Upma

Hmmmm.. that was a sigh.. Reminiscence.... Kerala Marriages.. I just can't give a sketch like that of how beautiful they are. Words cannot depict them. They are simple marriages. But the way we carry out. Cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, grandmas-pas all  gathered and chit-chatting and gossiping and singing, dancing, tongue on cheeks ... oh myy.. And those days the easiest breakfast we go for is UPMA. So that we can spend more time on others. A very simple and mouthwatering recipe..


Ingredients:-(serves 4)


Semolina-2 cups
Water-4 cups
Ghee-1+1tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/2 tspn
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Black split gram- half tspn(if desired)
Onion chopped-1 big/Shallots sliced-15
Green/red chilly chopped- 5
Ginger chopped- 1 tblespn
Carrot chopped- 1 big
Salt to taste


Directions:-

If you get to buy roasted semolina/rava use it. Lest you have to roast the semolina/rava for 20 min or more till it becomes grainy and an aroma diffuses.

• Heat ghee in a pan at medium flame.
• Sputter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
• Add the ginger, chilly, onion and carrot(all chopped) and saute them with the spoon for 10min till the carrots and onions are well soft and done.(medium flame)
• Add 4 cups water and bring to boil.
• Stir in the salt.
• Then add semolina/rava .
• Give a thorough stir with a spoon to blend in all the ingredients and cover with the lid( reduce to medium low flame)
• Cook till the water evaporates. You get a good texture of your desire-like if you like the umpa soggy, loose and watery leave it with some moisture left. Or if you like dry make it fully out of water by keeping on stove for longer time.
• Done. Serve hot with pappad and plantain.

BON APPETITE:)

Wayne's Beef Macaroni and Cheese

Here in my valley the earth is enjoying the cold and angel white snow showering and coating the crust. It seems like a beautiful lady is on with her snow white wedding dress. I stepped out today  bidding bye to my hubby leaving to office. It's not shivering cold. But i thought then of my beef in my fridge. What a contrast isn't it? But you know? I long to eat something.  Having something Italian meant to me intake of loads of cheese and fat. But here is some pasta with your preferable variation of cheese.  Go for it..


Ingredients:-(serves 4)


Beef ground- a pound
Macaroni elbows- half packet.
Onion chopped-1 big
Garlic chopped-3cloves
Basil,oregano,cumin-half tspn each
Salt and Pepper
Tomato crushed- 1 cup canned.
Cheddar mild/sharp(to your taste)-half packet/1cup
Olive oil-2tspn


Directions:-

• Cook the pasta with double amount of water and drain.
• Take a medium deep pan and heat oil(Medium flame).
• Saute the garlic first(45sec). This give the oil a flavor.
• Now add onions chopped and cook till crunchy. Not translucent and soft.
• Blank the pan. Add the beef little water if necessary.
• Cook for 15 min with salt and pepper till well done.
• Now add the crushed tomato, basil, oregano, and cumin.
• Saute well and when they cook for 2 min. Switch off the stove.
• Mix the pasta with the beef sauce well and arrange in a baking tray.
• Adorn the top with a layer of cheese.( if you like the inner pasta with cheese mix it)
• Preheat the oven at 350F and bake for 20 min.
• Done.

BON APPETITE :)

Eggy in a basket-recipe for kids

Wikipedia lists these alternative names (most of them sound disgusting!):

• Spit in the Eye
• Egg in a Hole
• Egg With a Hole in the Middle
• Bullseye Eggs
• Toad in the Hole
• Eggy in the Basket
• Moonstruck Eggs

Peek into the health benefits of egg here .

Ingredients:-serves one

Bread-2slices

Egg-1

Salt a pinch

Apple sauce/pancake sauce or any sweet sauce to your taste

Directions:-

• Take a bread and a glass.
• Press the edge of the glass to the center of the bread to cut one circular piece of it out.
• Now heat a frying pan with butter dabbed and toast the bread with hole and the circle cut. You can toast the second slice though.
• Now crack one egg and plunge in to the bread hole.Salt it.
• let it cook there.
• If you wish to flip it over and cook the yellow do so.
• Once toasted take out and hide the egg with the cut round bread.
• Adorn and sweeten your toast with your favorite sauce.

