DUCK ROAST USING MAGGI COCONUT MILK

TRADITIONAL DUCK PREPARATION OF KERALA..IT TASTES BEST WHEN COOKED SKIN ON...SINCE THE SKIN POURS OUT A LOT OF FAT FROM IT WHILE IT GETS COOKED,ITS BEST TO USE AS LITTLE OIL AS POSSIBLE FOR FRYING THE MASALAS... IN THIS CASE I SUGGEST USING A GOOD QUALITY NON STICK COOKING VESSEL..FOR THE MEASUREMENT SPECIFIED BELOW WE NEED QUITE A LARGE VESSEL..YOU MAY SKIM OFF SOME OF THE FAT THAT FLOATS ,AT THE END OF COOKING...

INGREDIENTS:-

1)Skin-on duck meat--2.500 gm

2)Onions or shallots chopped or sliced--2 cups

3)Green chillies chopped--4-5

4)Black Pepper--1tbsp
5)Ginger chopped--3/4 cup

Crush the above ingredients from 2-5 and keep aside..

6)Coriander powder--5 heaped tbsp

7)Kashmiri chili powder--1 level tbsp or less

8)Turmeric powder--1 level tsp

9)Black pepper crushed--1 tbsp

10)Garam Masala--1/2 tbsp and salt

11)Tomatoes chopped--2 cups

12) Maggi cococnut milk powder--1 1/2 cups

13)water to dissolve the coco:milk powder--1/2 cup

14)Curry leaves--3 sprigs

FOR THE KOFTAS:-(optional)

15)Cooked and mashed potatoes--- of two potatoes

16)1 tsp chopped ginger, 1heaped tbsp onions chopped, 2 green chillies chopped and little salt

17)4 slices of bread with the sides removed..( dip the slices in little water first, quickly remove and then squeeze out between the palms...)

METHOD:-

Slice the duck meat into fairly large pieces as we do for biriyani...Do not remove the skin as it is the skin that gives that spl taste to duck preparations..Wash well using little vinegar diluted with water..Keep aside.

Heat some oil in a large vessel and saute the crushed ingredients until light brown in colour...Add the powders(6-10) and salt and fry till the raw smell completely disappears.. Stir in the tomatoes and again fry till oil starts to float..Now add the cleaned duck meat and fry for some time.. You can see the oil oozing out from the meat as it gets cooked.. This is because we have left the skin on..Cover the vessel and cook over slow flame untill the meat is cooked well..Do not add any water..The juices from the meat is enough for cooking.. I dont use a pressure cooker for this purpose asI find that cooking slowly will let the pieces absorb all the taste of the masalas used..It will take some time to get cooked..But its worth the wait!!..Once the meat is cooked well, add coconut milk powder ,made creamy by adding half a cup of water..It will quickly get incoporated into the gravy left..The gravy should be of a coating consistancy.If you want a runny gravy, add more water to the coconut milk powder while dissolving it..

TO MAKE THE KOFTAS:-Mix all the ingredients well till smooth and make into oblong or round shapes and shallow fry..Do not deep fry..Serve as garnish with the duck roast.

Kerala style Palappam goes well with this traditional duck roast.Other options are bread, bread rolls, idiyappam etc

WISHING ALL MY BLOG LAND FRIENDS A VERY MERRY XMAS!!!!................MINI BINOY

SNOW DUST CHRISTMAS COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:-

1) Plain flour--2 and 1/2 cups

2) Sugar--1 cup measured and then powdered

3) Softened unsalted butter--1cup

4) Eggs --2

5)Vanilla essence--1/2 tsp

6)Cinnamon powder--1/2 tsp heaped

7)Cardamom Powder--1/2 tsp heaped

8)Extra powdered sugar for dusting the hot cookies--1/4 cup sifted with a pinch of both the spices plus 1/4 cup plain sugar powder( altogether 1/2 cup)

9) Chopped cashewnuts--1/2 cup(optional)

METHOD:-

Sift the flour with the spices and a pinch of salt . Stir in the chopped cashew nuts...Beat butter with powdered sugar till pale ..Add vanilla essence and eggs one by one and beat again till fluffy.. Mix in the plain flour to form a dough..Do not knead the dough too much.. If the dough is too soft to handle cover with cling film and refrigerate for some time..But do not add more flour... Roll out and cut into shapes using cookie cutters of christmas theme..Bake in a preheated oven(170 degree) for 23 minutes or till light brown.. Remove from oven and dust the hot cookies with spiced powdered sugar .. Let the cookies cool down completely.. Dust again with the remaining plain sugar powder.

