Pan Fried Tofu and English Muffin with Chivda Crisp Mix- When East meets West

This recipe, I owe it to my dear daughter. As she is very fond of having her burgers with potato chips- salty and crunchy bites, which she ardently puts in between her chicken patties and burger buns. She herself started eating burgers made this way, when she saw one of her primary school friend spicing up her mundane school lunches with potato crisps, while we were living in UK.
Both kids had their ways to spice up their burgers. Sometimes  even with French fries layered in between. Sometimes with Thousand Island dressing, sometimes with mayonnaise or Ranch dressing and cheddar slices etc but 'Potato chips' also known as potato crisp over there, wins hands down for both of them.

 I know this seems like a circle, and that is how recipes evolve. Although both kids used to love non-vegetarian meals like with chicken burger, this is my attempt to make it little healthy and vegetarian.

I have used sesame oil to pan fry Tofu. I have also used iron skillet to pan-fry tofu instead of normal coated pans.And I must admit, sesame oil imparts a lovely taste to the overall product. I dint go for potato chips, I had my favourite snack – that famous Chivda crisp mix snack you get in packets in India with peanuts, raisins, cashews and corn flakes-‘chivda-crisp mix’ adds the crunch to this burger/muffin recipe.In Bengal while I was staying in Kolkata , I even had with 'Mukhorochak'.

 English muffin is a staple bread in UK and many use it as breakfast bread with jams, marmalade, bacon, ham and cheddarcheese as well. If you don’t get English muffin, then you can also replace it with normal burger buns. I have blogged about a nice home-made bread recipe way back here - Whole-wheat burger .You can make your own burger bun as well. I have omitted mayonnaise to make it  even more lighter. The layering is such a work of joy, olive oil spread, lettuce, pan fried tofu and tomatoes, perfect blend of sweetness, crunchiness and protein.

Here to the recipe

Pan fried tofu with English muffin and Chivda-Crisp mix

Recipe requirements

• 3-4 whole meal English muffin
• 200 Gms of tofu cut into flat square pieces
• 2-3 tsp of sesame oil for pan frying
• ½ tsp of red pepper powder
• Salt as per taste
• 3-4 tbs of Mayonnaise/Olive oil spread
•  3-4 tsp of sesame oil 
• 1-2 tomato cut into slices
• Lettuce leaves

Method
Cut Tofu Pieces and sprinkle red pepper powder and salt over them.Keep aside for 10 mints.
Heat up an iron skillet for pan frying the Tofu pieces. Add in about 1-2 tsp of sesame oil. Now pan-fry the tofu pieces just to get a nice golden-brown layer.

Now assemble English muffin
Cut the bread into half.

Spread olive oil soft spread over English Muffins.

Now place tomato slices, lettuce leaves and pan fried tofu pieces well stacked over one another.

Add in about a handful of Chivda- crisp Mix or spicy corn mix and cover it with another half of English muffin bread. You can add Mayonnaise in place of olive oil spread.
This is a vegetarian version.You can skip Tofu and Olive Oil Spread altogether and replace it with chicken patties or lamb patties and Mayo.Keema Kabab are also nice variations.

Internet reference:

I just love when few fellow bloggers also think like us and writes about it too here-  Finely Chopped..

Happy Cooking Friends and have a great weekend.

Soya Chilli Masala

We sometimes leisurely go for day trips when ever time permits and when ever we want to escape from daily rushing-huffing. This time, we went to Hastings, east Sussex. We have been to Brighton earlier which itself is a nice place to have great sea-views, but Hastings is even more relaxing, meant for a family day-out.

And as we intend to do small train journeys, so a two hours of train ride sounded good for us. Views across Hastings Country Park and Hasting pier are relaxing. This place even has many fish and chips outlets, a typical sea- town and also a fabulous play area for kids which stretch along the promenade.

There are many areas for picnic as well and benches to sit. But our surprise was Hastings Country Park, views across the sandstones cliff –east hill is splendid. They have recently mended the park area, putting up great amount of greenery and also some wooden benches to sit and relax. It even has a separate place for barbecues, and one can have a long walk along the East hill till Fairlight village area if nothing comes to mind, although when we visited many walking paths were closed due to land-slides.

And we kind of liked the funicular –railway to the top as well, as taking steps to the top of cliff sounded exhausting for us.And of course one can spend some time near promenade or beach as well. Although I must say it’s a pebbled beach not a sandy –beach that one always expects to be in.

 If you don’t mind pebbled beaches, you still can have a picnic there, catching up with sea-views and listening to the crashing sea-waves sound. All in all, a nice way to spend a leisurely family day over there.

Coming to the recipe. We have been making soya chunks in many different ways. This stir/fry as we really like to eat is sort of a fusion between Chinese and Indian ingredients and that's why called it-  Chinese Soya Chilli Masala. Chinese Soya is spiced a little more with red pepper powder and cumin powder, not much but a slight hint of it. This turned up a semi-dry preparation for us and we liked it with rotis.We also made a side of a salad- Baby spinach, apple and rocket salad, dressing we used was honey-vinaigrette.

Chinese Soya Chilli  Masala
Recipe requirements
About 3 cups of soaked soya nuggets
2 medium size potatoes
1 medium size onions
 2 tsp of ginger paste
2 tsp of garlic paste
Half of a medium size tomato
For the chili masala sauce
4-5 tsp of Soya sauce
3 tsp of Tomato ketchup
 2 tsp of Tamarind sauce
 1 tsp of Honey
 2 tsp of Chili sauce
 1 tsp of red pepper powder
½ tsp of cumin powder
 1 tsp of Salt or as per taste
Coriander leaves
½ tsp of corn flour
3-4 tbs of cooking oil

Method
Soak soya nuggets in ample water for about 4-5 hrs.Once, they soak up entire water and have become soft, squeeze out the soaked water. Now wash them in running water and again squeeze out the excess water.
It would be nice if you can cook the soya nuggets/chunks in advance. Put the entire amount in pressure cooker, add in 1 cup of water and cook for two whistles. Open when the pressure subsides.
Now chop potatoes in to cubes.
Heat up a fry pan, add in cooking oil. Add in finely chopped onions, sauté them for about a minute. Now add in garlic and ginger paste. If not using paste, then you may use freshly grated ginger and garlic.
Keep on stir/fry for about 3-4 mints. Now add in cubed potatoes. Sprinkle salt, red pepper powder and cumin powder, all over them and keep on stir/fry fry 7-10 mints. Add in finely chopped tomatoes.
Now add in all the sauce- soya, chili, tamarind and honey to it. Or better mix all the sauce in a bowl and then add it to the above. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if required. Sprinkle about 6-7 tbs of water all over it so that the gravy doesn’t become dry or potatoes gets stuck in the pan.
Now add in cooked soya nuggets. Let it cook for about 10-15 mints at medium flame or till potatoes are thoroughly cooked and all the sauces have mixed thoroughly with soya nuggets and potatoes.
Dissolve corn flour in half cup of water. Once the potatoes and soya nuggets are cooked, add in corn flour mixture .Stop cooking and take it off from the hob.

Serve hot and garnished with coriander leaves. This goes well with Chinese fried rice or noodles. But then we even had it with rotis and baby spinach, apple and rocket salad.

