Chilli Garlic Lobster with Egg Fried Rice

This dish is inspired from eating all the Indo Chinese food back in the day.  Growing up in India, I would wait for every opportunity to eat Chinese!!  Going to restaurants was a like a treat, almost like an event.   I remember putting on "what I thought were" the cutest outfits (hoping some producer/director may spot me - they prolly did spot me and ran away seeing my hideous outfits), waiting eagerly for my Baba to come pick us up.  Gosh! Have I always been such a foodie?! I would hear his Maruti 800 honking its way to our apartment building while I was practically hanging out of the balcony from the 4th floor.  The next 3 hours were possibly the best memories of my life - ordering the most amazing food, splitting the soup 1 by 2 (LOL), being confused over Wonton and Lung Fung soup and Chilli Chicken and Chicken Chilli, playing the "Who can guess the 'bill'?" game, finishing off with "Icecream with Lychee" or my infamous Orange candy, and finally rushing in the car to be the first one to say "Baba Thank-you!".  Without him, my Ushama, and my darling cousins Kaustubh and Samu-tai - I would probably not have had the kind of childhood I did! And oh not have had as much of the yummy Chinese food either which I can actually make now!!

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped Lobster

3/4 cup red onions, chopped lengthwise

Vegetable oil

Few drops of sesame oil

2 small cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

2 small green chillies, cut lengthwise

Few drops of fish oil

Dash of black pepper

Sauce:

1 tbsp ketchup

1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp vinegar

Start by cleaning, cutting, and pat drying the lobster.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Make the sauce first by mixing all the sauce ingredients.  Make sure you whisk the sauce well so all the ingredients are incorporated together.  Now heat vegetable oil in a wok.  Add a few drops of sesame oil.  Add the garlic, ginger, and green chillies and sautee for about 1 minute.  Now add the onions and give it a stir.  Keep the flame on high and add a pinch of sugar so the onions carmelize.  Add the lobster pieces and turn the flame on low allowing the lobster to cook (about 3 to 4 minutes).  Now turn the flame high again and add the sauce that we made earlier.  You should hear the sauce sizzle. Give it a stir for about half a minute and then add a few tablespoons of water (so you get some sauce).  Add a few drops of fish sauce (optional).  Sautee the contents of the wok so that the sauce coats the lobster.  Chilli Garlic Lobster is ready!!!

Egg Fried Rice

Nothing fancy! Just a plain basic fried rice. I thought since the Lobster dish had the sauce, seasoning the rice too much would confuse the palate. 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup white rice
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup onions, cut lengthwise
Sesame oil
Vegetable oil
Dash of black pepper
Dash of garlic powder
1/4 tsp each vinegar and soy sauce

I cooked the rice first in a microwave by adding 2x the amount of water and also drizzling some olive oil in it.  The key to making fried rice is consistency, consistency, and oh yah consistency of the rice!!!! So start by cooking the rice at 10 minutes first and then keep checking for doneness every 5 minutes. You can add water if necessary but only a little at at time. For the last 5 minutes or so, try cooking the rice covered with a microwave lid. 

Once the rice is ready, use a fork and fluff all the steam out. I even pour my rice out at times on a flat dish so it stops cooking in its steam.  Drizzle some oil, sprinkle some salt, and black pepper and toss the rice gently with a fork. 

Now lets stir fry it!! In the same pan (after you take the lobster out that is) heat some vegetable oil.  Add a few drops of sesame oil.  Add the onions and sautee them for about 3 minutes. Keep the flame on high.  Now add the rice and sautee for a minute. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic powder.  Sautee for another minute. Move the rice to one side of the wok.  Add some oil to the empty side and when hot add the beaten egg (season it with salt and pepper if you wish).  Let it set and then flip it so that you get an omlette.  Now break the omlette into small pieces and mix it with the rice.  Sautee for another minute or two.

Adjust the seasonings as per your taste.

Note: Alternatively, you can take the rice out of the wok, work on the egg omlette pieces and then add the rice back to the wok.

Enjoy!!

Bhindi wali Dal - Lentils simmered in Crispy Okra Fry

Ingredients:
Ghee or oil
1/8 tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Dash of asafoedita
Pinch of fennel seeds
1 green chilli
1/2 cup onions
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1 clove of garlic, chopped
Pinch of sugar
Okra (about 6) cut lengthwise and into fours
Pinch of kasoori methi
Pinch of shredded coconut
1 cup cooked toor dal
Pinch of gul/jaggery or sugar
Salt

Optional : Tempering: Some ghee, roasted peanuts, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, pinch of turmeric, and pinch of asafoedieta

Heat some ghee in a pan. Add the mustard seeds cumin seeds and a pinch of fennel seeds. When they splutter, add some asafoedita (just a pinch), and add 1/4 tsp of turmeric. Now add 1/2 cup of onions, chopped lengthwise. Add 1/2 tsp of chopped ginger and a clove of garlic, chopped. Sautee the onoins and add a pinch of sugar so the onions start carmelizing. When translucent, remove them from the pan and set aside.  Heat some oil and add the okra while cooking it on medium flame. Once you think the okra has cooked, turn the flame on low and keeping frying the okra till it turns crispy. This step may take some time.  I actually cooked the okra covered for just a few minutes and then continued to fry them uncovered till crisy.
Reserve a few okra to garnish on the top.

