East Indian Clams / Shimpies Curry#FishFriday

The Clams / Shimpies are called by various names like cockles, mussels, tisrya etc.

The theme for Fish Friday Foodies this month is "Bivalves", our Host is Stacy of Food Lust People Love. For this event made our traditional East Indian recipe which is delicious curry which can be enjoyed with rice or Handbreads (Apas) - East Indian.

Ingredients
50 Clams / Shimpies - washed, rinsed
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
2 Dried Kashmiri Chillies
2 Dried Bedki Red chillies
5 Cloves Garlic
1/3 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
A Pinch of Turmeric powder
1 Small Ball of tamarind or as per taste
2 Tablespoons Oil

Method

In a pot add the washed and rinsed clams, add water to the level of the clams. Cover with a lid and let it come to a rolling boil. Switch of the flame. 

The clams will open. 

Let them cool and them remove the meat from them. Gently pour the stock taking care not shake the bottom which will have the fine pieces of shell ends. Keep this stock aside.

Soak the dried chillies and tamarind in seperate bowls in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Then grind it in a small blender, with the garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and coconut to fine paste adding water to make a thick fine paste. Keep this a aside.

In a pot/kadai heat oil add the onion, sauté till it starts to change color

add the ground paste and wash the blender add that water, fry till oil starts to surface, now add the salt, tamarind juice 

and the strained stock from the boiled clams and water just enough to make a thick gravy, bring this to a rolling boil, stir it. Cover with a lid and let it simmer till oil surfaces. Now add the clams and take one or two boils, taste for salt and sourness, adjust accordingly

let this simmer for 3 -4 minutes covered with a lid, after 4 minutes 

your clam curry is ready.

Enjoy this with rice or Handbreads (Apas) - East Indian.
It makes a delicious meal.

Would also like to check this recipe 

Clams/Shimpies in Coconut Gravy With Mini Steamed Rice Dumplings

Labels: Clams, Shimpies, East Indian, Curry ,Fish Friday, Seafood/Fish, Main course

Fish Friday Febraury 2021  

• Bacon Clam Chowder from Making Miracles
• East Indian Clams/Shimpies Curry from Sneha's Recipe
• Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Scallops and Shrimp from Food Lust People Love
• Mussels with Leeks and Chilies from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Eggless Nankhatai#SundayFunday

Vanaspati Ghee is used which is also called clarified butter  with this  the nankhatai's are pure white. This is traditional East Indian cookies that is must for our Christmas sweet's platter and this my mother's recipe. The flavoring I, have used is cardamom powder. 

Also made 4 batches of these Eggless Nankhati's for the cute, unconditionally loving physically challenged children, that I work with, they called them snow cookies, since these are pure white.
Makes 18 to 20 
Ingredients
80 Grams Sugar - powdered

1/4 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg powder
125 Grams All Purpose Flour
100 Grams Vanaspati Ghee - melted and chilled
A pinch of Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder
Nuts of choice as required

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C.

Sieve the cardamom, nutmeg, baking powder and flour, keep aside.

In a bowl add ghee, salt and sugar, beat it till light and fluffy and turns whitish. Add sieved flour and mix till it represents bread crumbs. Lightly start mixing with your hands to form a dough.

Make small marble size balls and press them down gently. Place them in the prepared baking tray with about an inch apart and gently press with a piece of nut. 

Bake in pre-heated oven for about 15 to 18 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown at the bottom.

Cool on wire rack. Store in airtight container.

My Notes

You can adjust the sugar as per your taste. 

You can flavor them using orange or lemon zest. 

You don’t need any additional liquid to bind it into a dough. Only the ghee binds the dry ingredients. You can also use softened butter, just in case you prefer the butter’s flavor.

