Meen Vattichathu - Kerala fish curry

If you love all things spicy,you will love this Kerala fish curry.

To make this flavorful spicy fish curry you will need:Chilli powder,Kashmiri chilli powder, Turmeric powder,Fenugreek powder,Gambooge(Kodumpuli),Ginger,Garlic,Shallots or Onion,Curry leaves,Tomato, Mustard, Fenugreek seeds,Salt and Fish.

It's mostly cooked with oil-rich fishes. The oil in the fish adds a nice flavor and texture to this curry.I am using Salmon.It would work equally well with Catfish, King fish, Shark, Mackerel or Sardine.

 

 

In a bowl combine 2 tsp Chilli powder with 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder.

To this add, 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder.

 

After that add 1Tbsp water. 

 

and mix throughly to make a dry paste.

Soak 2 kodumpuli(1 small ,1 big) in 1/4 cup water and keep it aside.

Next chop half a tomato

 

and puree nicely.

Now for the masala you will need  2 Tbsp ginger,5 cloves garlics and 2 shallots.If you don't have shallots , use 2 Tbsp chopped onion. 

Crush them up using your mortar and pestle.If you don't have a mortar and pestle you can mince them too. 

Set aside the ginger-garlic mixture, then drizzle 2 Tbsp of oil into the clay pot or a skillet over medium heat. Coconut oil is the best for any south indian dish. 

Splutter 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds. 

 

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds.

After that, add the ginger,garlic and onion mixture and saute it.

Cook over medium-low heat until they are light brown.And then add the curry leaves and saute it for another minute.

Once it is brown add the spice paste and saute it again.

Next add the tomato puree and stir to combine. 

To this add the gambooge with the liquid

Next add 1 cup water

and  3/4 tsp salt

Put the lid on and boil them.As it starts to boil add 1 lb cleaned and diced fish

 

Close it again and cook on high flame for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked.



Once the fish is fully cooked ,remove the lid and let the it boil till you see oil settling around the edges.

 

Now turn off the heat and add a fresh stem of curry leaf and keep it covered for some time 

 15 minutes later, this wonderful, delicious fish curry will be ready to serve.

RECIPE

Ingredients:

• Fish - 1 lb ( Any fatty fish - Salmon,Sardine,Mackerel,King fish,Catfish,Shark)
• Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Kashmiri chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tsp
• Water - 1Tbsp
• Gambooge (Kodumpuli) - 2 (1 Small,1 Big)
• Water - 1/4 cup
• Garlic - 5
• Ginger - 2 Tbsp
• Shallots - 2 or Onion -2 Tbsp
• Tomato - 1/2
• Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seed - 1/4 tsp
• Water - 1cup
• Salt - 3/4 tsp (more to taste)
• Curry leaves.
• Oil - 2 Tbsp (preferably coconut oil)

Directions:

• Clean and cut the fish in 2 inch pieces.
• Mix the red chilli powder,kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric , fenugreek powder and make it a dry paste with 1 Tbsp water.
• Soak Kodumpuli in 1/4 cup water
• Grind the garlic,ginger,shallots or onion in to a paste.
• Puree half tomato
• Heat oil in a skillet or the clay pot.
• Add mustard seeds .
• Then add fenugreek seeds.
• Add grind ginger, garlic and onion mixture and saute it
• Add few curry leaves.
• Add tomato puree
• Add water and salt and cover it and let it boil
• Add the fish and cover it and cook until the fish is cooked
• Remove the lid and cook it again until the oil seperates.
• Off the flame and add few more curry leaves on top and cover it for another 15 minutes.
• Serve hot.

The Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake



 

 

To make this super moist, light and fluffy cupcakes you will need :Butter, Sugar, Egg,Yogurt or Sour cream, Vanilla extract, Vegetable oil, Milk, All purpose flour, Baking soda, Baking powder and Salt.

 

Start by creaming 2 Tbsp butter until smooth.

 

Add 1/2 Cup Sugar and mix it on a medium speed until you get a crumb texture.

 

With the mixer still on medium speed, add 1 Egg and mix until very pale and creamy.

Then add 2 1/2 Tbsp Yogurt or Sour cream

1 tsp Vanilla extract 

 

and 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil and mix until combined.

In a seperate bowl add 3/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp All purpose flour and 3/4 tsp Baking powder. 

 

To this add 1/4 tsp Baking soda and 1/4 tsp Salt.

and mix it .

With the mixer still on medium speed alternate additions of flour mixture and 1/3 cup Milk,

beating after each addition until incorporated.

The batter will be liquid. Don't worry!

Prepare your muffin tin with liners and fill about 2/3 full.
Bake for 14 minutes at 350 degree F and then test to see if they are done. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it.If they are not done, test again in two minutes.

When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack or on your counter to cool.Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Now to make this fluffy buttercream frosting you will need:Butter, Powdered sugar, Milk or heavy cream, Vanilla extract and Salt

Whip 1 stick or 1/2 cup salted or unsalted butter until nice and smooth.Use room temperature butter.

