Recipe of Frozen Orange and Mango Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 bananas, peeled cut into chunks and frozen for one hour

4 tsp honey

2 mangoes, peeled, cut into chunks and frozen for one hour

600 ml orange juice, chilled

Method:

Chill glassed in freezer for 30 minutes. Put all the ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth. Divide between four glasses and serve. 

Recipe of Kozhi Chettinad (Chettinad chicken)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

¼ tsp brown mustard seeds

Pinch of asafetida

5-6 curry leaves, roughly chopped

400 g chicken fillets, skinned and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp turmeric

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp hot chili powder

2tbsp coconut cream

Juice of ½ lime

1 tsp peeled and finely grated root ginger

30 g coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Method:

Heat oil in a heavy based pan over a medium heat. To check that it has reached the right temperature, sprinkle a few mustard seeds: if they pop, it is hot enough and you can add remainder. Add asafetida and curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds, stirring continuously, until everything is well combined and aromatic. Tip in the chicken cubes and fry for 5 minutes over a medium heat or until golden brown. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and chili powder and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

In a bowl, mix 4 tbsp boiling water with coconut and then add to chicken. Stir for a minute, then add lime juice. Mix thoroughly, simmer for 3-4 minutes, and then add ginger and simmer for another minute or until the chicken is cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with boiled rice or paranthas.

Recipe of Pancake

Ingredients:

110 gram / 4 oz plain flour, sifted

Pinch of salt

2 eggs

200ml/ 7fl oz milk mixed with 75 ml/ 3fl oz water

50 g/ 2oz butter

Method:

Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the center of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs – any sort of whisk or even a fork will do – incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.

Next gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don’t worry about any lumps as they will disappear as you whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any elusive bits of flour from around the edge into the center, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of a cream. Now melt the 50 gm of butter in the pan.  Spoon 2 tbsp of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it to lubricate the pan, using the wedge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake.

Now get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake to see if you’re using the correct amount of batter. I find 2 tbsp is about right for an 18 cm/7 in pan. It’s also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it’s tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife – the other side will need a few seconds only – then simply slide it out of the pan onto the plate. Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest.

To serve, sprinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon. 

Recipe of Baked Yoghurt with Crunchy Muesli

Ingredients:

200 ml condensed milk

200 ml yoghurt

200 ml sweetened cream, whipped

200 g muesli

100 g assorted dry fruits

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together. Divide equally in moulds or porcelain cups. Steam the cups in steamer (or a steam cooker without the weight, by adding two cups of water), or bake in a double boiler in an oven at 150 degree centigrade for 15 minutes. When done, chill the crunchy muesli at 3 degrees centigrade. Demould and serve chilled in porcelain cups.

Garnishing Ideas: Muesli tastes delicious when served with mulberries, strawberries and gooseberries. Pour honey over the muesli for added taste. Or place a small piece of honeycomb along with muesli.

Recipe of Puttu (Steamed rice cake) and Kadala Curry

Ingredients:

For Puttu:

250 g rice flour

350 g grated coconut

Salt to taste

For Kadala Curry:

120 g kadala (black chickpeas)

2 green chilies

Salt to taste

A little oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp roasted gram

2 red chilies

A small piece of ginger

2 garlic flakes

1 small onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1 tsp coriander leaves

50 g grated coconut

For seasoning:

A little oil

2 cloves

5 g cinnamon

½ tsp fennel seeds

½ onion cut into small pieces

2 tsp coriander leaves, chopped

Method:

For the puttu, mix rice flour with about 20 g grated coconut and salt. Add water, a little at a time and mix it into thick batter.

Sprinkle the inside of the puttu maker with grated coconut first, then add a layer of the rice flour batter and then grated coconut again. Steam for 15 minutes, take out and serve hot. Puttu can also be made in an idli maker or a regular steam cooker. Take banana leaf of the size of your palm twist it into a cone shape and hold it in place using a toothpick. Pour the batter into the leaf cone and place it in the steam cooker or idli maker and steam as directed.

For the kadala curry, cook the black chickpeas with two green chilies and salt. Heat a little oil and sauté the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, roasted gram, red chilies, ginger, garlic, onion, tomato, coriander leaves and coconut. Once cool, grind the mixture to a fine paste.

For the seasoning, heat oil in a pan and season with cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds and onion. Sauté till the onions turn brown. Add the ground masala paste and sauté for two minutes. Add the cooked black chickpeas and ½ cup water. Cook for four to five minutes. Add salt to taste. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot on banana leaves.   

Garnishing Ideas: Fry Chopped coriander leaves. Red chillies and a tsp of mustard seeds in a tsp of oil for two minutes. Sprinkle over the idli or puttu. Chopped cashew nuts and julienned carrot also go well with puttu. 

