Month: March 2020

BASBOUSA

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Basbousa from the Middle Eastern cuisines,

originating from Egypt is a sweet made with

semolina soaked in hot sugar syrup .I have

made this before without any layers.

This time,I found a basbousa recipe with a

custard filling .The outcome was awesome,and

it has become a favourite in my family .

The only change I made was to reduce the

strength of sugar syrup.(random measurement)

Cakes ,sweets ,bread with semolina has,taken a

strong wave presently, trying to submerge ‘the

white flour‘ ,conspired due to gluten scare.

When I was a kid,i didn’t even know the word

gluten.I grew up eating cakes and buns made

with white flour almost daily. Anyway,I love

semolina recipes and today’s recipe is a

dominant semolina recipe !

I shared my experience,not my opinion!

Growing life style changes, have created much

awareness ,and we have to positively accept

facts,and changes.

Moving on to the recipe now..

INGREDIENTS

1 cup fine semolina ( preferably Chirote rawa)

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup fresh cream

1 cup oil

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence/ cardamon powder

1/4 cup milk

For the custard filling

2 cups milk

4 tblsp cornstarch

4 tblsp sugar

1/2 cup cream

METHOD

Beat the eggs ,and mix in the rest of the

ingredients without any lumps.

Pour half of the batter into a greased tray and

bake in a preheated 175C oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven .

Spread the prepared custard , and pour the

remaining semolina batter.

Return the tray back to the oven,and bake for

another 20 minutes .

Remove from oven and pour sugar syrup on

the cake , after loosening the sides.

It’s best if served warm !

You could add sliced almonds / nuts on the cake

before baking .

Method for custard

Mix all the ingredients in thick bottomed pan.

Cook till thick . Cool and use.

For the syrup

3/4 cup sugar +1/8 cup of water heated till

sugar dissolves . Add cardamon powder or rose

essence

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KOKUM PEELS ‘N’ WATERMELON JUICE!

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Watermelon and Kokum are best antioxidants,

and hydrating agents . Rich in VitaminC these

type of juices have to be prioritised daily.

Aids in fat loss and improves immunity.

I was able to get kokum peels from Amazon .

This gives out a lovely color when these peels

are dropped in hot or cold water .

In common , the dried kernel of the kokum , is

used for drinks and curries .

Kokum is widely used in Kerala and Sri Lankan

cuisines.

The peels are lighter in tangy taste compared to

kernels,and I love to include in drinks,chutneys

and sauces I make .

Now…for the recipe

INGREDIENTS

3-4 cups of watermelon pieces

4-5 kokum peels soaked in hot water ( 10

minutes)

A pinch of pepper powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

a pinch of salt

Sweetness of your choice

METHOD

First blend the watermelon fine .

Remove the peels of kokum from the

infusion,and add to the watermelon juice with

the rest the ingredients and desired water.

Strain and serve!

KARPOORAVALLI (AJWAIN)RASAM

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Karpooravalli,Ajwain,Omavalli,Indian

mint ..belonging to the oregano,thyme category.

I think this is a very common plant, and all

know about it very well.

There are loads growing in my culinary patch,

uncontrollable growths,at times I have to pull

out too.

This velvety leaf has lots of benefits ,and widely

used in treating colds and coughs.

So today I thought of adding this leaf into the

rasam.

To the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

1 tblsp.black peppercorn

1 tsp.cummin seeds

1 small tomato

5-6 pips garlic ( preferably with peel on)

1 tblsp oil

A pinch of asafoetida powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

3-4 karpooravalli leaves

Light tamarind water*

Salt to taste

For tempering

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1 dry chilli

Curry leaves

METHOD

Coarsely grind the bold listed ingredients and

set aside.

Heat oil in a pan , add the ingredients for

tempering.

When the mustard seeds splutter,add the

coarsely ground paste ,with the remaining

ingredients excluding the tamarind water.

Sauté for 2-3 minutes,and add the tamarind

water.Bring to a boiling point and remove from

fire. Add coriander leaves .

Serve with hot steamed rice !

*You could use light kokum infused

water,lemon juice infused water in place of

tamarind water.

VEGETABLE KORMA PULAO

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This vegetable korma pulao turned awesome!

The preparation was the same as making a

korma,the only difference was the addition of

rice,and the cashew paste. You could use

basmati or any quality pulao rice.

As,I was running out of biriyani masala,I added

a teaspoon of biriyani essence ( which is used

for mutton biriyani). Recently I came across

this essence, and I don’t follow the instructions

in the bottle as I feel the smell is strong , so only

a teaspoon .Only a teaspoon gives out a nice

aroma !

