Pesaha Paal(Maundy Thursday/Passover Coconut milk)

Pesaha Appam is unleavened bread & Pesaha Paal refers to Passover Coconut Milk made on Maundy Thursday among the Kerala Syro Malabar Catholics.The head of the family cuts the appam into pieces, dips in the prepared Pesaha paalu and gives to other members.Pesaha appam and Paal are never prepared on any other occasion other than Holy Thursday and... the tradition of consuming Pesaha appam after the church service is observed by the entire nasrani peoeple till this day.This tradition would have come from the early Jews who came to Kerala. The Jewish tradition is preserved in the consumption of Pesaha paal (passover coconut milk) instead of wine on the night of passover along with Pesaha appam (unleavened passover bread).

PESAHA PAAL RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:l

Coconut Milk thin(randam paal)– 2 Cups
... Cocount milk thick(Onnam paal)- 1 cup
Jaggery(Sharkara) – 1/4 kg
Rice Flour – 1/4 cup
Powdered Cardamom (Elakka) – 1/4 tsp
Powdered Cumin – 1/4 tsp
Small banana(Poovambhazham or Jhalipoovan sliced) - 1 or 2

METHOD OF PREPARATION

1. Melt jaggery by boiling it slowly in around 1/2 cup of water. Filter the syrup and keep it aside.
2. Dissolve rice flour in little water and bring it to boil and allow it to thicken slightly(Kurukuka).
3. Add jagery syrup and the thin coconut milk to this and bring to boil again,stirring continuosly in a low flame.
4. Add the powdered spices (cardamom and cumin) and finally add the thick coconut milK and bring to boil.
5. We also add banana slices into this and keep stirring for 2-3 minutes or until thickened and remove from heat.
6. Finally add a small piece of blessed Palm leaf that you got in church to the Pesaha Paal.
(Since i did not have rice flour,used arrowroot pdr instead of rice and condensed milk instead of coconut milk)

Heavenly French Chocolate Cake

Heavenly French Chocolate Cake - Chocolate cake was the first cake that i baked when i was in 9th or 10th.In fact chocolate was the first dessert that i tried to make and i still remember a stupid mistake i did then.I was using our home grown cocoa beans and i forgot to roast the dried cocoa beans and directly powdered and made chocolate :). Realized it only when we started having it,everything was fine except it was a bit bitter :).Anyway,that was a long long time ago and since then have been using Cadbury's chocolate powder. But this French Chocolate Cake as the name says is truly Heavenly and is made with Molten cooking chocolate instead of Cocoa.
If you are in France, no matter which region, no matter where you eat, you will most likely be offered the Divine French dessert Mousse au Chocolat.French Chocolate is a delicious secret that the French have kept for themselves for decades.Each family has its favorite chocolate mousse and cake recipe that is passed down to the next generation and no family gathering is complete without that special chocolate cake that their grandmother's used to bake.
In the first half of the 19th century the typical chocolate cake was a yellow or spice cake meant to accompany a chocolate beverage. In the second quarter of the 19th century the typical chocolate cake was either a white or yellow cake with chocolate icing. It is not until the middle of the 19th century we begin to see chocolate as an ingredient in baked goods (cookies, cakes).Progress was slow. By the beginning of the 20th century chocolate cakes, as we know them today, proliferate.
The earliest baked good recipe with chocolate as ingredient is from 1847. While it confirms the use of chocolate in this capacity, it by no means indicates this was a common practice in the day.

RECIPE :

INGREDIENTS

150 gm or 3/4 cup caster sugar
275g Plain Semi Sweet chocolate , Chopped
2 tsp vanilla extract
175g or 3/4 cup unsalted butter
5 eggs, separated
40 gm or 1/4 cup plain flour , sifted
pinch of salt
1 tbsp icing sugar for dusting

METHOD OF PREPARATION

1.Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C/325 degrees F. Butter a 24cm (9 1/2 inch) cake pan , sprinkle sugar and tap out the excess.
2.Set aside 3 tablespoons of caster sugar. Place the chopped chocolate, butter, and remaining sugar in a large, heavy pan and cook over moderate heat until the chocolate and butter have melted,stirring occasionally.
3.Remove the pan from heat. Stir in vanilla, and leave the mixture to cool slightly.
4.Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture one at a time and stir in the flour.
5.In a large bowl beat the egg whites with salt until soft peaks foam.Sprinkle reserved sugar over egg whites, and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and then fold in the rest.
6.Pour mixture into the prepared pan, and tap it gently to release air bubbles.
7.Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until well risen and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.Transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack, and remove the sides of the pan and leave the cake to cool.

Makes a 24cm or 9 and 1/2 inch Round Cake.

Blackberry Fool

Blackberry Fool --- An easy to make classic British dessert which originated sometime between 15th and 16th centuries. "Fool" is believed to have originated from the French word "fouler" which means "to mash" or "to press". A fruit fool is made with cooked or raw fruit that is pureed or mashed, then sweetened, chilled, and finally folded into stiffly beaten whipped cream. Traditionally fools were made with tart fruits but today virtually any fruit can be used.....In the south west of England it was believed that the first blackberry spotted growing each year would banish warts.

BLACKBERRY FOOL RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups blackberries , plus a few to garnish ...
1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon
fresh lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

METHOD OF PREPARATION
1) Blend the berries, sugar, and lemon juice together in a blender; blend until smooth.
2) Pour mixture through a sieve, pressing with a spatula and discard seeds.
3) Transfer 1/2 cup above berry puree to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for say 15 minutes; reserve little for topping.
4) In another bowl,combine cream and vanilla; whip until stiff peaks form.
5) Gently fold berry puree into cream. Spoon mixture into cups.
6) Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
7) To serve, drizzle blackberry fools with reserved berry puree, and garnish with blackberries.

Mutton Curry or Goat Curry

INGREDIENTS

Mutton /Goat with bones - 1 kg

Onions (Medium size) - 2, sliced thin

Ginger - 1 inch piece chopped

Garlic pods – 8-10 no’s, small peeled and chopped

Tomatoes - 2, chopped

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Vinegar – 2tsp

Meat masala or Mutton masala – 3 tbsp heaped

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Chilly powder – 2tsp

Potato (Medium size) – 2 cubed

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Green chilies - 3

Coconut oil - As required
Salt - As required

Mustard – As required

Pearl onions (Kunjulli) – 8-10 no:s, sliced

PREPERATION METHOD:

1) Heat oil in a frying pan and stir fry onions till they turn light brown followed by chopped ginger, garlic & green chilies and sauté for a minute.

2) Add chopped tomatoes and sauté ,till the tomatoes are cooked.

3) Add coriander, chilly, turmeric, meat masala and salt and sauté for couple of minutes or till it gets mixed well and spreads the aroma.

4) Add the meat, potatoes & vinegar and mix well.

5) Add just enough water & either pressure cook the meat or cover and cook in the pan for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the meat is cooked well and keep on low flame to get the gravy thickened.

FOR GARNISHING

Splutter mustard seeds and fry the shallots till they turn golden brown. Add curry leaves and fry for a minute till the flavor comes out. Add this to the prepared mutton curry and close with a lid to retain flavor. After a few minutes mix well.

Notes: 1) Use tender Goat or lamb to reduce cooking time .

2) Adding vinegar also helps in cooking faster.

3) Either use branded Meat Masala that has coriander included with the rest of the items(Eastern) or can also prepare meat masala by frying Coriander seeds(3 tsp),Black pepper(1 tsp),Cinnamon(2 pieces),Cloves(4 no:s) and fennel seeds(1tsp) and grinding them together.

4) Taste in between and add salt or spices as required.