This is a dish once again inspired by my bare fridge. It's a great way to combine small quantities of ingredients for a filling, tasty meal. The soup mix annd canned sweet corn add more flavor. Use the substitutes or simply skip - this dish is delicious with just the white (bechamel) sauce.
Ingredients
2 carrots, roughly diced
A handful of beans (10-12, chopped into cm long pieces
10 baby corn, cut into rounds
1/2 cup peas, frozen or fresh
1 onions, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can sweet corn soup (substitute with fresh sweet corn kernels)
4 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs - I usually use thyme and rosemary
1 tsp olive oil (substitute with butter or any oil)
For the coating sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour (maida)
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1/2 packet maggi creamy soup mix, chicken or veg (substitute with a stock cube or skip)
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp celery salt (substitute with ordinary salt)
1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs - I usually use thyme and rosemary
Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
Place the carrots, beans, baby corn and peas in a microwavable bowl and cook in the microwave (on high) for 4 minutes. In a wok/pan, heat oil. Saute onions and garlic for a minute. Add par-cooked vegetables and saute for a few minutes. Add the sweet corn and mix well. Turn off heat and set aside.
In another deep-bottomed pan, heat butter. I use one of those non-stick pans in which you can also use a metal spoon - it's also useful to use one with a handle. When the butter has melted, add the flour and mix. Stir on a low flame until the raw smell of the flour disappears. This usually takes 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to brown the flour-butter mixture. Take the pan off the heat. Gradually add milk, a little at a time, using a whisker to incorporate and break up any lumps. Once all the milk has been added, return the pan to the heat. Add the nutmeg, bay leaf, salt, pepper, herbs and soup mix, gently stirring with a wooden ladle constantly. If the sauce thickens too much, you can add a little water. You are aiming for a sauce of pouring consistency - not too thin or too thick. Simmer for about 5 minutes before turning off heat.
Grease a suitable baking dish with a little bit of butter(I use a borosil bake and serve dish). Put in the vegetables first, and pour the coating sauce over. Poke a spoon trough here and there to allow the sauce to go through to the bottom. Taste and adjust for seasoning. In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the chilli powder and mixed herbs. If you don't want a bit of bite, skip the chilli powder. Sprinkle this breadcrumb mix over the top of the vegetables and sauce. You could dot the surface with a little bit of butter. Bake at 200 degrees C for 30 minutes. Serve with dinner rolls or even regular bread with some garlic or herb butter.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Sweet Chilli Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
2 medium sized onions
1/2 cup cashew nuts, halved (optional)
10 garlic cloves, minced
1/2" piece ginger, minced
1 tsp chilli jam (an easy substitute is to use any sweet fruit jam/ conserve and add chilli flakes to it)
3 tbsp dark soya sauce
4-10 dry red chillies (basically, use as many you want and can tolerate! Me, I use about 8)
1 tbsp corn flour, dry
1 tsp corn flour dissolved in 2 tsp water
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp vinegar
4-5 tbsp oil
Method
Dice the chicken into 1" pieces. In a bowl, mix the chicken with half the diced ginger and garlic, chilli jam and 1 tbsp soya sauce. Keep aside to marinate for 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, dice onions into 1/2" pieces. Roughly pound dry red chillies till you get a very coarse powder.
Once the chicken has marinated, heat the oil in a large wok. Non-stick works best. Add 1 tbsp corn flour to the chicken and mix. Fry the chicken until browned on all sides. I usually do this in 2 batches to allow the chicken enough room in the wok to brown evenly. Remove to plate lined with kitchen paper. In the same oil, add the remaining garlic and ginger. Next, add the onions and cashew nuts and saute until light brown. Now add the chillies, sugar, vinegar, soya sauce. Stir briskly and add the fried chicken. Mix well so the chicken is well coated with sauce. Now add the cornflour-water mixture and stir. Lower heat, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Remove lid, increase heat again and stir until the liquid dries up. If you want some gravy, you can skip this step and even add some extra water. The soya sauce is usually salty enough that you don't need extra salt. However, check and adjust seasoning to your taste.
That's it! Again, great with simple steamed rice. For added flavor, add a teaspoon of sesame oil to the water when steaming the rice.
3 Mushroom and Spinach Stir Fry
This is a quick and easy stir fry that is ready in 10 minutes. You can use the same basic recipe and mix-and-match various veggies. You can also substitute different sauces for the oyster sauce I have used here, such as hoisin or schezuan.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
200 gms fresh button mushrooms
4-5 dry shitake mushrooms
6 dry oyster mushrooms (both of these dried mushroom varieties are now available in specialty grocery stores or supermarkets. In Pune, I buy them at Dorabjee's)
10-12 spinach leaves that have been thoroughly washed
1" piece ginger
1 clove garlic
4 spring onions
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp spicy black bean sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar, preferably brown
1 tsp schezuan pepper
1/2 tsp rock salt (white, chunky salt) or sea salt
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp corn flour dissolved in 2 tbsp water
Method
Soak the shitake and oyster mushrooms in a cup of hot water for at least 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, wash the button mushrooms and pat dry. Remove stalks and cut the mushroom into 4. Cut ginger into fine, thin strips. Finely dice garlic. Slice spring onions, leaves and all. In a large wok on medium heat, dry roast the rock salt and schezuan pepper until the salt turns a pale brown. Powder fine and set aside. (If you cannot find schezuan pepper, just use black pepper but skip the roasting bit. The taste of schezuan pepper is very unique and difficult to substitute.)
