eCurry - The Recipe Blog

I remember the time when back in India many moons back we used to live in a joint family. My grandparents, uncles, aunts  & cousins all lived in a big house, ate all together in one long dining table. Sunday afternoon lunches were always beautiful times when everyone was home, relaxed & talking for hours over food. Even tho’ I might have been only about 6 or 7 years old, I still  remember that one of the dishes used to be mutton curry or chicken curry. The hot steaming curry, used to be placed at the  center of the table, & all us little kids eyed it with utmost enthusiasm, while waiting for our turns.

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Children are a joy & mine are growing very very fast. Birthdays are such a special time, but these days always bring in a down tone for me… the years are just flying by, and soon I will have no tiny, helpless, clinging baby to hold:-(  Well, we have to accept life the way it is and above all Enjoy every precious moment.

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Its Saturday and we arranged a get together with our family living in the town. It is great to have family near by when we are sooo far away from home. However, even a small get together would need some food right?  When it is a preplanned party I always arrange to cook before hand so I get some time with the guests. This time I had absolutley no time ! I mean they were an hour away… I need a quick fix.

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The “Saas Bahu” combination is supposed to give the creeps:-D However my mom-in-law is one of the most wonderful people I have ever come across and I could not ask for more. Getting married when I just stepped in to my twenties… I thought and moved with caution, but immediatley she helped me get absorbed in to the family and more than all, amazed me with her exceptional cooking skills. Over the years I have learned a lot of what she cooks, especially the ones which are loved and craved by my hubby.

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Farinata

Have you ever wondered how a certain dish can bear similarities, not just in various regions of one country but all over the world?  One time I was going to make some instant Dhoklas-(a steamed fluffy bread made of chick pea flour/besan), and I realized I had no citric acid/fruit salt, without which the instant Dhokla was not going to happen. But I did mix in some onions, hot peppers, tomatoes, spice and herbs and made a crepe out of the chick pea batter. This version is also called a “Vegetarian Omlette” or “Chila” in some parts of India.

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Toasted Sesame & Shrimp Fried Rice

This is one of those tasty recipes which can be created in jiffy when you are in a time crunch, yet you crave for something to fulfil your taste buds and hunger. The toasted sesame gives a subtle nutty flavor and you can add any vegetable you want.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked rice (I use Sona Masoori white rice)
½ pound medium raw shrimp – deveined and shelled
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons of Tangy Hot Oil(If this is not handy, just use regular oil mixed with a teaspoon of any hot sauce)
½ medium sized Onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped and mashed
4 stalks of Celery chopped
½ cup Peas
½ cup chopped Carrots
3 Sprigs of Spring Onion (some cut in angles and some chopped fine)
Salt
2 teaspoons Vinegar
2 tablespoons Oil
1 tablespoon Oil
1.5 tablespoons of Sesame Seeds

Preparation:

Toast the sesame seeds on a skillet till they are light brown but not burnt. Set aside.

Coat Shrimp with lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and let it marinate for about 10 minutes. Heat the Hot Oil in the pan, and sauté the shrimps till they are pink and curled up. Set aside.

Wash the rice thoroughly to drain away the extra starch, cook it in 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon Oil. When all the water evaporates from the top, lower the heat to minimum and cover it for about 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and let it stay covered for another few minutes. The rice at this stage should be separate and long and not sticky and mushy. (Alternatively use a Rice Cooker and follow Instructions).

Spread out the rice in a plate, sprinkle Vinegar on it, toss and let it sit for about 15 minutes. In the mean time heat oil and add the garlic and onions. Stir them in oil for a minute and add the carrots, celeries and peas. Fry at high heat till all the water disappears. Add salt and the rice, stir gently and cook for a few more minutes. Switch off the heat and add the Spring onions, the Shrimps and the toasted Sesame seeds. Toss and Cover for 10 more minutes.

Serve Hot.

It is Indo Chinese. It is Chinese ingredients given a strange but lip smacking Indian twist. Chinese Bhel is Crispy Noodles with vegetables, tossed with sauce.

College crowd grouped in street corners and Chinese Bhel remind me very much of the street side food stall culture in India and how everything is prepared at lightning speed to cater to so many waiting in the line. And that’s where it tastes the best!!  It is also a great quick fix snack for unannounced guests in the evening. So here it is – the crunchy, munchy Chinese Bhel. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups noodles (Any kind noodles like small bags of Hakka noodles, Ramen or Maggi Noodles are good to use).
2. 2 tablespoon chopped red onion
3. 2 Serrano peppers chopped (Optional)
4. ½ cup cabbage very finely shredded
5. 1 Roma tomato chopped
6. 2 tablespoons green bell pepper chopped
7. 2 tablespoons Cilantro very finely chopped
8. 2 stalks of green/spring onion chopped
9. 1/2 teaspoon very very finely julienned fresh ginger
10. 2 tablespoons Oil

Optional:

Any vegetable of your choice (Shredded carrots, chopped baby corns etc)

For the sauce:

1. 1.5 teaspoon chunky peanut butter
2. 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce
3. 1 tablespoon ketchup
4. 1 teaspoon vinegar
5. 1 teaspoon Sriracha or any hot sauce (Optional)

Preparation:

Break the noodles in to pieces (Do not crumble them), so they are separated, and not in clumps. Heat oil and fry the noodles at low heat, frequently tossing it around so all the noodles are cooked. It should look light brown and should be crispy to taste. Set aside.

Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce.

Place the fried noodles in the serving bowl and add all the above ingredients except the sauce. Toss.

Spoon the sauce uniformly over the noodles and toss again.

Pan Seared Chicken with Tomatoes

This is an extremely easy but deliciously healthy recipe. I have used orange juice instead of the traditional lemon as a citric marinade. The orange does not make it as tangy, but gives it a smoother taste. The cumin in the marinade and the tomato, onion topping adds that smoky flavor. The chicken breasts can alternatively be grilled outside too. Have it at home or make it big in a barbeque cook out party!

Ingredients:

2 Skinless, boneless breasts of Chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 Onion chopped

2 Roma tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup tomato puree

2 cloves of garlic minced

2 tablespoon orange juice

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

Salt to taste

1/4 cup pitted black olives halved vertically

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon  butter

For marinade:

Juice of 1/4  Orange (Freshly Squeezed Juice)

1/4 Onion grated

1″ Ginger grated

1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1/2 teaspoon roasted ground cumin

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Slit the chicken breast in a couple of places on each side.

Squeeze out the juice of the onion and ginger and throw away the fiber. Add the cumin seeds, roasted ground cumin, and salt. Mix all the ingredients and pour it over the chicken and let the chicken sit in the marinade for atleast an hour.

Heat oil in a pan. Place the chicken breasts and cover and cook on both sides till chicken is done. Then brown the chicken on both sides on high heat. Set aside.

Heat butter in pan. Add the garlic and stir it around for sometime. Do not let it brown. Add the onions and brown them slightly. Add the cumin seeds, Tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, orange juice and salt, and cook for about 5- 10 minutes, till the tomatoes are almost done. Add the olives and the cilantro and switch off the heat.

Arrange the chicken on the serving plate and pour the tomato and the onions on the chicken.

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.

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.