tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38765408321466636662024-02-07T18:22:42.818+00:00Devi's KitchenTell me what you eat, I'll tell you who you are - Anthelme Brillat-SavarinDevihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-64523899422855212492008-07-02T20:36:00.004+01:002008-08-28T00:41:36.349+01:00Indian style Hot and Sour Chicken Soup<p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNGr_G1LySDkAh-zf-oEWBXf3zpaZOPzxdWAEJ50KTx28iHCOIFPs9inQ-arK5LPQB9EEgObsayhCqVKYDAWJetCLPdlsMcoW3m5iu23I5tO3Guecc8VFmISB_HnWWvotPfx42C-gJ5w/s1600-h/jfitamarind-250.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNGr_G1LySDkAh-zf-oEWBXf3zpaZOPzxdWAEJ50KTx28iHCOIFPs9inQ-arK5LPQB9EEgObsayhCqVKYDAWJetCLPdlsMcoW3m5iu23I5tO3Guecc8VFmISB_HnWWvotPfx42C-gJ5w/s320/jfitamarind-250.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218504828951148354" border="0" /></a></p><br /><p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">It has been a while since my last post. This blog is my me-me time, something I enjoy doing. Like always my me-me time is a last priority and sometimes it never features in that list. But today is a unique day, a combination of sick children, rain and a desire to cook something as cure to all - a comfort food basically, landing on Sig’s wonderful blog and her <a href="http://blog.sigsiv.com/2008/06/announcing-jfi-july-jihva-for-tamarind.html">JFI Tamarind event</a>. I decided to try something different with my comfort food – Chicken soup. When someone has a cold at home, my first recourse is to make crab curry and after that chicken soup. We had crab curry last Sunday, but the coughs and colds are still around. For the JFI-tamarind event, I decided to make a spicy hot and sour chicken soup and yes the sourness in the soup comes from tamarind.</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXc0lM6yejeaY3oSFjJEhY8o7qsRRtiEbADg-4lLZlRQcDSU2Wj7u1160YErVBjsrADpA3xPSCF01ByrVsXTItamavwPduLkqnDuZMkdRh8cJ6e-y6G6MtOSHYIhDlpHTKNdueNFtcz4/s1600-h/IMG_0859.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXc0lM6yejeaY3oSFjJEhY8o7qsRRtiEbADg-4lLZlRQcDSU2Wj7u1160YErVBjsrADpA3xPSCF01ByrVsXTItamavwPduLkqnDuZMkdRh8cJ6e-y6G6MtOSHYIhDlpHTKNdueNFtcz4/s320/IMG_0859.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218504437683430450" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Tamarind is one of the key ingredients in Tamil cuisine. Coming to think of it all vegetable gravies (kuzhambu) have tamarind as their main ingredient. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that tamarind has influenced the way the Tamil cuisine has evolved. The thought of experimenting with tamarind has not occurred to me before and thanks to the JFI event started by the amazing <a href="http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/jihv-for-ingredients-jfi/">Indira of Mahanandi</a> and hosted this time by the lovely Sig of Live to Eat for giving me a chance to try and share this. The results were very good and the soup was what I needed on a rainy summer’s day. Now many can dispute with me, if it really is summer in this part of the world. But that is a different story.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chicken stock:</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">For making chicken soups, I believe in making my own stock. I save up all the bones in the freezer for making stock. When I don’t have enough bone, I use some chicken thighs or small whole chickens to make the stock. Place the chicken bones/thighs, 3 big onions quartered, a bulb of garlic, 2 carrots cut into chunks, a bay leaf, few pepper corn, a sprig of coriander leaves, some spring onions in a stock pot and cover it with water. Bring the stock to a boil and skim away the bits you get on the top. Then reduce the fire and let the stock simmer for a couple of hours. Drain the stock using a sieve. The stock lasts for 3 days in the fridge or you can freeze the stock for later use.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">For the soup:</span></p> <ol style="margin-top: 0cm; font-family: verdana;" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Onion chopped – 1</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Tomatoes – 1.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Ginger – 1 inch</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Garlic – 4 pods</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Peppercorn – 1 Tbsp</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Cumin – 1 Tbsp</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Fennel – 1 Tbsp</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Curry leaves – a sprig</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Tamarind – size of a small lime.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Chicken – 100 gms.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Oil – 1 sp</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">salt</span></li></ol> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Soak the tamarind and extract the liquid. To speed up the process, microwave the tamarind on high with some water for a minute. Then mix some cold water to this and extract the liquid.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grind the peppercorn, cumin and fennel in a blender. Chop the onions finely, and cut the tomatoes so that you get eight pieces out of it. Finely chop the ginger and garlic.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Heat oil in a pan and add the ginger garlic and sauté for a minute. To this add onions, curry leaves and tomatoes and sauté till the onions are soft. If you like your soup hot, increase the amount of peppercorns. Add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is sealed. Add some water to this mixture and then add the powdered spices. To this add the tamarind extract. Let it come to a bubble. To this add a liter of chicken stock and season with salt. Let it come to a boil and cook until the chicken is cooked. You can garnish with coriander leaves if desired.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Serve with some bread. It will warm your heart as one of my little solider says.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-67299135576990705682008-02-19T23:08:00.021+00:002008-02-25T09:40:47.590+00:00MarketsThe word market brings back some of my sweetest childhood memories. My dad was (and still is) the grocery shopper and sometimes he would insists that I tag along. I must admit that I didn't enjoy the trips to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Coimbatore</st1:place></st1:city> markets much. How can I, when I have been to much better markets in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Madurai</st1:place></st1:city> with my grandmother. We always looked forward for the trips to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Madurai</st1:place></st1:city> during our school holidays. If one were to put all my paternal cousins in a room, we could easily make 2 cricket teams including substitutes and umpires and still would have few left for audience. My grandmother took us all (well most of us younger ones, the older ones had far more important things to do) with her to the markets. I simply loved it. She would get us steamed or grilled corn on the cob and lots of raw mango seasoned with chilli powder and salt. My granny had a unique bargaining style, which always swinged her way. She could have taught Hillary a helpful trick or two, if she were alive now. And of course she knew all the vendors by name and found time for family/market gossip with them. I think my love for markets started there.<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Then there were the trips to maternal grandmother's village. A small tiny village that wouldn't show up on any map, however much one zooms in. In contrast, I was the oldest grandchild to my maternal grandmother and enjoyed a special privilege (still do) in the family. There were no markets in the village, so the fruits and vegetables came from the fields, milk from the herd, the chicken from the pen and mutton only on very special occasions (like when the son-in-laws came for a visit). Back then there was a concept called santhai (sort of farmer's market), where one came to buy and sell their produce. It was generally held in the nearest town. The connection to the town was by a bus which made 3 trips daily. My granny took us to the town in the morning on the day of the santhai, the long narrow road winding its way through many more tiny villages. The bus was filled with people who somehow were related to one other and would in turn fill the bus with baskets and fellow passengers with happenings in their village.<br />The mornings were spent in the markets and my granny would treat us to lunch in one of the eateries and then there would be a movie in the afternoon. After which we went back home in the evening bus. What I loved about the trips were the santhai and seerani (a sweet that is very special to the town, I have never seen it anywhere else). The smell of the market and noise with all that battering was such a glorious experience. As a child I would stare wide eyed at the wares on display and enjoy the snacks that my granny brought me. She would meet a whole load of her relatives and friends (she was a teacher and it seemed to me that she knew everyone). One of those relative-meeting gave me a fascinating insight to my grandmother's life, the one I didn't know about. She is one of those million unsung feminist in the world, without whom the things we take for granted (like education for girls) wouldn't have happened. She was a truly remarkable person and I attribute my fiery feminism to her influence.<br />Last week my mother described about this new supermarket near our home in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Madurai</st1:city></st1:place> during our weekly telephonic conversations. My heart skipped a beat when she explained about the rows of vegetables and fruits and the cool air conditioned room they were stacked in. Wal mart I hear is steering to swipe the small markets off in the premise of 'more choice for customers'.<br />Luckily there are 4 farmer's markets around the area I live. I cannot visit the <st1:place st="on">Solihull</st1:place> market as it is on a Friday. But the others which are on Saturdays, I make a point to visit with the troops on toe. Below is a picture of some produce from the <a href="http://www.kingsnortonfarmersmarket.org.uk/">Kings Norton Farmer's market</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5w3OJxDegd6wmc3X4Rmdbwo9q3sxh6LX1QvdMtyZI9P4BI6cRbiqpvn84FNICS_0rNAE_WKEUvdozN2-5ArMy3M6DtaLwgCaMn6pT13x8F_r0jdyVYHvR839nQ4SlQfCpbcdyZSeqKY/s1600-h/IMG_0204.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5w3OJxDegd6wmc3X4Rmdbwo9q3sxh6LX1QvdMtyZI9P4BI6cRbiqpvn84FNICS_0rNAE_WKEUvdozN2-5ArMy3M6DtaLwgCaMn6pT13x8F_r0jdyVYHvR839nQ4SlQfCpbcdyZSeqKY/s320/IMG_0204.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170658919023504738" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">No more corn on cob for the kiddes, it is hot dogs now. But at least I know the sausages are devoid of the dreaded 'Es' and the bread is whole meal, organic. Another picture of <a href="http://www.farmersmarkets.net/">Moseley Farmer's market</a> where one can buy Ostrich burgers.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOUmTDnx5YHr9-osNzpazQJeJJUh7TbRT2uPppvHaU7wxW7hdLQB-sK-2xNm8QWewndgZewZjsZkooIuPr_BJwkPJ8RNTrjJ31wrt4VNl9dNKGwhQSZnw7D25aytYzwD6NFx9SthtPP4/s1600-h/IMG_0375.