If you want a spicy one just pepper it and keep  a cheese layer and sandwich with the other slice.

DONE.

BON APPETITE:)

Health benefits of egg

• Eggs are rich source of high-quality protein and amino acids that are indispensable for a healthy body. 
• Due to presence of carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, eggs check macular degeneration caused by ageing.
• Eggs also defend and improve eyesight by preventing diseases like cataract.
• Due to high vitamin D content, consuming eggs gives rise to strong and healthy bones.
• Eggs are also rich sources of vitamin E that is important for combating free radicals and ensuring cell protection.
• Eggs also contain phosphorus that helps in the development of healthy teeth and bones.
• Iron present in eggs helps in the formation of red blood corpuscles (RBC’s) in the body.
• Zinc present in eggs aids in normal functioning of the immune system.
• Consuming eggs prevents different types of cancers, including breast cancer.
• According to various researches, eggs facilitate weight loss and thus help to stay in shape.
• Due to high sulphur content and presence of many vitamins and minerals, eating eggs helps in the promotion of healthy hair and nails.
• Chlorine that forms an essential component of eggs, boosts memory power and brain functioning.
• An important antioxidant called selenium is also found in eggs that curbs damages caused by unrestrained oxidation in the body, and thus prevents blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.

Nutritional Value of Eggs

Enumerated below is the amount of nutrients present in a medium-sized egg (without shell) 

• Water - 38.8 g
• Energy - 324 kJ/ 78 kcal
• Protein - 6.5 g
• Fat - 5.8 g
• Inc saturated f.a  - 1.7 g
• Monounsaturated f.a - 2.3 g
• Sodium - 72 mg
• Potassium - 67 mg
• Calcium - 29 mg
• Phosphorus - 103 mg
• Magnesium - 6.2 mg
• Iron - 1.0 mg
• Zinc - 0.7 mg
• Copper - 0.04 mg
• Chlorine - 83 mg
• Sulphur - 93 mg
• Vitamin E - 0.57 mg
• Thiamin (B1) - 0.05 mg
• Riboflavin (B2) - 0.24 mg
• Niacin - 0.05 mg
• Vitamin B6 - 0.06 mg

Health benefits of Pineapple

Serving Size(1 cup diced-155gm)
Amount per serving
Calories 74	Calories from Fat 2

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0g		0%
	Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 2mg		0%
Total Carbohydrates 20g		7%
	Dietary Fiber 2g
	Sugars 14g
Protein 1g

Vitamin A	2%	Vitamin C	94%
Calcium	2%	Iron	2%
Thiamin	8%	Riboflavin	3%
Niacin	4%	Pantothenic Acid	3%
Vitamin B6	9%	Potassium	5%
Phosphorus	1%	Magnesium	5%
Zinc	1%	Copper	8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

A rather lesser-known fact about pineapples is that it aids the process of digestion. It has anti-inflammatory properties which come to the rescue for those showing symptoms of arthritis, gout, as well as those experiencing pain or discomfort due to sports-induced injuries.

Pineapple is very good for overall dental health. Since it has a high content of Vitamin C, it can reduce the chances of gum inflammation and other gum diseases.

Pineapple has a very important ingredient in the form of bromelain. Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme which plays a vital role in the following:

• fighting infections
• reducing muscle pain or swelling after sprains
• relieving sore throats
• treating sinusitis and bronchitis
• improving blood circulation
• reducing or preventing thrombosis (formation of blood clots)
• treating menstrual disorders

Pineapples are also good for eyes and for maintaining good vision. It is believed that regular intake of pineapple fruit or pineapple juice can prevent the chances of macular degeneration (an eye problem experienced by middle-age people or the elderly).

Pineapple is also a great mood-lifter, and is quite beneficial for maintaining a good memory and a sharp brain. Read more on  unique facts about pineapples.

Well, this was a short view of pineapple health benefits. Canned pineapple health benefits are more or less the same as compared to those of fresh pineapples. Just make sure that the canned product isn't past its best-before date. 

