Bachelor Cooking : Fun Cooking and Easy Recipes!

Easy Vegeterian Recipes and Fun Cooking!

2008-01-27T21:56:00.000+05:30

I started this blog quite a while back. I can trace back the first post here. I blogged many recipes so far, gained me a few pounds from eating all those stuff that blogged. Most of the recipes were found to be interesting by quite a number of visitors. I do have a list of the recipes that I blogged on the side bar, but I will make it more easier by posting some of the good recipes blogged so far. Feel free to browse them, cook them and share how it come out if you happen to cook them :)

Let us start with some of the Vegetarian Recipes:

Paneer Mattar Masala curry

This was a simple paneer recipe that can never go wrong. Nothing fancy, just a good Paneer Curry. But the real winner in this recipe is How I prepared the paneer or cottage cheese from scratch. yes, you can quite easily make paneer at home.

Simple Palak Paneer

This is another Paneer recipe. A real easy palak paneer. Again, nothing fancy, and it doesn't really look like the palak paneer you get at restaurants. I have simplified this so that anyone one can cook it in less than half an hour. Enjoy!

I also have some kick ass Halwa Recipes. Halwa is an Indian Sweet dish, that can be had as a dessert, or breakfast, or even a snack. Indians do love sweet snacks.

Gajjar ka Halwa

This is an easy way of making Gajjar ka Halwa. Gajjas or Carrot is grated and cooked in Milk and butter, with dried fruits to add that special thing.

Beet ka Halwa

Quite similar to the carrot halwa, but with Beet and this also taste just awesome.

White Peas Cooked with baking soda

Ootti ver 2.0

I actually blogged the above recipe twice. It is a Manipuri delicacy called "Ootti". A real wonning recipe that tastes awesome with rice or Khichdi, and even Puri.

Rice Kheer

This is something like Rice Porridge, again an Indian Sweet dish that is had as dessert or even breakfast. Rice cooked in milk and flavored with raisins and what not.

Peanut Palak Saag

This is a simple spinach or palak recipe. A unique combination of spinach and peanuts. I am sure you haven't had this before. Try it and tell me if you liked it.

Gobi Pakoda

This is a simple recipe of Cauliflower Fritters, cauliflower dipped in a spicy batter of gram flour and deep fried. Great as a beer snack or just something to snack on on a rainy afternoon.

Similar fritters that I blogged:

Veg Pakoda

Potato Fritters

Excuse the prawn recipe in between the veg recipes. I blogged the recipe for both vegeterians and non vegeterians. Same batter, different dips!

Pakoda Kadhi

And curry made out of the fritters.

Gobi Manchurian

This is a faux Chinese recipe that is very popular in India. This is a vegeterian chicken manchurian, only with cauliflowers in place of the Chicken.

Chole Masala

Chole masala cooked in a very simple way. the recipe is very easy to follow. Don't write it down, just remember the steps and try it. Chole is type of chick peas white in color and bigger than the usual chick pea.

Mashed Potato

Who said Indians don't eat mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are very popular in the eastern part of Indian, and is a very popular cuisine. Here is an easy recipe of the Indian mashed potato.

Easy Daal Recipes

Eating daals or boiled grams with every meal, daal can become quite a bore. But spice it up, and it is an awesome dish. Check out my daal recipes.

French Beans cooked with Coconuts

If you have been to Bangalore, you must have come across the French beans side dish that is cooked with grated coconut. Truth be told, that is the only way I like my beans, other the steamed beans served with steaks.

Sarson Da Saag

Now, what is this? Well, as a food blog, that mostly cooks Indian Recipes, passing over Sarsong ka saag would have been a sacrilege. Well, this is the famous Sarsong ka saag. I have simplified the recipe without diluting the flavour. You could call it stir fried mustard greens.

Aloo Karela

Bitter Gourd or karela as the name suggests is bitter, Kaput! Slow fry it with some onions and potatoes, and it becomes a very elegant bitter sweet side dish that is extremely healthy, trust me.

Loki Masala

I don't quite like the usual curry of loki or water gourd, but I have a simple recipe that I sometimes cook and I don't actually mind.

Veg Korma

A list of vegeterian recipes will be incomplete with the Vegetable Korma recipe eh! This is a mixed Vegeterian curry.

Coconutty Cabbage

This is a fry cooked cabbage recipe flavored with grated coconut. Quite light on the stomach!

Cabbage and peas

A quickie side dish you can cook in 10 minutes from peas and cabbage

Aloo Gobi

I love aloo gobi subzee, the dish made by slow cooking potatoes and cauliflower in vegetable oil. Try adding some chick peas, and you get a distinctly different Aloo Gobi.

Gobi Curry

One more cauliflower recipe!

Aloo Jeera

The ubiquitous Aloo Jeera, or potatoes fried with cumin seed. This is a real quickie dish that I can whip up in 10 minutes.

Below is a list of Khichdi Recipes that I blogged:

Green Moong Khichdi

Many people tried and loved this actually!

Simple Khichdi recipe with ghee

Simple Khichdis that I cooked when I was sick.

Low fat, low spice!

Rajma Masala

Rajma Chawal is the favorite of most Indians, a comfort food, a food that many Indians living away from home misses the most. Chawal is easy, but you can also easily make a great Rajma Dish. Now don't put too much onions please. Half an onion fried till golden brown for a pound of Rajma.

Stuffed Capsicum

Have you not tried my stuffed capsicum yet? You will love it!

Capsicum Zhunka

Another capsicum recipe I learnt when in Mumbai. Great Maharashtrian recipe.

Veg Biryani

A simple and quick vegeterian Biryani!

Dum Aloo

A quick and simple Dum Aloo recipe.

Palak Daal

And this is another daal recipe. Toor daal with spinach!

Semi Dry Chicken Gravy Recipe

2007-05-21T10:15:00.000+05:30

Yummy looking isn't it. Taste real good with butter Chapatti.

Look at the dart board, used as a back ground. Amateur Photography haha.
Recipe will be updated soon.

The Recipes:

This is a Onion Based Gravy.
4 medium sized onions for 1 kilo chicken.
More onions and the dish will be sweetish. Go ahead if you want your chicken sweet :)

For the garnish:

Add 1 tsp Dhania Powder
Add 1 tsp Jeera Powder.
Add 1 tsp Chilli Powder.
Add half tsp haldi Powder.
Add 1 tsp garlic Crushed.
Add 1 tsp ginger Crushed.
Salt to taste.
1 tsp vegetable Oil.
Mix well and keep in fridge or outside for 2 hours.

4 Onions finely chopped Keep Aside.

Heat Oil in a Wok. I always cook my chicken in a Wok or Kadhai.
The bottom of the cooking vessel has to be thick so that heat distributes evenly.

I use about 3 TBS vegetable oil. Should be enough.
A trick to cook in less oil. Only fry 1/3rd of the onions. Put the rest later.

Crackle 1 tsp jeera and mustard seed in the oil.
Add about one onions portion from the chopped onions and fry till golden brown.

Add 5 green chillis sliced in halves.
Fry for 30 seconds in medium heat.
Add rest of the onions and fry for couple of minutes.
Increase the heat.

Add the chicken and Quickly mix.
Let it mix well. Stir well, such that all the chicken pieces are turned.

Cover the vessel and cook for 15 minutes in low heat.

Now open the lid, and increase heat.
Add 2 tomatoes finely chopped(Optional).
Cook till most of all the juice from the curry have evaporated.
Keep Stirring/mixing.
Add 1 tsp of off-the-shelf Chicken masala.
Cook for couple of minutes after you add masala.

Garnish with coriander for better smell.
I didn't.. Ran out of coriander :)
Bachelor's kitchen you see!!

H1b Official Website Bomb

2007-04-19T07:46:00.001+05:30

I have posted this article on H1b official website on my other blog, and the post has made it to the Times of india here.

When you search for the keyword H1b official website on google, you'd expect the pages of uscis, but no. Well at least before I made the post, the first result was of a hate site, called send [them] back dot org. After my post, a few links from other bloggers, now the google result page has pushed down the hate site fron the number one spot of google result page.

But, it is still on page one. I want a few more links to push the result back to at least page two.
I want my dear readers and fellow food bloggers to read the above post, and write a post titled H1b official website, with links to the genuine H1b sites below:

uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
h1b1.com/welcome.htm
infinitilaw.com/h1bquotacount.html
buchanan.org/blog/?p=618

make it fast.
This hate site got into search result number one by getting link with H1b Official website as the anchor text. By linking to the other sites with the same text, we are going to ou\sh the hate site back inside the google result pages.

Start Linking...

Happy Women's Day!!

2007-03-08T08:06:00.000+05:30

You don't need a special day to celebrate, but now that you have one why not take it :)

And please visit blank Noise Project today for the Action Heroes.

Did you Vote for me YET!!

2007-02-19T15:23:00.000+05:30

If you are a new Visitor, please look at the side bar to browse through some Yummy and extremely easy recipes before deciding if you want to vote for me at the IndiBloggies Awards...

But if you are an old visitor, please take out a few minutes to Vote for me at the Indibloggies Awards..

Tomorrow is the last date Mind you, so Hurrry..

You need to fill in your details and I guess you will get a confirmation link in the email.

Don't worry about the Website or Blog URL field, That is not mandatory..
Just give your name and Email, and VOTE..

Hurry Up!!!

Love you all :)

How to make paneer, Homemade paneer!

2007-01-18T11:28:00.000+05:30

This a Part repost, part recap Blog post!

How to make Paneer at home?
Fresh Paneer that you can use to cook mouth watering dishes like Palak Paneer ,or the reason this post was made about a year back. Mattar Paneer, or Paneer with green peas.
I started that post with the lines "The secret of making paneer unvieled!!!" And BTW, the layout for my new blog is almost ready.. Just a little tweaks here and there and we will be in our new distination soon. All fresh posts in there.. No importing of posts.. I just can't have the thought of deleting this blog. Some dishes I will cook again and repost even, for new readers who are too lazy to browze the archives..

The picture above is of the paneer, prepared myself. Turned out quite easy. Otherwise it wouldn't have been posted on Bachelor Cooking!
I had prepared it with inspiration from Atabela..

This is quite simple, simple enough for green horn cooks.

And it was indeed tastier than the Dairy manufactured Paneers that we buy.

Steps:

Boil Milk in a vessel.

* I boiled 1 litre of milk for the purpose.. and The ball above is just about the size of a Cricket Ball, so if you want a bigger Ball, get two litres. I eat alone so It was enough for me.

Boil Milk in low heat ( Low heat so that the milk don't spill, no use crying over spilt milk right?) Boil until about 1/4 or a quarter of the milk has evaporated has evaporated.

When 3 quaters of the milk remain, squeeze some lime juice.

OK put pre-squeezed lime juice. For 1 litre of milk, it took s table spoons of freshly squeezed juice to get all the milk solidify or coagulate. (For more milk use more lime).

The milk will now start to coagulate. That is what we wanted. When you see that the solid and watyre has separated, remove the vessel from heat.

Now lay a muslin cloth like the seen in the picture above over the mouth of another vessel, and pour the milk over it so that only the solid if caught in the cloth.

gather up the sides of the cloth and hold it like a sack or purse.

When you have gathered the sides on the top, hold tight and turn the solid below, so that the cloth tightens over the solid milk or paneer.

(**Now, hot water will squirt from the mesh in the cloth and it will be really hot, so do the tightening under a running water tap.)

Hand the sack for sometime, and then Open..

If you want to cook it, you make cut them into cubes as below.

Deep fry the paneer cubes slowly and slightly till the color below. It makes for much better mattar paneer, paneer Masala or any paneer dish.

Fry just till this brown.. Is it golden brown?

Bachelor Cooking Now Number one on Google for Bachelor Cooking

2006-12-30T21:31:00.002+05:30

This Blog, Bachelor Cooking was never number on the google search result, when you do a search for bachelor cooking on google. It was alway Jeremy Zawodny, since he had once mentioned the term Bachelor Cooking on his Much Linked Blog. It has been like this since i started my blog, but after a few tweaking with anchor words, I just saw today that a search for the word Bachelor Cooking returns my Blog. And not only that, but my new blog on wordpress is number. Once I start writing that blog, We will have that one the number one Position... Hopefully.

On my not updating my Blog... I didn't have net connection at home for the past 2 months. My office computer is hardened, ie, all the USB ports are not accessible, so I thought I had take a break.

Also Now I want to post all recipes only in the new blog, whose design will be ready by first week january hopefully, as promised by a very dear blogger friend who is designing it for me.
This Blog will not die... Just keep it in your blogrolling as is..

I will Host the Curry Mela on this blog only, when I do resume the curry mela... As such, this blog had become more curry mela than my recipes. The new blog will be a Pure Recipes and Tips Blog. I will let the old posts remain here only.. I tried to import to the new blog, but the images gets warped.. so I'd rather post new recipes.. maybe I will repost some selected posts from here. But I have Huge list of recipes I will be Cooking up this Comming Year.

Keep Coming Back..

Wishing you and your family a very happy New Year 2007..
Here are some pork recipes for the white meat lovers.

Here are some easy ways cook baked pork chops even though I love Pork loin roasts the most among all Pork roast recipes but I also can cook some real mouth watering Pork Roast with spices and lime.

One more thing I love about this white meat is that we can whip up real nice recipes using the previous meals' left over to cook this awesome Leftover pork recipes like this Pork Hash for breakfast that I love bit this Pork Burrito is my personal favorite. Elise also prepares some nice Pulled Pork Sandwich.

And also try these Shredded pork recipes which goes really well with bread.

Merry Christmas Dear Friends and Readers!

2006-12-25T07:21:00.000+05:30

A very Merry Christmas to you all!! have a wonderful Chirstmas.

My Friend is vety confused! Who should he Follow!

2006-12-11T10:08:00.000+05:30

One of my colleagues posted on our Bulletin Board!

Oops, which one shall I follow ??

Laziness is the worst enemy of humans. . .
- Jawaharlal Nehru.

Humans should learn to love even their worst enemies...!!!
- Mahatma Gandhi

Help me out with this.....

Just for laughs!!
My Home Net connection starts today evening!
Had to shift twice so I had been erratic!!
My new blog's desugn has also been pending!
Shall get it done before the week is over!!

Happy Thanksgiving to All my Readers

2006-11-23T13:32:00.002+05:30

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving is an American Holiday, and was believed to have been first celebrated at the Plimoth Plantation. Even to this day, the Thanksgiving celebration is enacted at the Plantation. I went there in the summer, but I have other plans this thanksgiving, so, much as I wanted to visit the Plimoth Plantation this thanksgiving I will give it a pass..
Check out some of these thanksgiving quotes meanwhile!

Cooking for a Crowd Meme.

2006-11-21T14:44:00.000+05:30

Actually it's been a long time since I cooked.
I am still not settled in my new job, new place.
The first House I rented turned out to be quite a Disaster.
Nosy Neighbour! Actually a Shrew.
She even hears the sound of my flush and complained, 3rd day into the house.
She don't like guests either.
And she is very 100 happy.
The last tenant left because she used to dial 100 too often.
Calls up the police for every damn thing, and girls cannot visit my Pad.

I can't stay in a such a place...
I have decided to move into a new place, and I will move on 30th.
I have stalled my shopping till then, and my kitchen is not yet fully Functional.
So my dinners have been quite random!
Leave alone time for Bachelor Cooking.

This is the first time I ever Ignored Bachelor Cooking so long.
And add to it the fact that I have moved to a new location.
I still have lots to do to tweak my new blog.
I have to reload all the photographs...
So Till then, I thought I shall update here.

A few more days and I shall be doing a lot of new postings.
My parents are coming and many Manipuri goodies are on its way.
We shall have many authentic Manipuri dishes too...

In the Meanwhile, why not play a Meme?
The Cooking for a Crowd Meme
When was the last time you had cooked for a crowd?

The rule of the meme.
1) Write when was the last time you cooked for a Crowd. The exact date is not required.
Just describe the adventure of cooking for so many people, what you cooked.
How it turned out to be?

2) Tag on the meme to 5 other Food Bloggers.

Enjoy!

Hey but when was it that I cooked for a crowd?
I love having guests at my home and the more the merrier.
And I can cook Alone, I don't mind as long as you don't come in my way!
But you can peel the potatoes (But don't CUT! I have my own measurements)
Peel the Onions, and the Garlic..
Oh you may crush the Ginger and Garlic.
Even the Spices..
Oh I love fresh ground Spices and Freshly crushed Ginger-garlic for my Recipes, specially when I am cooking for guests..

The one adventurous "cooking for a crowd" was when I was in Kolkata.
I had asked some friends to come over.
About 10 of them?

