Coconut Chicken Soup; Tom Khai Kai

Bangkok is a very interesting city. It reeks of a character which tells stories. To me the word vibrant best describes it. It is truly like the capital of a kingdom. There is something ancient about the feel of the place inspite of the very modern malls. There is a sense of mystery in the air. As though everyone and everything has a secret. 

When Molly and Rahul lived in Bangkok we used to visit them often. Molly would research very seriously and discover little corners of food haven and we used to eagerly patronise them. Eat with gusto and discuss the dishes for hours. Till the next hop to a new place, on the same day. We visited with cousins, with friends and just ourselves. Bumped into other friends from Mumbai and delighted over that too. On the first evening that we would land her cook would toss up the best ever phad thai noodles. Thai food was always a favourite. But these trips took the experience to another level. Restaurants-small and big, food courts, streets, take-homes; food everywhere was always delicious. In Bangkok and in the islands and mountains all around. 

Bringing to you one such peek today. A delicious Thai soup, tom kha kai. My version of it.

I used about 200 ml chicken stock and 200 ml of coconut milk. Pour both in a large bowl. Add one inch of Galangal sliced in pieces, 10 peppercorns, 3 Kaffir lime leaves and the stalk of one lemon grass leaf. I usually bruise the stalk and add it. This should simmer for a good ten minutes in low heat. Then allow it to cool and strain it. Keep the broth in a bowl. 

Chop 8 button mushrooms in thick slices. Slice 6 baby corns lengthwise making 3 strips from each. Take about 250 grams boiled chicken and make semi thick boneless pieces. I also took a bunch of spring onions and chopped them into smallish bits. Add all of this to the broth and set to simmer. 

In 5 minutes or so, add 1 more Kaffir lime leaf, 3-4 tbsp fish sauce and 3 tsp soy sauce. I did not add any salt as the fish sauce is salty. Now juice in one lime. Finely chop 2 bird eye chillies and spice up the broth. If you like spicy, take 3 of them but not more. Garnish with coriander leaves. 

I served it for dinner last night with a bowl of rice in the soup and made it a one pot. Feedback from self designated food critiquing teenager; this dish is 'creative'.......

Lemon Parsley Smoked Paprika Chicken

Today I tossed up a lemon parsley smoked paprika chicken. But first let me tell you about my friend Shirin's mom who lives in Bayswater, London on top of a Waitrose store. Everything about Aunty Krishna is a sweet picture. At mid eighty she remains spirited and keeps a quaint little flat. There are cheerful flowers at her window. An aged but not worn out throw on her couch. Vintage-d coffee mugs brighten up her open kitchen. Carefully chosen art gifted by her son-in-law and some family pictures hang on her walls each narrating a memory. A tall umbrella which doubles up as her walking stick stands where it is supposed to stand as eager to step out once in a while as she is.

I really like aunty. I suspect she likes me too. After we were treated to a sumptuous breakfast and coffee, she called Jeet, my husband into the kitchen and made him stand on a stool to reach up to a shelf high up. Out came a breathtaking gold guilded fruit bowl with matching ashtrays. I welled up. She said she wanted me to have it, her shopping from her first ever trip the the Self-ridges. It is today one of my prized possessions. 

This recipe I dedicate to aunty. Also because the smoked paprika I have used is a recent gift from Shirin who I think has picked it up from Krishna aunty's grocer below, Waitrose, the store which treats her to a coffee everyday. 

I used the breast on the bone pieces of chicken. To eight of these I applied salt, coarse home ground pepper and smoked paprika. I gently massaged the chicken with these three spices and set it aside for a good one hour. In the meantime please par boil 10 odd sweet potato chunks with a dash of salt. Leave the dark pink skin on the chunks. 

In a glass of about 100 ml milk dissolve a tsp of flour. I used whole wheat flour.

In another glass, take a 100 ml of chicken stock. Fresh is fine. I used the bullion that Meenu gets me. I must add that Meenu whom I have become friends with through Shirin is my star attraction in London now. I shall talk about her gorgeous Wembley home lined with large roses and a welcoming warm lasagna in another post. 

Time to cook. Take a non stick wok and brush some olive oil. Pan grill the chicken till golden on both sides. Picture below shows you the colour you should look for. While doing so flavour by throwing in 2 sprigs of parsley. Take out the pieces and place the potatoes in the same wok. Grill on all sides for a minute each and add the milk and the stock. Keep your flame at low-medium heat. Now toss in about 10 odd French beans snipped at their two ends. In another 2 minutes, slowly place the chicken pieces into the wok. Add the zest of one lemon and slice the same lime to add to the gravy. I did not add any salt because my stock was salty. Cover the wok and allow the broth to simmer. In 5 minutes, please check if a cooking needle sears through the chicken easily. 

Serve with brown rice. 

Khandvi Salad

Often we have Indian food on a menu and we are racking our brains for an accompanying salad. Cucumber-tomato-onion-coriander leaves finely chopped or "cuchumbur" seems to be the only option. Then it seems so hackneyed. Yet so refreshing, so classic. But then there is something a bit daily about it. Recently, Sharoon messaged that she had been served an interesting salad at a party and very generously she shared the recipe.