In the same wok, heat the oil. Remember, as with all stir fries, cooking should be done rapidly on a high flame. First, add the ginger and the garlic. Next, add the spring onions. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add the button mushrooms, and after 2 to 3 minutes, add the soaked mushrooms (minus soaking water). Stir briskly for a couple of minutes. Now add the spinach leaves and stir for 2 more minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar and the sauces. Stir briskly and add the cornflour-water mixture. Lower heat, stir to blend for 2 more minutes. Take off heat. Before serving, sprinkle the schezuan pepper and salt over the top. Great with steamed rice.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Dilli-style Chole
Arun grew up in Delhi and loves all food Delhi! He absolutely loves the chole you get there because it is cooked to the point of dissolving! The chole is also dark brown, almost black, so he calls it kale chole, It took me a while to figure out that he wasn't referring to kala channa, just dyed kabuli channa! The secret to the fabulous taste is making the dry masala fresh.
Serves greedy 2 or normal 3!
Ingredients
1 cup dry kabuli channa (chickpeas) or 1 can cooked chickpeas
1/2 tsp soda bi-carb
1 tea bag
2 medium-sized onions, finely diced
1" piece ginger, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 green chillies, slit length wise
2 tomatoes, finely diced
2 medium potatoes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ghee
For the masala powder:
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp anardana (pomegranate seeds), skip if not available
1/2” piece dalchini (cinnamon)
2-3 cloves
2-3 black peppercorns
2 badi elaichi (black cardamom)
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1 tejpatta or bay leaf
1 whole dry red chilli (skip if you want to turn down the heat)
Method
Soak the chickpeas in 3 cups water to which you've added the soda bi-carb. Leave overnight, or if you are short of time, soak in hot water for 4 hours. Rinse thoroughly, add 2 to 3 cups water (about an inch of water above the chole level), the tea bag, and pressure cook - once steam has built up, reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes. Remember, you want this (the chole) to be super cooked and super soft. Discard the tea bag and keep aside. If you are using cooked chickpeas, you can fast forward to the next step.
Meanwhile, in a heavy wok or kadhai - the traditional iron one works very well - heat all the ingredients for the dry masala. When the kadhai is smoking and everything is dark brown, remove from heat. When cool, grind to a fine powder and keep aside.
Boil potatoes, peel and keep aside.
In the same kadhai, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add onions and saute on medium heat until they start to turn a light brown. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute. Now add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric and chilli powder and continue to saute until the mixture has blended well and turns brown (if you want a milder taste, skip the red chilli). This will take at least 10 -15 minutes on low heat. If the mixture sticks to the kadhai, I add a little of the cooked chole water - a spoon at a time - to get it all going again. Now add the dry masala powder - there is a little guess work here - I suggest you add the powder a little at a time, check the taste, and then add more if you like. Sometimes, the masala can be a little intense and hit the back of your throat. After a minute, add the cooked chole with the cooking liquid - adjust the amount of liquid to your liking. Crumble the cooked potato in - I just use my hands to roughly break it up. You can save a few slices for garnish. Mix and simmer for 4-5 minutes. The final consistency of the chole depends on you - I like it to be a little liquidy for easy mixing with rice. Add the ghee and mix. This step is optional but the taste is well worth the indulgence! Garnish with the green chillies and potato. Serve with basmati rice, rotis or puris.
Serves greedy 2 or normal 3!
Ingredients
1 cup dry kabuli channa (chickpeas) or 1 can cooked chickpeas
1/2 tsp soda bi-carb
1 tea bag
2 medium-sized onions, finely diced
1" piece ginger, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 green chillies, slit length wise
2 tomatoes, finely diced
2 medium potatoes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ghee
For the masala powder:
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp anardana (pomegranate seeds), skip if not available
1/2” piece dalchini (cinnamon)
2-3 cloves
2-3 black peppercorns
2 badi elaichi (black cardamom)
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1 tejpatta or bay leaf
1 whole dry red chilli (skip if you want to turn down the heat)
Method
Soak the chickpeas in 3 cups water to which you've added the soda bi-carb. Leave overnight, or if you are short of time, soak in hot water for 4 hours. Rinse thoroughly, add 2 to 3 cups water (about an inch of water above the chole level), the tea bag, and pressure cook - once steam has built up, reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes. Remember, you want this (the chole) to be super cooked and super soft. Discard the tea bag and keep aside. If you are using cooked chickpeas, you can fast forward to the next step.
Meanwhile, in a heavy wok or kadhai - the traditional iron one works very well - heat all the ingredients for the dry masala. When the kadhai is smoking and everything is dark brown, remove from heat. When cool, grind to a fine powder and keep aside.
Boil potatoes, peel and keep aside.
