Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Jackfruit Dry Curry


Jackfruit dry curry is a no fuss dish. Unless you have to peel the skin off! For an easier way you can soak in water for like an hour and then try peeling off. Or boil in 1 inch above the seeds level water with turmeric and salt. But in the latter part,you stand the messy chance of yellowing your hands while peeling them! :)



Action!

3 cups seeds,boiled with 1 tsp turmeric and little salt. The seeds to be soft enough like the touch of beans.
One seed should be cut lengthwise in half.
1 stem curry leaves
1 big onion sliced lengthwise
1 tsp red chilli powder

Behind the scenes

Heat 3 tbsps oil in a pan.
Add onions and when they just get transparent,add the curry leaves.
Mix. Do not fry the onions. They shouldn't be brown.
Add the chilli powder and just mix for 15 secs. Do not fry.
Add the seeds.
Mix well and add salt after 2 mins and check.

How should they look

Mine looked yellowish and slightly beginning-to-brown at edges. Depending on your pan and cooking ware there may be variations. You can adjust according to how you like it to your taste. Fried or soft. Crispy or just fine.

Disclaimer - The pic is not mine.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Devilled Eggs

There's nothing devilish about it. Once it's made they look perfectly innocent and harmless. I say that coz they are so damn easy to make.



You need :

Each to his/her egg :) so get eggs according to the number of persons
2 tbsps mayonnaise
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp red hot sauce
I'm making mine spicy so you can reduce the spice level according to your taste.
a bit of salt ( you don't need to add it since sauce would be salty)

You have to hard boil the eggs.After that's done,slice eggs lengthwise and scoop out the yolk in a mixing bowl. Make sure you don't break the eggs because this is a stuffing recipe.

Mix the above ingredients and mix nicely. The yolk shouldn't be in lumps. Therefore you may have to increase the mayonnaise- if you do not want a spicier taste-otherwise add a little more of the sauce. The consistency should be a thick paste,definitely not liquidy. Check the taste according to your liking.

Taking a small spoon,fill the halve of one egg with this mix. You can fill and spread or just fill. After you are done with the other eggs. Spread pinch of red chilli powder over  and you can garnish as you wish.


What it is - The best part of chicken!

What is egg in your language

بيضة ডিম  ei oeuf  αυγό  अंडा  яйцо   huevo  முட்டை

What does it do for you

Improves Concentration,Brain Development,Eyesight Protection,Lasting Energy,Multivitamin


Why you should not have it
Too many can give mouth ulcers,pimples.


When can you make it/seasonal availability 
Always 

What does it go well with

This is a snack. So you can ave as breakfast or a snack during your break times. Something for parties and small gatherings.

Which country is it popular in
Global! :)

 Disclaimer - The pic is not mine.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Potato and Green Beans

This makes for a simple subzi for days when you can't think of a longer recipe.

You need :
Its best to cook this in non stick ware coz the potatoes may stick.

3 medium potatoes - chopped in small cubes
about 250 gms beans - chopped similarily. The combo of beans and potato should be such that neither should be more than the other.
1 small onion
3 garlic flakes
few curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 and half tsp red chilli powder
1  tsp coriander powder

The beans need to be half cooked in just surface level water,pinch of turmeric and salt. Then they need to be strained if there is excess water.

In about 3 tbsps hot oil,saute garlic and curry leaves.  Put onions and cook just before they start to look faintly golden.

Check for spice level in between.

Put the spice powders and salt and add potato. Cook till potatoes are cooked. Add the beans and mix well. Cook till the beans are done.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Your Korma defines you! ;)

I have increasingly discovered that treating yourself can also be through treating others. Trying out something new,seeing the appreciation,uncrossing your fingers and enjoying it is a treat in itself. So being my b'day today I decided to try this thought-so complicated but not-so dish. Vegetable korma!



You can use any vegetables. Just imagine this as a tastier and creamier sambhar or avial!  (South Indian delicacies ).   
Basic sauteing of mustard,onions,green chilli,ginger,curry leaves and garlic paste. Add coriander,red chilli,turmeric and garam masala podwers. Then the vegs with coconut milk(made from 2 tbsps powder),salt and water till the level of vegs. Let it cook till the hard vegs like beans and peas (if you have included these ) cook well. 
Before I forget :) ,you need to make a paste of 1 tomato,10 cashewnuts, 2 tbsps of shredded coconut and 1/3rd cup water. The paste should be smooth. Note - If you do not want coconut,you can add in about 5 nuts more.
You have noticed how I gave exact measurements for the paste and not the ingredients before that. That is because it is the most important part of the dish. 
When the vegs are almost cooked, add the paste and cook till vegs are done and the mixture is well formed.

