Maachher Jhol - Bangladeshi Fish Curry

Maachher Jhol - Bangladeshi Fish Curry

India's Neighbouring country and my Father's birthplace is Bangladesh. My father was born in undivided India. Like him a lot of present residents of East India were born in today's Bangladesh and when they came to India (as it is today) they brought along with them the food habits and some wonderful recipes. Today I am going to share one such recipe, which I learnt from from her. This simple fish curry can be made from any white fish. In case you don't get fresh water fish, you can use sea fish too... but the Fish Curry and Rice remains the ultimate comfort food for any Bengalis around the world.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Resting Time       :  10 -15 minutes
Cooking Time      :  40 minutes (including frying the fish)
Difficulty              :  Medium
Serves                  :  6 - 8

Ingredients :

800 grams White-fleshed Fish

1/2 teaspoon ground Turmeric (or use Turmeric Powder, use can reduce the amount slightly in that case) 

1/2 teaspoon Salt 

2/3 Cup Mustard oil or Vegetable oil (though traditionally it is cooked in Mustard Oil, but most non-Indians can't take the pungency if this oil)

For the Curry

1 tablespoon ground Coriander Seeds (or Coriander Powder) 

1 teaspoon ground Cumin Seeds (or Cumin Powder)

1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated Ginger

1 teaspoon ground Turmeric (or Turmeric Powder) 

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or Red Chili Powder

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon Nigella Seeds/Onion Seeds/Kalonji/Kalo Jeere 

4 whole Dried Red Chilies 

2 Bay Leaves

1 large Onion peeled, chopped

3 whole Green Chilies

1/2 cup Water

Method :

   1) Cut the fillets in about 4 cm size. Make sure that the pieces are almost uniform in size, so that they cook at the same time.

   2) Wash and clean the fish and drain properly.

   3) Rub the fish well with the 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

   4) Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium flame. If you are using mustard oil, let it get smoking hot.

5) Now put fish pieces carefully in the oil and brown lightly on all sides without cooking them through. Don't put all the pieces together, they would not fry properly, fry them in batches.

   6) Gently lift the fish out of the oil and put it on a plate. Turn off the heat.

   7) Combine the ground coriander seeds, the cumin, ginger, 1 tsp turmeric,chili powder (cayenne pepper) and 1/2 tsp of salt in a small bowl. Add 3 tbsp of water and mix.

   8) Remove all but 5/6 tbsp of oil from the frying pan. Heat the frying pan over a medium flame.

   9) When hot, put in the nigella seeds(onion seeds/kalonji). When they crackle, a few seconds later, put in the whole red chillies.
 
 10) As soon as they darken a bit, put in the bay leaves. When the bay leaves start to darken, put in the chopped onion.

  11) Stir and fry the onion, lowering the heat, if necessary, until it is translucent and lightly browned. But don't allow the onions to get too browned, that will spoil the taste totally.

  12) Add the spice paste. Stir and fry it for about 1 minute.

  13) Add around a cup of water and let it come to boil.

  14) Bring the heat to simmer and put in the fish in a single layer. Lay the green chillies over the fish.

  15) Increase the heat a little and let it simmer for 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish pieces as you do so.

  16) Now cover, turn the heat to low and cook the fish for 10-15 minutes or until it is just done.

  17) Check the seasoning and adjust if required.

  18) Serve machher jhol with steaming hot rice.

Canadian Lobster Casserole

Canadian Lobster Casserole

There is a slight chill in Kolkata's night air... I know it's not going to be here for long, moreover today in Monday and as usual I feel extemely lazy to cook. I was surfing through my old recipe book when I came across this recipe, a quick and easy casserole, I learned from my Canadian ex-colleague. She told me that the Lobster season in Canada starts around May and towards the end the lobsters become very cheap, that is when her mom used to prepare this dish. I tried it a number of times, and every time my sons licked off till the last crumb. So if you are too tired to cook tonight why not try this dish for a change.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time      : 10 minutes
Baking Time         : 20 - 25 minutes
Difficulty              :  Very Easy
Serves                  :   4

Ingredients :

• 3 tablespoons Butter
• 450 grams Lobster Meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons plain Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon Dry Mustard Powder
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 cup Heavy Cream (Those who are in India, try packaged ones of Amul
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 3 slices Bread, crust removed

 

Method :

 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

 2) Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish.
 
 3) Melt butter in a medium sized pot over low heat. Saute the lobster meat in butter until it starts to change color. Do not cook too long or too fast, or the lobster meat will toughen.

 4) With a slotted spoon, remove lobster meat from pan and set aside.

 5) To the remaining butter in the pot, stir in the flour, dry mustard, salt and pepper.

 6) Gradually whisk in cream and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

 7) Return lobster meat to the pot. Mix well.

 8) Tear the bread into small pieces and stir into the mixture.

 9) Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and delicately browned.

10) Serve hot with some salad.

 

Note :

Like I sometimes do, you can too, add a few veggies like broccoli florrets or some fresh carrots to the dish to make it a substantial meal.

Burmese Chicken Curry - Gaeng Gai Bama

Burmese Chicken Curry - Gaeng Gai Bama

This is a wonderful Chicken dish cooked with coconut milk and a very little spices. I had this dish cooked by an ex-colleague of mine, who was Half - Burmese. She learnt this from her Burmese mother. This curry is very easy to prepare and is essentially served with hot and freshly cooked rice on Banana leaves. The flavours and the aroma of the dish are so good that this mouth watering dish does not last for long. So here is a little warning for my friends, who plans to cook this dish over the weekend... do cook a couple of extra servings.

