Archive for November, 2009
November 30th, 2009 | 
Author: If you are a vegetarian or are searching for something to make for your vegetarian family member or friends, give this recipe for Chinese Vegetarian Noodles a try. This is a quick and easy dish to make and is sure to impress the vegetarians in your group. The non-vegetarians will be impressed, too. Offer them a chicken breast, a slice of pork loin or something similar with their noodles!
CHINESE VEGETARIAN NOODLES
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (1 tsp ground ginger)
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder (or less to suit your taste)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp corn oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/2 lb rice stick noodles (ethnic food section), softened in hot water and drained
Make a curry seasoning by mixing together the following:, garlic, ginger, curry powder; set aside.
Make a basic Chinese sauce by mixing together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper; set aside.
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat; add the oil and heat until hot, about 30 seconds. Add the curry seasoning and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the onion slices and stir-fry for a minute or until barely tender. Add the red and green peppers; stir-fry for another minute. Add the cabbage and cook for 2 or 3 minutes until everything is crisp tender. Add the Chinese sauce and the noodles. Carefully toss to mix. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Best served hot.
Enjoy!
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Everyone loves a good homemade cookie and I can’t think of anything that would say “home” to your soldiers or kids away at school than a package of homemade cookies. This old-fashion recipe for Peanut Butter Fingers will save “I love you” to anyone receiving them. If they will be in transient for a long period of time or to a very hot climate you may want to use a very light chocolate coating or skip it altogether. However, for most situations, it should work fine.
PEANUT BUTTER FINGERS
This recipe is from an old grocery store give-away years ago.
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 tbsp water at 105 to 115 degrees (warm)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 3/4 cup all-purpose and 3/4 cup whole-wheat)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Cocoa Glaze: Recipe follows
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl. Mix in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, peanut butter, and shortening until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove dough from refrigerator and shape by teaspoonfuls into 2 1/2-inch fingers on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Make the cocoa glaze and dip one end of each cookie into the cocoa glaze.
COCOA GLAZE:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cups baking cocoa
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Mix the powdered sugar and cocoa in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk and the vanilla until smooth. Gradually add more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until of dipping consistency, if needed.
Enjoy!
This is a tasty recipe for chocolate and meringue lovers everywhere that can be made very simply at home, for all your family and friends, as it serves up to 15 people. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
6 oz caster sugar
6 oz broken chocolate
3 egg whites
2 oz of your favourite nuts
Quarter pint of cream
Mix the egg whites into a large bowl using a whisk until they are stiff. Slowly add a teaspoonful of sugar at a time until all the sugar is used up. Continue to whisk until the mixture is sticky and thick.
Add the nuts into the mixture, and then put heaped spoonfuls of the mixture into swirly mounds on to 2 large baking sheets, preferably lined with non stick paper.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, then bake the mixture for up to an hour, or until the meringues are firm and easy to peel off the paper. Leave them to cool down.
Gently simmer a pan full of water, and melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Gently lift the meringues off the paper, and dip into the chocolate. Put the chocolate covered meringues back on to the paper, tilted on their sides and leave to cool down so that the chocolate can harden.
Whip up the cream and use it to hold the meringues together in pairs. These can then be served on plates or a cake stand, and should be eaten on the day that they are made.
This recipe should serve up to 15 people, has a 30 minute preparation time and up to an hour cooking time.
This recipe I have just outlined to you will create a tasty, easy to make dessert that can be enjoyed after your main meal, or as a naughty treat on its own!
Christopher Carson better known as Kit Carson was an explorer, scout, trapper, Indian agent, rancher and soldier during his 60 years of travels throughout the southwest. Born on Christmas Eve in Madison County, Kentucky, in 1809, Kit was the 9th of 14 children. When he was still an infant, the family moved to Howard County, Missouri where Carson spent most of his early childhood in Boone’s Lick. His father died when he was only nine years old, and the need to work prevented Kit from ever receiving an education. At the age of 14, Kit was working as an apprentice to a saddle and harness maker. However, the young man soon became restless and after about a year he joined a wagon train heading west on the Santa Fe Trail in 1826.
From the Santa Fe Kit went north to Taos where he worked as a cook, errand boy and harness repairer. When he was 19, he was hired for a fur trapping expedition to California, where, in spite of his small stature (he never exceeded 5 and a half feet) he soon proved himself able and courageous. And behind every good man there is a good woman.
