Author: livinginleuvenbelgiumeurope

I am originally from India living in Belgium for the last 20 years. Over the years my family and friends have requested me to share my recipes many times. Most of my foods are cooked from a memory of an event or a taste remembered or a food appreciated and measurements are approximate (or from internet search) In this Blog I would like to share my experience of living in Europe and Foods from around the world. There are many versions of the same recipe with a different name in different cultures. I try to keep most of the recipes simple and healthy so that Working Women, Young Mothers with small children, Single people and Students living away from home can eat balanced meal in their busy week without much effort. Some of the recipes are Sugar free or gluten free or Eggless keeping in mind friends and relatives with different habits and needs. I also share some positive thought on my blog so that we can bridge the gap between traditional and modern thinking. Thank you, my whole family, cousins, friends and followers and readers of my blog, for your support. Peace and Happiness is my Motto. NJ

INDO-CHINESE FRIED RICE

indo-chinese-rice.jpgCook –  Bring 1 cup rice  to Boil – Drain – cool – Half cooked.

Chop – Onion  Cut – 1/2 Brocolli  – Slice – 2 red Capsicum  – Grate – 1 Carrot

Fry – Heat 3 tbsp. Veg Oil – Fry Onion – Brocolli – Capsicum – Carrot –  Add Veg one after other – Each item a few mnts to cook.

Add – Cold Rice to Fried Veg – Saute for 3-4 mnts – Drizzle 1tbsp – Soya Sauce – Chilli Sauce -Mix  – Done

Garnish – Sliced Boiled Eggs

Enjoy delicious Fried Rice !! mmm…….

Note :  Use Veg of Choice.  Use scrambled eggs instead of sliced.

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South Tyrolean Bacon Dumplings

dumplings south tyrol for blog- Nathalie (italy) (2)

Chop – 400g left-over bread, cut into cubes  – 1 Onion – 2 cloves Garlic – Handful parsley

Mix – 2 eggs – 80 all-purpose flour – 250ml lukewarm milk

Dice – 100g of bacon, finely diced

Dough – Heat Pan -melt 30g Butter -Fry Onion – Garlic – Bacon – turn off stove –

 

Add – bread – Parsley -egg – milk – Mix – add  more flour or water as necessary to form smooth dough.

Cool – Dough in Fridge – 1/2 hr

Dumpling  – Shape dough large balls by hand – cook in Simmering broth or water – 10 mnts – Ready to Serve.

Serve delicious filling dumplings with broth and Salad.  Enjoy!!

Note : This is a great idea for left-over bread.   A very typical  recipe in South Tyrolean culture!! In order to get the perfect dumplings, it is highly important not to use fresh but left-over bread, the older the better in this case!!

This Recipe was shared by my good friend Nathalie who is a student.   She is Italian from the region of  South Tyrol.  Nathalie is a linguist specialising in communication, who speaks Several  europan languages including German, Italian, French, English and Swedish.  She loves to cook as a hobby.  Nathalie is a key contact,  if ever you get lost in translation when Visiting Europe.

Nathalie Receipt Italian Austrian

Südtiroler Speckknödel

Ein wunderbares Rezept, um altes Brot zu verwerten ohne es wegzuwerfen!
400g altbackenes Brot, gewürfelt (damit die Knödel auch gelingen ist es wichtig altes Brot zu verwenden und kein frisches!)
2 Eier
80g Mehl
250ml lauwarme Milch
100g Speck
Etwas Petersilie
Eine Prise Salz
1 Zwiebel, Knoblauch fein gehackt
30 Butter
Die Butter in einer Pfanne erwärmen und den Knoblauch zusammen mit den Zwiebelwürfeln anbraten. Das Brot, zusammen mit der gehackten Petersilie, der Milch, den Eiern, dem Mehl sowie dem Salz hinzufügen.
Alle Zutaten gut vermischen und zu einem geschmeidigen Teig formen. Sobald das Gemisch eine weiche Konsistenz erreicht hat (bei Bedarf Mehl oder Wasser hinzufügen) den Teig für eine halbe Stunde in den Kühlschrank stellen. Anschließend runde Knödel mit den Händen formen.
Die fertigen Knödel werden in Fleischsud oder in Wasser gekocht. Die Kochzeit beträgt ca. 10min. Die Knödel können als Suppeneinlage oder als Salatbeilage verzehrt werden.
Guten Appetit!

