Browned Butter Cardamom Cookies

By the end of November, I begin nudging my parents to buy a freshly harvested evergreen from the local hardware store. That may seem awfully early, but I know it will take several weeks for them to act. In the meantime, I drag a 50 pound box out of storage and construct a fake spruce in my living room, branch by lettered branch.



Ever since I left for college a tree has become optional in our family Christmas celebration. When I spent a year in Japan in my early 20s, my parents decided not to bother with one at all. Miles away, I celebrated Christ's birth with a tiny artificial tree that I found while wandering around Kamakura. When I returned to the states, I bequeathed the tree to the American teacher that replaced me.



I can do without a single present at Christmas, but somehow the idea of not decorating a tree makes me despair. I love the ritual of clearing a space for one in my parent's kitchen and the debate that follows about whether it's standing upright or not. I also love passing homemade cookies around the table while the tree's lights flicker softly in the background.


BROWN BUTTER CARDAMOM COOKIES

Years ago, a kitchen savvy neighbor told my mom that some of the best recipes are the ones that food companies use to promote their products. So when I found Land O' Lakes recipe for Brown Buttered Cardamom Cookies I rushed to try it. I love the rich caramel-like aroma of browned butter so preparing the cookies was almost as enjoyable as eating them.

Sweet Melange For A Merry Christmas - Nendiram Pazha Halwa - Banana Halwa

SWEET MELANGE FOR A MERRY CHRISTMAS

NENDIRAM PAZHA HALWA / BANANA HALWA

We presented our " Vegetarian Menu Recommendations For A Tasty Christmas" last year. This year we are ready to welcome Christmas with a "Sweet Melange". Fruits, vegetables, flour, milk, nuts, sugar and jaggery combine with many other ingredients and are all set to metamorphise into delicious sweets of varying shapes,colours , textures and tastes in this Sweet Melange For A Merry Christmas.

Nendiram Vazhai Pazham is a special variety of banana which abounds in the south west coast of  India. This variety of banana  is the best choice for preparing a delicious banana halwa due to its golden colour and unique taste.

INGREDIENTS

Nendiram Vazhai Pazham - 2 ( roughly 4 1/2 cups when sliced)

Sugar - 2 cups

Ghee - 4 tbsps

Cardamom powder - 1pinch

Mixed nuts - a few

METHOD

1. Heat 2 tsps of ghee and roast the nuts and keep aside.

2. Peel and dice the banana into thin slices.

3. Heat 2 tbsps of ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add the banana slices.

4. Stir well and cover with a lid.

5. Cook on low flame stirring now and then till the banana slices become mushy.

6. Add sugar and cook till the sugar melts and blends well with the fruit mash.

7. Keep stirring on low flame till the halwa starts leaving the sides of the pan.

8. Blend in the remaining ghee, roasted nuts and the cardamom powder and switch off flame.

Enjoy the Nendiram Pazha Halwa in scoops while still warm. 

 Or spread the golden coloured halwa on a greased plate, and cut them into desired shapes when cold. Either way Nendiram Pazha Halwa tastes heavenly.

Cardamom Honey Grilled Chicken Skewers

I wanted to post few recipes to my own event on Spices in which I chose Cardamom as this months spice. I lov the cardamom flavor, but as it's my own event, I wanted to make something different and special, which is easy to make. Whenever we think of cardamom, it's always some sweet recipe that comes to our mind. But I wanted to think out of the box and make this recipe a unique one with not much complication. :)

Ingredients:
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6 Chicken Strips
1 tsp Cardamom powder
2 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Pepper powder
1 tsp Lemon juice
Salt as needed
1/2 tsp Olive Oil for brushing

Method:
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1. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except oil along with the chicken, marinate it for about 30 mins.
2. Now in a grill pan, when it's hot, brush with oil.

3. Place the chicken strips into skewers and arrange it over the grill.
4. Make sure that you don't over crowd the grill pan and leave 1inch gap between.
5. Cook each skewer for about 3-4 mins on each side and flip to the other side and cook again for the same amount of time.

6. Meanwhile in a pan add the remaining marinade and heat it for one boil and reduce it to simmer for about 5 mins.

7. Once the chicken is done. Transfer it to a serving platter and pour the warm marinade sauce and serve it hot. You can garnish with little bit of lemon and parsley/cilantro.

Sending this to my Series Event SPICES - "CARDAMOM" - Dec 5th to Jan 5th.

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