South Indian Filter coffee - Latte style

       Just recently, I have become a coffee addict; after one Latte !! I got so addicted, that I tried all kinds of coffee makers to get the perfect brew. (Except those fancy espresso makers - $$$$ !!!) Guess who the winner is - The good old south Indian stainless steel filter.

          The Automatic coffee maker doesn't get a strong brew, without wasting too much coffee powder.
          The French Press holds the brew for too long and makes it bitter.
          The Italian manual espresso maker was close enough in taste. But the problem is, seasoning and maintenence of the whole assembly. And can be used only with expresso grinds.

          Coffee Powder:   Most commercial brand Coffees are good. Mild to medium strength Arabica bean coffee works best. Columbian beans are good for mainly black coffee.
          Espresso style coffee powders are fine ground and uses less powder per cup of coffee, but takes longer to brew. (pack it in the filter as loose as possible) Choose regular to medium roast, rather than dark. Unlesss you really love dark roast, stay away from it.
          My personal favorite is Melitta,classic blend,(xtra fine grind). Gives an amazing kick. A regular coffee powder with all the goodness of expresso.
          Water:   The water temperature should be just before boiling. Don't let the kettel whistle. Boiling water gives a burnt smell in the coffee.

          Use 3.5 tablespoons (not coffee scoop) of powder per 8 oz cup of coffee. (3 tbsp, if fine ground) Pack the filter based on the grind.  Make sure to press the coarse grind and not pack or press the fine grind.  Because coarser grind lets the water pass through quickly leading to a lighter brew and vice versa for fine grind. The brew time does alter the taste a lot.

          Use 4 oz of hot water in 2 batches. Wait for the water to brew down completely before adding the second half.  In the meantime boil(over) 5 oz of milk. Add sugar to taste and aerate the milk by pouring it back & forth between 2 cups. Creates a good foam on top.
          Make sure the milk is hot enough to your liking, before you add the brew. Pour the brew into the milk, not the other way. Mix it lightly and enjoy.


Did you know :  Filter coffee has a nickname "METER COFFEE". To denote the distance between the pouring and receiving cups, when aerating the mix.


Update :  Actual Espresso coffee (like Illy & Lavazza) are much lighter in flavor and color and I personally woudn't recommend for a latte. They are good just as plain Espresso.

Potato Fry - Healthified

          King of Fries - Potato is yummy in any way, shape or form! It’s such a quick treat; you don’t need an actual recipe – just potatoes & oil in a hot pan, makes a fry. Not a big deal! Well, I wanted to come up with a HEALTHIFIED version, by minimizing the oil. And it did turn out Very Crispy!!! Try it out.

          Ingredients:

• 1 lb potatoes (I used yellow & purple fingerling potatoes)
• Salt, turmeric powder, Chilli powder – to taste
• 1-2 tsp of oil

          Pressure cook or microwave whole potatoes till just cooked.  Use less water when pressure cooking, to avoid soggy potatoes. Cool completely before peeling & cubing, to retain the shape, as hot potatoes break easily. 
          Toss in the remaining ingredients and let them sit for 1/2 hour.

          Set the oven to Broil-high. (about 500 degrees F). Spread the potatoes in a cookie sheet and place it in the second rack. (Avoid using aluminum foil or any kind of trays - they do not distribute heat evenly, so the potatoes don't get as crispy- flatter sheets give better crunch)

          Broil for 15 min, turning twice in between.

          Turn off the oven and let it sit in, until ready to serve, (upto 1/2 hour)  to keep the potatoes hot and crispy. 

Variations: Try adding 1/2 tsp of garlic powder for a slightly different taste. 

Tips: Storing in a covered dish immediately, makes them soft.        

Spice Mill

                     

          Coming from the WET GRINDER CITY myself, I am amazed at the possibilities of these little dry grinders.  Especially for those of us who did not have the foresight to bring the Indian Kitchen King - "Mixie".  Nothing beats the small, all-purpose jar of our Indian Mixie. The spice mill comes very close to fulfilling that void! 
          Available at most retailers, in different sizes, this is an inexpensive gadget.  Invest in a reasonable size. Smaller ones hold very little at a time and the bigger models takes longer to get the job done. 
            A few tips to successfully use this mini mill to our advantage-
1.    The spices need to be warm to hot.
2.    Do not fill to the top. Needs room to spin around.
3.    Give it a couple of shakes and few taps on the lid as it is ground. Gives an even grind.
4.    It can take very little moisture - like a few flakes of garlic, a couple of green chillies or a tsp. of coconut, but only with other dry spices. Add the moist item in the end and run it a few seconds.
5.   When grinding in bulk, give enough breathing time. These mills are not designed to run for longer periods.
          As with any appliance, follow the manufacturer's instruction.  Clean with a damp towel before storing away.