Garlic and Coriander Prawns

We are facing unprecedented time with a pandemic. Covid-19 pandemic is teaching us all to be more understanding, accommodating and kind to each other. These days, while we all are in lockdown/homebound in some or other way or may be self-isolating, I would like to assume that staying in home can be daunting, if not easy for you all. It becomes tiring amidst juggling office and kid’s school work from home, care giving to children and elders and top of that cooking, cleaning and doing all home chores. But let me remind you the blessings; we have home, food on table and this accounts for being humble and thankful to almighty.

The amount of social media interactions that am seeing these days is enormous. Meanwhile, I do understand that you all are trying to keep up with each other through various social media accounts or video calling etc., but sometimes this itself may lead to stress and anxiety with so many varied points of views, information and social media posts.

If you don’t feel comfortable regarding reliability of some information, you don’t need to share it or forward it to others. If you don’t feel like interacting with many friends or well-wishers, then you don’t have to and it’s not compulsory. Interactions should be a pleasure rather than a chore.

It’s absolutely fine if you find solace in painting or reading a book or going for a walk or going for a Jog or exercising or meditating, but still you don’t feel like updating every damn details of your personal life on social media accounts. You don’t need validations from outside. The stimulus should reside within you. It should start within you. Anyhow, do things which suits your pace and interests and enjoy as it is. On a hopeful note, things will improve and you all will have varied stories to tell or recall later on.

I have been listening to these two Indian bands and have liked their work. The Local Train and Desert Rock and found they have those 80’s rock vibes. Another artist that caught my attention during this time is Yiruma -his Piano work leaves me spellbound.

Now to my cooking, I have cooked many dishes, but just didn’t feel like updating it here. I have made these garlic prawns many moons ago and it turned out great.

These garlic and coriander prawns are great as sides. They can be part of an appetizer menu as well. A well-balanced blend of spices and delectable prawns are ready. Now to the recipe

Garlic and Coriander Prawns 

Recipe requirements (serves 2-3)

Prawns- 200 gms

½ tsp of turmeric powder

1 tsp of red pepper powder

1 tsp of garlic powder

1 tsp of dried coriander leaves or ½ cup of freshly chopped leaves

½ tsp of salt

2-3 tbs of cooking oil

Method

Clean and devein prawns. Marinate them with turmeric powder and salt.

In a small bowl, mix in red pepper powder+garlic powder+dried coriander leaves with 1 -2 tsp of water.

Put a sauté pan on heat. Add in cooking oil.

Add in marinating prawns and the masala paste frying for 1-2 mints at med-low.

Cover and let it cook for 6-7 mints at medium flame. Take out and serve.

Happy Cooking Friends and have a relaxing weekend.Take precautions while going out and stay safe everyone.

Quinoa with Broccoli and Spring Onions

If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour.

-          Victoria Erickson

Autumn season is in its full vigor these days in our neck of the woods. The parks and roadside trees have acquired lovely fall colors all across. The walks into parks have become even more interesting and refreshing.

I happen to take these pictures yesterday, thought of sharing it here.

I have been thinking of including Quinoa in our daily meal plans. I picked this tricolor Quinoa from our local grocers couple of days ago. These are available very readily over here. I was more looking for a warm bowl of Quinoa cooked with some veggies. This Quinoa with broccoli, spring onion and potato stir/fry is a very satisfying meal when it comes to variations. Quinoa can easily be replaced with rice and pastas and are high in fiber and protein contents. So, when I no longer crave for rice, I can always skip it and replace it with Quinoa. Broccoli and spring onions are stir/fried with turmeric and red pepper powder which adds up to the flavor of this dish. This recipe is Diabetic friendly as well as Quinoa is whole grains (actually it’s a seed) in itself. You can replace Potatoes with orange sweet potatoes for a diabetic friendly recipe.

Now to the recipe

 Quinoa with Broccoli and Spring onions

Recipe requirements (serves 2)

• ½ cup of Quinoa
• 2 cups of broccoli florets
• 1 medium size potato/or 1 medium size orange sweet potato
• 1 bundle of spring onions
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• ½ tsp of red pepper powder
• 2 dry red pepper
• 1 tsp of salt+ ¼ tsp of salt for Quinoa
• 2 tsp of cooking oil

Method

• Chop potato into small bite size pieces. Cut spring onion and separate broccoli florets.
• Wash them well in water.
• Put a fry pan over cooking flame. Add in cooking oil. Now add dry red pepper, potatoes, stir/fry them for 1-2 mints.
• Add in broccoli and chopped spring onion. Keep on stir/fry for about 2-3 mints.
• Add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder and salt.
• Cover the lid and cook vegetables for about 7-10 mints or till the potatoes are soft enough.
• Meanwhile the vegetables are cooking. Put a pot with ample water to cook Quinoa. For every quarter cup of Quinoa, add in 1 cup of water. Ratio should be 3:1. Add in salt as well.
• Let the quinoa slowly cook in water for about 15-17 mints. Once cooked, drain the excess water.
• Now place the cooked Quinoa over serving plate. Now assemble the stir/fried broccoli, potatoes and spring onions over it. Serve and enjoy.

