Shamika's Dance Partner's Stir Fry Salad

(I'm copy pasting the recipe just as it was sent to me! It's yum. I've tasted it).

Take tofu, paneer, soya chunks, sprouts, baby corn, sweet corn, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger 

Green chilly, salt, pepper, Basil, black olives, bell pepper,

And stir fry

And over that honey mustard and sweet onion dressing

You can add non Veg like grilled chicken and chocked sausage to it

(I think he meant smoked sausage)

Shamika'a Aunt's Alle-Belle

So one rainy day in September when the clouds were grey and heavy and the sky looked like it was going to fall, I decided to surprise my grandparents with alle belle for tea.

Ah ha! Does the word alle belle make you hungry too?



          Delicious, soft, melt-in-the-mouth... this sweet

          Goan pancake is a favourite in most Goan

          households.  It is a favourite at mine.  The only

          tip I can give you is to get the pancake real thin

          and fine, just like a dainty lace handkerchief.

          The type of handkerchief a pretty damsel would drop

          by mistake, so that a handsome prince picks it for

          her and sniffs it for its perfume.



I digress, for cooking makes me creative and happy. Or is it happy and creative....



Like patolleos, alle belle uses freshly scraped coconut and Goan jaggery.  You could even stuff the pancakes with coconut and a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of sugar.  If you ask me my preference, coconut jaggery alle belle wins hands down.

INGREDIENTS

• 250 gms Maida
• 2 Eggs
• pinch salt
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 150ml coconut milk/water
• 
  

FILLING

• 1 fresh coconut, grated
• 3 Goan Pyramid Palm Jaggery 
• quarter tsp ground cardamom
• quarter tsp grated nutmeg

METHOD

In a bowl, sift flour and salt. Add egg and coconut milk. Beat lightly into a smooth batter, ensuring that no lumps form.

Mix filling ingredients together. Melt a little butter in a frying pan and pour in enough batter to lightly coat the pan. Tilt to spread. Cook for a minute and flip and cook the other side.

To assemble the pancakes, put filling on each pancake and roll up or fold into 4 (ie, a triangle).

To serve, place 2 pancakes on each plate and lightly brush with melted butter and warm through under the grill. Both pancakes and filling can be made beforehand and then warmed through before eating.

Shamika' Grandmother's Patolleos

It was August 15, 2013. I still remember the date. My sister and her kids had just arrived for their summer break. India commemorated 66 years of Independence and the Catholic Church celebrated the feast of our Lady of Assumption.

 At home, after early morning mass and a multicultural flag hoisting event, we rejoiced like every other veritable Goan family by making patolleos (pronounced pathayo).  If you are Goan and you are reading this, then I'm sure your eyes are glowing, your tummy rumbling and your mouth salivating by now.

 So for our annual patolleo-making ceremony this year, ladies of all shapes, sizes and age groups gathered around the dining table.  This included my niece who is six years old to her Pontimai who is 86.

 You see, we had a very important mission at task... Goan rice was soaked overnight and then ground into a fine paste with a pinch of salt. It then had to be flattened onto turmeric leaves and filled with juicy freshly scraped coconuts and copious amounts of Goan jaggery. And then, this divine creation is steamed. At this time, the men of my family of all shapes, sizes and age groups, captivated by the aromas finally venture into the kitchen.

You can add cardamom if you choose. We choose not to as we like the raw taste of the Goanness -- Goan rice, Goan jaggery and even coconuts from our trees in Goa.  Substitute the jaggery and the rice for anything non Goan and it's just not the same.

 It was a good day. That's all I remember. We all sat by the table and laughed and talked as we filled ourselves with fresh coconut and Goan jaggery caressed by rice, embraced by turmeric leaves and steamed with love...

 August came and went. So fast, just like this year.

