Prawn Curry - Simple Comfort Food

Now with the festive season over for the time being and before we dive into the Christmas - New Year celebration frenzy, how about indulging in some simple comforting everyday dishes. Am sure most of us have indulged majorly during pujas and Diwali and now its time to get back to some easy "ghar ka khana". That ofcourse wouldn't mean that we stop eating tasty food. Sometimes the simplest of meal bring so much respite to our tired souls. I for one is going through a super hectic stressful phase ( would elaborate maybe later sometime ) For now I made this very simple flavourful Prawn Curry with everyday spices and enjoyed it with some boiled rice and a squirt of lime. I made it a little spicy coz I felt like eating a hot curry! You can easily adjust the spice levels according to your taste buds.
Prawn is something immensely enjoyed by us at home and this is a perfect dish which doesn't require much of a preparation.

Ingredients:

Prawns - 500 gms - medium sized - de shelled and deveined

Potato - 1 large or 2 medium sized - cut into cubes

Onion - 1 large - thinly sliced

Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tsp each

Red chilli powder - 1 and half tsp - adjust according to taste

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp + 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 heaped tsp

Tomato puree - 2 tbsp.

Bay leaf - 2 nos

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Sugar - half tsp

Green chillies - 4-5

Refined oil - 1 tbsp for frying the prawns and 1 tbsp. for the gravy

Method:

Wash and dry the prawns. Marinate with 1 tsp turmeric and salt.
Heat 1 tbsp oil and lightly sauté the prawns till they turn golden.
Drain and keep aside.

In the same pan add another tbsp of refine oil.

Add the bayleaf. Next add the sliced onion and fry till slightly browned.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry that too.

Next tip in the cubed potatoes and fry for 2-3 mins.
Add all the dry spices  except the garam masala - cumin powder,red chili powder,turmeric , salt and sugar along with the tomato puree.

Roast the spices well, add a little water if the masalas stick to the sides. Roast on low flame so that it doesn't burn.

Once the spices start to leave oil on the sides, add one cup water and let the gravy simmer for 5 mins.

Add the sautéed prawns , green chilli and garam masala powder. Give it a boil and remove from heat.

Serve with hot rice and some lime on the side. Even some roasted papad would go really well with it #afterthought

 
Notes :

• Don't overcook the prawns as they would turn rubbery.
• You could also add some diced tomates for that extra tang.
• Tomato purees are as it is very tangy so cut out on that if using fresh tomatoes.
• You could also garnish with some fresh coriander leaves.
• Medium sized prawns work best with this dish. But you could use big ones too. You could also replace prawns with either rohu or katla.

 

Veggie Dunkers with Nutty Yogurt Dip - For kids and oldies alike!

As my primary role of a being a mom to a growing 7 yr old my biggest challenge lies in feeding my kid healty, nutritious food. And it doesn't help if the child is a bit fussy when it comes to eating veggies and nuts. So I am constantly on the look out for recipes that are innovative and helps me make my child eat without complaining. Ever since I started this blog I realised that I have mostly shared recipes that suit that adult taste apart from the occasional muffins and quiches.Meal times are well handled as my kid likes to eat rice with fish curry or a chicken curry but its the snack time that gives me jitters. I get completely lost as to what to serve to take care of the 4 pm hunger pangs. So I have consciously decided to dig out and share recipes that are kid friendly and doesn't compromise on the health quotient. And why only kids we adults too do not consciously take care of what we eat and end up binging many times.

The very first recipe coming your way is super easy -peasy Veggie Dunkers with a Nutty Yogurt Dip - packed with the goodness of fresh winter veggies and nuts. Serve it on play dates and see them polish of the dip in no time. Apart from the dip this dish only needs some assembling.

Ingredients:

Assorted vegetables  - cucumber ,carrots, beet root and tomatoes - cut length wise

For the dip :

Yogurt - 1 bowl - use the thick ones - I used Amul

Cashewnuts - a handful

Almonds - a handful

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Honey - 1 tbsp

Paprika /Chilli flakes - for garnish - optional

Method:

Cut all the vegetables lengthwise and dip in cold salted water till served.

For the dip:

Dry roast the cashewnuts and almond in a pan.
Ground it into a fine powder and keep aside.

Whisk the yogurt till smooth. Season with salt and honey.
Next add the powdered nuts and mix well. Add a little olive oil too.

Garnish with chilli flakes /few roasted nuts and a drizzle of olive oil.

This dip can even be served as a party starter along with some nachos,tortilla chips, chicken nuggets, just about anything.

