Corn in Butter and Spices (Masala Bhutta)

The Harvest Season is in the air. Red and Crimson hued Pumpkins ready for a carve, Trick-o-treats, cute figurines stacked with hay, Corn-on-the-cob. Harvest season has a beauty and charm of its own. During this season I tend to think about the farmers, the hard work, the love of labor which finally fructifies into golden wheat, shining sturdy corn-on-the-cob, plump pumpkins. Ever since I started growing my own kitchen garden I realise growing vegetables is tough, not-so-easy and requires great deal of patience and love. I have begun to respect what I eat all the more.
In India, I yearn for a an easy-going countryside ride of the Paddy fields, Coconut trees swaying around with the breeze trying to blow their tendrils and weak leaves away. You can see beds of grass neatly plonked into the soil with water holding and clogging the entire muddy patch. I can imagine the sheer joy a farmer gets when he sees his hard work and labor growing into a nice crop which can in turn feed his family and progeny. Come to think of it, its the only source of income for a Farmer and the harvest season better be good. I added a shot taken near our place - the Green rushes battling against the fence, quite symbolic of the toil and labor of the Farmers. Does not do justice to their repertoire of work, however is my tiny way of paying homage to the numerous tillers and ploughers who give away the sweat, hard work for the fruits, vegetables which we finally get to buy from the Grocery store and Farmer's market.

I bought Corn-on-the-cob last week, $1.00 for around 4 of them. Yes, I clinched a deal. This amazing quick snack of Corn treated with salt, red chilli powder and lime juice (except for the butter, lol). The taste is heavenly and leaves you with a lip smacking feeling at the end. Masala Bhutta is very popular street food in Malls, Streets et al in India. The vendor would have his rickety cart laden with all the goodies. 1 minute and the vendor would quickly swish through all the ingredients, dump the spicy mix with hot corn and hand it over in a cute paper cup with an even cuter spoon. Tempting! Need I say more! Bon Appetite!

Serves: 2 individuals

Ingredients:
Frozen Corn - 2 cups
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Butter - 1/3 stick (salted)
Lime Juice - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - As per taste
Pepper powder (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:
Thaw the corn in microwave for 2-4 minutes or simply remove from fridge and keep it out for 1/2 hour. Melt butter in saucepan, add the corn, mix in all the ingredients except for the lime juice. Give a good toss. Transfer to your favorite serving bowl, add a dash of lime juice and chew on the buttery goody.

Paav Bhaaji

The "affable couplet" dish which defines the length and breadth of Mumbai - Paav Bhaaji and Vadaa Paav. Both are my personal favorites street snacks while in Mumbai or any where else in the world. The city of dreams as they say. I first sampled Paav Bhaaji, this delicious potpourri of flavours when Mom made it. If I distinctly remember well I was in 7th grade then. The house was full of vegetable cooked aroma and once she added the spices you could sense the delicate flavours of cooked vegetables wafting all around the Kitchen. Food is not just about Food as you see, its about memories, delicate ones, strong ones, irresistible ones, the pleasant ones and the not-so-pleasant ones as well.

As a growing teenager, I asked Mom tugging along to her gown, "Why is the kitchen smelling so nice?"
Mom smiled and hugged me and said, "Because I am making Paav Bhaaji".

This simple sentence is etched in my memory. Yesterday I relived that thought once again and smiled because I could tell Mom that my kitchen is also full of wonderful aroma. Quite a simple statement so to say; no jazz no hotch-potch. So how does Paav Bhaji taste you ask me. Well its like a party in your mouth. Well thats what Washington Post has to say about it. Zillion vegetables mashed to perfection, the more they mix the more better the flavour. Paav Bhaaji is a combination of vegetables mashed together. Bhaaji is mashed vegetables bathed in butter and selected spices of choice slathered with butter, onions, coriander and a dash of lime. The Paav is the Laadi Paav or layers of bread which you found in a bakery is South India. Most fast food joints in India serve this favorite dish of Mumbai on streets. One huge shallow pan and plenty of delicious vegetables thrown in. Very buttery, cooked vegetable flavour to it, with a little bit of tang for that extra zest.

Many use Paav Bhaaji Masala for that extra flavour including my Mom, Sister, Aunts and Granny. I realised that its quite easy to make it at home. The dominant factors of Masala being Coriander and Red Chilli which offer the color and flavour to this dish. I made my own masala and it came out much better than I expected it to be. So apart from the post I will also add the recipe for Masala which can be made at home. Best part is the spices are the ones you would find in your rack. Its that easy. Best recommended would be Everest Paav Bhaaji Masala or MDH Paav Bhaaji Masala or Baadshah Paav Bhaaji Masala available at India grocery store.

Last did I say my Mom makes amazing Paav Bhaaji :)

Happy Dussehra to all my Indian friends!!

G'Mar Chatima Tova to all my American-Jewish friends (Festival Greetings for Yom Kippur)!

Recipe: My Mom's recipe with few changes

Serves ~ 8-10 servings of Paav Bhaaji

Ingredients:

For the Bhaaji:
Potatoes - 3
Cauliflower (florets) - 3-4 cups
Capsicum (chopped into small pieces) - 1
Beetroot - 2 small sized ~ Strange, but adds color to your dish, add if desired
Beans - 3-5 strings (optional) ~ Add if desired
Tomatoes - 3 (blanched in warm water)
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 teaspoon
Butter (salted) - 1 half stick
Salt - As per taste

For the Masala:
Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoon
Red Chillies - 4-6
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Whole Black Pepper corns - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cloves - 3-4 ~ adds sharpness
Cardamom - seeds of 2 pods ~ adds aroma, add little if desired
Nutmeg powder (optional) - 1/4 teaspoon ~ Gives a sharp taste, add if desired
Grind all the above to a powder and store in an air tight container. Use 1 tablespoon each time for 4-6 servings.
** Adjust the spices as per taste, if you need more sharpness, add more or else tone it down **

For Paav:
Laadi Paav ~ 16 Paavs or Hamburger Buns ~ 16 Hamburger Bun slices
(For US: Try Hamburger Buns - they are soft and chewy; India: You will find it at local bakery shop or Poder as we fondly called them in Goa)

For Garnishing:
Lime cubes - 6-8
Coriander leaves (chopped - 6-8 sprigs
Onions (chopped finely- use tiny ones if you can, they taste better - can be found at Farmer's market) - 2-4
Butter (1 stick: salted) - melted

Method:
Boil Potatoes, Beetroot, Cauliflower in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes. Makes yor job easy.
Take a deep dish thick bottomed saucepan, the bigger the better. Heat half of the half stick. Allow to melt. Fry Capsicum pieces in this. Allow to wither and cook. Add rest of the boiled vegetables, ginger-garlic paste. Saute well. The vegetables should mesh well and should be a combined consistency. Add half of the half stick butter now. Add Paav Bhaaji masala and blanched tomatoes. (You could mash them lightly with a masher. There is a special Paav Bhaaji masher which you get in India; I have one here which I use frequently. It eases the mashing process). Allow to cool. Keep stirring. Add water and salt. The mash would keep blobbing up and spurting, so be careful lest you hurt yourself. Bring to boil. Keep on low flame for 10 minutes and turn off the flame. This whole process took me around 45 minutes.

