Making clarified butter/Ghee from packaged butter

Clarified butter is also called drawn butter.  Simply defined, clarified butter is unsalted butter that has the milk solids and water removed so all that remains is pure liquid golden-yellow butterfat.  The advantages of this type of butter is its long keeping quality (several months refrigerated) and its high smoke point (can be used in frying without burning).

Method:

1. Gently melt unsalted butter in a non-stick pan over low heat until the butter melts.

2. There will be a top layer formed of white foam or froth (the whey proteins) and should be skimmed off with a spoon.

3. When you have skimmed all the white foam from the surface of the clarified butter, and it has stopped giving out the form, remove the saucepan from the heat.

4. Let the clarified butter sit a few minutes to allow the milk solids  if any to further settle to the bottom, and then strain the mixture through a fine sieve or  a cheesecloth-lined strainer.

5. The liquid collected is the golden-yellow clarified butter (butterfat) that can be covered and stored several months in the refrigerator.  Remember Chilled clarified butter does become grainy. I keep mine in room temperature and it is used up fast as well.

6. Keep a separate bowl for the milk solids you skim off — it's fantastic on popcorn! You can also add the leftover milk solids to mashed potatoes or as a topping for vegetables. They're also be delicious over pancakes, waffles or French toast.

Kolhapuri Chicken /mutton curry

Hi guys, This time I'm going to post the two in one curry. I mean to say, I am posting one single recipe with the variations of meat in it. If you are bold enough, you can use both in same recipe. I have made this with both variations and it taste just awesome. Tried and tested recipe.

Ingredients:
Goat meat/ Chicken - 500 gms
Onions -2
1/2 tsp of turmeric
1 tbsp of lemon juice
4 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Kolhapuri kanda Lasun masala - 3 1/2 tsp

Masala paste:
Desiccated coconut - 2 tbsp
Sesame seed - 1 tbsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic cloves - 6-7
Fresh ginger - 1 inch
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves chopped

Method:

1. If  you are using goat meat follow from here and if using chicken skip to step 5 , In a pressure cooker heat 1 tbsp of oil.

2. Add 1 chopped onion, turmeric powder and salt and saute. Saute onion till it changes colour.

3. Add meat, seal the meat on high heat turning it side to side.

4. Keep on stirring till the colour of meat changes, now add about 3 cups of water and close the cooker, bring it to full boil and cook until 7-8 whistles.

5. Now lets make the masala paste, dry roast the desiccated or dry shredded coconut until brown. Dry roast cumin and sesame seeds as well.

6. You can gring this roasted mix in a mortar pestle or on patta. I just grind them in mixer along with coriander. And make separate ginger garlic paste. You can use if you have the ready made paste.

7. In a pressure cooker, add oil and saute onions till they are translucent.

8. Add the ready made kanda lasun masala  and the ground masala as well. saute till oil separates from masala. this might take 4-5 min on medium heat.

9. Now add the cooked mutton at this stage. If using chicken add the marinated chicken (marinate chicken with red chili, ginger garlic paste, salt and turmeric)  stir well.

10. Let the meat of chicken get nicely coated with masala mix and cook for 3-4 mins.

11. Now adjust the consistency with addition of water and salt. Mix well and close the cooker and brig to full boil and till 1 -2 whistles. If not using cooker, you can keep this boiling for about 20- 35 min till the meat comes off easily from the bone.

12. Serve this with paratha, roti, chapati or pulka and white rice.
 

Palak Dal

This recipe was often made by mom when she used to cook after she used to back from office. Its kind of one pot meal deal. I loved the dal with rice and some poppadom and a spicy omelet.

Ingredients:

1 cup Toor dal
1/2 cup moong dal
2 tbsp channa dal
1 cup chopped palak/spinach
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped/sliced
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2-3 Green chillies slit (if more you need more spice, add 1 or 2 green chillies in seasoning)
2-3 garlic pods - crushed and chopped
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of garam masala
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups water, approx
For seasoning/tadka:
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of hing/asafoetida
1 tbsp ghee or oil
3-4 crushed garlic with peels
 Green chilled (for more spice)

Method:
1. In a pressure cooker, add all dals and and rinse the dals.

2. Add the chopped onions and ginger-garlic paste.

3. Add red chili, turmeric, coriander and  cumin powders, garam masala and combine. Add the chopped palak and mix it well. Add chopped tomato, garlic and all the other ingredients.

4. Add salt and one and half cup of water and combine. And close the lid, cook on high to medium flame for 3 whistles.

5. Heat oil or ghee, add hing and other seasoning ingredients and pour over cooled cooked dal. Adjust salt if necessary and mix well.

