Posts by OCS | Saute Fry N Bake

Saudi champagne

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : nil
Serves : 4 members

Description

Every country that I travel too, I make sure to get to know their local cuisine and delicacies. I try my best to sample and feed myself with street food, and the local fare. On my last trip to Saudi Arabia, every restaurant we went to my uncle kept asking for Saudi champagne and for the entire two weeks of my stay, I was not served this mock tail even once. This got me even more curious about this drink. Back home.. Like always nothing to do.. The Saudi trip was running in my mind. The Saudi champagne rang a bell. That mock tail that I missed out on, didn’t want to prolong the curiousness, so I googled and got to know it’s such an easy recipe that even a novice can follow and do. Saved the recipe and made on eid. It did flaunt every one with a surprising spark on their festive faces. The whole colourful fruit rounds with the mint floating is a delight to the eyes. The combination of the sparking drink and apple juice with the dash of mint makes you want the drink more. All thanks to my maternal uncle Shahul ( who is younger to me by eight years ) for letting me know there’s some thing like such in the Arabic cuisine. Cheers to you mama.. Now through me its shared with thousands in our sauté, fry n bake family.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Apple	1 cut into thick rounds with skin
Orange	1 cut into thick rounds with skin
Mint leaves	Few
Lemon	1 cut into thick rounds with skin
7 up	600 ml ( 2 cups )
Apple juice ( I used Dabur - Real brand )	600 ml ( 2 cups )
Ice cubes	5 to 6

Method

In a tall water jug mix the apple rounds, orange rounds, lime rounds and mint together.
Pour in the apple juice into the fruit round. Place in the refrigerator until to be served.
Just before serving add ice cubes and 7 up. Mix and serve chilled with the fruit rings.

Ney pathiri

Preparation time : 4 hours soaking + 30 minutes
Cooking time : 2-3 minutes
Serves : 6 members

Description

My newly wedded daughter and son-in- law were busy attending parties at all our relatives homes. This is a custom that we follow to introduce the new bride or groom of our family to get to know our near and dear ones. We make sure that the entire family is there in all the parties hosted. It’s some thing like a give and take policy. Every home takes efforts to show case their table spread in style be it simple or grand to the newly wedded couple. Like wise we were invited to my cousin sister cithara’ home in Coimbatore. My aunt ( dad’s eldest sister who is my cousin’s mother in law too ) had a grand Malabar spread. Curious me landed in the kitchen and saw two of my aunts making this ney pathiri in greased banana leaves. It was just pure magic to see them do the entire lot. Since then, I have been wanting to give a try but it just did not happen. Finally I made sure to make these recently on my daughter’s visit home. As always, authentic dishes are tricky to master but this one I nailed it though being nervous. It tasted so similar to the maavu rotti we make at home but crisp and puff textured. Every one gave a green signal to the dish and I will be making them often for sure here after. Every custom our ancestors left us to follow sure does have a purpose.. Here the age old custom of feasting with the newly weds let me know about a new dish, learn it, give a try and share it with you all.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Raw rice / ( pacha arisi )	2 cups
Rice flour / iddiappam flour	1 1/2 cups
Salt	to taste
Water	little
Grated coconut	1 1/2 cups
Cumin seeds	2 teaspoon
Small onion	5
Oil	to deep fry

Method

Soak the rice in water for 3-4 hours. Drain and grind with little water until it becomes coarse and grainy mixture.Add rice flour and mix well to get a semi thick consistency dough.
Blitz the grated coconut, small onions and cumin seeds together in a food processor. Add salt and mix with the ground rice coarse mixture.
Heat oil in a deep pan. Take lime sized balls from the ground rice flour mixture. With greased hand’s flatten the lime size ball’s into a disc of 4-5 mm rounds over a greased plastic sheet. Remove the ney pathiri gently.
Drop the ney pathiri one by one into the medium hot oil. First you see bubbles and then it puff’s up. Deep fry to puffed and golden in colour.
Drain and serve hot with any curry of your choice.

