Fish Tikka Masala

I cooked this delicious fish tikka masala for our Saturday lunch to serve with white rice and a stir fry French beans. It was indeed a satisfying lunch which Dandelions enjoyed much. It's creamy,tangy and a spicy which cam goes well with paratha or roti. I used karam podi seasoning for the vibrant colur, you may replace karam podi with Kashmiri chilly powder.

As usual, adjust the spiciness according to your preferences. Since, i love spicy stuff the heat was just nice for me. For richer gravy, sour cream is another option to substiture yogurt. I used cod fish for the recepi, talapia or seabass will do too. Any white fish will work good for this yummy fish tikka masala.

The fish are well coated with masala and the frying method enhance the texture and taste. Since, the marination and masala use for cooking the fish are same, the flavor are top notch. Do give it a try and enjoy.

For Marination

500g cod fish, cut into 1 inches

4 tbsp seafood masala/ fish curry powder

1/2 tsp karam podi seasoning/Kashmiri chilly powder

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp garam masala

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 cinnamon powder

3/4 cardamom powder

1 1/2 tsp ground blackpepper

2 1/2 tbsp plain yogurt

1 1/2 ginger,crushed

1 tsp salt

For Masala

200 ml tomato puree

1/2 tsp green chilly paste

2 medium onion,chopped

6 cloves garlic,chopped

1"inch ginger,chopped

2 tbsp plain yogurt

1/2 tsp red chilly flake

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp chilly powder

1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves

1/3 tsp ground black pepper

4 tbsp milk

Salt to season

1/2 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

4 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Methods

In a large bowl, add all the ingredients listed under "For Marination". Mix well and add the fish. Coat the fish well with marination and set aside for 25-30 minutes.

In a pan,add ghee and oil. Fry the marinated fish for 2 minutes on each sides. Keep aside.

On the same pan, fry the cumin seeds till splutters. Add onion and fry till golden.

Add green chilly paste,ginger and garlic. Saute for 2 till fragrant.

Add the tomato puree and leftover marination. Cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.

Add chilly flakes,red chilly powder,coriamder powder,cumin powder and turmeric. Saute for 5 minute.

Increase heat on high and season with salt,pepper,garam masala and dried fenugreek leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add yogurt and milk. Stir and cook for another 1 minute.

Add the fried fish and cook for another 3 minutes or till fish done.

Sprinkle with coriander leaves and lemon juice. Switch off the flame.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Mango Raita

 

Raita that one word is good enough to know as a side dish to temper down any spicy dish. Yogurt known as cooling element helps to soothe the spiciness in Indian dishes. Yes, we Indians love our food flaming hot and what is the better way to cool it down with rich and creamy raita. What's more? It comes in the form of mango 😍.

It's mango season once again, and i love to use as much as seasonal products in my dishes. I tried countless mango recepis and never thought of adding those juicy , sweet mango into raita. Now, i regret why i never tried it before. It's super easy to make and you can even make it ahead and refrigerate. Don't skip on the chaat masala as it gives a nice kick to the delicious raita. I serve it my jumbo shrimp briyani for our Sunday lunch and that is indeed match made in heaven.

Ingredients

2 cups semi ripen mango, cut into small cubes

2 cups plain yogurt

1/3 tsp chaat masala

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 green chilly,finely chopped

Salt to season

Methods

In a bowl add shredded mango and yogurt. Mix well.

Add finely chopped onion and green chilly. Stir well.

Season with salt and chaat masala.

Serve with any flavoured rice or even white rice with a side dish.

Chabeel

 

This might be one of the shortest and easiest recepi i ever blogged. Refreshing summer drink also known as kachi lassi is an excellent thirst quencher. It's simple and easy to put it together and tastes amazingly good. I came across Chabeel during my vacation in India. 

Dandelions got instantly hooked up with it's beautiful blushing pink colur and I find it quite interesting thus, we give it a try. No regret as we enjoyed the chilled Chabeel. It soothes the blazing heat weather and ut has coolant properties.

Flavoured with rose syrup and milk this rich drink is ideal to serve after a spicy meal to cool down the heat. I used Rooh Afza which flavoured with kewra water and i simply love the taste and fragrance of the wonderful blossom.

