Marble Stuffed Coconut Pancakes -East Indian#SundayFunday

These stuffed and rolled sweet pancakes, is prepared with coconut, sugar and flour as the main ingredient. These are mainly made East Indian on pancake Tuesday, at must in every household. I made these with three different colors and gave a marble effect to the pancakes. They are soft, luscious and delicious, assure you, that, you can't stop at one.

Ingredients
For The Kesar Filling
1 Big Coconut - grated
1/3 Cup Cashew nuts chopped
¼ Cup Rasins
A pinch of Kesar color
2 - 3 Drops Kesar essence
¼ Teaspoon Cardamoms powder
½ Cup Granulated Sugar or adjust to your taste
1 Teaspoon Ghee
For The Pancake Batter
1½ Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Small Eggs
Water or Milk - as required to make a thin batter
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla essence

Method
For The Kesar Filling

Cook the grated coconut with sugar & color on low heat till the sugar melts. Add raisins, cashew nuts and cardamom powder. Cook till the coconut mixture is semi dry, there shouldn't be much moisture in it.

For The Batter

Beat the egg lightly. Mix the flour, milk or water to a fairly thin pouring consistency. 

Divide into 4 portions add the yellow color to one and the green color to the other, third one pink and rest white.
To Make The Pancakes

Take a 6" dia non stick pan. Smear it with oil and wipe it clean. Pour small spoons of different color batter's in the center and swirl the pan so that the batter covers it evenly, any excess batter take is out so that you get a thin pancake.
Cook for a minute or so and then turn it over on a board. (Repeat the process till all the batter is used).

Place  1 - 2 tablespoons of the filling. Fold the sides then roll up the pancake tight or u can even seal edges & roll.

Enjoy!!

My Notes

I have divided the batter into different colors and gradually added a small spoon of each while and swirling the pan.
Labels: Pancake, Stuffed, East Indian, Egg, Coconut, Marble, Sunday Funday, Sweets & Desserts, Festival Sweets

Sunday Funday

Mardis Gras & Fat Tuesday 

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Cajun Nachos
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Muffuletta Sandwich
• Cook with Renu: Homemade Baked Donuts
• Food Lust People Love: Pecan Praline Cookies
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Cajun Stuffed Mushrooms
• Palatable Pastime: Bourbon Chicken Wings
• Sneha's Recipe : Marble Stuffed Coconut Pancakes

Khuboni/Khube Curry - East Indian#FishFriday

With various types of seashells found along the sea coast, most of them are eaten as food. The type of shells that I cooked is the small sea snails/ sea shells, we East Indians call them khuba/khube which are also known as pin shells since a pin is used to remove the flesh from the shell. These shells are got from the rocks in the sea, they generally cling to these rocks and usually found in the market during the monsoons. My sister in law got these for me, I have eaten these after many years. I love these khubas. 

They are delicious to eat but tiresome to clean, they take a lot of time to clean. When I make this curry, I first enjoy eating the rice or hand bread/Appas, then clean all the khubas. Try this recipe and you will enjoy it.
How to clean shells and prepare for cooking.

Immerse the shells in a big pot water for 10 to 15 minutes to let the sand settle down. I put a pinch of potassium permanganate in the water, so that all dirt is removed completely, this is optional.
Now lift the khubas and immerse them in another pot of of water and like wise wash them well a three to four times in fresh water. When the water is clean and clear the khubas are ready to use, then transfer them into a big vessel.

Ingredients
Grind To Fine Paste
4 Dried Red Chillies
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
A Pinch Turmeric powder
1/3 Cup Fresh Grated Coconut
4 Whole Black Peppercorns
1 Teaspoon Tamarind
6 Cloves Garlic
Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
50 Khubas
1 Teaspoon Oil - optional

Method

Soak the chillies in hot water till they soften. 
Grind all the given ingredients to fine paste. 

