Friday, May 25, 2012

Potato fry

Potato is a must for us at least once in a week:) Here is my amma's (mom) favorite potato fry, which she would make along with sambar or lemon rice often. She would always use coconut oil in most of the cooking like tempering, that would take this usual potato fry to the next level. I too love the coconut oil flavor in this fry. Try this and enjoy!


Ingredients:
Potato - 4 (200 gm)
red onion - 1
coconut oil - 2 tbsp
fennel - 1 tsp
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste

Method:
Peel and cut the potato and onion into small cubes.
Heat oil in a thick bottom wok and add fennel.
After it starts becoming mild red, add the onion and saute till it wilts.
Then add the potato and fry for 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat, add salt and cook covered.
After it is cooked and starts turning little crispy , add the chilly powder and masala powder. Again stir till raw smell vanishes.
Switch off.
Potato fry is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve hot with sambar rice, curd rice, lemon rice or chapathi.
Makes a good side dish for lemon rice for picnics.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Alfredo sauce

Fettuccine pasta with alredo sauce is our favorite whenever we visit any restaurant. One day I wanted to make some pasta at home and bought a bottle of the alfredo sauce but it tasted different than what we tasted. Then I learned that the restaurants make it fresh always and it is very easy too. There are many ways to prepare this milky white satin like alfredo sauce. I wanted to try one with cream cheese, as I heard from many about that. Then I got the basic recipe from cooks.com and modified it according to need. This is the basic alfredo sauce without alcohol and broth. This sauce tastes similar to the restaurants and now I am confident that I can make a decent alfredo sauce whenever we need.
Any cream cheese can be used. I used a low fat version.

Fettuccine pasta in alfredo sauce.

Ingredients:
(for 2 people)
unsalted Butter - 2 tbsp
cream cheese - 4 tbsp
all purpose flour - 2 tbsp
salt - to taste
pepper - 1 tsp
garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
Italian seasoning - 1/4 tsp
mozzarella cheese - 3 tbsp
whole milk - 1/2 cup or more

Method:
Heat a wok and add butter. Keep the flame in low. Add the flour and cook for a minute without changing the color. Add milk and bring to a boil. Then put all other ingredients and mix well. Cook till cheese melts and sauce looks like smooth.

Serving suggestion:
Cook pasta according to directions in the package.
Add the alfredo sauce to the drained cooked pasta and mix well.
Top it with some more shredded cheese and serve.

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