Other Post on Quinoa- Quinoa with Scrambled eggs

Happy Cooking Friends

Orange Avocado and Mint Salad

Now that Ma Durga has gone back to Shiva’s abode with her children, leaving behind us with heavy hearts, the routine life for most of us has started whether you are living in New York, London or Kolkata or for that matter, any part of the world. Each and every year, we so look forward to spent these 4-5 days with loads of enthusiasm and zeal. But once those days are spent, the longing to spend, few more days keeps on coming back. I haven’t yet wished Vijayadashami to my readers. Let me wish everyone a Shobha Bijoya and Happy Dussehra.

I have been receiving few messages for Bijoya and Dussehra greetings. Couple of them got my attention, so thought its worth mentioning here. Dussehra festival is celebrated in India and abroad by Hindu people and it’s a very inclusive festival, where everyone is encouraged to participate and celebrate irrespective of their choice of religions. The community food distribution during these days is open to all sects of the society, where ever you can go and join in. The ethos implies in ‘Vasudhev Kutumba-kum’ in Sanskrit meaning -"Entire cosmos is our family". 

In today’s context Dussehra implies in these few lines.

“The demon is always within.

The Goddess is always within.

The battle too, is always within.

And so is the triumph of one, over the other.

Which one, over which one?

That choice is also, somehow always within.”

Everyone is capable of making good choices for themselves, no matter how much adverse circumstances can be. As The headmaster of a wizard world ‘Hogwarts’- Albus Dumbledore once said to Harry Potter in the famous Book- Chamber of Secrets.

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” The choices made by us defines our personalities as well.

Now to the recipe for this post- Orange Avocado and mint salad. We have been getting fresh oranges over here and since autumn and oranges go hand in hand, thought let me share a very simple salad recipe. After eating out all sorts of rich and festive food items, now its time to detox a bit. This salad is healthy and very diabetic friendly recipe. It is also good for people who wants to keep a watch on their blood pressure levels.

Now to the recipe

Orange Avocado and Mint salad

Recipe requirements

• 2-3 oranges
• 1 avocado
• 1 large carrot
• 1cup of mint leaves
• ½ cup of grated paneer
• For dressing
• 1-2 tsp of olive oil
• Salt as per taste
•  ¼ tsp of Crushed black pepper

Method

• Peel oranges and separate pieces. Cut and chop avocado, carrot into bite size pieces. Separate mint leaves from its twigs.
• In a big salad bowl, put all the above – oranges, avocado, carrot and mint leaves.
• Now grate a big block of paneer to get about a quarter cup.Add to the salad bowl.
• Now add in olive oil and seasonings- salt and freshly crushed black pepper.
• You can add red chilly flakes for an extra kick in the salad.
• Tip- to make it even more filling, can add cooked black beans or rajma as well.

Happy Cooking Friends 

Chunky Feta Cheese Mint and Padron pepper Salad

We have been using feta cheese quite often these days and this salad is just one of those ways of preparing it. I have also included Padron peppers which are mild peppers, but imparts a nice crunchy texture and a greenish color to the salad. 

Padron peppers are very much part of Tapas bars in Spanish cuisine, specially the blistered Padron peppers that comes with potatoes etc. Padron pepper originates from a region in Spain known as Galicia. The combination of feta cheese and Padron peppers in this salad was very appetizing and was well received by my folks.

Now to the very simple recipe for this salad 

Chunky Feta cheese Mint and Padron pepper salad

Recipe requirements ( serves 2 )

•  About a cup of chunky Feta cheese pieces
•  1 small Onion
•  Half a Cucumber
•  10-12 Cherry tomato
•  6-7 Padron peppers
• half cup of chopped mint leaves

Method

• Chop onion, cucumber, tomato into half and Padron peppers.
• Separate green and healthy leaves of mint and chop them roughly.
• Cut feta cheese into pieces.
• Mix all in a salad bowl. Chill for about 1-2 hrs. and serve.
• You may use some salad dressing as well or drizzle very little olive oil with some black pepper and salt.

Happy Cooking Friends and have a relaxing weekend everyone.

