Corn Chaat & a Trip to the Qutab Minar

If there is one place on this planet where people love winters, it has to be New Delhi. After a hot and long summer season and hot,humid rainy season, the cold, foggy winters are a treat. Despite the cold, people are out on the streets and it is non-stop party season. This winters we decided as a family to go out every Saturday to one historical monument to showcase our heritage to our 2 boys. What better place to kick off than with the Qutab Minar, the logo of New Delhi and its most popular landmark.

I for one have a lot of childhood memories associated with the place. We stayed for 2 weeks in the tourist guest house situated inside the qutab complex. Everyday my sister and I would go out and roam the complex and play our games there. Of course, there was not too much of a crowd in those days and the security was non-existent. You could touch the monuments and even go inside the Qutab (Now you cannot touch some of the relics like the Iron Pillar and cannot go inside the Qutab). It was nostalgic to be there with my parents, my better half, my sister and her son and my two boys. It was a day long picnic and the tour was followed by a nice lunch in the gardens with the kids playing all around.

Legend has it that Delhi was composed of seven ancient cities (not counting the modernistic New Delhi), namely,

- Quila Rai Pithora (an extension of Lalkot)

- Mehrauli

- Siri

- Tuglakabad

- Ferozabad

- Shergarh

- Shahjehanabad

Lalkot was constructed by King Anandpal Tomar in the Eleventh Century. The Tomar Rajputs are,incidentally, credited with founding Delhi. Lalkot was more of a defense structure surrounding an area. One of his later successors, Prithviraj Chauhan (also popularly known as Rai Pithora) took over and extended lalkot for his city which he called Quila Rai Pithora (literally meaning the Fort of Rai Pithora).

Muhammad Ghori after various unsuccessful attempts succeeding in capturing Quila Rai Pithora in 1192 AD. He returned back to Ghazni (in present day Afghanistan) and placed Qutab-Ud-Din Aibak as his Viceroy in Delhi.After Ghori's death he enthroned himself as the Sultan of Delhi and thus started the Slave dynasty (He started as a slave purchased by the Ghori dynasty who rose through the ranks).In his short rule (he died playing polo in Lahore), Aibak started the construction of Mehrauli by demolishing all Hindu Temples and establishing Islamic structures in their place. He started the construction of the Qutab Minar as his Tower of Victory, but died after constructing the first storey. His son-in-law Iltutmish completed the 2nd, 3rd and 4th storey. After damage by Lightning, it's 4th storey was dismantled and reconstructed by Firoz Tughlaq. He also added a 5th storey to the structure. Later on restorations were also done by Sikandar Lodi.

Picnic food in India can be tricky. We could see some families around, complete with their pressure cooker and casseroles with tasty gravies around. There were also some with sandwiches and burgers around. I have always been somewhere in between, Picnic on a cold wintery afternoon (it was the coldest day in New Delhi in 6 years) for me means having a nice chaat,some bread pakoras or samosas, ending with some warm carrot halwa. There should be hot tea for company throughout the meal and a leisurely walk to digest the food later. For the chaat we decided to have a twist by making a Corn Chaat instead. It was really quick to make and stays well during tavel. You have an option of either mixing the Tamarind (Imli) chutney during the making of the chaat or give it alongside as an accompanying dip. I have tried both and found both working fine taste wise.

Corn Chaat
Makes 4 Portions


Ingredients:
American Corn - 3 Cups
Onion(large), finely chopped - 1
Tomato (Large), Chopped - 1
Coriander, finely chopped - 1/2 Cup
Green Chillies, finely chopped - 2
Peanuts - 1/2 Cup
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Anardana - 1/2 Tsp
Amchoor Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Black Salt - 1 Tsp
Tamarind Chutney - 1 Tsp
Mint Chutney - 1 Tsp
Lemon Juice - 1/2 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Cloves, powdered - 2
Potato Chips, crushed - 1/2 Cup
Potato, cubed - 1 (Optional)
Coriander - For Garnish

Method:
1. Steam the corn till soft and done. (Believe me, I have tried boiling it and it just doesn't taste right. Steaming does take a little longer but worth every single minute spent.)
2. Roast the peanuts till they begin to change color. About a minute on high flame.
3. Add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. NOTE: You have the option of either adding the Tamarind and Mint Chutneys straight away or serving them on the side with the chaat.
4. Serve in individual plates or bowls.

