All Time Favourite

Spare Ribs

The computer is finally available and I decided to make the most of it and post a recipe on my neglected blog.  Have been cooking and baking with zest for the past four weeks and literally having a ball with the family.  One of the recipes we cooked was an all time favourite Spare Ribs".  You can never have too much of it.  No matter how much you make it is always just enough.  Here is the recipe for that special Sunday Lunch.

The Recipe

1 kg Spare Ribs, cut into 2 inch pieces.   2 tbsp curry powder; 2 large potatoes, boiled and quartered; salt to taste; 1 tomato and a few coriander leaves for garnish; 2 onions sliced; 1 large tomato diced; 2 tbsp ginger-garlic minced; oil for frying.

Wash spare ribs and drain well.  Keep aside.  In the meanwhile heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy bottomed non stick pan and fry onions till golden brown.  Add the minced ginger - garlic and stir fry on medium heat till a nice aroma fills your nostrils.  Add the tomato and cook till dry.  Now add in the curry powder and spare ribs and stir fry till the ribs are well coated.  Add 2 cups water and pressure cook till done and the meat is falling off the bones.  Arrange on a plate, surrounded with boiled potatoes and garnish with the tomato and corriander leaves.  Serve hot with chappathis or rice.

                                         

A Different Kind

Black Forest Vanilla Cake

This is a cake with an extraordinary taste and liked by everyone.  Got the recipe from Serita who is fast becoming an outstanding baker and watched our friends enjoy it two days ago.  It can be made in a jiffy and always turns out fine.  Hats off to you Serita.  Thank you for taking the time to make the day extra special.

The Recipe

125 gms salted butter; 1 cup caster sugar; 1 1/2 cups flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 2 tbsp home made curds.

For Topping:  1 tin black cherries, drained; 1 cup whipped cream; 3 tbsp grated milk chocolate.

Sieve the flour and baking powder and keep aside.  Cream butter and sugar till fluffy and sugar has dissolved.  Add the vanilla, curds  and eggs, one at a time.   Gently fold in the flour and pour into greased and lined  8 inches round pan.  Bake in preheated oven at 175 C for 45 minutes or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.  Cool for at least 3 hours.  Un mould on to cake plate or board.  Spread whipped cream on top.  Sprinkle grated chocolate and top with black cherries.  Looks amazing and tastes fabulous.  Happy Birthday Indra.  May you have many more.

Hari Raya Cookies

Grab Me Cookies

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a celebration that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan (Ramadhan).  During Ramzan, Muslims often gather to break the fast at sundown and a range of irreristible food is seen everywhere.  After coming to Malaysia I have had the opportunity to attend many Buka Puasa's (Breaking Of The Fast) and the sheer number of dishes  was a revelation to me.   At the one we attended last month we counted more than 100 mouth watering concoctions.  Being human we could only stare and sample a few.
The malls & stores are full of snacks and  tit bits of every hue and colour and so I decided to make some Grab Me Cookies as gifts for friends celebrating Hari Raya.  These are so delicious that you forget your manners and grab another and another and yet another until the whole plate is empty.  Whenever I make them they get over in one sitting, so plan to make a very large batch.  Everyone  will love them and you'll be the most popular person around.
The Recipe

1/2 cup butter; 150 gms brown choc chips; 1 cup flour; ½ cup brown sugar; ½ cup white sugar; ½ tsp. baking soda; ½ tsp baking powder;50 gms white choc chips; 1 ¼ cup instant oatmeal; 1 tbsp. cornflour mixed in  2 tbsp milk ; ½ tsp vanilla; ¾ cup ( 150 gms ) chopped nuts.

Spread oatmeal on baking tray and toast in oven for 10 minutes or until crisp when rubbed with your fingers.

Cream butter and sugars.  Add cornflour mixture  and vanilla.  Sieve flour with baking powder and soda. Add the flour to mixture and mix well.  Add oatmeal and mix again.  Add chips and thoroughly mix. Lastly stir nuts into the mixture properly.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Roll into balls (small balls for small cookies and so on) and place 2 inches apart on baking tray.  Bake in pre heated oven 375 F for 10 minutes (golden brown) or 15 minutes (brown and delicious).  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.   

Selamat Hari Raya !  

The Patriotic Menu

Patriotic Starter

National Rice

Tri Coloured Dessert

Hues Of Liberty Pachdi

31 states, 1618 languages,6400 castes, 6 religions ,6 ethnic groups, 29 

major festivals & 1 country! Nothing quite like India.

Had a party to celebrate August 15th and came up with the following Colours Of India-pendence.   

Patriotic Starter

Took a shortcut for this and used vadais from the restaurant downstairs.

8 vadais; 1 carrot grated; few corriander leaves; 1/2 litre home made curds beaten with 1/4 litre water with salt to taste; date honey or tamarind chutney.  I used the date honey a a friend had given me two large bottles.

To assemble:

Place the vadais in a glass serving bowl.  Pour the beaten curds mixture over.  Garnish with grated carrot & corriander leaves.  Refrigerate overnight so the vadais are nice and soft.  Pour some date honey over the top just before serving.  Absolutely delicious.

National Rice:

2 measures rice, washed and drained; 4 measures hot water; 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste; 1 onion sliced; 1 bunch mint leaves, chopped; 2 tbsp olive oil.

