Egg and Papad Curry

Every household has its own favorite dishes and our's is Egg and Papad Curry, more popularly known as "koni papod anja (kpa)". In assamese, we call the egg "koni" and "anja" for curry. My husband is very good at coining short-forms and thus the term KPA came into existence. This recipe has never failed me and is always a hit. 

Ingredients

3 eggs

4 pieces medium sized papad

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp ginger paste

1 small potato diced

1 tomato, chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 1/2 cup water

Salt to taste

Oil

Directions

Beat the eggs in a bowl adding very little salt and make 3-4 plain omelettes. Cut them into chunks and keep aside. Take the papad and fold it into half and then a second half so that you get four triangles out of each piece. Apply little oil on both sides of the papad and roast it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until done. Keep aside. You can also fry them in a shallow pan. This is just to put down some calories.

In a pan, heat the oil and fry the potatoes until golden brown. Keep aside. In the same oil, splutter the cumin seeds and add the onions. Fry till translucent. Next, add the ginger and tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy. Add the dry spices, that is, turmeric, cumin, and chilli powder. Fry till the oil starts separating from the side. Now add water and bring it to a boil. Add salt and the potatoes. Be careful with the salt as the omelettes and the papad will already have some in it. Cover and cook on a low flame till the potatoes are completely done. Tip in the omelette chunks and the papad. Check for seasoning. Remove from heat and serve hot with plain rice.                                    

                             

The Bong Connection- Squash and Potato Curry with Lentil Drops

Sunday is always a lazy family day where no one wants to move out of the bed. However, being the woman of the house, I do not have too many options either. So for today's Sunday lunch, I settled for something which is easy to make and is also my husband's favorite (thankfully my husband loves simple food). 

Ingredients

2 medium sized Squash, diced

1 big potato, diced

2 tsp ginger, grated

1/2 cup lentil drops

1 tsp kalonji (onion seeds)

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp sugar

3 green chillies slit lengthwise

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Mustard oil

Directions

In an pan, add a little oil and fry the lentil drops till golden brown and keep aside. In the same pan, add a little more oil and add the kalonji seeds. Tip in the squash and fry for 5-7 minutes. Next, add the potatoes and fry till both the squash and potatoes get a slight golden brown color. In a bowl, add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, and cumin powder and make a thick paste with a little water. Add this paste and the grated ginger to the squash and give it a good stir till the paste and the ginger coats everything well. Add 1 cup warm water and cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes till the potatoes and squash and well cooked. Finally, add the fried lentil drops, sugar, and salt and give it a good stir. Garnish with coriander and slit green chillies. Serve hot with plain rice/roti.

                                             

 

Pickle-Style Chicken- Achaari Chicken

The other day my husband came back from office and kept bragging about the lunch, which his colleague shared with him. He is from Pakistan and his wife had prepared some yummy Achaari Gosht and served it with parathas. My husband asked me if I knew the dish and if I could recreate the magic. I quickly looked up the recipe from the internet and thought of giving it a try. I am not sure if I could match the standards of that Pakistani lady (Pakistanis are usually known for their excellent culinary skills), but this version is surely fingerlicking! 

Ingredients

500 gms chicken

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp ginger paste

1/2 tsp garlic paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 cup yogurt

2 dry red chillies

2 green chillies, chopped

1/4 tsp kalonji

1/4 tsp mustard (rai) seeds

1/4 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreek (meethi) seeds

1/4 tsp fennel (saunf) seeds

Fresh coriander for garnishing

Salt to taste

1/2 cup water

1+1 tbsp oil

Directions

In a pan, dry roast the kalonji, cumin, fenugreek, mustard, and fennel seeds. Put them in a grinder and make a fine powder. Keep aside.

In another pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add the chopped onions and fry till translucent. Add the red and green chillies and half of the powdered masala. Fry till everything gets a good stir and the onions turn golden brown. Remove the onions from the pan and keep aside. In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ginger garlic paste and give it a light stir. Next add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they get a little smashed. Add the yogurt, the remaining masala, turmeric powder, and salt. Tip in the chicken pieces. Mix everything together and add 1/2 cup water. Cover and simmer the gas till the chicken gets tender and cooked, while stirring occasionally. Lastly, add the fried onions and mix everything well. Cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add the coriander and remove from heat. Your Achaari Chicken is ready to be relished with roti/rice. Enjoy!