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Tamarind Chutney (Imli Chutney)

Tamarind Chutney is a delicious dip that is essential to the preparation of many fast foods in India, especially the different chaats. The sweet and tangy dip is also served as an accompaniment to other dishes esp. samosas and pakoras alongwith the tomato based chutneys. My better half even does a fried rice dish with vegetables and tamarind chutney.  She has it with plain raita (yogurt) and is an ideal comfort food on those cold winter evenings when you want to grab a quick bowl and get into bed and enjoy while watching the TV.

Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients

Tamarind, deseeded - 250 gms

Sugar (I personally prefer Jaggery) - 300 gms

Cumin Seeds, roasted - 2 Tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp

Salt - 1 Tsp

Black Salt - 1 Tsp

Ginger Powder (Saunth) - 1/2 Tsp

Water, boiling - 2 Cups

Method:

1.Soak the tamarind pieces in the hot water for an hour. After they have been soaked for an hour, mash them to take the pulp out of the tamarind pieces (Yes, using hands is preferred).

2. Pass this mixture through a strainer (pressing hard against the strainer to ensure all pulp is squeezed out) and discard the pieces.

3. Put this strained mixture on flame. Add sugar and mix well.

4. Add on the remaining ingredients and mix well.

5. Cook till desired consistency is attained. Take off flame and cool down.

Keeps well for over a month or two if refrigerated. I personally suggest making a thick tamarind chutney. You can use it as is for purposes of a dip. To use it over chaats, I thin it by adding water and mixing well.

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Frango Na Pucara - Portuguese Chicken in a Pot

Recently while browsing through my cookbooks, I chanced upon a chicken recipe which had all the ingredients for a smash hit dish. Always on the lookout for interesting recipes, I just knew my chilly sunday afternoon would be enjoyed cooking this recipe.

The dish is called Frango na Pucara, which roughly translates to Chicken in a Pot. It's simplicity, use of easily available ingredients and easy recipe makes it a truly global dish. The taste has a universal appeal and I loved every minute of preparing this one. Checking the web, I found a dozen recipes for it, each with some difference in ingredient than the next. Some added brandy, some grappa, some neither. Some called for the oven, some cooked it on flame altogether. Some made it dry, some with too watery a gravy (almost stew like). I decided to go with the flow and come up with my version of the same. One quick visit to the local grocery store and I was done with my list of requirements to get me going for this one.

Frango Na Pucara - My Version


Makes 4 Portions


Ingredients:

Chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or if you want more, go ahead) - 1

For the chicken coating
All-purpose Flour - 1 Cup
Paprika - 1 Tblsp
Thyme - 1 Tblsp
Salt - 1.5 Tsp
Black Pepper, freshly ground - 1/2 Tsp

For the gravy
Prosciutto -120 gms
Pearl Onions, peeled and blanched - 12
Red Bell Pepper, roasted, peeled and cut into thick strips - 1
Garlic cloves - 6
Tomatoes, diced - 3
Bay Leaves - 3
Parsley sprigs - 4
Dry white wine - 1/2 Cup
Tawny Port - 1/2 Cup
Tomato Paste - 1 Tblsp
Dijon Mustard - 1 Tblsp
Paprika - 1/4 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Extra-virgin olive oil - 2 Tblsp

Method:1 . Sift together the ingredients for the flour coating in a large bowl.
2. Add the chicken pieces to this flour mixture, 1 at a time. Coat evenly on all sides.
3. Heat oil in skillet or a pan (medium flame). Add the chicken pieces to the skillet and saute till brown (4 minutes each side). Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate and keep aside. Reserve the skillet with all the juices.
4. In a large ovenproof crockpot, arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer. Top them with diced tomatoes, prosciutto, pearl onions, red bell pepper, garlic, parsley and bay leaves. Sprinkle paprika on top.
5. Put the reserved skillet back on the flame. Add in the port wine and white wine. Bring to a boil while scraping the sides and bottom for the browned bits.
6. Remove the skillet from the flame. Add in the tomato paste and mustard. Mix well.
7. Pour this over the chicken. Put the crockpot on flame and bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning.
8. Transfer the crockpot to the oven and braise at 350 degrees F for an an hour to an hour and a half.
9. Remove chicken and discard the bay leaves. Pour in a serving dish and serve hot with rice (if you made one with lots of gravy) or with bread (dry with enough coating consistency).

