cod fish recipes: July 2010

Spicy aubergine with basil

For all the aubergine (eggplant) fans out there, if you like my aubergine recipes here is another one for you. The recipe is something I put together what I can find in my fridge and overload of basil in the garden. It's Thai flavour combining some of my favourite ingredients together. It's not pretty but very yummy. If you do try hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Ingredients:2 medium

Konjac or konnyaku

Have you ever eaten S E Asian style Konjac candy, rubbery jelly/jello cups that look like these? I like them but in recent years this candy had very bad press and banned in some countries due to some children choked to death eating them. I reckon children could eat these jelly cups without chewing and also sucking the jelly out of the plastic cup can be dangerous because the lump of jelly can

Cheera /Red Spinach Thoran and an award!

Ingredients:

Red spinach- 1 bunch

Crushed Garlic -3

Grated Coconut -1/2cup

Green chillies -3

Coconut oil

Curry leaves

Mustard seeds

Salt

Method:

Wash the spinach and chop finely.Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard.Add crushed garlic,curry leaves and green chillies.Mix it well and keep it covered.Cook on medium flame for about 8 -10 minutes.Add grated coconut and mix well.Serve hot with rice.

AWARD TIME

I got 'The versatile blogger' award from Suja of Kitchen Corner .Thanks a lot dear for remembering me :)
To accept this award, and to thank the person awarded this to you,share 7 things about yourself and list 15 friends you like to pass this award.

About Myself

I love my hubby more than anything in this world.
Very short tempered:)
Cooking is a passion for me and I love to experiment new dishes.
A Shopping freak.
Value friendship and very sincere in that.
Spend most of the time infront of my computer.
Love cats.

I would like to share this award to the following buddies.

Namitha and Sunitha
Vineetha
Sarah Naveen
Vrinda
Kairali Sisters
Swathi
Priya
Prani
Ganga
Nitha
Jess
Fathima
Aps
RV
Palatable

Happy blogging friends :)
Love
Sree

Stir fried rice noodles with beef 乾炒牛河

I love all kinds of stir fried rice noodles to name a few like Malaysian/S'porean/Bruneian chow kway teow 炒粿條, Thai pad thai, Hong Kong beef with soft scrambled egg 滑蛋牛河 (wat dan ngau ho), but today I am cooking Hong Kong style dried stir fried rice noodles with beef 乾炒牛河 (kon chow ngau ho), similar to chow kway teow.I have eaten many kon chow ngau ho 乾炒牛河 in Wong Kee (London China town) years

Arikadukka/Stuffed Mussels

Arikadukka or Kallummakaya Nerachathu or Stuffed Mussel is one of the famous snacks in Kannur,especially in Thalassery.I tasted this first from one of my friends during our hostel days and it was so yummy. I made this 6months back when we were in Netherlands.There we used to get lots of fresh mussels.You can make this only with fresh mussels, as this one needs the fresh shells to make.

Here goes the recipe...

Ingredients:

Mussels -15-20

For Stuffing

Rice flour -2cups
Shallots -4
Grated Coconut - 1/4cup
cumin seeds -1tsp
salt

For the batter

Chilli powder -2tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp
Rice Flour -1tbsp
Salt

Method

Boil the mussels with enough water,till the shells open.Drain it and clean the mussels.Keep it aside.

Grind together shallot,coconut, and cumin seeds.Add this paste and salt to rice flour .Mix well and make a smooth dough by adding enough hot water.Stuff the mussels with the dough and steam it for 15 minutes.Allow to cool.Remove the shell.

Mix together chilli powder,turmeric,riceflour and little salt.Add 2-3tbsp of water to this and make a batter.
Heat oil in a pan.dip the steamed mussels in the batter and deep fry it.

