Quick and Easy Fish Curry in a Hurry!!

Weekdays are kind of busy and for people who work outside home, it can get a little too tiring to get back home and cook a tasty hot meal.  This is for one such evenings...quick and easy but very tasty and healthy.  I bet your family will love it!!

Ingredients:

• Fish - 2 pounds (I used Salmon) - Cut into bite size pieces
• Coconut Oil - 1 table spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Curry leaves - 6-8
• Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Dry red chillies - 4-5
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt - 1 table spoon (adjust per taste)
• Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon (adjust per taste)
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon
• Sambar powder - 1 tea spoon (adjust chili powder if your sambar powder has chili added to it)
• Jeera / Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Coconut oil.  Once it is hot, add mustard seeds and let it splutter, add curry leaves, dry red chillies and methi.  Now, add the coconut milk and water.  Add all other spices and let it come to a boil.  Now add the fish pieces and cook till the fish is well done.  This will require about 8-12 minutes depending on which fish you are using.  Generally, fish does not need too much time to cook.  Serve hot with rice, roti, quino or just enjoy by itself!!

 

Slow cooker Garlic-Peanut Yellow Lentils / Lahsun-Moongphali Dal

Simple ingredients married together to form an explosion of flavors....yes, this is one such recipe!! 

Ingredients:

•  Toor dal - Yellow lentils - 2 cups
• Onion - one medium - Thinly sliced
• Garlic - 5-6 pods - Minced finely
• Whole Peanuts - 1/2 cup
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons - finely chopped
• Green chilies - 5-6 - roughly chopped (adjust per taste)
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 table spoon (adjust pre taste)
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Curry leaves - 5-6 leaves

Method:

In the slow cooker, add Lentils, Onion, Garlic, Whole peanuts, Green Chilies, Salt, Turmeric and about 6 cups of water.  Turn it on low for 6-8 hours. 
Just before you are ready to eat, heat a small sauce pan on medium heat.  Add Olive oil to it.  Once the oil is heated, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds to it and let them splutter.  Now add the curry leaves and take the pan off the heat.  Add this to the dal and enjoy it with hot white rice or roti!!

Spicy Roasted Lamb Chops

There are days I really crave some red meat and Lamb chops is one of the simplest to make and cooks in a jiffy!!  This is one of the recipes which can be pre marinated and frozen ahead of time.  Very convenient for parties where you could take it out and cook them quick.  They turn out finger lickingly delicious!!  Your guests will love it and will not even guess that it took so less effort :)

 

Ingredients:

• Lamb Chops - 12 to 15 number
• Olive Oil - 1 tea spoon

For the Spice rub:

• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon
• Chilli powder - 1 tea spoon (adjust per taste)
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (adjust per taste)
• Ginger paste - 1/2 tea spoon
• Garlic paste - 1/2 tea spoon
• Methi/Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Lemon juice - 1 table spoon

Method:

If the Lamb chops are in a block, cut it into thinner slices (one bone per piece as shown in the picture above).  In a bowl, mix the ingredients for spice rub really well.  Smear and rub gently this spice rub onto the Lamb chops.  Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
To a pan on high heat, add the Olive oil.  Now place the marinated Lamb Chops flat on the pan.  Sear them on both sides for 1 minute each.  Now lower the heat to medium and cook the lamb chops until completely cooked.  This will take about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Serve with some Onions and Lemons!! 

 

 

Simple Tomato and Onion Curry topped with Poached/Fried Egg

Simplest things are the best!!  We all go back to what we grew up when we need comfort.  One such recipe for me is this simple onion tomato curry topped with sunny side up egg.  Not many people like the half boiled or cooked egg.  But, it is one of my favourites :)  You can cook the egg fully if that is what you like and serve it with rice or roti...yummy....

Ingredients:

• Onion - One - peeled and chopped roughly
• Tomato - 2 - chopped into small pieces
• Green Chilies - 5-6 - Slit or cut thin
• Olive oil / any other oil of your choice - 1 table spoon
• Mustard - 1 tea spoon
• Curry Leaves - 5-8 leaves
• Cumin/Jeera - 1 tea spoon
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• water - 1 cup (add more if you like thinner consistency)
• Cilantro - 2 tablespoons - finely chopped
• Egg - 3-4 - you can poach it or fry it per your preference

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Once the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds.  Let it splutter.  Then add cumin seeds and curry leaves.  Add onion and saute till translucent.  Add Tomatoes and other ingredients except eggs and cilantro.  Let cook closed for 10-15 minutes till the tomatoes are soft and well blended with other ingredients.  Take off heat and top it with poached or fried eggs and cilantro.  You can eat this by itself for breakfast or with rice, roti or nan.

