Annapoorna

Annapoorna
Dedicated to all lovers of Indian food who provide me with the inspiration and encouragement to keep experimenting. May that tribe increase and make Indian food the most popular in the world

Saturday, November 5, 2011

BBQ Baked Beans Recipe

Here's a replica recipe that's great for a cookout, or as your cool cloned contribution to a party. You can add everything to the dish ahead of time and bake it when you get to the shinding. Just find yourself a couple cans of the cans of the white beans (not pinto beans or great northern beans), and the rest is easy. Throw all of the ingredients into a casserole dish and let it bake.

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:
2 15-ounce cans small white beans (with liquid)
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp minced onion
2 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt
dash pepper
dash garlic powder

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Pour entire contents of two 15-ounce cans of beans into a covered casserole dish.

Combine the water wit the cornstarch in a small bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Stir mixture into the beans.

Stir the remaining ingredients into the beans and cover the fish.

Bake for 90 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir every 30 minutes. Let beans sit for 5-10 minutes after removing them from the oven before serving.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Black Forest Trifle


Ingredients:
1  pkg (18-21 oz) brownie mix (plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies)
2  bars (1.55 ounces each) milk chocolate candy, divided
3  cups cherry pie filling
1  tsp almond extract
1/2  cup cranberry-cherry juice
2  cups cold 2% milk
2  pkg (3.3 oz each) white chocolate instant pudding and pie filling
1  container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies; spread batter over bottom of Large Bar Pan. Bake 18-20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
  2. Loosen brownie from sides of bar pan and invert onto flat side of Large Grooved Cutting Board. Cut brownie into 1-in. cubes; set aside. Chop 1 1/2 of the chocolate bars using Food Chopper. Reserve remaining chocolate for garnish.
  3. Combine pie filling and almond extract in Small Batter Bowl; set aside 1/2 cup for garnish. Stir juice into batter bowl.
  4. Pour milk into Classic Batter Bowl; add pudding mix and whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Fold in whipped topping.
  5. To assemble trifle, place half of the brownie cubes into bottom of Trifle Bowl. Layer with half of the pie filling mixture. Sprinkle with half of the chopped chocolate; top with half of the pudding mixture. Repeat layer one time.
  6. Make chocolate curls with reserved chocolate using Vegetable Peeler. Garnish top of trifle with reserved pie filling mixture and chocolate curls. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
Yield: 16 servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 380, Total Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 45 mg, Carbohydrate 59 g, Protein 4 g, Sodium 300 mg, Fiber 0 g
Cook's Tips: To make chocolate curls, hold the Vegetable Peeler across the short side of the chocolate bar. Using even pressure, push the blade away from you to create curls.

This trifle can be assembled several hours before serving, or even the night before.

Ginger paste


Preparation Time: 5minutes
Cooking Time: 0minutes

Ingredients:

115gms/4oz fresh root ginger, roughly copped
125ml/4fl oz water

Method:

Place the ginger and water in a food processor or blender or mixer and make paste. Transfer to a glass jar with a lid and store in te refrigetaor for up to 1month.

Garlic Paste

Preparation Time: 5minutes
Cooking Time: 0minutes

Ingredients:

115gms/4oz garlic cloves, halved
125ml/4fl oz water

Method:

Place the garlic cloves and water in a food processor or blender or mixer and make paste. Transfer to a glass jar with a lid and store in te refrigetaor for up to 1month.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Basic Recipes - Panch Phoran

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes

1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp onion seeds
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp fenugreek seeds
1tsp aniseed

Mix all the seeds together in a small bowl and store in an airtight jar.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Peanut Hummus


  • 3 cup garbanzos, soaked overnight
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • peanut oil to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • water as needed
  • 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 bu. italian parsley, chopped fine
  • 1 ea. jalapeño, seeds removed, chopped fine
  • 2 ea. garlic cloves, chopped fine
  • peanut oil to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste
Cook garbanzos slowly in water until very soft. They should be very mushy when one is taken and smashed between the fingers. Drain.
In food processor, place all the garbanzos and process with some of the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and water.
Process until smooth. Scoop the mixture into a bowl. Add peanut butter. Stir well and adjust with oil and water for texture, and salt and pepper for taste.
Make topping by combining parsley, jalapeño, and garlic in a small bowl. Cover with extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Yield: 8 Cups

