Panna cotta

| Rekha Vengalil
To me, this is truly one of the best Italian desserts… Serve this with berries, caramel or chocolate sauce….  

Panna cotta 
You need –
  • Gelatin – 1.5 tablespoons.
  • Milk – 4 tablespoons
  • Heavy cream – 2 cups
  • Saffron – 1 pinch
  • Sugar – 40 grams
  • Vanilla essence – 2 teaspoons

How to –
  • Dissolve the gelatine in the milk and set aside.
  • In a sauce pan, put the cream, saffron and sugar. Bring to boil on medium flame
  • Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the gelatine, vanilla essence and stir well until dissolved.
  • Divide equally into molds or small bowls. Let it cool before you refrigerate for atleast 6 hours. I leave it over night.

Serve chilled


Panna cotta


Grilled Quesadillas

| Rekha Vengalil
Fresh, fast and vibrant… They are so easy to make, its a perfect dinner for busy weekdays after-work. And feel free to play with the fillings as you wish!

Grilled Quesadillas
You will need –
  • Tortilla – 4
  • Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
For the filling –
  • Japanese cucumber – 1 thinly sliced with vegetable peeler
  • Red bell pepper – 1, thinly sliced length wise
  • Cherry tomatoes – 10, cut into ½
  • Grated mozzarella – 1 cup
  • Fresh coriander leaves – 4 tablespoon, chopped.
  • Salt and pepper – as per taste
How to –
  • Heat a griddle pan.
  • Mix all the above said filling ingredients except cheese together.
  • Place the filling on the tortillas over one half only. Sprinkle the cheese and coriander leaves.
  • Fold the tortilla wrap to a half moon shape. Bush with oil on both sides
  • Carefully place the tortillas over the hot griddle for 1 – 2 minutes.
  • Transfer the tortillas to cutting board and cut into half and serve hot.
Grilled Quesadillas

Please note – Be careful when transferring the tortillas, as you don’t want the filling to fall out. Use a wide spatula to lift them in and out of the pan.

Macaroni eggplant bake

| Rekha Vengalil

Macaroni eggplant bake
You will need-
  • Macaroni – 125 grams
  • Eggplant – big 2 – 3. Thinly sliced lengthwise
  • Olive oil – 3 tablespoon or as required
  • Onion – 1 chopped
  • Garlic – 1 clove crushed
  • Minced chicken – 500 grams
  • Tinned chopped tomatoes – 425 grams
  • Tomato paste – 2 tablespoon
  • Frozen peas – 1 cup
  • Grated mozzarella cheese – 1 cup
  • Grated cheddar cheese – ½ cup
  • Grated Parmesan cheese – ½ cup
  • Egg – 1 beaten
  • Salt and pepper as per taste
How to – 
  • Pre-heat the oven to 180 C or 350 C
  • Grease a round spring form cake tin
  • Bring water to boil in sauce pan and cook the pasta and drain well.
  • Arrange the sliced eggplant in a colander or a large strainer. Sprinkle generously with salt. Leave it for 20 minutes and then rinse well. Pat dry with paper towel.
  • Heat oil in a frying pan (2 tablespoon) and fry the eggplant in single layer until light brown (fry in batches) remove and drain on paper towel.
  • Add onion and garlic in the same pan and stir until soft. Add the chicken and cook until it browns.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, season with salt and pepper. combine well and cook for 15-20 minutes on low flame.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the peas, macaroni, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, egg, half the Parmesan and combine with the chicken.
  • Place a slice of the eggplant in the center of the cake tin. Now arrange the sides of the tin with slices in a overlapping pattern. This will cover the base and side of the tin.
  • Sprinkle ½ of the Parmesan. Spoon the meat filling into the eggplant shell pressing it down gently. Arrange the remaining eggplant on the top to cover the filling. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or till golden brown.
Macaroni eggplant bake
Let it rest for 5 minutes before you set into a serving plate.

Aloo Mutter

| Rekha Vengalil
Aloo Mutter
You need –
  • Potatoes – 2 large cut into cubes
  • Frozen peas – ½ cup
  • Onion – 1 large or 1 cup thinly sliced
  • Ginger – 1 small piece
  • Garlic – 2 large cloves
  • Tomatoes puree – 1 cup
  • Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Garam masala powder – ½ teaspoon
  • turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon or as required.
How to –
  • Grind the onion, ginger and garlic to a fine paste.No adding water.
  • Heat the oil in a skillet, add cumin and onion paste. Saute till the onions turn golden brown.
  • Add the tomato puree, potatoes, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, salt and chilli powder and stir well. Add ½ cup water or as required. Cover and cook till the potatoes are cooked.
  • Add the peas and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add water if required.
  • Turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice.

Stir fried beets

| Rekha Vengalil
You can cook this with most veggies, like carrot, cabbage.. When I cook this for my daughter I avoid adding the green chili.