Preparation Time  : 20 minutes
Cooking Time       : 30 minutes
Difficulty               :  Easy
Serves                   :   4

Ingredients :

1/4 cup Vegetable Oil (I used Sunflower oil)

8 Shallots, thinly sliced

450 grams skinless, boneless Chicken Meat, cut into large piece　

2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste (For Curry Paste Recipe, see Note)

1 tablespoon Curry Powder (You can use any packaged Curry Powder)

1/2 cup Coconut Milk (if you can't take the trouble of making fresh, use packaged ones, they are equally good)

1/4 cup Pureed Tomato (same applies for this)

2 tablespoons Fish Sauce (original recipe calls for a fermented fish paste, which according to me has a distinctive pungent smell, which most people can't take, so I opted for a lighter version, by using Fish Sauce)

1 tablespoon Palm Sugar (if you don't get Palm sugar, use jaggery instead)

2 medium Tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 bunch Cilantro/Coriander leaves, chopped

Salt to taste

Water as per requirement

 

Method :

  1) Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over low heat.

  2) Stir fry the shallots until browned and tender.

  3) Drain shallots on a Paper-towel lined dish, reserving the oil in the skillet.

  4) Place the chicken in the skillet with the reserved oil, and stir in the curry paste and curry powder to evenly coat. Stir fry for a couple of minutes.

  5) Pour in enough water to cover, and bring to a boil.

  6) Reduce heat, cover skillet, and simmer until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

  7) Stir the coconut milk, tomato puree, fish sauce, palm sugar, and 1/2 the tomato wedges into the skillet.

  8) Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Check the taste and then add salt as per requirement.

  9) Mix in the remaining tomatoes, and continue cooking until tender.

 10) Top with cilantro and the fried shallots and the dish is ready to serve.

 11) Serve Gaeng Gai Bama with steaming hot rice, preferably on Banana Leaf.

 

Note :

It requires the following :

 

3 Dried whole chilies

1 1/2 tablespoons ginger roots

1/4 cup garlic

3-4 tablespoons sliced lemongrass

1 tablespoon salt

3/4 cup shallots

1 teaspoon shrimp paste (you can use Thai or Chinese shrimp paste)

1 tablespoon Lime Zest

1 tablespoon Cilantro roots

 

 

 

Slice shallots, lemongrass, ginger and cilantro roots into small pieces. I use one stalk of lemongrass. Peel off the hard outter leaves. Slice thinly or grate the lime zest. They will grind into fine paste with smaller fibers

Pakistani Beef Korma

Pakistani Beef Korma

Tomorrow Muslims world-wide celebrate Bakri Eid. I thought this was the right time to share something from a Muslim Country. This Korma is a kind of Curry, which is cooked with almost anything. I choose to prepare Beef Korma. But you can make it out of Lamb/ Mutton/Chicken even a Vegetable Korma is prepared at most homes. The rich flavours and subtle use of spices makes this dish so unique in taste. It is quite easy to prepare, so with just a little preparation before hand, you can give your Family and Friend a Eid Dawat (Special Dinner Invitation for Eid).

Preparation Time  : 20 minutes
Cooking Time       :  2 hours
Difficulty               :  Easy
Serves                   :   6

Ingredients :

1 tbsp Cumin Seeds

4 tbsp Coriander Seeds

1-2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Saffron Threads

3 tbsp Hot Milk

6 tbsp Ghee or Clarified Butter

2 middle-sized Onions, chopped

5 Black Cardamom pods/ Cinnamon sticks

4 Cloves

3 Bay leaves

1 Fresh Ginger, grated

4 Garlic Cloves (minced)

1 Kilo Boneless Beef (cut into-1/2-inch cubes)

1 cup fresh Yogurt (sweet)

1/4 cup Cream

1 tbsp Rose Water (heavy)

1/4 cup Blanched Almond

 

Method :

  1) Grind the cumin and coriander seeds in a spice mill, combine with the red pepper and place near the stove.

  2) Soak the saffron in hot milk.

  3) Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a large, shallow, heavy pan.

  4) Stir in the onions, cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves.

  5) Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to turn reddish brown, about 15 minutes.

  6) Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the onions are reddish brown.

  7) Mix in the ground spices and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 seconds, or until the spices release their fragrance.

  8) Dry the beef pieces with paper towels and stir half of it into the spice mixture.

  9) Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, making sure all the meat is coated with the spices.

  10) Stir in the remaining meat, and cook as before, scraping the bottom of the pan. If the mixture gets too dry, splash in a little water.

  11) Turn the heat to medium. Start adding the yogurt, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly and incorporating it into the mixture before adding the next tablepoon.

12) Turn the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer the meat for about 1 and 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

  13) If necessary, splash in a little water from time to time. When the meat is tender, add salt to taste.

  14) Stir the cream and cook until the sauce is thick. Stir in the saffron and rose water and heat thoroughly.

  15) Fry the almonds in a little oil until golden brown. Serve the Beef Korma hot, garnished with the almonds.

  16) This dish can be served with Plain Long grained Rice, Pilaf or Naan, livened

flat bread.

