Broccoli Pepper Stir Fry

My brother likes Broccoli in any form. He usually adds Brocoli with beef. This post is about my first attempt with Broccoli.

Nutrition Value of Broccoli A compound found in broccoli is effective against the bacteria which causes eptic ulcers.Apart from these health factors, Broccoli is goes tangy with red meat and other Chinese dishes.

Broccoli Stir Fry with Ginger

Ingredients:-

• 1 bunch broccoli ( cut into same size pieces) 
• Onion thinly sliced - 1
• Ginger grated - 1 1/2 tsp
• Green chili chopped - 2 or 3
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Crushed Peppercorns - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Method to prepare Broccoli Pepper Stir Fry

1. Boil 3 cups of water
2. Remove from the heat
3. In boil water put the  chopped Broccoli  and let it stay for 4mts.
4. Drain from water and heat oil and add mustard seeds.
5. Let the mustard seeds splutter, add the grated ginger, green chilies and  onions,stirr till the onions are soft.
6. Now add the chopped turmeric powder, salt and then the boiled broccoli, add two tsp of wanter and cook in low flame for 3-4 mts by stirring .
7. Now add the pepper powder and cook for 5 mts.  
8. Remove from the stove and
9. Serve warm along with chappati, bread or  rice

Do you have another way of preparing broccoli? Please share broccoli recipes or tips to make better Broccoli based dishes.

Happy cooking!

Marina x

Menna's Baking Class Bangalore

Baking Class in Bangalore 

Learning never stops. No matter what age,or what level of skill set, you learn new tricks or pick new skills. If you are keen in baking, then my one-to-one or group baking class in Bangalore would be right one for you..

What to expect in my baking class

In my personalized baking class, you can learn to make cupcakes and other advanced varieties of pastries, cakes, icing and desserts. My baking class includes live demonstration, and you get hands-on baking experience. Learn with confidence with simple, and detailed class.

For beginners I'll take you step by step through each step, explaining the ingredients, process, tips, etc. Besides, I'll be happy to answer your questions and share my knowledge with you.

Cake Baking Bangalore
Call Marina at 9379398865 for details on cake baking class. Fix your convenient timing to learn cake baking and start creating your cake varieties. I conduct baking classes in Bangalore during weekdays and weekends.

Enjoy baking and start treating your family and friends with yummy cakes.
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Contact me for baking classes in Bangalore: 

Menna's Baking Classes
Domlur, Bangalore
Call me at Ph # 9379398865

Cupcakes with butter cream icing

                                            

Black Forest Cake

                                                                                                        

Pineapple Pastry 

Start learning different kinds of cupcakes, cakes, egg less cakes and pastries at your house. For the latest classes in Bangalore, check my Facebook page for updates. 

Semiya Payasam

Kerala Payasam Recipe
Are you craving for semia payasam - the wonderful sweet dish of every Kerala sadhya? This time, I've tried my hand on traditional semia payasam.

Payasam is a south Indian desert, prepared in milk or coconut milk. The main ingredient for semia payasam is Vermicelli, and milk. Semi Payasam is topped with nuts and raisins to get the extra flavor.

You can either have it hot or have chilled one. I prefer the later.

Semiya Payasam Ingredients:

• Vermicelli : ¾ cup
•  Milk: 1 litre
• Chowwary 1/4 cup 
• Sugar: ¾ cup
• Ghee: 2 tbsp.
• Cashew nuts: 10 - 12 nos.
• Raisins: 1 tbsp.
• Cardamom powder: 1 tsp.

Follow these simple steps to make Semia Payasam  

1. Soak the sago (Tapioca Pearls) chowwary in 1-2 cups water for an hour
2. Boil it with the water until it turns soft and translucent ( Stir in between)
3. Sieve it and reserve the chowwary
4. Heat tablespoon of ghee in a pan
5. Put the vermicelli to roast it ( Light brown color)
6. Keep the vermicelli aside
7. Next boil milk in a large vessel 
8. When its fully boiled,slowly add the roasted vermicelli into it
9. Stir it to prevent them from sticking
10. Boil it in medium heat
11. Add sugar and chowwary to the cooked vermacilli
12. Now simmer it for 10- 15 minutes or until it begins to thicken
13. Add milk you want more loose syrup.Check the sugar and add crushed cardmon. 
14. Mix it well and switch off the stove
15. Last step, roast cashew nuts and raisin in ghee
16. Add it to the payasam. The lucky servings will get nuts

Enjoy semiya payasam. Hot! Hot!

