Winter Special- Anthony's Chicken Pepper Capsicum

How does it look. Well it was 600 gms of dressed chicken( undressed would be around 800-900) and I finished alone. Been a few days since I cooked. I even posted it, with a really long post, about what I love in winter et al... and I clicked publish and it returned website not found... YRRRRRRRGGGGG... and it was a very beautiful post. When I pressed back on the browser, it was long gone. I got so yengry, I didn't want to post it and I been busy too.. Been at a client's place for requirement study and they didn't give net acess to us. Security reasons being a financial services company. So no post, and my net at home is still dial up via my Mobile phone, and so the page not found. It was loss of so many words.......

By the way, why do we call clean and undressed chicken meat as dressed chicken. Point to ponder.

And yeah this is my contribution to Meena's call from the rasoi.


I thought of what I had to post, because winter reminded of so many traditional dishes which I don't want to post here since you won't get the ingredients to cook them. And another thing, it is still warm, well hot in Mumbai specially in the afternoons, though mornings have been chill.

Winter is about Sarsong ka preparations, we love many dishes of sarsong(Mustard leaves) and no we never eat sarsong da saag, I mean not traditionally. We make a stew kind of dish rather with dried fish.

Try it, boil water with one onion chopped and ginger finely chopped. Also add some green chillis and red chillis. Boil well, and add 4-5 pieces of fried fish. Now add the mustard leaves shredded by the hand into 2 inches long leaves. Add salt and have with rice.
Have pakoras as a side dish, in the winter. It's supreme.

All fishes taste good in winter, specially my kheema like fish preparation, but we leave the cooked dish overnight and next day it forms into a jelly like preparation. We call it ngaren, a never-miss-in-the-winter dish. Specially if it is Buwal Macch.
Prepare at night, just leave it as it is, and then have it in the brunch with rice.
With freeze, I now have it even in Summer but nothing like a genuine weather cooled Dish, had in the sunshine.

Why I chose the particular dish for winter is simple. I wanted to give a simple dish that was easy to cook, and something I often prepare during the cold of winter. I wanted to give another dish made out of tandoori chicken, but then this pepper capsicum dish is what reminds me of Winter. The best thing about this preparation is that it will make you warm, and the pepper will clear your throat and nose if you have become victim to the chill already.
And it turned out so yummy, I ate like a Pig. Finished everything.

How I cooked?

Took 600 Grams of chiken cut into smaller than usual pieces. 1 inch cubes!
Half a cup of Greeen peas( Ah I love peas, another winter vegetable)

I can have peas with everthing, and BTW it turned out really nice I told you!!

Two capsicum cut into 1 square inch pieces.
One medium size potato cut into 1/2 inch cubes.( You may not add the potato, but I love potato in chicken)
Two medium tomatoes chopped roughly.
2/3 bayleaves and 2/3 cloves
1 tsp black pepper freshly ground into a rough powder.
1 tsp each dhania powder and jeera powder.
3 green chillis sliced into halves.
1 large onion finely chopped.
1 TBS ginger garlic paste( I prefer freshly ground rough paste).

In a frying pan or kadhai, heat oil and add two bayleaves and two cloves.
Add the onions, fry for a few minutes. Add the green chilli.
Don't wait till it is golden brown. Its ok if it becomes translucent.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds.
Add the chicken and stir well.
Fry for a 10 minutes and add the potatoes.
Cover it. Cook for 5 minutes and open it.
Now add the dhania-jeera powder, half tsp of turmeric, half tsp of chilli powder
and stir well. Add the black pepper powder.
Add the capsicum and tomatoes and mix and then cover the pan and cook.

Open and stir from time to time. When oil and the meat separates it is done.
If you put potatoes, check if potatoes are done .
Garnish with half a cup of finely chopped coriander
Enjoy...... and do tell me after you have cooked it.

PS: Meena's dish was not an inspiration though I would love to have been inspired.
I am not too fond of chinese.

I also have been tagged by a foodie doctor.
Update: Thalassamikra have also tagged me on this.

I have list down my favorite foods and if possible the recipes. Hmm!!!
First of all I am not much of a critic, and in Manipur, when one is asked how the food was?, it is often replied as," Ah!! It is said that you shouldn't ever say food was bad". Lol what was he implying.

I love gourmet food, but lemme stick to more traditional and bachelor kind of food here, because Gourmet food I can give a pass anyday over a Maccher Paturi, or Elish macch in mustard. Ahh How I love it.

My favorite lists:

1. Nothing beats a Chital macch Kalia, a sweetish fish preparation.

2. Hilsa/Elish macch steamed in mustard.

3. Grilled Pork Chops.

4. Steak. yummmm.

5. Fish paturi: Boneless fish wrapped in plaitain leaf and cooked in charcoal (right? Parna)

6. OOTTI: White peas cooked with baking soda. Yummm haven't you tried it???

7. Minched fish curry. Wow I am such a fish lover.

8. Chicken Tandoori and Hyderabadi Biryani, anyday.

9. Prawn pakodas.. mama Mia

10. Tuna Salad at Subway's...( At least twice a week)

I love veg dishes too... Mostly salads tough, not the fake ones.
And Dhoklas, and Thepla's and Rava idli, and Fries.
Ah!!! Daal makhani...
Butter paneer? well, ok.


My mirror here.

Update: My Home, Manipur Blog Updated

French Beans with coconut and Grams

I love anything French; specially "French".

No wonder I love French beans.
So, when I saw this Recipe at Sury's, It brought back fond memories of Bangalore and ubiquitous South Indian thalis. French beans with Coconuts and grams was my favorite dish. Never tried to cook it though, though I always eat French beans, usually steamed or just boiled much to dismay of many people, but I love beans boiled. When i am alone and I am cooking rice, I always add a handfull of beans in the rice which I sort them out later and eat, just like that. Not much for the taste, it kinda taste bland, but not bad.

I eat french beans more for the nutritious value, than the taste but have gotten a liking or addiction to it after a long time. I am a heath freak, and I hate being sick, and I hate medicines and hospitals, except for multi vitamins and an occasional anti-flattulent or antacid very rarely, I don't take medicines. And Gods have been kind, I am rarely sick. Last time I was sick was in March 2002 , when I was down with Jaundice during a backpacking trip down Hyderabad and Aurangabad. I guess it was water, and even since I have stopped drinking unsafe water. I remember having down with fever only 4 or 5 times since I grew up. Last fever i had was a long time back just after I declared to my grandma that I am never sick, and she told me," Shhh!! don't say that, say Vishnu Vishnu(manipuri for touch wood equivalent)". Coincidence or a cosmic joke, i was down with fever the next day after many years. Superstitious that I am, I stopped announcing that I was healthy. And being superstitious made me realise that if I keep telling it, God would get tired of making me fall ill again and again, so I don't mind saying that I haven't been sick in 3 years. Vishnu Vishnu. Touch Wood. Since Gods have been kind to me, I also keep my side of the bargain by eating healthy and follow the maxim pevention is the best cure. My ambition in life is to make all the pharma companies bankcrupt.. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Ah! I love Apples, and yeah french beans is very healthy and its green. So french beans is a part of diet. And by the way, a garlive clove or two with your dinner makes you smell awful but its good for health. If you are in the season when fluor cold is common, don't forget to have fresh garlic cloves everyday with dinner. And brush your teeth well.





