Indonesian Goat Rendang

Bored of always making kosha mangsho I decided to try out something new which is when I stumbled upon the recipe for Rendang.I once had lamb rendang at a Malaysian place and liked it a lot. Typically I don’t eat lamb, because I can’t stand its overpowering smell but this dish didn’t stink at all and I gobbled up quite a bit of it. At home I decided to substitute lamb with goat and also made a few adjustments with the ingredients according to what I had in store.
Ingredients:
Goat meat – 1 lb
Onion – 1
Garlic cloves – 2
Grated ginger – 1 tsp
Red chili – 2
Brown sugar – 1 tsp
Lemongrass stalk – ½ (lower part only, thinly sliced)
Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp
Chili powder – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala powder – ¼ tsp
Lime juice -- ½ a lime
Lime zest – ½ tsp
Light coconut milk – one 14oz can
Canola Oil

Procedure:
Though the recipe book I was following didn’t call for any marinating I am a bit wary of goat being a bit tough and chewy so I marinated the meat overnight in lime juice, turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala powder, cumin and coriander powder.

In a food processor make a paste of the onion, ginger, garlic, chilies and lemongrass.

In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil and add the brown sugar and let it melt. Now add the onion paste and fry the mixture until it is browned.

Add the meat and lime zest and fry for another minute or so.

Now add the coconut milk, bring to a boil and let it simmer on low heat for 1-1 ½ hours until the meat is tender and the liquid reduces considerably. Check from time to time so that it does not stick to the bottom. If more liquid is necessary add water or more coconut milk.

Sprinkle lime juice on top and serve with steamed rice.

Mango Pie

I had a pie crust lying in the freezer for almost a month, so I decided to make use of it. And to help me make the pie were a pack of frozen mangoes and a container of mascarpone cheese. Typically mascarpone is not used, but I decided to give it a shot and I have to say it didn’t disappoint me J

Ingredients:

Store bought Pie crust –1

Frozen mangoes – 1 packet (thawed)

Mascarpone cheese – 8 oz

Sugar – 1 tbsp (more if you want it sweeter)

Gelatin – 1 packet

Procedure:

Bake the pie crust according to the directions on the package.

In a blender puree the thawed mangoes.

In a large bowl beat the sugar and mascarpone cheese until fluffy.

Dissolve the gelatin according to directions on the package. When the gelatin is ready, add to the pureed mango and mix well. Now add the mascarpone mixture, mix well and pour on the pie crust.

Let the pie set in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

You can garnish with fresh sliced mangoes and/or whipped cream.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a dessert I can’t resist and I have waited a long time to make it at home. What kept me waiting was the high cholesterol level. As soon as I found out that my level of cholesterol had decreased quite a bit I went straight to the grocery store and bought all the ingredients, promising that this is the one time that I’ll be making it. But the fact that I bought double the quantity of mascarpone cheese hints otherwise. Promises are after all meant to be broken ;)

Ingredients:
Eggs – 3 large (yolks and whites separated)
Mascarpone cheese – 8 oz
Espresso – 1 ½ cups
Brandy – 2 tbsp
Sugar – 3 tbsp
Ladyfingers – 20
Cocoa powder

Procedure:
In a large mixing bowl beat the egg yolks, 1 tbsp espresso, sugar and brandy for 2-3 minutes. Now add the mascarpone cheese and beat for another 4-5 minutes until smooth.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with a pinch of sugar until the whites turn into stiff peaks. Gently fold this mixture into the mascarpone mixture.

In a flat dish pour the espresso and dip the lady fingers in it. Layer on bottom of serving dish. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture and dust the top with cocoa powder.

Continue layering finishing with a mascarpone layer. Dust cocoa powder on top.

Refrigerate 2-8 hours before serving.

Garnish with bittersweet chocolate shavings.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

Emboldened by my success of the cupcakes and the banana bread I decided to bake one more cake. I followed the measurements listed in a book I borrowed from the library and it turned out pretty well.

Ingredients:
Granulated sugar -- 1 cup + 2 tbsp; 2 tbsp (for topping)
Unsalted butter (room temp) -- 14 tbsp
Eggs (room temp) – 4 large
Vanilla extract – 1 tbsp
Sour cream – ¾ cup
All-purpose flour – 2 ¼ cups
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – ¼ tsp
Salt – ¼ tsp

Procedure:
Heat oven to 325F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

Beat 1 cup and 2tbsp sugar, butter and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Beat in the sour cream, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Stir in the flour just until incorporated. Don't overmix.
Spread the batter in the pan.

Sprinkle 2 tbsp granulated sugar reserved for the topping over the top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about an hour and 10 minutes.

Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.

(For best results, wrap the cake airtight and store 1 day at room temperature before serving.)

Zucchini Gratin

On my nth birthday my sis-in-law presented me a French Country Cooking cookbook with the request that I treat them to some recipes from the book. Zucchini Gratin or Tian de Courgettes (as the book says) was one of the easiest recipes I could detect at first glance and one with which I could play around a bit. To make matters easier I also had the ingredients at hand.
The original recipe used only zucchini although the book mentions that any combo of vegetables can be used. Along with the zucchini I used some bell pepper and shrimp and what I liked most was that it was very tasty without being too greasy!

Ingredients:
Cooked long grain rice – ½ cup
Zucchini – 1 (cut into ¼ inch thick slices)
Onion – ½ (thinly sliced)
Garlic clove – 1 (chopped)
Bell pepper (optional) – ½ (diced)
Precooked shrimp (optional) – 8-10 (coarsely chopped)
Chopped fresh parsley – 1 tbsp
Grated parmesan cheese – 3 tbsp (add more if you want)
Egg – 1 (beaten)
Salt & Pepper -- to taste
Olive oil

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 400F.

Sprinkle the zucchini slices with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile heat a pan with oil and sauté the zucchini until they are just tender. Drain on paper towel, chop coarsely and reserve in a bowl.

In the same pan (add oil if necessary) sauté the onion, garlic, bell pepper and shrimp (if using), and add to the zucchini. To the bowl add the rice, 2 tbsp cheese and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To the mixture stir in the beaten egg and spread it in individual oven proof dishes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and drizzle slightly with olive oil.
(You can use one large dish also, in that case the baking time will be longer, about 25-30 minutes.)

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until set.

Now set the broiler on high and broil for 2-3 minutes until the top is browned to your liking.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Chicken Sausage with Peppers and Tomato

In May we went to DC and before our flight from Dulles airport we had dinner at a tapas place in Georgetown where we had this dish. Back home I decided to try my experiment on a bunch of friends and judging by their response I’d say it was good :)
I used fully cooked chicken sausage in this case.

Ingredients:
Pre cooked chicken sausages – 5 (cut into chunks)
Red bell pepper – 1 (cut into chunks)
Green bell pepper – 1 (cut into chunks)
Tomato -- 1 ripe (finely chopped)
Onion – 1 small (cut into chunks)
Garlic – 1 clove (chopped)
Red or white wine – ½ tbsp (optional)
Olive oil

Procedure:
Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a skillet and fry the sausages. Set aside.