             

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken Sausage

Italian food has been my all time favorite unlike my husband who prefers "shudh desi" food. While it's his preference that gets priority in the kitchen most of the time, but there are days when you like to give yourself some priority too. So here is a simple and easy-to-make pasta recipe to satisfy your Italian taste buds. 

Ingredients

1 pkt angel hair pasta (spaghetti)

2 tsp crushed garlic

1 medium onion, finely sliced

1 red bell pepper, finely sliced

1 cup sliced white button mushrooms

1 tsp red chilli flakes (you can adjust as per your taste)

2 tsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp parsley

2+1 tbsp olive oil

2 pieces chicken sausage (plain or any other flavor), sliced 

2 tbsp tomato puree

Salt as per taste

Directions

Boil 1 litre water and add the pasta. Cook as per the instructions on the pack. Once done, drain the pasta through cold water and toss 1 tbsp oil to avoid sticking.

In a pan, heat the remaining olive oil. Add the crushed garlic and onion. Fry for sometime till it changes color. Next, add the bell pepper, sliced sausages, and mushrooms and keep stirring in between. Simmer the gas and let the pepper and mushroom soften. Ensure that the pepper is not fully cooked and retains a slight crunch. Tip in the tomato puree, red chilli flakes, oregano, and salt. Mix everything well. Now add the pasta and give it a good stir so that the sauce coats the pasta well. Lastly, add the parsley and check for seasoning. Remove from heat and serve. You can add some grated cheese for garnishing, if you prefer. I gave it a miss to keep it low calorie. 

                                      

Summer Chiller-Coconut Ice Cream

The past few days have been very hot and humid in Singapore so much so that you feel like sitting in the freezer all the time! This coconut ice cream is a perfect way to cool yourself down and enjoy the chilling effect it leaves on your tummy, not to mention the super easy process that goes into its making. So here it is an absolutely yummy yet highly simple recipe for Coconut Ice Cream. Chill!!

Ingredients

1 cup milk

1 small packet coconut cream (tetra pack)

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

3-4 tbsp sugar (as per taste)

1/2 cup desiccated coconut (optional)

Chocolate sauce and chocolate sprinkles for garnishing

Directions

In a food processor, add the milk and the coconut cream and blend to a smooth consistency. Tip in the cream and sugar and blend for another 2-3 minutes or until a smooth froth appears on top. Add the desiccated coconut and lightly blend again. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours on medium high. Garnish it with a little chocolate sauce and chocolate sprinkles (optional) and your coconut ice cream is ready to be served!

        

Doi Mangsho (Yogurt Chicken)

When families with kids come visiting you, it's always a challenge to cook something which satisfies both the generations. After a little thought process and research, I squared in on this recipe for yogurt chicken which is not just easy to make but makes the taste buds happy as well!

Ingredients

500-600 gms chicken (I used boneless)

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 onion roughly chopped

1/2 inch ginger chopped

6-7 pods garlic chopped

6-7 pieces cashew

2 each whole garam masala (cloves, cinnamon, cardamom) 

2+1 tbsp mustard oil

Salt as per taste

Directions

Clean and cut the chicken into small pieces. In a bowl, add the yogurt, red chilli powder, and salt and prepare the marinade. Add the chicken pieces to this marinade and keep it aside for 20-30 minutes. In a kadhai (wok), add 2 tbsp oil and splutter the whole garam masala. To this, add the marinated chicken and give a stir on high for 2-3 minutes. Simmer the gas and cook the chicken covered while stirring occasionally. In a separate kadhai, heat the remaining oil and add the onion, ginger, and garlic and fry till golden brown in color. Add the cashew and fry for few more minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool. In a blender, add the onion fry and make a coarse paste. Add this onion cashew paste to the chicken and mix everything well. Taste for salt and add if required. You can also add a little sugar, if you like. Let it remain on low heat for 5-6 minutes till the gravy thickens. Remove from heat and serve hot with plain rice/roti.

