Culinary Xpress: January 2015

RESTAURANT STYLE MIXED VEGETABLE HANDI

8:16 PM

Recreating a restaurant menu in the comfort of my kitchen not only gives me a sense of satisfaction but also doubles my happiness. Every time I order this dish in a restaurant, the expression in the face of my family challenges the cook in me to give it an attempt at recreating the same dish at home.

Mixed Vegetable Handi is considered as a Royal Dish of Punjabi Cuisine where a lot of vegetables like cauliflower, carrot, Beans, Green Peas, Potatoes are cooked in onion and tomato based gravy and flavored with aromatic spices. The dish got it's name from the pot it is cooked which is a cooking pot used in Indian cuisine named as HANDI.

INGREDIENTS:

25 nos of cashew nuts
2 nos of medium carrot cut into cubes
2 nos of medium potato cut into cubes
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
15 to 20 nos of french beans cut into small pieces
1/2 cup green peas
1 onion finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
2 nos green chilies slit
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 bunch fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
1/2 tsp dry fenugreek leaves
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
3/4 tsp of coriander powder
1/4 tsp of garam masala
1 bay leaf
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
2 nos of green cardamom
2 nos of cloves
2 strands of mace
a pinch of nutmeg powder
2 tbsp of butter
3 to 4 tbsp of cream
1 tsp sugar
salt

HOW TO MAKE IT:

Soak the cashew nuts in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and make a fine paste of the cashew nuts. Keep it aside.

Steam all the vegetables in a steamer . If u like u can fry the vegetables. Since this dish is very rich I have avoided the frying part and steamed the vegetables. Make sure that they are not overcooked.

Heat butter in a Handi, if you do not have a Handi you can use the regular pan also.

Now add the Bay leaf, green cardamom, mace, cinnamon stick and the cloves to the butter and saute for a few seconds .

Add the finely chopped onions and fry till it turns golden brown in color.Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smells of the paste disappears.

Add the chopped tomatoes and coriander leaves and saute till the tomatoes becomes soft and oil; started to come out of the sides of the Handi.

Add Turmeric powder, Red Chilli powder and Coriander powder and give it a quick stir.

Now add the cashew paste along with 1 tsp of sugar and keep stirring till oil comes out of the sides.

Now add 1/2 cup of water, salt and give it a boil. Add the slit green chillies and let it simmer on low flame for 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the steamed vegetables into the gravy .Stir well and simmer the vegetables in the gravy for 2 to 3 minutes more. Once the gravy thickens , add a pinch of nutmeg powder.

Add crushed fenugreek leaves and garam masala powder to the gravy.

Finally add the cream , stir well and take away from the heat.

Serve hot with Roti, Paratha or Naan of your choice.

Curries & Lentils

MEMORIES OF A FUN FILLED HOLIDAY..SEA...SAND AND MUSHROOM XACUTI

7:58 PM

When u think of Goa,sea, sand and Goan food comes into mind. Goan Cuisine has a blend of Portuguese and Indian flavour to it. Goan cuisine, like the land itself, has many flavours and tastes with its vast treasure trove of culinary delicacies.

Because of its location, in the coastal region, Goa has fresh fish and seafood in abundance. Therefore, fish(mainly seafood) and rice are the staple food there. The cuisine of Goa is mainly influenced by its Hindu origins and four hundred years of Portuguese colonialism - these two are the main communities living together in Goa and both communities have their own food habits, too.

While on one of my vacation I had the chance to attend the Goan style of Cooking classes conducted by the Resort Chefs. Goans take pleasure not only in what they eat, but also how they cook it. Although modern conveniences have almost completely taken over in urban areas, the traditional way of cooking in clay pots on firewood continues in most rural areas of Goa. This style of cooking adds an additional smoky flavour to the food, highly valued by Goans.

Seafood, coconut milk, rice, and local spices are main ingredients of Goan cuisine. Being located in a tropical climate, Goan cuisine have spices and flavors that are intense. Kokum, Goan chiliesis and tamarind are other distinct feature in most of the Goan dishes. Goans make their own version of vinegar from toddy. Rice, fish, and coconut are the basic components of the typical Goan food platter. Food made from these three items can be expected in nearly every Goan meal. Some of the significant specialties of Goan Cuisine are: Xacuti, Ambot Tik, Bebinca,Sarpotel, Fish curry and Rice.

