Steamed Eggplant

This is one dish I like as this requires no oil and on the days that I feel like having something healthy this is the dish I go for.This goes well with just plain jasmine rice or with Indian flat breads.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon light-flavoured vinegar (try rice vinegar or white vinegar)
2 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoon caster sugar
2 teaspoon Chilli paste
1 eggplant (a big one)
2 tablespoon Cilantro
Method:
Combine soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and sugar in a bowl. Set aside. Slice eggplant into thin slices and place on a heatproof plate. Place plate in a steamer, cover with lid and steam for 15 minutes. Pour over sauce and steam for another 5 minutes. Garnish with 1 finely sliced small red chilli and chopped cilantro.

Quick Enchilada with Chili filling

As I had mentioned in one of my earlier posts, at our home we all love Mexican cuisine. This is one recipe I turn to if I am pressed for time, yet want something tasty and wholesome to eat.
Ingredients:
Corn Tortillas
Vegetarian chili:1 can ( you can use the fresh ones that you find in the hot deli section)
Shredded Cheese (Cheddar, Colby or Monterey Jack)
Chopped Onions
Enchilada Sauce:1 can (Mine was so spicy that I mixed some sour cream to reduce the heat)

Method:

Preheat Oven to 400F/204C Spray an oven proof pan with Oil and spread a little Enchilada sauce to coat the bottom. Wrap Corn Tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes or you can warm the tortillas on a nonstick pan smearing a bit of oil on either side.  Spread each Tortilla with 1-2 tablespoons of Sauce. Place 2-3 Tbsp of Chilli along the center of the Tortilla.. Sprinkle Cheese and Onions on top of the Chili. Roll the Tortilla and place it seam side down in the pan.. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spread remaining Sauce over the rolled Enchiladas.Sprinkle Cheese, and Onions Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes at 400F/204C in the oven. Serve immediately.
"Disfrutar de su comida"

Pathiri

Pathiri is a traditional North Kerala food, usually served for breakfast or dinner. My memories of this is connected with our visits to my grand-mom, who was an expert in making these delicacies. This is dedicated to her, the best cook I had ever known.


Ingredients:
Roasted rice-powder - 2 cups
Water - 2 cup (if using un-roasted rice powder, use 1 1/2 cups of water)
Salt - to taste
Cooking Oil / butter - 1 tsp
Method:
Heat water, along with salt and oil and when it starts to boil, add rice powder and stir well. Take this off the fire and knead it well when it becomes bearable to touch. Make a smooth dough, as for making chapattis.
Make lemon sized balls  and roll them out using a press pan or the rolling pin, just like making chapatthis. Heat a non-stick pan and put the pathiri on it, turning it after 20-30 seconds.
Before serving, you can apply fresh coconut milk on this to enhance the flavor and taste.
This goes well with any spicy curry. I typically serve it with egg masala.

Flan

Today is a special day for me. It is the 10th anniversary of my marriage -  a major milestone, but miles to go still :-). For this special occasion, I wanted to share with you something sweet and special which both my husband and I like very much. The original recipe courtesy Tyler Florence, of course with some little changes by me.

Flan is the Spanish name for vanilla egg custard, topped with caramel sauce.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Pinch salt
Directions
To make the caramel: have ready a 2-quart round flan mold or individual ramkin molds. Combine 1 cup of the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a heavy-bottomed pot or pan. Place over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar begins to melt. Swirl the pan over the heat until the syrup darkens to a medium amber color, about 10 minutes; don't stir with a spoon. Remove from the heat and immediately add the lemon juice, swirl the pan again to combine, and then pour into the flan mold. Tilt the dish so that the caramel evenly coats the bottom and a bit up the sides, place in the roasting pan and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, bring a kettle of water to a boil for the water bath and keep it hot.

Combine the cream and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium-low flame. Bring the cream to a brief simmer, stirring occasionally. Take care not to let the cream come to a full boil to prevent it from spilling over.

In a large bowl, cream together the whole eggs and yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar; add a pinch of salt. Whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick. Temper the egg mixture by gradually whisking in the hot cream mixture; don't add it too quickly or the eggs will cook. Pass the mixture through a strainer into a large measuring cup to ensure that the flan will be perfectly smooth. Pour the custard into the caramel-coated mold.

To create the water bath: pour the hot (not boiling) water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the side of the mold; be careful not get water into the custard. Carefully transfer to the middle oven rack, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until the custard is barely set and just jiggles slightly. Let the flan cool in the water bath, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to serve, run a knife around the inside of the mold to loosen the flan. Place a dessert plate on top of the flan and invert to pop it out.

Modak

Yesterday was Ganesh Chaturthi and what better dessert to make than Modak right .So Modak I made to please Lord Ganesh as well as the little one in our family.
Ingredients:
Stuffing
Fresh grated coconut: 1 cup
Jaggery: ¾ cup
Cardamom powder:1/4 tsp
Ghee:1tsp
For the outer shell:
Rice flour: 1½ cups
Water:1 cup
Ghee 2tsp.
Salt: a pinch

Method:

The stuffing:

Make a syrup using th jaggery now strain this syrup and add the coconut to it this Keep stirring and cooking until all the water is absorbed at this stage add the ghee and stir till  the contents leave the side of the pan. Remove from fire and add cardamom powder.

For the outer shell

Boil 1 cup of water, add salt, ghee and rice flour. Stir continuously for a short while and remove as soon as it is well blended. When cool enough to touch knead into a dough and divide into equal portions

Putting together the Modak

Make a nice dent in center of each portion of the dough. Fill one by one with a little coconut mixture and close dough neatly around the filling.I have used a mold. Steam for about 1/2 hr Please don't pressure cook the Modak. Steam them. (i.e. don't use the cooker weight).

GOLDEN ONION QUICHE

This month for the Sweet punch challenge we had a savory dish as Ria thought that something savory would be good after a series of sweet stuff. For once I was glad instead of upset for not getting a chance to bake something sweet; the reason being its raining birthdays in our house.
This quiche was soooo.. good! I am not saying this for no reason. My family which includes my 9 year old daughter  my husband and me finished this whole quiche in one sitting. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in eating.... The last time I tried making a quiche I had left overs for a few days. But this time I already have requests from my family to make this again.The original recipe given by Ria used chicken which I substituted with potatoes. The caramelized onion and potatoes tasted so good together and I also added a teaspoon of chilli paste in the filling.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

For the pastry:
Maida -200g
Butter (frozen) -100g (preferably unsalted)
Baking powder-1/4 tsp
Salt-to taste
Beaten egg-1
Ice cold water-as required ( which will be a few drops)

Sieve maida ,salt and baking powder together. Grate in the butter and mix it with the flour with your fingertips till it resembles coarse sand.
Add in the beaten egg and water and gather it into a soft dough.
Roll it out on a lightly floured surface and lift it up carefully and line the tin that you will be baking it in.If it breaks up and you need to do a patch work, big deal! It wouldn't be seen outside! ;)
Which ever tin you are using, make sure the dough comes a little way up the sides, so that it can hold the filling in.

Filling:
Boiled and sliced potatoes-1/2 c
Onion-250 g ,chopped
Milk-1 c
Cheese-100g (cheddar will work fine)
Beaten eggs-3
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil- as needed.
Chilli paste-1 tsp
Heat oil and add in the onions and fry till onions have caramelized then add cubed potatoes and  slightly fry  till it is golden brown
Switch off the flame.
Add milk, cheese, beaten eggs, salt and pepper and mix well.
Pour into the pastry case and bake for 25 mins or till golden brown .

 Let it cool in the tin completely . Serve it in wedges.