Char Kuey Teow - Malaysian Shrimp n Noodles

Char Kuey Teow - Malaysian Shrimp n Noodles

You can't miss Char Kuey Teow, if you go to Malaysia. This one of the best known dishes available in the road - side food stalls. The freshly made Rice Noodles or Kuey Teow (spelt as Kway Teow) and loads of Shrimps, bloody cockles, Chinese lap cheong (sausage), eggs, bean sprouts, squids and chives in a mix of soy sauce make this mouth watering dish. What attracted me to dish was the charred smell of the Rice noodles that comes from super heated wok in which the ingredients are stir fried.  This dish is generally cooked in lard... I always cook it in peanut oil, though it does not taste exactly same. I am sure you would enjoy this dish as much as I do.

Preparation Time  : 30 minutes
Cooking Time       : 45 minutes
Difficulty               : Medium
Serves                   :  6

Ingredients :

450 grams fresh Flat Rice Noodles (Kway Teow noodles) or dried flat rice noodles, cooked as packet instruction 

3 tablespoon Garlic, peeled, finely chopped

200 grams Lard, finely diced, or substitute with 4 tablespoon Peanut Oil

200 grams Squid, cleaned, cut into inch squares or thick rings (you can use packaged ones)

200 grams of medium-sized Shrimps, cleaned,deveined, keep the tail if you wish

1 Lap Cheong (Chinese sweet sausage), cut diagonally into thin slices (you can also use any normal sausage if you wish)

2 to 3 Eggs

4 cups fresh Bean Sprouts

1/2 cup fresh Chives, cut into 1½ inch lengths or use scallions

2 tablespoon thick, Dark Soy Sauce (choose a brand that has a high caramel content)

3 tablesp Light Soy Sauce

Salt to taste

White Pepper to taste

2 tablespoon Water

 This recipe calls for Fresh Cockles, but I have never used them.. I genarally use 1 additional cup of Shrimps 

Ingredients for pan-roasted Chili Paste :

3 tablespoon Lard, which I substitute with peanut or vegetable oil

2 tablespoon Garlic, peeled, finely chopped

1 tbsp Belacan, also spelt belachan or blacan (dried shrimp paste mostly available in Oriental ingredients rack in Super Markets)

1 tablespoon Sugar

1 1/2 cups Chili Paste (use packaged ones or soak red chilies in luke warm water and grind)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

 

Method :

To prepare Pan-roasted Chili Paste :

 

  1) Heat wok over medium high flame, add lard or oil

 

  2) Once the Oil is hot, add Belacan(Shrimp paste), and stir-fry till belacan is quite roasted

 

  3) Add garlic, stir-fry till light golden brown

 

  4) Add chili paste and stir rapidly, till it bubbles

 

  5) Add sugar, salt and white pepper to taste

 

  6) Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, keep stirring 15-25 mins till the chili sauce reduces, oil starts to separate, and color of the chili paste changes to a dark, reddish brown - Be careful not to burn!

 

  7) Immediately pour the pan-roasted chili paste into a small bowl and set aside.

 

  8) Use to your taste of hotness.

 

  9) Cool and Store any extra in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays well for more than a month.

 

To Prepare Rice Noodles : 
1) If you are using Fresh flat rice noodles...  Gently separate the noodles.
 If they are too stuck together, do not force them apart. Soak the noodles in warm water for 1 to 2 mins, and using your fingers, gently separate the noodles. Be careful not to soak them too long - noodles should be 'al dente' or they will break up too much when stir frying. Drain thoroughly.

2) If using packaged Dried flat rice noodles.... To prepare, pour hot boiling water, enough to cover the dried noodles. Soak till just al dente. Use a chopstick or tongs to give it a stir to separate the noodles in the hot water.

 3) Drain the hot water from the noodles. Immediately place noodles under a cold tap and allow cold running water to cool off the noodles. Drain well. It's vital for the noodles to be just al dente - not soft so that it does not break up too much when stir-frying

To stir fry Char Kway Teow :

 

 1) In a small bowl, mix the thick, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce with 2 tablespoon water This is your flavoring soy sauce mixture. Set this aside.

 

 2) Heat wok on high flame, add lard cubes if you use it, otherwise omit this step. 

 

 3) If you are using lard, melt it and remove lard oil into a small bowl.

 

 4) Heat wok, preferably a cast iron wok to smoking hot, add 4 tablespoom of the lard oil or peanut oil

 

 5) Immediately add garlic and stir-fry garlic a few seconds, add lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and stir-fry the lap cheong for about a minute.

 

 6) Toss in fresh shrimp and squid, stir-fry till just turned opaque - do not overcook

 

 7) Add noodles, sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoon of the soy sauce mixture all over the noodles, and salt and white pepper to taste.

 

 8) Gently stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.

 

 9) Make a circular empty space in the middle of the wok, using your ladle to push the noodles up and all around the outer edges of the wok.

 

10) Add 1-2 teaspoon lard or peanut oil, break 2 or 3 eggs upto your preference, add a pinch of salt to the eggs.

 

Picture Curtesy : RasaMalaysia                                  

 

11) Roughly scramble the eggs, when it's done, push the eggs aside, add the fresh cockles if you are using it, and stir-fry a few seconds otherwise, simply Omit This Step.