                                      

 

 

Savoury Spinach Muffins

I have always struggled with breakfast items, especially with those that can be packed the previous night and husband can just open the fridge and take it away without me having to get up in the morning. I recently came across this interesting recipe of savoury muffins which looked so yum yet so easy to make. I decided to give it a try on Sunday so that my breakfast woes are done away with for a couple of days. They turned out superb and even easier to make than what i thought. Thanks Shazia for this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 cup fresh spinach (roughly chopped in a grinder for 2-3 pulses; else, if you are good at chopping, you can do it on your own)

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Red chilli flakes as per taste

1/2 tsp kalonji

Directions

Seive the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and keep aside. Melt the butter and add the egg at room temperature to avoid scrambling. Once mixed well, add the milk and stir again. Make sure the milk is at room temperature; else, the butter will thicken. Now add the spinach, cheese, and chilli flakes. Give everything a good stir and ensure there are no lumps formed. Next, fold in the dry ingredients, little at a time, till everything is mixed well. Do not mix too hard.

Preheat the oven at 175 degrees and line a muffin tray with muffin cases. Sprinkle the kalonji seeds over each muffin and bake for 25-30 minutes till golden brown. Once done, take them out in a wire rack and let it cool before transferring to an airtight container. Before each serving, warm it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds and your delicious spinach muffins are ready to be savoured.  

                                

   

An Evening by the Tandoor

In Singapore, there is a very nice tandoori/ barbecue culture wherein a group of friends would get together and cook some wonderful meat and fish in the charcoal grill while enjoying their wine and beer. Every condominium here is equipped with 2-3 barbecue pits. You also get barbecue pits on rent by the sea (called the East Coast Park) which apart from the good food also gives you a chance to enjoy sun, sea, and sand in the midst of the city. My husband and his group of colleagues/friends had hired one such pit on the East Coast Park and I was made responsible for the entire non-veg menu, with just a day's notice. Grilling has never been my forte and have never been able to successfully marinade any meat or fish till date. So I quickly looked up some recipes, some from my blogger friends and some from the net, which would save my honour and also give me a chance to prove my grilling skills. I picked pomfret, jumbo prawns, and chicken as my barbecue menu and decided to have a different marinade for all. I had pomfrets in excess and hence decided to try two different marinades. The end result was glorious. I was flooded with compliments for the flavours induced in the lusciously soft and juicy meat and fish. You can also try these recipes as a pan fried dish or grill it in the oven as per the directions given below.

Lemon Ginger Prawns

Ingredients

500 gms jumbo prawns shelled and deveined but with tail intact

2 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

6 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp white pepper powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

4 tbsp lemon juice

1 lemon zest

Salt as per taste

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together to form a marinade. Add the prawns and refrigerate it overnight in an airtight container. In the morning, give it a stir once again and take it out of the fridge just half an hour before grilling. Preheat the oven at 200 degrees. Skewer the prawns and roast them for 12-15 minutes or till prawns become opaque and fully cooked. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. This will avoid the burning of the skewers in the oven.

                                              

    

Hara Bhara Pomfret

Ingredients

3-4 pomfret fish cut into fillets

A bunch of spring onions (roughly 1 cup chopped)

A handful of coriander leaves 

1 tsp Tamarind paste 

3-4 dry red chillies (adjust as per your taste)

3-4 pods garlic

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Directions

In a grinder, add all the ingredients and make a course paste. Marinate the fish in this mixture for 3-4 hours in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Take out the fish 30 minutes prior to grilling. Preheat the oven at 200 degrees and grill the fish in a greased baking tray for 20-25 minutes turning once in between so that both the sides get a grilled look.

                                          

    

Pomfret in Orange Sauce

Ingredients

2-3 pomfret fish cut into fillet

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup honey

1 onion finely chopped

Directions

Mix all the ingredients along with the pomfret and keep in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool place for 3-4 hours. You cannot keep it in the refrigerator else the honey will crystallise. Preheat the grill at 200 degrees and grill the fish in a greased baking dish turning alternately for 20-25 minutes or until nicely done.

                                             

Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

1 kg chicken drumsticks/thighs, skin removed

1 pkt (50 gms) tandoori chicken masala

1 cup yogurt

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

4 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Few drops of red food color (optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients and marinade the chicken in this mixture overnight in an airtight container in the refrigerator. In the morning, give the container a shake and take it out of the refrigerator 1 hour prior to grilling. Preheat an oven at 200 degrees and grill the chicken in the oven grill plate for 30 mins while turning in between. 