And, I was late. From work!
Just as I came back from shopping the fish and meat and started in the kitchen, people started rushing in.
It was 9 already!

But it was the most memorable dinner, the new year Bar-B-Qs not withstanding!

I was suppose to be tired, but cooking has this magic.. It sure has, and can be a great destresser..

I was sweating in the Kolkata Heat, and I cooked...

My friend kept pouring the scotch... I like my drinks when I am doing big dinners.
I cooked a Pork Dish, a Chicken Dish, Peas and Fish Roe (fish eggs) and a fish Curry, Like I always do.

It usually is a nightmare for vegetarians, unless it is a vegeterian lunch!!
Now that was a memorable Dinner. Somewhere in 2005....
My friends still remember my dinners...
And how pleased I get when people enjoy the same!

I usually don't eat much after such cooking sessions..
I Just watch!!

May I tag

-(Kalyn)
-SaffronHut
-Nandita
-Mandira
-Shaheen
- Revathi

And all my readers, you may consider yourself tagged if you have had adventures cooking for a crowd. I will follow up this Post with tips to cook for a crowd, or rather what I do to simplify cooking a lot of preoparations quickly.
Of course I will link back to all the posts on Cooking for a Crowd.

Delhi Blog Meet

2006-11-01T13:10:00.000+05:30

What better welcome than one get than a Blog meet, when you are a blogger.River has a post up on the details of the Blog Meet.

The meet will take place on 5-11-2006 (Sunday) at 3:30 pm in India Coffee
House, CP. The Coffee House in on the second floor of Mohan Singh Place near
Rivoli Cinema. All those who wish to attend the meet can leave little
confirmation notes in the comment-space.

If you blog, or wish to blog some day and you are in and around delhi, do drop-in for a cup of Coffee and lots of fun..

Do confirm your presense by dropping a comment at River's or Shivam's. I won't be too much on the net these few days. i am just Settling in, haven't gotten a connection yet and I still haven't got my ID created in the Office systems.. Anyway see you all.. :)

2006-10-24T11:49:00.000+05:30

A very Happy Diwali to all my readers and your Family!

And Eid Mubbarak!

Been Busy with my shifting to a new city, new Job etc etc.
Keep Comming back. I will keep you posted.

How to Deep Fry Fish-II

2006-10-17T10:25:00.000+05:30

There is this new blog on the block on Life, Happiness and Relationships called sound of Life . Do Bookmark it or spread a word.

Hmm... BachelorCooking.net is up

2006-10-12T15:14:00.000+05:30

Yes Dear all, bachelorcooking.net is up and running. It is still very crude, all the picture have been badly skewed, I need to work on the template first... It will take up a number of day I am sure.

You may start updating your Blogroll with http://www.bachelorcooking.net

I will create a Blog for currymela at www.bachelorcooking.net/currymela and also a forum for all of us to discuss of cooking and tips anything we want to talk about at www.bachelorcooking.net/forum. Get yourself registered in the forum too. As and when it is up..
Also don't forget to link to the forum and curry mela.

Arre yaar, somebody do something about the template :)

Site still in BETA. Been busy so not been able to twaek much.

Help Wanted for a Wordpress Template

2006-10-09T11:47:00.000+05:30

Well well, I have registered bachelorcooking.net.
Unfortunately Bachelorcooking.com wasn't available :(

But I want a very nice template, that will go well with the theme :)
Is there any of readers out there who are handy with Wordpress Blogs :)

Just a few words of note:
In the new avatar The bachelorcooking.net will be feature rich.
Will have a directory, a cooks forum, events site, curry mela..
It will be awesome..

I will get me a digital SLR camera soon.. The point and shoot doesn't give too good results boohoo.

When will it be up..
Sigh.. that is the million dollar question...
The moving, new place, new job phew!!!!
But we shall overcome :)

How is my new profile?

2006-10-06T12:30:00.000+05:30

Hot ain't it? Lolz

Fry Onions Till Golden brown!

2006-10-06T10:28:00.000+05:30

Bachelor Cooking Tip:
In almost every recipe, specially Indian Cooking, You will come across the phrase fry the onions till golden Brown. Frying Onions till golden brown is a very delicate affair. It is hard to say, fry for 4-5 minutes either since I don't know what kind of flame you are using. I don't even know what kind of Cooking vessel you are using. In a thin frying pan, frying till golden is difficult and the onions just tend to get burned. Thick bottom pans are very recipe friendly, and cast iron ones are the best. The picture above is Think Aluminium Kadhai or Wok and it is also very Indian recipe friendly.

The picture was taken just before the Onions turned golden brown. Even if I say fry till golden brown, you need not wait till then. It might just get burned. This is the perfect time when you may add the crushed Ginger-garlic paste and saute before you add masalas or Tomatoes.

The significance of frying till golden brown is that it dries the onion of its sweet juice and gives a slightly seasoned taste to the curry. Burn it, and the curry gets spoiled. That is the secret to Indian cooking.. The perfect timing of frying..

The above picture will launch a thousand Indian Recipes. Good Luck.

Oh, that much onions is enough for 1 kilo meat. For the frying till golden brown, that is. If you want to add more onions, add later when you add the Meat. Add onions later for a nice gravy. Add when the meat is dry, and fry till the onions have turned to gravy.... Enjoy!!

Balayya Again!!

2006-10-01T11:35:00.000+05:30

As when I get busy, I bring to you some more entertainment yet again.
I am shifting my home, and will shift city too in a week or two. Broadband has been disconnected.. Will blog now and then, but then I couldn't publish the curry mela this weekend.

But I am damn sure this Balayya Magic will more than make up for it. Very entertaining... Much Fun comes.....

Smoked Beef with Fermented Soya Beans!

2006-09-26T08:04:00.000+05:30

This is Smoked Beef Stewed in fermented Soya Beans. A Naga (People of Nagaland) Delicacy, this authentic Naga recipe is right from the Kitchen of a Naga friend who is also an excellent bachelor Cook. Fermented Soya beans or Akhuni in nagaland, Hawaizaar in Manipur and Turumbai in Meghalaya is a part of the North eastern cuisine. Very pungent, you need to acquire the taste before you can actually enjoy this dish, but once you have gotten used to it, there will be no stopping you huh!

Curry Mela at Bachelor Cooking -32nd Week

2006-09-23T21:46:00.000+05:30

Good day Dear Bachelor Cooking readers. I hope you all are doing great. As I am. :-)
After a long wait, we have today the 32nd curry mela again!! yes, can you believe it? It is the 32nd curry mela already... been a long long journey, and I thank you all for liking it.. and it kept pushing me to host curry mela after curry mela...
And now with the curry mela blog, where I will transfer the post each week after the curry mela, you can enjoy all the curry melas that was held for the past few months well,, has it been 6 months... Phew!! Time does fly huh!!!

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this time around too, like you always have...
Cheers and enjoy the Curry mela at bachelor Cooking!!

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Enjoy this Chicken Satay With Peanut sauce ...... Surprisingly I don't remember having tried any chicken dish with peanut sauce. Should be fun.. Oh yeah.. Peanutty flavor and the slightly burnt chicken..... And she blogs so well, with amazing pictures of her work in progress.... Be sure to check out instructions of making Chole Bhature.

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Don't I always say that when it rains recipes, it rains in similar bunches... After that succulent Satay, try this Spicy Chicken Kebabs... Always love a good kebab!! And God Awesome Pictures don't you think?

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From the same blogger, check out this black rice payasam. Now, she mentions asian store to get this rice. And considering that we eat a lot of stuff similar to asians (non-desi Asians), I don't know if this is the same black rice called chahao in manipur. The black rice we get in Manipur, which is very rare even there, has a very fragrant flavor and many people who have been to manipur, always ask me for the same. We also prepare this kheer with that black rice and is quite a delicacy...
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How would you all like something sweet and tangy... Yeah, that is right sweet and tangy.. Add to it a little spice.. and you get this amazing sweet and tangy mango Curry, from a new blogger in the food Blogosphere... let me Introduce Meena from cooking pleasures. many of you might have come across her blog, and for those who haven't check her out!

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This Chick Peas and banana flower(Kodappan Kadala Koottan in Malayalam) sounds very healthy.. All the natural protiens of chick peas and the carbs in Bananas..

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Am I the only one or are you also drooling over the picture of this Chicken Chettinad? And I swear, my mouth is watering like crazy. The colour is just so right for a Chicken Curry. I was thinking of cutting down on my Non-veg intake but this is just killing... I don't know if I can get this consistency, but yummmm I sure am gonna try this out...

This indeed is my week for the week!! And, You indeed are a spice lover!!

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When you do say Tikka masala, it should really Tikka, or tikha.. Check out the reddest and hottest Paneer Tikka Masala ever.. Will set your Eyes and tongue on fire, and yet you will crave for more!!!

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For all the Health Conscious, Dieting, fat-free food lovers, here is a great salad for you, lentils and Spinach Salad.. By the way, all the oil in my recipes not withstanding, I am also quite a health food lover.. Who else would eat steamed Okras eh!

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Another Lovely Sino-indian food, Gobi 65, is Gobi manchurian's Cousin.. How come I haven't seen Gobi Chili??
But this Gobi 65 looks really awesome... I am sure it must taste like chicken... ;)

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I was thinking that i should just post the picture and leave it at that.. Awesome dish.. Perfect colour... and the potatoes..don't I love potatoes?? I know that very few readers of the blog eat Beef, but for those who do, this is a not to miss Beef Curry Recipe... Spicy Beef and Potato Curry.. And I just remembered that I have saved a Beef Kasa Recipe in my draft...The ones we used to get at the Nizam's in Kolkata!!

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Lime Ginger rasam, a kind of rasam, which is a watery curry that is very common in South India, like the daal in the north India. In manipur, we have the Kangsoi, a similarly watery stew, but instead of tempering with kadi patta and mustard seed, we flavor it with smoked fish and dried fish, and is a staple. Rasam is the closest that a south indian cuisine to get to the kangsoi. I never realised this until a friend recently told me that he just had the south Indian Kangsoi. I was stunned for a while until he told me he had rasam, and I burst out laughing..South Indian Kangsoi Indeed!!!

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Some people takes pictures so well, and some people cook so well. few people cook well and takes pictures so well. just looking at the pictures of this Paneer Tawa Masala, one could presume that she is one hell of a Gunslinging Cowboy with the camera, and the cooking pans just dances to her tunes... And so aptly names the post as musical cooking, but of course!!!

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What about some non-desi cooking for a change.. How about meat
loaf? How about this awesome Chicken loaf.......via

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I have had many kinds of halwa, and thnaks to blogging, I came across this new halwa that I never ever imagined existed... yes, Bread Halwa.. You might have heard about it, But I had't.. seriously... funny me...

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Try some good chinese food today.. From another newbie food blogger, some godawesome looking veg fried rice and veg hot and sour. Do check out this beautiful new blog...

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And when I thought I saw a new kind of Kheer or payasam today when I commented on the bread kheer, surprise surprise, and remember the raining recipes... I came across another NEW kheer variety... Beaten Rice or aval Kheer/Payasam .. Yes Poha ki Kheer... But of course, poha is rice so it would make tasty kheer, but how would I have imagined... Thanks for sharing

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And why not some Aglio Olio.. hey but that is but the local name for Chilli garlic pasta.. Yummy looking Pasta... Hot and spicy!!

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Now what comes to your mind when you see this jam in the hole Muffins?

Hah! Surprises inside!!!

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And this is the beginning of the end. I hope you enjoyed it thoroughly... BTW, What do you all think about my moving to my own domain? BachelorCooking.net huh!! What say you all?

CurryMela Countdown at Bachelor Cooking!!

2006-09-23T12:53:00.000+05:30

Anybody wants to make a last minute entry... Send in..
The Count down to the curry has begun, the post is already in the draft.. waiting for last minute entries....

Hurry up...

Curry Chicken Sali Recipe

2006-09-21T21:14:00.000+05:30

Yeah I am posting the Recipe of the Chicken Sali After a Long time.
Sorry people, I was quite stuck up at work and such like, with shifting and all that.

And yes what you are seeing is crisp fried potatoes.
In the authentic Sali, the pototoes are even smaller. Match Stick thin.
I was too lazy to slice potatoes that thin.

I cooked the chicken, in the usual way we cook Chicken Curry, and then spread the potatoes afterwards. It was very tasty indeed.

One Kilo Chicken, marinade in 1 tsp Jeera powder, 1 tsp Dhania Powder, 1 Tsp Red Chilli and salt to taste. Marinade for 2 hours.

Two large Potatoes, cut into match stick thin slivers.
Fry till golden in a non-stick pan and keep aside.

Heat oil in a Pan or Wok and Fry One large Onion, and fry till golden brown.
Add 3 green chillis sliced in halves.
Add One and half table spoon of freshly ground ginger-garlic paste, and saute for 1 minute.
Add 2-3 Tomatoes, chopped well.
Add the chicken, mix well keep stirring for a few minutes.
Then cover the lid of the pan, and keep that way for 15 minutes in low heat.

Open the lid, you will see that lots of liquid have come out.
Increase heat and cook till gravy thickens.
Now add 1.5 cup of hot water and let shimmer.
Add 1 tsp chicken Masala and 1 tsp black pepper.
Take down after 2-3 minutes.

Spread the potatoes on top... ( Can I call it as garnishing?)
Enjoy!!

Chicken Sali-Parsi Chicken Curry Recipe!

2006-09-17T11:29:00.000+05:30

Phew!! A very tiresome weekend. Loose ends at work, and some catch with friends and by the time the weekend was over, i realised I couldn't do the Curry Mela Round up.
Do wait till Next month. Also, I will be hosting it on this blog only, and only shift the curry mela posts into the new blog after each week. The Curry Mela Blog will be a repository of all previous Curry Mela. Inspired by Kalyn :-).

This is the picture of Chicken Sali. A Parsi delicacy which they prepare and relish especially during the Navroz. This is like a Normal Chicken Curry, with just a little Parsian Twist.. Will Post the recipe soon. Do Wait!!!

Spanish Omelette- Bachelor Cooking Style!

2006-09-16T08:59:00.000+05:30

Scrambled Spanish Omellete.
My favorite Breakfast. One I have blogged more than once.
An easy to prepare recipe.
Quick and healthy, full of protiens and some carbs to get you going all day.
The tomatilla gives the right Beta-Carotene (am I right here?)
This is the scrambled version of the Spanish Omelette I blogged a long time back.
Recipe:
Two potatoes, cut into small strips as in the picture below. about 2 matchstick thin.
One onion Finely chopped.
One tomato Chopped fine.
Salt to taste.
Two eggs, don't even whip em. Remember, Bachelor Cooking!
Heat 2 TBS veg or Olive oil or Butter in a pan.
Add the potatoes, and spread them.
Saute it, when potatoes are almost cooked, say in 5 minutes, add the onions.
Add salt to taste and saute well for 2-3minutes.
Add the tomatoes and saute again for 2-3 minutes.
Break the over the ensemble and mix well for again 2-3 minutes or eggs have hardened.
Pepper may be sprinkled for more taste.
It is ready for breakfast with a steaming cup of coffee. You may skip lunch.
Green Peas and French Beans could have been added while you were adding the potatoes.

Some of my friends wanted some WIP picture.. Here is one.. Like I said the lighting just isn't right

Curry Mela at Bachelor Cooking Reminder

2006-09-15T07:40:00.000+05:30

Curry Mela will be on to this week. Where are your recipes?
Rush in fast!!!
Curry Mela will be hosted on a Blog Specially Up for Food Events.
Update your links...
In the curry Mela Post Add this Code:

Do provide a link as Curry Mela by Bachelor Cooking or copy and paste the code below to link with the Curry Mela thumbnail,

<a href="http://currymela.blogspot.com/2006/09/curry-mela-blog.html"></a> by <a href="http://anthonyskitchen.blogspot.com">Bachelor Cooking</a>

Chicken Chili Recipe!

2006-09-13T18:54:00.000+05:30

Home cooked Chili Chicken Recipe.
Post will be updated in a few hours :-)
This is the Dark Chicken Chili. I love the White Chicken chili too, which is the same dish minus the dark Soy Sauce :-)

Chilli Chicken or Chicken Chilli is most Indian's most recognized chinese dish, I presume. The more adventurous one would order a chicken manchurian perhaps. I am talking about the general hoi polloi here. A sweet corn soup, perhaps. Every restaurant today serves Chili Chicken. From the road side fast foot chinese and muglai resturante[sic] to even the usual Pardesi Bar and Restaurant.

I wouldn't order chili chicken at the China Garden or Mainland China, but if I am at just another restaurant serving chinese, and I wanted chinese, I wouldn't experiment. I would just go for the chili chicken. Safe, simple to prepare, and it would take a hundred fools to let it go wrong. He shouldn't run the resturante in the first place itself.

