Pumpkin Cookies

When we moved into this house last October, our neighbors welcomed us into the neighborhood. I decided to make something festive to thank them for making us feel so welcome. I found this recipe for  Old-fashioned Soft Pumkin Cookies from www.verybestbaking.com.

Fast forward to this year. I was talking to my neighbor the other day when she reminded my son how wonderful the cookies were. Of course that prompted me to bake another batch. It is still a big hit with my kids ( I had a tough time saving a few for the pictures). I decided to skip the glazing though (why give them more sugar)!!! These are drop cookies, one of the easiest you can make.

On another note, this was the first thing I made in our new stand up mixer my husband bought me. I have to say it does make baking easier.



Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 18 min
Makes: 36 cookies

Ingredients:


All- purpose flour: 2 1/2 cups
Baking soda: 1 tsp
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
Ground nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Granulated sugar: 1 1/2 cups
Butter: 1/2 cup, softened
Pumpkin puree: 1 cup
Egg: 1 large
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

For the glaze: Powdered sugar: 2 cups
Milk: 3 tbsp
Melted butter: 1 tbsp
Vanilla extract: 1tsp

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease baking sheets or line them with aluminium foil.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoons (or a cookie drop, if you happen to have that in hand) onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 min; remove to wire racks to cool completely if you intent to glaze them. If you're choosing to skip the glazing, dig in while it is still warm.

For the glaze; Combine all the ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Easy Coconut Laddoo

Who wouldn't like some quick easy-to-make sweets, with no cooking involved. This recipe from a cooking show on TV is sure to be a hit with your friends every time you make it. Given that Diwali is around the corner, I thought I will give it a try.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min + 30 min setting time
Cooking time: Nil
Makes: 17 laddoos

Ingredients:


Desiccated coconut/ sweetened coconut flakes: 3 3/4 cups
Sweetened condensed milk: 4-5 tbsp
Food colour: a few drops (optional)

Add 3 cups of the desiccated coconut in a bowl and add about 4 tbsp of condensed milk. Add the food colour and combine well. Add more condensed milk if needed, to make balls, 1 tsp at a time. Make balls/ laddoos and keep aside.

Spread 3/4 cups of desiccated coconut to a shallow dish and roll the laddoos to coat. Allow to set in the refrigerator for 30 min before serving.

Paneer "fish" curry

Fish curry is a favorite dish of most people from Kerala. It is one of those dishes, that the mere mention of, makes people salivate (at least the ones that have heard before). It is a unique explosion of saltiness, heat and sourness (പുളി) that makes this special. There is nothing subtle about this dish.

Unfortunately, this dish was out of bounds for vegetarians (given that it is generally made with fish) like me. I decided to see if I can recreate this dish in a form that I can enjoy and I must say I now know why Fish Curry invokes such strong reactions from a native Keralite. 

Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 10min
Cooking time: 25 min
Makes: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:


Paneer: 1 cup (cut into 1/2" cubes)
Garlic: 1 tbsp, cut lengthwise
Onion: 1/2 medium, finely chopped
Oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder: 4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Green chillies: 6 medium, cut in half
Tamarind cocentrate: 1 tsp (or if using tamarind, size of a small lime)
Salt: to taste
Curry leaves: leaves of 2 sprigs
Fenugreek powder: 1/2 tsp

Fry the Paneer cubes in a bit of oil so that they are seared well on all sides and keep aside.

Heat the oil on a medium-low flame and add the mustard seeds. After it splutters, reduce the flame to low. Add the garlic, onion and saute until light brown. Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, fenugrek powder, coriander powder and saute until the raw taste of the spices have disappeared. Add enough water to make sure that the paneer (once added) will be covered. Add the fried paneer and mix well. Cover and cook for about 15 min. Remove the lid and cook until the gravy is your desired consistency.

Kid-friendly Tiramisu

I really wanted to do something special for my 100th post. (I really can't believe I got here but more of that later.) A dessert to celebrate was on top of my mind and that too something special and gourmet. This sentiment was confirmed as I reached out to my friends and well wishers for their suggestions.

Tiramisu would be one of the most popular Italian desserts. Unfortunately, it is not really something you want to give young kids, given the ingredients include Espresso (coffee) and rum, unless off course you want them bouncing off the walls. I decided to make some changes to the recipe from Chef Giada de Laurentiis of the Food Network, so as to make it kid-friendly. I am replacing the Espresso with Caramel to match both the color as well as the bitterness they provide. The Rum, I skipped altogether. 