In the same pan (add oil if required) sauté the onions until translucent.

Next add the garlic, bell peppers and tomato and mix well.

Add the fried sausages and wine (if using) and stir all the ingredients together.

Cover and cook for 15 -20 minutes stirring so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Serve warm.

Potatoes au gratin

Every time I go to Cascal, a tapas place on Castro Street in downtown Mountain View I end up ordering the Potato Gratin and Sizzling Shrimp and each time I fall in love with the dishes all over again. And that led me to try the potato gratin at home which tasted great but the one at Cascal has a more rich and creamy texture. I have plans on trying the Sizzling Shrimp in the near future. Btw, if you are there at Cascal do not miss out on their Sangria. And if it’s a Friday or a Saturday you’ll love the live music (starts at 9.00 pm) for sure.

Ingredients:
Russet potatoes – 2 large (peeled and grated)
Half-and-half – 1 cup (you can use heavy cream for a richer, creamier taste)
Garlic – 1 (finely chopped)
Grated parmesan cheese – ½ cup (more, if you like)
Grated gruyere cheese – ¾ cup
Salt & Pepper – to taste

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 375F.

In a small sauce pan bring the half-and-half and garlic to a simmer.

Arrange a layer of the grated potatoes in a greased casserole or oven proof dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pour a little of the half-and-half and garlic mixture over the potatoes. Lightly top with grated parmesan and gruyere cheese. Repeat the process until all the potatoes are used. Press the layers firmly. For the topmost layer be generous with the cheese.

Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until the cheese forms a golden crust on top and the potatoes are cooked through.

Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Fried Pomfret

We’d been eyeing these large pieces of silvery pomfret at the Ranch Market for some time now but couldn’t muster up the courage to cook them. Finally my husband decided that he’d do the cooking, so we went ahead and bought four of them. I’ve always had pomfret in restaurants and that too only the fried version of it. So that’s what we attempted. Since we had four huge pieces of fish we decided to do two the first day. I did all the marinating and hubby was supposed to fry it. But when the time came for cooking he had an office meeting. Coincidental huh! So I did the frying and while eating realized that it needed more spices. So the next day my mom-in-law took over and the fish tasted awesome. The measurements given here are an approximation since we eyeballed everything.

Ingredients:
Whole Pomfret – 2
Onion – 1 (small)
Ginger – 2 inch piece
Garlic cloves -- 4
Fresh Cilantro – ½ cup
Lime/lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – for frying the fish

Procedure:
Make two to three slashes on both sides of the fish.

In a food processor grind together the onion, ginger, garlic and cilantro. To the paste add the lime/lemon juice, red chili powder and salt and mix well.

Now rub the fish with the paste and set aside for 30-40 minutes.

Heat oil in a nonstick pan and fry the fish until both sides turn golden brown.

Drain and serve hot with lime/lemon wedges and green chilies.

Chicken Meatloaf -- Desi (Indian) Style

Ingredients:
Ground chicken -- 1 lb
Grated ginger – 2 tbsp
Chopped garlic – 2 tbsp
Chopped green chilies – 6
Onion – 1 large (finely chopped)
Potato – 1 small (grated)
Fresh chopped cilantro – 1 cup
Turmeric – ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Eggs – 3

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Beat one egg until fluffy and pour into a greased loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl knead together the chicken, ginger, garlic, half of the onion, cilantro, potato, four green chilies, turmeric and salt.

Put the mixture into the loaf pan and smooth the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes.

Meanwhile beat the remaining two eggs and add the remaining chilies and onion to it.

Remove the loaf pan from the oven and pour the egg mixture all over the chicken.
Return to oven and bake until the eggs have set.

Slice and serve with lime wedges and cilantro leaves.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs has long been on my to-do list. I've seen quite a few versions of the dish on the Food Network and other magazines. Finally I found the perfect opportunity to try my version when a few friends dropped in for the Brazil-Ivory Coast match and some light brunch.
Ingredients:
Hard-boiled eggs - 7
Grated Manchego or Gruyere Cheese - 3 tbsp
Mayonnaise - 2 tbsp
Finely chopped celery - 2 tbsp
Salt & Pepper

Procedure
Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the yolks into a bowl.

Mash the yolks with a fork until smooth. Add the cheese, mayonnaise, celery, salt and pepper.

Spoon the filling into the egg white halves and serve.

Note: you can make the filling in advance and assemble the dish before your guests arrive.
Btw, add some chives for the color and the mild oniony flavor. I wanted to add some but couldn't find any in the store that day.

Phulkopir Roast -- Roasted Cauliflower

I always hear from people that they’ve had a whole roasted cauliflower at someone’s place or some restaurant and that always made me want to eat this dish. But for some reason or another I had never tasted it and decided to experiment with it on a group of 10 people who were coming over. Much as I pictured a perfect golden brown head of roasted cauliflower with the edges slightly charred I figured it was best to be practical and not be too adventurous since I would be having company. So I followed the safe mode (by cutting the cauliflower into florets and steaming it) and the underdog that it was it turned out to be a hit. Luckily I had some left to take a photo though all the charred edges were gone.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower – 1 large
Plain yogurt – ½ cup
Curry powder – 1 tbsp
Paprika powder – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1tsp
Salt & pepper – to taste
Olive oil

Procedure:
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil.

Meanwhile cut cauliflower into medium sized florets.

Now steam the florets in the boiling water for a minute or so, just enough to remove the rawness. Remove with a slotted spoon and hold under running cold water. Drain well.

In a mixing bowl combine yogurt, curry powder, paprika powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Now dip the florets in the yogurt mixture and coat well. (You can make this a day in advance.)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Drizzle olive oil on the cauliflower mixture and coat well.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Lassi, with a kick

All of a sudden the Bay Area had warmed up…the fans were in operation…we were being invited to barbecues and poolside parties. At home I decided to cool down with some lassi…with a kick from some hard lemonade.

Ingredients:
Plain low fat yogurt – ¾ cup
Salt – to taste
Sugar – to taste
Chaat masala (or roasted cumin powder) – 1 tsp
Hard lemonade – ½ cup
Lime wedges – for garnish

Procedure:
In a blender blend all the ingredients. Check seasoning and thickness. If you want a thinner consistency add more liquid, if you want a thicker consistency add yogurt and blend.

Pour in serving glass. Garnish with lime wedges.

Serve chilled.

Note: you can also add some vodka (as much or as little as you want) for some extra kick.

