Irish Pot Stew

Irish Pot Stew

I first tasted this dish in one my colleague's home at dinner. Monsoon was in full bloom and it was raining cats and dogs outside. I was half drenched when I reached his home. I was welcomed at the door by a wonderful aroma drifting down from his kitchen. I was almost transfixed, the aroma was so tantalising. My friends wife gave me a look and said " It's my home food, it's an Irish Stew". Believe me friends, I fell in love with that dish before I even saw it, leave alone tasting it. Till date, whenever I cook this stew, my sons react in almost similar manner, of what my reaction was. This was a hard time meal in old days and was cooked with neck pieces and leftovers of chops. But now Ballymaloe, that's the Irish name for the pot stew, is cooked with lamb or mutton.

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time      :  1 1/2 to 2 hours
Difficulty             :  Easy
Serves                 :   6

Ingredients :

1 Kilo of Lamb or mutton, cut into chunks

1 Kilo of Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds

2 Onions, chopped

400 grams of Mixed veggies, cut into medium chunks (carrots, turnips, celery)

2 tablespoons of Butter

3 or 4 cups Water

1/2 bunch Parsley, chopped

Salt  to season 

Pepper to season

 

 

Method :

1) Take a thick flat bottom casserole dish. Place it over very low flame.

2) Once the pot is lightly heated add the butter, take care not to burn it.

3) Lay one half of the potatoes in the bottom of a casserole dish. Cover with half the onions and half of the veggies.

4) Add all of the lamb, and then layer in the rest of the onions and veggies.

5) Top the onions with the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle with the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

6) Pour in enough water to come about 3/4 of the way up the ingredients.

7) Set the pot over medium flame and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and the potatoes have broken down and thickened the stew.

8) Keep on checking in between and add water as needed to keep stew from becoming too thick.

9) Once the meat is absolutely tender check the seasonings, adjust seasoning if necessary and serve with warm crusty bread to mop up the stew.



Variations :
Sometimes pearl barley is added to make an even more substantial and filling dish.

Additional seasonings often used include thyme and rosemary.

Sometimes some households add tomatoes, Worchestershire sauce, even beer to the stew. But the one I learned was the most basic, and that's what I posted here. You are free to do experiments.

 

Hawaiian Shrimp Curry

Hawaiian Shrimp Curry

This is a very common dish in Hawaii, because of the ready availability of fresh shrimps from the oceans. This Curry is an absolute treat. I choose to prepare this curry very often as shrimps are equally good and fresh here in India. The ingredients used in this recipe are also easily available allover India.  This curry can be eaten with rice. So it's a dish which can suit Indian taste very well.

Preparation time  : 15 minutes
Cooking time       : 30 minutes
Difficulty              : Easy
Serves                  :  6

Ingredients :

 

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small piece of ginger root, minced
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (12 oz) frozen coconut milk, thawed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups cooked shrimp

                              Courtsy : Craig Lee/ The Chronicle

Method :

1) In a skillet heat butter over medium high flame. Take care that the butter does not burn.

2) Add the onions once the butter has melted, saute onion in butter.

3) Half way through, stir in flour, curry powder, sugar, garlic, and ginger.

4) Cover and cook for 15 minutes on very low heat. Keep stirring n between and sprinkle water to keep the spices from burning or sticking to the pan.

5) Once the spices start releasing oil from sides, stir in broth and coconut milk.

6) Cover and cook 15 more minutes. Do not let sauce boil. The milk tends to split when boiled.

7) Meanwhile, wash, clean and devein the shrimps and saute them in a separate pan in 1 teaspoon of butter for 2 - 3 minutes, till they become translucent. Remove and keep aside.

8) Add salt and shrimp to the sauce, mix well and heat thoroughly. Check the seasonings and adjust if necessary. 
 
9) Your Curry is ready to be served with rice and any or all of the following condiments:

Chutney                      
Chopped peanuts
Chopped green onions         
Chopped Raisins
Shredded coconut             
Chopped sweet pickles
Chopped hard cooked eggs     
Crisp crumbled bacon

Doro Wat

Doro Wat - Ethiopian Chicken Curry

This is perhaps the best known food from Ethiopia and is often referred to as that country's national dish. This recipe makes a very tasty version with a deep, rich flavor and tender chicken pieces. Making your own homemade berberé is not difficult and is essential to give the dish the proper flavor. I tried to bring this dish to you only for the fact, that to most people Ethiopia, still stand for poverty, ill fed children and everything bad. But this wonderful dish will give you an idea, that if a country can produce a cuisine as wonderful as this, it's worth it's place in our own Indian Kitchen.

