Croissant and Pains au chocolat

                                        It had been a difficult task to get yeast in this city for the past few months, as most of the shops seemed to have run out of stock. I had hard time persuading a local baker to part with a small amount of his precious yeast. After possessing this rare commodity, I wanted to make the best use of it and as both the men in the house voted for croissant, I was happy to make this beautiful croissant and pains au chocolat.

                                       The quantity of butter used in Croissant has always  restrained me from making it. But there was this burning desire to give it a try and finally when I set to make it I had this festive mood, that engulfed me throughout the process, which I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can’t explain exactly how I felt, when the room was filled with the aroma of the croissant when it was baking at around 11.30 pm  and when we had our first bite a little before 12 am, unable to wait till breakfast time. But, all that hard work, excitement and the sight of that big slab of butter, made me sick the next day and killed my appetite, but was content watching others enjoy every bite of it.

               There are numerous videos out there and I found this site sousoukitchen-en.over-blog.com very helpful. I have made some slight adjustments from the original recipe.

Ingredients
Flour                          250 g
Yeast                          1 tbsp
Unsalted Butter       125 g
Salt                            1/2 tsp
Sugar                         3 tbsp
Water                         120 ml
Milk                           100 ml
Chocolate + 1 egg

Method for Croissant
Sprinkle yeast over warm water.
Add salt, sugar, yeast, water and milk to the flour and knead for 10 minutes until smooth.
Form a ball, transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover and let it rest for 2 hours.
Place the butter in a plastic sheet, cover with another and flatten it to form a square and let it chill in  the fridge.
Sprinkle some flour and roll the dough to form a square, place the butter in the middle and fold the dough around the butter to enclose it completely.
Flip it upside down, dust some some flour, roll into a rectangle.
Fold dough into thirds from one end and same way from the other end( both the ends meeting in the centre) and close it like a book.
Roll again to form  a rectangle, fold into three and leave it in fridge for 30minutes.
Repeat the same for 3 times ( rolling into a rectangle, folding into three, chill ).
Finally, dust the dough and roll to a square, divide into half.
Cut triangle shapes  in one half of the sheet.
Make a small slit at the broad side of the triangle and start rolling, holding the two edges to form a croissant shape.

For Pains au chocolat, use the other half, cut rectangle shapes of smaller width, fill some grated chocolate on one end and roll like a mat.
Transfer to a baking tray.
Brush the croissant and pain au chocolate with egg wash ( 1 egg slightly beaten with 2 tsps of milk ).
Bake in a preheated oven, at 200*c  for 15 minutes.

I was able to make six croissants and four pain au chocolate with the given quantity.

Pork Stir fry

A favourite of mine when I was young and now junior goes crazy for this soft and peppery pork fry when had with chappathi (roti). A wonderful combination that’s hard to resist an extra serving.

Ingredients

Pork                                               500 g

Onion                                             1 large

Ginger garlic paste                      1 1/4 tsp

Cloves , cinnamon, cardamom   2 each

Turmeric powder                         1/2 tsp

Pepper powder                             3 tsp (roasted and powdered)

Cumin powder                              2 tsp(roasted and powdered)

Oil                                                  1 tbsp

Curry leaves                                 few

Method

 Heat a tbsp of oil, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and curry leaves.

Add chopped onion, saute until pink and soft.

Add ginger garlic paste and stir.

Add the pork ( cut into small cubes ), turmeric powder  and stir for a minute.

Add salt, pepper and cumin powder , mix well and cook until the pork is soft.

I used a pressure cooker and cooked it for about 15 minutes on low heat, which otherwise would take a 

long time. 

Capsicum and Tomato chutney

There’s always a constant need for variety of chutneys, with Idly and dosai being our staple breakfast. While trying different combinations, some of them would taste good and it will enter into the list of the chutneys that is made regularly. This is one such recipe. However this capsicum chutney can be served with roti also, but not the tomato chutney.

Capsicum Chutney
Ingredients
Capsicum              2 (about 300 g )
Garlic                    2 cloves
Red chilly             2
Roasted peanuts   2 1/2tbsp
Salt
Oil
A tiny amount of tamarind.
Mustard + urad dal 1tsp, curry leaves  few.

Method
Roast chopped capsicum, garlic, red chilly in 1/2 tbsp of oil, until capsicum is well cooked.
Let it cool.
Add roasted peanuts, salt, tamarind and blend to a fine paste.
Heat a tsp of oil, add mustard + urad dal, curry leaves, when it pops add this to the capsicum chutney and serve with Idly, dosai or roti.