Turn the flame on medium high now and add the onion mixture to okra in the pan.  Sprinkle some kasoori methi and a pinch of shredded coconut and give it a quick stir. Add the cooked/beaten dal right away. Make sure the dal is cooked fully before you add it to the okra.  Stir well. Season it with some salt and jaggery or sugar. Let it come to a quick boil. Remove from heat to a serving bowl. 

Optional: For additional tempering, heat some oil, add some cumin seeds, pinch of turmeric powder and asafoedita and roasted peanuts.  And drizzle this on the dal.

Final step, top the dal with the fried okra with had reserved.

Enjoy!!!

Note:
1. If you do not want to do the additional tempering (too much work and too much cumin), skip it. But, add the peanuts when you add the kasoori methi and coconut. Ofcourse, if you do not like peanuts at all, skip it altogether!

Coconut-Stuffed Lobster Fry with Cilantro Lime Rice

Yay!!! Its the Seafood Road Show Event at Costco!! Translation: A very happy ME - I stuffed by fridge with Crabs, Scallops, Lobsters, and Shrimp. The sad part is that my hubby cannot stand seafood. He can do fish and chips but that is about it. The good part is that there is now more, more than enough for me. This recipe calls for a perfect marriage of coconut, onions, cilantro, and lime (HEAVEN) which my second mom Ushama used to use to make Bombil or Bombay Duck! She refreshed my memory today and my tastes bud with her amazing Indian style green curry recipe. We dont get Bombay duck in Delaware but what the heck we have LOBSTER!!

PS: Although the recipe that follows has a different order, I would suggest you cook the paste first, then the rice, and then the lobster.

Ingredients and Method:

Half of a 8 inch lobster tail

1 cup onion, chopped

1/8 cup shredded coconut

2 small green chillies

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp coarsely chopped ginger

1/8 cup cilantro

2 to 4 spinach leaves

Pinch of turmeric

Salt to taste

Lime

1/8cup Flour (I used wheat)

1/8 cup Semolina (Makes the lobster crispy)

1/2 cup Basmati Rice

Some olive oil

Salt and Pepper for seasoning the rice

Start out by pulling the lobster meat out of the shell. I used half of a lobster tail. Butterfly cut the lobster i.e. cut the lobster sideways without running the knife through the through the  whole thing. Leave the other side intact because we will be stuffing the coconut paste. Clean and pat dry the lobster. Season it lightly with salt and pepper.

Coconut paste: In a blender combine all ingredients from the chopped onions to the spinach leaves. Grind coarsely. Add some salt. In a wok, heat oil. Add a pinch or two of turmeric. Let sit for a few seconds and now add the paste. We have to cook the paste at this time. So keep stirring constantly while adding 1/8 cup water at time. Let the water evaporate add some more. Keep doing this until the paste turns from light green to dark green color. Set aside. Squeeze 1/4 wedge of lime juice and mix.

Heat some butter in a pan.  Now, have the flour and semolina mixture ready.  Open the lobster (like a book), dab both sides in this mixture and put the lobster open side down to cook. Cover covered for a few minutes. Flip the lobster and cook covered for a few minutes on medium flame. Now uncover and flip the lobster again as we have to stuff the lobster at this time.  Add half of the paste in the lobster and spread it out evenly.  Close the lobster's other half as though you were closing a book. Sear the lobster a little more adding some butter if necessary. This is to get that seared crispy look for the lobster. You may want to cover the lobster for a few minutes if you want it cooked a little more.

Now using the other half of the paste. Put it back in the blender and this time grind it to a fine paste (Remember for the stuffing we used a coarse paste). Heat some olive oil in a pan. Add the paste and add a little water. Keep stirring.

Cook the rice in a microwave making sure it is not sticky.  You can add some olive oil and salt to the rice before cooking it to make sure you do not have sticky rice. Remove the rice from the microwave, add some olive oil, salt (if you did not do so earlier), pinch of black pepper, garlic powder, and lime.  Add the fine paste we made to the rice and stir.

Serve with the lobster!! Enjoy!!!

Note:

1. If you have about 1/2 cup of rice, just add a few tsps of the paste. You dont want to overpower the taste because we have the same paste in the lobster. You can choose to skip the "Adding the paste" to the rice step completely. Seasoning the rice as stated above and a dash of lime should be enough.

2. I ended up having some leftover paste, but hey I am not complaining!!

Doodhi Rassa Bhaji

I have been away from home for a while and hence away from the blog. I loved the break but I was ready to come back home and be in my kitchen.  The first few days of eating french fries and Cheesecake Factory meals was fun. But, I started missing my healthy foods, my cooking, and my chapati/waran bhaat. I should have started back up with a bang, because this dish is so not a "BANG".  Neither spinach nor doodhi/lauki have a taste to it. But try this very healthy dish.  You cannot go wrong with Doodhi and Palak. Even Ramdev Baba would approve ;)

Generally, I stop right before I add the spinach and make it a dry doodhi sabji. Man-oh-Man is it good or what!!! But, I felt like experimenting and added the spinach to make it a liquidy sabji. Feel free to try both.
I personally liked the dry version than the rassa/liquid version.

