Bean Flowers
Wild Raspberries
Okra flowers
Flower I do not know the name of:
For the Joy of Cooking and Pleasure of Gardening - Indian Recipes made easy. [Mobile Version - Use Drop down for Search]
Rustic Chicken and Potatoes in a Dutch Oven
Ingredients
1. 2 lbs Chicken cubed (breast, thighs, any part works)
2. 3 medium potatoes quartered
3. 1-2 cups shallots (red onions works)
4. 8-10 green chilies
5. 2 tbsp of minced garlic and ginger
6. handful of chopped coriander leaves and stems
7. 2 sprigs of curry leaves + 1 tsp of cumin
8. 2 tbsp of masala powder (3/4 tbsp coriander seeds , 2 tsp of pepper corns, 1/2 tsp of cumin, piece of cinnamon and a few cloves - roasted and powdered)
9. 3 ripe red tomatoes diced
10. 1/2 tbsp of red chili powder
11. 1 tbsp of lemon juice
12. salt to taste
13. 2 tsp of turmeric powder
14. 4-5 tsp of oil (a bit more than I usually add but well worth it)
Prep the chicken
1. Sprinkle the turmeric on the chicken and let it sit for about 20 minutes
Method
1. Heat about 3-4 tsp of oil in the Dutch Oven, coat it evenly on the surface, when hot add the chicken and let it brown on both sides and set aside
2. Add the cubed potatoes and let it brown as well (loosen the bits stuck to the bottom before adding the onions)
3. Add more oil if required add curry leaves and cumin and add the minced garlic and ginger and let them saute for a few minutes, add the onions and let it brown nicely
4. Now add the powdered masala powder followed by the diced tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become mushy
5. Add the chicken and potatoes, minced coriander leaves, salt and about 2 cups of water
6. Set the heat to below medium and let cook for about 30 minutes or so.
7. Just before it is done add the red chili powder and the lemon juice
Taste great with rice or bread of any kind.
Popcorn
Ingredients
1. a little more than 1/4 cup popping corn (about 3 quarts of popped corn)
2. 3 tsp oil
3. 1 tsp chili powder
4. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
5. a sprinkling of salt
Method
1. In a heavy bottomed pan with a lid big enough to hold all the popped corn, heat the oil and when it is warm add the salt and chili powder. (Do not overheat the oil)
2. Quickly add the corn and spread it around so it is in a single layer. Do not overcrowd.
3. Place the lid and set the heat on medium
4. Takes about 6-8 minutes for all the corn to pop. The popping sound is frequent and when it becomes lower in frequency switch off the heat. Remove the lid and let it cool.
Enjoy with a matinee movie :)
Pineapple ice cream (with custard powder)
Ingredients
1. 3 1/4 cups of full milk (2% should work)
2. 3 tbsp corn starch
3. 1 cup chopped pineapple (ripe juicy pineapple) + 1/4 cup of finely chopped pineapple
4. 1 cup sugar
Method
1. Set cups of the milk and the sugar to boil and let it heat through till small bubbles start to appear
2. Dissolve the custard powder in the 1/4 cup of milk without and lumps
3. Add the dissolved custard powder to the steaming milk all the while whisking
4. Let it cook (use a spatula and keep stirring) for 6-8 minutes and bring where it just starts to boil
5. Reduce the heat and in low heat let the mixture thicken (keep stirring continuously) for another 5 minutes or so
6. Let the mixture cool
7. Blend the 1 cup of pineapple into a smooth pulp
8. When the custard mixture is cool, pour into the ice cream making machine
9. Add in the pineapple pulp (it takes about 30-40 minutes of churning for the ice cream to reached desired consistency
10. Mix in the small cubes of pineapple towards the end
11. Place in the freezer for the ice cream to mature
Serve with slices of fresh pineapple.