Notes :

• Use any fresh veggie that you would want or whatever your child likes. Some sautéed mushrooms would also go well.Or maybe some grilled paneer sticks.
• You could also use hung curd instead of yogurt.

 

Mexican Delight at Swissotel Kolkata

I think I did not share with you all that I was on a self imposed exile from food in my quest for a fitter (read thinner) physique! Well that was sometime ago. Throughout Durga puja I kind of stayed away from my favourite foods and resorted to muesli and such funny stuffs. But then it was getting a little too much and the invite from Swissotel to sample their Mexican festival fare specially curated by Chef Lilia Castro from Mexico came just at the right time. I was raring to go and enjoy the spread and give myself the much desired break. Thus on a sunny sunday afternoon along with co blogger Pritha who blogs at Guilt Free I hogged away on a huge Mexican spread. There was everything from Quesadillas to chili con carne to churros!

I started with sampling the salad section and the variety was delightful.I swayed a bit more towards the vegetarian varieties and I wasn't disappointed. I particularly found this phyllo pastry stuffed with mushroom and cheese very interesting. Also the  Cauliflower Mousse with Asparagus was unique - creamy mushy delight!

As we know Mexican cuisine is influenced by a variety of cultures so it uses an exciting and varied range of ingredients. The use of fiery peppers, cilantro, avocados being very predominant.When I told Chef Lilia that the spread was expansive she smiled and said that there could have been many more dishes! I wandered into the main course section and to be honest was a bit lost as to what all to try. I loaded my plate with the goodies and ate away to glory. Special mention of Tamale  - a typical Mexican dish of cheese wrapped in corn peels and grilled. I will leave you with lots of pictures from the amazing spread.

arz ala mexicana

bread



calabicatas Mexicana - zucchini and squash with cottage cheese



carnitas -deep fried pork

chicken in tangy tomato sauce

beef chilli con carne

papas al cilantro - baby potatoes with cilantro

pescado alo veracudano - fish cooked in a light broth with peppers

prawns in tamarind sauce

tamale - cheese wrapped in corn peels and grilled

Guacamole

Hot salsas

I was stuffed and so happy to have gorged after ages. But the dessert section was on my mind and I could not miss that. There were Churros and how can I not eat Churros while on a Mexican gastro trip. There were a whole lot of my favourite dessert items and I tasted each one of it.

churros



 Kahlua chocolate mousse

crocoumbouche

caramel pudding

cheese cake

This delectable fare was available only for a day on 19th October at Café Swiss but some of the items are a part of their South American dinners on Fridays from 7 -11 pm at Café Swiss priced at 1600 ++

The highlight of the afternoon was the annual cake mixing ceremony of Swissotel and I was thrilled to be a part of it. Cmon my first ever cake mixing how could I not be elated. I even instructed Pritha to click pictures while I was mixing and she very sweetly obliged. Just looking at that tray I was salivating and eagerly waiting for Christmas when I get to sample the yummy cakes.

 

Diwali Treat - Spicy Mixed Chana Chaat

In continuing with the festive spirit I tried out another recipe that will surely be a part of my Diwali menu. Think Diwali..think chaat - spicy concoction of yoghurt , tamarind - mint chutneys , crunchy sev and boondis. On my recent trip to the supermarket I picked up a pack of ready to use sprouts and there I was sorted. I knew exactly that I could transform it into a lipsmacking dish with very little effort.Here's presenting my super easy recipe of Spicy Mixed Chana Chaat. This one will surely be a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients:

Mixed sprouts - 2 cups - I used the ones readily available at the supermarket. Alternatively

                                            You could soak 1 cup mixed grams - white peas, black gram and
                                     green moong overnight and then boil it in a pressure cooker.

Onion - 1 large - chopped

Tomato - 1 large - chopped

Green chili - 2 nos - finely chopped - adjust accordingly

Turmeric powder - 1sp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Tomato puree - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Refined oil- 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - a handful finely chopped

Sev or Boondi - a handful

Yogurt - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 tbsp

Tamarind sauce - a few tbsps.

Method:

The first step is to make the sprouts/mixed chana. Rest is simply assembling everything together.

In a pan heat 1 tsp oil. Fry the finely chopped onions till lightly brown in colour. Add the tomatoes and fry till mushy. Add the green chillies.
Next tip in the boield sprouts /chana and all the dry spices - red chili powder,turmeric ,cumin powder,tomato puree and salt. Give everything a good mix. Cover and cook for 5-7 mins. Garnish with chopped coriander and keep aside.

