Indian Ratatouille

                                                         Ratatouille, The Indian Way

The only reason, I decided to try out this recipe is it's glorious colours.  I was browsing on Pinterest and came across this attractive photograph of the finished dish.  It looked so good that I had to make it.  However, instead of the tomato puree and paste, I decided to use curds (yoghurt) instead.  The trick is to get vegetables of similar size, so that the baking time ensures perfect cooking.  Drench it with curds and you have an appetising main or side dish- as you discover for yourself.

The Recipe:

1 zucchini; 1 purple or green brinjal; 3 medium size tomatoes.  Make sure the vegetables are the same size.
1 cup home made curds; 1 large clove garlic, smashed; salt to taste; 1 green chilli, minced; herbs of your choice; spring onions; 1/4 cup olive oil.

Slice the zucchini, tomatoes and brinjal into thick rounds after washing and drying them.  Soak the brinjal rounds in salted water ( enough to cover) for 10 minutes to remove the bitterness and avoid discolouration.  Drain and keep ready for use.  Mix the olive oil and salt together.  Grease an ovenproof dish and arrange the zucchini, tomatoes and brinjals in rows, side by side.  Pour the olive oil over the vegetables and Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 200 Celcius or until tender. Remove from oven and let it stand for 10 minutes.  In the meanwhile, whisk the curds and smashed garlic together until smooth, adding salt to taste.  Pour it over the baked vegetables.  Scatter the herbs, spring onions and minced chilli over the cuds.  Serve as a main dish or with the rest of the meal.

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Two Ingredient Dulce de Leche Yoghurt Pudding

Two Ingredient Dulce de Leche Yoghurt Pudding

A light bulb went off in my mind a couple of days ago while browsing through my blog.  I

wanted to make an easy dessert to die for with limited ingredients.  I had some left over dulce de leche and a lot of yoghurt or curds as we call it.  So made a minute pudding for taste and another when we had guests over for a cooking class.

The Recipe:

50 gms thick yoghurt (curds); 50 gms condensed milk; a few toasted nuts for garnish.

Whisk the curds and dulce de leche together.  Place in a heat proof mixing bowl.  Cover tightly and steam over boiling water in a cooker or steamer for 20 minutes.  Garnish with nuts just before serving hot or chilled.

That's it.  Simple, quick and absolutely to die for.

NB:  Make sure the yoghurt is thick for a gorgeous, melt in the mouth pudding.

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Brinjal in Spiced Yoghurt

Fried Brinjal Rings in Spiced Curds

As children, none of us liked brinjal or aubergine as it is called in the Western world.  No matter that my Mum did her best to entice us with various recipes.  None suited us and in fact it was our pet hate.  The sight of it was enough to send us into the doldrums.  My children are the same.  It is only now as an adult that I appreciate the humble brinjal.  This is a recipe from my Mum and goes well with rice as a side dish or even with any kind of spiced rice.

The Recipe:

1 large brinjal, sliced into 5 rounds ( I used the round purple variety; 250 ml curds; salt; 1 tsp chilli powder; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tbsp vinegar; salt to taste; oil for shallow frying.

1 clove garlic, smashed; coriander leaves for garnish- optional.

Soak the brinjal in salted water for 15 minutes. ( Add enough of water to cover the brinjal with 1 tsp salt).    Drain and marinade with the chilli powder, turmeric, salt to taste and vinegar for 15 minutes.  Heat oil in a nonstick pan to medium heat and gently fry the brinjal slices till brown on both sides.  Drain on kitchen paper.

After all the slices are fried, add the garlic to the residue in the pan and gently stir fry for a minute.  Scrape this mixture into the curds (yoghurt), add salt to taste and beat with a fork until smooth.  Arrange the brinjal in a shallow dish and pour the beaten, spiced curds over.  Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with the rest of the meal.  This is a very simple dish that goes extremely well with biriyani, pulav, spiced rices and white rice.

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Baked Herby Chicken

Lemony Mint Chicken

I have been trying out various baked recipes with chicken from a cook book I was gifted decades ago.  The best part about these recipes is that you spend a few minutes preparing the ingredients, marinade it overnight and then throw it in the oven and leave it to cook while you get other things done.  Very suitable for a busy day and a great way to save time and multi task.