Happy cooking friends

Lamb meat cooked with Liver, New potatoes and Green peas

I have heard about some fruits being used as meat tenderizer like kiwi, pineapple or green papaya. Personally I have never used them so far, and the ones who read this blog regularly you know that well. So, I never knew if it is going to work in favor for this recipe or not. I was little apprehensive before I made this lamb and lamb liver semi dry /“sukha” fried curry, but to be honest it is one of the best recipes made so far, for lamb meat. I had some unripe kiwi lying in the fruit basket and I was wondering how should I fix it, other than kiwi pie or kiwi cheesecake, so came up with this recipe with lamb meat.

The tanginess of kiwi gelled very much with spices,lamb steak and lamb liver pieces and top it all the flavour new potatoes and "hara matar" –green peas have imparted, we knew it this was heading into a delicious preparation. Addition of curry patta and coconut powder added that southern Indian rustic touch, and then addition of black peppercorn did the hammering trick. You can say pepper mutton is dressed up even more to yield a new flavor, something kind of an add-on and it looks like it’s a match made in heaven- sorry a match made in my kitchen – an idea can change a life or in this case a recipe.

Here is recipe for lamb steak piece with lamb liver,potatoes and green peas my humble first attempt at including kiwi in everyday Indian cooking. And yes the lamb steak pieces were cooked little early. This is a ‘sukha”/dry preparation enough to have it with roti…..


Lamb meat cooked with lamb liver, new potatoes, Kiwi and green peas-Mutton aur Kaleji aloo matar (When north meets up with south-jab they met)
Recipe requirements( measurements are approx) 

• 3 lamb steaks- roughly about 400 Gms
• Lamb liver- about 200 Gms
• 1 large cup of green peas fresh or frozen what ever is available
• 2 large purple onions
• 4-5 fat clove of garlic
• 1 inch ginger root
• About a handful of curry leaves/curry patta
• ½ cup of coconut powder
• 2-3 medium size new potatoes (as this is in season now) cut into big chunks or use baby new potatoes
• ½ cup of yogurt
• 1 kiwi or 2 kiwi fruits

For tempering and Seasonings

• 2 -3 cloves
• 2-3 small green cardamoms
• 10-12 black peppercorn
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• 2 tsp of freshly crushed black peppercorn
• 2 tsp of coriander powder
• ¼ tsp of cumin powder
• 1 tsp of cardamom powder
• ½ tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 7-8 tbs of mustard oil

Method
1.-.Make a marinade sauce with – yogurt+red pepper powder+salt+half of the quantity of mustard oil and finely chopped kiwi ( take the skin off) . Now rub this sauce over lamb steak pieces very well and keep it aside for 1-2 hrs.If you wish you can cut steak pieces further into small portions. If you are fine with the crunch of tiny kiwi seeds then add the whole kiwi or you may take out the pith and discard all the seeds and in that case I do think please use two kiwi fruits.

2.-You can skip yogurt at this time and add on later when all the spices have blended well with lamb pieces...It would be nice if you can do the marination overnight if using lamb meat with bones or any other red-meat.
3.-Grate ginger after peeling off the skin and do the same with garlic. We have used grated garlic and ginger rather than paste for this recipe. Chop onion very finely. Grating garlic and ginger releases fresh juices which adds up to the flavor and more the stir/fry is less hard working.

4.-Now heat up mustard oil in a big enough pan/kadai etc and fry the potatoes so that they just start turning barely brown. Take out and drain. Now that oil itself, temper this with cloves, green cardamom, pepper corn, ginger and garlic. Add in curry patta.When garlic+ginger has turned towards little brownish, add in finely chopped onions. Add in sugar and keep on stir/fry it.

5.-Add in dry spice ingredients- turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and fresh crushed black peppercorn. Keep on stir/fry till onions shrinks and becomes evenly fried and reddish-brown. I have used home-made and grounded coriander powder and cumin powder, and cardamom +cinnamon powder not the ready-made spice packets.

6.-Now add the marinated lamb steak pieces. Add in green peas. Add in half a cup of water. Mix and stir well. Add in coconut powder, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder and let it bhuno/stir/fry for 15-20 mints.
7.-Add in lamb liver pieces. Now cover this and put the flame to medium- low. After about 20-25 mints check if it’s not stuck at the base and if required splash some more water or add quarter cup of warm water.
Lamb liver pieces are cooked by this time but the lamb steak pieces will generally require little more cooking, after about 10-15 mints switch off the flame and let it sit there. If you do not want to eat overly cooked liver pieces then add them in later stages of this preparation. Usually this gets cooked in 15-20 mints at med-low flame.

8.-Let it rest for a while before you dig into it, as resting period helps in soaking up the flavor more. I try to make this in the morning if we are having it as dinner or at least 3-4 hrs before our dinner is served. And next day it’s even more flavourful.Serve and enjoy.

If you have left-over if any, then mix in with cooked rice, it gels well with it and gives you instant lamb pilaf, or boil some pasta any shape, mix it and you have a quick Indian spice inspired pasta recipe.

Happy Cooking Friends

Laksa Soup - Our Way

 Most of the time when it rains or if it’s getting dark and gray, we often make hearty warm soups. This makes us feel rejuvenated even after having a tiring day out. I have loved probably most of the soup recipes which have loads of veggies or pearl barley soup or even a spinach soup.Curry Laksa soup was always on my mind since the time I happen to read it in a cook book which featured many other Oriental recipes. And from then the bug of having home-made warm Laksa soup hit me hard.

I seldom read cook books and even if I happen to read cook books, I generally forget about everything written once I put down the book. It is rare that something gets stored in my mind and tops in the “to-do-list”. Yes, you read it right I rarely read cook books. But then there comes some good cook books which is sort of food bible to most of us and it’s not that easy to jump pages quickly, well it does keep you engrossed. And then I wonder why on earth I didn't get a chance to read it beforehand. While we were in library one fine day and I happen to read a cook book by a famous food writer, where I got to read the recipe for laksa soup.

What I read, I liked it and then imagined myself, I was sitting on the lap of snow-clad mountains some where near in Bhutan- a place near to Bengal , wearing that traditional dress of those nice Bhutanese people , relaxing with a warm bowl of fresh home-made laksa soup( oh! Laksa is more of a Malay or a Singaporean meal and has many variations specific to particular region.)And that made-up picture itself was so rejuvenating.So, while coming back to home; I promised to myself I am sure going to make it. And then that curry laksa soup was introduced for the first time in our dinner menu that day.

And then it just happened few days back that I made Laksa soup again, so thought of writing the recipe here before this thing slips out of mind or if I forget to take snaps. The basic recipe for Laksa soup is little modified here to suit our Indian taste –buds, so I happen to add red pepper powder to make it spicier. I don’t have the usual ingredients like “belacan”- which is dried shrimp paste, galangal and lemongrass in my pantry, but then I replaced them with what ever I had in my pantry. Fresh root ginger, lemon juice and fish sauce that is what I had and yes it has all of them. I guess it is more or less a refined version of "Johor Laksa" which comes from southern Malaysia.
Please use the recipe as just mere guidelines and if you are looking for traditional laksa soup, then visit some other place. But come to think of it “traditions”, is all about what one believes in and what ever we happen to pass on to next generations ahead of us. My family tradition might be slightly different form yours , but the core of the thing is “believing” in it and “practicing” it.