For Meat Balls; Mix together 1/4 kg washed and drained mutton mince; 1 onion, minced;  1 tsp ginger garlic minced; 2 green chillies minced; 2 tsp cornflour; salt to taste; a few corriander leaves chopped.  Make into balls and grill on very high heat for 10 minutes turning the meatballs around after five minutes, to cook evenly.

50 gms white cheese

4 large carrots boiled till soft.  Add salt  and mash while warm to a smooth consistency..  Season with olive oil & 1/4 tsp jeera seeds.

To Make The Rice:  Heat olive oil and fry the sliced onions, ginger garlic and mint until your nose twitches in anticipation.  Add the rice and stir fry on medium heat until all the grains are coated and transparent in colour.  Transfer to rice cooker, add the hot water and salt to taste and set timer.  When done arrange the rice in a pyrex dish and stir in half of the diced cheese.  Top with meatballs  and bake at 150 C  for 10 minutes till cheese melts and meatballs become nice and brown.  Garnish with dots of carrot mash and remaining cheese and a sprig of mint.  Serve hot with Hues Of Liberty Pachdi.

Hues Of Liberty Pachdi

1 cup home made curds beaten with salt to taste; 1 green chilli minced; 1 grated carrot; 1 large onion, minced; few sprigs of mint for garnishing.

Mix the curds, onions and chillies together.  Test for taste.  Place in a shallow glass bowl.  Garnish with grated carrots and sprigs of mint.  The bright colours are a feast for the eyes and may well add to your apetite.

Tri Colour Dessert

Choice Of Three Fruits I used papaya, kiwi fruit and guava (skinned).

Cut and arrange in three sections on a tray.  Decorate with any knick knacks like I did.  Enjoy.

Needless to say we had a blast.

National Tricolour Salad

Colours Of India

 Living abroad has made me appreciate my country in every way.

"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls,
Where words come out from the depths of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arm towards perfection;
Where the clear streams of reason has not lost its way in the dreary desert sands of dead habits
Where the mind is led by Thee into ever widening thought and action
Into that heaven of Freedom, my Father, let my country awake. "  Rabindranath Tagore

And so, to celebrate Independence Day 15 August 2012, here is a simple, healthy colourful salad that anyone could make.  Looks good, tastes good and makes your day extra special.

The Recipe:

2 large carrots; 2 medium white radish, 1 large capsicum.

Dipping Sauce:  2 tbsp tomato sauce; 2 tbsp mayonnaise; 4 tbsp curds; 1/2 tsp mustard.  Blend together and keep aside.

Cut one carrot, 1 radish and 1/2 the capsicum  into 2 inch sized pieces and arrange in a goblet.  Grate the second carrot and the radish, dice the remaining capsicum and arrange on plate as in photograph.   Place the goblet in the centre and serve with the sauce.  The bright colours certainly add character to your table.  Happy Independence Day.

Pease Porridge Hot...

Green Peace Salad


This is not a porridge but a salad
that I had some time ago at a party.  It was absolutely scrumptious and reminded me of the old nursery rhyme.  It consisted of green peas, salad leaves of different kinds and very thinly sliced cabbage dipped in hot water and drained.  The dressing was a unique combination of blended paneer, yoghurt and a dash of mayonaisse.  I could have easily finished the whole bowl by myself, but manners prevailed.

The Recipe:  1 large bag of mixed lettuce leaves, seperated according to colour and shredded; 1/2 a cabbage sliced very, very fine; 1 cup green peas, boiled.

For Dressing:  1/4 cup paneer, mashed; 1/4 cup yoghurt; 1/8 cup mayonnaise; sugar, salt & white pepper to taste.  Blend together till creamy and keep aside.

Dip the sliced cabbage for one minute in boiling water, drain and plunge into cold water to retain crispness.  Drain thoroughly.  To assemble place boiled peas at bottom of large, salad bowl.  Surround with different coloured shredded lettuce leaves.  Place the cabbage on top of the peas.  Pour the dressing over.  Mix just before serving and eat as an accompaniment to any meal.

The Colour Purple

Jewelled Vegetable Stir Fry

One thing I love in Malaysia is going to the supermarket.  It may seem a mundane thing to do.  The vast array of brightly coloured vegetables is a veritable rainbow of choice and once cooked very enticing and appetising. Purple cabbage adds character to any dish and especially when the colour is retained after cooking.  So try this and watch your kids eyes light up in surprise.

The Recipe:

1/2 a head of purple cabbage, cut into chunks; 1/2 a head of green cabbage, cut into chunks; 2 carrots, cut into slices and halved; 10 French beans cut into three pieces each; 3 flakes garlic minced; 1 inch piece ginger diced; salt & white pepper to taste; 2 tbsp olive oil.

Wash & clean vegetables before stir frying.  Heat olive oil in a non stick pan and  stir fry the ginger garlic until golden brown.  Add the carrots and stir fry for 3 minutes. Next add the French beans and stir fry for 2 minutes only.  Lastly add the purple & green cabbage and stir fry on high heat for 1 minute only.  Add pepper and salt.  Serve hot as an accompaniment to any meal.

NB:  Stir fry all vegetables on high heat, especially the purple cabbage (1 minute only) in order to retain the glorious colour.  Cook it longer and it will become a washed out version of itself.

Happy Eating!