Veggie Mini Vol-au-Vents

These are excellent party appetizers, try them and your guest will enjoy them. We enjoyed these, could not stop at one, so make more in case, your guest ask for another one.

Ingredients 
15 Mini Vol-au-vents Shells - used ready shells
For the Filling 
¼ Cup Finely Chopped French Beans
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Carrots
¼ Cup Green Peas
1 Cup Bechamel Sauce
¼  Teaspoon Mixed Herbs
¼  Teaspoon Red Chilly Flakes
Salt to taste 
Cheddar Cheese as required
Method
Parboil all the veggies and keep aside.
In a sauce pan heat the Bechamel Sauce, mix well to make it smooth and lump free, add rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Taste for salt and add accordingly. Keep aside to cool.
To Assemble 
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, turning both the elements on ( i.e. grill rod too). 
Take each shell and core it with a spoon carefully so that you do not break right into the bottom ( this is to give a little depth).  Like wise prepare all the shells.  Arrange them in a lined tray.
Place a teaspoon of filling
Grate the cheese on top
Place it in the oven bake  till the cheese melts say about 7 -10 minutes or so.
Serve and Enjoy!!

Labels :  Vol-au-Vents, Vegetarian, Cheddar Cheese, Party pleasers, Baked, Puff Pastry, Bechamel Sauce

Gluten Free Red Rice Sev

Sev is a popular Indian crispy, savory snack food consisting of thin deep fried crunchy noodles. These are gluten free and so tasty, are made with unpolished red rice. Great for kid's tiffin.

Ingredients

2 Cups Red Rice Flour
½ Cup Urad Dal Flour - lightly roasted
½ Teaspoon Red Chilly powder
1-1½ Cup Hot Water
3 Tablespoons Melted Ghee
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Ajwain / Carom Seeds

Method

In a large bowl add the rice and urad flour, salt and red chilly powder and sieve them well, Then add the ajwain and sesame seeds, mix it well. Then add melted ghee and mix well till it forms bread crumbs. Then add hot water ¼ cup at a time and start to knead into soft and smooth dough , yet firm dough. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. 
In the meantime heat oil for deep frying in a kadai and heat on medium  flame. Take a fine round holes disc in the murukku / sev press. 
Fill the murukku press with the prepared dough. Now slowly press the sev maker over the hot oil. Deep fry them on a medium  flame until golden color, turn over to fry on both sides evenly. Drain over paper towel and let them cool completely. 
Store in an airtight container. These stay good for a month.
Labels :  Sev, Festival Sweets, Diwali Faral, Gluten free, Deep Fried, Kids delight, Red Rice

Papaya Cutlet

Raw papaya is high in nutritional value and good for diabetic people. There are various other main course recipes with raw papaya , a quick curry for rice or simply sabzi.  You can use this as a replacement to potatoes. Once you start eating raw papaya in sabzi, salad or pickle you will start to love it. Want to make it vegan do not add the cheese.
Ingredients 
1 Cup  Packed Raw Papaya
½ Cup Chana dal
1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
2 Green chillies - finely chopped
1 Small Onion - finely chopped
2 Tablespoon Bread crumbs
½ Teaspoon Heaped Coriander powder 
½ Teaspoon Level Cumin powder
1 Tablespoon Corn flour
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 Teaspoon Chopped Mint Leaves
Cheese - cut into small cubes - optional

Method
Wash and soak the chana dal for 2 -3 hours.
Peel and grate the raw papaya and squeezed out all moisture by pressing it with your hand or in a muslin cloth.

Strain the chana dal of all the moisture in a colander.
Grind chana dal to a paste, without adding a drop of water, when this is ground then add the chopped onion, papaya, green chillies and pulse the mixer for two to three times only. Take this out into a bowl, add rest of the ingredients, mix it well. Make equal balls. Take one ball flatten on your palm and place a small cube of cheese, close it and flatten it into small tikki/cutlet, like wise make all. Coat each in corn flour and shallow fry in hot oil on medium low flame till golden on both sides.
An easy to make and healthy snack/starter is ready.... Enjoy!!
My Notes
The papaya should be raw, green and firm, if it has started to ripen or when pressed is soft then do not buy it.
Labels : Papaya, Kebabs, Vegetarian, Starters, Dal, Cheese

Kerala Style Homemade Garam Masala

I love making my own spice mix , this Kerala Garam  Masala has a fantastic aroma and taste.    You can use this spice mix for any Kerala preparations.
Ingredients
15 Grams Saunf/Fennel seeds
5 Grams Cloves
5 Grams Green Cardamoms
2 Brown Cardamoms
10 Grams Whole Black Peppercorns
5 Grams Cinnamon Sticks
1 Star Anise
1/2 Nutmeg 
1 Flower Mace/Javitri

Method
Dry roast each spice ( except the nutmeg) in a hot pan separately, till it starts to release an aroma ( do not burn them). 
Then cool and grind to a fine powder.
It's ready!! Store this in an airtight container.  To retain it's color and flavor store this in the refrigerator.