Laksa Soup
Recipe requirements

• About 2-3 nests of fine egg noodles or
• 2-3 nests of Rice noodles
• Half a can of thick coconut milk
• 200 Gms of shrimps
• 3-4 cups of broth or water
• 2 cups of 2 inch long cut strips of green beans
• Any other vegetables of your choice like
• Bean sprouts
• Bok choy
• Baby corn etc 
• For the spice paste of laksa soup

• 6-7 shallots
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• ½ inch fresh ginger root or galangal
• 5-6 blanched almonds
• 2 whole dry red pepper
• ¼ tsp of shrimp paste or
• ½ tsp of fish sauce
• 2 tsp of lime juice
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• ½ tsp of cumin powder
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• 1 tsp of sugar
• ½ tsp of salt or as per taste
• 3-4 tsp of cooking oil

 Method

1. Marinate cold water cooked shrimps with turmeric powder and salt. We mostly get  cooked shrimps which are already cleaned here. But if using fresh shrimps then it’s necessary to properly clean and de-vein shrimps, removing shells as well. Keep aside for half an hour.
2. Now heat up a fry pan and sauté them for 2-3 mints. Take them out and reserve it to be added at the time of assembling the soup.
3. Now prepare the laksa paste
4. Since I didn’t have shrimp paste also known as “belacan” at the time of making this soup and also I generally don’t use them either. Instead I like to use fish sauce in any Oriental inspired recipes. But we needed the meatiness of shrimp as well. So, while preparing the masala paste for laksa, I did add sautéed small shrimp which provided that meaty texture of the paste.
5. In a blender, blend in shallots, garlic, ginger, about 7-8 sautéed cold water shrimps, blanched almonds, whole dried red pepper, lemon juice, fish sauce and oil. Blend all to form a uniform laksa paste.
6. Now heat up a deep bottom pan, add in water and let it come to boil. Add in egg noodles, little bit of salt and a tsp of cooking oil. Cook the noodles and make sure they don’t get soggy. Even if they are partially cooked; they will be cooked once being added to the simmering soup.I personally like egg noodles but you may even use spaghetti noodles as well.Egg noodles cook quickly as compared to spaghetti pasta noodles.
7. Drain the water and reserve cooked noodles.
8. Now add cooking oil in a heated deep bottom pan and add in prepared laksa paste.
9. Stir/fry the laksa paste well for 6-7 mints.Add in red pepper powder and cumin powder. Adjust it with salt and sugar. Since fish sauce is salty which we already have added ,take precaution while adding salt to soup at this time. It will be appropriate to taste soup at this time and then add in salt if required.Even belacan is also bit salty in case you are using it.
10. Now add in coconut milk, mix all well. Let it slowly simmer a while.Then add in about 2-3 large cups of warm water or broth if using it.
11. While the soup is simmering, stir/fry other vegetables like beans, bean sprouts, baby corn or bok Choy just for 3-4 mints to retain the crunchiness. Note- to retain color of green vegetables , put them with cooking noodles in hot water, take them out 2-3 mints later and then proceed to sauté them for a short time about 3-4 mints. This way they will retain the green color and also will turn out crispy. Then add them as garnishing at the time of serving laksa soup.
12. After about 10-12 mints when the soup has blended well with the fried laksa paste. Add in cooked noodles. Take it off from the flame.And keep it covered.
13. Now have and serve with other garnishing such as fried shrimp, green beans and a slice of lemon wedge.
14. You can even add sautéed chicken breast strips or cooked crabs.

Note-

This recipe for laksa soup is adapted to suit our taste buds. Traditionally laksa soup is made with- dried shrimp paste, galangal and lemon grass. I have used fresh ginger root in place of galangal, and fish sauce in place of shrimp paste. Lemon grass was replaced with fresh lime juice. Shrimp paste is available now in many super-markets, if you really want to use it then sure go ahead.You can even try it out with any ready-made Thai red curry masala paste.Watch this youtube video to know more about it.

Happy Cooking Friends

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

August is a month of festivity and celebrations for all of us.First it was Rakhi pornima, then Janamshtami, and then soon will be Eid this weekend concluding Ramadan, rigorous fasting period.And today it’s our Independence Day. I really don’t know what independence means to all of you. Independence from slavery or colonial influence or perhaps any other such means or shouting out slogans, updating FB profile, Tweeting messages or wishing each other “Happy Independence”.
 I have never ever understood the hoopla that surrounded this celebration, one day we are so excited and wear our Indian pride on our sleeves and the very next day we start nagging about everything going wrong in the country. Who to blame and who should take responsibility. Freedom comes with responsibility. But we are always shy of sharing our responsibility. For a change let’s start sharing our responsibility, from a very basic level.
 We are free but yet not free, there is may be many more miles to cover. Anyways if I keep on saying more, you all will be saying here are the words of this NRI- “non-reliable-Indian”. But just look around and you will see such drastic paradigm, high rise building, BMW on one side and slum and poverty on other side. This perhaps says we have become free and independent from a foreign rule but yet we are not free.

While I am typing this post my daughter came to me and showed above flag which she colored and sketched, and asked me do you know the meaning of "three colors" on the flag. I counter asked her if she knows it. This is what she told me – "orange for courage, white for peace, green for prosperity and the wheel is for the development of the nation." And a clean sparkling glitter in her eyes. Our nation’s future rest in these innocent hands. I think when I said start from a basic level, I meant that, giving them good education (that doesn’t mean scoring good marks in exams- education and scoring marks are two different things, lets just leave it for some other day) and make them conscious of their surrounding and making them responsible citizen so that they can share the responsibility of running a nation on grounds of equality, compassion and truthfulness.

Now to the recipe
Hyderbadi biryani has been on my mind since long; perhaps somebody even did a recipe request by mail or was it in a comment section. I completely forgot about it, last weekend we did made this. And since I do not belong to Hyderabad region I can not claim it to be authentic or traditional. I sneaked peaked into my pantry and looked for shyah jeera or royal cumin – actually it’s cumin with very distinct aroma not to be confused with "caraway". I didn’t had so, got little upset. The only missing ingredient was this I guess. And since we Bengalis are so fond of our panch phoron, I added this to the home-made Biryani powder. Now puritans of Hyderabadi cuisine, I know it’s not the ingredients that go into making Biryani, but since this is a customized version, I would like to use that liberty and today its Independence Day also.
I love this home-made dry masala powder, so much so that I have started using it in a normal Bengali torkari – like Aloo Phulkopir Torkari

Probably a biryani is done in two ways- one way is “Kachi gosht Biryani”  ...Where the meat is not cooked prior of layering and is marinated with spices overnight and then the next day it is cooked with basmati rice.
Then there is this method below the precook method and then put on dum cooking ,- more to do with the fact, I forgot to marinate “kachi gosht”- raw meat, as the chicken drumsticks where resting in deep fridge. I thawed it on morning and almost proceeded to make biryani.However I did have 2 hr for marination time. At least 2 hr of marination did some good to chicken drumsticks.