                                          

Note: The above quantities can be tweaked as per your serving size. Use your discretion. The pictures of the final dishes could not be taken properly as it was an outdoor event.

                                   

Veg Peas Corn Pulao- A Quick Fix Dinner

Just like swimming and driving are life skills, cooking is as well. Once you learn cooking, even if it is by looking up other's recipes, you start getting ideas to manipulate your spices and cook something different from the regular dishes. While I do not enjoy cooking on a regular basis, the idea of trying something new always intrigues me. This dish is a very simple veg pulao but the addition of instant noodle masala makes it a little different from those regular days. You can add any combination of vegetables of your choice to make it more interesting. I didn't have anything else in my hand!

Ingredients

1 cup fragrant rice (I used Thai Jasmine Rice)

1 medium chopped onion

1/2 inch ginger finely chopped

1/4 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup peas

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 pkt instant noodle masala

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup warm water

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Soak and wash the rice and keep it in a strainer. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the cumin seeds. When it starts spluttering, add the onions and fry till golden brown. Add the ginger and keep stirring for 2 more minutes. Tip in the peas and corn and give it a quick stir. Next add the rice, soy sauce, instant noodle masala, pepper, and salt. Be careful while adding the salt since the noodle masala will already have some in it. Fry and mix everything well. When the rice turns translucent, add the warm water and bring it to a boil. Close the cooker and leave it on a high for three whistles. Switch off the gas and let it cool. Your quick fix dinner is ready to be served. I served it with some fried potatoes, an East India favorite. 

                                              

Crunchy Bread Omelette- Platform Style

In my quest of a easy takeaway breakfast, I found this recipe by one of my fellow blogger friends which she came across during one of her recent train trips along the Eastern part of India. The recipe is that of a simple Bread Omelette that we prepare everyday at home, but with a platform style crunchy twist. I tried it this morning and voila, it was indeed a refreshing change from the usual boring Omelette. It also serves well as a tiffin snack for kids and adults alike. You can tweak the recipe as per your liking and taste.

Ingredients

1 egg
1 small onion finely chopped
1 green chilli finely chopped
1 slice of bread cut into small chunks
Coriander leaves finely chopped (optional)
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp mustard oil (if you find the smell and taste of mustard oil too pungent, you can use any other oil of your choice)

Directions

Take a bowl and beat the egg until fluffy. Add all the other ingredients except the bread chunks and mix well. Heat a frying pan and add the oil. If adding mustard oil, let the oil become smoky hot and then lower the heat before adding the egg. Spread evenly onto the pan so that the entire pan gets covered and forms a circular shape. Simmer the gas and add the bread chunks while lightly pressing into the egg. This will ensure that the bread won't fall off when you turn the egg on the other side. When the egg gets cooked on one side, gently turn the egg ensuring that it doesn't break in between due to the weight of the bread chunks. Let the other side cook for another 2 to 3 minutes so that the bread chunks get lightly toasted as well. Remove from heat and enjoy this crunchy bread omelette with your cuppa.

                                           

My First Post- A Simple German Marble Cake

Food blogging for me always meant fancy photographs and beautiful presentations. The amount of hard work you do to dish out something, the equal amount of work goes into the presentation and its photography. However, my posts would not be as fancy as you may find it on other blogs. Nonetheless, the results would be same! My one and a half year old barely gives me the time to cook and clean-up. So taking fancy pictures is totally out of the question, barring a few rare occasions.

Coming back to the point, today I am starting this blog with a cake that I made a few days back for my birthday. It's a German Marble Cake ( I learnt while searching for this recipe that marble cakes are something that Germans have a niche for and hence the name) and since my friends usually love my baked goodies, so I am starting my blog with one. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour/maida
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons cocoa

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a baking tin of any desired shape.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the eggs. Continue beating for 10 minutes.
3. Gradually stir in flour, alternating with splashes of milk, until all of the flour and milk are mixed in. Stir in baking powder.
4. Reserve 1/4 of the batter, and pour the rest into a greased, floured baking tin.
5. Mix cocoa into the remaining 1/4 of the batter. Then turn into the tin, and fold under with a fork to produce a marbled appearance.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and microwave for 20 secs every time you take it out for your tea or coffee. The shelf life is quite long, so don't worry about the quantities. Enjoy!