Uppumanga Kovakka Curry

Uppumanga Kovakka Curry

Uppumanga curry is a simple coconut based curry that is served with rice. It is made with salted mangoes and you can add vegetables or dried prawns to the gravy. Uppumanga is a traditional recipe. Raw tender mango  are selected and preserved in salted water. It can be used later to make pickles,curries and  chamanthy/chutney.

Ingredients
Kovakka/Ivy gourd sliced- 2 cup
Uppumanga/brine mango - medium-2 chopped
Pearl onion- 4-5
Green chilly- 4
Ginger- 1 inch thick
garlic - 2 pods
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder- 1/3 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- a few
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/3 tsp
Dry red chilly-2
Salt to taste

Make a fine paste of coconut, chilly powder, and cumin. Add shallots and ginger and garlic in the end and give one quick pulse.

Cook chopped kovakka/Ivy gourd and uppumanga/salted mangoes along with  turmeric,  green chilly and half cup of water. You can add salt if needed in the end.
When it is almost cooked add the coconut paste, cumin powder and simmer for two more minute in medium flame.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When they splutter add one sliced shallots, curry leaves and dry chilly and fry. Pour this over the curry and mix.Serve with rice.

Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Pomegranate Chicken Pulao

Pomegranate Chicken Pulao

Chicken pulao is my go- to quick one pot meal. I make it when ever on those lazy days or  no mood of elaborate cooking,but still want a nice lunch or dinner. Chicken pulao is aromatic and tasty rice dish and you can experiment with ingredients and flavors.Recently I have been trying some Persian meat recipes which use pomegranate molasses and believe me it has a magical touch.The flavor is  unique and exotic taste with sweetness and tart . Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Basmathi rice- 2 cups
Chicken - 1 lb
Pomegranate molasses- 3-4 tbs
Onion- 1medium
Green peas- 1 cup
Tomato puree- 1/2 cup
Green chilly-3-4
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Ginger- garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp
Whole spices-cinnamon - 1 stick,cloves- 4-5,Star aniseed- 2,cardamon- 2
Mint leaves a few
oil-2 tsp
salt to taste
Cashew nuts- a few
Pomegranate seeds- for garnish

Wash rice, drain and keep aside.Clean and marinate the chicken with chilly powder,turmeric powder, salt ,pomegranate molasses and mint leaves and keep aside for half an hour.

Heat oil in a pan and add whole garam masala and fry for a minute followed by cashew nuts,onions and ginger garlic paste and saute  till onions are golden brown.
Add tomato puree and saute till it is cooked and oil separates. Add in the marinated chicken and allow it to fry in the oil for four to five minutes. Let the chicken cook it its own water till it is almost cooked.
When the chicken gravy reduces and thickens we can add the rice. Layer the rice and green peas on top of the chicken and add four cups of water. Cook in medium flame till the rice is cooked all the water is absorbed. Gently mix rice and chicken with a fork.Garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve warm.

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Blackened Tilapia

Blackened Tilapia

Blackened tilapia is one of my quick go-to recipes. I make this all the time, especially when I want to serve a quick and healthy dinner for my family. For this recipe, I used the whole tilapia, but if you have frozen tilapia fillets, then it is easy to whip up a quick meal. Not more than 10 or 15 minutes and your meal is ready! Serve it with some roasted potatoes or some salad and you have a filling meal. Growing up tilapia was never my favorite, but recently I have fallen in love with this mild-flavored fish. It is soft and flaky and pairs well with any kind of bold spice rub. And the added benefit, is an inexpensive lean protein, especially if you are on a diet.

The spice blend is very similar to the Cajun spice mix- bold and flavorful. Spice rub for this fish fry is versatile and can be used for other fish and poultry recipes. Blackened tilapia is skillet fried fish with flavorful spices and butter. You can also bake it in the oven.

This homemade spice mix is packed with flavor. The marinade is spicy, sweet and savory. The most common spices and herbs include paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, and brown sugar. Cayenne pepper and black pepper adds a spicy kick to the marinade. Oregano, cumin, paprika, and garlic adds a ton of flavor. Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness and also helps in caramelization and blackening of the crust. It also creates a perfect balance of flavors. This recipe calls for smoked paprika, it gives a smoky flavor to the marinade. If you are not a fan of smoked paprika, use regular paprika powder. You can make a large batch of this spice rub, so you can always have it on hand in your kitchen. It makes it a whole lot easier. Squeeze lemon juice just before serving for fresh citrus flavor. Try this recipe, you will surely love it!