Chili Chicken is quite simple to Prepare.
As the name suggest, it is chicken cooked with Lots of Chili.
Green Chilli, and Kashmiri chili or Capsicum.

You can either use boneless chicken balls, or just de-bone the chicken, I mean get deboned- Chicken.

Recipe:

700 grams of deboned-chicken
20 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (not crushed)
1 inch finger of ginger chopped
5-6 green chilis sliced. (if it is not the very HOT variety, out about 10, after all this is chili Chicken)
3 capsicums, cut into slices or slivers.
Spring onions, a handfull or 200 grams, chopped.
Onions and tomaotoes are optional, but to get a more Indian taste, you may add a roughly chopped Onion and two tomatoes.
A pinch of aji-no moto.
2-3 TBS of Soya Sauce.

Preparation:

Heat 2 TBS oil in a pan or wok.
Add the chicken, yes the chicken first.
Saute well till chicken become slightly gold.
(Should take 10 minutes, of continous sauteing with the spatula.)
Add the pinch of aji-no-moto.
Add the Chilli, capsicum, ginger garlic and saute for 5 more minutes.
**If you want to add Onions and Tomato add now.
Add spring onions, and mix well.
Add the soya sauce.
Add salt to taste ( lesser than your usual since soya sauce is also salty).
And keep mixing/turning with the spatula. Do that for 15 more minutes.

The Chili Chicken is now ready for the plates.

Five things to eat before you die!

2006-09-11T08:11:00.000+05:30

I have been tagged.... After a long time, and quite some time back too.
Hmm....been a lil busy, so Couldn't answer..

This is the Five Things to eat Before You Die Meme, started at the Traveler's Lunch Box.
Cyndi first tagged me about a week back. I thought I will post, and then somehow couldn't..
And today morning, I saw me tagged again by Rosie..

I shall post a reply today evening.... Bear with me till then..
Update:
The lists should be of "things you've eaten and think that everyone should eat at least once before they die." as suggested by Traveller's Lunchbox.
I have had Lot's of such. My lists will be more from the North East India Cuisine. I will keep updating this list as and when I eat next time around with a Photograph in hand :-).. for now, I don't have the picture of these authentic recipes. Mostly Non-vegetarian...
The List:
1. Turumbai:
Turumbai is a Traditional Cuisine of the Tribes of Meghalaya in the North east India. I am not sure which Tribes of Meghalaya claims ownership to this awesome dish, but I will give credit to all the Tribes of Meghalaya. Turumbai is Prepared with Fermented Soya and Pork. I am sure fermented soya beans are a delicacy in most Sout-east Asian countries. Fermented Soya is called Akhuni in Nagaland, and Hawaizaar in Manipur. More on Fermented Soya.
This dish is prepared by boiling pork with herbs, like Chives and Dill and a handfull of rice with fermented Soya. Very smelly, and you need to acquire the taste to like it, but once acquired, you will be addicted.

2. Chagem Pomba:
This is the Manipuri version of the above. Of course, this is very different, right from the way the soya beans are fermented. And it is Vegetarian, if you consider fish to be vegetarian food as we do :-).
This is cooked with Hawaizaar and aromatic Manipuri rice, green peas, smoked anchovies, shrimps, stink beans(Parkia), Lai/Sarsong leaves (Mustard Leaves) and flavored with Dill.

3. Pork and Bamboo Shoot:
This is a Naga Delicacy. Fresh Bamboo Shoot cooked with Pork and hot Chilli. You can carry on and on, on how it is prepared..It can be cooked in different ways. You may Cook it in a very simple way. Very easy, very yummy. Wash and Heat pork in a deep bottom pan, till water dires and oil start comming out. Add crushed ginger and garlic, and red chilli flakes. Saute in own oil for 10-15 minutes. Add a handfull of bamboo shoot, and saute for 5 more minutes. Add salt to taste.. Add water, and bring to a boil, till gravy thickens.
You could have added some spring onions as well in the end.

4. Venison Meat:
Venison Meat just crumbles like a cookie, albiet soft, in your mouth.. Hunting deer is illegal, and I won't suggest or encourage it, but if you happen to come across any venision meat being sold, try it. You won't regret it. Complain to the ranger later. But not before you get your stock for a month. Best meat one could ever have. I had it when one of our Truck Drivers who ply the Hill Route, came back with a Full Leg from one of the Hill Villages.

5. Ootti:
This is a Vegetarian, Manipuri Delicacy. Dried White Peas cooked with baking powder. I had blogged about it, and the post is here. Do try it once, or again and again. It is quite easy, and You can cook it at your home, today. All you need is a handfull of peas(even frozen green ones would do, tastes different then the dried ones, but taste amazing, nonetheless)

Cheers....

I wish to tag the following fellow foodies:

Lu2cook at Cooking Medley.
Mandira at Ahaar.
Meeta. From Germany!
Paz. From the cooking adventures!!
Melissa from Panama.

Curry Mela 31st Recipes Galore!

2006-09-10T09:50:00.000+05:30

The time for the Curry mela Round up again! I bring you The 31st Curry Mela, well after a long wait... I wish I was Blogging Full time :-). I Thank all of you who have been eagerly waiting for the Curry Mela, and it is because of you that I bring myself to post this week's Curry Mela tooo. Without Further ado, enjoy the Curry Recipes spread from all over the world on the 31st Curry Mela!

PS: I am planning to host the Curry Mela on a Separate Blog, called the Curry Mela Blog. What do you say? Though this blog is about bachelor cooking, since the curry mela is quite a frequent affair, there seem to be more curry mela than Bachelor Recipes :). And as I keep procrastinating, perhaps I will move to wordpress, if I get a nice volunteer.. with some nice banner and all that!
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Aloo Gobi, A warm comfort food, goes well with Chapatti or just daal rice. This is what we call home food, and when the bachelor pad is what we call Home, this is what we called Bachelor food.

One tip for bachelors: Cook in a kadhai, and cook in very heat and keep it covered. If you add a little more garam Masala and 2 cups of hot water when the cauliflowers are almost done, you get Gobi or cauliflower Curry!

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Check out this Chow Chow Daal or Chayote Squash Daal, Now who said daal was all about daal. Daal can also be as versatile as Potatoes. There are Daal Curry recipes with Fish, Fish head, Chicken, Palak (spinach), and I even love Toor Daal with Beet, try it!!!!

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Crab masala and Shami kabab, this is what I call a real spread. Some good sea food and minch Meat. Rich and satisfying!!
I am so Hungry Now!!

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This is Black Eyed Peas Curry recipe by spice lover, a new blogger on the block, and I thought Black Eyed Peas were some Kid Rock band.. Who would have thought that Black eyed peas will be a part of the Curry Mela Spread today!! interesting! Do check her out!!

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Getting more and more interesting.. Check out this Stuffed Brinjal Curry. Looks amazingly yummy, and I actually thought, all that brinjal was good for was baingan Bharta. This Stuffed Brinjal Curry will give the baingan Bharta serious Competition!!! Watch out Bharta PaaJee, Here comes serious competition from the South!

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The title says Chana Bamboo Shoot palya with Coorgi Akki Roti!Wait! Do you really eat Bamboo Shoot. I didn't know that Bamboo Shoot was also eaten elsewhere. i thought it was unique to the Orientals and in India, the north eastermn India. It is so nice to see some bamboo shoot recipe. Yeah bamboo Shoot is a Delicacy in manipur. We get so many varieties of bamboo and so many recipes. Oh I miss it, it is been ages since I had good bamboo shoot. In Meghalaya, they make pickles with bamboo shoot. In Nagaland, they cook it with Pork, and taste awesome.
And it give a very distinct flavor when cooked with fish, specially Magur (not the hybrid one, but local Magur.. In Manipur we call it Soibum-Ngakra Recipe and no other dish can beat it. The ultimate Manipuri Food, the Foie Gras of Manipur, the Shahi Korma of Manipur)... Sorry I got carried away, *smiles*..

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Meeta prepared this Panna Cotta as a lesson,hmmm, for her cooking school series. Sinfully Delicious is what comes to mind when I saw the picture. Rush to learn from the cooking school, how to prepare this!!!!

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This Ulundhu urundai Morkozhambu looks like it will leap out of the screen, no. One very healthy south Indian Food...
And explained in such easy way, just about anybody would be able to prepare it.

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Did she know that I love green mattar, after a long time I get too some good Mattar Recipe, check out this Kohlrabi and Mattar Sabzi recipe. Another Healthy recipe, to be bookmarked!

Now that picture is just a Work In progress... ;-)

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A wheat rava Khichdi or Dahlia-Upma, and amazing Breakfast recipe. Filling and tasty..and of course this is exactly what I see in the cafeteria breakfast menu. I always wondered how it must be prepared, Now I know ;-) how to!!

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Bitter doesn't mean tasteless Bitter when it comes to Bitter gourd. Now sweet is not always tasty, and Bitter is not always tasteless.. Once the taste of bitter vegetables grows on you it is kind of addictive, and so is the case ithw Bitter gourd. I am always on the prowl for better Bitter gourd recipes, and it was such a pleasure to read through this post on Bitter Gourd Spicy Curry or Pagarkai Kaarakozhambu Kaakarkai Kaaram Pulusu.

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I love new chicken curry Recipes, check out this Nadan Kozhi Curry or Chicken Curry with Coconut. The description says, This is a very rustic (nadan) chicken curry, with no frills, no lengthy preparation and no elaborate ingredients., But isn't that what we love here at the Bachelor Cooking, No frills easy recipes!!!

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A quiz!
How would you have cooked this Aloo, Tomato and Brinjal curry?

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My sweet tooth couldn't resist this payasam or rice milk Pudding. Yes, I still love kheer and can live just on kheer!!!

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And hey, Spice Hut is back after a long hiatus with this Red pepper and jalapeno bhaji.

New Blogger of the week, Box of Spices.

For the next curry Mela, visit the new Curry Mela blog. Start sending in your entries!!!

Technorati tag:: Curry Mela : Bachelor Cooking

Real Easy Smoked Bacon Stew/Curry

2006-09-09T16:03:00.000+05:30

Hmm.. Smoked Bacons for Breakfast, great!

Smoked Bacon for Dinner!
What are you talking?

How about a real easy and simple Smoked Bacon Curry. Well Stew would be a better word.

And Real Healthy too.
Almost a health food.

How does it taste?
You have to try it to believe it, You will get hooked I tell you.

Recipe:
Hmm in a Deep bottom Pan, heat 1 tbs vegetable or Olive oil.
Sputter a TSP of Cumin seeds.
Add 1 tsp of Garlic paste and saute for a minute.
Add 2 Finely chopped Tomatoes.
Add one large potato cut into half Inch Cubes.
Add one Onion roughly chopped.
One cup of Peas.
One Cup of French beans. ( I didn't this time, since I ran out of it)
Add 1 tsp of finely chopped ginger.
Mix well and add 2 cups of water.
Add 1 tsp of red chilli powder and Black pepper powder.
Shimmer for 5 minutes.
Add 6-7 strips or 250 grams of Bacon.
Add 200 grams of spring onions.
Add salt to taste.
Shimmer till Potatoes are cooked.
Serve with Hot rice.

PS:For a more healthy version. Directly boil all Vegetables without frying the Cumin seed and Garlic. Don't add garlic and Cumin in this case, just boil all ingredients in the step I described with ginger and pepper as the ingredient.

Curry Chicken Recipes- Home Cooked

2006-09-06T18:27:00.000+05:30

Just one of my similar Chicken Curry Recipes. With a little tweaking in the Chicken curry Recipes, you can cook up many varieties of Chicken Curry Recipes.
This is how it should look when you have fried the onions till golden brown, added the ginger garlic paste and the thin masala paste, when masala starts to separate from Oil.

For the Recipe you may Refer to this Home cooked Indian Chicken Curry recipe that I blogged sometime Back. I cooked in almost the same way as this. With a little change. Will post you how I cook this, soon..

Fried Pork Chops in Own Fat, with Garlic!

2006-09-05T08:59:00.000+05:30

Let me give you an easy and simple recipe of Fried Pork Chops today. This is very simple to make, very tasty, goes with anything from wine to beer to a chilled can of coke. This is a very healthy recipe too as no extra oil have been used to fry the pork chops and it was the pork chops were fried totally in its own fat. To make it comvinient for frying in a pan, the pork chops were re-cut into cubes. Long Chops or cubes, taste the same and, so that it becomes easier for a Bachelor or rookie cook to fry it, have the pork chops cut into cubes.

Choose pork chops with thick fat or the under skin.
Lots of oil will come out, but it can be drained or absorbed and makes for good frying.

Ingredients:
2 Pounds or a Kilo of Good Pork Chops. ( Cut the chops into smaller pieces or cubes, Those 1 feet long fried pork chops are best grilled.) Choose Pork Chops with lots of fat.
1 TSP each of Black Pepper powder, Cumin (jeera) Powder, Coriander(Dhania) Powder and Red Chilli Powder (Coarse if possible).
About 15-16 cloves of ginger roughly crushed.
1 Medium onion roughly chopped.
2 Tomatoes, chopped.

Steps:
Wash the Pork Chops and Place in a Deep Bottom Non Stick Pan and start the Stove.
Just let it be.
Juice will come out. Let it. Keep stirring from time to time
After about 15 minutes, Juices will dry and oil will replace it autimatically.
Fry the pork chops in that oil till pork Chops becomes golden brown. Should take about half an hour in medium Heat.
Lots of Oil should come out.
When Pork is golden brown, hold the pan and drain excess oil, leaving enough to be able to saute.
Add onions and saute for 5 minutes.
Now add all the masalas, salt to taste, and the curshed garlic.
Add tomatoes.
Saute for 10 more minutes in low heat, or till tomatoes disappear.

You may Garnish with Coriander or Cilantro.
I didn't, in the photo, because it doesn't come out good in Picture.

Just serve!!!!

Curry Mela 31st will be Hosted Next Week

2006-09-03T14:54:00.000+05:30

Dear Friends, 31st Curry Mela will be hosted next weekend. I had a busy working weekend and have to travel, in a few hours. So keep sending in the entries, for next week will be a grand Curry Mela.

Just to keep you happy, here is another Balayya. This time, see what he Pushes with his Finger.

Ouch!! Don't throw the eggs at me.. It wasn't me....
But seriously, even the God must be laughing!

Curry Mela Reminder!!

2006-09-01T10:13:00.000+05:30

It is already time for the Curry Mela again!!
Open the Fridge, Pick up your ladle~ Send in your entries!!

Just a word, I have some people coming over for some Brainstorming session on a new Internet venture I am contemplating, which might take up the whole weekend, in which case I will host the Curry Mela a little later than usual!! or Postpone it to next weekend, but send in your entries nonetheless..

Hurry Up!

Oh! the venture? My Blog readers will of course be the first ones to know, and You will of course review It.... Comming soon!

And BTW, my dear readers, Will you Please change your RSS Feeds to the feedburner feed that I have provided. Just click any of the feed buttons on the left hand bar to subscribe to your respective feed reader. I can see that there are 18 bloglines subscriber, who are still subscribing to the old atom feed. My Feed,

Another Balayya- Finger Power!

2006-08-31T22:10:00.000+05:30

Another Classic Fingering of Balayya!
The train episode was super power, Now this is Class!! Whatever it mean :-)

Mutton-Lamb Rogan Josh

2006-08-31T08:13:00.000+05:30

The Lamb-Mutton Rogan Josh that I cooked the other day!
Certain important events had prevented me from finding the time posting it.
I will write about the events as it unfolds.

And yes, I will write the recipe of the Rogan Josh, today by evening!! That is a promise..
Tis early morning 'ere and I have to finish for Office!!

How I wish I owned a Restaurant :-)

Picture with Different Lighting!
Updating:
So after a long wait I am here with the Rogan Josh!
Right from the name to the looks, Rogan Josh is how mutton should be prepared and How Mutton should be eaten. Mutton Vindaloo or Lamb Chops are good in their own place, but Mutton Rogan Josh or Gosht Rogan Josh is Purely Nawabi. A rich food of the Emperors.

Creating the Rogan Josh in the Mughal Kitchen must have been a very tedious affair, so must have been the naming of the Dish. Rogan Josh, Wah! That is how food should be named. Move aside Foie Gras...

Creating this delicacy requires carefull selection of spices, the right amount of garlic and ginger, the right browning of Onions when you fry the masala and all such.
But what I have here is a very palatable version of the Rogan Josh, simplified for cooking by Novices. For bachelor Cooking, so to speak.

