STRAWBERRY MOUSSE / White Chocolate & Strawberry Mousse

Happy X'mas Fellow Bloggers :)

Ingredients for Strawberry Mousse:

Strawberry : 10, chopped

Sugar : 1/4Cup

White Chocolate : 100g, roughly chopped

Fresh Cream : 150ml

Lemon Juice : 1/2tsp

Method for Strawberry Mousse:

1. Combine sugar and strawberries in a sauce pan and cook in low flame for 3minutes. Stir continuously and then turn off the flame and keep aside to cool.

2. Now make the white chocolate ganache. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to a boil, turn off the flame and immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and stir gently. (I microwaved chocolate for 30seconds and then added cream in the same bowl and microwaved for another 30seconds)

3. Add the cooked strawberries and lemon juice to the ganache at this stage . Combine well and pour immediately into pudding dish / individual glasses / moulds. Let it cool and transfer to the lower rack in refrigerator (Minimum 2hrs). Cover the pudding dish to prevent drying. 

4. Top the Strawberry mousse with chopped strawberry / White chocolate shavings / whipped cream.

Note:

1. Strawberry mousse is the best mousse for a beginners to understand how to use ganache in puddings. 

2. Use metal or glass moulds rather than plastic for strawberry mousse.

3. If you are using individual serving glass to set the Strawberry mousse, cover it with cling film to prevent drying.

4. Refrigerate for maximum 5days.
5. I decorated the strawberry mousse using strawberry jelly.

MALABAR MUTTON BIRIYANI - Mutton Biriyani in Kerala Style

All time favorite of all non vegetarians, biriyani is a highly seasoned rice cooked with chicken / Fish / Mutton / Beef, Egg or vegetables. My husband's favorite is this mild spicy Mutton Biriyani.

Ingredients :

For the Rice :

Rice : 2Cups

Bay leaf : 2

Black Pepper corns : 3

Cloves : 4

Cinnamon : 1inch piece

Onion : 1/2

Fennel :1/4tsp

Coriander leaves : 1/4Cup, Chopped

Ghee : 1tsp

Salt

For the mutton masala :

Mutton : 1/2kg

Onion : 2,thinely sliced

Tomato : 3,small, finely chopped

Ginger : 1inch piece

Green Chilli : 5

Garlic : 10

Coriander leaves : 1/2Cup, chopped

Coriander powder : 1tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp

Garam Masala : 1/4tsp

Curd : 1/4Cup

Lemon : juice from 1/2 of a lemon

Curry Leaves : 2springs

Ghee / Coconut Oil : 2tsp

Salt

Method :

1. Wash and drain mutton thoroughly and keep in colander itself.

2. Heat oil / ghee in a pressure cooker and saute onion till its translucent. The more you saute onion, the taste will enhance. Now add the tomato and mix well. Turn into slow-medium flame and cover with a lid. 

3.  Using a mixer, crush together garlic, ginger, green chilli, coriander leaves and curry leaves.  Add this to the onion-tomato mixture and saute till you get a dark brown thick masala.

4. Now add turmeric powder,salt, mutton and garam masala. Saute for 3-4minutes and then cover the cooker with its lid and keep in low-medium flame for 4 whistles.(Now you can start making rice and continue cooking mutton when pressure releases from the cooker)

5. When Pressure releases, turn on the flame and cook in medium-high flame till you get a thick masala. Meanwhile combine curd and lemon juice in a bowl. Turn off the flame and add this mixture immediately to the mutton masala.

Preparation for the Kerala Mutton Biriyani rice / Ghee Rice :

6. Clean, wash and drain the basmati Rice. Now heat ghee in a thick bottom vessel and add all spices listed under the ingredients for rice. After 1 minute, add 1/2 of an onion and saute till it becomes translucent. Now add 3 glasses of water let it boil. Add salt and drained rice and cover &cook in slow flame.(Make sure you are not opening the lid more than 2 times in the entire cooking of rice)When its almost done add the chopped coriander leaves and press the top side of the rice with backside of spatula for keeping the steam inside the vessel itself. Turn off the gas when rice is soft and not sticking to each other.