Bowl Of The Wife Of Kit Carson
1/4 c chicken (or turkey),Cooked
-meat,in bite-sized pieces
1/4 c rice,cooked
1 c rich chicken broth
1/4 c garbanzo beans,Cooked
1 pn leaf oregano
1/4 whole chipotle pepper
-chopped
1/4 whole avocado,sliced
1/4 c Monterey Jack (or Muenster) Cheese,cubed
Heat broth to boiling and add chicken (or turkey), garbanzos,
chipotle pepper, rice and oregano. Serve in large individual bowls, and add cheese pieces and avocado just prior to serving.
This recipe is from Culinary Delights – 200 Recipes which is availble at
http://healthwiseeproducts.com/prods.php?cat_id=57&prod_id=317
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DO PIAZA CHICKEN CURRY
[A Simple recipe for the ultimate Mughlai dish]
By
VIKRAM KARVE
If you want a first impression of the authenticity of a “Mughlai” Restaurant, the first dish you must order and taste is a “Do Piaza” and it will give you an idea of the standard and authenticity of Mughlai Cuisine you can expect there.
Indeed the “Do Piaza” may be considered the culinary benchmark to judge and evaluate a Mughlai Restaurant.
And if Do Piaza [Mutton or Chicken] doesn’t figure on the menu, you better order Chinese or Continental, or stick to the ubiquitous “Punjabi” Butter Chicken-Naan routine!
“Do Piaza” means “two onions” or rather “double onions”.
Now how did this dish get its name?
Maybe it’s apocryphal, but legend has it that this delicious dish was invented by Mullah Do-Piaza, a renowned and celebrated cook at the Mughal Emperor Akbar’s court. One of the Navaratnas (nine jewels), it is said he could conjure up culinary delights using only two onions, and a Mughlai dish cooked in that particular style is called a “Do Piaza”.
Water is not used at all when cooking a Do Piaza.
Onions (Piaz or Pyaaz) are used twice – hence the name “Do” [“Two”] Piaza, or Pyaaza, spell it whichever way you like.
Come Dear Reader and fellow Foodie; let’s together cook a Chicken Do Piaza. It takes time, but it’s easy.
THE FIRST PIAZA
First cut a generous number of onions (the more the onions the sweeter the gravy) into rings, yes separate onion rings.
Now, in a large cooking vessel, put in the chicken pieces, add a liberal amount of curds and mix well. Copiously layer the chicken-curd mixture with the onion rings, cover with a tight lid and set aside to marinate for at least an hour.
Remember, do not vigorously mix in the onion rings; just liberally layer the chicken-curd mélange with the onion rings.
After marinating the chicken-curd-onion ring mixture for an hour or more, place the vessel on a slow fire with the lid on, and let the chicken cook slowly in its own juices and those released by the onion rings, till the onion rings are reduced to a pulp and, finally, the liquid almost dries up.
This is the first “Piaza”!
THE SECOND PIAZA
In another pan, pour in and heat pure ghee and fry sliced onions (the “second” piaza) till crisp brown, add finely chopped ginger and garlic, bay leaf, slit green chillies, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and then an adequate amount of chopped tomatoes, stir and fry on slow fire, and when the ghee separates, add the chicken [cooked in curds and onion rings] from the first pot, and stir fry till well browned and the gravy becomes nice and thick.
I don’t like to add garam masala, turmeric, red chilli powder, or any other spice powders; but if you like it, go ahead.
I always find it best to taste the gravy and add the minimal amount of salt as necessary almost at the end of the cooking process.
Remember, do not add water at any stage or you will ruin the dish.
A “Do Piaza” cooks in its own juices – during both the first and second “piazas”.
EATING THE “DO PIAZA”
Place in a serving dish, squeeze a lemon, garnish with fresh green chopped coriander and your Chicken Do Piaza is ready to eat.
But first let’s “visually” savour the Do Piaza in our mind’s eye.
It looks appetizing – nicely browned generous pieces of succulent mutton, in translucent juicy onion rings in scrumptious gravy.
It smells good too – heavenly mouth-watering aroma wafts towards you making you smack your lips and salivate in anticipation of the gastronomic treat that awaits you.
It tastes marvellous – absolutely delicious, not spicy hot, but mild and flavoursome, the unique sweetish zest of onions is discernible and as the heavenly medley of flavours and fragrances synergizes inside you, and you feel a sense of supreme satisfaction.