Chicken Manchurian

A friend was coming to dinner tonight and all I knew was that I would make chicken. Because that’s the one thing I had in the freezer in sufficient quantity. Also I wasn’t in the mood for fancy elaborate cooking in the middle of the week so I was trying to figure out what chicken dish to prepare. The battle was between chicken 65 and chicken Manchurian and Manchurian won because it opened up a whole bunch of student day memories.
There was this tiny Chinese eatery called Gunjan on Surya Sen Street (near College Street, Kolkata) which we used to frequent during our college and university days. People came to know of this place by word of mouth – the fame of Gunjan travelled from seniors to juniors and it thrived on that tradition. The place could hardly seat ten people at a time. I remember the first time we tried to go there we couldn’t find it because it was just around the corner of a lane so narrow that a car couldn’t go in, and we actually ended up eating at a place which was next to it but on the main road. During our college days birthdays and special occasions were celebrated at Gunjan when side dishes like Chili Chicken and Chicken Manchurian were ordered. Otherwise the favorite was Chicken Hakka Chowmein. Once our group of 12 (yes, we did manage to squeeze ourselves in) got kicked out of the place because people were waiting outside and we didn’t show any signs of leaving even though we were all done.
And during my Masters’ I and a friend AB, who’s a great foodie, frequented Gunjan so much that we ran out of money by the second week of the month. (It was a bit on the costlier side for a student.) That was when we made a vow that we would come to Gunjan twice a month. We did manage to stick to the self made rule for a few months, mainly because by that time another cheaper Chinese shack had opened up right in the University premises.
Now for my version of Chicken Manchurian. I used drumsticks because that’s what I had. Ideally small bite sized pieces (breast or thighs are best) should be used.

Ingredients:
Chicken drumsticks – 8 pieces
Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
Vinegar – 1 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 ½ tsp + 1tsp
Garlic paste – 1 tsp + 1tsp
Hot sauce – 2 tbsp
Salt & pepper – to taste
Corn flour – 1 tbsp
Onion – 1 small (cut into thick slices)
Green bell pepper – ½ (cut into big pieces)
Red bell pepper – ½ (cut into big pieces) (either one of these peppers is fine)
Scallions – 2-3 (cut diagonally)
Green chilies – 3-4 (chopped)

Procedure:
In a large mixing bowl combine the soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, salt, pepper, 1 ½ tsp of ginger paste and 1 tsp garlic paste. Now coat the drumsticks/ chicken pieces in the marinade and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

After an hour remove the chicken from the marinade and dust it with a tbsp of cornflour.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces on medium heat until golden brown and cooked. Set aside.
In the same pan fry the sliced onions, bell pepper and scallions and set aside.

Now add the chopped green chilies, a tbsp of the ginger paste and garlic paste and fry until the raw smell is gone.

Add the reserved marinade, water and bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning.

Add the chicken pieces and let simmer until the gravy reaches a consistency of your desire. If there is too much liquid add a paste of a tbsp of cornflour in a tbsp of water and let the liquid dry up.

About a minute or two before removing from the heat add the fried vegetables to the pan and let them sit. This way they retain their color as well as their crunch which I like.

Serve hot with fried rice or noodles.

Chana Masala

Much as I love chana masala I didn’t like the taste of the dish my cooking gave it. So I was browsing the internet for recipes of the dish and that was when I chanced upon this interesting tip – adding a teabag or a tablespoon of tea leaves to the chickpeas while they are being boiled. A bit iffy at first I tried this out and it gave a wonderful dark brown color, which made it look very appealing and as we all know we eat with our eyes first. And this time I did a better job of cooking it -- the chickpeas were soft and tender, but not mushy and the gravy was just thick enough – sticking to the peas but also enough left on the plate for mopping up with a paratha.

Ingredients:
Chickpeas / Garbanzo beans – 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Teabag – 1
Onion – 1 large (thinly sliced)
Grated ginger – 1 tbsp
Garlic – 2 cloves (minced)
Tomatoes – 1 (chopped)
Garam masala powder – ¼ tsp
Cumin-coriander powder – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt -- to taste
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Cooking oil
Water – for boiling the peas
For garnish:
Lemon slices
Fresh chopped cilantro leaves
Sliced green chilies
Onion rings

Procedure:
In a large pot boil the peas with the tea bag and turmeric until tender. (You can use a pressure cooker as well. My cooker’s not big enough.) Discard the teabag. Drain the chickpeas and reserve the cooking liquid.

Heat oil in a pan, add the sugar and let it caramelize.

When sugar turns brown add the cumin seeds.

When seeds start sputtering add the garam masala powder, cumin-coriander powder and red chili powder and fry.

Next add the garlic, ginger and onion, frying the paste after each addition.

Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook until oil starts separating.

To the fried masala add the drained chickpeas and coat well with the masala.

Season with salt.

Add the cooking liquid and simmer until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, sliced green chilies, sliced lemon and onion rings.

Serve hot with roti/naan/paratha or rice.

Note: This is a great slow cooker recipe. In that case soak the chick peas with the teabag. Fry the masala and then mix the peas well with the masala. Dump in the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Vegetable Cupcakes

I am not too fond of beets, especially raw ones, but the other day when I saw these fresh bunches with green leafy tops at the farmer’s market I couldn’t resist buying them. Once home I decided to cook them along with some carrots and peas which could be used as a sandwich filling, made into chops (croquettes) or just savored like a curry with some rice or roti. As I was grating the vegetables the idea for this recipe came to mind.

Ingredients:
Beet – 1 (grated)
Carrots – 2 (grated)
Scallion – 1 stem (sliced)
Frozen peas (thawed) – a handful
Frozen corn (thawed) – a handful
Grated ginger – 1 tsp
Egg – 1 (beaten)
Grated parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper -- to taste
Chili powder – ¼ tsp
Breadcrumbs
Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl mix the grated beet, carrots, ginger and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the beaten egg and olive oil and combine well.

Next add the frozen peas, corn and scallion and mix.

Now fill up the cups of a muffin pan with ¾ of the veg mixture.

Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Top it off with the grated parmesan cheese (as much or as less as you like) and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Banana Bread

My experiences with baking so far have been disastrous (to say the least). I almost quit baking till these 3 bananas threatened to go bad on me. That was when I decided to give the banana bread a try, once again.
The first time I tried making banana bread I used a food processor and in my enthusiasm I overmixed the batter which led to a chewy rubbery solid mass that made my jaws exercise quite a bit. This time I used a plain old whisk and fork to mix everything and it turned out pretty well. Maybe I’ll try my hand at baking again.

Ingredients:
Sugar – 1 cup
Butter – 8 tbsp (room temperature)
Eggs – 2
Ripe bananas – 3
Milk – 1 tbsp
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Flour – 2 cups
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 325F.

In a large mixing bowl beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In another bowl mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and the vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make sure there are no lumps.

Now add the banana mixture to the sugar and egg mixture and stir until combined.
Next add the flour mixture and mix until flour just disappears. Do not overmix as this will make the bread rubbery.

Pour batter into a buttered loaf pan and bake for an hour to 1 hr 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool completely before slicing.

Chicken Pulao

Ingredients:

Chicken pieces – 1 lb
Cinnamon stick – 1 + 1
Cloves – 4-5
Black Cardamom – 2-3
Bay leaf – 1
Coriander seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin – 1 tsp
Black peppercorns – 1 + ½ tsp
Onion – 1 small (quartered) + 1 large (thinly sliced)
Ginger – 1 inch piece (crushed) + 1 tsp paste
Garlic – 4-5 cloves (crushed) + 1 tsp paste
Green chili – 4-5 (slit)
Basmati rice – 1 cup (washed and soaked for 30 minutes)
Saffron – pinch (soaked in warm milk)
Salt – to taste
Nutmeg
Oil/butter/ghee

Procedure:
Fill a large pot with 4 cups of water. To the water add the following:
•1 cinnamon stick
•coriander seeds
•cloves
•cardamom
•bay leaf
•cumin
•1 tsp whole peppercorns
•crushed garlic
•crushed ginger
•quartered onion
Bring to a boil. When water starts boiling add the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is tender.