Ingredients
Tilapia whole- 1
Smoked paprika- 1 tsp
Cayenne pepper- 1 1/2 tsp
Black pepper- 1/2 tsp
Dark brown sugar- 1 tsp
Onion powder- 1/2 tsp
Garlic powder- 1/2 tsp
Ground thyme- 1/8 tsp
Ground oregano- 1/8 tsp
Cumin-1/8 tsp
salt to taste
Butter- 1 tbs
Oil- 1 tsp
lemon wedges

Mix smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, brown sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder,cumin,thyme and oregano to make the spice rub.
Clean fish, pat dry with paper towel make small gashes. Rub the spice mix over the fish and allow it to marinate for 5-6 minutes. If you are using fish fillet, you can start cooking immediately.
Heat oil and butter in a pan/iron skillet. When hot place the fish and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or till it changes to a deep dark color. Remove from the skillet and squeeze some lemon juice on top,just before serving.

You might also like,
Cajun Spiced Tilapia
Fish Cutlets
Italian spicy Breaded Shrimp
Vietnamese Caramelized Fish with Basil
Tea Sandwich with Salmon filling
Tandoori Fish


Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Apricot Chutney

Apricot Chutney

Apricot chutney is sweet and tangy chutney. It is simple to make and is a tempting and tasty condiment. It can be served with grilled meat , spread on bread sandwich or can be served with cracker and cheese. This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe collection. You can refrigerate this for two weeks.

Ingredients
Pitted and chopped  apricot- 4 cup
Onion- 1 small
Ginger chopped- 1 tsp
Brown sugar- 1/3 cup
Honey - 2 tsp
Paprika- 1 tsp
Cumin powder- a pinch
Clove-2
Apple cider vinegar- 1/2 cup
Mustard powder- 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
Oil- 2 tsp

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add chopped onion and ginger and stir till the onion turns translucent. Add the chopped apricot and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer in low flame for 25-30 minutes. When the chutney thickens switch off the flame. Let it cool down and transfer into a glass container. This can be refrigerated for two weeks.

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy!

Spicy Asian Chicken Ramen Soup

This Asian Chicken Noodle Soup reminds me a little of Pho.  We love Pho! Our favorite place to get Pho in Madison is Saigon Noodles.  If you don't know, Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles a few herbs, and either beef or chicken.  When I'm in the mood for Pho and can't get to Saigon Noodles, I'll be making this soup.  The broth has similar flavors, garlic, and ginger.  It's a bit spicy with the chili-garlic sauce added but very flavorful.  I really like that it only makes 4 servings but it would be very easy to double.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 

1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce

12 ounces-(up to 1lb) boneless, skinless chicken breast *see note below

4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1-5oz or 6oz bag baby spinach

2 scallions sliced thin

2- 3oz pkg of ramen noodles (season packets discarded) *see note below if only making 2 servings now and 2 servings later

garnish with cilantro (if you like) 

Directions:

1.  Bring broth, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and chili-garlic sauce to boil in Dutch oven.  Add chicken and turn down to medium-low heat, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through about 10 minutes.  Transfer chicken to plate.  When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with sesame oil.  Add back to broth along with noodles, spinach, and scallions.  Simmer until spinach is wilted and noodles are tender about 4 minutes.

Above is my favorite chili-garlic sauce and I use Kikkoman Mirin.

Use any flavor Ramen because you discard flavor pkg and only use noodles.

*I like to purchase a rotisserie for this soup.  You can skip the cooking and just add the cooked chicken along with the spinach and noodles.  If using more than 12 oz chicken, add more broth.

*If only making 2 servings at a time just cook up one pkg. of the ramen noodles in a separate pan of boiling water for 3 minutes.  Divide noodles into two bowls and pour 2 servings of soup over noodles.  Repeat with the next 2 servings a day or two later.  This way the noodles don't get overcooked when you warm up the soup.

Kakka Erachi Thoran

Kakka Erachi Thoran

Coastal Kerala has a great variety of sea food delicacy and clam meat is one among them. Kakka erachi/Clam meat is stir fried with coconut or is made into coconut based curries or fries. Kakka erachi  thoran is a spicy stir fry with grated coconut.Try this recipe,you will surely love it. 

