Nutty About Nuts

Masala Cashew/Groundnuts



Christmas was the one festival we looked forward to eagerly every year. Lots of presents, lots of food and lots of functions to attend, services to go to and welcoming the carolers to our home usually after midnight. Back then we hardly ever bought tidbits from the shops. Everything was made at home and recipes carefully hoarded and passed down in families for that special season of goodwill.
During the month of December the provision list would be extra long and the eats for Christmas carefully decided in advance. We children were roped in to help and we complied readily in the hope that we could sneak something away under Mummy’s eagle eye. She was noted for her Fried Groundnuts & Cashewnuts and all our guests waxed lyrical about them. One Christmas she bought some beautiful marbled plates which were red, blue and green and when some unexpected guests showed up, she decided to fry some cashewnuts for them. And serve them on her beautiful quarter plates. She fried and drained the cashewnuts and placed them on the beautiful plates and took them to the sitting room without realizing she had left a trail of piping hot nuts behind her which we enjoyed silently. When she reached the sitting room all that was left was a gaping hole in the centre of the plastic plate and us children laughing loudly at her misfortune. That was one Christmas I’ll always remember.
The Recipe
1 kg cashewnuts (whole) or groundnuts; 1 tbsp. khuskhus (poppy seeds); 1 tsp. salt or to taste; 1 ½ tsp. chilli powder; 3 tbsp. besan (chick pea flour); ¼ cup water; ¼ tsp. orange food colouring
1 litre Oil for deep frying
Place the nuts in a mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients and mix well. Heat oil to smoking point. Lower flame and fry nuts in batches until golden brown and crisp. Drain. Cool and store in airtight tins. In my house these are usually gobbled by Nehru in a couple of days.

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Christmas Tyme

Mangalore Macaroons

Christmas means many things and as children growing up in Bangalore, years ago, that meant primarily food with a capital 'F'. Christmas was the time we had access to unlimited supplies of food given by friends, family and other well wishers. My grandmother (Ajamma) would send a basket of goodies every year and the four of us would stand around my mother as she opened the Christmas parcel. Our favourite was Macaroons and even now the smell of one arouses nostalgia for those long ago good times. The best macaroons I’ve had came from Vas Bakery in Mangalore and each visit to the bakery during our summer vacation had a sense of expectancy and accomplishment. Later on when we moved to Mangalore, just passing the bakery to and fro college would make our mouths water and noses sniff in appreciation of the delicious aromas wafting on the air towards us.
Many years later my mother got the recipe from my aunt and ever since then Macaroons have become a Christmas tradition in our family. I have baked them for more than twenty years now and everyone loves them. So this year, this is my Christmas gift to everyone who loves baking!!
The Recipe
250 gms sugar, 75 gms cashew kernels or bits, 9 cardamoms (seeds only), a squish of lemon juice; one medium egg white; a pinch of salt
Grind sugar and cardamom in blender. Place in mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, salt and cashew kernels and mix with spatula. Add egg white a little at the time until the mixture becomes a dough like consistency. Discard unused egg white. If too sticky add more sugar. Break off pieces and place on baking tray 2 inches apart. Preheat oven to 350 F or 200 C. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until done or slightly brown. Remove and cool. Serve as a dessert after dinner or transfer to airtight container. Subsequent batches take less time, so watch macaroons carefully.

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One For The Road

APRICOT BRANDY

Wine making has been a part of our lives since childhood. Every year my dad would buy the grapes and assisted by my mother make jars of wine for Christmas. Carol singers and others were always given wine and of course we children would take advantage of the season.
Once we grew up all of us began experimenting and Kenny & Anu made some of the most unbelievable concoctions. No one enjoyed this more than Nehru who found it a novelty to be chief taster. Once we moved to Kuala Lumpur the sampling stopped. However, whenever we visited there was something new to taste and we went to the extent of carrying our favourites back to Malaysia carefully wrapped in paper and protected by layers of clothing.
I happened to taste an exquisite liqueur during my visit to Bangalore last year. I liked it so much that I obtained the recipe on my return to KL. And dear Nehru tasted it everyday until it got over. So I ‘m making it again for Christmas.

