Cranberry-Orange Muffins

I was just cleaning out stuff in the fridge the other day (as I occasionally do) and realized that I had some cranberries in the fridge. I had bought them to make cranberry bread and had a bit leftover. Due to circumstance, I never got around to using them. So, I thought, why not make cranberry muffins? I found a recipe here and altered it a bit to suit my taste. The result? Well, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!


Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 2/3 cup
Fresh cranberries, cut in half - 1 cup
Walnuts, chopped - 1/2 cup (optional)
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Orange zest - 2 tsp
Butter, melted and cooled slightly - 1/4 cup (4 tbsp)
Milk - 2/3 cup
Vanilla extract or orange extract - 1/2 tsp (I used orange liquor)
Egg - 1 large

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir well.

3. Add cranberries, orange zest, and nuts (if using) to the above mixture.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk/beat egg, milk, vanilla/orange extract, and butter until well mixed.

5. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir gently until just combined. The batter will be a bit lumpy at this point. It's fine. Everything will be ok once they're cooked!

6. Either grease muffin tin with butter/cooking spray or line with paper liners like I did and save yourself the work!

7. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. This amount makes 12 muffins, so adjust accordingly.

8. Bake at 400 F for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

9. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Serve warm with butter or jam, if desired, but they really don't need anything additional!

Another look:sweet and tangy = yummy!

I'm sending this over to Bindiya for her "my favorite things event" with the theme of cakes and muffins. Hope she likes them as much as I do! :)

Veggie Quesadilla and Avocado Salsa

I really, really didn't feel up to doing anything tonight. Not even cooking! So, I was thinking of something easy to make and then I had a flash of genius. Why not make quesadillas? They're basically Mexican grilled cheese "sandwiches" made with tortillas and various ingredients.

This is a very easy one that you can make with whatever vegetables you have on hand (onions, capsicum, eggplants, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, etc.) I used bell peppers and onions because that's what I had on hand. The whole thing can literally be thrown together in a matter of 15-20 minutes.

I have used chipotle chiles for spice in this dish. If you haven't heard of chipotle peppers, they are smoked jalapenos. I usually keep the canned ones on hand, which are in this wonderfully tangy adobo sauce. If you can't get these (or don't like the smoked flavor), just use regular jalapenos or even green chillies will work well. :)

Makes for great party food, too. Hope Mansi is happy to receive this one for her game night event!

Veggie Quesadillas:

Ingredients:

Tortillas (flour or corn, soft taco size) - 6
Onions - 2 medium, sliced
Bell peppers (capsicum) - 1 medium, sliced
Chipotle in adobo sauce - 2 peppers, chopped (can use jalapeno, if desired)
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Dried oregano - 1/4 tsp
Cheese (cheddar or pepper jack recommended) - 1 cup, grated
Salt to taste
Olive oil

Method:

1. Heat pan with olive oil until the pan is really, really hot. I mean smoking hot!

2. Now, add the bell peppers and onion and saute until browned, but still slightly crisp.

3. At this stage, lower the heat and add cumin, oregano, chipotle, garlic, and salt to taste.

4. Let it heat through, turn off the heat and cool slightly.

5. It's time to assemble! Get the tortillas, cheese, and the vegetable mixture (that we just made) ready.

6. Heat a tava/griddle/skillet to medium heat and put a few drops of oil on it.

7. Now, take 1 tortilla and top with cheese, then filling on top of that. Now, more cheese on top and cover with another tortilla.

8. Place on heated tava and heat until crispy and cheese is melted and goooey! Cut into large pieces for main course or smaller triangles for appetizer. This is best served warm (can keep warm in a 200 degrees F oven for a 15-20 minutes until ready to serve).


Note: I made this quesadilla "fajita style", meaning I pan sauteed everything on high heat like the fajita fillings you get in Mexican restaurants. In the summer, I'd grill the vegetables on the outside grill. You could also roast the vegetables in the oven, if desired.


Avocado Salsa:

Ingredients:

Avocado - 1 medium, chopped
Red onion - 1 small, chopped
Jalapeno - 2, or to taste, chopped
Garlic - 1 clove, crushed
Coriander leaves - 2 tablespoons, chopped
Lime juice - juice of half a medium lime
Salt to taste

Method:

Mix all ingredients together and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes before serving. Keep covered until serving to reduce the chance of the avocado changing color!