So, where were we? Oh Coconut and French beans, well I would like to direct you to Sury's since I followed his recipe to the T. Here is the Recipe. The picture is what I cooked.

I put a little more jeera than necessary and the dish was a little strong on jeera, add very little jeera when you cook it. And Sury recomended cury patta, but I forgot to get it so i did it without the cury patta. But for the excess jeera, the food turned out quite well.

And message to all, eat healthy, sleep well, and keep away from medicines. All doctors will tell you that medicines only cure the symptoms, but if you are used to having medicines, you immune systems will be so weak that you can't fight away deseases. Try eating those food that strengthens the immune system. And eating meat is not bad at all. Meat also strengthens the body, one reason why India can't get any gold medal in the olympics is mainly due to this. But again, I won't force anyone but a balance diet should contain everything. Soya beans cannot replace meat as the ruchi soya campaign claims. But better than meat is Fish. Eat fish for brains, the intelligence of the Japanese has much to do with their diet, and why are bengalis smarter than most non-fish eaters.. LOL. I won't say much about Manipuris, Modesty is my name. And yeah, Fish does great for the Libido. I won't say more....

Peek into my Other blog here

Recipe,Beans,French Beans,manipur,South India,Cocunut Dish,Fish,Health Food,

Kheemafied Fish -Manipuri Delicacy

This Post is dedicated to Parna of rannabanna of kitchen Notes. Parna co owns this blog with Prerona. But Parna does most of the cooking. Parna never learnt to cook while at home, and so had to learn via the telephone. God save the phone.. But learnt, she did. She is now is a very refined cook, huh!! Do I hear some clap clap clap..there is a whistle too.. Ahh.. that Babumoshai Out there..

Wait, This is also dedicated to all the Bongs who loves fish like fish love water. One can imagine a fish without water, but a bong without fish? Unimaginable. So sad though, most bongs haven't tasted the dish I am going to prepare today. Well I have started it, and I am writing this as the fish is being cooked at low flame... Ummm I can smell it... You won't find a good piece of fish in the dish, because all the fish have been mashed.. Just imagine the gravy, which is what we are going to have with Basmati rice...
May I also dedicate this to Thalassa Mikra, who had asked me to post a Manipuri Fish Recipe. I have much more up my sleeves lol..

We call is Nga Atoiba..( Nga=fish, can you pronounce.. Ng is ka-kha-ga-gha-nga in the devnagari script). Atoiba means well mixed or broken into small pieces or well kheema would be a better word. No Manipuri Feasts , unless it is vegetarian feast during shradh or rath jatra, is complete without this paticular dish. And believe me, ask any of your Bengali relative who had been to Manipur how they liked the kheema fish curry or nga Atoiba. They will surely tell you how they miss it. When Bengali Brides married to a Manipuri return from their Maike( parental home), the first thing they miss is a Nga Atoiba. Trust me.. This is heavenly..

Ingredients:
# 750 grams of Fish(about a pound). Cut the slice into four further pieces. it c\should be about 1 inch cubes as you see. Mix a little turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for half an hour.

# One large potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes as in the picture above.
# Two medium tomatoes cut the same way in the picture.
# One medium onion, again chopped the way u see in the pic.
# half a kaotori of green peas
And spices- Whole Jeera, jeera powder and dhania powder, heeng( asafoetida), meethi( fenugreek), chilli and turmeric powder.
# 1 inch finger of ginger, 7-8 cloves of garlic both crushed with mortar pestle or mixer.

Break here: Will go and finish it. Also have to take a picture...
Now,
Steps:

Heat oil in a pan, and semi fry the fish. Don't fry till cooked. Just fry as much as the colour slightly turns. Keep aside.

Heat 2 Tbs of oil( use mustard oil if you have), and add 1 tsp of whole jeera and a pinch of heeng and then add the onions.
Fry till Onions are brown and add half tsp of fenugreek, then add the ginger garlic paste.
Add the poataoes and peas and fry together.
Now add half a tsp of turmeric and equal amount of chilli powder.
Add 1 tsp of jeera powder, and 1 tsp dhania powder.
Add the fish, and mix well and add salt to taste. Cover and cook in low flame for 10 minutes.
Take care that it don't get burned, remove the cover and stir from time to time.
Now after the 10 minutes, add the tomatoes and increase the heat.
Fry for 5 minutes, and add 2 cups of water. Cook till potatoes are done and mash some potatoes and tomatoes to mix with the gravy.

Now, for this dish, tempering is very important.
Heat oil in a separate kadhai, or pan.
Add 1 bay leaf, 2 kashmiri chilli, and half a tsp of Jeera. Add half a tsp of Finely chopped ginger.
Pour this into the fish. Mix and garnish with chopped Coriander or Cilantro.

I have just tasted a spoonful. It didn't disappoint me.
Dear Bongs who can cook, try this out. This is one delicious dish I tell you.

I used the fish called Bao, looks like Rohu but slightly darker and quite a bigger head. Katla or Rohu might also be used.

Now, since all the fice pieces are minced while cooking, you will find a lot if spines or thorns.
But, would rose have been so precious without the thorns. Tagore said, "A rose is a great deal more than a blushing apology for its thorns" . It is imprinted at the metro Station at rabindra Sadan, Calcutta.
Be carefull when you eat it, but its worth it.
You may also ask for boneless fish if you are too afraid, or use bigger fishes. it is easier to sort out the bones as you eat since bigger fish have bigger spines.

This is best cooked with a fish that we call sareng. Cooked the same way, but a different fish. In bengali that fish is called Buwal macch.. Try cooking buwal macch this way... And use garlic liberally during tempering( Buwak is smelly, no?)


PS: Instead of onions, we use a particular herb that looks like garlic chives but since its is not available many places and I am still unsure if it is garlic chives, I have used onions. This particular herb is said to be available in All china towns all over the world. Swati, just use Chives and see the taste. if it is good than it has to be chives afterall...

Have a nice weekend.. Peek into my other blog at Anthonysmirror
And please, do leave a comment. It makes us going lol.

Recipe,Fish,manipur,Kheema,Minched Fish,Desi

Egg Curry- again

I have often been asked to post pictures as well. So today I remembered to take the pictures before I cooked myself a very delicious, filling and simple egg curry. the recipe was posted earlier here as eggy treat.

