Mango Metham Pickle - East Indian

Metham in East Indian Marathi is Methi / Fenugreek seeds. This is very delicious pickle which last for year or even more provided it has an inch of oil above always.  This is my Mother's recipe, which my mother learn't from her mother i.e. my grandmother an awesome cook. Her hand was like a magic wand. Whatever she made was delicious and perfect.

Whenever, we i.e all her grandchildren went to her house, first thing we use to do is finish the pickles from the bowls kept on the dining table... so delicious and mouthwatering... reviving old make memories... imprinted in mind... I miss her and mother too..

Coming to my mother she too inherited the magic wand from her mother. She was an awesome cook, who not only cooked traditional East Indian dishes, but also tried different recipes of other cuisines. My mother used to make different types of pickles, jams. chutney's etc.. the whole year, according to season of vegetables and fruits.

This is a tried and tested recipe. Adding jaggery in this pickle is optional. I would recommend you add it since is gives a delicious taste and balances the spiciness, my mother always added it. So here I, reveal my mother's secret recipe...

Ingredients
1 Kg Mangoes - Rajapuri Variety (see pic)
75 Grams Yellow Mustard seeds - coarsely powdered
10 Grams Asafoetida Powder
25 Grams Turmeric Powder
40 Grams Red Chilly Powder
15 Grams Methi / Fenugreek Seeds powder
2 Tablespoons Heaped Sea Salt
1 Kg or More Vegetable Oil - can use mustard oil too
1/3 Cup of Jaggery or according to your taste

For the Mangoes5 Tablespoons Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

Method

Sterilize a big glass bottle and dry it in the sun. I sterlize and then dry all glass bottles(without the lids) in the oven for 10- 15 minutes, at 150 degrees or whenever am baking.

Use pickle mangoes that are not ripe. Wash and dry the mangoes then chop them, remove the seeds, mix salt and turmeric powder to it, mix well. Keep these under some weight overnight ( I kept a plate and then a grinding stone over it).

Next day place the mangoes in a strainer and drain all the brine, spread it in a plate and keep it for dry in light sun or in the house to dry slightly ( till you prepare the ingredients and oil cools down).

Heat the oil in a kadai till really hot ( do not bring it to boiling or smoking point). When the oil is still hot mix all the spices along with the salt and jaggery, let the jaggery melt in this oil stirring in between till it oil cools and jaggery melts.

Mix all the masala and mangoes, remaining oil, in a big bowl and keep it for a day, by that time jaggery will melt completley. Mix it well and fill it in the sterlize bottles, adding more oil if necessary so that an inch of oil is above the mangoes always.   

This pickle will be ready to enjoy after  20 days or a month ... will remain for a year and even more provided there is an inch of oil above the mango pieces and the bottle is clean from inside ( i.e. no masala around the bottle above the oil).. clean it with a clean cloth or paper towel. 

Enjoy ....  

Labels: Pickle, Mango, East Indian, Vegan,Gluten free

Pan Fried Mackerel #FISHFRIDAYFOODIE

Mackerel is known as Bangda in India. This crispy skinned whole mackerel with a spicy marinade.   Our this month theme in fish fridya foodie is whole fish with heads and tails attached.

Ingredients 
2 Mackerels - cleaned and washed
4 Dry Red Chillies

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
½ Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger -  crushed
4 Cloves Garlic -  crushed

salt to taste
A Juice of lemon

4 Tablespoons Rice Flour for coating

2 Tablespoons Semolina for coating
Oil for frying 

Method

In a small mixer jar grind together the chillies, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and turmeric and salt  to fine paste using lemon juice .

Put slits down the sides of the fish and smear the paste over the fish.  Keep this marinated fish in the referigerator for at least an hour.

Mix the rice flour and semolina together and keep aside.

After an hour, coat this in flour, fry the fish in a  pan with oil on a gentle heat for about 4-5 mins on each side.
Pour little oil over the fish at the end and it will crisp up and serve with salad and enjoy...

Sending to fish friday foodie, our this month Host  is Camilla M. Mann.  Thank you for  hosting this event.

Labels :  Fish, Pan Fried, Mackerel, Fish Friday

An InLinkz Link-up

Green Garlic Parathas - Flat Bread # Bread Bakers

For  April bread bakers event the theme is Garlic, since I had already made Garlic Knots , decided to make a flat bread with fresh green garlic.  

As many are aware that Green Garlic is available in India only during winters, so if you do not get it, you can still make these yummy flaky Garlicky Parathas, with garlic cloves.  In this paratha,  have used fresh green garlic as well as dried garlic cloves.

Try these parathas , you'll fall in love with them and make them often like I do.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Wheat flour
2 Tablespoons Rice flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin powder
1/2 Teaspoon Amchur powder
1/2 Teaspoon Green chilly paste
2 Springs Green Garlic - finely chopped (optional)
6 Cloves Garlic paste
2 Tablespoons Ghee - melted
1 Tablespoon Oil

Method

Take a bowl and add whole wheat flour, green garlic, salt, oil, water and knead to form soft dough. Keep it aside.

In a another bowl, add ghee, salt, rice flour and mix well. To this add cumin powder, green chilly paste, amchur powder, garlic paste and mix well to smooth paste.

Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each portion into thin round roti. Spread the garlic mixture evenly over the roti and fold the paratha

fold it like a fan fold (pleates) and press with your plam. 

Then turn it into a round ball.

Using rolling pin, roll the paratha into a thin round flatbread.

Make all the parathas and stack them by dusting flour on each before placing the other one.

