Talking of  Dum Aloo…There are some hundreds of ways to make Dum Aloo. In West Bengal it used to be a must dish served for weddings with “Radhaballavi” (lentil stuffed puri), and I loved the slight & subtle sweet taste of that kind of dum aloo.

Also during fall/winter time, when there would be small new baby potatoes, & the peas in the shell, my mom would make peas kachori and dum aloo with the bite size potatoes. It used to be an all evening activity when we would all sit and shell the peas and rub the potatoes to skin the already peeling skins.

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And a Sweet Little Incident… Here it goes:

The other day we were going out for dinner. For once there was some peace in the car. The 2 kids were not fighting, each of them busy doing thier own things. I noticed that my 2 year old had been looking out of the window for quite sometime, when she cried out ”the moon, the moon! mama the moon is broken. Someone broke the moon…” She was definitely very upset about it. A few days back she had seen an enormous orange full moon, and now all of a sudden it was just a  slice. I wish I had an as imaginative an explaination as her beautiful mind. Later on she herself figured that the cloud must have bitten a piece out of it, since the cloud is the only thing that can reach it!!

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Kabab ( Also known as kebab, kabob) refers to meat dishes in the Middle East, Mediterranean, South and Central Asia, Africa, consisting of grilled meat on skewers or sticks. In America its more popularly known as Shish Kabob.

Sheekh Kabab is what it is called in India (Sheekh is the Iron Rod and Kabab is the Meat) and is usually cooked in the tandoor. The indirect heat from the tandoor cooks the meat very slowly while retaining all the moisture. This makes the kababs soft morsels of yum!!

Ingredients: 

1. 1lb minced/ground Chicken
2. 1/2 Small Onion chopped very fine
3. 2 teaspoons cilantro chopped very fine
4. 1 tablespoon garlic paste
5. 1 teaspoon ginger paste
6. Salt to taste
7. 1 teaspoon fresh coarsely crushed peppercorns
8. 2 tablespoons corn starch
9. 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
10. 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (rub them in the palm of your hands to release the flavor)
11. Ghee to brush the kabobs and cook in it.
12. 1/3 teaspoon turmeric
13. A pinch of Orange food color (Optional)
14. 1 tablespoon sour creme
15. 4 hot green peppers (like serrano) chopped fine
16. 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain seeds) – crushed

Preparation:

Minced Chicken mixed with all the ingredients

Mix all the ingredients above except the ghee and let it sit for for about 15 minutes.

Skewered Chicken

Take a handful of the mix, flatten it and roll it into sausages and insert the skewers through it. Brush them with ghee.

You can either grill them on the outside grill. Or you can do it in the broiler (preheat the broiler to 375 and cook on foil till done but not blackened).

Shish Kabob

I have done these on a skillet on the stove and it works just fine. Brush the skillet with ghee and place the skewers. Cover and cook for about 6-8 minutes and then uncover and cook at high heat. Turn around the skewers to cook on all the sides.

Serve with grilled tomatoes and Jeera rice.

Garam means Hot, and Masala means Spice.

Garam Masala(Whole Spices)

Garam Masala is referred to a combination of different spices. They may be used whole or ground into to a powder. If its used whole they are usually added in the beginning of the recipe, and if used in the powder form, its sprinkled on the dish after its done cooking.

The hot in garam masala is not the same kind of hot as in hot green peppers. It actually are the spices which raises the body temperature. Therefore garam masala is used in very little quantity. I usually use about only 1/3 teaspoon of garam masala in a recipe for a serving of 4-5.

The following is the recipe for Punjabi Garam Masala. The spices may or may not be roasted prior to grinding. For this particular recipe, I do not roast the spices.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons whole Coriander seeds
1 tablespoon Cumin
2 tablespoons small green cardamom
2 tablesoons cloves
2 tablespoons peppercorns
4 sticks of cinnamon, approx. 2″ each
3 Bay Leaves
3 Red Dried Peppers
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Preparation:
Grind all ingredients dry in a spice or coffee grinder.

May be stored in air tight containers for many months.

Asafoetida

Asafoetida (Hing): This is sap from stem and root of a plant, dried into a hard resin. It has a very very strong aroma.
I personally use it in preparation of Lentils and Dry Fries.