Sharoon enjoys the whole idea called 'food'. A full time corporate careerist and mom, she still finds the time to hunt for recipes, attend cooking classes, plan a cook-along on her trips, visit produce markets, write food books, and of course cook up dishes. I often get a food query, a clarification question from her. And I also often get valuable ideas and suggestions. There are people who live to eat and those who eat to live. Sharoon is clearly a live to eat person. Cheers to that!

Cheers to this recipe too! I served this at a recent home party. Everybody loved it. So, I am sharing a recipe which served 20 odd people. Please adjust proportions when you try to make it.

I took 3 large carrots. Peeled and washed them. Next you have to grate the carrot. Also, wash a medium sized green cabbage and grate it. Then clean a bundle of coriander leaves and chop finely. De-seed 2 green chillies and chop finely. Take 2 limes and juice them. You will also need half a cup of salted peanuts, each peanut needs to be halved longitudinally.

In a warm walk, pour in 11/2 tsp oil. In a minute add a tsp black mustard seeds and about 15 curry leaves. To this add 1 tsp salt and the peanuts. In another minute toss in the vegetables. Stir fry. Add the chillies and the coriander leaves. Toss and stir. Time for lime juice. Mix.

Take about 2 packets of Khandvi and cut them in thin slices. Add to the salad. the Khandvi usually has some seasoning on its body, please use them too. Taste for salt and tang check.

Serve warm or cold. Both taste as good. 

Chilli Prawn Oil

Bengalis are less divided by caste or economic standing than they are by being 'Bangaal' or 'Ghoti'. There is no SOBO vs Suberb or NCR vs New Delhi positioning in people's minds in Kolkata. But there is this refugee from East Bengal even if the family has crossed borders before 1947 versus the homegrown gentry from West Bengal classification which creeps into every introduction. The two aquatic stalwarts which gained brand position to keep the war flag furling are 'Hilsa fish' alias 'Ilish maach' and 'Tiger prawns' alias 'Chingri maach'. 'Bangaals' eat 'Ilish'; 'Ghotis' patronise 'Chingri'. Because the banter in the 20th century is innocuous and because the Bengali person always overeats, everyone eats everything equally delightedly namely 'Ilish', 'Chingri', 'Paapda', 'Rui', 'Bhetki' and more.....

'Ilish" is a seasonal fish. The first recipe which is tried out with the first coveted catch or buy of the year is 'Ilish-er Tel' which is like a flavoured chilli oil. This is mixed with a small portion of rice and this constitutes the first few mouthfuls of the 'Ilish' celebration for the year.

My mother refused to be defeated by seasonality. Why should she have 'maacher-tel' only and only when river Padma bestowes her blessings on us. She concocted a 'Chingri-er tel' coined for your convenience as 'Chilli prawn oil.'

This is what you do. Marinate about a kg of Tiger prawns with its head intact with salt, 11/2 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp turmeric powder. Keep it like this for atleast an hour and a half.

You will need about 6 odd fresh green chillies. Wash and slit them vertically through the centre. In about 4 to 5 tbsp mustard oil once warmed throw in the green chillies. Because they have been slit, they will not sputter and throw up sharp hot seeds. Keep the heat low. In a minute add 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 2 tsp red chilli powder. Within a minute pop in all the prawns and fry in medium heat on both sides for 2 to 3 minutes each. Keep a lid on while you do this. If you feel the oil has got used up, warm another tbsp of hot mustard oil and pour it in. In another minute you are ready. Taste for salt. Mix with white rice and have gold red rice with crunchy spicy prawn.

Ma cooks really well, she makes many prawn variations. But this one has completely won my husband's heart. And his stomach. Now even he who barely cooks has learnt to make this.

One last anecdote. My mom is a 'Bangaal' and my husband is a 'Ghoti'. I told you, the love of fish brings the two close. Not a Bengali for nothing. 

Chemeen Ularthiyathu

I can view stretch marks on my thighs….

Huh! What?

This came into my whatsapp inbox the other day. The lanky bordering on thin fifteen year old boy sent it to me just before his ICSE Biology paper.  From his room to mine.  Like that Beatles song, with love from me to you.

Do something! A diktat? Or a plea garbed as an instruction? Or an exasperated statement which actually was meant to be, I can view stretch marks on my thighs like you can……Possibly!

Ever since we are eating quinoa, grills, smoothies interspersed with crisps and an occasional chocolate. Occasional has had a change of definition from once in a while to everyday.  The mother of course does not work for Frito Lay. Nor for Lindt for that matter, So she cannot be allowed any lee ways. No short routes for us. Health is the new flavor of delish in the kitchen. Thus happened Naachni Dosas or millet crepes with a St. Thomas Christian Prawn dish called ‘Chemeen Ularthiyathu’.

The millet dosa batter came in a packet.  I am bothering only with recipe of the fresh sauted prawn masala. Works?

Prep work would be to soak 5 dried Kokum fruits in a cup of warm water at least an hour before you begin to cook.

For a kilo of Prawns, cleaned, tailed and beheaded, take about fifteen to twenty curry leaves, two large red onions and a tsp of mustard seeds. I prefer the black ones for this recipe. Slice the onions. In a warm wok, pour in about one and a half tsp oil and allow it to warm. Spoon in the mustard seeds and when they start crackling add the onions and the curry leaves. Fry till the onions turn brownish pink. Set this aside.

