Bitter Gourd As a Side Dish

Here is the recipe to prepare bitter gourd as an Indian dish. This is the stuffed recipe, but it can be done without stuffing as well.

Ingredients

2 Bitter melon

1 onion

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 inch ginger piece

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 green chilli (optional)

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 raw mango pulp

1 tsp salt

1/2 turmeric

1/2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp mustard oil

Directions

1. Peel the skin of bitter melon and mix it with the 1/2 tsp salt. Keep it aside for minimum one hour. Salt takes out the bitterness. Make a slit in the melon length wise and rub rest of the salt in and out of it. Keep them aside for an hour too.

2. Blend the onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli and raw mango and Make a thick paste of it.

3. Now heat the mustard oil in a frying pan, till it becomes light in color than its original color. When the oil starts looking transparent, it is ready to be used for cooking spices.

4. Turn off the heat for a while to cool the oil. When it is warm, turn the flames on and keep it low or medium. Add the dry spices and fry them. Now add the paste prepared in the step 2. Fry this paste until it turns brown.

5. Now add the peeled skin of the melon and cook it on low / medium flame heat and let it cool again.

6. Take the bitter melon and drain the salty water. Fill the peeled skin mix in the slits and cook it covered until is cooked. It might take 10 minutes on medium flames. Stuffed bitter melon is ready.

The bitter melon prepared this way, does not taste bitter. The raw mango and the mustard oil takes away the bitterness of it while cooking.

If somebody is not interested in stuffing the bitter melon, they can cut it into small pieces and rub salt around the pieces. Keep them aside for an hour. Follow the step 1, step 2, step 3 and step 4 as described above. In step 5, just add the melon pieces while adding the peeled salty skin and cook it covered for around 15 to 20 minutes. A plain bitter melon recipe will be ready.

This can be served as a side dish in the main course.

If you'd like to try more Indian recipes, here are other recipes at http://www.indianfood-recipes.in/

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Enjoying the Best of Retro Sweets?

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Why Does Salmon Taste So Fishy?

The AHA (American Heart Association) recommend eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times (two servings) a week. Fatty fish include one of my favorites, salmon. But what do you do if you have been getting salmon and can't stand the fishy smell and taste?

This time around we will talk about what causes that fishy smell, and at least one thing that you can do about it.

Why do salmon or any other fish smell fishy in the first place?

As an angler that at least from time to time pulls salmon out of the water in the morning and has them for dinner that night, I can tell you that salmon should not have a fishy taste or smell. But, if you leave that nice fresh salmon in the fridge for a few days, it starts to smell 'fishy'.

The reason for this is a chemical called trimethylamine N-oxide that scientists believe act as an anti-freeze and to protect a fish's cellular proteins under the pressures they encounter in the deep. The problem starts after a fish dies.

After a fish has ceased to be, trimethylamine N-oxide starts breaking down into Trimethylamine. It is this chemical that causes the characteristic fishy smell you probably have experienced in a fish market before.

Prevention is key to avoiding stinky fish!

Now that you know that the fishy smell comes from a chemical that is too long to pronounce breaking down into one moderately more pronounceable, the key element in avoiding it is obvious.

Buy fresher fish!

Even the freshest fish at the store has had to undergo the process of being caught, processed, frozen, thawed and displayed at your local grocers. Under the best circumstances it has been at above freezing temps for only a few days, but that is still long enough for trimethylamine N-oxide to start breaking down and stinking up your otherwise beautiful fish.

Find the busy fish markets and avoid ones that look questionable. Don't be shy about asking to smell your salmon or other fish before you buy it. If it smells fishy now, then it won't be any better by the time you take it home.

Take care of your fish before you cook it!

You know how the meat counter is usually one of the first stops when you wander through a grocery store? How might that affect your fish? I suggest making the stop at the fish counter your last stop before you check out. You may even want to bring along a small cooler with a cold pack in it do keep your fish in on the ride home.