In the same kadhai, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add onions and saute on medium heat until they start to turn a light brown. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute. Now add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric and chilli powder and continue to saute until the mixture has blended well and turns brown (if you want a milder taste, skip the red chilli). This will take at least 10 -15 minutes on low heat. If the mixture sticks to the kadhai, I add a little of the cooked chole water - a spoon at a time - to get it all going again. Now add the dry masala powder - there is a little guess work here - I suggest you add the powder a little at a time, check the taste, and then add more if you like. Sometimes, the masala can be a little intense and hit the back of your throat. After a minute, add the cooked chole with the cooking liquid - adjust the amount of liquid to your liking. Crumble the cooked potato in - I just use my hands to roughly break it up. You can save a few slices for garnish. Mix and simmer for 4-5 minutes. The final consistency of the chole depends on you - I like it to be a little liquidy for easy mixing with rice. Add the ghee and mix. This step is optional but the taste is well worth the indulgence! Garnish with the green chillies and potato. Serve with basmati rice, rotis or puris.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Pasta in Cream Sauce with Mushrooms & Bok Choy
An Italian classic with an Asian twist! Serves 2
Ingredients
1 onion, finely diced
4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced
200gms mushrooms, cut in half and sliced length ways (1 packet of the fresh, pre-packaged variety you get in supermarkets)
2-3 bok choy, leaves and very little of the white stems roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
200ml fresh cream (I use the Amul tetrapak)
1/2 to 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (you can buy fresh cheese or use the Kraft's grated parmesan in a bottle)
Salt to taste
1 packet pasta - I usually use penne or fusilli
1 liter water
2 tbsp salt
Optional:
4 bacon rashers, finely diced (vegetarians can happily skip this part!)
Method
In a large, deep vessel, set the water to boil.
Meanwhile, in a pan or wok, add the olive oil and onions. Saute until onions soften - opaque but not brown. If using bacon, add to the onions and saute until well browned. Add garlic and a minute later, the mushrooms. The mushrooms will first release a little water - continue to saute until the water evaporates, about 3 minutes. Now add the chopped bok choy and saute for 2 more minutes. Add the cream, pepper and salt and mix.
When the water in large vessel reaches a boil, add the 2 tbsp of salt and the pasta. Cook until just done - al dente - usually 8 minutes for the regular dried pasta or 12 minutes for the wholewheat variety. Drain pasta, reserving 2-3 tbsp of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid if too dry.
To serve, garnish with chilli flakes, some more pepper (if desired) and some grated parmesan cheese.
Note: For the pasta, I've tried buying Indian brands like Bambino but really don't like the texture - the pasta always turn really mushy and has very little flavor. I prefer using one of the cheaper Italian brands instead.
Tip: next time you order pizza, save the unused sachets of chilli flakes and oregano. Just recycle the next time you cook Italian!
Ingredients
1 onion, finely diced
4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced
200gms mushrooms, cut in half and sliced length ways (1 packet of the fresh, pre-packaged variety you get in supermarkets)
2-3 bok choy, leaves and very little of the white stems roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
200ml fresh cream (I use the Amul tetrapak)
1/2 to 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (you can buy fresh cheese or use the Kraft's grated parmesan in a bottle)
Salt to taste
1 packet pasta - I usually use penne or fusilli
1 liter water
2 tbsp salt
Optional:
4 bacon rashers, finely diced (vegetarians can happily skip this part!)
Method
In a large, deep vessel, set the water to boil.
Meanwhile, in a pan or wok, add the olive oil and onions. Saute until onions soften - opaque but not brown. If using bacon, add to the onions and saute until well browned. Add garlic and a minute later, the mushrooms. The mushrooms will first release a little water - continue to saute until the water evaporates, about 3 minutes. Now add the chopped bok choy and saute for 2 more minutes. Add the cream, pepper and salt and mix.
When the water in large vessel reaches a boil, add the 2 tbsp of salt and the pasta. Cook until just done - al dente - usually 8 minutes for the regular dried pasta or 12 minutes for the wholewheat variety. Drain pasta, reserving 2-3 tbsp of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid if too dry.
To serve, garnish with chilli flakes, some more pepper (if desired) and some grated parmesan cheese.
Note: For the pasta, I've tried buying Indian brands like Bambino but really don't like the texture - the pasta always turn really mushy and has very little flavor. I prefer using one of the cheaper Italian brands instead.
Tip: next time you order pizza, save the unused sachets of chilli flakes and oregano. Just recycle the next time you cook Italian!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Beans with Mustard & Amchur
A and I love mustard. Especially the grainy variety. Tried this recipe the other day - the beans I used were some local variety that were bitter, almost like radish leaves. However, I think this recipe would be good with the long, string beans that you normally see in Asian cooking - 
Serves 2
Ingredients
Bunch String beans (about 20)
3 tbsp mustard oil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon
5-6 whole dry red chillies, broken
Pinch asafoetida
1 tsp mustard powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp whisked yoghurt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp sugar
Method
Cut beans into inch long pieces. Steam in microwave on high for 4 minutes or until half-cooked. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cumin seeds, broken red chillies, asafoetida, mustard powder and stir. Add beans and salt. Mix well and add yoghurt. Mix all the powdered masalas in a bowl and add a little water. Add to the beans and mix. Serve hot with rotis.