 

12) Fold the noodles over and add 3 tablespoon of the pan-roasted chili paste. If you think you can't handle the heat, reduce or increasease according to your taste.

 

13) Stir-fry gently, allow noodles to get slightly charred in the hot wok, 5-8 minutes. 

 

14) Finally add chives/scallions and bean sprouts, fold the noodles over, give it one good last stir-fry to mix well with the noodles.

 

15) Turn off heat, dish onto individual serving plates, add a dash of white pepper and serve hot immediately.

 

Note :
The bean sprouts should be nice & crunchy when the Char Kway Teow is served. Therefore, it's very important to add the bean sprouts at the very last minute - as the bean sprouts will continue to cook & wilt after removal from heat.

For an authentic 'Char-red' Kway Teow i.e. for that 'charred taste', you have to maintain a very hot wok, preferably an cast-iron wok. Also, it is best to divide the ingredients and stir-fry the noodles in smaller or individual servings.

　

 

Jasha Maroo or Bhutanese Mince Meat Curry

Jasha Maroo or Bhutanese Mince Meat Curry

Bhutanese dishes are not as common as Chinese or Thai or Even Burmese food but the food from Bhutan are simple affair that are prepared from fresh local ingredients. The simple people of Bhutan traditionally rear sheep and goats, which provide them with both food and clothing. I had this dish during my first visit to Thimpu, The Capital city of Bhutan. It was served with loads of fried potatoes, steaming fresh rice and a bowl of simple salad made of cucumber, onions and tomatoes. The flavours of this dish are so simple and honest that it stole my heart. I have prepared this dish over and again and it never failed to please my guests or my family members. You can try preparing this dish at home, I am sure your family members would feel the same.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time      :  25 minutes
Difficulty              :  Very Easy
Serves                  :   4 - 5

Ingredients :

1 kilo Mutton/Lamb mince
2 tbspoon of Vegetable Oil
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 medium Onions, sliced
2 - 3  Tomato, chopped
3 Green Chilies, cut into small pieces or use Chili powder
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
Chopped Cilantro/Coriander leaves

Method :

1. Wash Clean and drain Mince well.

2. Heat a wok over medium high heat, add oil to the wok.

3. Put in onions, tomatoes, chilies and garlic, give a quick stir and lower the heat to medium.

4. Add Coriander powder and Turmeric powder. Mix well.

5. Add the mince and salt. Mix well with the onion mix in the wok.

6. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or till the mince is well cooked. Check the water in between, if it dries up add a little at a time.

7. Check the seasoning and adjust if required.

8. Serve hot with rice and don't foregt to sprinkle the chopped Cilantro/coriander leaves before serving.
 

Malooba or Maklooba

Malooba or Maklooba

This is an authentic Arabic recipe. This is mostly cooked in Egypt, Jordon and all other Mediterranean countries. The dish is slightly elaborate, because of it's long list of ingredients and also the time taken. But if you care to cook this wonderful dish created Rice, Chicken, Cauliflower, potato and different spices, you with be rewarded with a dish so unique in flavours and aroma that you would love to prepare it time and again. This dish is said to have been a favourite dish of the Pharaohs .. who knows, may be so... but the aromas of this are sure to transport you to the bygone eras.

Preparation Time :  1 hours
Cooking Time      :  1 1/2 hours
Difficulty              :  Medium
Serves                  :  6

Ingredients :

1 whole Chicken, weighing around 1 1/2 kilos, cut into pieces

6 cups Water

1 medium Onion, quartered

2 tablespoons ground Allspice/Kabab Chini

1/2 teaspoon ground Cardamom(Green Cardamom)

3 whole Cardamom seeds (Black Cardamom)

4 whole Cloves

3 Bay leaves

Few Strands of Saffron

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Nutmeg

2 1/2 cups uncooked Basmati rice, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons ground Allspice

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 large Potato, sliced into rounds1

1 large head Cauliflower, separated into florets

1 large Eggplant, peeled, cubed, and salted; make sure to place in a colander so water can drain

2 medium Tomatoes, diced

Salt to Taste

Pepper to taste

Toasted pine nuts, for garnish

Method :

   1) Place chicken in a large pot with 6 cups water, onion, 2 tablespoons allspice, ground cardamom, cardamom seeds, whole cloves salt, paper corn and bay leaves.

   2) Bring to a boil, and cook until chicken is tender, about 40 minutes.

   3) Soak the rice in water while waiting for the chicken to cook. And also soak saffron strands in 1/4 cup of warm water.

   4) When the chicken is almost done, drain the water off, and stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of allspice.

   5) Remove chicken, strain and reserve broth.

   6)  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

   7) Fry the potatoes and cauliflower in the hot oil until browned. They do not need to fully cooked. Next fry the eggplants and drain on a paper lined plate.

   8) In a separate pot with a thick bottom, Add a bit of oil, add onions and sweat them. Then layer fried potatoes on the bottom. This is done so that the rice will not stick to the bottom of the pan.

   9) Add the cauliflower, eggplants and tomatoes, and sprinkle a handful of rice over the vegetables.

  10) Remove the bones from the chicken and place the chicken in the pot.

  11) Cover with the rest of the rice. Pour Soaked Saffron from the top.

  12) Pour in the reserved broth until it reaches a level about 1/2 inch above the level of the rice.

  13) Cover the pot, and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour, until rice is tender.

