Month: December 2016

Fish Fillet with Couscous

This recipe of Fish fillet with Couscous is unbelievably one of the easiest, and simplest to make. If you haven’t heard of Israeli couscous, may be its time you try one. They are little pasta shaped balls developed in Israel, hence the name.

Prepare the parsley sauce and add it to the cooked Couscous. Fry the fillet of choice, salmon fillet tastes even more delicious. Serve this with your green couscous. You can sprinkle the fillet with some herbs if you like.

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Serves – 2

Ingredients

Pearl Israeli Couscous – 200 g or  1 1/4 cup 

Skin-on fish fillet/ Salmon fillet – 225 g to 400 g (seasoned with salt and pepper)

Onion – 1 large, chopped

Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Butter – see below

Lemon – 3 tbsp

Parsley – 50 g 

Salt 

Directions

For the couscous:

1. Fill a saucepan with 1 cup or 1.5 cup of water. Bring it to a boil.

2. Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt (not to worry even if you add more salt, very less amount is absorbed by the couscous). Taste and check for salt.

3. After sprinkling salt, add the couscous. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan (meantime step 5).Step2_IMG_5675

4. After its cooked, pour the contents into a colander. Shake gently to remove excess water.

couscous

Fried fillet: In the Meantime (while you wait for the couscous to cook)

5. Heat a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp butter. Place the fillet with skin side down. Cook on high for 3-5 mins, change the side. Cover and cook for another 2-4 mins to retain it’s juices.

easy way to fry fish fillet

When it’s done the fish starts to flake out easily with a fork.

6. Using a blender, grind the parsley into a fine paste and add it to the couscous. Mix well.

making a parsley sauce

parsley sauce

7. If you want onions in your couscous follow this step:

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onions and fry until translucent. Add this to couscous. Mix.

butter

onions

8. Add lemon. You can now serve your green couscous with fish fillet or even with Salmon.

Israeli couscous mixed with parsley served with fish fillet

Notes

*If you do not have a colander: Hold both hands on opposite sides. Position the lid such that there is a gap between the lid and edge of the pan that is smaller than the size of the couscous. and tilt the pan to remove excess water. Use mittens to protect from the steam.

*If your parsley comes with roots. Remove the roots. Dunk a bunch of parsley in a bowl of cold water & swish it around. Repeat once again to remove any particles of mud.

Since it’s December and only 2 days away until New Year 2017. I would like to share a few pictures of Christmas markets I had been to, during my stay in Europe. Hope you Enjoy. Happy New Year 2017 🙂

Stay Healthy!

Discover more delicious seafood recipes below for tasty meal ideas and cooking inspiration

Flower Crab – Curry

Fresh Clams in Coconut Milk

Spicy Clam Recipe (Mangalorean cuisine)

Read More

Diamond cuts (Tukdi)

I’m quiet surprised that I’m making another snack for Christmas. After my Sweet curls recipe this is my second recipe on Christmas goodies. I prepared this yesterday and I loved the way they turned out.

Diamond cuts or Tukdi (we call it in konkani at home) is a traditional snack. It’s still a favorite snack to munch on while at home. They are crunchy, fluffy and hollow. It is made in different varieties, sweet or biscuit flavored. I made a small batch of it and the recipe is very easy.

Have a joyous Christmas 🎄🎅

Preparation time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 30 mins

Utensil : Pizza cutter/biscuit cutter

Roller pin

 

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Unbleached All-purpose flour/Maida + extra for dusting – 250 g

Unsalted butter (soft)- 2 tbsp

Chickpea flour – 25 g

Salt – 1/3 tsp

Water – 1/2 cup or as required for the dough ( *EDIT), room temp

 

 

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, add all-purpose flour,  chickpea flour, salt, butter. Mix together with your hand. Add water in parts and knead until you get a soft elastic dough. It’ll tend to be sticky at the beginning, keep kneading until it becomes smooth.

ingred_IMG_5908

Step1_IMG_5912

2. Prepare a rolling surface, dust the surface with flour. Take a small portion of the dough and form a ball. Place it on rolling surface and sprinkle some flour again. This will help prevent sticking.

Step22_IMG_5941

Now, using a rolling pin, roll the dough thin (not too thin or thick).

 

3. Using a small biscuit roller/pizza cutter, cut the flour vertically with 1.5 cm spacing between each line. Then, cut them in horizontal direction that shape it into a diamond form.

vertical cut of doughhorizontal cuts

diamond cuts from dough

Carefully transfer them, by using a knife edge to slide them onto a flat plate without disrupting it’s shape.

 

4. After your done making diamond cuts. Heat a container with oil on medium-high heat (If your using induction, keep it on 7).