The Recipes:
First the Ingredients
1. 600 grams of Mutton
2. One large Onion, chopped well.
3. 200 grams of yoghurt
4. 2 Tomatoes
5. 10-12 cloves of garlic to get 1 TBS of garlic paste.
6. 1 inch Ginger to be crushed
7. Meat masala ( MDH or Everest meat masala)
8. 2 Bayleaves, 2 cloves, 2 elaichi, 1 star anise.
9. For the marinade, 1 tsp dhania or coriander powder, 1 tsp jeera or cumin powder, half tsp Red Chilli Powder, half tsp haldi, and 1 TBS ginger garlic paste extra beside the one above(you may use ready made paste here, but use fresh for the earlier one).

Preparation:
1. Marinade- Some people marinade the meat with the Yoghurt, but I prefer not to. Here is the reason, it is always tastier to let the meat fry till meat is firm and oil separates from the meat. It is during this time that masala also enters the Meat and make it tasty. Yoghurt must be poured only after that.
SO mix the meat well with the above mentioned ingredients for marinade. Add salt also, now. Keep for at least 2 hours.

2. Heat 2 TBS vegetable oil in a Kadhai or Wok or Thick Bottom Pan and when hot, add 2 bayleaves, cloves, elaichi and star anise. Immediately add the onions and saute till it turns to brown just right.

3. Add the meat now, mis well, reduce and cover it. Keep it that way in low heat for 5 minutes.

4. When you open the pan, there would have been juice comming out from the meat.
Increase heat and saute.

5. Add the fresh ginger garlic paste and Keep stirring from the bottom till juice is dry and oil starts to separate from meat.

6. Add the yoghurt, and cover it. Now cook till the gravy is almost dry again.

7. Add tomatoes and mix well for a few minutes. Add 2 cups of hot water and let shimmer. Add 1 tsp or more of meat masala now. Also add some more salt to taste.

8. Shimmer till gravy is thick and consistent.

Serve!!!

Note: If the meat is not tender, ask the butcher if meat is tender or not, and so if it is not tenmder, the step 7 should be done in a pressure cooker. Three whistles and then cool it and then shimmer till thick and concistent..
Enjoy..

Mutton Ragan Josh is Cooking!!

2006-08-27T20:45:00.000+05:30

Just to inform everyone that I am cooking lamb/Mutton Ragan Josh after getting inspired by Pamela's Lamb Rogan Josh. Recipe will be up Soon!!!!

:-)

Curry Mela - 30th

2006-08-27T10:57:00.000+05:30

Dear All, It is time for the Curry mela Round up. The 30th Curry Mela is there already.. I know some you have been eagerly waiting for the Curry Mela, Thanks again, with all your support and words of encouragement, we have reached the 30th episode of the Curry Mela! Without Further ado, enjoy the spread!

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Archana cooked this amazing Thai Delicacy, Pad Thai, with her account of Thai Food and Spices.
She says that this recipe is Devoid of any hard to find Ingredients and herbs, so we all can try this out right away, huh!

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Ah, it is raining Thighs, oops Thais again. Somehow, whenever there is an entry to the curry Mela which is new to the curry, they never do come singly. Which is amazing, of course, coz we get to try out varieties of the came. Check out this delicious looking Thai Fragrant Rice with Thai Potato Curry, by Pavani.

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Now this is a wonderful recipe from a wonderful Women. Manisha cooks up this awesome Masoor with red Chard. Ever ingenious that she is, she cooked this bunch of beautiful bunch of red chard, locally grown organically at 6000 feet in the Rockies of Colorado. Now that is Healthy Food!!

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Ashwini sends this beautiful entry, now the Picture is just awesome. This is Shrimp Pulao for you. She is trying to bridge a gap with this recipe :-) after complaints that she don't blog about Non-veg food often. And some people complain that I don't blog about veg food often. just check the side bar, there are Much More veg recipes than Non-Veg.

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A first time Blogger, S blogs about Chatpat food, and send her entry of an easy Tomato Chutney. Now, we at Bachelor Cooking are always looking for easy recipes. I'd it is a good start. Do blog more, and bring to us your delicious Recipes. Keep Blogging!! Welcome to the Cooking Blogosphere...

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Jayshree here is another new Food Blogger, who blogs about Veggie delights, and sends in a Wonderfull preparation of Cabbage Curry, which I will try out, soon. She has been Blogging for a long time now, but she came into the food Blogging scene recently. A warm Welcome!!

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We can always do with some easy Italian food too.. I have a good collection of pastas, which I haven't cooked for a long time.. Food is one of the main reasons we work for, yet work keeps us from cooking some amazing recipes, sigh!!! Now this Pesto and Tomato pasta looks yummy and the recipe is very simple, Another perfect Bachelor recipe.

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Now, Pamela dear!! So you want to me to cook your recipe? I have been reading up varieties of Rogan Josh recipes, of late, since I wanted to prepare it. What a pleasant coincidence that you sent it for the curry mela... I would be but forced to cook your version, not because of anything else but for the fact that It looks YUMMYY. Amazing Lamb Rogan Josh, I say!

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This is Hot, this is tangy, Shankari posts this recipe of Chilli in tamarind Sauce. This kind of Picklish Recipes are real Life Savers for bachelors and Students living in bachelor pads. It will complement a simple Daal Rice Dinner very well. Shankari says that it can be had with Dosa,Idli and everything else like rice, Upma, Chapathi and the likes.

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Now, this Indiana Doc who is not from Indiana has a dual course entry of Pudina Chicken and Prawn roast. Now which do I try first?

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Ruth from Toronto, blogs about an Indian Feast, which indeed is another Curry Mela in itself. Check out the spread of Saag paneer to Ragan Josh to Butter Chicken. A feast that would fit a Mughal Emperor of yore.

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Pushpa sends in this Pineapple Pudding. Look so beautiful, I would feel guilty to dig a spoon into it and eat it. And I could complete it nonetheless. Amazing Entry!!

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Prema Writes about this wonderful indian Dish, a Mixed Vegetable Kurma. Vegetable kurma is quite a common dish and everybody has his own way of Cooking it, and even I had cooked it in a different way. Hers is also different and new, and very simple. Another easy recipe everybody must try.

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Now, it is nice to see a soup recipe in a while. I mean, I hardly get soups as entries, and soups are the most important part of a meal. Very healthy and keeps you from over eating. This Corn and red Bellpepper soup looks very delicious too.

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Smitha's Naan and Chana Masala Looks awesome and the recipe sounds so easy!

Taste as good but much lesser oil than Chole-bhature :-)

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You can trust Meeta to come up with such fantastic and awesome and wonderful as aChicken Curry in Sate Sauce. Mouth Watering, and add to it that I am so hungry today.

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Nandita, our lone doctor Food Blogger baked this sinfully delicious Chocolate Rum Apricot cake. She is a health food expert and if she bakes this cake, this must be one healthy cake.. just kidding, after all one can indulge oneself on occassions, otherwise where is the joy, without indulgences...

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Priya Prepares some savoury Snacks, Ribbon pakoras which looks delicious. She blogged about it so well, in a step by step instruction which will make it so easy for any newbie learning to Cook.

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Hope you enjoyed it.. Do come again!

Countdown to the 30th Curry Mela

2006-08-25T19:44:00.000+05:30

People where are you?
Where is the entry....

Waiting for the Curry Mela Entries...
Hurry Up...
Give subject lines as curry Mela 30th and send it to Anthonysmirror[at]gmail[dot]com

Or leave a comment here..
Fast.....

Hurry up.. you have just 24 hours..

In the meanwhile Check out, The Munnabhai Trailor at Desi Music Videos.

Balayya Cruise again! Now Pushing train

2006-08-25T06:00:00.000+05:30

Watch the Magic. Now what does he have in his Fingers :-)

Aloo Curry of Poori Bhaji

2006-08-24T07:01:00.000+05:30

Yeah! This is the Bhaji of Poori Bhaji. A simple yet filling and "keep craving for more despite the carbs" dish. Aloo or Potato is a universal ingredient, and can mix well with almost anything that is cookable. Alone, too aloo can be prepared into a number of dishes, from Aloo Bhate of the Bengalis and Biharis to Dosa masala Down South, to Hash Browns to Mashed Potatoes, to the ubiquitous Mac Fries without which Mac Donalds wouldn't have been what it has seen in its life cycle. I hate the Mac burgers but, man! noone else fry the fries like the Mac.
Yeah! Aloo is very versatile I know, and we even have a saying that The variety of Potato recipes can be as varied as a Women's Heart or the cloud's faces and shapes....ouch.. it hurts, don't hit me too hard... I am not saying it, it is just a saying...

To be saying the truth, The best Aloo dish I love is the aloo in Chicken Curry :-D, but next to it, I would settle for a big bowl the aloo curry served with Poori Bhaji. I cook this often too, to have with rice.. Yeah ! Yeah! I still don't know how to fry Pooris....tch tch!

The Recipe:

Ingredients:
4 largeish Aloos/Potatoes, peeled and halved
3 Tomatoes chopped
2 green Chilli sliced.
1 Tsp Rai or Mustard seed
1 tsp Jeera Gota (Cumin Seeds)
1/2 (half) tsp Methi (Fenugreek seed)
Half Tsp each of Chilli Powder, Dhania(coriander seed) Powder and Jeera Powder
Less than half tsp of Haldi or Turmeric Powder.
1 Tbs Ginger Garlic paste
One onion finely chopped

Preparation:

Boil the Potatoes till cooked or soft. Three whistles in a pressure cooker, or place in a bowl and Microwave it. Prick with Fork to see if potatoes are cooked. Anyway I never had problems of potatoes being overdone or underdone. A bachelor Cook won't care either. Mash them roughly with the hand or back of a spoon and leave aside.

Heat 2 tbs Oil in a Pan or Wok or Kadhai.

Add the Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek and mustard seeds. Immediately add green chilli and onions and fry till onions are limp. Add the Ginger garlic paste, and saute for one minute. Add all the masalas and add the tomatoes. Saute well for 2-3 minutes, and add the potatoes.
Mix well, and saute for at least 3 minutes, add 1 and a half cup of boiling water.
Add salt to taste, and let shimmer for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with Pooris or Luchis ( Puffed Fried Indian bread)

PS: Do send in tips that Rookie Cooks and bachelors can use in easy Cooking to anthonysmirror[at]gmail[dot]com

Balayya Cruise - Send him to POK!

2006-08-23T22:06:00.000+05:30

This is an Old video, with the novelty still on.
I still enjoy it to this day!

Catla Fish Curry- Manipuri Style, Atoiba Thongba!

2006-08-23T21:07:00.000+05:30

Not exactly Catla, but the Bengali Fish monger calls it Catla. Actually Catla is the the Carp and the Golden Carp. taste similar, but this fish which the bengalis call Catla has a bigger head than the Carp or Catla as I know it. This bigger headed Catla is Called Bao in manipur, and tastes better than the Carp. The taste was Like Carp, though, though it looked like Bao. It was Carp or catla after all.

This is best cooked this particular way. Minched. I had posted a similar post here. We call it Atoiba Thongba. A delicacy that adorns every grand feast, if it is a non-veg or Fish Feast. Mom Cooks the best Atoiba, Another aunt cooks second best, and I cook very good :-) . Usually the Manipuri grand feasts are vegetarians on most occasions, except on certain occasions like Piercing of the ear ceremony, what we call Na Hutpa, or House warming, or on the 5th day of marriage when the bride's family arranges a feast for the groom side and guests, much like the reception. This is not Steamed Fish like how the Bengalis Cooked Hilsa, nor is it deep fried and cooked. This is cooked in a typical, Manipuri fashion unique to the Manipuris as far as I have come across.

Recipes, will be posted soon. I need to go off to sleep now... Have an early morning Flight. I have set the alarm at 4 pm. I am at hyderabad tomorrow. Back by sunday Morning.

In the meanwhile Check out this earlier post.
Send in your Curry mela entries. I might post it this weekend or the next. Do send in anyways, I will post if I have enough entries...
But I shall be posting the Weekend Herb Blogging by monday evening... Send in your entries fast. Check out Kalyn's for details.

Update: 23rd Aug
Preparation:
Catla or Carp, 1 kilo or about 2 pounds cut into 1 inch or little less than 2 cm cubes. (Not steaks, cut 4 times the 1 inch steak)
One large potato cut into 2/3rd inch or 1 cm Cubes
1 cup green Peas
2 tomatoes.
Small Onion Cut into Slices or slivers
1 cm finger of Ginger, crushed
4 cloves of Garlic, crushed
2 green chillies sliced in halves
1 tsp Shahi or Kaali Jeera ( Small Cumin Seeds)
1 tsp Dhania or Coriander powder
1 tsp Jeera or Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
Pinch of Heeng or Asafoetida ( pinch= about twice the size of tip of match stick)
1 tsp Methi or fenugreek Soaked in water for few minutes.

Heat 4 tBS Oil in non-stick pan.
If heeng is the solid Kolkata Variety, add it now.
If it is the yellow variety add immediately after adding Onions.
Add Shahi Jeera and let sputter, add the green chillis.
Add wet Methi.
OPTIONAL: I used it and it gives amazing flavour, add 2 TBS of garlic Chives now, if you can get hold of some. Wash and chop a 1 inch bunch into 1 inch length.
Add onions and fry till golden brown.
Add Crushed Garlic and Ginger and saute for 1 minute.

Add the fish, now lower heat.
Don't stir using a Spatula..
To Mix, hold the handle of the pan and give small shakes or jerks.
Be careful, and when you shake, turn it clock or anti clock wise.
Cook that way for five minutes.
Add Potatoes and peas.
Mix the remaining Masala, ie chilli powder, Dhania powder, Jeera Powder and Turmeric powder in water and make a thin paste.
Pour the mix into the fish and again mix well in the way described above.
If at all you are using Spatula, be careful, and be gentle.
Cook for 10 Minutes and add 2 cups of Boiling water.
Add salt to taste.
Add chopped Tomatoes.
You may add some garam masala, though I didn't add it.
Shimmer or 7-8 minutes or potatoes are cooked whichever is later.

Enjoy

Weekend Herb Blogging #46 Recap

2006-08-21T21:38:00.000+05:30

Am I glad?
But of course!
From being a participant to the Kalyn Denny's Weekend herb Blogging, or WHB to being the Host to today.
The WHB, have travelled far and wide, and participants have been also from far and wide. Kalyn so nicely mentioned how I had participated from Faraway Mumbai, India. And i hope kalyn won't mind if I do the recap in my own Bachelor Cooking way!!!

And, today, the WHB is being Hosted at Mumbai where else?
Welcome to the recap of the 46th Weekend Herb Blogging, and dear god, 46 is a Big number!!

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Let us start the recap from Kalyn's own entry to this week's WHB.
From Salt lake City, Utah!

Kalyn blogged about a very wonderful herb, basil, and have cooked for us this amazing Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes, Grilled Zucchini, and Basil.
Actually this more than amazed me, when I saw use of basil in Cooking. In India, Basil, also called Tulsi in Hindi, has a religious conotation and every household use to have a basil plant in the courtyard, and people offered prayers to the plant. We had a very healthy basil in our courtyard, and elders used to tell us the many medicinal properties of the Basil. When I started learning science in school, I hypothised that basil strengthens the Immune system. We usedto chew and apply basil to wounds, we used to drink crushed basil leaves when we had fever, and it cured everything. It was a cure-all, an Elixir. The best potion, we ever had was coconut water with basil leaves floating. I would sure love to try basil with the Pasta.

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From Socal, USA!

Surfindaave, the Serendipitous Chef Blogs about Okra for the WHB, and has cooked up an amazing Platter, Burnin' Down the House Gumbo. Okra, or Ladies' Finger or in India, bhindi is a very healthy and surprisingly tasty vegetable.

On health notes, the Okra will give you the necessary fibres, and the Chicken will give you the Protiens, And there is the rice for carbs. A nice after work-out meal.

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Gini at Salt and Pepper writes about Parsley and weaves a wonderful tales of two pestos, cooking up an amazing pasta with Pesto for the WHB. Check out the pasta with the Parsley Pesto prepared with Parsley, pine nuts, parmesan grated, salt, garlic and extravirgin olive oil.

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New Jersey, USA!
Here is another Basil post, from Gattina, who cooked up this Stir Fried minched Pork with Thai basil. It has been cooked in a very simple and easy way, which makes it a good candidate for bachelor Cooking.

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IOWA, USA

Genie, The inadvertent Gardener blogs about the pepper, the universal herb, and to an Indian, where pepper makes an integral part of the cuisine, much pleasure was found when I saw the post. This entry for the WHB, the san marconi Pepper, reminds me of the Huge wrinkled Pepper, with the aroma that could kill, called the King Chilli. Some people call it naga Chilli, we call it Wood chilli, since the stem is like wood, and it grows bigger than a herb. One pepper can add flavor to a Pot big enough to feed the whole of mexico.