Grandma passed away. Grandpa too
But their memories live on
and theirs blessings too


Here's the recipe

1.Soak the rice overnight. Remove the excess water and grind into smooth, thick paste.
2. Rinse the turmeric leaves. Wipe the moisture with a cloth or paper napkin. Place them aside.
3. You could slice them into halves if they are big in size.
4. For the stuffing take a heavy bottomed pan add ghee to it.

5. Place on low heat add ghee or oil and add fresh grated coconut, jaggery powder. Keep stirring the mixture for 3-4 mins.

6. Jaggery would melt, the mixture would leave nice aroma. Switch off the gas once all mixed well. Ensure you don’t over-cook the mixture else the jaggery might harden or get stiff which is not good for your patoleos. Lastly add cardamom powder. Mix nicely. Switch off the gas don’t overcook the mixture. Allow the mixture to cool down.

7. Take some batter in your hand and apply them on the turmeric leaves all over. Repeat the same with the rest of leaves.

8. Place a scoop of coconut-jaggery stuffing over one side of the leaf. Now close or wrap them with the other side of the leaf. Ensure its sealed properly.

9. Place them on a steamer alternatively you could place them in a vessel containing water, place a stand and keep a metal tray or dish over the stand. Keep few of stuffed turmeric leaves. Don’t stack them altogether just place few apart from each other and steam few at a time. You could also pressure cook them or steam in idli vessel.

10. Repeat the same with the rest of patolis. After 7-8 mins they would be ready the color of the leaves would change.

Allow to cool unwrap the leave and enjoy your patoleos warm or cold.


Ingredients (used american measuring cup, 1 cup = 250 ml)
for patoleo
6-7 turmeric leaves
2 cups soaked rice
for stuffing:
1 tbsp ghee or oil
1.5 cup grated coconut
1 cup grated goan pyramid jaggery or any dark jiggery
1 tsp cardamom powder

Instructions
Soak the rice overnight.
Remove the excess water and grind into smooth, thick paste.
Rinse the turmeric leaves.
Wipe the moisture with a cloth or paper napkin. Place them aside.
You could slice them into halves if they are big in size.
For the stuffing take a heavy bottomed pan add ghee to it.
Place on low heat saute charoli if using for 40-60 secs.
Now add fresh grated coconut, jaggery powder. Keep stirring the mixture for 3-4 mins.
Jaggery would melt, the mixture would leave nice aroma. Switch off the gas once all mixed well. Ensure you don't over-cook the mixture else the jaggery might harden or get stiff which is not good for your patoleos.
Lastly add cardamom powder. Mix nicely. Switch off the gas don't overcook the mixture. Allow the mixture to cool down.
Take some batter in your hand and apply them on the turmeric leaves all over. Repeat the same with the rest of leaves.
Place a scoop of coconut-jaggery stuffing over one side of the leaf. Now close or wrap them with the other side of the leaf. ensure its seales properly.
Place them on a steamer alternatively you could place them in a vessel containing water, place a stand and keep a metal tray or dish over the stand. Keep few of stuffed turmeric leaves. Don't stack them altogether just place few apart from each other and steam few at a time. You could also pressure cook them or steam in idli vessel.
Repeat the same with the rest of patolis. After 7-8 mins they would be ready the color of the leaves would change.
Allow to cool unwrap the leave and enjoy your patoleos warm or cold.

Notes
1.Turmeric leaves are must for this dish.


2.You could add nutmeg powder and also nuts if you wish to but it's optional.

Shamika's Sister's Laksa

CHICKEN AND PRAWN LAKSA

A popular Thai dish – chicken and prawns cooked in a flavourful gravy and served with noodles

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Servings : 4

INGREDIENTS
Boneless chicken, cut into thin strips 100 grams

Prawns (kolambi/jhinga) 10-12 medium

Whole dry red chillies, soaked 6-7

Shallots 12-14

Garlic 3-4 cloves

Lemon grass 1-2 stalks

Fresh turmeric 1 inch piece

Roasted peanuts 2 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Oil 3 tablespoons