Kiwi Salsa Recipe

I had a batch of kiwis lying in my fruit basket and I wanted to utilize in a different way. Some would suggest a kiwi smoothie, which I find somewhat mundane. I needed to pair things up with kiwi as their tangy and juicy taste goes well in an appetizer like a salsa. This Kiwi salsa is the outcome of that quest. I would say it is a keeper recipe. You can have it with loads of tortilla chips  if you are a fan of having less cheesy version of Mexican food or as side with main course meal. 

I had served it with grilled salmon and asparagus. The recipe was well received by my folks.

I have stopped using my DSLR camera and now rely only on mobile camera for blog pictures. The pictures I believe has come out nice as well, at least it serves the purpose.

Now to the tangy recipe of Kiwi salsa

Kiwi Salsa Recipe

Recipe requirements

• 4 kiwis
• 1 medium size white onion
• Half cucumber approx 1 cup 
• Half large red bell pepper approx 1/2 cup 
•  ½ cup of chopped coriander leaves

 Seasoning

• Salt as per taste
• ½ tsp of red chilli pepper powder
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
•  ½ tsp of freshly grounded black pepper powder
•  2-3 tsp of olive oil

Method

• Cut and chop all – Kiwi, onions, cucumber, coriander leaves and red bell pepper into small pieces.
• In a big salad bowl mix in all the chopped kiwi, onion, cucumber and red bell pepper with seasonings – cumin powder, red chilli powder and freshly grounded black pepper powder.
• Refrigerate for about 2-3 hrs before serving.
• Just when you are about to serve, add in salt as per taste and olive oil , toss well.. Enjoy tangy Kiwi salsa.

Happy Cooking Friends

A simple Prawn Stir-fry recipe

We have been witnessing spring blossoms in every corner of our neighbourhood. The trees are now laden with new green leaves and colourful blossoms. Spring is a very jovial season where everything gets a new décor and a new life. We have been blessed with sunshine past couple of days as well and that makes outdoor activities even more interesting, unlike today which is very British weather, rainy and grey. I am now confined to home and thought let me utilize my time making a quick recipe post.

I have been wanting to make prawn for a long time and this simple yet such a flavourful recipe comes in handy. You have to be little patient with cleaning and de-vein prawns, but once you are done with it, you can make flavourful stir/fry recipe in jiffy.

Any way if you like bit of planning your meals for a week or are running out of time, you can pre clean and marinate the prawns and keep it in freezer in batches and use them as you have need for that.

Now to the recipe

Prawn stir/fry recipe

Recipe requirements

• 8-10 prawns
• 1 and ½ tsp of red pepper powder
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• ½ tsp of cumin powder
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
•  1-2  dry red pepper
• 1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 3-4 tbs of mustard oil/cooking oil
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

• Clean, devein and deshell prawns.
• Marinate them in turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt and red pepper powder. Leave it aside for half an hour.
• Heat up a fry pan, add in mustard oil. Add in mustard seeds and dry red pepper. Let it splutter a bit.
• Add in marinated prawns and stir/fry them for about 7-8 mints at medium high flame.
• Take them out and serve with warm cooked rice. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Happy Cooking Friends

Kumro Pata Chorchori- Pumpkin leaves and vegetables stir/fry

I was delighted to spot tender pumpkin leaves or Kumro Pata in our local vegetable market recently. I brought back a bunch of leaves and made this pata chorchori.The recipe, well, nothing different than a usual chorchori recipe. I happened to have brinjal, potato, pumpkin, radish and carrot which added a lovely taste and texture to the chorchori.We had with warm cooked rice.

Here to the recipe

Kumro Pata Chorchori- Pumpkin leaves and vegetables stir/fry

Recipe requirements

•  1 whole bunch of tender pumpkin leaves approx. 400 Gms
• 1 medium size potato
• 1 medium size round brinjal
• 1 medium sized radish chopped into cubed
• About a cup of pumpkin pieces  
•  ¼ inch ginger root

For tempering and seasonings

• 1 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 and ½ tsp of red pepper powder
•  2 tsp of coriander powder
• 1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp of panch phoron
• 5-6 tbs of mustard oil
• 1 tsp of ghee
• 1/2 tsp of garam mosla 

Method

• Clean tender pumpkin leaves and stems properly in water. Sometimes when tender leaves are not available, you can use the fully grown leaves as well. But chop them roughly.
• Heat up a fry pan, add mustard oil, and add in panch phoron and dry red chillies. Let them splutter.
• Now add in finely chopped ginger.
• Add in potato, pumpkin, radish, carrot and brinjal pieces.
• Keep on stir/fry for about 8-10 mints at medium high flame.
• Now add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, coriander powder and salt. Add sugar as well. Sprinkle little bit of water and keep on stir/fry.
• Add in pumpkin leaves as well. Coat well with spices. Let it cook, covered for about 10-12 mints.
• Add in ghee or butter and garam masala at the end. Gently mix in with spatula.
• Take out and serve. Enjoy with rice.