  14) When the liquid has absorbed, have a large round tray ready. Let the cooked dish stand for 10 minutes.

  15) Uncover the pot, and place the tray over the top. Invert so that the pan is upside down on top of the tray. Let stand for 5 minutes like this, then slowly remove the pot to let the food fall onto the tray.

  16) Serve the dish hot with Fatoosh salad and bowl full of Greek yogurt, garnished with roasted Pine nuts.

　

Moroccan Vegetable Curry

Moroccan Vegetable Curry

The vegetable curry is a staple meal in every part of the world and each country has it's own signature Vegetable Curry. The Vegetables used in the curry are almost same everywhere, it's the spices and herbs that makes all the difference. The flavours of a curry reflect the food and cultural heritage of that country. This Vegetable Curry is no exception. It is mostly spiked up with orange juice, you can also use ginger juice to give it an unique flavour.

Preparation Time  : 15 minutes
Cooking Time       :  35 minutes
Difficulty               :  Easy
Serves                   :  4

Ingredients :

1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed

1 medium Eggplant/Brinjal, cubed

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped

2 Carrots, chopped

1 Onion, chopped

1 Zucchini, sliced

300 grams Spinach

6 tablespoons Olive Oil (use ordinary Olive Oil, no need for Extra Virgin)

3 cloves Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground Turmeric (or use 1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder)

1 tablespoon Curry Powder (use any ordinary packaged Curry powder)

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

3/4 tablespoon Sea Salt

3/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper/ Kashmiri Mirch

400 grams Garbanzo beans/Chick Peas, soaked overnight, boiled and drained

1/4 cup blanched Almonds

2 tablespoons Raisins

1 cup Orange Juice

 

Method :

  1 ) In a large pot place sweet potato, eggplant, peppers, carrots, onion, and three tablespoons oil.

  2) Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes.

  3) In a medium saucepan place 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes.

  4) Pour garlic and spice mixture into the large pot with vegetables in it.

  5) Add the garbanzo beans/Chick peas, almonds, zucchini, raisins, and orange juice.

  6) Simmer 20 minutes, covered.

  7) Add spinach to pot and cook for 5 more minutes.

  8) Check the seasonings and adjust if required. Serve hot along with long grained cooked rice. You can also sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves on the curry before serving.

　

 

Pan Shreared Cuban Sea Bass

Pan Sheared Cuban Sea Bass

This recipe I first had at a small Cuban food joint in New york. The Sea Bass was fresh and the cooking was excellent. I liked the dish so very much that I had visited that place three subsequent days and ordered the same dish. On the third day the Chef himself walked out of the kitchen and wanted to ask me about this dish and I took the opportunity to fish out the recipe for this yummy dish from that kitchen hardened Cuban Chef.  I am glad that I did. This dish is a super hit here in India, specially with my sons. I am sure, when you cook this dish the reaction at your home will be same.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time      :  25 - 30 minutes
Difficulty              :  Easy
Serves                  :  4

Ingredients : 

• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 cups white Onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced Garlic
• 4 cups Plum Tomatoes, seeded and chopped (in case you don't get plum tomatoes, use regular ones that are smaller in size and perfectly ripened) 
• 1 1/2 cups Dry White Wine
• 2/3 cup sliced Stuffed Green Olives
• 1/4 cup drained Capers (you will get bottled Capers in Super Markets)
• 1/8 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 4  x 150 grams Fillets Sea Bass (ask your fish monger to do the fillets) 
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro/Coriander leaves chopped
• Salt to taste

Method :

  1) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

 

  2) Saute onions until soft. Stir in garlic, and saute about 1 minute.

 

  3) Add tomatoes, and cook until they begin to soften. Stir in wine, olives, capers, and red pepper flakes. Heat to a simmer.

  4) Place sea bass fillets into sauce. Take care, not to overlap them.

 

  5) Cover, and gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

 

  6) Transfer fish to a serving plate, and keep warm.

  7) Increase the heat, and add butter to sauce. Add salt.

 

  8) Simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in cilantro. Check the seasoning and adjust if required.

 

  9) Serve sauce over fish. And serve hot with a bowl of long grained rice.

Colombian Sancocho

Colombian Sancocho

This is a Chicken stew from Colombia. This is an everyday kind of meal, cooked with Plantain, Cassava roots, Tomatoes and Onions. There is nothing exotic about this dish. It is simple meal, which is shared by the family, sitting together for lunch or dinner. Generally Sancocho is a community meal cooked over a big pot over open fire. The measurements given here are actually meant for that, you can reduce them according to your requirement. So when you just want a homely dish for a close knit family dinner, just think about this dish. I do. My family members love to have this simple stew at the end of a tiring day and I am sure that you and your family members would also love it.

Preparation Time   : 20 minutes
Cooking Time        :  40 minutes
Difficulty                :  Easy
Serves                    :  10 - 12

Ingredients : 

• 2 liters Water
• 1 tablespoon Salt　
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Cilantro/Coriander Leaves
• 4 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 6 Chicken Leg quarters
• 2 Plantains (green), peeled and cut into 6 pieces
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 1 Kilo Potatoes, peeled
• 2 kilos fresh Cassava roots, cut into 6 pieces (there is no actual substitute for Cassava Roots, it is available in most Super markets. In case you really want to substitute, you can use Whole Corn Cobs instead of Cassava) 
• 2 tablespoons Cooking Oil (any Vegetable Oil)
• 4 large Onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground Cumin, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon mild Paprika, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
• 1 kilo Tomatoes, chopped

Method :

  1) Place the water into a large pot, and add 1 tablespoon salt , chopped cilantro (coriander), garlic, chicken legs, plantains, and 1 onion.

