Tag: homecooking

Broccoli Soup

Broccoli Soup

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This is a light but filling soup, just right for winter. The cream and the puréed broccoli stems makes this ideal for a one-dish meal.

Ingredients

Broccoli florets 3 cups, blanched

Broccoli stems 2 cups, peeled, steamed and puréed

Onion 1, chopped

Fresh cream 200 ml

Milk 1 cup

All-purpose flour 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

Pepper powder 2 tsps

Garlic 12 cloves, minced

Olive oil 2 tbsps

Butter 30 g

Water 2 cups

Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

Add the olive oil and butter in that order to a heated pan. I use a wide and deep pan in which I can reheat the soup if needed. In this case, I used a pressure cooker as I was making this at a friend’s holiday home in the mountains and it tends to hold temperatures better.

Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry till they turn a light brown.

Add the broccoli florets and fry for a minute.

Add the flour and fry to a few seconds till the raw smell goes away. Add milk, stirring all the time. Add the puréed broccoli stems and water. Boil for four minutes.

Add the cream and let the bubbles appear. Keep stirring. Switch off the heat.

Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Banana and Tutti-frutti Cake

Banana and Tutti-frutti Cake

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Banana Tutti-frutti Cake was a favourite dessert in my family, especially as I used to get really good candied fruit for the tutti-frutti mix in Singapore. This is a healthy version with light vegetable oil instead of butter and no eggs. I used yoghurt and baking soda instead with a little sour cream to keep the cake soft.

Ingredients

Candied fruit 1/2 cup

Flour 1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsps

Milk 1 1/4 cup

Vinegar 1 1/2 tbsp

Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Baking powder 2 tbsps

Sugar 3/4 cup

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Vegetable oil 1/2 cup

Yoghurt 1/2 cup, whipped

Bananas 2, mashed

Sour cream 1/4 cup

Method

Add the 2 tablespoons of flour to the tutti-frutti in a bowl and mix well to cover all the candied fruit with flour. This will prevent the fruit from sinking to the bottom.

Pour the milk into a bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar and oil. Mix well.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the milk. Mix well but do not overdo it.

Add the sugar, vanilla essence, mashed bananas and sour cream. Mix well. Add the yoghurt and tutti-frutti mix. Mix well with a gentle hand.

Pour into a greased cake pan and bake in preheated oven at 170 degrees C for 40-45 minutes.

Cool on a rack before slicing.

Pepper coriander mutton curry

Pepper coriander mutton curry

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 3 Comments

My mother used to make a one-pot mutton curry that was a staple of our Sunday lunch. I have tweaked it a bit to add the flavours of coriander (I have a surfeit of coriander leaves from the garden) and pepper.

Ingredients

(Serves 4 persons)

Mutton 500 g
Pepper corns 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves 1 cup
Ginger 1″ piece
Garlic 4 cloves
Onion 2, sliced
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Coriander powder 2 tbsps
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes 1 sliced
Water as needed
Salt to taste
Coconut oil 1 tbsp

Method

Grind the pepper corns, coriander, ginger and garlic together and add salt. Marinate The mutton and keep it for at least an hour in the refrigerator.

Heat the coconut oil in a pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds stop sputtering, add the onions and curry leaves. Fry till the onions become translucent.

Reduce the flame and add the coriander powder and red chilli powder. Saute for a few seconds. Add the marinated mutton and turmeric powder. Fry for two minutes. Add the tomatoes. Add the garam masala powder. Sprinkle the fennel seeds and add enough water to cook the mutton, about a cup. Put the lid on and and cook on high for three whistles. Reduce the heat and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pressure cooker cool down. Once the pressure is released, heat the curry till the gravy is thick enough.

Serve hot with rice, roti or any other bread.