Baked Stuffed Capsicum

I always found stuffed veggies very interesting but the idea of getting them done, right from the scraping to filling to cooking deterred me. I had to organise a full vegetarian meal recently for some friends visiting from India, and with not too many options present, I decided to give it a try at last. The filling was super yummy and the sweet and rustic flavor of the capsicum complimented it very well. Very easy to prepare and no mess while cooking as well, I received rave reviews from my guests and family too. This is going to be a keeper now.

Ingredients 

For the filling 

4-5 medium tomatoes boiled and mashed

200 gms paneer crumbled 

2 tbsp cashew nuts finely chopped 

2 tbsp raisins 

1/2 tsp amchoor/dry mango powder 

1 tsp cumin powder 

1 tsp coriander powder 

1 tsp garam masala powder 

1 tsp red chilli powder 

Salt to taste

1 onion chopped 

1" piece ginger chopped 

1-2 green chillies finely chopped (optional)

Fresh coriander leaves chopped 

1 tsp oil

6 capsicums

Direction 

Wash and dry the capsicums with a kitchen towel and keep aside. 

In a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, crumbled paneer, dry spices, nuts and salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions till soft. Add the ginger and fry for 2 more minutes. Now add the mashed potato mixture and mix well. Add coriander leaves and mix. Remove from heat and let it cool. 

Meanwhile, prepare the capsicums and pre-heat the oven at 200 degree celsius. Cut the top of the capsicums in a way to remove the seeds without spoiling the shape as shown in the picture below. 

Discard the seeds and keep the cap intact. Now carefully slice a bit of the base to make the capsicums stand straight without making any hole in the bottom. 

Now line a baking tray with aluminium foul and start filling the capsicums with the help of a spoon. Fill all the capsicums till the brim and grease the body with a bit of oil. Cover the top with the lid and place in the prepared baking tray. 

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes till slightly soft from the outside and the body lightly roasted. Serve hot!

Goan Fish Curry

The first beach experience for me was Goa in India and it was a love at first sight. I have been to many other beach destinations thereon but there is no other place which matches the enigma of Goa. Calm, serene, peace, tranquility, hospitality, fun and frolic, there are hardly any adjectives which can be left behind to describe this perfect holiday destination. The best part is that it fits every budget and even a pauper can afford a dream Goan holiday. And no, before you think that this post is sponsored by Goa Tourism Board, this post is about one of my absolute favourite dish from the Goan cuisine. The Goan Fish Curry is a highly irresistible fish curry served with hot steaming rice. The fish generally used is either prawns or pomfret or any other boneless sea fish. I have used here a Boneless white fish fillet, quite similar to the White Snapper. The curry was a perfect balance of all the flavors, the tang from the tamarind, the heat from the chillies, and the creaminess from the coconut. The best part about this gravy is it is absolutely easy to prepare and needs  only a few ingredients. If you love Goa and you love their cuisine, this recipe is a must try!

Ingredients 

450 gms fish (I used boneless white fish fillet; you can also use either pomfret or prawns or any other similar sea fish)

1 medium onion finely sliced

4 cloves garlic chopped 

1 tsp cumin seeds 

1 tbsp coriander seeds

7-8 kashmiri whole red chillies 

1 cup or 200 ml coconut cream (I diluted this with 1/2 cup water; you can directly use 1 1/2 cup coconut milk)

2 tsp tamarind paste (you may need a little more later at the final stage while adjusting the seasoning)

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt for marinating the fish as well as for gravy

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp oil

Direction 

Wash and clean the fish and marinate with salt and lemon juice and keep aside. 

Dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and whole red chillies and grind to a fine paste along with the garlic and little water. Now heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till soft and translucent. Add the spice paste and stir well. Add the turmeric powder and mix. Keep stirring continuously until the base mixture is well fried and blended. Take care not to burn it though. Now add the tamarind paste and stir followed by the coconut cream and water mixture or coconut milk. Give a good stir and bring to a boil. Now simmer the flame and add the marinated fish. Do not add the marinade as it might make the gravy too sour. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the fish is cooked. Add salt as per taste and slit green chillies. You can adjust the tanginess of the curry now by adding more tamarind. It is important not to add the entire paste at one go as the consistency of the tamarind paste can be different and so also the tang. You can also adjust the thickness of the gravy now by adding or reducing the water. This is a very forgiving recipe and you can make adjustments at any point in time. Serve hot with steamed rice and enjoy this Goan delicacy!!

Malai Kofta in Appe Pan

Appe pan is a must-have in the kitchen these days, especially if you want to serve healthy yet yummy treats to your friends and family. I prepared the kofta balls one day in advance and kept them in the refrigerator in an air tight container and put them in the kitchen counter out from the fridge to bring them to room temperature 1 hour prior to making them.  It was quite easy to fry the balls in the lightly greased appe pan and all I had to do to uniformly brown the balls was to keep turning them on all sides. This was quite simple to do and I could do it alongside making the rich and yummy gravy. No deep frying involved and no compromise on taste as well!! If you are still considering buying the pan, then think no more. 

Ingredients 

For the koftas (makes 18-20)

350 gms paneer (I used homemade)

2 medium potatoes boiled and grated

2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves finely chopped 

1 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp cumin powder 

1/2 tsp coriander powder 

1/4 tsp heeng 

Salt to taste

Oil to grease the appe pan

For the gravy

1 big onion chopped 

1" piece ginger chopped 

3-4 cloves garlic chopped 

2 medium tomatoes blanched (make slight cuts/insertions on the skin and boil for 5 mins. Remove from heat and once cooled, remove the skin and eyes)

8-9 cashews soaked

3-4 kashmiri whole red chillies soaked

1" piece cinnamon, 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 4 cloves

1 tsp cumin seeds (I did 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp shahjeera or caraway seeds)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp cumin powder 

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder 

1 tbsp roasted and crushed kasuri methi

2 tbsp cream plus more for garnishing 

Direction 

Start with making the koftas. Crumble the paneer with your hands if using homemade or grate them finely if using store bought. Add all other ingredients except the oil and mix well. Taste the koftas for adequate seasoning keeping in mind that the gravy will have salt as well. If you are making the balls in advance, then keep them in an air tight container in the refrigerator until further use. Else, just keep them aside for a while as you prepare for the gravy. 

Heat oil in a pan and add the whole garam masala and let it splutter. Add the chopped onions, ginger and garlic and fry till soft. Remove from heat and let it cool. In a grinder, blend together the blanched tomatoes (skin removed) and the fried onion mix and the soaked cashews and kashmiri whole chillies. Make a smooth paste and keep aside. 

Now grease the appe pan and heat it. Add the balls to each pocket and fry them on a low heat uniformly on all sides by turning them carefully without breaking. 

While making the koftas, start preparing the gravy. Heat oil (just 1 tsp is sufficient) and add cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the spice paste and saute on medium flame till oil starts appearing from the sides. Add the dry spices and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. The gravy should not be too thick nor too thin as it will dry up when cooled down. Add the crushed kasuri methi and cream and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning as required. I like to add a dash of sugar at the fag end. You may skip this step. Remove from heat and transfer to the serving bowl. Now add the fried koftas to the gravy and let them soak the gravy for at least 30 minutes. Serve hot garnished with some more cream.