Now to the recipe

INGREDIENTS

250 gm basmati rice

1/2 cup cauliflower florets

1 carrot

1 potato

1 tomato

Beans/ peas ( I used soaked green channa)

1 tblsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp garam masala powder/biriyani masala

Few whole garam masala ( saunf,cinnamon,cloves,black cardamon,sea moss,star anise )

1/4 cup curd

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 onion sliced

1 -2 green chillies slit

For the paste

1/2 coconut

10 cashewnuts

1 tsp saunf

2-3 green chillies

2-3 tblsp ghee / oil

METHOD

Parboil the vegetables and set aside.

Heat ghee in a wide pan, and add whole spices,

onions,salt, and green chillies .

Once, the onion turns lightly brown,add the

tomato,turmeric and sauté till tomato is soft.

Next add the ginger-garlic paste,and the soaked

rice and sauté for another five minutes.

Next add the vegetables with the little stock the

rest of the spices.Add water 1 inch above the

level of rice.

Once the water starts to boil add the cashew

paste and curd .Cover and cook on a very slow

flame for 10-15 minutes.

Add a little ghee on top and garnish with

coriander leaves.

Serve with raita or ‘ennai kathrikai ‘

https://calinskitchen.com/2017/04/04/peanut-ennai-kathrikai/

Send in your appreciated!

PINEAPPLE +PALAK JUICE

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Today’s immunity strengthening drink is with

Spinach leaves and pineapple with my basic

additions.

Spinach the cartoon figure Popeye’s drink.

My daughter forces me to drink spinach saying

‘Mom it’s what Popeye drinks for strength , so

do drink it always ‘🤪😋

Please do not add white sugar . If you like only white sugar please use sulphur free sugar .

INGREDIENTS

A handful of Spinach leaves

2 cups pineapple cubes

A pinch of salt

Sweetness to your choice

A pinch of turmeric

A pinch of nutmeg powder

METHOD

Blend all ingredients together with water.

Strain or serve with pulp.

SPINACH ‘N’ TAHINI BUNS

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The glisten of the spinach leaves in my culinary

patch attracted me to make this for breakfast

today .

In regular , I make it a point to plan breakfast

for the next day, as I don’t like to rise with

confusions of what to make the next day .

As planned it was cinnamon buns for the

morning .The habit of watering my plants early

in the morning diverted the plans from sweet

to savoury.As it was Sunday, and that too a

lockdown Sunday I didn’t mind the change.

Anyway…let’s get into the recipe now .

INGREDIENTS

3 cups wheat flour

1 cup fine semolina ( rawa)

2 tsp.yeast

1 cup spinach leaves ( ground)

1 tblsp.curd

1/4 cup oil / 50 gm butter

Enough lukewarm water to bind .

1 tsp salt

METHOD

Mix all together with lukewarm water, and set

aside for 30 minutes.

Once it is double in size ,roll into one big circle,

spread the tahini paste on one side and roll to

make a single roll. Cut into portions,press

lightly , and place on a greased tray .

Brush the tops with egg yolk,and bake in 200C

oven for 25-30 minutes.

TAHINI PASTE

1 cup sesame seeds ( toasted)

2-3 tblsp olive oil

2 tblsp chilli flakes

1 tsp lime juice

Salt to taste

Grind the sesame seeds, oil,and salt to a paste .

Add chilli flakes and lime juice.

Apply the mixed paste on one side of the dough

This recipe is another innovation of mine , so

do send in your comments, and suggestions!

HEALTHY CILANTRO JUICE

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Make your juices green,for the extra boost to

immunity building!

Some suggestions for the addition of greens

Cilantro or coriander,Spinach or Palak,Moringa

Mint ,are the greens which I usually include in

breakfast drinks.

When it comes to addition of green vegetables,

it is a long list . I will be posting combination of

vegetables too.

It’s always best to include a vegetable with the

fruit juice.

As gooseberry is considered to be the little

wonder it’s best to include it daily in any form.

So …to today’s drink with the gooseberry /Amla/Nellikai.

INGREDIENTS

A handful of coriander leaves

Amla 2-3

1 Pear / green apple

2-3 gooseberry ( Amla , Nellikai)

A tiny piece ginger

Honey to taste

A pinch of turmeric

A pinch of pepper

A pinch of salt

METHOD

Blend all ingredients together with water.

Strain and serve!

POHA-SEMOLINA IDDLI

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Healthy , low calorie,healthy iddli . Fermenting

time is just 20- 30 minutes.No need to use fruit

salt.

