Methi Prawn

As it is Winter good quality methi or fenugreek leaves are easily available in the market and I want to use it in making as much as dish as possible and so I did.

 This methi prAawn is packed with all the flavours of juicy prawns combined with the nutty flavour of fresh green fenugreek leaves appropriate to accompany the dinner time.

Ingredients (2 servings):

• Prawn, 8
• Fenugreek leaves, 1 cup. chopped
• Onion, 1, sliced
• Garlic, 3 cloves, neatly chopped
• Ginger, a little less than 1", neatly chopped
• Refined oil ( here, soybean oil has been used), 3 tbsp
• Green chillies, 2-3, neatly chopped
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper powder, 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder, 1 tsp
• Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 tsp

Methods:

Your first step will be to marinate prawns with 1 tsp salt, turmeric powder 15 minutes prior to cooking.

In  a pan heat oil and saute onion till light brown, say for a minute.

Add chopped ginger, garlic and methi leaves, toss for 2 minutes.

keep the flame medium

Next add your marinated prawns and toss them for 2-3 minutes.

Now add salt to taste (check, you have priorly added salt to prawns), kashmiri red chilli powder, black pepper powder, I added one more slit green chilly , but it was my preference. Add water and turn the flame low. 

Cover the pan with lid and let the prawns turn soft. In this process all the juice of prawns will ooze out and combine well with the dish.

It will take upto 10 minutes to cook.

Check if the prawns have turned perfectly soft. Remove from flae and serve.

You may serve it with roti as well as with steamed rice.

You may also like:

Muli paratha

Chocolate chips oats cookies

Wheat flour pancake with egg filling

A simple and healthy pancake recipe with egg inside that will tantalize your tastebuds. This one egg filled pancake is enough to make you fill full. Made of wheat flour and added with goodness of seasonal vegetables and egg protien, can be included in your breakfast options. *See notes below.

Ingredients(2 servings):

For pancake:

• Wheat flour, 1 cup
• Bakng powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Water, 2/3 cup
• Soybean oil/Olive oil, as required to make pancakes ( I used 3/4 tbsp oil per pancake)

For egg filling:

• 2 egg , one per pancake
• Capsicum, 1/2 of a whole and sliced
• Carrots, 1 medium , sliced thinly
• Onion, chopped, 1 medium
• Garlic cloves, 2, neatly chopped
• Scallion, chopped, 2 tbsp+ for garnishing
• Black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• Soybean oil/Olive oil, 3 tbsp
• Lime juice, half of a lemon

Methods:

• Pancake:

Mix all the ingredients mentioned for pancake except oil and make a semi-thick batter. You can check the consistency in the way as shown in the 2nd picture- the batter you drop from above is getting absorbed in the batter kept in bowl and doesn't make any fold.

In a frying pan heat 3/4 tbsp oil and spread it all over the pancarefully. Make sure that the oil is hot enough. Drop 1 ladle of batter and spread the batter slowly using a spatula. While spreading the batter keep the spatula intact with the batter. Wait for 2 minutes and flip the pancake carefully for the other side to fry. 

You will see brown patches like this when both the sides are done.

*Keep the flame medium-low while making those pancakes

For the egg filling:

After you are done with the pancakes keep them aside and in a pan add 3 tbsp oil. Add all the vegetables, seasone them with salt as per your taste and give them a good toss for about 2 minutes, keep the flame medium. Add chopped onion and nicely chopped garlic. Saute.

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl, add 2 pinches of salt. Add into pan. Do not scramble them. Allow it to set with vegetables. This will take upto a minute.

As the eggs set with the vegetables flip to other side, cook for a minute and remove from flame.

 Divide the filling into two portions and set them in each pancake. Sprinkle some lime juice on the filling. Fold one side of the pancakes to the other side.

Serve hot.

Notes:-

• Instead of egg you can use paneer/tofu/boiled chicken/soybean

You may also like:

Cottage cheese aka paneer  sandwich

Quick Chicken Curry

If you are tired enough on weekend and doesn't want to spend your quality time much in the kitchen then this recipe is surely a rescuer for you. The spices are to blow off your mind beside allowing you to resting yourself and spend the rest of the day on couch watching a scheduled movie or immerse into your favourite book. You can also make this dish and serve with roti, steamed rice  or paratha on weekend gatherings of your friends.