With a slotted spoon remove the chicken pieces and set aside.

Strain the stock. Discard all the spices, retain the stock.

In a separate pot heat oil. You can use a combination of oil and ghee or oil and butter or use only ghee or butter. I used only oil.

To the hot oil add ½ tsp peppercorn and the green chilies.

Next add the sliced onions and fry until golden brown.

Now add the ginger and garlic paste and fry until the raw smell is gone.

Add the chicken pieces and fry until they start browning.

Now add the basmati rice and gently turn to coat the grains with the masala.

Put in the saffron strands.

Add 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil on medium high heat. (If there is less than 2 cups of stock, you can use water or use a boxed one.)

When most of the liquid has dried up switch off the heat, cover with a lid and let sit until all of the liquid has dried up and the rice has cooked perfectly. The rice will cook in the steam.

Add a dash of grated nutmeg and fluff up the rice with a fork before serving.

Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro or mint. (optional)

Serve hot with raita.

Tandoori Fish

I had plans of making this dish on Monday. Problem was I was going out on Sunday and wouldn’t be back until Monday evening which wouldn’t leave me much time for marinating the fish to make it ready for dinner. So I marinated the fish on Sunday before I left without the lemon juice as keeping the fish in the lemon juice for a long time would disintegrate it. After I came back I added the lemon juice and marinated it for 30 minutes. Worked out well.
Ingredients:
Sea bass steak – 1 lb
Grated ginger – 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves – 2-3 (minced)
Lemon – 1 (juiced)
Curry powder – 1tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Salt & pepper – to taste
Olive Oil

Procedure:
In a nonreactive mixing bowl mix together ginger, garlic, curry powder, red chili powder and 2 tbsp of olive oil.

Season the fish with salt and pepper and then put it in the marinade.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes add the lemon juice and marinate for another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 400F.

Arrange the fish on an oven proof dish and drizzle oil on top.

Bake at 400F for 30 minutes, turning the fish after 15 minutes.

Next, set the oven to broil and broil on high until the edges are charred to your liking (8-10 minutes approx in my oven). Watch the fish carefully as it might burn very easily while broiling.

Serve hot with pickled onions and lemon wedges.

For pickled onions, soak onion slices in vinegar for an hour.

Alu Bhaja -- Fried Potatoes

For a backstory see Mastering the art of alu bhaja

Ingredients:
Potatoes – 5-6 (peeled and cut into long strips)
Onion – 1 large (thinly sliced)
Green chili – 3-4 (you can use more or less)
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – for frying

Procedure:
Wash the potatoes in cold water and drain thoroughly.

Add a teaspoon of turmeric and season with salt. Toss the potatoes to coat well and put in a colander. Let sit for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile heat a pan with enough oil for frying the potatoes.

When the oil starts to ripple add the potatoes.

Turn the potatoes every now and then so that they don’t stick to the bottom. If they start sticking add a little oil.

When they are done halfway make a hollow in the middle of the pan.

Add a tbsp of oil and then throw in the onion and the green chili. Fry it for 2 minutes in the hollowed out space.

Then mix the onions with the potatoes and keep frying, turning very frequently. Be
careful not to break them.

Keep frying until the potatoes are fully cooked and the edges start to turn brown.
Remove from heat and serve.


Enjoy with rice and lentils or roti/ luchi/paratha. You can even have this as an evening snack with muri (puffed rice).

Note: You can garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. Looks nice as well as gives a fresh taste.

Goat Biryani

I had a fair amount of leftover goat meat, so I decided to make use of it in the form of biryani. Watching the sunset and having biryani on the patio – Friday night dinner couldn’t have been better.

Ingredients:
Goat meat – 1lb
For goat meat ingredients and recipe see kosha mangsho
Basmati rice – 1 cup (washed and soaked for half an hour)
Onion – 1 large (thinly sliced)
Green chili – 3-4 (chopped)
Bay leaf -- 1
Cardamom -- 2-3
Clove –3-4
Cinnamon stick – 1
Nutmeg
Saffron – 1 tbsp (soaked in warm milk)
Whole black peppercorn -- 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil

Procedure:
To a pot of water add the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and peppercorn and bring to a rolling boil.

Now add the soaked basmati rice and cook until rice is al dente. Drain very well and keep aside.

Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and fry the onions until golden brown.

Preheat oven to 375F.

In an oven proof dish arrange a layer of rice. Sprinkle some of the fried onions and saffron milk. You can add a drizzle of oil or ghee (I do not.) On top of the rice arrange a layer of meat. Now repeat the process again. Finish it off with a layer of rice and fried onions on top. Add a dash of grated nutmeg. You will have two layers of meat and three layers of rice.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes.

Mix meat and rice and serve hot with raita.

Wonton Wrapper Samosa aka Shingara

I love to eat shingara but I hate all the trouble involved in making it, specially the dough. The filling is easy to make but the dough for me is a complicated process with all the kneading and the rolling and the folding. So I made use of wonton wrappers (I never let any shortcut go by unnoticed!)and voila! Shingara is ready in minutes and tastes great too.

Ingredients:
Potatoes – 2 medium (peeled and cubed)
Ginger – a 2 inch root
Green chili – 4-5 (adjust according to your taste)
Coriander seeds (optional)- 1 tsp
Turmeric – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Oil
Wonton wrappers

Procedure:
Put oil in a pan on medium heat.

Add the coriander seeds and let it infuse the oil.

Meanwhile grate the ginger and the green chilies together in a food processor.

When the oil is hot and the seeds start to sputter take them out with a slotted spoon. (Or you can leave them if you want to.)

To the oil add the ginger and chili mixture. Be careful as it will sputter.

When the raw smell of ginger is gone add the potatoes and mix well. (You can also add cauliflower and green peas.)

Add salt and a pinch of turmeric.

Add enough water to let the potatoes cook.

When the potatoes are cooked and all the water has dried up remove from heat and let it cool.

When the stuffing has cooled down completely, put a spoonful of the potatoes on a wonton wrapper.

Brush the edges of the wrapper with water and seal them. I pressed the edges with a fork, just to be sure.

Repeat process until all the filling is used up or you run out of wonton wrappers.

Now deep fry the potato stuffed wrappers until golden brown.

Serve hot.

Chholar Daal

A special occasion like the Naboborsho (New Year) calls for a special daal like the Chholar Daal. I wonder how this daal got itself relegated to special occasions.

Ingredients:
Chhola or Chana Daal (Bengal gram) – 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Shredded coconut – 3 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Bay leaf -- 1
Dry red chili – 3
Cumin seeds – 2 tbsp
Ground coriander – 1 tbsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Salt & Sugar -- to taste
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Oil

Procedure:
Heat oil in a pan.

When oil is hot enough add the red chilies and let them turn black.

