Cuban Malanga Fritters (Colocasia Fritters)

Recipe from tasteofcuba.com by Pedro Hernandez. The malanga or taro root in Cuba is nothing but our colocasia (சேப்பங்கிழங்கு)

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 150 grams colocasia
• 1/2 egg, beaten well
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped (minced)
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp vinegar

Preparation

• Wash and peel colocasia and grate it. Mix the rest of the ingredients into the grated colocasia.
• Heat oil to 375 degrees F (oil should sizzle when batter is dropped in) and drop in by tablespoonful. Fry till golden brown, drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Frituras de Maiz Tierno (Cuban Corn Fritters)

Recipe from tasteofcuba.com courtesy Sonia Martinez from Cocina Cubana Club.

Serves 4 

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh corn kernels, ground to a pulp
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1/2 tsp aniseed, ground or pounded with mortar and pestle
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vinegar (added so the fritters do not absorb as much oil)
• Oil for frying

Preparation

• Mix all the ingredients. If too liquid, add a small amount of all-purpose flour (I used about 3 tbsp) and mix well. Drop in hot (375° F) oil a tablespoonful at a time and fry till golden brown. Dry on paper towels and serve hot.

Platanos Maduros (Sweet Fried Plantain)

I happened to be watching the movie Chef yesterday and was so taken up by chef Casper and his food truck Cubanos. Every time Casper had his food truck stationed and his menu written on the chalk board, I was so drooling over it, especially the Platanos Maduros, that I immediately searched for authentic Cuban recipes and tried it out immediately from tasteofcuba.com. The plantain that is so easily available in Cuba is none other our Nendran or Yetham (Nendran is one of the four cultivars of banana that is known as plantain!) from the Kanyakumari - Kerala belt. And it was so easy to make! 

Ingredients

• 2 ripe plantains (Nendran) (the more ripe and black the better - as in the second picture)
• Oil for frying

Preparation

• Cur off the edges, peel the bananas and slice them diagonally about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.
• Heat oil in a pan to about 350 degree F (the oil must sizzle when a drop of water is added.
• Drop the slices in the oil and fry till the bottom is golden and then turn them over and fry till the top side is golden. The edges must be slightly darker and caramelized.

Notes

• You could fry them a little longer so that the sides are darker than golden brown. They actually taste much sweeter and more delicious than the golden brown ones as the sugars caramelize very well.

Chettinadu Aattu Kari Biryani (Chettinad Mutton Biryani)

I had this recipe written down in my recipe book. I have no recollection whatsoever of where I got it from, whether from a TV show or from the internet or by word of mouth. I searched the internet for this recipe and could not find anything even close to this. All I know now after making the biryani is that it tasted yummy on a Sunday afternoon and you could try it too and leave your comments for me!!!

Serves 4 
Ingredients 

• 3 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 1/2 hour
• 900 grams mutton (Tender male goat shoulder meat), marinated for 1/2 hour
• 3 large tomotoes, diced
• 4 large onions, finely chopped
• 5 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 bayleaves
• 150 ml oil

To grind to a fine paste with water

• 2 tbsp garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp chopped ginger
• 3 green chili peppers
• 1 cup mint leaves, tightly packed

To marinate

• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp yogurt

Preparation

• Heat oil in a cooker and add the spices. After spices splutter, add onion and saute till golden brown. Add ground paste and saute for 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes. Add marinated mutton and saute for 3 minutes.
• Cover and cook for 3 minutes, then simmer for 5 minutes and switch off. (You can simmer for longer if meat is tough)
• Boil water in a vessel adding 1 1/2 tbsp salt. Add rice and allow to come up about 10 minutes and about 80% cooked. Drain immediately. Keep the stock aside.
• Add rice in layers to the gravy in the cooker or in a wider vessel. Add mint leaves (optional) over the layers and cook in dum for 15 minutes. (See notes below)

Notes

• To cook in dum, you have to cover the lid with a wet cloth and place a pot or vessel with the hot rice stock covered over the lid. Alternatively, you could place red hot charcoal over the lid.
• Long before gas stoves or even kerosene stoves, when charcoal and firewood were used for cooking, red hot charcoal or firewood would be placed on top of the lid of cooker or vessel to cook in dum.