Pepper Mutton/Lamb - Pressure cooker and Crock pot/Slow cooker methods

This is one of my daughter's favourite food.  Even though it is spicy, she cleans out her plate :)
Very simple to make...quick and easy too.  You can also use a Crock pot/Slow cooker to make this. 

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil - 1 table spoon
• Curry leaves - 8-10
• Onion - 1/2 cup chopped thin and long
• Whole red chilies - 5-8
• Salt - 1 table spoon
• Turmeric - 1/2 tea spoon
• Yogurt - 2 table spoons
• Mutton/Lamb - 2 pounds cut into pieces

For the spice Mix : Dry roast and grind all the below ingredients using a spice grinder.

• Black pepper - 1 tea spoon
• Elaichi - 1 pod
• Fennel seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Fenugreek/Methi seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon

Method Pressure Cooker:

To the cooker on medium heat, add the coconut oil. Once the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the curry leaves and let them splutter. Add the onions and saute them till translucent. Add the whole red chillies. Then simmer the flame to the lowest. Add the spice mix you just ground in the spice grinder (If the flame is not simmered, the spice mix might burn). Then add the Mutton/Lamb pieces, Yogurt, Salt and Turmeric. Mix well and cook closed. Add 1 cup water to start off cooking.  Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for about 10-15 minutes (3-4 whistles).  Serve this yummy fingerlicking goodness with some hot White Fragrant Ghee Rice, Roti, Chapati or Naan.

Method Crock pot/Slow cooker:

Add all the ingredients into the slow cooker.  Add 3 cups of water and cook it on high for 6-8 hrs.

Peppered Raw Jackfruit side-dish (Meeri wale phanas)

My husband is a vegetarian.  Everytime I make peppered sukkha mutton, he loves the smell of it but, cannot eat.  I always try and make the same masala with something vegetarian so that he can enjoy it.  In this preparation, I used raw Jackfruit and it went very well with the peppered masala I had made for the mutton and he loved it!!

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil - 1 table spoon
• Curry leaves - 8-10
• Onion - 1/2 cup chopped thin and long
• Whole red chilies - 5-8
• Salt - 1 table spoon
• Turmeric - 1/2 tea spoon
• Raw jackfruit - 2 cups shredded (I used the canned ones)

For the spice Mix : Dry roast and gring all the below ingredients using a spice grinder.

• Black pepper - 1 tea spoon
• Elaichi - 1 pod
• Fennel seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Fenugreek/Methi seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the coconut oil.  Once the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.  Then add the curry leaves and let them splutter.  Add the onions and saute them till translucent.  Add the whole red chillies.  Then simmer the flame to the lowest.  Add the spice mix you just ground in the spice grinder (If the flame is not simmered, the spice mix might burn).  Then add the shredded Raw Jackfruit, Salt and Turmeric.  Mix well and cook closed.  Add water if needed.  As the Jackfruit out of a can is already cooked, it does not take long for all the spicy goodness to penatrate the jackfruit.  Turn the flame off.  Serve it hot with Roti, Chapati, Nan or rice.

 

Channa with Kale / Chickpeas with Kale side dish

I love pairing food with not so commonly paired ingredients.  I usually use Kale in soups.  I had a bunch left over and was wondering if I could make something different with this.  I saw Suvir Saran not only one of my favourite chefs and friend but also the Bravo TV Celebrity Chef and Respected food authority on Indian Cuisine make a version of this.  I took his idea and made it my own.  This is my version of Kale and Chana.  This is quick and easy to make and very tasty.  It has become one of our favourate dishes at home.