Ingredients and Method:

2 cups chopped doodhi/lauki/calabash
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Dash of asofoedita
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
Dash of garlic powder
1/2 finely chopped tomato (de-seeded)
1/2 cup cooked spinach (reserve the water in which you cooked the spinach)\
Dash of paprika powder
Salt and sugar

Heat oil in a flat/wide pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds, let crackle. Add asofoedita and turmeric powder give the pan a quick shake. Add the onions and sautee. Let the onions turn brown but not burned. Add the chopped doodhi/lauki. Keep the flame at a medium.  Let sit in the pan for about 2 minutes before you stir. The reason being some of the doodhi/lauki burns and that gives it a signature taste, in my humble opinion. Now when i say burn I dont want you to burn the food but just give it that brown grilled taste. Let this cook for about 5 minutes with occasional stirring. Turn the flame down.  Add the cumin, coriander, red chilli powder followed by garlic powder. And the chopped tomato. Sautee for 2 minutes or so. Now add the cooked chopped spinach. Add a dash of paprika for color. Sautee together. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved spinach liquid. Mix well. Add salt and  sprinkle of sugar. I added another half a cup of the reserved liquid because I wanted more "rassa" (liquidy).  Let it come to a quick boil and serve.

Dum Rajma Masoor

Ingredients and Method:

1 medium size onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 Star anise flower
2 tsp Shaan Keema Masala
1 can Rajma or Kidney beans
1 cup masoor dal, cooked
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp ginger, chopped
2 tbsp heavy cream or Faje yogurt (Greek yogurt)
1 tsp Kasoori methi
Salt

Heat oil. Add garlic and ginger and sautee for a minute. Add the onions and sautee for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and start mixing the paste with the onions. Add about 1 tbsp of water (the pan should sizzle). Keep stirring until the paste and onions form a thick mixture and the tomato paste leaves some oil. Now add the rajma beans and give it a stir. Add the masoor dal and give it a stir. Add the tomato sauce.  Add the keema masala and stir well for about 2/3 mintues.  Add 1/2 a cup of water. Reduce heat to low. Cover and let it cook on low heat for about 10 minutes.  Add the heavy cream or the Faje yogurt.  Add kasoori methi. Let cook for another 10 minutes on very low flame. Serve hot.

Note:
1.The rajma from the cans are already cooked so just keep and eye because you dont want to end up with a mush!!!
2. If you had sour cream or yogurt instead of Faje (which is not as tangy), skip the tomato sauce. Yogurts and sour creams are a bit tangy.
3. The dal will keep thickening up so add water as you go but only 1/4th cup at at time.
4. Thanks to a reader, who asked why I used the word DUM. I never got to write a little descript about this dal. They wanted to know what DUM meant - DUM is cooking on low flame letting all the spices and contents bring all their flavors out! Since the rajma i used is from a can - I cooked on DUM or low flame only for 20 minutes (See last step). 

Basic Masoorichi Dal - Lentil Soup with Curry Leaves

It is so amazing that something so basic as a dal/lentils even with such few ingredients can taste so good. We love any kind of Dal/Lentils at our house. In fact, it is a ncessity at dinner table even if there is some sort of vegetable. What can I say - the hubby is spoilt silly! One can buy either Whole Masoor or Split Masoor dal.  I have used the split Masoor Dal in this recipe. And yes it makes a big difference which one is used!!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Split Masoor Dal

1/2 tomato - 1/4 used in preparation and 1/4 for garnish

1 green chilli

1/8 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp udad dal

Dash of asofoedita

4 curry leaves

Pinch of shredded coconut

Salt and Sugar

Ghee

Method:

1. Pressure cook the dal by adding the dal, 1/4 chopped tomato, green chilli, and half of the turmeric. You can add salt in this step if you wish. When dal is cooked, use a masher and mash the dal well so that it is one big mush.

2. Heat a pot and our the dal into it.  Using a Tempering pot, prepare the following temper: Heat ghee, add the mustard seeds, let them splutter, now asofoedita and udad dal (wait for a few seconds), now add the curry leaves, and remainder of the turmeric. It should be sizzling hot at this point.  Turn the flame off .  Add a pinch of shredded coconut at this time and give it a quick stir with a spoon.  Now add it to the pot of dal and put a lid on it. Put some water in the tempering pot and add it back to the dal. It should sizzle. (If your tempering pot did not sizzle when both times it was not hot enough). 

3. Give the dal a stir, add some water if necessary, add remainder of the tomoato, add salt and sugar as per your taste. Let it come to a boil and serve with rice or chapatis.

Note: Have all your tempering ingredients ready before you start the process. This will prevent the tempering from burning. If it burns, start all over again.

Peeth Payroon Mirchichi Bhaji - Gram flour sprinkled Green Peppers Veggie

This veggie is a hit or miss when it comes to "Do you like it or not".  As a kid, I used to hate it. But then again I did not much like anything growing up. We would go to restaurants and I would eat Naan and pickle while everyone else ate tandoori chicken, chicken makhanwala, cholle, etc. Unfortunately or fortunately, I started liking and increasing my palette of food and there was no looking back thereafter. Here is a recipe made with Besan and Green Peppers which can be made with Besan and Cabbage or Besan and Green Onions as well.