We Bengalis fry all our fish. Most of them for sure. So I lightly coated the prawns with salt, turmeric and chilli powder and sauted the prawns for a couple of minutes. If they released a little water I allowed them to be sunk in that water. Down in Kerala they would leave the prawns untarnished.

In a thick bottom deep dish I ladled in the prawn with its water and the Kokum with its water. Now finely chop an inch of ginger and four pods of garlic and add both to the deep dish. Slit four green chillies, cut half a coconut in half inch long and one forth inch thick pieces and take a cup of hot water. All of this goes into the deep dish. Season with a tsp of chilli powder, half a tsp of turmeric powder and salt to season. Mix well and set the dish on heat. Cook until most of the water evaporates and the prawns get cooked till tender, Add the onion mustard curry leaf seasoning to this and toss well for two more minutes.

Remove from fire. Serve hot. As I said millet dosas make a perfect partner.

  

Mango Chilli Fish

This morning Jeet was informing us about the leadership session talks that he enjoyed last evening at a media event. Daniel Pink, Gary Kristen, Prahlad Kakkad....discussions, anecdotes, cook-alongs were the topics in the flow of the conversation. It somehow meandered to a debate on overcoming fears, the why and how of it. Of course, first came the what. Snakes, heights, insects, staying home alone in the night seem to be the family favourites. Aayush argued with me that we must confront the fear, challenge it and get over with it. I was being stubborn, said things like my fears are my right....I know I was quite misplaced. But I ain't confronting anything. Anyway, this was our break-talk today. 

So the word fear stayed. The theme of the thoughts also lightened, thank heavens(!) and I remembered another fear that I was grappling with. Apologies that I am trivialising the word, but this one is the fear that I will feel to call Debita one more time for this golden recipe of mango chilli fish. Next time, read as 11th time, I will not be given the recipe over the phone and hence I better record it for my sake. And for everybody's sake. Summer is almost here and it brings with it green-yellow-golden mangoes. I did spot a cart today. 

So, the recipe. Only because I am afraid of Debs rolling her eyes. and also because it is fabulous. 

Take about 10 fish fillets almost an inch and a half thick cut in rectangles. I recommend you use Beckty or Snapper. Wash well and marinate with salt, pepper and lime juice. Set aside for atleast an hour. 

Scoop the sweet and tangy flesh out of 2 large mangoes and blitz it. Make a regular tamarind chutney with salt, sugar, red dry chillies and cumin powder. You can make it and use for your "chaats". For this recipe you will need very little. 

Chop 1 large red onion finely. Also chop 11/2 inches of ginger into really thin slits. 

Back to the fish, beat an egg in a bowl and take some dry corn flour on the side. Warm a non stick wok, pour a tbsp oil. Egg wash each fillet, pat on corn flour on both sides and fry to a light crisp state. The fillets will acquire a sheen and a shine. Place them on a flat dish which has a slight edge.

Next in warm sesame oil, use 1 tbsp, lightly fry the onion until pink and add the mango pulp. In the next and a half minute add the ginger. Once it simmers gently pour in 2 tsp of the tamarind chutney. Season with salt and spice with red chilli flakes. Keep the sauce handy. 

Just about 10 minutes before serving warm the two separately and pour the sauce on the fish. Let it sit and soak for 10 to 12 minutes and serve. 

Everybody will want to lick their fingers. I kid you not.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

In the last decade the magic called the secret of the universe became popular. The secret, a hugely published one, and thank God for that, said that if you wish for something earnestly and expressed it to the universe, then the players and the powers of the universe will make it happen for you. We saw this in motivation power point slides. We read it as Rhonda Byrne wrote it. We heard Sharukh Khan say it in cinema. Melodramatically presenting, this came true for me too. I was keen on joining a Book Club and a little ardent-to-learn-cooking client's mom just by chance invited me to one. It has been a pleasure ever since.

I met this talented, artistic and sophisticated painter in the club. The first attribute which attracted me was they she hardly ever wore make-up. Do not get me wrong. I love lipsticks and coloured eye pencils. But I dig faces which can leave home glowing with no brush or puff or stick that has touched them. Hey Universe, hope you are listening... Mansi Gupta spoke about her penchant for painting, jewelry designing and writing poetry on the first day we met. No, we were not digressing from our scheduled discussion. We were yet to pick a book that day. She also said that she was learning finance for non finance to be able to work in her family business. Bam! Another reason to get impressed. Passionate towards all that is artistic and yet jumped in to hold realistic reigns.

All of the above. And a lunch invitation to the serene Juhu home where her unique understanding of Shiva and Shakti hung on the walls. Dressed in ivory sans make-up, needless to add, adjusting to all our time schedules, she served us a beautifully hand crafted meal, presented as deliciously as it was cooked. The Mexican quinoa salad stole hearts. Lucky for us, she has permitted to share the recipe which she has learnt from somewhere and improvised on a bit.

