Chilli Prawn Skewers

Prawns are quick to cook and great for curries, soups and pasta; hence the ultimate fast food. Chilli prawn skewers are such a delicious seafood treat with traditional Kerala flavors.

Ingredients to marinate Prawns:

1. Prawns large- 1/2 kg (cleaned without removing tail and head)
2. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
3. Pepper powder-1 tsp
4. Salt-to taste
5. Corn flour-1 tbsp
6. Vinegar-1 tsp
7. Oil-to shallow fry

Ingredients For Seasoning:

1. Oil-2 tbsp
2. Thinly chopped ginger-1 tbsp
3. Thinly chopped garlic-1 tbsp
4. Thinly chopped green chilli-1 tbsp
5. Curry leaves-3 springs
6. Chopped capsicum-1 small
7. Chilly powder-1 tsp
8. Soya sauce-1 tbsp
9. Tomato sauce-2 tbsp
10. Salt-a pinch
11. Coriander leaves chopped-few

Preparation:

• Marinate the prawns with ingredients under marination and rest in fridge for one hour.
• Mean while soak the bamboo skewers in hot water.
• After one hour thread the prawns on skewers by lengthwise (thread its tail and head part only to get straight  fried prawns)
• After that shallow fry it in a wide pan of hot oil until nicely cooked (don't over fry; that makes the prawns harden and rubbery). (if you want to remove the skewers after frying; remove it carefully and keep some prawns with skewers for garnishing.)
• After that keep two tablespoon of oil in the same pan; add thinly chopped ginger, garlic and green chilly.
• Saute well for two minutes.
• Add chilly powder, curry leaves and chopped capsicum; mix well.
• Add soy sauce, tomato sauce and salt; mix well.
• Add the fried prawns and chopped coriander leaves in to it ;mix well and switch off the flame.
• Serve hot and enjoy!!!

Murgh Musallam

Murgh musallam is a traditional Mughlai Chicken dish in which the whole chicken is stuffed, steam roasted and then cooked in an onion based thick gravy. Its's mainly cooked in the special occasions and surely it will be the highlight in party table. Even though the preparations include few steps; the end result was awesome lip smacking chicken!!!

Ingredients For The First step Marination

1. Chicken-1 medium (skinless)
2. Lemon juice- 1/4 cup
3. Salt-to taste

• Wash and clean the chicken well.
• Pat it dry with a kitchen towel to avoid the extra moisture.
• Using a knife pierce chicken breasts and other parts a number of times.
• Marinate it with the lemon juice and salt (rub evenly to well coat).
• Cover it with a cling wrap and marinate in fridge for overnight. (Marinating overnight is an important part in making this murgh musallam; then only the chicken gets easily cooked and juicy.)

Ingredients For The Filling:

1. Oil-2 tbsp
2. Onion-1 large
3. Ginger garlic crushed-2 tsp
4. Green chilly crushed-1 tbsp
5. Tomato-1 large
6. Chicken liver pieces-of one chicken (or use keema meat or an egg)
7. egg-1
8. Salt-to taste
9. Pepper powder-1 tbsp

Preparation of Filling:

• Heat oil in a pan; saute thinly chopped onion for few minutes until transparent.
• Add ginger, garlic and green chilly; saute for a minute.
• Add chopped tomato pieces and saute until mashed well.
• Then add minced liver pieces and saute for another 3 minutes. 
• Remove this all masala in one side of the pan; and in another side crackle an egg and mince it well by adding a pinch of salt until done.
• Mix it with the whole onion mix and then add pepper powder and enough salt.
• Switch off the flame and allow to cools down; before stuffing inside the chicken.
• Take out the lemon marinated chicken from fridge.
• Stuff the onion filling inside the chicken by pressing well.
• Now close the inner opening of the chicken by sewing the legs each other with a thread (or with a skewer check here).