7. For layering add the mutton masala first and then add a layer of rice along with some ghee and lemon juice. Cover with a tight lid and cook for 8minutes. For better results you can make this layering in a oven proof vessel and bake for 15minutes. 

8. Serve hot with raitha, green chutney / biriyani chammanthi, pappad and pickle.
[Recipe Sourse : My Brother Appu]

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Ingredients :

For the cake

Hershey's cocoa powder : 50g, sifted

Unsalted Butter : 125g(soft), and 1tsp for greasing

Dark muscovado sugar : 100g

Water : 250ml, (boiling water)

Caster sugar : 150g

Plain flour : 225g, sifted

Baking powder : 1/2tsp

Bicarbonate of soda : 1/2tsp

Vanilla extract : 2tsp

Eggs : 2, at room temperature

For the frosting

Water : 125ml

Dark muscovado sugar : 30g

Unsalted butter : 175g, soft and cubed

Dark chocolate : 300g, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Line the bottoms of two sandwich tins with baking parchment and butter the sides.

2. Put the cocoa and 100g dark muscovado sugar into a bowl with a bit of space to spare, and pour in the boiling water. Whisk to mix, then set aside.

3. Cream the butter and caster sugar together, beating well until pale and fluffy.While this is going on – or as soon as you stop if you’re mixing by hand – stir the flour, baking powder and bicarb together in another bowl, and set aside for a moment.

4. Dribble the vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar – mixing all the while – then drop in 1 egg, quickly followed by a scoopful of flour mixture, then the second egg. Keep mixing and incorporate the rest of the dried ingredients for the cake, then finally mix and fold in the cocoa mixture, scraping its bowl well with a spatula.

5. Divide this fabulously chocolatey batter between the 2 prepared tins and put in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Take the tins out and leave them on a wire rack for 5–10 minutes, before turning the cakes out to cool.But as soon as the cakes are in the oven, get started on your frosting.

Frosting :

1. Put the water, 30g muscovado sugar and 175g butter in a pan over a low heat to melt. When this mixture begins to bubble, take the pan off the heat and add the chopped chocolate, swirling the pan so that all the chocolate is hit with heat, then leave for a minute to melt before whisking till smooth and glossy.

2. Leave for about 1 hour, whisking now and again – when you’re passing the pan – by which time the cakes will be cooled, and ready for the frosting. Set one of the cooled cakes, with its top side down, on a cake stand or plate, and spread with about a third of the frosting, then top that with the second cake, regular way up, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, swirling away with your spatula. You can go for a smooth look, but I never do and probably couldn’t.

[Recipe courtesy : http://www.nigella.com]

THAI GREEN CHICKEN CURRY

Thai Green Curry

How to make Thai green curry with Tofu / Chicken / Shrimp at home
Cooking Time : 25min
Serves : 3 
Ingredients :

Tofu / Chicken / Prawns : 200g
Jalapenos : 2, sliced
Onion : 1/2
Zucchini : 1/2
Carrot : 1
Mushrooms : 5, halved
Blanched  / Steamed Broccoli : 4florets (Do not add broccoli before steaming  / blanching it as broccoli can dominate its flavor)
Thai green Curry Paste : 1tbsp
Coconut Milk : 1/2 Can
Boiling Water : 1Cup
Ginger : 1/2 inch, Julienne 
Garlic : 2, Julienne
Basil leaves : 5, finely chopped
Coriander Leaves : handful, finely chopped
Fish Sauce : 1tsp (optional, i didn use)
Kaffir Lime Leaves : 2, or Lemon zest of 2 lemons
Lemon grass : 2stalks (if you are not using Lemon grass, add Lemon juice from half of a lemon after making the curry and boil for a minute)
Brown sugar : 1/2tbsp
Salt
Olive oil

Thai Green Curry

Directions :

1. Heat oil in kadai and saute Thai green curry paste for 2minutes. Now add kaffir lime leaves, jalapenos, onion, garlic, ginger and lemon grass. 