Ingredients :

1 kilo Chicken legs and thighs, skinless

1 Lemon, juice only 

2 teaspoons Salt 

2 Onions, chopped  

3 cloves Garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon Ginger, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup Oil,

2 tablespoons Paprika 

1/4 to 1/2 cup Berbere Paste (See the Note below) 

3/4 cup Water or stock

1/4 cup Red wine

1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper or Red Chili powder

Pepper to taste

4 Hard-boiled eggs (optional)

Method :

1) Mix together the chicken pieces, lemon juice and salt and in a large,  bowl and set aside to marinate for about 30 minutes.

2) While the chicken is marinating, puree the onions, garlic and ginger in a food processor or blender. Add a little water if necessary.

3) Heat the oil,  in a large pot over medium flame. Add the paprika and stir in to colour the oil and cook the spice through, about 1 minute. Do not burn.

4) Stir in the berberé paste and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

5) Add the onion-garlic-ginger puree and saute until most of the moisture evaporates and the onion cooks down and loses its raw aroma, about 5 to 10 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to burn. Sprinkle some water if necessary.

6) Pour in the water or stock and wine and stir in the chicken pieces, cayenne to taste, salt and pepper.

7) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add water as necessary to maintain a sauce-like consistency.

8) Add the whole hard boiled eggs and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.

9) When the chicken is fully done, taste and check the seasonings. If necessary adjust.

10) Serve hot with Hand made flat wheat bread or rice.
Note :
Berberé Supplies one of the unique flavors of Ethiopian cuisine. There really is no substitute. Use as many of the spices as you have, but try to use fenugreek and the dried peppers or paprika. They supply an essential flavor.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients :Whole cumin -- 2 teaspoons
Red pepper flakes -- 1-2 teaspoons
Cardamom seeds -- 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds -- 1 teaspoon
Whole peppercorns -- 8
Allspice berries -- 6 (Kabab chini in India)
Whole cloves -- 4
New Mexico dried chilies -- 3-4 (This can be replaced by dried Kashmiri Mirch)
Onion, chopped -- 1
Garlic, crushed -- 3 cloves
Paprika -- 1 tablespoon
Salt -- 1 tablespoon
Ginger, ground -- 1 teaspoon
Turmeric -- 1 teaspoon
Cayenne pepper -- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (use any Red Chili powder instead)
Nutmeg -- 1/2 teaspoon
Oil -- 1/2 cup
Water or red wine -- 1/4 cup
Method:Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium flame. Add the whole spices and toast, stirring for about 2-3 minutes until they give off their aroma. Do not burn. Remove from heat.

Over an open flame, lightly toast the New Mexico chilies/Kashmiri Mirch, turning quickly from side to side until they soften and become flexible. Do not burn. Remove the stems and seeds and roughly chop.

Put the spices and dried peppers into a spice or coffee grinder and grind to a powder.

Put the ground toasted spices into a food processor or blender along with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze portions for later use.

Machboos Baharini

Machboos Baharini - Chicken with Rice

This is a Rice and Chicken dish from Bahrain. This popular dish was taught to me by my ex-colleague from UNICEF days, Ashraful. He was posted in Middle East for quite a few years. He was a great foodie and a good cook himself. He always used to pick up good recipes from every food joint he visited and religiously mail them to me every week. Today, on the eve of Eid Celebration, I am posting this recipe, as a tribute to my friend. This dish is simple yet delicious. The ingredients are so easily available, that you could make this dish your Indian Kitchen's Eid Special.