Serves 2
Ingredients
Bunch String beans (about 20)
3 tbsp mustard oil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon
5-6 whole dry red chillies, broken
Pinch asafoetida
1 tsp mustard powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp whisked yoghurt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp sugar
Method
Cut beans into inch long pieces. Steam in microwave on high for 4 minutes or until half-cooked. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cumin seeds, broken red chillies, asafoetida, mustard powder and stir. Add beans and salt. Mix well and add yoghurt. Mix all the powdered masalas in a bowl and add a little water. Add to the beans and mix. Serve hot with rotis.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Asian Stir Fry Noodles
Like with a lot of our cooking, this recipe is a bit of mix and match between chinese and thai ingredients. Again, it serves 2.
Ingredients
1 carrot
2 spring onions
1/2 capsicum
8-10 beans
Small piece cabbage (about 1/2 cup once chopped)
1 onion
1" piece ginger
6-8 garlic cloves
6-8 dry red chillies
1 tsp sugar (white or brown)
1 1/2 packets egg noodles (if using fresh noodles, directly add to wok without pre-cooking)
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oil (any veg oil will do)
Note:The veggies can be varied - sprouts, mushrooms, baby corn, bok choy.
For sauce:
4 tbsp soya sauce
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp corn flour
For Garnish (completely optional):
Chopped basil, coriander leaves and roughly-crushed roasted peanuts
Chopped omelette
Method
Cut onion length wise. Julienne carrot, ginger and garlic - I cut thin diagonal slices first, and then cut length wise into matchsticks. Cut capsicum into strips. Cut beans and spring onions diagonally, separating the green and white parts of the onion. Reserve some chopped green leaves for garnish.Finely slice cabbage. All the vegetables should look like thin strips. In a mortar and pestle, pound the chillies - you want smallish pieces, not a powder. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce with 1/2 cup water and set aside.
In a large vessel, boil 2 litres of water. As the water boils, add noodles. After a minute or two, take off heat and drain noodles into a colander. Run cold water over the noodles to stop further cooking. Toss with sesame oil and set aside.
Note:the cooking time of the noddles will vary from brand to brand. Essentially, you want the dry noodles to soften - that's it. if you over-cook at this stage, you will end up with one big mass of mush when you reach the wok stir-frying stage.
Now, you are ready to go! All your cooking should be done a high flame so it is important to have all your ingredients ready and handy. In a wide wok, heat oil. Add ginger and garlic. Briskly stir. After a minute, add onion and whites of spring onions. Stir. Add all the vegetables. At this point, I usually lower the heat and put a lid on the wok for 2 minutes to allow the vegetables to steam a little. remove lid, increase flame again. Add sugar and red chillies. Next, add the sauce and stir. Now add the noodles and toss. Using 2 spatulas helps! Also, lower the heat to prevent noodles from sticking too much. You could add a dash of sesame oil to enhance flavor. Don't over-stir the noodles - 2 to 3 minutes is good enough. Remove from heat and garnish with topping of your choice. We like an omelette (couple of eggs beaten with some soya sauce) cut into thin strips.
Tip:If you are not going to eat the noodles right away, remove from wok into a wide, shallow container (like a large plate). Spread noodles around to prevent over-cooking and the dreaded mush.
All in all, Yenjai!
Ingredients
1 carrot
2 spring onions
1/2 capsicum
8-10 beans
Small piece cabbage (about 1/2 cup once chopped)
1 onion
1" piece ginger
6-8 garlic cloves
6-8 dry red chillies
1 tsp sugar (white or brown)
1 1/2 packets egg noodles (if using fresh noodles, directly add to wok without pre-cooking)
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oil (any veg oil will do)
Note:The veggies can be varied - sprouts, mushrooms, baby corn, bok choy.
For sauce:
4 tbsp soya sauce
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp corn flour
For Garnish (completely optional):
Chopped basil, coriander leaves and roughly-crushed roasted peanuts
Chopped omelette
Method
Cut onion length wise. Julienne carrot, ginger and garlic - I cut thin diagonal slices first, and then cut length wise into matchsticks. Cut capsicum into strips. Cut beans and spring onions diagonally, separating the green and white parts of the onion. Reserve some chopped green leaves for garnish.Finely slice cabbage. All the vegetables should look like thin strips. In a mortar and pestle, pound the chillies - you want smallish pieces, not a powder. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce with 1/2 cup water and set aside.
In a large vessel, boil 2 litres of water. As the water boils, add noodles. After a minute or two, take off heat and drain noodles into a colander. Run cold water over the noodles to stop further cooking. Toss with sesame oil and set aside.
Note:the cooking time of the noddles will vary from brand to brand. Essentially, you want the dry noodles to soften - that's it. if you over-cook at this stage, you will end up with one big mass of mush when you reach the wok stir-frying stage.
Now, you are ready to go! All your cooking should be done a high flame so it is important to have all your ingredients ready and handy. In a wide wok, heat oil. Add ginger and garlic. Briskly stir. After a minute, add onion and whites of spring onions. Stir. Add all the vegetables. At this point, I usually lower the heat and put a lid on the wok for 2 minutes to allow the vegetables to steam a little. remove lid, increase flame again. Add sugar and red chillies. Next, add the sauce and stir. Now add the noodles and toss. Using 2 spatulas helps! Also, lower the heat to prevent noodles from sticking too much. You could add a dash of sesame oil to enhance flavor. Don't over-stir the noodles - 2 to 3 minutes is good enough. Remove from heat and garnish with topping of your choice. We like an omelette (couple of eggs beaten with some soya sauce) cut into thin strips.
