All about Food

An ideal spread which is sweet, tangy and spicy, can be used for any meal. 

Ingredients:

• Dried red chilly 10 nos *• Cayenne pepper 10 nos cut in pieces• Chopped Ginger 2″ length • Lemon grass stalks 3 nos chopped• Shallots 6 nos chopped• Tamarind paste 2 tbsp• Palm Sugar 3 tbsp• Cooking oil  3 tbsp• Salt to taste.

* Soak in hot water fir 15 minutes to get it soften. 
Drain the red chilles and cut in to small pieces. Grind red chillies, Cayenne pepper, chopped ginger, lemon grass and shallots to a coarse consistency. 
Heat a pan over medium flame. Pour oil and once it’s hot, add in the grounded paste. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add tamarind paste,stir well and cook till all ingredients turns soft and oil starts releasing from pan sides. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover the pan and cook for another 5 minutes. Add sugar and cook till it’s disolved. Season it with required salt. 
Once it’s cold, store in steroilised glass bottle.  

Happy Cooking!

Tasty preparation of prawn with its spiciness and aromatic flavors makes it all time favorite of Connoisseurs.

Ingredients:

• Prawns 500 gms – Cleaned and deveined• Onion 2 large size finely chopped• Tomatoes 3 medium size chopped• Ginger paste 11/2 tsp• Garlic paste 11/2 tsp• Hung Curd 1/2 cup• Turmeric powder 1 tsp• Kashmiri chilly powder 1 tbsp• Red chilly powder 1 tsp• Coriander powder 1 tbsp• Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp• Cumin powder 1 tsp• Cooking oil 2 tbsp• Butter 1 tbsp• Salt to taste.

Marinate the prawns for about an hour in marinade made out of 1/2 tsp of ginger paste, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, curd and a pinch of salt. 
Heat a pan on medium flame. Pour a tablespoon of oil and stir fry the prawns. Let the prawns get light golden color. Keep tossing to ensure the desired color is obtained. 
Heat a wok on medium flame. Pour oil. Add chopped onion, a pinch of salt and saute till onion turns translucent. Add ginger and garlic paste and cook till it’s raw aroma is gone. Add now the tomato, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and saute till the mixture turns to mushy and oil start releasing from the wok sides. Now time to add prawns and mix well. Sprinkle pepper powder and add butter. Check for water. If required add 1/2 cup, cover the wok and cook for about 10 minutes under low flame. Garnish with ginger julienne and coriander leaves. 

Happy Cooking!

A yummy chutney made out of fresh cilantro and yoghurt.

Ingredients required:

• Cilantro 1 cup. Thoroughly cleaned,washed and drained• Shallots 6 nos. • Garlic 6 cloves• Cumin powder 1/2 tsp• Yoghurt 1 cup• Salt to taste.

In a blender jar, add all above ingredients and grind to a fine smooth paste. Add required water to desired consistency. 

Shakshuka”
Means ” Mixture’ a dish originated at Tunisia. Literally, poached eggs in Tomato based sauce containing spices and olive oil. 
It’s a complete & filling breakfast dish. 

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes puree 1 cup• Tomato 1 medium size chopped• Onion 2 medium sized chopped• Garlic 6 cloves chopped• Bell pepper 1 large diced• Cumin powder 1/2 tsp• Oregano 1/2 tsp• Paprika 1 tsp• Crushed peppercorn 1 tsp• Olive oil 2 tbsp• Eggs 3 nos• Parsley 1 sprig chopped.

Heat a pan over medium flame. Pour in olive oil. Add chopped onions, garlic, bell pepper, tomato and saute till it turns mushy. Add the spices – cumin powder, oregano, paprika, crushed peppercorn and stir well. Add a pinch of saltAdd the tomato puree and cook till sauce turns thick. Now using the wooden spoon back, make wells or indentation in the sauce.  Make sure that the wells are distance away from each other and can hold the egg. Crack open each egg and fill in the well created. Check for salt and if required add. Cover the pan and let the eggs cook. You may cook the eggs according to your wish – either runny or solid. Garnish Shakshuka with chopped parsley and crushed pepper. 

Happy Cooking!.