Do note Tiramisu has raw eggs and you want to be careful especially if you pregnant or are otherwise susceptible to infection

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 30 min + 2 hrs. for setting

Cooking time: Nil

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

Egg yolks: 3

Sugar: 2 tbsp + 3/4 cups

Mascarpone cheese: 8 oz. (225 gms.), at room temperature

Ladyfingers/ savoiardi: 18

Water: 1 1/2 cups

Baking cocoa powder, chocolate shavings: for garnish

In a saucepan, heat 3/4 cups sugar with 1/4 cups water (on a medium flame) until the sugar has caramelised (until it turns dark brown), stirring continuously. Remove from fire and add this to  1 1/4 cups hot water immediately (You may want to stand back while doing that, or you will think you are in a Chemistry lab. Also note, if you add the water into the hot caramel, it will suddenly come to a boil). Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and 2 tbsp sugar using a hand blender or a stand up mixer until thick and pale, about 5 min. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth. Add 1 tbsp from the above caramelised sugar mixture and mix well until well combined. 

In a shallow bowl, add the rest of the caramelised sugar mixture. Dip each ladyfinger in the mixture for only 5 sec. Letting the ladyfingers to soak for long will cause it to fall apart. Place the soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a 8 in x 4 in loaf pan, breaking them in half if necessary to fit the bottom. 

Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over this. Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers and top with the remaining mascarpone mixture. 

Cover the Tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for atleast 2 hrs, upto 8 hrs. 

Before serving, sprinkle baking cocoa and/or chocolate shavings.

RAW EGG WARNING
I suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Tapioca & salmon ( കപ്പ & മീന്‍ ) cutlets

One of the most famous traditional dishes in Kerala is Tapioca and Fish( കപ്പ & മീന്‍ ) Curry. This is my attempt to recreate that dish in a different format.

Tapioca is also called Cassava.


Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 5 min + 2 hrs. for marination
Cooking time: 45 min
Makes: 8 big cutlets (about 4 servings)

Ingredients:


Tapioca: 1 1/2 cups, cooked with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt
Salmon: 6 oz. fillet (about 175 gms)
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp + 1 tsp
Fish masala: 1 tsp
Lime juice: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp + for deep-frying
Onion: 1 small, finely chopped
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: a few
Egg: 1, beaten with 1 tbsp water (egg-wash)
Breadcrumbs: 1 cup
Cookie-cutter; optional

Marinate the salmon fillet with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2tsp chilli powder, fish masala, lime juice and salt to taste. Keep aside for 2 hrs., the longer the better.

Mash the tapioca well, taking care to remove the middle vein. 

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil and shallow fry the salmon until well done (about 3-4 min on each side). Pull the salmon apart into small pieces.

In another skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil and saute the onion until light brown. Add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and continue sauteing. Add the rest of the turmeric powder and chilli powder. Saute for 2 min. Add the mashed tapioca and mix well. Now add the pulled salmon and mix well until everything is uniformly distributed. Keep aside for 10 min, so as to let it cool a bit.

Allow the oil (for deep-frying) to heat up on a high flame. In the meantime, have an assembly line ready- the tapioca- salmon mixture, egg-wash and breadcrumbs. Take some from the mixture and shape in the shape you desire (or use a cookie-cutter for a better finish). Dip it well in the egg-wash and roll in breadcrumbs. And then into the hot oil (on high flame) until golden brown, after turning sides once in between. Repeat for the rest. Serve hot with ketchup or masala chilli sauce or hot & sweet sauce.

This was taken by my 4-yr old son!

Chicken sheekh kabab

A few days ago, I was watching a cookery show on TV when my son remarked that I should make Kababs at home similar to what was shown there (Similar to how they are made in restaurants). This recipe though, is completely mine.


Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 15 - 20 min + 2-3 hrs for marination
Cooking time: 20 - 30 min
Makes: 12 kababs

Ingredients:


Chicken tenderloins: 8 (about 500 gms), cut into big chunks
Onion: 1 medium, cut into big chunks
Ginger- garlic paste: 3/4 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Lime juice: 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder: 1 tsp
Chicken masala: 1 tbsp
Pepper powder: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Curry leaves: a few
Cooking oil/ cooking oil spray
Bamboo/ wooden skewers
Aluminium foil

Grind everything except the cooking oil/ spray to a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl and add salt to taste. Mix everything well so as to incorporate all the flavors uniformly.