Relish the Chicken Do Piaza with hot chappties, phulkas or even a piece of soft fluffy pav, and you will experience sheer bliss.
Happy Eating.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm
The finger-licking fajita recipe was actually the discovery of Mexican workers in Texas, USA. However, it is recognized as a Tex-Mex cuisine.
Nevertheless, the name ‘Fajita’ originated many years ago, which vastly includes skirt steak but in the present days a variety of fajitas recipes are available with pork, chicken, shrimp, beef etc.
The traditional fajita meal is usually a combination of meat, vegetables and different ingredients that are mostly cooked on open fire or grilled by wrapping all the ingredients in the flour-based tortilla. The meat is usually cut into strips and among vegetables jalapenos and bell peppers are a must in the wrapping.
History of fajitas
Several studies and researches suggest that the butchers residing in the Texas- Mexico border were using the word ‘fajita’ to indicate the muscle that covers the cow’s belly. And there is no record as to when the name fajita came into the being, although it was seen in print around 1971.
However, the authentic fajita is made with skirt steak and later it was followed by chicken, pork etc. In 1969 Sonny Falcon is supposed to have started the fajita taco stand in Kylie, Texas and eventually sold the fajitas in fairs, festivals etc. A journalist from Austin called Sonny Falcon as ‘The Fajita King’, which made it easy for Falcon to sell his meal with a name that became so popular.
Fajita and it is so easy to cook!
Any fajita recipe is the most the easiest of all to cook; the process and the ingredients that go into the making of fajitas is pretty simple and the cooking time for any fajita is very less, which is why it is gaining more popularity with the working women folks and the taste of it makes it very special dish though.
You can use your creativity to make fajitas, include meat or vegetables and ingredients that will satiate your taste buds. Fajita recipe can be as diverse as you can make them and most importantly you can chew on them when they are hot or cold, either ways fajitas taste yummy; a cheese topping fajita can be an ideal meal. When you have ordered for a fajita recipe in any of the restaurants expect a sizzling sound when it is brought to your table with condiments such as lettuce, sour cream, salsa, tomato etc.
Fajita-a healthy meal
Fajitas are generally spicy and hot, which makes them ideal to increase the body metabolism, effective for sinus and blocked nose. The peppers used in most of the fajita recipe are good to reduce cholesterol and improves blood circulation. Condiments used in the making of fajitas, such as garlic, guacamole, avocado and onions are all very good for health. Generally fajitas are light and serve as a nutritious meal for all.
“The” Barbecue Sauce
This barbecue sauce is often referred to as a basting sauce, are vinegar or other based liquids that are applied to meats during the slow cooking process of traditional bbq, to keep the meats moist and add flavor. Mop sauce gets it’s name from the tool that looks like a small kitchen mop used to apply the sauce. Most competitive bbq teams swear by their mops almost as much as they do their dry rubs.
Mop sauce protects the moisture level of your meat, mops will usually contain a vinegar or other liquid to replace some of the fat that is lost during the cooking process. It is all about maintaining moisture as well as adding great flavor.
Below are sauce bases that you can use to develop your own mop sauce.
Texas Mop Barbecue Sauce
2 cans (12 ounces) light beer
6 ounces yellow mustard
8 ounces Worcestershire sauce
12 ounces hickory flavored barbecue sauce
4 ounces honey
4 ounces wine vinegar
1 white onion chopped
2 lemons, sliced
Pinch hot chile flakes
Combine all the above ingredients in a pan and cook at medium heat for 30 minutes. Mop sauce on meat every few minutes during cooking.
Georgian Style Barbecue Sauce
1 1/2 cups beer or water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato puree
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Warm the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, mustard, orange juice, ketchup, brown sugar, add the Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until thick it should take about 15 minutes.
One of the best ways to make a hot meal with beef is by using the slow cooker. This is also one of the easier ways to cook beef as well because it does not require a lot of work on your part. You simply have to prepare the ingredients and then let it cook while you go about your daily business. One of my favorite meals to make in the slow cooker is chili. This article will tell you exactly how to make great tasting chili in just a few simple steps.