To this add 1/8 tsp Salt, if using salted butter ignore this step.

next add 1/2 tsp the best quality Vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

To this add 1 Cup Powdered sugar, adding 2 Tbsp at a time and beating after each addition.

Make sure the butter is whipped nicely and fully smooth before adding the sugar.Or else the frosting will not be smooth.

Add 1/2 Tbsp of Cream or Milk and continue beating.Add an additional 1/2 Tbsp of  cream or milk until desired consistency is reached. If you want to pipe the frosting on cupcakes, the frosting should be nice and thick. Continue to beat another minute or so. 

If you like to color the icing, use the  desired color one drop at a time and mix it nicely.The frosting should now be smooth and fluffy.

Now the fun part ! Let's decorate the cupcakes.

Keep all the cooled cupcakes in a tray.
Place tip inside your piping bag.I used Open star (Wilton 1M) to make these wonderful swirls.You can also use Closed star (Wilton 2D)
Half fill the piping bag with icing.

Hold the piping bag straight up, start frosting from the inside and begin swirling towards the outside.
Continue squeezing with constant pressure.
Once you reach the edge stop pressure, and pull tip away.

And another technique is, start on the outside and swirl in towards the center.

Voila! A beautifully frosted cupcake

RECIPE
Vanilla Cupcakes :Adapted from www.cupcakeproject.com
Ingredients:

• Butter - 2 Tbsp
• Sugar - 1/2 Cup
• Egg - 1
• Yogurt or Sour cream - 2 1/2 Tbsp
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil - 2 Tbsp
• All purpose flour - 3/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp
• Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - 1/4 tsp
• Milk - 1/3 Cup

Directions:

• Cream room temperature butter in a bowl.
• Add sugar and mix again.
• Add egg, yogurt,vanilla extract and oil and mix until smooth
• Combine dry ingredients and add to the egg mixture and add milk.
• Mixture will be liquid.Dont worry.
• Fill the muffin tins 2/3 full with the mixture and bake for 14 minutes or until done at 350 degree F
• When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Butter cream icing:Adapted from www.glorioustreats.com
Ingredients:

• Butter - 1/2 Cup or 1 stick
• Salt - 1/8 tsp
• Vanilla extract -1/2 tsp
• Powdered sugar - 1 cup
• Milk or cream - 2 Tbsp

Directions:

• Cream the room temperature butter until nice and smooth.
• Add salt, vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix until fluffy.
• Add 1 Tbsp milk and whip again.If the icing is too thick and difficult to pipe, add another Tbsp of milk.If icing is too thin add powdered sugar.

 

Restaurant style House Salad with Homemade Croutons

A simple,fresh and delicious salad that is filled with vegetables and topped with crispy homemade garlic croutons. 

Let's start by making the croutons.
For this you will need Garlic,Olive oil, Salt, Pepper, Italian seasoning and a baguette.

Cut an 8oz bread in to small cubes.For best results use a day old french bread.

Pour 1/4 Cup Olive oil into a bowl.

Next peel a garlic and grate it into the olive oil.

Transfer the bread cubes into a large bowl and add 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Dried Italian herbs

Drizzle the bread with olive oil.Gently toss the bread and make sure they are coated with all the oils and seasonings.

Once the bread cubes are evenly and lightly coated, transfer them to a baking pan lined with parchment paper.

Place it in a preheated oven at 300 degree F for 20 minutes.Remove and stir the croutons and return to the oven.Cook for another 20 minutes or until browned and crunchy.
They are perfect toppings for salads.Allow it to cool completely and store it in airtight containers.It can last up to 3 weeks unrefrigerated.

Now let's make our salad.For this you will need : Any type of lettuce (I used Romaine and Iceberg),Cherry tomato,Black olive,Red onion,Parmesan cheese and the croutons we made.

Wash and clean some romaine lettuce, then chop chop chop...

Then take some iceberg lettuce, then chop chop chop...

Transfer it to a large bowl.

Next thinly slice some onion rings

and add the onions into the bowl

 

Add some cherry tomatoes..If you are using regular tomatoes, cut it into wedges and add it to the bowl.

Finally add some pitted olives.Kalamatta olives works best in salads.
Give it a good toss and refrigerate it.

When ready to serve, transfer it to a plate and add some croutons

and finish it with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

So simple and light !! Try it .


RECIPE

Ingredients:
For the croutons:

• French baguette - 1
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Italian seasoning - 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil - 1/4 Cup
• Garlic - 1

For the salad :

• Iceberg lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
• Red onion
• Cherry tomatoes
• Pitted olives
• Croutons
• Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
For the croutons:

• Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and add to a large mixing bowl.
• Add salt, pepper and italian seasoning.
• Combine the garlic and olive oil in a small mixing bowl.
• Drizzle the oilve oil all over the bread .Toss with a spatula until the bread is evenly coated.
• Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and place in the preheated over for  20 minutes. Remove, and stir the croutons. Return to oven, and cook for 20 more minutes.
• Cool and store in an airtight container until you use.

For the salad:

• Mix everything except croutons and cheese and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, transfer to a serving plate and garnish with croutons and freshly grated parmessan.