  2) Bring to a boil, and cook for about 20 minutes.


Sanchocho Pots in Community Kitchen

  3) Add the potatoes and cassava (Corn cobs) to the pot, and continue to cook for another 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

  4) While the chicken and vegetables are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

  5) Fry the onions in the hot oil, and season with cumin, paprika, and salt.

  6) When the onions are limp, stir in the tomatoes, and remove from heat. And set aside.

  7) Check the potatoes and cassava (Corn Cobs), if they are tender, check the seasoning and adjust if required.

  8) To serve, spoon the chicken stew into bowls, and top it with the tomato onion sauce.

  9) You can also serve Rice/Bread with this stew in order to mop up the juices.

Afghani Murgh

Afghani Murgh

Because of it's Geographical location Afghanistan has a unique cooking style. It has adopted it cooking style from all the neighbouring countries and developed it's own signature which is spicy yet not too hot. It is full of aromas with a subtle use of dried fruits like apricots, dates and figs. They also use a lot of nuts along with the mutton, which they generally derived from lambs. This Chicken dish is generally cooked as a one pot meal and served with tandoori roti or Flat breads, roasted over open clay fire pots. With a little planning you can serve this wonderful chicken dish for dinner.

Preparation Time  : 10 minutes
Marination Time   :  Overnight
Cooking Time       :  45 minutes
Difficulty               :  Very Easy
Serves                   :  4

Ingredients  :

• 2 cups and 2 tablespoons plain Yogurt
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 4 whole Chicken Legs, skinned and separated
• 4 cups Chicken Broth
• 400 grams Garbanzo Beans/Chick peas (soaked overnight and boiled)
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 1 large Carrot peeled and sliced
• 1 Zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• Salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground Pepper
• ¼ cup chopped fresh Dill (you can also used dried dill)
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 8 -10 whole Dated, seeded

Method :

  1) Place 2 cups of the yogurt, garlic, cumin, and chicken pieces in a sealable bowl or bag. Rub the chicken till the marinade is evenly coated and place it in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.

 

  2) Place a skillet over medium-high heat.

 

  3) Remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the skillet with the broth, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, onion, carrot, zucchini, salt, and pepper.

 

  4) Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

 

  5) Remove the lid and add the dates.

 

  6) Cook for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

 

  7) The broth should have reduced by half.

 

  8) Stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons of yogurt, dill, and lemon juice in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Add it to the chicken and simmer for another 2- 3 minutes.

 

  9) Check the seasonings and adjust if required. Serve hot with Tandoori Roti (flat breads) or  over long grain white rice.

 

Chingrir Malaikari - Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce

Chingrir Malaikari - Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce

This Shrimp dish is a very famous one all over Bangladesh. The country gets a fresh supply of Prawns, Shrimps and Lobsters from it's water bodies (rivers . lakes and sea) and cook a varieties of dishes from the day's catch. This dish is very easy to cook and is equally tasty. The recipe though varies sightly from household to household, everyone claiming theirs to be the most authentic one. I have personally tasted five to six different types of cooking in the city of Dhaka alone. Here I am posting a recipe which I liked best and got addicted to. Even my hubby, who is not much of a fan for any thing coconut's, fell for this dish. This recipe is my tribute to my ancestral land.

Preparation Time :  30 minutes
Cooking Time      :  45 minutes
Difficulty              :  Medium
Serves                  :  4 - 6

Ingredients :

• 12 Large Prawns, Cleaned, shelled, except the head and tail (read the details of cleaning)
• 2 medium Onion, churned into paste
• 1 inch Piece of Ginger, finely grated
• 2 whole Green Chili, churned into paste along with onions
• 1 teaspoon Cloves
• 3 pods of Green Cardamom
• 1 inch stick of Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder (you can use Kashmiri Mirch if you don't want it to be too spicy)
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder (available in most Indian food stores)
• 400 mils of Coconut Cream (The first extract, you can also buy can/tetra packs)
• Salt to taste
• Pinch Sugar
• 1/3 cup of Mustard Oil (slightly pungent oil, derived from Mustard seeds, used extensively in cooking in Eastern India and Bangladesh)
• 1 Tablespoon Ghee (Clarified Butter)

 

Method :

First comes the cleaning and shelling the Prawns. You can get them cleaned from the vendor, in that case ask him to keep the Head and the tail intact but remove the black string from the back of the Prawn.  In case you are cleaning it, chop off the eyes, you will find a plastic like string in the head, remove it. Then remove the legs and the jacket, leaving the tail part intact. Hold the back side facing you, make a slight incision with a sharp knife, you will find a black string, remove that and when done, wash the prawn once more and set aside to drain.

1) You can make a paste of Onion, Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilies separately or you can also puree them together with a tablespoon of water. Set aside.

2) In a big wok heat oil over medium-high heat till the oil stops bubbling.

3) Add the whole spices (Clove, Cardamon and Cinnamon) to the oil, but be careful, they might splatter.

