Chai

 Water           2 cup
Whole Milk   1 cup
Tea bag         2
Sugar             1 tsp or as needed
3 Cardamom or 1/4 tsp ginger or  pinch of cinnamon as per your choice.

Combine water and milk together and boil Be sure to stir  milk, to avoid Boiling over.  Turn the heat down add 2 tea bags  and cardamom. Boil for another minute  under medium heat. Remove the tea bags and cardamom. Take another container with spout. Pour the chai to each other 4-5 times. The higher you pour the better it is. This procedure take some practice. Chi in the picture is made with 2% milk.

Steel headTrout

Yesterday Saju and Rajuchayan went to fishing with the fishing Guru Peter and caught one steelhead trout. from Oak orchard river Buffalo. NY. Today I made fish curry with help of Saju. Now, it took time since I am not an expert in cutting fresh fish. I used the fish

Here is the recipe for Kerala style Steelhead Trout.

Trout 1/2 of what you see in the picture

Coconut oil 3 tbsp.
Mustard seed 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seed 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves 4
Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
Heat the oil in a pan splutter mustard and fenugreek add curry leaves. add Ginger garlic paste and fry well

Garcinia (kudampuli) 5 pieces
Soak it in some water

Kashmiri chili powder 2 tbsp
Chilli powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Make a paste of all these ingredients. add to the above, turn the heat down and fry until the oil comes out clear. add Garcinia (kudampulli) and 1.1/ 2 cups of water and boil for about 15 minutes. Add fish pieces. once it stars boiling add salt and cook for another 15 minutes

Stir friedYoung Jack fruit

Last week at the indian store I saw a young jack fruit. I knew it was lot of work cuting it but since I have'nt had this in over 20 years I decided to buy it. Of course it was bit hard to cut in half. once the chopping part was over It took no time to cook and was soo good.
 I remember having a jack fruit tree back home the fruits were ripe and birds will eat half of it. No body wanted it.  I did'nt know the value of  or how tasty it  was at the time untill I spent $10 last week.

Green young Jack fruit               1
Mustard seeds                           1/2 tsp
Onion                                         1 medium
Curry leaves                                3
Green chili  sliced                        2
Red chili flakes                             1/2 tsp
Coconut oil                                  2 tbsp
Grated coconut                           3/4 cup

Wash and skin, the top skin off  of the jack fruit. cut the fruit in to half. You need a sharp knife to do this. Now chop the fruit as small as you can. if the seeds are tough be sure to peel them before chopping. The Hard part is over.
Heat the oil in a large wok Splutter mustard seeds,add 1 tbsp chopped onion curry leaves and green chili , red chili flakes fry until onion turns translucent.  add the chopped jack fruit grated coconut onion and turmeric mix well.
Add enough water cover with a lid and cook well for about 10- 15 minutes under medium heat stirring in between.

Plantain peel Thoran

Buy 6 green bananas from the store peel them . slice the bananas thin and deep fry them. Now you made banana chips. What do you do with the peel!!!!

Banana peel 6
Grated coconut 1/2 cup or more
Onion 1 small
Garlic 1 chopped
Curry leaves 2
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Green chilli 1--2 depending on how hot
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil 3 tbsp

Wash the and soak the banana peel in warm water for about 15 minutes to clean them well.Discard both end of the peel. chopem them as small as you can and set it aside.
Heat the oil in a pan splutter mustard seeds. add chopped onions curry leaves and chopped green chili. fry them until onions become translucent.
Add the chopped banana peel, garlic, coconut and turmeric and a 3/4 cup of water. mix all ingredients, cover and cook under medium heat until it is nice and soft and water is evaporated. Remove from the heat stir well cover and cook for another 2 minutes.

Meatballs Indian styl

1.Ground beef 2.5lb
Salt for taste
2.Fennel seed 1/4 tsp
3.Cloves 7
4.Black pepper 1tsp
5.Garlic 3 cloves
6.Cardamom 2
7.Chili pepper 1/2 tsp ( as needed)
8.Tomato puree 3 tomato

Grind 2- 7 ingredients together. Mix the spice mix and salt well with ground beef. Make a lemon size balls and fry them under medium heat. I use a non stick pan for this. You do not need to add extra oil for frying. The oil from the meat will be enough. Fry the meatballs for about 10 minutes turning as needed. Add tomato puree and fry until all the water is evaporated.
Have it with your favourite pasta.

In the picture I used spaghetti with store bought alfredo sauce

Fried Rice

 Long grain rice                     2 cup
Water                                                  3 cup
Oil                                                       1 tsp
Green bean thin sliced                          1/4 cup
Carrot Julienne cut                                1/4 cup
Corn  kernels                                        1/4 cup
Cabbage  shredded                               1/4 cup
Chicken shredded                                 1 cup
Turmeric                                                1/8 tsp
Eggs scrambled                                     2
Sesame oil                                            3 tbsp
Soy sauce                                             4 tablespoon

Wash and drain the rice and set it aside. Boil water with salt and 1 tsp oil. while the water is boiling cook the shredded chicken with salt and turmeric. Add rice to the water. let it boil for about 2  minutes. Then cover and cook under low heat. Transfer it to a long pan and let it cool. keep it in the fridge for at least 2 hrs. Even better if you make the rice the day before. Heat a large bottom heavy wok. Add oil and stir fry all the vegetables and chicken. Add the eggs and scramble well add the cold rice and soy sauce to the vegetable   fry for another 10  minutes under medium heat.

If you like the vegetarian option in place of chicken use Soy chunks.
Soak the soy chunks in hot salty water. the squeeze them well

Chicken curry with toasted coconut.

Chicken Drum sticks                    10
Onion finely chopped                    1 large
cloves                                          1/4 tsp
Fennel seed                                  1/4 tsp
Dried grated coconut                     3 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste                          2 tsp
Tomato                                           2 large
Coriander powder                           2 tbsp
Sugar                                              1 tsp
 oil                                                   3 tbsp
Salt                                                  As needed

Heat the oil add sugar and caramelize.  Add chopped onion and fry until truculent.
Add cloves  and fennel seeds fry for about a minute. Add the grated coconut and fry until golden brown. Be sure not to burn them. Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the oil comes out clear. Add chopped tomato and Coriander powder  saute until oil comes out clear. add 3 cups of water let boil. when the paste stars boiling add the chicken pieces and  salt. Cook  under medium heat to your desired consistency.