Ginger dates pickle

My kitchen table would always be filled varieties of pickles. We would have mango ,lemon and butter gourd pickles , on the dining table , waiting to be dug in.  But as years pass by , we started controlling it. Too much was not good .  All the more my mom used to make a year's supply of mango pickles and reserved in the fridge . My daughter loves anytime salty pickles and salty veggies in pickled vinegar.  Though I am not a big fan of it. I don't know from where she gets it. As a kid I didn't wake up much to it too. Zehna and the boys ,till today will have that red chilli powdered smears in mangoes. Gosh I would warn them of ulcers and rashes .  But all in vain ,they wouldn't care at all . Whatever comes.  They will have it. Pacha manga and uppum mullakm...(green mangoes and salt and  red chilli powder.).

My uncle happens to be a good tactic at these. He would care too..I would gleefully say it's good not to have them and he would just shove me off and say that I am crazy and as born a gulfie what would I know about Pacha manga and uppum mullakm !  Certainly a loss from not growing up here I Kerala.  My family are all foodees to nature 

The pickle I had made was so good and spicy as it turns out  to be a ginger spice . Not that I have not glued to it at the table front. I love them but not  as crazy as my kins. This version is a standard measurement. You can half it and reserve in two medium size bottles . I would suggest not to omit the dates as some people do not like that part. The ginger and dates balance the spicy  the natural sugars in it. After making it, it has to be stored in bottle for atleast a week before using it.

Ingredients

• 1 kilo ginger sliced finely
• 1 kilo garlic chopped finely
• 100 grams green chilli chooped finely
• 2 packets pickle powder
• 400 ml Sesame oil
• 1 litre vinegar
• 5 dates
• A bunch curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
• 3 teaspoon mustard seeds

Method

• Heat oil add the Fenugreek , mustards, green chillies ,curry leaves and one tablespoon crushed garlic .
• Saute for few minutes .
• Add the ginger and remaining of the garlic . Saute for ten minutes till well combined .
• Semi Grind the dates in litttle vinegar .
• Lower the flame , add the pickle powder .
• Add rest of the vinegar and add the semi grinded dates paste .
• Add salt to your taste .
• Usually pickles are loaded with salt...I just added a little lesser than normal pickles .
• Let it cool completely.
• Transfer to a dry container and pour a tablespoon of hot sesame oil on top the pickle ,a tip for it to last longer.

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Orange loaf cake

There was time when I wanted to start a bakery shop and my husband was almost sure of it too. That's how I love the world of baking . Before the blog happened I baked almost many recipes. But I know there are many homebakers who create so exotic pastry stuffs that I feel so awed at their recipes. . In my Malabar area, we have all the nadan kumsi and tea cakes that are so soft and filling. And one must wonder there are still some recipes that are still yet to discover too. Especially I love baking with fruits like pineapples,berries and especially oranges and the season of oranges are in,  flooding the Market with all types of varieties make me think of baking a nice buttery cake .

 I have seen how the same are used for baking . I wouldn't suggest using sour oranges for this particular recipe that I am going to present below . It is awesome snack for morning tea . AJ loves soft buttery cakes and this he thoroughly enjoyed too. It is easy and ofcourse all bakes ae easy and no fail recipe too. This is close to normal ghee cakes that you get in the bakeries.

 Buying fresh juicy oranges that are sugary in taste is a must for bakes. I was a little sceptical about this fact . Willy cake turn sour or will it be dry. Adding orange juice is the neat trick to get the buttery loaf cake to immerse your hearts.

 Ingredients

3 large eggs

3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup  salted butter

1 large juicy orange and it's zest to be taken

Method

Preheat the oven to  180 c  and grease a loaf pan
In a large bowl ,beat eggs and sugar till frothy

Next is to add  the dry ingredients slowly and gently stir well.

Pour the melted butter and stir gently.
Add orange juice and zest
Pour into the buttered prepared pans and bake for  40 minutes and check of it's done.
Baking times may vary depending on the oven.

Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

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Okra potato stir fry

It's time to get back on my daily chores and simple life . Work and home ...clean and cook...sigh it's boring ...I am a person who loves to travel and enjoy life to amazing extent.…this month has many occasions for us. Our anniversaries,house warming,birthdays and to add to that all it's now my grandfather's death date too . So I had to take a week's break and am slowly seeping in ..I wish I fall to place to the right track soon but inshallah,after everything that I have been through,it's a blessing to have a good family.  I am struggling always with my diet and  health too..I simply didn't know how to become thin again 樂.I really wish I had a solid plan and I will get it soon ..the climate is so far good but a little of heat is seeping in also . The afternoon is hot and nights are cold  at the same time.but all well ,I would love to get some new recipes done at the same time.