This would go really well with mango milkshakes or mango margaritas! :)

Pepper Chicken (Milagu Kozhi)

Mmmm... Man, do I ever love this pepper chicken! Pepper chicken is a Chettinadu style dish. It's a spicy chicken dish that can be used as an appetizer if made dry or as a curry if made slightly looser. This version is particularly easy and involves minimal prep work! One thing that I have to insist on is the use of freshly ground black pepper. This will give you the best possible flavor to the dish (it is called pepper chicken for a reason...)!


Ingredients:

Chicken - 2 lb, cleaned and cut into small pieces
Onions - 2 medium, chopped
Garlic - 8 cloves
Ginger - 1 1/2 inch piece, ground to paste with garlic
Tomatoes - 1 medium, chopped
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp, or to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Fresh pepper powder (milagu podi) - 2 tsp, or to taste

For seasoning:

Oil
Whole black peppercorns - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan and do seasoning. Add onions and fry until golden brown.

2. Now, add paste of ginger and garlic, chilli powder, and coriander powder. Fry until raw smell disappears.

3. Add tomatoes, chicken, salt, and turmeric. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook without adding any water. Since the chicken will let out its own juices, you usually will not need to add any water.

4. When the chicken is cooked, but not falling apart, add the fennel powder, cumin powder, and fresh pepper powder.

5. Once the gravy bubbles, turn the stove off. Check for seasoning and squeeze a few drops of fresh lime juice to increase the flavor.

6. What else to do now but enjoy?! Use as an appetizer (with a cold beer, if you're into alcohol) or as a side with rotis.

Note: If you want more of a gravy consistency to mix with rice, you may need to add a little bit of water as the chicken finishes cooking.

Pumpkin Poriyal and Potato Masala

These are a couple of simple side dishes for when you get stuck as to what vegetable to make tonight.

Pumpkin Poriyal:

pumpkin poriyal

This is a very, very simple side dish using pumpkin (parangikai) which is simply seasoned. Makes a great side to most curries, veg or non-veg. Goes well with chappathi/rotis as well.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin - 2 cups, cut into bite sized cubes
Salt to taste

For seasoning:
Oil
Whole red chillies - 4 (or to taste), broken in half
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan. When hot, add red chillies.

2. Once they start to change color, add the rest of the seasoning ingredients.

3. After the mustard has spluttered and the urad dal has turned golden brown, add the cut pumpkin and salt.

4. Cover the pan and cook on medium low, stirring occasionally, until done. Enjoy with rice and veg/non-veg gravies or rotis!



Urulaikizhangu Kari (Potato Masala):

This dish is a minimally involved potato masala that tastes awesome with sambar or rasam!

potato masala

Ingredients:

Potato - 2 medium, chopped into bite sized chunks
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp, or to taste
Fennel (sombu) powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

For seasoning:
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan and do the seasoning.

2. Add onions and fry until translucent, followed by tomatoes.

3. Once tomatoes start to break down, add turmeric, chilli powder, and fennel powder.

4. Fry for a few minutes to cook the raw smell out.

5. Now, add potatoes and salt. Lower the heat to medium low and cover the pan.

6. Stir occasionally and cook until 3/4th done.

7. Then, cook open until the masala develops a brownish color and the potatoes are fully cooked. Enjoy as a side dish with sambar and/or rasam!


Note: Potatoes have a tendency to need a little extra salt and spice, due to their starchiness.

Garlic Avocado Roti

So, I was going through the usual, "What do I make for dinner tonight???" turmoil last night. I was thinking about what I had in the fridge because I realllllly didn't want to have to go shopping in the freezing cold. I suddenly remembered seeing a reference to avocado parathas on Maheshwari's blog a while ago. I had some avocados so I thought that would be a good use for them. Then, I had a seemingly crazy thought... Being the garlic fiend that I am, I thought, "Why not add a ton of garlic and make them into garlic avocado rotis?" The results, my friends were delicioso! So much so that I'm sending this over to Sunita of Sunita's world for her think spice event with the theme of gaaaaaaaarlic!