Now add the bay leaf and the cumin seeds.

When the cumin seeds have stopped sputtering add the shredded coconut and fry until the coconut starts to brown. Don’t let it brown all the way.

Now add the daal and mix well.

Next add the coriander powder, turmeric, salt and sugar.

Add water. Cover with a lid and let the daal simmer on low heat.

When daal is almost done add the ginger paste and cook until the daal is done all the way through.

Add a tbsp of ghee and serve.

Alur Dom -- Spicy Potato Curry

Since it was Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Year) I thought of making something special for dinner. And no Poila Baisakh is complete without the luchi. Since we were having a gala potluck party over the weekend at my sis-in-law’s place in celebration of the Bengali New Year I decided it was best to keep today’s dinner simple. So I made alur dom and chholar daal to eat with the luchi.

Ingredients:
Potatoes – 5-6 (peeled and diced into cubes)
Onion – 1 small (thinly sliced)
Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Frozen green peas – ¼ cup (optional)
Fresh chopped cilantro – for garnish
Yogurt – 1 tbsp
Turmeric – ½ tsp
Garam masala – ¼ tsp
Chili powder – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil
Water

Procedure:
Heat oil in a pan.

When oil starts to ripple add the sugar and let it caramelize.

Once the sugar turns brown add the garlic and ginger paste and the sliced onions and start frying.

Now add the chili powder, turmeric and the garam masala powder and continue frying.

Keep frying until the raw smell of the vegetables are gone and the oil starts to separate from the masala.

Now add the yogurt to the masala and stir it in.

Next add the potatoes and mix well with the masala.

Season with salt.

Add enough water so that the potatoes are covered halfway.

When the potatoes are cooked and the gravy has reached a consistency of your liking remove from heat.

Add the frozen peas (if using).

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro leaves and serve.

Seared Scallops with Lemon-Basil Pasta

Ingredients:
For the scallops:
Scallops – 4
Garlic cloves – 3 (minced)
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Olive oil – ¼ cup
Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper
For the pasta:
Spaghetti – 2 servings
Grated parmesan cheese – ¼ cup
Lemon juice – ½ lemon
Fresh basil – 5-6 leaves (chopped)
Salt & pepper

Procedure:
In a mixing bowl mix the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning.

Now add the scallops, turning to coat. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for 30 minutes.

Heat a cast iron skillet on high, and drizzle olive oil.

Now add the scallops and sear them until golden brown. Flip with tongs and sear the other side.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti in a pot of salted boiling water. Drain the pasta, reserving a ladle of the pasta water.

In a skillet warm up the reserved marinade from the scallops, just to avoid the smell of raw garlic. Add the spaghetti and coat well.

Add the grated parmesan and lemon juice. If required to moisten add the pasta water, a little at a time until you have the desired result.

Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped basil and serve with the seared scallops.

Herb roasted salmon with caramelized onions

While cleaning the house last weekend we chanced upon a printout of a salmon recipe dated Nov 2005. The recipe was shared by my husband’s friend who is an awesome cook and a food connoisseur. Hubby had prepared this dish before but it was from his memory and tasted good. But once he followed the recipe it tasted awesome. And along with the salmon he made a simple spaghetti (his specialty btw) with cherry tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Saturday night dinner didn’t taste this good in a long while. Thanks Dr. Ghosh for the recipe :-)

Unfortunately the recipe doesn’t mention any exact amounts, and neither did my hubby measure out anything. So I am unable to give any measurements, just eyeball everything. The original recipe uses sour cream along with the caramelized onions, but we didn’t have any in the house. And instead of oregano and basil we used Italian seasoning and fresh basil leaves.

Ingredients
Salmon – two 8oz pieces
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Garlic salt
Italian seasoning
Fresh basil
Onion – 1 (sliced)

Procedure
Preheat oven to 400F.

Marinate salmon fillets in red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, basil, olive oil and garlic salt for about one and half hours.

Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and bake the fish for 15 minutes. Then flip and bake for another 10 minutes.

Then broil the fish until a red crust forms on one side. Turn over and broil the other side. Be careful not to over fry or else it’ll become dry.

Add a squeeze of fresh lime and serve with caramelized onions.

To caramelize the onions warm olive oil in a skillet and add sugar. When sugar starts to melt throw in sliced onions. Cook till the onions turn brownish in color.

Hot and Spicy Sea Bass

Any type of firm fish will work well for this recipe.

Ingredients:
Sea bass filets – 4 (cut into cubes)
Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
Cumin powder – 1 tbsp
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Corn flour – 1 ½ tbsp
Garlic cloves – 5-6 (minced)
Grated ginger – 1 tbsp
Scallions – 2 (sliced)
Serrano chili – 2 (chopped)
Yogurt – ¼ cup (beaten smooth and seasoned with salt and pepper)
Fresh chopped cilantro – 2 tbsp
Lemon wedges – for garnish
Salt – to taste
Cooking oil

Procedure:
In a mixing bowl add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red chili powder, cumin powder and lemon juice to the fish cubes and marinate for 15-20 minutes.

After 20 minutes coat the cubes with corn flour.

Meanwhile heat a skillet with oil. Now fry the fish cubes until they are browned evenly on all sides. Set aside.

Now in the same pan (add oil if necessary), fry the garlic, ginger and Serrano chili.

Next add the fried fish cubes.

Now add the beaten yogurt and coat the fish pieces well. Let the yogurt dry up. (If you want some gravy don’t let the yogurt dry up completely.)

When the yogurt is almost dry add the sliced scallions. Cook for a minute or so and remove from heat.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, chopped green chili and lemon wedges and serve hot.

Great as a snack food or as a side with fried rice.

Fajita Roll

All of a sudden I had this craving for some sizzling fajitas and so I thought…ok let’s make some fajita today. But to have a real fajita experience you need to have all the sour cream and the guacamole which I didn’t have and I didn’t quite feel like going out and getting the ingredients. So I decided to just make the sizzling filling of the fajitas. As I was cooking an idea struck me. What if I stuff this filling into an egg roll? So that’s how this dish came into being. When I finished assembling the rolls they looked like tacos because I stuffed them so much that it became a little difficult to fold them.
To make the egg rolls, I used tortillas because that’s what I had at hand, but you can use the frozen parathas. Without doubt they taste much better than the tortillas, which by the way ,are much more healthy. You can also use rotis or make parathas from scratch. Totally up to you.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast – 2 (cut into strips)
Eggs – 4
Tortilla – 4
Onion – 1 (sliced)
Red bell pepper – 1 (cut into strips)
Green bell pepper – 1 (cut into strips)
Green chili – 1 (optional)
Chili powder – 1 tsp
Salt and pepper – to season
Hot sauce – 1 tbsp
Tomato ketchup – 1 tbsp
Dash of lime
Cooking oil

Procedure:
In a mixing bowl add 1 tsp red chili powder to the chicken strips. Mix well and keep aside for 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat a cast iron skillet and fry the chicken pieces until they are golden brown.

While the chicken is being fried, season them with salt and add a tbsp of tomato ketchup and hot sauce each. When sauce dries up and chicken is cooked, remove from heat and keep warm.