5. Drop a piece to check if the oil is hot. It’l start sizzling and bubbling. Slide the diamond cuts in oil in batches, not to over-crowd them. It will start puffing up. Stir them gently so they get separated. Let it fry for a minute or two, until golden brown.

tukdiyo, tukdi, diamond cuts

 

6. Strain them into paper towel. Pour the next batch until all are done deep-frying.

diamond cuts, snack

 

Mangaloran snack, christmas snack

Storage:

* Keep them in airtight container to retain the crispiness once they have completely cooled down.

 

For updates on posts and recipes to come please follow the Fb page >> Delicious Sweet Aroma

 

 

Note:

*While kneading the dough, if it tends to be sticky add some flour.

*Dust generous amount of all-purpose flour before running the biscuit roller otherwise they stick to the plate which will tend to loose its shape while sliding into hot oil.

 

 

More on Christmas Recipes:

Sweet Curls /Kidyo or Kulkuls

Rose Cookies – Mangalorean Kokisan (NEW)

Traditional Christmas Cake – Fruit Cake (NEW)

 

 

 

 

 

Stay healthy!

 

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Kidyo or Kulkuls (Sweet Curls)

These are my first time actually making homemade Christmas goodies or snacks and it turned out pretty amazing.  I believe everyone celebrates Christmas differently. It’s my first Christmas with my husband and I thought of preparing these delicious snacks of crispy sweet curls we usually make at home with family, to get into the Christmas spirit.

Kidyo (Kul Kuls) in Konkani is a snack prepared as one of Christmas goodies (called Kuswar) in South-India, especially in my hometown Mangalore, during Christmas. Initially, you prepare a dough with flour, butter, salt and coconut milk, shape them into curls, deep-fry and then coat them with sugar-glaze. It is crunchy, hollow on the inside. Tastes delicious with or without the glaze. We have grown up helping my mom preparing them since childhood. Holiday treats are creative and takes a lot of effort, but it’s worth it.

I made an attempt to set a schedule to prepare it during the weekend, so my husband could help me with it as it gets done faster. More the people, the merrier it is. I made a small batch of sweet curls for just the two of us. They can be made using a fork or a medium sized comb with teeth. A fork gives a wider impression/mould and makes a smaller sized curls slightly different than a comb. I used a comb, since I was more comfortable with it and it looks more prettier with thinner striations.

Merry Christmas to you! 🎄Have a wonderful holiday.

Preparation time: 1- 1.5 hrs

Cooking time – 30 minutes

Quantity made for 2

 

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Fork / Comb with teeth (depending on the number of individuals)

All-purpose flour / Plain flour/ Maida – 500 g

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Butter – 2 tbsp, (softened at room temperature)

Coconut milk – 1 1/4 cup (or as required to make a smooth dough)

Coconut milk, salt, butter, four/maida for chris

 

For Sugar Glaze:

White Confectioner / powdered Sugar- 1/2 cup

Water – 1/4 cup

 

Directions

Making the dough:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, butter. Mix. Add in small quantities of coconut milk working it into the flour using your hands. Punch and knead the dough, until a soft elastic dough is formed. It will tend to be sticky at the beginning but as you work through it, the dough becomes less sticky.

dough for sweet kurls during Christmas

Cover your dough with a damp cloth or a lid so it doesn’t get dry.

Preparing the Kidyo: This can be done by using a fork or a medium sized comb. I used the traditional way by using a comb.

2. Prepare a working surface. Take a small portion of the dough.

dough for sweet curls

Roll it back and forth on working surface (or by placing in between the palm of your hand and roll it back and forth) applying gentle pressure to taper the dough on the outer edges. Repeat for the other end of the strand or the areas which are fatter than the rest.

dough

Using a small knife start cutting the strand into small bits of 1 cm thickness. making this gets easier and faster than removing bits  of dough directly from the large portion of dough, preventing from making unequal size of curls.

Step2a_

 

3. Holding a comb in hand, place the dough over the teeth of the comb (If your using a fork, place the dough on back of your fork). Press it and flatten it gently (step 2, picture) . With you thumb, roll it away from you (step 3,4,5 picture). While ending the curl (step5, picture) seal them so they don’t open while frying.

Repeat the same for the rest and place it on a large plate without sticking them to each other.

How to make kidyo /sweet curls from dough

When this strand of dough is almost done. Continue from point 2. Finish making the kidyo/curls, until atleast half of your dough left, before starting to fry them.

how to make kulkuls/kidyo

 

Deep Frying:

4. Heat a container with oil on medium-high. When the oil is hot enough (oil will start bubbling if it is hot enough) carefully drop a portion of kidyo/kulkuls, make sure not to over-crowd.

making kidyo and deep-frying

 

Stir them gently so they get separated. Let it fry, until golden brown, by stirring a couple of times in between (this might take approximately 5 minutes).

how to prepare kidyo/kulkuls/sweet curls for christmas

 

Strain them into paper towel. Pour the next batch until all are done.

