ROSHAN's CUCINA

Filter Coffee - - -- - - without filter

Somehow the chillness or the laziness of winter is keeping me away from the blog world. I thought I’ll jumpstart by preparing and writing about the illustrious and legendary Filter Coffee.

Well, the filter coffee is indeed a legendary drink especially if you have lived in Tamilnadu and experienced the taste of it in all those vegetarian restaurants after a nice masala dosa, poori masala or even a tasty plate of idlis.

Now that I live in Kerala once in a while we dine for Masala Dosa and the coffee is something that completes the meal. I drink filter coffee even at night.

Though I am all crazy about this coffee my efforts to own a filter has not yet been successful. May be I have not been able to convince my husband about the nostalgia that accompanies the filter coffee.

So I usually prepare the filter coffee without the filter by just placing the coffee in a tall tumbler or a slim / vertical jug overnight so that you can pour the clear coffee out the next morning leaving behing the residual coffee powder and a little bit of the liquid. This would give the same taste and you can decide how strong a coffee you need.

The decoction I prefer is medium because a very strong coffee would give me burning sesation.

Recipe inspired from Priya Sreeram’s Bon Appetite

the recipe for a medium strong filter coffee is as follows:

1 ¼ cup water

3 cup boiling hot milk

4 heaped tsp coffee powder

the method

Place the 4 tsp coffee powder in a silm jug or any vertical container. Boil the water and pour it over the coffee powder. Close the container immediately and let it stand overnight.

The next morning, carefully pour the coffee into another vessel (use a sieve if you need though it is not need because the coffee will be clear). Leave the residue with about ¼ cup coffee remaining in it.

Take out the clear coffee / decoction. Use ¼ cup decoction with ¾ cup milk. Add adequate sugar, mix and drink. I like the filter coffee in a bitter sweet taste.

the recipe goes to Radhika's Blog Hop

Pork Vindalho (Vindaloo)

Pork Vindalho is a much liked dish in Anglo-Indian homes, be it a Goan Anglo or a Fort Kochi Anglo. Tangy, yet delicate this is something worth trying!!

If you are not a pork eater, you can try this with beef.

If you are a vegan do check out the eggplant and potato vindaloo in this blog.

This is a recipe which i had posted during the initial days of blogging. I am reposting it for this Christmas season.

the recipe

Pork – 1 kg

Ingredients for the Mustard & Red Chilly paste

Dry Red Chillies (whole – Kashmiri chillies are better) – 25 – 30 or 3 tablespoon kashmiri chilly powder

Mustard – 1 1/2 tbsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

Pepper corns – 1 tsp

Cardamom – 3

Cinnamon – 2 cm piece

Cloves - 5

Garlic – 12 – 15 cloves

Ginger – 3 cm piece

Shallots (small onion) – 12 – 15

Vinegar – 4 tbsp

Tomato - 1

Oil – 1 tbsp

Onion – 1

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Salt – 1 ½ tsp

Sugar – ½ tsp

the method

In a mixer, finely powder the red chillies, mustard, cumin, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Add ginger, garlic, shallots, vinegar and tomato to the powdered mixture and grind to a fine past by adding required amount of water.

Cut the pork into flat 4 x 6 cm pieces or any preferred shape. Marinate the pork with Mustard & Red Chilly paste and salt for at least an hour.

In a pan, add oil. Stir in the onion till translucent and add the turmeric. Add the marinated pork. Cook till done. Add sugar just before turning off heat (Alternatively, the meat can be cooked in a pressure cooker for 7 whistle). Serve with rice or bread.

The addition of 1 tbsp brandy at the end would give a tasty twist to the Vindalho / Vindaloo.

Buttermilk Fruit Cake - - - - - Eggless

After the MARBLE FRUIT CAKE recipe, this is yet another fruit cake I prepared during this season. The reason is nothing but last Christmas i had kept the Kerala Fruit Cake / Plum Cake recipe to be published on the day before Christmas and it never happened. So this year I am on a spree to prepare fruit cakes and i have researched and shortlisted many recipes to be tried. Do stay tuned to this space for more fruit cake recipes.

