Daily Archives: July 2, 2014

Stuffed curried buns

preparation Time : 1 hour 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 20 – 30 minutes

Serving : 6 members

Description

Curried stuffed buns . Anything that’s stuffed excites me and i get super thrilled . I am crazy about stuffed things from spring rolls , samosas , puffs so on and so forth . Stuffed buns . This is my first try . The results were not bad for a first try as the shape and look turned out pitch perfect but the texture was not as soft as i expected them to turn out . I guess it s my fault as i was so impatient to let the dough rise as demanded . I always has a big question in mind as to how does the filling get into the bun in my initial stages when i started to cook . Feels great to think about my culinary journey and non – stop foodie adventure from where i started to till date . But my hunger for knowledge in this field gets more and more and i have a never ending craving passion towards food . The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art . one of the joy’s of civilized living with inspiration drawn from all over the globe and the simplest things like colored candies at home .

Ingredients for the buns

Ingredients	Quantity
Yeast	1 tablespoons
Sugar	30 grams
Salt	1/2 teaspoon
Maida	2 cups
Warm water	1 tablespoon
Egg	1
Oil	1/4 cup
Milk	1/4 cup
Poppy seeds or sesame seeds to top the bun	1 teaspoon ( optional )

Ingredients for the filling

Ingredients	Quantity
Minced meat	200 grams ( vegetarians can substitute with soya chunks or 2 cups of chopped mixed vegetables )
Ginger	1 inch piece grated
Chilli powder	1 teaspoon
Pepper	1/2 teaspoon
Small onions	5 chopped
Vinegar	1/2 teaspoon
Onion	1 chopped
Garlic	6 flakes
Green chillies	2 chopped
Thick Coconut milk	1/2 cup
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Cumin powder	1/4 teaspoon
Egg	1 boiled and chopped ( optional )
Oil	3 tablespoons
Coriander leaves	few chopped

Method

Dissolve the yeast in warm water . Mix maida with salt and sugar .
Mix in the dissolved yeast and oil to the maida . Knead into a very soft slightly sticky dough , adding egg and milk .
Transfer to a wooden board , sprinkle maida and knead the dough very well till it is smooth and elastic .
Cover with a wet damp cloth and set aside in an oiled bowl for 30 -40 minutes .

Method for filling

Boil minced meat with salt and vinegar to dry and cooked .Grind turmeric powder , cumin powder , chilli powder ,pepper powder , small onions and garlic together .Heat oil and fry the chopped onions ,green chillies and grated ginger for a minute ,top with ground masala and fry well .
Add cooked minced meat and toss well .Once the raw smell of the masala vanishes ,
Add coconut milk and cook to dry .Finally add the chopped boiled egg and coriander leaves .Mix well and cool completely and set aside

How to proceed

Preheat an oven to 200 degree Celsius .Divide the dough into 12 equal
Flatten each portion into a disc and in the Center put a heaped teaspoon of curried meat filling inside .
Close carefully by pulling the edges of the disc towards the center to seal the filling into a ball and leave seam side down on an oiled baking tray for 10 -15 minutes till they rise and double in volume .
Brush the buns with beaten egg .Sprinkle some poppy seeds or sesame seeds over on top .Bake for 15 – 20 minutes till golden brown on top .

Chicken ball manchurian

Preparation Time : 35 minute

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Serving : 6 members

Description

Chicken ball manchurian a fabulous stir fry gravy a dish that i had to try out because of my gal ANISHA . I regularly make caulifiower manchrian at home but this was new to me. How much every i cook and experiment . At time there are dishes that i learn and got to know because of my my kids . (maninly my daughter a bundle of fuss when it comes to food) this dish is a riot of textures colours and flavours on a plate . Any thing related to the word ball . My mind goes to cheese balls i was in the 2 nd standard then (1979) just joint boarding school . With every thing from language , friends , food , ambience to surroundings new to me . I was in a fix , Totally felt lost but coped up soon . We had a room called the tuck room where all our snacks from home were kept in a wardrobe locked . We were given our snacks only in the evening . The minute the wardrobe was open , i used to gaze at all the snacks that my friends from the Middle East have . From kitkat , snicker , mars , milky Way …. (the list is end less ) and mainly the mighty cheese balls . Back then we just has cadbury chocolates in india and there was no source of imported items as well . Having no idea about what is this heavenly ball made up of . I used to beg , plead and soap my middle east friends to give me some cheese balls . One outing with my parents searched through out ooty for cheese balls but resulted in disappointment . Now a days you got cheese balls any where and every where but can’t eat as you wish because of the calorie count in it . What a pity ????

