Lau with Bori - Bottlegourd with Bodi

Despite my disgust at all the vegetables during my growing years, I somehow grew a fondness for Lau which is called Bottle gourd in English. Now I eat all the vegetables but there was a time when I didn't touch any vegetable apart from potato and some selective veggies. Gradually with the passage of time as I grew up into a woman and understood the benefits of eating veggies, I stopped turning up my nose at them and gladly added them to my regular diet. My mother cooked Lau Chingri (Bottle gourd with shrimps) and Lau Bodi amazingly and what was interesting that she hardly added any spice to the dish. 'Vegetables with its raw flavour intact tastes best' was her opinion and I also comply with the idea. Badis are cone-shaped dumplings made from lentils and usually sun dried. But you can bake them at home also. Badis add a different dimension to even an ordinary simple vegetable dish and in eastern parts of India where I hail from, badis are frequently used in cooking.  Ingredients                                       Cooking time: 25 minutes ü  1 large bottle gourd or lauki or lau as you call it (chopped) ü  10-12 badis ü  1 tsp turmeric powder ü  1/2 tsp panch phoron ü  5-6 green chillies (chopped) ü  Sugar (optional if you like) ü  Salt to taste ü  White oil for cooking Note: Panch phoron is a mix of five spices in equal proportions, including fennels seeds, cumin seeds, nigella seeds, methi seeds and black mustard seeds. Method: 1) Heat oil in a wok. Fry the badis till they are orange in color. Take them off the flame and keep aside. Now into the same oil add panchphoron and allow it to crackle. 2) Add the chopped bottle gourd. Stir in. Cook covered on medium heat for 5-10 minutes and stir occasionally. 3) Add turmeric powder and green chillies. Don’t need to add water as fresh bottle gourd discharges water from its body while being cooked. Nevertheless, if the mixture turns dry, add 1/2 cup of water. 4) Cook covered till bottle gourd is cooked through. Just before removing the dish from the heat, add the fried badis and mix in properly. 5) Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Egg Malai Masala

I am seriously pissed off with the on and off load shedding in Bangalore. Just the moment you set your heart on watching an episode of your favourite serial, light would go out and come back exactly after the serial ends. Upon shifting to Bangalore, initially when we didn’t have the inverter installed, many a sleepless nights were spent due to such unexpected power cuts. Once during monsoon, there was a power cut for two days at a stretch. Unable to sleep at night we booked a room in a nearby hotel to sleep peacefully so that we could gear up for the next day's tight schedule. Inverter seems to be a sacrosanct need in Bangalore. Now coming to the recipe, Egg Malai Masala is a mouth-watering egg curry to have with roti or rice. This one was written down on my precious diary way back during my growing years when taking my mother's words with all seriousness, I started believing that a time would come one day after my marriage when not knowing how to cook, I would starve and live on egg omelettes. In order to save myself from such predicament I started taking down recipes whatever came on newspapers or journals thinking that I would remain prepared to face the D-Day if ever such thing came up :D Ingredients:                                      Cooking time: 15 minutes ü  4 eggs (boiled and peeled) ü  1 onion ü  1 tsp turmeric powder ü  5-6 green chillies ü  2 cups of milk ü  Few strands of celery or coriander leaves ü  Salt to taste ü  Black pepper powder to taste ü  8-9 curry leaves (chopped) ü  1/2 tsp black mustard seeds ü  White oil for cooking Method: 1) Cut the boiled eggs into two halves. Rub salt and turmeric powder on them. 2) In a blender, make a paste from onion, green chillies and celery. 3) Heat oil in a wok. Brown the eggs and keep them aside. Into the same oil, add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. 4) Add the paste made out of onion, green chillies and celery. Sauté the mixture for 2 minutes till it turns translucent. 5) Add milk, salt and pepper powder. Simmer the gravy to a boiling a point. Add water if required. 6) Slide in the browned eggs. Sprinkle the chopped curry leaves on top. Stir in. 7) Simmer on medium heat for 1 minute. Serve hot.

Spinach - Tomato Chicken Soup

For the health freaks and people working on reducing weight, nothing can serve well as soups. I have been working on my diet for last four years but since getting over my sweet tooth seems to be an idea next to impossible, I try to keep my weight in check by going for soups instead of snacks or crunchy munchies in the evening. That way I feel less guilty afterwards. I am yet to get lucky with my weight loss because I find it hard not to eat sweets for months. The moment I succeed losing 4-5 kgs by avoiding sugar for a month and feel delighted with the result, I again start taking sweet dishes. I don’t know how to keep an iron determination to work on my diet. Sugar is definitely an enemy to one's health, but a sweet enemy indeed ; )