Labels : Kerala, Garam Masala, Homemade, Masala

Kerala Beef Olarthiyathu - Pressure Cooker


Kerala Beef Olarthiyathu or Ularthiyathu is also known as Kerala beef fry. I have used fresh sliced coconut pieces for the tadka which gives this beef fry a fantastic taste and bite when you are enjoying this. Please use coconut oil to make then only you will get the original taste and flavor. 
You can enjoy this dish with variety of other dishes, it goes well as a side dish.

Ingredients
For The Marination

750 Grams Beef - cut into chunks
1½ Tablespoons Level Red Chilly powder
2½ Tablespoons Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon Level Black Pepper powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1½ Teaspoon Kerala Style Homemade Garam Masala
1 Teaspoon Meat Masala
2" Piece Ginger
10 Big Cloves Garlic
1½ Tablespoons Vinegar
1½ Teaspoons Sea Salt
For The Tadka
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Teaspoon Fennel seeds
8 Baby Onions - sliced
1/3 Cup Sliced Coconut Pieces
5 Sprigs Curry leaves
4 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 Green Chillies- slit

Method
Marinate cleaned beef with all the ingredients listed under for marination. Keep it aside for an hour at least in the refrigerator. I kept it overnight in the refrigerator.
Place this marinated beef in a pressure cooker, with 1½ cups of water. Take one whistle on high then reduce the flame to low and cook till done (mine took  25 minutest to cook - this depends on the quality of the meat). Once the pressure cools then only open the cooker. 
Check for doneness or cook it again till done. If there is any excess gravy or water dry it since this is a side dish, the gravy should be saucy thick ( it should coat the meat) and not thin.
For The Tadka
Now heat a pan with coconut oil and add mustard seeds, let it splutter, then add fennel seeds, curry leaves, and onion. Sauté the onions till it turn just light golden.
Now add coconut pieces and saute for 2 minutes.  
Pour this into cooked beef and mix it well. Cover it and let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes, so that the flavors marry each other. Switch off the flame it's ready.
Enjoy this yummy beef fry.
It really delicious, enjoyed this with appam a classic combination.  Can have this with dosa, crusty bread too.

My Notes 
Add generous amount of curry leaves and coconut oil.

Labels : Beef, Roast, Kerala, Coconut, Pressure Cooker, Multi Cooker Monday, Side Dish 

Multicooker Monday October 2020:

Recipes using Small Kitchen Appliances

A Spooky Cat Pasta Lentil Soup#SoupSwappers

When Wendy our Host and author of Soup Swapper's group gave us the theme" Spooky Soups and Stews"for this month's event. This was the first recipe that came to my mind. 
Now starts my hunt for a cat shape cookie cutter, couldn't find one. Got after my hubby to make the template.  
When I posted this soup pic on what's app to my sister's , they said will make the soup without the cat, looks so spooky!! Laughed and replied this is for my spooky soup event. My daughter said that cat looks so real and morbid.

But nevertheless, this makes a hearty meal, a satisfying comfort food, that is a sweet, just mildly spiced and packed with proteins.  You can have this as a hearty soupy meal like we did or serve over rice.
We enjoyed this as our lunch or can have it for dinner, it's a meal in itself and is popularly known as Indian style Pasta in a lentils.

Serves 3 as a complete and filling meal
Ingredients

1/8 Cup Tur Dal
1/8 Cup Sabut Urad/Beluga Lentils
1/8 Cup Split Green Moong
1/8 Cup Raw Peanuts
1 Medium Tomato - chopped
2 Tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Red Chili powder
1 Teaspoon Heaped Homemade Curry powder
1 Teaspoon Jaggery
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Tablespoons Chopped Onion
1 Teaspoon Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 Teaspoon Ginger Juliennes
1 Teaspoon Lemon juice - optional
For the Cat Pasta
½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
½ Cup Besan/Chickpea Flour
¼ Teaspoon Salt or to taste
A Pinch Black pepper powder
A Pinch Turmeric powder
A Pinch Asafoetida
¼ Teaspoon Carom seeds - rub them on your palms
¼ Teaspoon Kasuri Methi - rub them on your palms
1 Tablespoon Oil
Water as required to make a soft dough
For Tadka
2 Tablespoons Oil
5 Grains Fenugreek Seeds
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
3 Cloves Garlic - minced
1" Pieces Ginger - minced

