TOSTONES (FRIED BANANA) WITH GARLIC SHRIMP AND AVOCADO RELISH

Ingredients

2 Green Banana

6 Big Shrimp or 18 small Shrimps (Shelled, deveined and tail on)

2 tsps Butter

2 tsps Olive oil

2 tsps Cilantro or coriander leaves

1.5 cloves chopped garlic

few Cilantro for garnishing.

Avocado Relish:

1 ripe Avocado, skin and seed removed

1 Jalapeno chopped

1 small chopped onion

1/2 clove garlic

Juice of lime or lemon 4 tblsp

salt and pepper (1/4 tsp each)

Mash the avocado flesh, add the rest of ingredients and mix well and make a paste…keep aside.

Method:

Sprinkle some seasoning on the shrimps, mix and keep aside. You can add any seasoning..Cajun/Portuguese/Moroccan or just salt and pepper.

Peel the green banana’s carefully by cutting along the ridges on the banana skin till you reach the flesh. Then slowly remove the skin. Cut the banana into 1 inch pieces (if making flat Tostones) or 2 inch pieces (if you are making cups).

Put the cut pieces into a bowl of salted water. When ready to fry, remove from water and wipe them dry before frying them in a pan with Canola or Vegetable oil in it. Fry on medium heat. First fry one side for two minutes and then turn over and fry the other side. Remove onto paper towels and let them cool slightly.

Place the 1 inch fried banana piece on a paper towel, cover with another paper towel and then taking a cup or flour measure gently press down the banana piece. You will obtain a flattened Tostone. To make cups, take the 2 inch banana pieces and place inside a lemon squeezer and press down. Slowly remove the cup from the lemon squeezer.

Heat the oil again and then fry the flattened and formed cups of banana pieces on both sides for two minutes each. You will have golden Tostones. Remove onto paper towels.

Heat a Pan and add butter. When butter has melted add 3/4 clove chopped garlic. Fry for 30 seconds and then add the marinated shrimps. Fry on both sided till you get a light brown texture. Remove.

To the same pan add 2 tsp Olive Oil and the remaining 3/4 clove chopped garlic. Fry for 15 secs and add the 2 tsps of Coriandr leaves, 1/4 tsp salt and mix well. Add the fried Shrimps, mix and fry well, so the shrimps are well coated. Remove.

Take a spoon of Avocado Relish and drop onto the cups and flattented Tostones. Add a Garlic Prawn on top of the Avocado Relish. Garnish with Cilantro.

IDLI

Ingredients

1 cup of Idli Rice

1/2 Cup of Urid Dhal

2 tsp of Methi or Fenugreek seeds

2 tablespoons of Beaten Rice or Poha

Salt

Method:

Add methi seeds to Urid Dhal. Wash and Soak for 8 to 10 hours. In a separate vessel. Wash and soak for 8 to 10 hours. Soak the beaten rice in little water about 30 mins before grinding. Later grind them separately with water, Urid Dhal, Methi and Beaten Rice first and then Idli Rice. Mix them and add 1.5 tsp salt and water to make a batter of medium consistency. Not too thick or too thin.

Keep it for around 10 to 14 hours or overnight. The batter would have risen by then. You can use the idli tondor (with idli forms on trays) or the traditional tondor. The idli forms , apply oil and pour a ladle of batter to fill the form. The Containers : apply little oil and then pour batter into them, about half the container. Now start steaming the Idlies in a Steamer or Tondor. Add water to the bottom section of the steamer and when it is hot, place the Idli Containers in which the batter has been poured in the top section of the steamer and steam them for 20 minutes.

The forms: take a butter knife and turn around the edges and underneath the idle and remove them. Wash and then repeat.

For the traditional tondor. Prepare a tray adding cold water . After the Idlies are steamed, place the containers in the cold water for it to cool down.