Labels : Eggless, East Indian, Biscuits & Cookies, Vegetable shortening, Vegan, Christmas Sweet ,Festival Sweets, Baked, Sunday Funday 

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. I thank our host for this week's event Wendy Klik of   A Day in the Life on the Farm 
Sunday Funday: Cookies for Santa! >

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Aztec Blueberry Linzer Cookies
• Food Lust People Love: Brown Butter Shortbread 
• Our Good Life: Chocolate Chunk Shortbread with Sprinkles
• Sneha's Recipe : Eggless Nankhatai 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies with Nutella Filling 
• Cooking With Carlee: Krumkake 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Macaroon Kiss Christmas Cookies 
• Making Miracles: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Cookies 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Salted Honey Pecan Thumbprint Cookies 
• Palatable Pastime:Toffee Coffee Bars

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.

Olya Naralachi Karanji / Fresh Coconut Nevries

We East Indians make this for San Jao Cha Sann/St  John feast, which is celebrated on 24th June the proper day or the coming Sunday. 

This is must in my family, my mother and grandmother used to make this every year,  I too make this since my husband love them. This year I decided to take step by step pics, here is my family recipe. You can add more sugar if you want, but for us the sweetness was just right.

This Karanji is  also a traditional Maharashtrian sweet,  usually made  for festive occasions like Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi.  

Olya means fresh, naralachya means coconut,  karanjya is turnovers or nevries,  which means fresh coconut karanji. The shelf live of these are just 3 - 4 days,  for a longer shelf-life you may use dry or desiccated coconut and sugar. 
I, prefer making karanji using fresh coconut for a superior taste. Making these, is quite a time consuming task, but,  if you love these, all the effort is worthwhile. This is one of the most easy recipes, do try preparing karanji this way and let me know how it turned out.

Makes around 9 - 10  Nevries /Karanjies - depending on the amount of filling inside.

Ingredients
For the filling

1 Cup Packed Fresh Grated Coconut
1/4 Teaspoon Heaped Cardamom pods
3 Tablespoons Heaped Sugar

A Pinch of Nutmeg powder

15 Cashewnuts - chopped

1 Tablespoon Golden Raisins/Kismis

1 Teaspoon Ghee/Vegetable Shortening

For the Covering

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1½ Tablespoon Heaped Melted Ghee

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

For frying 

Vegetable Oil as required
 Method

For the filling

In a pan / kadai take ghee, coconut and sugar. Cook on low heat till  melts and the mixture comes together, add the raisins, cashew nuts, cardamom  and nutmeg powder and continue to cook the mixture on low medium heat for a 2 minutes stir continuously, since tends to burn quickly, so do not stop stirring at any given point of time. Once the mixture is dry  take  off the heat and set aside to cool completely.

For the covering

In a thaal/bowl mix  flour, melted ghee and salt, mix well.  Add water as required and knead to a soft, pliable,  smooth dough.  Keep it covered in a moist cloth  for 25 to 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes, knead the dough again slightly and make small round balls.

Take one small dough ball. With the help of a rolling pin, roll it flat (same as the size of a poori)

Place a spoonful of the coconut jaggery mixture in the center

Dip your finger into the water and apply on the edge of half the poori. Flod the other edge of the poori, press the edges well to seal the filling inside
Be sure that no air bubbles remain inside. The edges should be tightly sealed or the filling may ooze our during deep frying.

Press the edges using the back of a fork  or a cutter to give it that  design.  Place the filled karanjis on  a plate and cover with  a damp  towel to avoid drying. 

Heat oil for deep frying in a kadhai or deep pan.
Slowly fry the karanjis on low flame till golden brown. Remove on paper towel and let them rest for 20 mins. When cooled down, store in airtight container upto 3 - 4 days. If refrigerated, it can be stored for a few more days.