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup Rooh Afza/Rose syrup

5 cups water

Methods

In a large punch bowl or jug, add milk,Rooh Afza and water. Stir well.

Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve cold

Maasi Sambol

 

I came across of salted maasi at my regular Indian grocery. The wood block lookalike  smitten me at a very first sight. Yes, maasi or Maldives fish are hard to find here in Malaysia. Imported from India and Sri Lanka, this flavorful cured fish is loved by many. Blessed to have my hands on them.

A bit on pricey side but trust me it's worth every penny. It's a hardwork to pound the dried fish into flakes thus, if you manage to find pounded maasi grab it. If not, soak the fish in water for 10 minutes and using a mortar and pestle pound into flakes. You may use knife to shred the flesh but, i found it hard to do. 

This simple but tasty recepi doen's require chilly paste or masala. Just a few tablespoon of dried chilly flakes are good enough to create a lovely maasi karuvadu sambol with bites of shredded coconut.

Ingredients

100g maasi,pound

1/2 cup grated coconut

1 onion,sliced

1 tomatoe,chopped

2 tbsp chilly flakes

1 sprig curry leaves

Salt to taste

2 tbsp coconut oil

Methods

In a pan, heat oil and saute onion till translucent.

Add curry leaves and stir. Add the chopped tomato and cook till soften.

Add the grater coconut and cook for a minute.

Add the maasi and cook for 2 minutes. Add chilly flakes and stir.

Season with salt and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with white rice.

Notes

• Taste before adding salt as maasi are salted

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet cupcakes is one of my Dandelions favourite and the most request cake in my house. I decided to give in to their request and bake red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Their wish came true and it made me very much happy.

Since i'm not into food coluring, i used natural method to dye my cake batter using beetroot. Blend beetroot with little water, strain and add to the batter for the beautiful reddish hue. You could hardly taste the earthy or raw flavour of the beetroot in your bake thus, no worries ya 😉.

Thank goodness i still have some leftover cream cheese from my previous bake which, comes handy in this gorgeous bake. Rich and creamy frosting with soft and spongy base of the cake is simply irrestible.

Ingredients

For The Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup buttermilk,room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 canola oil
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp distilled vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
5 tbsp beetroot juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

450 g or 2 cups cream cheese,softened
4 cups confectioners sugar
6 ounces unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp whole milk

Methods

For The Cake

Preheat oven at 350' F or 180' C. Grease a 12 mould cupcake pan an keep aside.

In a large bowl, sift together all purpose flour,baking powder,baking soda,cocoa powder and sugar. Keep aside.

In another bowl,whisk together buttermilk,vinegar, beetroot juice and vanilla extract.

Using a stand/hand mixer, beat together sugar and oil for 1-2 minutes. Add eggs one at the time and beat till pale and fluffy.

Add one third of the dry ingredients and then add in one half of the wet ingredients. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and the remaining of the wet ingredients. Finish off with the remaining dry ingredients and beat until well incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan making sure to fill up to 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center on the cake becomes clean.

Remove from oven and let the cake cool on the cake pan for 5 minutes. Transfer the cake on a cooling tray and let it cool completely.

For Cream Cheese Frosting

Using a stand/hand mixer, beat the butter on high speed for about 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese and continue beating for another 1 minute.

Reduce the speed to low, start adding the confectioners sugar 1 cup at the time until smooth and fluffy.

If the mixture too stiff beat the milk to loosen it. If the mixture too loose add 1 tbsp of confectioners sugar one at a time until you get the desirable consistency.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle and pipe the frosting on each cupcakes.

Serve.

Dhal Tadka

The best part in cooking dhal tadka is the smoking part. Yes, we Indians do have smoked dishes and dhal tadka are among many. Dandelions are very much excited as i am with the fun part of heating coal and creates smoke of our own. The point of lighting smoke in this delicious dish is to give that beautiful smoky flavor and taste.

The gorgeous vibrant yellow of this dhal is absolutely a feast to eyes. The redness of the tadka compliments well to this dish. The dhal are cooked to perfection for a comforting meal. I can have this dhal alone with steamed white rice for a hearty lunch or serve with roti or pratha.

