Cooking / Recipes

[The_Spartan]

Here is my favourite Beef recipe.

Its called Kerala Beef fry. (Kerala is the place i am originally from , in India. its the southern most state in India, known for its greenery..also known as God's Own Country. A Tourist destination)

Kerala Beef fry

Ingredients:

1 kg beef cut into 2"-long, 1-thick strips

2 large onions sliced very thin

2 large tomatoes chopped fine

2 tbsps ginger paste

2 tbsps garlic paste

2-3 green chillies

3 tbsps coriander seeds

4 tbsps fennel seeds

8 cloves

Seeds of 6 green cardamom

1" stick of cinnamon

25 black peppercorns

For tempering: 1 large onion chopped fine

50 curry leaves

1 cup fresh coconut cut into 1"- long, thin slivers

1 tbsp mustard seeds

4 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil

Preparation:

1. Heat a flat pan on a medium flame till hot. Reduce the flame to simmer. Put the fennel, coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom seeds and cinnamon on the pan. Roast, stirring often till the spices begin to get slightly darker and give off their aroma. Turn off fire. Allow to cool slightly.
   
2. Grind the above roasted spices into a coarse powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
   
3. Put the meat, sliced onions, green chillies, tomatoes, ginger and garlic pastes and ground spices into a large mixing bowl. Mix well till all the meat is coated. Keep aside to marinate for an hour.
   
4. After an hour, put the above mixture into a large deep vessel and set up to cook on a medium flame. Do not add any water as the meat will give off its own juices. Cook till the meat is tender.
   
5. In a separate small pan, heat the cooking oil on a medium flame till hot and add the chopped onions to it. Fry till transparent.
   
6. Add the curry leaves and mustard seeds and cook till they stop spluttering. Now add the coconut slivers. Cook till they begin to turn a pale golden color.
   
7. Add this tempering mixture to the meat and mix well. Turn on the fire (medium flame) under the vessel containing the meat and cook, stirring often, till the meat browns. The whole dish begins to turn a deep, dark brown in color. This dish traditionally has no gravy at all and is dry so if water is present, make sure to dry it off.
   
8. Serve hot with anything like breads, rice, ...whatever that requires a meat side dish.
   

There is another method of making the Beef fry. using Masala Powders

Ingredients

1. Cubed Beef – 2 lbs or 1 kg approx (I use Stew Beef for this recipe)

2. Thinly Sliced Onions – 1 big

3. Slit Green Chillies – 4

4. Curry Leaves – A sprig

5. Coconut Slices – 1/2 Cup [optional]

6. Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

7. Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp

8. Meat Masala Powder – 1 tbsp

9. Home Made Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp

10. Salt – to taste

11. Oil – 2 tbsp

To make the Home Made Garam Masala Powder, You can dry roast and grind the following ingredients

1. Cloves – 10

2. Cardamom – 4

3. Cinnamon stick – 2 pieces of 1” inch length each

4. Star Anise – 1

5. Fennel seeds – 1 tbsp

For Marination

1. Diced Shallots (Kunjulli) – 8

2. Minced Garlic – 5 or 6 cloves

3. Minced Ginger – 2 tbsp

4. Home Made Garam Masala Powder – 1 tbsp

5. Meat Masala Powder – 2 tbsp

6. Red Chilly Powder – 1 tbsp

7. Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp

8. Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

9. Pepper Powder – 1 tbsp

10. Curry Leaves – A sprig

11. Vinegar - 1 tbsp

12. Salt – to taste

Preparation Method

1. Wash the beef thoroughly and drain all water.
   
2. Marinate the beef with all the above ingredients and keep it aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
   
3. Pressure cook the beef with 1/2 cup water. The cooking time varies depending on the beef used. For stew beef, I pressure cook it on medium heat for 2 whistles. The beef which we get in Kerala has a longer cooking time. So pressure cook accordingly (If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can cover and cook the beef in any big pan for around 45 minutes to 1 hour).
   
4. Meanwhile heat oil in a non stick pan and saute onions, green chillies and curry leaves until the onions become translucent.
   