Ingredients:
2 cups finely chopped green peppers
1 tsp mustard seeds
Dash of asafoedita
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)
1/4 tsp each red chilli powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala powder
Salt/Sugar
2 to 3 tbsp besan dissoved in cold water

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add mustard seeds and let crackle. Now add asafoedita and let stand for a few seconds. Then add the turmeric and right away add the onions. Sautee and cook till onions turn translucent. Add tomatoes and mix well. Now add the green peppers and stir. Keep the flame on a medium stirring occasionally as the green peppers are half way cooked. Now add all the spices and salt. Let cook for another minute.  Reduce the flame while you make the Besan (Gram flour) paste. Run your fingers through the paste to prevent any clumps. Add water slowly because you dont want it too watery or too thick. Now pour the paste over the green peppers and stir. At this stage, you want to constantly stir on medium flame to allow the besan to cook (3 to 4 minutes). Do a taste test - if the besan tastes raw cook a little more. Add a teeny tiny bit of salt. Serve hot with fulkas!

Happy Eating!

Baida Paratha - Indian Bread stuffed with Egg

My toddler loves chapati (Indian bread) but eggs not so much.  So, I thought of this idea to make a all-in-one paratha (stuffed bread). It was very easy to make and he loved it as well.

Ingredients:
2 Boiled egs, mashed
1 cup Wheat flour
1/4 tsp each of cumin powder and turmeric powder
1/8 tsp each of chilli powder and coriander powder
1tsp of Chaat masala or Tava Fry masala
Some fresh cilantro or fresh mint, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
Knead the dough with some salt, water, and oil as though you were making chapatis. I used wheat flour because it is much healthier than maida or all purpose flour. Boil the eggs and mash them really well with your fingers until they turn almost powdery. Add all the remaining ingredients and mash well.

Make small balls out of the dough as though you were rolling a chapati or tortilla. Put the egg filling in and fold in the entire chapati to the center. Roll it out gently using some flour. Cook the paratha on a skillet drizziling oil or melted butter or ghee. Flip the paratha a few times so that the flour is cooked all the way.

Happy Eating!

Creamy Pasta Florentine

My readers often ask me if these are my recipes or do I take them from elsewhere. I am big on giving credit where credit is due. So, when I use a recipe from a book or a site or a person, you will be sure to see their name associated with it. If not, then almost always they are my recipes. Of course, I am not Italian so I sure as heck did not grow watching my grandmas cook Pasta Florentine; which I can say about Indian food. But over the years of watching Food Network, noticing the contents on boxes of Lean Cuisine and Steamers, and reading foodie magazines - I have picked up some basics like knowing that Pasta Florentine has Spinach!  So check out this dish and tell me what you think. This one is great for toddlers and kids who hate blanched veggies like spinach and zucchini and squash!!

Ingredients:
2 cups Rotini Pasta (cooked according to package directions)
Oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 cups chopped frozen spinach
1/2 medium sized zucchini (chop in small pieces)
1/2 meduium sized squash (chop in small pieces)
5 oz can of Cream of Chicken soup (I used campbells)
1/4th cup shredded velveeta cheese
1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup milk
Spices: Dash of Garlic powder, 3/4 tsp Italian seasonings, Salt to taste, 1/4 tsp Paprika powder, Dash of Cajun Seasoning powder, Pinch of Cumin powder and Pinch of Turmeric powder(optional)
Parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Keep all the veggies chopped and ready to go
2. Heat oil in a saucepan. When hot add the finely chopped garlic - do not let it brown.
3. Add onions and sautee till translucent. Now add the spinach, mix well, and cook uncovered till the spinach wilts.
4. Now add the zucchini and squash, mix well, and sautee for about another 3 minutes.
5. Now add the entire cream of chicken soup can. If vegetarian, substitute with cream of mushroom. Add some milk to get the clumps out of the soup. Mix well so that the soup and the veggie mix become one. Let this simmer for about 2 minutes. Add velveeta cheese and stir until it melts.
6. Add Italian Seasoning (I have a ready to go mix from costco), dash of garlic powder (I love garlic), paprika, cajun seasoning, some cumin and turmeric powder (optional), worcestershire sauce, and salt to taste. Keep stirring because the cream of chicken soup keeps thickening up. If its too thick and you cannot stir, add some milk again.
7. Now add the "cooked" pasta. Mix well so that the sauce coats the pasta.
8. Adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle some Parmesan Cheese on the top (Optional). Serve hot with a side of Garlic bread or Salad.

Tips:
1. When cooking pasta, add salt and some olive oil in the water. Drain the pasta right away and give it a cold water bath. Drizzle some oil again to keep the pasta from sticking.
2. Add milk little by little at a time so as to not make it watery.

Four-cheese Chicken Kabob

Ingredients:

1 and half cup kabob shaped cut chicken pieces (chicken breast)

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/8 tsp cardammom powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ginger, finely chopped

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp Shaan Chicken Tikka Bbq masala, optional

3/4 cup of Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Dash of meat tenderizer

Some salt

Wash, rinse, and pat dry the chicken pieces. There should be absolutely no water left in them. In a bowl, start out by mushing the shredded cheese with your fingers. It should not be in a shredded form at this time. Now add all the leftover ingredients and some salt and mix well to form a paste. The meat tenderizers have salt in them, so be careful with your salt proportions!! Add the chicken pieces to this paste and let this marinate overnight or atleast for 4 to 6 hours.

