Corn flake Cookies – A guest post

| Rekha Vengalil
 
Time for a Guest Post again! It’s indeed very exciting featuring some incredible bloggers who I do share a wonderful amity.
It’s such a joy to have Vineetha of “Malabar Ruchi” over. Welcome Vinee!Its indeed a pleasure having you over.
I am extremely happy to have met Vinee here in the blogosphere. A wonderful person and a versatile cook. Yes! Our comments on each other’s space gave way to a beautiful friendship. Ruchi is a blog I refer very often for some lip smacking Kerala recipes (even much before I joined the blogging community); a humble blog with so many wonderful recipes. Her repertoire goes from splendid Malabar recipes to some great bakes and cakes. So don’t forget to head over for some yummy goodies!   
Now over to Vineetha…
It was during one of my lazy afternoon browsing session that I stumbled upon Rekha’s blog accidentally. I was totally impressed by her blog, her beautiful pictures and superb collection of recipes. I immediately became her FB fan and  left few comments and  it led to  the beginning of a new friendship ! The one  good quality that  I really like about Rekha is the way she support and encourage other bloggers. I have seen Rekha sharing fellow bloggers recipes on  her Social media platform. It is indeed really sweet of her to do that and support other blogs.
I have to say Rekha  is a versatile blogger as she contributes a variety of recipes, some of them are very unique and innovative. Picking few favourites from her blog would be a tough job but few pictures which left me drooling are Gongura Mutton, Bread Gulab Jamun, Mediterranian Meat balls and Malai Kofta.
 
Thanks you  Rekha for inviting me for a guest post, its indeed a pleasure to do a guest post for friends.
 
 
Coming to todays post, it’s a melt in mouth kind of cookies with crunchy cornflakes coating. I tried this recipe from MyKitchenatics and it was a hit expect that it was a  bit less sweet to our liking, so the second time I made this I added a bit  more sugar to adjust to our liking and it was perfect.
 
Ingredients  ( makes 20 cookies)
  • Plain flour/ Maida – 150 gm/ 1 1/4 cup(roughly)
  • Corn flour – 15 gm / 2 tbs (roughly )
  • Baking powder -1/4 tsp
  • Unsalted Butter – 100 gm / 1/2 cup (roughly)
  • Sugar – 100 gm /1/2cup 
  • Egg – 1 large
  • Vanilla extract – 1/4 tsp
  • Corn flakes  ( crushed ) – 40 gms/ 1 1/2 cup
 

 

Method
 
Take flour, cornflour, baking powder in   a mixing bowl and stir until combined.
 
Cream butter and Sugar for few minutes until fluffy.
 
Lightly beat egg in a bowl and add this to the creamed butter.
 
Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Add the flour mixture to it and fold until combined.
 
 
Scoop out a tsp of the batter and roll it into a ball and roll them in crushed corn flakes.
 
Place them in a baking tray lined with a baking paper leaving few cms between each balls.
 
Bake them in preheated oven at 175 degree C for 25 minutes.
 
 
Thank you Vinee for the wonderful recipe and your time. Wish you all the very best and stay blessed always.
Dear friends/readers, hope you liked the post and recipe. We are looking forward to hearing from you and thank you for your time. 
See you soon with a new recipe. Till then…
Take care

Andhra fish curry

| Rekha Vengalil

 

A delicious tangy and spicy fish curry that so perfect with some piping hot rice. Yes! Its really hot/spicy; so I recommend you to  adjust the addition of chili and chili powder to suit your taste. I have used tomato paste in the recipe. If you want use whole tomato then you will need one large; finely chopped and cook till mushy.
 
 You need –
  • Fish – sliced 300 – 350 grams (I used king-fish)
  • Tamarind – A lemon sized, soaked in 1/4 cup hot water
  • Onion – 1 large, finely sliced
  • green chili – 2-3 or per taste
  • Ginger-garlic paste – 2 teaspoons
  • Tomato paste – 2 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 2 tablespoons
  • Chili powder – 2 tablespoons (I used Kashmiri chili powder)
  • Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil as required
  • Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

For marinating

  • Chili powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – a pinch
  • Lime juice – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Salt – a good pinch
How to –
Clean and wash the fish. Drain the water well. Marinate the fish with the ingredients under “For marinating” and refrigerate for an hour. 
 
After an hour heat oil in frying pan and fry the fish till light brown on both sides. Set aside. Extract the juice from the soaked tamarind and discard the pulp.
Heat oil in a pan and tip the fenugreek seeds, mustard sends and allow to splatter. Add the curry leaves and cook briefly for few seconds.
 