Ingredients:

• Kale - Washed and chopped roughly - 5-6 cups
• Channa/Chickpeas - Cooked - 2 cups (I used the canned ones with no sodium)
• Olive Oil -1 table spoon
• Onion - finely chopped - 1/2 cup
• Garlic - finely chopped - 2 pods
• Ajwain/Carom seeds - 1/4 tea spoons
• Green Chillies - finely chopped - 2 Number (adjust per taste)
• Coconut powder - 1 table spoon
• Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoons
• Salt - 1 table spoon (adjust per taste)
• Water - 1/2 cup

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Add Garlic once the oil is heated.  Then add Ajwain to this.  Once it splutters, add Onion and Green Chillies to this.  Saute for a few minutes till the onions soften.  Then add all other ingredients and saute.  Add Kale and Chana.  Cover the pan till Kale cooks well.  Make sure you do not add too much water.  Kale releases water when it wilts.  Once the Kale is cooked, turn the heaf off.  Kale and Channa is ready to be served!!  Serve hot with Chapati, roti or rice. 

Mooli Paratha / Radish Flatbread

Today my daughter taught me something...she said that the recipe that has the least number of ingredients is the healthiest.  I pondered about it for a few minutes...then, realized that it is true.  They are the simplest to make and the tastiest also.  One can taste the star ingredient instead of a whole lot of them.  This is one such recipe.

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour - 3 cups
• Radish grated  - 1 cup (I used the white Radish.  You can use any kind)
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons finely chopped
• Green chilies - 2 finely chopped (add per taste)
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Olive oil - 2 table spoons

Method:

Keep aside about a cup of whole wheat flour.  Mix all the above ingredients except Olive oil in a bowl and knead it to form a soft dough.  Usually, we do not need extra water as the Radish sweats its own once it mixes with salt.  Leave it for a few minutes covered.  When you are ready to roll this dough, add more whole wheat flour if you want the consistency a little harder.

Make small balls about a big lemon size and then roll them in the whole wheat flour you had kept aside.  then roll them flat and round (it takes a little bit of practice to get it totally round.  It tastes the same even if it not round :) ). 

To a flat pan or a griddle on medium heat, add a little olive oil and then place the flat bread you just rolled out.  Roast it on each side for about 3-5 minutes till it gets cooked and the edges crisp up.  Serve it hot with some chili pickle and yogurt.  Melt a little butter as shown in the picture for extra flavor.

This can be an excellent breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.  Wholesome and tasty...enjoy!!

Savory Beloungi / Smelt / Nethili fish shallow fry

Now that the summer is here, one of my favorite finger foods with Beer or chilled Wine is spiced, shallow fried Smelt fish.  It compliments perfectly with that fizzy coolness of beer or wine.  Give it a try and I promise this finger lickingly amazing fish will be your favorite too :)

Ingredients:

• Smelt (or any other small fish) - 1 pound
• Chili powder - 1 tea spoon (add more if you like it spicy)
• Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon (optional)
• Ginger paste- 1/2 tea spoon
• Garlic paste - 1/2 tea spoon
• Lemon juice - 1 table spoon
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add more if needed)
• Olive oil - 8-10 table spoons

Method:

To Marinate:

Mix all the above ingredients except fish and Olive oil into a fine paste.  Then apply it gently to cleaned fish.  Keep it aside for about an hour in the fridge.

Preparation:

To a non-stick pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Add the marinated fish gently and individually.  Fry it on each side for about 5-7 minutes or more if you like your fish more crispy.  Remove it off the pan and drain the extra oil using a paper towel.  Crispy, savory fish is ready to be served.  This can be served with a few wedges of raw onions and lemon.  Best eaten hot with a mug of cold beer/chilled wine or you can eat it by itself.

Phansachi Bhaji - Raw Jackfruit Stirfry

Have you ever tried Jackfruit when it is still not ripe?  It is very similar in texture to Bread fruit but, is much more tastier.  It takes on to flavors you add very easily.  Back home, it was so much work to clean the Jack fruit and seasonal too.  I used to wait the whole year for summer so that I could eat Mangoes and Jackfruit.  But now,  we find canned raw Jack fruit in most of the Asian grocery stores.  They are pretty good in taste and needs very less cooking time.  If you have never given it a try, do surely try it.  I am sure you will love it!!

Ingredients:

Raw Jackfruit - About 2 cups (I used canned Jackfruit) - chopped into bite size pieces

Shallots - finely chopped - 1/4 cup

Methi/Fenugreek seeds - 8-10 seeds

Haldi/Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Jeera/Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon

Red Chili powder - 1 teaspoon (add per taste)

Salt - 1 teaspoon (add per taste)

Olive Oil - 1 table spoon

Water - 1 cup

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the Olive oil and wait for it to heat.  Once the oil is hot, add Methi seeds and Shallots at the same time.  Once the shallots get translucent, add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and cover the pan.  Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the raw Jackfruit is fully cooked.  Enjoy it hot with Chapati, Roti, Nan, plain white rice or Fragrant ghee rice.

