Mango Paneer(cottage cheese) Pudding

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Ingredients:
Source: Asianet
2 mango          -    cut into small cubes
200 gm.           -    paneer
1 tin                -    condensed milk
2 tbsp.             -    gelatin, melted
100 gm.           -     cream
1/4 tsp.            -     vanilla essence
cashew nuts for garnishing

Method:

1. Crush paneer (with your fingers) in to almost fine powder and very small chunks and add it  to the condensed milk and mix well.
2. Soak gelatin in 1/4 cup water and melt it by double boiling method.
3. Crush the mango pieces lightly (do not make a paste)and keep it aside. 
4. Add fresh cream in another bowl and beat well. To this add condensed milk with the paneer mixture , crushed mangoes, gelatin and vanilla essence and combine well.
5. Pour into a pudding dish and garnish with cashew nuts and mangoes and let it set in the refrigerator. When set cut and serve.

   

Vellayappam

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Ingredients:
2 cups + 1Tbsp.          -        Roasted rice flour
1/2 cup                       -        Warm water
1/2 tsp.                       -        Dry instant yeast
1 cup                          -       Grated Coconut
1 Tbsp.                       -        Sugar
1+ 1/2 Cup                  -       Water
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water and leave it for about 30 mins. until it rises.
2. Mix 1 Tbsp. of rice flour  in 1 cup of boiling water and keep stirring for a few minutes until creamy. Set aside to cool.
3. Add this cooled mixture along with the fermented yeast, grated coconut and salt to the remaining rice flour and grind well in a mixer by gradually adding 1/2 cup of water.(Make sure the consistency of the batter is a bit thick like a idlli batter)
4. Pour the batter in a vessel that can hold twice the batter's amount and leave it to rise for about 8 hrs. in a warm place.
5. After it has risen well. Heat a pan on medium flame stir and pour one ladle of the batter onto the pan and spread lightly. Cook both the sides until light brown and serve.

Chicken Puffs

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     This is the first time I'm working with frozen puff pastry. The pack I bought did not have any instruction as to how to use the pastry. And my puff did not rise. After searching the internet I realized where I went wrong and prepared the puffs again and this time it did rise. People who have never worked with puff pastry please do refer the notes below for further info. 

Ingredients:
gives 12 No's puffs

1 packet          -    Puff pastry sheets
White of 1 egg

For Filling:

2 No.             -    Chicken breast fillets  
1/2 tsp.           -     Turmeric powder 
1 tsp.              -     Pepper powder 
Salt to taste
2 medium         -    Onion finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp.         -  Ginger-garlic paste
1 medium           -  Tomato chopped
1/4 tsp.              -   Turmeric powder 
1 tsp.                -     Chilly powder 
2 tsp.                -      Coriander powder 
1/2 tsp.               -     Garam masala
1/2 tsp.              -   Pepper powder 
2 tbsp.                 -  Coriander leaves, chopped
1 tbsp.               - Oil 
 Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. Cook the chicken pieces with  1/2 tsp. turmeric powder, 1tsp. pepper powder, water and salt. Allow it to cool.
2. Mince the chicken in a mixer(just a pulse will do)
3. Heat oil in a pan, saute chopped onion till brown and add ginger-garlic paste . Lower the heat and add the spice powders.
4.  Saute for a minute or two and add the chopped tomato. Cook for few minutes and add the minced chicken and chopped coriander leaves. Combine well.Switch off flame and set aside. 
5. Thaw the puff pastry sheets as instructed in the package.(refer notes)
6.  Cut the puff pastry sheet into desired shape. Place 1 tbsp. of the prepared chicken filling onto the sheet.
7. Apply little water along the edges and seal the puffs using a fork. 
8. Arrange the prepared puffs on a greased baking sheet lined or line it with aluminium foil. Lightly beat the egg white and brush on top of the filled puff pastries.(Refer notes)
9.  Preheat the oven to 221 C and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the puffs turns golden brown on top.

Notes:

*  For thawing the pastry keep the required number of pastry sheets at room temperature for about 5 minutes or until it's consistency is enough to roll it.

* Use a rolling pin roll out the pastry. Take care not to roll it out too thin. (My pastry sheets where square shaped so I rolled it out to make a rectangle)

* Take care  not to brush the egg whites  on the sides.

* Do not leave the egg washed and stuffed pastry out too long else it will dry.

Beef Roast in caramelized onions

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Ingredients:

For Mariantion:

1/2 kg.             -      Beef  cubed and washed well
2tsp.                -      Ginger Garlic paste
2 tsp.               -       Chilly powder
1 1/2 tsp.         -        Coriander powder
1/4 tsp.             -      Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp.            -        Garam masala
1 tsp.               -        Lemon juice
1 tbsp.               -       Vinegar
1 sprig             -           Curry leaves
Salt to taste

For Caramelization:

2 No.             -     Onions finely sliced
3 tbsp.            -    Oil (coconut oil preferably
1/2tsp.            -     Pepper powder

For seasoning:

1 tbsp.              -    Coconut oil
1tsp.                 -    Mustard seeds
3 No.                -    Whole red chilly
5 No.                 -    Shallots finely sliced
1 sprig                 -    Curry leaves
2 tbsp.                -     Coconut thinly sliced
Method:

1. Marinate the beef with the above mentioned  marination ingredients  and keep aside for 20 minutes.
2.  Pressure cook the marinated beef along with water(nearly the same level as the beef) and cook for  3 whistles.
3. After the pressure subsides, cook the beef uncovered over medium heat until the beef is cooked . (Make sure that there is some water left about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. You will require this water for  Caramelization)
4. Keep aside the cooked beef along with the water.
5. Heat a large pan and add 1 tbsp. of  oil, saute the onions till tender.
6. Pour the water from the cooked beef and let the onion cook well.Stir fry till the onions starts browning and until not water is left.
7. Add the cooked beef to the onions and stir fry for some more time and add pepper and 2 tbsp. oil to the beef and combine well.
8. Remove from the heat and keep aside covered.
9. For the seasoning, heat a small pan and add coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds when hot.
10. Add whole red chilly, curry leaves,coconut slices, saute and add small onions.Stir fry till the onions and the coconut slices turns brown in color. Remove from heat and add this to the roasted beef, keep covered for a few minutes and serve.