Long Beans Chorchori (Borboti Chorchori)

Veggies and me do not go a long way, really. On any regular day, you will hardly find any veggies in my pantry unless I have some dish in mind. However, these days with my Father-in-Law visiting us, my pantry is loaded with veggies and being done with all the simple quick stir fries, I need to now think of something more detailed yet easy to keep the menu rolling. Today's recipe can be done with a variety of veggies which you have been cooking otherwise in the same old stir-fry way. Apart from the beans, you can use spinach , pumpkin , raw papaya, raw banana, brinjal, squash, flaf beans, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, etc., etc.. The possibilities are endless. :)

Ingredients

1 bundle long beans and/or any veggie as suggested above

1 big potato

1 medium onion chopped

1/2 tsp onion seeds or kalonji

1 tbsp mustard seeds soaked for 1/2 hour

1" piece ginger

2-3 green chillies

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1// tsp sugar

Salt to taste

2 tsp mustard oil

Fresh coriander for garnish

Direction

Wash and cut the beans in 2" pieces. Keep aside. Cut the potato into long strips just like french fries. Keep aside. 

Make a paste with the mustard seeds , ginger and green chillies and s dash of water. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan and crackle the onion seeds. Add the chopped onions and fry till slightly golden. Now add the beans and potato and stir. Add the dry spices along with sugar and salt. Mix and cook on a low flame till almost done and beans and potato are slightly golden. Now add the paste and 1/3 cup water and stir well. Cover and cook on a low flame for 5-10 minutes till the gravy sticks on to the veggies but not burnt or sticking to the pan. There should not be any liquid gravy. If there is, dry it out. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with steamed rice. 

A Simple Kheer (Rice Pudding)

Singapore, today, saw the start of the rainy season and with dark clouds hovering all over and thunder storms raging the skies, I suddenly had this craving for some kheer. I hadn't tasted it since quite some time now and quickly checked my pantry for all the ingredients. All that I did not have were a handful of raisins and that wasn't too big a miss. I was also aching to try my new terracota pots which my Father-in-Law got for me from India and what better start than a kheer in an earthen pot. Imagine the subtle earthy flavor in that rich and creamy chilled kheer loaded with dry fruits!!! Heaven!!!

Ingredients

1/4 cup small grain aromatic rice (I used Assam special Joha rice)

750 ml milk (I used 450 ml evaporated milk and 300 ml low fat milk)

75-100 ml condensed milk (I used the low fat condensed milk; you can increase or decrease the quantity as per your taste)

Few pods of cardamom

A bay leaf

Dry fruits of your choice

Direction

Wash and soak the rice in some water for 1/2 hour. 

Mix the milk and condensed milk together in a pot and put it on the gas stove. Keep stirring and bring it to a boil. Add the bay leaf and the cardamom pod and reduce the flame to minimum. Keep stirring the milk every 5-7 minutes till the milk thickens and reduces to 2/3. Check the sweetness now and if required add more condensed milk. However, remember that as the milk thickens further, the sweetness will increase further too. So adjust accordingly. 

Meanwhile, drain the soaked rice and with the help of a mortar pestle or the back of a heavy spoon, pound the raw rice roughly. This step ensures a creamy kheer with not too big chunks of rice. Add this to the reduced milk and stir. Keep the flame on the lowest and let the rice cook. Do not forget to stir in between and keep breaking the film that will form on top of the milk. When the milk reduces to almost 1/3 and rice is cooked through, add the dry fruits. Be careful not to reduce the kheer to a very thick consistency else when it cools down it will turn into a lump of rice. The consistency should be the same as hot custard when just done. 

Pour the kheer to your serving ware or earthen pot if using and garnish with some more dry fruits if desired. Bring it to room temperature and then chill completely before serving!

Grilled Chicken Avocado Sandwich

You really need to exercise your mind, apart from your body, to think of new and innovative ways to feed your family healthy food. We all love chicken sandwiches, don't we? Especially, when it is laden with a yummy creamy spread which leaves you licking your fingers!! Well, when on a controlled diet, you are ought to forget the creamy part. But not anymore! This sandwich spread is sure to delight you and fill in for all your creamy cravings with the very healthy and nutritious Avocados. Try this sandwich for your friends and family and give them the taste of good health. 

Ingredients

4-5 brown bread slices (or as per your choice and qty of bread)

300 gms chicken mince (I made some extra filling for later use)

1 medium onion sliced

1 medium tomato chopped

2-3 pods garlic chopped

2 avocados

2-3 sprigs of fresh coriander

2-3 green chillies (or as per taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Direction

Start with boiling the mince. Wash and drain the chicken mince in a colander and put it in a pressure cooker. Add the onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Do not add any additional water as the chicken will release its own juices. Also, no salt. Pressure cook the mince for 2-3 whistles or until done.  Let it cool completely.

Next, prepare the avocado base. Scoop out the avocado flesh and place it in the blender. Add the coriander, green chillies, and salt and pepper and whiz to a smooth paste. Adjust the seasoning accordingly. Remember not to add too much salt as this is just a part of the sandwich spread. Transfer to an air tight jar and keep aside. 

Now,  the chicken mince is cooled completely. Check if there is an excess of water floating in the cooker. If so, with a slotted spoon, spoon out the chicken and other ingredients and reserve the liquid to be used for some other curries in your kitchen. With the help of a hand blender, whiz the chicken mince a few times to get a smooth paste. Keep aside. I made of mistake of not separating the chicken from the water and so had to use a colander later to drain the excess liquid. I have not yet added any salt to the chicken as I wanted to keep it as a base for some patties or tikkis later on. 

Now, time to make the sandwich spread. 

Take equal amounts of the chicken mix and the avocado dip and mix well. Add salt and pepper and any other herb or seasoning as per your choice. I added some finely chopped capsicum. 

Now take the bread slices and spread some tomato ketchup on each slice. You can choose to put butter too. Take scoops of the chicken avocado mix and spread it out evenly. 

Cover it up with the other slice and grill. Serve hot!! Enjoy :)