I am leaving this post with a beautiful sunrise pic.

Wish you all a very happy and healthy holy Ramadan month. Ramadan Mubarak.

Melon Colada Mocktail Recipe

Our vegetable and fruit market is being flooded with fully ripened melons and cantaloupes these days. I often buy them fresh and we relish juicy melons a lot. Since Malaysia is a tropical country, these fruits are readily available. 

This mocktail recipe was made and relished very much. Mocktails are well, mock, that is minus alcohol. This is such a refreshing mocktail drink for a hot summer evening. Although, you can add alcohol of your choice to spike it and call it cocktail. 

You can use shaker with ice to make this mocktail. I have blended all in a mixer, which is what I have.

As a thumb rule in Pina colada, white rum is added but you can choose any other liquor as well. I have included papaya as well to make it healthy and filling. This is a kid-friendly recipe.

Melon Colada Mocktail Drink Recipe

Recipe requirements (serves-1)

• 2-3 slices of fully ripened Sunlady melon or cantaloupes
• 1 thin slice of fresh papaya
• 12 tsp of fresh coconut milk
•  3 oz. of sprite
•  ½ tsp of honey as sweetener
• Ice cubes and mint leaves for garnishing

Method

• Pick fully ripened and fresh melon and papaya for better flavour. Use freshly made coconut milk for best flavour, otherwise you can use canned one or coconut cream in place of coconut milk.
• Cut and chop melon and papaya into slices. Pick 2-3 slices or wedges from melon and 1 wedge from papaya. Make a mixture with honey and coconut milk in a blender. Now cool it in fridge. At the time of serving take out and mix it with sprite again in mixer. Sprite itself is sugary, so less honey is added. More over the fully ripened melon and papaya gives a nice sweet flavour. Serve chilled with mint leaves.
• Easy and delicious papaya melon colada is ready. You can spike it with alcohol of your choice (rum/vodka/tequila) if you want a nice cocktail.

Happy Cooking Friends and have a relaxing weekend.

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.

Spicy Shrimp with Avocado and Alfalfa Sprouts Salad

I haven’t updated this space for a while, so thought of posting this spicy shrimp avocado salad. There are many ways shrimps can be prepared and relished. This salad is one healthy way of introducing nourishing foods to our menu. This comes as refreshing change to a mundane summer salad. Avocado and alfalfa sprouts add up to the flavour and health benefits. Now without further ado here is simple recipe for this salad.

Spicy Shrimp with Avocado and Alfalfa sprouts salad

Recipe requirements

 10 large shrimps

¼ tsp of turmeric powder

 1 tsp of Red pepper powder

½ tsp of coriander powder

Salt as per taste

 2-3 tbs of cooking oil

1 ripened avocado

½ cup of alfalfa sprouts

¼ cup of chives and garlic sprouts

10-15 cherry tomatoes

2 cups of lettuce

2 tsp of olive oil

Salt as per taste

Method

Clean, de-shell and devein Shrimps. Rub in shrimps with red pepper powder,coriander powder , turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside for about half an hour.

Heat up a fry pan, add 2 tbs of cooking oil, add in shrimps and stir/fry them for about 5-7 mints or till they are lightly browned. Take out in a bowl. Keep aside.

Now assemble the salad

Cut and destone avocado in to bite size pieces.

In a big mixing bowl, add in lettuce leaves, alfalfa sprouts, avocado and cherry tomatoes.

Sprinkle salt and add in olive oil. Toss well.You may sprinkle black pepper powder as well.

Now serve with stir/fried shrimps.

You can squeeze in fresh lemon juice to get a tangy flavour over shrimps as well.

There are other variations as well – you may add chopped cucumber or include any nuts as well.

Let me also wish you all a very happy and healthy Ramadan Kareem.

Ramadan Mubarak To all .....

Mint Alfalfa sprouts Cherry tomato and Roasted Chicken Salad

A healthy snack can be a salad as well. This mint, alfalfa sprouts and roasted chicken salad fits in to this category perfectly. If you have some-left over chicken you can use up in this salad as well. Alfalfa sprouts are considered rich in minerals and have multiple health benefits. Mint leaves gives a nice aromatic flavour to this salad. This salad can be paired up with Mexican Burritos as sides or you can make them as main dish as well, just increase roasted chicken pieces to add lean proteins in to this salad.