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time      : 1 hour 40 minutes
Grilling time        : 10 - 12 minutes
Difficulty              : Medium
Serves                 :  4

Ingredients :

4 1/2 cups Water

650 g Basmati Rice

3 Tomatoes, quartered

1  Chicken weighing around 1 1/2 kg

3 Onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup Coriander Leaves, chopped

1 Green hot pepper, as desired (you can also omit this if you wish)

2 black Dried Limes (this can be replaced by 2 -3 pieces of Lime from any lime pickle) 

2 teaspoons baharat spice mix (see the Note)

1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric Powder 

1 teaspoon Cumin Powder 

2 teaspoons Cinnamon Powder 

1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder 

2 Garlic cloves

1 slice Ginger, cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons Butter

1/4 cup Lime Juice 

3 tablespoons Rose Water 

3 tablespoons Oil (use any Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil)

3 teaspoons Salt

                                           Image by Wikipedia: Bazel

Method :

1) Cut the chicken in half. Wash and clean well, drain and set aside. Heat the water and leave aside.

2) In a small bowl, mix the buharat, turmeric, cumin, and cardamom together and add to the mixture one teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture on the chicken halves.

3) Heat oil in a large cooking pan over medium flame, fry the onions until golden brown, then add to the pepper and the black limes - you MUST make a hole in each lime. (If you don't get Black limes, use regular Lime from Salt and Lime Pickle)

4) Add the chicken to the onion mixture and turn it over a few times in the pan.

5) Sprinkle on the chicken a teaspoon of cinnamon and the rest of the mixed spices. Turn the contents all together so the chicken is coated with the spices, cover the pan and let it cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.

6) Add the garlic, chopped ginger, and tomato cubes to the pan and mix everything well, turning a number of times. Cover again for 3 minutes on medium heat.

7) Sprinkle with the rest of the salt and pour on it water while its still hot.

8) Cover the pan and let it cook for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked.

9)  Add the chopped coriander 5 minutes before you remove the chicken from the stock in the pan.

10) While the chicken is cooking, wash the rice well and soak for 10 minutes in cold water, then drain.

11) Remove the chicken from the pan and put on an oven tray, brush with some oil and sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon powder and grill in the oven until the chicken is golden brown. This will take about 10 - 12 minutes in 200 degrees.

12) Add the rice to the chicken stock, stir, then let it cook on low heat until the rice absorbs the stock and is almost done.

13) Sprinkle rose water and lemon juice over the rice and place the butter pieces on the top. Cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Check in between, so that the rice does not burn. Sprinkle a little hot water from time to time, if required.

14) Once the rice is done,check the seasonings and adjust when necessary.

15) Serve the rice on a large serving plate and place the grilled chicken halves on the top. Serve some nice salad along with the dish.

Note :

Baharat Spice Mix:

• 4 tablespoons Ground Black Pepper 
• 2 tablespoons Ground Coriander
• 2 tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons Ground Cloves
• 3 tablespoons Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
• 4 teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons Paprika

Combine all the ingredients together till well mixed.

Store in an airtight jar and keep away from direct sunlight. This mixture stays well for 6 months and can be used to spice up your mutton/lamb/Chicken dishes. Also can be sprinkled on mixed vegetables to give it a new dimention.

 

 

Button Mushrooms in Almond Sauce

Button Mushrooms in Almond Sauce

This delicate flavoured, wonderful dish is from Spain. Spain has a wonderful variety of wild mushrooms. If you live in Spain, try going to your local fruit and veg market in the Autumn and ask stall holders how to best cook each different kind (fried, grilled, stewed...).  Unfortunately I can't afford that, living here, in India. So I opted for a Spanish Dish which can be cooked with the mushrooms that are readily available here. This recipe combines the delicate flavours of oyster mushrooms and almonds. But I recreated it with Button Mushrooms.Try this exotic dish, I assure you it's worth.

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time      : 20 minutes
Difficulty             : Easy
Serves                 : 4

Ingredients :

1 kg Oyster/ Button mushrooms

12 peeled Almonds (soak them in warm water for 5 minutes and peel off the skin)

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

Salt to taste

100mils White wine (use Dry wine)

1 tablespoon of Flour

1 tablespoon Butter (the plain salted variety)

Chopped parsley to serve.

Method :

1) Wipe clean the oyster/button mushrooms and set aside
2) Grind the peeled almonds (use a blender if you have one)
3) Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the mushrooms. Be careful about the fact that the butter should just melt and not burn.