An ideal way to preserve tomatoes all through the year. 
Take fully ripened tomatoes. Check for its firmness, blemishes and for any insects bite. Wash them thoroughly and score them for removal of skin. Immerse them in water and blanch them for about 40 seconds. You may find the skin starts seperating from flesh. Drain them and let it dry. Once it’s completely dried, peel off the skin cut in halves and deseed. 
Take a sterilised glass jar, arrange the tomatoes in layer, sprinkle rock salt and keep making layers and repeat same process. Cover the jar (airtight) and keep in a dark place for 4 days. 
After 4 days, now pour in cooking vinegar and let tomatoes get completely immersed in vinegar. Close the jar and let it remain for another 3 days. After 7 days of pickling, it’s time to get it sun dried. 
Use aluminum foil to spread the tomatoes. Ensure sufficient space is there between each halves. Dry them in sunlight. Occasionally, keep turning each halves so that it dries up fast. 
To get the tomatoes completely dried, it may take minimum 2 weeks. Once it’s dried, it’s time to make sure it’s completely free from any Pathogenic organisms. Therefore keep it in a preheated oven at 80 degree Celsius for about 10 minutes. 
Remove and allow to cool. Once it’s cold, store in airtight glass jar. As it contain salt, while using the dried tomatoes, ensure usage of minimal salt. 

Happy Cooking

This lovely mouth melting kebab, favourite of then Nawabs originated from the district of Kakori in Lucknow and it’s made out of minced lamb meat. But I have made it with chicken mince.

Ingredients required. 

• Minced Chicken* 500 gms• Cashew nut paste 1 tbs• Fried onion paste 1tbs• Magajtari (melon seeds) paste 1 tbs• Roasted Coconut paste 1 tbs• Fried garlic paste 1 tsp• Green cardamom powder 1/2 tsp• Black pepper powder 1 tsp• Nutmeg powder 1/4 tsp• Mace powder 1/2 tsp• Clove powder 1/2 tsp• Red Chilly powder 1/4 tsp• Black cardamom powder 1/2 tsp• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp• Saffron 1 pinch• Tailed pepper (kebab Chini)powder 1 pinch• Kewra water (Pandanus flower extract) 1tsp• Clarified butter 1 tbs• Salt to taste.

In a mixing bowl, take all above ingredients and mix well. Keep kneading it till all ingredients mix together and turn soft. Leave the mix for about 2 hours to marinate at room temperature. Once done, you may use skewers for cooking on Tandoor or on Barbeque pit. If not take hand full of mince meat and form cylindrical shape and cook on a frying pan. Since I didn’t have the facility to cook on charcoal fire, I tried to infuse charcoal flavor onto kakori kebab by using Dhungar method. This will give kebab smoky flavor. 
Dhungar method of smoke infusion is by placing red hot burning charcoal in on a plate, put off the fire and pour little ghee( clarified butter)on to it,place it with the food and cover it for few minutes.This allows charcoal to emit smoke. 

* Traditionally, lamb meat mince is used and to cook it very soft, green papaya paste being used. This act as a meat tenderizer. While using chicken, it’s not required. 
Happy Cooking! 

Chicken Malvani – originated from the Malvan coastal region of Maharashtra. A delicious, spicy, aromatic dish which goes well with rice, Chappathi,Tandoor bread etc. 

Ingredients required for Malvani masala:

• Dried red chilly whole 8 nos. • Coriander seeds 1 tbs• Black peppercorn 1 tsp• Nutmeg 1/4 size• Stoneflower1/2 tsp (pathar ka phool) • Caraway seeds 1/2 tsp• Aniseed 1/2 tsp• Sesame seeds 1tsp• Cinnamon 1″ length• Star anise 1 no• Cardamom 5 nos• Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp• Black cardamom 1 no• Cloves 5 nos• Asafoetida 1/3 tsp
Onion & Coconut paste:
• Sliced Onions 3 medium size• Grated coconut 1 cup• Cooking oil 1 tbs.

Ingredients for the curry:

• Chicken – curry cut 1kg• Ginger paste 1 tsp• Garlic paste 1 tsp• Onion 1 large size chopped• Bay leaf 2 nos• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp• Cooking oil 2 tbs• Salt to taste• Coriander leaves 2 sprigs.

Step 1.Heat a pan on medium flame and dry roast all whole spices for malvani masala. Once it’s cold, grind it to fine powder. 

Step 2.Heat a wok over medium flame, pour a tablespoon of oil and once it’s hot  add sliced onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Add now grated coconut and roast till it turn golden brown. Switch of the fire and allow the mixture to cool. Grind it to a paste. 

Step 3.

Use the same wok for cooking chicken. Pour in the oil and once it’s hot, add the bay leaf, chopped onion and saute till onion turns translucent. Add now the ginger and garlic paste and saute till it’s raw aroma is reduced. Add now turmeric powder and the washed and drained chicken and toss it nicely. Cook it for few minutes till chicken pieces turns slightly fried. Add Malvani masala powder, asafoetida and mix thoroughly. Add now the grounded onion, coconut paste and mix well. Pour required quantity of water to maintain desired consistency. Add salt to taste, stir well, cover the wok and cook for about 20 minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves. 
Happy Cooking!. 