6. Serve with rotis or white rice.

Chopped spinach1 Bunch (100 gm) Toor dal1 Cup (16 tbs) Tomato1⁄2 Medium Tamarind juice2 Teaspoon Seasoning To Taste Mustard seeds1⁄4 Teaspoon Cumin seeds1⁄2 Teaspoon (jeera) Dry red chillies1  Garlic pods2 , crushed Methi1 Tablespoon (Fenugreek) Turmeric powder1⁄2 Teaspoon Chilly powder1 Pinch Salt To Taste
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/dal_palak_0#PLvIZmoviYu0f246.99

Chopped spinach1 Bunch (100 gm) Toor dal1 Cup (16 tbs) Tomato1⁄2 Medium Tamarind juice2 Teaspoon Seasoning To Taste Mustard seeds1⁄4 Teaspoon Cumin seeds1⁄2 Teaspoon (jeera) Dry red chillies1  Garlic pods2 , crushed Methi1 Tablespoon (Fenugreek) Turmeric powder1⁄2 Teaspoon Chilly powder1 Pinch Salt To Taste
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/dal_palak_0#PLvIZmoviYu0f246.99

Chopped spinach1 Bunch (100 gm) Toor dal1 Cup (16 tbs) Tomato1⁄2 Medium Tamarind juice2 Teaspoon Seasoning To Taste Mustard seeds1⁄4 Teaspoon Cumin seeds1⁄2 Teaspoon (jeera) Dry red chillies1  Garlic pods2 , crushed Methi1 Tablespoon (Fenugreek) Turmeric powder1⁄2 Teaspoon Chilly powder1 Pinch Salt To Taste
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/dal_palak_0#PLvIZmoviYu0f246.99

Chopped spinach1 Bunch (100 gm) Toor dal1 Cup (16 tbs) Tomato1⁄2 Medium Tamarind juice2 Teaspoon Seasoning To Taste Mustard seeds1⁄4 Teaspoon Cumin seeds1⁄2 Teaspoon (jeera) Dry red chillies1  Garlic pods2 , crushed Methi1 Tablespoon (Fenugreek) Turmeric powder1⁄2 Teaspoon Chilly powder1 Pinch Salt To Taste
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/dal_palak_0#PLvIZmoviYu0f246.99

Chopped spinach1 Bunch (100 gm) Toor dal1 Cup (16 tbs) Tomato1⁄2 Medium Tamarind juice2 Teaspoon Seasoning To Taste Mustard seeds1⁄4 Teaspoon Cumin seeds1⁄2 Teaspoon (jeera) Dry red chillies1  Garlic pods2 , crushed Methi1 Tablespoon (Fenugreek) Turmeric powder1⁄2 Teaspoon Chilly powder1 Pinch Salt To Taste
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/dal_palak_0#PLvIZmoviYu0f246.99

Chopped spinach1 Bunch (100 gm) Toor dal1 Cup (16 tbs) Tomato1⁄2 Medium Tamarind juice2 Teaspoon Seasoning To Taste Mustard seeds1⁄4 Teaspoon Cumin seeds1⁄2 Teaspoon (jeera) Dry red chillies1  Garlic pods2 , crushed Methi1 Tablespoon (Fenugreek) Turmeric powder1⁄2 Teaspoon Chilly powder1 Pinch Salt To Taste
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/dal_palak_0#PLvIZmoviYu0f246.99

Vegetarian cookies....no butter no egg version - Nankhatai

Ingredients:

• 100 gms ghee ( clarified butter )
• 100 gms powdered sugar/ Icing sugar
• 180 gms plain flour/All purpose flour/Maida
• 1/2 tsp.  baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• Pistachios/Almonds, chopped / sliced

Method :

• I used ghee at normal or room temperature and weighed it.
• In a large bowl, beat ghee and sugar until creamy.
• Preheat oven to 180 C. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sieve flour with baking powder and keep aside.
• Gradually work in the flour mixture, mixing with your hands until the dough comes together.
• Divide the dough into equal sized balls. Flatten slightly with your palms. Keep pressing the edges to form a smooth cookie.
• Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, 2" apart. Add a pistachio or almond on the centre of each cookie.
• Bake 12 - 14 minutes until the almond turns light brown.
• Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a minute. 
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then store them in an air-tight container.

Whole Moong Usal

This is the easiest usal I have made so far. There are different versions of usal but this one is like a curry to eat with rice or chapati.