Caramelised wings

This recipe is based on Vietnamese caramel pork belly. I have been cooking this repeatedly for many years and still not tired of it. It's a rewarding recipe with only few ingredients and simple method. The wings are succulent and full of flavour, sweet and salty. Finger licking good. Whenever I cook this, all I need is just plain white rice, nothing else.If you like cola wings you will love this

Japanese style potato salad

I haven't posted any Japanese recipes. This recipe today isn't traditional Japanese it's western influenced potato salad. I love this, it has so many bits added giving it interesting texture and colourful. It's a meal on its own. Great for a hungry munchy anytime of the day or night. Lovely as filling for crunchy baguette or serve with BBQ.Here is how I make this tasty potato salad.Ingredients:

Almond tofu 杏仁豆腐

Almond tofu is the Chinese version of panna cotta but much much healthier without the heavy cream and vegan friendly.Almond tofu in Chinese is 杏仁豆腐 read as 'sin ren do fu' in Mandarin or 'hung yen dou fu' in Cantonese. This is a Cantonese cold dessert great for the summertime. Most Cantonese dim sum restaurants will have this dessert on their trolleys whizzing around you with all the other

Meen/Fish Vattichathu

Ingredients:

Fish (Sardines or small mackerel ) - 1/2kg
Crushed dried red chilli - 1-2tbsp
Crushed Small onions - 25
Crushed Ginger - 1tbsp
Crushed garlic - 1tbsp
Curry leaves - 4 strands
Coconut oil - 3tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Vinegar - 1tsp
water -1cup
Salt

Method:

Clean the fish and keep aside.Heat oil in a clay pot and add crushed ginger,garlic ,small onions and curry leaves.Saute for 4-5 minutes.Add crushed red chillies and turmeric powder and mix well.Pour vinegar,water and salt to this.Cover and cook it for 10 minutes.After that open it and cook it on low flame for another 10 minutes ot till the gravy is thick.Serve hot.

Recipe Courtesy - Vanitha Magazine

Spam and XO sauce fried rice

Spam is my regular store cupboard ingredient. A slice or two fried till golden on a bowl of instant noodles with a fried egg will always satisfy the junk food mood I am in sometime.To show my continuous support for all things spamalicious, spam fried rice does occur on my dining table every now and again, another fast food fix.Today's spam fried rice is slightly different. I have a jar of XO

Mashed aubergine salad 拌茄泥

Another aubergine (egg plant) recipe? You must think I am mad. Yes, every week when I go shopping if I see aubergines on offer I must bring some home. I bought four yesterday. I wanted to use half straight away because of limited fridge space and the other half later in the week.So what tickle my tastebuds this time? I want something guilt free (reasonably low fat), easy to make and tasty.

Bhindi (Okra)Masala

Ingredients:

Bhindi - 1/4kg

Shallot - 5-6

Tomato -1,medium

Ginger (Crushed)-1small piece

Garlic cloves (crushed)- 3

Green chillies - 3

Chilli powder -1/2tsp

Turmeric powder -1/4tsp

Coriander powder -1tsp

Curry leaves

Coriander leaves

Oil

Salt

Method:

Cut Bhindi diagonally.Heat oil in a pan.Add Chopped shallots,ginger,garlic ,green chillies and curry leaves.Saute well for 2-3 minutes.Add chopped tomato and stir for another 3 minutes.Add all the masala powders,salt and mix well.Add bhindi and mix it well.Cover and cook it on low flame.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Beijing style courgette pancake 老北京糊塌子

I didn't know they have courgette (zucchini) in China, all the time I thought courgette is a Western vegetable. Oriental courgette (zucchini) is similar to western type but the skin is usually much lighter in colour, like pastel green. In China they called courgette 'si hu lu 西葫蘆'.There is one Beijingnese favourite snack 'xiao chi 小吃' it's courgette pancake which the Beijingnese given it a funny

Rava Dosa

Ingredients:

Rava - 1/2cup
Riceflour -1/2cup
Maida - 1/4cup
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Finely chopped ginger - 1tsp
Chopped green chillies - 3
Chopped onion - 3tbsp(optional)
Chopped Cashewnuts - 2tbsp(optional)
Asafoetida - 1/4tsp
Water - 3 1/2cups
Salt
Ghee

Method:

Combine all the above ingredients except ghee.The batter should be watery.Let it sit for 15-30 minutes.
Heat a nonstick tava.Tava should be very hot while you pouring the water.
Pour a laddle full batter from the outward base of the tava in a circular motion and spread the batter to fill the whole tava.Sprinke ghee on top of it.Cook the dosa till it get a nice golden brown color.
Serve with chutney .

