Sunday, April 19, 2020

Pork Chili Fry

Pork Chili Fry




Ingredients

Pork (lean cut - lowfat) - 250 gms

For Marinating
Ginger- garlic paste- 2 tbsp
Coriander powder- ½ tbsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp (you can adjust the quantity to your liking)
Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
Pepper powder- 1 tsp
Garam masala powder- ½ tsp
Salt to taste



For Stir frying
Onions (sliced) - 3 medium
Curry leaves- 3 sprigs
Chili powder- 1 tsp (you can adjust the quantity to your liking)
Pepper powder- 1 tsp (you can adjust the quantity to your liking)
Oil- 1 tbsp















Method
Mix the pork with all the marinating ingredients
Mix well and leave for an hor
Cook till done
Heat oil in a pan
Add the curry leaves, onions and saute for a minute
 Add the masalas and saute for 2 minutes
Add the cooked pork and mix well
Cook on low heat till the oil separates and the meat turns dark in colour
( The darker it turns, the better)
 Ideal with rice




Health Benefits of Pork
Powerhouse of essential vitamins and minerals -  thiamin, niacin, selenium, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, potassium, iron, magnesium and zinc
Contains first class protein

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Pancake...Mangalorean Style

Pancake...Mangalorean Style 


Ingredients
Proso millets (the original recipe uses rice) – 1 cup
Cooked Rice – ¾ to 1 cup
Jowar flour – ½ cup
Grated coconut (fresh) – ¾ cup
Jaggery – ½ to 1 cup (according to taste)
Salt – to taste





Tempering
Coconut oil – 3 to 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 3 tsp
Curry leaves – 3 tbsp
Green chilies – 8 to 10 (according to spice level)
Onions (medium) – 3 to 4













Method
Soak rice or millets in water for 5 to 6 hours
Drain
Add cooked rice, coconut, jaggery and salt
Grind to form slightly thickish batter (I used whey - leftover water after making paneer)
Heat coconut 1 tbsp oil in a slightly deep non-stick pan
Add mustard seeds
When it splutters, add 2 slit and cut green chilies, curry leaves and onion slices
Stir fry till onions turn golden brown
Spread it well on the base of the pan
Now pour the batter to cover it well
Thickness of the pancake will depend on the quantity of batter used
(I made 3 pancakes with this batter)
When the bottom browns flip it carefully
Cover and cook the other side
Let it cool and cut into slices  

(This is an easy instant recipe originally made with rice. I wanted to use a slow releasing carb so used Proso Millets. It is called Nessel Adda or Gendha da Adde in tulu. In kerala there's a slightly modified Kalapatha) 

Health Benefits of Proso Millets 
Gluten-free
Proso millet contains high lecithin which supports the neural health syste
Rich in vitamins (niacin, B-complex vitamins, folic acid), minerals (P, Ca, Zn, Fe) and essential amino acids (methionine and cysteine)
Has a low glycemic index and reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes
High amount of calcium in absorbable form essential for bone growth and maintenance
Has health benefits for postmenopausal women suffering from heart ailments like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or any cardiovascular disease
Easily digestible and gluten-free
High in fibre and controls blood sugar and cholesterol levels

Helps prevent acidity and reduces cholestrol while insoluble fibre helps improve bowel-related health problems like constipation

Monday, February 24, 2020

Fresh Strawberry and Chocolate Cheesecake

 Strawberry and Chocolate Cheesecake



Just could not resist making this scrumptious cheesecake. Although it is a little time consuming and painstaking, it is well worth the effort

Chocolate Base         
Ingredients
Marie biscuits – 10
Cocoa powder – 2 tbsp (can add more if you want a bitter-sweet base)
Jaggery powder – 3 tbsp
Butter – 2 tbsp



Method
Crush biscuits

Blend together crushed biscuits, cocoa, jaggery powder and butter in a mixie


Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Cottage Cheese (Paneer made from toned milk) - 250 gms
Egg - 1
Strawberry compote - 5 to 6 tbsp

















Method
Blend the paneer in a mixie to form smooth paste
Beat an egg and add
Mix till blended
Add 4 to 5 tbsp strawberry compote and mix again





Assemble The Cheesecake
Spread biscuit base at the bottom of a springform baking pan
Scoop the cream cheese filling over it
You can add a little strawberry compote on top and make designs
Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees C for about 25 mins
Let it cool in the oven
Refrigerate for a few hours 






Strawberry Compote
Ingredients
Strawberries – 15
Jaggery powder – 3 to 4 tbsp (depending on the sweetness of the strawberries)        

  
            
Method
Cut strawberry into slices
Add jaggery and mix well
Microwave for 3 or 4 mins
Mash well while still hot