Too psycho for you? Considering that the fishy smell we are trying to avoid is the breakdown of chemicals, the colder we can keep our fish, the slower that process will be and the less fishy smell your salmon will have.

Lastly, try and buy fish the same day you are going to cook it. At most I would buy it the night before and keep it in the bottom of your fridge where it is coldest.

What can you do to eliminate that fishy smell?

If after all this, you can't avoid some of the dreaded fish smell, one thing you can do is drizzle it down with lemon juice. Lemon juice is acidic and actually converts the volatile chemicals in the amines to a much less volatile salt. The effect of this is to bind up the stinky chemicals into form you don't smell and taste as much.

I hope this article has been useful to you in realizing that salmon should not be fishy tasting or smelling. Good fresh salmon tastes sweet and quite honestly, like salmon. There is no other way to describe it. So shop more carefully, smell fish before you buy it and store it right to avoid 'stinky fish syndrome'.

Looking to find out more about salmon and other fish? Want to learn how to catch your own salmon and taste it as fresh and clean as you possibly can? If so, I invite you over to our fishing blog to share in our fishing adventures, read our product reviews, try out our fish recipes and have a few laughs at our expense.

Drop in today! The address is http://www.fishingwithcliff.com/ and the door is always open and the beer is usually cold!

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Dips Recipes to Make Your Snack Table Stand Out!

Let your snack table become the most popular among your group of family and friends. Add the dip recipes below to your party recipe files. This is a large variety of dip types for your guests pleasure.

HOMEMADE BLUE CHEESE RANCH DIP
1 container (16-oz) sour cream
1 pkg (1-oz) Ranch dip mix
1 pkg (4-oz) blue cheese crumbles
2 tbsp fresh chopped chives

Stir the sour cream, dip mix, blue cheese crumbles, and chives together until blended.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Serve with fresh veggies, heavy chips, hot wings, or your favorite dippers.

BLACK BEAN DIP
1 can (15-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup your favorite salsa
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and process until smooth, scraping down sides once.
Serve dip with tortilla chips.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

SALSA & SHRIMP CREAM CHEESE DIP
4-oz Neufchatel cheese*
1 jar (16-oz) thick and chunky salsa of your choice
1 can (6-oz) tiny shrimp, drained
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
assortment of whole-grain crackers for serving

With an electric mixer in a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth. Gradually add the salsa into the cream cheese until well blended. Stir in the shrimp, celery, and green onions until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. (Best if allowed to chill at least an hour.)

Serve with the crackers.

*You can use regular cream cheese, if desired.

GARDEN PARTY DIP
1 carton (16-oz) small curd cottage cheese
1 pkg (3-oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup finely chopped radishes
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
dash of freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients together until well blended. Chill until serving time. Serve with fresh vegetables or an assortment of whole-grain crackers.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

IRRESISTIBLE HOT CHEESE DIP
2 cups (8-oz) shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 small onion, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all three ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring to blend well.

Place the cheese mixture in an ungreased 1-quart baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Serve with an assortment of whole-grain crackers.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups dip.

Enjoy!

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The Gang's Headed to Your House? Make These Quick and Easy Snacks, Tell Them to Bring the Drinks!

Do your friends and relatives enjoy gathering at your house to watch the game, play cards, etc? Make it easy on yourself with these quick and easy snack recipes. Tell them to bring the drinks and/or desserts and you can entertain without a lot of fuss. Oh yeah, make them help clean up the mess before they leave!!

CRAB FRITTERS
2 cups canola oil
6 corn taco shells
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 lb cooked crabmeat
1 can (4-oz) diced green chiles, drained
fresh chopped cilantro for garnish, if desired

Place the taco shells in a food processor and pulse evenly until ground or place shells in a large ziptop plastic food bag and crush by rolling a rolling pin over the bag.

In a medium bowl combine the crushed taco shells and flour. Add milk and eggs to the shells and mix well. Fold in the crab and chiles; let stand 10 minutes.