Next on another pan, slather butter on both the sides of Burger buns. Fry till they brown on even sides. Keep aside.

While serving, take a bowl full of Bhaaji, add some chopped onions, coriander and gentle squeeze of one cube of lime juice. Add a blob of butter. Serve with Paav and enjoy your vegetable fare bathed in butter packed with zillions of flavours.

Suggestions: Drain vegetables immediately off water once you boil them in pressure cooker. If retained longer they tend to absorb water and this spoils the flavour.

Simple Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani - A too die for dish and one of our favorites. There are many methods and approaches to this dish. This one was prepared some time back. Without further ado I wanted to post them lest I lose the memory of this dish and the yummy fare memories we tucked into with great gusto.

Biryani is a family favorite and all of us can spend weekends munching on some yummy delightful Biryani. Great for family get-togethers and serves best as One Pot Dish as well. Biryani's which have a heirloom flavour associated with it, are painstakingly prepared; one can spend days and months planning Biryani for special festivities. An acquantaince from Hyderabad told me that her mother plans for Biryani during Eid several weeks before. The spices, saffron, herbs, rice, meat is arranged from special vendors whom they have been buying their groceries from. Its a ceremonious occasion and no stone is left unturned to prepare this dish which has its own age old significance and roots. Biryani is believed to be originating from Persia. Meals are served in traditional seating arrangement called as "Dastakhaan". The meat got married with the Pilaf and Biryani was born. The more authentic and flavourful your spices and condiments the better tasting your Biryani and the associated medley of flavours in your mouth. Biryani tastes best when served with Mirchi Ka Saalan, a traditional peanut-pepper sauce which meshes well with the rice grains. Hyderabadi style Biryanis are mostly served with Mirchi Ka Saalan and once you sample this duo combination you would always prefer to eat them together.

I have eaten many versions of Biryani. The Hyderabad version is the most famous one. Paradise - Hyderabad sells one of the most famous Hyderabadi style Dum-Ki-Biryani I have ever eaten. So much so that anybody flying from Hyderabad was pestered to get their vacuum packed version of 2 kgs Biryani. I read some time back that there is a famous potli-ka-masala which is tied in a cheesecloth/ muslin cloth and is dropped in the Biryani when its cooked on Dum. These masala's render the aromatic flavour to the Dum-Ki-Biryani.

Another style Biryani is Andhra style Biryani which I sampled at Malgudi Restaurant in Begumpet, Hyderabad. Large chunks of vegetables cooked in aromatic Basmati rice with whole spices and powders. One of its kind taste and tender cooked vegetables give a whole new meaning to this dish.

Recipe Source: Our family Biryani recipe

Serves ~ 6 to 8 individuals

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice (pre-cooked) - 4 cups

Chicken - 4-5 Drumstick (skinless, with bone ~ Tyson Brand)

Cashewnuts - 6-10

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Yogurt - 1 cup

Onions (chopped) - 3 Onions ~ sliced vertically , if Indian Onions, use 4 of them

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Oil - For frying

Cloves - 4-5

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Cardamom - 4-5 (with open pods and non-seeded)

Pepper corns - 4-5

Garam Masala or Pulao Masala - 1 teaspoon (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon powder, bay leaves)

Coriander leaves - 6-10 sprigs (chopped finely)

Salt - As per taste

Method:

Heat oil in a deep dish pan and add mustard seeds. Fry Onions (2 - chopped) and cashewnuts (whole) together and saute for a while. Add Chicken pieces, salt, yogurt, masala powder and turmeric powder. Let the chicken cook well in the broth. Cover with a lid for 10-15 minutes.

In a saucepan, heat oil to smoking hot level. Deep fry onions and cashewnuts, transfer on a paper towel and keep them aside.

Water would evaporated after 15 minutes, add the pre-cooked rice, adjust salt level as desired. Pour a garnish of coriander leaves and cashewnuts on top and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with Mirchi Ka Saalan.

Mozzarella and Black Olive Crackers

Do they look like Crossword arrangement or a classic oriental arrangement with Chinese letters inscribed on each of them. I will check with my niece for her take on it; Bet, she would find this amusing.

Combined some good old-fashioned Mozzarella Cheese with Wheat Crackers. Added some Black Kalamata Pitted Olive Slices and herbs to create these evening tea crackers. We loved the taste of Cheese combining with Crackers. This is also a good snack for kiddy parties. My niece loves Crackers decorated with different goodies. Her USP is that the dish should look good and have some healthy and non-healthy eats as well (Aunty frowns when she says non-healthy). Next time around, I want to make Aloo Chaat Crackers.

Serves ~ 2 Individuals

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Wheat Crackers (reduced fat) - 10-12

Mozzarella Cheese (shredded) - 5 teaspoon

Herbs and Seasoning - 1 teaspoon

Black Kalamata Pitted Olives - 4-5 (sliced)

Method:

Arrange the Crackers on a serving dish. Place few shreds of Mozzarella cheese on each cracker. Place in Microwave for 15 seconds (this helps the cheese to melt mildly and adhere to the cracker surface). Remove from Microwave and place few slices of Olives and herbs. Serve immediately.

Jalapeno Poppers

There are some dishes which you associate with your travel and later tend to be one of your favorites. I sampled Jalapeno Poppers during one of our travels to West Coast. The Poppers are traditionally Jalapeno Pepper stuffed with Monterey Jack Cheese or Cheddar cheese or Mozzarella cheese and rolled in a mix of Egg-Milk-Bread crumbs with 2-3 coatings of each. Stir fry or grill them. The taste is simply out of the world, though little high in calories. They are favorite snacks and bar foods and are crunchy owing to the crispy crust of Jalapenos. Jalapeno Poppers are popular in US as a Tex-Mex cuisine, primarily because they were born out of American food products which blended with the recipes inspired by Mexican cuisines.

Since Jalapenos are spicy in flavour, its best to first keep them soaked in a marinade of buttermilk and salt. This helps to soothe the flavours of spiced seeds and veins which are super hot. The Jalapeno I bought were super spicy so much that I could feel the heat in the air. I removed the kitchen gloves once I was done with the seed removal bit. My fingers had the burning tingling sensation for couple of hours. So beware, and never let you gloves rest till you are done. One could also experiment with different types of stuffing like onions, minced vegetables, et al.