First, you’ll need to gather the ingredients for making the chili. The ingredients are as follows:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can (1 lb.) stewed tomatoes
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) chili beans
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 c. chopped onion
Pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Once you have all the ingredients you can begin the process of getting it all together to be cooked. The first step will be to brown the beef in a skillet and then drain the excess grease. This will ensure that the beef is cooked thoroughly. You’ll have to chop the onion if you haven’t already done so but once that is ready, you can combine the remaining ingredients together in your slow cooker. If you wish you can mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before adding them to the slow cooker. When you have everything mixed together, you can add it to the cooker along with all of the other ingredients.
When you have combined all of the ingredients and placed them in the cooker, you can set the temperature to high and then cook the entire contents for about 8 hours. The reason cooking this chili is so convenient is because if you have to work or leave the house for an extended period of time, you don’t have to worry about whether or not the meal is going to cook properly. The slow cooking process allows you to cook the chili over the 8 hours without having to watch it.
When the chili has finished cooking, simply stir and serve once it has cooled enough. Chili can also be served as leftovers, or if you prefer, you can freeze it and then reheat it when you want to have another chili meal. If you’re looking for a simple meal that doesn’t take a lot of time to cook and tastes great at the same time, try out slow cooker chili. You’ll be amazed at how great it tastes and your family will love it too.
One of the things I like best about dinner (or lunch for that matter) at Olive Garden is the big bowl of their house salad that accompanies every meal. Sharing that salad for some reason makes me thing of sharing a family meal, instead of just eating out. And let’s face it … the Olive Garden house salad is just plain delicious. I just had to come up with a version at home that we could have with some of our own favorite meal, right in my kitchen at the dinner table. Here’s my version of this popular salad dish.
Olive Garden House Salad Dressing Recipe
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons Romano cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
You can mix this one of two ways. The fastest is to simply toss everything in a blender and blend until well combined.
If you don’t have a blender, or prefer to mix the dressing by hand, here’s how to do it. Get out a medium bowl and add the mayonnaise and vinegar. Whisk the two together until you have a rather smooth paste. Slowly drip in the oil while whisking fast. Repeat with the corn syrup. Once you have a smooth emulsion, stir in the remaining ingredients, being sure to whisk fast again when you add the lemon juice.
Put any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 2 days.
For the salad, I simply combine a bag of iceberg lettuce that already includes some shredded carrot and red cabbage with some thinly sliced onion and chopped tomatoes. I toss the salad with the homemade dressing and then add a few pepperoncini from a jar, some black olives and a few croutons to the top and voila… our very own house salad is done.
Veluthulli Rasam
Ingredients
Garlic Pods – 25-30 No’s; Oil – 2 tspns – for frying the Garlic Pods; Lime size ball of Tamarind; Salt to Taste.
For Seasoning: Mustard Seeds – ¼-1/2 tspn; A few Curry Leaves; 2 Dry Chillies.
For Garnishing: Chopped Corriander Leaves – 1 Tbspn.
Ingredients required for the Rasam Powder:
Peppercorns – ¾ tsp.; Dry Red Chillies –4; 2 tspns. Corriander Seeds; Channa Dhal (Bengal Gram) – 1 tspn.; ¾ tspn Jeera Seeds; A few Curry Leaves; Oil – 2 tspns. To prepare the Powder: Fry the Peppercorns, Dry Red Chillies, Dhal & Corriander Seeds till a nice aroma arises & the Dhal is a golden brown in colour. Remove from fire & leave it to cool, add the Curry Leaves, & Jeera Seeds (raw, do not fry/roast/or broil it); now powder the ingredients to a fine powder in the dry grinder of yr mixie & keep aside.
Method
Soak Tamarind in 2 Glasses of warm water, extract the pulp & put in a vessel add salt, place on fire & let it bubble nicely till the raw smell goes, now add the ground masala powder, mix well, add 1 – 2 glasses of water if the rasam is too thick & bring to a boil. Fry the Garlic Pods in oil to a golden brown, add the Seasoning Ingredients & fry when Mustard Crackles & the Garlic too is a nice Golden brown, pour over the Rasam – mix well & again bring to a boil, so that it blends well with the Rasam. Garnish with Chopped Corriander Leaves. Serve Hot.
Vadai
Ingredients
Channa dhal 1 cup Onions 2 small finely minced Green chilles 3 Red chilles 3 Ginger finely chopped Curry leaves a few Perughayam Cilantro a small bunch washed and finely chopped Salt to taste Oil for deep frying
Method
Soak the dhal for 1 hour in water. Grind coarse mixture with red chilles. Add mined onions, green chillies, ginger, cilantro, and curry leaves. Add the Perugaham powder & salt -mix well – take a small ball of the mixture, slightly flatten in the palm of yr. hand then place in the hot oil – deep fry on both sides to a godlen bwon. Remove drain & serve with chutney.