Here is how you can assemble the salad

Mint Alfalfa sprouts Cherry tomato and Roasted Chicken salad

Serves- 2-3

Recipe requirements

• 5-6 mint twigs
• About half cup of alfalfa sprouts
• About quarter cup of garlic sprouts
• 1 cup of cherry tomato or 12-15 cherry tomatoes cut into half
• 1 cup of roasted chicken small bite-size pieces

Method

• Take out fresh leaves from mint twigs. Clean mint leaves, alfalfa and garlic sprouts well in water.
• Chop mint leaves finely. Chop roasted chicken in to bite size pieces (I have used chicken breast portions from  this  roasted chicken recipe).
• In a big mixing bowl, add in mint leaves, alfalfa and garlic sprouts.
• Add in cherry tomatoes cut in to half to the above.
• Add in roasted chicken and mix well all.
• Adjust seasoning with salt.
• Add in 1 tsp of olive oil and toss well.
• Serve and enjoy with some burritos or quesadillas as sides.

Happy Cooking Friends 

Dal-Saag (Lentils cooked with Amaranth leaves)

There are days when, I can only think of comfort foods and dal –roti is one such recipe which never gets ruled out and we never get bored out of it either. Dal- saag is adding up more greens to those ‘’everyday dal recipes’’. I have used up green amaranth leaves with chana dal+ masoor dal. Many use spinach , some even use beetroot greens. Choose whatever you wish to, bottom line is, this is a great way of incorporating greens in one’s diet-plan.

This is how we make Dal-saag – our comfort food.

Dal-Saag (Lentils cooked with Amaranth leaves)

Recipe requirements

•  2 cups of chana dal ( Yellow split pea lentil)
• ¼ cup of masoor dal ( orange lentil ) 
• 1 bunch of amaranth leaves or 800 gm of amaranth leaves -stems discarded

For tempering and seasonings

• ½ tsp. of turmeric powder
•  1 tsp of red pepper powder
•  1 tsp of coriander powder
• ¼ tsp of cumin powder
•  1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 1/2  tsp of sugar
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 2-3 fat cloves of garlic
• 1 medium size tomato
• Pinch of hing
• 4-5 tbs of mustard oil
• 2 tsp of ghee

Method

• Soak chana and masoor dal for about 2-3 hrs in a vessel with water.
• Put cleaned dals in pressure cooker.Add in 2-3 cups of water.Let it come to one boil, Remove /skim off the white foam that is forming now. Close the pressure cooker, by securing the lid with whistle.
• Now pressure cook both dals together for 2 whistles with ample water. Let the pressure subside and then open the lid. Add more water if it turns out semi- dry. Add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, salt and sugar. Mix well and keep aside.
• Now heat up a fry pan, add in mustard oil. Let it come to smoking point.Now do the Tarka/tempering.
• Add in cumin seeds, dry red chillies and hing. Add in chopped garlic and tomato. Add dry spices- coriander+cumin powder.
• Stir/fry all for about 3-4 mints at med-high flame or till oil separates out.
• Clean Amaranth leaves in water.Take out tender shoots and healthy looking leaves from the bunch, discard stems..
• Blanch amaranth leaves separately. Add the leaves to the cooked dals ( Lentils). Let it simmer for about 8-10 mints.
• Add the tempering/tarka to the above cooked dals with greens.
• Let it slowly simmer for about 4-5 mints. Add ghee at the end. Serve and enjoy with roti or rice whatever way you prefer.

Tip- You can add in some toasted cashews to the above dal or Paneer cubes as well.

Happy Cooking and have a great week ahead.....

Instant Rava Idli - super easy

Sometimes I feel like I am living in a very wrong world. The world where views are biased, people have no morals to fall back and where people take things for granted. They mock or doubt you, if you wear your emotions on your sleeves. And then, even if you happen to tell your true inner feelings, people ridicule you for being over-sensitive. I really don’t know when caring or showing concern to fellow humans became being over sensitive. But this is a modern world we are talking about, someone told me and you should also act modern. I am like if these acts mean modernisation, then probably I am well off, without it.

Well this recipe has nothing to do with being over-sensitive, but yes it’s a very quick way of making idlis, when you are running short of time and patience.

 We were craving for some idlis but I had no time for doing the whole procedure of soaking, grinding and then fermenting. There are plenty of recipes for instant idlis out here in net.But all of them use ENO, I didn’t have at the time of making these idlis, so used baking soda and it still came out fine.

Instant Rava  idli  recipe

Recipe requirements

 2 large cups of semolina/rava

3/4  cup of yogurt

¾ tsp of baking soda

For tempering

2 tbs of chana dal

2 tbs of urid dal

 1 -2 twigs of curry patta

3-4 dry red pepper powder

1-2 tsp of brown mustard seeds

2 tbs of cooking oil

Method

Dry roast rava/semolina in a fry pan. Do not let it burn.