Mix the oil and grounded paste well. Wash the mixer jar with water, add enough water to make thick consistency gravy. Add salt to taste. 

Boil this till it comes to a boil. Cover with a lid and low flame let it simmer for 7 minutes. Taste for salt and sourness, add if necessary. Add the Khubas and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes. Switch off the flame. 

Enjoy eating this with steamed rice or Hand Breads. 

To clean them take a safety pin, flip open the covering and pull out the snail from the shell. Enjoy, this is super delicious!!

Labels: East Indian, Khubas , Pin Shells, Fish Friday, Seafood/Fish, Main Course, Curry, Healthy

Sustainable Seafood #FishFridayFoodies Event: February 18, 2022 Hosted by Camilla  of Culinary Adventures with Camilla   

• Braised Cod with Potatoes and Onions by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Broiled Asian-inspired Red Snapper Fillets by Food Lust People Love
• Khuboni/Khube Curry - East Indian by Sneha’s Recipe
• L'Uovo di Seppia by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Pasta with Spiced Vegetables and Anchovies by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Coconut Filled Tartlets - East Indian#Foodieextravaganza

These tartlets are must in our Christmas Sweets Platter. To fill these tartlets my hubby helped me, since we must be quick while filling, the filling hardens quickly.

For our event this month for Foodie Extravaganza Party, we are giving a Virtual Baby Shower for Lauren, the author/founder of our group. These tartlets are prefect for the event which have the color pink and blue.

Ingredients
200 Grams All Purpose Flour
75 Grams Clarified Butter
60 Grams Powdered Sugar
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
3 -4 Tablespoons Chilled Water or as required
Method

Rub clarified butter into flour till it resembles bread crumbs. Add the powdered sugar and essence mix it well into the flour. Now add chilled water just enough bring it into a dough. Do not knead the dough. The dough will be soft and crumbly. Cling wrap it and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  

Then take the dough and lightly knead it. Pinch a small ball and press it into tart moulds. Prick the tartlets with a fork. Make a handles of the remaining and bake these for just 4 -5 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 to 18 minutes or until the top start to turn slightly golden.

Remove and cool on a rack. Then un mold and keep it side to cool completely. These tartlets can me made well in advance they stay good for a month or more, if stored in an airtight container.

For The Coconut Filling

This process should be completed quickly as soon as the filling it ready or else it will harden and you will not be able to fill the tarts.
Ingredients
1 Cup Packed Freshly Grated Coconut
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
½ Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Rose Essence
Method

In 2 bowls add a pinch of gel color or liquid color and keep aside. Pink, blue and white, these are the colors.
Mix all ingredients in a non stick pan and cook stirring continuously till dry for 7 -8 minutes, the sugar should melt.
Divide the filling in the respective bowls and mix it well. Fill the tarts with the three colors. Press a handle in the center and let them dry.

Store them in container. The shelf life of the filled tarts is 5 - 6 days in our Mumbai temperature. If you live in a cold climate then these will last for 10 - 12 days.

Labels: Foodie Extravaganza Party, Coconut, Vegan,  Christmas Sweet, East Indian, Mini Tarts 

Foodie Extravaganza Party - December 2021 

• Classic Carol Chicken Salad from Palatable Pastime
• Cobb Dip from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Coconut Filled Tartlets - East Indian from Sneha's Recipe
• Melon Prosciutto Chevre Salad with Mint Dressing from Food Lust People Love
• Pink and Blue Sandwich Cake Cookies from Our Good Life 
• Red Velvet Cupcakes from Passion Kneaded
• Toasted Sesame Seed Crackers from Karen's Kitchen Stories 

Fried Surmai Fish With Surmai Chinchoni#FishFriday

This is without coconut and oil. In this recipe the 'chinch' or the sourness comes from tamarind. This is tangy and lightly spicy curry. This can be had with steamed rice or Hand Breads (Apas) -East Indian.

