Sri Lankan Miris (red chili) Kokis

 

Ingredients:
2 up to 2 1/2 cups rice flour (available in Indian Stores)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1 egg
1-2 Tbs red chili powder (or to taste)
salt to taste

Directions:

Mix Batter until smooth and it forms
a thick "pancake" like batter.  Heat oil (only halfway up a deep fryer) until about 350 degrees. Allow mold to sit in only for 30-45 seconds to get nice and oily.

Dip mold into batter carefully.  You don't want the batter to get onto the top of the mold or the kokis will not release from the mold in the oil.

Dip battered mold into the oil and hold for a few seconds.  Then gently jiggle the mold until the kokis releases from the mold.

Fry until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and repeat the process. This will make about 25-30 kokis. Enjoy. 

 

Upma (South Indian Breakfast Dish)

This is a very special dish for me because it takes me back to my childhood. My mother would make Upma every now and then and I was always first in line to get seconds because it's one of my absolute favorite dishes.  

It's such a simple dish and for those of you that are not sure what it is, it's like a very fine grain cous-cous pilaf.  Upma is actually made with semolina (called rava or sooji in India).  This dish can be eaten all by itself or with any meat or vegetable curry. I like it both ways and always make a big pan of it so I have it for a breakfast for a week (if it lasts that long).

My mother and I had a cooking day recently and she helped me make this because I wanted her recipe to be posted. I consider her version of Upma the best out there and everyone that has eaten her version agrees.



 Ingredients:
2 cups dry semolina or sooji (available in Indian stores)
1 medium onion sliced or chopped
2-3 green chilies sliced
handful of curry leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
red chili flakes to taste
dried whole chilies (broken) to taste
salt to taste
1 Tbs of canola oil
3-4 cups boiling water (boil water in a kettle and have ready)

Directions:

The first step is to take the dry semolina/sooji and roast it in a pan.  Set the heat at medium-high and gently stir it until the light cream colored grains turns more tan.  This will take several minutes.  Be careful not to burn the grains.   This is an important and necessary step for a light fluffy dish.  Not doing this step will cause the grains to stick together.  Once the sooji is roasted set aside.  Boil your water at this time and have it ready as well.
Note: there are packages of pre-roasted sooji, but we recommend roasting it yourself because it gives the best result.

In a large pan heat canola oil and add onions, green chilies, curry leaves, cinnamon stick, salt and red chili pieces. Fry for 3-4 minutes until onions become soft.  Then add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and red chile pieces. Fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Next add the roasted sooji to the frying pan and mix with all the fried ingredients. Salt as needed (since this is a grain you may need more salt than you think).  Slowly add the boiling water and mix with the upma. Add 2 cups first and then the final cup. The grains will "steam" and become lighter. Taste the grains, if the grains are not soft and fluffy add a little more water.  Stir with a wooden spoon well.  My mother actually recommends taking the wooden spoon and stirring with the thinner handle part in circles around the pan to make sure the grains separate well and become fluffy. Once the grains are almost to the right texture, turn off the stove and cover with a lid for 10 minutes to steam a little more. Stir, taste for seasoning and serve.  Enjoy.
 
Note:  I recommend you use a pan you can stir aggressively with a wooden spoon.  A stainless steel based pan is best since a non-stick could get scratched.

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Spicy Beef Stroganoff

 
Spicy Beef Stroganoff
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds of boneless beef chuck cut into large bite-size pieces
salt and black pepper (to season beef)
1/2 cup A/P flour
8oz sliced white button mushrooms
1 large onion
2 carrots sliced 
2-3 jalapeno peppers sliced
red chili flakes to taste
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2- 2 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and black pepper  

Hot Butter Noodles:
1 package of egg noodles (or any pasta you choose)
2 heaping Tbs of butter or margarine
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tsp minced fresh or dried parsley


Directions:

Cut beef and season well with salt and black pepper.  Then dust with a/p flour.  Shake off excess flour.  In a large pot with 3 Tbs of canola oil on high heat, add coated beef cubes and brown well. 

Once beef is browned well, add the sliced mushrooms. Brown mushrooms with beef for 2 minutes.  Then add onion to the pot and cook with a little salt and black pepper for 2 minutes.

Next add the carrots, jalapeno, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and red chili flakes.  Saute all ingredients well.  Then add the Worcestershire sauce and  2-3 cups of stock (beef or chicken).  Once liquid is added, scrape the bottom of the pot well.   Lower heat to medium low and place a lid on the pot.  Cook for 60 minutes.  Check beef every 20 minutes and stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.  Note:  I started with 2 cups of stock and the last 20 minutes add the other 1/2 cup of stock because I needed more liquid.

Add frozen peas 2 minutes before you turn off stove.  Stir well and heat the peas through.  Then turn off the stove and add the sour cream.  Stir well

Taste for seasoning and serve with buttered noodles. To make buttered noodles, cook noodles in salted water as directed, then drain and add 2 heaping Tbs of butter/margarine, some minced parsley (fresh or dried), a little salt and black pepper.  Serve together.  Enjoy.

 

 

 

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.