Ingredients(6 servings):

1. Chicken , 1 kg
2. Onion, 3, chopped
3. Garlic cloves, 8
4. Ginger, 1"
5. Tomato, 1 , sliced
6. Green chillies, 4-5, slit from middle
7. Coriander powder, 2 tbsp
8. Garam masala powder, 2/3 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder, 2 tsp
10. Kashmiri red chilli powder, 2 tsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Sugar, 2 tsp
13. Curd, 2 tbsp
14. Mustard oil, 6 tbsp
15. Whole dry red chilli, 1
16. Cumin seeds, 2 tsp
17. Bay leaf, 1
18. Chopped coriander leaves, 2 handfull

Methods:

In pressure cooker heat oil. Temper oil with bay leaf, red chilli and cumin seeds. After the smoke comes out add blended spices.*

*Blend ginger, garlic, onion and all powdered spices together.

After sauteing the masala for a minute add sliced tomato, green chillies, sugar, salt to taste and curd. Wait till the tomatoes turn soft.

Add 2 tbsp water and wait till the oil seperates. Wash chicken pieces and combine with spices. Cook for 2 mniutes.

Add 2 cups of water and close the lid of cooker. Cook upto 4 whistles and remove from flame. Wait untill the cooker lid loosens. Check if the curry is thick, otherwise bring it to boil untill it thickens. Remove from flame and spread chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with Hot steamed rice, Luchi , paratha.

Prawn Pulao

Prawn and coconut has always been a great combination, specially in southern and eastern part of India. Even in the Goan cuisine prawn and coconut have been combined. This combination goes well with making of pulao too. This recipe is aromatic and tasty that will simply blow your mind.

Ingredients(4 servings):

1. Long grain rice( Basmati rice suggested), 1 cup/200 gm
2. Tiger prawn , 100 gm
3. Green peas, 1 small cup
4. Grated coconut, 1 cup (i.e. 1/2 of a whole coconut)
5. Onion, 2
6. Garlic cloves, 6
7. Ginger, 1 and 1/2 inches
8. Green chillies, chopped; 4
9. Garam masala powder, 1 tbsp
10. Turmeric powder, 3 tsp
11. Kashmiri red chilli powder, 2 tsp
12. Bay leaf, 1
13. Salt to taste
14. Sugar, 2 tsp
15. Refined oil (here, soybean oil was used), 6 tbsp
16. Ghee( Indian Clarified butter, 1 tbsp

Method:

Wash prawns well and marinate them with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder for 15 minutes. 

In pressure cooker add 6 tbsp oil. Toss prawns for 3-4 minute.
Blend onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala powder together. Add bay leaf and blended spices into oil, saute for a minute

Add grated coconut, green peas, chopped green chillies, salt to taste and sugar . Add 2 tbsp water and wait for the oil to seperate. Now add rice and ghee.*

*In a bowl mix red chilli powder, 2 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp natural food colour. Soak rice in that water for 1 hour prior to cooking. Strain rice and add into cooker. Preserve the water in which you soaked rice.

Stir rice for 2-3 minutes. Now add the water you preserved. For 1 cup of rice you will be needing 1 and 1/2 cups of water i. e. 360 ml.

Cover the cooker with lid and turn off the flame after 2 whistles. after 5 minutes open the lid, if it doesn't open first unlock the lid and then lift the nozzle upward using a spoon or spatula to reduce the pressure inside. The lid will come out easily.

Pulao is ready to serve hot.

Dhone Tangrar jhal, Tangra fish cooked with coriander leaves

       Out of my desitre to know  the english meaning of tangra, I googled and  found that wikipedia showed the english name field empty and only found its scientific name i.e. Batasio batasio, LOL!

      Tangra is a freshwater fish and a Bengali kitchen has various way of cooking this mach(fish), like sometimes combined with begun(eggplant/brinjal) or sometimes accompanied by fulkopi(cauliflower) or sorse(mustard powder). But this one is little different that I learnt from my elder sister when one day she cooked it herself and brought packed for me. I really liked it and since then I have been trying this every Winter as it involves mulo(raddish), that are available fresh during this season. 

Serve with steamed rice and it will surely take place in your Winter recipe bunch. . .

Ingredients(4 servings):

1. Tangra mach(8 fishes, cleaned)
2. Horse Raddish,2 medium
3. Coriander leaves, 1 cup
4. Onion, 1
5. Garlic cloves, 4
6. Green chillies, 4
7. Kalo jeera( Nigella seeds)
8. Whole dry red chilli, 1
9. Salt to taste
10. Turmeric powder, 4 tsp
11. Cumin powder, 1 tbsp
12. Mustard oil

Methods:

Marinate fish pieces with 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp turmeric powder for 15 minutes. Fry them in oil till brown on both sides

While cleaning the fishes rub 1 tbsp salt and then wash. this removes the bad smell, stickiness and the mud from fish.

Pont neuf potato and Horse raddish, marinate them with 1 tsp salt and fry seperately on low flame till soft.

**If you need the way to cut potato and raddish visit here

Blend onion, garlic cloves , 2 green  chillies and coriander leaves together. Add  cumin powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste with the paste.

In a pan heat 4 tbsp oil and temper with whole dry red chilli and nigella seeds. when the smoke comes out add coriander paste and saute for a minute. Add 2 tbsp oil and let the oil seperate. Now add the fish, potato and raddish. Cook for a minute and them add 1/2 cup water. Allow the curry to be thick. Remove from flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Stuffed Pomfret

Stuffed Pomfret is a popular Goan cuisine, also known as Pomfret Recheado. Pomfrets are stuffed with coriander leaves, coconut and certain other ingredients and served as side dish. You just can't ignore these spicy and mouthwatering pomfrets when served before you.

Ingredients(2 servings):

1. Pomfret fish, 2
2. Grated coconut, 100 gm(3/4 cup)
3. Coriander leaves, 1 cup
4. Tamarind paste, 1 tbsp
5. Garlic Cloves, 5
6. Ginger, 1"
7. Red chilli powder, 2 tsp
8. Turmeric powder, 1 tsp
9. Green chillies, 2
10. Salt to taste
11. Sugar, 1 tsp( to balance the acidity)
12. Rice flour(optional)
13. Semolina
14. Refined oil, 4 tbsp
15. Lime juice, 1 tbsp

Methods: 

Cut the fins and tail of fish. You may or may not cut the head. Clean the fish from inside. Remove bones and marinate them with 1 tsp salt, turmeric powder and lime juice.

Blend coconut, coriander leaves, garlic cloves, green chillies, ginger, tamarind paste, red chilli powder, sugar together. Mix salt as per your taste with chutney and fill the pomfrets with the chutney. For each pomfrets you will be needing 2 tbsp chutney. 

**When you blend the ingredients do not add water at first. After blending if you find the mixture too tight then add 1 tbsp water.

Mix semolina, rice flour; as much required and a pinch of salt to coat the pomfrets well. In a pan heat oil and when the smoke emits add pomfrets. Shallow fry them keeping the flame lower to make sure that the pomfrets are cooked from inside.

You may also grill or bake them instead of frying.

Serve hot with bread or rice or grab just like that.

Enjoy!!! :)

Garlic Chicken

This recipe involves very few ingredients that are easily available at your home and also low in calorie content.This is so easy to make. So, immerse into the flavour of roasted garlic and chicken. 

Ingredients(4 servings):

1. Chicken, 500 gm
2. Garlic cloves,6
3. Black pepper powder,2 tsp
4. Turmeric Powder, 1 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Sugar,1 tsp
7. Lime juice, 2 tsp
8. Whole dry red chilli,1
9. Olive oil, 4 tbsp

Methods:

In a pan heat oil and temper the oil with whole dry red chilli. Roast garlic cloves before peeling ,over direct flame. When the cloves start changing colour remove from flame, rub the skin and slice them. Add into oil.

Marinate chicken pieces with salt,black pepper powder, turmeric powder and 1 tsp butter ,30 minutes prior to cooking.Keep inside refrigerator after marination.

After you add garlic into oil add chicken pieces and cook covered on medium flame. Stir in the middle. If you see the chicken is sticking to pan sprinkle some water.

After the chicken turns soft, add 2 small cups of water. Check the saltiness, add salt according to your taste if you need and add sugar to balance the acidity.

Serve with steamed rice or bread.