Sweet Corn and Peanut Soup


  • 1 gal. water
  • 8 oz. hominy
  • 2 tbsp. sweet butter
  • 2 ea. white onions, diced
  • 3 ea. garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cup carrots, peeled and grated
  • 2 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 gal. corn stock
  • 2 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
  • 5 tbsp. smooth peanut butter
  • 4 ea. jalapeño chiles, stemmed and diced (including seeds)
  • 10 ears sweet corn, shucked, kernels cut off cobs and roasted
  • 5 ea. cilantro sprigs
In a small stockpot over high heat, bring the water and hominy to a boil. Boil for 35 minutes, then drain the hominy and rinse it in cold water.
Melt the butter in a large stockpot over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the ginger, stock, peanuts, and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and whisk until the peanut butter is evenly incorporated. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes.
Uncover the stockpot and puree the soup with a handheld blender until smooth. Add the hominy, jalapeños, and roasted corn. Simmer 5 more minutes. Strip the cilantro leaves from the stems and julienne.
Ladle the soup into shallow bowls. Sprinkle some of the cilantro leaves over each bowl and serve.
Serves 4 to 6.

Tomato and Peanut Salsa


  • 1 cup peanuts, roasted, unsalted
  • 4 ea. fresh ripe tomatoes, large, diced small
  • 1 ea. red onion, large, diced small
  • 4 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
  • 4 tbsp. parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
  • 4 ea. fresh red or green jalapeño chile peppers, diced small
  • 4 tbsp. lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • 4 tbsp. peanut oil
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • salt to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper to taste
In a blender or food processor, grind the peanuts coarsely. They should not become paste, but should have a slightly chunky, crumbly consistency.
Combine the peanuts with all the other ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix well. This salsa will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days.
Note: This is my adaptation of a Brazilian condiment in which the peanuts show again the strong African influence on Brazilian cuisine. While it is most often used with vegetables, I actually prefer it with grilled meats, especially pork. Add a can of tomato juice and a little more hot chile pepper, and this turns into a nice salsa for chips.
Yield: 4 Cups

Peanut Lemon Granola Bombs


  • 1/2 cup Honey, whipped (or thick and dry)
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream
  • 1 cup Peanuts, unsalted, toasted and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup Plain oatmeal (or extra granola)
  • 1 ea. zest of Lemon
  • 1/4 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Peanut granola (see note)
Method
  1. In a large bowl over a double broiler, melt the honey until it is runny; add the sour cream and remove from the heat.
  2. Stir in the toasted peanuts, oatmeal (or granola), lemon zest, and vanilla extract; stir until cool. To cool more rapidly, place bowl over some ice while stirring.
  3. Add enough granola to the mixture so that it can be rolled into lime or walnut‐sized balls with your hand. Roll the balls in the peanut granola and chill overnight; use for school lunch or afternoon snacks.
Note: Combine 1/2 cup of regular granola with 1/2 cup of roasted chopped peanuts.

Crispy Fried Peanuts


Yield: 2 cups
  • 1 cup Peanuts, raw, shelled, no skins
  • 1 cup Garbanzo beans, canned, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup Garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. Fleur de sel
  • 1 tsp. Paprika, smoked
  • 1 qt. Peanut oil
Method
  1. Place the garbanzo beans in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with paper towels and leave uncovered for 2 hours or overnight until slightly dried.
  2. Heat the peanut oil in a wide, heavy bottom sauce pot to 350˚F.
  3. Add peanuts and stir constantly until lightly golden brown. Remove from oil to paper towels and drain.
  4. In the same oil, add garbanzo beans and fry until golden brown. Remove to paper towels and drain.
  5. Place the peanuts and garbanzos in a bowl.
  6. Drain all but ¼ cup of the oil from the pot and add garlic. Over medium heat, stirring constantly or swirling the pan, toast garlic until lightly golden brown being careful not to burn. Remove from heat and pour garlic and oil over the  bowl of peanuts and garbanzos.
  7. Toss the peanuts, garbanzos, and garlic with fleur de sel and smoked paprika. Serve warm.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Kichidi or Kicheeree


KITCHEEREES

These are occasionally substituted for boiled rice at breakfast, and
are eaten with fried fish, omelets, croquets, jhal frezee, &c. They
are prepared as follows:--


                        5. Bhoonee Kitcheeree

Take rather more than three-quarters of a coonkee of bassmuttee or
cheeneesuckur and half a coonkee of dal; or, if preferred, take the
rice and dal in equal parts.

Take twelve large curry onions and cut them up lengthways into fine
slices. Warm up two chittacks or four ounces of ghee (but before doing
so be careful to warm the pot), and, while bubbling, throw in the
sliced onions, removing them immediately they become of a bright brown
colour. Set the fried onions aside, and throw in the dal and rice
(having previously allowed all the water in which they were washed to
drain through a colander). Fry until the dal and rice have absorbed
all the ghee; then add a few slices of green ginger, some peppercorns,
salt to taste (say one dessertspoonful), a few cloves, three or four
cardamoms, half a dozen bay-leaves, and as many small sticks of
cinnamon. Mix well together; add as much water only as will entirely
cover over the whole of the rice and dal, put a good-fitting cover on,
and set over a slow fire, reducing the same from time to time as the
water is being absorbed. Care must be taken not to allow the
kitcheeree to burn, which may be prevented by occasionally shaking the
pot, or stirring its contents with a wooden spoon.