Take two cups of quinoa and boil it. This will serve a large group of about ten. Boil with four cups of water like you would boil rice. Drain out the water and leave it till it becomes a bit springy. Chop into smallish bits one red and one yellow bell pepper. Do the same to one large red onion. Boil a cup of corn and finely chop a fist bundle of coriander leaves. Wash well six odd stalks of spring onion and chop like you do for Chinese food using the green and the white of them. Also chop 2 medium sized tomatoes. Finally take a tin of black beans, I like to use the brand 'Epicure', strain well. Now mix it all together. Add salt, lemon juice and finely chopped green chillies to season.

I recommend that you make it maybe 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with roughly crushed roasted soya chips.

It is nourishing. It is colourful. It is warm and fuzzy. Of course, it is delicious!

Thanks Mansi. Thanks Nishka.

Indian Chicken Roast

Are you hosting anytime soon? Guest profile; good friends who are food lovers? Chicken is their meat or even not? Sharing a restaurant quality chicken leg recipe. I called it "An Indian Chicken Roast". Ranadive aunty taught me this one. Like all her recipes, this one is a star too! My artsy musician nephew was visiting Mumbai while he was playing for the Bombay Orchestra and I pan roasted this chicken leg for him. He really loved it. Atleast so he said.

Here is the recipe. take about 4 chicken legs. Wash well. marinate with 4 tbsp thick curd, 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, salt to season, 2 tsp 'kasoori methi', 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp 'garam masala' powder. Use heap spoons for all of the above as a measure. Keep marinated for atleast 4 hours or so.

In a bowl soak 50 gms cashew nuts for about 30 mins.

In a pan take 10 gms butter and 3 tbsp oil. Warm. Now fry the leg pieces on both sides till they char. I have provided a picture above to depict this step.

Blanch 2 whole large tomatoes, cool. Grind the soaked cashew and blanched tomatoes together and make a paste.

Now in another pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Warm and add 1 tsp full ginger-garlic paste. Fry till it starts to change its colour. Immediately pour in the tomato cashew paste and fry at medium heat for 3 mins. Next add 2 tbsp full 'khoya', you can procure it from an Indian sweet shop. Fry until the oil separates. In will go in 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp 'garam masala' powder and 1 tbsp 'kasoori methi'. Use level tsp as a measure for this step. Also add salt to taste. Mix well and stir for 2 mins. Beat gently 2 tbsp cream on the side and pour it in. Next add about 6 tbsp hot water. When gravy is simmering slowly slide in the charred browned leg pieces. Cover with a lid and let it simmer. Check for a needle to pierce the meat. In about 4/5 mins the dish is ready. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Pumpkin Cranberry Pistachio Salad

I quite enjoy having pumpkin.  My BFF absolutely detests it. Nothing in life is a given.  Pumpkins are good for freckles.  Pumpkins are 90% water retained and barely calorific. Like the Irish rotund pumpkins can be carved to make will-o’-the wisps or  jack-o'- lanterns. Pumpkins are also gluten free. Now you tell me, why can everybody just not like pumpkins? C’mon, they even come in handy during snake bites….

Anyway pumpkins aside, yesterday I had friends over. These are the types who have absolute clarity on their gastronomical pangs. They know the calling of their palate two days beforehand and I was given a wished menu. So, I grilled some chicken on the bone with a Peri Peri rub, ‘on the bone’ being another operative twice repeated instruction here There was salad and a French onion soup in the plan. I added some roasted and her-bed jacket potatoes and fresh fruit with cream cheese custard with crumble to the lunch carte. They brought the soup along with them; with Emmental melting on a multi grain toast it was as classical and as delicious as it could be.

I set about to make the salad - a pumpkin-cranberry-pistachio one. I took about 200 g pumpkin for the four of us. Skinned the fruit and then cut it into cubes sized like those in a rubix. Mildly salted it. In a bowl I folded in together 11/2 tsp maple syrup, 3/4 tsp paprika powder, 3 pods of finely chopped garlic and 11/2 tsp water. Gently seasoned the pumpkin with ¾ of the dressing and baked for 30 minutes at 150 degrees C. I took the tray out of the oven, sprinkled cranberries and pistachios and baked again for 5 more minutes.

Before serving, I washed some lettuce. You can opt for any baby salad leaves. I popped in the pumpkin-cranberry-pistachio roast. A sprinkle of lemon juice and the remaining ¼ of the dressing. A last dash of some finely chopped fresh coriander leaves. We were good to gorge.

BFF, please rustle this one and just quietly have it and do not forget to love it too! And you should have thought once before acquiring a Bengali BFF. We impose.

Chicken Kurma With Melon & Sesame Seeds

I had read this somewhere long back. A line that stayed in my mind. 

The little seed knew that for it to grow it had to be dropped in dirt and covered in darkness and struggle to reach the light.

Seeds of ideas. Seeds of thoughts. Seeds of actions. Seeds of work. The little beginnings that those things are. Seeds. I love this recipe. It uses two kinds of seeds. Musk melon seeds and sesame seeds. And cashews. So I bring to you my nutty seedy gravy of a little bird!

Chicken Kurma, An inspired variation. 

At first take a kilo of chicken on the bone, wash well and marinate with 2 tbp ginger garlic paste, juice of 1 lime, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp red chilli powder. Marination time ought to be about 4 hours. 

