All about Food

It’s a one pot cooking made out of ancient days grains called Millets’  I have used here Barnyard millet along with vegetables, selected spices in coconut milk. It’s a complete meal. you may use any other available millets according to your choice. 

The accompaniment could be Mixed raitha or Boondhi raitha. 

Ingredients required. 

• Barnyard millet  500 gms washed and soaked for minimum 4 hours. 

• 2 medium sized carrot cleaned washed and cut in 1/2 ” Cubes

• 6 French beans cut in 1/2″ Pieces

• Cauliflower 2 florets

• Sliced onion 2 medium size

• Ginger & Garlic paste 1 tsp each

• Green chilly 5 now slitted

• Green cardamom 5 nos

• Bay leaves 3 medium sized

• Clove 5 buds

• Cinnamon 2″ Length

• Star Anise 2 nos

• Black peppercorn crushed 1tsp

• Tomato 2 medium size cut in quarts

• Mint leaves 1 sprig chopped 

• Coriander leaves 2 sprig chopped 

• Coconut milk 2 cups

• Fried Cashew nut 10 nos

• Clarified butter 4 tbs

• Salt to taste. 

Since the cooking time for millets are high, all millets need to be soaked atleast minimum 4 hours. 

Cooking method:

Pressure cooker on low flame. 

Pour in ghee and oil. Once it turns hot, add the whole spices and saute for a while. 

Add along sliced onion and cook till turns translucent.  Add in Ginger Garlic paste and saute till it’s raw flavor gets reduced

Add those vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes. 

Then add washed and drained millets and keep stirring to get a spice and oil favour infused. Pour fresh and undiluted coconut milk. Give it a good stirring. check liquid/water requirement. If you need to add little more, add hot water

Add tomatoes, mint & coriander leaves, salt to taste and cook for about 10 minutes in medium to low flame. 

Once the cooker pressure is completely released, open the cover add fried cashew nuts. 

Serve along with raitha . 

Happy cooking!

Ingredients required:

• Butter 2 tbs

• Onion 3 medium size finely chopped

• Yoghurt 1cup

• Chicken 1/2 kg curry cut. 

• Garlic cloves 4 nos

• Green cardamom 4 nos

• Black Cardamom 2 nos

• Aniseed 1/2 tsp

• Star Anise 2 nos

• Black pepper 1/2 tsp

• Bay leaf 2 nos

• Ginger Julienne for garnish

• Fried onions for garnish

• salt to taste

Boil the chicken along with the spices, little salt and leave it overnight. 

Heat a pan over medium flame. Add the butter and once it’s melted, add chopped onion and once it starts light brown in color, add the yoghurt and keep stirring. 

Cook until it’s water content is reduced and residue gets dried. 

Now strain the chicken, seperate the chicken stock and add in to it. 

Stir well and let boil for about 15 minutes. Check for salt. If required add. 

Serve hot, garnish* with ginger Julienne and fried onions. 

* You may add shredded chicken. But it’s purely personal. 

Happy Cooking! 

This recipe of cooking chicken derived from the Colonial era. I have no record to prove, but the flavour, texture and the greatness of this recipe definitely point us in the right direction that usage of several other ingredients were limited to their taste as the visitors prefered less spicy food.

Ingredients:

• Curry cut chicken 1 kg
• Virgin olive / coconut oil 4 tablespoons*
• Nicely chopped onion 1 cup
• Garlic cloves peeled 3 large bulbs
• Red chilly dried  6 nos
• Crushed Black peppercorn  1 tablespoon
• Curry leaves 2 sprigs
• Salt to taste

Method:

Take a large hard bottom skillet and put on to fire.
Pour the oil and wait till turn hot. Add onion, garlic, whole chilly and curry leaves.
Cook untill onion turns light golden. Now time to add washed, drained chicken to it and give a good stir.
Add required salt and cover it to cook for about 10 minutes.
Now time to add crushed peppercorn and add a cup of water and cook for another 10 minutes
As desired, you can cook to semi gravy consistency or dry.

An ideal combination with plain rice, chappathi/parotha or with idly / dosa.

* can use Herbs & Spice oil as substitute 😄

Koliwada’ term refers to the hamlet of the “Koli,’s or fisherman’s of Maharashtra. Here the mouth watering fried dish made out of fish originated and it was nothing but Fish koliwada. Here I use chicken instead of fish for a change and that’s all about. 

