Lemon Spice Kitchen: February 2014

Pad Thai

Ingredients:

Flat Rice noodles 1pk

Onion - sliced

Carrot - 2 thinly sliced

Spring onions - 1/2 cup

Garlic - 4 cloves

Ginger - 1inch

Coriander (garnishing)

Veggies - 1 cups

Scrambled eggs - 3 (optional)

Oil - 3 tbsp cup

fried Groundnuts/peanuts - 1tbsp (garnishing)

Sauce ingredients: (mild)

Chilli red sauce - 3tsp

tamarind paste - 2tsp

soy sauce - 2tsp

sugar - 1tsp

lemon juice/vinegar - 1tsp

1. (To prepare sauce mix above in little hot water and keep aside)

2.Prepare rice noodles as per instructions.
( I put half pack of noodles in boiling water and allowed it stand in it for 10- 12 mins and strained and poured cold water over it and mixed below. I timed it so that while I was preparing the below steps, simultaneously the noodles was getting ready.)

3. Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and saute ginger and garlic for a min.

4. Fry onions for 2 mins on high flame.

5. Push onions to a side, add 1tbsp oil and fry half boiled veggies for 2-3 mins

6. Push contents to a side, add 1/2tbsp oil and fry carrots and optional eggs for a min.

7. Push contents to a side, add 1/2 tbsp oil and fry spring onions for a min

8. Add the flat rice noodles and pour extra chilli sauce and the sauce prepared into it and toss the noodles so that it mixes well.

9. Garnish with coarse groundnuts and corianders.

10. Enjoy fresh and hot pad thai with lemon wedges.

Bendekai Palya ( Okra)

Bendekai or Okra or Lady's finger is supposed to increase your memory. I dont know, if thats true scientifically, but thats what was told when we were young kids. Probably a trick to make us eat the bendekai. But it was good one as we always finished it.

Ingredients:
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Bebdekai/Okra - 1 lb/500 gm
Chilli powder - 1tsp (adjust according to palate)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Sugar/Jaggery - 1tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp ( if using fresh tamarind, soak a lemon sized tamarind in hot water
and squeeze to get the juice)
Salt to taste
Mustard for seasoning
Coriander for garnishing

1. In a pan, season the mustard in oil. Add Ginger & Onions to the pan and fry for 2-3 mins.

2. Add the bendekai/okra and fry until the stickness goes away and its starting to cook. ( 4-5mins)

3. Add turmeric, chilli powder, tomatoes, tamarind juice & little water if its dry and cook them on medium heat until the tomatoes are done. Add salt & jaggery and simmer on low for the veggies to absorb salt(3mins)

4. Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with Akki roti or chapathis.

Beet Root Korma

Long time I posted anything here. Was watching some cooking videos on youtube and searched for beet root recipe as I had beets sitting in my refrigerator waiting for their turn ;)
Finally I found interesting by Sanjay Thumma on youtube and here you go.
The Korma turned out amazing. Hope anyone who finds this on the web, inspires them to cook beets korma.

Ingredients:

Oil - 2 tbsp
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cardamom - 1 whole
Cashewnuts - 2 tsp
Red chillies - 5
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Poppy seeds - 2 tsp
Coconut (grated/frozen) - 1 tbsp. ( can use dry also)

Veggies and other ingredients:
Beet root - 1
Potatoes - 1
Peas - 3/4 cup
Chopped Onion - 1Big or 2 small
Tomatoes - 1 Big or 2 small (I pureed it since the blender was used already)
Green Chillies - 2 slit
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1tsp
Garlic paste - 1tsp
Beaten yogurt/curd - 1/2 cup
1/2 lemon juice
Coriander leaves for garnishing.
Salt to taste.
Water

1. Fry Masala except the the grated coconut on medium flame.
Grind them in a blender along with coconut and some water and keep aside.

2. Heat a pan with oil and add bay leaves and fry for a minute and then add onion and fry for 2-3 mins.
To this add giner garlic paste, turmeric, green chillies and fry until the raw flavor of garlic is reduced.