Coriander- Coconut Chutney

bunch of coriander leaves- chopped
handful of scraped coconut
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small clove of garlic- chopped
salt to taste
1 green chilli- chopped
1/4 water

Grind all the ingredients above to a fine paste.

Give tadka of 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp rai seeds, curry leaves, 1 red chilli, 1/2 tsp urad dal and 1/2 tsp chana dal.

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
3 tomatoes
1/4 onion/ shallot
2 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup of whole milk (may need more later)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper (optional)
1-2 tbsp sugar
salt to taste

Method:

Bring a pan of water to boil and immerse the tomatoes and cover for about 10-15 minutes. The tomatoes' skin will begin to peel off. Cool, peel and puree in blender.
Heat a pan to low heat. Melt the butter. Add the bay leaf and white & black pepper. Add chopped onions. Let onions cook until translucent (not more than 4-5 mins)
Add flour and whisk so as to not have any lumps. Let cook a little bit (2-3 minutes it will turn a light brown, it should not be dark brown).
Add the milk slowly, whisking to combine the flour with the milk. Bring to boil and simmer.
Add the tomato puree, cream, salt and sugar, let simmer.
Adjust cream, salt and sugar to taste.

Crumbs:
Cut bread slices into desired shapes.
Sprinkle olive oil over the bread.
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Insert the bread pieces over an aluminum foil or oven safe dish.
Let toast for 5 minutes until crispy.

Indo-Chinese Hakka Noodles Recipe

Ingredients:
1. Ching's Secret Hakka Veg Noodles packet
2. Veggies - 1 Onion, 1 green/red pepper, some beans etc.
3. One spring onion
4. Red chilli paste or chilli-garlic paste (hot)
5. Soy sauce
6. 2 eggs

Directions: (serves 2)

Cook Noodles:
1. Boil water as instructed on Ching's noodles packet. Add salt to the water when boiling.
2. When water is boiling, drop the noodles in it, stir with a wooden spoon so that the noodles will not break apart.
3. Cook for only 3-4 minutes until the noodles become soft, but not fully cooked. Eat a noodle and see for yourself. It should still be a little "kacchha".
4. When cooked al-dente, remove from stove, drain the water from the noodles, and immediately rinse the noodles with cold water to stop them from cooking any further. Rinse until the noodles come to room-temperature.
5. Keep the noodles immersed in cold water until we use them, so that they don't cook anymore, and don't stick to each other.

Final Preparation:
1. Chop a few veggies (onions, green and red peppers, beans etc.) into vertical strips.
2. Over a skillet or wok, heat some oil, add chopped garlic pieces and onions. Stir for a while until the onions start becoming soft, but not fully cooked.
3. Add chopped veggies, chilli paste to taste and one tsp soy sauce and stir fry. Add salt and pepper on top.
4. When they are half-cooked (not too soft), move them to one side of the skillet.
5. Break two eggs on the other side of the skillet and beat it until scrambled and fully cooked on the skillet itself.
6. Add in the half-cooked noodles and stir well, ensuring that the noodles don't break apart.
7. Add another tsp chilli paste, another tsp soy sauce and sprinkle some red chilli flakes on top. Do a taste check to decide whether you want hotter or saltier and do the needful with either chilli paste or soy sauce.
8. Cook for a minute or two.
9. Chop up spring onion into small pieces and sprinkle on top of the noodles.
10. Serve hot.

Oatmeal Caramel Choco Bars

Super yummy dessert and so easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

3/4th cup brown sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips/ melted chocolate (you can either use milk or bittersweet)

1/2 cup caramel sauce (which is 3/4th cup brown sugar, 3/4th cup heavy cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4th cup water melted together until thick)

Recipe:

1. Mix oats, brown sugar, flour, baking soda and melted butter together.
2. Put half of the mixture in a prepared (buttered and floured) baking dish. Press down the mixture until flat.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips/ pour melted chocolate and the caramel sauce on this flattened mixture.
4. Over the sauces, press the other half of the mixture and press down until flat.
5. Bake in 350 preheated oven for about 20 minutes and let cool before cutting into squares.

This is a great dessert to eat on its own or with vanilla ice cream!

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

 

This is a cake I make very often, super creamy and delicious.

But I am not going to write the recipe, I am simply going to post the link I use:

http://joyofbaking.com/ChocolateHazelnutTorte.html

The website actually is excellent for general baking advice, some tips and tricks, lot of information and lovely recipes.

Moroccan Red Pepper Dip

Simple and super tasty dip for pita bread, chips and works great as a pasta sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 large red peppers  (you can use red and yellow too)
• 2 spring onions/ red onions/ shallots cut into 2-inch lengths ( I will not recommend white pungent onions)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
• 1/2 tsp S &P (salt and pepper, okay)
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Recipe:

• The beauty of this sauce is in the smoky flavor of the pepper when you roast them.
• So you can do this either in the oven or on a flame/ coil (using a skillet). If you use a oven, preheat it to 350 degrees F and it will take about 40-50 min (yes that long) and you will need to turn the pepper every 15- 20 minutes. if you use a skillet, simply place the pepper (whole not cut) over a hot skillet. and turn the pepper every 10 minutes. The skin will burn, I mean turn black and that is fine. That is how it is meant to be. Once roasted, cool the pepper ( it would have sunk in and reduced in volume), you will need to peel off the burnt layer.
• You simply have to now combine all the other ingredients with the peppers, in a mixer/ processor. Adjust salt, pepper and red pepper flakes as per your own need.
• You could add cream cheese to it if you want it creamy.

Fish/ Paneer Chettinad

One of my latest favorites!

Ingredients:

• Spice Paste:
  • Cumin 1.5 tsp
  • Red chilies – 8- 10 ( Oh well, if you are using authentic Indian ones you may need 4-6)
  • Coriander seeds- 3 tsp
  • Fennel seeds- 1.5 tsp
  • Black Pepper- 1.5 tsp
  • Poppy seeds- 1.5 tsp
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 4 cm piece of ginger (I don’t know why length became a way of specifying ginger- anyway 4 cm length by maybe 1/2 cm thick and 2 cm wide)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • grated coconut – 5 tbsp ( use fresh when you can –always!)
  • 5 cardamom (seeds and husk)
  • 2.5 cm cinnamon
  • 3 cloves
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 tsp urad dal
• 10 curry leaves ( again, if you are lucky enough to get fresh authentic spicy leaves, you can use 6-8)
• coconut milk- 1/2 cup ( this is not usually used in traditional chettinad but I think it makes the dish beautifully smooth)
• 2s (salt & sugar) to taste

Recipe:

• Roast all ingredients of the spice paste over a warm (not hot) pan with 1 tsp oil. This is the most crucial part of this recipe, do not over heat the pan, do not over roast, 3-4 minutes is good- you will smell the lovely spices.
• Grind to a fine paste with 1/4 cup of warm water.
• Heat oil, add bay leaf, urad dal, curry leaves, as they begin to splutter.
• Add onions and let sweat for about 5 minutes
• Add spice paste  and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat (I am serious about the lower temperature, otherwise it gets bitter)
• Add tomatoes and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
• Add paneer/ fish pieces. You could try Chicken ofcourse, I would season it with salt, turmeric, red chili powder. For Paneer, saute paneer cubes in oil and immerse at once in boiling hot water mixed with a pinch of salt and turmeric for about 10 minutes- they come out really soft!
• Add 2s(salt & sugar) to taste, and the coconut milk
• Bring to a boil, till the oil begins to separate. Resist from using very high heat to force a boil :)
• Patience pays- enjoy!

I think that substituting cashew nuts for poppy seeds may be a good idea!