Tip:If you are not going to eat the noodles right away, remove from wok into a wide, shallow container (like a large plate). Spread noodles around to prevent over-cooking and the dreaded mush.
All in all, Yenjai!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Bhendi-Aloo Stir Fry with Influences of Bengal
This dish was inspired by a lack of ingredients. I didn't have enough bhendi to make a sabzi by itself so I decided to mix and match. I threw in a bit of this and a bit of that. Thankfully, it worked and the result was quite good! This recipe serves 2.
Ingredients
7-8 Bhendi (ladies fingers/okra), sliced diagonally (like you would carrots)
1 medium-sized potato, cut length-wise, a little fatter than french fries (I'm talking regular french fries, not the puny, under-fed McD ones)
1 onion, sliced lengthwise
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 large tomatoes, cut into quarters lengthwise
1/2" piece ginger
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp whole peppercorn
1 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
Dry Masala
1/2 tsp each mustard seeds, fennel seeds (saunf), onion seeds (kalonji), cumin seeds (jeera)
Method
In a wide wok/kadhai, heat the oil. Add onions and saute until opaque. I put a lid and let the onions sit for 4 minutes or so - this way, the onions don't burn or caramelize. Crush ginger, garlic and pepper together and add to the wok. Stir and add chillies. Stir and a minute later, add the potatoes. Saute for 2 mins, then add the bhendi. Saute for 2 more minutes, cover with a lid and let the veggies cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Now, add turmeric powder, salt and gently mix the vegetables. If the bhendi is still sticky, cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes. When the potatoes and bhendi have cooked, add the dry spice powder. Saute for a minute and add sliced tomatoes. Spread out the vegetables in the kadhai evenly (so they brown a little), and cook on low heat without a lid for about 8 minutes. The end result should be a dry sabzi with well-fried onions, potatoes and bhendi, and half-fried tomatoes. Don't stir too often or you will end up with a mushy version.
Great with parathas!
Note: you can also use sliced carrots, capsicum, peas
Ingredients
7-8 Bhendi (ladies fingers/okra), sliced diagonally (like you would carrots)
1 medium-sized potato, cut length-wise, a little fatter than french fries (I'm talking regular french fries, not the puny, under-fed McD ones)
1 onion, sliced lengthwise
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 large tomatoes, cut into quarters lengthwise
1/2" piece ginger
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp whole peppercorn
1 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
Dry Masala
1/2 tsp each mustard seeds, fennel seeds (saunf), onion seeds (kalonji), cumin seeds (jeera)
Method
In a wide wok/kadhai, heat the oil. Add onions and saute until opaque. I put a lid and let the onions sit for 4 minutes or so - this way, the onions don't burn or caramelize. Crush ginger, garlic and pepper together and add to the wok. Stir and add chillies. Stir and a minute later, add the potatoes. Saute for 2 mins, then add the bhendi. Saute for 2 more minutes, cover with a lid and let the veggies cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Now, add turmeric powder, salt and gently mix the vegetables. If the bhendi is still sticky, cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes. When the potatoes and bhendi have cooked, add the dry spice powder. Saute for a minute and add sliced tomatoes. Spread out the vegetables in the kadhai evenly (so they brown a little), and cook on low heat without a lid for about 8 minutes. The end result should be a dry sabzi with well-fried onions, potatoes and bhendi, and half-fried tomatoes. Don't stir too often or you will end up with a mushy version.
Great with parathas!
Note: you can also use sliced carrots, capsicum, peas
Easy Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch cubes. You use leg, thigh or mixed pieces if you prefer your chicken with bones
For the marinade:
1" piece ginger
6 garlic cloves
6-8 red chillies (more or less, depending on your preference for spice)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp curd
1 tsp salt
For the curry:
2 onions, finely diced
2 cloves
1" piece cinnamon
1 tbsp goan curry powder (see end of recipe)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tomatoes, finely diced
2 tbsp oil
Method:
From the marinade list, crush ginger, garlic and chillies together. I hand pound them but you could do a quick mix in the blender. You want a coarse paste. In a bowl or tupperware box, combine chicken pieces, ginger-garlic-chilli paste, turmeric, curd and salt. Leave in fridge to marinate 2 hours or longer. I usually do this in morning so that by dinner-time, the chicken has had enough time to absorb the flavors.
When ready to make the curry, in a wok or deep pan, heat the oil and add cloves and cinnamon. When the color starts to change (about 30 secs), add the onions. Fry on medium heat until the onions golden brown. Add the tomatoes, turmeric and curry powder, and continue sauteing for about 10 minutes or until the tomtoes turn pulpy. Add the chicken and saute for another 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, adjust salt, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done.
Goan Curry Powder
I picked up some at the Mapusa market in Goa. The powder has a wonderful aroma, with a hint of spices that is not too over-powering. Here is one version - you could skip the coconut to vary flavor.