5. You can add coconut slices at this stage and continue sauteing for a few more minutes.
   
6. Reduce heat and add red chilly powder, meat masala powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder. Saute for 2 minutes.
   
7. Open the pressure cooker and transfer half of the cooked meat without any liquids to the above pan.
   
8. Continue sauteing the beef so that the masala gets coated on the meat. Add salt if needed.
   
9. Roast the meat on medium low heat for 10-15 minutes till it is completely dry and turns into a dark brown color.
   
10. You can serve the Beef Fry with Indian Breads, Rice, Normal Breads or anything that requires a Beef Side Dish..or just experiment.
    

[my_psychosis]

Here is my favourite Beef recipe.

Its called Kerala Beef fry. (Kerala is the place i am originally from , in India. its the southern most state in India, known for its greenery..also known as God's Own Country. A Tourist destination)

This sounds wonderful. I would love to try it. Do you have any idea where I could get curry leaves though?

[The_Spartan]

This sounds wonderful. I would love to try it. Do you have any idea where I could get curry leaves though?

Try any of those Spice Shops, you are sure to come across curry leaves. sometimes dried curry leaves. The aroma is little less for dried curry leaves.

You can experiment substituting basil leaves for curry leaves. It has been tried by many and the taste is exceptional.

[my_psychosis]

Try any of those Spice Shops, you are sure to come across curry leaves. sometimes dried curry leaves. The aroma is little less for dried curry leaves.

You can experiment substituting basil leaves for curry leaves. It has been tried by many and the taste is exceptional.

Thank you!

[lightly]

My mother made this for me all the time and i still love it .

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds ground beef

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 hamburger buns, split

Directions

1.Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

2.In a bowl, mix the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, basil, garlic salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 burger patties.

3.Lightly oil the grill grate, and cook burgers about 6 minutes, turning once, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), or to desired doneness. Serve on hamburger buns.

These are very juicy.Usually when I make burgers they come out dry and my dauther doesn't like them but not these.

Ok Persia... i'll do it , because they sound really good, but ya coulda asked instead of just telling me to do it?

*

Edited September 5, 2010 by lightly

[Persia]

I am sure you can do it ...

[archernyc]

Hey Lightly, did you ever try Persia's burgers? I still have to try them, they sound great!

[Persia]

This is good recipe and my daughter love it ... I know... is vegetarian but i am tryin' to care about my daughter... you know what i mean .I learned this when i was in Italy...Cannellini beans and provolone cheese provide the protein for this meatless "sandwich," with spinach & olives baked inside folded pizza dough.I am sure if you are a meat lover,after eatin' it will be satisfy about it.

I changed some of those ingredients which my daughter doesn't like it,You can put what you want.

1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 13.8-oz cans refrigerated pizza dough

1 10-oz box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup shredded provolone cheese

1/2 cup chopped black olives

Preheat oven to 370º-375º. Place beans, garlic, lemon juice, salt, fennel seeds, rosemary, pepper and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Grease or spray 1 large or 2 small cookie sheets. Unroll pizza dough on a lightly floured work surface and press each into a 12 inch square. Cut each into 4, 6-inch squares. Combine spinach, provolone and olives. Spread bean mixture over half of each dough square, dividing evenly, and then top with spinach mixture.

Fold other half of dough over filling, stretching slightly to fit. Press edges with fork to seal well. Cut a slit in top of each and place on cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

And Bon Appétit .

[Wyrdlight]

Try any of those Spice Shops, you are sure to come across curry leaves. sometimes dried curry leaves. The aroma is little less for dried curry leaves.

You can experiment substituting basil leaves for curry leaves. It has been tried by many and the taste is exceptional.

Just out of interest, say your from Kerala? I went there on a University trip!

The Food was amazing, Fish Curry and .... Mesu Wadu?.... kind of like a savoury doughnought with cumin and cardamon, with little spicy dipping sauce... dont suppose you have a recipie for thay at all?

I love indian food in general, especially Gulab Jamun hehe.