Ingredients required. 

• Boneless chicken cut in strips long ( around 2 cm width)500 gms

• AP flour(maida) 3 tbs

• Gram flour (besan) 2 tbs

• Cornstarch 1tbs

• Kashmiri mirchi powder 1 tbs

• Chilly powder 1tbs

• Asafoetida (hing) 1tsp

• Chat masala powder 1tsp

• Roasted ajwain 1tsp

• Cooking soda 1tsp (optional) 

• Egg white (3 eggs) 

• oil for frying as required

• Salt to taste

Take a mixing bowl. Add maida, besan, cornstarch, kashmiri chilly powder, red chilly powder, ajwain seeds, hing, chat masala, cooking soda and mix well. Add on well whisked egg white and give it a thorough mix. Add salt to taste and mix chicken in it. Leave it for about an hour to rest in refrigerator. 

Oil in a deep, thick wok and heat on medium flame. Insert chicken strip without crowding the wok. Turn on the flame high and fry untill it turns crispy. 

Serve hot along with onion rings and lemon as a snack or while meal. 

A delicious dish for young and old. 

Happy Cooking!

(Potato & Broccoli stir fry) 

Ingredients required:

• Potatoes 250 gms cut in 2″ – 2.5″ long Strips. 

• Broccoli florets 250 gms  similar length size of potatoes

• Onion 2 medium size chopped

• Garlic paste 1 tsp

• Ginger paste 1 tsp

• Tomatoes 2 medium size cut in quarter

• Green chilli 3 nos slitted

• Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

• Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp

• Red chilly powder 1/2 tsp

• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

• Coriander powder 1/2 tsp

• Garam masala 1/2 tsp

• Kasuri methi 1/2 tsp

• Amchur (Mango powder) 1/4 tsp

• Oil for cooking 2 tbsp

• Ghee 2 tbsp

• Salt to taste

• Coriander leaves 1 sprig

• Ginger julienne for garnish

Soak Broccoli florets in turmeric & salt water solution for about 15 minutes. This will ensure removal of any insects or worms that is normally found in these types of vegetables. Also soaking broccoli or any cruciferous vegetables in turmeric & salt solution or vinegar & salt solution will remove if any pesticidal residue or any pathogens present in it. 

Drain the florets and allow to dry.

Heat a Wok on medium flame. Pour the oil and once it’s hot, add the cumin seeds and after a minute so, add fennel seeds and saute till it starts spluttering. 

Now add chopped onion and saute till it’s translucent. Add now the washed and drained potato. Turn the flame high and give it a good toss. 

Let the potato get slight brown in color. Add ginger paste and garlic paste and saute till raw aroma from ginger and garlic fade away. 

Turn the flame to medium and add in the rest of powder masalas except kasuri methi & amchur powder. 

Add the drained broccoli florets and mix well and saute for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle little water, cover the wok and cook for about 10 minutes.

Check for salt. Add tomatoes,kasuri methi, amchur powder and mix well. 

If you prefer to have the vegetables with little semi liquid gravy, add half a cup of water and cook for another 5 minutes. If not, it’s time to put off flame. Pour the reserved ghee and mix well. 

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and garnish with ginger julienne. 

Happy cooking! 

(Chicken Nugge Salami)

A unique recipe created with combination of Chicken,Moringa and other classic ingredients. 

Ingredients:-

• Chicken breast 500 gms

• Moringa pulp 200 gms

• Chopped garlic 1 tablespoon

• Crushed black peppercorn 1 tbs

• Black olive pitted cut in rings 30 gms

• Oregano 1 teaspoon

• Pimento* 1 teaspoon 

• Walnut 30 gms

• Pine nut or Cashew nut 30 gms

• Olive oil 100 ml

• Mozzarella /Gouda cheese 100 gms

• Rock salt – to taste

Step 1

• Chicken breast finely cut in small cubes. 

• Tender moringa pods cut into 5 – 7″ Length and steam the pods using a steamer ( minimum 15 minutes) 

• once the pods are cold, split the pod lengthwise into 2 sections and scoop out the pulp and seeds using a spoon. 