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOUmTDnx5YHr9-osNzpazQJeJJUh7TbRT2uPppvHaU7wxW7hdLQB-sK-2xNm8QWewndgZewZjsZkooIuPr_BJwkPJ8RNTrjJ31wrt4VNl9dNKGwhQSZnw7D25aytYzwD6NFx9SthtPP4/s320/IMG_0375.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170658906138602834" border="0" /></a><br />I somehow think shopping in the farmer's markets would cultivate a sense of respect for the food we eat in the children and hopefully they will follow the tradition as adults.<br />I had a write up of markets lying in the Draft for quite some time. When Gay of Scientist in the Kitchen announced the 'To market, to market' event, the post has been dusted and is now ready to enter the event. I am looking forward for the round up and reading about markets all around the world.</p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-9037371408528746772008-02-18T20:35:00.011+00:002008-02-19T23:03:59.567+00:00Batata Nu Shaak (Pan fried potatoes)<p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >RCI is a wonderful food event started by Lakshmi of <a href="http://veggiecuisine.blogspot.com/">Veggie cusine</a> and the current month's event is hosted by Mythili of <a href="http://www.orugallu.net/vinDu/?p=150">Vindu</a>. Her choice is Gujarati cuisine. My exposure to authentic Guajarti food was pretty late in life. Better late than never yeah. I have two good friends who happen to be Guajarati and fantastic cooks. Through them I was introduced to goodies like Dhokla, pakoda kadi and Undhiyo, things I didn't know existed before. It will be a sin not to mention the soft rotlis they make. They turn out the same size everytime, soft and almost melting in the mouth. What I like best is that the rotlis stay soft even after hours. It is simply amazing the way Guajaratis create varieties of snacks with chick-pea flour (gram flour).<br />My entry for the RCI - <st1:place st="on">Gujarat</st1:place> event is Batata Nu Shaak a simple potato fry, that can whipped up in less than 20 minutes. The recipe is from Madhu Jaffery's 'A Taste of India'. Here is how it can be made</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAUwTrkzq5bWWVVEiy6G5bkpuNSc9nHzSS8-49aPJGEXve-1V6BDF_WW-PxNdvMlxe9hYgFMSkgjZMA1DhaibWL1c0kMWjV_9Q_ouvTMb7ABL71eQdzLO1G_Myxuf8NSWjaVAAuYHcOQ/s1600-h/IMG_0240.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168827295860387138" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAUwTrkzq5bWWVVEiy6G5bkpuNSc9nHzSS8-49aPJGEXve-1V6BDF_WW-PxNdvMlxe9hYgFMSkgjZMA1DhaibWL1c0kMWjV_9Q_ouvTMb7ABL71eQdzLO1G_Myxuf8NSWjaVAAuYHcOQ/s320/IMG_0240.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><b>Ingredients</b><br />Potato - 5 small potatoes (cleaned and diced)<br />Cumin seeds - 1 tsp<br />Mustard seeds - 1tsp<br />Asafetida - a pinch<br />Cumin powder -1/4 tsp<br />Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp<br />Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp<br />turmeric powder - a pinch<br />salt to taste<br /><br />Heat oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter add the asafetida, turmeric powder and then the potatoes. Stir the potatoes to ensure even cooking. When the potatoes are cooked add the cumin, corriander and chilli powder. Mix well with the potatoes and continue frying for 2 more minutes. Remove from fire and serve as a side dish. It went very well with parupu sadam (lentils and rice). Madhu suggests that the dish can also be served with roast and grilled meat.</span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-29678491435026017732008-02-13T21:51:00.006+00:002008-02-14T08:40:00.095+00:00Cookies for my lover...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFxZ6ohA97Cpe8u-IzWX0eiIn6rVPM8MpkoHtLyCljTlZoZR4M9Qyjn9bMCJOGcQrR7TFPsPH_zk3WTj7YqqXiH-uZvau1TJUa8d9kK_RU5a1BxTJPgK8QrDgEFiI_50IGHBuBvXOJu4/s1600-h/IMG_0215.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFxZ6ohA97Cpe8u-IzWX0eiIn6rVPM8MpkoHtLyCljTlZoZR4M9Qyjn9bMCJOGcQrR7TFPsPH_zk3WTj7YqqXiH-uZvau1TJUa8d9kK_RU5a1BxTJPgK8QrDgEFiI_50IGHBuBvXOJu4/s320/IMG_0215.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166623311917608194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">and the children. Love is in the air and so are the hearts searching for that elusive perfect gift. I have never been a good gift giver. I spend ages thinking, planning, shopping and end up with something that is never appropriate. S is quite used to all this and it is our 8th Valentine Day's together. This year, I thought would be no exception until I chanced upon <a href="http://kochtopf.twoday.net/stories/4625274/">Zorra's event</a>. What a wonderful idea, an edible heart. My first instincts were to make a lamb briyani and shape into hearts. Now that should give an insight into my gifting abilities. And then as luck would have it, I chanced upon <a href="http://sunitabhuyan.blogspot.com/2007/12/adding-to-them.html">Sunita's cookies</a>. It had to be cookies then for the lover and the children (they are in the middle of a mid term holiday). I had never made cookies at home and so they are a real treat. Thanks Sunita for the recipe and thanks Zorra for hosting the event.<br />The recipe is essentially the same as Sunita's. The only change I made to the recipe is to substitute the porridge with powdered cashew nuts.<br />The batter was less watery and the cookies didn't spread that much. The cookies were well received even though S is on diet.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Ah the joys of food blogging, a decent gift at last.<br /><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORneUyCUWuEgjQufkS2GLQ7C23zpX7DfJzodu80ao70Jy_UD9DMc6OwLPBxQnrq2v5VpcVQI9fdIYK_2mhiUCHf8pm34Yt78PQ2Ivvde36tpsHLGwqeoNPJz3tXB5Kl0RqB02Z9LPEfI/s1600-h/IMG_0218.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORneUyCUWuEgjQufkS2GLQ7C23zpX7DfJzodu80ao70Jy_UD9DMc6OwLPBxQnrq2v5VpcVQI9fdIYK_2mhiUCHf8pm34Yt78PQ2Ivvde36tpsHLGwqeoNPJz3tXB5Kl0RqB02Z9LPEfI/s320/IMG_0218.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166628302669606178" border="0" /></a></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-50875351933036333682008-02-07T21:18:00.001+00:002008-02-14T08:41:03.584+00:00Stir Fried Chinese Noodles<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Year of the Rat starts today. As a toast for the Chinese New Year I made this easy stir fry noodles. My older son was so excited with his present of a red envelope with a coin inside by one of his Chinese classmate. He was so excited that he showed the envelope to everybody and talked about it. The little thing also learnt to say thank you in Chinese. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >A New year every month, how nice. There will be a break in March and then with April a New year starts in the Tamil and Telugu (?) Calendar. Some helpful soul has found out that the Cambodians also celebrate their New Year in April. If the wise chief minister of TamilNadu could move the Tamil New Year from April to March instead of January, we can have a hatrick of New Years. Now wouldn't that be nice? What would definitely be nice is this noodles and read on to find out how to make it.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQhjV3t_8zUHooSr37Vto5ZTR9l1bGxhsAJKsqchJ9V5HCwNtRmJTllc3YPE6krPs61XDc-RCQEZv5XnO1jqb9atvq0cjtASSIunGety9nz4Jmpibp1oCN-VjxClgOn1znzIphlE3K5w/s1600-h/IMG_0197.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQhjV3t_8zUHooSr37Vto5ZTR9l1bGxhsAJKsqchJ9V5HCwNtRmJTllc3YPE6krPs61XDc-RCQEZv5XnO1jqb9atvq0cjtASSIunGety9nz4Jmpibp1oCN-VjxClgOn1znzIphlE3K5w/s320/IMG_0197.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164366176361482802" border="0" /></a><br /></span> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Ingredients<br /><br /></span></b></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Noodles - 250 gms (cooked according to the packet instructions)<br />Carrot - 1 cut into thin strips<br />Green chillies - 5 cut into thin slices<br />Mushroom - 100 gms (sliced thinly)<br />Onion - 1 sliced<br />Garlic - 1 (cut into thin strips)<br />Chicken - 100 gms (cut into bite strips)<br />Prawns - 6 big ones (cut into bite sized pieces) or 12 small ones<br /><br />Soy Sauce - 7 Tbsp<br />Oyster Sauce - 2 Tbsp<br />Rice Vinegar - 2 Tbsp<br />Fish sauce - 2 Tbsp<br /><br />Peanuts - 4 Tbsp (roasted and crushed)<br /><br />Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain the noodles and rinse under running water and dribble some oil(sesame oil gives it a special flavour) in the noodles and mix it. This prevents the noodle from sticking.<br /><br />Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a very hot wok. Having a hot wok is important for any sir fry. When the oil is hot, put the onions, carrots, garlic and green chillies. Fry until the onions turn brown and then add the chicken. When the chicken is sealed, it is the turn of the mushrooms. The prawn goes in next. Fry for a minute and then add the soy, fish and oyster sauce. Since the ingredients are not seasoned, be liberal with the soy sauce. Lastly add the noodles and give ir a good stir. Garnish with coriander leaves and the peanuts. The peanuts add a lovely crunch to this yummy noodle. This noodle is the perfect dish to curl up on the sofa with and watch Master Chef.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ></span><span style="font-size:10;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-7994467746475174642008-02-06T19:57:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:44.272+01:00Cooking from blogs - Aappam and Stew<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQhZ8buA26tP2A5GTiUs_zM0rgCJd5Mwjd6Xa1Xr3OHrbfNczYXrpcLjlT8QMObSstVwm0d9aAtF0NjYgeTwj67rWWSRZVp0Kvl4h9SWHJIZxXSFx6QVEdFjH5XJYstIamrjZsMb9tQw/s1600-h/IMG_0169.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163988137635056146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQhZ8buA26tP2A5GTiUs_zM0rgCJd5Mwjd6Xa1Xr3OHrbfNczYXrpcLjlT8QMObSstVwm0d9aAtF0NjYgeTwj67rWWSRZVp0Kvl4h9SWHJIZxXSFx6QVEdFjH5XJYstIamrjZsMb9tQw/s320/IMG_0169.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Hooray !!! I found an aappam recipe that does not require coconut in any form.<br />If you are looking for a working combination of aappam and stew, then look no further, for you are in the right place. If you are looking for an authentic Keralan recipe, then this is not it. I’ve been looking around for a non-coconut recipe and finally spotted it <a href="http://kamalascorner.blogspot.com/2007/01/appam.html">here</a>. It is a down to earth no-nonsense food blog and is to-the-point. There is an elaborate catalogue of South Indian veggie recipes. I am raring to try the snack recipes.<br />The stew is derived from 3 different recipes. The basic is from Mandhu Jaffery's Flavour's Of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The second source of inspiration is from <a href="http://malluspice.blogspot.com/2006/10/kozhi-ishtoo-chicken-stew-w-coconut.html">this</a> lovely blog. Finally the idea to pressure cook the stew is from <a href="http://dosamma.blogspot.com/2007/07/kerala-chicken-stew.html">here</a>.<br />Oh yes, the original recipe for aappam had coconut, but I cut it off and it still tasted great.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhsfMUZbgSL1CKaG21LL-Iufr7kjsbDMMxawXQ46V5Q6Bwc3x3f-os-s_hOHshNYvVG6MjtA9bRs2gGQp7QnlOYLRBL7BoeyfV_ngDwYCYrKbUmgeg0IhbqDkZgefRVeXjd_M8jDhl5c/s1600-h/IMG_0172.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163988146224990754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhsfMUZbgSL1CKaG21LL-Iufr7kjsbDMMxawXQ46V5Q6Bwc3x3f-os-s_hOHshNYvVG6MjtA9bRs2gGQp7QnlOYLRBL7BoeyfV_ngDwYCYrKbUmgeg0IhbqDkZgefRVeXjd_M8jDhl5c/s320/IMG_0172.