Mutton Curry - Sunday homely style...

Continuing on our tradition from back-home, I always try to make mutton curry with warm rice and salad for Sunday lunch. Not counting the weekends when I was overly lazy or when we have guests over who don't take mutton. Since cooking mutton takes atleast 30 mins, it is best left to be done over the weekend. The best taste is when it is fresh cooked. Re-warming and eating the next day does not taste the same - that being said, I always make extra so we can have it for another meal or two. This weekend was no different - though I am yet to download the pic, so the initial post will be without the pic!

One of my dear friend, Kavita, has pushed me to go ahead and post even without the pic, but atleast get it going again. Trust me, got a number of recipes to post and share and try to keep up with this hobby of mine. Thanks, Kavita - I really need the encouragement and always glad to have friends like you. :)


Ingredients (6-8 servings)
Cooking time: Approx. 30 mins

Mutton - approx 3 lbs (2 packets from my butcher - for my own reference later ;) )
Onion-Ginger-Garlic-Tomato Paste - 12 tbsp (from the paste of 2 onions, 1 inch ginger, 7-8 cloves garlic, 2-3 medium tomato ground in blender, 1-2 green chilli [optional])
Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp
Canola oil - 3-4 tbsp
Dry red chilli - 4
Dry bay leaf - 4
Cinnamon stick - 1
Sugar - 1/8 tsp
Salt - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
Meat curry powder - 6-7 tbsp (I use Shan brand)
Coriander powder - 1.5 tbsp
Garam masala - 1.5 tbsp

Potatoe - 2 large
Hot water - 4 cups

Method

Use a pressure cooker.
Heat canola oil.
As it warms, add cumin seeds followed by dry red chilli, cinnamon stick and dry bay leaf.
Add the sugar and let it caramelize (In the words of my mom, every dish should have sweet and savoury taste in varying degrees but both should be there).
Add the onion-tomato-ginger-garlic paste and toss at regular interval for even cooking.
Add salt, turmeric powder, meat curry powder, coriander powder and garam masala.
Add meat after cooking the above masala mixture for about 5-10 mins in Medium-High heat.
Add the room temperature meat - if frozen meat, make sure it is defrosted and room temperature-ish. It takes almost 20 mins for the mixture to be well coated with the spices and the meat to be half-cooked.
Add big-cubed potatoes 5 mins before you are about to add the water.
Add hot water and let it come to a boil.
Cover the pressure cooker and let it blow the whistle in Medium-High heat. If it is baby-goat meat, just let the whistle start - immediately switch it off else the meat gets overcooked.
Continue cooking in Medium heat for 5 mins (optional).

Mashed sweet potatoes

For the very first time, during Thanksgiving last year I attempted to make "Mashed sweet potatoes". It turned out  nice and served as a good side-dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Sweet potato - 2-3 large
Milk - 1 cup
Butter - 3/4th of a stick - approx. 6 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Crispy shallots deep-fried or deep fried onions - as per taste

Method:

Boil the sweet potato till they are cooked.

Strain the sweet potato and keep aside.
Boil the milk with butter. Take care that the milk does not  burn in the sides of the container. Unless you like the added taste of burnt milk. ;)
Add it to the mashed sweet potato. Mash it fine or as coarsely as suits your taste.

Add 1tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and mix it up.
Serve with crispy shallots.

Love the mildly sweet taste with some hot-tasting meat and the inter-play of the flavors.

Butternut squash soup

Butternut squash soup

I love soups, but somehow don't make them often! When we suffer from cold, we go scrambling for some soup in the pantry. Always have a good stock of packet soups but always miss Maa's make-from-scratch soup. She makes a delightful veg-stock chicken soup that everyone likes but that is the case with each and every item she prepares. Love you, Maa! :) Thus, I am trying to turn a new leaf and make some of my own soup from produce. Like people are scared of baking since it is so scientific, my phobia is for soup-making. Time to brace and take on the challenge! (*^*)

It was quite long time back I had the butternut squash soup in a restaurant (unless my memory fails it, I guess it was Sweetwater Tavern!) and has just loved the "delicioso creamy" feel of the same. When Maa was here last summer, I ventured to make it on my own. It was horrible - added too much salt - so much that none of us could ingest even 1 spoon of the same.

Come Thanksgiving - since noone was visiting us this time and we were not going anywhere - I wanted to do something different and more apt for Thanksgiving. Along with this soup, made Cornish Game Hen with Crabmeat stuffing, Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Crisp-fried Artichoke Hearts. The 3-4 hrs of cooking for just the two of us was so worth it! Sharing the pic here - will post the recipe for the rest of the items later. Btw, can anyone guess the theme of this meal? Try..try..orange color food to symbolize the Fall colors!