In the same skillet (add oil if necessary) fry the bell peppers until the edges turn brown. Set aside.

Next sauté the onions and reserve with the bell peppers.

In a bowl beat an egg until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.

Now heat a nonstick pan. Drizzle a little oil and pour the beaten egg.

When egg starts to set but is still a little wiggly in the middle, put a tortilla on top of the egg and let it set. When egg has set completely flip the tortilla and lightly fry the other side. (If using frozen parathas, fry the parathas according to the directions on the pack and keep ready before frying egg.)

Remove from heat and onto a plate. Follow the method for the rest of the tortillas and the eggs.

Now stuff the tortilla (egg side up) with the chicken, bell peppers, onion and chopped green chili (if using). Squeeze some lime juice on top.

Fold the tortilla like a roll/ wrap and grab a bite.

Orange and Fennel Salad

The original recipe used onions but the idea of onions and oranges didn’t appeal to me. So I omitted it. It’s an ‘interesting’ dish as my family members said. I don’t know what to think. Guess I liked it but wouldn’t go for it in the near future. Maybe a hint of mint will be nice.

Ingredients:
Oranges – 2
Fennel bulb – ½ (thinly sliced)
Olives – 10-12 (thinly sliced)
Red chili – 1 (thinly sliced)
Spanish extra virgin olive oil – 1 tbsp

Procedure:
Zest the oranges and reserve in a bowl.

Now cut the orange into segments over a bowl to catch the juices. Thinly slice the segments and put in a bowl.

To the orange slices add the fennel.

To the reserved orange juice add olive oil and whisk. Drizzle over the oranges.

Sprinkle the olive slices, the red chili and the zest on top and serve.

Paella

Thinking of making paella for a while now. Finally it is time. Like my father says, “ajke din bhalo ache, kore phel” (Today is a good day to do it. And the ‘it’ symbolizes whatever it is that you are postponing.) So today it is paella day for me. But in making this dish I left out a few staple ingredients – the clams and mussels, primarily because I have never tried cooking them, and since a friend was invited for dinner I didn’t want to try my experiments on him, more so because this was the only dish. But I have to say even without the mussels the paella tasted fine. Next time will try cooking with them.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast – 2 (cut into cubes)
Spanish chorizo sausage – 1 (cut into thick slices)
Shrimp – ½ pound (peeled and deveined)
Scallops – 6
Red bell pepper – 1 (diced)
Green bell pepper – 1 (diced)
Tomato – 2 (pureed)
Red onion – 1 (finely chopped)
Garlic cloves – 5 (finely chopped)
Frozen peas – ½ cup
Medium grain rice – 1 cup
Chicken stock – 1 cup
Water – 1 cup
Paprika – 1 tbsp + 2 tsp
Saffron strands – a generous pinch
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Olive oil
Fresh flat leaf parsley – ½ bunch (chopped)
Lemon wedges – for garnish

Procedure:
In a bowl rub the chicken pieces with a tablespoon of paprika, season with salt and pepper and set aside for at least 30 minutes to one hour.

Heat olive oil in a wide shallow skillet. When oil is hot add the chicken cubes and fry until browned evenly on all sides. Remove and reserve.

Next, fry the chorizo until browned. Remove and reserve.

Next, sear the scallops on both sides. Remove and reserve.

Next, sauté the shrimp until they turn pink. Remove and reserve.

Now in the same pan (add oil when necessary) sauté the onion, garlic and parsley.

Next add the pureed tomatoes and 2 tsp paprika and cook until the mixture caramelizes. This mixture is called a sofrito.

Meanwhile heat the chicken stock and water in a pot and keep it warm.

Now add the green and red bell peppers to the sofrito and cook for a minute or so.

Next add the rice and fry to coat the grains with the sofrito. Now add the saffron strands, chicken stock and water and cook the rice.

When the rice is cooked halfway add the chicken and sausage.

When the rice is almost done add the scallops and shrimp.

When the rice is cooked crank up the heat and let the rice toast at the bottom.

Remove from heat, add the frozen peas and keep covered for 5 minutes.

Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

Slow cooked kidney beans and chicken

Ingredients:
Red kidney beans – 1 ½ cup (soaked overnight)
Chicken breast – 1 (cut into cubes)
Carrots – 2 (diced)
Celery stalk – 2 (diced)
Green bell pepper – 1 (diced)
Tomato – 1 (diced)
Onion – 1 (diced)
Garlic cloves – 5-6 (minced)
Jalapeno pepper – 1 (diced)
Bay leaf – 1
Italian seasoning – 1 tsp
Salt & pepper – to taste
Worcestershire sauce – 1 tsp
Chicken stock – one 14oz can
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Water

Procedure:
In a pan heat olive oil and add the onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper and garlic and sauté.

Next add the jalapenos and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes soften.

Now add the chicken cubes and kidney beans and mix well.

Add the Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper.

Now transfer the mixture into a slow cooker.

Add chicken stock and water so that it just covers the beans.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf and give it a stir.

Cook on slow for 7-8 hours.

Garnish with sliced scallions and serve alone or with rice or bread.

Ghugni -- Pigeon Peas Curry

Ingredients:
Matar (pigeon peas) – 2 cups (soaked overnight)
Potato – 1 large (peeled and diced)
Onion – 1 large (thinly sliced)
Garlic cloves – 4 (minced)
Grated ginger – 1 tbsp
Tomato – 1 small (chopped)
Tamarind paste – 1 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 ½ tsp
Cumin powder – 2 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Sugar – to taste
Oil –
Water
For garnish:
Chopped green chilies
Lemon wedges
Chopped fresh cilantro

Procedure:
In a pan heat oil and fry the potatoes. Set aside.

In the same pan add the sugar and let it caramelize.

Now add the ginger, garlic, onion and tomatoes and fry. When the masala is cooked halfway add the turmeric, red chili powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder and continue frying until the masala is well cooked.

Now add the soaked peas and fried potatoes and mix well.

Add water, enough to cover the peas, cover with a lid and let it simmer on medium low flame.

When the peas are cooked halfway, add the tamarind paste. Mix well and cook until the peas become soft and tender.

Garnish with chopped green chilies, lemon juice and fresh cilantro.

Serve hot as a side with paratha, roti or as an evening snack.

Chicken Momo

I was introduced to momos in college at a place called Food Station in College Street, Kolkata. After that I was treated to homemade momos by my friend, Shradha. We (me and five other people) were staying at a hostel then where cooking wasn’t allowed. But we managed to sneak in an electric heater and we made everything from scratch – starting from the dough to the soup to the achar and of course the filling. To roll out the dough we made use of our steel plates and steel glasses. She had brought a momo steamer all the way from Kalimpong, her home town. And it was so much fun cooking and eating together. The pot stickers available here gave me the enthusiasm to make momos because making the dough and rolling them out is the scariest part. Though they don’t look as good as my friend’s its tasty nonetheless. Here’s to you Shradha.