Place the oil in a large skillet and heat to 375 degrees over medium-high heat.

Line a platter with a double layer of paper towels to hold fritters after they are removed from the oil.

When the oil reaches 375 degrees, place heaping tablespoonsful of the mixture into the hot oil. Do this carefully so you don't get burned! Cook, turning once, for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, removed to the prepared platter.

Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro when serving, if desired.

DIRTY CHEX SNACK MIX
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
9 cups any variety Chex cereal
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a 1-qt microwavable bowl, mix chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla.

In large bowl, place cereal. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon food storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool for about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Yield: 18 (1/2 cup) servings

HOMEMADE PIMENTO CHEESE SPREAD
2 lb Velveeta cheese
small amount of cream
1 jar pimentos with juice
mayonnaise or salad dressing

Melt the Velveeta with the cream; add the pimentos and juice. Stir in enough mayonnaise or salad dressing to make a smooth consistency for spreading

Serve on party breads or with an assortment of crackers.

Enjoy!

You will find many more quick and easy recipes on Linda's blog at http://grandmasquickfixrecipes.blogspot.com/ and slowcooker/crockpot recipes at http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com/

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Try These Delicious Old Fashion Apple Recipes For Some Tasty Treats

Apples have long been favorites among almost all of us. From the earliest days, actually it is believed it was an apple Eve convinced Adam to eat in the Garden of Eden, they have a fruit of choice. The recipes in this article all use apples as a main ingredient. From pancakes to desserts, in a word - yummy!

1970s APPLE PANCAKES AND CIDER SYRUP
This is a recipe I have used since the early 1970s so it is older than my two youngest children.

2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup grated apple

Beat the baking mix, cinnamon, egg, and milk with a rotary beater until smooth (Remember the hand held rotary beaters? Being a leftie, I hated them; they were hard to use!) Fold in the apple.

Heat a griddle or skillet to hot (grease if necessary) and pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot griddle. Cook until bubbles appear. Turn and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve with butter and warm maple or cider (recipe below) syrup.

This makes about 18 pancakes.

Cider Syrup:
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 cups apple cider
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup butter

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice until well blended. Stir in the cider and juice while stirring. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and blend in the butter.

OLD FASHION APPLE TORTE
This apple torte is a good addition to brunch, great with coffee for visiting with friends, and many other occasions. It is not too sweet and goes perfectly topped with either a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle either with a little ground cinnamon for a special touch.

2/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups diced apples
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the sugar and vanilla to the beaten eggs. Beat well. Add dry ingredients, apple and nuts to liquid mixture. Mix well and bake in a well-greased 8 x 12 x 4-inch baking dish for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com/.
For more of her recipes and diabetic information visit http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/

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Wheat-Free Bolognese With Yummy Spaghetti-Substitute

I specialize in writing recipes with minimum preparation time that are from scratch. It is actually easy to eat really tasty fast and more healthy food.

This recipe came about because these days, wheat isn´t what it used to be in my childhood years. So I avoid eating it when possible. Don´t get me wrong, my body, especially after the treatment it had, is happy with home-made (natural wheat and other grains) bread about 4 times a week. But when you have wheat-based sandwiches at work four times a week, it is nice to avoid wheat spaghetti on top. And, in an effort to find substitutes, we tried rice pasta the other day. My tummy complained for two days afterwards, so clearly rice pasta is to be used in moderation. So what to use when you wish to avoid pasta, wheat and rice altogether for a change but still want that yummy spaghetti bolognese taste? Well, potatoes and spring greens made a lovely substitute today. And so nice, I think I prefer it to the original spaghetti bolognase any day!

Here is the recipe. It takes about 10 minutes preparation time.