Xacuti (Pronounced as shaa-koo-tee) is a curry prepared with complex spicing, including white poppy seeds, sliced or grated coconut. The name Xacuti is derived from a Maharashtrian dish called “Sagoti” which means ‘Sag‘ or chopped veggies cooked well in a gravy. Goans have made this dish their own and make it with chicken or prawns. Like Keralite food, most Goan food also features coconut as an ingredient. Since Goa was a portuguese colony for so many years, a lot of their food use vinegar for the sour taste. But, since this dish had a Maharashtrian origin, it uses tamarind instead.

Generally xacuti masala are used for making chicken xacuti, mutton Xacuti. Mushrooms are my favorite so I thought of clubbing Xacuti Masala with Mushrooms. Though the original recipe had called for addition of coconut and tamarind. I have made certain changes in the recipe by replacing coconut with cashew nuts and tomatoes with tamarind. Despite the changes, this dish tastes awesome.

INGREDIENTS:

XACUTI MASALA:

2 tsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

3 to 4 cloves

1 inch cinnamon

2 to 3 green cardamoms

1 tsp peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 Bay leaf

4 to 5 Red chillies

3 tbsp cashew nuts

400 gms of chopped button mushrooms

1 finely chopped onion

2 nos of Tomatoes finely chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tbsp oil

salt

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

How to prepare it:

Dry roast the ingredients till you get a nice aroma. Cool and grind to a fine powder. Store in a jar.

Heat oil in a pan . Saute the onions till it turns golden brown in color. Add ginger garlic paste and chopped tomatoes . Saute them on medium heat till tomatoes become pulpy.

Add the chopped mushrooms, salt and give them a stir. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add 2 tsp of Xacuti Masala paste with a little water.

Cook on medium flame for 5 minutes till the flavours of the Xacuti masala are soaked in the mushrooms.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with plain rice or Roti .

Butter chicken

BUTTER CHICKEN

7:38 AM

This rich,buttery and creamy chicken made with tomato paste needs no introduction as Butter Chicken is one of the best known Indian Dish found allover the world. This is also commonly known as Murg Makhni.

This recipe is said to have originated in a restaurant called Moti Mahal in New Delhi, India. The origin of Butter Chicken can be traced back to a man called Kundan Lal Gujral, who ran a restaurant called Moti Mahal Delux in Peshawar before the partition of India. After the partion, Moti Mahal moved to New Delhi.

Butter Chicken is no doubt a very rich dish as the gravy for this is made with pureed juicy tomatoes cooked in butter and finished with fresh cream.The mysterious aroma of this dish comes with the addition of kasuri methi ior dries fenugreek leaves.

This dish is cooked in two parts.First being cooking the chicken in a tandoor which is a traditional clay oven or Grill where the marinated chicken is cooked in a few minutes.There is a variety of ways in which Butter chicken can be cooked. Some used Yoghurt , Cashew nut paste in place of cream to cut down the amount of cream used in the dish.Substitution do make nice chicken curry but it can never be called an authentic Butter Chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR FIRST MARINADE:

750 gms boneless Chicken cut into cubes

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp kashmiri Red chilli powder

salt

FOR SECOND MARINADE:

1 cup or 6 to 7 tbsp of thick yoghurt

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

salt

1 tbsp mustard oil

FOR MAKHNI GRAVY:

70 gms Butter

1/2 tsp Shah Jeera or black cumin seeds

500 gms tomato puree

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder

2 to 3 green chillies chopped

salt

1/2 tsp kasuri Methi

1 tsp garam masala

100 gms fresh cream

HOW TO MAKE IT:

Make incision with a sharp knife on breast and leg pieces of the chicken. Since I have used the boneless chicken cubes , this process is not necessary.

Apply a mixture of red chillies powder, lemon juice and salt to the chicken and set aside for half an hour.

Hang yoghurt in a muslin cloth for 15 to 20 minutes to remove the extra water. Add ginger garlic paste and mustard oil to the yogurt. Apply this marinade to the chicken pieces and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

Put the chicken pieces in a skewer and and cook on a moderately preheated oven at 200 degree for 10 to 12 minutes or untill done. Baste it with butter and cook for another 2 minutes.Remove and set aside.
Heat Butter in a pan. Add black cumin seeds , tomato puree, sugar, red chilli powder and mix it well.
Cook till the raw smells of the tomato goes away and oil starts to come out of the sides of the pan.
Add one cup of water , salt and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the cooked tandoori chicken pieces, Kasoori methi and chopped green chillies and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the fresh cream and remove from heat.Serve hot with Naan or Parathas.

