8/31/11

Api's Baingan Bhartha - Eggplant Dip



Slurp and Burp is getting a new twist in its recipes - some new recipes from my inlaws who are staying with us for a while. This is my FIL's creation that we relished at dinner time tonight.

Method and Ingredients:
Seasoning for the mashed eggplant:
1 medium eggplant (Aubergine kind)
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Dash of asofoetida

For tempering:
Oil
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
4 to 6 curry leaves
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped tomato
Lime juice and Olive oil
Paprika
Sugar/Salt to taste

1. Roast the eggplant with the skin intact on a bbq grill or on a stove.  This process takes a while but roasting the eggplant imparts its signature flavor to this dish. To grill on a stove, you can oil the eggplant, heat a griddle, place the eggplant and cover and cook on low heat.  Keep turning after after every 5 minutes or so.  How do you know the eggplant is ready ? It will reduce in size and the skin will crumple and burn. remove and let cool.  Now gently peel off the skin and discard.  Mash the eggplant really well with a masher in a flat bottom pan.  Add all the ingredients listed under Seasoning for Mashed Eggplant title. Mix well.

2. Now we will make the masala for the dish. Heat oil. when hot add the cumin and mustard seeds. When they sputter add the asofoetida and curry leaves. Let the curry leaves crisp up. Add the chopped onions. Sautee for about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sautee well. Let the mixture cook uncovered for another 5 minutes.

3. Add the mashed and seasoned eggplant to the pan.  Mix well. Adjust seasonings (salt/sugar).  Mash a few times again so that the onion/tomato mixture turns to a paste along with the eggplant.

4. Garnish with olive oil and paprika. Drizzle some lime juice.

8/30/11

Vaatanyachay Golay - Seasoned Green Peas


I am sure all of us have had this cooking experience where we start out to make some dish and realize we do not have certain ingredients. So you either start substituting or just skip them and the dish still turns out fine! But this one is certainly NOT one of those "let me skip this ingredient" recipe, in my humble opinion. Because there are such few ingredients, a perfect marriage of all the contents really make or break this dish. Especially the coconut, lime juice, the green chilli and black pepper. Even that tiny pinch of sugar makes a world of difference.

Vata-nya-chay Go-lay is a typical Maharashtrian dish made during pujas and festivals. Vatana is green peas and golay means circles - weird name but tasty dish. I made this dish for a dinner thing we had to celebrate Ganesh chaturthi.  Hence the 2lbs of green peas!!! Adjust  your quantities accordingly!
Method and ingredients:

2 tbsp Amul ghee or oil
2 lbs frozen peas, completely thawed and drained completely of any water
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
Couple dashes of asofoetida (hing)
Deep brand shredded frozen coconut, thawed
2 serrano peppers
Salt and Black Pepper
Shredded coconut
Lime juice

Heat ghee. When hot, add cumin seeds. When they sputter, add the hing and finely chopped green chillies. Let cook for a minute. Add the green peas.  Add the turmeric powder, salt, black pepper, tiny pinch of sugar and a handful of shredded coconut. Cook uncovered until peas are tender for 5 minutes. Now cook covered on simmer for another 5 minutes. Top if off with some fresh lime juice.

Note: if you are peas are thawed they will take longer to cook. So adjust timings based on the doneness level of the peas. Peas should be tender because that is when the masala integrates with the peas. But you do not want the peas to be too mushy either.

8/29/11

Mediterranean Pizza


The first time I had Za'atar bread in Dubai, I fell in love with it. Za'atar spice is a blend of some dried herbs (oregano, thyme, savory), salt, sesame seeds and sumac (another key ingredient to Middle Eastern cuisine).  I was cursing myself for not bringing back some of the spice to the US until my recent trip to a Middle Eastern grocery store - where I found the Za'atar spice.  My happiness knew no bounds. So it was certainly the right time to make some Za'atar pizza. Ofcourse, credit goes to my husband for making this uber delicious homemade veggie loaded delight! Enjoy!