Marina

Kovakka Mezhukkupuratty / Ivy guard stir fry

Kovakka is popular in most part of Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and other states in India. The botanical name of Kovakka is Coccinia Indica.  It's medicinal properties has been published in many journals. It's known to reduce the blood sugar levels.


In this post, I'm giving a simple recepie to make kovakka stir fry. In 10 min of cooking time, you can easily prepare this vegetable dish for your family.

Ingredients:-

• Kovakka/ivy guard - 250gm
• Green chili slit lengthwise - 3-4
• Garlic chopped - 2 cloves
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Curry leaves - 7-8
• Small onion chopped - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds
• Red Chilly 1
• Oil
• Salt to taste

How to Prepare Kovakka Mezhukkuparattyiathu ( Stir fry)

1. Slice the ivy gourd/Kovakka/Kovakkai into thin long slices. (Cut length wise)
2. Slice onion length wise
3. Mix kovakka, green chili,  garlic, and turmeric powder and salt 
4. Heat oil in a pan
5. Add mustard seeds. 
6. Add chopped onion ,chilly and curry leaves, stir for a minute . 
7. Add the mix and stir well. 
8. Add one table spoon  of water
9. Cook in slow flame for 5mts, or till it becomes dry. 
10. Remove the cover and and stir  for another 4 minutes. 
11. Now you can remove from the stove and serve warm

This Kovakka recipe includes the preparation as done by keralites. 

Murungakka Meen Curry / Drumstick Fish curry

Drumstick Mackerel Fish Curry

To all the fish lovers in Kerala, here's something to tickle your senses - fish curry with drumstick. The unique taste of hardy bold drumsticks when it gets mellowed in the fish curry, it gives out a a rich taste to slurp through it.

When I was young, I hated this addon, but now I never leave these lovely drum sticks dipped in the rich fish curry. I hope you'll try this out. 

Ingredients to make drumstick fish curry:-

• Fish - 250 gm
• Drumstick - 2 medium
• Small onion chopped - 1/2 cup
• Ginger and garlic finely chopped 1 1/2 tsp
• Green chili chopped - 2
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Thin coconut milk - 2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves
• Mustard 

Method - Step by step approach to yummy Meen Curry with Drumstick

1. Clean and cut the fish into medium pieces.
2. Crush ginger , garlic and green chilies ,
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds
4. Add chopped onions, and toss it well for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add ginger,garlic and green chilies,stir them till the raw smell goes away or till turns brown.
6. Make a paste of chili powder, coriander and turmeric powder, adding a little water
7. Add this mixture to the pan
8. Add diced drumstick and toss it well for a minute or two.
9. Pour thin coconut milk, mix it well and now you can add fish pieces.
10. Cook it covered in slow flame for 15 - 20 minutes.Add curry leaves and remove from heat.

Serve warm with boiled rice to enjoy at it's best.

I take classes in Bangalore for how to make kerala fish curry, check this link for more details Kerala Fish Curry Classes


Marina

Home Made Birthday Cakes

Here are few home made Birthday cakes

Chopped strawberry lining the cake

                                                 .

Pineapple Pastry

                                                              

Mixed Fruit Birthday Cake

Heart Shaped Tea Cake

Strawberry Cake in Chocolate Syrup

                                                      

Birthday Cake with Edible Icing Sheet

Photo Cake/ Home Made Cake for Birthday                                      
You can contact me for such variety of home made Birthday cakes. Call me at Ph #9379398865 or for any  detail, you can mail me at mennasdelight@gmail.com. I'm based at Cambrige layout, Bangalore

Cake Making Lessons at Indira Nagar
You can also learn to make these cakes with right baking instructions. I take two types of classes.- basic level and advanced cake baking lessons.