Serves ~ 6-8 servings

Recipe source: Adapted from Epicurious with few changes

Ingredients:

Jalapeno Pepper - 6-8

Mozzarella Cheese - 6-8 teaspoon

Egg - 2-3

Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Buttermilk - 5 tablespoon

Salt - As per taste

Oil - For frying

Bread crumbs - 6-8 tablespoons

Oregano herb - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Wash the Pepper thoroughly and make a slit from the top to the bottom in a line (please wear kitchen gloves, I did that and was saved from burning fingers). Gently pull out the seeds, devein and scoop out the veins. Apply a marinade of buttermilk and salt and keep aside for 30 minutes.

Make a batter of beaten eggs, oregano, salt and pepper powder. Roll the Peppers in this mix and then in bread crumbs. Alternate and apply 3 coatings of both. Heat oil in a deep dish pan and fry one by one. Peppers fry quickly, so be on your feet to transfer them immediately to a paper towel to drain out oil and cool down. Serve hot with Hot Sauce and Ketchup.

Boiled Cauliflower (Flowerachey Sheez)

There are some dishes which are radically simple. Even a 2nd grade child can make it, yet they have a certain iota of nostalgia associated with them which you cannot find in rich and lavish dishes. When we were kids, Mom used to make this very simple dish. My name for this was Flowerachey Sheez. Sheez in Goan Konkani implies boiling procedure. Flower is nothing but the humble Cauliflower. When Mom used to ask me what to be prepared for dinner, leaving aside all the difficult and time-consuming cuisines your truly always obliged for this warm, soggy vegetable. Do no ask me why? I still cannot fathom my delight as a child consuming these cutie florets. It offered a different sense of deja-vu for me as a kid. I had a glint in my eyes everytime she used to cook these. I believe this is dish which kids would love (provided they love vegetables, yes I can hear the mom's screaming, vegetables, my child no way!). Tough task for my mom. Guess she thought this secret packaging works wonders. You child gets to eat the vegetables and you rest in peace because you child is finally eating something nutritious.

Come to think of this dish today, I throw my head back and laugh a lot! Some food have more than just memories to cherish.

Recipe is my mom's humble kitchen creation

Serves ~ couple of individuals

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 2 large heads

Salt - as per taste

Pepper powder - Just a sprinkle

Method:

Boil the two large of Cauliflower after thoroughly washing them. Cook in a presure cooker for 20 minutes with salt and pepper sprinkled over them. Serve them hot with Rice and Curry as a side dish.

Paneer Tikka

These days I am cooking lot of North Indian dishes and I am liking it. I am getting myself to learn more about them and make dishes which are simple, easy and tasty. We had some Shan BBQ Masala so thought of using them to make Paneer Tikka. I love snacks especially, evening high-tea ones. They are quick, require less pampering and can be done in a jiffy. Very easy dish and requires very less prep work and cooking time.

Recipe from my own kitchen experiments.

Serves: 2 individuals

Ingredients:

Paneer (pre-fried) - 8-15 pieces

Shan BBQ Tikka Masala - 2 tablespoons (Red Food color + Garam Masala)

Yogurt - 2 tablespoon

Red Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - For frying

Coriander leaves (chopped - for garnishing) - 3-4 sprigs

Lime juice (optional) - 1 teaspoon

Salt - As per taste

Method:

Make a marinade paste of Yogurt, Shan Masala, Red Chilli powder, Garam Masala and Pepper powder. Thaw the Paneer for around 4 minutes in microwave if its frozen. Once its soft enough, mix in with the marinade and set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in saucepan, place the Paneer cubes one by one and cook them till they are charred and well done. Alternately is using BBQ, grill them till they are done and charred on all sides for around 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and lime juice. Serve hot.

Aloo Gobhi

I must confess that although I love North Indian dishes I do not cook them as frequently as I supposed to. That's because I love Rice way too much and have to force myself to make Rotis. Though I must agree that making Rotis is far more simpler and easy as compared to Rice, Curry and salads. Next thing on my agenda is to cook lot of North Indian dishes and sharpen my saw in that area. I have also made a list of the dishes I want to focus upon so that I can improve my finesse in cooking them.

I came across a very nice recipe at Sailu's Food on Aloo Gobhi. She also has a good collection of North Indian recipes which I look forward to try and experiement in my kitchen. I made few changes to her recipe and the taste was very pleasing to the soul. Thanks Sailu.

Recipe adapted from Sailu's Food with few changes.

Serves ~ 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

Potatoes (Boiled) - 3

Cauliflower florets (boiled in hot water with salt) - 10-12 florets

Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon

Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Ginger (minced) - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida - Just a sprinkle

Oil - For frying

Water - For boiling vegetables ~ few tablespoons

Coriander leaves - 4-6 sprigs

Amchur powder or Tamarind juice (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - as per taste

Method:

Heat oil in a saucepan. Once the oil is hot enough, add cumin seeds. They would begin to pop in size and ooze flavour. Make a paste of all spice powders except Amchur powder with little water. Fry this spice paste for some time. Add minced ginger and saute till ginger gets fried properly. If it remains raw, it interferes with the taste of the dish. Add diced Potato cubes and Cauliflower florets (par boiled in water).

Stir gently few times. Much better if you can toss and mix otherwise this would lead to the vegetable breaking apart. Add salt and Amchur powder. Add few tablespoons of water. Cover with a lid. Cook well till vegetables have a tender flavour, water has evaporated completely and all vegetables are cooked completely. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with Rotis.

Upma or Uppittu (Rulaav Phanna)

Quick and easy dish for quick supper, breakfast and high-tea's in the evening. One of my childhood favorite dishes. I enjoy the simplicity and humbleness of this dish. Plus given that its healthy and nutritious, everyone in my family loves this dish. Upma is termed as Rulaav Phanna in my house. Rulaav stands for Sooji and Phanna refers to Tadka or seasoning. This is a popular Konkani breakfast or Taanni item. For weddings, rituals its served with Sev. As a child I refused to eat Rulaav without Sev. I have fond memories of this dish and the stories revolving around it.

In Bangalore, I realised that my kannadiga friends addressed this as Uppittu. There is a sweet version prepared by Mom which has only sugar, seasoning, cashewnuts and grated coconut. This recipe is a spicy version and serves well for those who like namkeen (salty) flavour to their food.

Recipe adapted with few changes from Jaya V. Shenoy's book - Amgele Khaan Jevaan on GSB Saraswat (Amchi) cooking.

Serves: 3-4 individuals

Ingredients:

Sooji (cream of wheat) - 2 cups

Onions (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Grated coconut (for garnishing) - just a sprinkle

Green Chillies (chopped) - 2

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Cashew nuts (chopped) - 6-10

Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Ginger (minced) - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - as per taste

Boiled water - 2 cups

Method:

Heat oil in a saucepan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves once hot. After the seeds begin popping, add green chillies and ginger, onions, cashew nuts. Fry the onions well. The onions should be well fried otherwise the raw flavour remains and spoils the flavour of the dish.