This Buttermilk Fruit Cake recipe is adapted from Joy of Baking and this was just perfect. I have slightly adjusted the quantity of flour and buttermilk to suit the kind of maida / flour available in Kerala. I feel the volume of flour is less for what we get here. There is also a healthy twist to this recipe. I have added wheat flour to more than half part of the flour. The cake was perfect and there was lot of appreciation from my family and colleagues who had this cake. So, if you love some positive comments do try this one. It is a foolproof recipe (with lots of thanks to Joy of Baking).

the recipe

dry ingredients
Flour (Maida) – 100 gms
Wheat flour – 140 gms
Sugar – 160 gms
Nutmeg – 1/3 of a seed or 1 tsp nutmeg powder
Cinnamon – ¾ inch piece or 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 generous pinch

Dry fruits – coarsely chopped

Dark raisins – 80 gms
Dates – 100 gms approx ( I used about 15 dates)
Golden raisins – 100 gms

Wet ingredients

Buttermilk – 250 – 260 ml
Melted butter (unsalted) – 120 gms
Vanilla extract – ¾ tsp

the method

Preheat oven at 170 C. Prepare a round cake pan by applying butter and dusting flour. Place a round sheet of butter paper , parchment paper or any white paper on the bottom of the pan.

Sieve the flour, wheat flour, salt and baking soda once. Powder the sugar alongwith the nutmeg and cinnamon (if using whole spices).

Place the flour mix in a bowl. Use about 1/4th of the flour to coat the dry fruits (this is to prevent the dry fruits from sinking into the bottom of the cake).

To the remaining flour mix, add the sugar mix and mix well.

Melt butter in a pan and let it cool to room temperature. Pour the buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the flour coated dry fruits, mix quickly and immediately pour into a prepared pan.

Bake at 170 C for 35 – 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If the cake starts to brown after about 15 to 20 minutes, cover the cake pan with a parchment paper.

Serve warm or cold.

We had this for breakfast. You can keep the dry ingredients ready a day or two before and keep the chopped dry fruits in the refrigerator. Whenever you feel like baking just mix and bake.

cheers...

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Souperoni

The name souperoni is nothing but the addition of macaroni in this lightly hot and tangy soup. The souperoni is perfect for a cold day and a nice way to make kids have soup.

the recipe
3 ripe tomatoes, blanched

1 large clove of garlic, chopped

1 tsp veg oil

½ tsp chilly powder

1 tsp soya sauce

1 tbsp tomato sauce

2 tbsp chopped spring onion

Salt to taste

½ tsp sugar

1 tsp corn flour diluted in 3 tbsp water

a handful of macaroni

¼ tsp white pepper or black pepper powder

the method

heat oil in a pan and stir the garlic till the raw smell goes off (the garlic should remain white), drain from the oil. Turn off heat. Place the sautéed garlic and blached and chopped tomatoes in a blender and grind to a fine paste (do not add water).

Heat the pan (in medium flame) with the remaining oil and add the chilly powder and macaroni. Saute for about 5 seconds and add the soya sauce, tomato sauce and sugar. Stir for few seconds and add the pureed tomatoes and salt. Stir well and let the mix boil. When the macaroni is almost cooked add the corn starch. Bring the souperoni to boil and spring the pepper powder and spring onions. Turn off heat and serve hot.

Soya Mince Curry, Chilly Tomato, Soya Chunk Pulao, Soya Cutlets & Soya Chunk Curry

I am feeling very lazy to write new posts....i have reposted few soya based recipes for a quick view....

Soya Mince Curry

Chilly Tomato

Soya Chunk Pulao

other soya recipes in this blog

Soya Cutlets (Baked or Fried)

Soya Chunk Curry

Marble Fruit Cake

It is Christmas season …(well too early to say that…though….) and time to indulge in some cakes. Infact there need not be any reason to prepare this cake but to prepare a fruit cake I think you need a seasonal inspiration.

