Shrimp Curry with Cococnut Milk

Overview
A special shrimp dish from Kerala made with fresh coconut milk. Fresh coconut milk does add a sweet aroma and flavor to this dish. You can use canned coconut milk too for this dish. Kerala Tamarind(Kodampully) adds a delicate sour taste to this dish. This shrimp curry goes very well with plain rice.

Shrimp Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients for Shrimp Curry

Ingredients
2 cups shrimp cleaned and deveined
1 1/2 cups fresh grated coconut
Thin sliced ginger - 2 tablespoon
 Green chilly split in center - 6 - 8
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Thin sliced onions 1 medium
Garlic 1 teaspoons thin sliced
Chilly powder 2 teaspoon
Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Kerala Tamarind (Kodampully) 3 - 4 slices
Salt to taste

To Garnish
Oil 3 tablespoon
Shallots thin sliced - 3 tablespoon
Curry leaves 1 sprig

Steps
1. Clean the Kerala tamarind in water and soak in warm water and keep aside.
2. In a blender pour 1/2 cup warm water and grate the coconut. Strain the coconut milk 1/2 cup first milk and then 1 cup second milk and keep aside.
3. In a pot mix the thin sliced onions, ginger, green chilly,garlic and curry leaves with the chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric. Add salt and the Kerala tamarind along with 1 cup water.
4. Turn on heat and bring this to a boil. Cook this mixture covered on low heat for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the second coconut milk mix well bring this to a boil. Add the cleaned shrimp to this and cook for about 5 minutes till it is cooked. Add the first coconut milk to this bring to boil and turn off heat.
6. In another pan heat the oil. Add the thin sliced shallots to this and fry till the shallots turn golden brown. Add the curry leaves . Turn off heat. Pour this oil mixture over the prepared shrimp curry.

Serve hot over plain rice.

Carrot Pickle

Overview
A crunchy carrot pickle  that is a great condiment to have with any rice or Indian bread. It tastes better after a day or two when all the flavors get coated to the crunchy carrot pieces. I have used Julienne peeler to make even thin strips of the carrots for this pickle

Carrot Pickle

Carrot Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Thin sliced carrots - 2 cups
Ginger finely chopped
Garlic finely chopped
Green chilly 2 finely chopped
Curry leaves 3 sprigs
Lemon juice about 1/4 cup
Red Chilly powder - 2 - 3 teaspoon
Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Whole red chilly broke into pieces - 2 - 3
Salt to Taste
Oil 3 tablespoons

Steps
1. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind to a smooth powder and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves and the pieces of whole red chillies and fry few minutes.
3. Then add the finely chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies to this and saute till the garlic and ginger are light brown.
4. Add the turmeric powder and red chilly powder to this, Mix well and add the thin sliced carrots along with salt, lemon juice, fenugreek powder and asafoetida powder to this mix well to coat all the carrots pieces. Turn off heat and transfer to a clean jar.

Serve as a condiment with any Rice or Indian Bread.

Chicken Liver Roast

Overview
If you like chicken liver you should definitely try this dish. Chicken liver is stir fried with shallots, garlic and ginger to add a really nice flavor and taste to this dish. Whole fresh ground spices does make a big difference so do use whole spices and grind them yourself to make fresh spice mixture. I have used coconut oil for this which adds another layer of flavor to this dish but any cooking oil can be used for this dish.

Chicken Liver Roast Kerala Style

Chicken Liver Roast Ingredients

Ingredients
Chicken liver one pound
Shallots thin sliced - 1/2 cup
Ginger inch piece thin sliced
Garlic thin sliced 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves 3 sprigs
Whole black peppers - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 tablespoons
Whole red chilly 3 - 4
Coriander seeds - 2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coconut oil - 4 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Marinate the cleaned chicken liver with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric , 1/2 teaspoon chilly powder and enough salt and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
2. In a clean coffee grinder grind the whole spices  to a smooth powder - coriander, red chilly, black pepper, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds.
3. Heat coconut oil in pan. When the oil gets hot add the sliced shallots, ginger and garlic to this and saute till the shallots get light brown.
4. Add the ground spice mixture along with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and saute few minutes. Add curry leaves to this and fry few more minutes.
5. Add the marinated chicken livers to this. Mix well cover pan with lid and cook in a low flame. Mix every 10 minutes. Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove lids and saute till all the liquid has evaporated and the gravy has coated the chicken liver.

Serve hot with any rice dish.

Mini Penne with Peppers

Overview
Mini penne pasta is mixed with fresh sliced colorful pepper, cherry tomatoes and ground beef to make this very satisfying dish. Made with all fresh ingredients this pasta dish makes a complete meal.  This pasta dish does not have much sauce but the fresh garlic, tomatoes and beef coats the each penne pasta to add a delicious flavor.