The best would be to grill them on a skewer or you can bake them in an oven at 350F until done. Chicken breast cooks relatively fast so dont overcook it. I would say about 10 to 15 minutes should do the trick. But do the Fork Test. If you stick a fork into the chicken and shake it, the chicken should fall off, ie its cooked. Another test is to cut through a piece and it should not be pink in the inside.

Serve with mint chutney.

Kalonji Lehsen Naan - Nigella seeds and Garlic Bread

Heaven on earth!!!!

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup Unbleached All purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1.5 tbsp yogurt
Salt to taste
1/2 tbsp Kalonji or Nigella seeds
3 cloves of roasted garlic, chopped


Method:
Peel some garlic, crush it, drizzle some olive oil over the top and bake it in an oven at 300F until it turns a light brown color. Chop and keep aside.

Add some sugar and yeast to warm water.  Set aside for few minutes until the water rises and froths.

Sift flour and salt together. Once the froth mixture is formed, add it to the dough. Add yogurt. Add the chopped garlic and kalonji seeds. Start kneading the dough. Use some warm milk and oil to work the dough. Knead for a few minutes until the entire flour is incorporated into a dough. Wrap in saran wrap and keep aside to allow the dough to rise for about 1 hr.

Make separate balls to form naans. I got about 6 naan dough balls. Roll them out into thick naans using flour as needed. I baked them in my BBQ grill. Oil the naan and oil aluminum foil. Place the naan oil side down on the foil. Close the grill and allow the naan to cook. Baste it with melted butter or margarine until cooked.

Happy Eating!!!

Asparagus with Mung Dal Sabji

Well - We just welcomed a beautiful baby girl in our family - Baby Sayana. And mommy Avanti needed some nutritious food to get her going. So I thought why not make her some Asparagus. It is dense in antioxidants, folate, vitamin C and calcium - all the things a recovering mother would need. Throw some mung dal in the mix and we got a nutrition party going on over here! Who says healthy food cannot be tasty!!

Ingredients and Method:

1. Heat oil for tempering 

2. Add 1/4 tsp rai or mustard seeds and 1/4 tsp jeera or cumin seeds - let it sputter

3. Add a dash of asafoedita and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

4. Right away add 1/2 cup of finely chopped onions and sautee really well until translucent but not too brown

5. Add kokum (optional)

6. Add about 1/4 cup yellow mung dal (this should be kind of precooked in the microwave with enough water to cover it. Run it about 5 mins. Check for water add if water has dried and run it again for another few minutes until cooked)

7 Add the mung dal to the pan and sautee and mix well

8. Add finely chopped aspargus (see how i cut it in circles in the picture)

9. Add 1/4 tsp coriander powder and 1/4 tsp cumin powder
10. Add finely chopped tomoatoes towards the end for color
11. Add some sugar and salt
12. Mix well and serve hot.

Tip: Asparagus cooks really fast so do not walk away from the stove. It should not take more than 5 to 8 minutes. I like mine a bit on the crunchy side but if you like it cooked a bit more, adjust your cooking time.

Singaporean Curry Noodles

When I cook, I am never ready with my ingredients. I just turn the heat on and start chopping some garlic (I love garlic). Then I think about what next!! But, not with this dish.  One has to have all your ingredients ready to go - timing is everything. Time to add, time to toss, time to know exactly when to stop cooking the veggies and noodles, so on and so forth. I was especially scared making this dish because I hope my friend Cha approves this dish - She is from Singapore and knows her Singapore noodles!!!! Cha - Do you approve? :)

Ingredients:

1 cup vermicelli

1 cup cabbage, julienne 

1 cup carrots, julienne

1/2 cup green peppers, julienne

1 cup onions, julienne

1/2 cup celery, julienne

2 green onions stalks (and some more for garnish)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce/Sambal olek

2 tbsp Curry powder (or more depending on your taste)

2 tsp soy sauce + 1/2 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp vinegar + 1/2 tsp vinegar

Fish sauce

Vegetable oil

Sesame oil

1 egg, beaten

Ready? Set? Go!!!

1. First prepare the vermicelli following package directions. Make sure you add oil and salt to the boiling water when you cook the vermicelli. Vermicelli cooks really fast so make sure you are standing right there tasting for doneness. If you overcook the noodles, no guarantee for the taste of this recipe ;) Drain when done, add cold water, and set aside for a few minutes. Now add some oil and toss well while separating the noodles.  Put the vermicelli in the fridge until you are ready with your veggies (The deal here is that you want the noodles as dry as possible)

2. Heat some vegetable oil in a wok and let it get real hot. Add the onions, saute for a minute. Add the chopped garlic and ginger. Sautee for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add all the veggies and keep stirring. Keep the flame on high because you do not want any water to accumulate in the wok. Keep stirring. Add some seasonings: 1/2 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp vinegar, salt, and black pepper.  Saute until veggies are cooked to your taste (I like my veggies a bit crunchy!)  Set aside.

3. Now we are ready to season the vermicelli. Heat vegetable oil in a wok. Add few drops of sesame oil (this is very strong, so add only a few drops).  Add the sriracha sauce, soy sauce, and 1 tbsp curry powder and constantly stir without letting it burn (just few seconds).  Add the noodles and toss well coating the sauces. Keep the flame on high. You dont want the noodles to cook really at this point but just to coat. If you think the wok is too dry, add some veg or olive oil.  Add the veggie mixture, add the remainder 1 tbsp curry powder and toss again. Add some some drops of fish sauce. Set aside.

