Juicy Momos (seafood)

Juicy momos with a prawn filling! Try it with chicken or beef mince too.

INGREDIENTS:

Plain flour/refined flour/maida: 1 cup

Salt: ¼ tsp

Refined oil: 1 tbsp

 

Knead the above, to a soft pliable dough & keep aside for 20 minutes. 

For the filling:

Fresh prawns: 100 g minced

Spring onion: 2 tbsps chopped

Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp

Ginger: ½ tsp chopped fine

Coriander leaves: chopped fine 1 tbsp

Soy sauce: 2 tsps

Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients together. Keep aside.

 

METHOD:

Make gooseberry sized balls from the dough. Roll out into small puris, keeping the centre thicker than the sides.

Put a teaspoonful of the filling in the centre & pleat the sides together to form a ball. (you can make any shape, as long as it doesn’t open out.)

Place in a steamer & steam for 15 minutes.

Serve with chilli sauce.

Crab/Njandu masala (Seafood)

For sea food lovers, crab is an all time favourite. Generally made dry, but there are places where crabs are always made into gravy dishes.

A point to note when preparing crabs for cooking- wash them well, scrub with a small brush, if possible, before opening the shell.

Trim claws, cut off gills (dead man's fingers).

DO NOT wash after opening the shell.  

 

INGREDIENTS:

Crab: 500 g

Onion: 2 sliced

Tomato: 2 chopped fine

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsp

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Cinnamon: 1” stick

Coconut oil: 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

 

METHOD:

Cook crab with salt, turmeric powder, half a cup of water & one tablespoon of coconut oil.

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, fry onions well.

Add ginger-garlic paste, cinnamon, pepper powder, chilli powder, & chopped tomatoes.

Sauté well till oil clears out.

Add crab & fry till gravy dries.

Serve with rice. 

 

 

 

Fruit Cake (Just Bakes)

 This is a very easy fruit cake that doesn’t require soaking fruits in alcohol & caramel syrup for colour.

Photo courtesy: Keerthi D'cruz

 

INGREDIENTS: 

Butter: 3/4 cup

Self raising flour: 2 3/4 cup

Eggs: 2

Sugar: 1 1/2cups

Dry fruits: 2 cups

Cherries: 1 cup

Ginger candy: 1/4cup

Candied peel: 1/4cup

Cashew nuts: 1/2 cup

Orange juice: 1 cup

Jam: 3 tbsps (any flavour)

Nutmeg powder: 1 tsp

 METHOD:

 Pre-heat oven to160⁰ C.

 Line an 8” tin with butter paper.
Chop fruits, peels & nuts into small pieces.

 Combine dry fruits, nuts, sugar, butter, jam and orange juice in a sauce-pan.

Add nutmeg powder and bring to a boil.

Simmer on low flame for 5 mins, stir in between. 

Cool to room temperature.

Stir in beaten eggs & fold in sieved flour.

 Pour into prepared tins and bake at 160⁰ C for 45 mins.

Remove from oven, cool in tin for 5 mins & then on rack.

 

NOTE:

If using plain flour, add 11/2 tsp of baking powder & sieve.

All measurements are with 200 ml measuring cup.

 

 

 

 

Nankhatai (Just Bakes)

Nankatais are very simple cardamom flavoured cookies. I got this recipe from the baking class for home makers at the Food Craft Institute, Kalamasseri.

Photo courtesy Keerthi D'cruz

INGREDIENTS:

Plain flour: 150g

Margarine/vanaspati/ghee: 115g

Powdered sugar: 100g

Cardamom powder: half teaspoon

Baking powder: a pinch

Salt: a pinch

 METHOD:

 Grease & dust a baking tin with flour.

Cream fat with powdered sugar till sugar is fully dissolved, (I used ghee).

Add flour, salt, baking powder, cardamom powder.

Mix well & form a soft dough (without using much pressure).

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll small balls & place on baking tray 1”apart.

Bake at 160⁰C for 15 to 20 minutes.

Take off oven & let it cool well before storing.