Mexican Wedding Cakes (Snow Balls)

 

 

 

 

Ingredients (Makes 24 )

1. Butter - 1/2 cup, softened
2. Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
3. Powdered sugar - 1/4 cup
4. All purpose flour - 1 cup
5. Walnut - 1/2 cup, finely chopped ( I crushed them in a mixer. You can use other nuts such as pecans, almonds,  cashews etc)
6. Salt - 1 pinch
7. Powdered sugar - 1/4 - 1/2 cup, to roll the cookies

 

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 F and place rack in the center of the oven.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add in the all purpose flour and 1 pinch salt. Mix well with a spatula and stir in the crushed / finely chopped nuts. Mix everything well with your hands/spatula to form a dough. Shape into 1 inch balls and place 1 - 2 inches apart in an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 14 - 15 minutes until the bottom of the cookies turn slightly brown. Remove and place on a wire rack for a few minutes. While still warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Cool down and roll in the remaining powdered sugar (optional) before serving. They can be stored in airtight containers for up to 1 week.

 

 

 

• Notes
• -  They are known by different names such as Russian Tea Cakes, Snow Balls, Snow Drops, Sugar Balls, Butter Balls etc.
• -  If the cookies aren't keeping shape, cover and keep the dough in the fridge for about 30 mts - 1 hr or until firm.
• -  If the dough is crumbly add 1 - 2 tsp milk and mix well.

 

 

Adapted from here and here

Nadan Beef Ularthiyathu / Beef Fry

 

 

 

Ingredients (Serves 2 - 3)

1. Beef - 400 gm, cubed

   Ginger - 2 tsp, chopped

   Garlic - 2 tsp, chopped

   Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

   Ground masala powder - 2 tsp (Recipe below)

   Salt - To taste

2. Onion - 1 medium, sliced

   Coconut tidbits - 1/4 - 1/2 cup

   Ginger - 2 tsp, finely chopped

   Garlic - 2 tsp, finely chopped

   Green chilies - 2, slit

   Curry leaves - 3 sprigs

   Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

   Masala powder - 3 - 4 tsp (Recipe below)

   Coconut oil - 1.5 tbsp

   Salt - To taste

To roast and grind (Masala Powder Recipe - Adapted from Live to Eat)

3. Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

    Dry red chilies - 6 - 7

    Whole pepper corns - 3/4 tsp

    Fennel seeds - 1.5 - 2 tsp

    Cloves - 3

    Cardamom - 2

    Cinnamon - 1/2 inch

    Star anise - 1 small

Heat a small pan at medium heat. Add the dry red chilies and stir for 2 minutes. Add coriander seeds and stir for 1 - 2 minutes. Switch off the fire and add the remaining ingredients. Stir for a few seconds and leave aside to cool. Grind to a powder in a coffee grinder. This yields about 2 tbsp masala powder.

Method

1. Marinate the beef with ingredients numbered 1 for about 15 - 30 minutes. Pressure cook for 3 whistles adding 1/4 cup water. Switch off and set aside for the pressure to release.

2. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan at medium heat. Add the coconut tidbits and fry until golden. Add ginger, garlic, green chilies, sliced onion, curry leaves and little salt. Saute until onion turns light golden. Add the turmeric powder and remaining masala powder. Saute for a few seconds and add the cooked beef along with the gravy. Saute until dry at medium-low heat, about 5 - 6 minutes. Add pepper powder, masala powder, if required. Switch off. If you want a deep browned ularthu, drizzle a little oil and stir-fry for another 5 - 10 minutes, at low heat. Serve with porotta, appam, rice, chapatis etc.

Tips

You can replace coriander seeds and dry red chilies with coriander powder and chilly powder. Add them along with the turmeric powder and masala powder in step 2.

 

 

 

Brigadeiros - Our 300th Post :)

 

   This is indeed a very special post..this is our 300th !!!!!!! We just can't believe that we have made it till here....It's going to be 2 Years..yes in Jan 2012, our blog will be celebrating its 2nd birthday! How time flies, right! We were simply Maya and Lakshmi, who came to US with our husbands, not knowing what to do while our husbands went to work..Then we got enchanted to the magical world of food blogging and we both mutually shared the want to be a part of it! And here we are, our lives totally changed! Thank you God, our family, friends and bloggers for your endless support and encouragement. We are especially thankful to all the readers who actually tried our recipes and gave feedback on the website. It is really encouraging to know that somebody is actually trying out the dishes that we post here. It kept us going all these months. We hope to have your support throughout so that we will be inspired to continue. Your valued suggestions and comments are always welcome and we wish to just go on and on....

   To celebrate this occasion, we wish to post the recipe for the soft, rich and chewy Brigadeiros, a popular Brazilian dessert. We came across this recipe for the first time at Jennifurla's "Indigo's Sugar Spectrum". Its very easy to make and the base recipe calls for only 3 ingredients..Condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter are heated together, preferably in a non-stick pan to obtain a smooth texture which is then made into small balls and then rolled in either powdered sugar, chocolate shavings, fresh or dessicated coconut, sprinkles or whatever suits your fancy. Hope you will like this recipe..

 

 

Ingredients (Makes around 15 - 20)

Sweetened condensed milk - 1 can (14 oz)

Butter - 2 tbsp

Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp

Method

Combine all the three ingredients in a medium-heavy pan. Stir continuously at medium-low heat until the mixture comes together and you can see the bottom of the pan when you scrape it with a spoon, around 10 - 15 minutes. Stir for 2 more minutes. To test whether done, take a small portion of the mixture, cool it down a bit and try to roll it. Switch off and transfer the mixture into a plate. Cool completely. Grease your palms and shape the mixture into small balls. Roll them in chocolate sprinkles / coconut / cocoa powder / sugar etc. You can serve them in mini cupcake liners. It can be stored in the refrigerator for at least 1 week. Enjoy!