This typical Indian dish which usually served in hotels or restaurants, can easily prepare at home now. It's thick,creamy and luscious which will make everyone asking for second helping at dinner table.

Ingredients

1 cup toor dhal

1/3 cup moong dhal

2 cloves garlic,chopped

1"inch ginger, chopped

1 green chilly,slit

1 tomato,chopped

1 onion,chopped

3 cups water

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

3/4 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

3/4 tbsp dried kasthuri methi

Handful chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

2 tbsp vegetable oil

For Smoking The Dhal

1 coal

1 tbsp ghee

For Tadka

1 tbsp onion

2 tbsp ghee

1 cloves garlic,chopped

1/3 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp hing

1/4 tsp red chilly powder

Methods

Wash both the dhal and soak for 1 hours

Add the dhal into a pressure cooker and add 3 cups water. Cook for 4 whistles.

Once the dhal cooked, using a laddle slightly mash the dhal.

Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds splutters, add the onion and cook till turns translucent. 

Add the ginger and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the green chilly and cook till the mixture turns light brown.

Add the turmeric powder,garam masala and chilly powder. Cool for couple of seconds.

Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook till the tomatoes soften.

Pour the tomatoes mixture to the cooked dhal. Stir.

Add kasthuri methi and coriander leaves. Cook for another 5-7 minutes.

For Smoking The Dhal

Prepare a small stainless steel bowl. Light a coal on fire for 2 minutes.

Place the hot coal in the bowl add 1 tablespoon ghee ovee the coal to release smoke.

Placd the bowl in the pot containing cooked dhal and cover with lid.

For The Tadka

Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds. Fry for 30 seconds. Saute onion and garlic.

Add the hing and chilly powder. Saute for few seconds.

Remove the coal from the dhal and add the tadka mixture. Stir and serve.

Notes

• For cooking the dhal,adjust water accordingly.
• If the gravy are too thick, adjust water as your preference.

Salted Fish And Mango Pounded Sambal

 

My mango trees are bountiful with juicy fruits and some fruits remained after squirrels and birds feastinfg their meal. I plucked some to consume as it is and for using in my cooking as well. That's how i came up by adding the mango to my simple salted fish dish.

It's easy and simple recepi which can be prepared in a jiffy. This sambal that's what we Malaysian call it requires very minimal ingredients that found in the pantry.

Maldives fish are none other than salted dried tuna. If you can't find Maldives fish, please feel free to use any type of salted fish. I used Maldives fish as i want to finish my stock of salted fish before getting my new batch of orders. Goes very well with hot steamed white rice.

Ingredients

1 unriped mango, peeled and sliced

2 tbsp salted Maldives fish flakes

1 tsp lemon juice

1 red onion,sliced

5 bird eye chillies

Pinch of palm sugar

Salt to season

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Methods

In a pan, heat oil and saute the onion for 30 seconds. Add the chillies and saute for another 30 seconds.

Add the salted fish flakes and saute for another 1 minute.

Pound the sauteed ingredients with sliced mango.

Season with salt,lemon juice and palm sugar. Pound to combine. The texture shall resemble coarsely pound.

Serve.

Notes

• Do taste checking before adding salt as, salted fish are already salty enough. As for me, the Maldives fish are not too salty and my sambal do require some salt.

Mudakattan/Balloon Vine Poori

I was clearing my backyard and found a healty bush of balloon vine creeping on our mango tree. Knowing the medicinal value of this plant, i harvested them,clean the leavrs and store in the fridge so that, i could cook with it. While thinking what to make with it, i decided to make a puree of the leaves and knead into my poori dough.

Mudakattan or ballon vine used in homeopathy medicine to treat eczema. Mudakattan are great in treating rheumatism and piles. What i love abouth this mudakattan poori is the natural green hue which is not too strong in colur. Trust me you won't taste the raw green of mudakattan in your poori. Serve with poori masala or any gravy of your preference.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rava/semolina

1/2 cup mudakattan/balloon vine leaves
Warm water,as needed
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp butter
Oil for deep frying

Methods

Pluck the balloon vine leaves and wash. Add a little water and blend into smooth paste.