When you get to the cook, in a blender jar take 4 tbsp yogurt, 2 heap tsp sesame seeds, 2 heap tsp magaz or musk melon seeds and 1 heap tbsp cashew nuts blitz to a smooth paste. 

Step next is that you chop 2 large onions and warm 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Add the onions till they turn pink and then add 1 chopped succulent tomato. Stir well for 2 min and pour in the yogurt paste. Keep your flame at medium heat and keep stirring. You will see the oil separating. At this step you add in the chicken with all its marinade and fold everything in gently and smoothly. In about 3 minutes, add 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, salt to season and 1 tsp red chilli powder. Stir well and lid the wok for a good 6 mins. In the 7th min please check if the chicken has cooked through. Keep the lid on if the chicken is not perfectly cooked.

Chop fresh mint leaves and coriander leaves and set aside. In a skillet pour in 1 tbsp ghee. When warm spoon in 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp shahjeera. When both sputter glide into the main wok adding the fresh leaves. Stir well.

Enjoy with parathas. It is pure perfection. Yes, you are welcome.  

Mixed Daal

Sharing a mixed daal recipe. But before I do, one cute trivia I wish to share is that split pulses or daal/dal gets its name from the Sanskrit word "Dhal" which means "split". Though in India and Pakistan we do eat un-hulled pulses as in the ones with the skins intact, hulling I think adds to the digestive ease of pulses though the skins do have high dietary nutrients. 

I am going totally Indian for this recipe. Using Indian names for the pulse varieties. This quantity serves about 6 to 8.

So you will need 1/2 cup Toor or Arhar daal, 1/2 cup yellow Moong daal, 1/4 cup Chana daal, 1/4 cup Urad daal and 1/4th cup Masoor daal. 

For this, chop 2 mid sized onions and 4 pods garlic. Wash the pulses well and mix with the chopped onion and garlic. Add water in your andaaz or say about 2 glasses and pressure cook till one whistle goes off. Reduce the heat and keep in the lowest flame heat for 20 minutes. 

For the tadka, heat 2 - 3 tbsp oil in a wok. Add 1 heap tsp Hing. Immediately pop in 12 curry leaves and 3 whole green chillies. Stir. Add 1 large chopped onion and 1 large chopped tomato. Stir again and then add 1 tsp red chilli powder, 11/2 tsp coriander powder and salt to taste. Stir well for 3 minutes at medium heat. Now add the boiled daal and about 1 large cup of hot water. Bring to a simmer.

Time to spike the yellow bubbling gravy with a tsp of garam masala powder, a squeeze of lime juice and freshly chopped coriander leaves. In a pan warm a tsp ghee and fry half a chopped onion till pink and garnish the daal with this. 

That is it. Please make it. Everyone will savour it. 

No Fuss Chicken

I bring to you a keeper recipe. 

My ex-neighbour aunt messaged me this one recently and this could be one of the simplest non fussed and non prepped chicken preparations I know which turns out piquant, delicious and quirky. Great to eat with breads like pararthas or paos. Of course, please use wheat paos or if I may suggest methi parathas. 

Sharing the recipe for a kilo of chicken. Marinate the chicken on the bone after washing well with a whole lime juice and salt to taste. Marinate for 5 to 6 hours. 

In a warm wok add 2 tbsp ghee. Fragrant 2 tsp Hing or asafoetida in the ghee will add to the kitchen aromas. Now add a tsp cuimin seeds and when they sputter add 3 whole green chillies. Stir and add 3 cups of gently beaten curd stirring constantly. Next add 2 tsp freshly ground pepper and 2 tsp coriander powder. In a minute after stirring at low to medium heat add the chicken. Gently stir all over and cover the wok with a lid.Every 3/4 minutes toss till the chicken is cooked through. 

Take a generous bunch of mint leaves, wash well and add to the chicken. You can now increase the heat and generally stir well. 

Simple, well seasoned and appetising chicken on your table!

Stuffed Spiny Gourd or Stuffed Kakrol

For some strange pompous reason I assumed Momordica dioica is Bengali. Kakrol is what we call it in upstate West Bengal and I kind of thought no other community even knows of this bristly balsam pear commonly called spiny gourd. Well, please do not take offence as honestly it is not really a luscious piece of lamb or a white juicy piece of fish that we are talking about. The hero here is an oblong prickly slightly mildly bitter Asian vegetable. No great flavour lender to a curry but with the traditional scoop out & scoop in recipe I am about to share, it is, my friends a delightfully traditional and classy little piece of cookery art.

Wash the gourd well and cut them by half through the centre longitudinally. Then with a spoon scoop out the fleshy seedy centre till the vegetable looks like an open boat. Next in salty water parboil it for about 5 minutes or so. Set aside on a tissue and allow it to lose any water droplets. 

In a small blender jar, make a mustard paste with black mustard seeds, a green chilly, a dash of salt and a tad bit of water. For 4 gourds, take 2 tbsp mustard seeds. Next take half a dry coconut and make a white wet paste again in a blender. Also chop one large red onion finely. 

In a warm iron wok, take one and a half tbsp mustard oil and allow it to warm. Gently slide in the onions and cook till pink and transparent. Time to add the mustard paste, salt to season, a dash of chilli powder and turmeric and cook it all for 2 to 3 minutes. Next add the coconut paste and stir well and in another 2 minutes add the scooped out flesh of the gourd. Cook everything well, stirring all the time for about 4-5 minutes in medium to low flame. Taste the filling. It should be sharp and delicious. 

