Nalapakam
Pakam is cuisine and Paka Shastra is culinary science. As we know, since King Nala from Mahabharata was known for his skills in and quality of cooking, the expression is derived.On a lighter note, Nalapakam is also used to denote what passes off as delicacies prepared by a husband when the homemaker is out of town..
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Lean Chicken meat balls
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Pamir Grill Kabob - Philadelphia
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Sweet potato and black bean chili
Chili con carne or simply chili is a spicy stew containing chili peppers, meat, tomatoes and beans with seasonings like garlic, onions and cumin.
History of this dish dates back to early american settlers who savoured it with their nomadic lifestyle. It consisted of dried beef, suet, dried chilli peppers and salt, which were pounded together, formed into bricks and left to dry, which would then be boiled in pots on the trail.
We are going to make a chili sin carne or chili without meat.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small red bell pepper
1 small green bellpepper
1/2 medium yellow onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large sweet potato- cut into 3/4 inch cubes
Salt
Preparation
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a hard bottom pan and add diced bell peppers. saute for about 5 mins until peppers are softened and onions translucent.
Stir in chili powder paprika crushed red chili, oregano for abt 2 mins till they are fragrant.
Add sweetpotatoes, tomatoes, black beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Bring to boil.
Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 30 mins until sweet potatoes are very tender. Remove the lid and simmer for 10 more minutes or until the chili has thickened slightly.
Serve hot. If you like cheese..grate it over too as a garnish with some cilantro leaves.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Dried Anchovy & Roasted coconut chammanthi
- Grated and Roasted coconut – ½ Cup
- Cleaned dry Anchovy ¼ cup
- Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
- Red chilli crushed – ½ teaspoon
- Pearl onions – 2-3
- Tamarind – for taste
- Curry leaves – 1 frond
- Salt – to taste
- Mustard seeds
- Black lentils (ഉഴുന്ന് പരിപ്പ്)
- Coconut Oil
- Curry leaves
- Red Chilli – 2 counts
Friday, November 1, 2013
Apple Halwa
We recently went for an apple picking at Highland Orchards Westchester.. Coming back with a bagful fresh from tree apples we knew that we are not going to eat them all. With diwali around the corner and my wife's office coming up with a potluck I asked her to sign up for apple halwa.. Though we do not celebrate Diwali this year or any other festivals due to my mother passing away a few months back..
OK.. The recipe.. Its simple.
Apples - 4
Ghee/ melted butter - three teaspoons
Condensed milk
Sugar
Cardamom powder
Nuts
Peel the apples and grate it to smaller fragments.heat the ghee and add the apple paste or grated pieces to it. Let it cook for sometime.. The color changes to brown.Add a few drops of vanilla essence and a pinch of cardamom powder.(if you want a dash of color add some food color as well). Let this cook for a few more moments that the aroma of ghee cardamom etc sings a harmony around the kitchen air..
Add sugar and condensed milk(according to the sourness or sweetness of the apples). Let it cook for another 20 minutes. The mixture thickens and will not stick to the pan.. Fry dried fruits and nuts in ghee and add this to the mixture. Blend them all by turning it I over with a spatula.
Cool it in a tray cut it into pieces..
Yummy fatty sugary halwa is ready..!
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Yellow Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients:-
- Pumpkin - 1 cup (cut into cubes)
- onion -1 (chop it)
- Tomato - 1 (chop it)
- Oil - 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
- Ginger - a small piece
- Garlic - 1 clove
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Red chillies powder - 3/4 tsp (acc to taste)
- Salt to taste
- Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
- Coconut - 2 tsp
Friday, May 4, 2012
Homemade Ladakhi Thukpa
Ingredients:
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
4 medium radishes, chopped
1/2 cup spinach, blanched
3 small onions, chopped
5 big garlic cloves, chopped
4 sprigs of spring onion, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 tablespoon mustard oil
Salt to taste
For the Noodles
1 egg
3 cups atta
About 1 cup water
Preparation
Making thukpa noodles
On a big bowl, mix flour with egg and add a a few tablespoons of water at a time while kneading mixture into a dough. When thoroughly mixed, roll out dough like a chappati and then slice the flattened dough into long strips. Slowly add dough strips into boiling broth and cook covered at medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add salt to taste, or do what the locals do which is omitting the salt altogether and taste the natural sweetness of each and every ingredient used to make this delicious dish.