In a large bow, add flour,salt,sugar and semolina. Whisk to combine.

Add the balloon vine paste and oil. Mix well.

Gradually, add little warm water at a time to knead the dough.

Smear 1 tsp butter on the dough and cover the bowl. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.

Knead the dough for 1 minute and roll the dough into equal sized balls.

Dust a clean working surface and your rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough into medium thickness.

Over a medium flame, heat oil in a frying pan for deep fying. Gently slides the poori  from the sides of the pan to the hot oil.

Once the poori floats, gently press the ladle on one side for the poori to puff up. Flip the poori to cook on the other sides. Once the poori turns golden, drain the oil and place them on a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

Continue the process with remaining dough.

Serve with gravy of your choice.

Notes

• The oil shall not be too hot or too cold.

• The dough should not be too soft. It shall be slightly stiff.

• Do not roll the poori too thin this will prevent from the poori puffing up while frying.

Chicken Bhurji Samosa

 

Who doesn't love piping hot samosa on a gloomy rainy day. Generally, samosa are one of the popular deep fried Indian snack which found on the road side stalls and high end restaurants or hotels as an appertiser. Ir doesn't matter where and who you'll fall in love agaim and again with deep fried delicious Indian pastry. 

Samosa comes in many different fillings be it vegetarion with simple boiled potato and peas masala to a non vegetarion delight with chicken,egg or mutton. The spicy filling wrapped in crispy flaky dough, sure to tantalize our tastebud.

That's how this gorgeous chicken bhurji samosa found it's way to our tea time table for weekend tea. It waa raining heavily and as usual, i was looking for something deep fried with my hot cuppa of chai to company me and what's best than a samosa. I served the samosa with sweet and tangy tamarind chutney and zesty mint chutney. To add more sizzle to the platter, i brewed some ginger tea. Walla! What a wonderful evening.

Ingredients

For The Filling

400g minced chicken

2 red onions,chopped

2 green chillies,chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp chilly powder

1 tomato,chopped

Handful of chopped coriander leaves

1 sprig curry leaves

Salt to season

3 tbsp vegetable oil

For The Pastry

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp carom seeds/ajwain

3/4 tsp salt

4 1/2 tbsp ghee

1/3 cup water

Methods

For The Samosa Pastry

In a bowl whisk flour,salt and caram seeds. Add ghee and rub the mixture with your palm to resemble crumbly texture.

Gradually, add water and knead well to a stiff dough. Cover with clean kitchen towel and rest the dough for 30 minutes.

For The Chicken Masala

Heat oil in a pan and saute onion till wilted. Add the curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Saute for another 1 minute on low medium heat.

Add the chopped green chillies and tomato. Cook till the tomato soften

Add turmeric powder,chilly powder and cumin powder. Saute for 1 minute and add the minced chicken. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the garam masala amd chopped coriander leaves. Season with salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Turn off heat and cover with lid.

Divide the dough into equal sized balls. Using a rolling pin, roll out the ball into a disc. 

Cut the disc into 2 and you'll have semi circle dough.  Apply water to the edges. Take one part of the semi circle and bring the edges together to form a cone shape.

Fill with 1 tbsp of the chicken filling and seal the edges. Press the edges with fork to secure well.

Repeat the process with remaining dough and filling.

Heat oil in a pan for deep frying and fry the samosas in batches by not overcrowding the pan.

Fry till golden on both sides and drain excess oil.

Serve with green chutney and piping hot tea.

Mango Piyush

It's mango season once again with the sweet fragrance eminating in the air. Fruit stalls are flowing with different shapes and colurs of mangoes from raw to ripen to perfection beauties. Mangoes are one of my favourite and i always go for sweet ripen mangoes.

I bought quite a bunch of mangoes to enjoy on it's own and of course to sneak into my cooking and baking as well. Last week there were kilos of mangoes in the fridge which need my attention. Thinking what to do with them, i came up with adding them for my drinks instead.

Piyush or known as sweet water is an ideal choice for clearing those gorgeous mangoes. It's creamy,rich and absolutely delicious on every sip. You'll need thick yogurt for the recepi for the creamy texture thus, hung curd is the best. I choose a short cut versioj by using Greek yogurt which works really well and the end result was indeed delectable 😋.