In the mean while prepare the yoghurt by mixing it with some salt, sugar and dahi bhalla masala ( I used store bought). Whisk well and keep aside.

Now for assembling the chaat - you could either serve it in one dish or assemble in individual shot glasses and pudding bowls.

First make a layer of the yogurt. Then a layer of the cooked sprouts. Then drizzle some tamarind sauce. Another layer of yogurt and cooked chana.
Garnish with chopped coriander and sev/boondi to add a crucn to the whole dish.

Serve chilled!

Diwali Treat - Tava Paneer Tikka and some wraps

So my favourite festival is just around the corner - Diwali - the festival of light,finery and ofcourse some good food. Every year I make it a point to stay home and fill up my home with lights of all kinds. The diyas , the rangoli , the puja and finally party with my dear ones on Diwali night. Now parties also calls for some food and I like to prepare sweets and starters at home. A week before Diwali I diligently plan out the menu and start with the preparations. This year I have decided to serve up some starters that easy to prepare and are party pleasers. I will be making this very convenient to make Tava Paneer Tikka - that I am going to serve up two ways. For those who want to keep it light can have the tikkas as is and the rest I am going to turn them into wholesome wholewheat wraps garnished with some mint mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

Fresh Paneer - 200 gms - cut into big sized cubes

Curd /Yogurt - 100 gms

Tomato - 1 large - cut into cubes

Onion - 1 large - cut into cubes

Shahi Garam Masala - 1 tbsp.

Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 tbsp.

Salt - to taste

Olive oil - 1 tsp + 1 tsp for brushing on the tava

For the wrap:

Wholewheat flour - 1 cup

Olive oil - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Carom /ajwain seeds - 1 tsp

Warm water - to knead the dough

Method:

Take the paneer , onion and tomato cubes in a bowl. Add all the ingredients listed above. Mix well and keep aside for atleat 6 hrs. I usually keep it overnight - the flavours get absorbed very well.

 

Put a heavy bottomed tava /flat pan on heat. Arrange pieces of paneer , onion and tomato alternatively into wooden skewers.

Brush the tava with some olive oil and place the skewers on the hot tava. It takes very little time to cook so keep changing sides till it get a golden brown colour.

Remove from heat and serve with mint mayonnaise ( I used store bought ) or with some homemade mint coriander chutney. Make some salad with onion and cucumber and serve alongside.

Or you could  wrap them up inside some wholewheat parathas /flat bread, top it up with some mint mayonnaise , secure with a tooth pick and serve hot.

Notes:

• To prepare the paratha /wraps- simply knead together the ingredients mentioned under "wraps" into a soft dough. Roll out into thin flatbreads and roast in the pan without or with very little oil. Stuff the paneer tikkas in to wrap, top with some mint mayo or chutney and chopped onions. Roll and secure with a tooth pick. Serve hot.

Chicken Tikka Jhalfrazie

I love cooking with whatever is available in the pantry. The challenge lies in making something out of nothing..well not really nothing but whatever is handy! I had a packet of ready to fry chicken reshmi tikka and I ended up making a jhalfrazie out of it. As Wiki pedia states - Jhalfrazie is a type of curry that involves frying marinated pieces of meat, fish ,veggies in oil and spices to produce a dry thick sauce. It also essentially includes bell pepper,onion and tomato - seemed perfect for what I had in mind. Can be made in a jiffy, perfect for week night dinners, low fat with goodness of veggies and great on taste.Well what else do you need. Few hot rotis and you are in food heaven!

 

Ingredients:

Ready to eat - Chicken tikka  - 1 packet

Onion - 1 large - diced

Tomato - 1 large - diced

Bell pepper/capsicum - 1 medium - diced

Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tsp

Roasted cumin powder - 1 tbsp.

Roasted coriander powder - 1 tsp

Red chili powder - 1tsp

Tomato puree - 1 tbsp.

Fresh cream - 1 tbsp. - I used low fat  Amul cream

Sugar - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Refined oil - 1 tsp + 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - a few

Fresh Coriander - a handful chopped for garnish.

Method:

In a pan heat 1 tsp oil, tip the ready to fry tikkas and fry till lightly brown in colour. Or follow the instruction on the packet. You could even microwave a few varities. Drain and keep aside.

In the same pan , add another tsp of oil. Tip in the ginger - garlic paste and the dried red chillies. Fry till slightly brown in colour and it doesn't smell raw. Add the diced onions, tomatoes and bell pepper and quickly sauté on high heat.