Tomato with coconut chutney
Ingredients
Tomato                   2
Grated Coconut      1 1/2 to 2 tbsp
Red chilly               2
Garlic                     2 cloves
Asafoetida              a pinch
Salt
Oil
Mustard + urad dal 1tsp, curry leaves few

Method
Roast chopped tomatoes, red chilly, garlic in 1/2tbsp of oil, until the tomatoes are well roasted and cooked.
Add the asafoetida powder and remove from heat. Let it cool.
Add the grated coconut, salt and blend to a paste.
Pop mustard + urad dal and curry leaves in a tsp of oil and add this to the chutney. Serve with Idly or dosai.

Poli - Paruppu poli, Thengai poli

Hogenakkal, yes that’s what comes to my mind, next to my granny when I think of poli. People who have visited this tourist spot en route to Salem, would have witnessed women sitting in a line making hot poli, along the stretch that leads to the beautiful water falls. Apart from the enticing aroma of the ghee laden poli, the 'yellow colour' of the poli attracts me a lot, as the poli that my grandmother used to make was usually colourless. The sweet smell of poli,  the freshly caught fish that is fried till crisp and brown will not fail to make anyone hungry, but the polluted water and rubbish littered all around will only kill our appetite, yet, nature continues to be beautiful, unperturbed by human intervention and the water falls thunderously like a little sister of Niagara enchanting a huge number of tourists throughout the year.

Paruppu poli or other wise called oppittu
Ingredients
Flour (maida)           1 cup
Bengal gram            1/2cup
Jaggery                    1/2cup
Cardamom               2
Turmeric powder     1/2tsp
Salt                          1/4tsp
Oil
Ghee
Plastic sheet or Banana leaf

Method
Combine flour, salt, turmeric powder, a tsp of oil, mix, add water and knead to a soft dough.
Drizzle a table spoon of oil on the dough and leave it to marinate for an hour or two.
In the meantime, cook bengal gram with a pinch of turmeric powder in water.
To the cooked bengal gram, add melted jaggery and cardamom and grind to a fine paste ( can sprinkle water if necessary and adjust the sweetness at this stage, add more jaggery if desired)
Transfer the bengal gram mixture to a pan and stir continuously on medium heat until the mixture thickens and gathers well ( this is done to get rid of excess moisture). Let it cool.
Divide the mixture into 6 portions or balls and keep it aside.
Divide the dough into six portions  as well.
Take a portion of the dough, place it on a well oiled plastic sheet and spread it to a thin disc by hand( since the dough is well oiled it will be easy to spread without dusting any flour)
Place a portion of the filling in the middle, bring the edges over the filling and cover it.
Again drizzle some oil, turn the it upside down, cover with another plastic sheet and using a rolling pin, roll it into a thin sheet of poli.
Transfer this to a hot tawa and cook on both sides on medium heat, add some oil, now and then for the poli to cook.
When done spread a little ghee on the poli and serve hot. Repeat the same with the rest of the dough.
Note:
If a banana leaf is used then flatten it by hand, add more oil to the dough if necessary.
A traditional poli would be very thin and crisp, that can be achieved by using plastic sheet and rolling pin.

Thengai poli - Coconut poli
I have made coconut poli without using turmeric powder and it is the same as that of paruppu poli but for the filling.

Ingredients
Flour          1 cup
Salt            1/4tsp
Oil
Make a dough, same as the previous one and let it rest.

Filling
Coconut         1cup (grated)
sugar              1/3cup
Cardamom     3 crushed or powdered
Ghee

Method
Take coconut, sugar, cardamom in a pan and stir until the sugar melts and combines well with the coconut. When it gathers well and begins to leave the sides,  remove from heat and let it cool. Divide into portions and use it as a filling for the poli.

Garibaldi Biscuit

Garibaldi biscuit  is a popular English tea time snack, also called squashed flies, as the currants used in these biscuits resemble squashed flies. When I read about this, the simplicity of the biscuit made me want to try. No wonder it has been popular for more than 150years, this crisp and mildly sweet biscuit is definitely worth a try. I have never been fond of biscuits coated with chocolate, but this one is an exception, may be because, I made it or  may be it was really good, I can’t say why?
This is based on a recipe by Alwyn Jones.