Once fried, add the Sooji and fry well till aroma oozes out of Rava. You will notice the Rava turning slightly brownish. Keep the gas on low to medium flame lest you burn the sooji. Once completely fried, add boiling water and stir well. Cover with a lid and let it cook till water evaporates. Once done, turn off flame and garnish with grated coconut.

Suggestion: Do not stir too much as the Upma will turn lumpy. The quality of Upma depends on Rava fried and the stirring involved.

Bhel-Puri

Bhel-Puri is one of our favorite evening tea-time snacks. Cannot emphasise on how much both of us love chats, pani puri, masala puri, jhal moori. Its nice because Bhel-Puri has a distinct flavour of its own and has crunch, sweetness, spice, tanginess and all the goodness of the world. I usually prefer having all the chutneys done and ready and use them as and when we require. We are regular Chat, Pani-Puri and Bhel-Puri eaters. I feel this is the quickest, fastest and easiest snack to make provided your pantry is well stocked and has everything required. My favorite chat items are:

# Sev Puri - My favorite place to eat would be at Panjim and Mapusa, Goa from the local cart sellers. You would find plenty around Miramar Beach, Panjim - Goa.

# Pani-Puri - My favorite place to eat would be at Karthik's, Bangalore. They serve the most tastiest Pani-Puri's I have eaten + at Elco Arcade, Bandra (West). Elco's Pani-Puri also serves the Puri's with chilled Mineral water :)

# Bhel Puri - My favorite place to eat would be at Goregaon (West) market and at Khao Galli near Zaaveri Bazaar - Mumbai.

# Masala Puri - My favorite place to eat would be at Ratbeeri, Udupi sold by a lone chat seller in that area. His stall is perched in a cosy corner neat Woodlands Hotel, Udupi.

Mom makes Pani-Puri's Puri which is almost 200 of them in a row at home. I happily sit in the kitchen and keep munching these crispy lovely puri's. I have the recipe will make some time soon.

Recipe adapted from my mom's style of Bhel-Puri with few changes

Serves ~ 4 individuals

Ingredients:

Puffed Rice - 4-5 cups

Sev - 1 cup

Paapdi and Gaathiya mix - 1 cup

Cashewnuts (chopped) - 1/3 cup

Tomatoes (chopped) - 1

Onions (finely chopped) - 1

Potatoes (boiled and diced) - 2

Lime Juice - 2 teaspoon

Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Chat Masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander leaves - for garnishing - 4 sprigs (chopped)

Salt to taste

For Green Chutney:

Coriander leaves - 8 springs (chopped)

Green Chillies - 2

Mint leaves (optional) - 3-4 sprigs (chopped)

Grind these to a fine paste.

For Imli-Khajoor-Gur Chutney:

Tamarind juice - 1/3 cup

Jaggery - 1 tablespoon

Cumin seeds powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Dates juice - 6-7 teaspoon

Mix all to form a fine paste

Method:

Take a large mixing bowl and mix in the dry ingredients first - Puffed Rice, Paapdi, Gaathiya, Sev. Add in the chutneys both green and brown and all the powders. Add the tomatoes, potatoes and onions. Toss well. The Puffed Rice should be crisp and nice. It adds to the flavour (you could microwave it for 20 seconds for extra crispness). Garnish with Paapdi and Coriander leaves. Serve with Cardamom Tea.

Chicken Tandoori

Chicken Tandoori is one of our favorite dishes. We both are quirky in terms of our preference for non-vegetarian food and prefer grilled/ charred/ bbq'd/ baked version of meat only. Both of us do not like much of meat curries and sea-food curries as well. This sometimes leaves us with some tasty and luxurious options like what we made today - Chicken Tandoori.

I researched a lot for the recipe online. Finally P decided to cook it his way. He treated the Chicken Drumstick (skinless, with bone: we used Tyson Brand) with Shan BBQ Tikka Masala (this one is widely available at all India stores in US). As I have mentioned many a times that Shan is one of our favorite masala. This Pakistani masala renders the unique color and flavour which makes the meat all the more edible, tender and succulent.

Happy Eid-Ul-Fitr to all my Muslim friends!!

Recipe born from our teamed effort in kitchen
Serves ~ 2 individuals

Ingredients:
Chicken Drumstick - 5 pieces ~ with bone, skinless
Shan BBQ Tikka Masala - 1/2 packet
Yogurt - 5 teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chili Powder - 1 teaspoon
Lime Juice - 1 teaspoon
Oil - For frying


Contraptions: Baking tray covered with foil to create a pit in the centre to collect the Chicken fat.


Method:
Thaw the Chicken drumstick pieces for atleast 1 hour. Warm up in microwave for around 2 minutes. Make a paste of the masala's listed except oil. It gives rise to a rich orange colored paste. Apply this marinade to the Chicken pieces and refrigerate for around 4-5 hours.

Remove from fridge after 5 hours have elapsed. Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Place each piece on the top rack (cover the rack with foil and poke with forks all around the central point of the rack) and cook on 375 F. Place the baking tray covered with foil at the bottom of the first rack to collect the fat which will drip from the chicken pieces once they begin to cook in the oven.

Allow enough space between each piece so that there is room for baking of each piece. Turn around after 20 minutes. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes more. They will get a brownish cooked look and the meat would have turned white in color.

Transfer to a deep dish saucepan with oil/ghee. Lightly saute till the surface gets charred and glazed with fat on all sides. Turn off the flame and cover the bone ends with foil. Squeeze lime juice on Chicken Drumsticks and serve hot. This dish also serves well as evening party snack or for get together dinner.

Chicken Tandoori goes as my entry for Think Red Chillies hosted by Laxmi of Kitchen Chronicles, an event started by Sunita of Think Spice.

New York Bits and Bites: Street Food - A Narrative

I had heard so much about New York, thanks to the infectious influence of long hours of Bollywood movies and song sequences. During my first trip to this city, I must confess I was smitten by the beauty and totally bowled over! Enchanted was the word.

Sky-kissing tall skyscrapers, illuminated and gigantic Empire State, Statue of Liberty at Liberty Island, Ellis Island, busy volley of Subways arriving and departing, Yellow cabs, Streets and Avenues which forms a quintessential part of the unique geography, Chrysler building, Yankee stadium for sports aficionado, Broadway musical, Rockefeller centre, Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, MET Museum, MoMA Museum, Wall Street: Bull, Staten Island ferry. I have already become a big fan of this unique city. Its truly a melting pot offering something for everyone.

One of my Indian friend tells me that New York is like Mumbai. Well me thinks yes and no as well. Yes, because the city has same infectious energy, extremely raring-to-go spirit. No, because its still different in lot of ways. My friends had told me that NY is famous for its street food. I was on my pursuit of sampling some delicacies which I had heard were quite famous here. The first thing which catches your sight would be the numerous rickety Carts selling Sandwiches, Bagels, Hot Dogs, Pretzels, Falafels. Given a chance I would personally prefer eating from the Cart vendors as the food is economical, tasty and packs in flavours of NY city to the brim. My personal favorite would be these 4 goodies which I found irresistible. You just cannot seem to get enough of it.


