Home Made Rasam Poodi @ Rasam Powder

Rasam Poodi

What you require......
1 cup of coriander seeds
3 tbs of cumin seeds
1 tbs of black pepper seeds
2 tbs of red chilli powder ( I used a few pieces of dry chillies)
1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of fenugreek
a pinch of turmeric
a pinch of asoefitida
a few curry leaves

How to prepare....
Dry roast everything except turmeric, asofoetida, and curry leaves on low heat. making sure to stir every now and then to avoid.

Leave to cool for a few minutes.

Grind the roasted spices, turmeric, asofoetida and curry leaves using a coffee grinder to fine powder.

Store in a airtight container and use accordingly.

Bhindi in Tomato Sauce

A simple dish cooked in tomato sauce. 

Bhindi in Tomato Sauce 

What your required....
1 bowl of bhindi, washed and cut in small pieces and steam
2 big onions - sliced finely
2 -3 tomatoes - cut small
1 green chillies - chopped
1 small piece of ginger - sliced
a sprig of curry leaves
salt to taste
turmeric
chopped coriander leaves

How to prepare......

1. Heat oil in a wok. 
2. Once hot, saute onions till soft, add in green chilly, ginger, curry leaves, turmeric and tomatoes
3. Saute till the tomatoes are soft. Season with salt and stir well.  Remove from heat and leave to cool for few minutes and then blend puree.
4. Heat pan, pour in the tomatoe puree and add in the bhindi.  Cook till it starts to bubble for a few minutes.
5. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve hot.

Chocolate Chips Muffins

I have a habit of copying/printing recipes in the hope of doing them sometime later.  I cant remember where I had copy this recipe..Nevertheless it turn out quite well.

Chocolate Chips Muffins

Ingredients Required
A.  1 cup of butter - melt
     2 cups of fresh milk
     2 eggs - whisk slightly
     1 tsp of essence vanilla

B.  3 cups of flour (I used all purpose flour)
     1/2 cup of cocoa powder
     2 tsp of baking powder
     1/2 tsp of bicarbonate powder
     2 cups of brown sugar

1/2 cup of chocolate chips
muffin papers

note : I did not use cocoa powder, subsituted cocoa powder with flour too.

How to Prepare

1. Preheat oven at 190C, 10-15mins.
2. Prepare muffin cups on trays or muffin trays.
3. Mix all ingredients of B till well incorporate.
4. In a different bowl, whisk all of A ingredients till well mix.
5. Add gradually of B into A, whisking till no lumps and mix well
6. Fill the muffin cups 3/4.
7. Add in chocolate chips on top of the batter.
8. Bake at 20mins or till it is done.
9. Remove on rack, cool and serve.

Sorra Meen Masala @ Shark Fish Masala

This fish is easily available over here in Doha as well in Malaysianot to mention it is reasonably priced to. In Doha it is about 6QAR per whole fish which can weigh anything between 1.5kg - 2kg.(1QAR = RM0.849; about RM5++ ), back home its about RM6-7/kg.

It is a soft white fish with long soft bone.  You definitely need the fishmongers to clean and cut the fish as the skin is rather hard to be removed - they do a good job. 

It is usually part of the menu for the ladies who just gave birth.. especially for breastfeeding mums...

You can make sorra puttu - steamed fish, finely cut onions, shredded coconuts;  or simply shallow fry the fish which is marinated with some tumeric, ginger/garlic paste and salt and serve hot..Its yummy yummy...Or you can prepare them which is not typically what you expect of fish curry -
Now lets look at how to prepare Sorra Meen Masala.

Sorra Meen Masala

Ingredients Required
1 kilo of the fish - cleaned and sliced to bite size
2 tbs of ginger/garlic paste
1 big onions - sliced finely
2 tomatoes - quartered
a sprig of curry leaves
1 cinnamon
2 cloves
2 aniseeds
2 cardamons
1 tsp of cumin seeds
2 tsp of fennel seeds
3-4 tbs of meat curry powder (depending on the spiciness
1 tsp of turmeric powder
3 cups of water
1/2 cup of milk/coconut milk

How to Prepare

1. Heat oil in a wok.
2. Saute cinnamon, cloves, aniseeds,cumin seeds and fennel seeds.  When they turn color, saute onions and tomatoes. 
3. When the onios are soft, add in meat curry powder, turmeric and curry leaves.  Fry for a few seconds.
4. Add in 3 cups of water and boil the gravy to a require thickness.
5. Once the gravy is thick, add in the fish and reduce the flame to medium/low heat.  As this fish cooks rather fast, make sure the flame is low.
6. Add salt to taste, becareful when stirring as the fish breaks easily. Add in the milk, stir slowly and let it boil for a few more minutes on low heat
7. Remove from heat, sprinkle some chopped corianders and serve.

Nandu Perathal @ Crab Masala

Me and my mum  were at the fish market in Al Khor where I live currently...  Found some lovely fresh looking crab...still dancing alive...

So whats next,we bought 2kilos of it and with a few more types of fresh fist from the market and headed home straight to the kitchen....

A gala day at the kitchen with the crabs and fishes...Lets see at the nandu perathal aka crab masala my mother's way....

Crab Masala
source : my mother's...

What you require...
2kilos of crabs
3 big onions - quartered
3-4 big onions - sliced finely
1/4 cup of ginger/garlic paste
3 chilies - slit into half
sprigs of curry leaves
2 pieces of cinnamon
4-5 cardamons
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 - 5 pieces of aniseeds
3 -4 pieces of cloves
5-6 tbs of meat currypowder (the amount depends on the spiciness required)
salt to taste
coriander leaves - chopped (optional)

How to do....

1. Clean the crabs and cut into 2.
2. Mix the crabs with ginger/garlic paste and leave aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok/pan. 
4. Once the oil is hot, saute cinnamons, cardamons, aniseeds, cloves, cumins and fennels till aromatic.
5. Add in the onions, chillies and tomatoes and saute till the onions are soft. 
6. Add in the curry leaves and crabs and mix well.
7. Cook till the crabs are done.
8. Mix curry powder into a paste and add into the crab.  Stir well so that the paste and the crabs are coated well.
9. Cook to desired gravy level.
10. Serve hot with rice.