Ingredients for making the balls

Ingredients	Quantity
Boneless chicken, minced uncooked	250 grams
Refined flour	½ cup
Ginger Paste	1/4 teaspoon
Garlic Paste	1/4 teaspoon
Cornflour	¼ cup
Carrot grated	1 small
Beans	3 chopped
Cabbage shredded	1/4 cup
Ajinomoto	a pinch ( optional )
Soya Sauce	1 teaspoon
Red Chilli sauce	½ teaspoon
Oil	For deep frying
Salt	To taste

Ingredients for sauce

Ingredients	Quantity
Ginger,finely chopped	1 tablespoons
Garlic,finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Green chilies,finely chopped	2 tablespoons
Soya sauce	2 tablespoons
Red Chilli powder	1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilli sauce	½ teaspoon
White pepper	¾ teaspoon
Sugar	1 teaspoon
Ajinomoto	A pinch ( optional )
Chicken stock	3 cups (I used maggi chicken stock cube 2 + 3 cups water
Cornflour	3 tablespoons mixed
with	1/4 cup water
Capsicum	1 cubed
Oil	4 tablespoons
Salt	To taste
Tinned pineapple	2 slices cut into chunks ( optional , adds a lot of flavour )
Spring onions few chopped	garnish

Method for making the balls

Combine all the ingredients mentioned for making the balls with the exception of oil.Set aside for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan.Make 16 small lemon-sized balls of this mixture, squeezing out excess water to prevent breakage.
Deep fry the balls a few at a time.Drain when golden brown and cooked. Set aside.

Method For the sauce

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the ginger, garlic , capsicum and green chilies.Fry over a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the Soya sauce, chili sauce, chilli powder , pepper, sugar, ajinomoto, stock and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the fried balls , pineapple chunks and cook covered on low heat for about 3 minutes.
Add the cornflour mixed with water and stir continuously, so that the sauce become thick.Garnish with spring onion tops.

Hassle bake potatoes

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 50 minutes

Serving : 6 members

Description

Came across this recipe and picture from the world wide net . Simple recipe that’s wonderful visually packed with flavours as well .

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
medium size potatoes	6
Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced	2 - 3
Olive Oil	2 tablespoon
Butter	30 g
Maldon Sea Salt	as needed
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	as needed

Method

Preheat the oven to 220˚C (425˚F). Put the potato on a chopping board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals.
Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

Raan

Preparation Time : over night marination + 40 minutes

Cooking Time : 2 hours 40 minutes

Serving : 8 to 10 members

Description

Raan as known to the world but at home we call it thodai kari meaning thigh meat in tamil this dish came to our family through my aunt meher nisha (dad’s younger brother’s wife) who hails from a place called pudhukottai in tamilnadu . We make this dish mainly after eid as we always have a lot of meet left over and is a terrific impressive dish best served at family style feasts . I urge you all to try this show stopper at your homes at least once . time consuming dish but good things come to those who wait . The beautifully caramelised top with the revealing fatty bits of meat melting in your mouth full of exotic blends is to die for and is a sure fire crowd pleasure . pudhukottai always brings memories of a hoilday i had when i was a kid . Huge bungalows under one compound grand spread of home cooked comfort food on the table every meal . Each house crowded with herds of hearty people in all age groups . All this together offers warmth and a sense of well being . I still remember , I hid myself in a store room not wanting to leave puthukottai . My aunt had to literately pull and drag me into the car to leave to coimbatore . I didn’t say good bye instead said , i will be back .

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Lamb thigh( back thigh full with the leg ,with out fat and wedged , draw lines or slit through out )	2 1/2 kg
Cumin powder	2 tablespoons
Onion	1 1/4 kg ground
Tomato	1 kg ground
Garlic paste	150 grams
Ginger paste	150 grams
Cinnamon , clove , cardamom	10 grams each
Pepper powder	10 grams
Curd	1/4 litre
Ghee	2 cups
Turmeric powder	4 teaspoons
Chilli powder	4 tablespoons or to taste
Salt	to taste
Lime juice	1 1/2 limes
Raw papaya ground	6 small papayas (peeled and deseeded )

Marination of the thigh the day before

Mix ground raw papaya with salt to taste and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder . Apply it all over the lamb thigh and set aside in the refrigerator over night .

Method the next day

Wash the marinated meat cleanly making sure no papaya paste is stuck to the lamb thigh . Drain and set aside .
Heat a huge heavy bottomed vessel with a lid making sure your lamb thigh fits in . Pour ghee , once hot add cinnamon , cloves and cardamom . Once they crackle add the ginger and garlic paste and fry to crisp .
Top it with the ground onion paste and fry till the raw smell evaporates and oil separates . Add the tomato purée and keep stirring till oil floats on top .
Add curd , pepper powder , cumin powder and salt to taste ( be careful with the salt as we have marinated the meat with salt already ) .
Add the lamb thigh and keep turning the thigh over every 5 minutes once for 15 minutes making sure not to burn the bottom and the colour of the lamb thigh changes . Add hot water just enough to cover the lamb thigh .
Cover and cook for TWO HOURS in low heat until the thigh is cooked through and falls apart from the bones . Make sure not to burn the bottom and the masala .
Keep turning the thigh every twenty minutes once . Once the thigh is cooked and the water had reduced to a saucy gravy consistency , add lime juice and mix well . Taste and adjust .
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with any thing and every thing .

Note

You can follow the same process of the entire recipe and then transfer to a baking tray , that fits the lamb thigh with the water and masala .
Cover loosely with a foil paper and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit for one hour and then reduce the heat to 275 degree
Fahrenheit and bake again without the foil for another one hour , turning sides every 1/2 an hour once .