Now spoon in this filling when at room temperature into the depth of the open boats of the spiny gourd and fill them right upto the brims or the edges. 

In a bowl, take 4 tbsp gramflour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp nigella seeds, salt and chilli powder to season. Spoon everything around well and make a thick paste adding water. Remember the paste needs to be of a 'pakora' consistency. 

In an open deep pan, warm any white oil. Now dunk the filled boats into your gramflour paste and fry like a 'pakora'. The whole half gourd should be coated with the gramflour paste. Fry till golden on all sides. While frying keep the pan covered for a bit as the skin cooks a little more at then step. 

Enjoy hot with plain white rice. Just squash the 'pakora' and the mustard coconut filling will ooze out and merge with the rice with the crisp skin adding to the palate senses. It is a village imagery I am creating for you which I assure you will make you feel loved, warm and fuzzy. 

Enjoy the way I like my kakrols!

Caramel Pecan Pound Cake

"I'll have what she is having" 
or
"It is so nice when you can sit with someone and not have to talk"
or
"I thought you didn't believe men and women could be friends"
or
"There are two kinds of women: High maintenance and low maintenance" 

Well, I bet you are guessing where I am headed. Back to 1989 New York City. When Harry met Sally, we all fell in love. Since then I have said it aloud several times - I am proud to partake of your pecan pie. Aloud in my head. Always ending with a glint in the eye with a whoop in my stride. And the word "PECAN" stayed. All these years later I bring to you a recipe; A Caramel PECAN pound cake. It is fingerlickingly tempting! Hurry! Preheat your oven.

Cream 100 g butter with 11/2 cups brown sugar for 4 minutes or so. Now add 5 eggs, but add one at a time while whisking with the electric whisk at mid speed. Flavour with 2 tsp vanilla extract. 

In another bowl mix 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. Sieve and add to the above bowl. Gently fold it all in and then add 1 cup of butter milk and continue folding. Chop a cup of pecan nuts and tumble them in and once again blend it all in.

Use a bundt pan. Grease with oil and pour the batter in. Bake at 180-200 degrees C for 30-35 mins. The baking time does vary from oven to oven. use the needle technique to check for perfect baking.

Time to get a glaze ready. In a semi deep pan melt 1/2 brown sugar and then add 4 tbsp butter. Stir continuously. To this golden heaven smelling sauce add 2 tbsp corn syrup and 2 tbsp cream. With a spatula mix well and throw in half a cup of chopped pecan nuts. 

Once the cake is ready and is at room temperature, glaze it with the caramel sauce. 

Where is your cake knife?

Burnt Sugar Cake

There is something to be said about burnt sugar cakes. They remind you of an English Grandma from the country or the church. The thing is that this genre is losing its remembrance because you simply cannot bake a burnt sugar cake out of a packet. You just have to have to make the burnt sugar yourself and you have to make it fresh. The flavour of a burnt sugar cake is just so unique. I have discovered that almost all burnt sugar cake pictures show them glazed and iced, I have not done that, I preferred to retain the genuine caramelisation in the cake flavour but I reckon that inspite of icing and frosting the strong gorgeous flavour of burnt sugar will remain.

Sharing a simple recipe. Thanks Kavery. 

Melt half a cup of sugar over low heat until clear medium brown. You do not need to stir much. If you feel tempted to stir, then quickly water your pots of make a phone call. Once in a while gently shake the pan. This will stop the sugar from sticking. Add 1/2 a cup of hot water and now stir constantly to avoid lumps. 

In another bowl mix 2 and 1/4 cup of flour, 3/4th cup of sugar, 1 tsp salt and 3 tsp baking powder. Add half a cup of butter, can use about 50 grams and blend with a cake whisk. Now pour in 2/3 of the burnt sugar mix and beat at low speed. In 2 minutes add the rest of the burnt sugar and again whisk. In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs with a tsp vanilla essence. Add 2 tbsp warm milk. When folded pour this liquid into the batter mixing bowl. Gently fold till smooth. Your dough will be slightly golden brown in colour.

Bake at 150 degrees for about 40 minutes. As it depends from oven to oven, check with a needle and adjust your baking time. The cake is springy. 

Andhra Mutton

I am listing a course meal for you. 

Annam (rice) with Neyyi (ghee) is served throughout the meal until the end. You are being served on a Vistari which is a large plate made of several leaves sewn together.

Modhati Muddha(first bite) is an appetiser of Ooragaaya (spiced pickle)
Pappu (lentils - plain or with vegetables)
2 or 3 Koora bowls(curries - veg and non veg)
Rasam or Charu (Kadi)
Perugu (Yogurt) or Majjiga (Butter Milk) accompanied by a spiced pickle
Sweet, if you are celebrating something
Paan

Are you satiated? Now tell me which state of India are you in? 

Yes, you are being served a celebratory meal in Andhra Pradesh/Telengana. Cuisine in this part of India, influenced by cultures, inhabitants and topography is absolutely unique from the rest of the nation. The variety the cuisine boasts of is multi faceted. Options are available for every hour of a day. Telugu food is cooked by Andhra-ites living in their own land and also by Telugu speaking people in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which of course has a nuance of local influences. 