• Using a heavy duty blender, grind the chicken along with moringa pulp,garlic,walnut,cashew nut and salt. 

• Add the cheese and a tbs of olive oil while grinding so that it helps to derive a smooth, creamy consistency. 

• Trasfer the grinded mixture into a mixing bowl. Add along with the remaining ingredients such as 

– Crushed black peppercorn

– Oregano

– Black pitted olive

– Pimento

– Olive oil

Mix all together thoroughly and check for salt.

* Optional – Red & Green bell pepper 

Step 2

Time to mould and cook. 

Take a large sheet (approx a mtr in length) of aluminum foil and fold into Half, so that we have a double layer of foil. Now transfer half of the mix to center of the sheet and start rolling the sheet from one end and tuck it under the mince and roll over tight. Then press both ends tight and twist the ends in opposite direction so that the log will be tight. 

Now your salami is looking like a giant toffee. If you find the ends are too long, you may trim it

Step 3

Now time to cook. 

You can cook these logs by immersing them in boiling water for about 20 minutes. 

But I would recommend you to cook it by steaming in a bamboo steamer for about 30 minutes. This method will allow salami to retain the flavour and aroma intact rather than immersing it in boiling water. 

Once it’s cooked, keep it for cooling at room temperature and refrigerate for few hours before serving. 

Indulge yourself with your loved ones relishing this exquisite Food. 

Happy Cooking!

Moringa Oleferia Sauce 

( Nugge Sauce- In Kannada language, Moringa is known as Nugge)

This Superfood known for its health benefits since ancient days,  and now regained it’s supremacy due to people turned to be health conscious. 

Moringa  has antioxidant and anti inflammatory effects, its highly nutritious, it lower blood sugar, has calcium, Iron and promote blood circulation. Also very effective for Varicose veins. 

This Sauce is created by me during this pandemic days and it’s indeed a Super sauce. It’s as good as the Original Pesto. 

Ingredients required for Making sauce

• A bunch of fresh Moringa leaves. 

• 8 to 12 Garlic cloves. 

• Walnut 50 gms

• Pine nuts or Cashew Nut 25 gms

• Hard Cheese ( Cheddar / Gouda / Parmesan)  100 gms. 

• Virgin Olive oil 100 ml. 

• Rock salt – to taste

Method:-

Take a bunch of fresh Moringa leaves. Remove all stems and veins,dried leaves or any other particles. A bunch of Moringa would weigh approximately 250 gms to 300

Rinse the leaves thoroughly. 

Blanch the leaves or steam the leaves for 2 minutes

Strain it and put in cold water. 

Grind the leaves along with peeled garlic cloves, cheese, Walnut, pine/cashew along with little Rock salt. Do not use water. Add 2 or 3 teaspoonful of olive oil to get the grinding smooth

Grind the ingredients to a coarse to smooth consistency. 

Transfer it to a bowl, add the left over olive oil and mix well. Check for salt. Preserve it in a glass bottle. 

Few teaspoons olive oil is poured on top to ensure its preserved for a long time. 

You can use the sauce for making pastas and several other dishes. It’s as good or even may better than pesto. Check it out. You will love it.

Happy Cooking

(Kerala delicacy, fish cooked in thick coconut milk & Gambooge) 

Ingredients:

• Fresh Mackerel 2 medium sized

• Fresh thick coconut milk 2 cups

• Gambooge 4 o 5 large grooves soaked & drained

• Ginger 2″ size cut in julienne 

• Birds eye chilly 4 nos slitted

• Lime juice – half lemon

• Black pepper crushed 1/2 tsp

• Kashmiri Red chilly powder 1 tsp

• Chilly powder 1 tsp

• coconut oil 3 tbsp

• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

• Curry leaves 3 sprigs

• Curcumin leaves – washed & dried 4-6 leaves

• Salt to taste

Preparation:

Marinate the mackerel with turmeric, chilly powder, salt and lime juice for about 30 minutes. 

Shallow fry the mackerel  70 to 80% cooked and reserve for further use, 

Heat a clay pot over low to medium flame. Pour a tablespoon of oil and grease the pot

Spread / layer curcumin leaves in the pot evenly without any gap. ( save 2 leaves for later use.) 

Place 2 sprigs of curry leaves on it. 

