Instant Beetroot Pachadi

Traditionally in this recipe the beetroot is cooked and being a Kerala dish grated coconut is part of the ingredient.  But because this is last minute dish I make when I don’t have time after making a biryani or a mutton curry, I have not cooked the beetroot and not used coconut.

But this is one form of beetroot my kid eat.  So as a mom I am happy making this. 

And this beet is home grown, in a coke bottle on my eighth floor balcony.  So, the beet in itself is supper fresh and I also used the greens.

Ingredients

Beetroot – 1 (peeled and grated)
Onion – 1 finely chopped
Green chilli – 1 finely chopped
Garlic – 2 chopped
Mustard seed – 1tsp
Asafoetida – ½ tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – 10
Salt – as per taste
Water – as required
Coriander – 1 tbsp for garnish

 Method 

1.    In a bowl mix grated beetroot,  onion, green chilli mix well
2.    Add curd & salt, mix well.  Mix water to make a medium consistency.
3.    For the tempering heat oil in a pan.
4.    Add mustard and wait till it is crackles
5.    No add the asafoetida, curryleaf and garlic.  Fry till the garlic is light brown.
6.    Pour the hot oil mixture to the beetroot mixture and mix well
7.    Garnish it with coriander leaf, to get that extra flavor.

Custard Cake

 It’s a cake which gives  a custard flavor. As we add custard powder,  this cake is soft but dry.  So best to serve with custards, ice-creams or jelly.  Try it and do comment if you need some improvement or alteration.

 

Ingredients

Regular Sugar – 100gms
Butter – 100gms
Flour – 100gms
Egg – 2
Vanilla essence – 1tsp
Baking powder – 1tsp
Milk – ½ cup
Custard powder – 1tbsp

 Method

1.  Mix custard powder with milk and make it like a slurry.
2.    In a mixer jar, grind the sugar to powder
3.    In the same jar add the butter and run the mixer for a second
4.    Now add the egg and run for few seconds
5.    Now add the essence and the custard mixture and run in for a second.
6.    In a separate bowl add baking powder to the flour and mix well
7.    Swift the dry ingredient into the liquid mixture and mix well
8.    Pour this mixture into the prepared 8” cake tin

9. Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 40 min at 180^OC. 

10. When the cake is done, unmold and let it cool.

Custard Jelly Cake

 It’s a very simple but fancy desert which my kids love. Can be made with the basics you have at home.  Try and let me know if you need any change.

Ingredients

For the Custard Cake
Regular Sugar – 100gms
Butter – 100gms
Flour – 100gms
Egg – 2
Vanilla essence – 1tsp
Baking powder – 1tsp
Milk – ½ cup 

Custard powder – 1tbsp

For the Custard
Custard powder – 3 tbsp
Milk – 3 glass
Sugar - 1 cup

 For Jelly
Any readymade jelly of your choice
We have used Mango

Method
Custard Cake

1.    Mix custard powder with milk and make it like a slurry.
2.    In a mixer jar, grind the sugar to powder
3.    In the same jar add the butter and run the mixer for a second
4.    Now add the egg and run for few seconds
5.    Now add the essence and the custard mixture and run in for a second.
6.    In a separate bowl add baking powder to the flour and mix well
7.    Swift the dry ingredient into the liquid mixture and mix well
8.    Pour this mixture into the prepared 8” cake tin
9.    Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 40 min at 180^OC.
10. When the cake is done, unmold and let it cool.

Custard Cake
1.    Mix custard powder with ½ cup milk and make it like a slurry.
2.    Mix the gelatin in 2 tbsp water and mix to make a clear liquid.
3.    Boil the remaining milk and add sugar and mix well.
4.    When the milk starts boiling, bring the flame to low and add the custard mixture.
5.    Increase the flame to medium and stir continues till it starts boiling again and thickens.
6.    Now put of the flame and let it rest for 10min
7.    To this add the gelatin mixture and mix well.
8.    Rest it for 10 min.
 
