Dim posto - Egg cooked with poppy seeds

Dim posto - eggs cooked in poppy seeds paste. Although the name has only posto in it but I like my posto to have the company of mustard also. That really boosts the overall flavor of the dish by adding a tangy taste. Also I made the gravy little dry because I like it that way but you can adjust the consistency of the gravy based on your liking.

Ingredients:

• Eggs                               - 3
• Onion                            - 1 small, chopped
• Green chilli                  - 3, sliced
• Ginger                           - 1/3 inch, chopped
• Poppy seeds(Posto)   - 2 Tbsp
• Black mustard seeds - 1 Tbsp
• Kalonji(Kolojira)        - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder       - 1/2 tsp
• Corn flour                    - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard oil                  - 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp
• Salt                                 - to taste

Method:

1. Hard boil the eggs. Peel. Cut into halves.

2. Soak posto and mustard seeds in half cup warm water for 30 mins. Then make a smooth paste of it.
3. Smear the eggs with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder.
4. Dust them with corn flour.
5. Heat 1 Tbsp mustard oil. When hot add the eggs and fry them till brownish.

6. Remove from oil and keep aside.

7. Add the remaining oil in the same pan. When hot temper with kalojira.
8. Add chopped ginger and saute for 30 seconds. 
9. Add chopped onions and green chilli. Cook till onions turns translucent.

10. Add turmeric powder and saute for a minute.
11. Add the posto paste and mix well.

12. Saute for another minute.

13. Add half cup water and mix well. Cover and let the the gravy come to boil.

14. Add the fried eggs and mix well but gently.
15. Cook till gravy thickens.

16. Serve hot with rice.

Thai sticky rice with mango

Happy new year 2017 to all my friends!

And the new year begun with one of my very favorite Thai dessert - Sticky rice with mango. I am a big aficionado of Thai cuisine. There is nothing about Thai food that I don't like. Well except for the tea. I never get to have enough of this sweet sticky rice. In restaurants they either serve it too less to satisfy my greedy taste buds or there are always sweet lovers with me who take me for granted, me being conscious about sweets and refrain myself from it. Last few times we ordered this dish I had to sacrifice my portion to the sweet lovers, not by choice though. So I have decided to try it at home and indulge myself in devouring it as much as I want.  I spent days looking for this sticky rice and finally got it in Walmart. 
And finally the day came when I made no sacrifices and ate like Joey(FRIENDS - Joey doesn't share his food!)


Ingredients:

• Thai sticky rice            - 1 cup
• Coconut milk               -  1 can(14 Oz)
• Sugar                             - 4 Tbsp
• Salt                                 - a generous pinch
• Ripe mango                  - 2
• Vanilla extract              - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash the rice properly. Soak overnight in enough water to cover.
2. Put the rice in a sieve lined with cheesecloth or kitchen towel. Cover with a kitchen towel. 
3. Heat water in a deep pan, place the sieve in pan. Sieve should be high enough not to touch the water. Cover the pan with lid and steam for 20-25 mins. 
(Make sure the rice is cooked just perfect and does not turn mushy.)

4. While the rice is cooking prepare the coconut milk mix. Add coconut milk in a pan.
5. Add sugar and salt. Add vanilla. When the mix just starts to boil remove from stove.

6. When the rice is cooked transfer to a bowl.
7. Pour 3/4th of the coconut milk mix on top and fold well. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes for the rice to absorb the mix.

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8. Peel the mangoes and slice them.
9. Scoop rice in serving plate, top with coconut milk mix and serve with sliced mangoes.
(This dish is usually served with a generous sprinkle of roasted split moong daal)

Aloo Palak

Ingredients:

• Palak(Spinach)           - 300 grams, chopped
• Aloo(Potato)                - 3 medium sized, peeled, cubed, half inch size
• Garlic cloves                - 4 fat ones, sliced thinly
• Onion                             - 1 medium, sliced thinly
• Green chilli                  - 4-5, sliced thinly
• Jeera(Cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilli               - 2-3
• Oil                                   - 2 tsp
• Salt                                  - to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Temper with jeera and dry red chillies.
3. Add sliced garlic and saute for a minute.

4. Add chopped onions and green chillies. Cook till onions are cooked and turns translucent.

5. Add potato. Add salt. Mix well and cook till potatoes are almost cooked.

6. Add palak.

7. Mix well. Cover and cook till palak is cooked well, stirring in between few times.
8. Remove cover and cook on medium heat till mix dries up.

