Petuk Gabu 

Petuk gabu holo ekti bacca chhele je khete khub bhalobashe. ebong, khawar shathe shathe ranna korteo bhalobashe. gabur boyosh panch. panch bachhorer ekti bacca ki ranna korbe bhabcho to tomra? ranna she korte pare na aguner shamne thiki, kintu ranna korar age ja jogar jantro korte hoy, sheta she besh bhalo motoi pare, ebong bhalobashe korte. petuk gabur galpo shei niyei. she ja ranna korte bhalobashe, shegulo shobar shathe share korte chaye.

ajke petuk gabu banacche luchi! luchi khete ke na bhalobashe. Tai na? bangali jekhanei thakuk, robibaber shokal hole mon ta ektu luchi-alu chachchorir jonyo utshuk hoye othe. gabu o chhoto bela theke emon tai dekhe esheche tar barite. At mash boyoshe prothom luchir shad peyechilo she, ebong bachhor der ek boyosh theke she shuru korlo luchir jonyo moyda makha! luchi khawar anondo takhon digun hoye gelo tar.

Ki kore korbe luchi

mejhete besh kichuta jayga jure khaborer kagoj pete nao. ebar kagojer opore Ekta boro bati rakho. Tar opore ekta chaluni rekhe alpo alpo kore moyda diye chaliye nao. er pore alpo et nun r ektu chini (gabu mishti khete bhalobashe tai chini) mishiye nao. moydar majhkhane ekta chotto gorto koro. shekhane alpo tel ba ghee dao. Eibar du hat diye bhalo kore ghee ta mekhe nao moydar shathe. moyda ta jhurjhure hoye jabe. erpore ektu ektu kore jol dao r moyda ta du hate makhte thako. Ei moyda makhte gabu bhishon moja peto. Or ma/didima/thakuma ektu ektu jol dito r o makhte thakto. makha hoye gele kichukkhon rekhe dao dhaka diye. er por belar pala. jakhon dhaka diye rakha ache moyda ta takhon alpo ektu moydar golla niye bibhinno dharoner jinish banate paro. playdoh er badole nmoyda use kore nijer icche moto jinish banao. etai to moja luchi khawar. khela + khawa!

kichukkhon rakhar pore moyda theke choto choto ball kore rakho. ebare ekta boro thala ke ulto kore rakho. R ekta glass nao. chhoto ekta ball ke chepta kore thalar opore rakho. R glass diye bele nao chhoto choto gol gol rutir moto. Gol hotei hobe tar kono mane nei. jemon icche belte thako. tarpore boro kauke bolo bheje dite. 

bhajar pore khawar pala. jodio gabu luchi khete bhalobashe she alur tarkari pachhondo kore na. Tai jodi robibar er jolkhawar hoy, she luchi khaye shudhu chini diye. r jodi kakhono dupure ba rate kosha mangsho thake luchir shathe tahole r dekhe ke

Spicy Mango Shrimp Curry

I was cleaning out my fridge when I found this homemade sweet and sour mango chutney sitting in a corner. I had my mind set on making mango chicken for a while but I never had the two ingredients at the same time. This time too there was the mango but no chicken, so I decided to go ahead with shrimp.
If you are using fresh or frozen mangoes add the mangoes before adding the coconut milk.

Ingredients:
Shrimp – 35-40
Onion – 1 medium (chopped)
Garlic – 4 cloves (finely chopped)
Bell pepper (optional) – 1 (diced)
Mango chutney – 5 tbsp
Light coconut milk – 6 oz.
Fish sauce (optional) – 1 tsp
Red chili flakes – 1 ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp

Procedure:
My family loves their shrimp soft and tender so I pressure cook the shrimp. You can directly add the shrimp to the pan once the gravy is done.

In a pan heat oil and add red chili flakes and garlic and fry until the garlic is cooked. Next add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.

To the onion mixture add 3 tbsp of the mango chutney and fish sauce. Stir until the chutney has blended into the mixture.

Now add water (I used the fish stock from boiling the shrimp) and let simmer. When the gravy has reached the desired thickness, add coconut milk, shrimp and bell pepper (if using) and bring to a boil. Cook until peppers are cooked but still retain their crunch.