1. Pretzel: A bread pastry which finds its roots in Germany; has the shape of a three looped knot resembles a braid knot as well. Its slightly salty but can keep you going without any hunger pangs for next couple of hours especially if you are hopping around the city and soaking in some local flavours, all for $2.50. (Thanks to the Cart owner for allowing me to picture the Pretzel).

2. Egg and Cheese Sandwich: My top favorite - Slice of fried eggs topped with a slice of cheese and some spices all packed in delicately grilled sandwich bread. I can have this tasty sandwich at any time of the day. The best ones I have tasted are available at Newark Penn Station Food kiosks. Since I picked my Sandwich from Au Bon Pain, a famous breakfast joint in NYC, they offered to prepare a butter-on-both-sides Bagel with stuffed Cheese and Eggs, well fried, all for $5.00, include some freshly brewed Latte with cream as well.

3. Cheese Cake: Supposedly NY is famous for this. Not a street food but can be found at prominent pastry shops in NY city. I sampled mine at Junior's near Times Square. The flavour was tangy, cheesy, creamy and out of the world. Most of the pastry shops have a Cheesecake to offer. The ones at Junior's have more than 3- plus varieties of these and high chances are, that you would go greedy with the delights; Think this was for around $5.00 a pastry (don't recall quite well, but was wuite affordable and worth every dime you spend).

4. Falafel Sandwiches: I loved the Falafel sandwich you get at Allan's near Broadway (quite close to the Wall Street Bull - on the same street). He customises your taste, spice. "Some more spice" I raved. I regret I could not get a picture nevertheless the taste is one of its kind and closest to the Middle-Eastern flavours of Falafel. The chickpea Pakoras were fried to perfection and nestled cosily in Pita Pockets with ample helpings of spicy sauce which was oraneg and red in color. All this for $4.00; Enjoy your hearty meal!

Fish Curry (Aale Kande Ambat)

Aale in Konkani stands for Ginger and Kande stands for Onion. This popular dish - Aale Kande Ambat is prepared when there is Fish Fry as a side dish or much more simple - if you just want to have a Fish curry with Rice. I made this when I fried Fish. P and I personally do not like Fish curry so we made the gravy alone. But on a popular note, this is a famous Fish Curry recipe amongst Konkanis. This is the way it used to be prepared at my cousins place in Mangalore. She was kind enough to share the recipe with me.

The subtle flavours of Fish render a unique aroma to this dish though the base gravy for most of the South Canara cooking is always Red Chillies (Byadgi), Grated Coconut and Tamarind.

In my cousin's place in Goa and Mangalore, usually "Wooden Ladels" are used for Fish curry since they transfer the smell to steel utensils. You also get special Wooden Ladels which are made with Coconut shells and are found in abundance in markets in Goa and Mangalore. My aunts and cousins love these cute wooden ladels.

Serves: 2-3 individuals

Recipe adapted from the original recipe given by my cousin from Mangalore

Ingredients:

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Fish pieces - 4 to 6

Red Chillies - 4-5

Onion - 1/2 cup

Mustard seeds (optional) - 1/3 teaspoon ~ Just a sprinkle would do

Tamarind - 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Ginger - 1/2 " piece

Oil - For frying

Salt - As per taste

Water - For curry consistency

Method:

Grind red chillies, grated coconut and tamarind with part of the ginger to a fine paste. During the last round of blending add mustard seeds, this gives a good flavour to the curry (this is an optional process, but the flavours blend well and get a good aroma if mustard seeds are added).

In a saucepan, heat oil and fry onions and minced ginger. They need to be cooked more than the usual translucent color. Allow them to char a little (little brownish color). Add the ground mix to these and bring to boil. Add enough water, salt and Fish pieces. Bring to boil and cook till Fish is done. Fish color would no longer be pink once its cooked. Serve hot with rice and Fish Fry.

Suggestion: Fish cooks very fast, so it should be done within 10 minutes once gravy is added. Keep a careful watch or else Fish pieces could overcook causing shredding of meat pieces.

Chicken Burgers

One of those lazy days when you do not have the urge to move a muscle and want a filling junk food dinner. I had bought Hamburger Buns, Romaine Lettuce, Mayo, Cheese Slices, Tomatoes, Onions and some Chicken Patties from the local grocery. Why not plonk it all together for a quick Burger? I humbly obliged to P's intructions and he made these tasty and finger licking delicious bunny Burgers.

The approach was simple - I recalled the way Bappa, a grand old uncle used to make Cutlet Buns also called as Burgers in our college. It was quite a popular food amongst the students. He simply suated a few buns in pan slathered with some oil, added a slice of onion, tomato and some Amul Butter and a Potato Kaap coated with Rava and the humble Burger was all set to be devoured. Considering that those days our pocket money was frugal and within means, we all patronised the yummy Burgers he made. Even to this date, if I meet him at my College, I always thank him for this heavenly delight which was a big deal for us during those days.

Recipe ~ Inspired by my college day junk food = Burger.
Serves ~ 2 Burgers

Ingredients:
Chicken/ Veg cutlet - 2 Patties
Mayonnaise - 2 teaspoons
Romaine Lettuce - 6 leaves
Tomato slices - 2
Onion slices - 2
Butter - for frying
Cheese slice - 2

Method:
Lightly roast the Buns on a pan with some butter. Once they get crispy on both sides. Slather one side of Burger with Mayo, place a Patty, place a slice of Onion and Tomato each, place couple of Lettuce leaves, a slice of cheese and top it with another bun. Poke a plastic pin in the centre to hold the ingredients together. Serve with ketchup, salad vegetable strips and Chips. If Vegeterian, you will find the cutlet recipe here.

Enjoy the not so healthy pleasures of junk food at times. We are all humans!

Egg Fried Rice

A simple Indian Chinese favorite loved by most of my friends. Its easy to cook, can be done in a jiffy and the taste of Chinese Fried Rice is simply unbeatable. For a long time I began cooking Chinese with MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) however have stopped since last year owing to the health hazards it brings along. My Mom and Dad are not that great a fan of Chinese food so began cooking more of Indo-Chinese only after marriage.

Left over rice serves well for this dish since the rice needs to be well cooked and should be little more harder and raw than the regular rice used for daily cuisines.

Recipe is from my own kitchen creations

Serves ~ 3 to 4 individuals

Ingredients:

Rice - 4 cups

Egg - 2 (Large)

Spring Onions - 2 large sprigs

Soya Sauce - 3 teaspoon

Carrots (small bits sized) - 1/2 cup

Green Beans - 1/2 cup

Pepper Powder - 1/2 tea

Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons

Salt - as per taste

Contraptions suggested: A big pan called Wok is available nowadays which is best suited for Chinese preparations. It is very big hence I cannot fathom carrying one to US. But I bought one for my akka (konkani term for sister) from a market in Shivajinagar, Bangalore. Since they are big in circumference, have a good thin base they support stir fries, noodles and various Manchurian preparations quite well.

