Kerala beef varattiyathu with vegetables

beef noodle soup

beef noodle soup

Hungarian beef and potato soup

On one of those cold early spring days, when winter is over, but has not yet moved away, a hearty beef and potato soup is welcome. And for a change of flavors, I made this Hungarian one. The caraway seeds, paprika and marjoram are what makes this one different.

St. Patrick’s Day 2019

Cooking in my new carbon steel wok

yes, it does taste better when cooked in this wok. Take the trouble to season the wok till it's blue, and you are all set for a wonderful delicious adventure. the Szechwan fried beef, I found so similar to the way my mom and grandmother made their special Nazrani fried beef. The zoodles and shrimp fried rice turned out so delicious in the wok. got the wok from amazon.com.

shrimp fried rice

Szechwan fried beef

zoodles and shrimp fried rice - ultimate comfort food

kerala beef fried rice

broccoli-beef

seasoned wok

Christmas 2015

The year I went crazy on my love for the British and European culinary traditions .
For the first time, I made steamed pudding in the pudding basin. With the roast duck dinner, it was almost a Dickensian Christmas. Almost, because there was no goose, just a duck.

mince pies

steamed plum pudding

American cinnamon roll ready for the oven

Swedish julbullar

French kouign amann

Austrian Linzertorte

For Christmas eve, a roast duck dinner with red cabbage and pear-cranberry relish and sambar and rice pulao/pilaf for mom

On Christmas day, a typical Nazrani dinner -- with fish, in coconut milk sauce and fried, Kerala style,  roast chicken, braised and fried beef,  beef croquettes, lamb stew and paalappam

Welcome, New Year 2019!

Just finger foods, but really filling and delicious.

the savory snacks -- beef and potao hand pie and tartelette, crameized onion and gruyere tartelette, creamy mushroom vol-au-vent

the sweet snacks -- raspberry-cream cheese-white chocolate pocket, apricot cinnamon sugar pinwheel

German roast beef - 2 kinds

Fuhrmannsbraten - cARTER'S ROAST

Sauerbraten with potato dumplings and pickled beets

Shaved beef and bell pepper stirfry

Szechwan beef

basic Kerala spicy ground beef with mixed vegetables

This is a favorite of my family, and it is  recipe that grew out of necessity and convenience.
Again, the possibilities are endless with this one. As a filling in a wrap,for  a bun, for a puff pastry shell, for a samosa, for a pita pocket. Or as a topping for noodles, traditional or spiralized vegetable, for pizza,  a side for hot rice, with plain yogurt or Kerala yogurt salad, or the Kerala buttermilk curry, ..... Great with bread, it work well as a sandwich filling, a side for roti. Could be served in lettuce leaves, could be cooked wrapped in cabbage leaves. It is the Kerala meat masala and the onion , ginger and garlic that gives it its special flavor. like I said, endless.

Spiralized

I resisted this till now.

And once I got my spiralizer, I found that it is quite interesting and helps create some beautiful fun meals. Started with a simple garlicky zucchini-shrimp combo. Delicious!

beets and shrimp

Then couldn't wait to incorporate other traditional Kerala tastes. Did a mix and match noodles, topping and side thing. Sauteed the spiralized vegetables and onion in some olive oil with some garlic, red pepper flakes, salt/ And they did not disappoint. Very nice!

spiralized potatoes, carrots, beets, zucchini

And to go with the noodles, Spicy ground beef, pan-seared spicy fish, lamb chops .

And here are a few ways to serve the above. Of course, there are a lot more options here.

We could mix the beef with the noodles, saute them together too, of course. and we can go the way of any world cuisine here. say, Italian, Indian.... The other day I had it with the Keralan yellow lentil soup - parippukoottaan. And it tasted fabulous. Possibilities are endless.

Isn't it lovely?