WHITE CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY ALMOND CHEESE CAKE

Bewitchingly luscious cheese cake having a delectable aroma that will definitely tingle your tastebuds....After baking the cake should be allowed to remain in the oven till it cools down completely.. This is to prevent it from sinking in the middle..The qty of vanilla essence mentioned is 2 tbsp,which should not be reduced..If using a good qlty non stick cake tin you need not grease it..For other metal tins line the bottom with greased grease proof paper...

I am sending this yummy white chocolate cheese cake recipe to the CHOCO-DELITE'S event by Taste Buds..

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BASE:-

1)Marie biscuits powdered---1 1/2 cups

2)Roughly chopped toasted almonds--1/2 cup

3)Melted butter---1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING:-

1)White cooking chocolate--300 gms(melt it by microwaving at medium for one 1 mnt and 20 seconds..stir well till creamy)

2)Cottage cheese---1kg(mash it well till smooth...or process it in a food processor and then mash it using the palm)

3)Fresh Strawberries--2cups chopped plus a few whole ones to decorate

4)Granulated sugar--1/4 cup

5)Fresh eggs---4 whole plus 2 yolks

6)Vanilla custard powder--2tbsp

7)Vanilla essence--2tbsp

8)Fresh cream---2 tbsp

TO DECORATE :-

1)Powdered and sifted sugar---1/4 cup

2)Few fanned fresh strawberries.

METHOD:-

First prepare the base by mixing all the ingredients mentioned and press it well into the bottom of a loose bottom baking tin..Keep refrigerated until the filling is ready..

Beat the eggs with the mashed smooth cottage cheese and the rest of the ingredients except the cream..Beat only untill combined well..Finally fold in the cream and pour this cheese filling over the base.. Bake in a preheated oven(170 degree) for one hour till the top is light brown...Do not be tempted to take it out from the oven while its still hot.. Let cool completely in the oven lest it would sink in the middle...Once completely cooled take it out and place on a cake stand and remove the side part of the loose bottom tin..Dust with plenty of powdered sugar and decorate with fanned strawberries and a strawberry rose in the center..Serve in slices,chilled.Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator or cover with cling film to preserve the flavour.ENJOYYYY!!!

MAY THE BEAUTY OF THE SEASON BRIGHTEN UP YOUR LIFE AND DECORATE YOUR DAYS, WITH LOVE SMILES AND HAPPINESS!!

WISH ALL MY BLOG LAND FRIENDS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

CARROT PEDA

This is the end product of an experiment I did yesterday....Being Diwali I wanted to come out with something original without following any recipe from the internet or books....Luckily it came out well and delicious..To make it richer I went lavish on the use of condensed milk and cashewnuts..Its anyway a very good combo- cashew,carrot and paneer.Two medium sized carrots will yield about 1 cup of the same after grating ...These pedas are rich, but on spl occasions like Diwali you can excuse youself !The cashewnuts should be soaked in 1/2 cup milk and ground to a fine paste..Do the same with the paneer as well, using little milk from the specified quantity.The specified qty of milk is 3/4 cup.. However use only enough qty of milk for grinding the cashew and paneer.I have not used any colour,the creamy peach colour of the peda is attractive enough.Care should be taken to prevent the mixture from catching on the bottom..So continuous stirring is a requisite..Cardamom powder should be added only after switching off the flame.Store the pedas in an airtight tupperware.I usually keep a few containers for storing sweets..These containers are never used to store curries or any other savoury food items.

HERE ARE THE INGREDIENTS I USED:-

1)Carrots grated fine--1 cup packed

2)Paneer--1 cup

3)Cashewnuts--1/2 cup

4)Nestle condensed milk--1 tin

5)Sugar--1/3 cup

6)Ghee--6 tblsp

7)Cardamom powder--1 tsp

8)Milk for grinding the paneer, for soaking and grinding the nuts,cooking the carrots etc--3/4 cups

METHOD:-

Soak the cashew in 1/2 cup milk..In a clean non stick pan fry the grated carrots until dry stirring all the time to prevent browning..Add 2 tblsp milk and cook till done.

Add the other ingredients such as the creamed paneer, cashewnuts ground to a fine paste with the milk,sugar,condensed milk and 2 tblsps ghee..

Cook and thicken over low flame stirring all the time...Towards the end add the remaining ghee and cook till the mixture becomes thick and a small amount taken out and cooled can be rolled into a smooth soft ball.

Switch off the flame and stir in the cardamom powder..Transfer the mixture into another bowl and let it cool down..