Kaale Chane Ki Sabzi-Black Chickpeas Stirfried Indian style

Mom's cooking is the best!!  Everyone would agree.  I learnt how to cook watching my mom or helping her in the kitchen.  Many dishes I have made my own now altering it to taste like what my husband or daughter would love.  But, for me the taste of my mom's food still lingers....

This side dish (which my daughter eats as her main) is easy to make, tasty and healthy.

Ingredients:

Black Chickpeas - 2 cups cooked (see the note below)

Onion - 1 large chopped fine

Garlic - 2 medium pods chopped fine

Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon

Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)

Turmeric powder- 1 tea spoon

Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon

Olive oil - 1 table spoon

Salt - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Add the chopped Onion and Garlic to it once the oil is heated.  Saute for a few minutes until the Onions get translucent.  Add all the other ingredients and saute for a minute.  Now, add the Chickpeas and mix well.  Cover and let it heat thoroughly.  Enjoy hot with Roti, Phulka or Paratha or eat it by itself.

Note:

• You can buy black Chickpeas in most grocery stores.  In any Asian grocers for sure.  They are found in dried form. 
• I cooked my dried black Chickpeas in the slow cooker for 8 hours on high. 
  You can also use a pressure cooker to cook them.  For one cup of dried Chickpeas, add about 3 cups of water.  Drain the remaining water once they are cooked.
• You can hydrate your black Chickpeas in water overnight.  They will need a lot less cooking time if they are hydrated.  You can cook them on the stove top covered with water for about 20-30 minutes.
• Add a little salt while cooking.  This makes it taste better.

Achari Chana - Chickpeas with Indian pickle spices

This is one of my goto preparations when I am hungry and craving for something savory.  Very easy to make and satisfies the taste buds.

Ingredients:

• Chick peas/Garbanzo beans/Chana cooked - 2 pounds (I  used the canned ones)
• Onions - 1 medium chopped fine
• Olive Oil - 2 table spoons
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add to taste)
• Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon (add to taste)

For pickle spice

• Fennel seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Black pepper - 1/2 tea spoon

Method:

Firstly, dry grind the ingredients in pickle spices.  To a pan on medium heat, add Olive Oil.  Let it hear up.  Then add the Onions.  Saute for a few minutes or until they turn semi soft.  Add the pickle spice powder, salt and red chili powder.  Saute for 2 minutes.  Now, add the Chana and mix well.  Add water if needed for consistency.  Close the lid of the pan and let it heat well.  Serve hot with white rice, Fragrant ghee rice, chapati, roti or it can be eaten as is.

Raspberry Chocolate cups

Wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year!!

I want to start the first blog post for this year with something sweet.  I made this dessert for the holiday party at my home and it was loved by everyone.  Very simple to make and assemble.  My 7 year old daughter assembled it all by herself :)

The theme of the party was Red and Black.  This went very well with the theme.

Ingredients (for about 6 cups):

• Chocolate browny squares - 6 Number (I used mini browny squares that fit perfectly into my class)
• Red Velvet cake squares - 6 Number (I used the mini red velvet cake squares)
• Raspberries - frozen - 1 1/2 cups
• Raspberries - Fresh - about 12-15
• Blueberries - Fresh - about 18-20
• Agave Nectar - 2 table spoons
• Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• All spice powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Water - 1 to 2 cups depending on the consistency you like
• Gold color sprinkles (optional) - about 2 table spoons

Method:

For the Raspberry Concoction:

To a pan on medium heat, add the frozen raspberries, water and agave nectar.  Dissolve it and keep stirring till you get the desired consistency.  Mine was the consistency of honey.  Then, add nutmeg and all spice powder.  Stir it and keep aside to cool.

To Assemble:

In a glass cup, place the browny first, then the red velvet cake.  On top of this, pour about 2 table spoons for each cup of the Raspberry concoction (please note that this needs to be cooled before using).  To make the cup prettier, place a couple of fresh Raspberries and Blueberries.  Sprinkle it with some gold sprinkles for a prettier finish and a slight crunch.