Homemade Pappardelle

I've been so slow for updating my blog recently and there is nothing else can help to cure my laziness. This pasta dish suppose to post on the last two weeks but I just couldn't help myself to move on uploading the pictures and click on the "new post". I still remember it's the time that Honey Bee Sweet also making homemade pasta and her spinach version is the real good one! My pasta machine had been on the sleep mode for about 3 years which I give the excuse of couldn't find any Tipo'00 flour in Singapore which I think is not true as I guess there must be somewhere selling it. It's just that I still haven't discover any places got this special flour for pasta. I insist to get this special flour otherwise I will not make it as I found it could produce a better texture. 

Last month, my friend bought me a pack of Tipo'00 flour from Europe and I really appreciate it and quickly took out my pasta machine to start on this Pappardelle. I've used to Jamie Oliver recipe so I try to recall to my previous attempt and hope it will success. The reason I choose to make Pappardelle because it's slightly expensive than normal dry pasta like angel hair, spaghetti, fettuccine. or linguine and the most important is, it's always my first choice in the pasta family just because I like the texture. But my pasta machine couldn't roll out to the width of Pappardelle. So what I can do is just fold it up and cut it with a knife. I'm quite happy with the result although it's slightly rustic but I really miss the real taste of fresh homemade pasta. 

I didn't make any fancy sauce to go with it but cook with the most simple and basic Italian cooking style like fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil right before serving. I like it very much and so much satisfaction on this fresh Pappardelle. It's real fun playing with the pasta machine again!

Sorry that I'm too lazy to post up the recipe but it can be easily get from Jamie Oliver's website as I followed exactly the same recipe of the fresh pasta and the classic tomato pasta. Cheers!

Fish Curry Made Easy (SHOJ)

Today I didn’t want to cook, so asked Shoj to cook for me. He made this delicious fish curry with catfish fillets. Actually, he cooks fast and with less ingredients which makes me feel “was it so easy?”. I feel happy and proud when he says me to give his recipe a last final touch (either to taste or add something that might miss….), but he is perfect.

Ingredients:

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2 Catfish fillet, washed and cut into square pieces

1 medium sized Onion chopped

2 Tomatoes cut to cubes

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 sprig Curry leaves

3 Green chilies

½ Turmeric powder

1 tsp Chili powder

½ tsp Cumin powder

½ Coriander powder

¼ tsp Fenugreek powder

Salt to taste

3 Kokum (Kerala Puli)

¼ tsp Mustard Seeds

1 tbsp Oil

Method:

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1. Wash the Kokum and soak in water.
2. In a heavy bottom pan add oil, when the oil is hot add mustard seeds.
3. As the mustard seeds start to sputter add ginger-garlic paste fry it for a min.
4. Reduce the flame to low now add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and salt and stir until the raw smell of the masala is gone.
5. Now add the onions and fry until golden brown.

6. Add the kokum and water, tomatoes, curry leaves, green chilies and fish and cook for about 20 mins or until the fish is cooked.
7. Serve it hot with steamed rice.
8. Enjoy this easy and delicious fish curry (Any husband/bachelor can make this ;-))

Bitter Gourd/ Kakarkaya Vepudu/Fry

I never used to like this bitter bitter gourd/kakarkaya but I wanted to start eating because Shoj loves it, bet you guys…he eats is raw.

My mom used to tell me a lot about eating this, but I never listened. Now that I am getting bit health conscious I wanted to start eating this veggie.

I tried this recipe so that I can make this fast and easy. I really liked this recipe.

Some useful tips about Bitter Melon:

Bitter melon contains a bitter compound called momordicin that is said to have a stomachic effect.

Bitter melon has been used in various Asian traditional medicine systems for a long time. Like most bitter-tasting foods, bitter melon stimulates digestion. While this can be helpful in people with sluggish digestion, dyspepsia, and constipation, it can sometimes make heartburn and ulcers worse. The fact that bitter melon is also a demulcent and at least mild inflammation modulator, however, means that it rarely does have these negative effects, based on clinical experience and traditional reports.

Ingredients:

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3 medium size Bitter Gourd / Kakarkaya (washed and cut into slices)

3 Green chilies

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tbsp oil (I used Olive oil)

salt

2 tbsp Jaggery

¼ tsp Garlic powder

¼ tsp Ginger powder

Method:

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1. Place a Aluminium foil to a baking sheet, add all the ingredients except the jaggery and mix well and spread it for a thin layer and put it baking sheet under the broiler and cook for about 10 mins turning now and then or until the bitter gourd turns golden brown.
2. Now sprinkle the jaggery on top and broil it again for a min.
3. The bitter gourd fry/kakarkaya vepudu is ready in minutes.