Mexican Sweet Corn Salad

Among the vegetables, I usually buy whenever I see them in market is corn (sweet corn). Though frozen corns are available in the supermarket all time, I prefer fresh corns over frozen corn.

I got a pack of fresh sweet corn kernels from the vegetable shop last week. Though there are ‘n’ number of recipes one can prepare using it, I simply go with the preparation of butter corn with chat masala or masala corn with spicy red chilli powder. This time, I wanted to prepare Esquites style corn salad but ended up in preparing this simple, easy Mexican corn salad in a short time. To my delight this dish was consumed immediately by my family members who liked the taste it and loved the aroma of oregano.

Basic Information:
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes
Serves: 2 Persons

Ingredients:

Fresh Sweet corn kernels - 1 cup
Red onion - 1 small no / 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
Tomato - 1 small no / 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
Green Capsicum / Green bell pepper - 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
Salt - to taste
Black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Lemon juice - 1/2 teaspoon
Dried oregano - 1/2 teaspoon

Ingredients:


1) Wash the fresh sweet corn kernels and steam it for 5-7 minutes. You can also place the sweet corns in a microwave safe bowl with water to cover the sweet corns and microwave it for 7-10 minutes until it becomes soft and well cooked. The time might vary depending on the type & power output of microwave. Once cooked, transfer the sweet corns to the small mixing bowl.

2) Finally chop onion and green capsicum. Remove the seeds from the tomato and chop it finely.
3) Add all the chopped ingredients to the sweet corns.

4) Add lemon juice, oregano, pepper powder and salt. Mix well.
5) Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve it warm.

Notes:
1) You can also add red bell pepper and red chilli powder to this salad.
2) You can also use frozen sweet corns for making this salad.

Candied Orange Peel

I once saw this recipe in another blog, from that day I wanted to make this, but never bought any oranges. This week when I went to the fresh market I saw these beautiful and very bright oranges which attracted my eyes so much that I picked few and decided to make the orange peel. Now I am happy that I waited this long, maybe my heart was waiting for the best color of oranges :) or maybe I was just delaying thinking that it might be too hard a process. :) But I felt it was worth spending some time to get the best results.

Note: I would recommend to taste it and see it you need more or less, according to your taste

Method:
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1. Peel the orange skin with a sharp knife, drawing vertical lines, so that from each orange you get 5 peels.
2. Now in a medium sauce pan, add enough water along with the orange peels, bring it a boil and then in medium heat boil it more for 20 mins.

3. Remove the peels to a plate and allow it to sit for 2 mins.
4. Now with a sharp knife, slice the peel into two lengthwise.

5. Slice off the white part of the inner peel and save the orange part of the peel.
6. Now squeeze or in a juicer, get the juice of all the oranges and place it in a heavy bottom wide pan.

7. Add enough sugar mix it well and bring it to a boil, now add the saved peel, keep stirring now and then.
8. Cook it until the orange sugar syrup coats the peels and it's almost absorbed. Off the flame and allow it to cool a bit.
9. Now remove these peels separating each one on to a wire rack.
10. In a wide bowl, add crystal sugar, take each peel with a fork and coat each peel by shaking the bowl a bit, so that all the peel is coated with the sugar.

11. Place it again on a wire rack and let it cool and get stiff.
12. These peel can be used in any kind of baking or just eaten by itself.

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Kaalu Mor Kuzhambu - Field Beans In A Spicy Curd Base

KAALU MORKUZHAMBU

 Morkuzhambu is served with rice along with Sambhar on all joyous occasions like weddings and other festivities. Kaalu Morkuzhambu is not only a delicacy but it also adds beauty to a banana leaf meal where  an array of other colourful dishes are served.

 INGREDIENTS 

Field beans / Kaalu - 1 cup 

Thick curds - 2 cups 

Salt - 1 tsp 

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp 

Bengal gram flour/Besan - 2 tbsps 

Rice flour - 2 tbsps 

Fresh coconut gratings - 2 tbsps 

Green chillies - 4 

Coriander seeds - 2 tsps 

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 

Sesame oil - 1 tsp 

Mustad seeds - 1/4 tsp 

Fenugreek seeds - 1 pinch 

Red chillies - 2 

Asafoetida - 1 pinch 

Curry leaves - a few 

Chopped Coriander leaves - for garnishing 

 METHOD 

1. Cook Kaalu till tender and keep aside. 

2. Grind coconut gratings with coriander seeds, cumin seeds and green chillies into a smooth paste. 

3. Add besan, rice flour, turmeric powder, salt and the ground paste to the curd and blend well. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water if the blend is too thick. 

4. Add the cooked Kaalu to the curd mixture. 

5. Heat oil in a seasoning ladle and add mustard seeds. 

6. When it splutters add the fenugreek seeds followed by broken red chillies. 

7. When the chillies turn crisp add asafoetida and curry leaves. 

8. Add the seasoning to the Mor Kuzhambu. 

9. Now cook the Kaalu Mor Kuzhambu on medium flame stirring now and then. 

10. Switch off flame when the Kaalu Mor Kuzhambu is just about to boil and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Enjoy the delicious Kaalu Mor Kuzhambu with steaming hot rice topped with a spoon of fresh ghee.