Serve up quite hot, strewing over it the fried onions, which serve
both as a relish and garnish of the dish.


           6. Bhoonee Kitcheeree of the Mussoor or Red Dal

                  Is made according to recipe No. 5.


    7. Bhoonee Kitcheeree of the Moong or Small-grain Yellow Dal

                  Is made according to recipe No. 5.


           8. Bhoonee Kitcheeree of the Gram or Chunna Dal

The chunna or gram dal makes a very nice kitcheeree; but, as it is
rather hard, it should be boiled or soaked in cold water for an hour
or so before frying it with the raw rice.


                 9. Bhoonee Kitcheeree of Green Peas

Kitcheeree made of green peas grown of English seeds is a rarity.
Large peas should be picked out and shelled; they should not be fried
with the rice, but added to it when nearly cooked. The instructions
given in recipe No. 5 are to be observed in all other respects.


               10. Jurrud or Yellow-tinted Kitcheeree

Jurrud or yellow-tinted kitcheeree is nothing more than one of the
above kitcheerees, to which is added, at the time of frying the rice
and dal, either a small quantity of saffron or turmeric, according to
the colour desired to be imparted. Such introduction in no way affects
the flavour, nor does it render the appearance of the dish more
attractive, but serves admirably as a variety for a large
breakfast-table.


                        11. Geela Kitcheeree

This is usually made of moong dal with less than one-fourth the
quantity of ghee allowed for the bhoonee, or with no ghee at all, and
little or no condiments are used, excepting a small quantity of
finely-sliced green ginger, a few peppercorns, one or two bay-leaves,
and salt to taste. It is supposed to be better adapted than bhoonee
kitcheeree for children and invalids.

By bhoonee is meant crisp, and /geela/ signifies soft

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Rice Or Chowl

RICE OR CHOWL

Rice is consumed by most European families at breakfast, tiffin, and
dinner. It is eaten at breakfast with fried meat, fish, omelet,
country captain, or some other curried dish, and, being invariably
followed by toast and eggs, jams, fruit, one coonkee which
contains about as much as an ordinary breakfast-cup, or say half a
pound, will always be ample for four tolerably hearty consumers. There
are two sizes of coonkees, large and small: reference is here made
to the small coonkee, well filled. The quantity, however, of raw
rice for a party of four should not exceed half a pound.

The rice at dinner is usually preceded by soup, fish, roast, and made
dishes.

The best or generally approved qualities of rice for table use are
known as the bhaktoolsee, the banafool, the bassmuttee, and
cheeneesuckur. In purchasing these, or indeed any other approved
quality, care must be taken to avoid new rice and what is called
urruah, which latter has been put through some process of boiling,
or damped, and then dried. Both are considered unwholesome for general
daily consumption, and few Indians will use them.

Good rice when rubbed in the palm of the hand, and cleared of dust,
will appear of a bright and nearly transparent yellowish colour;
whereas the urruah will be found of a dull whitish hue, and the
grain streaked and speckled with white powder, which crumbles on the
application of a needle's point.

The price of rice, like other commodities, varies according to its
plenty or scarcity in the market. After the cyclone of October, 1864,
and again of November, 1867, the price of the bhaktoolsee and the
banafool, which are fine, large, stout-grain rice, without being
coarse, ruled at from eight to nine seers per rupee, and the
bassmuttee and the cheeneesuckur at from seven to eight seers per
rupee. The rice used by the poorest classes of the native population
is of a very coarse description and incredibly cheap: within six weeks
after the cyclone of November, 1867, it was readily procurable at
twenty-five to thirty seers per rupee.

Rice is used in a variety of forms: it is boiled, made into
kitcheeree, pellow, puddings, blanc mange, cakes, bread, &c.

The bhaktoolsee, the banafool, and other stout-grain rice are the best
adapted for boiling. Boiled rice is called bhath.

The bassmuttee or basmati, cheeneesuckur, and all small and fine-grain rice are
selected for kitcheeree, pellow, and puddings for children's food, and
for invalids.

The urruah is used in some houses in ignorance, but for the most
part it is made into flour, and used for blanc mange, cakes, &c. The
flour is abundantly procurable in the Calcutta markets, and is largely
used by all native bakers in the making of bread.