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong> Aappam</strong><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Par boiled rice - 1.5 cups<br />Raw rice - 1.5 cups<br />Urad dal - 1/4th cup<br />Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp<br />Cooking soda - 1tsp<br />salt as required. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Wash and soak the rice, lentils and fenugreek seeds for at least 8 hours. Grind them to smooth batter. It takes quite a while even in the grinder. Add salt to the batter and ferment it overnight. If living in cold countries shove the batter container in an oven and turn on the light. Or better still sit the container in the boiler room overnight (this never fails, if you have the boiler on for a reasonable period of time in the night). When it’s cooking time, add the cooking soda to the batter and thin it with water or coconut milk to a consistency that is between double and single cream. The batter should flow freely. Take a big ladle of the batter and pour it on the aappam chatti (wok) and rotate it to spread the batter in the wok. You will end up with thin batter on the sides and the rest settling in the middle. Cover it with a lid and cook until done. If you don't own an aappam chatti, you can use small size frying pan (which is what I did before I owned an aappam chatti). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">The resultant aappam was light with the crispy sides and fluffy centre – in one word perfect.</span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;"></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Chicken Stew</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;"><br />For the chicken stew you will need<?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;"><br />Cardamom -5<br />Cinnamon - 1 inch stick<br />Cloves - 6<br />Peppercorns - 1Tbsp<br /><br />Onions - 2 medium size sliced thinly<br />Ginger - 2 inch sliced into strips thinly<br />Green chillies - 6 (4 whole and 2 slit)<br />Flour - 1 Tbsp<br /><br />Potatoes - 2 medium sized (cut into chunks)<br />Chicken - 700gms (cut into medium size - for best flavour use thighs)<br /><br />Coconut - 1/2 ground into a smooth paste<br />1Tbsps fennel seeds and 1 Tbsp poppy seeds (ground together into fine powder)<br /><br />Small onions or shallots - 4 finely sliced.<br />Curry leaves - 1 twig<br />salt as required<br /><br />Lemon juice - 1 Tbsp.<br /><br />Heat oil in a pan and add in the whole spices. Saute for a few seconds and then add the onions, ginger and chillies and fry till the onions are transparent. Add the flour and saute for a minute. To this add the chicken and potatoes and give it a stir. Season with salt and then add the coconut paste, poppy-fennel powder and some water (if your stew is very thick). Close the cooker and pressure cook to 2 whistles. When the steam is settled, open the cooker and adjust the water level (if too thin boil off the excess liquid in a high flame, if too thick dilute it with some water). Heat a small pan and add some oil. When the oil is hot add the sliced shallots and fry it until golden. To this add the curry leaves. Pour the onion-curry leaves seasoning into the stew and remove from fire. Finally add the lemon juice and mix well.<br />The troops loved it. To be honest, I was surprised by the wonderful flavour of the stew. This is one lipsmaking recipe and will find a place of pride in my everyday menu.</span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-55995507242341572632008-02-05T21:03:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:35.188+01:00Pancake<span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:12;" >Two revelations on pancake day. One, I don't own a whisk. I really don't. Everytime my hand holds a fork, my brain makes a mental note to pick up a whisk the next time I go shopping (it has become an auto reflex of sorts) to be duly forgotten. Two, my photographic skills sucks, sucks big time. I belonged to the majority which did not know about PD until I read about it in the newspapers. The younger troops consider pancakes as special treats. The truth is I make pancakes when I run out of idli and dosai batter or to inject some fruit into the troop's systems. Today happened to be one such day and I can't let Pancake Day pass without savoring it. So here goes the recipe which is incredibly simple.<br /><br /></span><ul><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:12;" > Self raising flour - 5 Tbsp</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:12;" > Egg - 1</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:12;" > Milk - 1 cup</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:12;" > butter/oil as required</span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdURQyuGglagVd4vkV7w7bCcJfRmC6ioCNLyFPUw2rkkHhC74pZkT0vfYYaocxvp3flCReJr53wef4u7cVmx-zZmL4RWT7SbHNWYr87rKDewinM8ZbQdsYCun-8gBPF3HSeqYMZ5xIpw/s1600-h/pancake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdURQyuGglagVd4vkV7w7bCcJfRmC6ioCNLyFPUw2rkkHhC74pZkT0vfYYaocxvp3flCReJr53wef4u7cVmx-zZmL4RWT7SbHNWYr87rKDewinM8ZbQdsYCun-8gBPF3HSeqYMZ5xIpw/s320/pancake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163629159973489154" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:12;" >Beat the egg in a bowl and add the milk to it and mix it. Sift the flour into the egg-milk mixture. Whisk it up with the butter or oil (I prefer olive oil to butter), till the flour is well combined and forms a batter of single cream consistency. Add more milk if necessary. I prefer to add flour to the liquid as the batter ends up smooth without lumps. Take one ladle of batter (apprx about 3 Tbsps) and pour on a greased pan. Rotate the pan in a circular fashion to spread the batter evenly. It takes about a minute to brown on one side. With a flat spoon flip the pancake over. If you want some fun try flipping it the Chefy way. I have never been one for any kind of physical action. I put it down to a lack of hand-eye coordination. S had tried to get me into badminton and table tennis and now knows better. I use a flat spoon to flip my pancakes. The other side requires less than a minute (apprx 40 secs) to cook. Stack the pancakes to keep warm. Serve it with syrup of your choice.<br />I prefer to serve it with jaggery syrup. It sounds weird, but it is my idea of a perfect match. Plus the iron in the jaggery would not hurt much.<br /><br />Variations: To the pancake batter, add some mashed banana to make banana pancakes – camouflaging fruits for fussy eaters.</span>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-86765517939349007592008-01-29T22:53:00.000+00:002008-01-29T23:00:41.257+00:00Not again<p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Oh Dear God, its started again. I mean the moral policing business in Chennai. What is happening to my dear state in recent years? First there was a huge uproar for a sensible talk from a pretty actress and then there was this new dress code for college students and now Shriya’s dress. A dress of all things on Earth!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >I grew up in a <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Coimbatore</st1:place></st1:city> and went to one of those super Godly catholic schools run by strict nuns. The uniform I wore was a white shirt and half skirt. I had worn that for 12 years and no one even winked. The same school has a salwar kameez as uniform now. All the government/municipal schools which had half saris as uniform have changed to Salwar kameez. Are we retreating into some kind of old Victorian world and the current 50 somethings are steering us towards that era? I really don’t get it. I am of the opinion that ancient Tamilians (those who wrote all the sangam poems) were very liberal when it came to clothes. In one of the old Puranannuru poems, there is a sentence describing the clothes the leading lady wears. It describes that the material the lady wore was so fine that one could see through her dress. Can’t imagine what the Moral Police would do if someone was to write a similar poem, let alone wear such a dress. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Is this Talibanization of TamilNadu? And oh, as if there is not enough on the platter, Tamilans can no longer celebrate New Year in April, instead it will be in January. Is there any sense amidst this madness or is it madness to search for sense?<o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-85187311688614479522008-01-21T18:57:00.000+00:002008-01-22T13:52:55.551+00:00Kozhuva Meen Tilappichathu (Kerala Anchovy Curry)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMLGP1f_jvjrMYHkLxlefNQgw2TKNNgL-NbPyEjy_xcV3-xIAe9jfngq9e42Gv4XwoWkgKBmaBhVfwFnA1zkebB5gWVu27CnR4Zo41N2qLm_1cHJ-SqFZA08E68egxk17wtpKhfwK6aY/s1600-h/IMG_0045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMLGP1f_jvjrMYHkLxlefNQgw2TKNNgL-NbPyEjy_xcV3-xIAe9jfngq9e42Gv4XwoWkgKBmaBhVfwFnA1zkebB5gWVu27CnR4Zo41N2qLm_1cHJ-SqFZA08E68egxk17wtpKhfwK6aY/s320/IMG_0045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158018232355741458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:12;" >Of late I haven't kept myself updated with the events in the food blogosphere. It all boils down to laziness. When I read about the <a href="http://currybazaar.blogspot.com/2007/12/announcing-rci-cuisine-of-kerala.html">RCI Kerala</a> event, my laziness had to take a holiday. The recipe I am blogging about hopefully is an authentic Kerala one. I got it from <a href="http://www.whereincity.com/recipes/kerala/meen-tilappichathu-boiled-fish-2711.htm">this </a>site and made a few modifications - not to the ingredients, but to the way they were prepared. It is bit strange that I could not find any information or about how authentic this recipe is. If any of you out there know more about this recipe, please let me know. I would like to know about its origin and this is one of the reasons that I am posting this recipe as part of <a href="http://currybazaar.blogspot.com/2007/12/announcing-rci-cuisine-of-kerala.html">RCI Kerala</a>. It is strange in another way - the ingredients are crushed (only very old recipes call for crushing instead of grinding) and the sour element is got by Vinegar (I would expect Vinegar to be associated with Goan cuisine). With the rattling done, the recipe procedure goes like this......<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQNDhto-BMXkY1KFpRwWwBzhkjCsd9JifN_vBgJyT552wWAtN9JXQhbm_qnb6v446DaL9Ocq4BKucEsQ42ECTIvjab7Gd9psADlKge3_k_D96yFg2oEH84vK6qOX6tQPhw0Bf6iYEyPY/s1600-h/IMG_0050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQNDhto-BMXkY1KFpRwWwBzhkjCsd9JifN_vBgJyT552wWAtN9JXQhbm_qnb6v446DaL9Ocq4BKucEsQ42ECTIvjab7Gd9psADlKge3_k_D96yFg2oEH84vK6qOX6tQPhw0Bf6iYEyPY/s320/IMG_0050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158017192973655810" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:12;" >Kozhuva (Nethili) - 500 gms<br />To Grind (coarsely)<br />Small onions - 25 (or 2 big red onions)<br />Garlic - 2 pods<br />Ginger - 1 inch<b><br /></b>Others<br />Green chillies - 3<br />Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp<br />Chilli powder - 1 Tbsp<br />Curry leaves - 1 twig<br />Lemon juice - Juice of half a lemon/lime<br />salt as required.