Now take the slightly roasted rava in a separate bowl.

Add in cooking oil to the fry pan.

Now add mustard seeds, urid dal, chana dal, dry red peppers and curry leaves.Let it splutter.

Add in the roasted rava to it and mix well.

Transfer the entire content in a big bowl.

Let it cool.

Now add in yogurt and mix well. Add about a cup of water to it. Adjust salt in the above. Leave it for about an hour.

Add in baking soda just before you will make instant idlis.

Prepare idli stand and scoop the rava mixture in to the slotted space for the idli in idli-stand.

Steam about 20-25 mints or till the idlis are cooked well in a pressure cooker.
take out once they are all done.

Serve with coconut chutney.These are always well recieved by my family whenever we feel like having it for breakfast or quick dinner with sambhar.Here is Lauki and bean sprouts sambhar.

Happy Cooking Friends

Singapore style Beehun/Bihun/Angel hair rice Vermicelli - Fried rice vermicelli with Tofu and Bok Choy

When we were kids, we sometimes used to lie down on green grass and watched the clouds floats by. We still do like it, even we are way past our childhood days, but with time crunch, it’s not something very frequent these days. Some will say huh! Who does that, kids not grown-ups like us, to that I would say it’s good to be a kid sometimes, to recall back all the innocence that we have lost in this maddening world of materialistic values.

When I see kids these days, hooked on to social media, and connecting with friends through smart-phones, I feel, as if we are somehow losing it out to technology, where is that innocence these days? And the problem is either you are in, or completely out, and with tremendous amount of peer pressure to fit in. Not all diagrams point to circles, some can be square as well. Then why put things into symmetric pigeon –holes.

Not all silly things makes us silly, you silly! …That’s what, my Ma told me once. And I couldn’t apprehend what she meant with that. Now that, I am myself a mother, I know what she meant.

We still catch up our cloud floating sessions sometimes, in spite of hectic schedules. Let’s see how long we will be able to do things like this in coming future as well.

Fried bihun, I happened to taste it for first time when one of my Malaysian friend in London made it for me, and with shrimps, we really liked the taste. The thin rice vermicelli soaked the flavours of soya sauce well and prawns were juicy, and soft. The noodles were light and flavourful.

Bihun/beehun is rice vermicelli in Malaysia, so when I tasted Singapore style Bihun in one of our local restaurant here, I thought to make it again in comfy of my home. As of now, I don’t think Singapore style noodles is popular in Singapore itself. But there, most of them know it as Fried Bihun/Beehun or fried rice vermicelli.

Well this is a great accompaniment with all sorts of curries and other sautéed vegetables. This is how we like to make it.

Singapore style Beehun/Bihun – Fried rice vermicelli with Tofu and Bok Choy

Recipe requirements (Serves 2-3)

150-200 g of thin rice vermicelli /Beehun/Bihun/angel hair vermicelli

3-4 tbs of cooking oil

2-3 garlic pods

1 medium size onion

300 gms of firm tofu cut into cubes

2-3 Bok choy bundles or about 8-10 small Bok Choy

1 medium size carrots

 3-4 Thai red chillies slit in between

2 free range eggs (optional)

6-7 fried shrimps (optional)

For the sauce

2-3 tsp of thick soya sauce

 1tsp of light soya sauce

2-3 tsp of hot chilli sauce

Salt as per taste

Method

Soak rice vermicelli or also known as bee hun/ bihun in water for about 20 mints or till they turn soft.

Chop and cut all the vegetables finely preferably in thin juliennes.

Now add in 2 tbs of cooking oil in a fry pan, add in eggs and fry well. Take them out in a separate plate.

Now add in reserved bit of cooking oil and stir/fry garlic and then onions.

Now add rest of the chopped vegetables- carrots,chilies,  bok choy etc.

In a mixing bowl- mix in hot chilies sauce and soya sauce and salt.

Now add this sauce to the above fried mixture of vegetables.

Add in soaked  and soft bihun/rice vermicelli.

Mix in with a spatula gently and garnish with fried eggs or shrimps.You can substitute Tofu with paneer cubes.

Singapore style bihun is ready to be served.

Today is Shubh Mahalaya , after this Navaratri starts.

Wish you all Shubh Mahalaya and Festive greetings.