Egg salad

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 5 minutes
Serves : 6 members

Description

Onion raitha / Thayir chutney / vengaya sambal as it’s known with its various names that I know of is the only accomplishment that’s served with biriyani. Me fed up with this wanted to add another salad that would pair up to be served with the biriyani. Broke my head, googled as well but nothing really seemed to be good enough. Then I just dug into what else we have with the biriyani for sides. The boiled egg just flashed in my mind. Why not try and make a salad with boiled eggs was the next question? I did make sure to pair ingredients that would work together and look colourful too. So followed my instincts with a simple flavour combination. Tasted and it was yum. Served along with biryani and it did serve its purpose better than the normal boiled eggs would do. This dish it alert me saying ” there’s no need to cook fancy master pieces just good food from fresh ingredients is all you need to bring a spark at the table. Happy me, another dish added to the regular’s at home.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Boiled eggs	3 cut into rounds
Boiled potatoes	2 cubed
Carrot	1 shredded
Capsicum	1 sliced
Tomato	1 chopped
Onion	1 chopped
Salt	to taste
Pepper	to taste
Chat masala powder	1/8 teaspoon
Black salt	1/8 teaspoon
Lime juice	1/2 a lime juice
Cumin powder	1/4 teaspoon
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Potato chips	1 cup crushed

Method

Mix salt, pepper, black salt, chat masala, cumin powder and lime juice together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Dressing is ready.
Mix potatoes, tomato, onion, carrots, capsicum and eggs together.
Pour the dressing over the mixed egg mix. Toss gently. Garnish with crushed potato chips. Serve at room temperature.

Kooni eraal niracha Kanava thiyal

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 15 -20 minutes
Serves : 6 members

Description

Getting to see long faces in the dining table happen’s at all home’s tagged with a comment that follow’s with.. ” the same thing to eat every day.. Why ?? ” I am no exceptional.. I know most of you will not agree to this but the fact is at home we repeatedly cook the same 8-10 curries for lunch. The problem being my true blue South Indian hubby dear is just not ready to eat any thing new or try an out of the box curry. So I just don’t attempt much as I know the results even before it’s going to be served. This curry attempt was made purely to satisfy my craving’s for a new end twist to the mighty old thiyal curry. I just loved the idea of stuffing the squid that popped up in my mind out of a sudden when I was in the fish market gazing at the fresh local produce of the day. I did get small sized squid that were perfect for my purpose. Now stuffing that should pair well with the squid and taste good. Prawns came up so its prawns I assured. I didn’t want to go ahead with the regular cliche tomato onion gravy so I just paired it up with the authentic thiyal curry. Made it and was waiting to know the results. Tasted and my, my it was a perfect match that paired so well. I had my share, packed the rest to my friends place and I could not believe how they licked the entire thiyal with out a drop left. All they had to say was.. We live only once so nothing wrong in licking the bowl .. Had to agree for sure.

Prawn filling

Ingredients	Quantity
Cleaned prawns	1 cup
Small onions	5
Ginger	1/4 inch piece
Garlic clove	2
Grated coconut	1 cup
Curry leaves	4
Green chillies	2
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Lime juice	1/2 just a squeeze
Salt	to taste

Method

Coarsely grind all the ingredients together mentioned in the ingredients to grind column except for lime juice and salt. The ground paste must be corse but smooth.
Add lime juice and salt to taste to the ground coarse mix. Mix well. Check seasoning and Keep aside for half an hour.