Add the green chilies and saute for a minute. Now add the onions and cook till translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue to cook till the raw smell is gone.
Add the chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder. Saute till the oil start to separate. Add the chopped tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
 
 
Add the tamarind juice and around 1.5 cups of water. Bring this a rolling boil. Add the fish and cook on high flame for 5 minutes and then reduce the flame to low, cover and cook till the fish is done and the gravy is bit thick. Please add water if required to adjust the consistency of the gravy as required.
 
Turn off the heat, into a serving bowl; garish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.
 

 

 

 

Dulce de leche bundt cake with butterscotch sauce

| Rekha Vengalil

Dulce de leche means sweet caramelized milk. Traditionally this is made by simmering milk and sugar till it’s thick and caramelized. A homemade version is made by simmering the Sweetened condensed milk till thick and caramel colored. Here’s the link as how to make this on stove top, microwave and oven. There is also process of cooking an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a slow cooker. I followed the steps/recipe from here to make my dulce de leche.

 

Now over to the cake the recipe is adapted from here. I have halved the recipe and that served us perfect. A luscious cake that is sure going to leave you wanting for more.

 
You need –


For the cake

  • All-purpose flour – 1.5 cups 
  • Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Baking soda – 1/4 teaspoon 
  • Salt – 1/4 teaspoon 
  • Unsalted butter – 1/2 cup, at room temperature
  • Dark brown sugar – 1/2 cup firmly packed 
  • Dulce de leche – 1/2 cup 
  • Eggs – 2, at room temperature
  • Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon 
  • Buttermilk – 1/2 cup, at room temperature
 

For the butterscotch sauce

  • Butterscotch Flavored Morsels – 1 cup
  • whipping cream – 1/4 cup
  • Light corn syrup – 1 tablespoon 
  • salt – a pinch
  • Vanilla extract – 1/4 teaspoon
Butterscotch Flavored Morsels

How to –

 
Pre-heat the oven to 180c. Grease a 9 inch bundt pan.
 
In bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and set aside.
 
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar on a high speed. Add the dulce de leche and continue to beat till well combined. add the eggs one at a time; beating well after each addition.
 
Add the vanilla essence and continue to beat.
 
Reduce the speed to low  and  add the flour mixture little at a time and alternating with the buttermilk. Continue mixing till just combined. Please make sure not to over beat the mixture.
 
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or till the toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
Cool the loaf for 10 minutes in the pan and then on a wire rack.
 
Butterscotch sauce
 
Microwave the morsels, cream, corn syrup and salt in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute or till the morsels are just melted. Remove and stir well till everything is well combined.
 
Stir in vanilla extract and mix well. Once the cake is completely cooled pour the sauce over and serve.
 
 

Vegetable kurma/masala

| Rekha Vengalil

A recipe from Das Sreedharan’s book “Easy everyday Indian”.  The recipes in the book are undeniably so easy to cook up. A book I now resort for my speedy and easy weekday cooking.

A tad of adjustments with the spice quantity to suit our taste and the curry was delicious . I teamed it up with some Jeera rice..

You need –

  • Potato – 2 small, peeled and cubed
  • Carrot – 2, peeled and cubed
  • Baby corn – 4-5, chopped
  • Onion – 1 large, thinly sliced
  • tomato – 1 large, chopped
  • Green chili – 1-2 or per taste
  • Ginger-garlic paste – 2 teaspoons
  • chopped coriander – 2 tablespoon
  • Oil as required
  • Salt to taste
  • Whole spices
    • Cinnamon –1,  1”inch piece
    • Clove – 2
    • Green cardamom – 2
    • Fennel seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
    • Bay leave- 1
    • Star anise – 1
  • For the spice paste
    • Yogurt – 1/4 cup
    • Tomato paste – 1 teaspoon
    • Chili powder – 2 teaspoon
    • Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon
    • Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
    • Garam Masala powder – 1/4 teaspoon
How to –

In bowl, mix all ingredients under spice paste and mix to make thick paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in heavy bottom pan, add the whole spices and saute till fragrant. Add the onion and cook till soft. Tip the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies and saute till the raw smell is gone.

Lower the flame and add the tomatoes and spice paste. Saute for 3-4 minutes or till the tomatoes are mushy. Add About 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Tip the Vegetable and stir well. Cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes or till the vegetables are tender.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with flavored Indian rice or flat bread.