Thanksgiving 2010 dinner

Ingredients for Butternut Squash soup (makes 4 big bowls)

1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled, chopped into cubes, seeded

2 tbsp butter
I medium onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock (aka 6 cups Water with 6 tsp Chicken stock powder)
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
Salt and ground black or white pepper as per taste
4 tbsp heavy cream (add more if you want it thicker and creamier)

Method

Heat butter - add few drops of olive oil so that the butter does not burn.

Add onion and cook till transparent.

Add chopped butternut squash and cook for a few mins.

As it looks a bit soft, add the chicken stock and let it continue cooking in Medium heat.

Takes about 10-15 mins - keep checking by poking a knife into the squash - if it goes in without an effort, it's done.

As it reaches room temperature, add the cream and blend it till it is creamy. Add some water if you want it thinner in texture (I added a cup of water)

Add nutmeg, salt and pepper.

IMPORTANT NOTE -- To give the gourmet $50/cup look, add a mint and a dash of cream and send me the money you saved by following this super-quick even-a-5-yr-old-can-make recipe! ;)

This recipe is inspired by: Butternut Squash Soup - by Cathy Lowe

Enjoy this in winter if you can! Miss the holidays already! :)

Tom Yum Soup

Happy New Year everyone!

My new year resolution is to make 1 post per week no matter what. My problem of the past has been that either I don't have the pic or the recipe noted exactly with respect to the ingredients - but this year, I am trying to turn a new leaf and post whatever I had. So don't get frustrated (if at all someone is still checking back! If you are, thank you :)) if the pic or recipe is missing - it will be added someday soon. It means a lot to me when readers comment/drop emails and keep coming back for more! Thank you for the same - and a big shout-out to all family and friends who have poked me to continue my blogging experience. So here goes my first 2011 recipe.

Whenever we order soup in Thai restaurants, it is always the Tom Yum soup. I am not a big fan of trying out the ready-made pastes or powders for soups other than the ones I regularly use. Sometime back, I was feeling a bit adventurous in my grocery purchase time and went ahead and wanted to try this Tom Yum soup paste. Glad I did coz I have got such an easy and delicious recipe which takes almost no time to make it!!

Ingredients (makes 2 big bowls)

Tom Yum soup paste (Maesha brand available in Lotte Plaza) - 4tbsp
Shrimp 8 frozen medium size
Mushroom 5 button size, chopped
Green onion stalks - 2, chopped
Water 4 cups

Optional : If you want it thicker, add a tbsp or two of evaporated milk

Boil water. Add the Tom Yum paste. Mix it well.
Add the frozen shrimp as the above mix is boiling. No need to thaw or defrost the shrimp.
Add chopped mushroom.
As the mushroom is almost cooked, add the chopped green onion stalks and let it continue boiling.

We did not add the evaporated milk as recommended in the paste bottle. It was just great as-is and we were so full that dinner definitely had to wait another 2-3 hours. So plan to serve it accordingly.

TBD: The pic will be added later when it is cooked next time. Thanks for your patience. :)

Mango Shrikand aka Amrakhand

Hello! Hello! Hello!



Koi Hai? Itna sannata kyon hai, bhai! (Translation - Anyone out there? Why is there so much silence, buddy?) - A popular dialogue from a all-time superhit Hindi movie Sholay and very much indicative of my feelings as I try to revive my cooking blog.

Let's start my comeback with one of the easiest desserts I have ever had to date (ofcourse, apart from eating away plain sugar to address the sugar craving! :) ). It's easy to make but very delicious to taste. Have fun! With the mango season aka summer upon us, this is one of the uses of mango as well keep us cooled down for a while! :) Enjoy!





Ingredients (Makes 5 cups as shown in the pics):


2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 cup Mango Pulp
1/8 tsp Nutmeg Powder
2-3 pinches Cardamom Powder
5 tbsp Splenda sugar (any other Sugar, as per your taste)


To garnish : 1/2 cup walnuts (or any other nut such as pecan, almond)


Mix together all the ingredients except the walnuts. You can use the blender or a spatula - everything mixes together without requiring much effort. Once everything is mixed, serve them into bowls and keep in the fridge till ready to eat. Garnish with the nuts of choice.


One of the easiest dessert I have made to date and very delicious.

Additional tidbit about nutmeg: Health Benefits of Nutmeg: Nutmeg cures stomach ache, diarrhea and helps to detoxify the body, reduces blood pressure and increases blood circulation. It is also good for digestion, reducing acidity, relieving vomiting, flatulence and is used as a medicine for respiratory problems. (Source: http://www.organicfacts.net/nutrition-facts/herbs-and-spices/nutritional-value-of-cinnamon-and-nutmeg.html)

Veggie Rice (to be specific, Palak Khichdi)

My previous attempts at making khichdi or fried rice using the pressure cooker have always resulted in quarter-cooked rice or mushy yucky rice! Not this time. It was just perfect - guess I finally got the knack of making rice in pressure cooker ;)

This is a recipe adapted from Archy's recipe book blog at http://archysrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/03/palak-rice.html#. There are some minor variations in terms of ingredients and measures. Hope you enjoy this too!