Ingredients for thiyal

Ingredients	Quantity
Baby Squid / Kanava	1/2 kg cleaned and whole with heads removed
Red chilli powder	1 tablespoon+ 1/2 teaspoon to marinate
Coriander powder	1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder	1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon to marinate
Tamarind pulp	1/2 cup
Salt	to taste
Coconut oil	2 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds	1 teaspoon
Fennel powder	1 teaspoon
Garlic	1 teaspoon chopped
Ginger	1 teaspoon chopped
Green chillies	3 slit
Small onions	one hand full chopped
Mustard seeds	1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves	Few
Grated coconut	1 cup
Pepper corns	1 teaspoon
Dry red chillies	2

Method for thiyal

Marinate the cleaned whole squid with red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Keep aside.
Heat a heavy bottomed vessel with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Fry the grated coconut to a golden brown colour. Top with red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder and pepper corns.
Sauté until a nice aroma arises making sure not to burn the spices. Remove from heat. Cool completely and grind to a smooth paste.
Heat a mud pit with coconut oil, crackle mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Top with small onions and green chillies. Sauté to translucent.
Add the ground masala paste and sauté for a minute until oil floats on top. Add the tamarind pulp, salt to taste and 3 cups water.
Mix well, taste and adjust seasoning. Cover with a lid and cook further until raw smell has gone for about 8 to 10 minutes in medium heat .
Stuff each whole marinated whole squid with the ground prawn paste to 3/4 full. Seal the open mouth with a tooth pick.
Drop the prawn stuffed squid into the thiyal and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the Squids float on top.
Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.

Stuffed jalar rolls

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 15 minutes
Serves : 8 members

Description

At times you get so very surprised to see an authentic every day dish served in a totally new avatar. This is what happened exactly when I was served this snack at my brothers place in London. Jalar roti is like a regular at all our homes. We serve it as it is with a curry beside or make a pizza sort of pancakes with beaten eggs and filling. Cut into triangles and served. You eat one triangle and feel so stuffed and think you might end up with a heart attack soon. This version of the rolled one looked so cool and was light when compared to the pizza kind of version. My food locker did stuff this idea into it. Fed up with an over dose of deep fried snacks for ifthar. I wanted to pull this over due to try dish . Made it. My cook kept saying the filling will all spill out. She did make me nervous but I was confident as my sister Fazeem made it perfectly. i rolled one with a little of the filling spelling around but still the roll looked good with its net pattern and colourful filling inside. Though I keep myself busy with food and every bit of me revolves around food. There are times when the simplest ideas amaze me time and again signalling me that food is an ocean and you can not say I know all about food. Thanks to my sister Fazeem who served this dish letting me know a new way to serve the regular Jalar roti.

Ingredients For the jalar roti

Ingredients	Quantity
Eggs	2
Water	650 ml
Thick Coconut milk	100 ml
Salt	to taste
Flour	350 grams
Oil	100 ml

Method for jalar rotis

Mix all the ingredients together except for oil making sure no lumps are formed and the batter is a runny watery consistency.
Heat a tawa greased with oil. Pour the batter using a jalar cup or a piping bag in a circular motion, making thin, lacy net pancakes With gaps in-between.
Cook until set. Remove and set aside. Do the same until all the batter is over.

Ingredients For the filling

Ingredients	Quantity
lamb strips or boneless chicken strips	¼ kg
2 medium sized onion	2 sliced
Carrot	1 big cut to thin strips
Beans	5 cut to thin strips
Cabbage	1/2 cup cut to thin strips
Capsicum	1 cut to thin strips
Chilly powder	1 teaspoon
Pepper powder	1/4 teaspoon
Cumin powder	1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Ginger and garlic paste	1/ 4 teaspoon each
Coriander leaves	chopped few
Salt	to taste

Method for filling

In a pressure cooker put the meat strips or boneless chicken strips and the rest of the spices. Let it cook.
Heat oil, sauté the chopped onions and vegetable strips to translucent. Add the cooked meat strips and cook to dry.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with coriander leaves. Cool completely and set aside.

How to assemble

Take a Jalar roti and place a heaped tablespoon of filling towards the edge.
Fold the two sides over the filling.
Tuck in the top part of the Jalar roti over the filling.
Roll tightly over until the opposite end. A few of the filling might come out but that is ok.
Do the same with all the Jalar roti and filling mixture.
Serve warm or hot with dipping of your choice . At home it’s had as it is with no dips.

