Spaghetti in Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Bechamel Sauce:
Butter- 1/2 cup
All purpose flour- 1/2 cup
Milk- 2 cups
Freshly ground nutmeg- a pinch
White pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- as needed

For Spaghetti:
Uncooked Spaghetti: 200 gms
Spinach- 1 bunch chopped
Uncooked boneless chicken- 100 gms cut into thin strips
Mushrooms- 4 nos sliced
Onion- 1/2 chopped
Garlic salt- 1/4 tsp
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt and white pepper- as needed
Freshly grated Parmesan- 2tbsp (optional)

Method:

• Fill a large pot with water. Bring it to a boil. Add salt generously and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and keep it aside

• Take a sauce pan and on low heat, melt the butter .Take care not to burn the butter. Once the butter is almost melted, add the flour into it and make make it into a smooth mix.
• Cook this mix for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously. Do not let the mix change colour.
• Once this is done remove from heat and add the milk in installments. Keep stirring when adding the milk so as to avoid any lumps in the sauce. Once the milk is mixed well and there are no lumps, return to the stove and cook on low heat. Keep stirring.
• Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or a heat proof spatula for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sauce comes to a boil, thicken and coats the back of a spoon
• Now add the nutmeg, salt and pepper.

• In another pan with high sides, heat oil and add chopped onions into it.
• Once the onions turn transparent add the mushrooms, chicken, white pepper powder, garlic salt and table salt into the pan and saute it till the chicken is completely cooked.
• Once the chicken is cooked add the chopped up spinach into it and cook till it is completely wilted.
• Now add half of the prepared Bechamel sauce and mix well.
• Add the cooked spaghetti into the above mixture and mix well
• Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top and mix. Check for seasoning.
• Serve it warm

Note: If you don't have garlic salt,add 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic along with onions and saute it. Then add salt accordingly.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1. Vegetable oil- 1 tbsp
2. Beef- 900 gm cut into strips
3. Salt and pepper- to taste
4. Butter- 1 tbsp
5. Onion- 1/2 sliced
6. Mushrooms- 225 gm sliced
7. Garlic- 2 cloves chopped finely
8. Flour- 1 and 1/2 tbsp
9. White wine- 1/2 cup
10. Unsalted beef broth- 2 cups (can be reduced salt also)
11. Sour cream- 1/2 to 1 cup
12. Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp chopped

Method:

• Take the strips of beef in a bowl and season it generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a skillet on high flame and throw in the strips of meat. Let it cook in its own juices.
• Once they are browned on all sides, keep it aside. Reduce the flame.
• To the same pan, add butter. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms, onion, a pinch of salt and saute them until slightly browned.
• Next, add the chopped garlic and stir fry it for 30 seconds after which you can add the flour. Stir that and cook it for another minute or two.
• Add the white wine and beef broth to this. Stir well and try to get the brown bits off from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the beef strips to this and when the mix starts to simmer, cover and cook it for another 1 hr on low heat. Stir it every 15- 20 minutes. Make sure that the stroganoff doesn't dry off. Add more broth if needed.
• Once the meat is done, add 1/2 cup of sour cream and stir well. If you want it saucier, you can add more sour cream. The mix can also be reduced until you get the right consistency.
• Stir in the freshly chopped coriander leaves. Taste for salt and pepper
• Serve it over egg noodles or pasta with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Recipe Courtesy: Foodwishes

Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

1. Unflavored gelatin- 1 envelop (10 gm)
2. Water- 2 tbsp
3. Half and half- 1 cup
4. Heavy cream- 1/2 cup
5. Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
6. Lemon zest- 1/2 tsp
7. Granulated sugar- 2 tbsp

For the Strawberry Sauce:
1. Strawberry- 1 cup
2. Sugar- 1 Tbsp
3. Lemon juice- 1 tsp
4. 1/2 tsp Corn Starch mixed with 1 tbsp of water  

Method:

• Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle over the gelatin, set aside to soften.
• In a small saucepan, add the heavy cream, half and half, lemon zest and sugar, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn the heat off and add the gelatin mixture, whisk for a couple minutes or until the gelatin melts.

• Strain this mixture and add the vanilla extract to the strained mixture.

• Divide the mixture between three large ramekins or four small ones. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. 

To make the sauce:

• Place the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a blender and puree it. Strain it through a fine sieve and place the puree in a small saucepan. 

• Bring the puree to a simmer and add the cornstarch mixture and cook stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and pour it in a small container and let it cool completely. 

• To serve, unmold the panna cotta on to a serving plate. Spoon some cooled sauce around it and enjoy

Recipe courtesy: Laura Vitale

Dragon Chicken

Ingredients:

1. Boneless chicken pieces- 250g (cut into strips)
2. Black pepper powder- 1 tsp
3. Egg- 1
4. Ajinomoto (MSG)- 1 pinch (optional)
5. Salt- As needed
6. Corn flour- 1 tbsp
7. Oil (for deep frying)

8. Onion- 1/2 of a medium sized onion chopped finely
9. Ginger- 1 tbsp chopped finely
10. Garlic- 1 tbsp chopped finely
11. Dark soya sauce- 2 tbsp (low sodium preferred)
12. Tomato ketchup- 3 tbsp
13. Sugar- 1/2 tsp
14. Red chilli flakes- 2 tbsp
15. Juice of 1/2 a lime
16. Cashewnuts- 3 tbsp
17. Chopped coriander leaves- 2 tbsp
18. Ajinomoto- A pinch (optional)
19. Salt- As required


Method:

• Mix the chicken strips with salt, pepper, ajinomoto, egg and cornflour. Keep it aside for 30 minutes. Deep fry it and keep it aside. it doesnt take a long time to fry
• Then in another pan heat 3 tbsp oil. You can use the oil used for deep frying.
• Lightly fry the cashew nuts and keep them aside.
• To the oil, add the chopped onions and saute it till it becomes translucent. Then add the ginger and garlic. Stir fry this for 1 minute.
• Check for seasoning and add salt if needed.
• Once the raw smell goes, add the soya sauce, tomato ketchup, sugar, red chilli flakes, sugar and then mix them all together.
• Finally mix in the chopped coriander leaves and cashew nuts
• You can serve it with chappathi, fried rice or even eat it as it is as a starter.