Ingredients (Serves 3)
3 tbsp oil
3 Cloves
3 black Caradamons
2 Cinnamon sticks
3 Bay leafs
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 onion sliced
1 tsp each of ginger and garlic paste

1 Potato medium cubed
1/2 cup cauliflower chopped into small flowers
1/2 cup of Palak/ spinach leaves chopped
1.5 cup Basmathi Rice
1/2 medium size Tomato cubed
4 green chillies, whole
1/2 tsp Tumeric powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
Salt as per taste - almost a tbsp

3.25 cup Water

1. Heat oil in the presser cooker. Then add the spices (cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaves), fennel seeds, cumin seeds and let them roast lightly. Add chopped onions. After a few mins, add ginger-garlic paste. Fry them for 1-2 minutes.
2. Now add the cubed potatoes and let it cook for 1-2 mins. Then add chopped cauliflower and spinach leaves. Add basmathi rice and fry for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric , garam masala powder, salt and water and pressure cook untill 2 whistle as Archy recommends in her recipe. Since I have Futura Pressure Cooker which does not have whistles, I let the mixture boil in high heat, then put the lid on in High heat and let the hiss sound come. After a minute or two of hiss sound, let it continue cooking in Medium heat for another 10 mins. After 10 mins, put the heat off and let it stand till the lid opens freely and the pressure has released.



I loved having it as-is without any accompaniments - maybe the first rice recipe that I don't even want raita. Have it hot in a few minutes of it being done. R had it with yogurt. Am sure some crispy papad will also go well with it.

The non-veg lover part of me tells me that adding some cooked mutton to this recipe will also taste great. Will give that a shot some other day! ;)

Almond Halwa (Almond Kheer depending on consistency)

I organized the Indian-style house-warming aka Grihapravesh Satyanarayan puja. Organizing this puja was quite a experience - particularly in terms of cooking. This was one event when every single thing was taken care of by me. I won't deny that it was quite stressful, however, all's well that end's well. Now when I look back, I did have lots of fun and made some lovely memories for the lifetime to cherish and treasure.

Getting back to cooking, one excruciating factor was that the cooking had to be without onion and garlic. Vegeterian food by itself is quite a challenge in my culinary pallate. Googling for "Puja menu" (try it) was not helping too..for one time, Google was not my best friend! :( Try this search and you will understand what I mean! :) Who else but my mom came to my rescue. She came up with a menu that was not just delicious but easy to make and manage with a morning puja before lunch. Sharing the menu so that it will benefit people in similar dilemma.

Sweet dishes to put for pooja:
Kheer Sagar (recipe here)
Almond Kheer (recipe immediately below)
Kalakand (recipe here)
Besan Laddoo (recipe here)

Fruits for pooja:
Mango
Apple
Banana
Grapes
Pears

Main course:
Poori
Jeera Rice

Aloo curry (recipe here)
Gobi Mattar (recipe coming soon)
Kaju Paneer (my mom's recipe coming soon - my favorite Paneer recipe now!)
Palak Dal (recipe here)
Dahi Baingan (recipe coming soon)

Ingredients

2 cups almonds
1 cup milk
1 cup (8 oz) condensed milk
10 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) - melted
6-7 strands of saffron + more for garnish
3/4 cup sugar (optional, if needed)
2 drops yellow food color (optional)
slivered almonds & pistachios - for garnish

Method

Soak the almonds in the milk for an hour or more till the almonds become soft to touch.

Using a blender or food processor, blend the almonds and milk together into a fine thick paste.

Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp warm milk and set aside to bleed.

Take a deep skillet, set it on low-medium heat, and add the almond paste and keep stirring continuously.

After 10 minutes, add the saffron and the melted ghee slowly into the pan (in small increments) while stirring continuously, and cook till the ghee is absorbed by the almonds.

As the mixture thickens, add the condensed milk and the food coloring, then again stir for another 10-15 mins, making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. Keep stirring for some more time if the consistency appears too liquid-ish!

Remove from the heat and allow to cool just slightly. Lightly grease a square baking tray (about 1/2 inch deep). Transfer the mixture to the tray while it is still warm.

Garnish with some chopped almonds and pistachios, and the remaining saffron strands.Now allow to cool, about half an hour. Then cut into diamonds or squares.

If its still soft, refrigerate for 15 mins then cut. You can store the burfi in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for upto a week.

Mine came out with an consistency that could not cut as burfi. So I served it like a halwa as shown in the pic! :)