Twenty-two to twenty-five seers of rice monthly, consuming it three
times a day, entertainments included, will be ample for a party of
four, allowing occasionally for a rice pudding.

It is necessary to wash rice thoroughly in several waters before using
it, and a colander is very useful for draining away the water after
washing the rice.


                           1. Boiled Rice

Wash half a pound or a coonkeeful of rice, and put it to boil in a
large quantity of water, over a brisk fire. Immediately the rice
begins to boil, the water will bubble up to the surface of the pot and
overflow, carrying away quantities of scum and impurities. The cover
of the pot should now be kept partially open, and the rice stirred to
prevent an entire overflow of the water. On the subsiding of the water
or the bubbling, the fire should be reduced, until it is
satisfactorily ascertained that the grains of rice, without being
pappy, are quite soft, when the pot should be removed from the fire
and a quart of cold water be added. All the liquid, which is "conjee,"
should then be drained, and the pot replaced over a gentle charcoal
heat, to allow all moisture to evaporate, assisting the process by
occasionally shaking the pot, or stirring its contents gently with a
wooden spoon. Time to boil: half an hour.

The coonkee of rice when properly boiled will fill a good-sized curry
or vegetable dish. The rice will be found quite soft, and yet every
grain perfectly separate. Rice should never be cooked into a pap,
excepting it is required for very young children; and leaving the
grains hard or uncooked should be equally avoided.

A small pinch of pounded alum or /fitkerree is used by some cooks
with advantage to improve the whiteness of boiled rice.


                           2. Rice Conjee

The water in which rice is boiled should never be thrown away: it is
nutritious and fattening for all cattle, horses included, and may be
given daily to milch cows and goats with great advantage.


                            3. Rice Kheer

This is occasionally served upon the breakfast-table as a treat, but
few Europeans care for it. It is made as follows:--Thoroughly boil one
coonkee or half a pound of the bassmuttee or the cheeneesuckur rice,
then drain the water away, add two cups of pure cow's milk, and put
over a slow fire. As the rice begins to absorb the milk, two or three
small sticks of cinnamon are put in, with one tablespoonful and a half
to two tablespoonfuls of fine-quality white sugar. On the milk being
entirely absorbed, the kheer is either turned out upon a dish and
eaten hot, or put into a buttered mould, served up in shape, and eaten
cold.

Kheer is sometimes cooked or boiled in milk only, but the foregoing
recipe is supposed to be that more generally approved.


                            4. Pish-Pash

Pick and wash in several waters a coonkee or half a pound of the
bassmuttee or other fine-grain rice; add to it, cleaned and cut up, a
chicken, some sliced ginger, sliced onions, a few bay-leaves, some
peppercorns, a few hotspice, a dessertspoonful of salt, one chittack
or two ounces of butter, and water sufficient to cover the whole.
Simmer over a slow fire until the chicken becomes perfectly tender and
the rice quite pappy. Serve up hot. This is considered a most
excellent and nutritious meal for invalids.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Cookery & Kitchen Hints - Regarding Eggs and Poultry

Omelettes:

3.  If you do not succeed in making frothy omelette, beat the whites and yolks separately and thoroughly. Add a pinch of Soda Bicarb ( Baking Soda) to the whites and then stir in the yolks. You will get a real tasty and frothy omelette.

4. When making egg omeletted heat the fat, ghee or oil till smoke rises. Take the pan off the fire, pourthe mixture in, reduce heat and cook.

5. Milk @ 2 tbsps for each omelette used along with beaten eggs while preparing omelettes will make them soft, moist and thick as an omelette should be.

Cookery & Kitchen Hints - General



  1. When following a recipe from a cookbook, slip the open book int a cellophane bag. This will prevent the book from getting stained.
  2. Given below is a handy conversion table to help the housewives
1 lb = 453.6 gms
1 oz = 28.3 gms


English Measure

1lb
1lb
1lb
1lb
1lb
1lb
7 oz
5 oz
2 ½ oz
2 oz
½ oz
1 oz
½ oz
6 oz
10 oz
10 oz
Ingredients

Butter  or other  fat
Flour ( sifted )
Castor Sugar
Rice
Dried Fruit
Lentil
Castor sugar
ate Mixed Nuts
Desiccated Coconut
Fresh Bread crumbs
Flour
Sugar
Butter
Flour
Sugar
Melted Ghee
American Measure

2 cups
4cups
2 ½ cups
2 ¼ - 2 ½ cups
2 – 2 ½ cups
2 cups
1 cup
1 cup
1 cup
1 cup
1 level tbsp
1 level tbsp
1 level tbsp
1 ¼ cup
1 ¼ cup
1 ¼ cup