2. If you are using chicken  / shrimp, add at this stage and add the coconut milk along with boiling water. When chicken / Shrimp is cooked add the vegetables (If you are using Tofu, add now) and cook for few minutes(3-5minutes, they should be tender-crisp). 

4. Stir in coriander leaves, salt, sugar and basil leaves. Add sauce and adjust the salt if needed. Serve Thai green curry hot with Thai Jasmin rice / Thai sticky rice / cooked basmati rice / Brown rice.

 Notes :

Yo can add 3tbsp of pineapple chunks to give natural sweetness to this dish.

Thai Green Curry

MUSHROOM PIRALAN

You are in a hurry and want to prepare something spicy?.... I give you... Mushroom Piralan. Mushroom contains 80-90% of water and are very low in calories.Mushrooms are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke.

Ingredients :

Button Mushrooms : 200g, Cleaned & halved
Chilly Powder : 1/2tsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp
Garam Masala : 1/2tsp
Crushed Pepper : 1/2tsp++
Thick Coconut Milk : 1/2Cup
Salt
Coconut Oil : 1tbsp
Mustard Seeds : 1/4tsp
Onion : 2,finely chopped
Ginger : 1 1/2tsp
Curry Leaves : 2springs

Method :

1. In a heavy bottom vessel combine mushrooms, chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, salt and garam masala along with coconut milk. Close with a tight lid and heat on low-medium flame. After 4-5 minutes when gravy is thick turn of the flame.

2. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add chopped ginger and saute till its light brown in color. Add onion & Curry leaves and saute till it becomes translucent.  

3. Now add cooked mushroom with its gravy and combine well. Adjust salt and saute till the gravy starts sticking to each mushrooms.

4. Serve mushroom piralan hot with rice or chappathi.

[Recipe courtesy : Lakshmi Nair's Magic Oven]

CHICKEN BALLS

Ingredients :

Chicken : 250g

Potato : 1, Boiled and mashed

Onion : 2,finely chopped

Green Chilli : 1

Ginger  : 1/2 inch piece,finely chopped

Egg : 1

Chilli Powder : 1/2tbsp

Vinegar : 1tsp

Bread Crumbs : 1/2Cup

Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp

Coriander leaves : 1/4Cup, finely chopped

Salt

Oil  :1tbsp + to deep fry

Method :

1. Boil chicken pieces with turmeric powder, 2tbsp of onion and Salt. Cook till chicken pieces are cooked and water absorbs completely.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add ginger, green chillies, onion and coriander leaves and saute well. When the onion becomes translucent, add chilli powder. Add cooked chicken pieces and mashed potato. Combine well. Turn of the flame and let it cool.

3. Shape into small balls and dip each in beaten egg and roll it over bread crumbs.

4. Heat oil in a sauce pan and golden fry each. Serve hot with tomato sauce/ Mayonnaise.

ROYAL FALOODA

Ingredients :

Falooda Sev / vermicelli : 100g
Raspberry / strawberry jelly crystals : 1pkt
condensed milk : 1/2tin
Sabja Seeds : 3tbsp
Vanilla Icecream : 6Scoops
Strawberry Icecream : 6scoops
Cherries : 6
Dry Fruits : 6tbsp, finely chopped
Rose Milk : 1/4Cup(optional)

Method :

1. Make Jelly according to the instructions given on packet. Transfer it to two bowls and add condensed milk to one bowl. Stir well and allow to cool. Then transfer both bowls to refrigerator until it sets completely(minimum 3-4hours).

2.  Meanwhile soak sabja seeds in 1 1/2cups of water and 3tbsp sugar. Transfer to refrigerator.

3. Cook vermicelli in enough water along with 6tbsp sugar. Drain under running water and set aside. You can refrigerate also.