The Recipe:

300 g package dried apricots; 225 gms sugar; 500 ml vodka

Boil apricots in a little water until soft.  Cool completely.  Place all ingredients in a 2 litre glass jar.  Seal tight. Keep for 3 weeks.  Use as required.

Quick, easy, and perfect for Christmas.

L'chai-im!


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The Perfectionist

Ranita’s Ice Cream Cake

Ranita has always had a liking for beautiful things. As a child she would always be up to some thing or the other in the kitchen playing with the rice, spices, pans, essences, cake decorations etc. revelling in her creations. This has continued in every area of her life. Living up to her expectations is no joke. This cake created for her 14th birthday passed the test.

The Recipe

Two 22cm (9inch) round vanilla cakes
1 litre ice cream of choice. We used strawberry and vanilla. Keep in freezer till required.
½ cup broken cashewnuts or almond flakes
1 photograph of the birthday baby
Cling film to protect photograph. A laminated photograph would be ideal.
½ cup jam mixed with ¼ cup water or ½ cup honey
1 box strawberries washed and sliced with stalks/calyx
¼ cup caster sugar to roll sliced strawberries in.
Method:
Take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it thaw while you get the cake ready.
Level the surface of the cake carefully with a knife. Cut 1/3 of the cake from top. This will be the lid. Keep aside on tray to cover the ice cream cake later. Cut around the inside of the cake carefully but not all the way through, leaving a 1.5 cm (5/8inch) thick shell around the sides and base. Scoop out the cake from the centre. (Use for trifle or any other dessert).
Fill the hollow centre of the cake with strawberry ice cream halfway up the cake. Pack down firmly. Sprinkle the nuts in an even layer and top up with vanilla ice cream. Replace the cake top and press down firmly. Wrap the cake in cling film and place in freezer overnight or longer until ice cream is completely firm.
Next day warm the jam and water in a small pan over low heat. Simmer for two minutes. Unwrap the cake and brush the jam all over the cake and sides. Place the photograph enclosed in plastic in the centre of the cake and gently press down. Working quickly roll sliced strawberries in caster sugar and arrange all over cake and sides in a pattern or as desired. Return to refrigerator until ready to serve.
You can fill the cake with ice cream 3 days in advance and store in the freezer. However once the fruit has been put on the cake it cannot be returned to the freezer.
N.B. The second cake is for a standby in case you mess up the first one.


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The Journey Begins

Serita's Chicken Rice


When we first arrived in Malaysia, the bewildering array of food left us all a bit awed. Never had we seen such a vast variety of glorious food, a veritable feast for the senses. At first we were content to watch. However, Serita had no such qualms and as the years passed we became as adept as any Malaysian in making our choices. In Malaysia “Food” is a culture of its own representing the many races bound together by their international cuisine. Having visitors is loads of fun since we can take them on a gastronomical adventure and also indulge in our passion for food.
Chicken Rice is one of the simplest yet delicious meals one can have. Over the years, it has become a family favourite. A meal by itself it is served with a soup, greens and chicken.

The Recipe

1 cup basmathi rice, 3 screwpine (pandanus) leaves washed and knotted), 1 star anise, 2 Maggi chicken stock cubes to make 2 cups stock, 1 tbsp oil, 1 inch piece ginger grated.
Clean and wash rice. Drain completely. Heat oil and stir fry ginger and rice grains till completely coated (a minute or two). Transfer to rice cooker. Add stock, star anise and screwpine leaves. Close cooker and cook till done. Serve hot with accompaniments. Do not need salt as the soup cubes have enough in them. Serves 4

Greens in Oyster Sauce


½ kg bok choy greens, 3 tbsp. oyster sauce, 2 tbsp. oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic
Soak greens in salted water for 15 minutes. Blanch in boiling water (add 2 tsp salt to the water) for 1 minute only and plunge into cold water immediately to retain crispness and colour. Drain and keep aside. Heat a pan and stir fry the minced garlic on medium heat until brown and edible. Add the oyster sauce with 2 tbsp water and bring to boil for 30 seconds on high heat . Arrange greens on serving dish. Dribble the oyster sauce all over and serve hot. Eat immediately, before it wilts.