Enjoy.. these are delicious, I am sure you can't stop at one or two!!
Labels:   Coconut, Fried, Nevries, Karanji, Turnover, Festival , Maharastrian Cuisine, East Indian, Vegan

Mushroom & Green Peas Curry - East Indian Style

This is  a quick and yummy curry, vegan and gluten free.
Ingredients 

200 Grams Button Mushrooms - sliced
½ Cup Fresh Green Peas
1 Large Onion
2 Green Chillies - finely chopped
1 Big Clove Garlic - minced
¼ Cup Tomato Puree
1½ Teaspoon Bottle Masala
1 Veg Stock Cube
½ Teaspoon Sugar
1½ Teaspoon Lemon Juice
2 -3 Tablespoon Oil

Grind  To A Fine Paste

1 Tablespoon Grated Dry Coconut - dry roasted 

2 Cloves Garlic

½” Piece Ginger 

1 Bay leaf

6 Mint Leaves

Method

For the Paste

Dry roast the coconut on a non stick frying pan till light golden ( can use desiccated coconut). Cool and grind this to a fine paste with rest of the ingredients adding just a tablespoon or two of water.

In a kadai heat oil, add minced garlic and fry till it just starts to change color, add chopped onions, green chillies and fry till  onions turn light golden.  Add in the ground paste, bottle masala, tomato puree and 2 tablespoon water,stock cube   saute' till oil separates. Now add the   mushrooms, peas mix well, add a cup of water and cook on low flame till mushrooms and peas are cooked, stirring after every 2 minutes.   Taste for salt, add the sugar and adjust the gravy consistency by adding water accordingly . Bring this to a boil. Switch off the flame, add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. 

 Enjoy with chapattis or rice.

Labels : Mushroom, Green Peas, Bottle Masala, Main course, East Indian, Vegan, Gluten free, Vegetarian  

Spinach & Masoor Dal-Pressure Cooker#MultiCookerMonday

Palak With Red Masoor Dal nutritious, healthy, wholesome and packed with protein and fiber.  It's very delicious and tasty.  Usually this is made with tur dal/pigeon pea, but, do try this with red lentil and you will love it.  This is made in the pressure cooker so it quick  to make.

Ingredients 
1/2 Cup Masoor Dal/Red Lentil
2 Green chillies - slit
1 Teaspoon Level Ginger Garlic paste
3/4 Teaspoon Level Sea Salt or to taste
1 Small Onion -chopped
1 Medium Tomato -chopped
21/2 Cups Water

1 Bundle Palak / Spinach Leaves

For the Tadka  

2 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seed
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seed
2 Whole Dried Red Chillies
1 Tablespoon Bottle Masala
A Sprig Curry Leaves

Method 

Wash the  palak  leaves well. Remove the stems and take only the leaves. Keep it aside in a colander to drain the excess water.

Blanch the spinach and blend it with an immersion blender. Keep aside. 

Wash the masoor dal. In a pressure pan add the dal, onion, green chillies, tomatoes,  salt and 2 cups water.  Cover with a lid and on high flame take one whistle.  Reduce the flame to low and keep it for 5 -7 minutes.  Switch off the flame and set it aside till the cooker cools. 

When it cools  open the cooker and add the palak,  give it a good mix, taste for salt and dal consistency, add the remaining water and if necessary add more.  Keep it again on low flame to simmer for 5 - 7 minutes, stirring it in between.  

For the Tadka   

In a small pan heat oil mustard  and cumin seeds, when they crackle add the dried red chillies,  curry leaves and give it stir.   Switch off the flame and wait for a minute.  Now add a tablespoon of bottle masala. 

Pour the prepared dal in a serving bowl and add the tadka and serve.  

Enjoy this with boiled/steamed rice.

Labels :  Dal, Masoor dal, Palak Leaves, Pressure Cooker, Healthy, Main course, Multicooker Monday,  Vegan, Gluten free, East Indian

Multicooker Monday June 2020:
Recipes using Small Kitchen Appliances 
Beef and Smoked Sausage Goulash from Food Lust People Love
Instant Pot Ground Beef and Pasta from Making Miracles
Black Eyed Pea Hummus from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Sweet Potato Fries using the Breville Smart Oven (air fryer) from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Crockpot Veggie Fajitas from Veggies First Then Dessert
Spinach & Masoor Dal – Pressure Cooker from Sneha’s Recipe
Saucy Taco Chicken Wings from Palatable Pastime (You are Here!)
Toaster Oven No-Knead Rolls from Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking