Okonomiyaki means “whatever you like, grilled” in Japanese (Okonomi means “what you like” or “what you want”, and yaki means “grilled” or “cooked”).  It is an interesting combination of frittata, a savory pancake & a pizza. The first time I came across Okonomiyaki is in 101 Cookbooks. Reading thru’ Heidi’s post, I found it really interesting & the different ways the recipe may be adapted, even when making at home.

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Labra: A Festive Combination of Vegetables & Spices

These 2 months of September & October make me extremely homesick. The cool air, clear skies and the while floating clouds spill out all the memories of the biggest religious festival of West Bengal: Durga Puja, the community celebration, and along with that-  very special food.

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Singapore Fried Rice

Asian food has all kind of variation all over the world. Generally Indian food in America are not all that spicy and oily as in India, except for a few authentic restaurants. Just like so, we cook  Indian Chinese in India.

I am not sure if Singapore Fried Rice is a cuisine of Singapore, but it is a big part of the Indian Chinese in India. It is similar to Chinese Fried Rice, except it is made very spicy by adding tons of red dry chili to hot oil. You can go easy on the number of red chilis you add, but do add a few because it is the red dry chilis which actually adds the flavor to this rice.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup long grained rice (Will yeild about 2 cups approx. cooked)
2. 2 cloves of garlic – chopped fine
3. 1/2 onion chopped
4. 8 -10 Dry Red Chilis
5. 1 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorn
6. 1 teaspoon very thinly sliced ginger
7. 4 tablespoons oil
8. 2 teaspoons oil ( to use when boiling the rice)
9. 2 teaspoon white vinegar
10. 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
11. 1/2 green bell pepper chopped
12. 1/2 cup peas
13. 1 Big carrot chopped
14. 3 sprigs of green/spring onion chopped
15. 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
16. 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
17. Salt to taste

Any vegetable like beans, celery may be added to this.

Preparation:

Wash the rice very well to wash off the starch. Soak it in cold water and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Boil 1.5 cups of water, add 2 teaspoons of oil to it and and add the rice. The oil will help the rice not to stick to one another. Cook it so it so they are long and done but separate. If there is till some water left and the rice it done, strain the water.

Spread the cooked rice in a thin layer on a plate and sprinkle vinegar on it. Let it cool

Heat oil in a Wok. Once its smoking hot, add the crushed black peppercorns and the dry red chilis. The chilis will soon turn dark and sizzle. Add the garlic and the onion. Fry at high heat till the onion starts to brown. Add the peas, carrots, bell pepper, and ginger and fry at high hear  till all the moisture dries off. This should not take for than 3-4 minutes.

Lower the heat and add the soy sauce. Mix it with all the vegetables and add the rice. Stir it around to mix it and keep frying at medium heat. Increase the heat to high again. When all the rice is coated, with the sauce, add the cabbage and cook for a couple of more minutes tossing it around fast and sprinkling few drops of water on the wok for the sizzle and the smoke. Switch off the heat. Add the cilantro and spring onions and cover it for 5 minutes for the heat and the smoke flavor to be absorbed. The smoky flavor is a very distinctive flavor to this dish.

 Serve hot with with Hot Oil, or with Vegetable Manchurian, Chili Chicken, or Chili Paneer.

Cabbage with Peanuts

  

Ingredients:

1. ½ Head fresh Green Cabbage shredded
2. ½ Red or Yellow Onion sliced very thinly into half moons
3. 1 Medium tomato sliced
4. ½ cup Shelled Raw Peanuts
5. 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
6. 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
7. ½ Lime
8. Salt to taste
9. 1 can of Mandarin Oranges drained (Optional)

To Garnish:

1. ½ tomato sliced
2. 1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

Preparation:

Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds.

When they start spluttering, add the Peanuts.

Just when the Peanuts start to brown add the sliced Onions.

Stir it around at low heat till the onions are just glazed BUT not browned.

Add the cabbage, salt and tomato and stir it to mix and cover it and let it cook at low heat.

Cook it for only about 5-10 minutes till the cabbages are glazed but still crunchy.

Pour it to the salad bowl and squeeze the juice of the lime and toss.

You can top it with mandarin oranges.

Garnish with fresh tomato slices and cilantro.

This can be served cold, but is best served at room temperature.