Once they have all completely cooled down, transfer them into a sealed container or large zip-lock bags if you are gazing them the next day.

 

Sugar Glazing: They need not be glazed, based on personal choice. You can leave out the sweet glaze for a less sweet treat.

* Place sugar and water together in a cooking pot. 

how to sugar glaze

*Cook the sugar and water over high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. bring this mixture to a boil.

* To check if it has turned into a glaze, drizzle few drops into a stainless steal spoon dipped into bowl of water. If it hardens. It’s done.

hot to sugar glaze

*Immediately, glaze the curls or kidyo in parts and mix as you pour the syrup to coat all the curls.

Christmas kuswar sugar glazing kidyo/kulkuls

* Let the kidyo/curls/kulkuls cool. The coated sugar glaze hardens by time.

how to make christmas kuswar or sweets

*Store them in airtight container.

 

Note:

*When glazing the kidyo, make sure the syrup is used immediately after it’s removed from the heat. Otherwise, it hardens quickly if left to cool at room temperature and will have to repeat the sugar glazing process. You can glaze half batch and leave the other half unglazed if you prefer non-sweet curls.

*Make sure to frequently agitate the curls when deep-frying to fry them evenly, until brown.

 

 

Stay healthy!

 

More on Christmas Recipes:

Diamond Cuts (Tukdi)

 

 

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Jelly and Custard Recipe

A basic Jelly and Custard recipe is quiet simple dessert, even simpler when they have directions provided in a package. In fact, I had previously posted a photo on my Facebook page without the recipe and thought that the recipe is very basic anyone would be able to make it. However, I wanted to share the recipe that would absolutely impress anyone especially if your a beginner. So, if your on Facebook and have missed some of my posts make sure to check it out. Also, My Instagram page is very active. 🙂

Nowadays, I’m a decent from scratch cook when it comes to baking or even making desserts. Before making this dessert I had to plan ahead of time on weather to prepare jelly first or the custard while organizing my other chores. It’s very simple with less effort, mix it with fresh fruits or just eat plain. Not many think of eating plain I believe? The reason why you see a bowl of only Jello is because I love eating plain raspberry or strawberry Jello just like that!

 

 

 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Setting time: 1 – 2 hrs

Cooking time: 20 minutes

 

Ingredients

Muffin pan & 2 Dessert/Wine glasses for setting the jelly

 

For the jelly: I prepared this first and kept overnight in the fridge to set.

Jello pack, raspberry flavor – 1 (90 g pack, used half the pack)

Water – 250 ml ( 125 ml hot water + 125 ml cold water)

Caster Sugar – 2 tbsp or more

 

For the Custard: The following day 

Custard powder – 4 tbsp (Bird’s custard powder, original flavor)

Cold milk – 900 ml

Caster sugar – 4 tbsp or more

 

Directions

Jelly

I used half the pack. Package comes with directions, here is a more precise method I used for half pack jelly crystals (You can double the water content for  whole pack).

1. Open the package.

Jelly pack

Heat a saucepan with 125 ml water (or you can use a microwave to heat water, container must be able to fill in 250 ml ).

2. Pour half pack of jelly crystals (I didn’t measure) into hot water. Add 2 tbsp of sugar.

how to prepare jelly

Dissolve Jelly, stir it until it dissolves. Once dissolved mix the rest 125 ml of cold water.

3. Prepare the muffin pan by spreading a long towel over it.

Start by positioning the glass and resting its base over a long towel at 45 degree angle so it doesn’t slip. Roll the opposite corner of the towel to support the rim as seen below. Now, remove the glasses without moving the tray & pour the jelly halfway.

Position them back onto the tray and place in the refrigerator at the top of the shelf for 1 hour or until they are set. They will set perfectly as long as they are not disturbed. I left it overnight in the fridge.

How to make layered jelly & Cus

 

Custard

1. Take any cup filled with 1/2 cup cold milk taken from 900 ml of milk. Add 4 tbsp of custard powder with 4 tbsp sugar.

Custard mixture

2. Mix smoothly until dissolved. In the meantime, place the rest of the milk in a saucepan to heat.

3. When nearly boiling. remove from heat, pour the mixed custard to milk, stir well.

Custard mixing into hot milk

4. Return the custard to heat and bring to boil, stirring continuously. Let it cool.

Preparing custard

Pour the custard into the set jelly glass. Place it back in the fridge and serve when ready.

Layered Jelly & Custard

Rest of the custard I mixed it with different fruits like papaya, apple, banana and served cold. You can serve warm or chilled.

Enjoy the creamy custard with jelly!

Custard with mixed fruits

 

Stay Healthy!

 

Note:

*Half pack of Jello is good enough to fill the glasses. The rest of the pack I used to eat plain 🙂

 

 

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