Here is how we made Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani – Customized Version
Recipe requirements( Measurements are approx)
3 cups of high quality basmati rice (I use Kohinoor X-long Basmati Rice)
7-8 chicken drumsticks
2 cloves
Little cinnamon
1-2 cardamoms
5 tbs of coriander seeds
3 tbs of cumin seeds
2 tbs of panch phoron
1 twig mint leaves or about 8-9 leaves
6-7 dry red pepper the small ones
8-10 whole black pepper
½ inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves
4-5 cardamoms
Pinch of nutmeg
1 strand of mace
1 large lemon and the juice from it
2 tbs of yogurt
1 tsp of salt
1 large and 1 medium size white onion/purple onion whatever is available
5-7 garlic
½ inch ginger root
4 tbs of cooking oil/sada tel
1 cup finely chopped mint leaves
½ cup finely chopped coriander leaves
Two generous pinch of saffron soaked in half cup of milk
1 large onion for deep frying
2 tsp of cooking oil
 Method
Bring a pot with above listed garam masala ( gota moshla) and ample water to boil, now add in the basmati rice and cook till it’s ¾ done or better half done. Strain the starch. Our rice is partially cooked in this yakhni water- aromatic water. Keep it uncovered so that the moisture can escape.2 tsp of lemon juice should be added to further reduce the cooking. And also 1 tbs of ghee.
For the chicken
Clean and pat the chicken dry with kitchen towel.
Now prick with fork or the pointing end of knife all over the chicken drumsticks.
Now marinate the chicken with the juice extracted from 1 large lemon, and 2 tbs of yogurt+1 tsp of red pepper powder+ 1 tsp of salt. Keep this marinated for overnight. If you forgot to marinate them overnight then at least 2 hr of marination works best.
Meanwhile the chicken is marinating, prepare the dry masala that will be added to cooking the biryani.

Dry Biryani Home-made-masala
Recipe requirements
5 tbs of coriander seeds
3 tbs of cumin seeds/Shyah Jeera/black cumin seeds
2 tbs of panch phoron
1 twig mint leaves or about 8-9 large leaves
6-7 dry red pepper the small ones
8-10 whole black pepper
½ inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves
4-5 cardamoms
Pinch of nutmeg
1-2  flower of mace
2 bay leaves
Start roasting them over low heat on an iron skillet. After 4-5 mints a nice aroma will hit your nose. Take it off and then let it cool a little bit.Now grind them very finely in blender or mixer.
This masala is the base masala or the biryani masala.
If you are making kache-gosht ka biryani then no need to precook the chicken but overnight marinating with yogurt+lemon juice+red pepper powder+salt+ this Biryani masala + the ginger/garlic and onion paste is essential as this tenders the marinated meat.
Otherwise like me who keeps forgetting to marinate the meat, it’s better to precook the meat a little bit before layering is done.

Now for the gravy
Recipe requirements
1 large and 1 medium size white onion/purple onion whatever is available
5-7 garlic
½ inch ginger root
4 tbs of cooking oil/sada tel
Make a smooth paste of above listed ingredients in a blender
Now heat up a big frying pan. Add in 2 tbs of cooking oil
We will first fry the chicken pieces till the entire chicken pieces gets evenly brown or the color changes.
Now add rest of 2tbs of cooking oil
Add the prepared paste, and then add in 1/2 tsp of red pepper powder and salt. Sprinkle little bit of water so that the paste doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Keep on frying the masala for 7-8 mints at medium-high flame. Now add in fried chicken pieces
And keep on frying further 10 mints. Cover it and then put the flame to low. Let it cook another 15 mints.
Meanwhile chicken is cooking at low. Fry the onion which will go with the layering
Heat up a small saucepan adds in 1 large onion sliced evenly. Keep on frying till they shrink. Now add in 1 -2 tsp of cooking oil.TIP- This way the oil required for frying onion can be reduced.
Chop mint and coriander leaves very finely.
Now bottom layer will be of rice. Then will come some pieces of chicken with gravy then mint+coriander leaves, then generous amount of saffron milk and last will be fried sliced onions.
Make another layer with similar ingredients and then cover with left-over half cooked rice.
Cover with aluminum foil. Bake this entire rice casserole for 20 mints at 175 deg C.
Turn off the oven and let it sit there for further 10 mints.
Take out and let it covered further 20 mints.
Let this biryani absorb the flavor, and at the time of serving just reheat in oven again.
Resting time is essential as it helps in more intense flavor. And it’s even more flavorful next day if you have some left-over.

Notes
The measurement of dry home-made biryani masala is approx, and I did have some left-over biryani masala which I like to add in other veggie recipes from time to time. This dry masala woks great even if you do not have other dry masala in home viz- coriander+cumin or garam masala powder. So, left-over dry biryani masala can be used in other recipes as well.
This is how I have tried to make Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani in comfy of our home. I am not claiming it to be authentic or traditional, this is how we like to make and eat. If this turn out nice for you do let me know.

And to all fellow countrymen- " Vande Matram".......

Happy Cooking Friends

Lauki/Dudhi and Bean Sprouts Sambhar,Chettinad Tomato Chutney with Aloo Charchari and Dosa

One thing about Monday that I hate, ok hate is a very strong word, lets say I don’t like is, it comes right after Sunday, my favorite day of the week. But as I have always said weekend go past so quickly and moments are passed just like blinking of an eye, but the euphoria still hangs on our mind .Fighting my Monday blues here I am typing this post. Not sure what made me write this post as there are many other recipes saved in my drafts. This recipe is like a gate-crash recipe well inspired by that Indian girl at the Olympic opening ceremony. And why not it’s the Olympic season that is going on so thought of inspiring me with some extended cooking .Good at least, if extended weekend is a distant dream for the time being, extended cooking is happening here. Some points scored may be. And I wish extended weekend happens soon.

Yesterday we were on a trip to south India. Oh! I mean to say we made south Indian platter for our lunch in comfy of our home. Here comes a surprising element but with a Bengali touch. I mean there was this lauki/ bottle gourd/  bean sprouts Sāmbhar, Chettinad tomato pachadi and dosa on our platter and then there was this Bengali style aloo charchari on one side. What an amalgamation of region,cuisine and flavor, but well worth it.

Now let’s hop on to recipes for this post - (actually it's four of them)

To be honest this is the first time I am using bean sprouts with lentils or dal, and I really find it extremely satisfying. And in future if I make dal I would definitely keep on adding this small pack power house for health benefits.
We all know lauki/ bottle gourd is a frequent in Sāmbhar, so don’t need to add much on that. Now to the recipe -

Lauki/Bottle Gourd Bean Sprouts Sāmbhar
Recipe requirements (Serves 6-7)
 2 cups of toor dal/arhar dal/aror dal (I used the oily toor dal)
About 2-3 cups of chopped lauki/ bottle gourd/bitter gourd pieces
2 – 3 cups of bean sprouts
1 large tomato
2 tbs of tamarind paste/ sauce available in bottles
For seasoning
1 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tsp of red pepper powder
2-4 tsp of madras hot curry powder/ or Everest Sāmbhar powder
Salt as per taste
Pinch of sugar
1 tsp of ghee
For tempering
1 tsp of mustard seeds
3 dry red pepper
1 stalk full of curry patta
pinch of hing(asfoetida)
2 tbs of cooking oil
Method
Wash the lentils/ arhar dal/toor dal  very well in water.
Put the pressure cooker to heat. Now add in washed toor dal. Add about 2 cups of water, enough to submerge the lentils. Let it come to a boil. Discard the white froth that is formed.
Now add in turmeric powder and salt, put the pressure cooker lid on. Let it whistle once, stop cooking. Take it off and then let it cool off. Once the pressure subsides, open the lid.
You have to add little bit of more water- about 2-3 cups of water.
Add in madras hot curry powder or Sāmbhar powder which ever is available. Add in tamarind pulp.
You may use tamarind syrup/sauce also, available in many superstores now in abroad and most probably in India.
Now prepare the tadka/seasoning
Heat up a saucepan, add cooking oil, let it heat up properly, otherwise mustard seeds wont crackle. If the seeds don’t crackle well, it may turn out bitter.Add them now.Add in hing.
Now add in 3-4 dry red pepper, and curry patta.I didn’t had curry patta this time.
Now add in  chopped onions or pearl onion whatever is available. Add in chopped tomato, lauki/ bottle gourd/bottle gourd pieces and bean sprouts. Keep on frying them, add in red pepper powder and adjust salt. After about 6-8 mints of frying. Transfer this tadka to the cooked toor/arhar dal.
If required add in more water depending on the consistency of Sāmbhar you want. If you need a runny/watery or thin one, then add about 3-4 cups of water otherwise  about 2 cups (approx) is essential.
Let it simmer slowly; add in ghee at the end. Serve hot with dosa.