Let it cool
(Note: If you want to store it add 1 tbsp lime or orange juice to prevent the jaggery from crystallizing)

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Wonder Soups

Bone Building Soups

Chicken Feet Soup





Ingredients
Chicken feet – 2 pairs
Onion – 1 (cut into pieces)
Garlic (crushed) – 4 to 6 cloves
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon – 1 stick
Peppercorns - 10
Cloves – 2
Green cardamom (elaichi) – 1
Black Cardamom – 1
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste




Method
Boil water. Put the chicken feet into a pot and cover with the boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes
Drain, rinse, and cut off and discard the tips of the claws
Drain the chicken feet completely
Chop off the tips of the claws and discard
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker
Add the spices, onion and garlic and sauté for 5 mins
Add chicken feet and sauté for a couple of minutes more
Add water
Cool and filter
You can refrigerate it if you want to skim off the fat
When it has cooled, it should firm up nicely into a gel
This is collagen

Note: Apple Cider Vinegar helps to pull out the minerals from the soup


Goat Trotter Soup (Paya Soup)



Ingredients
Goat Trotters – 250 gms
Onion – 1 (cut into pieces)
Garlic (crushed) – 4 to 6 cloves
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon – 1 stick
Peppercorns - 10
Cloves – 2
Green cardamom (elaichi) – 1
Black Cardamom – 1
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste




Method
Same as for Chicken Feet Soup

Note: For both the soups, recycle the material at least 3 to 4 times. I just keep adding fresh onions, garlic and spices. The bones crumble when pressed between your fingers. This is proof that the minerals have leached into your broth







Health Benefits of Bone Broth

Very Nutritious - Bones are rich in vitamins and nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. Brewing connective tissue into bone broth provides the body with natural compounds from the cartilage. Tissues and bones also contain collagen. Cooking collagen turns it to gelatin, which provides the body with amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Good source of amino acids arginine, glycine and proline. Glycine supports the body’s detoxification, supports digestion and the secretion of gastric juices. Also promotes a healthy immune system, digestive tract, and central nervous systems. Proline supports skin health

Supports Healthy, Strong Bones - Bone broth contains minerals in a form that is easily accessible for your body’s use – these include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and trace minerals. The high concentration of these minerals that leach from the bones into the broth provides great building blocks for strong healthy bones

Protects Joints - Bone broth is a source of gelatin, which may break down into collagen in the body. This is especially important in the joints. Cartilage in the joints tends to wear down or shrink through continual use. This can add more stress to the joints, which may become damaged as a result of the added pressure. Gelatin supplementation increases the amount of collagen in the tissues. This may help protect the joints from unnecessary stress

May Help Fight Osteoarthritis - collagen can improve knee joint symptoms, such as pain, stiffness, and poorer physical function, in people with osteoarthritis

Fights Degenerative Joint Disease – Because of its gelatin content.  Bone broth contains glucosamine and chondroiton. These help with arthritis and joint pain (though the science is still being verified)

Heals and Seals The Gut – Gelatin protects and soothes the digestive tract (the mucosal lining) and helps in its healing. It may also help people overcome food allergies

May Help Reduce Inflammation And Heal The Gut - Some amino acids present within bone broth may also be helpful for digestion. The amino acid, glutamine, helps with leaky gut, which irritates the mucosal lining in the intestines and interferes with the body’s ability to digest food. People with inflammatory bowel disease tend to have lower levels of some amino acids in their bodies. Getting additional amino acids into their diets may help with some symptoms of the condition.

Anti-inflammatory - Bone broth contains amino acids glycine, proline, and arginine which have anti-inflammatory effects

May Promote Better Sleep  - The amino acid glycine is a safe therapeutic option to improve sleep. Helps sleep better and with less fatigue during the following day

Oral Health - because of readily available proteins glycosaminoglycans (GAG) that help to repair gum damage caused by bad bacteria

Skin - Bone broth may boost your skin’s collagen, helping to keep skin smooth and firm and reducing wrinkles. helps you look younger because of the collagen content. The ‘plumping’ factor in many beauty products used to diminish the appearance of wrinkles is collagen

Hair and Nails - Promotes hair and nail growth because of the gelatin found in the broth



Monday, February 10, 2020

Fresh Fruit Jam

Fresh Fruit Jam



Winter brings an excess of fruits at home. Many a times there's a lot that is left behind. Best thing to be used up to make some wholesome homemade jam. So there I was, busy looking up simple recipes. And what I came up with were so simple that I had to try them out, also to check if jam making was that simple.  
I came across Apple Jam first. But was a little disappointed when I discovered that the red colour of the jam was because of the food colour added to it. Then I came across Beetroot Jam which obviously did not need any food colour. So my first try was Apple Beetroot Jam. And like I mentioned earlier, it was a breeze! Then I attempted a Mix Fruit Jam. I gathered all the fruits that I could spot in my kitchen - guava, grapes, apples and strawberries; but the majority of it comprised fresh strawberries. 


