Nadur Seekh with Mint Chutney

Last week we discovered Lotus Stem at our local mandi and I have since gone gaga on it. It's been ages since I had eaten lotus stem and I have been going back every week to get some more of this stuff. After trying out some traditional dishes with Lotus Stem which were mostly Kashmiri delicacies ( Lotus Stem is called Nadur or Nadru in Kashmiri language), I decided to get innovative. The seekh is a product of that "let's try something different"mode.

Nadur Seekh

Ingredients:

Lotus Stem ( Kamal Kakri) - 200 gm
Chana Dal - 100 gm
Ginger, finely chopped - 2 Tsp
Garlic, minced - 2 Tsp
Pistachio - 2o gm
Almonds- 20 gm
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 Tsp
Fennel Powder - 2 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Oil

Method:
1. Peel and wash the Lotus stems. Take care as there is a lot of dirt trapped in between.
2. Chop the lotus stems into slices. Keep aside.
3. In a flat pan, heat oil. Add in the ginger and garlic. Saute till they start to turn a little pink.


4. Add in the lotus stems. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add in the chana dal. Saute for 3 more minutes.
6. Add in the pistachios and almonds. Mix well.
7. Add in the spices and water. Mix well. Let it cook till all water has dried up. Take off flame.
8. Add in the salt and pass this mixture through a blender.
9. Holding a skewer in one hand, take a ball of this minced mixture in the other hand.
10. Press the mince to the skewer and shape into a sausage like kabab.
11. Heat up the grill or tandoor. Grill the kababs, regularly basting them.
12. Serve hot with mint chutney.


Mint Chutney

Ingredients:
Mint - 1 Bunch
Coriander - 1 Bunch
Green Chillies, roughly chopped - 2
Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped - 1" piece
Garlic, peeled and washed - 4 cloves
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Wash mint and coriander. Cut off their roots.
2. Put them in a blender along with all other ingredients and blend into a smooth paste.
3. Adjust seasoning. Chill and serve.

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Chetinaad Kozhi Kozhambu (Chetinaad Style Chicken Curry)

I visited Dakshin (the restaurant in ITC Sheraton) with a colleague of mine a few weeks back. All these months in Delhi had gone by eating punju food and even when I went out with family or clients it was the usual kebab and tikka fare. The evening at Dakshin made me realize how much of good food from down south I had missed in the past few months.

Chetinaad Kozhi Kozhambu

Ingredients:

Chicken - 500 Gm
Onions, finely chopped - 200 Gm
Tomatoes - 250 Gm
Ginger Garlic Paste - 5 Tblsp

Cinnamon - 1 Stick (1-in)

Cloves - 3-4

Green Cardamom - 4-5
Cumin Seeds (Zeera) - 2 Tsp
Fennel Seeds (Saunf) - 2 Tsp
Coconut, dessicated - 25 Gm
Whole Red Chillies - 3-4
Peppercorns - 2 Tsp
Marathi Mukku - 2
Star Anise - 5 Gm

Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Curry Leaves
Oil

Method:
1. Dry roast Star Anise, Marathi Mukku, Peppercorns, Whole red chillies, fennel, cumin & dessicated coconut and grind them to a fine powder.

2. Heat oil in a pan.
3. Add in green cardamom, Cinnamon & Cloves.
4. Add in onions. Saute till they start to turn golden brown.
5. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Cook well.
6. Add tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric powder and the roasted masala. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add in the chicken pieces. Cook well till chicken is tender and done.

8. Add in the curry leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Serve hot garnished with corriander.

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The joys of baking - Chocolate Chip & Fruit Tea Cake

My better half discovered the joys of baking a few months back and has not looked back since then. At first it was my signature weekly banana bread that got passed on to her, and I must admit it tasted better when she baked. Then came the other breads and cakes. The cheesecakes (I still feel deeply my cheesecakes are the primary reason she married me) will come sooner or later ...I'm waiting.

Chocolate Chip & Fruit Tea Cake



Ingredients:

Refined Flour - 225 gm
Brown Sugar, ground - 100 gm
Unsalted Butter - 175 gm
Eggs - 4
Baking Powder - 1 Tsp
Chocolate Chips - 175 gm
Raisins, soaked in hot water - 100 gm
Walnuts - 50 gm

Method:

1. Sift the flour and baking powder. Keep aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until soft, light & fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add in the flour & baking powder.
5. Stir in chocolate chips, raisins and walnuts.
6. Pour into a greased & floured cake tin.
7. Bake at 180 Deg. Celsius for 40 minutes to 50 minutes.
8. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin.
9. Turn out on a wire rack carefully and allow it to cool completely.
10. Cut into thin slices and serve.