<br /><br />The original recipe calls for crushing the ingredients under grind. Although on holiday, my laziness would not let go of me completely and hence I got my good old blender and intended to ground them coarsely and ended up grinding them smoothly. Anyway after grinding them, heat oil and pour the ground ingredients and chillies. Adding ginger and garlic for a fish curry is a first for me. When the raw smell of the ginger-garlic is considerably less, add the turmeric and chilli powder along with some curry leaves and water. Let the gravy bubble for a few minutes. Add the fish to the gravy and wait until the fish is cooked. Take the fish off the stove and add the lemon juice. The original called for vinegar, but somehow I couldn't get myself to add vinegar to this curry. My apprehension of adding ginger and garlic for the curry was completely misplaced and the result was yummy. All I can say is, I am glad that I tried out this recipe and will definitely try it when I can get hold of some more anchovies. <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></span>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-69541202902365761572008-01-18T23:13:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:34.180+01:00Chettinad Kozhi varuval (Chettinad chicken fry)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5x1kg11EaZCoU5_Q15_b1A9S3_9EhHgDE_v-1F6yP6T6KV-qtFiyhbia6HrE8QyzUwhR8Gxn0KWNdlFZS9gowraeHFCQm4_LT_e93XbMyrPzZ7cH-Ju8aH46hZz2TpQER9Lc5dwUBj0/s1600-h/chickenvaruval.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5x1kg11EaZCoU5_Q15_b1A9S3_9EhHgDE_v-1F6yP6T6KV-qtFiyhbia6HrE8QyzUwhR8Gxn0KWNdlFZS9gowraeHFCQm4_LT_e93XbMyrPzZ7cH-Ju8aH46hZz2TpQER9Lc5dwUBj0/s320/chickenvaruval.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156959475672637170" border="0" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >I am a convert, ever since I watched Hugh’s chicken run on Channel 4. The program highlighted the pitiable conditions of the intensively reared chicken (popularly called broiler chicken in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>) Vs the better conditions of free range chicken. You can find more about it <a href="http://www.chickenout.tv/index.html">here</a>.<span style=""> </span>The site has a facility where you can find free range chicken near the place you live in the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">UK</st1:country-region></st1:place>. This program got me thinking hard and long. Now that is something that doesn’t happen often, I mean the thinking bit. If truffles are cultivated and available in plenty would they demand the respect they have now. As food becomes cheap we loose respect for it and abuse it. To turn this around, I have chosen to buy free range chicken and decrease the frequency of chicken consumption. What I do is buy one whole chicken and get the hubby to cut it (he can be a real sweetheart sometimes) and store it in different bags in the freezer by cuts – bony bits, fleshy bits and the thighs. The bony bits for kuzhambu, fleshy bits for varuval and the thighs go under the grill.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Let me give my brain its much needed rest and stop rambling about my new found enthusiasm for free range chicken and get to the recipe. This Chettinad chicken varuval is Mrs Mano’s recipe. She posts her recipes <a href="http://www.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=5637">here</a>. I have tried many of her recipes with stunning results and wouldn’t shy away from recommending them. Alright before you loose patience here goes the recipe.... (ah finally)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chicken – 750 gms<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Grind<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Garlic – 4 pods<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Ginger – 1 inch<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Fennel – 1 Tbsp<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cumin seeds – 1 tsp<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Coriander powder – 1tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chilli powder – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Pepper – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Lemon juice – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Yogurt – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Turmeric powder – ½ tsp</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salt as required<br /></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Frying 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Onion<span style=""> </span>- 1 chopped<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Tomato – 1 chopped<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Ginger-Garlic paste – 1½ Tbsp<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Frying 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Onion – ½ sliced<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Curry leaves – 1 twig<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Red chillies – 3<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Pepper powder – 1 tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Method<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><span style=""> </span></span></b><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Grind together all the ingredients under ‘Grind’ to a paste. Marinate the chicken with this paste for a couple of hours. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions. When the onions are soft add the ginger-garlic paste and then the tomatoes. Fry until the tomatoes are soft and the oil comes out. To this add the chicken with very little water and cook until done and the water is evaporated. In another pan heat some oil and fry the red chillies, curry leaves and the sliced onions. When almost done add the pepper powder to the onion and mix it well. Add the fried onion to the cooked chicken and give it a stir. Vola there you have a lip smacking chicken dish. Although the list of ingredients looks exhausting, it does not take a lot of time to make this. So please don’t let the long list put you off from trying the recipe and of course you can adjust the spice level.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-49069251920529778382008-01-15T11:21:00.000+00:002008-01-15T11:27:36.222+00:00Pongalo Pongal<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Wish you all a happy Pongal and Sankranti. As I am writing this, news has come out that the Supreme Court has lifted the ban on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jallikattu">Jallikattu </a>(Phew that was close). I shudder to think how folks from my native town would have reacted if the ban had stayed. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jallikattu">Jallikattu </a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">reminds me of the rare occasions we celebrated Pongal at my maternal grandmother’s village. The village falls on the wrong side of Vaigai river and cannot benefit from the river water. As is the case with most Indian villages, the harvest mainly depends on the mercy of the monsoons. And we all know how our dear old monsoons behave.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;"><span style=""> </span>The village folks rarely celebrated Pongal as there was little to harvest and very little to celebrate about. When the monsoons are well behaved, the harvest is bountiful and Pongal is celebrated with such gusto that, town folks like me wonder why our parents left the village. The huts and houses are white washed, the cows decorated with colourful dots on their body and vibrant colours painted on their horns - the atmosphere is electric. There is something in the air which brings joy by merely inhaling it. I am missing all that this very moment and to a certain extent depressed (too harsh a word, I know) that my children cannot experience it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;"><span style=""> </span>I do try hard to bring in the spirit at home. Although my younger troops don’t agree with the Naragasuran version of the Deepavali story (they go with the ‘Rama coming from forest’ version), bringing in the Deepavali spirit is much easier. Help comes in the form of schools discussing the ‘Hindu’ festival. When it comes to Pongal it is hard, but I keep trying. It doesn’t hurt to taste some yummy Pongal and other delicacies in the process. Pongalo Pongal !!!!!!! <o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-75433702170828707892008-01-06T21:05:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:25.010+01:00Nethili Meen Varuval (Spicy fried anchovies)<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy New Year everyone! I am back from hibernation! Here I am fulfilling one of my New Year resolutions – not to neglect my blog. Abiding by Newton’s third law, I am also breaking one of my resolutions by posting a non-veg recipe. Ah it is the first post in the New Year and it has to be a special recipe and this one sure is. Anchovy is a special fish and I can still remember the taste of my athai’s (aunt) nethili meen kuzhambu. She is one hell of a cook and fish is her speciality. The way anchovies are used in Italian and Greek cooking is wonderful and has opened my eyes to the wonders of using them as an ingredient. This recipe is an Indian one and is sure to tickle your taste buds. Since it is a small fish, they can be eaten whole, although some people insist on cleaning before cooking. For this recipe I used slightly larger ones, which were cleaned. If they are really small, I wouldn’t bother with cleaning. Here goes how to make it,</span><br /></span><div style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2_gpjpJ7SQcRKUN2qtIvpBK8IW8Shlfk1q8MdzRnM-qYMv8mHrIyTuAYO4-Aa6dXH9VNUMJyCUYBWYT-dXQvQu-W_0UsNJrLSo_CJDE4pxmzCLn6PCt8QCS3tgrdqt0ABZ3J5zqnKDk/s1600-h/IMG_0019_2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2_gpjpJ7SQcRKUN2qtIvpBK8IW8Shlfk1q8MdzRnM-qYMv8mHrIyTuAYO4-Aa6dXH9VNUMJyCUYBWYT-dXQvQu-W_0UsNJrLSo_CJDE4pxmzCLn6PCt8QCS3tgrdqt0ABZ3J5zqnKDk/s320/IMG_0019_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152473446756474594" border="0" /></a><br /></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size:100%;">Set 1<br />Anchovies – 200gms<br />Rice flour – 2 Tbsps<br />Chilli Powder – 1 tsp<br />Coriander Powder – 1 Tbsp<br />Turmeric powder – ½ tsp<br />Salt as required<br />Lemon juice – 1 Tbsp<br /><br />Set 2<br />· Onions – 1 thinly sliced<br />· Garlic – 3 pods crushed<br />· Ginger – 1 inch grated<br />· Sambhar powder – 1 Tbsp<br />· Fennel seeds – 1 Tbsp<br />· Lemon juice – 1 Tbsp<br />· Curry Leaves – a twig<br /><br /><br />Mix all the ingredients under set 1 and leave to marinate for half an hour. Pan or deep-fry them until cooked and set aside.<br />Heat some of the left over oil in a pan and add the fennel seeds and curry leaves. Then add the onions and fry them until golden. To this add the ginger, garlic and sambhar powder and fry until they are well mixed. To this add the fried anchovies and lemon juice and stir carefully until well mixed.This is a yummy dish that will lift your spirits and keep you going on those dark rainy winter days.</span></div></div>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-47993533380398282662007-12-08T16:50:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:41.189+01:00Kerala Eral Kuzhambu (Kerala Prawn Curry)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDo2qxGLW8JEfJ0qtWrTJlNtpLl3qdekJ1LRPWaFEVlUzp7H6D0z_WEqrascO4yvH62EKSRUUI-0vjOH2EgUUCYz_GFBo-T4Eg_9ngaIgyolzJ6yLPILkKYu1MHwflfSGDparGss1LwSc/s1600-h/DSC00340.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141648258451485762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDo2qxGLW8JEfJ0qtWrTJlNtpLl3qdekJ1LRPWaFEVlUzp7H6D0z_WEqrascO4yvH62EKSRUUI-0vjOH2EgUUCYz_GFBo-T4Eg_9ngaIgyolzJ6yLPILkKYu1MHwflfSGDparGss1LwSc/s320/DSC00340.