3/4 cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 fresh green chilli
3 tablespoons coriander powder
2 tablespoons white poppy seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon ajwain seeds
10 cardamom pods
10 cloves
2 inch stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1. In a medium-sized pan or wok, roast the coconut over medium heat, stirring
continuously for about 8 minutes until it is golden and crispy. Transfer to a
bowl.
2. In the same pan or wok, dry roast the garlic and green chilli over
medium heat, stirring continuously for about 8 minutes until it is dry
and golden.
3. Place the remaining spices in the skillet and dry roast over medium heat,
stirring and shaking the pan until golden and very fragrant. Remove
and cool.
4. Mix all the roasted ingredients together and grind in a mixie until spices are finely ground like powder. You could do this in batches.
5. Pour into a plastic container, cover tightly, and store up to 3 months. To prolong life, I store my spices in the freezer.
2 boneless chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch cubes. You use leg, thigh or mixed pieces if you prefer your chicken with bones
For the marinade:
1" piece ginger
6 garlic cloves
6-8 red chillies (more or less, depending on your preference for spice)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp curd
1 tsp salt
For the curry:
2 onions, finely diced
2 cloves
1" piece cinnamon
1 tbsp goan curry powder (see end of recipe)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tomatoes, finely diced
2 tbsp oil
Method:
From the marinade list, crush ginger, garlic and chillies together. I hand pound them but you could do a quick mix in the blender. You want a coarse paste. In a bowl or tupperware box, combine chicken pieces, ginger-garlic-chilli paste, turmeric, curd and salt. Leave in fridge to marinate 2 hours or longer. I usually do this in morning so that by dinner-time, the chicken has had enough time to absorb the flavors.
When ready to make the curry, in a wok or deep pan, heat the oil and add cloves and cinnamon. When the color starts to change (about 30 secs), add the onions. Fry on medium heat until the onions golden brown. Add the tomatoes, turmeric and curry powder, and continue sauteing for about 10 minutes or until the tomtoes turn pulpy. Add the chicken and saute for another 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, adjust salt, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done.
Goan Curry Powder
I picked up some at the Mapusa market in Goa. The powder has a wonderful aroma, with a hint of spices that is not too over-powering. Here is one version - you could skip the coconut to vary flavor.
3/4 cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 fresh green chilli
3 tablespoons coriander powder
2 tablespoons white poppy seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon ajwain seeds
10 cardamom pods
10 cloves
2 inch stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1. In a medium-sized pan or wok, roast the coconut over medium heat, stirring
continuously for about 8 minutes until it is golden and crispy. Transfer to a
bowl.
2. In the same pan or wok, dry roast the garlic and green chilli over
medium heat, stirring continuously for about 8 minutes until it is dry
and golden.
3. Place the remaining spices in the skillet and dry roast over medium heat,
stirring and shaking the pan until golden and very fragrant. Remove
and cool.
4. Mix all the roasted ingredients together and grind in a mixie until spices are finely ground like powder. You could do this in batches.
5. Pour into a plastic container, cover tightly, and store up to 3 months. To prolong life, I store my spices in the freezer.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Peruvian-Style Rice with Veggies and Chicken
Ingredients
4-5 tbsp vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts, diced into 1" cubes
salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/2 bunches fresh parsley, leaves picked from stems
6 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2-3 green chillies (You could use more, depending on how much heat you can handle. Jalapeno peppers can also be used.)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Optional. Can substitute with soya sauce)
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups uncooked white rice
2 onions, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 each of yellow and red capsicum, diced
1/2 cup fresh corn or frozen peas
1/2 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and fry in 2 batches until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels.
2. Place the parsley leaves, garlic, chillies, Worcestershire sauce, and orange juice into a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and cook over low heat until the mixture turns dark green, about 5 minutes.
3. Place the chopped onions into the other pan, and cook and stir over medium-low heat until the onions turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the capsicum and saute for a few minutes. Stir in the rice, and cook and stir until the rice starts to turn opaque, about 5 minutes.
4. Pour the white wine into the blender and run a few times to rinse off any extra parsley mixture from the blender, and pour the wine into the skillet containing the cilantro mixture. Bring the mixture back to a simmer over medium heat and pour into the pan containing the rice. Stir in the chicken broth and black pepper, and bring to a boil. Place the browned chicken pieces, carrots, peas or corn into the pan, stir to combine, and cover. Reduce heat, and cook until the rice is separate and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes.
5. Uncover the pan and allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Juicy, juicy, juicy
Anyone that has watched Nigella Lawson's cookery show, knows exactly where that line comes from! In this context however, it is simply what it says - all about Juice. A and I discovered the wonders of the 2 minute breakfast - simply throw all ingredients in a blender, add some water and blend away! Yes, I've heard the experts tell you how if you are going to turn a fruit to pulp, you may as well eat baby food. Firstly, baby food is yum! Secondly, it's hard to beat a nice tall glass of fresh juice with a bit of this and a dash of that.
Here are some variations:
Apple, carrot, ginger
Tomato
Tomato, cucumber, ginger
Tomato, celery
Cucumber, ginger
Tomato, beetroot
Apple, orange
Orange, carrot, ginger
Papaya, ginger
Beetroot, carrot, a few leaves of spinach, ginger
Any fruit (musk melon, water melon, strawberries, pineapple)
Mix and match any of the above and blend! Be careful with the ginger - it can be pungent.