[Dag Green]

Can anyone help. I need a recipe for biscuits. My grandma use to make em for me before she passed away. Can or froze just aint the same.

As far as I remember her biscuits seemed easy. she used flour,yeast and baking soda (i think) then they would rise.i just dont know the recipe.

I tried once. It was bad.

I'd be thinkful for any biscuit recipe.

Thanks.

[archernyc]

Buttermilk biscuits are the best:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing biscuits

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda onto a sheet of wax paper, then sift again into a bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist).

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. Pat out dough on a floured surface with floured hands, reflouring surface if necessary, into an 8- by 5 1/2-inch rectangle. Trim all 4 sides with a knife, dusting knife edge with flour before each cut. Cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then into thirds crosswise to form 6 (2 1/2-inch) squares, flouring knife between cuts. Transfer biscuits with a metal spatula to an ungreased baking sheet, arranging them 2 inches apart, and brush tops with milk or cream. Bake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.

NOTE: I haven't made these (not having access to my personal cookbook right now), but this recipe looks similar to the one I have at home.

You can go to the following to look at other options.

http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=buttermilk+biscuits

Also, Bisquick biscuits are pretty good if you want something really easy.

[rashore]

what kind of biscuits?

Hurry up biscuits

3c AP flour

4t sugar

4t baking powder

1t salt

2c heavy cream

Sift together dry ingredients

slowly add cream and use a fork to combine

Makes 16-- you can roll and cut, hand press into mounds, or spoondrop.. use a bit of four for dusting, or a bit more cream to loosen the mix if needed.

16 spaced 1" apart on a couple cookie sheets

Bake at 375 for 15-17 min- golden brown

You can add up to about a tablespoon or so of dried flavorings to the mix. Beyond that, add a teaspoon of cream per additional tablespoon or two of dried stuff. Don't go over three tablespoons.

I like italian mix, parsley and pepper, lemon zest and poppyseed.. plain is yummy too

You can coat them with flour, eggwash and seeds/herbs, pepper.. cream, melted butter. It's all good

Or you can simply add nothing and have biscuits in 20 or so min

[rashore]

It's not recipes... but I would recommend a couple of cookbooks for any cooks shelf...

A recent copy of The Joy of Cooking and an old copy of The Settlement Cookbook.

There's a boatload of others.. But between those two, you can rock any recipe!

[Michelle]

Can anyone help. I need a recipe for biscuits. My grandma use to make em for me before she passed away. Can or froze just aint the same.

As far as I remember her biscuits seemed easy. she used flour,yeast and baking soda (i think) then they would rise.i just dont know the recipe.

I tried once. It was bad.

I'd be thinkful for any biscuit recipe.

Thanks.

archernyc, has a good recipe, but here is an even easier one that I use for chicken and dumplings too and everybody loves them.

two cups self-rising flour

1/4 cup shortening or cold butter cut into cubes

3/4 cups regular milk or buttermilk

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix butter or shortening and flour with hands until it looks like course bread crumbs. Add milk and stir with fork until it pulls away from bowl. It is important, at this point, not to work the dough too much or biscuits will be tough. Roll it out on a floured surface or simply roll them in floured hands to form biscuits. Place biscuits on lightly greased cookie sheet with the sides touching. They can be brushed with melted butter if you like.

Bake at 450 for ten to twelve minutes until golden brown.

[Michelle]

It's not recipes... but I would recommend a couple of cookbooks for any cooks shelf...

A recent copy of The Joy of Cooking and an old copy of The Settlement Cookbook.

There's a boatload of others.. But between those two, you can rock any recipe!

I have The Joy of Cooking 1964 edition and it is starting to fall apart from use. I learned how to cook from it and recommend it to anyone. I think it even tells how to boil water.

[rashore]

I have The Joy of Cooking 1964 edition and it is starting to fall apart from use. I learned how to cook from it and recommend it to anyone. I think it even tells how to boil water.