Method and Ingredients: 

Stone baked pizza crust (I used the Culinary Circle brand)
1/2 cucumber, cubed
1 medium tomato, cubed
1/2 cup feta cheese
3/4 cup eggplant, diced
1/4 to 1/2 cup red onions, cut lengthwise
Fresh basil
Zaatar powder
Dash of Italian seasonings
Dash of paprika
1 tsp honey
1 tsp vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil

1. Place a pizza stone in the oven in the lower rack. Preheat the grill to 450F. And let the pizza stone heat up for a atleast 1/2 hour.
2. Heat oil in a flat bottom skillet. Add the eggplant and let sautee on medium heat for 3 minutes.  Add the onions and continue sauteeing for 3 minutes. (this is just to cook the eggplant slightly before adding to pizza) Add salt, black pepper, italian seasonigs, paprika, and a little harissa sauce (optional). Toss well.
3. Using a fork, gently rake the pizza base.  Drizzle olive oil over the base.  Now, sprinkle some zaatar powder all over.
4.  Once the pizza stone is hot, start assembling the pizza. Spread the eggplant and onion mixture over the pizza.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. 
5. In a bowl, mix the cucumber and tomatoes. Drizzle olive oil, some honey, vinegar, salt and pepper.
6. Towards the very end, add the tomatoes and cucumber mixture on the pizza.
7. Sprinkle feta cheese and some basil leaves. Let bake for another 5 minutes or so to melt the cheese a bit.

Serve hot.




8/28/11

Homemade Marinara Sauce




Method and Ingredients:

1.5 cups of canned crushed tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup onion, diced
Salt
Pinch of sugar
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of Italian seasonings
Red chilli flakes (Optional)
Olive oil

1. Heat oil in a small sauce pot.  Add the chopped garlic and sautee till aromatic. Add the onions and sautee till translucent. 
2. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir.  Add the salt, sugar, garlic powder, italian seasoning, red chill flakes (optional), and some more olive oil. Mix well.
3. Turn the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir again and cover and cook for another 5 minutes.  Do the same until the sauce thickens up. Set aside.
4. Let cool completely before serving as a dipping sauce.

8/27/11

Veg. Sweet Corn Soup


Hurricane Irene has begun to rear its ugly head in Delaware. Many parts of the East coast have already been hit.  People are on a lockdown at their homes with lots of water and non-perishable foods. But in this wet and dreary weather, I find comfort in something hot and spicy - like this Indian n Chinese fusion food - Sweet Corn Veg Soup.  You will be surely be slurping this dish till the end...

Ingredients and Method:
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups of water
1/2 egg, beaten
Salt/Black pepper
16oz can cream sweet corn
1 serrano pepper, very finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger, very finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, very finely chopped
1.5 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar

1. Heat oil in a pot.  Turn the flame to low. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chilli. Sautee till aromatic without burning.
2. Add the creamed corn and stir. Let cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add water and chicken bouillon cubes. (Skip the cubes if vegetarian. Alternatively you can add veg broth)
4. Let come to a boil.
5. Add the soy sauce and vinegar. Cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the egg very slowly. While adding the egg in a thin stream, whisk the egg around with a fork (in the pot) with you other hand. 
7.  Take about 2 to 3 tbsp of water. Add cornstarch and whisk well. There should be no clumps. Add to the pot and mix well. The soup will thicken.
7. Let cook for another few minutes.

Serve hot. Makes about 4 medium size servings.  

8/26/11

Sunil's Secret Dipping Sauce


It was a lucky weekend for me - well I do have many many lucky weekends so to speak - but this particular weekend was a "Tapas" style service. Tapas basically means many small appetizers or snacks in the Spanish cuisine which can be warm or cold.  So one lazy Saturday evening, my hubby took me out on a date - to our "Dining room". He brought out amazing tapas dishes and served me one by one as I relaxed myself watching some Indian shows. This was one of the curtain raisers for the night. He says its his Secret Dipping sauce -but baby your secrets are my secrets. And I know what you did in the kitchen ;)

Method and Ingredients:

Mix in a flat serving dish the following ingredients - Drizzle olive oil, mix in balsamic vinaigarette, add paprika, Italian seasoning, tiny pinch of salt, black pepper, and lots of love. Add red chilli flakes if you would like it spicy.
You ask how much in qty? Ahhh just eye ball it - but careful when add the balsamic vinaigerette - its quite strong and tangy. Use your own discretion.

