Tuticorin Macaroons

Tuticorin Macaroons (Pic by June Carvalho)

Cashewnut macaroons, I had always thought, were a speciality of Mangalore bakeries, till a friend of mine brought me a box of these cone-shaped macaroons, that are a hot selling sweet confection from the port town of Tuticorin or Thoothukudi as the locals call it.

These macaroons were sourced from Ganesh Bakery, famed for these light-as-air confections that that melt in the mouth. You really can't stop at one, never mind the sugar overload.

Macaroons are made out of a mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites, sugar and powdered cashewnuts which is piped through a paper cone on to baking trays and baked in a slow oven.

Ganesh Bakery packs these macaroons in a plastic bag which is sealed, placed in a cardboard box, which is then invariably gift-wrapped. That's their signature packaging style. Exposure to air results in moisture being absorbed and the macaroons turning soft in no time, hence it's important to store them in air-tight containers.

I welcome more of these sweet surprises. Anyone heading to Tuticorin?

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies (Pic by June Carvalho)

THIS army of gingerbread men joins hands to wish 'Havenu Shalom Aleikim' (Peace Be On You) during this  Christmas Season 2012 and all through the coming year.

Tender Coconut Pudding

Tender Coconut Pudding (Pic by June Carvalho)

THIS delicious pudding provides the perfect sweet finale to a meal with predominantly Oriental or tropical flavours. The slivers of tender coconut add a delightful texture to the otherwise smooth pudding, almost melting in the mouth, and not chewy like fresh coconut gratings. The oohs and aahs that follow a spoonful of this pudding belie the fact that it's actually extremely simple to make. Don't be surprised if the next thing your guests do is to ask for the recipe...you bet they will, as mine did, and so here goes:

What you need:

1 tin Amul Mithaimate condensed milk

1 *measure fresh coconut milk

1 *measure dairy milk

2 tbsps gelatine

3/4 cup hot water

Slivers of coconut from two tender coconuts

Soak the gelatine in the hot water to soften. Stir to dissolve. Whizz the condensed milk, coconut milk, dairy milk and gelatine in a blender and transfer to a glass dish. Cover with cling film and refrigerate. When half set, sprinkle the slivers of tender coconut evenly on the pudding. Refrigerate until fully set.

*Use the emptied condensed milk tin as your measure for the coconut milk and dairy milk. 

PS: You can mix it the day before it is required and leave to set overnight in the refrigerator.

    

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Into no department of life should indifference be allowed to creep -- into none less than into the domain of cookery.

                             --Yuan Mei, Qing dynasty scholar

Pathrode / Patra (Colocasia Leaf Rolls)

Pathrode or Colocasia Leaf Rolls (Pic by June Carvalho)

COLOCASIA plants grow in profusion all through the year around my parents' house near Mangalore. During a recent visit, I brought back a few leaves to make (after a very long time), these rolls, also known as pathrode in Konkani. 

The leaves are stuffed with a batter of rice ground with cumin seed, red chillies, tamarind and a little jaggery and salt, and then tightly rolled and steamed. They are then sliced, smeared with a bit of chilli paste and shallow fried in ghee or coconut oil and served as a very filling snack. (The pathrode slices shown in the picture were yet to be fried). There are many variations of the pathrode. In one method, the leaves are chopped up finely and added to a thickish rice batter which is then steamed in thalis. The idli-like pathrode can be cut into cubes and dunked in a mutton or chicken curry. A plateful of this meat with pathrode curry is usually a satiating and filling meal in itself. Some communities use gram flour (besan) instead of rice.

The presence of calcium oxalate in these elephant-ear shaped leaves can cause an itching sensation in the mouth and throat. A considerable amount of tamarind is therefore used to counterbalance this effect while cooking colocasia leaves.

The stem of the plant, especially of the dark maroon variety, is used in a dish called allum dento that is cooked with green gram sprouts. This is a special dish during Monthi Fest, the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, that Konkani Catholics of Dakshina Kannada celebrate with great pomp and fervour on September 8 each year. Traditionally, the festival repast comprises strictly vegetarian dishes, usually an odd number of items - either 7 or 9 - and the meal is served on plantain leaves. In the northern parts of the district, however, fish curry and fish fry are also part of the festive fare.   

What I used:

4 colocasia leaves

2 cups of red rice

6 red chillies

1 tsp cumin seed

Walnut sized ball of tamarind

3 tbsps of jaggery & Salt to taste

Carefully trim the leaves of their spines.

Soak the rice, preferably overnight and grind with all the other ingredients till fine. Be careful to add just enough water to make an easily spreadable batter, neither too thin nor too thick.

Lay the biggest leaf, smooth side down and evenly spread a thin layer of the rice batter on the entire leaf, right up to the edges. Place another leaf, smooth side down again, on top of the first leaf and repeat the process of applying the batter. Repeat this by layering two more leaves. Fold the bottom corners of the leaves and the tip towards the centre. Now start rolling it tightly into a roll from the side. Tie up the roll with kitchen twine and steam for about 20 minutes to half an hour.

When cool enough to handle, snip off the twine, slice the rolls and smear some chilli paste, like the kind used for fish fry, and shallow fry the pathrode slices in ghee, coconut oil or any other cooking oil. Garnish with a tempering of mustard and curry leaves and some freshly grated coconut if you like.

PS: If the process of grinding the rice deters you, the easier way is to use red rice flour, with red chilli & cumin powders and tamarind pulp. Dissolve the jaggery and salt in the water that you need to mix with the powders in order to obtain the batter. Though I love shortcuts and simpler ways of doing things, I haven't tried this method out, but I believe it works.

Kerala Melas!

WHILE on our way to Kovalam beach last month, we made a pit stop at this little wayside place called BRITISH RESTAURANT for a glass of steaming hot tea. Yes, a glass of tea, as against a cup of tea because it is invariably served in glasses in these thattukadas of Kerala. Practical. No frills and fuss.

Since I was keen to have tea in no other place than a thattukada, we stopped here. The tea was good as it always is in these thattukadas, sometimes with a smoky flavour...I remember that from previous visits. 

The story of Asokan who runs this place is indeed interesting. He has rehabilitated himself from being a small time drug peddler and now makes a decent and honest living, along with his ever eager-to-please partner, by cooking and serving meals. 

A fairly good part of Asokan's early life was spent in the UK, and hence the name of his little eatery. However, the British influence ends there, because the food served here is typically Kerala fare. Apart from English which he speaks fluently, he claims to have a knowledge of Italian and French as well.

British Restaurant is on Facebook and at the time of our visit boasted about 750 'Likes'. 

We were quite amused by the signboard which read KERALA MELAS.  It's from there that I was inspired use KERALA MELA as the title of my Kerala trip photo album that I've shared on Facebook.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Marcel Boulestin