Strawberry Compote ( Coulis, Spread, Jam )

          Back from a small vacation, thought I should schedule some posts, but somehow didn't work out, in fact I had planned to do this post on last Friday, I had edited and uploaded the pictures too, but didn't find time to do the post. Strawberry Compote/Coulis/Spread or jam, I had made this when strawberries were still in season. I had wanted to do this after I saw it in Anusha's Tomato Blues, so when I got chocolate and strawberries as the two ingredients for the 'Shhhh Cooking Secretly' challenge, I decided to make this and use it as a filling for the cakes. This is a very easy recipe, needs just 3 ingredients and can be done in under 30 minutes, a delicious spread that can be used as a topping or filling for cakes, can be served with pancakes or toast or even to make milk shakes..

Need To Have

• Sliced Strawberries - 2 cups
• Powdered Sugar - 3 tablespoons
• Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon

Method

          Take the sliced strawberries, sugar and vanilla extract along with 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and cook it on medium heat. Keep stirring and also break down the fruits a little. Once it reaches a thick jam/jelly consistency, remove, cool and refrigerate.

Note
Add more or less sugar depending on the sweetness of the strawberries.

Read More

Vada Curry, Lentil Fritters Curry

          As I had said in my set dosa post, here's the Vada Curry that goes extremely well with the dosas. This curry involves two parts, making the vadas and then the curry and then bringing them together to get the Vada Curry. Though, it might sound like a lengthy preparation, it's not very hard to make, and the little effort that goes into making it, is totally worth it. This curry goes well not only with the Set Dosas, it also tastes good with idlis, aappams and I think, next time I would also try it with mixed rice varieties, like lemon and tomato too..

Need To Have

• Chana Dal/Bengal Gram - 3/4 cup
• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Fennel Seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Cinnamon - 1" piece
• Cloves - 3
• Onions - 2 medium, chopped
• Tomatoes - 3 medium, chopped
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Ginger - 1" piece
• Green Chilly - 1 slit
• Fennel Seed Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut - 2 to 3 tablespoons
• Curry Leaves - 15
• Mint Leaves - a handful
• Chopped Coriander Leaves - 2 tablespoons
• Salt to taste

Method

          Soak the chana dal for 2 hours, reserve 2 tablespoons of the dal and coarsely grind the rest with the dried red chillies and fennel seeds, don't add water while grinding, remove and mix it with the reserved dal and some salt.

          Heat some oil, drop in small pieces of the ground dal, fry them till golden, remove and drain. Grind the grated coconut into a smooth paste and keep.

          Heat some oil, add the cinnamon and cloves, when the cloves start sizzling, add the onions and green chilly and saute for half a minute , pound the garlic and ginger and add along with the fennel seed powder and saute for 2 minutes.

          Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till it breaks down and turns mushy. Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder and mix for a minute. Add the coconut paste and about 2 cups of water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

          Add the fried vadas/fritters and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, add the curry leaves, mint leaves ( tear them roughly ) and coriander leaves and serve it warm with idlis or dosas.

Note
When adding the fried vadas, if they are big pieces, break them and add.
After adding the vadas, the gravy thickens, if it's too thick, add some water.
Don't leave out the mint, that gives a unique flavor to the vada curry.
The final consistency, it should not be a very thick gravy, thin gravy with the broken vada pieces.

Read More

Prune Lekvar ( Jam )

          As mentioned in my last post, I had made Hungarian Lekvar for making the Hungarian Kipfels. Lekvar is a jam, usually made with dried apricots or prunes and I had used it as a filling for the kipfels. I made the jam with dried prunes and the taste was excellent. After using some for the kipfels, I used the remaining to serve with plain bread. If you like prunes, then go ahead and make this easy jam and enjoy..

Need To Have

• Dried Prunes - 20
• Water - 2/3 cup
• Granulated Sugar - 1/4 cup

Original Recipe here

Method

          Take the prunes and the water in a pan, bring it to a boil and simmer till the prunes become soft and all the water is gone.

          Cool and grind the cooked prunes. Then put it back on the stove along with the sugar.

          Keep stirring on low to medium heat, till it comes to a jam consistency. Remove, cool and serve.

Note
After mixing in the sugar, you can taste and add more if needed, 1/4 cup was enough for us.

Read More

Microwave Apple Jam

          Homemade jams are always more special than the store bought ones and I had always wanted to make some, but kept putting it off since my family is not the 'jam' kind, they like savory sandwiches better. But this time I had so much apples at home, I had bought some and then a visiting friend had got some more, and I knew I had to do something with it. This apple jam, it's from a cook book that came with my microwave oven. It's such an easy method, I followed the original recipe, except for the amount of sugar and I added some ginger which gave a nice flavor and taste to the jam. My daughter who's not a big fan of jelly sandwiches, loved this jam and I was so happy, that my maiden attempt at jam making was a success..

Need To Have

• Apples - chopped, 21/2 cups
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Grated Ginger - 1/2 teaspoon
• Lemon Juice - 2 tablespoons

Method

          In a deep microwave safe bowl, take the chopped apples, sugar and ginger, mix and microwave it at 100% power level for 5 minutes. At the end of 5 minutes, it would look slightly cooked, cool it and blend it. Don't make a very smooth paste, it's okay to have a couple of pieces here and there, it gives a nice texture to the jam.

          Take the mixture in the same microwave bowl and this time microwave it at 60% power level for 10 to 15 minutes, mixing it in between after every 2 to 3 minutes. The final product should be thick and should have a jam consistency, remove it from the microwave, mix in the lemon juice, cool and refrigerate.

Note
I cooked the jam, the second time for 15 minutes, but this is a general guidance and it could be more or less, depending on your microwave model.
The amount of sugar you add depends on the sweetness of the apples, taste the ground mixture, you can always add more sugar at this stage.

Read More