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Choco Lava Cake

Ever had your kids make your life miserable for something they want. If you haven't then consider yourself lucky. They say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Believe me, that's nothing. Hell hath no fury like a demanding kid ...atleast till the demands are not met.

My younger one had this craving for a chocolate lava cake...and that was not all. He didn't want the one available in restaurants. He wanted ME to bake him one. 3 days of persistent quizzing by him, on whether today was the day, emotional hijacks that I don't love him (and he is only 4), hunger strikes (I will only have food if the dessert is a choco lava cake), mass announcements to neighbors that his father will bake him a molten cake, I finally relented. Last Sunday, he  got his Choco Lava cake and yes! I did bake him one 6-7 so that he could have one for the next 3 days.

The choco lava cake (as my son calls it) is known by many names - Molten Chocolate cake, Chocolate fondant pudding, Chocolate Lava Cake. It's invention is disputed, with Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten claiming to have invented this in 1987, and Chef  Jacques Torres(France) claiming that this dish existed in France from much before. Still, Chef Vongerichten did make it popular within the US and is credited with the same.

Choco Lava Cake

Make 8 Ramekins


Ingredients:
Chocolate (semi-sweet or bitter), chopped - 170 gms 
Butter, cut into pieces - 115 gms
Eggs, yolks & whites separated - 3
Granulated white sugar - 65 gms (For the egg yolks)
Granulated white sugar  - 1 Tblsp (For the egg whites)
Vanilla Essence or Extract - 1 Tsp
Cream of Tartar - 1/8 Tsp


For the ramekins/molds
Butter - 1.5 Tsp
Castor Sugar - 2 Tblsp

Method:
1. Prepare the ramekins/molds by buttering the insides evenly and then coating them with sugar. An easy way to coat with sugar is to drop a tsp into the buttered mold and then just swirl it around. The sugar will stick to the buttered portions and you can tap the excess back into another bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 200 Degrees Celsius.
3. In a medium heatproof bowl, add in the chocolate pieces and butter pieces. Put it on a double boiler (or over a pan of boiling water ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water but is just above it). Melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, add in egg yolks and 65 gms. sugar. Beat till they turn white (very pale...almost white), thick and fluffy.
5. Add in the vanilla essence. Beat the egg mixture again till the batter starts to fall back in ribbons once lifted.
6. Fold in the melted chocolate and butter.
7. In another clean bowl, add in the egg whites and whip till they turn frothy.
8. Add in the cream of tartar and whip to form soft peaks.
9. Add in the 1 Tblsp of sugar and whip till stiff peaks form.
10. Gently fold these egg whites into the egg & chocolate mixture. Take care not to overmix or the batter will deflate. An ideal way is to fold it in batchwise. Do not worry, if certain streaks of white remain visible.
11. Pour into the buttered and sugared molds.
12. Bake for 10 minutes or till outside is set and middle appears wet. NOTE: Cracks may appear on the surface and that is normal.
13. Remove from oven. Rest for a minute and serve either in ramekins/molds or independently.
14. You can garnish with raspberries, sprinkling of icing sugar, coffee powder, whipped cream or ice cream on top.

NOTE: You need not rush to bake after pouring the mixture into the molds. You can also prepare this in advance and cover with a film of wrap and keep it in the refrigerator and bake later. Just increase the baking time to make up for the cold mixture. It keeps well for 4-5 days.

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Strawberry Pancakes

It was a Sunday well spent catering to the needs of my little ones. My better half was out on work and I was Daddy Day Care for the day. Right from cooking breakfast to a lava cake for dessert and some games in between, the day just flew.  Pancakes it was going to be and after much thinking Strawberry Pancakes it was ( the box in the fridge had a lot to play in the decision making). 

They are extremely easy to make and if you are willing to play with various toppings like strawberry sauce, maple syrup, chocolate sauce, some sprinkles they are going to be a show stealer for the little ones.

Strawberry Pancakes

Makes - 8 Pancakes (3-in diameter)

Ingredients

Flour, All-purpose - 150 gm
Sugar - 2 Tblsp
Baking Powder - 2 Tsp
Egg - 1
Milk - 1 Cup (240 ml)
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1 Tsp
Strawberries, chopped - 2 Cups
Strawberries, sliced - 2 (For garnish)
Maple Syrup - For topping
Butter, melted - 1 Tblsp
Butter - for making pancakes and topping

Method:
The Batter:
1. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla essence.
3. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add in the melted butter.
4. Whisk the batter well to ensure there are no lumps and it is smooth and thick.
5. Fold in the chopped strawberries.