Assembly of cake
1.    In a springform pan first place the cake
2.    Not add the custard mixture above the cake layer
3.    Cover it with a aluminum foil
4.    Keep it in a refrigerator for 2 hrs
5.    Make the gelatin mixture as per the instruction on the cover.  This should be done 10 min before you want to assemble it with the cake.
6.    Now pour the prepared gelatin on top of the custard mixture.
7.    Cover and let it set in the refrigerator for 2 hrs.
8.    After two hours un-mold and decorate as you wish.

Irish Beef Stew

 This is my version of Irish beef stew with the ingredient which I could manage from my local market during this lockdown times.  This recipe is not complicate but time consuming.

Lamb is the ideal option for an Irish stew, but as my son wanted something different from the tradition Kerala recipes I cook. So tried this one.

My family loved it.  They prefer to have it with homemade pull apart garlic bread.

 

Ingredients

• Beef meat – 1kg
• Salt – to taste
• Black pepper power – to taste
• Oil – ½ cup oil
• Garlic – 6 cloves minced
• Meat stock – 2 cup
• Water – 2 cup
• Red wine – 2 cup
• Tomato paste – 2 tbsp
• Worcestershire sauce – 1 tbsp
• Dried thyme – 1 tbsp
• Bay leaf – 3 to 4
• Butter – 2 tbsp
• Onion – 2 chopped
• Carrot – 3 peeled and cut into big pieces
• Ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp
• Fresh parsley/ coriander – 2 tbsp finely chopped. 

 

Method

 1.    Sprinkle about a teaspoon of salt and pepper over the beef pieces, mix well and keep aside for half an hour.

2.    Heat the oil in a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.

3.    Shallow fry the beefs in batches so as to brown all the side. Don’t over crowd and no need to cook.

4.    When all the beefs are fried, transfer all the fried beef in the sam
e pot on medium heat.

5.    Add the minced garlic and mix well.

6.    Add the beef stock, water, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, salt, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

7.    Bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to the low setting, then cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

8.    In a separate pan melt the butter on medium heat.

9.    To this add the onion and carrot, saute for about 15 mins.  Keep this aside till the beef is cooked for an hour.

10. After an hour of the beef pot being cooked.  And the cooked onion, carrot and the raw potato to the beef stew.

11. Add the black pepper and taste the salt, if required add more.

12.  Cook uncovered till vegetable and meat is tender for about 40 min

13.  Discard the bayleaf.

14. Transfer stew to serving bowl.  Sprinkle parsley or coriander leaf.    

15. Its ready to serve with bread.

Masala Chilly Pickle

A special recipe from my mother’s diary. She made a lot of it and shared it with family, friends, and neighbors. So, in her memory, I also attempted to make it. The recipe was taken straight from her diary. Though not to her perfection.

Ingredients
 
Big green chilli – 1kg
Tamarind – 300gm
Sesame seed – 150gm
Mustard seed power – 50gm
Cumin powder – 30gm
Fenugreek seed powder – 15gm
Fennel powder – 15gm
Turmeric powder – 20gm
Red chilli powder – 5gm
Salt – 150gm
Asafoetida – 5gm
Oil – ½ kg
Water – 2 cups

Vinegar – 50gm

 Method
1.    Sock tamarind in water and make a pulp (sock and strain)
2.    Roast sesame seed and grind to a course powder
3.    In half the oil fry the green chilli till it is half done
4.    Heat the remaining oil
5.    When it is hot, slow the heat and add fenugreek powder, mustard powder and sesame powder and mix
6.    Not add the tamarind pulp and boil
7.    Now add the cumin, red chilly, asafoetida, turmeric, fennel powders and salt
8.    To this add fried chilies
9.    Mix and bring to boil
10. Its done, let it cool completely

11. Now it is ready to be bottled and consumed.