Next add the red chilli powder , roasted cumin and coriander powder , sugar, salt and the tomato puree. Mix well and fry for 2-5 mins. Add a little warm water to prevent the masalas from burning. Now add the cooked chicken tikkas. Give everything a good mix, turn down the heat and add the fresh cream.  Garnish with fresh coriander.

Remove from heat and serve hot with a bread of your choice.

Notes:

•  The chicken can be prepared at home too. Just take some boneless chicken and marinate with a little yogurt , ginger - garlic paste, salt, white pepper powder and some lime juice. Follow the rest of the process.
• Since Jhalfrazie is essentially a medley of ingredients - you could make a vegetarian version by adding carrots,green beans,baby corn etc.
• This dish also uses a lot of green chillies that I have not used. So feel free to adjust the spice levels according to taste.

Chicken Roast - A Family recipe and memories galore!

  

I know. I know. I have been missing in action. Don't ask me why because even  I don't know the whys and the hows! Lets just say that my mojo went for a hike! This particular recipe I made long ago but wasn't getting the enthusiasm to write the post. And I just couldn't have posted the recipe because this belongs to my Thama - my paternal gradmom - a great cook with zamindars lineage from Dhaka. So you can well imagine the kind of food she made. Everything was royal about her! This Chicken Roast recipe belonged to her Baaper bari - fathers home and she made sure that she made the family cook learn it well and also pass on the recipe to her daughter in laws. I have grown up eating this royal dish on every special occasion and also made sure that I learn how to make it while growing up. The most important ingredient is the use of country chicken - small sized deshi murgi  stuffed with a mash of potato and boiled eggs  and served on a bed of rich onion gravy,made all the difference. So while I decided to recreate this legendary dish in my kitchen  - my biggest set back was the unavailability of small sized country chicken and had to make do with the farm ones we get here. Thus I have kind of deconstructed the dish but it tasted awesome nevertheless. Heres presenting my version of my family's favourite recipe - Chicken Roast.

 

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 medium sized - cut into 4 pieces - cleaned and washed

Onion - 1 large - finely chopped

Tomato - 1 large - finely chopped

Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tbsp.

Turmeric/Haldi  powder - 1tsp + 1tsp

Red chilli powder/laal mirch powder - 1 tsp

Roasted cumin powder / bhuna jeera powder - 1 tbsp.

Boiled potato - 1 large - roughly mashed

Tomato puree - 1 tbsp.

Sugar - 1 tsp

White pepper powder - 1 tsp

Cashewnuts - 8-10 - lightly roasted

Raisins /kishmish - half of a handful

Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp. - make a powder of green cardamom,cloves and cinnamon

Boiled eggs - 2 nos - for garnish

Ghee - 1 tbsp.

Refined oil - 1 tbsp. + 1 tbsp.

Salt  - taste

Fresh coriander leaves  - finely chopped - for garnish

Method:

Preparing the chicken:

Make a few slits in the chicken pieces and par boil it till a little soft. Drain and keep the water for later use.

Now marinate the chicken with salt and 1 tsp turmeric, keep aside. Heat a tbsp. of refined oil in a flat pan and sauté the chicken pieces till golden brown in colour.
Drain and keep aside.

Preparing the gravy:

In a kadahi - deep bottomed pan - heat 1 tbsp. ghee along with a tbsp. of refined oil. Add the ginger- garlic paste and sauté lightly. Add the chopped onion and fry till golden brown in colour. Make sure not to burn the onions.

Now add the chopped tomato, tomato puree, turmeric powder,roasted cumin powder,red chili powder,white pepper powder and the mashed potato. Mix everything well together and roast the masala well.Keep adding a little warm water to help the mixture from not burning.

Next add the cashewnuts, rasins and the garam masala powder. Add the sautéed chicken pieces and a cup of the water kept aside from boiling the chicken.let everything simmer for 5-7 mins. This dish has a gravy of thick consistency so check accordingly.

Garnish with chopped coriander and sliced boiled eggs and serve with naan/roti /paratha.
Or mop it up with toasted slices of bread just like me!

 

 

 

 

Notes:

• Keep a constant watch while making the gravy so as not to burn the masalas.
• This dish has a gravy of thick consistency so add water accordingly.
• Originally this dish is made with whole country chicken - stuffed with potato mash , fried till light brown in colour and then added to the gravy.
• Instead of frying the chicken pieces ..one could also grill it in the oven.