Bulgur with Shitake Mushrooms and Bok-Choy

May 22, 2013 — Chelvi S

shitake_BulgurPulav

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup bulgur
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 8-10 dried shitake mushrooms
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 cup button mushroom
  • 2 small bunch bok-choy
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • ½ teaspoon chili paste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Shitake_BulgurVegeies

Method:

  • Wash bulgur thoroughly
  • In a covered saucepan, bring water to a rolling boil
  • Add bulgur and once it starts boiling lower the flame to very low and cover and let cook for about 10 – 15 minutes or      until all the water is absorbed and set aside
  • Soak shitake mushroom in warm water for about 10-15 minutes
  • slice mushrooms and bell pepper
  • Separate the stems of bok-choy form the leaves
  • Chop the stems into about ½ inch pieces.
  • Peel and chop garlic into small pieces
  • Drain shitake mushrooms and squeeze the water out.
  • Slice shitake mushroom thinly
  • Add oil to a skillet and once hot add garlic and      sauté until golden
  • Add shitake mushroom, button mushroom, bell pepper, bok-choy stems and sauté until cooked but crisp – about 2 minutes
  • Add chili paste and bok-choy leaves and cook further one minute
  • Transfer cooked vegetables to bulgur and mix well
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • Yields: 2 servings
Posted in Grains, Main Dishes. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Creamy Fruit Oatmeal

May 20, 2013 — Chelvi S

fruityOatmeal

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup diced fresh apples
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • Pinch of salt
  • Cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons agave nectar

fruityOatmeal1

Method:

  • Boil water in a saucepan and once water starts boiling add oats, chopped apple, raisins, cranberries, and salt.
  • Cook for about 5 – 10 minutes.
  • Add milk and cook further until oatmeal is thick and creamy.
  • Transfer to two bowls and stir about 2 tablespoons of agave nectar to each bowl.
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon.
  • Serves: 2

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens website (http://www.bhg.com)

Posted in Cereals and Porridge, Western (American). Tags: , , , . Leave a Comment »

Baked Bitter-Gourd Curry (பாவக்காய் கறி)

May 19, 2013 — Chelvi S

Baked_BitterGourd

Ingredients:

  • 6 bitter gourds
  • 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons canola oil
  • ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3-4 dried red chilies
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ cup chopped tomato
  • ½ cup thick coconut milk
  • ¼ cup coconut water
  • 1 cup water
  • ¾ teaspoon tamarind paste (more if needed)
  • Salt to taste

 

Method:

  • Pre-heat oven to 425F
  • Split bitter gourd lengthwise and remove the seeds
  • Thinly slice them diagonally
  • In a cookie sheet add bitter gourd and mix thoroughly with olive oil
  • Bake for about one hour or until lightly browned and crisp
  • In a saucepan add canola oil and add onion and garlic and sauté until they are golden.
  • Add dried red chilies and sauté/fry for another one minute
  • Add chopped tomato, salt, and red chili and cook until the mixture becomes to sauce consistency.  If needed add one  tablespoon at a time and cook until the tomatoes are cooked and sauce consistency
  • Add bitter gourd, coconut milk, coconut water, water, tamarind paste and cover and cook for about 10 minutes.  If the curry becomes too dry, add a few tablespoons of water.
  • Serve with rice

 

Coconut water is added to remove the bitterness of the gourd.  If coconut water is not available, just a bit of sugar (1/2 teaspoon) can be used.  But adding coconut water also gives a nice flavor compared to adding sugar.  Also amount of tamarind can be increased if you like the curry to be a little sour taste.  Adding more tamarind will remove the bitterness as well.

Posted in Curries, Lunch, Side Dishes, Sri Lankan Tamil Cuisine. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Oatmeal with Dried Fruit Compote

May 12, 2013 — Chelvi S

Oatmel_FruitCompote

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup milk
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup chopped dried fruits (such as pear, apple, plum, apricot etc.)
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut toasted
  • 2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

Method:

  • To prepare oatmeal, bring water to boil in a saucepan.  add oats, salt and reduce heat and cook for about 10 minutes
  • Add milk and cook further one minute.
  • To make the compote: add chopped dried fruits, brown sugar, cinnamon and water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook in a low flame until the fruits are cooked and soft and sauce is thick.
  • To serve divide oatmeal into 2 bowls and add fruit compote to each bowl
  • Top with walnuts and Sprinkle shredded coconut
  • Serve hot
  • Yields: 2 servings
Posted in Cereals and Porridge, Quick Dishes. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Wheat Berries with Mixed Beans and Water Cress