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">A Madhu Jaffery recipe again with a twist. This is from her book ‘The flavours of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>’ and she opens the recipe with the line ‘I Love this dish with a passion’. I have made a twist, a tip I found <a href="http://www.blogger.com/(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsnzYcjBabg%29">here</a>. Having spent 21 years of my lifetime in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Coimbatore</st1:place></st1:city>, means that the Kerala influence is inescapable. We had a neighbour from Kerala who also happened to be a great cook. She would share many of her special dishes with our family. I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Kerala and I cherish that experience. Lots of yummy food everywhere we went. Unfortunately I was with a gang who was fussy about food and was complaining. Nevertheless I enjoyed the food and loved it. Nothing I am ever going to say will do justice to Kerala food. Here goes the recipe,<br /><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></p><ul style="MARGIN-TOP: 0cm" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Prawns<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>600 gms (Shelled and deveined)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Onion<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>- <span style="font-size:0;"></span>1 (medium sized thinly sliced into half moons)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Garlic<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>5 (cut into thin pieces)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Ginger<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>1 inch (grated)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Chilli powder<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>½ tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Paprika<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>2 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Turmeric Powder<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>¼ tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Coconut milk<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>400 ml<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Curry leaves<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>1 twig<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Green chillies<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>3<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Tamarind<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>- <span style="font-size:0;"></span>lemon size<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Mustard seeds<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>1 tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Oil<span style="font-size:0;"> </span><span style="font-size:0;"></span><span style="font-size:0;"></span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>2Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Salt as required<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;"><o:p></o:p></span><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;"><o:p></o:p>Grinding<o:p></o:p></span></p><ul><ul><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Coriander seeds<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>3 Tbsps</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Fenugreek seeds<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>¼ tsp</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Pepper<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>1 tsp</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Curry leaves<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>-<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>1 twig</span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFefFP9XoP5Y0iacQsnpUGkRQDza9Gptti0vcv79NnjjrMOx93Be2aC3d7E2l3HKucExQzkFFtCM09mgc6M_ZQdkhzuF-VIx48v4i52spIn8x5iyKS9s-xwRJ8Vdj2YYjIpcv2Y_pUf2E/s1600-h/DSC00339.JPG"><li><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141648232681681970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFefFP9XoP5Y0iacQsnpUGkRQDza9Gptti0vcv79NnjjrMOx93Be2aC3d7E2l3HKucExQzkFFtCM09mgc6M_ZQdkhzuF-VIx48v4i52spIn8x5iyKS9s-xwRJ8Vdj2YYjIpcv2Y_pUf2E/s320/DSC00339.JPG" border="0" /></a></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;">Dry roast the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and pepper and powder it in a blender with the curry leaves. Once the powder is fine add 5 raw prawns to it and grind it with some water. Heat the tamarind with water for 2 minutes on high. Dilute with cold water and extract the juice. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds and when they pop add the curry leaves, onion, garlic and fry till brown. Once brown add the ginger and sauté for one more minute. To this add the chilli, paprika, turmeric powders and the ground paste and fry till blended. Add the tamarind extract, salt,green chillies and let it bubble. To this gravy add the coconut milk and the prawns. When the prawns are cooked, remove from fire and enjoy with hot boiled rice. If you enjoy very spicy food, the paprika can be replaced with chilli powder. The gravy is thick and would go well with Chapatti as well. This dish is a treat for your senses. It looks, smells and tastes divine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-87697944378622900942007-12-04T19:31:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:27.707+01:00Beans and Chickpeas Salad<span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Apologies to all for subjecting you to my bad photos in my previous posts. Today I found out that one of my younger troops had changed the settings in the camera and the results are – well you have already seen them. To be fair, bad photographic skills run in my family line. My dad took pictures of my mom in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city> with her head cut off. We ended up with many pictures of my mother from neck down. Till date I am not sure if my dad has poor sense for photography or if he did take those pictures on purpose. Anyways back to food it is salad time again. There was a warning in my previous post about S wanting to eat salad everyday (before you get all the wrong ideas, let me clarify that salad is considered a snack by S and not a meal). Now that the purpose is clear, I can go ahead with the recipe<o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1GToTtgLz73WVVVofn7Iks7JOx8quGSdv8WVMzG4qmmKAKOrm68VxBzJERla3rvNxqicWnaEIs4NE_QJvv76kJvOtY6mbpPPQ2Z8jwo0co64TIbcmIIfFkw3C0FlF9yCZTE9llTz58s/s1600-h/DSC00323.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1GToTtgLz73WVVVofn7Iks7JOx8quGSdv8WVMzG4qmmKAKOrm68VxBzJERla3rvNxqicWnaEIs4NE_QJvv76kJvOtY6mbpPPQ2Z8jwo0co64TIbcmIIfFkw3C0FlF9yCZTE9llTz58s/s320/DSC00323.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140215886858269730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salad<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="square"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chickpeas – 1 can<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Haricot beans – 1 can<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Onion – ½ sliced<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Carrot – 1 (cut in the middle and slice into thin half moons)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cucumber – ½ cut thinly<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Lettuce – ½ shredded<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Sesame seeds – 2 Tbsp (dry toasted)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Green chillies – 2 (slit in the middle)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Jalapeno peppers – 10 pieces (optional).<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salad dressing<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="square"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Sesame oil – 2 parts<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Olive oil – 1 part<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Soy sauce – 2 parts<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Lemon – 1 part<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salt as required <o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Drain the peas and beans from the can and run them under cold water. Warm them up in a microwave and mix with other salad ingredients. The Jalapeno peppers are optional, I added them as I wanted to finish off the bottle. For the dressing combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk until an emulsion is formed. Since soy sauce is salty and hence less salt is required for this salad. This dressing is simply delicious. I am planning to make plenty of it, store in the fridge and add it in small amounts to any salad I make. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix it well. Since this is a warm salad, it is perfect for those cold winter evenings as a snack. As an after thought I added some dill to the salad (for no particular reason) and the dill actually went very well with salad. In retrospect, a pinch of the fennel falvour with fennel bulbs and/or seeds would also lift the salad. That is an idea for my next recipe. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-92159781353401810372007-12-03T20:28:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:23.093+01:00Avocado Salad<span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >A few years back, I went vegetarian (don’t ask me why) and ended up eating yogurt rice all the time. I did not have the energy or time to cook something vegetarian for me, while the family ate something else. Re entering into the Non-Vegetarian world (not because I didn’t like eating yogurt rice all the time, in fact I still love it) made me realize that my family ate very little veggie food. Since then I have made it a point to limit meat and chicken to one day a week. It has been a battle ever since. My blog is a good reflection of my battles and their outcomes. Before this entry the veggie score stands at 14 while the non-veggie is close behind at 13.<span style=""> </span>Leveling the scores would mean a loss and who likes loosing. So here I am with a vegetarian salad recipe. Oh yes you read that right, a salad it is and a vegetarian one at that. It is my own recipe made with ingredients that I could reach in my store cupboard and fridge without much effort.<o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >So here goes my recipe with a toast to all things veggie<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Avocado – 2 (Chopped into bite size pieces)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Lettuce<span style=""> </span>- ½ (tear into bite size pieces)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Jalapeno chillies – 10 cut pieces (straight from the jar)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cucumber – ½ shredded<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Red Onion – 1 thinly sliced<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Coriander leaves – 2 Tbsp (roughly shredded)<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salad Dressing<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Olive oil – 3 Tbsp (preferably extra Virgin)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Juice of one lemon<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chilli flakes as required (how else can I convince S to eat a salad)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salt to taste</span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HFsJ1BW7f06YA9a_UzXy11ewQ4LXmFZxN7xS0QWYBRBOs157lx7YvbmyiclKirJXvyk4NcztuQnCq1WjovvSikeqSaOESXWvNsI0ugiInKf2be4CL__t4T3UY9ZU7eRQjrdLKMpQsQo/s1600-r/DSC00318.