9. Remove from pan and serve hot with roti or rice.

Lauki pulao / Lau-er pulao

This is purely experimental. Wanted to try something new and this is what I came up with. 

Ingredients:

• Rice                              - 1 cup(Preferably Basmati)
• Lauki(bottle gourd)  - 1 medium sized(300-400 grams) 
• Moong daal badi       - 1/2 cup(also known as mangori, available in Indian stores)
• Curry leaves               - 8-10
• Green chilli                - 4(cut into halves, lengthwise)
• Red chilli                    - 2-3
• Ginger                         - 1 tsp(grated or thinly sliced)
• Jeera(Cumin)            - 1 tsp
• Rai(Black mustard)  - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder      - 1/2 tsp
• Oil                                - 1 Tbsp
• Salt                               - to taste
• Grated coconut          - for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash the rice. Soak in water for 30 mins.

2. Peel the lauki. Cut into small cubes of 1/2 inch.

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Fry the badis till brownish in color. Remove from pan and place in kitchen towel.

3. Add the remaining oil in the pan. 
4. Temper with jeera and rai. When spluttering starts add red chilli, grated ginger, green chilli and curry leaves. Saute for 30 seconds.

5. Add lauki and saute for few minutes.

6. Add turmeric powder and saute for another minute.
7. Add rice. Mix well. Cook for another few minutes till the mix is no more watery(if at all).

8. Add the fried badis. Add salt. Mix well.

9. Add 2 cups of water. Give a gentle stir. Cover with a lid and cook till rice get fully cooked and water dries up.
10. Garnish with grated coconut. Serve hot with pickle and side of your choice.

Chicken Chettinad

This is a dish with its origin in Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. The freshly ground spices gives this dish a tantalizing flavor and is a real great deal for chicken lovers. A very easy recipe and a very enticing one.

Ingredients:

• Chicken                      - 1 Kg, cut into small/medium pieces
• Onion                         - 1 large, chopped
• Tomato                       - 2 medium, chopped
• Curry leaves              - 10-12
• Red chilli powder    - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder    - 1/2 tsp
• Lime juice                 - 1 tsp
• Salt                             - to taste
• Oil                               - 3 Tbsp

For paste:

• Shredded/grated coconut   - 1/2 cup
• Curry leaves                           - 6-8
• Dhaniya(coriander seeds)  - 1 tsp
• Jeera(cumin seeds)              - 1 tsp
• Methi(Fenugreek seeds)     - 1 tsp
• Rai(Black mustard seeds)  - 1/2 tsp
• Saunf(Fennel seeds)             - 1 tsp
• Cloves                                      - 5
• Black pepper corns               - 8
• Cinnamon                              - 1 inch stick
• Green cardamom                  - 3
• Dry red chilli                          - 4
• Ginger                                     - 1/2 inch
• Garlic                                       - 6 fat cloves

Method:
1. Add lime juice and a little salt to the chicken and mix well. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
2. In a pan take the following items mentioned for paste and dry roast them - dhaniya, jeera, methi, rai, saunf, cloves, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and red chilli. When they turn little brownish and aroma spreads around add coconut and roast for another few minutes.
3. Add ginger, garlic, curry leaves and dry roasted spices and make a smooth paste.
4. Marinate chicken with the paste and a little oil and keep aside for few hours.

5. Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and saute till translucent.

 6. Add chopped tomatoes and curry leaves.

7. Cook till tomatoes turn mushy and are cooked.
8. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder and saute for a minute.

9. Add marinated chicken. Mix everything well. 

10. Cook on medium high heat till masala is cooked well and oil starts separating.
11. Add a cup of water, cover with a lid and cook on high till chicken is cooked.

11. Remove the cover and cook till gravy thickens.
12. Serve hot with rice or roti or naan.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Got this recipe from Hebbar's Kitchen. A great appetizer. 

Ingredients:

For bread dough:

• Maida/All purpose flour        - 1 cup
• Warm milk                                - ¼ cup
• Dry yeast                                   - 1 tsp
• Sugar                                          - 1 tsp
• Garlic cloves                             - 3 fat ones, finely chopped
• Chilli flakes                               - a generous pinch
• Oil                                               - 1 tsp
• Butter                                         - 1 tsp(at room temperature)
• Salt                                              - 1/2 tsp

For Garlic butter:

• Butter                                      - ¼ cup melted butter
• Garlic cloves                          - 3 fat ones, finely chopped
• Chopped Coriander leaves - 2 Tbsp

Other ingredients:

• Cheese                   - 1/2 cup(Any type of your choice)
• Chilli flakes          - 1 tsp
• Oregano                - 1 tsp
• Maida                    - for dusting

Method:

1. To prepare the dough, take warm milk, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix well and keep aside for 10 minutes for the yeast to get active.

