Crab soup

Hah heres something to cure your hangovers. Nothing can beat a spicy crab broth to put ya back in shape.. I reckon it's always worked for me either way I'm always up for spicy food :pp
It's so easy to make and especially if your up for sum fun tackling the crab:))

Ingredients

4 medium local crabs
1 medium onion,
coarsely chopped
1 tbsp thyme leaves chopped
500ml veg stock
250ml water
425g chopped tomatoes
1 tsp garlic crushed
1 tsp ginger grated
1 tbsp coriander root and stem finely chopped
2 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped 3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 red chillies finely chopped
salt and black pepper
to taste

Clean the crabs and cut into serving pieces then season liberally with salt and black pepper, to taste. Add oil to a large pot and use this to fry the crabs until the crabs shell turn red ,put crabs aside .
Use the same pot to fry the onions, thyme, ginger ,curry leaves, cumin powder,garlic until the onions become soft and transparent. At this point add the tomatoes and allow to simmer until the tomatoes have broken down and formed an even sauce.
Add the coriander roots and stem along with the chillies and 250ml hot water. Mix thoroughly and allow to simmer until the sauce has blended well.
Add the veg stock, bring to a boil then add the crab pieces cover and cook for 5 mins.Adjust the seasoning, as necessary , garnish with chopped coriander .. Voila :)))

Curry gato piment

1/2 lb (250 gr) yellow split peas
2-3 green or red chilis (as spicy as you’d like), cleaned, seeded, and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste
vegetable oil for frying

Wash the split peas in running water, then soak in water for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Drain the split peas well in a sieve.
Place the split peas in a food processor and reduce to a fine grain.
Add chili, coriander, onion, cumin, salt, and run the blade until reduced into a fine paste (add a little water if necessary).
Heat oil over a medium heat. Shape the mixture into small round balls about the size of a walnut.
Deep fry in the oil in batches until golden brown. Make sure that the round ball is cooked throughout.
Drain the cooked gateaux piments and place on paper towels to absorb the excessive oil. Serve warm.

And now if you have leftover gato piment you can make a curry with it.
One thing that I've learnt with me na is not wasting food.. So anything that's left is either popped in the fridge or reused.
Ingredients for the gravy
1 small onion, finely sliced
4 curry leaves
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 large tomato, crushed
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon black pepper powder
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder
1/2 tablespoon plain yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped spring onions
1 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste
Water

Add onions, curry and thyme leaves and stir fry for 2 minutes
Add the crushed tomatoes, ginger and garlic paste and stir
Cover and cook for 5 minutes
Add the reserved ground dholl paste, stir, cover and cook on medium heat
Add a little water
When the tomatoes and the dholl are cooked add the gateau piments (chilli cakes)
Add water according to preferred consistency, cover and simmer for a few minutes
Add the yogurt and stir well by taking extra care of not breaking the gateau piment
Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves and spring onions..
Ta da ...

Puit damour

ingredients for pastry cream

3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or Vanilla Crush; or 1/2 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

tips
Pastry cream will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. After that it may start to weep.
If you want the pastry cream to be sliceable, as for a cream pie, don't fold in the whipped cream. The recipe will yield 3 cups of pastry cream in that case.
directions
1) In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together 2 1/2 cups of the milk, the sugar, salt, and the vanilla bean. (If you're using vanilla extract or Vanilla Crush, add it at the end.) Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

2) Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch, flour, and egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup milk.

3) Whisk some of the hot milk mixture with the egg yolks to temper them. This keeps the yolks from turning to scrambled eggs when you add them to the simmering milk.

4) Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the remaining simmering milk. Doing this through a strainer will help prevent lumps later. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture thickens.

5) Remove from the heat and strain through a fine sieve. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract (if you're using it). If you're going to flavor the pastry cream with chocolate or some other flavor, this is the time to do it (see variations below).

6) Rub a piece of butter over the surface of the cream, top with a piece of plastic wrap (make sure it touches the top of the pastry cream so it doesn't develop a skin), then refrigerate until cool.

7) To complete, fold the whipped cream into the cooled pastry cream.



Butterscotch Pastry Cream: Add 1/4 teaspoon butter-rum flavor and/or 1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch chips to the pastry cream after straining, stirring until the chips have melted.

Caramel Pastry Cream: Add 3/4 cup chopped caramel (7 1/2 ounces, or 21 to 23 unwrapped individual caramels) to the hot, strained pastry cream, stirring until melted and the mixture is smooth.