Method
Wash the lentils well. In a pressure cooker add all the washed lentils and 2 cups water, let it cook on high flame for one whistle, then reduce the flame to low and keep it for 10 minutes. Switch off the flame, let the cooker cool.
When the cooker is cooled, add the washed raw peanuts and again place the cooker on high flame. Take one whistle on high flame. Reduce the flame to low and let it cook for 7 minutes. Switch of the flame, let the cooker cool completely.
As the lentils are cooking let's make our Cat Pasta Dough
Mix all the ingredients and knead into soft dough. 
Cover this dough and let it rest for 20 - 30 minutes.
Coming back to our Lentil Soup
In a pot/kadai that has a broad base, heat oil, add the fenugreek, mustard and cumin seeds when the splutter add the chopped onion, ginger juliennes. Sauté till the onion soften, now add the minced ginger, garlic and sauté for a minute add the curry powder, red chilly, turmeric powder and salt, sauté
add the cooked lentils, add the tomato and water (2 to 2½ cups ) to make a watery consistency ( since the cat pasta will absorb most of the gravy when added ). Bring this to a rolling boil, give it a quick stir, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes on very low flame, stirring after every 3 -4 minutes. Add the jaggery and taste for salt and seasonings, add accordingly. Cover and let it simmer again.
Back to our Cat Pasta
Roll the dough and cut the cat shape pasta using the above template. 
Make eyes and mouth with sliced olives and keep them aside. I wanted to make the eyes and mouth with black olives but didn't have it.
After 15 minutes of the lentil soup boiling add the cat shaped pasta into the simmering pot, cover and let it cook for 15 minutes or till the cat pasta surfaces. Once cooked the pasta will float to the surface. Garnish it with coriander leaves and lemon juice
Serve into large bowls and enjoy!!
What a satisfying meal !!
Labels : Tur Dal, Sabut Urad Dal, Split Green Moong, Homemade Curry Powder, Chickpea Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Soup, Soup Swappers, Indian, Vegan, Main Course, Pasta, Healthy 
Check other recipes of October 2020 Soup Swappers Event 
  • A Spooky Cat Pasta Lentil Soup by Sneha's Recipe
  • Anti-Vampire Potion (Garlic & Cheese Soup) by Palatable Pastime
  • Bat Wing Soup by Making Miracles
  • Bloody Night Soup (Roasted Beet Soup) by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Garlic Soup with Gruyère Cheese Toast by Karen's Kitchen Stories
  • Hungarian Pork Ghoul-ash by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
  • Pumpkin Ale Soup with Pork Eyeball Meatballs by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
  • East Indian Fried Dry Bombil Masala#FishFriday

    Dry Bombils are eaten mainly during the rainy season. A few years back it used to rain so heavily that no fish was available in the market so my mother use to fry these dry bombils masala.
    In Bombay these are readily available, mostly brought during winter, then cleaned, dried again in the sun and then stored for use  through out year. In this recipe, we fry the bombils after marinating it with freshly ground red masala. These can be frozen and fried whenever required, stays good for months. This is my real comfort food, whenever I want something tasty, spicy and crispy.

    Ingredients
    10 - 12 Thick Dried Bombay Ducks/Bombils - cleaned
    8 - 10 Dried Kashmiri Red Chillies
    1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
    8 Big Cloves Garlic
    ½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
    Salt To Taste
    ½ Cup + 2 Tablespoon Vinegar
    Oil as required for frying

    Method
    Wash the bombay ducks/bombils well in water, then soak in vinegar for 10 - 15 minutes. 
    Now clean them by cutting the stomach, tail and fins with a kitchen scissors.
    Soak the red chillies in warm water for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the water and some of the seeds too.
    In a small grinding jar add the red chillies , cumin seeds, garlic and turmeric powder. Grind this to a fine paste adding 2 tablespoons vinegar. Do not add too much water, while grinding can add 2 tablespoons, if necessary add more vinegar and grind this to a fine paste. Add salt, grind it again so that it well mixed. 
    Take the soaked bombils from the vinegar solution and apply this ground paste to it well. Then take a meat mallet and lightly flatten them. At this stage you can freeze them in a single layer in an airtight container. Keep them aside for 10 - 15 minutes.
    Heat oil in a broad frying pan , add 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil, arrange the bombay ducks and fry them on medium low flame till they are crisp and brown on one side
    then flip them and fry till that side too is crisp and brown. 
    Fried Dry Bombil Masala is ready to eat.
    Enjoy this with just dal rice or even roti sabzi, they taste delicious.
    My Notes
    You can also use this Vindaloo Masala, add about 2 - 3 tablespoons and grind with garlic, salt and vinegar.

    Labels:
    Seafood/Fish, Dried Bombils, Bombay Duck, 
    East Indian, Fried, Vindaloo Masala, Fish Friday, Comfort Food , Main Course 

    Fish Friday Foodies
    Comfort Food Recipes

    Hosted by Sue Lau
    Bourride from A Day in the Life on the Farm
    Cheesy Mixed Seafood Gratin from Food Lust People Love
    Crab and Rice Croquettes from Palatable Pastime
    Creamy Crab Soup from Karen's Kitchen Stories
    Creamed Salmon from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
    East Indian Fried Dry Bombil Masala from Sneha's Recipe
    Fish Po' Boy Sandwich from Making Miracles
    Popcorn-Battered Fried Fish, Remembering Oklahoma, and Kids in the Kitchen from Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
    Are you a food blogger who would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies? We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month. To join our group please email Wendy at wendyklik1517 (at) gmail.com. Visit our Facebook page and Pinterest page for more wonderful fish and seafood recipe ideas.