Take small amounts and roll into balls.. Flatten a little to get peda shapes and serve decorated with pistas and silver leaves.

HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL OF YOU!!!

LADIES FINGER THORAN

Iwas getting bored of the usual stir fried ladies finger.Hence thought of having a change tdy and decided to go for a Thoran, the typical south indian version of vegetable preparation for lunch.Here it goes ...

INGREDIENTS FOR THE THORAN:-

1)Ladies finger sliced as seen in picture--2 cups

2)Grated coconut--1 cup

3)Button onions--3 sliced or chopped

4)Green chillies--2 sliced

5)Garlic--1 flake chopped or crushed

6)Curry leaves-2 sprigs

7)salt

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SEASONING:-

1)Oil--2 tblsp

2)Mustard seeds-1tsp

3)Urad dal--1 tsp

4)Sliced onions--2 tbsp

5)Curry leaves--2 sprigs

METHOD:-Heat oil and splutter the mustard seeds followed by urad dal..When the dal starts to turn brown add the sliced onions and curry leaves..Fry till the onions also turn brown and crisp..Remove three fourth of this seasoning into a small bowl and keep aside to garnish the Thoran later..

Mix all the remaining ingredients for the Thoran into the seasoning left in the frying pan,and mix well.Spread it out, using your ladle ..Stir and cook untill the ladies fingers are cooked and no longer slimy..Care should be taken not to brown the coconut.Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot garnished with the seasoning, that has been kept aside.

SWEET N SOUR RAITHA

Have ever wondered what to do with the raw plantain all black and ugly, still somewhat firm but no longer raw ,that has has been left forgotten all thoses days,at the bottom of the veg rack of the fridge!?And have guiltily thrown them out into the waste bin?Pls do not do that again.Give them a delicious make over by turing them into this wonderful Raitha .

1.Raw plantains that have just started to turn ripe(shud be little sweet!)---4 nos

2)Tomatoes cubed--2 medium

3)Green chillies--3 sliced

4)Button onions--3 sliced

5)Curry leaves--3 sprigs

6)Oil --2 tblsp

7)Kashmiri chilli powder--1/2 tsp

8)Mustard seeds--1 tsp

9)Urad dal--1/2 tsp

10) Red chillies split--2 nos

11)Whole black pepper--1 tsp

12)Sliced onions--2 tbsp

13)Coconut grated--3/4 cup

14)Thick slightly sour yoghurt--3/4 cup
15)Salt

METHOD:-

Cook the cubed plantains with sliced green chillies , button onions, two sprigs of curry leaves and salt.. It will get cooked very fast.. When three fourth done, add the cubed tomatoes and cook till the plantains turn mushy..Switch off the flame.

Grind the grated coconut with half the yoghurt , till creamy,and pour it into the cooked plantain tomato mixture..Stir in the rest of the yoghurt,as well .

Now for the seasoning, heat oil in a frying pan, and splutter the mustard seeds followed by the urad dal, black pepper,split red chillies,few curry leaves,red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and finally the sliced onions till the onions turn brown...Pour it into the Raitha and mix well before use.

This Raitha goes well with almost all rice dishes, especially the Indian versions.

POTATO CASHEW FUDGE

Why not make a sweet with a difference this Diwali?Try this yummy potato fudge, with a dash of cashew milk cream and chopped nuts!

INGREDIENTS:-

1)Potatoes cooked and mashed well--1 cup heaped

2)Thich milk--1/2 cup

3)Cashew nuts--1/2 cup

4)Butter--5 - 6 tblsp

5)Sugar--1 1/2 -- 1 3/4 cups

6)Vanilla essence--1 tsp

7)Cardamom powder--1/2 tsp

8)Green food colour--2-3 drops

9)Cashew nuts--10 nos, chopped

METHOD:-

Cook 350 gms of peeled ,washed and cubed potatoes till well cooked and mash well using a potato masher till smooth .....Keep aside covered...Grind cashew nuts with milk till a smooth cream is formed..Take a non stick pan , put sugar and 1/2 cup water and heat till sugar dissolves...Add the mashed potatoes and the cashew milk cream..Cook stirring all the time till the mixture becomes thick and starts to leave the sides of the pan as a single mass..Stir in green colour, vanilla essence, cardamom powder and chopped cashew nuts...Remove from the stove and beat well using a wooden spoon for two minutes..Pour into a buttered dish and let cool down a bit.. Mark into shapes while still warm.. Break into pieces when cooled completely..Store in an airtight container.