Genie Grilled the pepper, and had it with Chicken tandoori and all that...

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From Indiana, USA

Indiana Doc writes in for the WHB, an indian favorite amongs Herbs, the Pudina or Mint and cooked up a fantastic Pudina Annam or Mint Rice . Pudina, is also much like basil, only without the religious and mystical baggage, and much more common as a home remedy for stomach ailments.

Have you ever tried shrimps wioth mint. Try it, it taste awesome.

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Istanbul, Turkey

Isil Simsek from veggie way writes about the purslane for an entry to the WHB.

Isil cooked us a very simple Purslane recipe which is so simple to cook and looks very tasty. Can be cooked by a rookie Bachelor Cook.

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Melbourne, Australia
Haalo of Cooks almost Anything has blogged about the very uncommon Broccoli Stems and cooks up an awesome and healthy recipe Cavolicelli con Aglio Olio - Cavolicelli with Garlic Oil. Taste great with Roast Chicken, says Haalo.

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Greenwich Village, New York

The Chocolate lady writes about hemp Seed for WHb and has posted for us, a recipe for hempseed kofta.

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Missouri, USA
Another Pepper Entry, Farm girl also write about this Fiery red peppers.

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Toronto, Canada
Ruth at Once Upon a Feast writes about some beautiful country flowers. Specially, I love the sunflowers.
Sunflower is a very useful flower, and I virtually live on Sunflower Oil.
Roasted Sunflower seeds are also very tasty..

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Davis, California, USA

Sher at What Did You eat, writes about Rosemary and cooks up an amazing Lemon Risotto With Rosemary.

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Cate or more popularly Sweetnicks cooked up this awesome Pasta Puttanesca, a quick, simple and tasty recipe. perfect for bachelor Cooking, with Great taste!!

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Germany, North.
Ulrike from Küchenlatein of OstWestWind, writes about lavender for the WHB and has prepared a nice lavender lemonade for the parched throat.

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Washington DC USA,

Christa of Calendula writes about Sage, the mother of all herbs, and have prepared a this Chicken with Olives. Looks very yummy, and I am hungry again!!

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Düsseldorf, Germany
Vaishali of happy Burp writes about Snake Gourd with Hyacinth Beans, which is a deadly combination that will please all taste buds. She has this easy recipe of Padval Dalimbya.

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Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Now, how would I have known, but for the WHB, that Basil was such a common herb. This is the third basil post in this weekend's WHB. Katerina of daily Unadventureswrites about basil and post the recips of reamy Zucchini and Basil Penne. None of the recipes are similar though.. Lovely spread..

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Weimar, Germany

Meeta blogs about coriander or cilantro and had posted a spicy recipe for all of us. Check out this spicy Avocado and Chilli Burger.

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Sydney, Australia

Anna of Morsels and Musings Writes about macerated Strawberries. To macerate, it seems is:
To make soft by soaking or steeping in a liquid.
To separate into constituents by soaking.
To cause to become lean, usually by starvation; emaciate.

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Ontario, canada;

Ejm of etherwork have written about Parsley (Petroselinum crispum crispum) for the WHB and have also posted my favorite Potato salad, with Dill another of my favorite herbs.

Dill makes some excellent dishes, authentic Manipuri and North east Indian Cuisine. if you have come across the smelly, fermented Soya, and have an acquired taste for the same, write to me and I will tell you an awesome recipe for the same with Dill and Pork.

If you have read till here, then Thanks for the patience. If you are a first time visitor, do check out the sidebar, and also the list of Curry mela. You may take part in the next weekend's Curry Mela, and event of Food. The only criteria of the recipe is that it should be a food :-).
Check out the side bar for Curry Melas.
I would Like to thank kalyn again for the opportunity to allow me to host the Weekend Herb Blogging.
I hope you have all enjoyed.
Do come back again for some amazing recipes.

How to Boil Arvi/Aloo in Microwave! Tip from Reader.

2006-08-20T23:13:00.000+05:30

One of the readers of Bachelor Cooking, Parul writes in, with some useful tips, which I am sure will be very useful to bachelors and other rookie cooks. She writes in:

All you guys that I have seen mention to boil arvi/aloo in cooker-
Man… this takes time and sometimes the arvi comes out mushy – I like
mine firm and well boiled.

Try this

Take one of the grocery/plastic bags if you live outside india( I use
the ones you buy veggies in that don't have handles the transparent
ones- the handle ones I usually keep to collect grabage)

Put your aloo/arvi in it and tie it up in a knot . Make cuts ( several
usually but if you are angry make some more) with a knife or fork to
make sure the steam escapes.

Put in a Microwave on high for 5 min and your arvi will come out just
rightly boiled. ( if you have like 2 arvis they try for 3 min if you
have 2 lbs then it may take 8 min)

To test for doneness try poking in a knife through the plastic to see
if it goes in without resistance.

In case of aloos my mom suggests you can wash and wipe them with an
oily hand to get a better flavor

( saves up time and the effort of cleaning up the cooker). Tear up
the bag and throw it( its worthless now anyways) and take the aloo/
arvi out. be careful it will be hot.

Note: the Baingan done the same way for bhadta comes out ok.

Thanks parul.
It was such a valuable Tip and I am sure my readers will appreciate.

Update:
The tip was found valuable, but even more valuable were the feedbacks given by a few readers.
It was more to do with the safety of the use of plastic in Microwave. The common question was is it microwave safe? Since, parul had tried it, and she mentioned that she used the polythene without the holder, which is usually a better grade , so it must be safe, but then, it is always good if you are 100% sure , since it is food.

Some of the feedbacks are in the comments, and I am reproducing them,

Manisha says:
Make sure that the plastic you use in microwaves is microwave-safe. Better still, use glass bowls. How often have we heard that something that was declared 'safe' is no longer safe because of new research? Glass is safest - its melting point is well above 2000F.

A grad student writes:
I would just like to add that not all plastics are food safe. Here is a link that describes the dangers of using plastics: http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/2002/602_plastic.html

The last paragraph contains examples of plastics that are safe to use.

Alternatively, you can use a microwavesafe bowl, fill it up with a 1cm of water and poke holes in the arvi/potato and cook as usual.

At Hindsight, using plastic bags, in a microwave is scary, but you can use the better quality, MW safe bags, I believe. But then, like Grad Student suggested, you can always use a bowl.
If you have any tips that might be useful to a Bachelor Cook, or any cook, do send your tip. I will post it with due reference and linkback.

Sliced Chilli Pork - Fast Chinese Food!

2006-08-17T21:59:00.000+05:30

Majority of the Indians don't eat Pork, or so it seems. I have nothing against those who don’t; it's their choice, after all. Many people have started eating pork though. After all, food is food, and good food is good food. But there are a lot of people, people I have come across, who says they don’t, but well, they have tried. And there are those who have the typical answer, “ Yeah! I do eat it when I eat out!”.

Most people start eating pork in Chinese Restaurants. And they start with sliced chilli pork, mostly. Or perhaps Mixed fried rice with Pork. But Sliced Chilli pork is a good way to start having this most tasty meat. Well, Slice Chilli Pork is as good a dish as any to start eating Pork, and I just remembered Momo.

Sliced Chilli Pork is the only Pork dish I usually order at Bar-B-Q, a famous Chinese restaurant in Kolkata. Like all extra-Chinatown Chinese Joints, This is also run by a Non-Chinese, but the chefs are, I believe, Chinese. Bar-B-Q serves as good Chinese dishes as those in China town or Tangra.

My Chilli Pork didn’t turn out exactly like Bar-B-Q’s, but allow me a little self praise, it seem tastier, eh! But then, I am the self proclaimed Maharajah, no? But I can always do with a little self praise, no! Nothing gives me more pleasure than guests overeating, with an occasional "it is amazing, Wow! So Nice, never had better chicken in My life" blah blah!. I hate it when people nibble on their food, especially If I am the Host.
How do One cook Chilli Chicken?
It is quite easy, if you ask me.
All Pork Dishes are easy, and yes, I have some more Pork dishes Lined up.

Sliced Chilli Pork is another Trade Mark Bachelor Cooking Recipe. Very Yummy! Very Easy!

1 Kilo Pork, sliced into about 1 inch wide and 2.5 inches long. Should be about 4 mm Thick or twice as thick as the usual Bacon Slice. Ask Butcher to slice vertically, so that there are both fat and meat in each slice.

4 capsicums, cut into slices or 2 mm thin stripes.
3 Green Chilli sliced in half.
One Onion chopped Roughly.
More than 15 Cloves of Garlic, chopped into small pieces, not crushed.
Two Tomatoes, Blanched and peeled, and Pureed .
150 Grams Spring Onions, choped into 1 inches.
Soya Sauce

Steps:
1. Wash Pork and put the wet Pork into a pressure cooker and cook till 3 whistles.
In the absense of Cooker follow step 2 directly, but cook a while longer, say 10 more minutes.
2. Pour the contents into a Wok or Pan and boil in the remaining water till water is dry.

3. Oil will start to come out now, saute the meat its own fat. The water will be dry sooner if you had not pre-cooked it in the cooker. Add the Onions, green Chilli and Chopped garlic. Saute the meat in its fat for 10 minutes, in low heat if it was pre-cooked(step 1), otherwise saute for 20 minutes.
4. Pour 5 TBS of Black Soya Sauce, and cook in it for 5 more minutes. Add the Capsicum. Add salt to taste.
5. Add the tomato Puree, and Spring Onions. Cover the pan cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Serve!!!

Beautiful Pictures from Arunachal Pradesh

2006-08-15T15:00:00.000+05:30

Happy Independence Day, dear All!!

In the meanwhile, Check out the beautiful pictures from Tawang District in Arunachal Pradesh in this new blog, Arunachal Yatra.

Curry Mela 29th Week

2006-08-14T06:46:00.000+05:30

Hmm... lets all get drunk tonight!! eh eh eh eh eh.... Funny Rapper that Yo Rapper... It's a little late, this curry mela, but the song went on and on and the weekend was over so fast, I didn't even see it. Saturday afternoon, which is when I usually start the round up, the net connection was acting funny.. no connection to gateway and all that.. But it is cool now!! and it is early monday morning when I gave the finishing touch to the 29th curry mela!!

Welcome you all to the 29th curry mela...
Thanks for the patience, and if you had gone away after seeing no curry mela up by sunday evening, I am sorry.. But this is a good curry mela, with a very good number of entries, which made the spread all the more beautifull!!

Enjoy the spread... Thanks for comming..
And don't forget to participate in next weeken's herb Blogging.
Blog about a herba nd send me the entry by next sunday.
I am hosting, Kalyn's Weekend herb Blogging next week.. or rather this week..

For now, enjoy the curry mela!!!

Koonthal Curry & Kalamari fry! Now, this is a very yummy seafood recipe. Koonthal or squid curry and kalamari which is Deep fried Squid. Amazing double treat, and what with my love for sea food, this is such a treat... My mouth is watering as I write this!!

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Here is another sea food recipe, a Mussels recipe, Sautéed Mussels. Does this also have aphrodisiacal Properties hmm? If you think it's raining seafood, there is more.... eh!!

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Kozhakattai or Sweet Rice Dumplings, coconutty and sweet, very comforting food!
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Tomatilla Fish Curry, Latino aha!! Check this out... A fish curry with a difference, and I am sure you will love it, if you like fish. I for one, fell for it..
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This blogger prepared this amazing dessert Tiramisu, for her Hubby's Birthday.. Very Sweet!! Happy belated Birthday friend!!!
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Desi Styled Scrambled eggs , the most widely known and cooked bachelor recipe I would say. Any bacjelor should be able to cook this dish, and if you still don't know, rush over and learn!!
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Dahi wala Chicken and vegetables !! Amazing picture, amazing food, amazing recipe. Which non-vegeterian would love a chicken dahiwala, and for the health conscious, a healthy dose of vegetables added to it!!

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Sookhe Aloo !! Oww... I promise you that there are more potato dishes coming, and I can't be bisaed towards any potato dishes, after I am a potato lover. Check out my paunch if you don't believe me lolzz.. But hey, aloo sukhe is a quickie dish, and very yummy...

My bachelor tip, peel the potatoes, cut in half and add tehm to the rice, if you are cooking rice. By the time the rice is done, the potaoes will also done. Remove the potatoes, wash them in cold water, and then use it for the aloo sukhe. Saves time, saves energy(read gas or electricity), and the potatoes will have a distinct taste..

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Check out this Uppu Kozhukkattai (Salty Version). When my friend saw the picture , as I am writing this post, he was semi-shocked, He saw the ganesha Idol, and he saw the Kozhukkattai, which has a stark similarity to MOMOS, or steamed dumplings with meat inside. Now, looks can be so deceptive!!
Oh, this is not a sweet, not this version! This is a salted Uppu Kozhukkattai, and the recipe has been very well written, in a crisp step by step procedure!! Check Out..

I love the sweet version as well..

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Now, This is Goduma Dosa or wheat dosa, and many of readers being from South India, i guess, you are familiar with this dish, and the recipe, but It was new for me. I never knew you could make dosai with Wheat Flour. Now I don't want to experiment with something I haven't even tasted.. Never good to spoil a new dish,no? So, where do I get my Goduma Dosa???
The next time I see a south Indian restaurant, I am gonna ask for this..

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Strawberry and Yoghurt Icecream! All pink and looks very yummy. I always love it when I get some ingenious dessert recipes amidst all the curries!!!!

Thanks for adding colors to the curry mela...
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Now our articulate blogger, who inspired me to start the curry mela, has a very beautiful recipe for the curry mela. Check out this mouth watering Spicy Pepper Mushrooms!!

Amazing treat, I tell you, awesome pictures too..
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This is the second time I am posting an Upside down cake on the curry Mela, just check out this amazing upside down pineapple cake.

Easy step by step way to prepare too. I was thinking of baking a cake tonight... for some special friend :-D .. I might just bake this!!
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Look at this tiny hot dogs, these are Mini Hot dogs, home made of course, amazing, no? Nice little bites...

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Yumm!! I love fish, I just love any fish, I can live on fish for days on end... and we have no house by the sea... Check out this amazing double Treat of prawns, Chemmeen Mulakittathu & Kerala Prawn Pepper Fry!! And I told you there were fish dishes to come!!!

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Check out this Aloo Masala or Potato Curry..but of course, potato being my fav vegetable, that I never forget to add too my dishes.. I even add potatoes to Sarsong ka saag. Aloo masala is an all time fav!!!
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Now I suggest, you try out this chicken in lemon sauce, next time you plan to have chicken.. Believe me, this is different, not too spicy, very healthy and you will love it...
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Curry Mela Reminder!!

2006-08-11T11:03:00.000+05:30

Rush in your Curry Mela Entries!!!
We will have the 29th Curry Mela this very weekend!!
Rush In.. I am waiting ....

Onion Zhunkas or is it Kanda Zunka?

2006-08-10T20:15:00.000+05:30

Call it by any name, this is one seemingly simple but very tasty Maharashtrian dish. And if you are not from Maharashtra, I am sure you haven't tasted it. Oh! Why did i write seemingly simple, well it is not as simple as it sound, though it is prepared with the least of ingredients and is very quick to cook. And, how I love Quickies!!
It takes some experience to cook the perfect Zhunka, I guess. When that colleague told me the recipe, I thought i could do it in a ziffy, the first attempt ended in a semi burnt Zhunka, the second in a semi cooked one. This was almost perfect, but then I added crushed peanuts, and it soaked up all the oil. This was tastty nevertheless.

Oh! But other Zhunkas like Capsicum Zhunka, Tindla Zhunkas that I had blogged earlier are much easier to prepare. Somehow they turned out perfect in the first try, but not this authentic onion Zhunka.

Ingredients:
3-4 Onions finely Chopped.
1 tbs Mustard seed
Vegetable Oil
Besan or Chick Pea Flour

Steps:

Heat 2 TBS of oil in a pan.
Sputter some mustard seeds and Add the onions.
Fry till onions start to get limp.
Add Oil, lower heat to minimum and add 2 cups of Besan.

Now this is the difficult part.
You have to sprinkle the besan slowly and keep stirring/sauteing.
Otherwise the besan will form small lumps, which is not advisable.
HEY!!! I guess a Sieve would be great Idea.
Now you have to keep stirring till the besan won't smell raw.
it should take about 5 minutes of continuous before the zhunka can be served.
Little Water can be sprinkled while sauteing.

I added crushed peanut.
Don't add.
It is better without than with :-)
Enjoy!!