Pasta Ingredients

Mini Penne with Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes and ground Beef

Ingredients
1 Pound Mini Penne pasta
1 Pound ground beef
2 Cups cherry tomatoes cleaned and quartered length wise
Thin sliced pepper the same size as the penne pasta
(I have used yellow, orange and red peppers)
Red Onion one large finely chopped
Garlic - 6 cloves finely chopped
Dry Basil leaves - 2 tablespoons
Crushed red peppers - 1 tablespoon
Fresh ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Olive oil - 5 tablespoons.

Steps
1. Add salt and black pepper to the ground beef and brown well and keep aside.
2. Cook the pasts according to the instruction on the box. Do not overcook the pasta it has to be al dente. Drain pasta from water mix with one tablespoon olive oil and dry basil leaves and keep aside.
3. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a big pan.  Saute the sliced peppers with a little salt and keep aside. Do not over cook. Keep this aside.
4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the finely chopped garlic saute few minutes and add the crushed red peppers for few minutes and then add the thin sliced onions to this. Saute few ore minutes and then add the sliced cherry tomatoes to this with a little salt and mix well.
5. Cover pan with lid and cook tomatoes for about 5 3 - 4 minutes. Add the browned ground beef to the tomatoes and mix well. Make sure most of the liquid is evaporated.
6. Add the cooked Penne pasta to this and mix well. Add the sauteed pepper to this. Turn off heat. Mix well and serve.

Peppermint Bark

Overview
A quick and easy holiday treat made with candy canes. Layered semisweet chocolate and white chocolate is topped with crushed peppermint candy cane to make this delectable sweet. You can layer any kind of chocolates you like.

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons oil
6 peppermint candy canes roughly crushed

Steps
1. Crush 6 peppermint candy canes roughly and keep aside
1. Add I tablespoon oil to the semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl mix well and microwave for 1 minute.  Mix well.
2. Pour the melted semisweet chocolate to a oiled flat pan. Keep it freezer for about 10 minutes till the chocolate is set.
3. Next mix the white chocolate chips with one tablespoon oil  and microwave for one minute. Mix well till all chips are melted and it is smooth.
4. Pour the while melted chocolate evenly over the set semisweet chocolate. Make a smooth layer. sprinkle a layer of crushed peppermint pieces over the white chocolate layer and press slightly and let it refrigerate till the chocolate is set.
5. Break into pieces and serve.

Coffee Flan

Overview
This caramel pudding is a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top. If you like the flavor and aroma of coffee you are sure to love this coffee flan. You can use your favorite brand of instant coffee powder. Caramelized sugar adds a delicious topping to this dessert.

Coffee Flan

Ingredients
Eggs - 4
Sweet condensed milk - 1 can
Vanilla essence - 1 tablespoon
Instant coffee powder  - 3 teaspoons
Water 1 1/2 cups
Sugar 3/4 cup with 3 tablespoon water for criminalization

Steps
1. Boil 1 1/2 cup water  and add the instant coffee powder to this. Mix well and let it cool to room temperature.
2. Heat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
3. Heat 3/4 cup sugar with 3 tablespoon water in a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Mix sugar and water. do not stir after that. keep on medium heat till the caramel is formed and is amber color. Turn of heat.
4. Pour prepared caramel into the mould to bake.
5. Beat the eggs well in a bowl. Add the condensed milk and the cooled coffee mixture  and vanilla essence to this and mix well.
6. Pour this mixture in the mould to which caramel was added first.
7. Place the mould in a tray with water and bake in an oven for about 35 - 40 minutes till the pudding is set.
8. Let it cool to room temperature. Invert the mould to a serving dish and cool in refrigerator.

Serve chilled.


 

Tomato Yogurt Curry ( Thakkali Curry)

Overview
An easy dish which is a speciality of Kerala that makes a good side with rice or Chapati. Coconut ground and mixed with cooked tomatoes and yogurt does adds very distinctive taste to this dish. Fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds fried with oil adds a very nice flavor and aroma to this dish. Any kind of fresh ripe tomatoes can be used for this dish. I have used ripe plum tomatoes.

Tomato Curry

Tomato Curry Ingredients

Ingredients

Finely chopped ripe tomatoes 2 cups

Finely chopped medium red onion 1

Ginger 2 inch piece finely chopped

Garlic 3 cloves finely chopped

Green chilly 4 - 6 finely chopped

Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Fresh grated coconut 1/2 cup

Plain yogurt 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

3 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Whole red chillies 5 broken into pieces

salt to taste

Steps

1. Grind the fresh grated coconut to a smooth paste with a little hot water and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan. when the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds, after the seeds splutters add the fenugreek and cumin seeds followed by the whole red chilly pieces and curry leaves. Saute for a minute and then add the finely chopped onions, ginger, garlic and saute till the onions turn light brown.

3. Add the turmeric powder and saute few seconds and then add the finely chopped tomatoes and salt. Stir well cover pan and cook on a low flame till the tomatoes are cooked well. 

4. Add the finely ground fresh coconut to this and bring to a boil.

5. Turn off heat and bring this tomato curry to room temperature. Add well beaten plain yogurt to this and mix well.

Serve at room temperature with rice or chapati.