4. Heat some oil in a wok (I promise this is the last time!).  Add the beaten egg and make and omlette. Add some salt and black pepper. When cooked cut the omelette into long pieces and add on the noodles.

5. Garnish with some green onions. Keep soy sauce and vinegar handy for adding on the top.

- Fish sauce is really fishy. You may not like the taste so use cautiously.

- If the dish is not salty enough, adjust your seasonings.

- Curry powder needs to cook or else it will taste raw. I used Mccormick curry powder.

Pasta al Formaggio

This is a very basic pasta dish that I make at home. However, this is special to me because it is inspired by my cousin Karishma's Chikun Guniya Pasta, that she named after me. I hope you never find out what that means - but her pasta was yum. I tried many times to recreate that taste but I failed. So, I just made this recipe up. Maybe she'd approve!?

Ingredients:
7oz Whole grain spaghetti
3 tbsp margarine
1 cup onion, sliced lengthwise
1 cup green pepper, sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shredded
1/8 cup Italian dressing, lite
1/4tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp Italian seasonings
Salt
Cajun seasoning or Cayenne Pepper (Optional)

Method:
Cook the pasta according to package directions. I made about half of the 13oz box of spaghetti. Make sure you add some oil and salt to the boiling water before adding the pasta. Drain the pasta and toss the pasta around holding a paper towel in your hand. This soaks up any extra leftover water. Drizzle some oil and salt to taste and set aside.

Add margarine in a heated pan and when it melts add the onions. Sautee till translucent. Now add the green peppers and sautee till they are soft.  Add the Italian dressing, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasonings, and some salt. You can add some cayenne pepper if you like some heat to your pasta. Now add the tomatoes and sautee well. Dont let the tomatoes overcook. Now, add the shredded cheese and stir as the cheese melts and coats the veggies. Throw in the pasta and toss so that the sauce coats the pasta. Add some cheese on the top if you wish.

- Add the pasta a little at a time to make sure that you have enough sauce to coat the pasta.
- Add the seasonings to pasta when it is sitting in the colander because this allows you to use your hands to coat the seasonings (Wash your hands before you do this though ;) )

Maka Palak - Corn in Spinach Curry

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen spinach

1 fresh corn

1/8th cup uncooked peanuts

1/4th cup toor dal (cooked)

2 tbsp besan (gram flour)

1 serrano pepper or 2 small green chillies

1 small tomato, finely chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

Dash of asafoedita

1/4th tsp each of turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala powders

1 clove garlic

Salt and Sugar to taste

Tempering on the top: 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and garlic

Method:

In a pressure cooker, boil the spinach, cut corn (as shown in the picture), peanuts, and a pinch of turmeric powder, and salt in some water. It took about 8 whistles for my pressure cooker. If you are unsure about yours, do 6 whistles, check for doneness, and redo if needed.  Take out the corn and set aside.  Reserve the liquid from the cooker for cooking. You can also cook the toor dal at the same time. If you cook it together with the spinach, make sure the dal is cooked all the way as it should completely disintegrate in the spinach.

In a pan, heat oil, when hot add mustard seeds, when they crackle, add couple squirts of asafoedita followed by the greeen chilli.   Once you smell the aroma of the asafoedita (few seconds), add the spinach and peanuts mixture.  Add the toor dal.  Sautee the mixture real well. Using a spatula, stir the spinach for couple minutes so it disintgrates. Now, add all the spices - turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes allowing the spices to cook. Add some of the reserved liquid if necessary (not too much because the consistency of this curry is supposed to be thick not watery). Now, sprinkle the besan in the pan. Stir the mixture for another 3 to 4 minutes in order for the besan to cook. Now add the corn (which you previously cooked in the pressure cooker) and stir.

In a tempering pot, heat oil, add cumin seeds, and garlic (finely chopped) (add 2 if you like). Pour over the spinach mixture and stir. Add some sugar and more salt if necessary.

- The toor dal and besan serve as thickners - so adjust the quantity as per your taste.

- I have been adding lesser heat (chillies or chilli powder) than usual because my toddler eats the same meals. Feel free to increase the heat as per your taste.

- I did not add the entire cut corn becuase then you would be overcrowding the spinach. But, I went ahead and cooked it because I like to eat by dipping it in the curry. I added about 4 or 5 pieces only.

Dal Masaledar

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Red Masoor Dal
1/4 cup Yellow Split Mung Dal
1/4 cup Black Split Urad Dal
4 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
Dash of asafoedita
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
4 kokums
1 clove garlic
2 small green chillies
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
Pinch of Jaggery
Salt to taste

Spices:
1/4 inch Cinnamon stick
1/4 inch bay leaf
1/2 tsp Dal Makhani Masala
1/4 tsp each of Cumin and Coriander powder

Method:
Before starting the curry part, have all your dals cooked. I would just mix them all together and pressure cook with 1/4 tsp turmeric and a pinch of salt. Each pressure cooker is different so play around with yours. I would think about 6 whistles should do the trick! How much water? The dals should soak well. More is better than less. I would say about 3 cups for this recipe!