You can now remove the Idlies from the containers. You can do so by either tapping them on your palm, they will come off easily. If not use a butter knife and turn the knife along the edges of the containers to loose the Idlies and then remove them. Wash and repeat the process

Have the hot Idlies with Sambhar, coconut chutney and dry chutney powder (adding little oil).

CARPETBAGGER STEAK FILLED WITH SMOKED MUSSELLS

Ingredients

Two Sirloin Steak with Fat on one thick side about 350 gms each, 3 inches thick

1 can of Smoked Mussels (120 gms)

1 small onion

3 cloves chopped garlic

4 tblsp butter

1/2 tsp pepper powder

Toothpicks

Method:

Wash and pat dry the steaks. Make a pocket by cutting the steak on the other side of the side which had fat. Do not cut it through to the other side.

Sprinkle some rock salt and crushed Black pepper on both sides of the steak.

Heat a pan and add two tblspoons butter. When butter melts add the chopped garlic and chopped onion. Fry for a minute and add the smoked mussels and 1/2 tsp pepper powder. Fry till dry. Wait till it cools down.

Fill the steak pockets with this mixture and seal with toothpicks

Heat a heavy bottom pan and add two tblsp butter. When hot add the steaks and fry on all sides. First 4 minutes each on the flat side and two minutes each on the thick sides. Place on foil and close and place on roasting tray. Then bake in oven for 20 minutes.

Remove and serve

SARDINES OR TARLE OR BOTHAI FRY MANGALOREAN STYLE

Ingredients

13 Medium Sardines cleaned and washed

Marinade:

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Chilli Powder

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

4 tblsp Vinegar.

5 tblsp oil for frying

Method:

Make the salt and chilli paste by mixing the powders, salt and vinegar. Apply to fish and leave for 30 minutes. Heat a pan and add oil. When hot add the sardines to pan and shallow fry them. About 5 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on other. The sardines will be nice and crisp. You can eat it whole with head and bones.

Serve with salad of onion, green chilli and vinegar.

CASHEW CHICKEN WITH XO SAUCE

Ingredients

500 grams of Boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into cubes about a inch

2 tblsp of XO Sauce

1 Red Pepper Diced

100 gms of Round Beans sliced

1 Spring Onions chopped

1 chopped onion

2 cloves garlic chopped

3 tablespoons Black Fungus (fresh) or Dried (immersed in warm water)

2 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine

1 tablespoon cornflour

1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce

1 tsp crushed chilli flake

1 cup of roasted unsalted cashenuts

1 tsp of Sesame Oil

3 tablespoon oil for cooking

Method:

In a bowl add the cooking wine and cornflour. Make a paste and add to chicken and keep it aside for 15 minutes

In another bowl add the XO Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil and Chilli flakes. Mix well and keep aside

Heat a wok and add 3 tablespoon vegetable oil. Fry the marinated chicken pieces till they become slightly brown on the outside and soft inside. Add the chopped onion, beans, red pepper. Mix well and fry for 3 mins. Add Black fungus, chopped spring onion and garlic and cook it for 3 mins. Add the XO Sauce Mixture, mix and cook for another 5 mins. Add the cashewnuts, mix and serve.

XO CHICKEN

Ingredients

600 grams of Boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into big pieces about two inches

100 gms of XO Sauce

1 Red Pepper Diced

100 gms of Round Beans cut into 4 cms lengths

Two Spring Onions cut lengthwise about 4 cms lengths

4 tablespoons Black Fungus (fresh) or Dried (immersed in warm water)

2 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine

2 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Soya Bean Paste

4 Dried Red Chillies, cut into bits and deseeded.

3 tablespoon oil for cooking

Method:

Heat a wok and add 3 tablespoon oil. Fry the chicken pieces till they become crusty on the outside and remain soft on the inside. Remove the fried chicken. Fry the Beans and Capsicum in the same oil and remove.