 Ingredients :

• 1 cup soaked whole moong (Soak moong overnight for good results)

•3-4 tsp Deccicated Coconut

•1 Tomato (sliced)

•1 Onion (sliced)

•1 onion chopped

•2-3 Garlic (sliced)

•1 tsp Ginger (sliced)

•1 tsp Cumin seeds

•1/2 tsp Garam Masala

•1 and 1/2 tsp Red chili powder

•Curry leaves - 2-3 sprigs

•1-2 Kokum

•2-3 tbsp Oil

•Salt to taste

 Method :

1. Heat the pan with oil, add minced garlic, ginger and fry for till they turn light brown. 

2. Add sliced onion and fry till they turn brown and soft. Add tomatoes and fry for few minutes. turn of the heat and let it cool.

3. In the mixer/ blender add above made onion masala, dry coconut, garam masala, chilli powder and grind to  smooth paste.

4. Heat the pressure pan with 2-3 tbsp oil, add cumin curry leaves and onion. Let the onion fry for 4-5 min. Add additional 1/2 tsp  of red chilli powder for colour.

5. Add above made masala paste and fry for some time. When the mixture starts to bubble ad the whole moong.

6.  At this point add and adjust salt. Add the kokum and mix well.  Add water and close the pressure cooker. Turn down the heat after 2 whistle. 

7. Serve this with rice and little bit of chopped onion and lemon wedge.

Masur dal Amti

Hi friends, thank you for reading my post. Today I am sharing a recipe of masur dal which brings home memories of India and my mother's cooking. This lentil soup/broth or as we call in marathi amti was made as accompaniment with fish fry or any other non-vegetarian fry recipes along with rice. With out much more explaining lets look into the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup of masur dal
1 tomato sliced
1 onion sliced
3-4 garlic pods
1 tsp of chilli powder
1 pinch aseofatida
salt to taste

For tempering:
Oil -1 tbsp
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder
3-4 garlic pods

Method:

1. Wash dal and add additional 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker.

2. Add 1 tsp of red chilli powder, onion, tomato, sliced garlic, asoefitida and salt to taste. Mix well. Close the pressure cooker and turn off the heat after 3 whistles.

3. Open the cooker after its cooled down. at oil for tempering in a small pan. Add cumin and crushed garlic and let it brown and finally add chilli powder.

4. Pour the tempering over the cooker dal and mix well. Adjust salt and turn on the heat till the dal boils and its ready to serve with rice and fish fry or chicken fry or just an omelet.
 

Chicken fry Kerala Style

Ingredients

Chicken - 300gm (small pieces)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chopped green chilly -2 nos (can add more chillies if you like hot and spicy)
Tomato - 1
Red chilly powder - 1and 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 4-5 sprigs
Curry leaves -4-5 sprigs
Salt to taste
Coconut oil or any other oil of your choice - 3 tbsp
Rice flour - 1/2 cup 

Method:

1. Mix red chilly powder, ginger garlic paste, green chilly, tomato, salt and coriander leaves in a grinder and make a smooth paste.

2. Add rice flour and chicken pieces into this paste. Marinate this mixture for 15 minutes.

3. Heat coconut oil in a pan,  Add curry leaves and then add the chicken pieces.

4. Fry the chicken till oil separates form the chicken. Kerala style chicken fry is ready to be served.

Bafad/bafat Chicken curry

Mangalorean cuisine is largely influenced by the South Indian cuisine, with several cuisines being unique to the diverse communities of the region. Coconut and curry leaves are common ingredients to most Mangalorean Curry, as are ginger, garlic and chili. A Bafad/bafat is a hot, tangy Mangalorean curry.

You Need:

• 1/2 kg chicken on the bone
• 3 tsp of canned coconut milk (to make  thick & thin milk, Add 2 tsp with 1 cup of warm water to make thin milk)
• 1 tsp vinegar
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp oil/ghee for frying

For the shindaap (sliced ingredients)

• 2 medium size onions thinly sliced
• 3 small green chillies slit
• 3-4 garlic pods thinly sliced
• 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
• 2-4 cloves

For the bafat masala (substitute masala made at home instantly)

• 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 2 pinch of freshly ground pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp cumin /jeera powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder

Mix all the above powder into a small bowl and keep it aside.

Method:

 1. Cut chicken into medium sized pieces, wash and drain on a colander. Keep the sliced ingredients (shindaap) ready.

 2. In a heavy bottomed kadhai or pan heat the ghee or oil and fry the sliced onions till they turn golden pink - this takes about 5-6 minutes on a medium flame. Next add the chicken pieces and the rest of the 'shindaap' (green chillies, garlic, ginger garlic paste and cloves in addition) and mix well. Fry for a couple of minutes.