Masala part:
1. Take about 4 tbsp oil  in a pan or pot (keep the flame at a medium)
2. Before you start the tempering, keep all the ingredients from mustard seeds through cilantro chopped and ready to go.
2. Once hot, add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Add the mustard seeds, let them sputter, add cumin seeds right away, couple squirts of asafoedita - dont let it burn
3. Add all these at once: tomatoes, cilantro, kokum, garlic (finely chopped) and chillies, Sautee real well until its almost a mush. I would say about 3/4 mins on medium heat.
4. Add onions and sautee another 3/4 minutes. You want to see the whole thing as ONE paste.
5. Add the dal in this pan and mix really well. Add some water if its really thick. Use a masher to mash the dal really well. The black urad dal clumps up so you dont want clumps in your dal.
6. Bring to a boil, reduce the flame because it will start sputtering.
7. Add the Dal makhani masala, cumin and coriander powder, jaggery, and salt to taste..
8 Reduce heat, cover, and let the spices cook about 3/4 minutes. Monitor the dal because it may stick to the pan.
9. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and some lime juice. It will go well with thick naans or jeera rice. I have even served this with Italian bread as Soup and Bread.

Indian Spices - The Basics

Thanks to Kim's question of "Where can I buy these spices?", here is a post of the wheres and whats of Indian spices.  This is a picture of a "Masala Dabba" in other words "Spice Box" that almost every Indian person will have in their pantry! You can buy small packets of these at a local Indian store.

From left to right:
1. Turmeric (yellow powder) - Has many medicinal properties, imparts a deep yellow color and a signature taste to food;
2. Cumin seeds - Used in tempering in oil and is always the start or the base of most dishes,
3. Mustard seeds - Again used in tempering in oil as the first step in most dishes,
4. Red chilli powder
5. Cumin powder -Ground cumin seeds
6. Coriander powder - Ground coriander seeds.
7. Garam Masala (in the center) - A basic mix of many spices

Many brands will carry these spices at a local Indian grocery store. And any brand of spices will work. Except in certain dishes that I cook over time, I prefer one over the other and I will specify that as I go.

Also note that there are many different versions of Garam masala because it is basically an art of mixing spices together. So although the basic taste will remain somewhat similar, there will be differences based on which brand you buy. At my house, I use Amma's Garam Masala (my mother in law made this at home) But, a store bought one should work. (PS: Although I love Shaan brand of spices, for a basic Garam Masala do not buy Shaan Garam Masala***)....

Final note, there are two ways a Garam Masala is sold - Saboot or Khada (Whole) and Ground. Some recipes will call for Whole GM and some will call for Ground GM.

** Reason being that Shaan is a) very strong and b) Saboot or Whole and not ideal for basic veggies. But I do love Shaan and one day will have a separate post on their masalas!

Kokum: Black pods in the back of the tray!

My very beautiful and curious friend Charanya wanted to know what KOKUM is. Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_indica for a detailed description. But, here is the down and dirty - its tangy and used to impart a tangy flavor to dishes. Used mostly in coastal cooking in my experience. You could substitute with Tamarind, Lime, or Tomatotes. But I believe you can buy it at a local Indian grocery store for a nominal cost and it is yummy!!!

Signature dishes: Kokum kadhi (Coconut curry with kokum), Kokum sarbat (digestive yet yummy drink), Fish preparations

Crispy Catfish and Butter Parmesan Risotto - Part 2

Crispy Catfish:
Ingredients:
2 large fillets of Catfish
1/4 cup Wheat flour
1/4 cup Semolina (Rava)
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1/4 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt to taste
Lime juice
Some olive oil

I cut the 2 huge fillets (as bought from Costco) into 2 so I ended up with 4 of them and then I butterfly sliced them horizontally because I like my fillets thin. Wash, cut, and pat dry the fish. Drizzle some olive oil. Sprinkle all ingredients from Turmeric to Salt. Rub it in and set aside for atleast 1 hr in the fridge. When ready to fry, mix the wheat flour and the semolina together. Drizzle oil on a pan and let it heat up. Coat the fish in this rub and dust excess flour off. Gently place fillets in the pan and shallow fry them for 3 to 4 minutes each side. After doing both sides, I put the flame really low and let the fish kind of sit on the pan to get crispy (about 2 minutes or so). Squeeze some lime juice on the fillets. Serve hot.

If you do not have these ingredients, marinate the fish in oil, lime juice, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Use a store bought Fish Fry mixture to coat and fry.

The semolina or rava gives the fish that crispy texture. If you do not have it, thats fine, use wheat flour only. If you dont have wheat flour, use allpurpose flour but add some spices (salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, etc). Skys the limit!

Happy Eating!!!

Crispy Catfish and Butter Parmesan Risotto - Part 1

I had Arborio rice for the first time in Puerto Rico. I loved the texture so much that I asked the waiter where I could buy it from. He almost thought we were ordering another dish but after some crazy hand gestures and my broken Spanish, I found out that it is called "Arborio Rice" and bought some from the local grocery store back to the US. Ofcourse, I am sure one can buy it at a local grocery store here as well.

The key to making a Risotto is PATIENCE! It should be sticky and creamy at the end and ofcourse soft to bite in. If you fail the first time, dont lose heart. Try again! I made the fish first and then the risotto. Bad IDEA! It took so long for the Risottto that I would actually flip that order!