-Bean sprouts add the healthy quotient to Sāmbhar and lauki/ bottle gord is always good for stomach.

I was more inclined towards making a hot and fiery sauce that could go along well with dosa.So zeroed down the famous Chettinad Cuisine, as it's known for it's hot and  spicy food.Chettinad tomato chutney went very well with the dosa and lauki /bean sprouts sambhar.I had bookmarked Sailaja's recipe way back , but just forgot to make.Any it's better be late than to be sorry oh! I forgot completely.A keeper recipe for us for sure.

Chettinad Tomato Pachadi /Chutney
Inspired and Adapted from (Sailu's Recipe)
Recipe Requirements
2 large tomatoes
2 white onions
2 green chilies
½ cup of cashews or peanuts
For tadka/tempering
6-8 very hot dry red pepper (often the small ones are fiery hot)
1 tsp of mustard seeds
2-3 tbs of chana dal
1 tbs of urad dal
Curry patta
1 tbs of cooking oil
Method
Put a small saucepan to heat, add in cooking oil.
Now add in mustard seeds, dry red pepper .Let it crackle a little bit.
Add in slit green chilies. Add in cashews. (I didn’t had peanuts, cashews come in handy in case you have peanut allergy)
Add in chopped tomato and onion.
Fry them very well for 3-4 mints till they turn little translucent.
Let it cool properly. Now pulse through in mixer.And serve garnishing with curry patta and tempered mustard seeds.
If you don't like mustard tempering in the initial stage then do the tempering part after blending tomato, onion, green chilies and lentils in blender.

Bengali Style Aloo Charchari
Before I start writing it, I would say please make your authentic south Indian version of aloo sabzi  or the potato stuffing with dal+ curry pata+mustard seeds tempering if you don’t like Bengali style aloo charchari. However we feel Bengali style aloo-charchari goes very well with dosa.Now that’s Indian fusion food for you.
Recipe requirements ( serves 3-4 )
2-3 white potatoes
3-4 green chilies
For seasoning
½ tsp of turmeric powder
Salt as per taste
1 tsp of kalo jeerey/kalaunji/nigella seeds
1 or 1 and ½ tbs of cooking oil
Method
Peel the skin, keeping some part of skin on.
Now heat up a saucepan, add in cooking oil.
Add in kalo jeerey, green chillies slit in between.
Now add in potatoes.Keep frying for 2-3 mints.
Add in salt and turmeric powder. Keep on frying.
Add in about quarter cup of water, cover it and then cook till potatoes are cooked well.If you wish you may add fresh green peas to it.

Now for the Dosa
Recipe requirements (makes 8-10 dosa)
 1 and half large cup of basmati rice/parboiled rice would be better
½ large cup of urad dal
Pinch of methi seeds
Soak dal and rice with methi seeds overnight.Other day pulse through finely in mixer.
Now keep them in direct sun rays to ferment well.
It would be nice to keep it overnight to ferment in cold weather.But back in India 4-5 hrs in strong day light is enough to ferment it.
Prepare the tava /iron skillet for dosa preparation.
Add in bit of more water and salt to work while you would swirl the dosa batter. You may look into this post for more details-Here.
Make dosa- Swirling and frying on hot tava with a ladle full of the dosa batter. Keep on doing it for other 7-8 dosa.

Enjoy this South – Indian Platter with friends and family.

I will be on a week long break from tomorrow.

Happy Cooking Friends

Brown Rice Pilaf With Red Bell Pepper and Bean Sprouts

This weekend we were out into Central and East London to feel the vibes for 2012 Olympics. The place and people are slowly gearing up to this mega-event. So, just thought of giving you all exclusive peek into this world. The Olympics arena is being captured exclusively to give you all a sneak peek into this once in a life –time opportunity.

Stratford is Olympics village to be precise. How to get into Stratford – easy take any underground line or trains from central stations, ( Two lines- Jubilee Line and Central line pass from  Stratford -upon-Avon ) or DLR ( Dockland Light Railways ) services from Greenwich. I would say DLR is less crowded and in case you have time then sit back and enjoy the view.

There is even plenty of shopping opportunity for you all in the Westfield Stratford.The shopping complex at Stratford never looked so decked up and glorious. There are plenty of options of eating out also and at reasonable price. There is a Thai restaurant and a Greek restaurant just outside the Olympics Park.

This is the stadium which will be seen all decked up, lighted, glittering on the D-day.

I wonder how it would feel to sit and watch the opening ceremony or the closing ceremony with all those excitement and frenzy people out there.
And there are proper arrangements also, obviously for security reasons. Although I wish the private security staffs were little polite in dealing with common people, cant blame them also they have to take care due to understood reasons. We the common people were not allowed to get close to the gate- so took all these snaps from a distance through a barricade.
 I was trying to zoom in as much as I can with my Canon P&S camera; hope the quality of pictures is not compromised. There were two professional photographers with big and sophisticated  lenses, the ones you see when press usually take pictures for cricket snaps or any other sports picture.And here I was holding my small handy P&S camera taking this picture. They put their professional camera on timer and I could hear the clicking sound –tak-tak …

Wow! What a feeling and sight to see these dashing soldiers coming out from the Olympics Park. I can imagine all the adrenaline rush out there.

I will leave you with a picture of stadium and this metal structure, don’t know what this is.

And in case you are not afraid of height or have vertigo, then don’t forget to get into the Emirates Rope-way. If you wish to ride then be prepared to line up and wait for more or less 20 mints in case you have oysters card. And if you don’t then purchase boarding pass first and then line up to board.
I know in coming weeks it will be quite difficult to board due to the rush. The view from top is splendid, you can even catch a glimpse of London eye from there.

In coming weeks this place will be one razz ling-dazzling place with sports-persons and press from all over the world. It is indeed one great experience and unforgettable moment for kids and grown-ups both. So, let the party begins and the feeling sinks in.

After this small virtual tour, let’s get into some cooking mode. As you all know I am currently guest hosting healthy diet food events. Event details are Here. So, just thought it would be appropriate to start the week on a very healthy note.
Last time while grocery shopping, my attention caught a pack of brown rice. Now, back home, I don’t think I have ever seen brown rice, so let’s forget cooking and then eating it. But after many hitches, I finally gave into my resistant and tried out making an easy sundal type of preparation for brown rice but with healthy vegetables like red bell peppers and moong bean sprouts.