Notes

Make sure to cut the vegetables and meat used to strips so as to when rolling it does not come out.

Rolled spiral meat Burek

Preparation time : 35 minutes
Cooking time : 35 minutes
Serves : 8- 10 members

Description

Having to send over food items to near and dear ones during the holy month of Ramadan is customary at my place. I always make sure I send over dishes that will entertain the concerned family the right way. Hubby dear is particular about such things and makes sure to check on what goes to which cousin and relatives home. Having to do this year after year . At times I get lost with out of the box dishes. I had to dig into my food locker ( that’s stored in my mind with any food that interests me ). Out of a sudden this dish just popped out from my mind. I remember watching it on the television seeing an old grand ma making this so artistically and patiently in Morocco. Well she made the phyllo pastry from scratch but I used ready made ones . Made it and my, my .. I just fell in love with the dish totally. While baking it, the entire house was aromatic with the dishes scent. But I could not taste the final product as it had to be sent as it is to a cousins place. Waited for their verdict and it was all praises. I was curious about the taste and all they had to say was, it tasted similar to our bakery puffs but crisper and moist. Can’t wait to make it again and get to taste it as well.

Ingredients for the filling

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken or meat mince	boiled 1/4 kg
Ginger garlic paste	1/8 teaspoon each
Salt	to taste
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Onions	5 big chopped
Green chillies	4 chopped
Mixed vegetables	carrots , beans , cabbage , green peas chopped and boiled in water with salt - 3 cups
Mint leaves	few
Coriander leaves	one hand chopped
Pepper powder	to taste
Red chilli flakes	to taste
Oil	2 tablespoons
Lime juice	1/4 teaspoon juice

Method for filling

Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add onions and fry to translucent.
Add green chilies, boiled chicken or minced meat, boiled chopped mixed vegetables, mint leaves, coriander leaves, salt, chilli flakes and pepper to taste.
Mix well and lower the flame and keep stirring for 3 minutes letting all the flavours infuse together.
Remove from heat, squeeze lime. Mix well, cool and set aside.

Other ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Filo pastry	1 packet ( you can use Spring roll sheets instead )
Butter	1/4 cup melted
White sesame seeds	1 tablespoon
Egg white	of 1 egg
Water	1/4 teaspoon

How to assemble

Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line a baking tray with butter paper or foil paper.
Over a clean working kitchen counter, lay out three phyllo pastry sheets end to end, slightly over lapping to create one long rectangle of pastry.
Brush with melted. Repeat the same twice creating three layers of butter brushed phyllo sheets.
Arrange the cooled filling mixture in a long line leaving one inch space above.
Fold the phyllo sheets above the filling line over the filling and roll tightly but gently to get a long log.
Don’t worry if the pastry breaks as rolling, just go ahead as it gets tucked in.
Roll the filled log into a spiral – coil disc shape. Place the spiral – coil disc over the lined, greased baking tray.
Brush beaten egg white over. Sprinkle sesame seeds.
Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve warm.

Chickoo ice cream

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : nil , 8 hours or over night to set
Serves : 10 members

Description

Nothing comes close to living the old school way of planting a tree, watering them, taking care of them and waiting for it to bear its fruits after years. Well I love doing this and make it a point to do so with the little space I have at the back yard at home. Every year the Chickoo tree bears fruits but I never care to relish on them wanting the birds and squirrels to have a feast instead. This year, I could not believe my eyes to see the tree over loaded with just fruits. As always my little joys are shared with friends and family. I did share a picture of the chickoo tree in face book. Friends started pouring in suggestions on what to do with the fruits. I settled for vidya vijay’s suggestion on chickoo ice cream as I have never ever tried making ice creams at home as to me it’s a stuff of childhood delight. I did follow sanjeev kapoor’s recipe which was so very easy to follow. I did make a twist of adding one cup chickoo purée. I treated my gym friends for the eid feast that I hosted. Believe me, the ice cream just vanished in seconds and was followed with we need more. The contrasting textures made it an absolute hit. All thank’s to vidhya for the idea and letting me try a new recipe as well. Now I know the trick of making yummy ice cream that’s hassle free which can be made in batches and frozen. They are easier to prep than you think. Umm.. Fresh and quick is always good isn’t it ??