Prawn - Spring Onion Fry

 

Ingredients

1. King prawns - 12 (Clean and wash them. Do not remove their tails)
   Corn flour / starch - 2 tbsp
   Chilly powder - 1 - 1.5 tsp (Adjust it according to your spice tolerance)
   Salt - To taste
2. Spring onion - 1/2 - 3/4 cup, chopped
   Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

   Salt - 1 pinch

Method

1. Mix the corn flour, chilly powder and salt with a little water (around 1/4 cup or so) to make a thick batter. Taste-check for salt. Dip the prawns in this mixture and shallow/ deep fry in oil. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes on each side. Drain on to a paper towel.
2. In another pan, heat 1/4 - 1/2 tsp oil (use the left-over oil from step 1). Add the spring onions, a pinch of salt and pepper powder. Saute for 2 - 4 seconds or until the spring onion just wilts. Add in the fried prawns. Mix everything well and serve immediately.

Tips

Do not skip adding spring onions, it gives a very nice flavor to this preparation.

 

Recipe Courtesy - Sunitha Murali

Chooda / Podimeen / Anchovy Fry

Ingredients

1. Chooda / anchovy -  250 gm
2. Onion - 2 small, thinly sliced
3. Garlic - 1 tbsp, thinly sliced
4. Ginger - 1 tbsp, thinly sliced
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Chilly powder - 2.5  tbsp
7. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
8. Salt - To taste
9. Curry leaves - 2 - 3 sprigs
10. Coconut oil -  To shallow/deep fry

Method

Combine all the ingredients except coconut oil. Set aside for 15 minutes. Deep/shallow fry. Serve immediately.

 

Ulli Puli / Pearl Onions in a Spicy Tamarind Sauce

 

 

Ingredients (Serves 3)

1. Pearl onions / kochulli - Around 40

2. Coconut cuts / thenga kothu - 2 tbsp

3. Tamarind - Small lime-sized or to taste (Soak the tamarind in 1/4 - 1/2 cup warm water and extract its juice.)

4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp 

5. Chilly powder - 2 - 2.5 tbsp

6. Fenugreek powder-  2 pinches

7. Salt - To taste

8. Coconut oil - 2 - 3 tsp

For seasoning

1. Coconut oil - 1 tsp

2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 - 1/2 tsp

3. Curry leaves - A few

 

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and saute the coconut cuts and sliced pearl onions adding little salt.

Saute until pearl onions turn light brown.

2. Bring down the heat. Add the turmeric, chilly and fenugreek  powder. Saute until the raw smell is gone.

3. Add the tamarind juice and bring to a boil. If the gravy is very thick, add little water. Check for salt. Switch off when it reaches a medium-thick consistency.

4. Heat oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry curry leaves. Pour over the curry. Enjoy with rice, curd and a thoran/mezhukkupuratti.

 

French Yoghurt Cupcakes

Ingredients (Makes 6 large cupcakes)

Recipe Courtesy - Nisha of Look Who’s Cooking Too

1. Granulated sugar- 1/2 cup

    Eggs  - 2, small

    Vanilla extract- 1/4 tsp

    Plain yoghurt - 1/4 cup

2. All purpose flour- 1/2 cup

    Baking powder- 1 tsp

    Salt -  A pinch

3. Flavorless oil- 1/4 cup

Method

1. Whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and yoghurt in a mixing bowl until well combined and a pale yellow, approximately 3 - 4 minutes.

2.  Add the all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well to combine.

3. Add the oil and fold in lightly, you don't have to whisk vigorously.

4. Line a 6 muffin / cupcake pan and pour the batter until 3/4th full.

5. Place in a pre-heated oven 350 F (175C) and bake for 20 - 22 minutes. Take them out and leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.

 

Beef Pepper Roast

 

 

 

Ingredients

1.  Beef - 500 g,  cleaned and cubed

To Marinate

2. Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp

    Pepper powder -  2 tsp

    Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

    Garam masala powder - 1.5 tsp

    Lime juice - 1/2 tsp

    Salt  - 1/2 tsp

For the Masala

3. Coconut oil -  2 - 3 tbsp

     Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

      Coconut cuts / thenga kothu - 1/4 - 1/2 cup

     Pearl onion - 1/4  cup, thinly sliced

     Onion - 1 large, chopped

     Ginger - 1 tsp, finely chopped

     Garlic -  1 tsp, finely chopped

     Green chilies - 4, slit

     Tomato - 1 small, cubed

     Curry leaves - A handful

4.  Coriander powder - 2.5 tsp

     Chilly powder - 1.5 tsp

     Pepper powder - 2 tsp

     Garam masala powder - 1.5 tsp

Method

1. Marinate the cleaned beef cubes with the ingredients under “To marinate” for at least 1/2 hr. Pressure cook the marinated beef adding 1/4 cup water for 3 - 4 whistles or until soft, at medium heat.

2. Mean while heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry the coconut cuts until light brown. Saute pearl onions, onions, ginger, garlic green chilies, salt and curry leaves. When onion starts turning golden, add tomato. Fry until soft.

3. Add the masala powders numbered 4 and saute until their raw smell is completely gone. Add cooked beef along with any gravy and mix well. Check for salt. Stir well until dry, adding oil if necessary. Serve with porotta / chapathis / naan/ rice.