CustomsandTradition

SARASWATI PUJA- A TRIP DOWN TO MEMORY LANE......

9:27 PM

“Yaa Kundendu tushaara haara-dhavalaa, Yaa shubhra-vastra'avritaa

Yaa veena-vara-danda-manditakara, Yaa shweta padma'asana

Yaa brahma'achyuta shankara prabhritibhir, Devai-sadaa vandita

Saa Maam Paatu Saraswati Bhagavatee Nihshesha jaadya'apahaa”

Many Goddess Saraswati, who is fair like the jasmine-colored moon, and whose pure white garland is like frosty dew drops; who is adorned in radiant white attire, on whose beautiful arm rests the veena, and whose throne is a white lotus; who is surrounded and respected by the Gods, protect me. May you fully remove my lethargy, sluggishness, and ignorance."

“Shuklaam Brahmavichaara Saara paramaam Aadhyaam Jagadvyapinim,

Veena Pustaka Dhaarineem Abhayadaam Jaadya'andhakaara'apahaam

Haste Sphaatika Maalikam Vidadhateem Padmasane Sansthitaam

Vande taam Parmeshwareem Bhagavateem Buddhipradaam Shardam”

I pray to Bhagwati Saraswati who has a fair complexion, who is the first and foremost divine energy, who is present in the world in the form of knowledge, who wields a Veenaa, Vedas, Sfatik rosary in her hands and one of whose hands is raised in blessing. She is capable of removing ignorance and bestowing intelligence.

When I did the Puja at home today...a sudden image of my child hood comes....of new dress...chanting of mantras...food and the mandatory no study clause.....I look around to find the lost charm of my childhood spent among a lot of friends,cousins who gather around during this time to celebrate Saraswati Puja at home.....my mother cooking our favourite Kanika( Sweet Pulao), Dalma, Bandha Kobi Tarkari( Cabbage Curry), Tamato Khajuri Khata....I feel sad looking at the fragmented nuclear family of today.. Religion and festivities do bring people close to each other....

Vasant Panchami or Sree Panchami is a Hindu festival held on the fifth day of marking the start of Spring season. On this day Hindus worship Saraswati Devi, the goddess of knowledge, music, art and culture. The words 'Sree' and 'Basanta' are significant to the festival. 'Sree' is beauty and the other name of 'Saraswati' and Basanta is spring season which brings beauty and pleasure to the Earth. Therefore it is a festival to welcome beauty through worship of the Goddess. The worship of Saraswati is prevalent since the age of the Vedas.

The first impression when we imagine Maa Saraswati is the image of her Clad in white, riding a white swan while playing a veena. In Her four hands She holds a stylus, a book and plays a veena (flute) with two. The stylus and the book signify learning and the veena, music. She is seated on a lotus which signifies beauty and heavenly origin. The swan is the vehicle of Maa Saraswati. White is the sign of her purity. She is the Goddess of music, poetry, learning and eloquence, indeed, of all the arts and sciences. Goddess Saraswati is worshiped for spiritual enlightenment, the greatest wealth to man. Hindu folklore puts the Learned on a higher pedestal than even the king.

Chuda Ghasa

The celebration brings back memories of my school days when we used to observe fasting since morning, wear new garments and propitiate the Goddess to bestow us with learning and eloquence. After 'Puspanjali' (handful of flowers) to the deity, we used to break our fast. In many educational institutions, Images of the deity built by traditional clay-modelers, are worshiped. The next day, the images are taken in procession to nearby tanks or rivers for immersion.

Students place their books and pen in front of the goddess to seek blessings on this auspicious day. The most significant part of the Saraswati Puja is, nobody touches books on that particular day. This signifies that the goddess is blessing the books placed in front of her that day. Eating vegetarian food is strictly followed on this day of Saraswati Puja. Young Kids in the family are asked to write for the first time in life, the alphabets by the priest / family elder. It suggests the first step being taken in the acquisition of Knowledge. The next day the children take back their books but stand before the goddess and read from them or write in them.

The offerings made to the goddess consist of fruits- most significant being a special preparation made with puffed rice, jaggery, ghee and black pepper known as “CHUDA GHASA”.

Chuda Ghasa and Dalma

Chicken

AMERICAN CHOPSUEY

12:01 PM

American Chopsuey is a delicious savory dish prepared with crispy noodles and saucy stir-fried vegetables, is an Indian adaptation of popular American dish.Chop suey is not Chinese but is a Chinese American dish which originated in the mid to late 19th Century.Chop suey consists of small pieces of meat or chicken or shrimp stir fried with celery, onions, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, mushrooms or other vegetables and served over rice usually with soy sauce.