Very simply cooked. the ingredients are all you see but for Salt, turmeric, Jeera and dhania powder and red chilli powder. Green chilli sliced into halves could also be added when frying the onions. Heat oil in a pan, cut the eggs in halves and fry both side till you get a colour like you see n the picture and keep aside. into the oil add half tsp whole jeera and let it crackle, add onions and Fry the onions till golden brown, add the garlic paste, fry for 30 seconds and add half tsp each of dhania powder, jeera powder, 1/4 tsp of chilli powder and 1/4 tsp of turmeric. Add the potatoes and tomato and green peas( all pre-poiled). the potatoes could be mashed roughly before adding or it can be mashed in the pan only using a spatula. Add water and cook for 10 minutes. Now add the eggs and cook for 5 minutes more. garnish with Coriander. I had run out of coriander leaves...


Excuse the aesthetics, it is afterall a bachelor's recipe and after a hard days' work, I couldn't care much about Aesthetics. Believe me it was Yummy. And I have tried to make it as bachelor as possible LOL.

My other Blog : A Journey called Life
Comments make bloggers going.. Do leave a comment..
Recipe,Egg,manipur,Egg Curry,Food Photography,Desi

Anthony’s Desi Chili Chicken

I like Chinese Dishes, if it is cooked properly.
I like their prawn dishes, and I always order Chowmein with gravy.
The one they serve with lots of steamed vegetables , the noodles baked at best, but not fried in that horrible mix of Oil and Soya sauce. Somehow, I don’t like soya sauce with every dish. Sans the Soya, Chilli Chicken tastes great.
I like cooking in different ways and my Kitchen is a Laboratory, I had even posted a healthy Chicken dish cooked without oil, in my previous Blog. By the way, I might move to TypePad soon. Without categories, a recipe blog don’t look like a cook blog.

OK, the Chicken Chilli, oh yeah, I promise I will put up the pictures soon. I always forget to photograph them. This is a very simple recipe. You could cook it today..

Ingredients:
Half a kilo of chicken cut small, an inch cube.
1 tsp each Whole Jeera and powder,
1 tsp coriander powder.
A pinch of heeng( Asafoetida)
Dried Kasuri Meethi.
1 inch finger of ginger and about 15 cloves of garlic Chopped well.
5-10 Green Chillis, sliced in halves ( the more the hotter, not necessarily tastier).Use depending upon your capacity to withstand ;-)

Preparation:

1. Heat 2 Tbs oil in a deep non-stick kadhai (for this U don’t need a Aluminium or cast iron kadhai Like I always suggest, non stick works just fine).

2. Add the Whole Jeera and let it crackle, then add a pinch of heeng.
3. Add the Chicken, and keep tossing with a wooden Spatula.
(Water will come out of the chicken.)
4. Add salt to taste.

Fry the chicken till meat and oil separates.
5. Add the Green Chilli and chopped ginger-garlic.
Fry for about 10 minutes, keep tossing
6. Add the Kasuri Meethi, then Sprinkle the jeera and dhania powder.
It will be done After 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander.
Eat with Dal and Rice. Yummmm

Cook,Recipe,Desi,Chicken,Chilli Chicken,Chinese

Anthony’s Pakoda Kadhi

More with fritters:

This is a delicacy that we serve in every vegetarian grand feast. There are sweet variety, vegetable laden pakora( Palak Pakora like) curry and so on. I haven’t quite mastered it the way, the Brahmin cooks prepare for the manipuri Grand feast called usov, derived from Utsav I presume. Never the less, these pakoda curries are very taste.

The Kadhi that we used to get in the hostel, and even in the restaurants is prepared with curd and besan, but I don’t like the taste much either. Also, the Kadhi tend to get sour sometimes. In the Manipuri version, curd is not used but besan is used. I still haven’t been able to get the perfect curry,but I have discovered better way to prepare the Kadhi. If you get the matter(white pea) dal, nothing like it. Otherwise you have to use matter.

For the Kadhi( my version of curdless kadhi),

If you have got matter dal, use it. Otherwise soak mattar in hot water. After about half an hour, the peel will start to come out. Use your fingers to separate the peel from the mattar, its not possible to separate every grain of pea/matter. Separate s much as possible and wash it.

Now either this peas or matter dal if you have it, boil well. Use one cup of dal and about 3 cups of water. Add 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp ground ginger.( you may add a roughly chopped onion also). Cook, Three whistle should do. Now drain, the water from the dal. It is the water or stock that we are going to use for the curry. Remove the dal or mattar and keep the stock aside.

For the Pakora:

1. Mix 2 cups besan( Mattar Besan if you can get other wise any besan), with 1 tsp jeera powder, 1 tsp Dhania powder, 1 tsp chilli powder, a 1/3 tsp of baking soda and salt to taste.

2. Add water slowly and keep mixing the mixture. Make into a thick paste.
Add 2 tbs finely chopped coriander and one cup finely chopped palak

Step 2 might be done without. The pakora may be made without t
the greens. Taste different.

3. Heat oil in a shallow pan. Now using the finger pick up small lumps about 1.5 inchs diameter and deep fry them till golden brown. Remove and keep on tissue paper or towel to remove excess oil.

For the curry:

Heat oil, and add jeera, bay leaves, some curry pata, a tsp of mustard seed and chopped ginger. Fry for sometime and add a pinch of heeng (asafoetida) and pour the stock that you left aside. Let it boil for 5 minutes and add the pakoras.

If you want to have the Original kadhi, instead of the stock, pour in a mixture of 2 tbs besan( chick pea or Matar-Pea) with Curd, add some water and bring to boil. (I somehow don't like the sour taste.) . A pinch of turmeric may also be added just before the mix is poured. add salt to taste, Add the Pakodas.... yummm

Eat with rice. cheers
Recipe, Bachelor Cooking, Fries,Bhaji, Vada pao, Snacks, Indian Cooking, Cook,Kadhi

Delicious Pakoras- Vegetables or prawn fritters

How to Fry Delicious Pakodas.
We call it Bora, some people call it Boris.
It is all the same.

It is most common in Maharastra, where you see it in the ubiquitous Vada-Pav, and Bhaji-Pao.

The Bhaji or Vada or pakoras can of several varieties,
Say- Kandha(onion) Bhaji, Aloo(potato) Bhaji, Bengan(Egg Plant) Bhaji, Green- Chilli Bhaji, cauliflower, even ladies Finger which makes great Bora.

Here On, I will refer it as Bodas. For the Non-Hindi Speakers, These are what might call “Fritter” made by deep frying Vegetables or even prawns by dipping in a batter of Gram(pulses) Flour.

Somehow, I love those Bodas and I always try them in the oddest of stalls, my friends wouldn’t even stand near me. But I love the Fries, knowing fully well that they must be using substandard oil which they use for months together. They never replace the whole oil and just replenish, which is quite unhealthy. But still, I can’t resist a nice aloo boda or a bengan Bora.