A traditional Italian vegetable stew.Once it was considered as farmers food, but in reality, it’s the favourite of all. Ciambotta can also be made with meats of your choice and vegetables variations. Along with you may use bread or pasta according to your choice.

Ingredients required:

• Zucchini 1 large size diced• Potato 2 medium size diced• Onion 1 large diced• Garlic 10 cloves crushed• Eggplant 1 large size diced• Tomato 2 medium size diced• Bell peppers – Red, Yellow & Green  1 medium size each, seeded and diced. • Olive oil 4 tablespoons• Black pepper crushed 1/2 tsp• Fresh Basil leaves. • Salt to taste. 

Heat a skillet over low flame. Once it’s hot, pour in the oil. When oil turned hot, add in the garlic and onion. Saute till it’s softened. Now add potato and saute for 2 minutes. Add now the rest of vegetables, add required salt,cover the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes. Make sure, occasional stirring is done to ensure all vegetables cook evenly. Add now generous quantity of basil leaves. preferably, tear them and add instead of chopping them. 

Now time to cook pasta. 
Boil water in a pan, once it starts boiling, pour in a teaspoon of oil and required salt. Slowly insert the Spaghetti. Ensure its completely immersed in water. Cook for about 10 minutes and check whether it’s turned soft and cooked. Drain the pasta and it’s time to serve Ciambotta along with Spaghetti. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Basil. 

Come winter, usage of garlic would be good to boost up your immune. Compared to any other preparation, the garlic percentage in this is very high, therefore it’s named as Lehsuni, means Garlic. 

Ingredients required:

• Chicken curry cut 500 gms• Onion 2 large size chopped• Garlic Pods whole 3 medium size. Peel out the outer skin, trim the roots if any and wash it well. • Garlic cloves 10 nos• Tomato 2 medium size diced• Green chili 5 nos cut in pieces• Bay leaf 2 nos• Curd 1/2 cup• Garam masala 1tsp• Coriander seeds whole 1tbs• Cumin seeds 1tsp• Aniseed 1tsp• Caraway seeds 1/2 tsp• Black peppercorn 1/2 tsp• Coriander leaves 1/4 cup• Mint leaves 1/4 cup• Ghee 2 tbs• Cooking oil 1 tbs• Salt to taste.

In a grinding jar, take chopped onion, garlic cloves, green chili, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, aniseeds, caraway seeds, black peppercorn, mint and coriander leaves. Grind the ingredients to a coarse paste. Now add in the diced tomatoes, garam masala and curd. Grind to a fine, smooth consistency. 
Take a wok heat at high flame. Add ghee and oil. Let it heat. Add now the bay leafs, garlic pods, and the chicken and keep tossing it. Add in required salt and cook till chicken gets Golden color. Now add the Grinded paste and mix well. Cook it till the ghee and oil starts releasing from the wok sides. Check for gravy thickness, if required add 1/2 cup of water, check for salt, stir well and cover the wok and cook at medium flame for about 15 minutes. 
Serve along with paratha, roti, nan, chappathi or steamed rice. 
Happy Cooking! 

A rich dish with creamy gravy which can be an ideal for any special occasions. It’s truly delicious. 

Ingredients required:

• Methi leaves(fenugreek leaves) 250 gms• Matar (Green peas) 1/2 cup – frozen or fresh ones• Finely chopped onions 2 medium size• Green chilli 5 nos • Cumin seeds 1tsp• Cashew nut 1/2 cup – you may use broken cashew or it’s kernel. • Khus khus* (Poppy seeds)1/4 cup• Ginger paste 1tsp• Garlic paste 1tsp• Ghee 2 tbs• Fresh Cream 1cup• Salt to taste

# Soak Cashew and Poppy seeds for an hour and grind it to a smooth paste and keep aside. 

# Wash methi leaves for several times under running water. Blanch the leaves for 2 minutes so that the bitterness in leaves will be reduced. Chop the leaves and keep. 

Heat a skillet under medium flame. Pour the ghee and once it’s hot, add cumin seeds and wait for it to sputter. Add now the chopped onions and saute till it’s translucent. You many add a pinch of salt at this time to get onion cook faster. Add ginger, garlic and slitted green chili and saute till the raw aroma from garlic and ginger is gone. 
Add now the cashew paste and cook for about 3 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally to avoid catching at bottom. Add now the Green peas and  methi. Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the cream, check for the consistency and salt. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes under low flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve along with Tandoori flatbreads or Steamed rice.

* OptionalIf you require, you may sprinkle little garam masala powder. But it’s purely personal. 
Happy cooking!