Fettuccine with shrimps and veggies

| Rekha Vengalil
These days prefer my food with lots of fresh veggies and  trying to make it more colorful too!
 
You need –
  • Fettuccine pasta – 200 grams (I have used spinach fettuccine)
  • Shrimps – 200 grams, cleaned
  • olive oil – 1 tablespoon
  • garlic cloves – 2, finely sliced
  • Broccoli – 1 medium size. Cut into small florets Steamed until crisp and tender
  • Capsicum – thinly sliced length wise, 1 cup
  • Butter – 1 tablespoon
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
 
How to –
 
Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package. In saucepan, heat oil and add garlic, shrimp and salt. Let simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the capsicum mix well. Cook for 2 minutes, covered. Add the pasta, steamed broccoli, butter, salt and pepper. Toss well. Turn of the heat.  On to a serving plate drizzle the lemon juice. Garnish with cheese.
 
 

Healthy colourful salad

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –

  • Red and yellow capsicum – 1 each, diced finely
  • Cherry tomatoes – 8-10, halved
  • Strawberries – 8-10 , halved
  • Broccoli – 1 medium size. Cut into small florets Steamed until crisp and tender.
  • Shallots – 2 teaspoon, finely chopped.
  • Toasted white Sesame seeds – 1 ½ teaspoon

For the dressing
  • Extra virgin olive oil – ¼ cup
  • Fresh lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
  • Dried oregano – 2 teaspoons
  • Freshly ground pepper– as per taste
  • Salad Rocket/Arugula  – a small bunch
  • Garlic – 1 cloves, finely minced


How to –

To make the dressing – In a bowl stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic and pepper. Set aside.


In a mixing bowl bring together all the veggies.  On to a serving plate, spread the Arugula and  all the veggies on top. Drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top and serve.


Cinnamon macarons

| Rekha Vengalil

Yes! Its macaroons again… #addicted. 

You need –

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • Ground Cinnamon – A pinch 
  • 2 large egg whites, aged for a 2 days (Please see here on how to age the egg whites)
  • 1/4 cup superfine sugar
  • Food color of your choice
 


Pre-heat the oven to 375 F.

How to –

In food processor, process the almond flour and icing sugar. Sift the flour, Cinnamon and sugar mixture in sieve twice discarding any almond lumps that are too big to pass through the sieve.
Whisk the egg whites in clean dry bowl (no trace of water please) till soft peaks are formed. Add the caster sugar, and beat on a low speed. Once combined increase the speed to high and whisk till glossy and stiff peaks are formed (For me, it took 7 minutes on electric hand beater on a high speed). Add the food color of your choice and beat for 25-30 seconds. Please make sure not to over beat the egg whites.

Sift the flour mixture over the whites and fold gently using a flexible spatula. You need a smooth and shinny mix.  Do not make the batter too runny or the macaroons won’t rise as they should. When you lift the batter up and let it drop down, it should slowly disappear into itself without leaving a peak.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. On a parchment-lined baking sheet pipe the ¾ inch rounds leaving 1-2 inch gap between each piping. Drag the pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air.


Allow the piped macarons to stand on a room temperature for 30-45 minutes.  The stand time varies with temperature at different places. What you need is the piped macarons to form a very thin, smooth crust, when you tap it lightly with your finger, the batter will not stick to your finger.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.


Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.

When fully cooled, Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with the filling of your choice. 


Iced strawberry mocktail

| Rekha Vengalil
 
This one is from one of the cookbook i have. You can use any fruit tea bags of your choice. A very refreshing drink and hope you enjoy this one too…
You need –
Strawberry fruit tea bags – 6
Juice of ½ a lemon
Boiling water – 500 ml
Iced water – 500 ml
Sugar syrup – 100 ml
Ice cubes
Fresh strawberries to garnish
 
How to –
Infuse the teabags into the boiling water for 10 minutes, then remove the bags and add the iced water. Stir in the sugar syrup, lemon juice and mix well. Pour into serving glass with ice cubes. Garnish with fresh strawberries and serve.
 
 

Dal tadka

| Rekha Vengalil



You need –
  • Red Lentils / masoor dal – 1 cup
  • Onion – 1, finely chopped
  • Tomatoes – 2, chopped
  • Garlic – 2 cloves minced
  • Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee/ clarified butter – 1 teaspoon
  • Water – 1 ½ – 2 cups


For Tempering (Tadka)
  • Cumin seed – ¼ teaspoon
  • Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Dried red Chilies – 2
  • Asafoetida – Pinch
  • Coriander leaves – for garnishing
  • Ghee – 1 teaspoon
How to –

Wash the lentils in cold water until clean and set aside. In a heavy bottom pan heat the ghee. Tip in the onion, garlic, salt and turmeric, fry until the onion turn soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes. Add the lentils and water. Cover and cook until the lentils are mushy. Add more water to bring the dal to the required consistency.



