Snow Skin Mooncake

My first attempt on making mooncake. Everyone recommend to me to start with snow skin as it's quite simple to make. So, just give it a try.

I cooked the lotus paste, it's hard work but at the end it's nice to know that all made by myself although it's not as tasty as the one I bought and the appearance could tell it's definately a homemade one.

I like to play with the mould more than eating the mooncake. It's fun wrapping the lotus paste with the snow skin and stuff it into the mold and pushing it out. Playing the mooncake mold is really FUN! It's a good try. I'll not share the recipe here as I feel that this batch of mooncake still not the good one. I'll try again next year or may be I shall try out the bake version next year :)

Masa Corn Tortillas &Tomatillo Salsa aka Mexican Corn Rotti and Chutney!

MASA CORN TORTILLAS & TOMATILLO SALSA

(Mexican Corn Rotti & Spicy Chutney??)

The native Indians followed a unique method to raise their staple food crops. Corn, Fava Beans and Pumpkin which they referred to as “The Three Sisters” were planted and raised together in the fields. The corn plants provided support to the fava bean plants, while they in turn fixed the nitrogen in the soil. The pumpkin crept beneath these plants and kept away the weeds. This method of agriculture is followed by the farmers even to this day.

My son and daughter-in-law are ardent gardeners and the “Three Sisters” have occupied a prominent place in their home garden. The tender and fresh corn cobs, the fava beans with a green oily glaze and the bright yellow blooms of the pumpkin are a feast to the eyes.

The other day my son plucked the tender fresh corn from the garden and he requested me to prepare corn tortillas for dinner. I implicitly followed his directions and ended up with a delicious and sumptuous meal for dinner.

MASA CORN TORTILLAS
INGREDIENTS:

Instant Corn Masa Flour - 2 cups
Salt – ½ tsp
Warm water – as required.
Fresh corn – ½ cup
Frozen corn – 2 tbsps
Minced green chillies – 1 tbsp
METHOD:
1. Mix the corn masa, minced chillies and salt in a bowl.
2. Add the fresh corn and the frozen corn to the flour.
3. Add warm water little by little and knead the flour into a soft dough.
4. Grease a griddle and heat it.
5. Take a ball of dough and pat it into a thin and even tortilla on the griddle.
6. Wet your fingers now and then and evenly spread the dough into a round shape.
7. Dribble oil around and cover and cook tortilla for a few minutes.
8. Remove lid and flip it to the other side and cook for a few more minutes.. A spicy tomatillo salsa prepared by my son was an ideal combination.

TOMATILLO SALSA
Tomatillos are sour fruits which belong to the tomato family. They are green or purple in colour after removing the dry bracts which enclose them. This can be added to the salads but we liked them in the spicy salsa.
INGREDIENTS:
Tomatillos – 6
Onion – 1
Garlic – 4 cloves
Tomato – 1

Green chillies - 2 (optional)
Jalapeno- 3
Salt – 1 tsp

lime juice - 2 tsp

fresh herbs of your choice - (optional) a few

Olive Oil – 1 tbsp

Black pepper powder - to taste
METHOD:
1. Wash and chop all vegetables into big chunks.
2. Heat a griddle and add the vegetables to the hot griddle and stir well.

3. Lower the flame and cook the vegetables covered, removing the lid to stir now and then.
4. The vegetables will release a pleasant aroma when done.
5. Cool the dry roasted vegetables and blend them coarsely with salt, herbs and lime juice.
6. Add olive oil and blend again.
7. You can garnish the salsa with a pinch of pepper powder for flavour.
Enjoy your Tomatillo salsa with any dish of your choice.

Jantikalu or Muruku - ICC - September Challenge

This is the first time i m into Indian Cooking Challenge. This month recipe Muruku is my Kuttu's Favourite.
That's why eventhough i entered late, i jus decided i m doing it.

I normally do murukku using readymade rice flour and Besan flour. This is the first time i m using urad dal, My God! the aroma of muruku filled the whole house.

SriValli rightly said, making rice flour @ home definitely has a kick!!

Ingredients
Raw Rice - 4 cups
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 - 3/4 cup

For Seasoning
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds- 1 tsp
Asafetida/ Hing - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 3 - 4 tbsp

Method
Wash and drain the rice. Shade dry the Rice for 1/2 hr. Dry roast the Urad dal to light brown. Allow it to cool. Grind rice  and urad dal seperately into a fine powder.

In a wide vessel, take both the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well.Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and knead into a soft dough

 Heat a kadai with oil enough to deep fry. Once the oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame. Fill the Muruku maker with the dough. You can either press it directly over the flames or press over a paper and gently slide it down the hot oil. I tried both. i felt pressing it over the paper, gives it a good shape.

Keep the flame low, using a slotted spoon, turn it over to other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in a air tight container.