Chocolate Pastry Cream: Add 1 cup (6 ounces) chopped chocolate to the hot, strained pastry cream, stirring until melted and the mixture is smooth.

Hazelnut Pastry Cream: Omit the butter and increase the sugar to 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces). Add 3/4 cup (8 1/4 ounces) praline paste to the hot, strained pastry cream, stirring until combined.

Orange Pastry Cream: Increase the sugar to 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces). Add 1 teaspoon orange extract; 1/4 teaspoon orange oil; or 3 tablespoons orange zest to the hot, strained pastry cream.

Peanut Butter Pastry Cream: Add 3/4 cup (7 1/4 ounces) smooth peanut butter to the hot pastry cream, stirring until melted and the mixture is smooth. If you're using a natural or freshly-made peanut butter, omit the butter from the recipe, or the pastry cream will be greasy.


ingredients for base crust
Tartlet Pastry

Yield: 6 dozen


2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
8 ounces unsalted butter, cold, cut in ¼-inch slices
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place oven rack on lower 1/3 of oven.

2. In a processor, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add cold butter slices and process to consistency of cornmeal.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla. Add egg to flour and process until it forms a ball. Remove dough ball from processor and press together with heels of your hand until smooth and cohesive.

4. Arrange 24 ungreased 2-inch tartlet tins on a baking sheet.

5. Pinch off a small piece of dough and press it into a ½ tablespoon measure, returning excess to the ball of dough. Roll the ½ tablespoon of dough into a ball and and press into tartlet tin. Repeat until all tins are filled.

6. With oven at 350 F, bake tartlets 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool. When cool enough to handle, remove from tins.



Note: Well wrapped dough can be refrigerated for one week; freeze for one month.

Now fill the base crust with the pastry creme add some cherry on top and sprinkle with coconut ..

Bol renversé

It is a really versatile dish, you can add any vegetables you want and you can use any meat of your choice. I used chicken only here, but back home, it is common to use all kinds of mushrooms along with fried cubed tofu or shrimps. You can also use green peppers, cucumber,onions or bamboo shoots. Like I said, you can add as many vegetables or meat as you want. I kept this recipe quite simple and easy to make, but you could do with the vegetables at hand too.

Ingredients:
2 cups hot cooked rice
1 medium chicken breast cut in medium strips
4-5 shiitake mushrooms soaked in warm water and sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut in thin slices
leaves of 3-4 baby bok choy
1 fried egg per serving

Seasonings:
A1 tbsp light soya sauce
1/2 tsp msg (optional)
1 tbsp wine
1/2 tsp cornflour

B1 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp wine

Steps:
Preparing the “filling”:
1. Mix ingredients A with the chicken strips and let marinate for 5-10 minutes.
2. Heat wok over medium heat and add 1 1/2 tbsp oil.
3. Add marinated chicken and stir-fry until well cooked. Remove and keep.
4. In the same wok, add mushrooms and stir fry until cooked. They should shrink a bit in size. Remove and keep.
5. Add 1/2 tbsp oil to the wok and let heat for 1 minute. Add the carrots and cook until tender. They shouldn’t take too long to cook if you cut them thinly.
6. Add baby boy choy leaves, and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the cooked chicken and mushrooms. Mix.
8. Mix all the ingredients from B together and pour over the vegetables/chicken mixture to thicken the sauce. Remove.

Making the Bol Renverse:
1. In a small serving bowl, add one fried egg.
2. Add about 1-2 tbsp of the vegetable-chicken “filling” to it.
3. Add some cooked rice over it.
4. Cover with a flat dish.
5. Place one hand on top of the flat dish and hold the bowl with the other hand. Do a 180 degrees rotation with your hands to quickly invert the bowl onto the dish.
6. Remove the bowl carefully and enjoy your typical Mauritian Bol Renverse (upside down bowl)!

Halwa dhall

My sweet tooth is seriously troubling me lately hmmm that could be from watching the food channel and reading bout the 'art of baking 'the whole day..
Rummaging through the cupboard i found some leftover packet of Chana dhall..:) now that could be considered!

Without losing anymore time and drooling bout something sweet to shove in me mouth I'll get to the cooking bit... Here's the recipe I hope you do try it ..it is my version of the stuff:pp


Chana can be used to make various different namkeens and sweets.