Chicken stock 1 cup

Coconut milk 1 cup

Noodles, boiled 1 cup

Bean sprouts 1/2 cup

Fresh mint leaves, chopped 5-6

Onion , thinly sliced and deep fried1 small

Lemon, thinly sliced 2

METHOD
For laksa paste, remove the seeds from the red chillies and put them in the mixer jar. Add eight to ten shallots, garlic, lemon grass, turmeric, peanuts, salt, one tablespoon olive oil and a little water and grind to a smooth paste. Chop the remaining shallots and set aside.Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add chicken and sauté for two to three minutes. Add the laksa paste and stir. Add chicken stock, prawns and coconut milk. Mix and cook till both chicken and prawns are done. Put the noodles in a bowl. Pour the laksa over them. Top with bean sprouts, chopped shallots, mint leaves, fried onion slices and lemon slice and serve hot.

Shamika's Jordanian Friend's Moutabel

 MOUTABEL

Ingredients

1 big brinjal (125 gms)

½ red bell pepper

½ yellow bell pepper

½ capsicum

2 tsp garlic, chopped

2 tsp onion, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

½ tsp green chilies, chopped

1 tsp fresh coriander, chopped

3 tsp olive oil

1 sprig parsley

Salt to taste

Method

Roast the brinjal over an open flame. Remove the skin and chop the brinjal finely to a rough puree consistency. Chop all the bell peppers and the capsicum. Add the chopped peppers, onion, garlic, green chilies and coriander to the chopped brinjals.

Mix in almost all the olive oil, leaving some for garnish.

Add the lime and season with salt. Put the mixture in a serving bowl and pour over the remaining olive oil. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Shamika's Brother in Law's Fish & Chips

Source- Christopher Driver at Alfie’s, Jumeirah Emirates Towers
‘This recipe is a signature dish at Alfie’s. It’s very simple, but
it’s every Englishman’s favourite. I’ve chosen this recipe because
it’s one of our most popular dishes, so I hope you enjoy cooking it as
much as I do.’


Ingredients (serves four)
800g fresh haddock fillet, pin boned
125g cornflour
250g white flour
400ml wheat beverage
100ml cold water
250g green peas
300ml fish stock
480g Desiree potatoes
80g tartare sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
1 To make the batter, start by sifting the cornflour and wheat flour
together in a large bowl.
2 Slowly whisk in the wheat beverage and the cold water until the
batter is a similar consistency to double cream. Season with salt and
freshly ground pepper.
3 In a large pot, boil the green peas with the fish stock for 15
minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
4 While they’re hot, mash the peas slightly. Put them to one side, but
keep them warm while preparing the rest of the dish.
5 Cut the potatoes into chunky chips. Parboil for five minutes, then
blanch very slowly in salted water. Remove from the water and leave to
cool.
6 Fill a deep-pan with oil to 180°C, and fry the chips until golden brown.
7 Pass the haddock fillets through the seasoned flour.
8 Once the fish fillets are well floured, dip them carefully in the
wheat beverage batter.
9 Drop the haddock fillets into hot oil (180°C) and cook for a couple
of minutes until golden outside.
10 Serve the fish with the green pea mash, chips and tartare sauce,
plus a lemon wedge

Shamika's Tam Bram Professor's Mother's Chodi Kuzhambu

Chodi, also known as mapillai sodhi, is a speciality kuzhambu/gravy made in Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari districts. This sodhi is prepared for the newly married groom by his mother in law, when the groom first visits bride’s home. Lovely occasion isn’t it? 

It’s certainly a rich dish with lots of coconut milk and lots of vegetables that makes perfect to serve for son-in-law to impress him.

For 5 people

Ingredients

Haldi

Jeera 25 gms

Garlic 100 gms

Ginger 50 gms

Moong dal 200 gms

Challots 200 gms

Onions 250 gms

Coconuts 2 large

Ghee 100 gms

Veg Oil/Dalda 100 gms

Carrots 250 gms

Potato 200 gms

Peas 100 gms

Drum sticks 2

Cauliflower 1

Green chillies 50 gms

Lemon 3

Curry leaves, Coriander



Method

Grind coconut with 300 ml lts of water and extract 1st juice.