I will be hosting the next week's Weekend Herb Blogging, originally started by Kalyn. Send me you entries by sunday next week at anthonysmirror[at]Gmail[dot]com. You have blog about a Herb, rare herbs and informative posts are much welcome but any post on any herb should do.

Dig for Herbs and start thinking!!!!

Mutton Khichdi

2006-08-07T19:09:00.000+05:30

Amazing, no?
Will write up the recipe soon...
Am just a wee bit bizzy now.

Happy Friendship Day Dear Friends!!

2006-08-04T09:54:00.000+05:30

A very Happy friendship Day to all of you Dear Friends!

UPDATED Sunday 12:30 PM: I guess Today is the Friendship, so Happy Friendship day to you all, AGAIN!!

One more Announcement- I am working this weekend, sunday Included, so I will not be able to post the Curry Mela, this weekend!

Bachelor's Mutton Tikka Masala

2006-08-01T20:14:00.000+05:30

This is another dish I love, very meaty and very spicy!
Made in a simple way, a Bachelor Recipe. This is Bachelor's MTM or Mutton Tikka Masala. I am not sure if I have blogged about mutton Tikka Masala earlier, but I wanted to blog this. And this dish is Masaledaar and very Tikha, so whether or not this is the conventional way of cooking Mutton Tikka Masala, but this sure is my way of Cooking Mutton Tikka Masala for today. I might cook it differently, another day.
That is the beauty of cooking Nobody can patent a recipe, and whatever be the name, I can still cook it my way. Anyway there is a story behind the Chicken Tikka masala or CTM and it's cousin, the Mutton Tikka Masala. CTM and MTM doesn't have any Authentic Indian Root, Mughlai or Punjabi. Both dishes evolved over time to suit the taste buds of the British, so said some expert. Let us take is word for the truth. What matters, is that, we love this recipe however we cook it.
By the way, Chicken Tikka masala is cooked with Chicken Tikka kabab or Chicken Tandoori. Muttom Tikka can also be cooked with Mutton Kababs, I will try a different version soon, but pot roasting Mutton or rather pan roasting it first..

Anyway I have cook out Mutton Tikka Masala in a simple way.. Hope you will enjoy making it..

No marination, No complex Masala Mix, just plain Saute and Shimmer.

I used Packet Meat Masala for the Masala Powder. MDH or MTR or whatever.

750 grams of Mutton meat, cut into medium pieces.
2 medium size onions, roughly chopped.
2 large Tomatoes, roughly chopped.
10-15 cloves of garlic crushed.
1 inch ginger, crushed.
Meat Masala and Jeera powder, dhania powder, Chilli powder.
1 tsp Methi,2 Bayleaves and 3 green chillis sliced in halves.

Heat 2 TBS oil in a Kadhai and add the Methi, bayleaves and 3 green chillis.
Add Onions and fry till limp.
Add the Meat and mix well.
Add salt to taste.
Let the meat fry for 15 minutes in medium heat.
Keep stirring all the while.
When meat tightens and separates from oil, add the ginger garlic paste.
saute for 5 minutes and add the tomatoes. Heat 3 cups of water in separate burner.
Add 1 tsp each of Jeera powder and Dhania powder.
Add 1 tsp of Red chilli powder or more if you want it very Tikha.
Add half a tsp of turmeric powder or Haldi.
Mix well and keep stirring, heat in medium.
After 5 minutes, add the 3 cups of hot water.
Add 1 TBS of meat masala.
Shimmer till water is consistent and gravy becomes thick.

Garnish with Cilantro or Coriander or Dhania.
Serve with Hot Rice..

Try my Mutton Vindaloo also and Mutton Ribs Masala, and Mutton Chops here.

Curry mela - 28th week

2006-07-30T11:16:00.000+05:30

Today is a little late.. Was caught in some work and all that..
We will start the curry mela right away...
Usually I post a few recipes between each curry mela, but a hectic week left me with no time for cooking for posting.. I will try to post some nice recipes next week again...

So dear frens, Welcome you all to the 28th Curry Mela. We have come a long way eh!!!
Hope you will enjoy!!

Let us start with this amazing Pizza recipe, I have never someone write so well, a recipe such as Pizza. A step by step precess of making the dough and create a Pizza that would put those Pizza Hut bakers out of their job. Excellent work. Today on, whoever have seen this post will find Pizza to be an Italian Mystery!
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Tenga Manga Pattani Sundal is nothing but tenga (coconut), manga (mango) and pattani (dried peas) says the prudent blogger who also admits that this is nowhere near the original recipe but taste excellent. But then the picture speaks for itself. Now, I now just the right way to put this to good use :-)

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This Meat Cutlet is another example of detailed recipe tutorial, better explained than any of those so called recipe websites. By the way, after the food blogging took the web by storm, are those FREE Recipe Websites still in Business. ANyway, this is an excellent meat cutlet recipe, that I really loved. I will try it very soon, very soon.

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Hmm, healthy food? Palak Rice is something quick to prepare, good to eat and extremely healthy. Should be a staple for all health consious diet conscious foodies.. palak can be such a wonder, eat it with Potatoes, with paneer, alone, or even with rice!!!
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Uppu Maanga or green raw mangoes in brine, best had with kanji or rice porridge, and lasts a lifetime. Good for Digestion also..
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Rajma Masala, who will ever get tired of rajma masala? And with those hot puris, look very yummy. This is one good Rajma Masala Recipe.. Try it!
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Allum Vankaya Onion pachadi, The blogger recommends that this Brinjal recipe is best had with hot rice and Ghee...Yummy!

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Bhendi Masala, Try out this simple goan recipe of Bhendi masala (Bhindi, as some call it). A nice Bachelor Recipe..

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Clams Gravy or Khubbe/Tisre/Kalva ambat in the local language, from our beloved Konkan Recipes Blogger!!!
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This Soya Chunks are meat substitutes, and for all ex-non-vegetarians who sometimes miss those days of succulent meat, can indulge on this highly proteinous healthy food. Another healthy recipe...
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Now this Stuffed Pepper, peppers stuffed with some spicy chick peas is something I came across bloghopping, from a blogger I came across recently. Reminds of that fateful day when I ate 3-4 plates of Pepper vadas or bhajas. Well, you guessed the consequence right! The consequence was some experience I will never forget, but man How I love this recipe... I can eat and eat and eat, whatever the consequence!! indulge me..
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look at these Pics of Tortino Stuffed Bread, i would say let the picture do the talking. And don't get intimidated by the pictures, the recipe has been explained very easily and it is not quite difficult to prepare.. Go and try it!!
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This carrot cake which was the blogger's first attempt was quite a Good try. Looks amazing, no? You will go a long way :-)
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Black Berry another recipe that I'd rather let the picture speak.. Utterly Berry verry Deliciously!
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I just love this Vegetable Stew, which is a very healthy food again. I just love any kind of healthy food, and vegetable stew tops the list. I have tried chicken stew and man, do I love it?
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This Sodhi is one dish that is a specialty of a sect of Tirunvelvelli community, said the blogger. Check out the accompaying Ginger relish and suchlike.

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Ada, a Kerala Breakfast, looks very delicious! Did you know that this prepared in banana leaves and roasted or baked in a manchatti(earthern pot). Yummy Coconut (Poovada) fillings or Jaggery banana fillings and all that.
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Frozen Apricot Yoghurt Ginger Snap, I'd say this is fun food.
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And ending today's curry mela with another very healthy food Drumstick Fry. I guess drumstick is a good cure for some diseases too.

Rush in your entries for the next curry Mela....

Omkara Review!

2006-07-30T05:21:00.000+05:30

Read my review of Omkara, on the other blog.
Amazing movie, and amazing performance by Saif Ali Khan and Konkona Sen.

Curry Mela - 27th week

2006-07-23T15:00:00.000+05:30

Welcome back to the 27th Curry Mela again.. I almost postponed today Curry mela till next weekend, when I decided not to. Anyway here were are yet again, I hope you will enjoy, as you always have. Cheers.

Let us start with somethign different. This is Sorakaya Paala Kootu or Bottle Gourd cooked in Milk. We have something similar which we call modhujaan or something in Manipur. Had been meaning to cook it for a long time now, even got the Kaali Til and all that for the recipe. Enjoy this till then....

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Now this one is Aloo and Zucchini Posto, now I love Posto, Aloo Posto, Zhinge Posto. These are amazing Poppy (Khus Khus or khas khas) based Bengali Recipes.
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A very tasty and healthy mid-meal bombay snackBombay vegetable Sandwich, and you thought there were only Vada Paos in Mumbai..

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Arachuvita Sambar, Now this blogger used to refer to this sambar as Hotel Sambar as kid :-) I can definitely understand how we wished our mom cooked like they do in the restaurants or Hotels. We realised how we miss Home cooking only now....

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Chilli Chicken, the safest recipe or dish to try when you are unsure of what to order in a new Chinese restaurant.
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Balti Chicken Sounds like it came straight the menu board of a Dhaba, but then it is from a Dhaba :-)

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Delectable Linzer Cookies, literal eye candy, oops cookies.
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"Can I have some Paper rasam please?"

"Which paper, sir, We have Time of India, Hindustan Times, Eenadu, which paper do you want with the Rasam sir."

"You Stupid fellow, I want Paper, not newspaper"

This Pepper Rasam had created quite a stir..
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This Bitter Gourd and Green Chilli Curry is something I must try. I love Bitter Gourd or karelas with Potatoes but Green mango is something I must try.
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Yummy Dessert, this berry dessert is.. Like the blogger said, very berry dessert, vanilla yoghurt and all that.
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Wow, Egg and drumstick curry, or Kodigudu Mullakaaya Pulusu something that must go into my side bar's egg menu.
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Chilli Porota or Kothu Porota, This is somehow related to what the north and west Indians call Parathas, but porotas or parotas are quite different in both its spiral Looks and good taste. This recipe is one made from shredded porotas, and she has given some other non-veg variants, which would no doubt be amazing...

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Fat free Snacks and specially Bhel are something I love. I have been wanting to post some fat-free, low calorie and healthy recipes, since remaining Healthy easily have become a premium in the rushed lifestyle we all lead today.

Let me close today's curry mela with this Healthy recipe... Hope you enjoyed and will try some of today's spread. And of course check out this new blogger, Monica gi Chakhum, which means Monica's Kitchen. Chakhum is Kitchen in Manipuri, expect some authentic Manipuri recipes from her Blog.

Curry mela reminder

2006-07-21T09:58:00.000+05:30

Send in your entries for curry mela 27th soon... so that I don't miss it for this weekend's round-up..
Hurry Up.....
I am waiting...

Simple Pork Curry!

2006-07-20T21:10:00.000+05:30

Ban or whatever, we won't stop blogging would we? I can still access the Dashboard, though I can't access blogs... So, I thought I will blog... damn those bureaucrats, who don't even know what a blog is. While you figure out what a blog really is, and if it can a medium of communication for the terrorist, as if....

Anyway we will enjoy some pork...
For for vegetarian visitors, scroll down for some kabuli Chana!!!!

Anyway, Pork curry is the king of all Bachelor foods.
Tastier than any meat around, goes well with any drinks ( even fanta believe me!)
And the recipe, can it get any simpler?? I doubt if you could cook a simpler dish, umm maybe boiling eggs would be slightly simpler, and cooking maggie noodles.

Daal tadka is more complex than Pork curry!!

It takes a long time though..

So how do I cook this simple pork curry?
Before you go on, promise yourself that you will try this out and come back to tell me how it turned out! If you do cook and eat pork...

Deal??

One kilo Pork, Choose meat with some skin with the fat underneath for cooking fat.

1) In a pot or a pressure cooker put the pork, and about 3 cups of water. Start boiling the water and pork.

2) When you have put the pork for boil, chop two onions roughly, and throw in.

3) Crush 15-16 cloves or one bulb of garlic and about 2 inch finger of ginger, and also throw that into pot.

4) Now add 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder ( use freshly ground cumin powder for best results**), half tsp red chilli powder, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp meat masala and salt to taste.

5) Keep boiling and let shimmer. Add three tomatoes, roughly chopped. Now till the water dries and gravy becomes consistent and thick as in the picture..

Garnish with Coriander. The food is ready.. Could it have been simpler. I will cook another version and post soon...

This is also my entry to Meena's FMR being hosted by Revathi here, FMR-7.

Aloo Chole/ Kabuli Chana Aloo

2006-07-19T23:01:00.001+05:30

I like it with the potatoes. But then I love potatoes with everything, specially with meat though. But I like it with Chole/kabuli Chana as well. BTW, Chole or Kabuli Chana is a slightly larger species of Chick Peas, Chole Bhatura, (or deep fried Indian Bread with Chole Masala, similar to this curry for Non Indians) is a very common favorite.
I have come to become fond of this particular chick pea species since a very long time. I am sure I had posted similar recipes earlier, but then I suddenly wanted to eat it today, so I had prepared it today, even before I changed after work.

Since I didn't plan it in the morning, and I was back not too early, I couldn't soak it overnight. So I had to boil the Chole in a pressure cooker. It took more than 15 whistles to cook it.
I didn't know when the chole must be cooked so i had to de-pressurise and check it about thrice. After the third whistle, I also added 2 potatoes largely cubed and 3 tomatoes thoroughly washed, whole, so that I can remove the skin. When chole was soft, I removed it and leave aside. Also peel the tomatoes, well remove the skin..

I heat 3 TBS of oil, in a Wok.
Added a Tbs of Mustard seed, 2 bayleaves and two red chillis ( preferably Kashmiri).
Also added two finely chopped green chilli.
Added a medium sized onion finely chopped, and when it was golden,
I added a TBS of ginger-garlic paste.
Sauteed a minute, and added:
Half a tsp Dhania Powder
Half a tsp Jeera Powder
Half a tsp Chilli Powder
Half a tsp haldi/turmeric Powder
Half a tsp meat masala Powder

Mix quickly and pour in the boiled Chole with the potatoes and Tomatoes.
Add salt to taste.
Shimmer for 5 minutes
Garnish with Coriander (Cilantro/dhania patte)!!!

Curry mela - 26th week

2006-07-16T10:02:00.000+05:30

Here we are..The 26th Curry mela at your screen. As always thanks for all the support, and I like to think that some of you even wait eagerly for the Curry Mela.. We have some amazing treats this week too... I hope you will like them... Enjoy!!!

This is Penne with Broccoli and Coconut Milk that was sent to me 2 days back. I had starred the mail, but well, I missed it in the first round-up. My sloppiness... Shame on me for missing my favorite food. Yes meeta, like all boys I can also live on pasta.... Thanks

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Pooshnikkai and chana koottu (Petha/white gourd chana koottu) , A potent mix of Pumpkin and Kabuli chana or chole.

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Check out this Masala Peanuts, Blogger says it is a good snack to be had watching a Movie.. How about a beer..
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We first had Chicken manchurian, then came gobi manchurian, but I never expected that we would see fish manchurian, but for this blogger who had sent this entry last week, but I had already published the curry mela, and was out on some work, when I saw later this amazing entry of a Fish Manchurian
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This is the first time she tried Green tomatoes or tomatillas, and man it looks awesome.. Green tomatoes can be had in a lot of ways, and even cooking it the way we cook any curry with potatoes can also be a very delicious and tangy dish.. will cook you sometime, but for today, try out this amazing Stuffed Green Tomatoes...
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Simple spring onion curry she says, but lemme tell you, it means simple to cook.. the taste will be anything but simple..
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Spiced Butter milk, a damn good after food.... I always make it a point to have one after lunch... well with lunch, I can say :-)
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I love this egg rice, I love this....I can already imagine the eggy smell of the dish... A quickie food, when you are back from work tired... it can be such a surprise...

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Check out this Keerai masial and baby potato fry with peanut butter.. I suggest, cook both and have with rice ... Keeari masial is made from Mulai Keerai or Amaranth in English and baby potato is made from, well baby potatoes..lol
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Check out this healthy ridged gourd sodhi, modified by cooking with milk and tomatoes..
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Some Hot and Spicy treat mirchicha chatka .. This is damn hot... Try at your own risk!! :-)
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Yummyyyy!!! This is awesome.. The picture only looks so yummy, I can smell it on the laptop screen.. This Chetinad chicken curry is a must try..n I recommend, you try it tonight... ( Also spelt as Chettinad )
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Pototoes in gravy or aloo gravy, whatever you call it, for a potato lover like me, it is just too tempting....

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I have a sweet tooth and gaajar ka halwa have been a personal favorite of all times and as old visitors will know.. Imagine my pleasure when I got this entry of a gaajar ka halwa... Gaajar ka Halwa

And with this we come to an end, the 26th Curry Mela... Thank you all.. Visit again.