Chicken Rezala

I first tasted Chicken Rezala way back during the second year of my college days when in celebration of the b'day of one of my friends, she was giving few of us a treat at Aminia restaurant in Kolkata. Aminia is one of the old and best restaurants in Kolkata specialized in Mughlai foods. It might not display the dazzling extravagant decor of posh restaurants, but regardless of its simplicity in external appearance, the restaurant offers some of the mouth-watering Mughlai cuisines in its menu. I still salivate at the name of their phirni.  It is one of the best phirnis I ever had in life. This recipe below is applicable to the preparation of Mutton Rezala also. Only the cooking time will be then extended to about 2 hours till mutton becomes supple.  For more such chicken recipes, click the links below: Chicken Chaap Chicken Mole Poblano Vetil Chicken Chettinad Bahari Palak Chicken Ingredients:                                  Cooking time: 1 hour approx. 1 kg chicken with bones 35-40 gm cashew nuts (ground to a paste) 1 tbsp cardamom powder 1 1/4 tbsp ginger paste 2 1/2 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder 2 medium sized onions (ground to a paste) 250 gm whipped yogurt 150 gm cream 1/2 tsp mace powder or javitri salt to taste 2 tsp sugar to taste 6-8 dry red chillies kept whole 6-8 green chillies (slit in the middle) Few strands of saffron 2 tbsp milk 1 tsp rose water (optional) White oil for cooking (Well, you may replace oil with ghee) Method: 1) In a large bowl mix in chicken, yogurt, cardamom powder, mace powder, salt & sugar, ginger-garlic, cumin-coriander powder, cashew nuts and onion paste. Mix it thoroughly and let it marinate at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours. 2) In a wok, heat oil, add the chicken pieces shaking off the excess marinade into the bowl and saute for 5-7 minutes on medium heat. 3) Add the marinade from the bowl, add the dry red chillies, mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to the minimum, cook covered for 40 minutes till chicken is tender. 4) In a small bowl heat milk and stir in saffron, heat for 1 minute and pour over the chicken, mix well. 5) Add cream and slit green chillies to the chicken, mix and check seasoning, bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. 6)  Stir in rose water if using, simmer for another 2-3 minutes. 7) Remove from the heat and serve with rice, pulao or paratha.

Falafel Vada Pav

Yesterday at night show we watched 'Dirty Picture' starring Vidya Balan, Nasiruddin Shah, Imraan Hashmi and Tushaar Kapoor. Based on the life of a South Indian seductress of yesteryear whose life was cut short by a tragedy, the movie showcases Vidya Balan at her best. She is truly a great performer with a lot of boldness and courage that would put many of her contemporaries to shame. With the elan she essayed the role of Silk Smitha and put on considerable weight to justify her character was worth admiration. In an era of size zero and well-toned bodies, Vidya proved herself to be quite gutsy in showing off her pot belly, an act that many Indian leading heroines would flinch from. Coming back to the recipe, Vada Pao is a quintessential fast food of Mumbai. A batata vada placed between two silces of pav is what makes this magic dish. But in Falafel vada pav instead of putting in batata vada made from potato, I have used Falafel and it turned out to be an exotic dish of its kind. Ingredients: (serving 2)                  Cooking time: 10 minutes 2 Falafels 2 pavs 1 cup of coriander leaves (chopped) 1 tsp tamarind pulp Salt to taste 3 dry red chillies 2 tsp butter Method: 1) In a blender make a paste out of coriander leaves, tamarind pulp, salt and red chillies. This green chutney would lend the dish a nice flavour. 2) Roast the vada pavs lightly on butter. Then dab a dash of green chutney on each slice of the pavs. Place one Falafel between two slices. Wrap it and eat. 3) Have pleasure.

Chocolate Banana Muffin

Wait for the bananas to turn brown in flesh to bake chocolate banana muffins. The riper they are, the juicier they would become. The cake made from the flesh of brown bananas boasts of a mind-blowing texture and the sweet scent of banana permeates every bite. I just looove it!! Ingredients:                                Cooking time: 15 minutes ü  1 cup (100 gm) all-purpose flour     ü  1 cup powdered sugar (about 180 gm) ü  1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (35 gm) ü  2 tsp baking powder ü  2 eggs ü  3 brown bananas of medium size ü  1/2 cup milk (60 ml) ü  3/4 cup salted and melted butter (60 ml) ü  1 tsp vanilla extract Method: 1) Mix in all the dry powdered ingredients in one bowl and mix in all the wet liquid ingredients in another. Whisk the wet ingredients to a smooth pouring consistency. 2) Now slowly fold in the wet ingredients with the dry one. Please be careful of over mixing. Use a spoon and stir the mixture couple of times till no streak of flour remains in the bowl and everything gets well combined. Over mixing will make the cake rubbery in texture. So be aware. 3) Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree C (350 degree F). 4) Meanwhile grease the muffin cups with butter. Pour a spoonful of the mixture into each and bake for about 15 minutes till a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 5) Serve when muffins cool down to room temperature.