Serve with toasted Italian bread.


8/25/11

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs in Homemade Pasta Sauce


Not a big meatball eater, so cooking meatballs equals challenge! - Thank  God I had Avanti on skype kind of telling me what to do. By the way, I never knew making pasta sauce at home was so easy and it tastes way better than the store bought ones. And I didnt even use fresh tomatoes. I really was itching to make something different like Ginger Sesame Meatballs or Tandoori Paneer Meatballs but I wanted to start with the basic today and build some confidence in the future meatball escapades. I looked at several recipes online for the tomato sauce and meatballs. Finally ended up looking at the back of my pasta sauce bottle for ingredients, asked my cousin Avanti for tips of meatball prep, and made the pasta like my cousin Karishma does. I tagged the dish as an appetizer as well, because, one could make bite size ones with toothpicks on them and serve with pasta sauce as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, finely chopped
 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
4 cups crushed tomatoes
Couple handfuls of fresh basil, chopped
White cooking wine, 1 cup
Salt/Black pepper/Pinch of sugar
Italian seasonings
Shredded parmesan cheese

Meatballs:
2 chicken breasts, cubed and chopped (about 4 cups cubed)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
Breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup
1 egg
Parmesan cheese, 3/4 cup
Dash of oregano and Italian seasonings
Season with salt and black pepper

Whole wheat pasta, cooked according to package directions and drained in a colander

Method:

Sauce:
1. Heat oil. Add the garlic, onions, and carrots.  Let cook for 10 minutes on low flame until translucent and tender.
2. Add the tomatoes and mix well.  Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.  Keep sauteeing as the water evaporates. I actually added a little bit of water and some wine.  Add basil and Italian seasonings. Cover and let simmer for another 30 minutes.  The sugar helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes, but add it sparingly. I would also add some red chilli flakes if you like it a bit spicy.
3. Add parmesan cheese (a little over 1/4 cup) and stir vigorously. Let cook for another few minutes. Set aside.

Meatballs:

1. Start out by sauteeing the cut onions in some oil. Add some oregano, salt, black pepper, Italian seasonings, red pepper flakes, and garlic. After sauteeing for about 3 to 5 minutes on medium heat, set aside.

2. My hubby does not like preminced store bought meat. So I mince my chicken breast at home in a food pro. After washing, patting dry, seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper, and cutting the chicken in big cubes, process the chicken meat in a food processor on pulse setting one or two times. Do not overpulse as you want a rough texture to the balls.

3. Add the sauteed onions to the food processor. Run the food processor once. Now add the parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs and process the meat slowly.  Remember to not overprocess the meat to a mush.  If you are not sure if you should add more breadcrumbs, test it out - try to make a meatball on your had out of the meat, if it starts sticking then you need more breadcrumbs to hold the meat together. Do not add too much at once.

4. Once you have reached the right consistency, make equal sizes meat balls (I got about 20).  Heat oil in a flat bottom skillet. Place them one by one on the skillet and let brown on medium heat. Flip and sear the other side. (Total time: 10 minutes) 

5. Once the meatballs are seared, place them in a oiled oven safe pan.  Pour the sauce you made earlier over the top. Cover tightly with foil and put in the oven.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and check for doneness. Bake more if you think the meat appears raw. Keep checking once in a while to make sure the oven temperature is okay and that meatballs are not burning at the bottom.

Pasta:

You can either serve the pasta as is with the sauce and meatballs or do the following - in a skillet, heat butter, add the cooked and drained pasta and toss. Now add some salt and black pepper followed by some parmesan cheese.  Toss well.

