Malayalees love beef and you will find it in menu cards in almost all non vegetarian joints. Watch out for Erachi / beef  Ulathiyathu…This dry preparation of meat goes well as lunch or dinner accompaniment or as cocktail snacks.

Beef * – 500 gms (cut into ½ inch cubes)
Shallots (small onions) – 10 nos (sliced)
Ginger – ½ inch (sliced)
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chili powder – 2 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Black pepper powder – 1 tsp
Powdered cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
Cloves – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 3 sprigs
Coconut flakes – ½ cup
Dry Coconut – 2 tbsp (sliced and small pieces – fried)
Coconut Oil – ½ cup
Salt to taste

1. Combine all ingredients except oil and coconut and smear the meat with it. Mix well and keep aside
2. Dry fry coconut flakes with a pinch or turmeric powder and salt to golden yellow
3. Add the marinated meat, mix and cook covered on low flame
4. Stir occasionally and sprinkle boiling water if required (if the mix is sticking to the bottom of the pan)
5. Garnish with sliced and fried dry coconut
6. Serve

*If you are not a beef eater replace it with meat of your choice
* You can also pressure cook the meat first and cook it dry over open fire
* This dish tastes better when refried!

Till next time… happy cooking!

photo credit: imgdive

This one was different from the crepe I normally was used to. This one was salty and filled with all stuff you love. And this one also had a special name that is Galette

Galette was my first brush with French cuisine as Paris was our landing port.Jessica and Sebastian our friends Palaiseau (a quaint suburb 40 minutes away from Paris)made for me and Q mouth watering Galettes!

Galette is the original term for Crepes except for the fact that Galette is the salty version while Crepe is sweet. From the look of it I thought I will be able to take in atleast two of the galettes till I had one! Its quite filling and a full meal in itself. Check it out!

All Purpose Flour – 2 cups

Buckwheat flour / wheat flour – 2 cups

Eggs – 4 nos

1. Mix all the above and make a soft dough
2. Start adding milk (1-2 cups) and continuously whisk the dough avoiding lumps. The idea is to get a running batter stage
3. While whisking the batter add melted butter (1-2 cups) and keep whisking till you get a smooth running batter (almost like Indian dosa batter) devoid of any lumps
4. Heat a pan and add a dash of butter. Pour out a ladle of batter on the pan. Lift the pan and tilt it sideways to make a batter run and make a neat circle
5. After 2 minutes flip and cook the other side.
6. Add fillings of your choice and close to make it look like a semi circle
7. Serve hot!

Options for filling: Beaten egg with herbs and / or cooked vegetable and/ or cooked meat

Till next time…happy cooking!

Meet Jessica and Sebastian…. currently pursuing PhD studies! All the best for your future guys!