The Recipe:

1 large chicken (about 2 kgs) skin, joint, wash and drain; 1 bunch mint leaves, washed and chopped; 3 spring onions, washed and minced; 1 medium onion, sliced fine; 1 large tomato, cubed; rind and juice of 1 lemon; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 tsp black pepper, coarsely crushed; salt to taste and 2 cups thick home made curds or yoghurt.

Mix all the ingredients together and marinade the chicken overnight in the refrigerator.  Next day, bring it to room temperature and transfer to a large pyrex dish.  Bake in preheated oven at 250 C  for 45 to 50 minutes or until done ( insert metal skewer in the chicken and when the juices run clear it is done).  Serve hot with any flavoured rice and cucumber salad.

Passion Fruit Salad

Aromatic Salad

This has to be one of the best salads I have ever made.  It not only tastes good and smells divine but looks great and can be a dinner table centre piece.  We have always grown passion fruits in our garden as long back as I can remember- in the ground and in the pot too on our balcony.  Once when our baby girl was two years old, she had a marvellous time plucking all the passion fruits I had so carefully nurtured on my balcony.  I just put them with the rice and they ripened within a few days and we feasted on exotic food and generally had a good time.  When we visited Bali a few years ago I was surprised to eat a variety of Passion fruit that was really sweet and very unlike the ones we had grown in India.  Last week I came across some of the sweet variety in the supermarket and succumbed to them.  Result- one beautiful, aromatic, Passion Fruit Salad that made my dining table look awesome.

The Recipe:

1 cup curds or yoghurt; 1 grated carrot; 2 passion fruits, cut and scoop out the flesh; 1 dragon fruit, diced; salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish:  One red chilli. A sprig of kafir lime leaves.

 I enjoy vegetable carving and try out simple things whenever I can.  Place the chilli on a board and cut it  3/4 down into half with a sharp knife.  Start at the tip and go upwards.  Then using a small scissors, cut each half 3/4 down into 3 to 5 petals.  Gently shake out the seeds.  Put in a container with water to cover and refrigerate overnight.  Next day take it out of the water and drain.  You will find that the chilli has become a beautiful flower.  Keep practising until you are perfect.

Method:  Mix all the ingredients together.  Adjust the seasoning and garnish with a red chilli cut to look like a flower.  Refrigerate and serve with whatever meal you are having.

Twenty First Birthday Bash Menu

 Birthday Girl's Menu

Any event is an excuse for good food and a twenty first birthday is certainly the time for special, delicious food.  I've been waiting for years to celebrate this day.  And we certainly outdid ourselves, birthday girl included.  I took out my various cookery books and went through various recipes and asked Ranita for her favourite foods.  Last week we sat down to celebrate and thank God for all the blessings in our lives.

The Recipes:

Sunshine Birthday Salad:   2 carrots grated; 1 large apple, grated; 2 tbsp raisins, chopped; 1/4 cup home made curds or yoghurt; 1/8 cup thousand island dressing; 1/2 tsp grated ginger; 1 spring onion, chopped; salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all ingredients together and taste for seasoning.  Garnish with love and affection and serve.

Asha's Birthday Salad:  2 carrots, grated; 2 oranges, peeled, pith and seeds removed; a few onion stalks, chopped; 1/2 tsp grated tender ginger; 1/4 cup curds or yoghurt; 2 tbsp tomato sauce; salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together and taste for seasoning.  Serve with the anticipation of enjoying a good meal with more to come.  This Recipe is from my sister Asha who is reknowned for her salads.

Anu's Yoghurt Chicken:  My sister Anu is a fabulous cook and this recipe is from her.

1 kg chicken, jointed and skin removed; 2 cups thick curds; salt and pepper to taste; juice of 1 large lemon; 2 tbsp grated garlic.

Wash and drain chicken.  Marinade overnight in the above ingredients.  Next day, bring the chicken to room temperature and  bake in preheated oven at 250 degrees Centigrade for 60 minutes until chicken is brown on top.  Test with a skewer for doneness.  Garnish with tomato and a few cooked peas and serve with Minty Rice, Sunshine Salad and Milky Way Chicken & Dry Fruits.