Banana Bread

I love the smell of freshly baked bread. When we walk in to a coffee shop that bakes its own bread, the smell is heavenly. 

While reading historical novels, the description such as "the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the air", always left a deep desire in me to learn how to bake bread. I haven't come around learning how to bake a proper bread. But I hope to achieve it one day. As of now, the only bread that I bake is Banana Bread. 

Banana bread is more of a cake than a bread. It can be eaten with jam or on its own. Once made, I  don't even know how it disappears. Most of the time, we are reluctant to eat bananas that has got black spots on it. Well the best part it that this recipe uses ripe bananas. So you really don't have to throw out any bananas. The rest of the ingredients are easy to find in your pantry.

Ingredients:

1. Bananas- 3 (ripe ones)
2. Egg- 1
3. Sugar- 3/4 cup
4. Melted Butter- 1/3 of a cup
5. Baking soda- 1 Tsp
6. Vanilla extract- 1 Tsp
7. A pinch of salt
8. All purpose flour- 1 and 1/2 cups (sifted)
9. Walnuts- 1/2 cup chopped (optional)

Method:

• Mash the bananas in a big bowl using a potato masher or a wooden spoon.
• To this add the egg and sugar. Mix well till the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Once the sugar is dissolved, add the melted butter, baking soda and vanilla extract along with a pinch of salt and mix well
• Mix the flour to the above mixture till the flour is well incorporated
• In another bowl, add the chopped walnuts and sprinkle 1 Tbsp of flour on it and mix well. This will prevent the nuts from getting settled to the bottom when baking
• Add the walnuts to the bread batter and mix gently. This step is optional.
• Preheat the oven at 175 degree celcius
• Take a loaf tin (I used a 30 cm loaf tin. You can use a smaller one). Apply a thin layer of butter inside it. This will help to remove the bread easily
• Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake it for 45 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cooking time is dependent on the size of your pan and your oven. 
• Once done, allow it to cool for sometime. Slice and serve

Palada

Palada isn't something that we make at home. The first time i ever had it is when i went to Vanitha Utsav Kochi. They had a payasam stall over there. My husband bought it for me and i fell in love with it at the very first sip. 

Last onam, my cousin was visiting and we decided to make palada. Immediately I rang up my mom and enquired as to how to make it. We made it and send a whole dish of payasam with my husband for his friends. It was really nice.

Palada isnt something that you can drink a lot. But there is something about it that makes you want more of it. Anyway, here it goes...

Ingredients

1. Ada- 1 cup (store bought or home made)

2. Milk- 3 litres (fresh whole milk)

3. Sugar- 2 cups

4. Cardamom powder- 2 tsp

5. Sweetened Condensed Milk- As needed

Method

• In the pressure cooker add all the ingredients except the condensed milk. Mix well.
• Cook it on high till the first whistle. Then lower the flame and cook for another 15 minutes.
• Switch off the stove and let it rest for 30 minutes
• After this open the pressure cooker and cook it on medium flame till you get a creamy consistency. 
• To test it for the right consistency, dip a spoon in the payasam and it should coat the back of the spoon and when you draw a line through the back of the spoon, it shouldnt join immediately
• Add the sweetened condensed milk to adjust the sweetness.
• Let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour so that the flavour increases.
• Serve it warm. 

Welcome to my recipe book

As a kid I had no interest in cooking at all...

                   

My mom was a home maker so I had all the comfort of not having any responsibility in my life. Didn't have to do anything at all. The only thing that I learned later in life was to make a fried egg. When i was in the 10th grade, I asked her to teach me how to cook. Then she told me that she will teach me when the time was right. In spite of that she tried teaching me how to make dal (lentil) curry. Once I ended up burning the masalas and the next time i didn't cook the masala at all. In fact my little experiment with cooking was a fiasco. 

After that I didn't cook anything for a very long time. I finished my schooling and went on to college where I was staying in a hostel. So again no cooking or any interaction with the kitchen. The little experience I had over there was making instant noodles and scrambled eggs.

Then many years later I had to browse through many food blogs when my fiance started cooking at his place and I had to guide him through many recipes. Even then I really didn't know anything about cooking, not even how to make a simple tea. 

Finally I got married :). the worst part.... I didn't even know how to wash rice!!!! Thankfully for me, my husband had a little experience in cooking. So he started teaching me how to cook. Little by little I started learning how to cook. I am still learning...

Over the past 2 years I have a collected recipes from my mom, mom-in-law, aunts and friends. Food blogs and YouTube food channels have been a great help. So I thought that I will save all the recipes that I like in one single place and in that way start trying out a lot of my bookmarked recipes. I am new to blogging and writing too. I read as much as I can, but writing has never been my thing. So pardon me if I make any mistakes.

Love,

Dona.