Honey Pepper Chicken Wings



8 chicken wings, (wash and pat dry), 2 tbsps. good quality honey, 1 tbsp pepper coarsely powdered, 1 tsp thick soy sauce mixed with 2 tbsp. water. Spring onions for garnish. Salt if required.
Marinade chicken wings overnight in the honey, pepper and soy sauce. Taste the marinade to see if salt is needed. Next day grill in oven on high heat for 5 minutes each side or till done. Can baste wings with the marinade. Discard remaining marinade. Transfer wings to serving dish. Garnish with spring onions. Serve hot or cold.

Chicken Soup



2 cups chicken stock, 1 small piece of tofu (bean curd), 2 spring onions, chopped fine), salt to taste.
Cut tofu into pieces and steep in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and place a few pieces in each serving bowl. Heat stock and pour over the tofu. Add salt to taste. Garnish with spring onions. Serve hot. SLURP!!!






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My Very Own

Lamb Chops

We hardly ever ate meat while growing up since we lived by the sea. So after we moved to Bangalore we had the option of trying out various meat recipes and this is one of my very own. I experimented many times before I was satisfied with it and make it only for special occasions. Trust you like it as much as we do.

The Recipe

1 1/2 cups Tomato Puree (home made or bought)
1 kg lamb chops, trim the fat and discard
1 cup low fat milk
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1 tsp. chilli powder
½ tsp. garam masala powder ( available at Indian grocery shops)
2 large onions, grated
2 cloves, garlic and 1 inch piece ginger, blend to a smooth paste
½ cup chopped corriander leaves
salt to taste

1. Wash and drain lamb chops. Place in pan with the low fat milk and peanut oil. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside for 10 minutes.
2. Return to heat and add the tomato puree, chilli powder, grated onion and the ginger garlic paste. Carefully stir to mix well. When the mixture begins to boil, lower flame and gently simmer for 10 minutes till mixture is thick.
3. Add salt to taste.
4. After a minute, stir in the garam masala powder.
5. Remove from fire and transfer to serving dish. Garnish with the corriander leaves and serve immediately with white rice and Yoghurt Cucumber Pachdi.

Yoghurt Cucumber Pachdi

Mix together ½ peeled cucumber, sliced; 1 cup yoghurt; salt to taste; 1 tbsp. chopped corriander leaves and 1 minced green chilli. Serve with the Lamb Chops.

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Legacy From The Past

Great Grandmother's Pepper Chicken

Another family favourite, this recipe can be made with any kind of meat. However chicken was frequently used as my aunt kept chickens and had no compulsions in slaughtering them. It was also very easy to make and ready in a jiffy. The women in my immediate family were great cooks. Any occasion was a time to socialize and also to exchange recipes and ideas. And we children were the beneficiaries as we were ready to ‘devour’ anything at any time. In fact this recipe made our mouths water as the most delicious aromas wafted on the evening breeze from the kitchen, right into the garden… enticing us to the dining room well ahead of time. My mother cooked this pretty often; and my children love it too. They swear that ‘Nana’s cooking is the best in the world!’ In fact, though an expert in international cuisine, my favourite food will always be the recipes my mother inherited from her mother, grandmother and other family members. These recipes not only hold the family together, but give us a peek into the past. What an awesome legacy and what an awesome feeling to be bound to the past through something as ordinary as a recipe. Viva la Great Grandmother!

The Recipe:

(Essentially a dry dish)
1 kg chicken, jointed; 3 onions, sliced; 2 onions chopped; ½ tsp. turmeric powder; 1 tbsp vinegar; salt to taste; 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper powder or more to taste; 1 stick cinnamon; 5 cloves, 2 sprigs curry leaves; few fried potatoes and curry leaves for garnishing; salt to taste.
Roast the cinnamon and cloves. Powder and keep at hand.

Cook chicken with 2 chopped onions, turmeric, ½ cup water, salt, vinegar and pepper. When done keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a frying pan and add the curry leaves, followed by the onions. Fry onions to golden brown. Add the chicken (reserve stock) and gently stir fry till brown. Add the reserved stock and simmer till it evaporates. Add the roasted and powdered spices. Gently mix and remove. If gravy is desired, can add more water; simmer 2 minutes and remove. Garnish with fried potatoes and curry leaves. Serve with curd (white rice mixed with yoghurt) rice or white rice or bread.

NB This is the original recipe.

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