Heat a girddle / tawa

Cook the paratha till you can see brown spots on the bottom side flip it over and cook the other side of the paratha. Then with both your hand hold the parathas and the folds will open.

Serve hot with curd or any sabji .  Since this is loved by my family,  we have this for breakfast,  with a hot cuppa of chai....

Sending these to the Bread Bakers event - ingredient of the month is GARLIC,  host of the month is Karen of  Karen's Kitchen Stories , thank you dear for hosting this event.

Labels : Garlic, Rotis, Parathas, Bread Bakers 

Take a look at the other bakers..

• Black Garlic Parmesan Sourdough Bread from Magnolia Days
• Buttery Garlic Knots from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Buttery Garlic Pull Apart Bread from Cook's Hideout
• Caramelized Garlic Chèvre Stuffed Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Cheddar, Garlic and Jalapeno Beer Bread from A Palatable Pastime
• Cheddar Garlic Dinner Rolls from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Cream Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls from Herbivore Cucina
• Domino's Style Garlic Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Easy-Peasy Garlic-ky Mini Rolls from G'Gina's Kitchenette
• Garlic & Gorgonzola Focaccia from Baking in Pyjamas
• Garlic, Herbs and Cheese Bread from La Cocina de Aisha
• Garlic Naan with Green Chiles from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Garlic Pull Apart Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Garlic Sunflower Bread from Passion Kneaded
• Gluten Free & Vegan Garlic Breadsticks from What Smells So Good?
• {Gluten Free} Seeded Black Garlic Flat Bread from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Green Garlic Parathas - Flat Bread from Sneha's Recipes
• Herbed Garlic Butter Garland Bread from Ruchik Randhap
• Multi Grain Garlic Naan from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Pissaladière from The Bread She Bakes
• Roasted Garlic Focaccia from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Triple Garlic Knots from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Whole Wheat Garlic Ciabatta Bread from Cooking Club

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

SIMPLE COFFEE CAKE

This is a very simple and quick cake to make. Made this cake with a class of 30 physically disabled children . Its gives so much happiness to see their face light up with joy when you teach them something that they love to eat. It give so much of joy,  peace... being with them, they are so innocent and expressive in their feelings.

This is so light and spongy , the coffee gives a distinctive flavor and taste to this simple coffee cake.

Ingredients
200 Grams All Purpose flour
200 Grams Sugar Powdered
200 Grams Butter - Used salted butter
4 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla essence
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/3 Cup Hot Water
1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee Powder

Method
Grease and paper line a baking pan.

Sieve together flour, baking powder and soda, keep aside.

Dissolve the coffee in the hot water and keep aside.

In a bowl beat the butter and sugar, till light and fluffy, add  egg one at time and continue beating till the eggs are incorporated then add, essence and beat well again. Add the sieved flour and little coffee mix, continue to beat lightly till both the flour and coffee mix is incorporated, pour the batter into the lined pan bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees. 

Cool it on a wire rack, sprinkle icing sugar and then slice it.... enjoy this cake with a hot cuppa of coffee. 

The children had this with cool glass of watermelon juice which they helped to make.

Lables : Cakes, Coffee, Foodie Extravaganza Party

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It's Foodie Extravaganza Day and this month's theme is Coffee Cake with Caroline from Caroline's Cooking is hosting What is Foodie Extravaganza? It's when a group of bloggers get together and make a recipe using one main ingredient. Where do we get the ingredient? We look at The Nibble and pick something off of their list. Croissants are actually celebrated on January 30th, but it's in January, so it's fair game. You can check out our group Pinterest board for past recipes. If you're a blogger, you can join along with us by requesting to join on our Facebook page. Now, on to the goodness being shared this month:

• Almond Raspberry Cake by Food Lust People Love
• Blueberry vanilla coffee cake by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
• Cappuccino Cake by G'Gina's Kitchenette
• Caramel Coconut Coffee Cake by cookinandcraftin
• Classic Coffee Cake by Basic N Delicious
• Coffee Cake Cookies by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Coffee Cake in a Jiffy by Our Good Life
• Coffee Cake Muffins by I'm Hungry
• German Beer Coffee Cake by Wholistic Woman
• Gluten free hazelnut pear cake by Caroline's Cooking
• Kärleksmums (Swedish Coffee Cake) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Lemon Thyme n Mint Loaf by Baking in Pyjamas
• Orange Coffee Cake with Pecan Streuse by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Polish Placek by Cooking With Carlee
• Simple Coffee Cake by Sneha's Recipe
• Strawberry Coffee Cake Muffins by Making Miracles

Bezar Spice Mix / Bezar Masala - How to Make this Arabic Spice at Home

Bezar is a spice mixture mainly used in middle east countries this is a Traditional Arabic Spice blend. This a also know as Omani Spice mix used in Arabian cooking.Its can be used to make stews non veg and as well as veg, fish etc. This is like the garam masala that is used in India. Its very flavorful and aromatic, the spices are first roasted then pounded together. Once the bezar has been prepared, it can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerate, it will remain fresh for a year.

Ingredients
20 Grams Cumin seeds
20 Grams Dried Coriander seeds
5 Grams Black Peppercorns
20 Grams Fennel seeds
5 Nos Dry Red chillies
15 Grams Turmeric powder
5 Grams Cinnamon sticks

Method

Dry roast all ingredients (except turmeric ) one by one till they turn aromatic. Take care not to burn any of the spices or your will get smoky charred smell.

Let everything cool down to room temperature and grind to a fine powder. Stored in an airtight container, the mix will keep for up to 12 months, I have refrigerated it to preserve the color and flavor of the spice mix.

Labels : Masalas, Bezar, Spice Mix, Arabic, UAE