Ingredients	Quantity
Chickoo purée	1 cup
Chopped chickoo	1 cup
Cream	1 cup
Milk powder	1 cup
Sugar	1 cup powdered
Milk	1 cup
Salt	a pinch

Method

Mix all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust sweetness.
Pour into air tight container with a tight lid.
Place in the freezer for eight hours or over night to set.
Scoop out and serve chilled.

Crispy wrapped prawns

Preparation time : 1 hour for marination + 20 minutes
Cooking time : 2 minutes for the each batch deep fried
Serves : 4 members

Description

At times when you run out of ideas to come up with a new dish. That’s when I dig into the locker I have in my head, where I store ideas that pop up magically at weird times. This idea was kept undisturbed for a very long time. So put it to use having my boy home for his holidays who loves his prawns any ways. I had my doubts about the Spring roll sheets coming apart when deep frying as I didn’t use any paste to stick them. So tried with one and the prawn when cooked gets bigger which helps the spring roll sheet to hold it with out going apart. A rocking dish where myself and my foodie boy gobbled up most of the fatty culprit snack. It’s pointless to resist such food with nuances of texture and flavor. This simple yet impressive dish sure is a must try for all home ministers around the world..

Ingredients for marination

Ingredients	Quantity
Prawns	1/4 kg cleaned with tail intact
Ginger and garlic paste	1/4 teaspoon
Light soya sauce	1/2 teaspoon
Tomato sauce	1/2 teaspoon
Vinegar	1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli sauce	1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder	1/4 teaspoon
Salt and pepper	to taste

Other ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Spring roll sheets	6 , each cut into triangles
Oil	to deep fry

Method

Marinate the prawns with all the ingredients mentioned under marination for one hour.
Take one cut triangle of the spring roll sheet. Place it with facing towards you.
Top with a marinated piece of prawn on the left end of the triangle making sure the tail part is out of the Spring roll triangle.
Wrap the left end of the Spring roll sheet triangle over the prawn.
Fold the top part over and roll tightly.
Do the same to all the marinated prawns and Spring roll sheets.
Heat oil to deep fry. Drop the wrapped prawns in batches of four at a time.
Deep fry in medium heat until crisp for a minute or so making sure not to burn them.
Drain and serve hot immediately with sweet chilli sauce.

Vanilla cup cakes with strawberry flavored frosting

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 18 minutes
Serves : 8 members

Description

My neighbor gayathri’s kid keeps me entertained with all his laughs, cries and naughty playfulness. I get to hear him do all this from home. It’s always a joy when he is next doors. The silent home of mine feels so festive with his sound heard here. I was so happy to hear her mom sing a song to her grand son. With sheer joy and delight, I messaged Gayathri about this. She did give a call and we had a small chat catching up on the current happenings. She told me she will be visiting her mom the following weekend and asked me to send over cup cakes. Now baking cup cakes is a easy thing for me but the frosting part is one task I was nervous about. I took the life out of my girl Anisha who is a pro in cup – cakes. Some how made them, packed and sent it over. I waited for the verdict but didn’t get any. So I messaged Gayathri. She was like, aunty the cup cakes are coming by flight today to chennai. My cup cakes flying .. I laughed my guts out. Yet to get the verdict over the flight travelled cup cakes though..

