Sunday, June 26, 2011

Soybean chunk curry

Description:

              Soybean chunks is a byproduct of Soybean and is rich in proteins . Lets check out my recipe.

Ingredients:
1. Soybean chunks
2. Onion - 1
3. Green chilli
4. Ginger and garlic
5. Curry masala(readymade)
6. Garam masala
7. Tomato - 1
8. Oil
9. Salt to taste

Procedure:

                Soak the soybean chunks in warm water with little milk  for sometime. Cut the green chilli, ginger and garlic into small pieces. Chop the onions and tomato . Heat the curry masala and  keep aside. Take a skillet and pour oil into it. Add the ginger, garlic and the green chilies.  Next add the onions and saute, then add the tomatoes. Cook everything for few minutes. Add the curry powder and little water . Allow the curry to boil. Meanwhile put the soybean in a sieve to drain the water and squeeze them if any excess water left and add it into the curry. Close the lid and allow the curry to cook. Add salt and garam masala . Cook the curry for 10-12 mnts and it will be done. Soybean  chunk masala  can be served with rice, rotis etc. Hope everybody will like this recipe.

Thai green curry


Description:

              Thai cuisine has an amazing variety of aromas, flavours and spices. Most popular among the Thai dishes are the Green Thai curry, Red Thai curry and Yellow Thai curry. The main ingredient for these dishes are the curry paste. Fresh curry paste can be made at home but here I don`t get most of the important ingredients thats is required to make the paste. Some of the essential ingredients used to make the paste are Lemon grass, shrimp paste, lime peel and so on. If you can find all the ingredients to make the fresh paste then its great otherwise we have to use the ready made paste that are sold in   in Asian stores or any other supermarkets. Once you have the paste then making the curry is very simple. I will post two recipes for Thai curry with veggies and the other is Thai curry with chicken.


Thai curry with Brinjal:

Ingredients:

1. Brinjal( small round brinjal are preferable)
2. Ginger
3. Garlic
4. Green chilli
5. Coconut milk- 1cup
6. Pepper powder(optional)
7. Lime leaves(enhances the aroma and taste)/Basil leaves
8. Oil
9. Salt
10. Shallots - 6 or 7

Procedure:

Wash and cut the brinjals into 4  vertical pieces. Chop green chillies, Shallots, salt, ginger and garlic. Take a wok add little oil. Saute the green chilli, ginger and garlic. Add the brinjal and partially cook it. Next squeeze in the Thai curry paste(Green or yellow) and mix well till it coats on all the ingredients. Pour some water and allow the curry to lightly boil. Add the coconut milk and cook for few more minutes with lids open on medium flame. Add the lime leaves/basil leaves too. Taste the curry and if you feel the spice level is less then add little pepper powder to spice up. Once the brinjal is completely cooked, switch off the stove. Its ready to be served with steamed rice. We can add more veggies like potato, banana blossom etc to this curry.


Thai green curry with chicken:




Ingredients:
1.  Chicken breast/ chicken thigh meat - 500gm
2. Basil leaves
3. Green curry paste - 3tsp
4. Ginger
5. Green chili
6. Bananna blossom(optional)
7. Frozen vegetables(optional)
8. Onion/shallots
9. Coconut milk
10. Oil
11. Garlic
12. Salt to taste

Procedure:
           
               Chicken breast is mostly preferred in this preparation, but I had some Chicken thighs left in my refrigerator, so I used it to make the curry. Wash the chicken and cut them into small pieces, preferable cut the pieces in a slanting manner. Crush the ginger and garlic. Chop the green chilies. Cut the Onions into thin slices. Clean the Basil leaves and keep aside. Take a skillet and pour oil. Add the ginger/garlic/chilies into the skillet and stir for few seconds. Next saute the onions/shallots. Add the Banana blossoms, frozen vegetables into it. Next add the green curry paste and cook everything properly for sometime with the lid closed. After that add the Chicken and little water . Let the chicken cook for almost 15-20 minutes . Next add the coconut milk and the Basil leaves . Cook till the chicken becomes tender.  Finally add little lime juice. Check for the consistency of the gravy whether to make it more loose or thicker.. Serve the curry hot curry with steamed rice . It tastes real good. Let and let me know. 

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Diamond biscuits

Description:

                This biscuits are very simple to make. We can use wheat flour(Atta)or all purpose flour for this preparation. Diamond biscuits are mainly kids favourite. Lets check the recipe.

Ingredients:
1. Wheat flour - 2 cups
2. Ghee - 1tsp
3. Sugar - 1 or 2 tsp
4. Water
5. Oil

Procedure:
                 Take flour  in a bowl. Pour little water and knead the flour to form a dough. Add the Ghee and sugar to it while kneading. The dough should be soft and not  too dry.  Rest the dough for few minutes, then divide the dough into small portions. Take one portions and roll it out on a board in circular form(similar like roti) of medium thickness . Then take a knife and make slanted lines cutting through the dough. Again do the same from other side to get diamond shapes. Repeat the same for all the remaining dough portions. Heat the oil in a skillet for deep frying and put this diamond biscuits  in small batches to the oil. Reduce the flame to low. Keep on stirring gently till the biscuits are cooked from inside and starts to turn slightly reddish brown colour.  Take the biscuits out of the oil and place on a tissue paper to drain out the oil. Repeat the same process for the remaining biscuits.  Thats all, diamond biscuits are ready. Enjoy!          

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Pineapple Pachadi

Description:

                  Pineapple is a very good source for vitamin C. It can be  consumed fresh, used in salads, deserts, jams, juices, curries etc. Lets check out my recipe for pineapple pachadi. This is a very famous dish in Onam sadhya. Pineapple pachadi is a sweet curry.
        
Ingredients:
1. Pineapple - 1 small
2. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder 
5. Green chili - 1
6. Cumin
7. Mustard
8. Curry leaves
9. Dry chili - 1 or 2
10. Curd - 1/2 cup
11. Sugar - 1 or 2 spoons(as per the sweetness required)
12. Salt to taste

Procedure:

                Wash and cut the pineapple into small pieces. Cook the pineapple in turmeric powder and salt. We can use any vessel or cooker to cook it fast. Grind the coconut with green chili and cumin into a paste. Beat the curd and keep aside. Take a skillet, heat little oil. Then add the cooked pineapple into it. Add very little chili powder and allow to cook for few seconds. Now add the sugar. Next add the coconut paste, stir well and allow everything to cook for few minutes. Check for the sweetness add sugar if required. Finally simmer the stove and add the beaten curd. Season the mustard, dry red chili, curry leaves and pour it over the pachadi. Switch off the stove. Pachadi is ready to be served. hope everyone likes it.