Making the Pancakes:
1. Heat a non-stick skillet/griddle. Add in a tsp of butter and rotate to coat the skillet/griddle.
2. Spoon the batter onto the skillet/griddle (1/4 of a cup).
3. Cook till pancakes start to turn bubbly on top and appear set. (2-3 minutes)
4. Flip them around with a spatula and cook on other side for 2 minutes.
5. Remove to a plate. Repeat again with another spoonful till all batter is used up or you have made the number you require.
NOTE : Keep buttering the skillet as necessary.
Keep pancakes warm as you remove them by either storing them in a casserole or a warm cloth.
6. Serve warm with softened butter and maple syrup on top.

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Country Captain Chicken

So all this silence on this space makes one wonder if all is well. It has been a busy 3 weeks, and the way it looks, it is going get only busier. Between work, partying and family commitments, I wonder if there will be any time left for anything else. We had the grill out for the first time this year, and, even though I had not found any time to give any thought to what I will prepare. it turned out pretty fine. The tangri kababs, grilled sole, multani paneer tikkas and grilled jacket potatoes just flew and I was left wondering if I should have got more stuff.

In the meanwhile my better half launched her own housekeeping service in Delhi. I had to provide support in terms of the website and facebook microsite. With that done, it was just the numerous festivals and parties that kept me on my toes.

The changing weather also bought a lot of wildlife out. I saw some amazing out of birds in my garden from time to time. Some were clicked, some just remained in my memory.

I cooked up loads during the time period and one was Country Captain Chicken. It is a true Southern American dish, but if you roam around India, you can come across different versions of this dish where only the name and the main ingredient is the common link. Even the version by Jiggs Kalra mentioned in his book, Zaike Ka Safar is so different. A lot of people might mistake it to be an Indian dish, but it is an American dish with influences from India. As the story goes, The dish was enjoyed by British officers in India, and over the years, it made its way to Port of Savannah, an important port for spice trade through a British Sea Captain.  Since then the recipe has undergone many changes, from a basic chicken and curry powder stew to a mature wholesome dish consisting of other ingredients like raisins and tomatoes. Even in the US, different versions abound. I chose the recipe provided by Lee Bros. on the Food Network site, with a few tweaks (visit the Food Network site for the original).

Country Captain Chicken

Serves - 4

Ingredients:

Chicken - drumsticks, diced thigh pieces - 1 Kg 

Chicken stock - 1/2 Cup

Bacon, chopped - 120 gms

Garlic - 3 cloves

Ginger, grated - 2 Tblsp

Onions, finely chopped - 2 cups

Yellow Bell Peppers, diced - 2 cups

Carrots, peeled and sliced into roundels - 2 Cups

Dried red chillies. seeds removed - 1

Tomatoes, blanched and concassed - 3 cups

Curry Powder - 1 Tblsp

Garam Masala - 1 Tblsp

Raisins- 1/2 cup

Salt-  To Taste

Freshly ground black pepper - 1/2 Tsp

Almonds,Slivered, toasted and chopped- 1/2 cup

Parsley, chopped - 1/2 cup

Oil

Method:

1. Cover the raisins in warm chicken stock and keep aside.

2. Take a stew pot or handi and hear a tsp of oil. Add in the bacon pieces. Cook till it is golden brown, stirring the pieces occasionally to evenly color them. Strain and keep aside.

3. Take some of the fat from the handi and reserve.

4. Add in the chicken pieces to the handi and brown the pieces lightly. Take out and reserve.

5. Add in the dried red chili and toast the chili in fat for about 30 seconds.

6. Add in the onion and garlic cloves. Cook for two minutes or till onions start to turn translucent.

7.Add in the carrots and bell peppers. Cook until they soften (5-6 minutes). Incase the ingredients in the pot are becoming dry add in the reserve bacon fat that we had taken out initialy.

8. Add in the grated ginger, tomatoes and curry powder, garam masala, salt and black pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes.

9. Add in the raisins with the chicken stock. Cook on a low flame till tomatoes are cooked and the sauce thickens.

10. Add in the chicken pieces. Cover the pot with foil.

11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

12. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

13. Remove the foil and bake further until sauce has thickened.

14. Garnish with reserved bacon, almonds and parsley.

15. Serve hot over rice.

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