LENTIL SOUP / Indian Daal Soup

Ingredients :

Toor Daal : 1/4Cup

Masoor Daal : 2tbsp

Shallots : 6, finely chopped

Tomato : 1/2, finely chopped

Bay Leaf : 1

Cloves : 3

Garlic : 6, finely chopped

Sunflower oil : 1tsp

Turmeric Powder : a pinch

Coriander leaves : 2tbsp, finely chopped

Carrot : 1, sliced

Salt

Pepper Powder

Method : 

1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add garlic, shallots, bay leaf and cloves. Saute till the shallots are translucent.

2. Now add carrot, both daals, turmeric powder, coriander leaves and 2cups of water. Cover the pressure cooker with lid and cook till 2whistles. Let it sit till the steam releases by itself. Discard cloves and bay leaf.

3. Blend in a mixer to a smooth puree and  then strain the mixture using a sieve. Transfer the mixture into a deep pan, add the salt and Boil for another 8minutes. 

4. Serve hot with lemon slices and crusty bread.

Kerala FISH PICKLE / Meen Achar / Prawns Pickle

recipe for Kerala FISH PICKLE / Meen Achar / Prawns Pickle

Ingredients for Kerala fish pickle:

Seer Fish / Prawns  : 500g, cubed

Ginger : 2inch piece, finely chopped

Garlic : 20, Finely chopped

Green Chillies : 2, finely chopped

Curry Leaves : 4Springs

Chilly Powder : 1tbsp + 1tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp + 1/4tsp

Fennel Seeds : 1/2tsp

Nallenna/ gingelly oil / Sesame Oil : 6tbsp + 2tbsp 

Salt

Vinegar : 1/4Cup

Water : 1/2Cup
Sugar : 1/2tsp

Mustard seeds : 1/4tsp

Fenugreek Seeds : 1/2tsp

Asafoetida : a pinch

Method for Kerala fish pickle:

1. Using a mixer crush together ginger, garlic, green chilly, fennel, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves and keep aside. 

2. Marinate the fish pieces with 1tbsp  chilly powder, 1/2tsp turmeric powder and salt for 30minutes.

3. Heat a non-stick pan and fry the fish pieces and keep aside.

4. Now  Heat oil in a clay pot/ kadai(you can take the excess oil in which we fried the fish) and add crushed masala(step 1), 1tsp chilly powder, turmeric powder and saute well till you get a nice aroma.

5. Now add water, vinegar, sugar, salt and sugar. Bring it to boil and let it become half of the quantity. Now add fried fish pieces and let it become thick. Adjust salt and sprinkle Asafoetida.

6. When its cooled transfer to a glass jar and add 2tbsp of sesame oil on top of it. You could use this Kerala fish pickle for one month under refrigeration.

MANGO CREAM CAKE / MANGO PASTRY

Ingredients for mango pastry:


Butter : 125g
All Pupose flour : 1 1/2Cups
Castor Sugar : 1Cup
Eggs : 2, at room temperature
Milk : 3/4 Cup
Baking Powder : 1tsp
Baking Soda : 1/4tsp
Mango Essence : 1 1/2tsp
Salt : 1/8tsp


For Sugar syrup and Frosting :


Whipping cream :1Cup, chilled
Mango Essence : 1tsp(optional)
Chopped Mango : 1Cup
Sugar : 1tbsp
Sugar syrup : 150ml (Method follows)

Method for making mango cream cake:

1. Preheat oven at 180˚C.

2. Grease and line an 18cm round cake tin and keep aside.

3. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder thrice.

4. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add milk and mango essence and continue beating.

5. Spoon into the cake tin and bake until the cake pulls away from the sides (about 35minutes). Remove from the oven but carefully pull the lining. Let the cake cool completely.

6. For layering, dip a bread knife in boiling water and wipe it with a warm cloth. Cut layers carefully without breaking the sides of the cake.

For the Syrup :

1. On Medium flame combine 7tbsp sugar and 175ml water in a sauce pan. When sugar has dissolved completely and has the consistency of milk, turn of the flame and allow the syrup to cool completely.

2. Prick the mango pastry all over with a fine skewer and pour the syrup over each layers of cake. It may seem at first that there is too much syrup for the cake to absorb, but it will soak it all up slowly.

Frosting & Assembling mango pastry:

1. Beat whipped cream with mango essence till it turns soft And fluffy .(you can add yellow food color also)

2.Divide the whipping cream into 4parts and keep in refrigerator. Take the bottom part of the cake and spread the whipping cream evenly, spread the chopped mangoes over the cream. Repeat the same with one more layer.

3. Place the top layer of  mango cream cake and spread the cream evenly on the sides. You can top the mango cream cake with cherries / chopped mangoes / mango jelly. Refrigerate the mango cream cake for 3-4hours and serve chilled.