Fry the red chillies in the same oil for 30 seconds. Add the fried chicken and fry for min. Add the vegetables mix and cook for two mins. Add the cooking wine and spring onions and fry for a minute. Add dark soya sauce, soya bean paste, XO sauce and the black fungus. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes.

MASALEDAR FRIED TIGER PRAWNS

Ingredients;

9 Tiger Prawns, head and shell intact.

MASALA:

1/2 tsp each of Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Pepper Powder, Fenugreek Powder, Salt.

3 spoons chopped curry leaves

2 spoons chopped coriander leaves

3 tablespoon of lemon juice or tamarind water or vinegar

grind the above in little water to make a thick paste

Method:

Clean the Prawns with kitchen scissors. Cut in the middle from the middle of the head to near the tail, to form a pocket. Clean the head and devein the prawns. Wash and pat dry.

Fill the prawns with the masala and keep aside to marinate for 20 minutes. Heat a pan and add little oil (coconut or any other cooking oil). Fry the prawns by placing the masala side touching the pan first. Fry for 5 minutes and fry the other side.

Serve with onion rounds and lemon wedges.

VEG OR EGG OR CHICKEN FRIED RICE

Ingredients

1 Capsicum

1 Carrot

8 Round Beans

Small piece Cabbage

3 table spoon frozen peas

1.5 cup cooked rice basmati rice, slightly firm, do not cook fully.

Method

Cut the vegetables (capsicum, carrot, cabbage, beans) into small cubes.

Heat a wok, add one spoons oil and fry two beaten eggs. Scramble the eggs and remove them. Add two spoons oil. Add 6 chopped Garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Add all the cut vegetables and peas and fry in the wok. Add 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of pepper powder and fry for 3 minutes .

Add the cooked rice and mix and fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 tsp soy sauce and mix. Add fried egg and chicken (boiled and cut into small cubes). Add 1 spoon vinegar, chopped spring onion and mix and remove from flame.

CHICKEN MANCHURIAN

Ingredients

200 gms of minced chicken (chicken breast or thighs)

1/4 tsp of chilli powder

1/4 tsp of pepper powder

1 tblsp Soy Sauce

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 Egg white

2 tblsp of cornflour

Mix well the above and keep in refrigerator for 45 minutes. Add 1.5 tblsp of rice flour and mix.

Heat a deep pan with oil for deep frying. When hot fry the chicken pieces on medium heat. When the bubbles reduce remove them onto paper towels.

Keep a pan on stove, add 2 tblsp oil. When hot add 2 tsp of ginger garlic paste. 1 chopped onion or white of spring onion. Fry for 3 minutes. Add 1 capsicum cuts into cubes.

Manchurian Sauce:

2 tblsp of Soy Sauce

2 Tblsp of Tomato Sauce

3 tblsp of Chilli Sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp of salt

Make into a paste.

Make of paste of 2 tsp of cornflour and water.

Add the two sauces to pan and mix well. Allow to cook for 2 minutes.

Make a stock of chicken from two cubes of Chicken Stock and water (1 cup). Add to mixture and allow to bubble. Add 1 tsp of vinegar and when it starts thickening add the chicken balls and mix. Sprinkle Chopped spring onions.

If you put in more chicken stock you will have a gravy preparation, less stock will make it dry

SALT AND PEPPER SQUID OR CALAMARI

Ingredients

3 Squid Tubes, cleaned and washed

Seasoning:

1/3 cup Cornflour

1/3 Standard Flour or Maida

1/3 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp white pepper powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp Amchor Powder

1 tsp garam masal powder

1/2 tsp salt

mix well and keep aside

Beat a white of egg.

Method:

Cut the tube into rings. Dip the rings in the white of egg, then dip in seasoning and keep on a plate.

Heat oil in deep pan and when hot, drop the seasoned calamari rings and fry for 3 minutes. Remove onto paper towels. Fry the Calamari rings in batches and remove.

Have with Tartar Sauce and lemon Wedges. Sprinkle lemon juice on the Calamari Salt and Pepper Rings