But sometime I run out ideas for a moment  so I write everything I want for a particular month in a diary.  Now the only thing,my diary is too small to fit in all the recipes. I used to use note app for this but sometimes writing in diary is fun and more inspiring for me . Today's recipe I am posting is a vegetarian stir fry . It's my favorite and amongst family too. Even though this recipe hasn't featured  on the blog, I must say it is the most cooked in my house and the amount of 'aws' for this recipe is enormous.…

Ingredients

• 1/2 kilo okra / lady's finger chopped fine
• 2 potatoes chopped fine
• 1 tomato. Diced
• 1 onion chopped fine
• 2 green chillies slit long
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon Red chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon Coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Method

• Take a bowl .
• Chop all the ingredients  and mix well.
• Heat oil and add mustard seeds.
• Once they pop , add the vegetables and stir fry .
• Add the chilli flakes .cover and cook in steam stirring occasionally.
• Serve with rice or chapathis.

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Cashew vermacelli paysam

This year started and with the left over news of last year. If your residing in India you will know what is going on.  People are scared and are on the run to get the paper work done for citizenship,and so are we, just to be on the safer side . While going through the month of January,I was not impressed at all because I didn't post as much as I thought I would. When there is too much tenauonind doesn't stick as to plans for me . But I must say whatever happens blogging is one part of the world I loved and will be forever my favourite place .hehe...

On all good things , my cousins little boy now comes for visit once in a awhile . The trance of my place turning to a playground with all boys on board. As my family is short of girl gang, there is always a court it  play while they are around. Football or basketball..stuffs like that . You wouldnt find and doll house or some nice Barbie dolls to play with. So leaving  that to only 4:1 ratio as far as the boy:girl ratio is concerned. Still a blessing Alhamdullilah.

 Usually I cook whatever ingredients I have in my kitchen. Also I bake alot , and so I would sometimes have few baKing ingredients in my pantry too.i was wondering why I am not cooking sweets or desserts anymore . I used to cook a lot of desserts that husband would say my refrigerator is filled dith chemicals and by chemicals he means chinagrass ,gelatin ,essences and some stuffs like that . He would always say make natural and earthen delights . He is a big fan of coconuts and it's milk . He would encourage kids to have coconuts water and ellaneer juice, so after a lot bragging I decided to make his favourite paysaam.

Off to the recipe ...

Ingredients

• 3/4 litre milk
• 1/2 packet Pakistani vermacelli
• 1/2 Tin condensed milk
• 5 cashews soaked in milk and grind to paste
• 2 tablespoon ghee
• 10 cashews and raisins

Method

• Roast cashews and raisins in ghee . Set aside
• Boil milk set aside.
• Roast Pakistani vermacelli in 2 tablespoon ghee, for five minutes.
• Add 1/4 cup hot water to it. Stir well
• Add hot milk to this roasted vermacelli.
• Stir well on low medium flame .
• After vermacelli is cooked ,add grinded cashew paste and stir well.
• Add the condensed milk
• Check the sweetness and add sugar if needed.
• Garnish with roasted nuts.
• Serve warm. 

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Beef chilli recipe

This is one recipe I am not going to differ on. I will keep this recipe for generations to come just because it's authentic and tastes really good . Why would I make a difference in such recipes . My mom cooks a different version and I recently added few weeks ingredients here and there and it was yummy ! Fridays is just another wonderful day where I get to cook really good Malabar dishes. So this Friday was just niter happy day with beef curry ,beef Chilli recipe and ghee rice . My boys love beef and they dig deep into the small batches that I prepare for lunch. There will not be any leftovers for us to carry on to dinner. But no worries they enjoy every bit. I think this is my first chilli recipe on blog too.

Before  I go on the hike to my praises. I must say my cooking sometimes is a reck and it's not that appealing also . My mind and health all depends on my mood. If the family needs some good finger licking food then  they have to make me happy..I hate that part of me ..I cook best when I am so warmed and delighted. This beef chilli made my day..one of my boys did well at school and received a certificate and i was so happy. He loves beef and so I made this chilli recipe for him .

But as I said somethings have to go wrong in patterned life . After making a lively lunch , that's when the husband calls and tells he won't be for lunch which of course is annoying. So I put aside the beef chilli for home for dinner . For me when I make something new I expect...no i want a praise from him and since I expected too much I didn't get it , instead he asked why I cooked beef chilli and beef curry at the same time , ...I just told him I am experimenting a lot of things for this month so watch out what's coming out on the table ..  instant reaction to dumb question.
Here's the recipe for this beef chilli which I am sure you guys will love as did I ❤️

Ingredients

• 1/2 kilo Boneless beef
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
• 4 tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 1 small Cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• Few Curry leaves
• 1 onion  large chopped finely
• 6 garlic cloves peeled
• 2 tomatoes large chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon Kashmiri Chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
• 2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoon black Pepper Powder
• 1/2 capsicum chopped
• Coriander Leaves a handful chopped

Red paste :

• 5 garlic  cloves
• 5 Dry Red Chillies

Method
.