Ingredients For Further Marination:

1. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
2. Chilly powder-2 tsp 
3. Ginger garlic paste-1 tbsp
4. Salt-little

• Mix all the ingredients well and make a fine paste out of it (if desire add little water).
• Coat it over the chicken  and rest for another 15 minutes.
• After that take a non-stick wide bottom pan (to sit the chicken properly).
• Heat two tablespoons of oil in in.
• Place the chicken inside it and make the flame to simmer mode(very low).
• Cover the pan with a tight lid cook for about 1 hour. after every 15 minutes; turn out the chicken in to other sides. (meanwhile prepare the onion masala👇)

Ingredients For Making the Onion Masala:

1. Oil- 1 tbsp
2. Onion-1 large
3. Ginger garlic crushed-1 tbsp
4. Kashmiri Chilly powder-1 tsp
5. Coriander powder-1 tsp
6. Garam masala powder-1 tsp
7. Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
8. Cashew nuts-8 numbers
9. Thick coconut milk- 1/4 cup
10. Salt-to taste
11. Coriander leaves chopped- 1/4 cup

Preparation of Onion Masala:

• Soak the cashew nuts in 1/4 cup of hot water for 5 minutes and blend it along with the water to make a puree.
• Heat oil in the pan and saute thinly chopped onions until transparent.
• Add ginger garlic crushed and saute for a minute.
• Add all the powders one by one in low flame; mix well.
• Add cashew paste and coconut milk.
• Switch off the flame by adding the coriander leaves.
• After one hour of cooking the chicken chicken gets evenly cooked and the top gets brown in color.
• Pour this cooked onion masala on top of the chicken.
• Coat it well with the chicken and cook for anther 15 minutes on medium flame until the masala get dried and well coated with the chicken.

• Switch off the flame and Your chicken is ready to serve!!!
• Remove the thread from the chicken before serving.
• Serve it on top of a veggie salad bed or rice.

 

Tender Mango Pickle

The mango season has been started and the tiny mangoes are falling down.. Pick them up and do pickling. Here is an easy and finger licking tender mango pickle recipe using my Homemade Pickle Powder!!!

Ingredients:

1. Tender mangoes- 1/2 kg
2. Mustard oil ( gingelly oil/ sesame oil)- 1/2 cup
3. Mustard seeds-1 tsp
4. Thinly chopped ginger-2 tbsp
5. Thinly chopped garlic-2 tbsp
6. Thinly chopped green chilly-2 tbsp
7. Curry Leaves-3 springs
8. Pickle powder-5 tbsp
9. Salt-to taste
10. Vinegar-1 cup

Preparation:

• Cut the tender mangoes in to two or three pieces (depending on its size up to 4 pieces; disacrd its seed).
• Heat oil in a pan; splutter mustard seeds
• Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chilly. Saute for a minute,
• Add curry leaves, pickle powder in low flame and then add vinegar.

• When it boils add mango pieces and salt.
• Cook for about 5 minutes and switch off the flame.

Note: If you want more gravy for your pickle; you can add 1/2 cup of hot water along with the vinegar. Then you need to store the pickle in fridge for long. Otherwise consume it within one week.

Related: Lemon Yellow Pickle

              Green Apple Pickle

              Tamarind Pickle

Dry Prawns Coconut Chammanthi

A simply delicious spicy chutney (chammanthi) for your lazy meal..

Ingredients:

1. Dry Prawns- 1/4 cup
2. Grated coconut- 1/2 cup
3. Dry red chilly-5 nos (increase or decrease as per your spice tolerance)
4. Shallot/small onion-3 nos
5. Tamarind- 1/2 of a lemon size ball (seedless)
6. Salt-to taste
7. Coconut oil-1 tsp

Preparation:

• Clean and wash the dry prawns well. (if you want; remove its tail and head).
• Dry roast the washed prawns on low flame for few minutes (about 3-5 minutes) until crisp.
• Take it out and heat a teaspoon of coconut oil in that pan; saute the dry red chilly for few seconds.
• In a blender; add roasted red chilly, prawns and all other ingredients.
• Blend for a minute  or until all the ingredients are mixed well and crushed.
• Serve it with your steamed rice and enjoy!!!