In a small frying pan heat the ghee.  Add the mustard seeds and once they start to splatter add the cumin seeds, dries chilies, Asafoetida and fry for a few seconds. Add this to the cooked lentils, mix well. 

Serve warm with Roti or rice.


Spicy prawn roast

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –

  • Prawns – 500 grams, peeled and de-veined
  • kashmiri chili powder – 3 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
  • Green chili – 1, slit
  • Garlic – 2 big cloves
  • Ginger – 1’inch piece
  • Curry leaves – 3-4 twigs
  • Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Red dry chili – 1 no.
  • Water – ½ cup
  • Coconut oil – 2 tablespoon
  • Salt to taste


How to –

Grind the green chili, ginger, garlic, chili powder and turmeric powder to a fine paste add little water as required.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds, allow it to crackle. Tip in 1 twig of curry leaves and red chili. Add the chopped onion and cook till they are soft.  Now add the ground paste, salt and cook till oil starts to separate.  Throw in the prawns and mix well. Add the water and cook on a medium heat until almost all the water is absorbed. At this stage the prawns must be coated with the gravy. Drizzle the remaining oil and add the curry leaves.  Cook till the prawn start to crisp up. Turn off the heat.

Serve warm with rice.


Hot chocolate drink with a scoop of Ice-cream

| Rekha Vengalil

Having had nothing much to do today… wandering mind settled for this delicious chocolaty drink for the afternoon… Rain, reading a book and sipping this creamy drink was a comfort… 





Serves 1 glass

You need –
  • Dark chocolate – 45 grams
  • Milk – 1 cup
  • Cream – ¼ cup
  • Vanilla essence – 1-2 drops
  • Vanilla ice cream – 1 scoop
  • Coco powder for dusting


How to –

In a bowl, pour in the cream, break the chocolate in and microwave for 60 sec to 70 sec. Stopping halfway through to mix everything well. Heat the milk and whisk until frothy. Pour the chocolate mix into the  milk and mix.

Scoop the ice-cream into the serving cup, pour in the hot chocolate drink, dust with coco powder and enjoy. 

Berry jam with strawberries and blueberries

| Rekha Vengalil
For the first time I made the Jam…#PROUD. Something I enjoyed cooking up but a bit more
You need –
  • Strawberry – 250 grams, rinsed, hulled and diced
  • Blueberries – 125 grams, rinsed
  • Caster sugar – 1- 1/3 cups
  • Lemon juice – 2 tablespoon
How to –
  • Process the blueberries in a food processor. Then pass through a fine sieve. Discard the solids and set aside.
  • In another pan smash the strawberries leaving a few small chunks.
  • In a non-stick pan combine the blueberries, strawberries, sugar and lemon juice.  Heat on medium-high and Cook, stirring frequently, until jam is thick and bubbles completely takes about 7-8 mins.  Please note the Jam will continue to thicken as it cools
  • Remove from heat and skim off scum, if any. Transfer to a Jar and allow to cool at room temperature. Once the jam has cooled completely cover the with a tight lid and refrigerate.
 
 

Palakkad style Varutharacha ulli Sambar

| Rekha Vengalil



You need – 
  • Toor daal – 1/2 cups
  • Shallots- 10-12 nos
  • Tomatoes- 1
  • Tamarind – A small lemon sized ball
  • water- 1/3 cup
  • Turmeric Powder -1/4  teaspoon

For Grinding-
  • Coriander seeds-2 tablespoons
  • Red chilies-5-6
  • Grated Coconut-1/3 cup
  • Asafoetida -a good pinch
  • Curry leaves-1 string
  • Fenugreek seeds- 1 teaspoon

For Seasoning-
  • Mustard – 1 teaspoon
  • Red chillies – 1-2 nos
  • Curry leaves – 1 twig
  • Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

How to –
  • Pressure cook Toor daal and shallots until done.
  • Soak the tamarind in water for 10 to 15 mins.
  • Add the tomatoes and tamarind juice.
  • Dry roast all the ingredients for grinding till fragrant and grind them into a fine paste
  • Add the ground paste to the cooked daal and simmer for a couple of minutes.
  • In pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start crackle, add curry leaves and the halved red chili. Saute for 2 – 3 minutes and pour this seasoning over the sambar.
  • Serve hot with rice or idlis.