Recipe of Stir Fried Lamb with Mango and Watercress

Ingredients:

For Dressing:

¼ cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp mild chili powder

2 tbsp paprika powder

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the Salad:

2 large ripe mangoes

3 cups watercress

1 cup cucumber, julienned

1 red pepper, cut into stripes

4 spring onions, sliced

½ cup coriander leaves, chopped

½ cup mint leaves, chopped

2 tbsp roasted, unsalted groundnuts, coarsely chopped

For the stir-fried lamb:

440 gram lean boneless lamb chunks or shredded

10 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

3 large garlic flakes, minced

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp oil

Method:

For the dressing, mix all the ingredients, except lemon, in a small saucepan. Slowly whisk ¾ cup of water and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Set aside.

For the salad, peel the mangoes, cut in half, remove the pits and cut into ½ inch slices. Place in a large shallow bowl. Add watercress, cucumber, red pepper, spring onions, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Toss gently to mix. Keep aside. Keep serving cups ready.

Diagonally cut lamb chunks into ½ inch thick strips. In large bowl coat the lamb chunks with 3 tbsp of dressing, soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and sugar. Heat oil in a wok or non-stick skillet and stir fry lamb chunks till cooked over high heat.

Spoon lamb chunks over the salad. Drizzle remaining dressing and sprinkle with groundnuts. 

Tip: You can also use small prawns instead of lambs.

Recipe of Yellow Chicken Curry with Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

400 ml canned coconut milk

200 ml chicken stock (from a cube is fine)

2 tbsp yellow curry paste

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp sugar

750 grams potatoes, quartered and parboiled

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1 cm thick pieces

Coconut cream, to serve

A handful of chopped coriander leaves, to serve

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a frying pan, heat oil and fry onions till golden. Put the coconut milk and chicken stock in a large pan and bring to boil. Add curry paste and mix until combined. Tip in the fish sauce and sugar; turn down to simmer. Add potatoes, fried onion and chicken and then cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes and chicken are cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between four bowls, add a little coconut cream and sprinkle coriander leaves to each. Serve with steamed rice.

Tip: It’s best to cook a day in advance so that the aromatics have time to infuse with chicken.

Recipe of Green Apple Salad

Ingredients:

2 shallots (spring onions), finely sliced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

5 green apples (or green mangoes), cored and cut into thin slices

1 tbsp lime juice

6 cherry tomatoes, cut into squares

2 tbsp dry roasted groundnuts, crushed

A handful of coriander leaves, chopped

For the dressing:

1 garlic flake, finely chopped

1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp fish sauce

Juice of 2 lemons

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

To prepare the dressing, whizz together garlic, chili and sugar in a food processor to make a rough paste. Add the fish sauce and the lemon juice and the season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fry the spring onions in the oil for around 5 minutes or until they are crisp and golden brown. Then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Toss the apple slices in the lime juice, then mix with the tomatoes and dressing. Spoon onto plates and top with the groundnuts, crisp spring onions and coriander leaves.

Tip: In Thailand, raw mangoes are used in salad. This salad is best served with meat and fish dishes. 

Recipe of Baked Fish with Thai Spices

Ingredients:

4 trout filltes, about 200 gm each

1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped

A small piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

1 garlic flake, finely chopped

1 tbsp fish sauce

Juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp golden castor sugar

A handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Method:

Heat oven at 200 degree centigrade. Tear off two large sheets of aluminum foil and place on fillet, skin side down, in the center of each sheet. Make a sauce by mixing together the remaining ingredients. Spoon half of the mixture over the fillets, setting aside he remainder.

Place other two fish fillets on the top, skin-side up, then tightly seal the foil to create two packages resembling sandwiches. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Open the packages and serve with the rest of the sauce.

Tip: Snapper or seabass would also work well in this recipe, but they can be quite expensive. Trout works wonderfully and is quite a treat with its gentle aromatic flavors. 

Recipe of Machli ka Saalan

Ingredients:

½ kg boneless singhada fish

6-7 tbs mustard oil

½ tsp methi seeds

1 tsp ginger – finely chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

3 tsp coriander powder

1 small bowl curd

¼ tsp red chili powder

3 tsp almond paste

Salt to taste

5-7 tbsp water

½ tsp kasuri methi

½ tsp sugar

3 tsp cream

2-3 tsp coriander leaves

Method:

Lightly roast the badam and soak it in water for a while. Then grind it to paste and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add the methi seeds and ginger paste. When it turns brown in color, mix the turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chili powder with the curd and pour it in the pan. Cook for two minutes, then add the almond paste and stir. Now mix in the fish and salt. Pour in the water and cook for 4-6 mins or till done. Add the kasuri methi, sugar and cream and stir again. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.