Ingredients:
For the filling:
Ground chicken – 1 lb
Finely chopped cabbage – ½ cup
Onion – 1 (diced)
Garlic cloves – 2 (minced) + 2 (whole)
Finely chopped ginger – 2 tbsp
Canola/vegetable oil – 4 tbsp
Vinegar – 1 ½ tbsp
Salt – to taste
Wonton wrappers
For the achar:
Tomatoes – 2
Serrano chili – 3-4 (or according to taste)
For the soup:
Low sodium chicken broth – 2 cans (14oz each)
Scallions – 2 (chopped)
Fresh chopped cilantro – 1 tbsp

Procedure:
In a large mixing bowl mix together the ground chicken, cabbage, onion, minced garlic, ginger, salt and oil until well incorporated. Do not over mix. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

Meanwhile boil water in a pan. Put the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute or so.

When the skin starts to peel off, remove from heat and let cool. When cool peel off the entire skin and put it in a food processor.

In the processor add 2 cloves of garlic and the Serrano chilies and blend into a puree.

Season with salt and set aside in a dipping bowl.

Arrange the wonton wrappers on a flat surface.

Spoon in 2 tsp of the filling onto each wrapper.

Brush the edges of the wrapper with water and seal them tightly.

Meanwhile bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.

Now brush a bamboo steamer liberally with oil (so that momos don’t stick).

Arrange the momos on the steamer so that they don’t touch each other.

Put the steamer on top of the pot of boiling water and steam the momos for 12-15 minutes.

Serve immediately with the tomato achar and soup.

For the soup:
Heat the chicken broth with ½ cup of water. When it comes to a boil remove from heat, adjust seasoning, garnish with scallions and cilantro and serve.

Ratatouille

The inspiration for this dish is my sis-in-law. Her favorite dish is daal and tarkari. As I was thinking what tarkari to make for her, that would be something different, ratatouille came to mind. I am not sure if ratatouille qualifies to be a tarkari but it is vegetarian and very tasty. Ultimately taste is what matters – veggie or non veggie.

Ingredients:
Zucchini – 4 (cut into ½ inch slices)
Yellow squash – 4 (cut into ½ inch slices)
Eggplant – 1 (cut into 1 inch slices)
Red bell pepper – 1 (cut into cubes)
Yellow bell pepper – 1 (cut into cubes)
Cherry tomatoes – 1 pint
Onion – 1 (finely chopped)
Garlic cloves – 3 (finely chopped)
Chopped fresh basil leaves – 1 tbsp
Chopped fresh thyme leaves – 1 tsp
Chopped fresh parsley – 2 tsp
Red chili flakes – 1 tsp
Salt & pepper – to taste
Balsamic vinegar – a splash
Olive oil

Procedure:
Season the eggplant with salt and set aside to drain.

Meanwhile heat olive oil in a pan.

When oil is hot, add the eggplant and cook until it is tender and wilted. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add oil if necessary. Next add the zucchini. Season with salt and cook until soft.

Remove from pan and set aside along with the eggplant.

Next cook the yellow squash in the same way and set aside.

Now to the same pan add the onion, garlic, thyme and basil and cook until the onions start to caramelize.

Next add the cherry tomatoes and red chili flakes and cook until the tomatoes are pulpy.

Now add the eggplant, zucchini, squash and bell peppers.

Season with salt and pepper and let the vegetables cook slowly.

When the veggies turn soft and mushy remove from heat and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm or at room temperature or cold.

Spicy Swiss Chard

Ingredients:
Swiss chard – 2 bunches (stems removed and leaves chopped into strips)
Garlic cloves – 2 (minced)
Red chili flakes – 1 tsp (or according to taste)
Balsamic vinegar – a splash
Grated Nutmeg – a dash
Salt – to taste
Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Procedure:
Heat oil in a skillet.

When oil is heated, add the garlic and red chili flakes until the garlic starts to turn golden brown.

Add swiss chard and toss until the chard is coated with the garlic and chili flakes.

Add a dash of grated nutmeg and cook until all the liquid evaporates and the chard is wilted.

Season with salt.

Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and serve.

Makes a great side with fish and chicken.

Paneer Kofta

Ingredients:
For kofta:
Paneer – 250 gm (grated)
Potato – 1 small (boiled)
Carrots (optional) – 1 medium (grated)
Red chili powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala powder – ¼ tsp
Corn flour – 2 tbsp
Oil – for frying

For gravy:
Onion – 1
Grated ginger – 1 tsp
Garlic clove – 2 (minced)
Tomato – 1
Frozen green peas (optional) – ½ cup
Cashew nuts – ¼ cup
Bay leaf -- 1
Red chili powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Sugar – ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp
Milk
Water – 2 cups
Cilantro – for garnish

Procedure:
In a large bowl mix together the paneer, potatoes and carrots (if using).

Season halfway with salt. Add red chili powder, garam masala powder, cornflour and mix well.

Shape into small balls and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and deep fry the paneer balls until brown.

Drain and set aside.

Grind together the onion and tomato into a paste.

In a separate pan heat 2 tbsp oil.

Now add sugar and let it caramelize.

When sugar starts browning, add garlic, ginger and onion-tomato paste and start frying.

Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and fry until the masala is well cooked.

Meanwhile, in a blender make a paste of the cashew nuts with milk and keep aside.

When oil starts separating from the masala, add water and bay leaf.

Season with salt and bring to a boil.

When gravy starts boiling, reduce heat, add the cashew nut paste and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add the koftas and green peas (if using).

Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

Simmered Vegetables

I opened the fridge and all I had was a cauliflower and a few carrots. What do I do with these? Answer: Make a chunky soupy concoction!

Ingredients:
Carrots – 4 (diced)
Cauliflower – 1 small (cut into florets)
Scallions – 2-3 (chopped)
Tomato – 1 (chopped)
Thyme – 1 sprig
Garlic – 2 cloves (minced)
Grated ginger – ½ tsp
Frozen sweet corn – ½ cup
Frozen peas – ½ cup
Chicken curry masala – 1 tbsp (curry masala will work just as well. I had the chicken masala lying around so i used it.)
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Pepper – ½ tsp
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Eggs (optional) – 2
Water – 1 ½ cups

Procedure:
In a pan heat olive oil. Throw in the sprig of thyme in the oil to flavor it.

Next add the garlic, ginger, tomato and the chicken curry masala and stir until tomatoes start to soften.

Now add the carrots, cauliflower and scallions. Mix together.

Season with salt, sugar and pepper.

Now add water and simmer on low flame until vegetables become tender.

Remove from heat and add frozen corn and peas. Mix well.

Transfer veggies into individual serving bowls.

Now crack an egg on top and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until egg is set.

Serve with crusty bread.

Thai Fish Curry

Ingredients:
Catfish fillets – 2
Red bell pepper – 1 (cut into long strips)
Carrots – 2 (cut into strips)
Scallions – 2
Cherry tomatoes – 8-10
Garlic cloves – 2 (finely chopped)
Grated ginger – 1 tsp
Lime – ½
Basil (chopped) – 1 tsp
Coconut milk – ¾ can (14 oz)
Curry powder – 2 tsp
Chicken curry masala – 1 tsp
Black pepper – ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Olive oil – 2 tbsp

Procedure:
Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on the fish.