Enough of your talk Tony, just tell them, How to Fry it?OK, The taste depends on the batter you are going to prepare.
So take utmost care while preparing it.
Even the thickness or consistency matters a lot.
Why I decided to post this recipe is because of something I have noticed everywhere in India. The Besan that is used for the batter is the usual Besan most widely available Chana(Chick Peas) besan. So, for those who haven’t tried The Mattar( White peas) besan Boras don’t really know how a Mattar besan Bora tastes like.
Believe me it tastes much better.
It is available In Kolkata, but it is not commonly available elsewhere.
Well you have to adjust with Chana Besan if it is not available. But see if you can find it.

Steps:
Pour the Besan into a Bowl.
Ok, though I hate measurements, make it two cups.
Into it add half a Teaspoon of Jeera powder,
half a teaspoon Dhania Powder,
about half of that measurement(1/4) of Haldi(turmeric),
Half teaspoon Red Chilli Powder,
¼ teaspoon of cooking Soda and
Two table spoon Finely Chopped Coriander and Salt to taste.

Mix well, start pouring water from a cup slowly and keep stirring so that the batter is even and consistent. Add water till the batter is thick enough to stick to the vegetable( egg a round slice of Potato) but not thin enough that it runs away from the Potato Slice. Thickness has to be perfect. So add water very slowly. You will learn after some practice.

Batter is done.


Vegetables:
Potatoes, Onions, Brinjals and ladies-finger make Fine
Pakoras.
For the Non-vegetarians, Prawns and Shrimps make the best
Pakoras.

Use large Potatoes, large onions, and for the Brinjal, use the longer variety and dark colored variety. Cut them into round slices. Just cut top-down into slices. Thick as 5 rupee coin, brinjal can be thicker.
For the Ladies Finger( bhindi) , use whole but make a cut sideways but the cut should not be so deep the vegetable fall into halves.
Onions , cut the rounds, top down, not sideways. It will fall off. Make thick slices. Its difficult to cut onions into slices and keep intact but you can try till you learn it. Trick is to let the top hold it together.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. There should be enough oil, about half a centimeter deep. When the oil is hot dip the vegetable spice into the batter, let the batter stick to the veg and drop slowly into the pan. It is difficult. Use a Spatula, A long handles spoon with rectangular flat face. You can keep the vegetable slice and let it slid into the Pan, but best way is to use your hand and let it dip slowly.

Use a Slotted spatula or spoon to pick up and turn the fries. Better still use a pair of Tongs, it is very handy to turn the fries, even while picking them up.

This Picture is not original, but downloaded via google images. the credit for the pic goes here.

The fry must be done on a very low heat. If the heat is not low, it will cook and even burn the batter but not the vegetable inside. Cook on low flame till one side is done. This you may check my using the tong by picking up and see the colour. And of course by hit and trial. The colour changes to deep yellow, even darker. You will Know. Trust me. Once its done, turn them. Keep in mind: The second side don’t take as long as the first. Using the tong or slotted Spatula to remove the fries, hold for sometime over the pan so that oil drips away. Remove and lay them on a basket lines with a towel of tissue paper if you want to remove excess oil. Using a slotted Spoon( the one like a Sieve, I will post the pic soon.) to remove any remaining bits of fried batter from the pan before adding the next batch. Eat as snacks, eat as side dish, and do leave a comment before and after you have tried it.
Cauliflowers shouldn't be cut to slices ;-)
Dip the bit size florets and just fry, you will need more oil for cauliflower.
Say about an 2 centimeters deep ;-)

PS: For the Kandha Bhajiya or Palak Bhajiya variant, use chopped( into long slices) onions an mix with the same batter mix. Use your fingers to pick up bite size pieces and drop into the oil. For this the depth of the oil in the frying pan need to be more ;-) .
For palak, wash the palak well, cut or chop them, and mix with the batter. Fry away.

Non-Veg: If it is prawn, dip each prawn into the batter.
For smaller shrimps, mix like you did the palak/onions.
But When you pick up the mix in your fingers to dip
into the oil make sure that the mix spreads out into a
flat slice-like fry instead of the chunk-like onions Boda.


Bon Apetit.

Recipe, Bachelor Cooking, Fries,Bhaji, Vada pao, Snacks, Indian Cooking, Cook

Easy Base

Copy Pasted from earlier Blog but it is Important:

All my concoctions are based on my basic funda or tenet of cooking. Don't assume that all my dish will taste the same. I have come to the conclusion after much experimentation, no cookbook recipes, that base can be the same for most dishes. A little more or less of the ingredients makes the difference. You will of course need some Hit and Trial but your food will seldom go bad if you follow what I have to say. My Basic Funda… My base for basic cooking…. For Bachelors.Don't let the masala kill the taste of the food you are cooking. The taste should be of the Pumpkin, the gourd, the cauliflower, the Chicken, the peas and not the Masala. The base of Mix Veg and Veg kolhapuri and the base of Kadhai Paneer don't taste much different in many of the PURE-VEG restaurants. Even if the Base is similar, a good cook brings out the taste, the uniqueness of each Dish.I will give the same Masala but my Chole dish and My Kaala Moong dish will taste so different and so good, you will be surprised, and thank me. All my base will go similar.Finely chop Onions. It can be chopped two ways.
- Chop top down so that they are Matchstick Thin and as long as the height of the onion. It may also be chopped again horizontally to get finely chopped small pieces. But for
finely chopped onions you need not make the Onions Matchstick Thin.
For most of my dish, just the chopping top down will do.Ginger-Garlic- Very Finely Chopped for chicken dishes.
Crushed to a paste for other Meat and vegetable Dishes. Use a Coarser in
the mixer-grinder and don’t grind it to a thin paste. Let it be a little coarse.
Mix in a small bowl, Turmeric, chilli powder, Dhania and Jeera powder. Add water and make a medium thick paste. Just thin enough that it could be poured from the bowl.First Fry Onions( finely chopped ) till slight brown.Add Ginger Garlic Paste or Finely ChoppedFry till onions are Golden Brown and add the masala mix.
Let it fry in small flame till oil separates from the mixture.. You may now add prawns or chicken or what not and start cooking

Mutton Chops.

I called it mutton chops because that is what the butcher will understand.
What I am going to cook here is the single bachelor's version of A Lamb chop/Grilled lamb Chops or Prime Ribs to be more west. Serendipity might be what led me to have tried and tested this most ingenious recipe. I had gone to guy a Hot plate for preparing tea when I couldn't get LPG for some time due to glut on the supplier's part and lack of time from my part to stay home during the day. I realise I couldn't prepare any kadhai-waala dish on the hotplate since it needed a flat bottom pan and I was thinking of the dishes that could only be prepared on a flat non stick Pan, I passed this mutton shop. I had never tried Lamb Ribs earlier, and my favorite chops remain pork ribs.. Ah!! how I miss Kolkata and The Atrium at The Park, and also 6 Ballygunge place, but the Chops at 6 ballygunge tend to be too messy with lots of fat. Atrium serves well chosen meat.