May 11, 2013 — Chelvi S

WheatBerry_WaterCress1

Ingredients:

  1. ½ cup wheat berries
  2. ½ cup cooked mixed beans such as kidney beans, Navy beans
  3. ½ cup cucumber chopped into cubes
  4. 1 large radish thinly sliced
  5. ½ cup water cress
  6. 2-3 cloves garlic
  7. ½ teaspoon cumin seed
  8. 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  9. Salt and black pepper to taste
  10. Lemon juice
  11. Extra Virgin Olive oil

Method:

  1. Wash wheat berries and add to a dish and cover completely with water and soak overnight or about 8 hours.
  2. Add enough water to wheat berries and cook uncovered for about an hour OR as I did, cook in a pressure cooker (about 5 whistles). Cooking in a pressure cooker only takes about 10 minutes, but be careful opening the cover – open it only after all the steam has been released or after the entire content has cooled down
  3. Drain any excess water and leave to cool
  4. Add oil to a skillet and sauté garlic until golden.  Remove from skillet.
  5. Add cumin seeds to the same skillet and roast until fragrant
  6. In a bowl mix together wheat berries, cucumber, radish, beans, and water cress.  Sprinkle a little bit extra virgin olive      oil
  7. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper
  8. Serves: 2
Posted in Grains, Main Dishes, Salad, Western (American). Tags: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Mango-Carrot Cake

April 30, 2013 — Chelvi S

MangoJuiceCake

I found this recipe on my favorite magazine – the “Better Homes and Gardens” magazine.  This is a totally different cake which uses mango juice.  A cake with mango juice?  I could not resist and decided to make it the day I received the magazine.  So I halved the ingredients thinking if I use the amount specified in the magazine I may have to bake twice.  But I was wrong.  Mine came a bit thin but it was delicious.  Instead of cream cheese frosting as specified in the magazine, I made butter cream.  You can definitely double this recipe.  Also I made some tweaks here and there.

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 oz (¼ cup) butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½  cup mango juice (such as Odawalla Mango-Tango or Naked Mighty Mango)
  • 1 ½ cups finely shredded carrot

Butter Icing

  • 4 oz butter
  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon orange essence

Method:

Cake:

  • Pre-heat oven to 350F.
  • Grease a 8 inch round cake pan and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside
  • In a separate bowl beat butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and beat well.
  • Alternately add flour mixture and mango juice and beat on low speed until combined.
  • Stir in shredded carrot
  • Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Cool in pan to room temperature.

Butter Cream:

Beat together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and orange essence until light and fluffy

Spread over the cake.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Posted in Cakes, Western (American). Tags: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Mushroom Pulav with Fried Soy Chunks

April 29, 2013 — Chelvi S

mushroom_Pulav

Even though mushrooms are not a delicacy in Sri Lanka, I thought to try this dish in combination with the soy chunks.  I used the same spices that I would use for any other vegetable pulav.

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup basmati rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
  • 4-5 whole black pepper
  • 2 -1 inch piece cinnamon
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon each cumin seeds and coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ cup finely chopped tomato
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • ½ cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup dry soy chunks
  • ¼ cup cashew nuts

 

Method:

  • Grind ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon coriander and set aside
  • Add 1 tablespoon oil to a skillet and when hot add onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté until onion turns transparent.
  • Add whole cumin, cardamom pods, cinnamon, black pepper, chili powder, garam masala powder, ground cumin-coriander powder to the skillet and sauté for another 2 minutes
  • Add chopped tomato and cook on low flame until tomato is cooked to the consistency of sauce
  • Now add sliced mushrooms, corn and salt and cook further 3-4 minutes
  • Wash rice and add the cooked vegetables into the rice and mix well.
  • Add 2 cups of water to the rice and cook in rice cooker.
  • In the meantime add boiling water to the soy chunks and cover and leave for 10 minutes
  • Once the soy chunks are soft, squeeze out the water by squeezing them between your palms
  • Add the 2 tablespoons of oil to a skillet and when hot add soy chunks to the skillet and fry on low flame until they are      crispy and lightly browned.
  • Lightly sauté the cashew nuts in a little oil
  • Once rice is done, let stand covered for about 10 – 15 minutes.
  • Now add fried soy chunks and cashew nuts and mix well and season with salt
  • Serve warm
Posted in Lunch, Main Courses, Rice & Pulav dishes, Sri Lankan Tamil Cuisine. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
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