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjLOm8WodGzottZ-ABoHOBsPMTQKbu6Y8XVp94805VlQmkT5AKJmUPxt2ovif1q1nIZIGSkgqKGQ_35-KM5IKWPaiN11JPu_rsGIy5Q13ddTAgdc4SYE-9izRzVu1aLb79Be_vGXUMdg/s320/DSC00318.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139846760188982290" border="0" /></a> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p>Place the avocado, lettuce, jalapeno chillies, cucumber, red onion and some coriander leaves in a salad bowl. To make the dressing combine the salad dressing ingredients with a whisk until it form an emulsion like liquid and adjust seasoning. Pour the salad dressing over the veggies and mix well. That is how this yummy salad can be made and can be enjoyed any time of the day. The salad turned out so yummy that S wants salad everyday – now that is something I never even dreamed would come out of his mouth. To make this salad a meal by itself, grilled or any kind of cooked chicken can be added. There I go again, am I ever going to win the battle!!!! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-67609682890834316092007-11-28T22:22:00.000+00:002008-08-28T03:44:18.437+01:00Spicy Bolognese sauce<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrxDhAOgkHo3A_7Kc1xZuC9z1ZVdX31rFOGJfcaygi2SieUcK6s0s7CwF_d24GpM1OpAwPMR-xpdlHqB2-bWbyYdfcG67KFf05jVm-1J9QsXfpWeKxXaLdO_vaK0ckFRi3pfMT7FurVo/s1600-h/DSC00290_2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrxDhAOgkHo3A_7Kc1xZuC9z1ZVdX31rFOGJfcaygi2SieUcK6s0s7CwF_d24GpM1OpAwPMR-xpdlHqB2-bWbyYdfcG67KFf05jVm-1J9QsXfpWeKxXaLdO_vaK0ckFRi3pfMT7FurVo/s320/DSC00290_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138021448098496930" border="0" /></a><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Italian food is one of my favorite. It is there on my top three list and I love to try different Italian recipes. This spicy Bolognese sauce of mine is influenced by Delia’s recipe which you can find <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/anauthenticragubolog_66229.shtml">here</a>. As a South Indian I had to spice the sauce, not that I like spicing all food that I come across. But when I read a recipe, I feel it could do with some spices and this was one such. I cut down on the meat level demanded by the original and used lamb mince instead of beef mince. This went down very well with the troops. I also spotted a potential to camouflage veggies in this recipe - will have to try that next time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMDJqoDuFJ7tbn8iN5ORMBAacQYE5sCXHtKIIcqQnZUvaI2-7Wrfn2FV-mQxqEIuNWrMUpAaGMEwthcBUNtvqhWXx9jlb7sSdMLOf0jL156xEBee4DDoudzlXWJwgZaRAiqwWuqWy5XQ/s1600-h/DSC00287.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMDJqoDuFJ7tbn8iN5ORMBAacQYE5sCXHtKIIcqQnZUvaI2-7Wrfn2FV-mQxqEIuNWrMUpAaGMEwthcBUNtvqhWXx9jlb7sSdMLOf0jL156xEBee4DDoudzlXWJwgZaRAiqwWuqWy5XQ/s320/DSC00287.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138021435213595026" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" > This is how it can be made<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> </p><ul><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Lamb mince – 500gms<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Canned tomatoes – 2<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Tomato puree – 4 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Onion – 1 chopped<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Garlic – 2 big finely chopped<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Nutmeg – 1/2 grated<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Coriander powder – 3 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chilli powder – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cumin powder – ½ tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Olive oil – 4 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Add the mince to this and fry until the mince turns brown. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato puree and the spices and mix it all up. Season with salt and pepper and enough water and let it bubble. Once the gravy starts bubbling reduce the fire and let it simmer for 2 hours without the lid(this is important). The end result will be a thick brown-reddish sauce. It tastes yummy with Spaghetti. The sauce could also be frozen and goes well with rice and chapatti too. </span>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-18252305983465033372007-11-25T22:10:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:42.732+01:00Meen Varuval (Spicy fried fish)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3dABuR4blVPC33PVaWIdxbEA3WKYkuEeuBUNbLYf_G0_L0kD7sWA8cGaMDsSRzo_Gw8-M39TRFd9G3rQhnqSf2wqQLN4T1MJzFHdt0twCplqEI9VjQZ4EkBMO8Fg3a0d4Wp8nxrAIfU/s1600-h/DSC00295.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3dABuR4blVPC33PVaWIdxbEA3WKYkuEeuBUNbLYf_G0_L0kD7sWA8cGaMDsSRzo_Gw8-M39TRFd9G3rQhnqSf2wqQLN4T1MJzFHdt0twCplqEI9VjQZ4EkBMO8Fg3a0d4Wp8nxrAIfU/s320/DSC00295.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136904589097812354" border="0" /></a><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >It is Fish time again. My family especially my son can’t get enough of fish. This is a pan fried recipe. The fish could also be deep fried, but pan frying saves a bit of oil and so I prefer it. The marinade is very simple and the marinating time required is also only about an hour.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Coriander powder – 2 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chilli powder – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cumin powder – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Fennel powder – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Turmeric powder – 1 tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salt as required<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Lemon juice – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Fish steaks – 4 medium size or 2 large ones.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Oil<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Mix all the ingredients and make a paste with some water. Rub the paste on the fish and leave it to marinate for at least an hour. Heat a pan and pour about 5 Tbsp of oil. When the oil is hot add the fish steaks and fry them 5 minutes on each side. If the steak is thick the fish may need more time to cook. The fish goes very well as a side dish with many rice dishes. I made it with King Fish steak. But any firm fish will suit the recipe.</span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-10579635147386184582007-11-23T13:32:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:20.319+01:00Chicken Biryani<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjV53YPUZ7sbQ98FYou0ZZv-bzyXxklB8zjsBVzzXU7sA_8cLqJH1Hhsrz8rT6S1ksq9A-ZutLPfxP9B_j38mjqlJ2BByvX2QMvdaXG8yzy4Vu68qytcxiacEbz7bAiXsODqTCuMesj0/s1600-h/DSC00272.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjV53YPUZ7sbQ98FYou0ZZv-bzyXxklB8zjsBVzzXU7sA_8cLqJH1Hhsrz8rT6S1ksq9A-ZutLPfxP9B_j38mjqlJ2BByvX2QMvdaXG8yzy4Vu68qytcxiacEbz7bAiXsODqTCuMesj0/s320/DSC00272.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136028596158054770" border="0" /></a><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Deepavali cannot be Deepavali without Biryani for me. My mother makes Biryani on that day. Many of friends think it is odd to cook non-veg on Deepavali. As with almost all recipes there are many different versions. I learnt to make mine from my cousin who is a fantastic cook. She was my savior when I first came to the big bad(or good) city of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Chennai</st1:place></st1:City>. She actually taught me the basics of many things apart from cooking like the art of buying make-up and draping a sari really-really fast. We don’t see each other or talk often now, living in different continents doesn’t help. Following in the family footsteps I made Chicken Biryani for Deepavali. Before I go in depth detailing my family history here is the recipe.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Red Onions – ½ Kg<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Tomatoes – ½ Kg<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Ginger-garlic paste – 2 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Slit green chillies - 5<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Mint leaves – a big bunch<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Coriander leaves – a big bunch<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Cardamom – 2<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Bay leaf – 1<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Cinnamon – a long stick<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Cloves – 3<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Chicken – 1 Kg<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Oil – 6 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Basmati rice – 1 Kg ( 4 cups) <span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Salt as required<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">Slice the onions thinly, and chop the tomatoes finely. Chop the coriander and the mint leaves finely. Wash and rinse the rice. The preparation and cooking takes time. Heat the oil in a hard bottom vessel and add in the spices. When they start to pop add the green chillies. And when the skin of the green chillies start to turn white add in the sliced onions and fry. This is the most important stage of cooking. The deep dark brown color comes from these well fried onions. The quantity of onions should reduce to at least one fourth the original volume. When the onions are a deep brown and reduce considerably in volume add the tomatoes and fry them till the oil floats on the top. After this add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears. Then add in the chopped leaves and again fry till they are well combined and sweated down. <span style=""> </span>Add the chicken into the masala and coat the chicken well with this. Add the washed rice and 6 ½ cup of water and mix well. Season with salt and leave the vessel open until bubbles start to appear. Close with a lid and get the stove flame to as low as possible. You could also finish the cooking in a mild oven. To maintain the flavours, you can seal the lid with dough made from wheat flour. <span style=""> </span>It takes approximately 25 minutes to cook, you can check by opening the lid to see if all is well. You can serve the Biryani with onion raita. I always make more, so there will be plenty of left-overs for the next day. The re-heated Biryani, the day after tastes even better. Enjoy!!!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-9399447957127372302007-11-22T17:25:00.001+00:002008-08-28T00:41:28.719+01:00Cabbage and Pattani Poriyal (Cabbage and peas stir fry)<span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Stir fry dishes are very popular in the region I come from. But they are not called stir fries, we call them poriyal. With a simple tempering process, the vegetables are transformed into delicacies that one craves for. Strangely I like cabbage poriyal, in fact I like cabbage in all forms. This poriyal is generally had as side dish for rice and would go well for Chapatti as well. This recipe can be adopted for any vegetable. I just added the peas to get a two dimensional color to the finished product. With the daylight becoming shorter, the photos of the food under my kitchen light are shaded and sometimes they end up like stills out of a badly shot Mani Ratnam movie.