Pathiri
Ingredients
Rice flour- 11/2 glass
water-2 glass
salt -to taste
OIl-1 tbs
Method
Heat pan.Add water and boil.Also add a tsp of oil and salt .Whenit boils lower the flame to minimum and add the flour to the water mixing continuosly.Keep stiring to make a smooth and soft dough.Remove from flame when the dough is soft.Now make small balls of the dough and roll out likelchapathis.Heat pan and place the pathiris on it .Dont use oil .Once both sides are done.Serve. It can be served with Kozhi curry.
Avial
Ingredients
3/4 kg Vegetables
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon Red chilli powder
6-8 nos. Green chillies
2 large Onions
1 cup Grated coconut
1 tablespoon Tamarind paste
2 tablespoons Oil
5-6 nos. Curry leaves
Method
Vegetables:Drumsticks, Brinjals, Yam, String beans, Raw banana, Ash gourd, Ridge gourd.
Peel and cube the vegetables. Slightly boil the drum sticks with salt. Grind the coconut to a fine paste.
Boil some water and add cubed vegetables to it. Add the red chilli and turmeric powders. When the vegetables are almost cooked add green chillies and salt. Add the tamarind extract and coconut paste. Simmer on a low flame for 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a small pan and add the curry leaves. When the leaves change colour pour over the cooked vegetables.
Serve hot with rice and pickle.
Meen varutharachathu
Ingredients
Mackerel or sardine – 1/2kg
Small onions – 100gm
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 6 cloves
Coconut – 1 cup
Tamarind 3 pieces or 1 lemon size
Chilli powder – 2tbsp
Coriander powder – 3tbsp
Pepper powder- 1tsp
Fenugreek powder – 1tsp
Coconut oil – 1Tbsp
Salt
Curry leaves.
Method
Cut the fish into small pieces of 1 inch thickness. Soak the tamarind in water. Marinate the fish with turmeric and salt and keep aside. Take a pan and add 1 tsp coconut oil. Add the scraped coconut and fry. When it is dry add the small onions and continue to fry. Fry till the coconut has a dark brown color. Take care not to burn it. Add the chilli and coriander powder and fry some more. Turn off the stove and add the garlic and ginger. Allow the mixture to cool. Grind to a fine paste in a mixie with water. Take a vessel, add the paste, tamarind and water. Bring to boil on a high flame. Add salt. Reduce the flame and add the fish pieces. Cook covered. After 5minutes add the pepper powder and cook uncovered on high flame for 3 minutes. Reduce the flame and add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and the curry leaves. Give the vessel a turn and off the flame. Add the fenugreek powder, and keep covered on the ot stove for 10 minutes. Give the vessel a shake after that and keep covered.
Chemmeen Achar
Ingredients
Prawn- cleaned 1 kg.
Green Chillies- Medium sized 10 nos, cut into small rounds
Vinegar-2 cups
Chilli powder- 2 tsp
Onion-Nicely choped 150g
Ginger- 30gg, chopped
Gingilly oil- for necessary frying
Garlic-30g( as to your taste), chopped
Salt-to tasteCurry leaves
Method
Cook prawns in minimum water mixed with three tsps of vinegar and salt, remove all the remaining water and keep aside. Heat oil, saute onion,ginger,garlic,green chillies,curry leaves. Add salt and chilly powder. Add remaining vinegar in a low flame. Stirr in the cooked prawns and cook in a low flame for 5-10 minutes
Karikku Mathuram
Ingredients
Tender coconut pulp - from 4nos
Condensed milk – 1/2tin
Sugar - 2tbsp
Gelatin - 1/2 tsp
Milk – 5 tbsp
Casewnuts, finely chopped- to decorate
Method
Beat tender coconut pulp with sugar till it is soft. Mix milk and condensed milk,warm it and keep aside. Dissolve Gelatin in 1 tbsp of hot milk and add to the warm milk mix. Stirr in the beaten coconut pulp, and mix thoroughly. Pour into a fine mould and keep in freezer for 6 hours. Then remove from freezer and store in the lower compartment. Serve decorated with chopped nuts.