Now this is a pure bachelor type cooking, very simply cooked and awesome taste, vegetarian Visitors, sorry again, will come upwith a nice vegetarian recipe before this weekend.


Ask the butcher for Chops, he will know how to cut it.
Ask him for softer Ribs as well. Half a Kilo should serve two.
It is a quickie recipe with not much Complexities.
Cook in leisure, eat with dal rice or with a Red wine ;-)
OK let me make it even more simpler.
Wash the meat and keep it in the Non-stick pan.
Add a little turmeric (less than half a teaspoon), On teaspoon Jeera Powder( if available use the one which is not too finely ground- Food Bazaar has this slightly coarse ground jeera), one teaspoon Dhania powder, and add two table spoon of oil. Add salt to taste.
Mix well and keep it for one Hr.

You might have to separate the meat into two portions because I don't want any two meat pieces overlapping. Spread the meat and remove the rest for frying again.

Now put the pan on the hot fire and cook covered in medium heat.
Keep it covered, you will see that juice or water have come out.
Let the juice come out, cook till the water has dried and meat and oil separates.
Soon as the meat and oil separates and there are no water left open the lid and lower the Fire.
Keep presing the meat with the Spoon and when one side is done turn.
When the colour turns slightly brown, but not yet black the meat is done.
Beware! cook in lowflame, let it take time but in low flame.

Cook the second set of meat if there were any left. After it is cooked, add the earlier ribs that were cooked and heat for soe time. In it add one table spoon of ginger-garlic paste( make the pste yourself either using a mortar pestle or a mixie), add a cup of finely chopped tomatoes, mix well and cover the lid and cook for 10 mins in low flame occasionally mixing them.

Serve.
Yummy

Mashed Potato - Bengali Style

In Manipur, we have this dish on thursdays when we refrain from having fish.
Goes well with Daal.
The Bengalis have it often.
And since it is very simple, it is a bachelor's delight.
Almost like Maggi.

Boil Potatoes, 2 large ones.
If you are cooking dal as well, peel the potatoes, cut in Half and boil it with the daal only.
Saves time and makes it a simple second dish.

In the frying pan or kadhai where you will do the tadka,
Add oil for the tadka, make it a little more than usual.

Fry 4-5 Red Chillis( Peppers) in it, as the chili gets puffed
and start to change its colours to dark brown, remove and keep aside.
Add Onions cut into thin slices. ( Half an onion should do, keep half of it for the tadka)
Add half a handful of spring onions cut in inch pieces.
Fry till the Onions are golden brown.
Remove them with a sieve or spoon so that oil remains back in the kadhai for the dal tadka

Now crush the fried Chilli which must be crispy by now.
Use a mortar pestle or use the back ofa steel tumbler to crush them.
Add salt just enough taste while crushing so that it i easier to crush also.
Add the fried onions and spring onions into the mix, and crush more.
Mash the potatoes and mix with the crushed mixture well. Also mix Chopped corianders.

If you have mustard oil, add a teaspoon of it into the mashed potatoes to get a genuine bengali taste. Make into balls and aim at the wall. just kidding. Keep the balls on the dish as a side dish.

Simple Home Cooked Chicken

Not for the west where there is fear of the bird flu.
And not for my Vegetarian friends.
If you are either of the above two, scroll down much further for Vegetarian dish.


Try out this age old dish of Chicken Curry.
Surprise your roommate.
Chicken is the easiest dish to cook and its so tasty, if cooked the right way.
I even cook it without oil and still taste good.
I will write that some other day.

Simple Chicken Curry (gravy) on the lines of Chicken Butter Masala/Chicken Kadhai ..



Utensil: One thick bottomed Aluminium Kadhai (or the Iron Kadhai like in the Picture if available) is preferable. Otherwise a Non-Stick will do.

Ingredients:
1) kilo Dressed Chicken
2) Large Onions ( too much onions will make the dish sweet) finely Chopped. Chop first vertically and then Horizontally.
3) Equal amounts of very finely chopped Ginger and Garlic or crushed not so finely . No paste, please. Each after getting chopped should be about a tablespoon each.
4) Mix 1 teaspoon of Turmeric with one teaspoon of Chilli Powder and one teaspoon of methi. Add water and make a thin paste.
5) Two leaves of bayleaf
6) Dhania and Jeera Powder one teaspoon each. Also some Jeera gota(unpowdered whole)
7) One Tea spoon of MDH Chicken masala
8) Coriander
9) Salt and Pepper to taste
10) Mustard Oil. Any edible oil will do but mustard oil makes good chicken.
11) 2 tomatoes finely chopped and 2 medium potatoes cut into large cubes( believe me potato taste good)

Steps:

Heat Oil in the Kadhai. Oil should be just enough to fry all the onions. I suggest three table spoons though i never measure and use my judgement. The oil should cover the onions.
If the Oil is mustard, small bubbles will form. Heat till most of the bubbles diappear and some smoke start to appear.
Vegetable oil need not be heated as long.
Put the Bay leaves and a teaspoon of Whole Jeera.
Add Onions right-after and fry till onions change colour to slight brown.
Put the Chopped Ginger Garlic and fry for some more till onions are golden brown. (Its should not be so brown that it looks burnt)
Now pour in the chilli-turmeric-meethi mix into it.
If you don't have meethi, its fine. Do without it.
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes and add the chicken.
Start frying the chicken and using a large spoon Mix well.
Keep mixing till the whole mixture is homogenious.
Fry for 10 minutes and add the Potatoes.
Add salt to taste, Lower the flame and cover the Kadhai.
Cook in low flame that way for 15-20 minutes, but don't forget to turn or mix using the same spoon every 4-5 minutes.
After 20 minutes, open and add jeera-dhania powder .
Now increase the heat and cook till most of the liquid (coming out from the meat) in the kadhai is evaporated.
When most of the water had evaporated( will take about 4-5 minute) add two cups of water and when it start boiling add the chicken masala and tomatoes.
Cook for 10 minutes and Its done.
Add some pepper and garnish with the coriander leaves.
Eat with Rice or whatever. Yummy

Play with Daal

Daal mein Taal Daal, The simple ubiquitous Daal could be so exciting, and can be your main curry.

Continuing with my copy paste Job.

How to make a good Dish out of Daal?

Always cook Arhar or Mattar dal( rare but available). Makes much better and tastier dal. You could even do without a subjee. I am telling out of experience.

