KITCHENXPERIENCES

COOKIES - WITHOUT EGGS

2011-08-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

BUTTER BISCUITS
Ingredients:
maida - 300 gms
sugar - 125 gms
butter 180 gms
salt a pinch
pineapple or vanilla essence - 3 drops

Method:
Pre- heat microwave.
If using OTG, pre-heat at 275deg F for 15 minutes.
1. Sieve together maida and salt.
2. Powder the sugar.
3. Keep the butter out of the fridge so it softens. Don't melt it.
4. Mix the butter with essence. Mix in the maida and knead till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
5. Add the powdered sugar. Keep kneading till the mixture is loosely bound.
6. Roll out the dough into 1/4 " thick slabs. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
7. Prick top of each cookie with a fork 3 times to facilitate even baking.
8. Carefully place cookies (since it is only loosely bound, careless handling might break it) in greased tray.
9. Microwave on high for 9-10 minutes. If using OTG at 275deg for 20 minutes.

MICROWAVE COOKING - BEANS PORIYAL

2011-08-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I hate buying beans is it's one vegetable that is least interesting to cook.
Here is one way of cooking it. My family is divided 2/2 about the likability of this dish. Not everyone likes aniseeds with beans.

Ingredients:
Beans - 1/4 kg
sombu/aniseed - 1/4 tbsp
green chillies - 2
roasted peanuts - 3 tbsps
oil - 1 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
urad dal - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 1 sprig
salt to taste

Method:
1. String the beans & chop them.
2. Put the chopped beans in a microwave safe dish. Sprinkle about 3 tbsps of water. Cover with microwave safe lid.
3. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
4. First grind together the aniseed and green chillies then add the peanuts and grind. No need to add water.
5. Add this ground mixture and salt to the beans. Mix well.
6. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
7. (Do the tempering in a kadai and add to the beans.) 7. In a kadai put the oil add the mustard, when it splutters, add the urad dal - when the urad dal changes colour add the curry leaves. Turn off the heat immediately. Add to the beans and mix well.

Tempering - is the English term for thaalipu, thadka, poppu...

Variations:
1. substitute the peanuts with coconut.
2. in step 5 mix in chilli flakes & grated coconut instead of the green chillies - aniseed - peanut mixture.

KATHIRIKAI PORIYAL

2011-08-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

The response brinjals usually produce usually is either "I love them" or "I hate them".

But, this brinjal recipe... even the brinjal haters in my family can't resist.

Ingredients
Brinjals - 1/2 kg

garlic - about 20 pods
oil - 4 tsp
salt to taste
for tempering - vadavam

For the masala

grated coconut - 1 cup

bengal gram -4 tbsp

dhania -1 tbsp

fennel - 1/4 tsp

dry red chillies - 8-10

salt to taste

Method
1. Cut the brinjals into cubes and put them in a bowl of water.
2. Roast each of the ingredients for the masala except the salt seperately.
3. Cool and powder along with the salt.
4. Put oil in a kadai. temper with the vadavam. When it splutters, add the garlic and stir.
5. Drain the brinjals in a colander.
5. When the garlic starts to change colour lower the flame and add the brinjals.
6. Add just enough salt for the brinjals (remember, we powdered the masala along with salt). Mix well.
7. Let it cook for a couple of minutes. Stir now and then so it does not get burnt.
8. Add the powdered masala and mix well. Keep stirring or the masala will stick to the pan.
9. Pour just enough water so the brinjals are partly submerged. Cover and cook till done. Remember to stir every now and then to ensure even cooking. Sprinkle more water as and when required.
10. When the brinjals are done, the oil separates from the masala. Turn off the flame.

Note - After you transfer the brinjal into a serving dish, put some rice in the kadai & mix to remove whatever masala is still sticking to the kadai - a tasty starter.

Variation 1:
1/2 cup white til, 1/2 cup roasted and skinned peanuts can be substituted instead of coconut and bengal gram dal.

Tip: To skin peanuts after roasting, take a handful of peanuts and run them between your palms while still warm.

Variation 2:
Use watery tamarind pulp instead of water in step 9.

GETTING STUBBORN FOODSTAINS OFF THE MICROWAVE

2011-07-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

Prevention is always better than cure.

Cover food stuff like gravies with a microwave safe loose lid. This ensures that the walls of the microwave are not splattered with gravy. Be very carefully while opening the lid. Use gloves and don't lean in too close. The escaping steam can burn you.

In spite of all the care, you may still find ugly blotches sticking to your microwave. Don't get frustrated. Here's how you get it off.

1/2 lime + 1 heaped tbsp of baking soda + 2 cups water microwaved on high for 5 minutes + wiping with a warm damp cloth immediately. Hot steam, lime and soda will have softened the grime making it easy to wipe off.

Do this regularly, you don't have to worry about the foodstuff sticking to the walls affecting the flavour/health of the food you are currently cooking.

Regular microwave users can clean it every night with a warm damp cloth - just like you clean your LPG stove when you are done for the day. You can give it the lemon - soda treatment every fortnight.

JACKFRUIT SEEDS

2011-07-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

JACK FRUIT SEEDS PEPPER ROAST

INGREDIENTS:

Jackfruit seeds - 20 - 25
Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Pepper ( coarsely ground) - 2 tsp or to taste
Shahi jeera- 1 tsp
Oil 2-3 tbsp

METHOD:

STEP 1: Cut open the white jacket of the jackfruit seeds using either a sharp pointed knife or scissors. Discard the jacket.
STEP 2: Slit the seeds lengthwise into 4 pieces
STEP 3: Place the seeds in a flat microwave dish add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
STEP 4: Sprinkle about 50 ml of water. Make that all the pieces are atleast half immersed in water- (use a square microwave dish). Cook in microwave high for about 6 minutes. All the water gets absorbed.
STEP 5: Heat oil in a flat- bottomed non-stick frying pan. Add shahi jeera. when it splutters, add the jackfruit seeds stir well. Now add ground pepper.
STEP 6: Simmer and cook till it turns crisp but not burnt.

கொழுக்கட்டை

2009-06-01T06:29:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

TO MAKE WRAPPERS
Rice flour - 1 cup
Hot Water - 1 or 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 cups depending on the quality of rice flour
Salt to taste

FOR THE FILLING:
Urad dal soaked - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 6
Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons
Ginger - a small piece - finely chopped
Salt to taste

FOR TEMPERING:
Oil
Mustard seeds
Asafoetida
curry leaves

METHOD:

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
1. Coarsely grind urad dal.
2. Mix in the green chillies, grated coconut, ginger and salt.
3. Grease a cooker container with a bit of oil and fill with the dal mixture and
steam for about 8 minutes.
4. Let it cool slightly and break into small particles.
5. In a kadai add oil let it heat, add mustard and when it splutters add asafoetida
and curry leaves and the dal mixture. Fry for about 3 minutes,stirring
constantly.

TO MAKE THE WRAPPERS:
1. Take the rice flour in a bowl. Add salt and mix well. Now add the hot water a little at a time until you get a smooth dough.

To Make KoluKattai:
1. Apply a littlt oil in your palm. Take a lemon sized ball of the dough. Flatten it between your palms. Make a small indentation. Take about a tablespoon of the filling and close. Slightly twisting the edges to seal.
2. Steam in a cooker for 7 minutes after the steam starts coming.