The Original Bachelor Food - Maggi

2006-07-14T23:13:00.000+05:30

The purpose of my blog, when I started it was to liberate bachelors from Maggi. But when I say liberate, it was not to liberate you totally, but to liberate you from having Maggi every other day for Breakfast, Lunch and dinner. Having occasionally, after a long day for dinner or having it for a quick breafast was not out of the liberation manifesto. For, how can one be a bachelor and not love maggi? We all, at least our generation, grew up on maggi, and attach some comfort feeling with a hot bowl of maggi.

Over the years, I have come to experiment with maggi, and have it a little twisted all the time, like cooking it with left over chicken curry :-), otherwise I like sauteed vegetables like peas and cauliflower with my maggi. Today I have a quick maggi for you, also as an entry for Nandita weekend Breakfast Blogging at saffron trail.

As I said I don't like my maggi straight.... I like it twisted..

Fry scrambled eggs and keep aside. ( in a pan, heat a tbs of oil and fry one chopped onion till limp, add salt to taste and break three eggs over it. Then scramble it)

Boil two cups of water. Add a cup of peas, chopped carrots and one finely chopped onion.
Add the maggi masala and continue to boil till peas are cooked.
Add the maggi noodles.. Sprinkle a little salt.. The maggi masala already has salt, but a little more won't harm ;-)

Now add the scrambled eggs and let shimmer for one minute.
Serve in a bowl have right from the pan, like I do lol....

Mumbai Blast Kills nearly 150 today

2006-07-11T23:04:00.000+05:30

More at the other blog.

I am fine, here.

Curry Mela 25th Week- Silver Anniversery

2006-07-08T11:43:00.000+05:30

I am ignoring the kitchen a little too much.. lol
I promise I will cook more and blog more...
Been doing a lot of homework of late.. Had work to complete... Had some opportunity at work to prove myself so it took up most of time. And have been working on a TOP SECRET personal project too..

Anyway, I can't ignore the curry mela can I?
We, I and my readers, have come to get used to the curry mela, And today.... is the silver anniversary, or is it weekiversary.... as I just realised...

Anyway, welcome to this special silver anniversary session of 25 week old Curry mela .. Thanks to evereyone for the support.. Next week, I will cook and post some nice Bachelor recipes too....

For today, we have such amazing spread as ........

Check out this Eggplant curry - Kathirikkai Pulikkulambu , This spicy dil is best had with dal and papad says the blogger...

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Check out this Semiya Kesari, This is prepared almost the way we prepare by replacing sooji with vermicelli... call it semiya or seviya, this is amazing stufff... specially for a sweet tooth like mine.. with the ghee, cashews and raisins and all that ....

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Ain't this Gobi manchurian delectable.. The best indo chinese invent... never mind the diplomats.. this food have made India and China instant relatives... Gobi manchurian if you should want to know is a Bangalore product :-), bangalore's gift to Indo-China Friendship efforts..

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Check out this Sodhi cabbage cooked in Coconut milk, the coconut milk will give the much needed flavor to the usual almost bland cabbage.. It is amazing how coconut milk or grated coconut can transform such bland vegetables as cabbage and french beans..

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Check out this Chicken Tikka Masala , or famously the CTM... an invent of the resourceful indians or more specifically DESIS( including Bangladesha and pak) in the UK for the Brits... Research (at least by Vir Sanghvi) couldn't find its roots to India....

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When I got this entry through my mail, I wondered what this fish packets could be, of course, it was enough that I saw fish in the title to tingle my taste senses, and but much pleasure reading and recording in my mind this very new recipe of preparing this fishy Snacks...

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Puri masala as this, is a very touchy topic here at the bachelor cooking a very sweet lady friend of mine once invited me home. I promised myself that I will only pick on the food, but I ended up gobbling down almost 20 puris, and she kept serving.. I couldn't stand up and I never got an invite again lolzzz .... I rememebered this story aftre a long time a few days back when I saw Puri Bhaaji being served for breakfast at the company canteen... Did I mention that I had two plates and skipped lunch?

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Beautiful dish as this Risotto ai funghi e prezzemolo I can't even pronounce it, always gives me a little complex, considering that I self proclaimed a little while MYSELF that I was the maharajah of bachelor cooking :-)

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Can we have some more Chole Bhature now. Oily Bhatures and rich spicy CHole Masala, who cares about a few extra Kilos...

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Check out this Cucumber Kichadi / Pachadi , Another new dish here at the Curry Mela ....

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Geez, this Moong daal Kabaabs looks awesomeLet the picture speak *Smile*..

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Salmon and Wild rice, the most exotic dish on today's spread what say..

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Curry Mela - 24th Week

2006-07-02T11:26:00.000+05:30

Hello Friends, here we are, yet again, with the 24th curry mela.. been 24th weeks since I started this as an experiment. We have had a very smooth run of the same for more than 5 months now. I hope that you will continue to enjoy the same for years to come... Cheers

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I have, as an opening bell, a very healthy beet based recipe here. Makes a complete meal with kadhi and rice or roti... Check out this Kadhi and Beetroot Palyaa,

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WAJIK, a steamed glutinous rice braised in palm sugar and coconut milk syrup. Now this is an Indian Rice cake... Yummy dessert. It does reminds me of a Manipuri Rice called Chakhao ( meaning tasty rice) which is originally brown in colour and looks exactly like the wajik when cooked. Smells awesome, but the produce of the same rice is very limited, and it is hardly available for commercial production. But the smell is awesome, and anybody who have ever tasted it never forgets it.

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Pudalangai Poriyal - Snake Gourd Curry , This is another simple Indian Curry, quite healthy. Would love to try it out soon...

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I love those banana chips fresh out of the Monstrous Kadhai, check out this simple version of preparing Ash Plantain chips . You can actually prepare it at home!!

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Yummy Dessert, this Kesari Bhaath/Rava Kesari. I can eat tons of this..
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Let the picture for itself... Check out this Aperitif, perfect for a party......

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Lamb and potato Curry, well, a very simple and easy to cook recipe. Something I have cooked many a times...

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Easy Biryani, and hey this is another perfect bachelor recipe... Biryani made simple!!!

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Puran PoliThe Blogger Writes Puran = any kind of stuffing Poli = flatbread.. I first tasted this amazing, sweet roti/paratha, at Pune. It was 4 years back. Been in love eversince....
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Carrot, Courgette and Spinach fritters, trust this blogger to come up with such amazing recipes..
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Maple Glazed Salmon with Black Pepper and Ginger, what more can I comment. The picture speaks a thousand words... Classy stuff I tell you..

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Veppilakatti - chutney powder made with lemon/lime leaves , an authentic south Indian Preparation...

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Paneer Tikka Rolls or wraps... and easy recipe with step by step instruction to prepare Paneer Tikka Katti Rolls..Check it out...

Technorati tag :: Curry Mela

Bachelor's Daal Makhani for JFI

2006-07-01T21:33:00.000+05:30

My Entry to JIHVA for Ingredients initiated by Indira, and this month being hostess by the Andhra Cuisine Queen, Sailu's The JFI . Since everybody seems to cook daal, and everybody else seems to cook daal Makhani too, I thought I what have I left with to cook. And with my blog, having been ignored enough, what with work et al, and not been in the kitchen too frequently, I thought What I cook for the JFI should be Bachelor Friendly as well, what with my theme and all that and many people dropping by searching bachelor's Recipes..

I decided to cook up an easy Daal Makhani minus the Makhan...
Funny, why Daal Makhani then?
Can't call it Daal only either, can I???

The only difference between this Daal makhani and the real Daal makhani will be that This was cooked without any Cream... Cream is very tasty and all that, but it is quite heavy in the stomach so I often have this Home-made daal makhani type daal. Makes for much tasty eating..

What you need:

Kaali Daal (Black Lentil or Horse Gram): 1/2 Cup
Rajma (Kidney beans) : 1/3 Cup
Chana Daal (Chick pea Daal) : 1/3 Cup
Toor/Arhar Daal (Optional) : 1/4 cup

1 large onion finely chopped.
2 green chillies slices into halves.
1 inch finger of ginger and few Cloves of garlic crushed to a coarse paste.
2 large tomatoes Steamed/Blanched and skinned.

2 bayleaves
2 kashmiri Mirch
1 TBS Coriander(dhania) powder.
1 tsp of Jeera(cumin seed) Powder.
1 TBS Garam Masala.
Pinch of heeng(asafoetida)
1/2 Tsp of turmeric powder.

Salt to taste

Start:

Soak the Rajma Daal overnight or at least six hours.
Wash, drain the water and then pressure cook all the daal with turmeric powder and salt. After 2-3 whistles, ( No of whistles depends on the size and make of the Cooker) or after the daal is cooked, keep aside.
Remember, add turmeric when you boil the daal.
Add 3 cups of water.

Heat kadhai and put 3-4 TBS Ghee or Butter.
Add red chilli. Add Onions and fry till golden brown.
Add green chilli and ginger garlic paste, and saute for a minute.
Add all the remaining masala and stir quickly, then add s few spoons of water, spoon by spoon. Saute till oil and mixture separates...

Add the tomato and crush with the back of spoon, now add the boiled daal. When you add the daal, check how much water is left. If you think you need more water, add more water, if not, Shimmer for a few minutes and serve.

If you really want to eat Authentic daal makhani, add Cream just before putting out the fire.
Enjoy....
Curry Mela is also comming soon....

Sauteed Spinach-Palak

2006-06-29T22:17:00.000+05:30

Just learnt that Spinach, besides pumping up the muscle and adrenaline of Popye, also helps in the digestion of normal human beings. Good for us, no?

I love spinach, though not the crushed one that we find in palak paneer or Sarsong da saag. I prefer it chopped and cooked. Another palak/spinach dish I prefer is simply boiling it with Tomatoes and potaoes and seasoned with Ginger and green Chilli.

My latest crush is nothing of such sorts. I have been in love with the sautéed variety for some weeks now. As a side dish, give you the necessary roughage and damn healthy, but then all leafy greens are healthy.
Simple as simple can be, the perfect side dish for a bachelor.

It would make a fine side dish with steak, or other meaty dishes. You can have with with rice also, why not?

You need:

2 bunch of Spinach (Spinach has a very nasty habit of shrinking after cooking leaving you with water and a few stem lol), PROPERLY washed and Chopped roughly, hold the bunch and cut into 4 portions
small piece of ginger and 3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine.
Half tsp of Cumin seed (jeera).
2 Green Chilli cliced in half.

Heat half a TBS vegetable oil or Ghee or Butter in a Pan or Wok.
Add the jeera and let sputter.
Add Ginger, garlic and chilli, and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add the Spinach, and sautee for 5 minutes or till the water that comes out almost dries ( not all).
Salt to taste.

Relish the healthiest food on earth….
Be strong as Popeye....

Dear Friends I will return all the Tags..just gimme sometime... :-)

Bachelor Quickie Egg Curry

2006-06-26T22:20:00.000+05:30

After a long time, a pure play bachelor recipe.
One of the first curries I learnt, and loved.
Still my favorite, and the easiest.

Not quite bland, not quite strong..
Light on the stomach too.

When I was a kid, I used to like Boiled Potatoes mashed and then lightly fried in onions, much like Dosa Masala, but with only onions.

When I started living away from home and learnt to feed myself, that was one of the first dishes I prepared.
I never got bored of it.

One fine day, I thought I would add eggs to it, just for the sake of it, and the taste left me surprised and wanting for more. Perhaps I cooked the same dish for the next few weeks when one fine day, tired of cooking another gravy accompaniment, I decided to add water, and Bingo! Here was the simplest and one of the yummier Bachelor Dish.

Then I learnt more complex dishes like Mutton Korma, Pork Vindaloo, Sarson da Saag and palak paneer, and I completely forgot my old time favorite. Till a few days back I longed for that old dish, I used to savor, spoonful by spoonful.

This is no secret.
It is only so simple nobody thought of trying it, perhaps.

For the Bachelor Egg Curry, you need:

4 eggs
3 large potatoes
2 Tomatoes
1 onion
1 Tbs Ginger-Garlic ( I later added this to the original recipe of onions only to add to the flavor)
2 green Chilli Sliced
1 red Kashmiri Chili ( for Style lol, optional)
1 bayleaf
1 tsp jeera ( Cumin)
1/2 tsp each jeera (Cumin) and dhania (coriander seed) powder.
Some red chilli powder and turmeric.
Salt to taste

Peel and boil or boil and peel potatoes.
I usually peel add potatoes to rice.
Shortcut you see, it is suppose to be a bachelor Recipe, no?
And potato boiled in rice taste better it seems.

If you had added in rice, wash off the rice..(the potato, that is)
Otherwise remove from boiling pan, peel if it was not peeled.
Roughly mash and keep aside.

Heat water in a separate pan..
Heat oil, 2Tbs . More if you don’t care much about oil ;-)
Add bayleaves, Red Chili, Jeera (not the powder), green chilli, onions and the ginger garlic.
Saute till onion is limp and add a lil turmeric ( little less than half tsp) and red chilli powder.
Add the Tomatoes.
Add the mashed potatoes and mix well.
Lower heat and keep mixing or scrapping the bottom with the skillet.
Boiled potatoes have tendency to stick.
Break the eggs into the mixture and keep mixing till eggs coagulates properly.
The mixture should not be wet and sticky.

Add 1 and half cups of boiling water.
Add salt, You may add some dhania jeera powder mix now. (This is optional)
Shimmer for 5 minutes.
Garnish with Dhania.

Serve Hot with rice.

PS: I have been very busy past few weeks, and thus the infrequent post. I haven’t been cooking kuch, and if I did it has mostly been chicken and mutton but then I had written about chicken and mutton many times, and I cook it only the way I always do. Habits you see.

I will be more regular I promise you all!

Technorati tag:: Curry : Egg : Bachelor Recipe

Curry Mela-23rd Week

2006-06-24T14:14:00.000+05:30

Yes, and we are successfully running the 23rd week. The 23rd Curry Mela is on, already. Thanks to all the contributors and Visitors.
Don't forget to contribuite to the next weeks curry Mela too. I was a little too busy over the week, so I couldn't post much nor could i reply to comments. But I still love to read your feedbacks and comment. Thanks to you again.

And firefox users, and that is 30% of you. I guess it is working fine on Firefox today. I spent the major parts of yesterday night fixing it..

Enjoy.....

Check out this Yummilicious Pepper Chicken/Murgh Kalimirch , one of my favorite chicken preparations, and a good natural and tasty remedy for the cold.. Mighty tasty too. I believe in natural healing, and believe me Pepper Chicken is a good Natural Remedy for even mild fever.

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A delicious and simple Maharashtrian preparation. Navalkolchi Bhaji. Navalkol is Marathi name for Navila Kosu-Kannada, Nool Kol-Tamil, well in Hindi, somebody, please suggest.

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Check out this Brinjal and Podi Curry, Podi is a lentil based spice mix. This is dried version, so those who gets the itch from brinjal, me included, not to worry. The itch is when it is cooked wet. Which is why you love Baingan Bharta even if you thought you were allergic to baingan.

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Tender Mango pachadi or chote aam raita, a simple and delicious seasonal recipe. The Yum, The Tang!!!!

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Mushroom Broccoli Pasta , such easy and simple recipe. Health quotient, need I mention that? I recommend that every bachelor try this out.. Yummy stuff!

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Lentil rice, something like khichdi. I have always wondered why daal rice doesn't taste like Khichdi, even though the ingredients are he same.

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A delicious dessert, this Pal Kozhukattai. Oww..my sweet tooth just buzzed :-)

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Yam Jelly, beautifull stuff, and taste as good. I didn't know that jelly was made from a sea weed.

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Strawberry Almond Muffins, let the picture speak. Just lovely.

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Potato-Peas or Aloo-Mattar parathas, the best ever breakfast that India gave..

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Our office canteen also serves an amazing Brinjal based Sambar, and thanks to blogging, i would know how to prepare a Onion Brinjal Sambar or Ulli Vankai Pulusu

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Eye Popping Pictures and Hitting at the belly kind of recipe, this Cheddar Cheese Biscuits and its tea time already.

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Almond - Pistachio Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, some amazing baked stuff today huh! Me needs to enroll for a baking diploma :-)

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A Simple to cook Veg Biryani, a must try for bachelor cook. Add a couple of boiled eggs, haved, and it will become egg Biryani..wow!!!

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A real neat recipe, Pan Grilled Nan, who needs a tandoor when you have such fine food bloggers. And yumm, how it must taste with the hariyalli Chicken, this fine relatively new food blogger has cooked, inspired by Tanuja's Chicken hariyali.

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And I would like to end this week's curry mela with this amazing soya chunks and vegetable pulao.. The pictures are just wow!!! Drooling all over...