 

Doughnuts

| Rekha Vengalil


Recipe source – http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au

You need –

  • Dried yeast – 14 gram
  • Lukewarm milk – 350 ml,
  • caster sugar – ½ cup
  • Eggs – 2, at room temp
  • butter – 80 grams , cut into small cubes
  • Plain flour – 680 grams
  • Vegetable oil – For deep frying
 

How to –

In bowl, stir the yeast in 60 ml of lukewarm water. Set aside for 10 minutes or till foamy.

In a mixing bowl add the sugar, eggs, yeast, butter and half the flour. Using a dough hook attachment, knead till well combined. Add the remaining flour and continue to work till it forms a sticky dough.
 
Yeast
Put the dough onto a lightly floored surface and lightly knead the dough. Butter a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a cling wrap and let it sit in a warm place to raise in double in size (it took about an hour for me).
 
Once the dough has raised in double turn in back to a flour surface and roll out to a 1.5 cm thick. Using a doughnut cutter or use a 8 cm diameter cutter, then cut out holes with a 2 cm diameter cutter.
 
Place the cut dough on tray lined with baking paper with at least 2 cm gap between each. Cover with cloth and let it sit till the dough raises in double (took 30 minutes for me).
 
In a deep frying pan, heat the oil required for deep frying. Once the temperature is 180c; deep fry the doughnuts in batches till they are cooked through and golden brown. Drain on a paper towels. 
 
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cinnamon-sugar mixture or with chocolate glaze.
 
 
Note –
  • If you are not sure if your yeast is still active, them prefer you do a proof test before you start of with the other ingredients  Take the lukewarm water ( please make sure the water is not hot. Otherwise your yeast will die). Stir in the yeast along with a pinch of sugar and set aside for 10 minutes. If the form and bubbles foam on top in 10 minutes then your yeast is still active. 

Gingerbread MAn Cookies

| Rekha Vengalil
 
At the risk of repeating myself… Baking with my little one is always great fun and a rejuvenating experience. We do have our fights and arguments, but those endless banter keeps the kitchen so full of life. Glad that she finds comfort in spending time with me in the kitchen.
One more recipe that goes in as ‘memories for tomorrow’… Yay!
Now to the recipe – a  quintessential Christmas treat, these Gingerbread men are uncomplicated to make, and great fun recipe to involve kids. This is adapted from http://www.laurainthekitchen.com I’ve halved the recipe and went egg-less with this one.

You need –

  • All-purpose flour – 1.5 cups
  • Brown sugar – 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons
  • Ground cinnamon – 1.5 teaspoon
  • Ground ginger – 2 teaspoons
  • Salt –1/4 teaspoon 
  • Baking soda – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Unsalted butter, 85 grams, cut into small cubes
  • Maple syrup – 1/4 cup
  • Milk – 1 tablespoon
 

How to –

In food processor  process the flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, salt and baking soda till well combined. Add the butter cubes and continue to pulse till the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
 
To the food processor add the maple syrup and milk gradually and combine till the mixture clumps together. Remove the dough to slightly floured work surface and knead till smooth. Cover the dough with a cling rap and refrigerate for an hours.
 
Pre-heat the over to 180 C.
 
Roll the dough into a 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Using a cookie cutter, cut into gingerbread men shapes. Place them on the baking tray leaving a little gap between each.
Bake them for 12-15 minutes or till lightly golden.Remove and cool them for 10 minutes then on a wire rack..
 
When cooled completely decorate with royal icing.
 
 

Chicken curry–Kerala style

| Rekha Vengalil


One of my ‘much loved’ chicken curries that I mostly cook when I make appam. Incredibly aromatic and scrumptious!


You need –

Chicken – 750 grams, cut into bite size pieces

  • For the marinade
    • Chili powder – 3 tablespoons
    • Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
    • turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
    • Lime juice – 2 teaspoon
  • For the curry
    • Onion – 1 large, thinly sliced
    • Green chili – 2-3 or as per taste, Slit
    • Garlic – Thinly sliced, tablespoon
    • Garlic – 3 large cloves, thinly sliced
    • Curry leaves – 2 sprig
    • Chicken masala powder – 2 teaspoons (I used Nirapara)
    • Pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon
    • Whole spices
      • Green cardamom pods – 3
      • Cinnamon – 1’ stick
      • Clove – 2
      • Star anise – 1
      • Fennel seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
    • Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup
    • Coconut oil – as required

How to –

Clean, wash and drain the chicken well. In bowl , put the the ingredients under “For the marinade” and make a thick paste with just enough water. Tip the chicken in and rub the paste all over to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
 
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add the whole spices and cook till fragrant. Tip the onions and cook till translucent. Add ginger, garlic, green chilies and 1 sprig of curry leaves and cook the raw smell is gone.
 