 3. Toss in the mixed masala powder, mix well so that all the pieces are coated with it. Add salt to taste. Let the chicken fry over a slow flame for another 2-3 minutes before you add the thin coconut milk.  Cover and cook till half done.

 4. Add 1 tsp or more thick canned coconut milk (add only as much as required), add the vinegar & check taste. Simmer until done without covering the pan.

 5. Serve hot with rice or neer dosa.
 

Butternut Squash Sambar

 

Butternut Squash Sambar.

Sambar is a traditional south Indian dish usually a favourite served with Idly or Dosai. Its kind of vegetable stew or chowder broth  with tamarind water in it. It has different variation in different states of South India. Today I am making a butternut squash sambar using pressure cooker.

Ingredients:
1/2 of Butter nut squash or about 250 gms
1 onion sliced thick
1/2 cup Toor dal
lemon size tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup of hot water
2 tomatoes sliced
1/2 tsp of turmeric
salt to taste
3-4 cups of water

Sambar masala:
1 tsp Bengal gram
2 tbsp Desiccated coconut
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asoefatida
3 sprigs of curry leaves
4-5 dried red chillies

1 pinch fenugreek seeds

Tempering:
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch fenugreek seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker, rinse the toor dal and add 3 cups of water, turmeric and salt. Shut the cooker and bring to boil and turn heat off afte 3 whistles.

2. Roast all the sambar masala in the frying pan until coconut turns brown. And grind it into a mixer with little water until smooth paste.

3. Once the cooker is cool enough, open and blend the dal by pressing with the back of the ladle. Put all cut butter nut squash, onion, tomato, tamarind water, curry leaves and mix well. If the sambar seems to be thick then add abt 1/2 cup of water and adjust salt.

4. Close the lid and bring it on full pressure until 1 whistle.

5. Open after cooled enough. In a tempering pan heat oil and put the tempering ingredients and temper the sambar.

6. Serve sambar with hot  rice, Idli or Dosai.
 

Kalaan recipe

Kalan or kalaan is traditional recipe of gravies included in the traditional Kerala feast banquet or as it is called Sadya. The curry is based in coconut and yogurt giving a sweet and sour taste. It is a very easy recipe to do when you have less time to cook. Lets go on to the recipe ...

Cucumber Kalan

I used cucumber in my version, since that is what I had in the fridge. You can also use plantain/raw banana, yam, different types of gourds etc. or mango or pineapple for a sweet and sour version. Raw Plantains are the best choice in my opinion.

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber skinned and seeded and cut into large cubes (I used the green cucumber for this recipe but you can use any other vegetable like raw banana or plantain/yam/mango/pineapple)
• 3 small Thai green chilies slit
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 3 Tbsp yogurt (I used greek yogurt)
• To Grind
• 3/4 cup grated coconut (I used desiccated coconut)
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• For Seasoning
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 3 whole dry red chilies
• a few curry leaves

Method

1. Grind the coconut and cumin seeds with just enough water to make a really smooth paste.

2. Cook the vegetables with the green chilies, red chili and turmeric powders, salt and a cup of water in a large saucepan till the vegetables are tender.

3. Add the ground coconut paste to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for two minutes. Take off the gas and Stir in the yogurt and mix well.

4. Cook on very low heat till the liquid is heated through, but do not let it boil otherwise the yogurt will curdle. Remove from the heat.

5. In a tempering pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When these start to splutter, add the rest of the seasoning ingredients and fry till the chilies turn dark brown. Pour this over the curry and mix well.

6. This curry keeps well in the refrigerator for couple of days. Do not reheat, just bring it back to room temperature before serving with warm rice.

Kerala Fish Curry with Coconut 

Ingredients:
Fish or any other medium sized fish (I used three sprats)
Dried coconut /desiccated coconut 3 tbsp
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp (adjust to taste)
Whole Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Whole Jeera  - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 4 cloves
Shallots 4-6/ 1 small red onion
Tamarind paste - lime size
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 strand
Mustard 1/2 tsp and fenugreek 1 pinch - for tempering
coconut oil  or any other oil- 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

How to Make Kerala Fish Curry:

1. Grind coconut, pepper, garlic, half shallots/onion, turmeric and jeera to a paste with some added water.

2. Heat oil and crackle mustard seeds. Fry fenugreek for a while and add half  of chopped onion. Then add curry leaves and chilly powder.

3. Add the ground paste, tamarind  and salt. Half a cup water may be added at this stage if gravy is too thick. Boil for 10 min.

4. Add the cleaned and cut fish pieces, close and cook for 10 mins.

5. Serve with rice and fried fish.