Ingredients
Flour                           100 g
Baking powder           1/2 tsp

Salt                              1/8 tsp

Butter                          25 g

Sugar                           25 g

Milk                             2 1/2 - 3tbsp
Black currants             50 g finely squashed
(can use other dry fruits too)

Method
Whisk the dry ingredients together.
Add milk and butter, gently mix to form a dough.
Divide the dough into two portions and roll into two separate thin sheets.
Arrange the squashed currants on one of the rolled sheet, cover this with the second sheet of the dough.
Press tightly and roll again as thin as possible.
Trim the edges and cut into squares or rectangles.
Poke holes on the surface of each biscuit.
Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle sugar.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 180*C.
When cool coat it with melted chocolate if desired.

Vanilla Panna cotta with strawberry glaze

Panna cotta, a classic Italian dessert with the sweet flavour of vanilla is sheer pleasure, when had on a hot summer day.

Ingredients
Cream      200 ml
Sugar       7tsp
Vanilla     1tsp
Gelatin     1tsp
Water       1 to 2 tbsp

For glaze
Strawberries
sugar

Method
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl and leave it aside.
Combine cream and sugar in a pan, on medium heat stir to dissolve the sugar.
When the mixture just begins to boil, remove from heat, stir in vanilla, add the gelatin soaked in water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
When cool, transfer to glass bowls and set it in fridge for about 2 hours.

For glaze
Combine strawberries and sugar in a saucepan with a tsp of water and let it boil on medium heat until the sugar dissolves and is reduced to a syrup. Use it when cool.

chicken curry in coconut milk

I don’t fancy using store bought masala powders, but this curry is an exception. I started using this particular brand of chicken curry powder, after tasting it in a relative’s place and due to persistent plead from people at home to make the same. Once, when I thought there wasn’t enough gravy, used some coconut milk which not only enhanced the taste but impressed some guests too.

Ingredients

Chicken                             500g

Onion                                2

Tomato                              2

Ginger garlic paste           1 1/4tsp

Aachi chicken masala      6tsp

Fennel                               1/4tsp

Coconut milk                   100 ml

Oil                                     1 1/2 - 2 tbsp

Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom  2 each

Curry leaves

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, curry leaves, fennel, when it begins to splutter, add finely sliced onions and saute until cooked. 

Add the chopped tomatoes, stir and when it is cooked, add the ginger garlic paste, stir well.

Add the chicken masala powder, chicken, salt and cook.

When the chicken is cooked, add the coconut milk, let it cook on low heat for a few minutes, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti, naan or parotta.

Note

Can add more curry powder if a spicy chicken curry is preferred. 

Redlenlits Kofta curry

Lentil burger, when I saw the recipe in a cook book, my curiosity was kindled, but wasn’t satisfied with the taste, so made some adjustments to suit our palate, turned it into koftas and used it in a curry, just the way I wanted.

Ingredients
Red lentils                          100 g
Potato                                 125g or 3 small ones
Bread slices                       2
Cumin                                1tsp
Garam masala powder    1tsp
Garlic                                 2cloves
Spring onions                   2tbsp
Coriander leaves              1tbsp
Rice flour                          2tbsp + 3tbsp
Egg                                    1/2


For the curry
Onions                                            2
Tomatoes                                       2
Ginger garlic paste                       1tsp
Red chilly+coriander powder     2tsp
Garam masala powder                 1/2tsp
Cumin powder                               1/2tsp
Salt
Spring Onions

Method
Cook lentils and potatoes(skin peeled) in a pressure cooker.
Mash the potato and lentil, add lightly beaten egg, cumin powder, garam masala powder, minced garlic, chopped spring onions, chopped coriander leaves, salt, rice flour and mix.
Wet your hands lightly and make koftas or balls with the mixture.
Roll the balls in rice flour and fry in a sauce pan using 1 or 2tbsp of oil.

Curry
Heat oil in a pan, add sliced onions and saute until it is pink and cooked.
Add chopped tomatoes, saute until it is cooked and add ginger garlic paste, stir, add garam masala powder, chilly+coriander powder, salt , cumin powder, a cup of water and once it begins to boil, cook on low heat for few minutes until the curry is ready.
Add the koftas, garnish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately with roti.

Suggestion
The egg makes the mixture quite sticky, if the hands are slightly wet it is easy to make balls, my suggestion would be, just avoid egg, rice flour and include more bread to make koftas, can sprinkle some milk, if required to hold the mixture together.