Method:

Heat olive oil in a wok, fry the spring onions, green beans and carrots. Stir well. Stir fry on slow flame. Beat the egg in pepper powder and salt. Pour over the vegetable mixture and allow to settle for some time. Once the egg begins to cook, stir well and add the rice. Add soya sauce and shake the wok frequently to allow the ingredients to blend well.

Yellow Squash and Corn Cob Curry in Coconut Sauce and Garlic (Yellow Squash and Jolaa Koddel)

Summer is almost about to wind up and Spring would be in by Sept 22nd as per the forecast. I loved the Summer in US as there are plenty of activities one can splurge one's adrenaline upon. Biking, Swimming, Camping, Power Walks, Rafting, Mountain Biking, Park visits. Now that the Sun is going off and Fall is slowly seeping in, I feel the mood is generally sombre and gloomy.

One of those days, I peeped into my pantry and I found a mighty Corn on the Cob and a Yellow Squash. Fusion time I say! I decided to blend in this dish with a Konkani coconut gravy based dish called Koddel. For a change I did not mind the exotic flavours blending in with the traditional spices of Mangalore. The flavour of Yellow Squash was pretty similar to our Yellow Chinese Cucumber you get in India called Magge.

Normally, Koddel is made of few specific items like Kulith (Horsegram), Bagado (very similar to black eyed peas, will search for the English name of this legume). Of all Konkani gravy based dishes Koddel is my favorite.

Recipe adapted from typical South Canara Koddel preparation

Serves ~ 6 to 8 helpings

Ingredients:

Yellow Squash (chopped) - 1

Corn on the Cob (chopped in block sized pieces) - 1

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Red Chillies - 4-5

Tamarind - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 1/5 teaspoon

Garlic flakes - 6-8 pods

Turmeric powder - 1/6 teaspoon

Water - For gravy consistency

Oil - For frying

Salt - As per taste

Method:

Chop the Yellow Squash and Corn on the Cob. Boil the with little salt and water. In a separate saucepan, heat up a spoon full of oil and saute grated coconut and red chillies. Allow to cool. Grind to find paste with tamarind, salt and turmeric powder (optional).

Add the ground mix to the boiled vegetables. Bring to boil. Pour a tadka of crushed garlic flakes sauted and charred in oil till they turn brownish. Give a gentle stir. Serve hot with Rice and Upkari of choice.

Angel White Cake with Walnuts: My 100th Post

I had lot of Egg Whites which I had to get rid of plus we were running out of Munch food as well. Thought of making Angel White Cake with Walnuts based on the recipe I found on the net. I was wee bit cautious as this was the first time I was making cakes out of Egg Whites.

This cake is made during special occasions like Easter, Celebration et al. They serve as best base cakes for frosting and icing treatments. Owing to its simplicity, its a family adored cake. I did some research and realised that cakes are not the same without a whole egg. The yolk adds to the density and strength of the cake which otherwise cannot be achieved with egg white alone. Angel White cake is a popular cake in US. I stashed in some walnuts as well since we wanted a crunchy biteful flavour. I goofed up a little with the Butter, I had less than 1/4 cup of butter in pantry, was wee bit dry as compared to rest of my cakes. Quantity and proportion wise, its a hit!

Another reason for me baking this cake was a mini celebration: this is my 100th post. Congratulations to Konkani Foodie for coming this long!! (Drum rolls and claps!!). Special thanks to all my blogger friends and numerous bloggers across the world who inspire me to try my best while cooking! Few key highlights due to Konkani Foodie on a personal note:

# I learnt HTML, XML and Javascript. This was long forgottten in college.
# Got a know-how of blog technology and coding fundamentals.
# Learnt Baking and I am just loving it..!

# Became more receptive and open to different cuisines which I was not before.
# Has made me little more disciplined, responsible in Kitchen.
# Helped me connect and be friends with some of the finest chefs across the globe.
# Made me more conscious of eco-friendly shopping, waste mgmt & kitchen economics.
# Sampled and learnt about different cuisines viz. Middle-East, Mexican, Ancient lost dishes, Persian, Malaysian and even Ethiopian if you can believe.

# Learnt about Photography, Lens, Apperture, Light, Exposure; Planning on DSLR in near future.
# Best of all - Made a better person out of me!

Thanks to all my blogger friends. This would not be without you guys!

Recipe adapted from Pachakam
Serves ~ 8 to 15 individuals

Ingredients:
Allpurpose flour (Maida) - 1 and 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 1/2 tablespoon

Walnuts (Toasted and Chopped) - Just a handful
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Powdered white sugar/ Confectionary sugar - 3/4 cup
Butter - 1/4 cup
Egg whites - 3
Vanilla essence - 1/2 teaspoon
Milk - 1/2 cup

Method:

Grease a cake pan (I used a 7 and 3/4 X 7 and 3/4 inch pan). Line the bottom with a parchment paper cut according to the size, this prevents any cake sticking to the pan bottom. Grease the sides with non-salted butter stick, dust with All Purpose flour and leave aside.

Pre-heat oven on 375 F. Sift the dry ingredients first. Mix the Flour, Baking powder and sugar and whisk well and use a blender for the same. Add salt and beat well. Then slowly blend in the wet ingredients one by one and keep whisking the ingredients. Once all done, finally fold in the walnuts.

Place in the top rack of oven for 40 minutes on 375 F. Check for doneness, with a knife or a toothpick. No cake should stick to the surface area. Remove from Oven after done completely. Allow to cool by flipping over for around 30 minutes.

Consume the cake next day around. Slice with a serrated knife, cuts and slices well for cakes and bakes. It certainly tastes better and the butter and flour blend well by then to create a wonderful after-taste in your mouth.

Tiny Gram Flour Balls in Yoghurt Sauce (Boondi Raita)

Raita is a thin, yogurt based dip cum paste which serves as an accompaniment to Pulao, Biryani and Rice preparations. They can be mixed with Boondi (Tiny crispy Gram flour balls), Vegetables which are chopped finely, seasonings of various sort with masala and spices. This dip is rich in health and goodness and provides a wholesome nutrition. Serves as a great coolant for the system as well.

Raita is something which has not featured in many a previous blogs of mine. I have firmly taken it upon me now to introduce salads and dips which are yogurt based in my menu. P adores Raita and loves the tangy, creamy after taste of Yogurt. He made this dish, I was the Sous Chef at work helping him figure out what-is-where in the kitchen. He made a great tasting Raita with subtle flavours of masala and salt.