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Barbeque Pork Chops and Herb & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The long Independence day weekend was fantastic. It rained all 3 days in Delhi, though intermittently, and the weather was perfect for a cooking outdoors. This was a perfect time for me to take out my latest acquisition, a weber's smokey joe portable grill and head to a nice retreat. 2 days of grilling and having fun with kids has left me totally refreshed. It was also good fun to catch up with some old friends and forget work for sometime.

My friend decided to do Pork Chops on Sunday and it was the last meal before we headed back to the daily grind. It was a simple recipe with Bbq sauce and did not take too much time. I contributed on the side by making up some herb and garlic mashed potatoes.

For trivia sakes, Pork Chops is the favorite food of Homer Simpson (The Simpsons). :)

Bbq Pork Chops

Ingredients:

Pork Chops - 10

Malt Vinegar - 1 Cup

Tomato Ketchup - 1 Cup

Tabasco Sauce - 10 drops

Garlic, minced - 3 cloves

Cloves - 4

Paprika - 1/2 Tsp

Mustard Sauce - 2 tsp

Black Pepper - 2 Tsp

Worcestershire Sauce - 2 Tblsp

Brown Sugar - 2 Tblsp

Water - 1/2 Cup

Sea Salt - 2 Tsp

Olive Oil - 1 Tblsp

Method:

1. Put a pan on flame and add in all the ingredients, except the pork chops.

2. Mix well and let it come to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. The Bbq sauce is ready.

3. Place the pork chops in a large deep bowl. Pour the bbq sauce over the chops. Leave aside in a cool place for 3 hours.

4. Heat the grill. Grill the pork chops over charcoal for 5-7 minutes each side. baste each side with the bbq sauce while grilling.

5. heat the remaining bbq sauce. Serve with the Pork Chops.

Note: You can add in Honey and celery salt if you wish. I did not have them at the place where we were grilling. :)

Herb & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

Potatoes, peeled & quartered - 2 Kgs

Garlic, peeled & chopped - 20 cloves

Butter - 3 Tblsp

Milk - 3/4 Cup

Parsley, chopped - 1/2 cup

Basil - 1 Tblsp

Chervil - 1 Tblsp

Chives - 1/2 tsp

Black Pepper, freshly ground - 2 Tblsp

Salt - To Taste

Olive Oil - 1 Tsp

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes in a large bowl of water alongwith 7 cloves of garlic, salt and 1 tsp olive oil. Simmer till potatoes are tender.

2. Drain when done and pass the potatoes and cloves through a ricer. (you can mash them whichever way you prefer).

3. Heat butter in a large pan. Add in the remaining garlic. Saute till translucent.

4. Add in the mashed potatoes and milk. Mix well.

5. Add in the herbs and black pepper.

6. Season with salt and Serve.

Note: If potatoes appear too stiff, add in more milk.

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Cajun Crab Cakes with Grapefruit Salsa

Sometime late last month, this blog quietly celebrated it's 2nd year anniversary. I was tucked away in the hills at Mashobara for a company offsite and amongst all the serene beauty and peace that the place provided me, I silently raised a toast to this blog. At the least it deserves this much.

Coming to this post, crab cakes hold a challenge for me. Getting them right and not having them disintegrate is the challenge. They require a certain dedication while preparing and an eye for the right amount of ingredients to ensure they taste well and retain their shape. I have tried my hand at making them in the past and failed. I have tried experimenting with different ingredients to find the right balance and come up with something only I will like. Last month, however, I had the time to visualize them in advance, plan everything and have the time to do justice to them. Sadly, I did not have anyone else to share them with...not that I mind that. They were good and the grapefruit salsa complimented them perfectly.


Cajun Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

Crab Meat - 250 gm
Onions, Finely chopped - 1
Celery, Finely Chopped -1
Bell Peppers, finely chopped - 1
Parsley, finely chopped -1
Garlic, minced - 3 cloves
Capers, chopped - 1 Tsp
Worcestershire sauce - 2 Tsp
Tabasco Sauce - 2 Tsp
Mayonnaise - 2 Tsp
Cajun Seasoning - 2 Tsp
Breadcrumbs - 2 Tblsp
Black Pepper, freshly ground - 1 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Olive Oil





Method:
1. Heat oil (2 Tblsp) in a wok. Add in the chopped onions and garlic. Saute till they turn translucent.
2. Add in the chopped celery and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Add in the bell peppers. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add in the chopped capers and parsley. Mix well.
5. Add in the worcestershire & tabasco sauce. Cook for a minute.
6. Add in the cajun seasoning, freshly ground black pepper & salt. Mix well.
7. Add in the Crab meat, mix well and take off flame.
8. Stir in the mayonnaise and breadcrumbs.
9. Shape well into patties and chill for an hour.
10. Heat oil on a skillet. Place the chilled patties on the skillet and cook each side till golden brown (approx 3 minutes).
11. Remove excess oil and serve hot.