Ingredients for Chana Dal Halwa
Chana Dal - 200 gms. (1 cup)
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 200 gms. (1 cup)
Milk - 1 cup
Cashews - 20 -25 (cut 5-6 cashews into pieces) optional
Almonds - 5 (chopped)
Pistachios - 5 optional
Coconut - 2 inch long piece (cut it into small pieces)
Small Cardamom - 5 (peel and grind it)

Method
How to Make Chana Dal Halwa


Clean the Chana Dal and soak it for 4-5 hours. Take soaked Dal and boil it in a cooker with 1/2 cup water for upto 1 whistle. After whistle ,cook it on a low flame for 2 minutes. Remove from heat

Grind the Dal in a mixer without water.

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan, add cardamon and grounded Dal in it. Stir it continuously with the ladle and roast till it turns brown and gives out the fragrance.


Pour milk and sugar into the roasted Chana Dal ,once the sugar gets completely dissolved into the milk. Add the coconut shavings and half of the nut mix.

Stir the Halwa continuosly and cook it till it starts to leave the corners of the pan. Turn off the heat

Chana Dal Halwa is ready to serve. Take it out in a serving dish and garnish it with grated pistachios.

If you wish to make Burfi from Chana Dal Halwa, then keep on stirring the Halwa until it gets thick in consistency. Take a plate or tray and grease it with some butter or ghee. Pour the Halwa into the tray.Once it gets set cut it into your preferable shape.

You can store the Halwa in an air-tight container and can be consumed for 7 days.

Precautions:
Thoroughly boil the Chana Dal. Make minimum use of water while grinding the Dal.

tarte banane

                                                 Banana Tart

                                           

Hello there :)...I have always had a sweet tooth this is why when i have some spare time i always am  looking for recipes to satisfy my sweet cravings .Travelling and baking are the two things that i like the most :).
When i was a little girl ,i loved the little banana tarts i used to buy at the local bakery they tasted heavenly..since i am away from home,i decided to make them myself .
Here is the recipe

Pastry:

•  300 gm Cake Flour
•  150 gm unsalted butter

Filling:

•  10 ripe bananas
• 100 gm brown sugar 
•  1 egg - beaten to glaze

Procedure:
Mash the bananas ,add a little bit of vanilla essence (optional),then cook in a non stick pan over low heat until brown and mushy.Leave filling aside to cool .
Next start on your pastry dough,in a bowl sift the flour and cut the butter in small cubes so that it is easier to incorporate them in the flour

Rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

                                     


Add enough cold water to make a firm dough.You then wrap it in cling film and leave it to chill for about 30 mins
Roll 2/3 pastry out on a lightly floured work surface and line the tart tin (22cm). Prick the pastry base and lightly glaze with a little of the beaten egg so that when you put the banana filling it does not soak in the pastry and make it soggy.

                                         




Part bake the base in a preheated oven at !80 degrees for 10 to 15 mins.In the meantime,roll the other 1/3 pastry to make strips for decorating on top of the filling
Remove and leave to cool for 10 mins and then pour the cooked banana over the pastry.
Bake for another 25 to 30 min .If you are not sure take a knife and check if its cooked ,if the knife comes out clean the tart is done and if its bit sticky leave it for another 5 min or so.

                                          
Enjoy with a cuppa tea.

sri lankan roti

Flour was the only ingredient that i was always scared of working with. I have seen my ma making it so many times in the past ,with all the effort and love she puts in it, i felt like no other person could do it her way not even me, it felt complex.You must put in the right amount of water , a good amount of kneading and resting.Finally the consistency needs to be right not too tough not too soft either.Well i chose to do a Sri Lank-an roti to start my first roti making experience.

          Serves 4

The ingredients for the Godambari roti are:

• 3 cups of flour 
• a table spoon of oil
• salt to taste about 1 teaspoon
• 4-5 tbsp lukewarm water
• Enough oil to cover the dough balls when resting

Preparation 

Make a well in the centre of the flour add a tbsp of oil,salt and water.knead dough for about 10 mins,make dough balls and put in bowl.cover with oil and let it rest for an hour or so.

Then,take out the balls one buy one and stretch it with your palms  so as it becomes thin like a pizza base.Do not worry if you see any holes in it this is just the way it should be.

Next lay the base on a tawa or flat pan and cook without using any more oil.The texture should be thin and a little bit crispy.Enjoy with a fish curry.