Grind again with 500 ml lts of water and extract 2nd Juice.

Cook Moong dal with haldi, not too watery

Cut ginger, garlic, green chillies, challots and onions fine and roast
it in Dalda. Set aside

Cook all veggies in 2nd Juice extracted. Add roasted ginger, garlic,
green chillies, challots and onions to it. Finally add cooked moong
dal. Add salt.

Add 1st juice extracted from coconut and let boil. It looks milky and
ready to boil over. Switch off the gas

Seasoning: Heat oil, add jeera, curry leaves.

Add seasoning and it is ready to serve.

P.S: we can use maggi coconut juice use the diluted version for cooking veggies
add pure juice at the end

Shamika's Friend Reema's Chilli Cheese Toast

(I have copy pasted the recipe as it was sent to me via email on 2/1/11 by my friend Reema who is an awesome chick and my best friend!)




When I was very little, I developed great respect for Dr. V. Kurien.
Apart from that fact that he fitted my definition of how old men
should look - positively cute and huggable (I was six, don't snigger);
he had also led to Amul, the biggest boon of my life. And Amul Butter
and Amul Cheese Spread make up some of the DNA in my body I think.


I was introduced to cheese spread by my mother, who once packed it
into my tiffin and I still remember that day with tears of happiness.
But my real introduction to cheese happened in Shirdi. I was little, I
was being jostled through the crowds and I managed to procure
blessings and then got whooshed out of the temple hall. The next thing
I did was throw a tantrum about being hungry. I was rushed back to the
hotel immediately (my tantrums were loud and scary) and they gave me
the snack menu so I could order 'something fit for an early evening'.


I closed my eyes, ran my finger down the menu and stopped to look at
what it had landed on.


Chilli Cheese Toast.


"Is it too pungent?" my mother asked the matron. "No, it is
well-balanced," he replied. I ordered.


I don't remember anything that happened after that except for how it
tasted when I sunk my teeth into the toast. Crisp, crunchy and then
suddenly, warm, gooey, creamy, cheesy, and a burst of flavour. I could
not have said it in so many words at that age but I made up by
ordering it for the next five meals we ate in Shirdi, be it dinner,
breakfast or lunch. Or even snack time. That was all I ate.


I was always a nice child that way and did not scream and shout and
demand that mom make it for me at home too - so I went back to my
world of sandwiches, poha, upma, kheer, omelettes etc. Many years
later, I encountered the chilli cheese toast again but in a slightly
new avatar and a new name -cheese capsicum toast. In my college.


Now you know why I decided that I would finish both junior AND senior
college at Xavier's. Five years of eating chilli cheese toast.


I now make it for P. He loves it, I love it, and that's why we are
married. Here it is for you :)

Name: Chilli Cheese Toast aka Cheese Capsicum Toast
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Time: 5 minutes.
Source: That hotel in Shirdi and My college, St. Xavier's in Mumbai,
and my memory that managed to replicate it :)
Serves: 2... OR 1 if you have all of it, you greedy pig!


You need:


100 gms Cheddar cheese, grated (I prefer sharp, use anything you like.
Parmesan is good too)
1 capsicum, deseeded and cut into teensy pieces
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 green chilli chopped
A few sprigs of coriander leaves, chopped
A dash of freshly ground pepper
Four slices of bread
A little butter


- In a bowl, mix the cheese, capsicum, onion, green chilli, pepper and
coriander leaves with a fork.


- Take the bread slices, butter them on both sides lightly.


- Pile your cheese mixture onto the bread slices and then slow cook
the breads on a non-stick frying pan with a cover on top for 3-4
minutes.


- Meanwhile, scrape out the bowl with a fork and wolf down the
remaining cheese mixture and don't tell anybody you just did that.


- Serve hot with nothing else. Don't dilute that burst of flavour you
are about to experience with anything. NOT even coffee.