Here are some variations:
Apple, carrot, ginger
Tomato
Tomato, cucumber, ginger
Tomato, celery
Cucumber, ginger
Tomato, beetroot
Apple, orange
Orange, carrot, ginger
Papaya, ginger
Beetroot, carrot, a few leaves of spinach, ginger
Any fruit (musk melon, water melon, strawberries, pineapple)
Mix and match any of the above and blend! Be careful with the ginger - it can be pungent.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Zareena's Naga Recipes
We were introduced to the simple goodness of Naga food by a friend who was introduced to it by her friends from Nagaland. The thing is, Naga food - or its derivative thereof - is completely unlike any other Indian food. First off, the ingredients are few. Second, the cooking process is incredibly simple - no marinating, roasting dry masalas, extracting - none of that! Third, it sits really light on the stomach. Which of course means that you just eat more. What is there not to like?!
Recipe 1: Liver or Prawn Chutney
Ingredients:
2 chicken livers or 1/2 cup dried prawns
12 green chillies (more if you can handle it)
1 ripe tomato
3-4 cloves garlic
Chop up the chillies. In a pan, heat very little oil and place the tomato, chillies and liver or prawns. Put a lid on and let the ingredients steam and fry for about 5 minutes. Take off the heat. Once cool, grind to a paste along with the garlic, adding salt to taste. Eat with hot rice - yum!
ps: admittedly, this is not completely authentic simply because all the ingredients are not easily available. For instance, this chutney is usually made with the really hot naga marich and shidol or small, scaly fish. The ingredients used in this recipe are substitutes but work quite well nonetheless.
Recipe 2: Smoked Chicken and Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients:
250 gms smoked chicken breast, cut into cubes
250 gms yellow sweet pumpkin, also cubed (the pumpkin should be firm)
5-6 dried red chillies, broken into smaller pieces
3-4 cloves garlic
1 tsp oil
1/4 cup water
Method:
In a pan, heat oil. Add pumpkin and saute for a couple of minutes. Add chicken and chillies. Saute 2 more minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover lid and simmer until pumpkin is cooked. Just before finishing, pull out some of the cooked red chillies, mash in a mortar and pestle and return to pan. Add garlic and salt to taste. Simmer 2-4 minutes and you are done! Also delicious with rice.
The smokiness of the chicken contrasted against the sweetness of the pumpkin is simply divine. The chilli and garlic add a little more pep and flavor to an already fabulous dish.
Recipe 1: Liver or Prawn Chutney
Ingredients:
2 chicken livers or 1/2 cup dried prawns
12 green chillies (more if you can handle it)
1 ripe tomato
3-4 cloves garlic
Chop up the chillies. In a pan, heat very little oil and place the tomato, chillies and liver or prawns. Put a lid on and let the ingredients steam and fry for about 5 minutes. Take off the heat. Once cool, grind to a paste along with the garlic, adding salt to taste. Eat with hot rice - yum!
ps: admittedly, this is not completely authentic simply because all the ingredients are not easily available. For instance, this chutney is usually made with the really hot naga marich and shidol or small, scaly fish. The ingredients used in this recipe are substitutes but work quite well nonetheless.
Recipe 2: Smoked Chicken and Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients:
250 gms smoked chicken breast, cut into cubes
250 gms yellow sweet pumpkin, also cubed (the pumpkin should be firm)
5-6 dried red chillies, broken into smaller pieces
3-4 cloves garlic
1 tsp oil
1/4 cup water
Method:
In a pan, heat oil. Add pumpkin and saute for a couple of minutes. Add chicken and chillies. Saute 2 more minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover lid and simmer until pumpkin is cooked. Just before finishing, pull out some of the cooked red chillies, mash in a mortar and pestle and return to pan. Add garlic and salt to taste. Simmer 2-4 minutes and you are done! Also delicious with rice.
The smokiness of the chicken contrasted against the sweetness of the pumpkin is simply divine. The chilli and garlic add a little more pep and flavor to an already fabulous dish.
Burnt Garlic Fried Rice With Chilli
Really simple, delicious dinner that is a great way to use left over rice. And it takes only 10 minutes!
Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked rice -
left over rice works well. If not, cook rice a few hours ahead, separate grains, toss with a tsp of sesame oil and leave in the fridge until you are cooking.
15 large cloves of garlic (yep, that's a LOT!)
5-6 spring onions
2 tbsp of dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp chilli flakes (or more, if want to turn on the heat!)
3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method:
Get the rice out of the fridge and use a fork to make sure the rice grains are separate. Set aside. Finely mince garlic. Finely chop spring onions, leaves and all. Put aside about 2 tbsp of the chopped green leaves for garnishing. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide wok or heavy iron kadhai. Add 1/2 the chopped garlic and saute until it begins to turn brown. Add the spring onions and continue to saute on high heat for another 2 minutes. Add the soya sauce, pepper and sugar. Stir and now add the rice. Keeping the wok on high heat, briskly stir the rice, mixing all the ingredients. Continue frying the rice for another 3-4 mts, or until the rice begins to brown a little. Take off heat. In a smaller wok or frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add the remaining garlic and fry until a golden brown. Remember to keep stirring otherwise the garlic will stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the chilli flakes, turn off the heat and continue stirring for 30 seconds. Pour the garlic chilli oil over the fried rice and garnish with reserved green spring onion leaves.