Season with salt, pepper and chicken curry masala and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick pan.

When oil is hot fry the fish until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.

In the same pan add garlic, ginger, turmeric, chili flakes, curry powder and fry.

Now add the carrots, bell peppers, scallions and cherry tomatoes, one after the other and sauté.

When vegetables start to soften add the coconut milk and bring to a boil.

When the gravy starts to boil, add the fish and simmer for a few minutes.

Remove from heat.

Add lime juice, garnish with chopped basil and serve hot with steamed rice.

Herb-crusted Catfish with Couscous

Ingredients:
Catfish fillets – 2
Fresh thyme – 2 tsp
Fresh basil – 1 tsp
Fire roasted red bell pepper – ½
Garlic cloves – 2
Ancho chili jam – 2 tbsp
Pine nuts – 1 tbsp
Grated mozzarella cheese – ¼ cup
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Red chili flakes – 1 tsp (optional)
Salt – to taste
Ground black pepper – to season
For the couscous
Couscous – ½ cup
Chicken stock – 1 cup
Scallions – 1 stem (thinly sliced)

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Arrange the fillets on a foil lined baking sheet.

Drizzle olive oil on the fillets and season them with salt and pepper on both sides.

In a food processor, blend the thyme, basil, roasted pepper, pine nuts and the garlic. Remove the blade and to the mixture add the ancho chili jam and the red pepper flakes (if using).

Now spoon the mixture on the fillets and coat them evenly.

Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until done to your likeness.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a pot. (You can use water instead of stock, but the stock gives it added flavor.)

When stock starts boiling add the couscous and scallions.

Remove from heat and cover with a lid. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Fluff it up with a fork before serving.

When fish is done, serve it on a bed of couscous.

Note: You can use any type of fish and any combination of herbs and cheese. I made use of what I had at hand.

Spinach Raita

On our second anniversary we visited a friend in Seattle and amongst many other things she treated me to this delicious spinach raita. Here’s my take on it.

Ingredients:
Spinach – one 12 oz bag
Yogurt – ½ cup (beaten)
Salt – to taste
Sugar – to taste
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tbsp
Red chili – 2
Oil – 1 tbsp

Procedure:
Heat oil in a pan.

When it is reaches a smoking point throw in the red chilies and let it brown.

Next, add the mustard seeds. Be careful as the seeds will sputter.

Now add turmeric and let it cook out completely in the oil.

Add the cut spinach, salt and sugar and cook until the spinach is done.

Let all the water evaporate from the spinach.

Remove from heat and pour the beaten yogurt over the spinach. Mix well.

Can be served as a dip too.

Grilled vegetables

Ingredients:
Zucchini – 5-6 (cut into ½ inch slices)
Egg plant – 1 (cut into 1 inch slices)
Red bell pepper – 2 (cut into strips)
Yellow bell pepper – 2 (cut into strips)
Cherry tomatoes – 15-20
Red pearl onions – 12 (peeled and halved)
Olive oil – 3 tbsp
Salt – to taste

Procedure:
Heat a cast iron grill pan on high.

Meanwhile, put the sliced vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle the olive oil. Coat well.

When pan is heated up put the veggies in bunches and cook until they have nice grill marks on either side.

Put in a serving dish and season with salt.

Serve as a side or as a main dish on a bed of rice pilaf.

Flan

Ingredients:
Sugar – 1 cup
Water – 2 tbsp
Lemon – ½ (juiced)
Eggs – 3
Milk – 2 ¼ cup
Sweetened condensed milk - 2 oz
Vanilla essence – 1 ½ tsp


Procedure:
Keep ready 6 individual molds or one 2 quart mold.

Combine the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pan. Place over medium-high heat and cook until sugar starts melting.

When sugar starts melting swirl the pan over the heat until the sugar attains a darkish brown color. Don’t stir with a spoon as it may start crystallizing.

Remove from heat and add the lemon juice immediately. Swirl the pan again to combine and pour instantly into the molds.

Tilt the molds so that the caramel coats the bottom evenly and a little bit of the sides.

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl combine eggs, milk, condensed milk and vanilla essence and whisk until bubbly. You can use a blender too.

Pour over the caramelized sugar.

Put the molds in a roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with 1 inch of hot water.

Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 50-60 minutes or until set.

Let the flan cool.

When ready to serve, run a knife around the sides of the mold and loosen the flan. Now place a plate on top of the flan and invert it to pop the flan out.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Finding a gift for a guy has always been a difficult task for me starting from friends to father to brother to husband. And with all the hoopla surrounding Valentine’s Day I was at a loss to decide on a gift. Since both of us are foodies I decided to cook a special V-day lunch for hubby darling. And making lamb chops was the perfect way to do it. And the best part was it was a surprise for him. Since I don’t eat lamb, it was beyond his imagination that I would cook it. That was my gift to him. Now for his gift to me -- a French dinner in San Francisco. I love V-day :)
Ingredients:
Lamb chops – 1 lb
Garlic – 1 (finely chopped)
Spanish onion – 1 (finely chopped)
Lemon zest – 1 tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Fresh thyme – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Red wine vinegar – 1 tbsp
Spanish olive oil – ¼ cup

Procedure:
In a non-metallic dish mix the garlic, onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, cumin and coriander powder, vinegar and olive oil together until thoroughly combined.

Now add the lamb chops to this marinade and coat well.

Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours, turning once in a while.

Heat a grill pan.Brush the grill pan with a little oil.

Remove the lamb pieces from the marinade.Drain and reserve excess marinade.

Place lamb chops on the grill pan, turning frequently and brushing with the marinade, for 10 minutes or so, or until the chops are tender and cooked to your liking.

Garnish with lemon slices and serve immediately with rice pilaf and/or grilled vegetables.

Baked Tilapia

This is my modified version of a dish I had at my friend AB’s place. She had invited us for a lunch of chicken biryani and kebabs. We stayed so long after the sumptuous lunch that she had to cook dinner too and that was when we had this simple but very tasty dish. The entire thing can be done in 30 minutes. Thanks buddy :)
Ingredients:
Tilapia fillets – 2
Cherry tomatoes – a handful
Olives – a handful
Onion – 1 (thinly sliced)
Grated ginger – ½ tsp
Garlic – 1 clove (minced)
Roasted red bell pepper – 2 slices
Fresh thyme leaves – 1 tsp (chopped)
Salt – to taste
Black pepper – to taste
Bread crumbs – 2 tbsp
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Parmesan cheese – ½ cup (grated)

Procedure:
Rub the fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil. Now arrange the fillets on the baking sheet.

Preheat broiler on high.

Meanwhile add oil in a sauté pan. When oil is hot add the sliced onions and caramelize them.

Coat one side of the fillets with bread crumbs and put them under the broiler, crumb side up. When crumbs start to brown, about 5-6 minutes, flip the fillets and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place the olives, cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, ginger, garlic and roasted bell peppers on the fillets. Top it off with grated parmesan cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot with a side of pasta.

Note: you can use dry thyme instead of fresh. Italian seasoning will work as well.