4) Reduce the heat immediately to medium and add the onion paste and the dry spice powders (cumin, coriander, Turmeric, Garam masala) and fry well.

5) The spices needs to be fried till they start leaving oil from the sides. This will take about 5 - 7 minutes.

6) Once the paste is mostly dry and the oil has separated, lower the heat to simmer and add half of the coconut cream.

7) Stir in well and keep stirring till the oil starts separating again.

8) Now add the salt and mix. Taste to check the seasoning and adjust if required.

9) Now add the Prawns to the Sauce and mix well.

10) keep turning till the prawn fleshes turn completely pink. This will take about 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of the prawn.

11) Once the prawns are completely cooked add rest of the coconut cream and mix well. Lace with pinch sugar, mix well and set aside.

12) In a small pan, heat Ghee (Clarified butter) and add a large pinch of garam Masala, hold over heat, till ghee melts and you get an aroma of the spices. Take it off the fire and pour over the Prawn Curry and mix well.

13)  Your Prawn in Coconut Cream Sauce is ready to serve. Serve it hot over a plate of Basmati rice.

Thai Sweet and Sour Stir Fry with Broccoli

Thai Sweet and Sour Stir Fry with Broccoli

Thailand streets are full of road side vendors and they rustle up some wonderful dishes which enchant your senses and mesmerise you with the aroma and look. They are fast and easy to prepare and equally tasty. During my three visits to Thailand I picked up lots of recipes from these roadside vendors. This is one such dish. The Sweet and Sour Chicken Pieces, stir fried with Broccoli and served on Hot bowl of fragrant Jasmine Rice is a simple treat from Food Heaven. Try this out for yourself and enjoy it with your family and friends.

Preparation Time  : 10 minutes
Cooking Time       :  20 minutes
Difficulty               :  Very Easy
Serves                   :   4

Ingredients :

3 cups Broccoli florets

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

2 skinless, boneless Chicken Breast Halves - cut into 1 inch strips

1/4 cup sliced Green Onions

4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce

1 tablespoon Chili Paste

1 tablespoon low sodium Soy Sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced

1/8 cup Chicken Stock (you can also use stock cubes in water)

 

Method :

   1) Place broccoli in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes.

 

   2) Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add and saute the chicken for a few minutes. 

 

   3) Now add green onions, and garlic saute until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

 

   4) Stir the hoisin sauce, chili paste, and soy sauce into the skillet.

 

   5) Season with ginger, red pepper, salt, and black pepper.

 

   6) Stir in the chicken stock and simmer about 2 minutes.

 

   7) Mix in the steamed broccoli until coated with the sauce mixture.

 

   8) Once the sauce is thick, taste and adjust seasonings, if required.

 

   9) Serve hot over a bowl of Hot Jasmine Rice. You can also sprinkle some chopped Green onion from the top to make the dish look better. 

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

This is an Franco - Italian dish, which is named after the Marsala wine, in which the chicken cutlets are cooked. This dish is generally a very easy dish which includes, mushrooms and herbs and some recipes from Italy also adds up some cream to make a creamier version. But to me The simple Chicken breasts or cutlets cooked with Marsala Wine tastes much better. This Marsala wine is specially grown and processed in Marsala, in Sicily. In case you think you can't procure a bottle of Marsala, don't worry a bottle of Madeira, Port or Sherry would serve the purpose equally well. I personally cooked it with Port a couple of times and found not much difference in taste. So go ahead friends, cook something elegant over this weekend and give your spouse a real surprise.

Preparation Time   :   5 minutes
Cooking Time        :  25 minutes
Difficulty                :  Very Easy
Serves                    :   4

Ingredients : 

• 4 boneless Chicken Breast Halves, without skin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Leaf Basil
• 3 tablespoons Butter
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 120 grams fresh Mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup Marsala Wine (alternately use Port)

Method :

   1) Pound chicken to 1/4" thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.

   2) Combine flour, salt, pepper, and basil in a dry big bowl; mix well.

   3) Heat oil and butter in a heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat.

   4) Dredge chicken in seasoned flour mixture.

   5) Cook chicken until lightly browned on first side, about 2 to 3 minutes.

   6) Turn chicken and add mushrooms around the chicken pieces.

   7) Cook about 2 minutes longer, until lightly browned; stir the mushrooms.

   8) Add Marsala wine to pan.

   9) Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Check the chicken with fork if it is properly done.

  10) Serve this easy chicken with hot cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.

 

Turkish Biber Dolmasi

Turkish Biber Dolmasi 

Turkish cuisine is known as one the world's most versatile cuisine, and I simply love Turkish dishes. This one dish which I adore most is Biber Dolmasi. It is very easy to prepare and one can play around with the fillings and create an unique version every time. That what makes it so interesting. I have always loved to serve this dish as an antipasti, you can serve this as a part of the main course too. Just because it takes very little time to prepare, it can be teamed up with Harira or even a bowl of fresh salad or pita wraps and adorn your weeknight dinner table.