I found that the 'tadka' of the garlic chilli oil at the end really brings out the burnt garlic flavor. The chilli also adds a little bit of bite which is always a good thing in this house! You could also add a diced omelette (cooked with some soya sauce maybe) or fried and diced sausages/ham/bacon/bits and pieces of veggies floating around.
Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked rice -
left over rice works well. If not, cook rice a few hours ahead, separate grains, toss with a tsp of sesame oil and leave in the fridge until you are cooking.
15 large cloves of garlic (yep, that's a LOT!)
5-6 spring onions
2 tbsp of dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp chilli flakes (or more, if want to turn on the heat!)
3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method:
Get the rice out of the fridge and use a fork to make sure the rice grains are separate. Set aside. Finely mince garlic. Finely chop spring onions, leaves and all. Put aside about 2 tbsp of the chopped green leaves for garnishing. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide wok or heavy iron kadhai. Add 1/2 the chopped garlic and saute until it begins to turn brown. Add the spring onions and continue to saute on high heat for another 2 minutes. Add the soya sauce, pepper and sugar. Stir and now add the rice. Keeping the wok on high heat, briskly stir the rice, mixing all the ingredients. Continue frying the rice for another 3-4 mts, or until the rice begins to brown a little. Take off heat. In a smaller wok or frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add the remaining garlic and fry until a golden brown. Remember to keep stirring otherwise the garlic will stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the chilli flakes, turn off the heat and continue stirring for 30 seconds. Pour the garlic chilli oil over the fried rice and garnish with reserved green spring onion leaves.
I found that the 'tadka' of the garlic chilli oil at the end really brings out the burnt garlic flavor. The chilli also adds a little bit of bite which is always a good thing in this house! You could also add a diced omelette (cooked with some soya sauce maybe) or fried and diced sausages/ham/bacon/bits and pieces of veggies floating around.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The ultimate comfort food - Chicken Stew
It is fitting that this be the first recipe on our blog. Though purists may scoff, we both love stews! This one is our favorite, made on many a cold evening, or even a hot one if comfort is the order of the day! We've arrived at this recipe through many tastings and some readings. Happy stewing! ;)
Chicken Stew
2 chicken breasts, cut into cubes. If you'd prefer to use chicken with bones, then use a mix of leg and joint pieces and adjust quantity accordingly
2-3 carrots, cubed
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
20 beans, stringed and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium sized onions, finely diced
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp maida (flour)
1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 2 cups hot water (Maggi works best) or 2 cups fresh chicken stock
1/2 tsp each dried thyme and rosemary. If using fresh herbs, use a sprig each
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional, to add a little bite)
Method:
In a frying pan, melt the butter. When hot, put in the chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Remember not to overcrowd the pan so the chicken doesn't sweat. The chicken does not need to cook through. Once browned, remove to paper towel. You should have butter remaining in the frying pan after the browning - if less, add some more. To this, add the flour and fry until a pale brown. Remove pan from heat and add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring briskly to incorporate. Using a whisk helps. Once all the stock has been added to the flour/butter mixture, return pan to heat and let the liquid reach one boil. In the meanwhile, in a stewing pot or deep dish, heat olive oil and add onions. Once onions lightly brown, add the rest of the vegetables, garlic and lightly saute. Add browned chicken and keep the pot going on low heat. When the stock boils, add to the stew pot along with herbs and chilli flakes. Check for salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. If you want the chicken very well-cooked, simmer for another 20 minutes.
Serve with any hard-crust bread.
Great for cold evenings!
Chicken Stew
2 chicken breasts, cut into cubes. If you'd prefer to use chicken with bones, then use a mix of leg and joint pieces and adjust quantity accordingly
2-3 carrots, cubed
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
20 beans, stringed and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium sized onions, finely diced
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp maida (flour)
1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 2 cups hot water (Maggi works best) or 2 cups fresh chicken stock
1/2 tsp each dried thyme and rosemary. If using fresh herbs, use a sprig each
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional, to add a little bite)
Method:
In a frying pan, melt the butter. When hot, put in the chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Remember not to overcrowd the pan so the chicken doesn't sweat. The chicken does not need to cook through. Once browned, remove to paper towel. You should have butter remaining in the frying pan after the browning - if less, add some more. To this, add the flour and fry until a pale brown. Remove pan from heat and add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring briskly to incorporate. Using a whisk helps. Once all the stock has been added to the flour/butter mixture, return pan to heat and let the liquid reach one boil. In the meanwhile, in a stewing pot or deep dish, heat olive oil and add onions. Once onions lightly brown, add the rest of the vegetables, garlic and lightly saute. Add browned chicken and keep the pot going on low heat. When the stock boils, add to the stew pot along with herbs and chilli flakes. Check for salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. If you want the chicken very well-cooked, simmer for another 20 minutes.
Serve with any hard-crust bread.
Great for cold evenings!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)