Assemble it all together:

Start with the pasta on the bottom. Add the meatballs on the top and pour the sauce on the meatballs. Enjoy!




8/24/11

Corn Chaat - Corn Salsa


A quick and easy snack recipe - this Corn Chaat is sure to tingle your taste buds. I do not have exact measurements for this recipe but a rough description of what went in and how should suffice.

4 corn on the cobs
2 medium roma tomatoes
1/2 big red onion.
Salt
Black pepper
Cilantro for garnish
Lime juice
Finely chopped 2 to 4 green chillies
Chaat masala ** Key ingredient (Found in Indian grocery stores)
Pinch of sugar

1. Start my fire roasting the corn on your stove top.  Keep the corn constantly moving on the heat so as to not burn the kernels.
2. Using a sharp knife, remove the corn kernels off of the cob
3. Add all the above ingredients and toss well. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to let the juices run.

Serve with chips.

8/23/11

Samosa Chole Chaat



Chaat is basically a quick n easy snacky food that most Indians absolutely love. Although you get chaat food in restaurants, the real fun is eating them from street side vendors. I swear it tastes way better than the best restaurants found in India. So some chaat items are Paani Puri (Spiced water filled in crunchy puffs), Sev Puri - A flattened puri with potatoes and spices, Dahi Sev Puri - similarl to sev puri but with yogurt (dahi) on it, Ragda Pattice (Ragda meaning mishmash made from white garbanzo beans and pattice is Pattys) - Spiced potato pattys served with beans curry so to speak, etc. The main ingredients kind of stay the same - sev (flour based spicy snack), potatoes, Tamarind date chutney (sweet and tangy), and Mint chutney (green and spicy).

Chole pron. as Cholay or Garbanzo beans is a spicy curry style stew.  Samosa is a puff pastry stuff with spiced potatoes.  So the idea here is combining the samosa with the chole to make chole chaat. No! This is not my idea - this is a very popular food item that has evolved from the regular chaat menu.  Although, it may be considered a snack - it is severely filling and amazingly tasty - be warned !!

Method and Ingredients:
2 15oz cans of Garbanzo beans
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tsp Badshah Chholle masala
1 tsp Badshah Chana masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 samosas, thawed and baked at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes.

Grind together to make a paste of the following:
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 to 4 green chillies, finely chopped
2 1 inch pieces of ginger, finely chopped

Garnish:
Some finely chopped onions and tomatoes
Chopped cilantro
Pinch of Chaat masala
Thin sev (available at Indian grocery store)
Tamarind and Mint Chutney (available at Indian grocery store)

1. Heat oil. When hot, add the onions and sautee for 5 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and sautee for another 5 minutes.
2. Add the ginger garlic green chilli paste, mix well and keep sauteeing.
3. Now let cook on low flame for atleast 15 to 20 minutes taking care not to burn the mixture.  This step will take the longest but yields results. Y ou have to keep sauteeing the onions mixture until its reduced and medium brown in color. The onions and tomatoes should blend together as a paste. 
4. Drain the garbanzo beans in a colander.  Add the beans and add 1/2 cup water.  Now add chole masala and chana masala, salt, turmeric, amchur powder, and mix well.
5. Add another 1/2 cup of water and let cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes on low flame. You may have to add some water through the process. In the end, you do not want it too watery, however!
6. Now assemble the whole thing together. Line up the samosas at the bottom of the bowl.  Pour the chole mixture on the top. Garnish with chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, tamarind chutney, mint chutney and pinch of chaat masala.

Serve hot.

8/22/11

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wrap


The thought of Jamaican food brings the following things to mind - baked chicken wings, cabbage, jerk seasoning, or beans.  Jerk seasoning is made from a combination of some key ingredients of which the end result is always spicy! I used a ready made paste which made things much quicker.  Instead of baking them, I used a slow cooker to cook them.   

