What makes me happy on a sunday? Buying live fresh fish, just out of the net and cooking it for my family. This sunday it was Eral karuvaeppilai fry ( prawn curry leaves fry is the literal meaning). Just when I was driving back from the beach, my mind was thinking of the menu for lunch, both my boys at home love prawns, but I was bored of making the same prawn fry everytime. I had seen a tv show and remembered this different recipe and decided to try it. And so our lunch was eral fry, king fish naked fry and mackerel rava fry with yummy mangalorean fish curry with the freshest of mix fish ( mackerel, king fish, prawn head and a few thorny fish) with red boiled rice. Now, could I have asked for anything more?

Recipe for Christmas Fruit cake

Ingredients

1)   1 Cup maida/flour

2)   1 Cup sugar

3)   170 gms unsalted butter

4)   ½ cup sugar + 1tbsp water+1/2cup water to caramalise the sugar

5)   6 tbsp tutty futty soaked in rum/ brandy

6)   3eggs

7)   1tsp baking powder

8)   1tsp vanilla essence

9)   4 cloves, 1 small piece cinnamon and small peiece nutmeg – powdered.

Method :

To make the caramel:

Take a heavy bottom vessel and put the 1/2cup of sugar and 1tbsp of water  and leave it on medium heat. You will see the sugar melt and color change, do not use a spoon to mix it, gently swirl the vessel, when the sugar turns dark brown switch of the flame and add the 1/2cup of water into it and mix well. Do not go close to the pan/pot when you are adding water as it will splash, stand far away and add the water. Leave it to cool.

Sieve the maida/flour and baking powder and leave aside.

Take egg, soft butter and sugar and blend it well till you get a creamy consistency Add vanilla essence, 1/2cup of caramel and the spice powder and blend for a few minutes. Little by little add the maida and baking powder and mix well.

Bake in a preheated oven  at 180 degrees for 30mins, if required more.

Please note – I did not have brandy or rum at home. So added Bailey’s.

I made two 1/2kg cakes with this batter.

Stuffed Brinjal / Eggplant (Mom’s recipe)

Ingredients:
1) 1/4kg Small brinjal/ Egg plant
2) 1 cup scrapped coconut
3) 1 medium size onion
4) 1bsp oil
5) 1 tbsp coriander powder
6) 4 cloves
7) 1 small piece cinnamon
8) 1tsp jeera. Cumin seeds
9) ¼ tsp whole black pepper
10) 4 flakes garlic
11) 1tsp or more (according to taste) chili powder
12) Salt to taste
13) 1/2tsp turmeric powder
14) 1/2tsp jaggery
15) 1 small tiny ball tamarind
Method:

Take oil in a pan and when hot put the cloves, cinnamon and onions and fry till the onion is soft and light brown, add the scrapped coconut and fry till it turns light brown and you get the right fragrance. Switch off the fire now to the coconut add, jeera,, pepper, coriander powder, red chili powder garlic, tamarind, jaggery and coarse grind in the mixer without water. To the paste add turmeric powder and salt.
Wash the brinjals and make two cuts into each one so that the paste can be stuffed into them. Don’t remove the stems but you can trim them so that they are not too long.
Then stuff a small amount of the paste into all the brinjals and put them aside. Heat a non-stick kadai with about 2 tbsp of oil.
Then add the brinjals to the kadai.let them cook for a few minutes with a lid on under medium flame(5 mins). Cook them on both sides.then check if they are cooked. if they are still not cooked you can add a little water and cook for a few minutes. Once the brinjals are cooked add the remaining paste to the kadai and mix well. Let them cook for another 10 mins till the oil comes out.

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:

Lasagna sheets (You get them ready made) I made mine at home.

For the salsa/ tomato sauce

1)   4 large tomatoes blanched (I use country tomatoes,)

2)   2 large onions finely chopped

3)   7-8 flakes of garlic

4)   2-3 green chilies

5)   ½ packet of tomato puree

6)   2 carrots finely chopped (optional)

7)   Salt to taste

8)   1tbsp chili powder

9)   1/2tsp pepper powder

10) 1tsp oregano dry or fresh

11)  2tbsp or more oil (based on your cooking pan) if non stick you can use less oil.

For the white spinach  sauce

1)   1 bunch spinach finely chopped

2)   1 tbsp butter

3)   2-3tbsp Maida

4)   2 cups milk

5)   Salt to taste

6)   1tsp oregano or mixed herb

To garnish

1)   Processed cheese

2)   Olive oil

3)   Fresh Basil leaves (Optional)

Method

Cook the Lasagna sheets in boiling water, just as you cook your pasta. Cool and grease them with oil and leave them aside.

For the Salsa/ tomato sauce:

Take oil in a pan, when the oil is hot add the onions, green chilies, garlic and cook till the raw smell has gone. Add the carrots (optional) and keep cooking. Puree the blanched  tomatoes and add to the onions, cook for a while add ½ packet of tomato puree, chili powder, pepper powder, oregano and salt and cook till the sauce is ready.  It should be a thick gravy consistency. Keep this aside.

For the white spinach sauce

Take butter in a pan, add  the spinach and sauté for some time, add the maida to the spinach and sauté for some more time. Add milk and cook the sauce for a while, add salt and oregano. If you feel the consistency is too watery add some cornflour mixed in water to thicken it.

