Peanut Butter Fudge And Vegetable Steak For A Happy New Year

HAPPY 2014 
WITH

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE AND VEGETABLE STEAK

These are the yummy results of the culinary experiments conducted by my dear grand daughter with my assistance during her Christmas holidays. 

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

INGREDIENTS

Peanuts - 2 cups

Olive oil - 2 tbsps

Butter - 1/2 cup

Powdered sugar - 3 cups

Salt - 1 pinch

METHOD

1. Dry roast peanuts till it emanates a pleasant aroma.

2. Cool and then blend with salt till it starts giving out oil.

3. Add olive oil and blend till it becomes a thick paste.

4. Melt butter and half a cup of the peanut paste together in a microwave oven for a minute and stir the contents well.

5. Mix in the powdered sugar and knead into a dough.

6. Pat the mixture on a greased plate.
7. Mark the pieces using a sharp knife so that it is easy to remove them later.

8. Chill the fudge in the refrigerator for an hour till it sets.

Cut, eat and enjoy the melt in the mouth Peanut Butter Fudge any time you crave for a sweet.

VEGETABLE STEAK

INGREDIENTS

Beans ( Stringed and chopped) - 1 cup

Carrots (Peeled and chopped) - 1 cup

Chayote ( Peeled and chopped ) - 1 cup

Onion  ( Finely chopped ) - 1 cup

Capsicum ( Finely chopped ) - 1 cup

Peas  - 1 cup
Tomatoes ( chopped ) - 1/4 cup

Potatoes - 6

Whole Green gram  - 1 cup

Salt - 1 1/2 tsps

Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Cinnamon  - 2'' piece

Cardamom - 3

 Cloves - 6

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Garlic - 6 cloves

Oil for sauteing and cooking

METHOD

1. Pressure cook whole Green gram adding 2 cups of water.

2. Place the potatoes in another vessel without water on top of the vessel containing green gram and cook both together until the cooker gives out three whistles.

3. Heat  2 tbsps of oil in a kadai and add 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds.

4. When it splutters add the chopped onion and fry till it becomes golden in colour.

5. Add the chopped capsicum and cook till it wilts.

6. Add the chopped carrots, beans, chayote and peas and saute till the vegetables are almost done.

7. Blend in the salt and sambar powder and cook till dry.
8. Powder the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper and cumin seeds into a fine powder. Add the peeled garlic cloves and crush them along with the spice powder.
9. Add the powdered spice powder and the tomatoes to the vegetables, stir well and cook till you get a very pleasant aroma.

10.  Peel and mash the potatoes along with the cooked green gram and add the mash to the cooked vegetables.

11. Blend the vegetables well and keep the mixture thick.

12. Heat one spoon of oil in a shallow frying pan.(We used the aapa chatti).

13. Take a big scoop of the prepared vegetable mash, flatten it like a vada on your palm and place it on the pan.

14. Cook on medium flame till the underneath becomes brown in colour.

15. Gently flip the steak using a spatula and dribble few drops of oil around it.

16. Cook till it becomes golden brown or dark brown on both sides.

17. Lift up the frying pan and slide the cooked vegetable steak on to the serving plate.

Relish the Vegetable steak with green mint chutney and tomato sauce.