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFylFPGh01N3zYXA0z6iDRZDHGfiQTv8oH6kQMC_5yaJpYBVNNNvPXeOA_S_lHWjfXUJvgE6Z9huHGEjSJFJ6nvoR-JyQrQNprb5e2rA_rXGS-17XNljPhAQ89wgRE9uuqFKCy-tIpzw/s1600-h/DSC00281.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFylFPGh01N3zYXA0z6iDRZDHGfiQTv8oH6kQMC_5yaJpYBVNNNvPXeOA_S_lHWjfXUJvgE6Z9huHGEjSJFJ6nvoR-JyQrQNprb5e2rA_rXGS-17XNljPhAQ89wgRE9uuqFKCy-tIpzw/s320/DSC00281.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135717889633927522" border="0" /></a> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Shredded or grated Cabbage – 2 cups<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Peas – ½ cup<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Green chillies – 2 <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Mustard seeds – ½ tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Urad dal – 1 tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Curry leaves – 1 twig<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salt as required.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p>Steam the cabbage and the peas till nearly done. I like a little crunch, but if you like it well done, you can cook it thru. Heat a spoon of oil and add the mustard seeds. When they pop add the urad dal and when they turn golden add the curry leaves and the slit green chillies. After a few seconds add the steamed cabbage, peas and season it with salt. Stir fry it for a few minutes and remove from fire. It is a simple and easy dish. <span style=""></span></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-1146983747381620432007-11-21T21:13:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:37.196+01:00Tandoori Chicken<span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >I love all things food. I remember cherishing a copy of Folio – food edition that came long ago with ‘The Hindu’. The food of a region reflects the culture to some extent and one of favorite day dreams while traveling is – discovering <span style=""> </span>an ancient recipe book while digging (I am always a foodie anthropologists in my day dreams) in the Indus valley (thinking big). I love to know what the ancients ate, no matter the geography and wouldn’t mind trying out recipes. Anyway back to reality and the best I could do is watch cookery programs on TV. As a native I am interested in how the British perceive Indian food, so of particular interest are the food programs that are actually shot in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. All famous TV cooks have done it. From Keith Floyd to the latest Gary Rhodes many have made the trip. Of them all, Madhu Jaffery’s series scores the highest and Gary Rhodes the lowest. He did not find a pudding in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> worth cooking and that I guess sums it all about his understanding of Indian food. I chanced upon the Tandoori chicken recipe on the Indian series that Madhu did. This chicken was made by a street vendor in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Amritsar</st1:place></st1:city>. I can’t kick myself enough for not committing the recipe to paper. But I made an attempt with the aid of my brain calls and the results were certainly worth a try. Especially if you have parties, this recipe can come in handy as you can marinate the chicken the day before and cook it in an oven on that day. <o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >You will need</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3v58TlSpNI2m_EYEwWyuSl_tntJX3oOx8ROAFfLJGq0f6PhLapwwlo1pfITiivEuUeRQsqb-YNa2OlLA1vqsPKX7QfKBhjtV4K68YOlPp11FGmn7ufrqp_q31NJXhFM3E9g_Zzb37zg/s1600-h/DSC00237.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3v58TlSpNI2m_EYEwWyuSl_tntJX3oOx8ROAFfLJGq0f6PhLapwwlo1pfITiivEuUeRQsqb-YNa2OlLA1vqsPKX7QfKBhjtV4K68YOlPp11FGmn7ufrqp_q31NJXhFM3E9g_Zzb37zg/s320/DSC00237.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135405400698372434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chicken thighs (with legs) - 4<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Single cream – 50 ml<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Ginger-garlic paste – 2 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Coriander powder – 2 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chilli powder – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cumin powder – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Garam masala – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Red food color – ¼ tsp (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Lemon juice – 2 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chat masala – 2 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salt as required<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Make the marinade by mixing all the powder except the chat masala with the cream, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Remove the skin from the chicken and clean and dry them. Make deep slits on the thighs. Rub the marinade on the chicken and well into the slits. If you want to reduce or increase the heat, adjust the chilli powder accordingly. Cover with a Clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, the more the better. When the chicken is ready to cook, preheat the oven to as high as possible. Bring the chicken to room temperature and rub it with some oil. When the oven is really hot, keep the chicken into the oven on a baking tray. After 10 minutes turn the chicken over and baste it with the juices in the tray or with some oil. When both the sides are cooked (you can check by piercing the chicken and if the juices run clear then it is cooked) remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then cut the thighs into 2 (you will get a drumstick and the actual thigh part). Toss the chicken or rub it gently with chat masala powder (this does make a difference) and the chicken is ready to serve. Every time I make it, the chickens are well received.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-73879942983513516062007-11-16T23:18:00.000+00:002008-08-28T00:41:21.177+01:00Meen Kuzhambu (South Indian Fish Curry)<p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Bang after an extremely busy and lazy period. How you may ask one can be both at the same. Actually this is what I specialize in and am good at it - 30 years of practice helps. It has been festivities involving fireworks first for bonfire and then for Deepavali. I have been bingeing on too many goodies that is way beyond my waist could cope with. Trying to sober down but without much success. This meen kuzhambu recipe reflects my position, trying hard to sober down but returning to old ways. So here is the recipe for meen kuzhambu for the pure pleasure of food. I got the recipe from <a href="http://www.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?p=350818&highlight=#350818">this</a> site (a great place for discussing food especially South Indian style) and have pretty much used it without any change. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOvAtIl2qZkRHKqihHeGP8EbmhIEaY_3LASxL8vaAKyQt9tayDMfPxxvRLM0rbwFgbAmVcMGs50tAtVK4J4UMJ9CDh94or6HHn_bkmjADa-1AxG-P9Xg2wngu_7FMKXN3DE1GOaFXgvE/s1600-h/DSC00231.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOvAtIl2qZkRHKqihHeGP8EbmhIEaY_3LASxL8vaAKyQt9tayDMfPxxvRLM0rbwFgbAmVcMGs50tAtVK4J4UMJ9CDh94or6HHn_bkmjADa-1AxG-P9Xg2wngu_7FMKXN3DE1GOaFXgvE/s320/DSC00231.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133582668117557570" border="0" /></a></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Shallots – 1 cup (or 1 large red onion)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Coconut – ½ a coconut<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Tamarind – lemon size<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Tomato – 1<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Corriander powder – 4 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chilli powder – 2 <span style=""> </span>Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Turmeric powder – ½ tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Salt<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Fish – 750 gms<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Fenugreek seeds<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Curry Leaves<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Sesame oil – 3 tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Peel and chop the onions except 6 of the small onions. Is using a big onion chop it to medium size and reserve ¼th of them. Grind the coconut, tomato and the reserved onions to a fine paste. To this add the powders and grind again. Extract the tamarind juice and mix it with the ground paste. Clean the fish and rub it with turmeric powder and salt. Heat 2 Tbsp of sesame oil in a pan. Any oil can be used, in Tamil Nadu sesame oil is used to get a unique flavour. When the oil is hot add the fenugreek seeds (this gives a wonderful aroma) and add the curry leaves and onions and fry until the onions turns colour. Then add the ground paste with some water. This has to bubble of for atleast 20 mins. Use more water if the curry is thick. Then add the fish of your choice. King Fish goes very well for this recipe. Cook the curry till the fish is cooked. Pour over the remaining sesame oil on the curry and close it with a lid and enjoy. I have tried some other fish curry recipes as well, but none is as good as this one. The Kuzhambu taste even better the next day.</span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-73707897618068856152007-10-24T17:21:00.000+01:002008-08-28T00:41:39.653+01:00Beans Poriyal (Spicy Beans Stir Fry)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZ2AewVgMmBPA9tS6rFIyh70fR46IsXAA0s5eo-AVZ-7wb5Qvr-W1UCxy-ugZz7nSycvFeKRK49JilM5ydIjdBc0hvOezfeMM-pVQcZ4d9SSNfrcgQPZyl5R9FcJul_y_qoLxgL9ra4U/s1600-h/DSC00236_2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZ2AewVgMmBPA9tS6rFIyh70fR46IsXAA0s5eo-AVZ-7wb5Qvr-W1UCxy-ugZz7nSycvFeKRK49JilM5ydIjdBc0hvOezfeMM-pVQcZ4d9SSNfrcgQPZyl5R9FcJul_y_qoLxgL9ra4U/s320/DSC00236_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124939854194761666" border="0" /></a><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Got off the phone after a long chat with my mom and as of this moment I am filled with random thoughts. First and foremost, how will life be when I am 55? The very thought of me and S sitting by the fire on a cold evening waiting for a call from one of our children, gives me shudders. Suddenly I am homesick, I want to go home and give my mom a big hug, go around the Meenaskhi Amman temple and taste the panniyaram from the raod side vendor in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Madurai</st1:place></st1:city>. So what you may ask prevents me from actually getting on the plane and shooting off to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>? Apart from the family politics it is my green policy - Don’t want to contribute to the extra amount of Carbon Di Oxide. Okay that is a lousy reason. Leaving the reasoning behind and concentrating on the task at hand – What can make me feel better. A dash to Sparkhill and tucking into some of those oily samosas? The traffic on the road puts me off from going anywhere near that place. Remember I have an affinity to Traffic Jams. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Back to the present suddenly I start counting my blessings. One of them is my best friend B who is baby sitting my troops today, the whole day. Ain’t I lucky? Thanking my stars and hoping that the stars will be shinning 25 years later, I decided to cook beans poriyal for B. <span style=""> </span>This is something that mom used to make often and a recipe that I had never asked her. I just simply know how to make it after eating it for ages. So here goes my recipe<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Dwarf Beans – 200 Gms<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Grated Coconut – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Mustard seeds – 1 tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Urad dal – 1 tsp<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Asafetida – a pinch<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Slit Green chilles – 3runchy and hence don’t cook them thru.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Curry leaves – a twig<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Chop the beans and steam them till ¾ cooked. I like the beans to have a little crunch. Grate the coconut. The easiest way is grating fresh coconut using a blender and running it till the coconut is coarse. Better still if you get hold of some frozen coconut you can use them. If using desiccated coconut, soak them for a while in water and then drain the water and use the coconut. Heat a spoon of oil in a pan and temper it with mustard seeds, urad dal, green chillies and curry leaves. When Mustard seed pops up add the steamed beans and stir fry for a minute or two. Season it with salt at this stage. Remove from stove and add the coconut. Mix thoroughly and server it as a side dish. It goes well with rice, noodles and pasta. This recipe is quick, easy, simple and yummy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-18835333610350098752007-10-23T18:53:00.000+01:002008-08-28T00:41:43.544+01:00Pasta Bake<span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Everyone has a different pasta bake recipe. I tumbled upon mine by combining two recipes watched on TV. <span style=""> </span>If truth be told, this recipe was a result of confusion – one of those stories with happy endings. After a few iterations, pasta bake has become one of my camouflage dishes. You can add in any vegetable, steamed and mashed of course to evade detection. My kids love it and it doesn’t take too much effort to cook, what more could a mother want. I love it too; it’s a shame that S doesn’t like pasta. This is what he is missing……..<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7ZG86K6Nx4dB0zRexPHn5J4ZKiWjWk73Oq-uxUerWBL424pzxlhSOLUHVfWhsNpeH2hjQd_s778P3exSNKNUEdKPUiD5onnc8VwkQ6qfIt2tK4fTX7AN_D1jSRV_11ocPD9YRzk4ubQ/s1600-h/DSC00299.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7ZG86K6Nx4dB0zRexPHn5J4ZKiWjWk73Oq-uxUerWBL424pzxlhSOLUHVfWhsNpeH2hjQd_s778P3exSNKNUEdKPUiD5onnc8VwkQ6qfIt2tK4fTX7AN_D1jSRV_11ocPD9YRzk4ubQ/s320/DSC00299.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124593014110773170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> My troops are an undisciplined</span></span><i><span style="font-size: 7.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> lot and could not wait until their Commander took a picture</span></span><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Pasta – 200 gms<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cheese grated – 150 gms (this can be adjusted to taste)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Basil leaves – chopped<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Optional Garnish<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cooked Tuna steaks – 50 gms<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cooked Prawns - 6<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >White Sauce<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Flour – 1 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Butter or Olive oil – 2 Tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Milk – ½ cup<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Grated cheese – 1 handful (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Vegetable sauce<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Carrots – 2<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Potato – 1<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" ><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Any combination vegetables can be used although I stay away from cauliflower and cabbage<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. For the white sauce, melt the butter in the pan and add the flour. Mix the flour and the butter and combine it well. Start adding milk in spoonfuls and keep mixing. When the milk is combined well with the flour mixture add some more. Continue the process add milk-keep stirring to avoid lumps. When you have finished with the milk add the cheese. Stir it only in one direction (not both ways), it has some thing to do with the proteins in the cheese. The white sauce is done when the cheese is melted. The consistency of the sauce is a little thicker than single cream.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >If you are one of those lucky parents whose kids eat veggies or don’t have kids then you don’t have to make the sauce, just steam the vegetables you want to use.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >If you are like me then steam the vegetables and puree it in a blender. Now for the assembling bit – Place the pasta in a baking bowl and add the white sauce, vegetable sauce/or vegetables and then add the optional garnish. You don’t have to add the fish, I do, just to further the temptation for my children who happen to love fish and prawns. Alternately you could add cooked chicken or anything your heart desires. Mix them all thoroughly and cover with grated cheese. My choice of cheese is Mild cheddar (kid friendly), but Parmesan would go well too. Add the chopped basil on top and bake it for 20 mins at 200 C in a preheated oven. The basil crisps up during the baking process and needless to say is delicious. Go on give it a try, you will not regret it. Although I have presented it as a kiddie recipe, it is equally good for adults. Perfect food to enjoy on the sofa before the TV. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-69712112389520533542007-10-22T17:57:00.000+01:002008-08-28T00:41:25.830+01:00Sarkkarai Pongal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQlS9h8GPZ1-mGzsaRoj29CFWqlgiwFgKhn40s35P_AgpT_sZE1SqWPXJ8CuTlmv4QvURtJEhBR5ZpcVwZEmZAgKmyVh6LVVAXl-yfIjttcDUIpdZdsfGrCvrbVJFDDpezzR9b8DmUXs/s1600-h/DSC00297.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQlS9h8GPZ1-mGzsaRoj29CFWqlgiwFgKhn40s35P_AgpT_sZE1SqWPXJ8CuTlmv4QvURtJEhBR5ZpcVwZEmZAgKmyVh6LVVAXl-yfIjttcDUIpdZdsfGrCvrbVJFDDpezzR9b8DmUXs/s320/DSC00297.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124207343227461538" border="0" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >If there is one dish that has probably survived without much change for centuries, it must be Pongal – Tamil food can’t get any more authentic than that. The cooking method might have changed over time, but the dish itself has undergone only little change.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >The finished product depends on the quality of the main ingredients used, rice and Jaggery. Par boiled rice is generally consumed in TamilNadu, it always intrigues me as to why par boiled rice isn’t used for making Pongal. I am sure there must be some significance. I make Sarkkarai Pongal for most festivals including Saraswathi Poojai as it is simple to make and delicious to eat. Hence decided to enter it for the <a href="http://vcuisine.blogspot.com/2007/09/rci-tamil-festivals-regional-cuisine-of.html">RCI</a> Tamilnadu festival food event. This recipe of mine is influenced by reading various tips from <a href="http://www.mayyam.com/hub/viewforum.php?f=14&sid=b1926572216d7faffa2d15967d96dfd8">this</a> place, a wonderful site for discussing food. So here goes my recipe<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Rice – 1 cup</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Jaggery – 1 cup (Oh yes I have a sweet tooth)</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cardamom – 2 (roughly smashed)</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Ghee/butter – 1 spoon</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Milk – 1 cup</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Cashew nut/raisins/thinly sliced coconut strips – as per taste</span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p>Pressure cook the rice with 1 cup milk and 2 cups water. Once cooked mash it with a spoon as much as you can. In a thick bottom pan place the jaggery and ½ cup water on slow flame to melt it. Skim away any impurities that may come on the top. There are different varieties of jaggery and many people consider achu vellam the best. I use a combination of achu vellam and karupati (this gives a nice brown colour to the Pongal). After skimming away the top layer, add the cooked rice and stir well till all the water in the mixture is absorbed into the rice and the rice reaches a thick consistency. In a small pan heat the butter or ghee and add the cashew nuts, raisins and/or the coconut strips. When the cashew is golden brown and the raisins swell add this garnish to the rice and mix well. Finish off by adding some crushed cardamom. Some like to finish off with a generous amount of butter. There you have it, a dish favoured by all Gods!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >P.S - a handful of moong dal is generally added to the rice in the cooker. I have found that moong flares my younger troops eczema and so I haven't included it in the recipe. I feel it doesn't make a big difference to the taste.<br /></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876540832146663666.post-34632821484330965462007-10-17T22:24:00.000+01:002007-10-22T21:39:03.395+01:00Chicken Tikka Masala and perfection<p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >Just when one thought that one had enough dose of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/chickentikkamasala_87269.shtml">CTM</a>, no not from the Baltis, rather from the plethora of food programs, there comes along a program from BBC (little surprise there) in its ‘quest’ to find the ‘perfect’ CTM, whatever that means.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" >The perfectionist in this case is the famous Heston Blumenthal of ‘The Fat Duck’. He travels to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Delhi</st1:place></st1:city> (where else) in search for the perfect Chicken Tikka Masala. Until this point the program followed the time and tested track. And then it went a step further in search of perfection. No the tandoori oven in the car park dug by the chef didn’t shock me. All the lab tests conducted to verify if yogurt really made a difference <span style=""> </span>to the marinade didn’t do the trick. The double marinade and the technique didn’t move me. <span style=""> </span>The way the sauce or rather what went inside got me jumping mad on the sofa – A regular tomato sauce with the usual onion, ginger, garlic and tomato paste (cooked in a pressure cooker and reduced) was underway when suddenly the chef tossed in some cashew butter that is ground cashew nut paste for you and me. The crown of the whole episode was when a can of coconut milk went in. Everything that happened after that including the butter did not matter much. And this ladies and gentleman is the perfect Chicken Tikka masala.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Devihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090379465037990867noreply@blogger.com0