• Grind the red chillies and garlic to paste .keep aside .
• Grind chillies  garlic to a paste.
• Heat oil in a kadai, add in  spices,  curry leaves.
• Add in onions and garlic. Cook till colour changes to Golden shade.
• Now Add in tomatoes and chilli garlic paste and saute well. Cover and cook till well done
• Add in all spice powders and salt ,cook for 10 minutes
• Now add in beef  and mix well.
• Simmer on low heat for two minutes. Add 1/5 cup water and cover pressure cook till beef is done.
• Open and cook till water dries up .
• Add in capsicum and cook till semi soft.
• I love to crumch on the green peppers
• And coriander leaves which I added 'a bunch '.
• Serve.

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Sweet potato balls

All morning I wanted to try a laddoo. I did once and was not so happy with it . So I gave up the  idea and mom was complaining at the same time as to how much .My husband has the habit of bringing large quantities of sweet potatoes and tapioca both together as it the season The market is loaded these veggies. I like only tapioca and  the smell of the sweet potatoes make me crazy. I don't know what's it that's making me so uncomfortable with this . As this is one vegetable that is rich in calcium and potassium and also a very huge part is carbohydrate content in it, my son who is so very lean ,but healthy of course, loves theses balls.

So I had a lot of these in my pantry and it's easy to make them whenever I can. I made for tea . As I have been a proactive kind ,I wanted to store this recipe in my blog and it was a quick one to blog also. Yesterday , o made a batch he and his friends just loved it . Well this was the only way I can get rid of it. So today I made the whole thing .and not a single piece left too. All just loved to munch on it.  While i had junk chips and chai kids had sent potatoes.
Sigh I wish I had done better in life . I am putting in on so much weight, which is bothering me a lot too. Better late than ever I have to do something soon...

Since this is a local recipe , I didn't not know how many would like it . But it turns out well and easy for tiffin's too so hop on the recipe and give it a try ...
Here's the recipe...

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup coconut shreds
• 1/4 cup sugar ( if needed)

Method

• Pressure cook the sweet potatoes for two whistle or till done .
• Mash the potatoes and mix the coconut shreds and sugar.
• Make balls and serve .

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Icecream souffle

This dessert has no ice cream to it and is must say I had  made many sweets but this in particular is special , as it turns out that this is one of my mother's first dessert to be served in a tray. Mom was  a sweet kind of person in both ways . But now she has lesft it all behind once she turned diabetic. She  loves to cook once in a while now as I have taken her shoes through this blog. I don't like to cook daily stuffs . I plan and do things accordingly like  plan for week and get  the stuffs and cook a good home cooked meal for the family. Mom still makes some savoury but desserts are a big 'no' to her menu. If she like something she will tell me and I would make modifications and try them out too.  I love simple sweets that I cook up fast for dinners and luck too. Basically we need something sweet for lunch as dinners are leftovers of lunch. And as mom is diabetic I have cut down down on my intake of sugary stuffs . Tea and coffee is on the sugar free list for me …

But come to this of this souffle I never bothered to add it to the blog. Zehna who loves to cook some meals at time would definitely like to see this recipe in my blog too. What's amazing about the dish is it's has very few ingredients and no issues of any kind. It will set on time . But many of you  readers will be a little set back on hearing that the egg whites are added to hot milk only once it is poured into the pudding tray. There si nothing awkward in this .I guarantee you it's absolutely fine and tastes amazing.. actually I love souffle more than to puddings . This is the only thing that has to be remembered and others are so easy . So...

Off to this recipe

Ingredients

• 1 litre milk
• 1 Tin milkmaid
• 2 tablespoon gelatin soaked in 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 egg whites
• Vanilla essence

Method

• Soak the gelatin in warm water to bloom
• Heat milk to boiling point.
• Add the milkmaid
• Add the gelatin mix.
• Simmer for ten minutes.
• Pour to dish,set aside.
• Beat the egg whites to fluffy ,add the essence.
• Now dip the egg whites on the hot pudding milk mixture.
• Keep dipping the egg whites softly into the milk mixture. After some time of dipping , place the souffle to chill for four hours minimum ...or freeze for 1 hour .
• Add sugar to hot pan and make caramel .
• Place the cashews on a foil and pour hot caramel onto the nuts . Let it set. Do not touch with fingers to burn !
• Crush with pestle and add to top the set souffle.
• Serve cold
• Note the egg whites should be added to hot milk only.
• It will get cooked at this stage . No worries of having raw eggs at all,👌and it's all cooked on hot souffle base .

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