Clams (Tisrya)

Clams is one food enjoyed by my family. There are various ways in which you can cook them. The important thing though is the cleaning. For those who would like to cook them for the first time. Wash the clams many times till the mud is out and then with very little water  just about cover it and steam them for 5 mins. The clams will open remove the flesh with a spoon or your fingers and cook them the way you choose.

If you are used to cooking clams then with the help of a knife pull open the shell and discard the portion which does not have the flesh. You can also push the flesh to one side of the shell and discard the other half.

Retain the juice in both varieties. Don't throw the water in which you have steamed, strain it to discard any unwanted sea impurities and use it for the gravy.

Today I am sharing a simple curry which can be enjoyed with steamed rice.

Ingredients:

• Clams as many as you see in the photograph.
• 1 big onion roasted on open flame of gas till the red skin is charred.
• Cool remove the skin and use the pulp.
• 1/2 of the dry coconut shell. Grate or roast like onion and use for masala.
• 1 tbsp chilli powder.
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder.
• 1/2 tsp haldi powder.
• 1 tsp coriander seeds.
• 1 tsp fennel seeds.
• 1 tsp jeera seeds.
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns.
• 3 cloves.
• 1 1/2 inch cinnamon.
• 1 tbsp garlic crushed.
• 6 tbsp oil.

Method:

• Heat a pan and add 2 tbsp oil.
• To this add sliced onion and stir fry till golden.
• Add coriander seeds, fennel seeds, jeera, pepper, cloves, cinnamon and roast a few mins.
• Add grated dry coconut and roast till brown.
• If you are roasting coconut on direct flame the grate after roasting and just add to roasted masala.
• Grind the masala with a little water.
• Heat the same pan and add 4 tbsp oil.
• When hot add 1 finely chopped onion fry till golden brown.
• Add the crushed garlic and cook till light brown.
• Add the clams, haldi and both chilli powders.
• Add very little salt 1/2 tsp as clams are salty.
• Add water and let it cook for 5 mins.
• Add the ground masala adjust gravy to personal choice by adding water.
• Add 1tbsp imli /tamarind juice or 3 kokum.
• Cook for 2mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

• Sometimes I add 2 tbsp of ginger, coriander leaves and green chilli paste. Add this after chilli powder.

 

Serve it with steamed rice.

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Saffron Mutton Pulao

Saffron Mutton Pulao, is a delicate recipe of Mutton and Rice with the flavour of Saffron and the perfume of Screwpine water / Kewra water. This is one dish that is enjoyed in my house and though it should be cooked with boneless mutton but my family members each love to chew their nali piece. I always instruct the meat seller to first give me the required nali pieces and then the rest of the meat according to the quantity required. A simple dahi raita is all that is required to enjoy this feast. 

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Mutton boneless preffered.
• 1/2 kg long grained Basmati Rice.
• 2 medium sized potatoes.
• 125 ml pure ghee.
• 1 large onion finely sliced.
• 5 cloves garlic peel and crush.
• 1 inch cube of ginger grated.
• 2 black cardomons coarsely ground.
• 5 green cardamons crushed.
• 3 cloves.
• 4 bay leaves.
• 1 inch stick cinnamon.
• 6 black peppercorns.
• 1/4 tsp sugar.
• 1 cup yoghurt / dahi  whisk well.
• 2 tsp salt.
• 4 tbsp blanched and sliced almonds.
• 1/4 tsp saffron soaked in 4 tbsp warm milk.
• A small ball of dough to seal the vessel.

Method :

• Wash and soak the rice for 1/2 an hou.r
• In a pressure cooker heat the ghee and stir fry the sliced onions till transparent do not brown.
• Add crushed garlic, ginger stir fry for two mins.
• Put in mutton and potatoes turn the pieces around for a minute.
• Add the spices and the curds cook for a minute.
• Add 1 cup water and pressure cook till meat is tender.
• Boil the rice in 2 liters of water with a little salt, 1tsp lime juice and 1tsp ghee.
• When half cooked drain the water and keep aside.
• In a thick bottomed vessel spread the rice
• On this pour the cooked mutton with just 1/2 cup gravy. 
• Now spread the almonds and the saffron.
• Cover the vessel with a lid if not tight then seal with dough and cover cook on low flame for 15 mins.
• Before serving open the lid and pour over 1 tsp of kewra water 
• Serve with a Raita of your choice.

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Tal (Tadgola or Wood Apple) Kheer

"Tal Kheer" a novelty for people in Mumbai and South.

Tal is what we know as Tadgoda the summer fruit we all enjoy. This Kheer is made from the outer kernel of the tadgola shell just below the outer skin.

It should be ripe, so ripe that an orange colour fiberous matter is seen.

I have these Tal trees in my Complex in Kandivili(W), Mumbai, and like God's grace my husband found them near his parked car, on two consecutive days. He was delighted as he had tasted the kheer made by his grandmother years ago. I had no clue about the procedure. He contacted our sister-in-law, Mrs. Dipti Maitra in Kolkata and she explained the procedure.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tal.
• Whole milk that has been reduced to half.
• Sugar as per taste.
• Dessicated or fresh coconut 2 tbsp.
• 1 tsp elaichi powder.

Method: 

• Cut the top lid of the Tal and with your hands peel off the first layer as you peel the coconut outer fiber.
• You will need a grater, in olden days they used a cane basket and some muslin cloth to strain.

• You will now have an orange fruit in hand this orange portion is what we require.
• Now separate this orange portion which is either in two or three sections by hand.
• Grate this orange shell and then squeeze the collected pulp through a muslin cloth.  This strained pulp is what we require.
• In a vessel take the pulp and put on a medium flame, stir a little for few seconds and then add the grated coconut. I used the dessicated coconut powder 2 tbsp. 
• Sti,r add the milk just a little and see that the orange colour is not lost add sugar and elaichi powder . 
• Enjoy the Kheer .
• I tried it as a topping with Vanilla Icecream and it tasted great.
• It was a new experience for me but sourcing the fruit is a priority.

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