Since carbs are my enemy I only made 1/2 cup of the rice - but a LOT more fish. So adjust your recipe accordingly. I think 1/2 cup would make about 2 servings.

Butter Parmesan Risotto:

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

1/2 cup Arborio rice

2 cups low sodium chicken or veggie broth (Hot)

1/8th cup each of carrots, onions, and celery (finely chopped)

1 green chilli (or more!)

3 tbsp of butter

1 clove garlic

1 cup hot water

1/8th cup chopped cilantro (optional)

2 to 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Italian seasonings

1/4th wedge of lime

Method:

Boil the broth in a pot. Set aside. In a flat wide saucepan, add 1 tbsp olive oil, let it heat a little. Add 1tbsp butter followed by a clove of finely chopped garlic. Sautee dont let the garlic burn. Add the chopped veggies and chilli and sautee for about 3  minutes.  Now add 1/2 cup of Arborio Rice. Stir and mix well. Dont let it brown but do sautee it until you smell a nutty aroma of the rice (about 2 minutes). Add salt now because it will be hard to incorporate salt later! Now, add only about 1/2 cup of broth each time and stir the rice. Keep stirring until the broth is absorbed. Add 1 tbsp of butter (Keep the flame to a medium!) Add 1/2 cup of broth again. Stir and let the broth get absorbed.  Keep doing this until you finish the 2 cups of hot broth. Do not walk away from the pan and keep stirring. Do not add all the broth at once!!!!! My rice was still not cooked so I added another 1 cup of hot water (1/2 cup each time same way as before) and 1 tbsp butter again. Keep stirring. By now you should see that a sticky consistency has formed and the rice should be cooked. Add the Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings. Add cilantro (optional). Take off the flame and squeeze the lime. Risotto is ready to eat!!

What went wrong:

1. If you used all the broth and the water and rice is still not cooked your flame must be too high that the liquids evaporated. Add more HOT water until cooked.

Kobhi Kanda Paat Bhaaji (Cabbage with Green Onions)

Bhaaji means any vegetable in Marathi (an Indian language). Here, I have mixed Cabbage and Green Onions. This is a typical Maharashtrian dish which I have learned and tweaked over the years. Typically, towards the end, the recipe calls for adding Gram Flour (Besan) but my hubby and I both love it without the Besan. But, I did use Besan in the Zucchini wafers. Both recipes are listed below.

I. Cabbage and Green Onions Veggie

Ingredients:
3 cups finely chopped cabbage
2 cups chopped green onions (keep the onions part ie the bulb aside)
3/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
Dash of asofoedita
1 green chilli (or more)
3 kokums
1 cup finely chopped onions
Dash of sugar
1/4 tsp each of cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat some oil in the pan (Use a wok or a flat and wide pan). Add the mustard seeds - let it sputter. Add couple squirts of asofoedita. Add green chilli and kokum followed by turmeric. Add finely chopped onions as well as the onion part (finely chopped) of the green onoins. Sautee until translucent but a little bit on the brown side. Ofcourse do not let it burn. Now, add the cabbage. Mix well and sautee till the cabbage is almost but not fully cooked (about 3 to 4 mins). Dont overcrowd the pan because the key to this recipe is to get that stir-fryish slightly burnt look. If you use a small pan or a narrow sauce pot, this recipe will taste completely different. I guarantee it. Okay, back to the recipe. Now, add some sugar and keep sauteeing (this will carmelize the cabbage a little bit further giving it the kind of look and taste we are going for). At this stage,drizzle some oil in the pan. Add all the spices - cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder (you can skip this if you want), and red chilli powder. Add the green onions and continue sauteeing as though you were stir-frying for another 3 minutes or so. Check if cooked, adjust seasonings to taste, and add salt to taste. Serve with hot fulkas.

Zucchini Coins

Ingredients:
12 slices of zucchini (about 1/4th inch thick)
1/4 cup besan (Gram flour)
1/2 tsp to 1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Method:
Peel and cut zucchini, keep aside. Combine well all ingredients from besan through salt in a flat dish. Lightly sprinkle water on the zucchini (this will help the dry rub to stick to the zucchini). Heat oil in a flat pan to shallow fry the wafers. Coat each zucchini with the rub and dust excess off. Gently place all the slices in the pan. Keep the flame on low to medium. After about 3 minutes flip them. Drizzle more oil if necessary. Cook for another 3 minutes. Once cooked, drain and let sit on a paper towel so any excess oil is absorbed. Serve hot (they are crispy at this stage). This can be served as an appetizer or as a side as I have in the picture above.
I bought this new pan on "sale" from marshalls. And, it does not work that well with shallow fry recipes. Hence, my crisps appear a little burnt :). If you keep the flame on medium and keep it well oiled, you should not have this problem!

Chicken Enchiladas with Beans and Rice

So finally here is my first picture post on my food blog. I just started posting some food pics for fun on facebook and soon it turned into a hobby and now into an addiction. I have always cooked like this but never taken pictures or written down recipes of how I made them.  I am so glad that I have started blogging because now I can repeat meals that were a hit, improve my recipes that were disasters, and more importantly be challenged to make a variety of foods.

Stay tuned for the recipes!!!!!!!!

Wish me luck :)