Stir fried beets
You need
  • Beetroots – 1 large grated
  • Mustard – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 10
  • Dried chili – 2
  • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Onion – thinly sliced ½ cup
  • Green chili – 1 slit
  • Dried fenugreek leave – 1 teaspoon
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon or as required
  • Salt to taste
How to –
  • Heat oil in skillet. Add the mustard seeds. Once it starts to crackle, tip in the dried chili and curry leaves.
  • Add onions, green chili. Saute till onions turn golden brown.
  • Add turmeric and fenugreek leaves, and fry for a minute.
  • Add beetroot, salt and mix well. Cover and cook for a 2 minutes.
  • Uncover and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat and serve hot

Mushroom, peas and potato curry

| Rekha Vengalil
Mushroom, peas and potato curry


You need –
  • Mushroom – 500 grams sliced
  • Potatoes – 3-4 small potatoes (cut into half with the skin on. If large cut into ¼’s)
  • Frozen green peas – 1 cup
  • Onion – 1 large or 1 cup sliced
  • Grated ginger – 1 teaspoon
  • Grated garlic – 1 teaspoon
  • Fresh coriander leaves – 2 tablespoon
  • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
  • Hot water – ½ cup
  • Oil –1- 2 tablespoon
  • Salt – as per taste

How to –
  • Heat oil in a pan and fry onion till they turn golden brown.
  • Add ginger-garlic paste and coriander leaves. Continue to fry till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add turmeric and chili powder. Fry for 2 minutes.
  • Add mushroom, potatoes, hot water, salt and stir well. Cover and cook on low flame for 15 – 20 minutes.
  • Add peas, garam masala and mix well.
  • Cover and continue to cook for further 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
  • Turn off the heat and serve hot with Roti or rice.

                                                                        Mushroom, peas and potato curry

Please note – if you are using fresh peas, add in along with potatoes and mushroom. I have garnished with spring onions which is optional.

Potato feta fritters

| Rekha Vengalil

Potato feta fritters
You need-
  • Potatoes – 245 grams
  • Feta cheese – 125 grams
  • Egg – 1
  • Spring onions – 3 chopped
  • Fresh dill – finely chopped 3 tablespoon
  • Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
  • Lemon zest – 1 teaspoon
  • Freshly ground black pepper – as per taste
  • Flour – 3-4 tablespoon or as required for dusting
  • Olive oil  – 5 tablespoon
How to
  • Boil and mash the potatoes. Crumble the feta cheese
  • In a bowl, mix together potatoes, feta cheese, egg, spring onions, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest and black pepper till well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or till firm.
  • Roll the mixtures into golf ball size fritters and flatten slightly. Dust slightly with flour  using a strainer/sieve .
  • Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the fritters until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel and serve hot.

Espresso slices

| Rekha Vengalil

Made with freshly done espresso! Not often I get to work with our KitchenAid espresso machine (my husband have exclusive rights on it). This time I got a chance, and got the maximum out of it 🙂 and here is the recipe –

                                                                                                         Espresso slices
You need –
  • Butter – 225 grams
  • Caster suger – 175 grams
  • Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Eggs – 4
  • Freshly made espresso – 250 ml
  • Ground almonds – 100 grams
  • Chocolate chips – 100 grams
  • All purpose flour – 250 grams
  • Baking powder – 1 teaspoon

For the frosting –

  • Icing sugar – 200 grams
  • Coffee liqueur – 2 tablespoon

How to –
Espresso slices

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350 F or 180 C
  • Line a 16X12 inch Swiss roll tin with parchment paper
  • Beat the butter until light and creamy. Gradually add in the sugar, vanilla extract and the eggs.
  • Stir in about three-quarters of the espresso, ground almonds and chocolate chips.
  • Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture.
  • Spread the mixture into the pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the tooth pick comes out clean when inserted.

For the icing

  • Mix the icing sugar, remaining espresso and coffee liqueur and spread on the slightly warm cake.

Please note – I have used salted butter.

Vendakka Thayir Pachadi

| Rekha Vengalil
Its simple and easy to make. A quick fix meal. 

Vendakka Thayir Pachadi
You will need –

  • Thick Yogurt – 1 cups
  • Water – ¼ or as required
  • Grated coconut – 1/3 cup
  • Green Chili – 1
  • Okra – 3-4
  • Coconut oil – as required for frying the Okras

Tempering

  • Mustard – ½ teaspoon
  • Dried red chilli – 1
  • Curry leaves – 10
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon
How to
  • Grind the grated coconut and green chili into a fine paste. Adding a little water if required and set aside.
  • Chop the okra’s into slices (1/2 cms) and deep fry till they turn golden brown. Set aside on Kitchen towel to drain out excess oil.
  • Mix the coconut-chili paste with yogurt, add the fried okra, salt to taste and mix well. Add water or as required if the mixture is too thick.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let it start to splatter. Add the curry leaves and red chili.  Add this to the yogurt coconut mixture.
  • This goes best with rice.