4) Season with salt and paprika,  fry for 8 minutes turning the mushrooms so they brown on both sides
5) Heat a separate pan, put the white wine, ground almonds and flour in that pan and cook until the sauce thickens - stir to prevent the sauce becoming lumpy.
6) Put the fried mushrooms on a serving plate and pour the sauce over them - garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately  with some Crusty Fresh bread.

Tips :
If it isn't the right season for oyster mushrooms just use any other type of mushroom for this dish. Like I used Button mushrooms.

Congri - Cuban Rice and Beans Dish

Congri - Cuban Rice and Red Beans Dish

When I started learning about world cuisine, I found, a lot of similarites in cuisines from far out countries. Though Congri is almost like a national Dish of Cuba, but it has it's roots here in India. The typical Rajma Chawal of Punjab, is what got transformed into Congri. This transformation was possible due to fact that thousands of Indians were forcefully sent to West Indies by the Britishers to work in the Sugar plantations. They carried our culture and food habits along with them, which is now reflected in their world famous cuisines.

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time      : 40 minutes
Difficulty             : Easy
Serves                 : 4

Ingredients :

• 3 tablespoon of  Olive oil
• 2 inch cube of Salt pork (you can omit this, if you want. Instead for taste you can add a piece of spicy Chicken sausage)
• 3 cloves of Garlic
• 1 medium Onion
• 1/4 Green pepper
• 120 grams of Tomato sauce
• 1 cup long grain White Rice
• 450 grams of Red Kidney Beans (Jammu Rajma)
• 1 1/2 cups of Water
• 1 tablespoon Salt

Method :

Keep the Red kidney beans soaked overnight with warm water and a pinch of Sodium Bi Carbonate. Wash this with plenty of fresh water next morning and drain before cooking.

1) In blender or food processor, purée onion and green pepper together (add a little water if needed). Set aside.

2) In wok heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped Pork/ chicken sausage and garlic cloves. Sauté until browned. Discard the garlic.

3) Add the onion/pepper mixture to the oil, stir and cook for 5 minutes.

4) Add the tomato sauce and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes until the sauce is a deep, rich red. This mixture is called sofrito.

5) Stir in the rice, mixing it well. Add the beans, water and salt and stir.

6) Cook on high heat, uncovered until water begins to boil. Adjust heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes until rice is tender.

7) Once the Rice and beans are well cooked, check the seasonings and adjust. Serve hot with a sprinle of chopped Corriender or parsley.

Stir fried Chicken in Oyster Sauce

Stir fried Chicken in Oyster Sauce

This is one of my most favourite Chinese dishes. It is an ideal dish for busy weeknights, when you are too tired too cook some thing elaborate, but need a quick, healthy and tasty dish to be served at dinner... remember this dish. Just serve it with hot rice or even better a simple egg fried rice, children and their dads will be lapping it up.

Preparation time :  10 minutes
Cooking time      :  20 minutes
Difficulty             :  Very easy
Serves                 :   4

Ingredients :

4 Chicken thighs

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Black pepper, or to taste

1/2 Onion (about 1/4 cup)

2 cloves Garlic

1 1/2 Red Bell Peppers

1/2 cup Chicken broth or 1/4 soup cube in 1/2 cup of warm water

2 tablespoons Oyster sauce

1 tablespoon Dark Soy sauce or tamari

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, dry white wine, or dry sherry

1 teaspoon Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Vegetable oil or pure Olive Oil

Method :

1) Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry. Cut in half. Rub the salt and pepper over the thighs.

2) Peel and chop the onion. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut the red bell pepper in half, remove the seeds, and cut into 1-inch squares.

3) In a small bowl, combine the Chicken broth, Oyster sauce, soy sauce , rice wine, ( dry white wine or dry sherry can be use instead of rice wine), and brown sugar. Set aside.

4) In a non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on both sides. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and drain on paper towels. Do not clean out the pan. Remember not to over crowd the pan, then the chicken pieces will get braised and not get browned. Do it in batches.

5) Add the onion and garlic into the pan, and cook until the onion is softened (about 5 minutes).

6) Add the red pepper into the pan. Cook briefly, then add the sauce.

7) Bring the sauce to a boil, then add the chicken thighs back into the pan. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer the chicken until the juices in the thickest part of the thigh are clear when pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes). Stir the chicken occasionally while cooking.

8) Serve hot over rice or even better, with a quickly made egg fried rice.