Yeah, a big part of why I love it, can't go wrong with joy... a old Settlement usually has a good array of... Old stuff. Older methods, scratch recipes... I currently have my grandmothers, and when my mom passes, I get great-grandmothers... Hope I get a daughter in law that likes cooking

Edited October 11, 2010 by rashore

[archernyc]

I have my Betty Crocker cookbook still from when I went off to college 30 years ago.

[Dag Green]

Thank y'all for the biscuit recipes. They all sound great and im looking forward to trying them all.

Thanks again.

Dag.

[my_psychosis]

I have The Joy of Cooking 1964 edition and it is starting to fall apart from use. I learned how to cook from it and recommend it to anyone. I think it even tells how to boil water.

I had that one. It got "lost" in my divorce. Anyway I'm looking for a new copy now.

Here is a recipe for chicken I found last week, it is sooooo easy yet good.

mix

1/2 cup Greek Vinaigrette Dressing

2 Tbsp. Real Mayo Mayonnaise

With

1-1/2 lb. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

marinate. (I let it marinate all day)

Thread on skewers alternating with onion chunks (i used a red onion)

then grill or broil.

when done squeeze a fresh lemon over all.

It was so easy yet so yummy

[~TheBigK~]

So I enjoy cooking meals and have become good at it, but now I'm slowly trying my hand at desserts and baking. I was wondering if anyone had any good bread recipes or recommendations for ingredients to put in it? I've never made it before so I'll start simple, but I'd like to experiment with other ingredients as I get used to it.

[svenshoegazer]

I am going to make my own hotsauce this year. I just got Ghost Pepper seeds in the Mail. Not going to sow them till it is a constant 80 degrees in my house. I have made a Tabasco style hotsauce before but this is going to be a very favorful and pretty freakin hot.

[Nadia B.]

Whoa I'm gonna have to look at this thread closer later, lol. We have some hungry peoples here on UM. So, one of MY fave recipes that I'll probably be making this weekend since it's getting warmer... well it doesn't have a name. Just something I threw together one day and loved it. These measurements won't be exact, because I don't measure my own stuff.

Salmon FILLET- no bones hehe (for the kids and I, I normally get 2 pounds and have leftovers for work lunch. I like the middle parts but it's all good)

2 cucumbers

7 roma or plum tomatoes... or close... I prefer roma, and no, normal tomatoes do NOT work right. It's not the same.

2 limes

fresh parsley

red chili flakes

Ground coriander

Ground cumin

Ground paprika

Sea salt or Kosher salt

Lemon pepper or plain black pepper

I take an empty spice bottle, and put in equal amounts of the coriander, cumin, and paprika. Normally about 2 tbsp each. Dump it all in, lid it, shake it up till it's all mixed up so good you don't know what it is anymore. Any left over I just put the bottle in the fridge and keep it.

Cucumber tomato "salsa"

Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half and seed them. I scrape out the seeds gently but firmly with a lil spoon. Dry em off. Dice into about 1/4 inch cubes. Throw them into a bowl.

Cut the ends off the roma tomatoes, slice em down from flat end to flat end and then dig out the seeds with your fingers. Come on! This is awesome squishy fun! Lay them on a paper towel to dry, then dice into 1/4 inch cubes. Toss em on top of the cucumbers.... in the bowl now..

The ingredients need to be really dry for this, I gotta stress this.

Cut up some fresh parsley and put that in, too. Sprinkle a little of the triple spice mixture, not a LOT, but some. Couple pinches of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. (NOTE: We'll add lime juice just before serving because if it sits too long it all goes kinda green and more limey than you may like haha)

Salmon

First off, fish has a bad rep. It only smells really bad if you don't buy it fresh. When you're fish shopping, if it smells really "fishy" and not like the ocean or saltwater, then it's not fresh and it's going to stink your house up. Fortunately, this spice mixture actually can help with that icky smell too.

Grab the salmon. I usually take the skin off, but it's your preference.

Sprinkle the triple spice mixture over it (liberally) and rub both sides till they're coated well.

Drizzle about 2 tbsp of olive oil (I never use extra virgin) in a pan and heat to about mediumish.