To assemble :

Take a baking tray and spray some oil in the bottom of the tray, spread some tomato sauce/salsa at the bottom of the tray, layer with one lasagna sheet, on the sheet one layer of tomato sauce and next layer of white spinach sauce, than the sheet and follow this layering till the sauce and sheets are over. Top/ final layer would be tomato sauce, white sauce and finally the shredded cheese or slice. Fresh basil to garnish (optional).  Drizzle some olive oil on top and bake in a hot preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20mins.

1)    2cups Roasted rava

2)    Grated Coconut

3)    I cup of Water with 1tsp or  ½ – 1tsp salt dissolved. (According to taste)

For the Prawn Masala

1)    300gms Prawns

2)    1 medium size onion chopped to small pieces

3)    1 medium size tomato chopped to small pieces

4)    2-3 flakes garlic chopped

5)    1 inch ginger chopped

6)    1-2tsp chili powder

7)    1tsp turmeric powder

8)    1tsp Garam masala powder

9)    Salt to taste

10 Few curry leaves

10)1tbsp oil

11)½ tsp jeera

Method for Prawn Masala

Take oil in a pan add the jeera, curry leaves, onions, ginger and garlic and sauté till the raw smell is totally gone. Add tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and sauté for some more time till the tomatoes are totally cooked and mashed up (If it sticks on the pan, add a little water). Finally add the garam masala. When all the masala has blended well, add the prawn and cook for little while (prawn when over cooked can get hard and rubbery).

Method for the Puthu

Take the roasted rava in a bowl add some grated coconut and mix well, sprinkling salt water little by little and mixing it simultaneously. Keep repeating this till Rava gets properly moistened/Wet.

Fill the Puttu mould with 1 tbsp of fresh grated coconut then 4-5 tbsp of wet rava, take a tbsp of prawn masala and layer on the rava, then again 1tbsp of coconut. Repeat till the mould is filled. The mould should not be tightly packed. Everything should be filled loosely, don’t press the content into the mould after filling.

Keep it on the pressure cooker or puttu vessel and let it steam for 5mins.

Ingredients

200 ml milk

200 ml whipping cream/Fresh cream

5 g (1/2 tbsp) gelatin/ Agar Agar as per coversion.

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Strawberry Sauce

300 g fresh strawberries

2 tbsp water

1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Dissolve gelatin in 2 tbsp cold water and let it swell for about 5 tp 10 minutes. 

In a medium saucepan bring the cream, milk and sugar to a simmer over medium-low heat  (Do not boil). When sugar has dissolved remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

Add gelatin in the milk mixture and stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved. Pour it in the serving glasses or ramekins and refrigerate until it sets, for about 4 hrs or overnight.

To prepare the sauce wash the strawberries, drain well and remove leaves. Cut strawberries in quarters. In a small saucepan put the strawberries, sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat immediately. 

Pour into the bowl of a blender or food processor and  blend the mixture to make a smooth sauce. Pass through a strainer to remove the seeds out of the sauce. 

Cover and let it cool to room temperature then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shepherd’s Pie lamb and Veggies version.                 

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot finely chopped

2 celery sticks finely chopped

500g lamb mince for Vegetarian’s substitute with Soya mince

2 tbs plain flour

500ml (2 cups) beef stock/ Veg Stock

1 dried bay leaf

1 tbs tomato paste

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

4 -6 large potatoes boiled

40g butter

125ml (1/2 cup) milk

2 tbsp melted butter

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and

cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add lamb mince and cook, stirring to break

up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until lamb changes colour.

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until combined. Add stock, bay leaf,

and tomato paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring

Occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and

Pepper.

Take the boiled potato, use a potato masher or fork to mash until smooth. Add milk

and use a wooden spoon to stir until combined, taste. and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Spoon lamb mixture into a 2L (8-cup) capacity ovenproof baking dish. Top with mashed potato and use a fork to spread over lamb mixture. Brush with butter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until mashed potato is golden brown.

Bone Marrow/Nalli elambu curry

Ingredients

1)   15 Mutton Nalli/Marrow

2)   1/2kg Big Onions

3)   5 tomatoes

4)   ½ cup curd

5)   1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste

6)   ½ tsp turmeric powder

7)   1tbsp Chili powder

8)   1 tbsp Garam Masala

9)   Salt as required

10)                    ½ cup chopped coriander leaves

11)                   3 tbsp oil

12)                   1 small piece Cinnamon

13)                   5 cloves

14)                   4 cardamom/Yelakkai

15)                   2 Bay leaf

Method:

Chop the onions and tomatoes into fine pieces.

Clean the Marrow/Nalli

Take oil in a cooker , when the oil is hot add all the full garam masala in the hot oil, than add the onions and sauté till its light brown, add the ginger garlic paste, sauté for sometime, add turmeric and chilli paste  and sauté for some more time, add the meat and sauté. When all the masala and meat have blended well, add as much as water required for pressure cooking and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles and 5-10minutes on low flame.

When the pressure is released, cook with open lid, add salt to taste, chopped tomatoes, garam masala powder, chopped coriander leaves, curd and cook on medium flame  till the oil leaves the side.

Enjoy this gravy with ghee rice, plain steamed rice, roti or paratha.