2. Add salt, chopped garlic, chilli flakes, butter and maida. Knead well.

3. Apply some oil to the surface of the dough and keep aside for 2 hours.

4. Prepare the garlic butter by mixing melted butter, chopped garlic and chopped coriander. Keep aside.
5. After two hours knead the dough lightly. 
6. Roll the dough flat. (Do not make it thin, it should be thick enough).

7. Apply garlic butter to the rolled dough. Sprinkle some chilli flakes and oregano.
8. Add cheese. You can use any cheese of your choice. I used Parmesan.

9. Fold the dough and seal the edges properly. 
(Make sure the sealing is done well, else cheese might melt and come out)

10. Apply some more garlic butter on top. Sprinkle chilli flakes and oregano.
11. Make thin slits not too deep.

12. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 15-17 minutes till it turns brownish.

13. Serve With dip of your choice.

Kaalo jaam - Kaala Jaamun

Lately I was in a Bengali store and got Kaalo Jaam(also called Kaala Jamun), it tasted awesome. It looks so enticing and it is really hard to refrain your self from devouring them. Even the calorie conscious me could not help but gulp down few at one go. Regrets? Not really. Holiday season after all! :)
And since then I wanted to try it at home and it was really an easy and awesome venture. Gulped down few more. Regrets? Not at all! :)

Here is the recipe for all those sweet lover friends. 

Ingredients:

For Jaamun:

• Milk powder                         - 1 cup
• Maida(all purpose flour) - 1/3 cup
• Baking soda                          - 1/3 tsp
• Sugar                                      - 1 Tbsp
• Suji(semolina)                     - 2 Tbsp
• Whole milk                           - 2 Tbsp
• Ghee/oil                                - for deep frying

For syrup:

• Sugar                        - 1 cup
• Water                        - 1 cup
• Saffron                      - few strands
• Green cardamom    - 3

Method:
1. First prepare the syrup. In a pan add water, sugar, saffron strands and green cardamom. Place in medium low heat and allow the mix to come to boil. Put the heat off.
2. Soak semolina in milk for 15 minutes.
3. Mix milk powder, maida, baking soda, sugar and soaked semolina. Keep aside for 15 minutes. 
4. Make a soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.
(Add little more milk if needed to make the dough)
5. After 15 minutes take the dough and knead for few minutes.
6. Make small balls from the dough.

7. Heat oil or ghee in a deep pan. 
8. Deep fry the balls till dark brown or blackish in color.

9. Remove from oil and put in hot syrup

10. Let the jaamuns absorb syrup and get the sweetness in abundance. Keep them in syrup for few hours.
11. Serve chilled or at normal temperature.

Shorshe Tengra

Ingredients:

• Tengra                          - 8-10 pieces
• Onion                           - 1 medium, chopped
• Ginger                          - ½ inch
• Green chilli                 - 5-6(cut in halves)
• Mustard seeds            - 1½ Tbsp
• Turmeric powder       - ½ tsp
• Kalo jeera(kalonji)    - 1 tsp
• Mustard oil                 - 2 Tbsp
• Salt                               - to taste

Method:

1. Clean and wash the fishes properly. Pat dry with kitchen towel. Mix with salt and half the turmeric powder.

2. Soak mustard seeds in 2 Tbsp water for 15 minutes.

3. Make a smooth paste of mustard seeds and ginger.

4. Heat oil in a pan till smoking hot. Put the fishes one by one. Fry the fishes till done from both sides.  

(Be careful while turning as they tend to break easily. To avoid that fry fishes in medium high heat and turn only when one side is done well.)

5. Remove fishes from oil and keep aside.
4. Temper the remaining oil(add a little more if needed) with kalo jeera.
5. Add chopped onions. Saute till onion is cooked and turns traslucent.

6. Add remaining turmeric powder and saute for another minute.
7. Add mustard paste, add half cup water and mix well. Add green chillies. Cook covered for few minutes.

8. Add the fried fishes. Cover and cook in low heat for another few minutes.
9. Remove cover and cook till gravy thickens.

10. Serve hot shorshe tangra with steamed rice.