When it's hot, cook the salmon covered for about 5 minutes, then flip and recover.

Cook until it's as done as you like. I prefer mine well done.

When it's about finished, pull your salsa from the fridge, cut the limes in half and squeeze the lime juice into the salsa. Stir well. This is why you want dry ingredients.

Serve the salsa over or next to the salmon. As much or as little as you like. I prefer equal portions cuz I love the salsa.

But mmmm the combo of cold salsa and hot salmon... it's unbeatable on a hot summer beachy day. Awesome stuff!

Edited March 9, 2011 by Nadia B.

[Nadia B.]

Forgot to add the onions omg! Yeah... dice up an onion and saute' in olive oil till they're just wilted. Those go in the salsa before refrigerating.

[rashore]

So I enjoy cooking meals and have become good at it, but now I'm slowly trying my hand at desserts and baking. I was wondering if anyone had any good bread recipes or recommendations for ingredients to put in it? I've never made it before so I'll start simple, but I'd like to experiment with other ingredients as I get used to it.

MMM, breads are good

English muffin loaf

1/2 oz yeast

1 T sugar

1/4 t baking soda

2 t salt

1 lb, 8 oz all purpouse flour- yes ya gotta measure by weight, not converted into cups

1 pt warm milk

1 oz warm water

soft butter and cornmeal for buttering and dusting pans

Sift together dry ingredients, using 1 lb of the flour

add wet ingredients into dry

add enough of the remaining 8 oz of flour till the dough is a spoon dough

spoon into 2 loaf pans that you have buttered and coated in cornmeal

cover with plastic wrap and proof till doubled

remove wrap, and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes

Baking can seem like a lot of to do for kneaded breads, but having a mixer with a dough hook is super handy.

A fast and dirty 12 steps to a smooth baked bread:

1. scaling- aka mes en place. Gather and measure out all your ingredients before you start mixing anything. If you need to bloom your yeast, do not go over 110 degrees with your liquid.

2. mixing- getting the ingredients together and doing the initial kneading.

3. ferment- the first proofing. usually covered, usually till doubled. 45 min to hour or so usually.

4. punching- taking the risen dough and gently punching excess air out

5. scaling- proportioning and rough shaping

6. rounding- taking each loaf, roll, ect, and smoothing it into it's proofing shape

7. benching- letting the dough rest on the counter for a few minutes to relax.

8. shaping- putting into the final proofing shape, like braids, twists, cloverleafs, making the whole surface smooth on loaves.

9. proofing- usually till almost doubled, usually about half the time the fermenting too- 20-30 minutes or so.

10- bake

11- cool

12- store or serve

[arglebargle]

Quite a few favourites, but I'll share a pasta sauce recipe I've already translated into English.

Cook some spaghetti, after spaghetti is on plate or in bowl, then ladle some of the sauce on top and sprinkle a bit of shredded cheese (like parmigiano for example) on top.

It's pretty damn good in my opinion. *Purrrr*.

You'll need:

1 Large frying pan with tall edges if possible, if not a normal frying pan for frying and a kettle for cooking works.

400g mincemeat

1/2 chopped onion

1 tablespoon wheat flour

1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pulverized/powdered pepper

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon pulverized/powdered nutmeg

A bit of sugar (I use somewhere around half to a whole tablespoon)

2 tablespoons tomato purèe (note: I've heard that what we call Purèe in Europe is called paste in the U.S, or some such. Can't quite recall).

5dl beef broth (bullion)

Step 1 - Fry mincemeat and onion in butter or oil. Note: if you're not using a large frying pan with tall edges, it's time to put it over in a kettle.

Step 2 - Mix the flour, salt, sugar, nutmeg and pepper, and sprinkle it over the fried mincemeat and onion and stir well. Turn down the heat a bit.

Step 3 - Pour in the broth.

Step 4 - Add the tomato paste / purèe, stir it in. Cook on medium heat until you got a nice thick sauce.

Edited May 14, 2011 by Ranyhyn