Nadar Mutton Varuval

I found this recipe on Star Vijay தினம் ஒரு சுவை. Not sure the about the Nadar connection! It does look authentic, though and taste delicious too!
Serves 3
Ingredients

• 500 grams mutton (Tender male goat shoulder meat tastes very good!)
• 2 large onions, chopped finely
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1 cup coconut, diced (about an inch in length)
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 3 tbsp coriander powder
• chili powder to taste
• 4 to 5 dry red chili pepper (குண்டு மிளகாய்)
• Handful curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• Chopped coriander for garnish

Preparation

• Pressure cook mutton with salt.
• Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add fennel seeds, dry red chili peppers, curry leaves and diced coconut. Saute well and fry for about 4 minutes till coconut is browned.
• Add onions, stir fry, add ginger garlic paste, mix well and add chopped tomatoes. Saute for a while.
• Add boiled mutton, turmeric, coriander and chili powder. Add pepper powder and saute for a minute. 
• Add coconut milk. Add salt and saute well. 
• Add chopped coriander, switch off and serve with rice and sambar or rasam.

French Fries

I found the perfect MacDonald French Fries recipe on Nicko's Kitchen. Purely vegetarian!

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 500 grams potatoes
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp corn syrup (recipe below)
• Oil
• Salt to taste

Corn Syrup

Yield 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar  
• 3/8 cup water
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (You can substitute with ¾ tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
• 1 pinch salt

Preparation

• Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer and put cover for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan. Uncover and simmer, stirring often, until it reaches the soft ball stage, about 25 minutes. Cool and store in a covered container at room temperature.
• Syrup should keep for about 2 months.

Preparation

• Peel and cut potatoes into 1 cm x 1 cm thick matchsticks.
• Put it in a bowl of ice cold water for 5 minutes to remove the excess starch.
• In another bowl, pour boiling water. Add powdered sugar and corn syrup. Remove the potatoes from the cold water bowl and put it in this bowl for 10 minutes. 
• Remove and dry on paper towels on a plate. Leave the plate in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Heat oil to 375 degrees F. Put the potatoes in a big steel basket (I used a big steel strainer) and place it in the hot oil for 2 minutes. 
• Remove and drain on paper towels. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
• Heat oil to 375 degrees F again. Put the potatoes back in the strainer and into the hot oil for about 4 to 5 minutes or till golden brown.
• Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle salt and serve.

Traditional British Fish and Chips

After having tasted Fish and Chips in Manhattan Fish Market, Chennai, I wanted to try the dish at home. Came out pretty well, I should say! Recipe courtesy - Grant MacNaughton from Mac's Fish and Chip Shop, Santa Barbara, CA taken from www.foodnetwork.com. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

For Fish

• 350 grams boneless, white fish fillets
• Oil for frying

Seasoned Flour 

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Batter

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp paprika (chili powder)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup beer

For Chips

• 500 grams potatoes

Preparation

• Peel and cut potatoes into 1 cm x 1 cm thick matchsticks.
• Put it in a bowl of ice cold water for 5 minutes to remove the excess starch.
• Heat oil in a pan to 275 degrees F. Put the potatoes in a big steel basket (I used a big steel strainer) and fry it in the hot oil for 10 minutes. 
• Remove and drain on paper towels. Keep it overnight in the refrigerator. (I left it in the freezer for about 30 minutes
• When ready to serve, heat oil to 375 degrees F. Put the potatoes back in the strainer and into the hot oil till golden brown and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• Mix all the ingredients for the seasoned flour in a large bowl.
• For the batter, mix thoroughly flour, paprika and salt in another large bowl. 
• While whisking constantly, add beer to stiffen up the mix. While still whisking, add cold water until the mixture reaches full cram consistency and there are no lumps.
• Heat oil in a pan to 375 degrees F.
• Dip the fish in seasoned flour, shake off excess, dip into the batter, briefly allow batter to drain off and gently place the fish in the hot oil. Cook till golden brown and trying to float, about 5 to 7 minutes. Continue the same way with the other fillets. 
• Serve on a bed of chips and dipping sauce.