4. To serve, take 6 serving glasses and arrange vermicelli to one corner of the glass. Top with jelly, jelly+condensed milk mix, sabja seeds, rooh afza syrup, dryfruits, strawberry icecream, sabja seeds, dryfuits and vanilla icecream in the same order as shown in picture.

5. Garnish with cherries or praline powder or rooh afza surup.

Notes :

1. To make Falooda drink, make rose milk according to the instructions and allow it to cool and refrigerate for hours. In a tall glass arrange cooked vermicelli and sabja seeds and pour the cooled rose milk syrup on top. you can mix a scoop of vanilla icecream to make it more delicious. Top with try fruits.

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.

ONION AND BABY CORN SOUP

Ingredients :

Baby Corn : 5

Onion : 1

Garlic : 4pods

Cloves : 2

Butter : 1tbsp

Dried / Fresh Parsley : 1/2tsp

Pepper Powder : 1/4tsp

Maida : 1tbsp

Milk : 3/4Cup

Water : 5Cups

Salt

Method : 

1.In a saucepan heat water and add baby corns. Boil for 4-6minutes and take out the baby corns and keep aside. When it reaches to room temperature, slice them into rounds.

2. Heat butter and add garlic and cloves. Saute for 1minute and add finely chopped onions. When it turns to translucent, add maida and saute for 1-2minutes till the raw smell goes. Now add milk and water in which we boiled baby corn. 

3. Add parsley, salt and pepper powder and let it boil till the soup starts to thick. Serve hot :)

Note : Those who want to avoid maida, mix cornflour with 1/4cup of water and add after second step.

CHETTINADU CHICKEN CURRY - Restaurant style

Chettinad cuisine hails from the southern region of Tamil Nadu, the Chettiar community. This cuisine is one of the spiciest and the most aromatic in India with major ingredients as fennel, pepper corns and coconut.

How to make authentic chettinadu chicken curry

How to make Traditional Chettinadan Chicken gravy?

Preparation time :10 minutes, Cooking time : 25 minutes, Serves : 4

Ingredients for Restaurant style Chettinadu Chicken Curry:

Chicken : 1/2 kg

Oil : 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp

Onion : 1 big , finely chopped

Tomato : 1, finely chopped

Curry Leaves : 2springs

Ginger garlic paste : 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice / Vinegar :1 tsp

Pepper powder : 1/2 tsp

Poppy seeds : 1 tsp or Cashews : 5, soaked in water for 10 minutes (Optional)

Salt

Ingredients for the Chettinadu masala : 

Cinnamon stick : finger length, crushed

Cardamom : 4

Cloves : 4

Bay leaves : 2 , crushed

Red Chillies : 5

Coriander Seeds : 2 tbsp

Pepper Corns : 1tsp

Fennel (saunf / Perunjeerakam) : 2 tsp

Cumin seeds : 1 tsp

coconut : 1/4Cup, shredded

How to make authentic chettinadu chicken curry

Method :

1.Apply salt, pepper powder, Lemon juice / vinegar and turmeric powder on chicken and marinate for 30minutes.

2. Dry roast the spices - bayleaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorn, dry red chillies, coriander seeds fennel, coriander seeds, pepper corns and red chillies. Now add the shredded coconut and roast again till it turns light golden brown. When this cools, grind it to a smooth by adding enough water(You can add poppy seeds/cashews at this stage).

3. Heat oil in a kadai and temper the mustard seeds. Now add the onions and curry leaves and saute till onion turns to translucent. Now add the marinated chicken pieces and tomato and mix well. Cover and cook till the pieces are soft and moist. 

4. Add ground masala and fry for some time. Cover and cook till chicken is flavourful and gravy is thick - around 10 minutes. Adjust the salt and garnish with coriander leaves.

5. Restaurant style delicious Chettinadu chicken curry is ready to serve.

Similar recipes: 

• Kerala restaurant style pepper chicken dry roast
• Traditional Travancore Chicken
• The best Kadai Chicken Ever!!
• Easy chicken and potato masala

Thank you for Rading!!!

Lena