Bolognase ingredients

1 1/2 tbs Oil for cooking (I used coconut oil, as it does not denature like ¨cooking oils¨ do)

Chopped garlic to taste

1 onion, chopped (don´t waste time getting the pieces perfect - just roughly chop them - life is for living, not wasting time in the kitchen)

Black pepper to taste

1 tsp Ground cinnamon

500 g Mince meat

Salt to taste

Spaghetti herbs, preferably fresh, such as oregano, basil, and thyme (a few fresh stalks should do - just run your thumb and forefinger, touching at the stalk, through the stalk against the direction of the leaves, and they come off very quickly with ease - the basil can be simply cut into 3 bits per stalk, leaving the stalk in)

2-4 Tomatoes (depending on size), fresh, roughly chopped

1-2 tbs Soy sauce (I check it is naturally brewed and free of artificial preservatives)

Spaghetti-substitute ingredients

3-6 Potatoes (depending on size), cut into halves or quarters

400 g Spring Greens

Small packet (about 100 g) of garlic-and-herb cream cheese - I use a goat-and-cow milk cheese that has no preservatives or strange ingredients and is really creamy and yummy

Start by putting the spaghetti-substitute vegetables in a pot and add hot water. While you wait for the water to come to the boil, move on to the next set of ingredients. When the spaghetti-substitute vegetable pot starts to boil, reduce heat to a simmer, covered, till cooked, about 10 minutes or so.

Heat oil in big frying pan or in a cooking pot with the garlic at medium heat. Add onions and stir occasionally, in-between preparing the rest of the ingredients, such as chopping the tomatoes. Add pepper and cinnamon. When onions start to almost-brown, add mince and salt and stir until the mince stops looking blood-red. Add herbs and tomatoes, stir, add soy sauce, stir, and reduce heat whilst all cooks.

Empty the water out of the spaghetti-substitute vegetables. Stir in the cream cheese, and if you like, salt to taste. By then, the bolognase mixture is ready.

Serve together side by side; serves 2-4.

© Suzanne Zacharia 2012. My name is Suzanne Zacharia and I am committed to spreading the word about ways to improve your health, happiness, success, and lifestyle.

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Almond Saffron Fudge, a Delicious Dessert Recipe

When it comes to nuts you cannot forget almonds. Almonds are very good source of carbohydrates including dietary fibers, sugars and starch. It is also considered rich in monounsaturated fat, which helps to lower LDL cholesterol levels. You can eat a handful of mixed nuts every day.

You can find almond trees mostly in the Middle East and South Asian countries. An almond rests inside a fleshy covering, like a peach or plum. This fleshy part tastes really good when you allow it to ripen. Many people don't know about this.

Almond is one of the integral ingredients of many cakes and fudge recipes. I use almonds in all of my cakes and fudge recipes. It gives rich creamy texture and taste to the recipe. You can use almonds in variety of recipes.You can mix almond powder in any gravy and it gives thick creamy finishing touch to the gravy. You can prepare almond shake or use almond flakes on vanilla ice-cream as a topping.

Almond fudge is a dessert which has a delicate sweetness and goodness of the almond. In order to make this delicious treat, cook almonds on medium heat and add other ingredients as described below.

I tried making this fudge with condensed milk and it turned out as good as traditional recipe. The saffron gives it a regal taste and blends so well with the nutty fudge. Try this for a potluck, festival or a party and your guests will love this subtle sweet dish.

Finally, who doesn't love dessert? It is delicious and must have condiment after a nice candle light dinner. This is one of the best dessert recipes, I have come across. Here is how you prepare it.

Ingredients

Almonds--2 cupsButter --2 TablespoonsCondensed Milk--1/2 cupCardamom powder--1 teaspoonWhipping cream--1 cupSaffron--1/2 teaspoon

Recipe

Soak almonds in water overnight. Peel the skin of almonds and blend them in mixer with the whipping cream to form a smooth fine paste. Heat 1 Teaspoon butter in pan over low heat. Add the almond paste and keep stirring the mixture. Add the sugar, cardamom powder and stir it for 20 minutes. Mix in the condensed milk and the remaining butter and stir it for another 5-10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a greased plate and press gently. Cool it and sprinkle saffron on top. Cut into pieces and serve. Please make sure to leave a feedback.