Recipe ~ P's own creation adapted from a friend.
Serves ~ 2 individuals

Ingredients:
Low-fat Yogurt - 1 cup
Boondi - 1/2 cup
Salt - as per taste
Water - For thinning yogurt
Chat Masala - 1/2 a teaspoon
Pepper powder (optional) - Just a sprinkle

Method:
Take a mixing bowl and thin the yogurt with water. Add salt and chat masala. Beat well. Finally, when you are ready to serve, add Boondi and serve as a Yogurt blend for Biryani or Pulao.

Tip: If you add Boondi while preparing this dish or earlier, they tend to turn soggy. So best is to save it for dinner time or lunch time sake and mix and serve immediately.

Pestle and Mortar

Something which I hold dear and precious in my kitchen is my Pestle and Mortar which Mom shopped for me from Malleswaram Market, Bangalore. I love the aura of spices which begin wafting in the kitchen once they are freshly ground. I prefer making masala's from scratch more often than not rather than buying them ready-made. This one is made from Marble and is easy to clean.


We get another version in India called Sil-Batta. It is a rectangular brick thick piece of stone, albeit more flatter version which serves as the base and has a rectangular block type, palm size block which serves as the crusher. You would find a marked difference between the taste of spices crushed in these traditional contraptions vis-a-vis modern mechanical ones.

Urad-Maida Dosa (Urad Maida Polo)

Something which was on my pending list for long but not fulfilled. P is a big fan of this Dosa and for some reasons never got myself to prepare it. Finally one of those days when you are inspired to do your best and ready to move any stone to achieve what you made your mind for; I made this Dosa. P liked it a lot. Quite easy to make and hassle free Dosa.

I never get to believe that I could make Dosa. On a serious note I felt Dosa's are made exclusively for kitchen queen's who have dextrous hands that can dish out yummy dishes with meal preparation experience of more than 10 years. I am not exaggerating. Finally when I tried my hand with online support from Mom (yes, she always comes to my rescue), I realised difficulties are "all in the mind". You choose your thoughts so it implies that you choose your actions as well. This also reminds me of a famous phrase which I saw in a movie recently where a father tells a child - "Never let anyone tell you that you cannot do something". I do not recall the movie name but this phrase inspired me to think and I gained a different perspective on things which seem difficult from hindsight but seem to be easy when you actually conquer your fears and take the mighty plunge.


Recipe Source ~ Mom
Serves ~ 20 to 25 Dosa's

Ingredients:
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Maida - 1 cup (approximately)
Salt - as per taste
Oil - For frying
Ginger-Green Chili paste (optional) - 2 tablespoons

Method:
Pre-soak Urad Dal in water for 8-12 hours prior to grinding. Grind to a fine paste and mix in Maida just before making Dosa's. Add salt and the spice paste. I did not add as P prefers the plain taste of Dosa.

Driizle some oil on a shallow wide spread sauce pan (Dosa Pan). Pour a ladle full of Dosa and spread gently. Pour oil around the surface area of the Dosa. Once crisply done, flip it over. Allow to cook well on both the sides and serve hot with Byadgi Red Chili Red Chutney.

Marshmallows in Chocolate Sauce

Summer, BBQ, Chit-chat with friends, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Corn-Mushrooms-Panner. Yes my summer comprised of all of these soul-warming essentials. I was thinking hard of a Party Dish which can be made in 30 minutes. I quickly conjured the memory of this snack cum dessert which we had made recently for our BBQ Party. This dish was suggested by a dear one, N during one of the brainstorming sessions on the Party menu. Thanks N. Quite unique and one of its kind. Its pretty easy and would you believe takes only 5 minutes of cooking time? Luckily everyone was happy with this unique dish and we also feasted and boasted on the humbleness and simplicity of this Party dessert snack.

I dedicate this post to my dear fried J, who is the biggest Marshmallow fan I have met on the earth. She can gobble 10's to 20's of these spongy mass and be a happy soul for the entire day. I first tasted these in India at her place for a get together with friends and family.

Recipe ~ Family favorite BBQ Dessert
Serves ~ 4-6 individuals

Ingredients:
Marshmallows - 1 Packet
Chocolate Sauce ~ Hershey's

Miscellaneous requirements: BBQ charcoal with just enough heat for wilting the Marshmallows + Wooden Skewers (Soaked in water for half an hour prior to the BBQ.

Method:
Dip around 2-3 wooden skewers in water for 1/2 hour prior to your BBQ party. Pre-planning helps a lot. I soaked mine early in the morning so that we are all set for the BBQ with the skewers.

String in the Marshmallow pieces one by one with enough space in between. Gently run them over the BBQ coal. Best suggested time for BBQ Marshmallow is once BBQ is completely done with. The heat should not be too much not too less. Once the pieces begin wilting you will notice tiny wrinkles on the Mallow surface area. Gently run some Chocolate sauce over them. Gobble up the decadent delight!

Off these White pearls go for Mad Tea Party's Indian Party Dishes. This dessert snack is not necessarily Indian, but since we are Indians and we party with friends - I would count this is in.

Egg and Vegetable Pattice/ Puff

I have been a big fan of Puff or Pattice as some call address it. Finally one sunny bright day I motivated myself to try these though I must confess I am an amateur when it comes to Baking. The Chip n Dip Crystalware was a gift to Konkani Foodie by a dear one, V. Thanks V for the kind gesture. Konkani Foodie thanks you for this and you can rejoice seeing the Puffs adored and nestled in the crystal ware.

The Veg Puffs were layers and layers of refined flour baked to perfection with green peas, chopped beans and onions in spices. The only difference being Egg Puff's had half a egg neatly sandwiched with the masala. Even to this date when I visit Goa, I make it a point to go to Babaji's and sample the long forgotten taste of this crispy baked Puffs. In Goa & Bombay, they are known as Pattice. Some of the bakers and confectioners in Goa sell their finest Pao (Bread), Pattice (Puffs), Cookies and Cakes.

The flavours were nice and well mingled. I recommend anyone using Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheets for good puffs. The puffs are crispy, nicely browned and tasty.

Cooking time ~ 30-40 minutes

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes
Serves ~ 2 individuals

Ingredients:
Puff Pastry sheets - 1 (makes 6 Puffs) ~ Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheets
Water - for sealing the sheets

For stuffing:
Onion (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup
Green Beans - 1/4 cup
Green Peas (optional) - 1/4 cup
Beet Root (fine boiled pieces) - 1/4 cup
Cumin powder - 1/5 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1/5 teaspoon
Pepper powder - Just a sprinkle
Salt - as per taste
Oil - For frying

Miscelleneous Contraptions/ Things/ Kitchen Equipments: Paper Tissues, Parchment Paper (For Baking), Baking Tray and a Rolling Pin

Method:
Heat oil in saucepan, add onion and beans, once they begin wilting add the spice powders, vegetables and stir well. The onions need to cook much more than usual. There should be no water content in the stuffing mix. Keep aside.
Thaw the Pastry sheet from the freezer for atleast 2 hours. You could thaw in microwave for 15 seconds but not more than that as they have a tendency to get cooked. Spread one sheet on a work surface. Wipe with a wet tissue and roll with a rolling pin, gently. This extrapolates the pastry region available for Puff making.