Ingredients

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups riped mangoes,chopped

Pinch of cardamom powder

Pinch of saffron

Sugar, as needed

Garnishing

Handful of chopped almonds and pistachios

Methods

In a blender add the Greek yogurt,buttermilk,chopped mangoes,sugar,cardamom powder,saffrom and blend well.

Pour into serving glass and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Serve immediately.

Spicy Garlic Bread

My Dandelions are bread fanatic and that's the reason i baked bread in every form. Be it buns,loaves,sweet or savoury, you name it and they are all for one staple food BREAD. Garlic butter is what i always have in my fridge which i make my own. It's easy to whip and stores well for weeks (usually, the garlic butter finishes fast 😁). 

Since, i made a fresh batch of garlic butter for our morning toast, i reserved some for my garlic bread with a twist. I just want to spice up my regular bland garlic bread which we usually served in restaurants or bakery. The word spice up needs spicy element for the extra kick and thanks to chilly flakes for doing the job well.

While the loaf are in the oven, both my Dandelions came out from their room to check what am i up to. That's the power of heavenly smell of garlic butter toasting on a pilowy dough with the combination of chilly flakes and melting cheese.

The moment i took out the loaf from the oven, the first sight of it made me fall over. The golden molten of melted cheddar and the bright red of chilly flakes peeping here and there with the deadly garlic butter..who can blame me 😆.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp active yeast
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Topping

2 tbsp dried thyme

3 tbsp butter,room temperature

2 tbsp chilly flakes

2 pods garlic,grated

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Methods

Line a baking 7"inch square pan with parchment and keep aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine together flour and salt. Whisk and add sugar and yeast. Whisk to combine.

Add milk,water and oil. Using a stand or hand mixer attached with hook paddle, knead the dough for 10-12 minutes soft and smooth.

Place the dough in a greased bowl cover with cling form. Rest the dough for an hour on warm place to rise.

Transfer the dough onto a clean working surface dusted with flour. Punch the dough to remove air bubbles.

Using your hand flatten the dough to fit the baking pan. Brush evenly with garlic butter, sprinkle with chilly flakes mixture and top with grated cheese.

Cover with clean kitchen towel and rest the dough for another 30 minutes.

Bake on preheated oven at 180'C for 25-30 minutes or till golden.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Slice and serve.

Mathri

I have tasted mathri during my North India vacation in a humble tea stall. There were a huge frying wok bubling with beautiful golden snack and out of curiosity i ordered few to try. I thanked my instinct, for it was one of those delicious tea stall snack i had during my North India vacation.

Since, i have come across mostly sweets loaded with sugar and rich in dairy, a simple humble savoury mathri came as a treat. It's crispy,cruncy and those added ajwain or carom seeds contribute to the aromatic flavor an taste. 

Later i found out mathri comes in many variations and the one we tasted laced with chaat masala. Now i know, where does the the hint of tanginess comes from. It was a great idea to combine tanginess into deep fried food to cut the greasy feeling of fried food. The mathris can be served on its own or serve with green chutney over a cup of chai. We had our with piping hot ginger tea at home.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat/atta flour

1 1/2 tbsp carom seeds/ajwain

3/4 tsp salt

5 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp ghee

3 tbsp chaat masala

Oil for frying

Water as needed

Methods

In a bowl, add flour,salt and carom seeds. Stir to combine.

Rub the oil into the flour mixture to resemble coarse and crumbly texture.

Gradually add water and knead into a firm dough. Cover with clean kitchen towel and rest the dough for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 20 equal sized balls and using a rolling pin slightly dusted with flour, roll into a thin disc.

Lightly smeared ghee on the surface of the dough and sprinkle with chaat masala. Bring the other end of the dough to the end near to you to form a semi circle. 

Bring one end of the circle to the other end to form a triangle. Using a fork, poke the surface of the dough evenly. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

Heat oil in a frying pan over low heat and fry the dough in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan.

Cook for 10-15 and flip to cook on the other side for another 5 minutes or till golden.

Transfer to a tray lined with kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

Serve with a cup of hot chai.