Grapefruit Salsa




Ingredients:
Grapefruit - 1
Onion, finely chopped - 1
Jalapeno, minced - 1
Bell pepper, chopped - 1 Tblsp
Mint - 2 Tblsp
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1 Tblsp
Lime juice - 1 Tblsp
Black Pepper, crushed - 1 Tblsp
Salt



Method:
1. Slice off the top & bottom of the grapefruit with a knife.
2. Slice away the peel from top to bottom.
3. Remove the white parts as they are bitter.
4. Cut between the membranes and cut the grapefruit into small segments.
5. Roughly chop these segments. Collect the juice in a bowl.
6. Mix these roughly chopped segments alongwith the juice.
7. Add in finely chopped onions, jalapeno, mint & bell pepper.
8. Add in lime juice, black pepper, salt and olive oil. Mix well.
9. Refrigerate for an hour. Toss well before serving.

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Pan Grilled Basil & Garlic Chicken Breast on a bed of Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

It's the 4th of July weekend and since all my plans of going out got shelved, I hit the kitchen to try something new. I wanted to have grilled chicken breasts and also wanted to make wasabi mashed potatoes. Then this wild idea struck me . . . why not combine the two.
It did not come about without delays and hurdles. Firstly, to figure out if this really translates to something good. This meant giving a call to India and consulting my dear friend Vaneet. Vaneet is a chef and loves to play with flavors and food. I'll probably feature him on the blog someday ...the problem is getting him to cook for the blog. Then came the problem of ingredients. I hit the Target store and found out they have no wasabi. Macy's food court was out of Wasabi too. However, their sushi chef was kind enough to give me some (Actually he gave me quite a bit). Last problem was the sensitive fire alarm in my suite. I didn't want the whole hotel to know I pan grilled some good food. (now Blackberry's camera is not a hurdle anymore ...I have learnt to live with it).
In the end it all came together quite well. I cut the chicken breasts into two initially not knowing if I'll be able to eat the whole thing, but in the end I polished off everything. And by the way, Happy 4th of July.




Pan Grilled Basil & Garlic Chicken Breast



Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts, boned - 2
Basil leaves - 4
Minced Garlic- 3 Tblsp
Red Chili powder - 1 Tblsp
Onions, finely chopped - 1
Black peppercorns, coarsely powdered - 2 Tblsp
Parsley, finely chopped - 2 Tblsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp
Olive Oil - 3 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste


Method:
1. Run the chicken breasts with the spices and salt. Leave aside.
2. Finely chop the basil leaves till they almost start resembling a paste form.
3. In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped basil leaves, minced garlic, chopped onion, olive oil.
4. Marinate the chicken breasts in the basil and garlic mixture made above. Leave aside for an hour.

5. Heat the Pan on flame for about 5 minutes.
6. Add in the chicken breasts and grill for about 10 minutes, or till the breasts are done.



Wasabi Mashed Potatoes


Ingredients:
Potatoes, peeled and roughly cut - 3
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Wasabi powder - 1 Tblsp
Butter - 2 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste



Method:
1. Place the potatoes in a pan of water. Add in salt and boil till they are tender.
2. Drain and mash them.
3. In a bowl dissolve wasabi powder into milk.
4. Add this wasabi mixture and butter to the masged potatoes.
5. Mix well with a fork to remove lumps and mix wasabi evenly.
6. Adjust seasoning.

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Chaamp Masala (Mutton/Lamb Chops Indian Style)

The last 3 weeks have been an overdose of rich tandoori Indian food, kind courtesy visits to restaurants almost every second day. This recipe has been an after effect of those visits and as I write this post, I am already planning to recreate the Burrah Kabab that is served in Bukhara and the Kurkuri Bhindi from Vedas.

Chaamp Masala

Ingredients

Mutton/Lamb Chops - 500 gm
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder- 2 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 Tsp
Green Chillies, chopped finely - 2
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 3 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste
Oil - For Basting
Brown Onion Paste - 1/2 Cup
Lemon Juice - 2 Tblsp
Amchur Powder (Raw Mango Powder) - 1 Tsp, for sprinkling before serving.
Onion Rings - For Garnish

Method:
1. Clean and trim the mutton/lamb chops.
2. Whisk together yogurt, brown onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, Red Chili powder, garam masala powder, green chillies and salt. Chill.
3. Rub the chops with coriander powder and marinate in lemon juice for 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, marinate the chops in the yogurt mixture for 2 hours.
5. Put the chops on a hot plate and cook. You can alternately cook them on a grill or a pan too.
6. Sprinkle amchur powder before serving. Garnish with onion rings and serve with mint chutney.