The idea of a marble fruit cake has been in my mind for sometime and I tried it with some skepticism. But the result was fabulous with lots of appreciation from all quarters…. to whomever I shared. This is an easy cake since the amount of fruits is comparatively less and does not require long preparation time for chopping or soaking ….it is just all quick.

The flavors of vanilla and chocolate alongwith the flavors of orange rind and rum complement well to give a really nice taste.

the recipe

Butter – 120 gms
Flour – 3 cups (300 gms)
Baking powder – ¾ tsp
Egg- 3
Caster Sugar – 2 ¼ cup (240 gms)

Combination of fruits & nuts

Dates – 10
Raisins – 20
Cherry – 20
Walnuts – a handful
Almonds – a handful

Rum – 2 tbsp or orange juice – 2 tbsp
Salt – 2 pinch

Cocoa powder -2 heap tbsp
Milk – 3 tbsp

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Orange rind, chopped – 1 tbsp
Blanched almonds - 10

the method

# Chop the fruits and soak them in rum or orange juice for 2 – 3 hours.

# Prepare a baking pan (butter the pan and dust it with flour). Place a round sheet of paper on the bottom of the pan. I usually prepare the pan and leave it in the refrigerator so that the butter does not melt and lose its consistency.

# Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder three times.

# Mix the soaked fruits and nuts. Dust one fourth of the flour mix with the fruit and nut and roughly mix.

# Add the cocoa powder to the milk, mix well and keep it aside.

# Since this is a marble cake, two bowls are required for the cake batter.

# Preheat oven at 170 C.

In a mixing bowl, place the butter and beat it with an electric mixer until soft. Add the sugar in 3 batches and continue mixing. Once all the sugar is added beat in high speed for 5 minutes until the butter sugar mixture has doubled in volume. Add the egg one by one. Beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Add the flour in 2-3 batches and mix with a spatula. Add the orange rind and flour coated, fruits and nuts.

Pour half of the cake batter into another bowl. Add the cocoa mix and mix well.

Take the prepared pan and first place one third of the vanilla batter in the middle of the pan. Then place half of the cocoa batter followed by a third of vanilla, another half of cocoa and finally the third portion of the vanilla batter. Make sure the batter is place in the middle one after another.

To spread the batter till the edge of the pan and to get the marble shape use a knife or your pointing finger, dig into the middle of the batter and gently move it in circular motion. Tap the cake pan gently so that the batter smoothens itself on top.

(At this stage I was slightly in a hurry and that is why the marble shape did not appear clearly. For a better understanding of the marble design please take a look at the simple marble cake which I have prepared earlier).

Decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds. Bake at 170C for 30 – 35 minutes. Check after 30 minutes till a skewer inserted comes out clean. Take out the cake and let it cool.

This is a very moist and super delicious cake. Do try it this Christmas season and let me know.

cheers..

the recipe goes to Bake Fest & Christmas Delicacy & Hearth & Soul Blog Hop

Malpua - banana malpua, the Indian deep fried pancake dessert

This is yet another dish which I have been wanting to prepare for a long time and have not been confident enough even to read a recipe thinking that I can’t achieve the finesse the malpua demands. Finally I tried this recipe from Vatsala’s blog ‘Show & Tell’ when I got the opportunity to participate in BlogHop Wednesdays. I was infact searching for a recipe which includes ingredients which is readily available in my pantry. The Malpua thus happened and I was happy with the outcome. Frying the first one or two taught me how to go about the temperature of the oil and also learnt that you should have patience while frying the malpua.