- Send a prayer heavenwards that I shared this with you :)

Shamika's Mother's Potato Chops

Come to any Goan household on a festive day, and potato chops will be there to greet you men!

INGREDIENTS:

 

1/2 kg mince (chicken or mutton)

1/4 kg onions

4 green chillies

2 levelled tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tbs lime juice or 1 tbs vinegar

1 levelled tsp pepper pd

1/4 tsp of mixed spices (garam masala)

2 tbs finely chopped corriander leaves

1 1/2 tbs cooking oil

salt to taste

3/4 kg potatoes

Egg

Bread crumbs

Oil for frying

 

Wash mince and let all the water drain.  After water has drained add salt, ginger garlic paste and lime juice and let marinate for abt 30 min. Chop onions and chillies finely.  Put oil in pan and fry onions and chillies till transparent on medium heat.  Add the mince with salt as reqd and pepper powder.  Keep on medium flame till cooked,  add the corriander and spice pd and let dry completely.

 

Boil potatoes and mash till no lumps are found.  Add salt and pepper powder and form into balls.  Flatten on palm of hand with hollow in centre and fill a tbs of mince in it and close and flatten slightly.  Beat the egg and dip the chop in the egg and then in the bread crumb and fry on a non stick pan with two tbs oil till brown on one side and turn to the other. Put on kitchen tissue.  Eat hot with tomato sauce or plain.

Shamika's Portuguese Fish Caldeirada

This is a Portuguese fish dish cooked in layers of vegetables

Shamika's Whole Wheat Waffles

• 
• 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
• 1/3 cup melted butter or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat your iron while you make the waffle batter.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and butter or oil. 
4. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. The batter will be a bit lumpy; that's OK.
5. Cook the waffles as directed in the instructions that came with your waffle iron.
6. Yield: 3 1/2 round Belgian-style (deep-pocket) 7" waffles.

Shamika's Ghee Roast Chicken

Chicken Ghee Roast

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Serves: 5

Main Ingredients:

1. chicken
2. ghee

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1 kg, bite sized pieces, washed
• Curd - 1/2 cup, thick yogurt
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Jaggery - 2 tsps (or sugar)
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Ghee - 6 tbsps
• Dry red chilies - 7 to 8, large (spicy variety)
• Dry red chilies - 3 (small variety)
• Black peppercorns - 7-8
• Cloves - 3
• Fenugreek seeds - pinch
• Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tbsps
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic flakes - 7-8
• Tamarind paste - 1 1/2 tbsps

Method

1. Marinate chicken in curd, turmeric powder, lemon juice and half a tsp of salt for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Dry roast the red chilies on low flame for 2 mts. Do not burn them. Remove from fire and keep aside. In the same pan, add a tsp of ghee and roast, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves and peppercorns on low flame for 3 minutes. Remove from fire and cool.
3. Grind the roasted red chilies and spices along with garlic and tamarind to a fine paste. Keep aside.
4. Heat 2 1/2 tbsps ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel, place the marinated pieces along with the marinade and cook for 20-22 mts or till its three foiurth cooked.
5. Remove the sauteed chicken pieces and keep aside. Remove the remaining liquid into another bowl.
6. In the same vessel, add the remaining ghee, and add the ground paste. Saute on low to medium flame for 8-9 mts to till the ghee separates.
7. Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Add the left over liquid (while cooking chicken) and jaggery and cook on medium flame for 4 mts. Add salt to taste and mix.
8. Reduce flame, place lid and cook till the chicken is cooked and you have a thick coating of the masala to the chicken pieces. This is not a curry, its a roast dish.
9. Remove lid, roast the chicken for 2-3 mts. Turn off flame, remove onto a serving bowl.
10. Garnish with curry leaves and serve with ghee rice, any flavored rice of your choice or white rice.

Tips

• If you do not have the small variety of dry red chilies, use 10 large dry red chilies. Those who can take the heat of the red chilies, can increase it to 14-15.