Cut them into slices which represent a rectangle. Stuff one side of the rectangle with the stuffing. Cover over the side of the rectangle to form a Pattice and seal over the sides with water. One sheet makes 6 Pattice. I made a batch of 4 Egg Puffs and 2 Vegetable Puffs. Once ready, line a baking tray (non-stick) with a parchment paper. Place the puffs over them with enough surface area to puff up and spread. Pre-heat the Oven to 375 F. Place the tray in the oven for 20 minutes on one side. Turn them over after 20 minutes on other side with a serving fork. Bake for another 20 minutes. In total, 45 minutes for baking. Remove from Oven after 45 minutes, they will turn golden brown with fluffy crispiness on both sides. Serve after cooling them for 1/2 hour, with mustard sauce or tomato ketchup sauce.

Suggestion: 1) You could also store them in air tight container and eat them within 2-3 days time. 2) For extra shine, one could beat an egg + 1 tablespoon water and glaze the exposed surface area of the Puff with the kitchen brush. This renders good shine and glaze to the final look and appeal (Thanks S from Goa for this tip)

Soya Chunks Pulao In Whole Spices

Soya chunks is a cosy chunky favorite of ours and we simply love to add this chewy delight in any dish we love. I have also become a big fan of Shan Biryani/Pulao Masala. This Masala is very similar to our MDH/Kitchen King range of Masala's available at all India Grocery stores and is a Pakistani Masala which also has some whole spices like Jai Phal, Cardomom in them. Their range of Masala's make a great tasty dish out of Meat/ Rice dishes. I had some cooked rice from the previous day. I mixed the whole spices with Rice and added abundant helpings of Soya chunks; the dish came out quite tasty much to our amusement. Works well with cold rice done from previous day's dinner or lunch lot.

Preparation + Cooking time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
Rice (cooked) - 6-8 cups of previous day cooked rice or 2 and 1/2 cup rice
Soya Chunks (cooked) - 1 and 1/2 cup
Onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Shan Pilaf/Biryani Masala - 1/2 a packet
Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Cloves - 5-6 pods
Cinnamon stick - 1 large
Cardomom - 3-4 pods
Bay Leaves - 3-4 pieces
Oil/Ghee - for frying
Salt - as per taste

Method:
Cook Soya chunks in double the quantity of water with salt. Once they pop up in size (almost double the volume), allow to cool and squeeze them out of water. Thoroughly wash them in water 2-3 times and set aside.

In a deep dish saucepan, heat 3-4 tablespooons of oil/ghee, saute chopped onions, cloves, cardomom pods with seeds within, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Once the spices fry they pop up in size. Fry all this on a low to medium flame lest you burn the spices. Add the cooked Soya chunks and add Shan Pulao Masala. Stir well. Add few teaspoons of water and allow to cook on low flame with covered lid for 4-5 minutes.

Open the lid and add the rice and give a gentle toss. Add pepper powder and salt as desired. Stir well. The rice and soya chunks should get an even coating of spices on their surface. Last but not the least, add few spoons of ghee on top, give a gentle stir and turn off the flame. Serve hot with a curry and pickle.

Few Tips: This dish is little high in calories, soya adds the desired flavour. You could tone down the oil/ghee content as desired. Keep in mind to squeeze the water out of soya chunks for better soya flavour.

Semolina Mini Dosa (Rulaavaa Saana Polo or Rulaava Bhaakri)

Semolina is called as Rulaav in Konkani. This Dosa is mini in size hence Rulaava Saana Polo. Saana in Konkani translates to tiny. One quick Dosa when there is less time and plenty of things to do. This should not be confused with Sanna's made in Goa and Mangalore. Its a different dish altogether with a different pronunciation. In Konkani, we also call this is Bhaakar or Bhaakri. Good for working people and on-the-go ones.

Recipe ~ Mom

Serves ~ 3-4 individuals ~ 2 dosa's each

Ingredients:

Semolina (Sooji) - Finer variety - 1 Cup

Frozen Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup

Green Chillies - 2

Sugar - 5-6 teaspoons

Salt - 1 teaspoon

Water - For consistency

Banana (very ripe) (optional) - 1

Oil - For frying

Method:

Make a non-runny paste of Semolina, Grated Coconut, Green chillies, Salt, Banana, Sugar and water. Give it a good stir. The batter should be very thick and not runny.

In a flat shallow dish sauce pan (frying pan), slather some oil and spread teaspoonful of batter and slather some oil around it. Its better if the surface area of the pan is big. This gives the food item more room for cooking especially for these Mini-Pancakes. After 5 minutes turn them around, slather some more oil around. Allow to cook till slightly charred on both the sides. Serve hot with dollops of butter.

Potato-Onion in Coconut Tamarind Coarse Gravy (Piyava-Batata Sukke)

Sukke (suk-kay) in Konkani translated to Dry. In Konkani cuisine, different types of Sukke are made. We make Black Horse Gram Sukke (Kaaley Chaney Sukke), Bamboo Shoots Sukke (Kirla Sukke), Okra Sukke (Bhendaa Sukke). Sukke comprises of a coarse dry coconut-tamarind-red chillies sauted with vegetables of choice and tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Incidentally, though the basic paste remains the same, different vegetables render different kind of aroma to the dish. One of my friend from Calcutta, told me that they make similar dish amongst Bengalis and they term it as Shukti.

Potato-Onion Sukke is one of my favorites. Mom used to make it during summers when we used to abundant supplies of Potatoes and Onions. The firm flavours of Potatoes in spices mesh with the sublime crunchy flavour of Onion to create this unique dish which is a popular Konkani preparation.

Recipe adapted from Mom's version with few changes

Serves: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

Potatoes (boiled) - 4

Onion (diced) - 4

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Red Chillies - 4-5 ~ Byadgi Chillies preferred

Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoon

Urad Dal - 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/5 teaspoon

Salt - as per taste

Oil - for frying

Method:

Boil Potatoes in pressure cooker, dice them into 1/2" quarters and set aside. In a sauce pan, saute red chillies in one teaspoon oil along with Coriander seeds and Urad Dal. Lightly wilt the grated coconut but do not over fry it since this will affect the final flavour of the Sukka Masala. Allow to cool and gring along with turmeric powder and salt.

In the same sauce pan used, add one teaspoon of oil. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute till fried and done. Fry Onions till they are translucent and add Potato pieces. Add the ground gravy, salt and enough water used from the gravy making process. Bring to boil and simmer on a low flame till water completely evaporates. Serve hot as a side dish.