The actual recipe includes maida which I have replaced with pure wheat flour - just for health reasons. On the first bite itself you will realize that you are treating yourself to a royal sweet.

the recipe

Wheat Flour – 1 cup

Rava / Sooji – ½ cup

Milk – 2 - 2 ½ (add milk till you get a pouring consistency)

Sugar – 1 tsp ( I have a very sweet tooth so I added 2 tsp…..add sugar according to your taste)

Banana – 1 small

Fennel Seeds – 2 generous pinch

Veg oil to deep fry

ingredients for the sugar syrup

Sugar – ½ cup

Water – ½ cup

Cardamom – 2 , powdered or whole

Slivered nuts - for garnishing

method to prepare sugar syrup

Add sugar and half cup water in a sauce pan. Let the sugar syrup boil for a while. Take few drop of the syrup in a spoon and take a drop between your pointing finger and thumb and check whether it forms a string. Add the cardamom or cardamom powder and turn off heat.

method to prepare malpua batter

Mash the banana, ( I deseeded the banana and then mashed them). Place the sooji / rava in a bowl and add the milk. Keep it aside for some time. Stir in the mashed banana, wheat flour, sugar and fennel seeds and stir well. Gradually add the milk until you get a pouring consistency.

frying the Malpua

Frying Malpua is slightly tricky especially if you are preparing it for the first time. Pour the batter when the oil is in medium to hot temperature. Let the batter take a round shape by itself.

Heat oil in a flat pan and pour a ladle full of the prepared Malpua batter. It will take some time for the sides to become light brown. Now flip the malpua gently. Let the other side also brown. Drain it from oil using a slotted spoon. Place it on a tissue paper to get rid off excess oil. Place it in the sugar syrup for 5 minutes turning sides and then place it in another bowl. Garnish with silvered nuts and serve hot.

6 Lunch Box Recipes - - -Peshawari Naan, Stuffed Paratha, Potato & Spinach Sandwich, Kashmiri Paneer, Chilly Fried Rice, Soya Chunk Pulao

Peshawari Naan

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Stuffed Paratha

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Potato & Spinach Sandwich

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Kashmiri Paneer

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Chilly Fried Rice with Peanuts & Veggies

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Soya Chunk Pulao

Click here & here for more yummy lunch box ideas

Kerala Porotta / Parotta ( with wheat flour) + Chilly Tomato

It would be very hard to find a Malayalee who does not like Porotta / Parotta. The problem however is that Porotta is made out of Maida. The reviews that are going around even in television shows are about the hazards of consuming maida. I am trying to avoid it in day to day cooking.

This is a parotta recipe using home made pure wheat flour. We dint miss anything in terms of taste. We had the parotta with Chilly Tomato and Chicken Curry. Though the best combination is chicken, it tasted good actually with the chilly tomato. Now if you have a question why two curries....it is because i prepared this on a weekday morning and kids are not allowed to take non-vegetarian food to school.

the recipe

Wheat Flour – 3 cups

Egg - 1

Warm Milk – 1 cup

Sugar – 1 tbsp

Salt – ¾ tsp

Oil – 1 tsp

ingredients to roll the parotta / porotta

Oil

Rice flour / wheat flour

the method

In a bowl, place the egg, salt and sugar and lightly beat them. Stir in the wheat flour and roughly crumble the ingredients. Knead the flour into dough by gradually adding the warm milk. When the milk is completely used and the dough is still sticking onto your fingertips add 1 tsp oil by sprinkling it into the bowl. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fingers and smoothen the dough. Divide it into 8 large lemon sized balls and leave it in the refrigerator for 20 - 30 minutes.

Take out the dough, sprinkle few drops of oil on a surface and roll the ball into a thin sheet. Pour few drops of oil and sprinkle wheat flour or coarse rice flour (used to make puttu). Fold the sheets as if folding a fan. Gently twist the folded sheets to form spiral shape. Fold it into a round shape. Gently roll it into a parotta. Heat a gridle / tawa place the parotta and sprinkle few drops of oil. Cook for a minute or two. Turn and cook. Serve hot with a dish of your choice.

the recipe goes to Hearth and Soul Blog hop 73: 11/8/11 and to the Kerala Kitchen at Fajis Hot Pot

Chilly Tomato