Method and Ingredients:

4 to 6 Slow cooked chicken wings
1 to 2 tablespoons of jerk seasonings
2 Tortillas
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed, drained
Red onion
Tomato
Grilled zucchini (1/2 of a zucchini)
Grilled cabbage (1/4 cabbage)
Four cheese blend
Garnish: Green onions and cilantro
Sour cream (optional)
Chipotle dressing (optional)

1. Chop some cabbage and zucchini in big chunks. Heat butter and add the cabbage and zucchini. Spread it out without overcrowding it. Cover and let cook on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove lid - add salt and black pepper. Cook uncovered for another 2 to 3 minutes or until cabbage and zucchini is cooked. It should be a bit crunchy (we are using this as a replacement for lettuce in the wrap). Let come to room temperature before making the wrap.

2. I cooked my chicken wings in a slow cooker. Wash and pat dry the chicken wings. Drizzle olive oil and coat with the jerk seasoning generously.  Add a little water.  Cover and cook until chicken wings are cooked and tender (falling off the bones). Let come to room temperature before making the wrap.

3. Assemble your wrap - Set tortilla on a plate.  Start filling the wrap - chicken (debone and skinned), then the cabbage, and zucchini, black beans, cheese, pinch of chopped cilantro and green onions, chopped red onion and chopped tomatoes.  I also added a little bit of jerk seasoning water that remained in the slow cooker.  If it is too watery, you can choose to thicken it (see below) and then use it as a dressing.

4. We are ready to lightly grill the burrito once its assembled and wrapped. I used George Foreman grill to slighly give it a grilled taste/look. You can do it on a skillet as well.

Serve with a side of sour cream or chipotle dressing.

Note:

1. I used the following ready made jerk seasoning. There are several options available at your local grocery stores.

2. To thicken the leftover juices, heat pan, add butter, add a tsp or two of all purpose flour and mix vigorously with the butter. Add the juices slowly to the pan and keep whisking.  Let reduce by leaving the pan uncovered and cooking on low flame.  The sauce will thicken. You can use this as a dressing inside the the burrito.


8/21/11

Breakfast Kati Roll


Kati Roll is nothing but a Indian Burrito.  But the key is to coat the tortilla or indian bread with egg almost like you would a bread for a french toast.  Here is my twist to a traditional kati roll that is generally stuffed with BBQ meat or veggies.  Instead of using regular egg, I made an Indian omlette style egg. And stuffed it with seasoned skillet potatoes.  I would say that the mint chuntney and the tandoori bbq masala really gave it that "Kati Roll" style punch!

2 Tortillas
4 eggs
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 tomato, chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
Cilantro
Salt and Black Pepper

Potatoes:
4 small red potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into wedges
Dash of Salt, Black Pepper, Italian seasoning, Garlic powder, Paprika, Tandoori BBQ masala

Mint chutney


1. First make the potatotes. After washing and cutting them add to a bowl.  Drizzle olive oil followed by all the seasonings listed above (under the potatoes).  Toss well. In a skillet, heat oil, add the potatotes. Do not overcrowd. You want them cooked and crispy. So spread them out in a skillet. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes while tossing them around in a pan every so often.  Check for doneness. Towards the end, I covered the skillet with a lid just for 2 to 3 minutes.  Then uncover and let cook again.  When you cover a lid, the steam leaves water and contents get soggy. So make sure that doesnt happen to your potatoes. 

2. Break 4 eggs and beat them well with 2 tbsp of milk.  Add the onions, tomato, green chillies, salt and black pepper, and chopped cilantro. Mix well.

3. Heat oil in a skillet.  Keep your tortilla ready.  Add half of the egg mixture. Quickly add your tortilla and press down. The idea is for the egg to stick to the tortilla.  Keep the flame on medium high.  Then flip the egg/tortilla.  Turn the heat down to medium.

4. Add half the potatoes, mint chutney, and ketchup (optional). 

5. Roll it up. Serve hot.

Makes 2 wraps.

