate and not mushy). Keep aside to cool.

Chicken marinade:

Chicken - 1 1/2 lb

Plain yoghurt - 3/4 cup

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - as needed

Cut the chicken into large chunks and marinate with youghurt, turmeric powder and salt for an hour.

To grind:

Cashewnuts - 8-12
Khuskhus - 3/4 tsp

Soak the cashewnuts and khuskhus together and grind to a fine paste. Keep aside. Alternatively, I used dry cashews and khuskhus and powdered them in a spice grinder.

For garnish:

Cashewnuts - a handful
Raisins - a handful
Onion - 1, sliced thin

Fry the cashewnuts until golden brown. Fry the raisins until they puff up. Keep them aside. Fry the sliced onions until crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels and keep aside.

For the chicken gravy:

Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cloves - 5
Star anise - 1, broken
Fennel - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 3 1/2, sliced thin
Green chilli - 2, split lengthwise
Curry leaves - a handful (if using)
Ginger - 1" sliced
Garlic - 3 pods, sliced
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 2 small, chopped
Cilantro - 1/2 cup
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Ghee/Butter - 1 tsp, melted

Heat oil in a heavy pan.

Toss in cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and fennel and saute.

Add the sliced onions, green chillies, curry leaves (if using), ginger and garlic.

Saute until the onions are cooked and tender.

Measure the red chilly powder, turmeric powder and pepper powder and add to the onion mixture.

Add the marinated chicken to this mixture and toss to coat.

Cover and cook the chicken until half done.

Add the chopped tomatoes, cilantro and mint leaves to the chicken and cook until well done.

Now add the ground cashewnut-khuskhus mixture and mix well.

Allow to bring to a boil.

Remove from heat when the chicken is cooked all the way through with a bit of gravy.

Final assembly:

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Grease an oven-safe baking pan.

Layer the pan with chicken and gravy.

Line with a layer of rice.

Repeat the layering and finish off with a layer of rice.

Drizzle a bit of melted ghee or butter on the top.

Cover with aluminium foil and bake in an oven until the gravy is absorbed into the rice.

Open the foil when ready to serve.

Garnish with nuts, raisins and fried onions.

Enjoy hot with pickles, raita and pappad.

Tip:

I unfortunately dont remember the exact temperature at which I baked the rice, but I believe it was 300F for 20 minutes. Since the rice and chicken are cooked before layering and baking, I assure you that it wont be undercooked. the purpose of the baking is to allow the gravy to eveporate and flavor the rice.

I am sending this to the "Rice Mela" hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons. While I am at it, I am also sending a few of my previous rice posts to the mela.

Pineapple Fried Rice:
Coconut Rice:

Turkish tomato pilaf:


Lemon rice:

Click here for more of my rice dishes.