As far as I know sundal is specifically made with lentils like chick peas and Bengal gram. So, I really don’t know if this can qualify to be a sundal preparation. However this preparation with mustard seeds and green chilies, red bell pepper and bean sprouts can be considered a take on fusion food. As I do think bean sprouts are specifically used in Chinese stir/fry recipes.

The beauty/flavor of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the ingredients that goes into making this-Brown rice with its nutty flavor- (the flavor is little different from polished rice or atop chaal/basmati rice), scintillating color due to the red bell pepper and the goodness of bean sprouts. Ok now without much renderation let’s hop on to the recipe for this brown rice pilaf preparation.
Brown rice pilaf with red bell pepper and Moong bean sprouts ( a fusion of sundal and Chinese food)
Recipe requirements
2 cups of uncooked brown rice
1 large red bell pepper
About 1 cup of bean sprouts
Now to seasonings
1 tsp of mustard seeds
2-3 green chilies chopped finely
¼ tsp of black pepper
1 tsp of salt or as per taste
Pinch of sugar
1 tsp of balsamic vinegar
1 tbs of cooking oil/ canola oil /corn oil etc

Method
Wash the brown rice and keep it soaked in water for 10 mints. Bring a pot with half filled water to a boil. Now add the brown rice to it and cook it at medium flame. Take out some rice-grains and if you can press easily with your finger tips then the rice is cooked. Now, add in about 2 cups of cold water to it, just to prevent it from over-cooking. Then discard the excess water with the help of sieve or co-Lander.
Add in 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar and mix well. Leave it open.
Now heat up a frying pan, or saucepan, add cooking oil. Add in mustard seeds let it crackle. Now add in chopped green chilies.
Add in chopped red bell pepper and bean sprouts. Keep on stir/fry for 3-4 mints at med-high flame. Adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.
Now add in cooked brown rice to it. At this step you may add chick peas or Bengal Gram to make it even more filling.
Mix well and keep on stir/frying for 3-4 mints. Take it off from the flame and serve immediately.
Or even if you wish then, you can serve as cold side-dish as well. Whatever way you prefer, it taste delicious and is healthy too.
Sending this recipe to the current event which I am guest hosting this month Details Here

 and also to Celebrate Olympics Games Event hosted by Priya's Versatile Recipes

Happy Cooking Friends 

Chicken Teriyaki

Most of the times when I make something Chinese or inspired by something from Chinese cuisine, I end up tweaking the flavors to suit our Indian palate. So every time it's the  fusion of Indo-Chinese cuisine or in this case/recipe Indo-Japanese cuisine.

Teriyaki is Japanese way of cooking ingredients- like meat/fish or chicken. And it comes from two words – “Teri” and “Yaki” – and where ingredients are mostly broiled or grilled before they are marinated with teriyaki sauce. However, I haven’t broiled them as such in oven but cooked them in a closed pan and then sautéed them at med-high to get the glaze which is what teriyaki sauce does to ingredients.You can grill it if you wish.

These days teriyaki marinade is easily available in supermarkets. However if you wish to make your own teriyaki sauce, you need mirin which is derived from rice wine (Japanese love their rice wine). Put some brown sugar+mirin+soya sauce and cook till they become little bit thick. I haven’t made teriyaki sauce myself; always used the store-brought sauce which I think is great in terms of end result.

The sautéing part in this recipe is trick as you have to be careful in sautéing chicken and check if it doesn’t stick to the pan while frying as the sauce gets cooked very soon at that stage. Use a tong to flip the sides and keep rotating the sides of chicken. I have found chicken with skin works best for this recipe as it does give the extra oil which is needed to fry it or grill it.

Here is how we made Chicken teriyaki.

Chicken Teriyaki
Recipe Requirements
6 chicken drumsticks or chicken wings
3 tsp of grated fresh ginger root


For the Teriyaki marinade
5 tsp of teriyaki marinade
1 tsp of all spice powder
Salt as per taste
1 tsp of red pepper powder or red chilly flakes
3-4 tbs of white sugar
2 tbs of cooking oil

Method
In a big saucepan, add cooking oil. Let it heat up little bit.
Now add the marinated chicken drumsticks.
Cook at med-high for 4-5 mints. Turn sides and again fry them for 3-4 mints.
Now add in 1 cup of water. Put the flame to sim or put the flame to low, gas mark -3 or gas mark 4.
Now let it cook for 35- 40 mints or till the chicken is cooked well. To check if the chicken is cooked well or not, just prick the chicken with a sharp knife.
Now open the cover, and keep on frying both sides well. A glaze will form as the sugar or the sauce tends to get caramelized and this is the trick for that glazed teriyaki look. If you like little bit gravy then leave some , otherwise keep on frying without covering , all stock will evaporate leaving a nice glaze on each chicken teriyaki pieces.
Adjust salt or hotness with red pepper powder or red pepper chilly flakes and serve immediately.
Note-
I have always made with the teriyaki chicken with skin on, if you prefer without it, then trim off the skin and marinate the chicken pieces and move ahead with rest of the procedure.

Happy Cooking Friends

Avocado Cherry Tomato Sardine Fish Curry

We all are taken pretty surprised about the weather for past couple of days here. And when the sun is out shinning full bloom, there are plenty of reasons to get inspired and cook some alluring food for a change. I know, not that pleasant back home. I know it leaves you feel exhausted and drained feeling really miserable, and if you have to work in kitchen and that too in this full blown summer days, then God save. As for the mild summer weather we have these days, I would say it’s pretty rare here, so it leaves us feeling refreshed after many gloomy patches of rain and even more rain. Parks are busy now, sun glasses and sun block lotions are selling high , picnic mats can be seen everywhere, families going out in parks, barbecue and beer sessions and also sun and sand , not to forget  beaches. And everybody is doing what they suppose or wish to do when the summer really arrives in this part of the world, - basking the glory of summer.

Last time while grocery and vegetable shopping, I came across some fresh sardines, Uho! Fresh means not jumping out and alive calling out loud my name. Remember there was an ad where a Bengali Badhralok was holding a big fish in his hands and saying something ..It's a complete wash-out here , can't recall much about that ad ... My ecstasy was just like that or may be I was just pretending it to be. There was not a single fish competing with a Bengali bhadralok’s fish that day ,which I can get hold of, holding high and showing everybody look  here what a great catch this beauty is. So, while like a mirage I am in, I zeroed upon these. And oh! I stayed home rather going out in park for a change and cooked this fish curry instead of barbecuing or grilling them.And made some raspberry jellies and served with ice-creams. Yum. Well not in picture, some times all you need is to enjoy the food…isn't!
Sardines or small pilchards have similar flavor like what our own hilsa /ilish fish has. This is oily, and full of nutrients. I don’t think I need to add all that gyan for sardine fish nutrients, people here are wise enough, thanks to wiki and many other net articles out floating in net these days. And then there is a fruit which is source of good fats. No, don’t roll eyes, yes avocado provide good fats essential for skin and hair. People have loved guacamole, salsa, paratha and what not, I would say next time try adding them in your fish curry. They gel very well with tomatoes and fish.