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Cauliflower Curry

There has been a long silence on this blog. I have since my last post hardly felt like entering the kitchen and most of my free time has been spent catching up cricket on TV. Though there has been a lot of eating out at restaurants, no dish worth mentioning out here has made its way out of the family kitchen. Till today. Finally, despite the summer heat encouraging me to continue in the cool environs of the house and avoid the kitchen heat, I made it to the kitchen and tried my hand at something.

Cauliflower Curry Ingredients:

Cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets - 1
Onion Paste - 200 gm
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 20 gm
Cashew Paste - 100 gm
Poppy Seed Paste - 50 gm
Tomato Paste - 100 gm
Coconut, grated - 20 gm
Red Chili Powder - 10 gm
Turmeric Powder- 5 gm
Cumin Powder - 10 gm
Coriander Powder - 10 gm
Bay Leaf - 1
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 100 ml

Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add in the bay leaf.
2. Add in the onion paste. Saute till golden brown.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste.
4. Add the red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder & turmeric powder.
5. Add the tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add poppy seed paste & cashew paste.
7. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the cauliflower florets. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Add the grated coconut.
10. Add 1 cup of water. cook and bring to boil.
11. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add salt.
12. Cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from flame and serve hot.

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Goan Escapades (Part 2) - Portuguese style Goan Chicken Pulao

The worst part of flying is the long layover times. Sometimes they extend so long that you really do not know what to do. It becomes extremely irritating if you are travelling alone. Time does not seem to fly and the airports ( the duty frees, the lounges) seem to be losing their charm. I think Hotels will do good business if they organise some cooking classes on the local cuisine at these international airports ( pay & learn). I'm sure dead bored travellers like me who almost everytime have a long layover, will attend these classes. Let me know what you think about this idea and incase it does get incorporated remember where you read it first. I'm writing this post during one such long layover ( 4 hours ...fairly long for me). It pays to have such posts up your sleeve to tide over long layovers ( longer and you might have seen 2 of them). It is the sequel to my first goan escapades. My colleague and neighbour ( our cabins in office are next to each other), Dan, had this video, as I had used his camera to shoot it. He had since gone on a long vacation and returned a few weeks back. What makes this post exciting is the fact, that in my previous post, we cooked (as in the Chef) some nicy spicy Balchao. Most people associate goan food to being fiery, with lots of tangy flavors. The chicken pulao in this post, shatters this.

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Stuffed Peppers

I have never hated flying and so much and I have never loved coming back to a hotel so much as I did last evening. My trip to Florida and Washington had been so exhaustive that everytime I needed to catch a plane, I dreaded it. Thankfully, I'm back in Minneapolis and looking forward to the weekend.

To celebrate the weekend I made myself some stuffed peppers. It took me no time to make them and once I was done with the plating, I raised a glass of wine to myself quitely and bit into one of them. They tasted so good, I had to raise the next glass to my creations. I used some spanish rice with squid salad on the sides.

If these look appealing to you, wait till you hear my plan for the weekend. I plan to make some Chile Rellenos with an Indian twist on Sunday and have been spending my time shopping for the ingredients.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

Bell Peppers - 3

Rice, boiled and drained - 1 Cup

Beef Mince - 1 Cup

Onions, chopped finely - 3 Tblsp

Carrot, chopped fine - 3 Tblsp

Mushrooms, chopped fine - 4 Tblsp

Celery, chopped fine - 3 Tblsp

Garlic, minced - 1 Tsp

Tomatoes, concassed - 3 Tblsp

Cayenne Pepper - 1 Tsp

Thyme - 1 tsp

Oregano - 1/2 tsp

Allspice - 1 Tsp
Basil - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds, powdered - 1/2 tsp

Paprika - 1 tsp

Black Pepper - 2 tsp

Cheese, grated - 3 Tblsp

Salt - To taste

Oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add in garlic and onions. Saute till they turn translucent.

2. Add in the Beef mince. Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add in the finely chopped vegetables (except tomatoes) and mix well.

4. Add in the spices and mix well.

5. Cook for 7 minutes.

6. Add in the chopped tomatoes. Mix well.

7. Cook till the mixture starts to dry and beef is cooked.

8. Take off flame. Mix in rice and adjust seasoning. Keep aside.

9. Blanch the bell peppers and cut them into halves lengthwise. Deseed and clean them.

10. Fill the bell peppers with the prepared mixture. Press the mixture down as you fill the peppers.

11. After you have filled the peppers till the top, sprinkle grated cheese on top.

12. Place on grill and cook till cheese melts.

13. Cut into further halves (quarters) and serve hot.

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