CREAMY VANILLA ICE CREAM

Ice cream- A summer treat and loved by almost everyone. I prefer the softy Italian ice creams than the usual ones available and this is an excellent recipe if you love creamy ice creams. It is easy to prepare and tastes good even after a month (when stored in a good freezer).

Ingredients

Milk - 150 ml (cold)

Amul cream – 1 liter

Milkmaid – 400gms

Vanilla bean- 1 OR Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method

Whip the fresh cream (750 ml) using a hand mixer until high peaks are formed. Take a bowl and add cold milk, milkmaid and give it a mix. Slit the bean lengthwise and scrape the vanilla seeds into the mixture. Now add the whipped cream to this mixture and stir using a spatula until all the ingredients are mixed well. Pour the contents in an airtight container and place it in a freezer. Take it out after an hour, add the remaining cream (250 ml) and beat it using a hand mixer in medium speed for about ten to fifteen minutes and place it back into the freezer. Let it set for about three to four hours before serving. It melts fast at room temperature so place it back into the freezer immediately after serving.

Enjoy your treat with chocolate sauce, chocolate chips or fruits. 

SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS POTATO FRY

This simple recipe can be made in a few minutes and goes well with sambar, rasam or curd rice.

INGREDIENTS

Potato (medium size) - 2

Turmeric- a pinch

Sambar pwd- 1 tbsp (add more if you prefer it spicy)

Mustard seeds- ½ tsp

Oil- 3-4 tbsp

Salt

METHOD

Wash, peel and cut the raw potatoes into small pieces. Heat kadai or a non stick pan and add oil. Once it’s hot, add the mustard seeds, and let it crackle. Throw in the tiny pieces of potato adding turmeric, required salt and sambar pwd and cook on low flame till the potatoes are cooked (take a piece from the kadai, it should be slightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, if yes then its cooked) check for the taste and add more salt or sambar pwd if required. Switch off the heat when it’s done. Serve hot.

PEPPER CHICKEN FRY

This pepper chicken is my mother’s recipe to which I have added a few changes. It tastes good with rasam, curd rice and even with chapati. 

INGREDIENTS

Chicken – 500 gms boneless cut into small pieces

Onion (chopped) – 2  

Ginger and garlic (grated) – 2 tbsp each  OR  Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Green chilly (slit) – 1

Black pepper (crushed) – 1¼ tbsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Fennel powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Juice of half a lemon

Salt

Tomato puree – 2 tsp

Curry leaves

Coconut oil

Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

METHOD

Wash the chicken pieces by adding a tsp of turmeric and little salt. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and little salt and let it brown. Add grated ginger and garlic OR ginger garlic paste, slit green chili and curry leaves. Let it cook until the raw smell goes. Add crushed pepper, turmeric powder, garam masala, fennel powder and cook for about 3 mins. Add tomato puree and mix well. I have used tomato puree for this recipe but my mother adds chopped tomatoes. If you prefer tomatoes then use one small sized tomato and chop it into small cubes. Add the chicken pieces and squeeze in the lemon and add the required salt. Combine everything well. Add about half a cup of water and let it boil. Reduce the heat once it starts boiling, cover and cook the chicken for about ten minutes or  until done stirring in occasionally in between if needed and add little water if the masala sticks to the pan. Once the chicken is done, heat coconut oil in a tadka pan, add curry leaves, switch off the heat and pour this on the chicken. Serve hot.