Cooking Is Easy

Old fashioned vanilla bean custard ice cream, made with milk, eggs, and cream....so very homemade and decadent!! I have already posted "cheater" versions of "skinny" ice creams; my most popular Fresh Mango Ice Cream , Skinny Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream , and Coffee Crunch Ice Cream ....these do not need ice cream machines or any cooking!! Custard ice creams are old fashioned and probably you might have had while growing up....maybe your mom or your grandmother....or even your aunt used to make this custard ice cream during those summer holidays!! This ice cream recipe is from my friend, Merry's mom; during one of our telephone gossips  chats, I mentioned custard ice cream which my amma used to make which she used to pour into those ice cube trays....and was telling Merry that when I ask amma the recipe, she will say; add eggs, to milk, make custard, careful not to curdle....okay now you know the recipe!! and at that point Merry ...

              Apple tart, so very rustic, filled with juicy apples and sprinkled with cinnamon ...just before serving I drizzled with apple glaze....the first bite will make you close your eyes and say oh! yum!! Yes, these are delicious   fabulous!! I like making tarts, thanks to my food processor...it does all the mixing part...so no flour-stormed-kitchen-counters....ah! yes! less cleaning....less work makes me a happy baker!! But wait, don't be so happy and hum a song.....slicing apples need a bit of patience and time...but then give the job to kids....and allow them to have a slice or two in between (my way of bribing them). Or you can make this ahead also. Coming back to the recipe....this one is from my late ammachi's (grandmother).....when talking about her tart, she used to say...."add a good sprinkle of cinnamon, a tsp of lime juice, use cold cold cold butter....cut 'em up...knead into the dough....use very cold water"....this ...

   Kerala chicken curry recipe; this nadan chicken curry  is one of the best chicken curries from Kerala. Nadan kozhi curry or nadan chicken curry (translated as country chicken curry) is the most basic chicken curry from down South, Kerala, though a bit spicy, sauted in coconut oil and lastly a small seasoning with curry leaves and whole red chillies makes this one truly traditional and special. Again, this Kerala chicken curry is amma's recipe....which she has perfected over the years....and making this always reminds me of her (I live a good 10 hours away from her). The secret to the success of this curry is the sauting of onions in low flame until they are light brown and after adding chicken, again sauting it till all the moisture is absorbed without adding any water....and that makes all the difference!! The oh! so glamorous butter chicken gets all the attention from around the world, and basic everyday curries like this one gets sidelined..........