Garnish with sliced chilies and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro. Serve with steamed rice.

Phirnee -- Creamy Rice Flour Pudding

At the insistence of a particular friend and colleague, I made phirni after a really long time. Actually, it was she who reminded me that I also loved this creamy dessert made of rice flour and milk, and that it was time to make it again. The friend loved the phirni of Lazeez, a store in Bangalore, but due to some personal reasons she couldn't have it there for a period of time. So I was her only hope...well, not quite...but I took the opportunity to make our taste buds taste some sweet action. How did it taste? I leave it to my dear friend to answer that. Here's to you ASD!

Ingredients:
Rice flour -- 4 tbsp
Milk -- 1 litre
Sliced almonds -- 1/2 cup
Sugar -- according to taste
Green cardamom -- 2-3 (crushed)
Saffron strands -- few

Procedure:
Coarsely grind the sliced almonds and make a paste with the rice flour by adding milk.

Take a heavy bottomed pan and boil the milk until reduces considerably, at least by three-fourth. Keep aside half cup warm milk and soak the saffron strands in it. While the milk is boiling add the crushed cardamoms. This adds a nice flavour and odour.

Once the milk has reached your desired consistency add the rice paste, saffron milk and keep stirring so that it doesn't stick to the bottom, until the rice is cooked. Let it thicken a bit, till it reaches a custard like consistency.

Cool for a while and add sugar.

Pour into serving bowls and chill in the refrigerator.

Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachios.

Note: Once the sugar is added, the consistency is thinned out, so its better to have a thicker consistency before adding the sugar. My experience with adding sugar to hot milk wasn't good, so I add the sugar later, once it cools down.

Potoler Dorma -- Fish Stuffed Pointed Gourd

 With 2 canned sardines lying around for a while, I decided to make Potoler Dorma with it. Now Potol (Parwal) is something I am not too fond. My childhood memories of potol are not too good. I remember dreading the summer season after the so-full-of-green-vegetables winter. Summer meant only jhinge (ridge gourd) and potol, and while I loved jhinge, I was bored with Potol very soon.

But times change and with things change too.

When this not-so-loved vegeteable of mine became scarce once I moved out of Bengal, I began to miss it and whenever I found some dish related to it I gladly gobbled it up. I even went to the extent of carrying kilos of it on a two-day train journey from home to down south in Mysore!

Outside the country I was overjoyed on seeing packed frozen versions of it, and bought 2 packets of it. My joy vanished as soon as the pack was thawed. What remained was a soggy, watery vegetable which didn't have much resemblance to the fresh green vegetable I was used to seeing in my hometown market.

This time when my father bought home some fleshy green Potols from his trip to the bazaar in Bangalore, the whole family was pleasantly surprised. Half of those were made into a curry by my mom, and with the other half I decided to make Potoler Dorma. I've never had Dorma before, so I don't know what it should taste like, but I can say my experiment didn't fail :)

Ingredients:

Potol: 8 pieces

For the stuffing:

Tinned sardine: 1 can

Onion:

Ginger:

Garlic:

Salt

For the gravy:

Garam masala powder: ¼ tsp

Turmeric: ½ tsp

Red chilli powder: ½ tsp (adjust according to taste)

Salt: To taste

Sugar: 1 tsp

Oil

Procedure:

Cut one end of the potol and with the back of a spoon scoop out the insides. Season the potols with with salt and turmeric and set aside.

Mash the tinned fish with a fork and set aside.

In a pan, heat oil, add sugar and let it caramelize. Once sugar turns brown, add the ginger, garlic and onion paste and fry until the raw smell of the masala is gone.

Now add the fish and cook until fish is done. You can also add some tomato ketchup to the fish mixture. Once done, let the stuffing cool.

Now fill the hollowed out potols with the fish stuffing.

Fry each of them carefully and set aside.

To make the gravy, add some garam masala powder (you can also use whole garam masala), turmeric, chilli powder and onion-ginger-garlic paste to hot oil and cook until brown.

Once the masala is cooked through, add water and bring to a boil. When the gravy starts thickening add the stuffed potols, cook on high heat for a while and serve hot with steamed rice.

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.