Avocado Cherry Tomato Sardine Fish Curry

Recipe requirements ( Serves 3-4)

Sardine fish- 4-5
2 avocado
10-15 cherry tomatoes
1 medium size potato
½ inch ginger grated
Seasonings
½ tsp of turmeric powder+ some more for marinating sardines
1 ½ tsp of hot red pepper powder
2 tsp of dhania/coriander powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
½ tsp of hing asfoetida
Salt as per taste + some more for marinating sardines
2 -3 tbs of cooking oil/mustard oil
 ½ tsp of kalo jerrey/nigella seeds
 2 green chilies
 2tbs of freshly prepared mustard seed paste
Method
Clean them and remove scales by rubbing your fingers or nails over it.Ok I do it the with side of potato peeler.Just run thro slowly from tail working towards head.Clean them well in water.
Smear some turmeric powder and salt over sardines. Let it sit for half an hour.
Now if you wish you may shallow fry them in hot oil, or may add directly to the gravy to be cooked with other vegetables –potato, tomato and of course avocadoes.
Now heat up a saucepan, add cooking oil, and temper this with Kalo jeerey/nigella seeds. Many a times I do forget to temper it with kalo jeerey.If you don’t have it, no need to temper it with nigella seeds. Just ginger and asfoatida will work fine.
Add grated ginger and hing or asfoetida.Fry it for about half a minute.
Now add in cubed potato and cherry tomatoes.
Fry all for 4-5 mints more. Now add the dry seasonings- turmeric, red pepper, and coriander and cumin powder.
Add in cut avocado cubes and sardines. Add in slit green chilies.
Adjust salt. Add about half cup of water, cover it and let it simmer at med-low flame till the entire gravy turns out mushy or the potatoes are cooked and can be mashed easily.
Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Note-
Ripened avocado will turn out very mushy in the gravy. So, I would suggest using avocado which are firm but yet edible.
Normal tomato can be used in place of cherry tomatoes. Other vegetables like red bell pepper or baby corn can also be added.
Other fish like- tilapia, haddock or white fish fillet can be replaced with sardines.
And most important, while this time I didn't add mustard paste to it, but I do also add shorshe bata at the end to give a nice and spicy flavour.Just add about 2 heaped tbs of  freshly prepared black mustard seed paste and mix it very well.You may add dijon mustard as well but then about 1 tsp is sufficient.If adding mustard paste then you may avoid adding coriander+cumin powder+hing.These spices over powers mustard paste tangy and spicy flavour.


Wish all of you a nice and relaxing weekend.
Happy Cooking Friends.

Curried Pasta with Green Beans

Weather is nice and sun is shinning in this part of the world, many say it’s unusual for them in the month of March here. But who really cares about that as long as we get to enjoy this rare and nice weather. That leaves me astonished; I never took weather seriously back home, except just for the entertainment pur se when DD Doordarshan would broadcast the weather updates. But here I do follow weather and check the daily temperatures and especially on weekends.

On Monday, generally I don’t feel like cooking up storms in my kitchen, the weekend laid back attitude find its way up to Monday evening. With DD and DH in school and in office, I do tend to become lazy bones. Many a times I do make quick one-pot meals like a simple vegetable pulao, and sometimes even experimenting with other cuisines. Even better if I happen to have some left over stuff, left from the previous night meal, is sufficient for me. Sunday night is most of the times “pasta night” for us. All sorts of pastas and made in many different ways.

This pasta recipes is not exotic, but a very basic recipe made with Indian spices. Many will like to call it fusion cooking. Italian pasta cooked with Indian spices-like apna desi style… does this reminds you a famous celebrity/political marriage!!

Curried Pasta with Green Beans
Recipe requirements
About 2-3 large cups of cooked pasta
For the curry which forms the sauce for this pasta recipe
Green beans about 2 cups chopped roughly
1 medium size onions
2 medium size tomatos
2 garlic pods
½ tsp of ginger grated
Vegetables as per your choice about 1 cup
2-3 tbs of cooking oil /olive oil/canola oil/corn oil
Seasonings
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of coriander powder
½ tsp of turmeric powder
½ tsp of cumin seeds

Method
Cook pasta according to package directions. Run some cold tap water over cooked pasta or drizzle some oil over it, pastas will tend to loosen up and will not become soggy.
Now put saucepan/fry pan over stove-top. Add cooking oil; temper it with cumin seeds. Now add in chopped onions, garlic and ginger. Keep on frying them till onions become little translucent.
Now add chopped beans, tomato and vegetables as per your choice. Many times I do add broccoli, sweet corn and carrots. If you want more gravy then add one more tomato. I also like to add about ½ cup of finely chopped coriander leaves at this time.
Now add the seasonings- turmeric powder, red pepper powder, coriander powder, salt.
Fry all the above for 6-7 mints at med-high or till all vegetables are cooked.
Now add in cooked pasta, toss and mix well.
Serve hot garnished with some cheese if you prefer that way.

Happy Cooking Friends

Couscous and Dried Fruits Stuffed Roasted Chicken Breast

Usually we do like to eat chicken as Hassle Free Chicken curry  and / or Roasted Chicken ,  but sometimes just out of sheer eagerness and being experimental in nature, I try to explore new dimensions in fixing up chicken. Well, then comes this stuffed chicken breast recipe, which we prepared way back during one of the days of long winter holidays. I kept reminding myself that I have to post this recipe and must clear my drafts at least before New Year, but somehow it didn’t work out. 

Now with this, comes to an assumption about festive foods. I must add to that, I really don’t know if you think these recipes should always tag along during Christmas and New Year celebrations or for that matter any other celebrations. But to me whenever you feel like celebrating, I would say go ahead, who’s stopping you to celebrate as celebrations don’t need any reasons. It just what you feel in your heart when you do feel celebrating. Right?

And celebrations mean good food and in company of your loved and near ones even if it’s not a usual festive day or for that matter festive season.

Couscous  and Dried fruits stuffed Roasted Chicken Breast

Recipe requirements ( serves- 3-4 people)

• 2 large chicken breast
• For the seasoning of chicken breasts pieces
• ½ tsp of salt+1 tsp of black pepper
• For the stuffing
• ½ cup of couscous
• ½ cup of assorted mixture of dried fruits
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper powder 
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• Salt as per taste
• 1 cup of water to cook couscous
• For the sauce 
• 3-4 tbs of butter
• 3-4 tbs of cherry jam
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp of nutmeg powder
• And 3-4 tsp of dried herbs

Method

• M/W a cup of water at high for 1 mint .Add red pepper powder and cinnamon powder in the cup and stir well .This gives a nice cinnamon flavor to the cooked couscous and also the required amount of spiciness.And then add in the couscous into it. Cover it and let it sit there about half an hour. Cous cous will tend to swell out absorbing the water. It will make double the amount of cous cous you have soaked in water.
• Clean the chicken breast pieces in water and then pat them dry with kitchen towel.
• Now cut into 3 equal pieces depending on the size and weight of chicken breast pieces. Now place one piece in greaseproof paper, roll over from the opposite corner of greaseproof paper covering  over the chicken breast piece.
• Now gently start pounding/patting the chicken pieces, make sure the strokes are gentle otherwise the tender chicken breast meat will tear out. Tip- you can use rolling pin to gently pound the chicken pieces.
• Sprinkle salt and black pepper. Keep aside.
• Meanwhile prepare the sauce and put the oven to preheat, preheat oven at 175 deg C.
• Soak about 6 toothpicks in water, this makes them soft, so easy to work with them.
• Melt in butter and jam in a melting pot, adjust salt if required, then add cinnamon powder+nutmeg powder. Add in about a cup of water. This will make it thin. Cook it for 5-8 mints till all gets well mixed up.Make sure the sauce don't get burnt.

