The Foodie
Bilimbi Surprise
Comments (0) | Wednesday, September 21, 2016
My food story takes its root from my moms cooking and my dads love for the same. I will miss him and that amazing relationship he had with food. He loved citrus and today I celebrate the bilimbi. I have to thank my mom in law for the sauce recipe. It involves boiling the "irumbam puli" along with ginger in water. Blend this and strain to get a lovely green and tart sauce.
In a hot pan add some oil. Add crushed garlic and saute till you get that lovely aroma. Put in boneless chicken and mushrooms. Saute till all the juices evaporate. Pop in some capsicum and green chillies. A few tablespoons of the bilimbi sauce and you are done.
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Healthy Pancakes
Comments (0) | Saturday, March 5, 2016
Continental breakfast spreads always include Pancakes, Crepes or Waffles. Accompanied by a plethora of sauces they are a yummy breakfast option for all. However they do not rank high up on the health scale because of refined flour butter and all the ingredients that make it yummy. We normally get Pancake mix when either of our parents visit us. They are available in stores here but I must admit a bit expensive for regular consumption. A couple of days back, my other half expressed a desire for pancakes. We were out of pancake mix and we are trying this whole 'live healthy' lifestyle. This resulted in the following recipe. It uses multi-grain Atta which is obviously healthier compared to all purpose flour. There is no butter in the recipe and based on my wife's opinion it tasted delish (Rachel Ray Jargon :) )
Put one cup of Atta, half a cup milk, one egg, a pinch of baking soda into a bowl. Whisk well and add water according to the consistency that you need. More water for crepes. Less for Pancakes. Heat your non stick pan to a decent temperature and pour your batter. Wait till the mixture bubbles up and the water dries out. Turn the pancake on the other side and transfer it to your plate in a few seconds. There you are. Simple and Healthy. Serve with Maple/Date Syrup or Honey.
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Porcupine Aubergine Dimsum
Comments (0) | Sunday, February 28, 2016
We Indians enjoy our tea. Different regions produce different varieties of yummy concoctions that satisfy your palette beyond imagination. However the lonely cup of Chai always needs an accompaniment be it the Samosa, Pakora, Medu Vada or Pazham Pozhi (Banana Fritters). Today's recipe is inspired by a technique that I saw being used by many Michelin Star chefs
In a pan saute onions in some oil till they turn transparent. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chilies. Now add in chopped aubergine. Put in a little bit of turmeric and red chili powder. Add a dash of water and let the aubergines cook through. Turn of the hit. Pop the cooked aubergine mixture into a food processor and blitz to get a nice paste. Grate in 150 grams of paneer and enough bread crumbs to create a mixture that can be made into small balls. Soak some Basmati rice in water for half an hour. Drain the rice and keep it on a plate. Now make your balls and toss them in the rice till the balls are well coated.
Allow the balls to cook on a steamer for 15-20 minutes and voila you have a nice Indian Dimsum to go along with your Adrak Chai.
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Baked Banana Custard
Comments (0) | Monday, February 22, 2016
This one is inspired by a recipe that my mom used to make during Ramadan. The original recipe calls for Nendran Bananas. However I substituted it with home grown plantains (courtesy my Father in Law). Alright slice the bananas and layer them on a baking dish. In a separate pan, saute some cashews and raisins in ghee or butter. Now pour this mix on top of the layered banana. In a bowl whisk in some eggs, sugar and milk. Pour this mixture on top of the bananas. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for half an hour or till the custard cooks and is slight brown on the top.
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Fusion Insipired by Chef Kunal Kapur
Comments (0) | Sunday, February 14, 2016
My interest for food and the story that it tells about the people from where it originates pushed me to look for recipes, chefs and cultures on the web. Shows like Masterchef inspire you to make food that looks tastes and smells beautiful but many of the recipes are involved and require much more time and resources than what a regular amateur home cook has. For some reason I believe in the less is more or keep it simple philosophy. Few ingredients and loads of flavor can do the trick most of the time and chefs who master this philosophy tend to keep me interested in their shows than the ones who indulge in awesome techniques. I admire the latter but I simply do not have the time or resources to practice such skills. In this quest I came across two chefs who inspire me to keep things simple yet incredibly delicious - Jamie Oliver and Kunal Kapur.