Ingredients	Quantity
Flour / maida	1 1/2 cups
Salt	1/4 teaspoon
Baking powder	1 1/2 teaspoon
Eggs	2 large at room temperature
Sugar	2/3 cup
Milk	1/2 cup
Melted Butter	3/4 cup
Vanilla essence	2 teaspoons

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line a muffin tray with paper cup cake liners.
Mix flour, salt and baking powder together.
Beat eggs and sugar to light and foamy with an electric egg beater for two minutes.
Add melted butter little at a time and mix well. Then add vanilla essence and mix further.
Add half of the flour mix, then add the milk and mix well.
Top with remaining flour mix gently. Make sure not to over mix the batter.
Pour the batter equally into the lined paper cup cake moulds.
Bake for 15 -18 minutes or until a tooth prick inserted comes out clean.
Remove and cool completely. Decorate and serve.

Frosting ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Whipped cream	5 cups
Powdered sugar	1/4 cup
Strawberry essence	2 drops
Pink food colour	few drops

Method

Mix all the frosting ingredients together.
Fill into piping bags and decorate as desired.

Notes

If using mini cup cake moulds, bake them for 10 -12 minutes.

Savoury filled potato – rice crisps

Preparation time : 25 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 10 members

Description

My new love for Arabic food is driving me crazy. I am so into knowing what it’s all about. I came across a recipe that really excited me. As always it’s a filled snack that’s deep fried apt for the on – going fasting. I did change the recipe to my convenience and went ahead. I was not sure about the rice – potato covering and kept debating with my cook about this. We both were waiting for the final result on its taste, texture and out come of the snack. I wanted to roll these into balls but wanting a change in shape, I just sharpened the edges and it looked new and inviting. Deep fried the first batch and they were out to taste. The deep fried snack was taking so long to cool down, I started to loose patience. Finally took a bite. The crust was crispy with a second layer of moist mushy rice and potato, then the third layer of spicy filling. Altogether it was a mouth full of riot in flavors. In the ifthar table . My boy who was on his two weeks holidays liked the not so regular snack very much. my mission accomplished as the career of motherhood and home making is beyond value and needs no justification, it’s importance is in – calculated.

Ingredients for the cover

Ingredients	Quantity
Basmati rice	2 Cups
Water	3 cups
Stock cube	2
Potato	2 big boiled and peeled

Method for the cover

Pressure cook rice, stock cube and water together for 3 whistles and cool completely.
Mash the boiled potatoes. Add it to the cooked rice and knead well together.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep aside covered with a wet cloth.

Ingredients for the filling

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken or meat mince	boiled 1/4 kg
Ginger garlic paste	1/8 teaspoon each
Salt	to taste
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Onions	5 big chopped
Green chillies	4 chopped
Mixed vegetables	carrots , beans , cabbage , green peas chopped and boiled in water with salt
Mint leaves	few
Coriander leaves	one hand chopped
Pepper powder	to taste
Red chilli flakes	to taste
Oil	2 tablespoons
Lime juice	1/4 teaspoon juice

Method for filling

Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add onions and fry to translucent.
Add green chilies, boiled chicken or minced meat, boiled chopped mixed vegetables, mint leaves, coriander leaves, salt, chilli flakes and pepper to taste.
Mix well and lower the flame and keep stirring for 3 minutes letting all the flavours infuse together.
Remove from heat, squeeze lime. Mix well, cool and set aside.

Other ingredient

Ingredients	Quantity
Oil	to deep fry

How to proceed

With wet hands, take a medium size ball of rice – potato dough mixture.
Flatten in you palms. Place one tablespoon of filling in the centre .
Bring the edges of the rice – potato mix towards the centre making sure the filling is covered all over.
Roll into a ball. Then sharpen the opposite edges of the ball to get a dew drop shape.
Wet your hands occasionally if the rice – potato mix starts to stick.
Do the same to all the rice – potato mix and filling.
Heat oil to deep fry. Drop the rice – potato dew drops in batches of three at a time.
Deep fry in medium hot oil until crisp and golden in colour for five minutes.
Drain and serve hot with ketchup. ( we had it as it is with no dip )