Falafel Fritters

Falafel is a Lebanese street food popular throughout the Middle East. It is basically a deep fried patty or balls made from chickpeas and served in pita or wrapped in flatbread. You may check out my other recipe on Falafel - Falafel Wrap which itself works as a full meal. Falafel Fritters are best eaten with hummus, salad or sauces. Ingredients:                           Cooking time: 30 minutes ü  100 gm chickpeas (soaked overnight and boiled in pressure cooker with 3 whistles) ü  2 medium sized onions (quartered) ü  2 tbsp of semolina ü  1 tsp of garlic paste ü  1 tsp chilli powder ü  1 tsp turmeric powder ü  1 tsp coriander powder ü  1 tsp cumin powder ü  1 tsp black pepper powder ü  1 tbsp parsley leaves (chopped) ü  1 tsp salt ü  A little bit of water ü  1 tsp cooking soda ü  White oil for deep frying Method: 1) Mix in all the ingredients above (except semolina and soda) in a blender and make a paste. Please note the paste should be dry enough to make balls out of them. Adding too much water might make the paste soggy and as a result the balls would fall apart while deep frying. 2) Mix 2 tbsp of semolina and 1 tsp cooking soda with the paste. Make small round balls from the paste and flatten keeping them between your palms. 3) Deep fry them in a wok. 4) Falafel is ready for serving.

Falafel Wrap

Falafel is a Lebanese dish popularly sold in the street joints of Cairo. I have already shared the recipe of Falafel Fritters. In this post I will share the recipe of Falafel Wrap. It's superb yummy. 

Ingredients: (Serving 2)                                     Cooking time: 20 minutes

6 Falafel Fritters

2 round parathas

1 onion (chopped)

1 tomato (chopped)

Few strands of celery (chopped)

Mayonnaise according to taste

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tsp black pepper powder

Salt to taste

(Note: You may use coriander leaves or parsley if celery is not available)

Method:

1) In a bowl mix in tomato, onion, celery, black pepper powder, salt and lemon juice.

2) Through the middle of a paratha arrange 3 falafels and 1 tbs of onion-tomato mixture. Squirt a spoonful of mayonnaise on top. Wrap it and eat.

3) Have Bliss.

Spicy Cauliflower Soup

It feels nice to eat something spicy during the winter, more so if that is healthy. The recipe of this spicy soup I came across in a cookery show telecast on TV. Gave it a try tonight and it came out really yummy.

Sweet Tangy Chana Masala

Sweet Tangy Chana Masala is an awesome concoction that complements chapati, roti and even rice well. Post-marriage in Kolkata, this is what I carried in tiffin to my workplace often, mostly because it was easy and took less time for preparation. Ingredients:                                 Cooking time: 20 minutes ü  150 gm of chickpeas (soaked overnight) ü  2 medium sized onions ü  2 tomatoes ü  5-6 green chillies ü  1 tsp ginger paste ü  1 tsp garlic paste ü  1 tsp cumin powder ü  1 tsp coriander powder ü  1 tsp turmeric powder ü  1 tsp chilli powder ü  1 tsp dry mango powder ü  1/2 cup of tamarind pulp ü  2 tsp of sugar ü  salt to taste ü  White oil for cooking For sauté: ü  2 dry red chillies ü  1 tsp cumin seeds Method: 1) Boil the chickpeas in pressure cooker till 8 whistles. Drain and keep aside. 2) In a processor grind onion, tomatoes and green chillies to a smooth paste. 3) Heat oil in a wok. When oil turns piping hot, add the ingredients for saute and wait for them to crackle. 4) Add onion, tomato and green chillies paste and fry them till they turn translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste. Stir around for 1 minute. Mix in the spices including dry mango powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and tamarind pulp. Saute for 5-8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water when the mixture gets dry. 5) Pour the boiled chickpeas into the mixture. Fold in, add salt and sugar. Cook covered for 5 minutes. 6) Serve hot with chapati or rice.

Fig Burfi

Yercaud trip was refreshing. We stayed at a resort owned by Mr. Visu Kaliyappa who as a gesture of hospitality and good will gifted us a bag full of figs. Now I really didn’t know what to do with them as I have never eaten or tasted fig or anything made with fig. Fig is a fruit popular in European countries, not in India. In fact it's hard to find them in an Indian market. I was surfing through channels when a recipe of fig drew my attention in active cooking on Tata Sky. The recipe belongs to a famous Indian culinary expert, but as is common in recipes by reputed chefs, they always skip on some steps and for an amateur cook like me who has never prepared burfi other than those made of semolina; it was hard to fill in the missing instructions. Halfway through my preparation I realized something was going wrong, so desperately I sought help from the omnipresent saviour...the cyber world.....and bingo I got the idea of how to save myself from a cooking disaster....btw, apart from adding a distinct sweet and crunchy flavour to the dish, fig is also useful for controlling blood pressure. Being rich in fiber content, fig, like oats, further helps in weight management. Ingredients:                                   Cooking time: 30 minutes ü  6 figs (peeled) ü  1 tsp cardamom powder ü  Sugar as per taste (I used 1/2 cup of sugar) ü  1/2 cup of dry fruits (I used broken cashew nuts, pistachios, almonds and raisins) ü  1 tsp ghee Method: 1) In one or two cups of water, boil the figs for 5-10 minutes till they turn a bit soft. Drain the water and grind the figs in a food processor to a smooth paste. 2) Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and roast the dry fruits till raisins balloon up. Mix in figs paste and sugar. Stir around for 5 minutes till figs leave the side of the pan. Add cardamom and fold in. 3) In a greased pan, spread the mixture and let it cool. You may refrigerate it for one day allowing it to harden and then cut into burfi shapes and serve.