Simple sweet corn soup

April 10, 2013February 12, 2014 | Rekha Vengalil

Nothing like sitting up with a cup of tea in the afternoon and browsing though cookbooks and ideating a recipe your way… And the joy on the birth of a recipe is blissful…!

But then to alter every recipe to get “my stamp” on is not my way. I always follow a new recipe the way it is written down and I decide on altering/make changes to it the second time I cook it up. Also I do strongly believe that not all recipes require alteration/changes; some are best in its original way. Like this soup I made; I loved it this way, with no changes. It’s simple, filling and tasty!! Hence I call it simple sweet corn soup! I am sure you will love it too.

You need –

Sweet corn kernels – 1 cup
Chicken broth – 1½ cup
Egg – 1, beaten
Corn flour – 2 teaspoons
Water – ½ cup
Salt and pepper – to taste

How to –

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, combine the corn kernels and broth. Bring to boil. In a bowl, mix the water and corn flour. Slowly add in to the boiling soup stirring continuously.

Add the beaten egg gradually, and stir till the soup thickens. Season with salt n pepper and serve.

Chicken and mushroom stir fry with thyme

April 8, 2013February 12, 2014 | Rekha Vengalil

I have always been a fan of Mushrooms! and Kerala Koonu (mushroom) fry is something to die for… Trust me, if you have tasted it you’ll agree on this… But then Kerala cuisine is something to die for any day 🙂

Nothing fancy about this dish.. It’s easy and i have used some simple ingredients. And the little twist is the thyme… I have long been tinkering about how i could bring in

some fresh herbs that is not used normally or traditionally in Kerala kitchen. It was worth the effort. The lemony edge to the dish was sure a welcome. We loved it this way too.

You need –

Chicken breast – 500 grams, cut into thin strips
Mushrooms – 200 grams, thinly sliced
Thyme – 2 sprigs + 2 sprigs for garnishing
Whole coriander – 1 tablespoon
Dry chilies – 4-5 or as per your taste
Onion – 1 medium, thinly sliced
Grated ginger – 2 teaspoons
Grated garlic – 2 teaspoons
Garam masala – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Crushed pepper – 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

How to –

Dry roast the coriander seeds and dry chilies and process to make a fine powder. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle. Add the onions and curry leaves. Saute till the onions are translucent. Add in the ginger and garlic. Fry till the raw smell is gone.

Tip in all the powders except the crushed pepper and cook till the oil start to separate. Season with salt. Tip in the chicken and thyme mix well cover and cook till chicken is half done.

Uncover; add in the mushrooms and fry till done. Add the crushed pepper and make sure all the water has evaporated and the gravy is well coated.

Turn off the heat. Garnish with thyme leaves and serve with rice.

Blueberry-Oreo blast

April 7, 2013March 30, 2015 | Rekha Vengalil

Ah! another beautiful day and I am happy I have been able to get some nice shots… Playing with colors was fun. Fresh flowers are a delight indeed. They don’t just add a character to your home but every time you look at them, they bring a smile on your face. #Life is beautiful.

On the food photography front its a happy me again. Shobha who is a vegetarian left a lovely comment for my shrimp pickle post. She said she loved the pictures. I am glad I have tried to make my food look appetizing.:)

Over to the recipe. I had promised my daughter that I will make her a drink with ice cream. Decided I will make a milk shake for her with her favorites; blueberries, Oreo and vanilla ice cream and called it blueberry-Oreo blast :), it was indeed a blast! We loved it…

You need –

Fresh blueberries – 125 grams
Oreo biscuits – 6 (I used blueberry flavour) + 2 for garnishing
Milk – 1 ½ cups
Vanilla ice-cream – 2 scoops
Ice cubes – 4-5

How to –

Blend all the ingredients in a blender till smooth..

Pour into a serving glass and garnish with Oreo biscuits.

Serve chilled

MANGO PICKLE

April 4, 2013April 13, 2016 | Rekha Vengalil

It’s hot I know but yet there is something about the summer I love… And one big reason is that the mango season is in. It’s such a sight to walk down the road where we stay at this time round the year with the mango trees on either sides of the road. I have decided to make the most of this season, so warning you that more mango recipes coming up 🙂

To my delight the other day my neighbor called out to me as I was walking home and asked me to come over. A bit puzzled and not knowing why, I walked over to her beautiful landed house and she asked me if I wanted some raw mangoes. Didn’t had to think twice I said “YES”. She was trimming her wildly grown mango tree. In the process she had to cut down a few branches with raw mangoes… Thank you Mrs. Ong.

On my way back home decided I was going to make pickles out of them and didn’t had to look for recipes; all I had to do was to call my mom. Well by coincidence she was also preparing pickles as my sister is visiting her end of this month and she loves them.

You need –

Mangoes – 2 big, chopped into small pieces
Chili powder – 2 ½ tablespoons
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds – ½ teaspoon
Asafoetida – a big pinch
Green chilies – 2, finely chopped
Garlic – finely chopped, 2 tablespoons
Ginger – finely chopped, 2 teaspoons
Curry leaves – 3 twigs
Vinegar – 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Sesame oil – 3-tablespoons + 2 teaspoons

How to –

In a bowl put the mango pieces and ½ teaspoon of salt and mix well. Cover and leave this overnight or at least for 8 hours. Now drain the water completely. Set aside. Mix the chili and turmeric powder with ¼ cup of water to make paste. Set aside.

In a pan heat the 2 tablespoon of was oil. Tip in the mustard seeds. Once its start to crackle, add the Fenugreek seeds allow to crackle too. Add the curry leave and fry briefly. Add the ginger, garlic and chilies and fry till the raw smell is gone.

Add the chili paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the chopped mangoes and Asafoetida; mix well. Add the vinegar and mix to coat well. At this point check for the salt, if need be add in as per paste.

Allow the pickle to cool completely at room temperature before you bottle it up. Add the 2 teaspoon of oil mix well and leave the bottled pickle on the counter top for a day or over night before you refrigerate.

Beef cutlets – Kerala style

April 1, 2013February 12, 2014 | Rekha Vengalil

You need –

Minced beef – 225 grams
Potatoes – 2 medium, Boiled and mashed
Onions – 1, finely chopped
Garlic – minced 2 teaspoons
Ginger – minced 2 teaspoons
Green chili – 1, finely chopped
Curry leaves – 8-10, finely chopped
Garam masala – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Ground pepper – 1 teaspoon
Egg – 1,
Bread crumbs – 1 cup
Oil – 2 teaspoons + for deep frying
Salt to taste

How to –

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in pan. Add the onions and saute till translucent. Add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves, chili salt and fry till the raw smell is gone. Add the garam masala, pepper , turmeric and cook briefly.

Add the minced beef and cook till done. Tip in the mashed potatoes and mix well till everything comes together. Check for the seasoning at this point. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and spread the bread crumbs on a plate. Now roll 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture into a ball and flatten to round shape or any shape of your choice. Dip into the egg and then coat with the crumbs and set aside. Repeat this for the rest of the beef mixture.