Grease your hand lightly and take a small portion from the mixture. With your other hand, take a skewer and press the mix around tightly. Take more from the above mixture if needed to finish it. Repeat for the rest of the skewers. Arrange on a lined baking tray and refrigerate for 2-3 hrs.

Heat a grill/ grill pan/ skillet. On a high flame, spray cooking oil and arrange the skewers. Reduce the flame to medium-low and cover with aluminium foil. Turn sides every 2-3 min, until completely cooked through.

Goes well with cilantro chutney/ mint chutney.

The ground paste

On the hot skillet

Peanut Laddoo

I was looking for some easy sweets to make for Saraswathi Pooja (Navrathri). A friend of mine, Arathy, was telling me how her mom used to make this for her daughter every day as tea-time snack (right as she came back from school).

This is perhaps the easiest laddoo I've ever known. The moisture from the brown sugar is the binder here.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: Nil
Makes: 13 small laddoos

Ingredients:


Peanuts: 1/2 cup
Brown sugar: 1/2 cup

Coarse-grind the peanuts and keep aside. Add the brown sugar and mix well. Shape into small laddoos. Dig in.

Granny Smith Apple Pickle

Usually when I make pickles at home, I use mangoes (see an earlier post of mine). I just wanted to see if I can experiment with something else. Granny Smith apples apparently are good too.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time:  2-3 min
Makes: 1 1/2 cup

Ingredients:


Granny smith apples, chopped in to small pieces: 1 1/2 cup (1 medium)
Oil: 1 tsp
Chilli powder: 2 tsp
Asafoetida powder: a pinch
Salt: to taste

Heat the oil in a skillet. Keep it aside once it gets very hot. To this, add the chilli powder and asafoetida powder. Mix well until the raw taste of the spices have gone (about 2 min). Add the chopped apple along with enough salt and mix well. Allow to cool completely before transferring to a bottle.

Chinese Potato upperi/ koorka upperi (കൂര്‍ക്ക ഉപ്പേരി )

If you were to ask me what my favourite vegetable in this whole world is, I can say without a second thought that it is chinese potato (കൂര്‍ക്ക). 

But here in the US, we get only frozen ones and even then it's tough to get good ones. It is better to start with uncooked ones (this is because the cooked ones are usually cooked without salt or anything) and then cook it with salt and turmeric powder. 

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 15-20 min

Cooking time: 10 min

Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

Cooked chinese potato: 2 cups(cooked with salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder)

Turmeric powder: a pinch

Chilli powder: 2 tsp

Chopped shallots/ onions: 1/2 cup

Oil: 1 tbsp

Curry leaves: a few (optional)

Green chillies: 2 or 3.split in half(optional)

Salt: to taste

Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a skillet and saute the onion until light brown. Add the turmeric powder and chilli powder and saute for 2 min. Add the curry leaves (and green chillies if you decide to add them) and saute for 1 min. Then add the chinese potato and mix everything well. Drizzle the rest of 1/2tbsp oil and allow to cook on a  low flame to get it nice and crisp. Serve hot with rice.

Traditional flattened rice(poha) sweet(അവല്‍ നനച്ചത്‌ )

This is a quick tea-time snack, and can be served cold or at room temperature. Keeping it aside for 15 min allows all the flavours to seep into the poha. But make sure you don't keep it for more than hour, or it can get really soggy. 

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 5 min+ 15 min

Cooking time: Nil

Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

Flattened rice (poha/ അവല്‍): 2 cups

Grated jaggery (ശര്‍ക്കര): 3/4 cup

Grated coconut: 1/4 cup

Black sesame seeds (എള്ള്‌): 1 tsp

Raisins/ rock candy (കല്‍ക്കണ്ടം): 2 tbsp each(optional)

Wash and  clean the poha. Add the rest of the ingredients to this and mix well. Keep aside for 15 min (preferably) before digging in.

Variations of this dish includes one option where you substitute sugar for Jaggery. Another variation involves melting the jaggery and then mixing the rest of the ingredients into it. You can also replace the shredded coconut with coconut pieces in this version. This version also keeps for a few days compared to the version listed above.