Now,
-Put your measure of dal in a pressure cooker.
- Now add finely chopped onions(One large onion, keep 1/4 for the tadka).
-Add one teaspoon of crushed ginger.
-Add a pinch of haldi/turmeric to the dal, the measure should be your judgement. (Some brands of haldi are sharper than others. Again experiment, hit and trial. You are not going to cook for a five start hotel. You are going to cook a nice home meal. Ghar ka khana. But never be generous with haldi, Namak or Chilli )

-Add Tomatoes. Two medium sized tomatoes should do.
-Cover the Pressure cooker and wait till 2 whistle.
-Let the pressure cool down by itself in room temp.
-If you are in a hurry, let it give 4-5 whistle by lowering the heat( otherwise bubbles will come out of the whistle and will make a mess out of your kitchen)
-Then cool the whole pressure cooker under tap water.

For the tadka
- Heat oil in a pan.
-When sufficiently hot and the oil start to give out a little smoke, lower the flame.
-Add A teaspoon of jeera, a bayleaf or two and 3 red chillis together.
-After a few seconds, add the remaining finely chopped onions and fry till golden brown or the juice out of the onion has been fried out
-Just Before the Onions are golden brown, add a teaspoon of moderately crushed garlic.
-When the Onion is just right, pour the Boiled dal.
-Bring to a boil for 3 minutes,
add salt to taste and garnish with dhania.

Eat with rice, again out of the Pan. You are a bachelor right.?

***Variations:

With Veg:
Nice One try this-
While boiling the Dal, one can add French bean or Long beans or cauliflowers or peas or a mix of the same or even potato cubes. Just increase the quantity of the tadka ingredients like a little more oil, a little more ginger garlic and in such case don't forget to add a little jeera-dhania powder after the onions are slightly golden brown.

With Fish:

While Boiling, if you add fried Fish Head (preferably Rohu), you get a real good bengali Dish call Maccher Matha Diye Dal. Assamese call it Mouri Ghonto...Real Yummy.
For this, increase the ingredients in tadka accordingly. A little generous oil and Crushed ginger garlic helps. During the first stepof the tadka, add a little asafoetida( heeng) ,very little, along with the jeera and bayleaves.
And after the tadka, boil the curry for a little while longer.

Thai Salad

This is a copy-paste job from my old Blog from where I have moved here.

I call this Thai salad because the person who first taught me how to cook this simple meal said it was called Thai salad. He couldn't have been wrong he had a Thai Girl Friend.

Ingredients: ( I don't measure, as always, measure with your judgement)-
Tomatoes- cut to cubes.. cut twice vertically to get 4 slice and then cut again horizontal to get 8 squarish pieces. OK 2 tomatoes( i am measuring this once)

Two Onions cut the same way as the Tomatoes
Two carrots. Scrap the Skin, cut into two inches long fingers and then make into 4 equal slices cuting vertically
Two cucumbers- peeled and cut the same way as the Carrots
Some green chillies, sliced into halves
3 Eggs
Soya sauce, red chilli powder, and some Sunflower oil

Now,
Break the eggs and whip them with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour about a tablespoon of oil into a nonstick deep bottom frying pan.
Pour in the eggs and scramble it mildly.
When the eggs are half done, out them in one side of the pan using the spoon.
Or you may remove into a plate, i don't.

Slightly bend/turn the pan so that oil flows to the empty side,
put the onions and then follow with the rest of the salad.
Mix with the Spoon without mixing with the eggs. Its possible. Keep to ur side of the pan.
Pour a table spoon of soya sauce into the veg mixture.
Add little red chilli powder and salt to taste.
Saute well for about a minute and then mix with the eggs .
Mix and slightly fry for a few minutes.
I say 2-3 minutes, the veg shouldn't be cooked.Jjust let the soya sauce mix.

Remove and eat with a Fork.

Russian Salad

Russian Salad

Ingredients

Mayonnaise and Vegetables

2 hard Boiled eggs cut in cubes

Vegetables that can go in the salad are

Green Peas, French Beans, Potatoes, Carrots, Beet, cauliflower or brocolli.

I have tried with even onions, onions doesn't come out well.

The above vegetables, cut into small cubes and keep in a steel container and steam them in a pressure cooker. Its better of they are not diectly boiled. If you don't know how to steam just boil them, but boil all the vegetabls separately and drain the excess water.

In case you are steaming it , drop a few beans or dried peas or even small pebbles inside the cooker before putting the container with the vegetables, so that there are some water between the container containing the veg and bottom of the cooker. The vegetables should just be a little more than half boiled. Overcooked russian salad taste awful.

Now drain any excess water and keep the vegetables mixing bowl and cool them.

Add the eggs, or/and paneer cubes(for vegetarians)

Add mayonnaise, two table spoons to half a cup should do, depending on how you like the taste. Mix well and chill it in the Freezer. Just chill, not deep freeze. For a more indianised version, sprinkle some red Chilli powder. Enjoy..

Adding fruits like Apples, Pineapple and grapes makes it a slightly different variant. try it.


Visit Anthonysmirror

Friday treat- an Eggy Treat

Silverine left a comment in my old cook blog that my recipes were tried and tested.
Oh yes, they are. These aren't even recipes, just some concoctions that I have cooked many times in the strings of bachelor pads that I have dwelt in. Most of the lessons were tele-learnt. My mom on the phone, me on the phone and kadhai. I like to learn as well, and some people have taught me along the way. Like the Thai salad, which I will copy from my old blog and post it here again.

Along the way, I have learnt another thing. Its not the recipe, but how you cook it. No stopwatch and no measurements can make the perfect dish. I detest measurements likewise. If one really want to cook well, he/she must experiment. All the senses must be used, to know the correct timing, the right smell and the right colour or even the right softness or thickness. Many things matter, and one must be passionate about the dish.

I am quite amazed by the fact that raw vegetables or raw meat could turn out to be the various dishes that we enjoy by mixing them in a cooking vessel and heating them. It is like creating something, much like writing a software program or making those science tools for scinece exhibitions as a kid. All the three have never failed to amaze me. I think the keyword is creation, how would it be to create a baby :-)
As I am writing this, i had to think about how to cook the eggs and it suddenly made me hungry. I am going for lunch now..

Hmm, the Chicken masala wasn't too bad. i ate well, needed the energy. I have a meeting with the Delivery Unit Head at 2:30. Our canteen does serve some good food by the way. We even have a Cafe Cofee day....express.

As usual my friday recipe

Egg Curry:

I have promised this recipe for a long time time now. I have managed to forget posting it.
Someone left me a coment about Egg Rassa so here I am. Nupur had posted a recipe on egg rassa earlier. Opps... just found out its a different Nupur. Not the one from Nupur in the kitchen.

Here is the recipe.
A very simple to cook yet mouth-watering dish; goes well with rice.
My mom cooks the best Egg-curry even today, better than all my Aunts and I have learnt it well from her.

Ingredients:
4 hard boiled eggs cut in half
3-4 large Potatoes Boiled and peeled.
( it could either be cut into cubes or mashed lightly into thumb sized chunks)
3 Tomatoes, chopped loosely.