Pan Fried Tofu with Ong Choi/Kolmi shak

Getting to know a new place takes time, more if you are not familiar with the local language. But that doesn’t mean, I shy away from interacting with local people over here. As my solo outings means most of the time grocery shopping for the family. One of those many outings, one day I was intrigued to a corner shop where there was hordes of people queuing to purchase something or probably many things. I thought since its holy Ramadan month over here, there must be something happening which I am not aware of. And as I went near, I saw myriad display of assorted, coloured and exotic little square blocks, stocked neatly besides each other. And as I saw those little beauties, the cook inside me, replied, here you go sweets and more sweets for you. I had no idea what exactly they are called, how they are made etc .So, I asked a graceful local Malay lady and with broken English she told me these are various assortments of sweets – ‘Malaysian Kuih’, also that they are called ‘Binga Ubi Kyu’ and ‘Tepung Pelita’ as that is what, I later choose to buy. She went to finish her grocery after that, even before I could thank her for her time and effort. And while I waited for my turn to pick sweets, another lady standing behind me in queue, who till now was a silent listener, took over, and told me how some of them are made, and if those sweets have eggs or not etc. Now after I have tasted those sweets, especially the coconut milk one- ‘Tepung Pelita’, I am craving more for them. I will leave the exact process of making it for some other day as that requires another detailed post.

As of now it’s stir/fried  Tofu with Ung Choi.I have used hard pressed tofu for this recipe, as I wanted tofu to be bit chunky.You can make it with normal tofu as well, but it will scatter through once the stir/fry is done.Ung Choi is Kolmi shak in Bengali. A nice and light cooked tofu with ung choi is very healthy and makes a great side-dish with warm cooked rice as well.

Now to the recipe

 Pan fried Tofu with Kolmi Shak/Ong choi

Recipe requirements-

About 500 gms – Ong choi/ kolmi saag –

250 gms of cubed hard tofu pieces or 2 cups of tofu pieces.

 1 medium size onion

 1 tsp of red pepper powder

½ tsp of turmeric powder

For tempering

1 tsp of panch phoron/ or nigella seeds

2 dry red chillies

3-4 tsp of cooking oil/mustard oil

 Salt as per taste

Method

Wash ung choi /kolmi shak thoroughly well in running water to get rid of any dirt or mud.From the bottom side, discard 2 inch of the stem. Cut the leaves with tender stem finely. Again wash them well in water to make sure the dirt or mud is not present.

Take out hard pressed tofu, discard water if any and make cubes out of the block.

Heat up a fry pan/ kadai .Add in cooking oil. Add in panch phoron , dry red chillies and temper the oil.Or if you are using nigella seeds /kalo jeerey then you can temper it with also.

Add in finely chopped onion.

Add in chopped ung choi/ kolmi shak and fry well or till they shrink and release some water.

Add in spices- red pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt, pinch of sugar.

Add in cubed hard pressed tofu and stir/fry it very gently. Do not try to move them frequently otherwise they will start to break. We need firm cubed pieces.

Cover the pan and lower the flame. Cook further for about 7-8 mints or till the leaves turn soft. One last stir very gently with the spatula and its ready to eat.

Serve with gram bhaat.

You can add freshly grounded cumin+ coriander powder as well for some extra flavour.

Another archived post for Ong Choi recipe here - Kolmi shak bhaja

Happy Cooking

Notey Shak chorchori with Kumro

I was away on a blogging break, but that doesn’t mean, I was off from cooking as well. It’s good to be back in the blogging regime again. We have relocated to Malaysia. We are all curious and eager souls to know more about our host country, their traditions and the most astonishing aspect of Malaysia- its multi-cultural awesome cuisine. Malaysia is a great amalgamation of three cultures- Chinese, Malay and Indian, and with this comes the gastronomic pleasure this country has to offer. As we will continue to explore more about the local cuisine, you all will keep seeing more local recipes from time to time hopefully.

During these days of our settling phase, I am still trying to figure out more about our new home and the surroundings over here. I am still looking for various options, where I can be getting/buying fresh vegetables, poultry and fish, and yes, fish is important for every Bengali people. My new home ,new kitchen, cupboard and its layouts, makes me feel like I am doing the rounds of “bhul-bhulaiya of Lucknow fame” sometimes, as I forget where I have stored spice packets or whenever  I have to assemble and prepare meals in hurry. Well then, change of place also comes with new challenges, not many friends over here, an unknown world, but then, that’s what we have -an additional package that comes with re-locating into an unknown foreign land. And UK is past now, but we will keep on cherishing good memories associated with UK.

These fresh amaranth leaves made me happy when I went to vegetable shopping near our locality. I also happen to pick well ripened kumro/pumpkin. And thought shaak chorchori with kumro will be a great accompaniment with garam bhaat.Pumkins were very sweet and the leaves were fresh. The chorchori turned out very flavorful.