I had purchased a small seer/surmai fish, cut two slices of the fish for frying and remaining used to make a curry.
Serves 2
Ingredients
3 -4 Pieces Seer Fish / Surmai
500 ml water
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Tamarind paste

For the Masala Paste 
8 - 9 Dried Red Kashmiri chillies
5 Big Cloves Garlic - roughly chopped
1 Teaspoon Heaped Cumin seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Teaspoons Rice - washed
For the Fried Fish
2 Slices Seer Fish / Surmai
2 Tablespoons Of The above ground masala
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

Oil as required for frying
Method
Soak red chillies in hot water for 1 hour. Drain and grind with remaining masala ingredients to a smooth consistency, gradually adding 3-4 tablespoons of water, or as required.

Wash fish and set aside to drain. 

In a pan or mud vessel (which we East Indians call it a treezal), add the ground masala, tamarind paste, water and over low flame, let this boil for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Adjust the consistency of the gravy and sourness accordingly, then only add the fish. After 15 minutes add fish and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 7 - 8 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Serve hot with steamed rice and the fried fish.

For the Fried Fish

Wash and pat dry the slices of fish and then mix the salt and lemon juice to the ground masala. Apply this well to the fish and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Then fry it in a cast iron pan with a tablespoon or two of oil, till done on both sides. 

Labels: Chinchoni, East Indian, Seafood/Fish, Curry, Oil Free, Tamarind, Main course, Seer Fish , Surmai

Fish Friday Foodies - November 2021 
Today we are sharing favorite recipes for Seasonal Fish and Seafood.

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Bay Scallop Chowder
Sneha’s Recipe: Fried Surmai Fish With Surmai Chinchoni
Palatable Pastime: Pan Fried Oysters
Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Roasted Salmon Over Sage-Scented Stuffing with a Cranberry Relish
Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Stir-Fried Scallops and Broccoli 

Atola - East Indian#SundayFunday

Atola is a traditional East Indian rice pudding that it made with newly harvested rice. This is basically a vegan, gluten free, no sugar, no oil , no ghee or butter, it has just 3 basic ingredients i.e. new rice , coconut milk , jaggery as a sweetener and is flavored with cardamom powder. It's delicious and creamy.

This is made only once a year with rice from the new harvest, on All Souls Day. The rice should be new as new rice is sticky and this is what we want. But if you don’t have rice from the new harvest then use any other rice.

All Souls’ Day, is a day dedicated to the dead and it is observed on 02 November every year. As per the Catholic church, it is the day of Commemoration of All The Departed Souls. Masses are offered for the dead. People also visit and decorate the graves of their loved ones.

Serves 4 - 5
Measurement of 1 Cup = 200Ml
Ingredients
¾ Cup Rice
1/3 Cup Chawli/Black Eyed Beans
1 Liter Thin Coconut Milk -Homemade
250Ml Thick Coconut Milk ( first extract)
160 Grams Jaggery - I used organic
½ Teaspoon Cardamom powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
Method
Wash and soak the black eyed beans for 6 -8 hours.

In a deep vessel/pot add the rice, chawli beans, salt and

the thin coconut milk, bring it to boil and cook until the rice and chawli beans are soft ( keep stirring in between since this will stick to the bottom of the pot and get burnt).

Once the beans and rice are cooked this will thicken,

now add the jaggery , keep stirring it till the jaggery melts (taste, it if you want it sweeter than add more jaggery accordingly, for us the sweetness is just right) and the pudding comes to a boil. 

Add the cardamom powder and the thick/first extract coconut milk, let it come to a slight simmer. Switch off the flame.

This will thicken as it cools.

Enjoy this warm. Super yummy & delicious!!

Labels: Rice, Homemade, Coconut Milk, Jaggery, Cardamom Powder, Pudding, Sweets & Desserts, East Indian, Sunday Funday,  Vegan, Gluten free, No Oil Or Butter

Today for Sunday Funday Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, has chosen this theme for us Día de los Muertos - which is The Day of the Dead. 