Bay Leaves

Bay Leaves (Tej Patta): Dried bay leaves. They are browned in oil first increase the aroma.

Carom Seeds

Carom Seeds (Ajwain): These are pungent ( like Thyme), but looks like celery seeds. Very strong flavored. It also has good digestive properties.
I mostly use it when I make Parathas.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon (Darchini) This is actually dried bark of a tree. It’s an ingredient of Garam Masala.

Clove

Cloves (Laung): Cloves are dried up flower buds. Used as a part of Garam Masala in the ground form, or in the stick form in meats and vegetables.

Coriander Seeds

Coriander Seeds (Dhania): These seeds are actually dry seeds of the regularly used fresh cilantro. These seeds are usually used in the ground form to be a part of various spice mixes, like Garam Masala, Sambar Powder.

Cumin Seeds

Cumin Seeds (Jeera): Very commonly used and in various dishes. Its used both whole and dry roasted and ground.

Fenugreek seeds

Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) : Angular buff colored seeds having a slightly bitter taste. One of the mixtures of Panch Foron. The unripe, raw seeds are cooked as side dishes in certain parts of India and they are not bitter!!
I use these seeds quite frequently, especially in the Makhani masala.

Fennel Seeds

Fennel Seeds (Saunf or Mouri): These look like Cumin Seeds, but when looked closely they are actually greener and wider. Fennel is another ingredient of the Panch Foron.These are also dry roasted and used with tiny sugar candies to make mouth freshnersafter meals. Fennel is known for its digestive qualities.

Green Cardamom

Green Cardamon (Choti Elaichi) : These pods holds tiny little balck seeds inside. The seeds are taken out and used whole in cooking or in the from of powder. Its used in a LOT of Indian cooking whether it be vegetables, meat, rice or even desserts. Cardamom is also an important part of Garam Masala.

Cardamon Black(Badi Elaichi) : These are bigger than the small green cardamoms and black in color. Has a much stronger aroma.

Mustard Seeds

Mustard Seeds (Sarso or Rai): These are usually added to hot oil to season vegetables, lentils, rice and pickles. Mustard is also ground and used in cooking fish and vegetables in the Eastern part of India.

Nigella/Kalonji

Nigella (Kalonji/Kalo Jeera) : These are tiny black seeds mostly forming a part of the Panch Foron. They are also used in breads (tandoori rotis), parathas, and to season some vegetables. In the Eastern India this is extensively used to season fish.These are tiny black seeds mostly forming a part of the Panch Foron. They are also used in breads (tandoori rotis), parathas, and to season some vegetables. In the Eastern India this is extensively used to season fish.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg (Jaiphal): These are seeds of a fruit. The part that is actually used is the inner part of this seed. Its used in ground form, mostly in biriyanis. Unlike in western countries, its almost never used in desserts in Indian cooking.

Panch Foron

Panch Foron: This is a five mix spice. “Panch” means “five”. The following are used in equal amounts:
Cumin Seeds
Mustard Seeds
Nigella Seeds
Fenugreek Seeds
Fennel Seeds
This is extensively used in East Indian cooking.

Red Chilli Powder

Red Chilli Powder: This is ground up red chili powder.

Red Dry Chilli

Red Dry Chilli: This is the hot peppers dried up, esp. the cayenne pepper type. They have different flavor then the green hot peppers are are usually sizzled in oil and cooked up with the vegetables or meat.

Saffron

Saffron (Kesar): This is probably the most expensive spice. Looks like tiny orange threads, these are actually the stigmas of a flower called crocus.
Adds beautiful flavor and color to rice dishes, gravies and desserts.

Turmeric

Turmeric: Turmeric is actually a ginger like rhizome in the raw state. The inside is orangish yelllow in color. The rhizome is dried and ground for the purpose of cooking. It gives the food a yellowish color. Turmeric is also known for its antiseptic qualities. Raw turmeric is often times ground into a paste and used to improve skin and complexion.

This is just another version of scrambled eggs with some added spice and veggies to it. Egg Bhurji as it is commonly known as in India is something that we do very frequently on weekends as brunch. It’s quick, nourishing and tasty.

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