I tried using a pinch of baking powder in a

tsp of vinegar ,after soaking to create the

fizz ,and it worked.

Grind the poha (rice flakes /Aval in Tamil)

coarsely, without adding it whole.

Now to the recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup coarsely ground poha ( rice flakes/AVAL)

1/2 cup semolina ( rawa)

1 cup curd

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp.pepper corns coarsely ground

1/2 tsp cummin seeds

Few coriander leaves chopped

A small piece ginger chopped

1 green chilli chopped

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients together ,cover and set

aside for 20-30 minutes.

After 30 minutes , add a little water to get the

consistency of iddli batter.

Pour into iddli moulds and steam for 10

minutes.

Serve hot with chutneys of your choice.

The same can be mixed and kept overnight for

the next morning breakfast.

So , do try and post in your comments and

suggestions!

CARROT,PINEAPPLE,ORANGE JUICE

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As we are in a stage ,where we have to think of

all possible ways to be healthy , and boosting

the immunity of our family I’m posting juices

along with my other recipes.

This is not a remedy ,these are just measures

you could take when you serve juices like this .

In my previous post,I have given pointers for

making juices ( please do check it).

Today’s juice recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chopped pineapple ( remove core)

1 big carrot

1 orange

A pinch of turmeric

A pinch of nutmeg powder

Salt

Country sugar/brown sugar/palm candy/ honey

METHOD

Blend all these together fine .Add water

Strain and serve.

I’m not giving the amount of water to be added ,because some drink like smoothies , some like. it with more water ,so it’s your choice!

PINEAPPLE,ORANGE,PEAR JUICE

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A juice with high content of Vitamin C .A good

immunity booster. Mostly yellow fruits and

vegetables should be included in your diet .

•Always use country sugar or honey .

•Add a pinch of Himalayan salt to any juice you

make.

•If you are not adding ginger , make it a habit to

add a pinch of dry ginger powder.

•Add a pinch of turmeric compulsorily.

Add a pinch of nutmeg powder to any juice you

make .

Some pointers I thought to share,and to the

recipe now.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chopped pineapple

2 pears

1 orange / sweet lime

A pinch of salt

A pinch of dry ginger powder

A pinch or turmeric

Honey / country sugar / palm candy to taste

METHOD

Blend all the fruits , in the juicer fine .

Add water to your choice

Strain and serve!

COCONUT MILK METHI WHEAT PAROTA

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This wheat parota can be made instantly.

The richness of the coconut milk adds taste

to the parota.

For the layers I made a paste with rice flour

and ghee and used as a smear in the making.

You can substitute cornflour for rice flour too.

No maida was used.

So let’s get into the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

3 cups wheat flour

Enough coconut milk to bind

1 egg

2 tblsp curd

1 tsp. sugar

2-3 tblsp dried methi leaves

Salt to taste.

METHOD

Add a little coconut milk in a bowl first.Add the

rest of the ingredients and gradually add wheat

flour and enough coconut milk to bind to a soft

dough.

Apply a little oil / ghee on the dough .Cover and

set aside for minimum 15 minutes.

For smearing

Make a paste with 2 tblsp rice flour/

cornflour and 1/4 cup ghee .

Divide the dough into portions .Roll out each

into circles . Apply the rice flour mixture on

one side and make tiny pleats ,to form a strip .

Now roll the strip to a circle . Press down and

roll out to the shape of a parota.

You could roll out the whole dough into one

big circle smear with ghee on one side .Roll

it into one big roll and cut into portions and

make.

Heat a pan , add a little ghee or oil and cook on

medium flame till golden .

Serve with any curries or kormas of your

choice!

WHEAT FLOUR BREAD

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This bread is made with wheat flour and a

handful of all purpose flour .

If you are using rapid yeast, not much of

kneading is required .Soft,fragrant wheat bread

is always baked in my home , and I do not buy

bread.

To the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

3 cups wheat flour

2 tsp yeast

1 tblsp.sugar ( preferably brown)

2 tblsp milk powder/ milk

1 egg ( optional)

50gm butter

Lukewarm water to bind the dough

METHOD

You can mix all the ingredients together and

bind to a sticky dough.

Allow to rise,knead for 10 minutes on a floured

board (count to 50 turns of dough for best

results).

If you have a Kitchen Aid it will do the trick.

Separate into 2 loaves and drop into greased

loaf pans (I used coconut oil ).

Let it rise for another time .

Brush the tops with egg yolk , and bake in a

200C oven for 20 -30 minutes .