Mango Thokku

The mango season has started and raw mangoes are available in everywhere. Mango thokku is an instant version of mango pickle. It can make within few minutes and of course finger licking too..
Ingredients:

1. Raw mango-3 large
2. Oil- 1/4 cup (use mustard oil or gingelly oil for great taste)
3. Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
4. Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds/uluva)- 1/4 tsp
5. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
6. Chilly powder-3 tbsp (increase as per your spice tolerance)
7. Hing powder (kayam/ asafoetida)- two pinch
8. Salt-to taste (little more than normal salt level)
9. Curry Leaves-2 spring
10. Grated Jaggery-2 tbsp (or more)

Preparation:

• Peel the skin of raw mangoes and grate them finely using a carrot grater.
• Heat oil in a pan; when it is hot crackle mustard seeds and then fenugreek seeds.
• Make the flame low and add grated mangoes, turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt, hing, grated jaggery and curry leaves.
• Cook on medium flame for about for few minutes (about 5-6 minutes) until oil floats on top.
• Switch off the flame and allow to cool.
• After cools down completely; you can store them in an airtight container for long use.

Note:
Use dry spoon for picking the pickle; then It will stay fresh for a week in normal temperature
and in fridge for about one month.

Jeera-Aloo (Cumin-Potato) Stir Fry

A very simple, delicious and aromatic side dish. Cumin and potato together brings out the best combo and anything can suit with it.

Ingredients:

1. Potato chopped (lengthwise or cubed)-2 cup
2. Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
3. Cumin-1 1/4 tsp
4. Oil-2 tbsp
5. Curry leaves-2 springs
6. Dry red chilly-2 nos
7. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp (optional)
8. Chilly powder-1 tsp
9. Hing (asafoetida/kayam)-2 pinch
10. Salt-to taste

Preparation:

• Heat oil in pan; when it is hot make the flame to low;crackle mustard seeds followed by cumin seeds; 
• Add dry red chilly and curry leaves.
• Add all the powders and potato pieces; mix well.
• Cover cooks it for about 15 minutes on low flame by stirring occasionally(or cook until potato pieces get cooked well; no need to add water; if necessary; sprinkle little).
• Switch off the flame and serve hot..

Beef Vindaloo

Beef vindaloo is an absolutely delicious Anglo-Indian spicy curry packed with the flavors of garlic, red chilly and vinegar. Give a try on it, serve to your family and don't forget to leave your feedback here.

Ingredients:

1. Beef-1 kg
2. Dry red chilly- 12 to 15 nos (depending on the spice tolerance)
3. Garlic- 1/2 cup
4. Vinegar- 1/2 cup
5. Onion-2 nos
6. Tomato-1 nos
7. Coriander powder- 2 tbsp
8. Garam masala powder-1 tsp
9. Salt-to taste
10. Oil-for frying onion
11. Coriander leaves-to garnish 

Preparation:

• Soak dry red chilly in vinegar for few minutes. (Remove the inner seeds of dry red chilly; if you don't want much spiciness; but the dish tastes its best with hot).
• Add it in to a blender along with garlic. Make a smooth paste out of it.
• Marinate the cubed beef pieces with salt and the above blended paste.
• Let it rest for 1 hour (first 1/2 hour in fridge and half hour at room temp).
• After that, pressure cooks the beef pieces  (without adding any water ; if necessary add little) for few whistles until cooked.
• In a pan; deep fry onions until nicely golden (Don't let it to turn brown).
• Drain it from the oil.
• Take 2 tbsp of oil in the same pan (avoid excess oil) and add tomato chopped; saute until mashed well.
• Add coriander powder and saute for a minute.
• Add the cooked beef pieces and mix well.
• Cook on high flame for few minutes until reaches the desired thickness.
• Then add fried onions and garam masala powder; mix well.
• Switch off the flame and sprinkle coriander leaves  and little fried onions on top.
• Serve warm with the choice of your roti or rice ☺☺.