Preparation Time  :  20 minutes
Cooking Time       :  50 minutes
Difficulty               :  Easy
Serves                   :  4 - 6

Ingredients :

• 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 12 sweet Bell Peppers (green is most common, but different colours add to the fun)
• 100 grams minced Lamb or Beef (you can do more or less depending on how meaty you would like it)
• 200 grams Rice, well rinsed and drained of water
• 5/6 Onions (medium sized), finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 4 tablespoon Raisins
• 4 tablespoon Pine Nuts
• 2 tablespoon Mint (fresh ones are the best)
• 3 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Pepper
• 4 tablespoons Sugar
• 100 mils Water
• Round Slices of the Tomatoes (to use as covers) 

Method :

  1) Heat a pan over medium-high flame and add oil to it.

  2) One the oil is sufficiently hot, add onions and saute the onions in the oil until transparent.

  3) Add the rice and saute on low heat until the grains also look transparent.

  4) Add the mince, cook through, then add the garlic, raisins, pine nuts, mint, salt and pepper, and fry gently for another couple of minutes. You will know when it's done from the wonderful aromas.

  5) Pour in about 100ml of water and sugar, stir.

  6) Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the water has evaporated.

  7) Set aside to cool.

  8) While the filling is cooling, slice off the tops of the peppers, just the tops. (I use tomatoes to use as tops, you can also use the pepper heads)

  9) Clean out the insides of the peppers, to remove all the seeds, doing your best to keep the bodies of the peppers intact.

10) Now using a dessert spoon to scoop the mixture into the peppers, ensuring you press down gently after each spoonful to fill all the corners.

 11) Once fully stuffed, pop the tomato tops on eash peppers as if they were lids, and arrange the peppers on the bottom of a large saucepan with about 350 mils of water.

 12) Bring to a gentle boil and cook until most of the water has evaporated, and the peppers are tender. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, you can put in a medium oven for about the same time. But don't forget to put a small bowl of water in the oven, otherwise the peppers would get too dried and wrinkled.

 13) Once the peppers are done, set aside for 5 minutes.

 14) Serve with a salad, yogurt, and fresh bread as a meze. Or as a main meal, with some soup, salad and Pita wraps.



 

Norwegian Meatloaf

Norwegian Meatloaf

This meatloaf might not be one of the easiest or fastest meatloaf recipe, but a Norwegian Meatloaf can easily make its place in the history of food, because it dates back to the era of Vikings. I was going through a book about Vikings, some ten years back, when I came across this recipe. I did a bit of research on Norwegian food at that point of time, and came to know that, this meatloaf was a part of their staple diet. Though meatloaves are a part of many European Cuisine, but somehow I liked this more. So my dear friends, get, set and cook something which was once cooked over a hearth by the Viking ladies :)

Preparation Time  : 15 minutes
Baking Time          : 1 hour + 20 minutes
Resting Time         : 10 minutes + 5 minutes
Difficulty               :  Easy
Serves                   :  4
 

Ingredients :

• 500 grams of Ground Beef (you can substitute with Lamb or Mutton, as I do)
• 5 cups seasoned Mashed Potatoes
• 1/2 cup minced Onion
• 2 Eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoon Flour (use ordinary all-purpose flour)
• 3/4 teaspoon Dill Weed (use fresh ones, if you don't get fresh then only go for bottled version)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• pinch Nutmeg
• 1/2 cup shredded Pasteurised Processed Cheese

Method :

  1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2) Line an 8-inch loaf pan with foil extending about 1/2 inch above sides.

  3)  In medium bowl, combine ground beef/lamb/mutton, 2 cups of the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour, dill, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well but don't kneed too much, it will harden the meat.

  4) Press mixture into loaf pan.

  5) Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

  6) Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.

  7) Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.

  8) Carefully remove meatloaf by lifting foil from pan.

  9) Peel off foil and transfer with spatula to an oven proof serving platter.

 10) In medium bowl, combine remaining potatoes with cheese.

 11) Spread on top and sides of loaf.

 12) Return to oven and bake 20 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned.

 13) Let it stand for 5 more minutes before you slice and serve with boiled vegetables and apple sauce or pan juice sauce.

 

Poulet a la Saucisse

Poulet a la Saucisse

This wonderful Italian dish is very popular in most Italian Restaurants. The chicken is excellent served with either a bechamel sauce or a light sauce made of sour cream, milk, Parmesan, and cream cheese, and sprinkled with parsley before serving. I had this dish at my friend's restaurant and was so hooked to it that every time I go there this dish becomes an integral part of my order.

Preparation Time :  15 minutes
Baking Time         :  45 minutes
Difficulty              :   Very Easy
Serves                  :   4

Ingredients :

• 2 hot Italian Sausage links, casings removed (or any other spicy sausages)
• 120 grams Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 skinless, boneless Chicken Breast halves - pounded thin
• 2 tablespoons Butter, melted
• 1/2 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs (you can also use ordinary bread crumbs and season it with mixed herbs)

Method :

  1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

 

  2) Lightly grease a baking dish.

 

  3) In a skillet over medium heat, break apart the sausage and cook until evenly brown. Drain grease.

 

 4) In a bowl, mix sausage with cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg yolk, oregano, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce.

 

  5) Place equal amounts of the sausage mixture on each chicken breast.

 

  6) Fold breasts tightly over the filling and secure with toothpicks.

 

  7) Arrange in the prepared baking dish. Brush with butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs to coat.

 

  8) Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken juices run clear.

 

  9) Serve the Chicken Breasts on a plate along with bechamel sauce or a light sauce made of sour cream, milk, Parmesan, and cream cheese, and sprinkled with parsley before serving.