Banana toast

Summer is back in my valley. The sun glazes and sneakily peeks in between the mountains surrounding, carpeting an amber shade on my beautiful city. I never ever developed these sights even from the Calender images i carried through my childhood days. Some times i feel i am a little carried away in the beauty of this new world, but banana always reminisces of my Tropical Paradise Kerala. Banana is a tropical fruit and is used in cooking when its is raw and when it is ripe. You can make out several recipes out of it Soups to Desserts. Here we are into an easily & healthily way of breaking our morning fast.


Banana and health benefits here.


Ingredients:-Serves 1


Bread slices- 2
Banana-1big/ Plantain- 2
Butter/Ghee-1tspn
Nutmeg-2 pinch


Procedure:-

• Toast banana bread on a frying pan or using a toaster.
• After toasting take them off. 
• In the same pan spread butter/ghee.
• Cut banana into chunks and cook over it.
• When it is soft switch off the stove.
• Sandwich them with bread slices. You can dust some nutmeg powder if you like.
• Done.

BON APPETITE:)

Beef Olathiyathu

You eat many things in your life, don't you? But sometimes we are very choosy  and that sometimes varies sometimes with weather. A winter dish is always molded with a hoard of spiciness. We prefer hot and spicy when it is cold outside. This is one among them-Beef Olathiyathu from Kerala and always Kottayam's Special.

Ingredients:-

Beef- a pound(half Kg)

Coconut oil-2 to 3 tblspn

Curry leaves-1 sprig

Mustard seeds-1/4 tspn
Coconut pieces- very small cut -2 tblspns

Shallots-20

Chilly pwdr-3tspn

Turmeric pwdr-1/2 tspn

Coriander pwdr-4tspn

Ginger-garlic paste-2heaped tspn

Salt to taste

Directions:-

• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves(medium flame).
• Add the coconut pieces and saute for 30 sec.
• Add shallots and saute them till transparent.
• Add the dry spices, and ginger garlic paste.(high flame)
• Saute the spices and ginger garlic paste till they are cooked for say about 2min at high flame. The spices would slightly turn darker in color.(then reduce to medium flame).
• Add the chopped beef and salt to taste(3/4 tspn maybe). Do not add any water since the meat oozes out enough water to cook.
• Now give a thorough stir with a spoon to marinate the beef with masala.
• Cook this with the lid on for 10-15 min till the beef is tender.(try breaking a chunk with the sharpe edge of a spoon. If it is still hard cook further)
• Once cooked remove the lid and  increase the flame to medium-high.
• Now keep stirring them with a spoon till water evaporates and as long as the reddish color of the masala turns dark and brown.
• Done.

BON APPETITE:)

Home made ice cream- VANILLA / STRAWBERRY / CHOCOLATE

 Home made ice cream without an ice cream maker... Its a little hard  keep an eye on process. But if you really long for it you deserve this.

I suggest you to read about how to make an ice cream without ice cream maker in my blog clicking here.




VANILLA ICE CREAM


Ingredients:-(serves 6-8)


Milk-Half cup
Whipping cream-half cup
Egg-4(White and yellow separated).
Sugar-3/4 cup
Gelatin-1tblspn (this works as the stabilizer)
Water-5tblspn
Vanilla-2tspn


Procedure:-(heat is at medium throughout)