Atola- East Indian by Sneha's Recipe
Caldo Tlalpeño by Food Lust People Love
Dia de Los Muertos Sugar Skull Cake by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
Enfrijoladas de Pollo by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Fiambre Rojo for Día de los Muertos by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pan de Muerto (Mexican Day of the Dead Bread) by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Pan Seared Tilapia with Shrimp by Palatable Pastime
Taco Casserole by Making Miracles
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup by Mayuri's Jikoni

Chach- A Dessert Soup - East Indian#Soupswappers

What is Chach? That's a question many will be asking! This is an East Indian dessert soup which is made with sweet potatoes on Maundy Thursday. This is also called by many East Indians as Gorache. My mother made this every year on Maundy Thursday and we loved it. She made it without tapioca pearls, this is my addition to it. My hubby loves this Chach too. He had it as his meal, two bowls full. This dessert Soup is, no oil or butter, sugar free, vegan and gluten free too.
Make 3 Bowls
Ingredients
220 Grams Sweet Potatoes- cut into thick roundels
1/3 Cup Sabudana/Tapioca Pearls
180 Grams Jaggery - chopped
1 Medium Size Coconut - to make coconut Milk
1 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
A Pinch of Salt
Method
Wash the sabudana/tapioca pearls in water 2 times then soak it in water till an inch above the pearls. Keep this covered for at least an hour or two.

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes and cut into medium thick pieces.

This should be the thickness or else they will melt when cooking. Soak them in water, keep aside.

Now let's make the Coconut Milk

Peel all the brown part of the coconut we require only the white meat, chop it into pieces

Then grate it in a blender jar.

Warm 4 cups of water.

In big blender jar add the grated coconut, add 250Ml warm water and run the blender for 2 minutes. 

Take this out into a fine muslin cloth and squeeze out all the coconut milk 

this makes the first thick extract. Keep this extract a side.

Again add the coconut from the muslin cloth into the blender jar 

add 250Ml warm water and again run the blender for 2 minutes.

Remove this into the muslin cloth and squeeze out all the coconut milk this makes the second extract, 

pour this into a airtight bottle . These are the two bottles (250Ml Each) that I filled and labeled thick and thin coconut milk.
If you require another thin extract you can do this process again by adding just a cup of water. After this you cannot extract any more coconut milk. Use can use how much you want and freeze the remaining coconut milk.

To Make the Chach

In a large pot/pan add the 2 cups thin extract of coconut milk , salt and the sweet potatoes slices. Place this on medium low flame and let it cook for 5 to 7 minutes or till nearly done, stirring once or twice in between. 

When the sweet potatoes are nearly done then add the tapioca pearls and give it a quick stir, let this cook again on medium low flame till done/ transparent and the sweet potatoes are fully cooked, do not make them mushy they should remain whole. 

Now add the jaggery and let it melt and comes to just a boil. Add the thick extract of coconut milk and give it stir, bring this to just a boil. 

Switch off the flame add the cardamom powder.

Serve into large bowls and enjoy warm!!
Labels : Dessert Soup, East Indian, Soup, Sweet Potato, Jaggery, Cardamom Powder, Healthy, No Oil Or Butter, Vegan, Gluten free, Soup Swappers, Homemade, Coconut Milk

For Soup Swappers April 2021, we asked to "Share a soup that provides a link to your ancestry". and our Host is Sidsel of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking. 

• Apong Meling's Sinigang from Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Blomkål- og ostesuppe (Cauliflower and Cheese Soup) from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Chach- A Dessert Soup - East Indian from Sneha's Recipe
• Cock-a-leekie Scottish Chicken Soup from Making Miracles
• Mulligatawny Soup from Magical Ingredients
• Scottish Red Lentil Soup from Pandemonium Noshery 
• Ticinese Minestrone from Karen's Kitchen Stories