One such Kannadika has shared this recipe with me. Kavita is one of those South Indian Brahmins who lives for her meats and fish. Food is her manna. Inspite of very long work hours at a gym and at her bank, she cooks on many days of the week and is always updating me with new recipes and food trivia. Here is one of her teachings. To die for!

I cooked with a kg of mutton on the bone. I used goat meat. 

Take 2 large red onions and chop them lengthwise. Freshly make a tbsp of ginger garlic paste. Take equal stalks of Coriander leaves, Fenugreek leaves and Mint leaves - about a palm full of each. Chop roughly. Chop 2 large tomatoes. Grate half a coconut and blend with 2 tbsp of curd. 

In a warm cooker bowl, heat about 3 tbsp oil. Season with 4 green cardamom seeds, 1/2 an inch bruised cinnamon stick, 6 peppercorns and 6 cloves. When this sputters throw in the onions and toss till pink. Next goes in the ginger garlic paste and in another minute go in the leaves. Stir well for a minute and season with a tsp full of chilli powder, 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric and salt to season. Toss about for another minutes and pop in the tomato pieces. After adding the pink meat mix well and at medium heat keep stirring the mutton every now and then ensuring nothing sticks to the base. I did this for 15 or 20 minutes for sure. In your kettle heat 11/2 glasses of water and pour the same into your cooker bowl. With your spatula gently mix the meat and paste in well. Cover the cooker bowl with its lid and pressure cook the mutton till soft. I waited till I heard 10 whistles.

When the hot gas has all naturally released from the cooker, open the lid. Ensure the meat is tender and there is some gravy. Check for salt seasoning. Bring to a boil at high heat and pour in the coconut curd mix. With a ladle fold in the white mix. 

That's it. Ladle out portions onto a bowl and mate it with 'parathas' and lose yourself!

Vietnamese Chicken Stewed In Coconut Water

I was watching an episode of Luke Nguyen's Vietnam. This recipe fascinated me. It was like being in the lanes of Hanoi all over again. Shopping for little nothings from quaint corners, buying local art with the blazing red eye catching flowers on canvases everywhere, sitting to eat on really low plastic chairs and thanking the heavens with every intake of the brilliant textures of quail-squid-clams-what not, hearing the shrill sweet noises of rubber horns on local rickshaws, drooling over innumerable mugs from the romantic coffee repertoire, and wanting to eat more and more and everything that was on display at every street joint. Yes, Vietnam wins hands-down amongst many destinations that I have been lucky to visit and a re-visit with girlfriends is now on the bucket list. Who wants to come with me? You can enlist only and only if you are a lover everything that is delicious. 

Back to my recipe. I could not remember all the steps that the brilliant chef was showing on telly and I also would not be ambitious to  recreate his version because his essential ingredient was fresh green little bunches of peppercorns which he plucked from trees in a pepper plantation. This lucky act of cooking amidst the green under the liquid blue sky on a rustic stove itself I am sure will make his creation top class. But try my version that I share with you from my black and white modern kitchen in Mumbai. My recipe is a take-off from his with my own twists in it.

I used a kilo of chicken on the bone. Wash it well and marinate with about 4 pods of crushed garlic, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar and about 20 pearls of roughly crushed peppercorns. Keep it overnight. 

Also remember to source 1 large tender coconut with abundant water in it. Dice 1 tomato. Keep ready half an inch of 'galangal' and bruise it. Also keep ready a sprig of lemon grass. I like to use 4 or 5 red bird eye chillies for the recipe. 

On the day of cooking which is the next day, shallow fry the chicken making both sides burnt golden. Slice 1 red onion and take 4 or 5 pink shallots. Side-wise make slant cuts of 6 or 7 baby corn tubes. 

In a warm wok, add the chicken along with the pan oil, the baby corn, the onions, the shallot, the 'galangal', salt to taste, 2 tsp freshly ground pepper powder, the bird chillies and the tomato. Toss everything in the heat for 3 minutes at high flame. Now is the refreshing addition to the recipe. Pour in the whole coconut water and bring to a boil. Toss in the lemon grass and allow the chicken to simmer at medium heat for a good 10-12 minutes till it softens. Pierce the meat to ensure it is soft. Add about 3 tsp full fish sauce. 

Pour on sticky rice or brown rice and dig in while it is fresh from the wok. Delicacy...sublimity..., sophistication.... rich sweetness.......peppery sharpness -  these are the sensations which will overwhelm you.  

Kerala Mutton Fry or Kerala Beef Fry

What if Vishnu avatar Parasurama had not thrown his axe across the sea from Konkan to Kanyakumari? Would we still have Kerala? A land of temples, churches and mosques? Is that really why it is considered as God's own country. I would like to believe that pristine beaches, emerald backwaters, dense forests, exotic wildlife, deep rooted cultures, jeweled lagoons and bays, long river networks and mind blowing food is what win the state its name. I have not seen enough. But I have seen enough to believe in the miracle called Kerala. 