Step by Step Directions:


8/20/11

Island Style Pinto Beans


I have a beans recipe here somewhere. But I really like pinto beans and wanted to try something different.  This recipe is based of ingredients you would find in Carribean foods - scallions, hot sauce, black pepper, thyme etc. Hence, the name : Island Beans.

15 oz Pinto Beans Can
4 scallions, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium roma tomato, diced
4 to 6 squirts of hot sauce
Salt and Black pepper
Pinch of thyme
Dash of onion powder
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 to 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1. Heat oil.  Add the garlic, onions and tomato.  Sautee for 3 minutes.
2. Add the scallions and stir.
3. Add the hot sauce, black pepper ( a little more than usual), salt, onion powder, and soy sauce.  Let cook till the onions and tomato mixture makes a good mush.
4. Add the beans along with the liquid. Stir. Cover and cook on low flame for about 8 minutes.  You may have to keep adding some water if the contents start drying up.


8/19/11

Tex-Mex Omlette Wrap


Method and Ingredients:

3 eggs
2 tbsp milk
Salt and Black Pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 to 1/2 cup black beans
1 clove of garlic, chopped
Mexican blend four cheese
Garnish: Sour cream, Avocados, Salsa

1. Break the eggs in a bowl.  Add a little milk and whisk the eggs really well. Add salt and black pepper.
2. I used canned black beans. Drain the black beans in a colander. Rinse under running water and let all the water drain out.
3.  Heat oil. Add the garlic and slightly brown it. Add the onions and green pepper and jalapeno. Cook till translucent. 
4. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. In a skillet, heat oil.  Make an omelette. Turn the flame off.  
6. Fill the center of the omlette with the green peppers and onions mixture. Cover the mixture with cheese.  Fold the omlette like a burrito.  Turn the flame on low. Cover and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes so the cheese melts in the heat of the omlette.
7. Serve with a side of sour cream, avocado, and salsa.


Desi Toast




An Indianized version of French Toast!

1 Multigrain Brown Bread
1 Extra large Egg or 1 medium eggs, cracked open and beaten
1/2 to 1 tbsp finely diced onion
1/2 to 1 tbsp finely diced tomato
Some cilantro, finely chopped
Some green chilli, finely chopped (as per your spice level)
Salt and Black pepper
Cajun seasoning (optional)

1. Beat the egg or eggs in a bowl. Add salt and black pepper and mix. 
2. Add the onion, tomato, chilli, and cilantro. Mix well.
3. Pour the mixture out on a flat plate.
4. Dip the bread and let the egg soak into the bread. Flip and do the same.
5. You will have some egg mixture remaining on the plate.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan.  Add oil. When hot, add half of the remaining egg mixture that may be leftover on the plate. Quickly add the bread.  Keep the heat on low to med and let cook for few minutes.
7. Before flipping for the other side of the cook, add any remainder of egg mixture to the pan.  Flip the bread ie the uncooked side down. Let cook for a few minutes.
8. Press down on the toast with a spatula to flatten it out a bit. 
9. Add cajun seasoning on the top for a smoky flavor (Optional)
10. Serve with mint chutney on the side and avocado as a garnish.

8/18/11

Zardari Tilapia Curry




Do you guys watch this show called "Big Bite" on HGTV by Guy Fieri? He always has the coolest recipes. Simple everyday dishes  but with a twist. The best part is he gives them funky names which makes me want to try them. I did the same for this dish. I made up a name - Zardari. It just sounded cool. If you saw the picture, what would you call it?

Step 1: Prep the fish

2 to 3 filets of Tilapia
1/4 tsp each of red chilli powder and turmeric powder
Salt and Black pepper

1. Wash and pat dry the fish.  You can choose to butterfly cut the fish or leave it whole but cut into serving size pieces. 
2. Marinate the fish with the following: Drizzle some oil, dash of salt and black pepper, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, and 1/4 tsp red chilli powder. Set aside.