Beetroot Apple Jam



Ingredients
Beetroot (medium sized) – 2
Apple (large) – 1
Jaggery – ½ cup
Citric acid crystals – 2 pinches (dissolve in water)
Method
Peel and core the apple
Peel the beetroot
Cut into pieces
Add little water and cook them till soft
Cool and blend in a mixie
Heat a non-stick pan and pour the blend in
Keep stirring on low flame till the paste thickens
Add jaggery and mix well
Keep stirring on low heat till the mixture thickens and becomes jelly like
Add the citric acid solution and mix well
Stir for some more time
Let it cool












Mix Fruit Jam



Ingredients
Guavas – 2
Apple – 1 (large)
Strawberries -10
Jaggery – 1 cup
Citric acid crystals – ½ tsp


Method
Peel and core the apples
Peel the guavas (I did not deseed it as I wanted the fibre element)
Clean the strawberries
Cut into pieces
Add little water and cook them till soft
Cool and blend in a mixie
Heat a non-stick pan and pour the blend in
Keep stirring on low flame till the paste thickens
Add jaggery and mix well
Keep stirring on low heat till the mixture thickens and becomes jelly like
Add the citric acid solution and mix well
Stir for some more time
Let it cool
(This jam is free of preservatives so will have to be stored in the refrigerated after a few days) 



(These jams are preservative-free so will have to be refrigerated after a few days) 



Sunday, February 2, 2020

Wholewheat Baked Samosas

Wholewheat Baked Samosas



This is my second attempt at baking samosas and I can easily say that I am getting better at it. I think a few times and it could be perfect; almost like the fried variety. You live and learn. Same goes for baking. Although we are trying to make it wholewheat and baked, let me admit that I added 1 heaped tablespoon of refined flour to the wholewheat flour. 
Also, it's non-fried, so I added 2 tablespoon oil while making the dough. Now, I feel it could have been better with 4 tablespoon oil. That's still not too much oil if you consider portion size. One and a quarter cup flour gave me 16 samosas. So calculate the  amount of oil in each samosa! 
Also, I attempted two methods of making the dough. In one I used yeast and kept the dough aside for two hours before making the samosas. The second is the non-yeast, traditional dough with a pinch of soda.
An important tip while baking - Bake in an oven preheated to 120 or 100 degrees C for. This will take almost 45 min to an hour but you will end up with evenly browned and cooked samosas. I admit I tried to rush it up and set the temperature to 180 degrees in an attempt to bake it faster and ended up with a few black spots.
I paired the samosas with spicy green chilies fried in oil and salt and the mint-coriander spicy chutney. Let's get on with the recipes now.





Dough
Method I
Ingredients
Wholewheat flour - 1/2 cup
Maida (refined flour) - 1 tbsp (heaped)
Ajwain (caraway seeds) - 1/4 tsp
Baking soda - a pnch
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Water (chilled) - 1/4 cup (as required)
Oil - 2 tbsp 

Method
Mix the dry ingredients
Add oil and mix to form crumbly mixture
Add water little by little to form a tight dough
Rest for 30 mins


Method II

Ingredients
Wholewheat flour - 1/2 cup
Maida (refined flour) - 1 tbsp (heaped)
Ajwain (caraway seeds) - 1/4 tsp
Instant yeast - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Warm water - 1/4 cup (as required)
Oil - 2 tbsp 

Method
Mix the dry ingredients
Add oil and mix to form crumbly mixture
Add water little by little to form a tight dough
Rest for 2 hours



Filling
Ingredients
Potatoes (boiled) - 3
Green peas (cooked) 1 cup
Ginger (grated) - 2 tsp
Green chilies (finely cut) - 3 to 4
Asafetida (Hing) - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder (dhania) - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Black salt - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Amchur (dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp 
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method
Heat oil
Add ginger and green chilies. 
Saute for a minute
Add peas and saute
Add all the spices and salt and mix well
Crumble the potato with your fingers and add to the mixture
Mix well and cook for a minute till mixture becomes dry 





Assembling The Samosa
Divide each dough into 4 equal portions
Roll out each into thin oval pieces
Cut each oval into half
Apply water to the edges
Fold to form a cone
Add a small portion of the filling into each and seal to form a samosa
Bake in an oven preheated to 160 for 20 to 30 mins














Mint Chutney



Ingredients
Coriander leaves – 1 cup
Mint leaves – 1 cup
Garlic – 7 to 8 flakes
Ginger – 1”
Green chilies (I chose the thin dark green variety) – 9 (according to spice level)
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Water – as required
Method
Grind it all together