Thai beef with sweet basil and roasted rice

I have a bumper crop of Thai sweet basil at the moment. Every summer I grow quite of lot of this favourite herb from cuttings. I bought a pack of basil, trimmed and put the stems in water, covered the leaves with perforated clear plastic bag and put in a cool light area. Change the water and clean the stems every few days to remove any decays. In about 10 - 14 days the cuttings would have long

Kappa(Tapioca) Chips

Ingredients:

Tapioca - 1

Salt as reqd

Oil for frying

Method:

Remove the outer skin of tapioca.

Using a vegetable slicer or knife, slice the tapioca thinly.

Heat oil in a pan.Deep fry the sliced tapioca till golden brown color.

Sprinkle some salt when it is hot.Serve with tea.

New blog format

I have just found out Blogger has a new blog template designer facility. Very easy to use and I quite like this new design I selected. Simple and easy on the eye. What do you think? Do you have any comments or things you like me to include.I am still in the process of formatting the design may change things around. So excuse the work in progress.

Dry fried green beans 干煸四季豆

Sichuanese dried fried green beans. i.e. 'gan bian si ji dou' 干煸四季豆, are delicious with rice or just with beer. The beans are tender sweet and a bit spicy with yummy salty bits of dried shrimps and Sichuan preserved vegetable (zha chai). Many recipes like to add minced pork (ground pork) I find it unnecessary.The beans are fried in oil then stir fried. You may be disgusted how oily it can be,

Payar Mezhukkupuratti/Long beans stir fry

Ingredients:

Long Beans - 15 nos

Shallots- 5

Green chilli - 3

Curry leaves

Coconut oil

Salt

Method:

Wash and remove top and tail of the beans.Cut them length wise.In a thick bottomed pan add long beans,salt,green chillies and little water .Cover and cook it on low fame.Meanwhile heat oil in another pan and saute the chopped shallots for 4 minutes.Add curry leaves.Add the cooked long beans and stir it for a couple of minutes.Serve hot with rice.

catnip: how to lure your cat with catnip bubbles?

Have you ever heard of catnip? many people don't know this herb of the mint family (also called cat mint), today I will share with you an amazing article on how to lure your cat with catnip bubbles

If you want to find out more about the Nepeta Cataria (catnip), here is the wikipedia entry page for it.

Enjoy!

Lissie - When I'm Alone (Live)

I love this song :)!

Cold chicken noodles with sesame dressing 麻醬雞絲冷麵

It hot hot hot over here. I just want to keep away from cooking as much as I can.Cold noodles is something which is quite appetising in this warm weather. Cold noodles with sesame dressing 'ma jiang ren mian' 麻醬冷麵 is common in northern part of China as a snack for the warm summer. This cold dressed noodles can be plain (vegetarian) with a bit of vegetables like bean sprouts and/or cucumber. For

Rava laddu

Ingredients:

Rava - 1cup

Sugar-3/4 cup

Ghee- 2tbsp

Milk -1/4cup

Grated Coconut - 1/2cup

Cardmom powder - 1/4tsp

Cashews & Raisins for garnishing

Method:

Heat ghee in a pan.Fry the cashews and raisins and keep it aside.In the same pan add rava and roast it on low flame until you get a nice aroma.
When the rava turns light brown add coconut , sugar and cardmom powde.Stir for 3-4 minutes.
Keep aside and cool for 3 minutes.Add milk ,cashews and raisins, mix well.When the mixture is warm make balls out of it.

Simple smoothie

It is so hot outside. My favourite cold drink is smoothie :). Yummy!
Ingredients:
500 gram Frozen fruits2 Bananas0.5 liter MilkIce cubes
Blend all ingredients. You can decorate with mint :).

Vazhakoombu/Plantain Flower Thoran

Ingredients:

Plantain Flower - 1

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Mustard seeds -1/2tsp

Red chillies - 2

Crushed garlic -4

Coconut oil

Curry Leaves

Salt

Method:

Remove 3-4 outer layer of the banana flower.Chop it finely and mix it with 1tbsp of coconut oil.Keep it aside for 1/2 an hour.Het oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds,red chillies and curry leaves.Add crushed garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.Add the chopped banana flower with salt and turmeric.Cover and cook it on low flame.Add grated coconut and saute for 3 minutes.Serve with rice.