Prepare the masala:
1 cup onion
1/4 cup shredded coconut
Handful of cilantro
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
6 peppercorns
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 to 4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp ginger paste
1/2 roma tomato cubed
1 to 2 tsp of tamarind paste (if you do not have it, substitute with lime juice) - Dissolve the paste in some water and then add to the pan
Salt

1. Heat oil in a flat bottom pan.  Add some oil and add all the above ingredients one at time and keep sauteeing them. This step will take a long time - almost about 10 to 15 minutes. Keeping the flame on low, keep working the spatula until you get a good mush in the pot. Set aside. 
2. Grind to a fine paste adding a little water at time. 

Prepare the fish:
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup semolina

1. Mix both the ingredients listed above.  Coat all the fish filets with the flour and semolina mix. Dust off excess.
2. Heat a skillet.  Add adequate oil and spread it around.  Add the fish filets (oil should sizzle).  Keep the flame on low.  Cook one side for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove gently from the pan.

Putting it together:

4 to 6 curry leaves
2 dry red chillies
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Tirphal (Optional)

1. Heat oil.  Add the mustard seeds. when they sputter, add the curry leaves and red chillies.  Add the tirphal.  Add the ground masala or paste to the pan. Add 1/4 cup water and mix well.  Cover and let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Uncover, add the fish to the paste gently. Fish will tend to break since its so tender at this point.  So avoid moving the contents too much. Let cook covered for another 2 to 3 minutes.  See if the fish is cooked all the way - should be flaky and white. 

Serve with white or brown rice.

Note:
1. For a quicker recipe, skip frying the fish step.  You can drop them in the curry directly.  But adjust the cooking times accordingly.
2. I lef the curry pretty thick ie did not add too much water. Adjust according to your preference.

8/17/11

Masaale Bhaat - Vegetable Rice simmered in spices and coconut









Ingredients and Method:

Coconut Masala:
1/3 cup coconut shredded
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 pinches of clove powder
Pinch of Khus khus or poppy seeds
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds or badishep
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Putting it all together:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 to 3 red chillies broken
4 to 6 curry leaves
1 cup cauliflower florets
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup of chunks of eggplant
1 tsp jaggery
1 to 2 tsp of Maharashtrian Goda Masala or Kala Masala
2 cups of already cooked white rice

1. Since I used leftover rice, I began by putting the rice out at room temperature.
2. In a pan, add a drop or two of oil.  Add all the ingredients under the Coconut masala recipe except coconut.  Dry roast it in the pan on low flame and constantly work your spatula to keep the contents moving (about 2 minutes).  When fragrant, add the shredded coconut (thawed) and keep working the contents until golden brown in color.  Set aside to cool. When cool, blend to a fine paste in a blender by adding about 1 to 2 tbsp of water.

2. Heat oil in the same pan.  Add mustard seeds and when they sputter, turn the flame to low and add the asofoetida, curry leaves, and dry red chillies. Add the cauliflower florets and mix.  Add the turmeric powder and jaggery and mix.  Add the coconut masala that we ground earlier.  Add the Goda masala and salt to taste.  Cover and let the cauliflower cook with the masala for about 3 minutes.

3. Now add the eggplant (since the eggplant cooks faster, we add it after the cauliflower) and mix well. Cover and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the eggplant is cooked. Water will evaporate from the coconut masala which is what we want.

4.  Add the white rice and toss well so as to mix the ingredients. Cover and let the rice absorb the masala for another 3 minutes or so.

5. Serve with shredded coconut on the top.

Note:
1. Cook this dish and let it sit for a few hours before serving (ofcourse do not forget to reheat!)
2. Before adding the rice, make sure there is no water left in the masala otherwise the rice will get soggy.
3. If your leftover rice is not al dente or it is very sticky, this dish will taste different.  It is almost like fried rice where you want the rice a little al dente.
4. Use sugar if you do not have jaggery.
5. What is Goda or Kala masala: it is a signature Maharashtrian masala. I cannot make it at home, but I always have a stash of it from India. I have seen it it many Indian grocery stores now. Also Goda masala is black in color hence it is also called Kala masala. The deal with this masala is that you cannot just add it to plain vegetables. It only goes with certain ingredients and certain key recipes.