Now add the chicken masala and saute till the oil starts to separate. Now tip the marinated chicken and stir over high heat for 4-5 minutes.

 

Add 1 cup of water, salt and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low ; cover and cook till the chicken is done. At this point please adjust the consistency of the gravy as needed by adding more water or continue to cook till the gravy is thick.
 
Add the coconut milk, pepper powder and bring to a gentle simmer. Turn off the heat. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and remaining curry leaves. Cover and let it sit for a couple of minutes before serving.

 

Serve hot with appam, rice or roti.

Thai Mango Sticky Rice

| Rekha Vengalil
 
 

You need –

  • Glutinous rice – 2/3 cup
  • Thick coconut milk – 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup for the sauce
  • Granulated sugar – 3-4 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon for the sauce
  • Ripe mangoes – 2
  • A pinch of salt
  • Yellow split peas – 2 tablespoons, dry roasted
 

How to –

Rinse the rice in several changes of  running cold water. and soak the rice over night in bowl of fresh water.
 
 
Drain the rice well and spread it evenly in a steamer lined with muslin or cheese cloth. Cover and steam over a pan of simmering water for about 25-30 minutes or till the rice is tender.
 
To make the sauce, In a pan warm 1/4 cup of coconut milk over low heat. Add 1 Tablespoon. sugar (Add more to suit your taste), stir till the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and set aside.

 

In pan pour 3/4 cup of coconut milk salt and sugar. Over a medium heat, stir continuously and dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil. Now add the rice and stir well. Turn off the heat. Cover and leave the rice mixture to stand for 10 – 15 minutes.
 
 
Peel the mangoes, cut into slices. To serve spoon the rice on to the serving plates and sprinkle the peas over. Arrange the mango slices on the side and drizzle the sauce over.
 
 
Note – Traditionally bamboo baskets are used for steaming. So if you have one go ahead and steam the rice in the basket lined with muslin or cheese cloth as mentioned in the recipe above.
 

Malai Kofta

| Rekha Vengalil

A North Indian specialty where cottage cheese is delicately spiced and simmered in a Creamy Sauce.

Recipe source – Vahrehvah

You need –

  • For the Kofta
    • Paneer /cottage cheese – 1/2 cup, grated
    • Potato –2 large, boiled and mashed
    • Green chili –1, minced
    • Coriander leaves – finely chopped, 2 tablespoons
    • Garam masala – 1/4 teaspoon
    • Salt to taste
    • Oil for deep frying
    • Corn flour – for coating the koftas
  • For the gravy
    • Onion –1 medium, finely chopped
    • Ginger-garlic paste -1 teaspoon
    • Tomato  – 2 medium sized tomatoes, Chopped
    • Turmeric powder -1/4 teaspoon
    • Coriander powder – 3 teaspoon
    • Red chili powder – 1.5 teaspoons or to taste
    • Cumin seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
    • Garam masala powder – 1/2 teaspoon
    • Dried fenugreek leaves – 1 teaspoon
    • Fresh Cream -1/4 cup
    • Cashew nut – 30 grams, soaked in water
    • Salt to taste
    • Oil as required
How to –
 
Kofta
 
In bowl, put all the ingredients under “For Kofta” and make a lump free and soft dough (Do not add any water). Make equal sized ball and roll them on the corn flour to coat.
 
Heat oil in deep frying pan and fry them till golden brown/light brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.
 
Gravy
 
Heat oil in a pan. Add the onions and cook till soft. Tip the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell is gone. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, chili powder and cook till the oil start to separate.
 
Now add the tomatoes and cook till it mushy. Turn off the heat and once the onion-tomato mixture is cool, blend into a smooth paste.
Heat the sauce pan, add 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the cumin seeds and allow to crackle. Add the onion-tomato paste, fenugreek leaves. 1/2 cup and salt to taste and cook for 3-4 minutes.
 
Add the cashew paste, cream and water if needed to adjust the consistency and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the Koftas and turn off the heat. Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and garam masala. Cover and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.
 
Serve with Flavored rice or Indian flat bread.
 
Please note – The original recipe uses shahi jeera instead of cumin seeds. Since I didn’t have them I used cumin seeds.