One large onion, chopped.
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste. Make the paste urself in a mixer or crush in a mortar pestle. And don't make a very fine paste. Make it loose
4-5 green chillis sliced in halves.
Cumin seed(whole as well as powder), and Dhania(coriander seed) powder.
red chili powder, turmeric and salt.

Now, heat 3 table spoon vegetable oil in a frying pan.
Add the eggs with the face with the yolk down, bubbles will form. Let it form.
Fry for 3-4 minutes, and before the face bets burnt, it should just change to pale brown colour
turn them and fry the egg white as well for about a minute.

Remove the eggs, and in the remaining oil put 1 teaspoon of whole cumin seed and the onions.
As usual, fry the onions till golden brown. Add green chilli midway, before the onions are brown.

This is the trick, the water in the onion must be fried dry and yet the
onion must not burn. Also the bubbles or froth already in the oil might confuse
you, just add the onions and it will subside.

After the onions are golden brown, add the ginger garlic paste, and fry for 1 minute.
Now add half a teaspoon of turmeric, half teaspoon of jeera powder, a teaspoon of dhania powder and half a tespoon of red chilli powder.
Without further delay add the Pre-boiled potatoes and fry them together.
Add the tomatoes also. and fry in low flame for a few minutes.
Add water, about 2 cups and cook for 3-4 minutes.
It will start to smell good now, add the eggs slowly and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add salt to taste.
Add green Coriander leaves, loosely chopped.

And here is your Egg Curry. Eat with rice. This is the ultimate bachelor Dish, easy to cook, good to eat .

PS: Cutting the eggs into halves is not easy, the yolk tend to come
out. Take care while cutting, use a Sharp knife and out some oil on the
knife blade so it doesn't stick to the egg while cutting.
Use oil to your taste, a little more oil doesn't hurt.

Talking About Eggs, I also love Russian Salad with or without eggs.

Ootti- Veg delight from manipur

I Shall introduce to the world, today, a manipuri delicacy, very simple to cook but I promise you, its very very addictive and very heavy. I sugest you try it on a lazy sunday noon. In manipuri, we call it "ootti"( 'ti' read as in liberty not as in ooty). A grand feast, and we have many grand feast( for any occasion from shradh to childbirth, marriage to death anniversary), house warming to festivals, is never complete without this dish. We Prepare it on the Manipuri New Year.
And my Mom cooks the best Ootti, and she cooks a lot when she does because, if our neighbour comes to know that my mom cooked OOTTI and was not shared at least a bowl, hell would have had hath no fury than the neigbour denied of my mom's Ootti.
I have cooked the same dish many times by now, with cell phone in one hand, spatula in another.It was almost as if my Mom remote cooked them. And thats how I learnt most of the recipes. And I am passionate about cooking, not gourmet cooking per se but simple Home meals. I prefer 5 Stars hotels for Gourmet Food and don't even wanna try cooking them, or maybe I do. Someday, when I retire, maybe.


Now for the Ootti.
Ingredients:
A small onion or half a big onion cut into thing slivers, not chopped both ways but chopped finely in top down fashion.
A small finger of ginger, crushed.
Teaspoon of whole JeeraFew bay Leaves,
A few dried red chillis,
Cooking Soda,
Peas(White mattar)..
OK Peas, not peanuts not chick peas but Peas. tell the bania that you want white Mattar( green also serves). The peas should have been soaked overnight. 4 hours also might do depending upon the Pea's quality :-)

1) See if you can get green garlic leaves. These are not actually garlic leaves, but the barcode in Foodbazaar( of Bigbazaar) says its garlic leaves. It looks like spring onions but thinner and not hollow. Spring onion is hollow while this herb is not. Its a long leaf, looks like grass but longer and soft and very nice smelling. It is the Manipuri substitute of Spice. Gives instant flavor to any dish, when fried along with the onions. If you are lucky you might get it in Food Bazaar, otherwise just the onions will do.
Process:
Cook the pre-soaked peas in a pressure cooker. Peas to water ratio should be 1:2. Give about 2 whistles and let cool. After the cooker has cooled down, open the cooker and see if the peas are cooked. This is very crucial. The peas cannot be over cooked or undercooked. Take out a few peas in a spoon and crush with your find. The peas should give away without any pressure, yet it shouldn't crumble or break-down easily.

Let it boil, for some time.
Add salt to taste.
Now, in the boiling peas, add the cooking soda.
Measurement? Ahh!!! ok, slightly more than half the amount of salt you have put.
Now Beware!!!!!!
Don't forget to lower the heat when you put the Soda, because there will be lots of bubble formation and might spill out like boiling milk. Don't worry, it normal.
Let it boil in low flame.
In the other burner, heat a pan( preferably concave bottom and non stick).
Heat two table spoon of oil,
Add the BayLeaves(2 or 3).
Add the Jeera.
Add the Chilli, and turn them.
When chilli becomes dark brown( takes less than a minute to burn, don't burn).. remove the chillis and add to the Boiling mattar.
Add the onions to the oil. Fry till golden brown.(Had you got the green garlic leaves, you could have added it along with the onions after cutting them one inch long)
Add the Ginger.
Pick up this whole tadka and pour into the boiling Mattar.
Cook for a minute and its done.
Serves well with Rice, but even better with Manipuri Khichdi..

Manipuri Khichdi

Manipuri Khichdi, have it with any Gravy and you will come back for more.
It is not like the short cut Khicdi, taken when you are sick or by the poor.
It is a delicacy, we serve during the rath Jatra festival. Every evening for 10 days.
We serve it on lotus leaves which gives out a very sweet smell and makes it taste even better.
If you haven't tasted manipuri khichdi on Lotus leaf, you haven't tasted real khichdi.
Come to manipur during rath Jatra and enjoy..Goes well with Ootti, recipe of which I shall post soon.
Ingredients:
1)Basmati Rice, 250 grams( don't complain if its not enough. The measure should be slightly less than how much you took for Rice)
2) Arhar Dal. 1/3 rd the amount of rice.
3) Peanuts( ground nut). One katora( about 4 table spoon)
4) Butter two tablespoon.
5) Pure Ghee two table spoon.
6) Whole Jeera, one teaspoon.
3 red chilli, 3 bay leavesand 3 pieces of elaichi and clove each. Haldi, namak etc.
7) Half an Onion, finely chopped
8) Ginger-Garlic freshly ground or chopped well. One teaspoon

1. Boil the dal in water, in a pressure cooker. Water should be a little
more than twice the amount of rice and dal mixed. When the water and dal
starts boiling add half a teaspoon of haldi. Let it boil for few minutes,
then add the rice. Add salt to taste.

2. In a Frying pan, heat the ghee( leave half a tablespoon) and add the
jeera, bayleaves and chilli elaichi and cloves. Now add the onions and fry till golden brown
and add the ginger garlic paste. Pour it into the boiling cooker of
dal-rice. Cover the cooker and let go of two whistles and let cool.