Canederli di speck alla sudtirolese:

Ecco un ottimo consiglio per usare il pane non più fresco invece di gettarlo. Un piatto tipico della cultura sud-tirolese!
400g di pane raffermo tagliato a cubetti (i vostri canederli vengono benissimi con il pane raffermo, mi raccomando non usate quello fresco!)
2 uova
80g di farina
250ml di latte tiepido
100g speck
Un po’ di prezzemolo
Pizzico di sale
1 cipolla, aglio tritati finemente
30g di burro

Scaldate il burro in una padella e fate soffriggere insieme la cipolla e l’aglio. Aggiungete il pane, insieme del prezzemolo tritato, il latte, le uova, la farina e il sale.
Mescolate insieme tutti gli ingredienti e incorporateli con le mani. Una volta ottenuto un composto piuttosto morbido (aggiungete della farina o dell’acqua se necessario) lasciate riposare l’impasto una mezz’ora in frigorifero. Poi realizzate degli gnocchi grandi con le mani.
I canederli si cuociono in brodo o l’acqua bollente. Lasciateli cuocere per 10min circa. I canederli si mangiano insieme al brodo oppure accompagnati con l’insalata.
Buon appetito!

 

Mani Puttu Rice Dumpling in Coconut Sauce

 

Rice dumplings Maniputtu Coconut Milk sauce Dry Fruits Berberry
Mani Puttu Dry Fruit Garnish

Dough – 2 cups water – 1 tsp ghee – Pinch Salt – Boil – Stir – +/- 2 cups rice powder –  turn off  stove

Dumpling – Roll to form cherry sized ball

Cook – 2 -3 cups  Water –  pinch – cardamon powder/ Salt -Sugar to taste – Boil – add Dumplings – 5 mnts

Finish – Add 1 cup thick coconut milk – Boil 2 mnts – Dried Berberry to Garnish – cool 2 mnts. – Done

Enjoy Delicious – Gooey – Coconutty – Traditional comfort food.

Note : Steam  balls if preferred. Use regular Milk instead of coconut milk. Add more Milk if preferred. Use Raisons instead of Berries.  Enjoy without Garnish too.

This recipe is made with memories of my Grandma from Childhood.  Every evening  Grandma would sit in  her favourite cane chair listening  to the 4 O’clock Songs on the radio. This was the highlight of her day.   Sitting in her traditional clothes (chatt-bundu) she would call my Aunt – Mary can you make some Mani Puttu for me.   Amma your Mani Puttu lives on.

Granny was addicted to movies.  Everybody teased her about her movie addiction.  She watched the Tamil movie ‘Kadhalikka Neramillai’ (No time for Love) 12 times.  Each time in secret when Grandpa was at work.

Today we will remember you while enjoying this Puttu.

Mani Puttu in Coconut Sauce Recipe

Apple Paratha

apple Parathaapple Paratha2

Saute – Heat pan – 1 tbsp. butter – 2 apples Sliced – pinch of cinnamon  – 1 to 2 mnts. –  filling
Mix – 1 Cup wheat flour – 1 tsp Ghee – +/- 1/4 cup water – Dough – divide 4 parts.

Roll – dough in circle – arrange Apple filling  – one side of circle – drizzle honey – form Semi circle.

Fry – Heat skillet – Low Fire – Flip – cook both sides – Ready.

Snip with Scissors  – Perfect wedges – Ready.

Easy Quick delicious snack. Enjoy with a cup of tea!!

Note : Use Tortilla wraps instead of Chapati.  Change filling to Banana??