I really donot know why this dish is called American Chopsuey, but it is one of the most common recipe on the Chinese restaurants in India.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chicken boiled and shredded

1/2 cup spring onion

1/4 cup chopped carrot

1/4 cup Bell Pepper of your Choice

1/4 cup Pineapple cut into stripes

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp ginger chopped

1/4 tsp Red chilli powder

1 cup chicken stock

4 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp green chilli sauce

salt

Oil for frying

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vinegar

11/2 tbsp Cornflour

1 pkt Noodles of your choice

How to Prepare Chopsuey Sauce:

Boil the chicken with 11/2 cup of water, black pepper, salt till soft so that we can shred the chicken into long stripes. Keep aside the stock for use.

Cut all the vegetables of your choice into long strips and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add ginger, spring onion, carrots, Bell pepper, Chilli powder and salt.
Stir fry over high heat for a minute before adding the shredded chicken pieces and the pineapple pieces. Fry for another couple of minutes. Make sure the vegetables are crunchy and not overcooked.
Add tomato sauce, Chilli sauce, soy sauce, Sugar, Vinegar, chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Mix cornflour with cold water in a mug , mix well and pour this to the boiling sauce.
keep stirring till the sauce becomes thick. Make sure it is of medium consistency, not too thick nor too watery.

How to prepare the Noodles:

Boil water with salt. Once it starts boiling add the noodles. Cook uncovered for a couple of minutes till the noodles are soft and firm.
drain and wash with cold water. Add a little bit of oil to keep the noodles from sticking .
Heat plenty of oil in a deep frying pan for frying the noodles. Fry the noodles till crisp and remove from the heat and keep on a kitchen towel to absorb any amount of excess oil.

How to assemble the Chopsuey:

To serve the Chopsuey, place the crispy noodles in a serving plate. Pour the Chopsuey sauce over it.

Serve immediately. Pour sauce over crispy noodles just before serving. This will let you enjoy it while the noodles is still crispy.

You can serve a poached egg over it for extra zing..This is purely optional and you can skip if you donot like it.

The combination of crispy noodles, crunchy vegetables topped with sauce and egg makes it look and taste appetizing. But the crispy fried noodles, with lots of vegetables and a thick sauce essentially made of tomato ketchup and soy sauce is a favorite because of its sweet and sour, but not too spicy preparation.

Curries & Lentils

MATAR PANEER

4:38 PM

Paneer – the ever so versatile, humble and an all-time favorite ingredient we all grew up with. Paneer is one of the ingredients which always challenge me to try out different flavours out of this humble ingredient. Paneer (cottage cheese) has a delicate milky flavour and is used in a variety dishes from curries to desserts to sides. Paneer has a crumbly texture that goes beautifully with strong flavours.

Matar Paneer is a onion-tomato based punjabi gravy with green peas and cottage cheese which is a treat to taste buds at any time. Mutter paneer is basically a flavorful vegetarian dish made of soft homemade Indian cheese called paneer, added to spiced gravy with peas and tomatoes. This delicious aromatic dish is a favourite of my family. I have learned to make this dish from my mother and she used to cook it in a long and tedious way but I've adopted my own quick and easy way to make it. Now this dish has become the favourite of my son also… It tastes good with rice or chapattis or Parathas.

The list of recipes are endless with paneer. This dish is quite easy to make and can be made instantly.

INGREDIENTS:

300 gms paneer cut into cubes

1 Cup Green Peas

Paneer & Green Peas

Wet Masala
1 Onion

2 large ripe tomatoes

1/2 inch ginger

4 to 5 garlic pods

1 green chilly

10 to 15 nos of Cashew nuts

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 to 3 black pepper

1/2 inch Cinnamon

3 cloves

Wet Masala

Dry Masala
1/ 2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

2 to 3 tbsp of oil

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp coriander leaves

salt

HOW TO DO IT

Grind all the wet masala to a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil and add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. Once it starts to crackle, add the ground wet masala and saute on low to medium heat till the masala dries up and oil starts to come out of the pan.

Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder and stir well. Add the green peas and a cup of water , salt and cook on slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes.

Lastly, add the paneer, sugar, garam masala and let it simmer on slow heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from heat. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve hot . It is one of the classic Indian Recipe which goes well with with Roti, Naan or plain Chawal.