You can have it with ...ummm...anything! :)


Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Sausage Salad

This one is from my dear Mom in law.
I never thought sausage and greens could mix in such a wonderful combination. ...and because its simple and salads are wonderfully colourful, I shall tell you the  ingredients list in pics!  :))

For 5 persons

3 any meat patties














4-5 any meat sausages
Preferably do not use different meat for the patty  and sausages




















Fry these and keep aside so that their juices do not remain but not too earlier so as to prevent them from getting soggy.

Chop the following vegetables in small pieces.

Cucumber,lettuce and tomato. The juices of cucumber and tomato can flow easily so if you do not liek your salad to be juicy,cut these earlier and collect the juice separately.









                                                           Chop Carrots



Chop onion                                                           












Lengthwise slit 2 green chilli.
Just so that no one bites on it and sees heaven!!!  :)












Mix the vegs and the rest. Chop the meats and add. Add salt and mix all.


You can add a small spoon of lemon if you want a tangier taste.











Voila!! Here it is. Sinfully healthy or healthy sinful!



Simple Potato

















I'm one for potato and I can be anyone for simple potato recipes. Inspired by Nags ,(cooking and me blog) for recipes, I got this simple recipe for making potato roast/subzi.

Cut 3 potatoes in small cubes
Chop onions,3 flakes garlic and little coriander leaves.

When oil heats,put some mustard seeds, onion ,garlic,1 and half tsp coriander powder, 1 and half tsp red chilli powder and half tsp turmeric powder. Don't let the masala fry. You can add chaat masala or chicken masala powder for a spicier taste. If you do, minimize or avoid the coriander powder. Add droplets of water and mix.
Keep mixing to avoid getting it burnt. Add salt in the end as potato can consume more salt. 

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Beef cutlets




Cooked beef – about 150 gm
If it is spicy enough you don’t need the following masalas (quantity according to above beef)
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp or 2 chillis
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Turmeric – a pinch
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Add salt                            
Chop onion (not finely ) and make them golden brown in a pan of oil. Don't let it fry. Put beef and salt and masalas if reqd.
Mix for abt 5 min on low heat. Taste and see the beef if it the masalas have mixed well with it. Let it cool.
Boil and mash potato. These shouldn’t be very soft. If it is , add bread pieces so that the mixture tightens.
It is absolutely necessary that the potato veggie is devoid of excessive moisture while mixing in order for it to avoid from breaking apart while frying.

Make balls and flatten .

Dip in beaten egg which is mixed in salt and pinch of red chilli powder. Dip again in bread crumbs.


To check if oil is hot enough for frying – dip wooden spoon and if bubbles come quickly u can dip cutlets.

Crumbled Omelette!

How about jazzing up your morning omelette? :)

Here's the list to 'face the music' :

1 egg - beaten
1 tbsp bread crumbs
1/2 of a medium juicy tomato - finely chopped, the juice of the tomato gives a tangy taste
2 green chilli ,bit of onion and little bit of coriander leaves chopped. Add slat as per your taste and ofcourse the BP! ;)
Add anything else which u think makes a medium spicy omeltte. It's totaly up to you how you make your dish.

Spread just a tsp of oil on a pan ,heat it,put the well mixed above ...err...mixture,turn one side  (of the omelette,not u! :) )  within 2 minutes and enjoy!

Have it with bread or make triangles and have as snack dips in mayonnaise. Whatever,please ignore my silly jokes!! :D

Monday, June 27, 2011

Bread crumbed Chicken cutlets

With nothing much to do at my new home after marriage,it's a life of bread crumbs  ;) Well I cannot sit idle..errr...not for days at stretch and hours to kill.  After the first few weeks of blissful idleness and devil's mind been-there-done-that, I decided to be productive - to myself and to the family. Basically impress mom-in-law and revel in her appreciative smile :D  And which mom doesn't like saving food from being wasted. So bread crumbs,little chicken and good ol' spices come together in cutlets.



I got this recipe from an interesting site on unique recipes. And before you think I cut-copy-paste the entire thing here,let me tell you the former was inclined more for a bland taste. I have introduced a more spicier taste. Alternatively you can increase the spice level as per your wish.

so here's what you will need  :

Cooked chicken - make it slightly dry off the gravy ,the easier it is for you to make the cutlet balls. Chop the chicken into little pieces.
1 egg
Breadcrumbs - amount is for eg. 100 gm for 250gm chicken - basically chicken should be more
Coriander leaves - 10 leaves , reduce it if your chicken is cooked in spicy gravy
Ginger garlic paste - optional if your chicken is cooked in it already

Mix all in a food processor to a smooth,thick paste. Taste and check if the spicy/bland taste is to your liking.
Make flat balls and roll in crumbs. Do not make them heavy.

Heat oil enough to shallow fry the cutlets.
Put them gently and when both sides are the feel-good brown,take them out greedily enough!! :)

Best served with mayo,garlic sauce or good ol' ketchup.