Remove from pan and allow to cool .Cut into

slices.

Note: You could include flax seed powder to the dough or add flax seeds for that extra crunch

POMEGRANATE BEETROOT JUICE

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Another healthy juice to my healthy juices list.

Beetroot and pomegranate are one of the best

nature has offered us.

Best to strengthen your immunity system,best

for anaemic patients .

Tip for the healthy juices: Always include a

piece of ginger , and a pinch of turmeric.

Do not use white sugar , use only country

sugar honey or palm candy sugar.

Now to the red,red healthy recipe!

INGREDIENTS

3 pomegranates

1 beetroot

1 small piece ginger

A pinch of salt

Country sugar/palm candy/honey

A pinch of turmeric

METHOD

Blend all the above ingredients with a little

water fine .

Add 2-3 cups water , mix , strain and serve!

So do try this immunity booster , and post in

your comments!

MODAKS /KOLUKATTAI

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Today I’m going to share with you 2 varieties of

kolukatai.

One which I had planned to do , the other came

up when the filling was over.

As there is a saying “Necessity is the mother of

invention “-this chocolate and coconut had the

taste of biting into a bounty piece of chocolate.

Just little squares of Amul chocolate and a little

dessicated coconut did the trick .

So let’s get into the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

2 cups rice flour / kolukattai flour

2 -3 tblsp ghee

2-3 cups hot boiling water

Salt to taste

A little tender coconut water – ( optional)

For the filling

2 cups grated coconut

Jaggery powder/country sugar to your taste

2 tblsp gram dal flour( besan)

1 tblsp rawa ( semolina)

1 tsp cardamon powder

A pinch of salt

2-3 tblsp ghee

METHOD

Mix ghee into the flour with salt.

Pour boiling water and bind to a soft dough.

Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes knead the dough well .

If the dough looks dry, add a little ghee and

knead to get a soft texture.

Divide into portions and keep a spoon of the

filling . Seal the edges firmly and steam for 7-10

minutes

Method for filling

Heat ghee and add the besan flour and roast

for a minute.Next add rawa , nuts. and the rest

of the ingredients, and remove from fire.

Chocolate filling method

Insert a square of chocolate with dessicated

coconut . Seal the edges and steam .

You will get a steamed chocolate lava effect

when you cut into.

My kids loved it and they said it was the best

taste in kolukattai . So do try and send in your

comments .

Note: Using moulds like this is very easy , so do

try your favourite shapes

PAN FRIED PALAK CHICKEN

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Get in the greens, in your meal come what may

this season of care.

A quick side dish for today’s lunch.Yummy and

a tic -tac-toe innovation from my kitchen.

Let’s get into the recipe now !

INGREDIENTS

250 gm chicken

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp gram dal flour

Salt to taste

METHOD

Marinade the chicken with the ingredients and

set aside for few minutes .

For the Palak sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

2 cups Palak leaves ( spinach)

Few cashewnuts

1 tsp cummin seeds.

1 capsicum cut into cubes

1/4 tsp nutmeg grated

Salt to taste

2 tblsp oil

METHOD

Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry the chicken

till it is browned . While frying the chicken,add

the onions in the side of the same pan.Saute till

onions are brown.

Grind the Palak leaves,with cashews and

cummin, and add to the chicken with nutmeg.

Add the chopped capsicum and remove from

fire after 5 minutes.

Good to serve with any rice rotis!

Post in your comments and suggestions!

CRAB FRIED RICE

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This is a different type of fried rice ,with

pineapple ,corn pellets and crab meat and a

sprinkle of spring onions.No addition of sauces,

just few ingredients and a yummy rice bowl.

To the recipe now…

Tip : I added washed Crab claws into the

cooking rice . Extra flavour seeps into the

rice.

Strain when the rice is 3/4th done. Save 1/2

cup of the strained liquid .Remove the crab

claws and extract the meat.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup basmati rice

3-4 crab claw meat

Few corn pellets

1 capsicum chopped or 2-3 green chillies

chopped

2-3 pineapple pieces chopped

1/2 tsp pepper powder

Few spring onions/ leeks chopped

1 tsp chopped ginger and garlic

2 eggs

2 tblsp. butter

METHOD

Heat butter in a wok on high heat , add the

chopped ginger-garlic,add vegetables except

the pineapple pieces.

Shove the vegetables to a side in the pan and

break in the eggs and scramble.

Add pepper pineapple, rice and a little of the

drained stock.

Cover and cook for 5 minutes .Remove from

fire.

Note: You can add white pepper in place of

black pepper