Menna's Cake baking lessons give you complete exposure to cake baking - I take individual classes  with hands-on experience on baking. I don't take classes in batches. Learn to bake cake at your own comfortable pace.

Thank you,

Marina

Assorted Muffins / Cupcakes

These home made delicious nutritious muffins make the perfect breakfast on the go! Packed with the goodness of different flavors, they're a great start to the day.

I also make assorted muffins. Orange peel marmalade filled, chochips,strawberry, chocolate muffins and plain muffins. What else do you need for Xmas time.

These assorted muffins packs are for sale at Top in Town, Near Saibaba Mandir, Cambridge layout. I also make these assorted muffins as per orders.

Also you can contact me at Ph # 9379398865. I'm put up at cambridge Layout, Ulsoor, Bangalore. Apart from orders, I teach muffins at my house. My baking classes are best for newbies/ beginers/kids or those keen to learn baby steps in baking.

Super Chef Muffin Baking Party

Are you looking for muffin baking lessons on your kids birthday party?

Here's an interesting way to add a baking twist to your kid's b'day. I take cup cake baking show during your kid's birthday . It would be a mix of fun and learning experience for all the kinds and different way to spruce up the b'day event. Make your kids birthday party an event to remember.

Contact me Marina at ph # 9379398865 for details to schedule muffin classes in Bangalore.

Some handy muffin baking tips:

I use muffin cup size - 10
Don't fill the muffin cup with the batter.

Maldivian Seafood Sambol

Maldivian Seafood Sambol is a mouth watering blend of  prawns, cuttle fish, oysters and tuna with herbs and tangy lemony aroma of green leaves. It is normally served with rice, garudhiya, roshi, curries and noodles.

Maldivian seafood Sambol Bottles are available for sale in Bangalore and Trivandrum. Please contact 9379398865 for more details

Scotch Eggs

What's a scotch egg?

A scotch egg is made from hardboiled egg wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. Scotch eggs is usually taken cold with salad or spring onions.

How do I make scotch egg? Different recipe

My version of Scotch eggs is different. I wrapp egg with mashed potatoes, ginger and chilly. Try it out and hope you'll enjoy this new taste. 

I supply this as starter for any parties and reception. Serve it hot to get the best taste.

Scotch Egg Recipe: Ingredients: 4  eggs,  3 large potatoes, 2 green chilies chopped 1/2 inch finely chopped ginger salt and pepper to taste Bread crumbs 1 egg white or  Maida batter Scotch Egg Preparation: Boil potatoes in equal quality of water Peel potatoes and mash them Boil eggs( Hard boil) and remove them from the shell Chop green chili and ginger Heat oil add chopped ginger and chilly and the mashed-  potatoes, add salt and mix well Cut the eggs into halves and sprinkle pepper and salt. Take little mashed potato mix, press between palms. Place one egg piece inside and take more mashed potato mixture and cover the egg piece. Dip in egg white or maida batter. After that roll  over in bread crumbs and deep fry them or bake them. You can improvise on this recipe. Serve it hot with sauce or cold with salad. Scotch eggs originated in Scotland. It's popular in South part of  North America. It is portable, delicious and taken cold. When I served my version of scotch eggs to my friends I didn't tell  the name. They came out with different names: Some called it egg bonda, egg cutlet, egg rissole, egg croissants. So, it made me think, of this . Juliet: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet." Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Dak Bungalow Curry

Dak Bungalow curry

The Dak Bungalow Curry is another famous dish during Colonial times. It is prepared with either meat or chicken and served with rice and vegetables or bread. This used to be served to British Officers when they stayed at the various Dak Bungalows, while on official trip in India.

The recipe for preparing this Dak Bungalow curry varied with each cook. It depended on the availability of ingredients in a particular place during the war.

This recipe is from the recipe book written by Bridget White who is well known Anglo-Indian Cuisine expert.