We have growing collection of food recipes. You can visit us at http://desibidesi.com/

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Italian Baguette Recipe - Make Your Own Fresh and Crusty Bread

It's easy to make your own fresh, crusty bread. What could be more delicious than homemade bread, straight from the oven?

This is my recipe for Italian-style bread, like the bread at your favourite Italian restaurant. It tastes excellent dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Or smothered in butter if you like. I won't tell.

What's more, it's easy to achieve in just a couple of hours - most of which is rising time, leaving you free to get on with your chores.

The flavour of this bread comes from the extra rich dough. It is made with egg and milk, which not only makes it taste great but gives it a wonderful texture too.

You need a special trick to make the crust extra crunchy, but don't worry, it's very simple. I'll explain that bit when we get there.

Let's go!

You will need:
250g plain flour
5g instant dried yeast
1 large egg
50ml full fat milk
100ml hand-hot water

1. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the water last and pour it in little by little, squeezing everything together with one hand until you have a dough that is firm and sticky.

2. Leave the dough to rise for about an hour. It should approximately double in size.

3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for a few minutes.

4. Use a rolling-pin to make the dough into an oval shape, then roll it up like a fat Swiss roll. Press the seam together firmly, to seal it. If is it reluctant to stick, brush the joint with some water to act like glue.

5. Place the loaf onto a baking tray and leave it to rise again for 40 minutes, by which time it will be springy to the touch.

6. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C.

7. When you are ready to bake the bread, use a sharp knife to score a line along the top, about a centimetre deep.

8. Spray the loaf thoroughly, all over, with water, from a clean plant spray. This will help to form the crunchy crust.

9. Bake at 200 degrees C for 25 minutes, spraying the crust twice more in the first 10 minutes of cooking.

The bread is cooked when it is well browned and comes off the tray easily. It will sound hollow when you knock on its bottom.

Leave the bread to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before cutting.

There are more great bread recipes on my site, where I help people bake delicious bread in the easiest possible way.
Rachel, from Freshly Baked.

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Old Fashion Recipes for Zucchini Lasagna, Baked Noodle Dish, and a Hot Diggity Macaroni Dish

I love preparing dishes from my old fashion recipe collection. If you don't have a collection of our own, try some of my recipes. This article has a Zucchini Lasagna I made as a young housewife with zucchini from my garden, a Baked Noodle-Ground Beef Dish - a recipe I turned to as a young cook on a budget, and a favorite of the children called Hot Diggity Macaroni.

ZUCCHINI LASAGNA
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of fresh ground black pepper
approximately 6 cups fresh zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 cup large curd cottage cheese
1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

In a medium-sized skillet brown the ground beef over medium heat, stirring to break up. Drain well. Return meat to skillet and stir in the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Arrange half the zucchini slices in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan or dish. Spoon on half the ground beef mixture followed by half the cottage cheese. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the cottage cheese. Repeat the layers using the remaining ingredients in the same order. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 40 minutes.

HOT DIGGITY MACARONI DISH
1 box (7-oz) elbow macaroni*
1 lb hot dogs, quartered
1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed cream of celery soup
1 carton (8-oz) sour cream, room temperature
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 tsp caraway seed, optional

Prepare the macaroni according to the package directions; drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Turn into a 2-quart baking dish that has been greased. Cover and bake 30 to 35 minutes until hot and bubbly. Makes 6 servings.

BAKED NOODLE-GROUND BEEF DISH
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 pkg (6-oz) egg noodles, cooked as directed on pkg and drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 block Cracker barrel cheese
1 can tomato soup
3/4 soup can of water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder

While the noodles cook, brown the ground beef in a skillet with the onion. When beef is no longer pink, drain.

In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked noodles, ground beef and onion, bell pepper, corn, half of the cheese, and mix together well. Add the soup, water, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Pour the mixture into a buttered baking dish, shred remaining cheese over the top, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com/.
For more of her recipes and diabetic information visit http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/

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