Even before that I met Angela. She was recruited just before me or maybe even earlier in the Customer Service team at Standard Chartered credit cards, Bangalore. Our work was intense and chaotic. We would vacillate between fire-fighting and crisis management. Lunch breaks were treasured moments. We would share our lunch boxes. She was lucky. Her mom packed her food. Often she would get the Erachi Varattiyathu aka the Kerala beef fry and I would partake of this hand-created bliss and reach heavens or maybe God's own country itself!

Beef is not available here any more. So I tried the recipe with mutton. I recommend you use beef and that you use the boneless variety. Rest, just follow this recipe. It is bang-on. 

For this recipe, I used half kilo mutton as in lamb and I kept it on the bone. So, first steps would be that in a pressure cooker you boil the mutton with one red onion sliced, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, salt to season, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 3 cups water. Allow about 6- 7  whistles. The meat should cook well. 

Take 1/4 of a dry coconut. Slice them. Fry them till golden. Set aside. Take a hand full of fresh curry leaves. Set aside too.

Take 2 tbsp broken cashew and grind into a paste with a tad bit of water.

Now take about 2 red onions and slice them long. Fry them till pink. Add 2 slit green chillies and half the above curry leaves. Toss for 2 minutes.

To this add 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste. Next add cashew paste. Stir for 2 mins in low heat. Add chilli powder depending upon your taste remembering that it is a spicy preparation, 2 tsp coriander powder and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Suate well. 

Chop one large tomato into medium small pieces. Add to the above wok. When you do this increase the heat to high flame. Stir well so that the mix does not stick to the surface of the wok. 

I added the meat now with about a cup of the water it was boiled in. Blend everything in with your spatula. Season with 1/4 - 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 to 1 tsp freshly ground fennel powder and 1/2 tsp pepper powder. I also poured in 1 tsp white vinegar now for acidity. Cover and keep at low heat now for the meat to roast. 

In about 5 minutes, add the fried coconut slivers, the rest of the curry leaves and some freshly chopped coriander leaves. The final colour will be a delicious blackish brownish gold and the meat will be tender and well roasted. 

Transfer to a dish. Enjoy with ghee rice or the traditional "puttu". I served it with plain crisp "dosas".

Indo - Western Broccoli

President H.W. Bush said broccoli tastes like medicine. In 1990 he banned the cooking of it in  Air Force One. A slogan in 2002 by one produce company saying " broccoli and bush, we are both good for America" failed to change the president's mind about the ban. Wonder if he would have been re-elected had he eaten some broccoli. 

I am sharing a broccoli recipe. It is indeed indo -western in its flavours. You will feel the sense when you have it. And I promise you even your Bush alike broccoli hating child will love this dish. 

I learnt this recipe from Prajakti, my little ex neighbour who had made this for her mom in Kolhapur. For me to think that Prajakti is wedded and kidded itself is a lot to handle. Then to learn a recipe created by her is just too much. And too too lovely!

Take a mid size broccoli flower. Cut broccoli florets keeping a little bit if the stem. Blanch in hot water. Set aside.

In a small blender make a paste with 3 tbsp broken cashew nuts. I use broken ones to save some money. Blend this cashew paste with a cup of milk and about 2 tbsp fresh cream. Do the blending with a fork or a gentle hand whisk. 

Grate about 1/2 an inch of ginger. In a pestle and mortar crush 6 pods garlic and 1 large green chilly. You can use a garlic crusher too. Chop a large red onion in long slices. 

In warm 1 and a 1/2 oil lightly fry the ginger, garlic and chilly for 1/2 a minutes and toss the broccoli with a dash of salt. Make the green vegetable crisp and warm.

Separately again in 1 and a 1/2 tsp warm oil caramelize the onions till they are pink and crisp. Add the cashew-milk-cream mix. Gently blend in medium heat and season with salt and pepper or chilly flakes.

To serve place the broccoli on a plate and spoon on the sauce ensure generous coating of the green florets. Enjoy with multi grain bread or even as it is.

Dry Coriander Chicken

I call this my Monday Magic recipe. You have done the groceries last weekend and you don't want to step out to buy stuff until Friday. The family wants something delicious and new, 'new' being the operative word here. You don't have much time on your hands and you need already-at-home ingredients. 

I give you a  magical solution dear chicken likers. 

Marinate a kilo chicken on the bone because bones emit a juicy flavour with ginger, garlic and coriander paste seasoned with salt and chilli powder and sour curd and set aside for 6 hours. For the paste you should take 1 inch ginger, 6 pods garlic and a fistful bunch of coriander leaves with stalks. The sour curd quantity will be 200 grams.

Finely chop 4 onions. 

In a wok, heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee. To this pool throw in 2/3 cloves, 5/6 peppercorns, 2/3 green cardamom and 2 dried bay leaves. In less than a minute add the onions and let them turn brown. Next just add the whole chicken with the marinade. Stir and mix well. Cover with a lid at medium heat. The chicken should cook in its own juices. Please don't add anything, no water at all. Keep removing the lid and stirring every now and then. Once the chicken is soft add 1/2 tsp 'garam masala'(can be store bought at an Indian store for those living abroad) and increase the heat. Just toss it around for another long minute. 

You will serve delicious, juicy, tangy, kicky chicken to the lucky eaters. I bet you they will bless you!