The first one is a 'Saffron Peanut Butter Kulfi' where I have used Chef Kunal's recipe and just added that additional saffron to play on the famous Kesar Pista Kulfi. You can find it on NDTV Food
The second one is all about fusion. I call it 'Pesto Meatball Spaghetti'. For the Hindustani Pesto, add coriander leaves, a few mint leaves, roasted pine seeds, garlic, red chilli flakes, salt and water to a blender. Start the blending and slowly pour in some nice olive oil and Voila! For the meatballs use a good amount of chicken mince. To the mince add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste, salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, a bit of corn flour and enough bread crumbs to bind the whole mixture together. Make bite sized round balls and grill them till they are well done. Keep them aside to rest. Cook your spaghetti Al Dente. In a large pan heat your pesto till it cooks slightly. Traditionally the Italian pesto is normally used as a salad dressing or a dip. You can add a little water to adjust the sauce consistency. Pop in your spaghetti and let the sauce coat it well. Add your meatballs and sprinkle enough 'Chhena' or in my case shredded store bought Paneer and serve hot.
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Lamb in Red Coconut Gravy
Comments (0) | Sunday, February 7, 2016
I find experimenting with cuisines from different countries, regions to be a lovely experience. It helps to understand people because what people eat is largely governed by their immediate environment and the ingredients that are easily available. I am a proud Mallu and this post is dedicated to 'Gods own Country' because after tasting all those eclectic cuisines you still wanna come back home and have some 'meen' (fish) curry and chor (rice).
Marinate your lamb with chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder, salt and lemon. Leave it in this marinade for about half an hour to 45 minutes. Slice one large onion and keep that aside. Now for the coconut paste. In a blender, put in some ginger, garlic, red chilli flakes, freshly ground coconut, tomato paste, salt and water. Grind away till you get a lovely thick red paste. Ideally you should get one of those clay pots and cook this dish on a slow wood fire till the meat just slips of the bone. I use our friendly neighborhood pressure cooker to do the job. Put in a few drops of coconut oil into the cooker. Drop in the sliced onions and saute till they get transparent and light brown. Now add the coconut paste. The thickness of this paste will determine the thickness of your gravy. Allow the paste to cook for a while. Add in your lamb. Coat the meat with the paste and add in some coriander powder. Now add little water to aid with the cooking. Put the lid on followed by the weight and cook for around 20-25 minutes on a low flame.
This step is optional but definitely adds in a lot of flavor. In a separate pan add some coconut oil, drop in some chopped shallots and a few curry leaves. Let them sizzle around for a bit. Pour this on top of your lamb and serve this with rice or any bread of your choice.
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Eggplant Extravaganza
Comments (0) | Sunday, January 31, 2016
The eggplant is a versatile vegetable that can be served in many different ways and is utilized in many cuisines. My earliest memory of this veggie was a dish that my mom used to make which involved fried slices of eggplant layered with meat sauce - Moussaka. That was mouth dripping yummy. In recent times a colleague of mine made some Vaangi Baath with the same and that tasted yum too.
My recipes use char grilled eggplants. I tend to use the medium sized ones. Switch on the gas and keep the eggplants on the grill till the skin starts to wrinkle and split open. Keep changing positions to ensure even cooking. You can make out they are done as soon as you start to see steam escaping through the surface of the eggplants. Allow them to rest for a while and remove the skin and cut the stems. The usual disclaimer applies - These are my versions of famous eggplant wonders.
Recipe 1 - Bhaigan Bhartha
Pour some oil into a hot pan and pop in a generous amount of chopped onions and garlic. Saute till transparent. Add some chopped tomatoes and continue with the Bhuna process. Add the awesome threesome of the spice world (turmeric, red chilli and coriander powder). When you see the fat separating from the mixture add in the char grilled eggplant and basically mash it in. You can add some tomato paste for color and additional acidity. Season to taste and there you go. A perfect accompaniment with a Roti of your choice.
Recipe 2 - Baba Ganoush
Mash your char grilled eggplant. Mix Tahini (This is a paste made out of sesame seeds) with some cold water to get a creamy, free dripping texture. Add in your mashed eggplant. Lots of finely chopped garlic. I am a big fan of garlic and use a lot of them in my cooking. A bit of cumin powder, paprika, chilli flakes because I love the heat and some coriander and you are done. As always do not forget to season with salt. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and what you have is a brilliant dip for those tortillas or for your 'lonely' pita bread.
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Cottage Cheese in a Spinach Puree
Comments (0) | Sunday, January 24, 2016
The anglicized title can be roughly translated to our ubiquitous Palak Paneer. It originates from Punjab and like many of their other dishes are meant for the hard working among us. I was giving a hint to the calorie count in case I was not clear there. Anyway let me jump into my version of this nutritious and vibrant dish.
Get your hands on a good bunch of spinach. Remove the roots and the tough stalks. Ensure you allow it to sit in water for a while and thoroughly rinse to clear all the dirt. This step is vital unless you wanna get a real taste of soil in your final dish. Chop it up any way you like. Spinach consists of water predominantly and once you cook it it just shrinks. A few drops of cooking oil in the pan. Add chopped onions and garlic. Saute them till they are caramelized. Add in some chopped chillies. Now pop in the spinach and cook this till all the water evaporates. I also add a stock cube to give the final dish more flavor and volume
Allow this to cool down. Put the mixture into a blender. Pour in water to cover the mixture and blend away till you get a thick puree. Put this puree back onto the pan. Add in some tomato paste / puree and some coriander powder and allow it to simmer on medium heat. Add paneer cubes, cumin powder and take the pan off fire. Now add a tablespoon of cream or more if you like your gravy to taste richer. Do adjust the seasoning. Serve this piping hot with a bread of your choice.