Kookoo Khorfeh - Purslane Kookoo

Every year from mid spring to late summer I eagerly await the appearance of dark-green خرفه (purslane) sprouts in my backyard, vegetable garden, flower borders and in between the cement cracks. The often under-appreciated and ignored purslane has always been a favorite of mine. You can throw a handful of fresh purslane in almost any dish and make it taste better with its slightly tart and

Favorite Potato Salad

It has been awhile since I posted a new recipe.  This recipe for potato salad isn't new but an all time favorite.  I've been making it for years and I'm surprised I've never posted it.  Today we are having a cookout and this potato salad is always requested.  It's a basic recipe and turns out perfect every time.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 lbs. new red potatoes, cut into bite size pieces (about 7 cups when cut up)

1/3 cup celery, diced

1/3 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I only use Real Hellmann's Mayo)

1/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 1.  Place cut potatoes in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain well.  
• 2.  Meanwhile, place egg in small saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer about 15 minutes. Immediately drain; run cold water over egg to stop cooking. Peel egg; chop.
• 3. Place cooked potatoes, chopped eggs, celery and onion in large bowl. 
• 4.  In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper; blend well. Add dressing to potato mixture; mix gently to coat. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hours or until serving time.
  Serves 6

Easy week-night greens

I read this article in The Guardian the other day and thought that Eliane Glaser had a very good point. Sure, celebrity chefs do live in a bubble, and their culinary advice, as healthy and tasty and wonderful as they might sound, aren't always practical. But I work full time, I have two young kids, an overworked partner, no one around to give us a hand, and yet we cook dinner from scratch every single night. The kids and I get home at 6:30pm every week night and we are ready to eat dinner by 7:15. Dinners consist of freshly cooked vegetables, usually served with meat or fish (the type of recipes you read on this blog), then a dairy product (yogurt or cheese), and a fruit. Most nights we start with a salad or soup (made from scratch as well, including dressing). (For drinks: water.) So I know there is a way to eat healthy food even on a tight schedule, and I know that the food revolution isn't just a great big fat lie.

Well, that was my conclusion two weeks ago. Yesterday, I took this quiz by Charles Murray, on NPR.org, and had to admit that I, too, live in a pretty thick bubble. Hm... So... Err... Take my advice with a grain of salt ;-)

Here is one of my new week-night favorites. It works well aside grilled meat, baked fish, or a starchier vegetable dish (which can be as simple as boiled potatoes).

Serves 4

• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1/2 yellow onion, coarsely chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, halved and stemmed 
• 2 bunches swiss chards, or 1 bunch swiss chards and 1 bunch collard greens, or any other combination of green-leafed vegetables 
• 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, cut into strips 
• salt, freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 tsp whole coriander seeds, crushed, or 1/2 tsp coriander seed powder 

1.  If you use swiss chards and the stems are large enough, use them. 
• Cut off the leaves close to the stem and reserve. 
• Cut the base of each stem without detaching it completely, and pull the fibers that come off. 
• Cut the stem again, 2 inches away from its base, starting from the other side of the stem, and pull off the fibers again. Repeat until you reach the tip of the stem. 
• You are left with 2-inch strips of delicious stem, free of the extra fibers that would make them chewy.
• Chop the stem strips. 
2. Wash the stemmed leaves and drain them the way you would wash and drain lettuce leaves. Take a few leaves at a time, roll them together along their longer axis, and cut into 1-inch strips. 
3. Heat up the olive oil in a sautee pan. Add the chopped onion, chard stems and garlic and sautee until translucent (1-2 minutes). 
4. Add the greens and toss until all the leaves are wilted, but still bright (another 1-2 minutes). 
5. Toss in the julienned dried tomatoes and seasoning. Serve immediately. 

Step 3 (with green onions instead of yellow, here)

Warm Green Bean Salad

Last week I listened to an interview of Alice Waters on NPR (by Terry Gross on Fresh Air). It was so inspiring that it got me dreaming about opening a place of my own all over again. (This is a recurring fantasy... which shouldn't surprise you too much). I spent last night in my Dream Café, welcoming patrons with delicious yet simple, healthy, affordable food made from the freshest ingredients, presented in a short, ever-changing seasonal menu, and featuring a fun selection of small plates for children, and a place for them to quietly play and read after their meal, so grown ups can have a few minutes of respite. Sigh...