Dak Bungalow Curry Ingredients

1. ½ kg mutton or beef cut into medium size pieces
2. 1 teaspoon spice powder or garam masala powder
3. 2 Potatoes(optional - it not in the original recipe)
4. 3 teaspoons chopped garlic
5. 1 teaspoon chilly powder
6. 3 onions sliced
7. salt to taste
8. 3 green chillies
9. ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
10. ½ teaspoon pepper powder
11. 2 tablespoons oil
12. 1 tablespoon lime juice
13. ½ cup milk or curds (optional)

How to make Dak Bunglow Curry - Process:

• Wash the meat well.
• Add all the ingredients mentioned above to it and marinate for about 1 hour in a pan.
• Place the pan on medium heat and cook with a closed lid for about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Cook in low flame with enough water.
• Simmer for about 40 to 45 minutes till the meat is cooked and the gravy is thick.

Dak Bungalow curry is best served with steamed white rice or bread.

Christmas Cake/ Plum Cake

Christmas Rich Plum Cake

Plum Cake/Christmas Cake - Gifting Cakes

I'm sharing my Mother's Christmas cake recipe. She has learned it from her mother. This cake recipe is popular in my family and most of my family members from St Andrews, Trivandrum use this recipe.

Every Christmas, I bake in 250gm cakes for gifting it to my friends and relatives. I hope you will also make your Christmas special by gifting and sharing homemade plum cake.


If you are planning to make cake for this Christmas, then November is a good time to start the process.  The more time you give for soaking fruits, raisins, and nuts, better will be outcome .


Ingredients for Christmas Plum Cake:

• 1/2 kg Maida
• 1/2 kg butter (unsalted)
• 1/2 kg sugar
• 1/2 kg mixed dried fruit (walnuts, almonds, cashews,raisins, dates, cherry,candied peal), chopped into small pieces and soak them in rum. (Christmas Cake Mix)
• 1/2 kg egg(My mom always weigh the eggs)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsps vanilla essence
• 3 tbsps orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 15 cloves
• 4" cinnamon stick
• 2 small/ 1 large nutmeg

Preparation: Steps to make Christmas Cake

1. Powder the spices  by grinding the cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg  in a  grinder. Keep it aside.
2. Spread the chopped dried fruit on a clean  surface or bigger tray or plate and sprinkle the flour over it and keep on mixing it.
3. Now add the powdered  spice powder and baking powder together.
4. Prepare the baking tray by lining them with good butter  paper.
5. Mix 1 cup of sugar in a vessel with 2-3 table spoons of water, cook on medium flame till all sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to turn dark brown to black in color and begins to smoke a little. Just keep it on the heat  till it melt again. Turn off the heat and  add 1 cup water and keep it back in the stove and cook in medium heat, till it become thick syrup.
6. Cream sugar and butter till smooth  and fluffy.
7. Now beat the egg yolk along with essense.
8. In a separate bowl beat the egg white to stiff peak.
9. Add the orange marmalade and  the dark sugar syrup at  and blend till the batter is smooth.
10. Slowly add the flour , fruit mix into this and mix well, do not use the blender now.
11. Preheat your oven to  180 C.
12. Pour the mixture into the baking tray.
13. Set the oven for 170 C and bake for 20-30 mts. 
14. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting

Here's to the joy of Xmas!
Back in 80's when we stayed in Trivandrum, my parents used to bake cake in large numbers and distribute to our neighbors, relatives and close friends. I remember those wonderful Christmas seasons when we hosted our extended family for Christmas feast, and the melodious voice of Jim Reeves played in the living room.

Now, many years has passed... life has changed, we moved to another city and people drifted away.  


Well, the charm of old times is gone, but now these homemade Christmas cakes brings back fond memories of those wonder years.


Merry Christmas!


Marina


P.S. If you find this recipe difficult to follow, then you can attend one of my  Christmas cake baking lessons. Get a good foundation in baking with personalized instructions on cake baking.

P.S.S I also teach cupcakes, tea cakes, pastries, exotic cakes. If you like to know details of my customised baking class, pls contact me at ph # 9379398865.

 BTW, I sell Christmas cake in Bangalore and Trivandrum. Get in touch with me to place orders for Christmas cake.