Get your hands on a good bunch of spinach. Remove the roots and the tough stalks. Ensure you allow it to sit in water for a while and thoroughly rinse to clear all the dirt. This step is vital unless you wanna get a real taste of soil in your final dish. Chop it up any way you like. Spinach consists of water predominantly and once you cook it it just shrinks. A few drops of cooking oil in the pan. Add chopped onions and garlic. Saute them till they are caramelized. Add in some chopped chillies. Now pop in the spinach and cook this till all the water evaporates. I also add a stock cube to give the final dish more flavor and volume
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Stir and Fry or is it Fry and Stir
Comments (0) | Sunday, January 17, 2016
One of the best ways of consuming your quota of veggies is the Stir Fry. Quick and simple, it can be served on its own or with noodles or a bread of your choice. So grab your seasonal vegetables and have a go at this one.
In my recent attempt I used zucchini, broccoli, mushroom, capsicum and tofu. Heat your wok to a good temperature. Drizzle some oil into it. Pop in a decent amount of chopped garlic. Let it flavor the oil. Now drop in your capsicum. Saute it around. Add the mushroom, zucchini and broccoli now. You can season the vegetables and allow them to cook in the steam by covering with a lid. Wait for the aroma of cooked vegetables to fill the air to lift the lid. Add the sauce of your choice (I used a mix of soy sauce, tomato sauce, chilli flakes, honey and corn flour). Drop in your tofu chunks and wait for the sauce to thicken before you turn the heat off.
Enjoy the yummy goodness of the stir fry while it is still hot. Till next time, Bon Appetit!
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Garfield loves this so do I
Comments (0) | Saturday, January 9, 2016
The familiar site of melted and browned cheese over layers of pasta and meat sauce makes most mouths water. Yup I am talking about Lasagna. I would like to think of it as the king of baked dinners. For lack of time and expertise I use store bought Lasagna sheets to make my version of this spectacular wonder. There are tonnes of recipes you can pull off the net and on TV shows and there are million versions of what is considered authentic. However I am going to offer a quick version which substitutes some of the involved steps.
I use minced chicken for my lasagna. I start off with a bit of olive oil in the pan. Add lots of garlic and suate till the air smells garlicky enough. In goes the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Once the juices are cooked I add in a few tablespoons of tomato paste and pour in water to get the consistency that I like. Water can be substituted with stock to get a more meaty flavor. Add oregano and allow the sauce to simmer till you get nice saucy consistency
To prepare the bechamel sauce, add a dollop of butter to a pan. Now add around 2 tablespoons of flour and make the roux. Slowly add around one and half cups of milk and keep stirring to avoid lumps. Once the sauce reaches the required consistency the pan can be taken off the fire. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper
Take a heat proof oven dish (PYREX is a good option). Place a layer of lasagna sheets. Pour some of the meat sauce. Place another layer of lasagna sheets followed by the sauce. Repeat this till you have filled three-fourths of the dish. Now pour the bechamel sauce and grate a good portion of Parmigiano-Reggiano , I use regular cheddar since it is easily available. Keep the dish in the fridge for two hours.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree Celcius. Bake your lasagna for about 35 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Tuck in and enjoy the richness of this yummy Italian favorite.
I use minced chicken for my lasagna. I start off with a bit of olive oil in the pan. Add lots of garlic and suate till the air smells garlicky enough. In goes the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Once the juices are cooked I add in a few tablespoons of tomato paste and pour in water to get the consistency that I like. Water can be substituted with stock to get a more meaty flavor. Add oregano and allow the sauce to simmer till you get nice saucy consistency
To prepare the bechamel sauce, add a dollop of butter to a pan. Now add around 2 tablespoons of flour and make the roux. Slowly add around one and half cups of milk and keep stirring to avoid lumps. Once the sauce reaches the required consistency the pan can be taken off the fire. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper
Take a heat proof oven dish (PYREX is a good option). Place a layer of lasagna sheets. Pour some of the meat sauce. Place another layer of lasagna sheets followed by the sauce. Repeat this till you have filled three-fourths of the dish. Now pour the bechamel sauce and grate a good portion of Parmigiano-Reggiano , I use regular cheddar since it is easily available. Keep the dish in the fridge for two hours.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree Celcius. Bake your lasagna for about 35 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Tuck in and enjoy the richness of this yummy Italian favorite.
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