3) Heat remaining ghee and then fry the Peanuts. Fry in low heat till the
coulour changes to slightly dark. the peanut will taste soggy, if not fried
well, but fry too well it will be bitter. Like i keep saying heat and trial,but trick is fry in low heat for about 4 minutes.
When the pressure from the cooker has subsided, open it. Add the butter along with the peanuts and mix well.

The Khichdi is ready to serve. With OOtti or dal or any kind of Subjee or Even acchaar.

VARIATIONS:
The Step 2 above of frying the tadka and pouring can be skipped. After step One directly cover the cokker and whistle twice. Cool down.Then heat pan, add all the ghee, fry the Peanuts till done. Remove the peanut, but let the ghee remain. In the remaining ghee repeat step 2.
Now open the cooker and add pour the fried stuff along with the peanuts. Also add the butter and mix well. This will give a different taste. believe me. Both are equally good.

BACHELOR'S VARIATION 2:
Pure bachelor Khichdi, to be served with Aacchaar.
Heat Ghee in the cooker, directly go to step 2( no step 1).. fry onions and bay leaves and everything.Add haldi and some dhania jeera powder, half teaspoon each. Add water, then the dal boil for 5 minutes and add -2 Potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes-2 tomatoes, chopped-SOme french Beans( your own measure)-Some cauliflower( ur own measure)-2 capsicum-1 katora or 6 tablespoon of green peas.
Boil for 2 minutes, add the rice. Add salt to taste. Cover and whistle twice. No need for the peanut or butter part. Good if you can add, Okay if you on't.
Serves well even with Aacchaar.And cooks real fast. No need for a second dish too. Its a real Life saver for bachelors.

Read more about Manipur

Bachelor's Chole Masala With little Masala

Serves 4 with Rice or Chapatti.
Cooking time: half Hr.

What you will Need:
200 gms Chole, soaked in water for at least 5 hours.( Or two cups at pre soaked stage)
Three large Tomatoes.
Two Medium Potatoes.
3 green chillis chopped well
I tablespoon each of ginger and garlic paste(medium ground, should not become too smooth. make it half grind)
One large Onion Finely Chopped.

Keep ready
Jeera Powder, Dhania powder, Chilli Powderwhole jeera, 3 cloves(laung), 3 Elaichi, 2 bay leaves, Three Dried chilliGreen Coriander leaves

# For South Indian or Madrasis :-)Keep some curry patta and 1 cup scrapped Coconut

Boil the Soaked Chole with The potatoes( peeled and cut in half) in pressure cooker.
(for quantity of water, the level be one inch above the top surface of the chole.)
Also add the Tomatoes as it is(without cutting).
For the Southerners, add the Coconut while boiling.

Now depending on the chole(diff chole takes diff cooking time believe me), After 3 whistles, cool it down or if you want quicker result 6 whistles and run under tap water over it.
The chole should be soft enough that it breaks when you press with spoon,if not boil for some more time.

Keep aside the whole ensemble.
Heat three tablespoon of veg oil in a deep pan.
In the hot oil,Add curry patta, bayleaves, 1 teaspoon whole jeera, 3 dried Chilli, cloves and elaichi.
Now add the Finely chopped Onion and then the chopped green chilli
and fry till the onions are golden brown.
Add now the Ginger Garlic paste, let it mix well and fry for about a minute or two..
Add half a tespoon Turmeric powder,half teaspoon red chilli powder
A teaspoon each of Jeera and dhania powder. fry and make it mix well.

Pick up the cooker and pour the boil chole into the pan along with the water and potatoes and everthing else.
Stir well and press the potato and tomato using a spatula to mix with the gravy. Also press and break some of the chole.
Boil till it slightly thickens.
Sprinkle some MDH chiken masala, and garnish with Coriander.
Its a delight. Cook again to gain expertise.
PS: In cooking, practice makes the food perfect...

Fried Chicken Wings

Tried those chicken wings at Pizza Hut.
Yummy.. no???
None of friends liked it either. They found it too sweet. But I just loved it.
But I thought I'd give it a try.
When i was in Kolkata, we use to get fresh Chicken wings separately.
I don't know if you get it elsewhere, have to try in mumbai as well.
I don't know if a local chicken vendor would give you only wings.
Well, it can be done very quickly and easily at home.
What you need:
1. Half a Kilo of Chicken Wings.
2. 1 Tbs of corn flour.
3. 1 teaspoon Pepper corns, 1 table spoon Whole jeera,
1 teaspoon coriander powder, I teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, a few red chillis.
4. vegetable oil
5. Salt to taste.

Wash the Chicken carefully, drain the water and leave aside.
Slightly roast the Whole jeera and Peppercorn and 3 red chillis.
After roasting for a minute or two, grind well in a mixie.
Now in a mixing bowl keep the chicken wings.
Now add the ground masala, the dhania powder, the chilli powder, flour to it.
Add salt to taste and Mix well.

Heat oil in a deep bottom pan.
Fry four to five wings at a time. or more, just make sure they don't crowd the Pan.
Fry for 5 minutes and turn and fry for further 2-3 minutes.
Lay them out in a Tissue paper to absorb excess oil.
Goes very very well with Chilled Beer

Shifting my Blog from tonyskitchen

I have decided to move my cook blog as well to Blogspot.

Curry Mela at Bachelor Cooking

What are the rules?
What do I do to participate in the Curry Mela of Bachelor Cooking?
How do I submit an entry?
Can I participate in the curry Mela?

These are question that I get so often from new readers.

I never had a page where I describe the food event, that has become somewhat Popular among the Food Bloggers, so here I go.

Curry Mela started out as the Culinlinkus, a name that quite amused me and a few readers, but ruffled a few feathers here and there. I started the Culinlinkus when My blog had started getting about 250+ unique readers in a day, and I thought why not dedicate a day to linking to my favorite recipes that I come across over the week and bookmarked. And I started to post every weekend my favorites recipes that I come across. It was when I decided to convert it into an event where people can send me entries for the event. Anyway I was hosting it every weekend. But the basic tenet remained the same, and even today I still include recipes that I like, even without being entered, into the curry Mela.

Perhaps I will start the culinlinkus again, separately, when I get more time.

Anyway, The Rules are there are no rules!

When I started out, I used to link to any kind of food and Curry Mela doesn’t mean you have to only submit Curries. Curry is a metaphor for Food.

I would more than welcome exotic dishes as well as desserts, Bakes, Continental, Barbeques and everything that can be cooked.

Cook up a dish, post it, and send me the parmalink with subject line as Curry Mela to ANTHONYSMIRROR[AT]GMAIL[DOT]COM. It will be posted in the next curry Mela.

I host the Curry Mela most weekends, and if I miss an event in a weekend, your entry will be up in the next weekend.

Do add a technorati tag as Bachelor Cooking and Curry Mela.

If you feel like providing a link back, link as Curry Mela at Bachelor Cooking.

Thank you very much

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