• Now in a mixing bowl, Mix in assorted dried fruit mix + cooked couscous. Taste for salt. Now this mixture is sweet and savory both, as couscous lends the savory part and dried fruit mixture gives a sweet texture. How ever if you think you may skip any one and make savory filling or sweet filling as well.
• Now place about 2 tsp of stuffing mixture on one side. Start rolling gently from that side, and when you have reached the other end with the help of toothpicks, seal the gaps and hook it well. You can alternately use thread for sealing the sides. Make other rolls similarly.
• Place aluminum foil/greaseproof paper over a roasting tray. Line all the rolled and stuffed chicken breast neatly.
• Sprinkle generously dried mixed herbs over each stuffed chicken breast.
• Transfer them in the oven. Bake them for 10 mints at 175 deg C.Take them out, drizzle generously the jam butter sauce over it.
• Transfer again to the oven and bake another 10 -15 mints at 175 deg C.Take out when done.Again drizzle the sauce generously.Reserve some sauce for serving with the stuffed chicken.
• Serve and enjoy.

Note-

• You can either make savory or sweet filling. You can use only cous cous for savory stuffing or the dried fruit mixture for the sweet filling. The recipe above is a mixture of savory and sweet filling which we liked a lot.
• You can use cheddar cheese+ finely chopped mushroom for the stuffing as well. That is another way stuffed chicken breast can be made.
• Another sauce which goes well with this recipe is cranberry sauce.Use fresh cranberries in place of cherry jam and while cooking up the sauce, add brown sugar or caster sugar to it.Cranberries are sour in taste so requires proper sweetness and texture which brown sugar tends to add.

Happy Cooking Friends

Pan Fried Spiced Haddock Sandwich with Tartar sauce

There are some times when I really don’t like to cook anything and that too specially for me as DD is off to school and DH in office. I would say those lunch time, this Couscous salad  comes handy or a Curried mushroom tortilla wrap,  just works fine for me.
These days I am quite addicted to pan fried spiced haddock. I like it with a side dish of warm cooked rice even. Now, there are some days when I generally like to try out something different but with pan fried spiced haddock. That time Italian cheese bread comes handy for me. No, I haven’t baked them but got them fresh from our local supermarket where they make fresh breads, rolls etc daily.Some day may be I would try my hand in making fresh Italian herbed bread in home too.

If you plan accordingly, you can assemble this sandwich quickly. I do generally like to marinate the haddock fish fillet in night with all the spices, so that next morning I can pan fry them and assemble this sandwich quickly. And there are plenty other options of using other sandwich like soft dinner rolls or a plain Italian herbed bread.

I really don’t know if puritans will allow me to have the liberty of calling this food as a Fusion food of sort. But given a choice I would definitely make the fish with Indian spices, then pan fry it and serve with my favorite Italian cheese or herbed bread for a change of flavor and new twist.

Now to the recipe of

Pan Fried Spiced Haddock Sandwich with dressing of Tartar and Mustard sauce
Recipe Requirements

For the pan fried haddock fish recipe

•  1 large Haddock fish fillet with skin on – cut into 2 inch *2 inch long portions and not more than ½ inch in width- often the portions near the tails are less in width and fry out well. But the portion at the tummy is quite thick and needs proper marinating time to absorb the marinating flavours. If using portions near tummy then make small parts of 1inch * 1 inch.
• You can use smoked haddock as well.They do give a nice touch to this pan fry spicy haddock.
• For marinating the haddock fish fillet-
• 1 tsp of crushed red chilly flakes or use more for more spice
• 3-4 tbs of lemon juice, freshly squeezed in from lemon
• 2 tsp of MDH kitchen king masala
• 1 tsp of dhania powder/coriander powder
• 1 tsp of garam masala
• 1tsp of salt
• About ½ cup of roughly chopped fresh tender parsley

For frying the haddock fish fillet

• ½ cup of all purpose flour
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• ½ tsp of red pepper powder
• ¼ tsp of salt
• ¼ tsp of garlic powder
• Mix well the dry ingredients

Method

• Wash the haddock fish fillet and then pat dry them with kitchen towel.
• Now mix all the marinating ingredients-red pepper flakes, Kitchen king masala, garam masala, and coriander powder, salt and chopped parsley. Cut a lemon and squeeze fresh lemon juice from it. Use generously. Mix all the dry marinating ingredients with lemon juice. This forms our marination. Now coat well all the portions of haddock fillet very well with this marinating sauce.Cover with foil, and then refrigerate it at least 1-2 hrs. Tip- overnight marination yield best result and this is what I generally do.
• The other day at the time of assembling the sandwich, take out the marinated haddock fish fillets at least ½ hr before you do start pan fry them.
• Now make the flour mixture over a serving plate, this way you can easily coat well all the fish fillet. If you would like to have a more detailed instructions then visit this post of Bhekti Fish Chop . The recipe is quite similar but with a fish called as bhekti fish ( a quite similar type of fish is Sea Bass which is available here easily )
• Mix flour, red pepper powder, salt, baking soda and garlic powder. Tip- you can use self raising flour as well, then it’s no need to add baking soda.
• Heat up a frying pan well, and then add 4-5 tbs of cooking oil.
• Coat very well the haddock fish fillet with the flour mixture. Dust off excess flour and then again coat well the haddock fish over flour mixture. This twice coating helps to seal the flavor most. Or you can use an egg wash after first coat. Then again dumping those in flour mixture after you have coated them in properly fluffed egg. Some even try the beer batter coating but I haven’t done that.
• Frying the fish is tricky here. Fry them med-high flame /gas mark 5.
• Each side should take at least 3-4 mints max and when properly browned, fish can be flaked easily with the fork. Fry maximum of two fillets together this way, giving them enough room for proper frying.
• When both the sides have fried well. Take out and drain over tissue paper.If you have done it this way thro, then another 5 mints and you will be having your lunch.

Now to the assembling of sandwich

• Cut vegetables of your choice. I like to have onions/cucumber/tomato and lettuce leaf for the filling along with these pan fried spiced haddock.
• M/W for 30 sec to 1 mint to warm the Italian cheese bread.
• Generously spread tartar sauce.For the detail recipe of tartar sauce Go Here. Or you may use simple mayonnaise and mustard sauce dressing for this sandwich. Dressing the sandwich is essential as this gives some extra kick to the dish.
• TIP- You can use “Kashundi” in place of mustard dressing as well.”Kashundi” is a traditional Bengali sauce preparation with mustard seeds. It has a very strong flavor of its own. People say an authentic “kashundi “when eaten should give an instant kick/hit to your palate.
• TIP- You can also use Peri-peri sauce as well for dressing purpose that also adds whole lot of flavour and kick.
• Now place the pan fried spiced haddock over the toasted and warmed Italian cheese bread.
• Then layer the cut onions/cucumber and spread some more tartar sauce as well.
• Serve along some fried potatoes or steamed sweet corn. 

A perfect easy and lip- smacking lunch is ready. 

I couldn’t resist myself so the corner is already eaten in all the pictures. Hope you all, don’t mind!!

Happy Cooking Friends