As I was listening to Alice, two thougts came to mind. First, she mentioned that she stopped seeing her friends when she got into the chaos of opening Chez Panisse. She also said that she stopped cooking there when she had her daughter... So this dream business of mine sounded quite incompatible with my dream life of the moment. Unless maybe I could have a cafe that required work only from 9 to 5 week days (i.e. preschool hours)? Sigh... My second thought, which alleviated my disillusion, was that as far as focusing on the quality of ingredients, I was definitely, albeit modestly, following Alice's path. Nothing is more pleasurable to me than eating vegetables and fruits (and meats and fish) that taste like themselves. In her interview, Alice said that finding the ingredients was 85% of cooking, and that the Bowl of Fruit was the item she was the most proud of on her menu. I found that comment truely admirable.

All this got me thinking about the vegetables that my family used to grow in France. We didn't have a garden, but my grandparents and several uncles and aunts did. All were growing, among many other delicious plants, green beans. I don't know if green beans are still in fashion in France's vegetable gardens. They certainly were 20 years ago. The kind that my family grew was what is called "haricots verts" in the US: small, thin, dark green beans, which are both firm and juicy and barely require any cooking at all. Just a few minutes of steaming or boiling in salted water, then you can eat them warm with a piece of melting butter on top. This is how we ate them most of the time—and they rarely made it to the table: we would snack on them as soon as they were ready. Another favorite was to add boiled potatoes to the beans and season either with butter (and decorate with lemon wedges) or vinaigrette dressing.

Summer is nearly over but I found organic green beans last Saturday, so there is still time to try out this recipe, which I prepared a month or two ago. As a matter of fact, I will receive filet beans (another name for haricots verts) in my CSA box tomorrow.

Serves 4–5

• 1 lb green beans (preferrably thin, tender ones)
• 8–10 small potatoes (about 1 lb). New potatoes of any variety, or small Yukon Gold for example. I prefer silky rather than starchy potatoes, but both make great warm salads.
• 1 small shallot

Dressing:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp old-style Dijon mustard (with whole grains), or regular Dijon mustard (Try to find a French brand, such as Maille or Amora, for a more authentic taste.)
• 1 Tbsp Jerez vinegar (sherry vinegar from Spain), or regular red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sunflower oil, or other mild-tasting oil
• 2 Tbsp olive oil (Try to find oil made with olives from only one country¹—e.g. Greece or Italy—, extra-virgin, cold pressed)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Start with the potatoes: peel them and boil them in salted water until cooked but still firm (stop cooking as soon as a knife can go through easily), about 15 minutes.

Hull the beans² (unless they are very thin) by carefully snapping each end and pulling the string that runs along the bean (which is only a problem in more mature beans). Rinse the beans.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing. Place all the ingredients in a small sealable container³. Close tighly with a leak-proof lid. Shake well until homogeneous.

Thinly chop the shallot and place at the bottom of a large salad bowl.

As soon as the potatoes are cooked through, drain them and place them in the salad bowl. Pour 2 or 3 Tbsp dressing on them and toss. The warm potatoes will absorb the oil and flavors of the dressing and shallot.

Steam or boil the green beans in salted water for no more than 5 minutes in a pressure cooker. They must be firm but not crunchy, soft but not floppy. They loose the brightness of their green color without really tarnishing...

Drain the beans and add to the salad bowl. Pour a couple more Tbsp dressing if all has been absorbed by the potatoes. Toss gently (avoid breaking the beans).

Serve immediately.


¹ To me it's an indication that it was made in smaller, maybe more artisanal batches. But I don't know for sure. And the taste should be more distinct (unique to the country of origin) than if olives are mixed.

² This is a social time in a French kitchen—at least it is in my family. Everyone grabs a few handfuls of beans to hull and chats around the kitchen table.

³ I use a recycled jam jar. If there is any left-over dressing, I just put the jar in the fridge. If there is very little left in the jar, I still keep it (French mustard is expensive over here!) and add more ingredients (in the quantities listed above) in the jar next time I need dressing.

Fennel Bulbs au Gratin

Halved, steamed in a pressure cooker for a few minutes, then placed in a buttered pyrex dish, sprinkled with butter and grated Gruyère cheese, under the broiler for 5 minutes.