Milky Way Chicken (Baked Birthday Chicken With Dry Fruits & Spices:

1kg chicken, skinned, jointed, washed and drained; 2 tbsp masala powder (I use my own and this is a guarded secret), so use whatever you like and you will get a gourmet's delight); salt to taste; 1 onion sliced fine; 2 tbsp grated ginger and garlic; 6 dried Apricots, chopped, de seed and  reserve kernels for garnishing; 2 tbsp raisins, chopped; 2 tbsp almonds, sliced; 500 ml milk or cream; 2 large tomatoes, chopped;

Seasoning;  2 tbsp oil; 1 onion sliced fine and 1 tsp garam masala to taste.

Mix the milk or cream, masala powder, ginger, garlic, salt and onions and tomatoes together.  Marinade the chicken in this mixture overnight.  Next day  fry the onions and dried fruits until onions are glazed.  Keep half aside for the garnishing.  Add the chicken and lower flame, cover and cook until chicken is ready and coated with the thick sauce, turning every 10 minutes.  Add the garam masala, mix well, transfer to serving dish, garnish with the dried fruits and apricot kernels and serve hot.

There is no need to use any water with this recipe which I got from a cook book I was gifted with two decades ago.  However I have changed it to suit our family tastes.  Experiment and see what you can come up with.

Minty Rice:

1 large bunch of mint leaves, washed and chopped- discard the stalks; 2 cups basmathi rice, washed and drained; 1 large onion sliced; 2 tbsp grated ginger and garlic; salt to taste; a few whole almonds for garnishing; 2tbsp olive oil; 4 cups hot water.

Heat oil in nonstick pan and stir fry the onions, ginger garlic and min leaves until glazed.  Add the rice and stir fry until all the grains are coated.  This takes about 2 minutes.  Transfer to electric rice cooker, add salt to taste and 4 cups hot water. Cook till done.  Serve hot garnished with the whole almonds.

Black Forest Cake:

I first made this cake for my Mum in law's birthday three decades ago.  It was a great hit and it has remained a family favourite ever since.  Recipe from my sister Asha Elisha although I have changed the quantities to suit my baking pans and oven.

150 gms self raising flour; 25 gm dark cocoa; 1 level  tsp baking powder; 175 gms butter at room temperature; 175 gms caster sugar; 2 tbsp rum or whisky ( I used whisky); 3 eggs beaten in a large bowl seperately.

For The Layers:  1 large tin cherries- it could be 400 or 500 gms; 2 tbsp whisky; 300 ml thick whipping cream; 50 gms milk chocolate, grated; sugar to taste.

Grease and line 2x 8" sandwich tins.  Preheat oven to 180 Centigrade.

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and beat with electric cake beater until smmoth, pale and fluffy.  Divide the mixture between the two tins, using a metal spoon.  Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 or 25 minutes or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.  Cool overnight.  Next day, unmould cake number 1 on to a round 10 " cake board.  Make a few holes in the ake with a fork.  Drain the cherries, reserving about 4 tbsp of the liquid per cake.  Mix this with the whisky and spoon over the entire cake. Keep the beater and bowl  in the refrigerator until cold.   Whip the cream  and sugar with the beater until thick.  Divide into half and neatly spread one half over the first cake.  Divide the grated chocolate into two portions and sprinkle one half over the whipped cream.  Divide cherries into two lots and arrange one half on the grated chocolate.  Place the second cake on top of the first and repeat.  Spread the cream over the sides and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

NB:  Can make a four layered cake like I did.  After all this is a special occasion.  Just double the quantity used above.

Although this cake takes some time to make, it is one worthy of a grand occasion and served with the above a meal fit for a Queen- our Queen - Ranita Isaac.  Happy 21st Birthday and May Life be very good to you.  Cheers!

The Tenth Recipe For Christmas

Orange Christmas Tarts

This has to be the easiest recipe ever and most suitable for large parties. It can be made in a jiffy, tastes good and serves 50 (provided every guest has just one).

Recipe No 10: Orange Yoghurt Tarts

50 ready made tart cases; 250 gms cream cheese; ¼ cup thick curds; zest of ½ an orange; 2 tbsp fresh orange juice; ¼ cup sugar; a few candied papaya pieces or candied fruit of your choice.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and curds until smooth. Gently fold in the zest and orange juice. Drop 1 tsp into each tart case. Place a piece of candied fruit in the centre of each tart. Refrigerate and serve when guests are ready for their dessert.A guaranteed hit with everyone.