• First soak the gelatin in 5 tblspn water.
• Separate the four eggs' white and yolk.
• Take milk and cream in a vessel and heat (NOTE -u have time till small bubbles peek on the edges ie.where the milk and vessel meets. The milk and cream will be just between warm and hot. Meanwhile..)
• Whisk the egg yolk with a whisk or spoon. Add in sugar little by little and whisk simultaneously.
• When the sugar fully dissolves and a yellow cream is formed, drip it slowly into the heated milk little by little. Stir the milk simultaneously with a spoon because there is a high chance of curdling the egg*. (Also if the milk is too hot the egg scrambles. So check the heat so that you can put in your finger and sense it. Also see step one note*. If it curdles immediately stop dripping egg and take off the pan from the stove and let it cool till warm. Then place it back to stove top and repeat the process at a lower flame.)*
• Keep stirring after the egg is fully added,  for about 20 min or more, till the milk thickens to form a custard.(Custard means you will get a thick coating of milk over the spoon)
• Now take off the pan from heat .
• Add the gelatin and vanilla essence stir till well dissolved.
• You need not do next 2 steps if you do not have an electric mixer- But if so, you have to follow what i say in the last step.
•  So next is to beat the egg whites thoroughly with an electric mixer till it forms thick cream and form small peaks, thats meringue.
• Add this meringue into the warm custard slowly without losing the air bubbles. You should know something about this. When we beat egg whites with the whisk/electric whisk the air bubbles are entering each molecule and this is what makes it double in quantity and fluffy. So we need these air bubbles not to escape fully to make the ice cream creamy, soft, fluffy and easy to scoop. Else it will be very hard. 
• Now blend in the meringue carefully and slowly as in this video

• Now pour one third of this cream into a bowl or glass and refrigerate(do not freeze directly since this is a cooked ice cream).
• Vanilla ice cream is  almost left with its final step.
• Now after refrigerating, every 20 min you have to give a gentle stir scraping down the edges where ice crystals have formed. We are doing a gentle stir here since we do not want the air bubbles to escape from the whipped/whisked egg whites added. And we are scraping down the crystals to the center to prevent further formation of crystals. 
• You have to do this three to four times until you get an ice cream texture
• Then freeze.
• LASTLY for those who do not have the electric mixer, once the ice cream is refrigerated after every 20 min take it into a blender and give two three blitzes so that air bubble gets in. Repeat this 3 to 4 times till the ice crystals formed on the top while refrigerating breaks and enlightens with air.
• DONE with vanilla Icecream. 

NOW FOR A CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM YOU NEED EXTRA INGREDIENTS:-

Semi sweet chocolate chips/Dark chocolate chips-2tblspn(for intense chocolate flavor)

Marshmallow-1 cube or spoon(optional)

or milk- 2 tblspn

Melt the chocolate in a microwave for 1 min with stirring after 15 sec. And melt it completely. Now mix the custard with whipped/whisked egg white. And do the remaining procedure of refrigerating and stirring.

Chocolate ice  cream done:)

BON APPETITE..

NOW FOR THE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

5-6 strawberries

Make a juice and mix gently with the custard with whipped egg whites.And do the remaining procedureof refrigerating and stirring.

Have your yummy strawberry ice cream:)

BON APPETITE.

How to make a homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker?

Step One

Simply follow the recipe to prepare the mixture, then sample it and adjust the ingredients to your own taste. Any recipe for making ice cream can be used. Grandma's old-time ice cream recipes are perfect for this.

Step Two

When you are satisfied with the taste, and the mixture is ready to freeze, pour it into a freezer container and seal it with the container's lid. If the container doesn't have a lid, then carefully seal the container tightly with aluminum foil.

After making homemade ice cream for a while, you'll find that shallow freezer containers or cake pans work best as they allow the mixture to freeze quickly. Here are some tips on how to use them:

• If the mixture contains whipped ingredients, then immediately place the sealed container into the freezer
• If the mixture contains ingredients that are not whipped, first place the sealed container in the refrigerator compartment for 20 minutes or so to chill, and then place it in the freezer to freeze
• If the mixture has been cooked, it may need to sit in the refrigerator for several hours to chill thoroughly before placing it in the freezer to freeze

Step Three

After the mixture has been sitting in the freezer for 20 minutes or so, take it out, and if it has been in there long enough you should notice a thick layer of ice crystals coating the inside of the container. Unseal the container and using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape the ice crystals that have formed on the sides into the center, and then beat the mixture thoroughly to prevent the further formation of ice crystals and to lighten it with air.

The tiny pockets of air beaten into the ice cream make it smooth and easy to scoop. Ice cream without beating is similar to bread that has not risen. Therefore, to be creamy smooth, ice cream requires beating.

Try to not let the semi-frozen mixture melt too much while beating. An electric hand-held beater can be used to great advantage and it will make this step much easier.