Ingredients:

Avocado - 1 medium, mashed with fork or potato masher
Garlic - 5 cloves
Green chillies - 4, or to taste
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala (optional) - 1/2 tsp (I didn't use this here)
Salt to taste
Whole wheat flour (atta) - 2 cups

Method:

1. Crush garlic and green chillies in mortar and pestle or mixie. Mix this with mashed avocado in a medium bowl.

2. Add atta, cumin powder, garam masala (if using), and salt to avocado mixture. Mix well, adding very little water, if needed. In all likelihood, you'll either not need water or require maybe a couple of tablespoons. So, be careful! :)

3. Heat tava/griddle on medium heat.

4. Now, break off small lemon size balls of dough and roll out (slightly thicker than chappathi) using a little bit of flour.

5. Drizzle a few drops of oil on the tava and place rolled out roti on it.

6. Fry until bubbles form and the roti has brown spots on the side touching the tava. Turn over and cook until brown spots form on the other side.

7. Enjoy hot with pickle, curds, raita, etc.!

You really don't even need anything to accompany this (in my opinion) because the garlicky spicy flavor is just amazing. One more look...:

Carrot-Coriander-Onion Uthappam

As you may or may not know, uthappam is basically an Indian savory pancake. It is made from idli batter and can be spiced up in any number of ways. Here, I've used carrot, coriander leaves, and onion as my main ingredients in the spirit of the upcoming republic day of India.

Pooja, of "My Creative Ideas" blog is hosting theme of the week based on republic day. So, I'm sending this recipe to her. Vande Mataram!


Ingredients:

Idli batter - 2 cups
Onion - 1 small, chopped
Green chillies - 3, chopped
Carrots - 1, grated
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped

For seasoning:

Oil
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add mustard seeds and urad dal.

2. Once it splutters, add chopped onion, green chillies, and curry leaves. Fry until onion softens.


3. Cool this mixture slightly and add to the idli batter.


4. Heat a tava or griddle on medium heat. Make sure it's not too hot or else the uthappams will not cook through before over-browning!


5. Once the tava is warm, pour approximately 1/2 cup of batter and spread it out slightly. Make sure it's still a little thick (not thin like dosa!).


6. While the batter is still wet, sprinkle some grated carrot and chopped coriander on top of the uthappam. (Alternatively, you could just mix the carrot and coriander in with the rest of the batter and pour it directly. I just thought doing it this way makes for a cute presentation.)

7. Wait until small bubbles form on top of the batter. At this point, carefully flip it over and let it cook completely on the other side.

8. Serve hot with chutney and/or sambar. We had this with ridgegourd skin chutney (peerkangai peel chutney). Stay tuned for that recipe!

Uthappam in colors of the Indian flag!

Kola Urundai Kuzhambu (Meatball Curry)

So, this is basically a fairly simple South Indian style meatball curry that I modified from a recipe I found on the website pachakam.com. It has just a little bit of coconut for richness and some tamarind for a mild tang in the background. It's not extremely rich and tastes awesome over hot cooked rice!

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

Mutton - 1 lb
Egg - 1
Salt to taste

Grind the following to paste (for meatballs):

Fried gram dal (pottu kadalai/dalia) - 3 tbsp
Poppy seeds (gasagasa) - 1 tbsp
Green chillies - 10, or to taste
Garlic - 4 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Onion - 1 medium, cut into large chunks
Coconut, grated - 1/4 cup
Cloves (grambu) - 5
Fennel seeds (sombu) - 1 tsp

For the gravy/kuzhambu:

Tomatoes - 3 medium, chopped
Tamarind - gooseberry size, soaked in water and pulp extracted
Salt to taste

Masala to grind for Gravy:

Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 3 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Cloves (grambu) - 3
Fennel Seeds (sombu) - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Corainder seeds - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 8, or to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp


Method:

1. Grind the masala ingredients listed for meatballs into paste without adding water.

2. Mix this masala paste with the ground meat, egg and salt to taste. Form small meatballs out of this mixture. If the mixture feels too loose, you can add some gram flour (besan) to firm it up a bit.

3. Grind the masala ingredients for gravy.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Once it's hot, add the ground paste from step 3 and fry until the raw smell disappears.

5. Add tomatoes and fry until softened. Then, add tamarind pulp , enough water to make a gravy, and salt.

6. Boil for a few minutes to let the raw tamarind smell cook away.

7. At this point, lower the heat to medium and add the meatballs to the gravy. Lower the balls in gently so that they don't break as you add them.

8. Let the meatballs simmer in the gravy until they are cooked. The gravy should thicken as the balls cook. If it has become too thick, add a bit more water.

9. Serve over hot cooked rice and enjoy!