Now to the recipe

 Saag Chorchori with Kumro ( Amaranth leaves pumpkin stir/fry recipe)

Requirements

About 200-300 gms of red amaranth leaves /notey shak pata

1 and half large cups of cubed pumpkin pieces

1 medium size potatoes

 1 tsp of red pepper powder

½ tsp of turmeric powder

For tempering

1 tsp of panch phoron

2 dry red chillies

3-4 tsp of cooking oil/mustard oil

 Salt as per taste

Method

Pluck tender leaves from the shoots and wash thoroughly well in running water to get rid of any dirt or mud.

Cut and chop pumpkin and potatoes into cube

Heat up a fry pan/ kadai .Add in cooking oil.
Add in panch phoron , dry red chillies and temper the oil.

Now add in potatoes first and stir/fry them well about 2-3 mints at med-high.
Add in pumpkin pieces as well.

Add in spices- red pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt, pinch of sugar.

Mix well and add in cleaned amaranth leaves. Keep on stir/frying for about 2-3 mints or till the leaves shrink.

Cover the pan and lower the flame. Cook further for about 7-8 mints or till the potaoes+pumpkin turns soft. Mix with the spatula well.

Serve with gram bhaat.

You can add freshly grounded cumin+ coriander powder as well for some extra flavour.

Happy Cooking 

Hummus - Recipe with white sesame seeds

With spring season upon us, we really feel blessed to notice spring blossoms scattered here and there. Every season has its own way of making its presence felt. If there is strong and cold winter, then there is spring, which comes as a balm to sored souls. Summer, has own way of making its presence felt, being sweltering and hot. And autumn, well, what do I need to add, autumn whenever spelt, it itself creates vague and beautiful pictures, enticing our senses with colorful disposition.

Now come back from that whirlwind trip of seasons, step aside and park yourself in your kitchen, it’s time to cook. Eating with season has become part of our food plans. And it’s not that something, I pre-plan, but then it has become a routine. For that matter, I have never seen my Ma or Ma-in-law making out such plans about eating with season, to them it was all about, what was really available easily in their respective local vegetable markets, and which obviously used to be flooded with all the local produce and in accordance with seasonal fruits and vegetables (I have started a label “Eating with season” keeping in mind the changes, that are good to include for our day-today grocery plans and eating habits. I will try to update that label from time to time.)

It was going like that, until came those leading globe explorer, who with their each expeditions opened up a new world to each one of us. They due to their curiosity, meticulously started exploring new ingredients, new recipes and new cuisines. And with that, came new discoveries about methods, ingredients and exploring other world cuisine.

Hummus a great Mediterranean dip, can be relished throughout a year.Although, served as part of Turkish-style meze platter. You don’t have to wait for a particular season to relish this mouth tingling dip. All you need is cooked and boiled chick peas, and I am sure every Indian home keeps dried chick peas in their pantry. And for those of you, who are always on a tight schedule, you do have pre-cooked chick- pea cans.

But to get that store-bought quality, one has to make it with toasted sesame seeds or better if you can get “Tahini paste”. Now Tahini paste is easily available in middle-eastern stores here in abroad. But in case you can't get Tahini paste easily, you can use toasted white sesame seeds/ “till” as in Hindi. And olive oil can also be replaced with normal sunflower oil, although olive oil is the primary oil used in hummus preparation

.

Now to the recipe

Hummus – A Mediterranean dip

Recipe requirements

•  2 cups of cooked chick peas or use 1 pre-cooked chick peas can
• 1 garlic clove
• 4-5 tbs of olive oil
• ¼ tsp of grounded pepper /cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup of Tahini paste or use ½ cup of toasted white sesame seeds
• ½ tsp of black pepper powder
• Salt as per taste
•  2 -3 tsps of lemon juice
• Some more olive oil for garnishing

Method

If you are using dried chick peas. Soak those overnight in water, and next day cook it as usual in a pressure cooker for two whistles. You can even use canned chick –peas as well.

If you can get Tahini Paste easily, go ahead with it. However, if you are getting difficulty in finding one, then, use white sesame seeds. Take white sesame seeds and dry roast them for about 6-8 mints at medium flame or till they turn out slightly golden. Keep an eye on them while roasting them.

In a blender or mixer, add all the ingredients- cooked chick peas, Tahini paste or ( toasted sesame seeds)  lemon juice, grounded pepper , garlic , olive oil, black pepper powder and salt. Blend all, if needed add very little water, just to rotate the mixer blades.

Take out in a bowl, garnish with more olive oil and crushed red chilly flakes. A smooth and delicious dip is ready as a side to many appetizers or roasted vegetables or a typical Turkish style meze. You can garnish with finely chopped parsley as well.

Happy Cooking Friends