Reseal the container and return it to the freezer. Leave it for another 30 minutes or so and then repeat the scraping and beating process. If the mixture freezes too hard, simply place it in the refrigerator compartment until it is again just soft enough to beat. This is common practice when you make your own ices.

Depending on the ingredients used and the temperature of your freezer, you may have to repeat this step up to three or four times until the mixture is creamy smooth in texture, but firmly frozen.

After the last beating, you may pack the ice cream in molds for freezing or simply reseal the container and return it to the freezer.

Tomato chutney

Those who like sourness with their meal this is an awesome and easy recipe. 


Ingredients:-(Serves 2)


Tomato-2
Ginger-1 inch small piece
Water-1 1/2cup
Chilly powder-2 tspn
Turmeric-1/4tspn
Cumin seeds-1/4tspn
Asefoetida-2 pinch
Curry leaves-3
Cilantro/Coriander chopped-1tspn
Salt to taste


Directions:-

• Place a pan on medium heat.
• Heat some oil, Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves(You can add curry leaves finally also).
• Throw in the chopped tomato,ginger,Asefoetida,chilly, turmeric,cumin and salt.
• Cook for 10 min with the lid on .
• When the tomato has pureed. Its done. You can smash the tomato.
• Adorn it with cilantro.
• Serve hot with dosa/idly, vellappam .

BON APPETITE:)

Garlic Bread

Ingredients:-

French Baguette/ Any hard crust bread-1 whole
Garlic-5
Fresh Parsley-3tblspn
Butter-4tblspn
Salt and pepper-1/2 tspn each

Directions:-

• Slice the bread slantingly as shown. But do not cut it till the other edge and separate each slice. Let it be joined at the bottom and keep aside.
• Crush or grate the garlic cloves finely.
• Chop the parsley leaves very finely.
• Take the butter in a bowl and mix in parsley and garlic thoroughly with salt and butter seasoning.
• Now take the bread and spread this mix over each slice of bread on both sides. You can use your hand or a flat spoon.
• If you have leftover butter mix, spread it over the top.
• Now wrap it with an aluminium foil. 
• Bake
• Preheat the oven at 350farenheit or 175degree celsius.
• When preheated set the timer for 10 min,
• Place in the bread.
• After 10 min flip it upside down.
• Again bake for another 10 min.
• Take out.
• Serve hot.
• Can refrigerate and use it later heating it.

BON APPETITE:)

Creme fraiche

Crème fraiche is particularly useful in finishing sauces in French cooking because it does not curdle. We can use it over fresh fruits as dippings. It is substituted for sour cream.
It is used in both savory and sweet dishes and makes a wonderful topping for fresh berries, cobblers and puddings. It can also be whipped, along with a little sugar, and used in place of whipped heavy cream.

Ingredients:-

Buttermilk- I tspn

Cream- one cup

Directions:-

Mix both of the ingredients and close with a cotton cloth overnight. Next day creme fresh ready.

Once the creme fraiche has thickened sufficiently, cover and place in the refrigerator. It will continue to thicken and take on a more tangy flavor as it ages. Creme fraiche will keep in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days. 

BON APPETITE :

Health benefits of Mushrooms

    Mushrooms are always healthy to have, provided you know to differentiate the edible ones from the others. Always be aware of selecting them. A single poisonous mushroom among others can send a whole lot of people to coma, induce severe poisoning symptoms, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, cramps, insanity or worst, can kill them. Avoid eating discolored mushrooms or those which are different in color than the characteristic color of their species.

mushrooms have a unique taste but certain mushrooms like psilocybin mushrooms have psychoactive properties  where they have been used for mental and physical healing, and to facilitate visionary states. They are commonly known as  "magic mushrooms," "mushies" or "shrooms."  

So try not to pick them from your garden unless you have thorough knowledge in it. Get them from grocery stores. But do not worry most of us use them.

Edible mushrooms are always healthy to have in a lean diet. The health benefits of mushroom include relief from high cholesterol levels, breast cancer, prostrate cancer, and diabetes. It also helps in weight loss, increasing immunity.