Ingredients
Kakka Erachi/ Clam meat- 1 lb
Shallots chopped-1 cup
Grated Coconut- 1 cup
Green chilly-3
Pepper powder- 1/3 tsp
Ginger- 1 inch thick
Garlic-4 - 5 pods
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Garam masala- 1/3 tsp(optional)
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilly- 2
Curry leaves -a few

Clean kakka erachi/clam meat. Squeeze each of the black sack that you see on the top portion and discard it. Wash and rinse thoroughly three to four time so that there will not be traces of dirt and sand.You can also rinse using a little lemon juice. In a mixer crush coconut, garlic and green chilly  and set aside.
 Mix kakka erachi with salt, green chilly,pepper powder and turmeric powder cover and cook in medium flame for about 8-10 minutes or till all the water is absorbed.
Chop shallots and ginger into small fine pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Next add curry leaves  and dry red chilly and after a few seconds the chopped shallots and ginger. Saute this till onions turn golden brown. Add cooked clam meat.chilly powder, turmeric powder and garam masala and stir fry for two minutes. Add the coconut mixture and stir fry for two to three minutes on high flame. Serve with rice.

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Brazilian Truffles/Brigadieros

Brazilian Truffles/Brigadieros

Brigadieros is a Brazilian candy/sweet treat made with condensed milk and chocolate. These truffles has smooth fudge like texture and is perfect for holidays or as party treats. Kids will love it and is so easy to make. Try this,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Condensed milk- 1 tin
Semi sweet chocolate- 4 oz.
Cocoa powder- 3 tbs
Butter - 2 tbs
Chocolate sprinkles or chopped nuts for garnish

Roughly chop semi sweet chocolate and add into a micro safe bowl along with butter. Micro wave for 30 seconds and whisk it gently and put it back and micro wave for another 30 seconds. Continue this process until the chocolate melts completely. Whisk till smooth.
In a sauce pan add condensed milk, cocoa powder, melted chocolate and cook on stove top, on medium flame for 8-10 minutes or till it thickens. It will leave the edges of the pan.Transfer into a greased plate and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Take small spoon fulls of the mixture and roll into balls. Roll on chocolate sprinkle or nuts. Refrigerate for another one hour and serve.

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Golden Egg Curry/Burmese Sour Duck Egg Curry

Golden Egg Curry/Burmese Sour Duck Egg Curry

Golden egg curry is a Burmese recipe. Fried eggs is served along with a delicious spicy, sour, tomato curry sauce. The frying part is important as it gives it a beautiful golden crust. The recipe is adapted from here.

Ingredients
Duck eggs-4
Chopped onion- 2 medium
Tomatoes- 3
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Shrimp paste- 1 tsp (optional)
Fish sauce- 1 tsp
Tamarind pulp- 2 tsp
Sugar- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Green chilly- 2
(or paprika according to spice tolerance)
oil
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Boil eggs and then transfer into cold water. When it cools down completely peel and  keep aside.
Make a puree of tomatoes and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add turmeric powder and the eggs. Toast it for 2-3 minutes till egg turns golden and slightly crispy in the outside. Remove the eggs from the pan . Into the same oil add sliced onion, ginger garlic paste and salt . Saute till onion turns soft and caramelized.
Add tomato puree and cook for 3-4 minutes. Now add shrimp paste, fish sauce, chilly powder, green chilly and salt according to taste. Mix well. Add enough water and simmer till the gravy thickens. Now add the eggs, tamarind pulp and sugar and simmer for two more minutes or till the gravy attains desired consistency. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with bread.

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Ethapazham Aval Nanachathu

Ethapazham Aval Nachathu

Beaten rice/aval is often served as a quick and healthy tea time snack in Kerala.Aval nanachathu is a mixture of aval, coconut, sugar and bananas. This is almost a similar version with caramelized plantains and jaggery.

Ingredients
Poha or aval - 1 1/2 cup
(I used the brown one)
Jaggery- powdered-1/2 cup
Roasted cashew nuts- a few
Roasted Sesame seeds- 3 tbs
Shredded coconut- 1 cup
Raisins- 10-12 (optional)
Cardamon powder- 1/2 tsp
Ghee-1+1 tsp
Plantain ripe-2 medium
Sugar- 2 tbs

Cut plantains into small cubes. Toast sesame seeds till golden and set aside.Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts and raisins till golden and keep aside.Add the plantains and fry slightly, saute and turn to the other sides and fry. Add sugar and allow to caramelize for about 3-4 minutes till the caramelized sugar gets well coated.

Take aval in a large bowl and add coconut,ghee, powdered jaggery and cardamom powder. Mix well with your hands till the aval becomes wet. Sprinkle 2-3 tbs of water if necessary till the aval becomes soft and wet. Mix the toasted nuts, raisins, sesame seeds and caramelized plantains. Mix well and serve with tea.

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!