Arrange the mackerel on the leaves, add gambooge, crushed black pepper, ginger,(keep little for garnish) birds eye chilly. Pour over the coconut milk. Check for salt and consistency.  Cover the fish with remaining curcumin leaves. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes or till the coconut milk start to bubble. 

Add now the remaining curry leaves, ginger julienne, coconut oil and slowly give the pot a swirl to combine the sauce well. 

Cover the pot and switch of the flame. Let’s allow the curry to rest for few minutes. 

Serve meen moksha along with cooked red rice, 

You may also use your choice of rice. However, this recipe suggest Kerala red rice. 

Happy Cooking!

Very simple, yet mouthwatering, delicious pulav made with Selected Indian Basmati rice and Kashmiri Saffron. 

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice 2 cup

• Saffron strands 1 generous pinch*

• Finely chopped onion 3 medium size

• Cinnamon 2 inch length

• Cloves 5 buds

• Green cardamom 5 pods

• Bay leaves 2 nos

• Ghee 3 tbs

• Mint leaves 1 sprig

• Coriander leaves 1 sprig

* soak 90% of saffron stands in little lukewarm milk leaving few strands for later use. 

Soak basmati rice for about 15 minutes in water, wash and drain it out. 

Take a hard bottom skillet and put on to medium flame. Pour ghee and once it’s hot, add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and Cloves. Saute for about a minute and add chopped onion and fry it till it’s golden color. 

Remove little fried onion to garnish the pulav while plating. 

Add washed and completely drained basmati rice and saute it for about 2 minutes. Let the rice get the whole spices and fried onion flavor. 

Pour 4 cups of water, add required salt to taste and mix well. Sprinkle few strands of saffron, mint leaves and coriander leaves. 

Cover the skillet and cook for 6 minutes. 

Switch off the flame and let it rest for some time. 

Garnish the pulav with fried onions and soaked saffron in milk. 

You may serve any form of raitha along with it. 

Happy Cooking.

(Barnyard millet and Moringa oleifera paratha) 

Paratha means layers of dough cooked, or can explain as Indian unleavened flatbread. Paratha can be made with different flours, but wheat flour is predominant and can have different stuffings according to your choice and palate.

For add-on health benefits, you may add fresh organic Curcumin powder along with other ingredients. However it’s purely individual choice and this recipe doesn’t call for it.

Here I would be using Barnyard millet flour and Moringa leaves (Nugge soppu – Nugge means Moringa in Kannada)

Ingredients required:

• Barnyard millet flour 2 cup
• Tender Moringa leaves 1 cup (washed, drained, air dried and roughly chopped)
• Fresh Ginger paste 1/2 tsp
• Fresh Garlic paste 1/2 tsp
• Ajwain (caraway seeds) 1/4 tsp
• Roasted Aniseed powder 1/4 tsp
• Black pepper powder 1/4 tsp
• Amchur (Mango powder) 1 pinch
• Kashmiri chilly powder 1/4 tsp
• Ghee 4 tbs
• Curd 2 tbs
• Black Salt to taste

In a mixing bowl, take millet flour, add salt and mix thoroughly. Now add in all the other ingredients except ghee and mix well. Pour little water and knead, keep adding required water to derive at a smooth dough.

Now add 2 tbs of ghee and knead the dough using your heels of your hands pushing the dough and turning the dough and kneading until the dough is smooth and supple.
Cover the dough with a wet cheese cloth and leave to rest for about 30 minutes.

Now time to roll and cook Millet Moringa Paratha (Nugge paratha).
Divide the dough in equal parts and roll onto round ball shape. Flatten the ball with your fingers keeping on a flat board and then rolling it by using rolling pin. If required  sprinkle little flour to avoid the dough sticking onto board. Spread out to approx 5 – 6 ” diameter.
Heat the tava/ griddle under medium flame and cook for about a minute. Once you observe tiny air pockets rising, flip it over and cook under low fire and it’s time to apply ghee on to paratha.
Apply ghee evenly on both sides and keep pressing the paratha with the Turner/ Spatula. Repeat the process until both sides are cooked properly and golden color spots appear.

Remove from griddle and serve it hot along with yoghurt,sliced onion and pickle. Or you may serve dal along with it.

Happy Cooking!