Monday, March 28, 2011

Key Lime Cookie


Cookies:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
zest of 2 key limes
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 TBSP key lime juice
Pinch of salt

In a medium bowl combine the sugar and the lime zest. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium-high speed, cream together the butter and lime scented sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add yolks one at a time, scraping down the mixer after each addition. Mix in vanilla and key lime juice and beat for another 30 seconds on medium-high speed.
Add salt and flour and mix on low speed until ingredients are fully incorporated.

Divide dough into four logs. Roll so that they are easy to slice. Wrap them in plastic or wax paper and place into fridge for 1 hour. You can go as long as overnight if you have stuff to do.

Preheat oven to 350F. Remove cookies from fridge. Slice cookies to about ½ inch thick. Place on a parchment lined (or you can use baking spray) cookie sheet and space about an inch apart. They don’t really spread out all that much.

Bake for 14-16 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. They aren’t going to be a super soft cookie. More of a shortbread bite if you will. Let them cool, drizzle  glaze.

 Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup key lime juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Whisk the sugar and juice together until it’s a thick but pourable glaze. Pour over cookies. Let glaze set up, sprinkle (don't know what the right word is) zest and eat.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Toasted Ravioli

1 bag  Cheese Ravioli
1 cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs
2 tsp Italian seasoning
A pinch of paprika powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
Oil, For Frying

 Cook ravioli until al dente about 5 minutes. Cool.
 Have seperate bowl for egg (beat well) & bread crumb mixture ( paprika, bread crumbs & Italian seasoning & salt).
 Dip ravioli in beaten egg and then bread crumbs mixture. Do this twice to have a thicker coat. Set aside on a plate. Gently dip into hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
 Serve with marinara sauce.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

bhajji Upkari/ Amaranth

Ingredients:
A bunch of amaranth leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 dry red chillies,  broken
2 tsp oil
1sprig curry leaves
salt to taste
Heat oil in a skillet, temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chilli pieces and wait till seasonings begins to splutter. Add in greens & salt. Stir, cover & cook on reduced heat for about 10 minutes. The very little bit of water in the chopped leaves are just enough moisture to cook this. Take off heat.
Optional; garnish with grated coconut. (Omitted here)

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Baingan patiala



Ingredients:
4 Purple Chinese eggplant, cut lengthwise, cut 1" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2-3 green chillies, slit
1" piece ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp amchoor powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt, to taste
2 tbsp light cooking oil

Saute eggplant pieces in a large skillet till lightly roasted. Set aside.
Heat a little oil in the skillet, saute onions,cumin seeds, spices, green chillies and ginger and garlic for a few minutes. Add in tomatoes and cook on medium heat till the mixture is almost dry and leaves oil from the sides.

Mix in fried eggplants, salt, and let cook a few minutes till eggplants are done through.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Sannapolo

2 cups rice
1/4 cup toor dal
1/2 cup coconut, grated
6 or more dry red chillies
1/4 tsp tamarind pulp
1 cup cabbage/ paddole seeds/ onion/ mashingasang phool- finely chopped
salt
oil to fry

Soak rice and dal for a couple fo hours. Grind coconut, tamarind, chillies to a fine paste using a little water.
Add rice and dal and grind further to make a coarse paste . Add salt. Use one of the following; cabbage with onion, snakegourd seeds, drumstick leaves or flowers.

Heat a griddle with oil, pour a spoonful of batter and spread with the spoon or flatten with hand to a thick dosa.  The beauty of these are the ease making it no-fail side dish  for the novice. Flip over the dosa and fry on the other side till lightly roasted. Serve hot with dalithoy and rice.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Alle piyavu ghashi

Ghashi inspired by my favourite Prabhu family, Roopa's signature dish. It tastes heavenly coming out of her kitchen than mine.  I love the simplicity of this dish, mildly spiced, eye pleasing ( I promise a better pic than the one below) & super-easy to make.
 Here' was my attempt to get as close to the original dish as possible. Turn-out was pretty good considering my poor cooking skills when  it comes to fish. It was way better a day after except that, I knew that I could never reheat it right without breaking the fillets apart. Pretty darn tasty, though.

Ingredients:
8 fish pieces (best with cod, tilapia, pomfret)
1 cup grated coconut
1 onion finely chopped
1" piece ginger, julienned
7-8 long red chillies
Tamarind extract
3-4 green chillies, slit
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tablespoon oil
Salt


                                                                              ( I promise 'someday' I will load up a better picture of my alle piyave ghashi to do justice to this delicioius curry)

Method:
Grind grated coconut, red chillies and tamarind extract into a smooth paste.
In a pan heat oil and add chopped onion, green chillies and  ginger , saute for a minute. Add  turmeric, ground coconut masala, 1/2 cup of water, salt and bring it to boil. Place the fish and simmer the heat to the lowest heat setting of your cooking range and cook it for 8-10 minutes covered. Serve the curry with boiled rice for the authentic jalke randey taste.