8/16/11

Batatyacha Bhujna - Indian style potatoes






There is nothing more comforting than the all time favorite vegetable - Potato.  Batata is a marathi word for potato and this dish Batatchya Bhujna meaning Potato Dish is a typical Maharashtrian dish that my aji (grandma) used to make back in the day.  It is so simple to make yet so glorious. Do not forget to make varan or dal and white rice to compliment this dish.

1 medium onion, sliced thin and lengthwise
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 inch thick piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 inch piece of cinnamon
Teeny tiny pinch of clove powder
4 to 6 baby potatoes, peeled, washed, and sliced in circles making sure the circles are evenly thick
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
Generous dash of paprika powder (for color)

1. Heat oil in a flat bottom pan. Turn the heat to medium.  Add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick.  Add the garlic and ginger.  When fragrant, add the onions. Turn the flame to low and add the onions.  Spread the onions out so they have room to sweat.  Sautee the onions once in a while and let them turn translucent.  (About 5 minutes)
2. Add the turmeric powder, just a pinch of clove powder, red chilli powder, few tbsps of water and mix well.  Sautee for another few minutes.
3. Add paprika powder (I put it right out of the dispenser, so about 2 to 3 squirts will do it). Paprika burns very easily. So, make sure the heat is on low. As soon as  you add paprika, mix the contents really well. Add about 1/4 cup water and stir.  Let cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Now add the potatoes. Again spread them out in the pan, so they have adequate room to quick evenly.  Add salt and mix.  Add a little water if necessary.  Cover and cook until the potatoes are cooked. Do not overcook the potatoes. The potatoes should be soft but not turn mushy. 

8/15/11

Vermicelli Upma - A Quick and Healthy breakfast




Vermicelli or as it is called in India - Semiya is nothing but fine pasta but the Bambino one that I get from an Indian store is made from semolina or rava.  Very easy to cook and very fast to cook. Even a beginner can get a hang of it. The key, however, is to add the water to the cook the semiya with caution especially if you are beginner. My beginning experiences with semiya ended up looking like a big starchy gooey mess. I always add frozen or fresh veggies to such breakfast items to boost its nutritional value. But, the original recipes add green peas at the most. 


1/3 cup Bambino Vermicelli
1/3 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables - corn, green peas, and green beans
1 dry red chilli
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
Pinch of white urad dal
Dash of asofoetida
4 to 6 curry leaves
8 to 10 dry roasted peanuts
Few cashews (optional)
2/3 cup hot water
Garnish: lime juice, cilantro, shredded coconut

1. Heat about 2/3 cup of water.  Add frozen veggies to the them. I did that so the veggies would defrost/cook and the water would retain the nutrients. 
2. Heat very little oil in a pan.  Add the vermicelli to the pan and roast it on low flame until golden brown.  You have to constantly keep moving it with a spatula so that it does not burn.  Set aside.
3. Add some oil.  When hot, add the mustard seeds and let sputter. Keep the flame on low.  Quickly add urad dal, curry leaves, dry red chilli (break it in two pieces), asofoetida, and peanuts.  Tilt the pan to a side so the contents are immersed in oil.  Flame should be on low so as to not burn the contents. 
4. Add the finely chopped onions and sautee for 3 minutes.  Add the frozen veggies (drain and reserve the hot water) and mix well. Let cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add a pinch of sugar and salt to taste and mix.
5. Add the roasted vermicelli and mix well.  Add about half of the hot water that we reserved after draining the veggies.  Cover and let simmer and cook.  The vermicelli will absorb all the water slowly and cook in that process.  Check for doneness. When the vermicelli is soft to bite, it is ready to eat.  Just like pasta or noodles, the doneness meter will be different for each one of us. I like the vermicelli al dente (a bit of bite) so I did not put the entire water. So it is better to be safe and add half at first and if necessary follow up with the remainder.

Garnish with shredded coconut, cilantro, and some fresh lime juice.