WHB Water Chestnut stem

2006-06-24T10:50:00.000+05:30

This is called water chestnut, scientifically, it belongs to the trapa species. In manipur, we know it by the name of Heikrak. Looks like the samosa, and it is believed that Samosa is also known as Singhara, because of it striking resemblance to the water chestnut, also called Singhara. Manipur is also famous for a lake called the Loktak lake, one of the largest natural reservoirs, unique because of the floating Islands, and more specifically the Keibul lamjao which is a Floating National Sanctuary, with a wide variety of Fauna, and flora, and the only natural home or habitat to The Sangai, or the beautiful brow antlered deer, an endangered species.

The lake also is the primary source of the locals for fishes and varied water plants, the water chestnut being one.

This blog post is not about the NUT, but the stem of the nut. A soft, hollow, and very delicious stem. Grows in bunches, and a delicacy of Manipur. We call it Heikrak Yelli, heikrak for the chestnut, yelli meaning the stem. There is a similar stem, of the water lily which also taste as good.

As you can see the fine needle like bunch of reddish stem, which is quite nutricious, and tasty. It is selodm cooked, we have it as a salad. But then, the salad has to be pungent, and won't actually go well with Mayonnaise. It is best had with the South Asian fish sauce and lots of red chilli.

I haven't actually tried preparing it anyother way then, with fish sauce and chilli. It is an acquired taste, fish sauce stuff that is, and hence I won't say everybody will love the salad, but I am sure there must be other way, like a saag eh!

I am sorry I don't have a better recipe, but lemme assure you the salad that I talked of, we call it Singju is something everybody from Manipur will long for, far away from home.

This is my entry to Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging hosted this weekend by Virginie at Absolute green. Visit the weekend herb Blogging at Absolute Green's.

Curry Mela- 22nd Week

2006-06-17T13:28:00.000+05:30

Here we are, back with the 22nd curry mela. As usual, I am here, writing from a cyber cafe. I am out of town, and no wifi. So I am writing from a cyber cafe, on a P-III computer. And the system is awfully slow. Was it this slow 3 years back too, or is it relative lol.
I didn't carry my laptop either, as I wanted to be away from work for the weekend. Then I remmebered the Curry Mela ( lol, as if I would have forgotten).

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Excuse me! All my visitors who view via Firefox, I know many of you hate MSFT and despise IE, but somehow my current template fails to show properly on firefox, for reasons unknown. I will try ot fix it very soon. In the meanwhile please bear with me and see if you can bear IE as well, since it show on IE just fine. I am trying to figure out the problem.. Perhaps some of the javascripts? because when I save the template on a notepad as htm file and open with firefox it works just fine. Any suggestions are welcome.

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I do hope you will enjoy as usual. Keep the faith...

Isn't this is an awesome GrilledPork? Prok makes the best barbeque I tell you , only the dripping fat will hit the coal and there will be lots of flames and might make the outer layer black. Remove the meat to the side it the fire gets too much. No such problems if you are grilling it in an oven.

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Makai ki roti, sarsong ka saag ,any Punjabee readers here? Punjabee or not, this is the best non-non-vegetarian dish to have come out of Asia. I also tried my hand at preparing sarsong ka saag, my way of course, and it was also awesome...
But this one beats me hands down.
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Paneer Butter Masala , an all time favorite for all Desis. Rich and delicious, a dish you can cook for any kind of guest, a food you can order without asking your partner.

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Egg Paniyaram Just the right recipe for my next eggy treat. Sounds very intersting too. As the cook says, "Paniyarams are a tasty treat. It is somewhere between idli and dosa - soft on the inside and crispy on the outside."

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Vella Appam, I just love this appam made from Bananas and Jaggery. Comfort food from down south.

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Lovely Spread for High Tea, Cherry Tartlets , if pictures could speak.

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Barbecued Chicken Michigan Style, amazing stuff. With my love for barbeques, I can't help drooling over it. Also there sis a surprise waiting over at this blog. Rush and check out.

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Grilled Toasted Potato Sandwich, this is one sandwich I love. I don't like cold sandwiches and prefer them grilled.... Potatoes make good sandwich fillings, BTW. Lurrvely

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Mango Pickle ( Karmbi Nonche) , an Authentic Konkani Pickle right from the cook's mother's recipe book. lol.

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Simple Cabbage Bhaji, an easy dish for bachelors. I have another entry below...

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A mouth Watering spread of Vangi Baath, Cocumber Butter Milk, Mushroom Bhaji and Raita. Need I say more?? :-)

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More Rasam, a Curd based Rasam, mmmm, would be nice with hot rice.

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Pineapple Pulisseri (Pineapple in Sour curd)
. The picure looks awesome, andit must taste great as well. Oh! When we are touching the topic of Pineapples, let me tell you that the pineapple we get back home in manipour is nothing the ones I have tasted elsewhere. Yellowish and so so juicy, the juices slides down the finger, and so sweet. It would even make a good business sense to can it and export it. It would be such a rage, but then it is very business-unfriendly environment out there, and the delight of Manipuri Pineapples will remain hidden from all my friends, at least for sometime. I remember when, on a way back from a picnic, we had come back by a hilly road, and there was this pineapple plantation on the hill slopes. We stole some, and had it. It was awesome. And yes, we also have a similar looking Delicacy, but Idon't exactly remember. Will ask mom and post about it soon.
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This, here, is Amrutham food of the gods.

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Batter Fried Chicken or Chicken Pakoda, Belive me I was just thinking of preparing this dish
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Chicken Curry with Almonds, I never thought of cooking almonds with Chicken, but I can already imagine how it will come out...

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Patta Gobi or Bund Gobi Bhaja A Maharashtrian Staple
. Oh Yes! I can vouch for it. At least a couple of of the dhabas on our lunch table at the office will contain cabbage bhaja. :-)
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Hope you enjoyed this curry mela. Do drop a comment if you do! I have been a little busy of late, if you think my blog was neglected recently.

Announcement for the Cook-a-doodle-do comming soon.
Till then enjoy...

Bachelor's Aloo Bhindi Subjee

2006-06-12T22:55:00.000+05:30

My friend told me, when I took out the Bhindi Subjee for taking this awful picture ( Time to buy a Digital SLR), that "Bhindi Ki Subjee to Sabko Banana Aata hein".( everybody knows how to cook Bhindi Subjee, or stir fried Lady's Finger) I know that, I answered. But there are many who don't. I didn't know how to cook an egg Bhurjee( Scrambled Eggs) when I first started out as a bachelor living in a rented apartment far away from home. I had started this blog, and remain till today, a Bachelor's cooking blog.

Simple recipes.
With simple base or gravy.
Easy recipes for someone who wants to try cooking at home.
Anyway, we had ordered Paneer Makhanwala (Cottage cheese cooked in Indian masala and Cream), Daal Fry (Lentil tempered with Masala)
and Roti as well, for dinner. The Aloo-Bhindi subjee scored over the restaurant cooked paneer Makhanwaala, believe me, just Australia beat Japan 3-1, in the Fifa World Cup that was going on as I cut the Bhindi.

What was the secret?
Was it really easy?

Well, It was quite easy. I used lots of Onions, and tomatoes ;-)

The secret:
Half a Kilo Okra or Bhindi or lady's Finger, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces.
3 medium Potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes and then cut again to make it thinner.
4 Tomatoes, chopped.
3 Large Onions chopped. ( If you have noticed, I use Onions sparringly in my other dishes, even Meat and Chicken. Onions tend to make your dish sweet, but this is different:-) )
A little ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp!
3 green chillis sliced in halves.
I will add the masalas as I cook.

Process:

Heat 2 Tbs Oil in a kadhai, and add a tsp of jeera.
Add the onions and three green chillies sliced in half.
Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till onions are brown.
Add the tomatoes, and add 1 tsp of dhania powder, half tsp each Turmeric and Red Chilli.
Add the potatoes and Bhindi, and cover and cook in low heat.
Open the lid and Mix and Stir from time to time.
Cook till potatoes are cooked.

Serve annnnnd Yummy.
May I submit this to Sweetnicks' ARF/5 A Day

Curry Mela-21'st Week

2006-06-10T13:55:00.000+05:30

OK.... The wait is over. And your favorite curry Mela is here again. Problem with blogger software.. Too lazy to move to WP and of course all the trackbacks.

I say free software is very costly.
But I might move soon.
By August maybe...lol. If I had more time Gee.....

Add to all these A lousy broadband provider, read SIFY broadband, Yes Sify Broadband is Lousy, with an even lousier Customer Service.... Been facing problem since the morning.

Without much sermon further,
Let me welcome my readers to the 21st edition of the Curry Mela at Anthony's Kitchen, The Bachelor Cooking Blog.

Matki Farasbee Bhaji (Green beans cooked with Moath sprouts) . The healthiest food award goes to this dish. Greens and protien, what more do you need.

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Check out this Raagi Roti . Authentic Desi Food Did I say?

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Bhapa Doi, a Bengali Dessert. How Bengalis love sweets? Thye surest way to a suicide for the left, if and when they want to relinquish Power in West Bengal would be to tax Sweets. And if I marry a Bengali Girl, it would be for my love of Misti :-D

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This is a beautifully cooked, and captured Rice Pilaf with Tomato paste, from a blogger friend faraway. Thanks My dear friend, for sending in the entry.

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Anchovies Sambal with baked Potato Wedges, and I say the best fish recipe award this weekend goes to this dish. A born again fish Lover, I can feel the taste as I write this.

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Ram Tori aur matar ki subzi, a very simple comfort food, healthy and tasty. Home Cooked food for bachelors.

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And the award for Easy bachelor recipe goes to the Easy Salmom fry , for the simplicity and high replicability quotient, which makes it a good Bachelor Cooking recipe.

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Spicy Mushroom Ravioli & Mixed veggies in Tomato Sauce, The best Indo-Italian Recipe Lol. Wish to slurp it off the screen eh? Very Yummy Looking..

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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting , the best birthday present ever. I wish somebody baked a caked for my birthday. This is sweet, literally.

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Vendakkai pitla (Okra "stew") ... Yummmm Another nice way of cooking Okra. A must try. BTW I have been thinking that I will be cooking a series of recipes choosen from the curry mela and post them.

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Moru Kutan ( Butter milk curry ) or is it Kadhi ? Another comfort food. I would have loved some pakodas too besides the papadams.

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Let me end this curry Mela with the HARIYALLI MURGH-CHICKEN IN GREEN GRAVY.
Mouth Watering, no?

And the best recipe for the 21st Curry mela goes to this HARYALLI MURGH/CHICKEN IN GREEN GRAVY .... I was just thinking that Once a month, we will have a Curry mela with a Theme. What say? And the first such Curry Mela will be Cook-a-doodle-do....

Chicken recipes, from all over the world.
The announcement and and banner will come soon.
But start cooking that chicken dish.
I will post it on a Sunday.
Chicken Curry Mela, Cook-a-Doodle-Do eh!!!
Enjoy!!!!

Opps! Just as i was going to publish the post, the connection to blogger failed. Wait for some more time....

Simple Chicken Masala with Potato

2006-06-07T22:11:00.000+05:30

I said that I was going to post a lot of chicken recipes. We have started to eat chicken after a very LONG Hiatus. We had this little chicken scare you see, the sky was almost falling, the flu was almost there. Very few humans contracted the flu, even fewer succumbed to it. But the scare would have scared the living sky out of chicken little. I threw away a month’s supply of eggs. I just remembered that I haven’t started eating eggs. Hmmm, a few eggie recipes are overdue eh!

OK, I agree that most of Chicken dishes here on Anthony’s Kitchen are cooked in a very similar way. It is because I have tried many other way, and I have come to the conclusion that Chicken is best cooked the way we cook, The Chicken Masala way. The simple way we cook at home, Onions, Garlic-Ginger and Dhania-Jeera way. This dried version is an extremely tasty version that I can eat everyday. Have it with Rotis or with Daal and Rice.

It is quite simple too. The cooking process, that is.

I kilo Chicken, cleaned and cut into medium pieces.
2 Potatoes, cut into cubes (8 cubes per potato).
One large onion chopped.
1 tsp methi + 1 tsp jeera, soaked in little water.
Masala: 1 tsp Jeera powder + dhania powder + Red Chilli Powder and Chicken Masala
Turmeric to suit your cooking style. I did with less than half a tsp.
2 Bay leaves.
Ginger paste 1 TBS + Garlic paste 1 TBS ( Both fresh crushed or ground)
2 green chiili sliced.
2 Tomatoes, chopped.

Heat 3 TBS oil in a Kadhai or Thick Bottom pan.
Add the bay leaves, and Soaked Jeera Methi.
Add Onions and fry till they turn slightly brown.
Add Ginger Garlic paste and green chilli, fry till onions are golden brown.
Add the chicken and increase heat.
Mix well.
Saute and cook till oil starts separates from chicken. (5 minutes)
Add salt to taste and all the masala except Chicken masala.
Mix well and add the potatoes and Tomatoes.
Cover and cook in low heat.
Water will come out from chicken as well as tomatoes.
Add a tsp of chicken masala ( MDH or Maharaja)
Keep stirring from time to time lest the meat should stick onto the bottom of the pan.
Cook this way till potatoes are soft.

Garnish with Coriander. Yummmy

Tondli (Tindora) Zhunka/Zunka

2006-06-06T22:57:00.000+05:30

I saw a question on some food forum, somebody has asked, "What is Zunka?".
A member answered: " Zunka or Zhunka is a Maharashtrian delicacy prepared with Besan (Gram Flour- More commonly Chick peas, but Some people like Bengalis prefer the Peas Flour. I didn't know there was a chick pea flour in Manipur) as the base."

I was told that original Zhunka was prepared only with Onions, lots of it, with Besan. Another Maharashtrian friend told me the more authentic version was prepared by soaking Chick Pea Daal, or Chana daal overnight, and then crushed to a paste, mix with masalas and then prepared. Yours truely have yet to prepare that version. Authentic or not, It sounds very yummy, though.

Some poeple have told me that Zhunka can be made with many vegetables with besan as the base. I had cooked Capsicum Zhunka, and it was quite a hit, eh!
Here as well as with my friend.
The other day I happen to taste this particular version of Zhunka ( or is it Zunka? Never mind it is not an English word anyway) from the tiffin of the same guy who had introduced me to Capsicum Zhunka. I liked it too. It was made from Tondli ( or Ivy Gourd, Tindora , Kovakku, Dondakaya, whatever We have no name in Manipuri. We don't get it in Manipur, though it looks like what we call Lam Thabi or Wild Cocumber). Thanks to him, I had another variety of Zhunka. I made this Tondli Zhunka, and I quite liked it. Capsicum Zhunka was the best though :-).

I made it the same way as I prepared the Capsicum Zhunka, with a little difference. I have improvised over last time, with suggestion from a reader. I added Tomatoes.

Steps:
Wash properly and Cut 250 grams of Tindora into small discs, like the picture above.
Chop Two large onions into small pieces.
Chop two tomatoes.
Chop 2 green Chllis.

Heat oil in a thick Bottom Pan, and add a tsp each of Mustard seed and Jeera into the oil.
Immediately add the onions and green chillis.
When Onions are limp, add tomatoes, and saute for some time.
Add the Tindoras.
Add salt to taste, and half tsp of red chilli.
Cover and cook in low heat for 15 minutes, opening the lid and stirring from time to time.
After the 15 minutes, add a cup of Besan or Gram Flour.
Mix well, and keep stirring in low heat.
Sprinkle some water with fingers so that it is not dry.
Cover it, and keep stirring every couple of minutes.
Should be done in 15 minutes.
Have with Hot Chappatis

This is also my entry to Sweetnick's ARF/5-A-Day Tuesdays

Healthy food on low budget

2006-06-04T14:55:00.000+05:30

J.D at getrichslowly writes a post as a response to a query: "What’s your favorite healthy food that can be bought on a college student budget?":
A cup of rice and a vegetarian stir-fry
Replace soda with water
Pasta primavera
Fruitshakes/smoothies
Cheese and crackers
Nuts
Beans (flavored with a little meat)
Fruits and vegetables

And adds that " Learning to eat (and prepare) more meals at home is an excellent way to reduce your food budget and eat healthfully. Find a source of recipes that you trust and learn to prepare them.
But that is the whole theme behind The Bachelor Cooking.

Weekend Herb blogging Sougri/Bimlipatam!

2006-06-04T09:50:00.000+05:30

This is my entry to Kalyn's WHB or weekend herb blogging . I will be writing about a certain herb, well it would qualify for a shrub. We call it sougri, and i didn't know the english name till todaywhich is Bimlipatam Jute. It is suppose to have many medicinal qualities and helps in digestion, used in external inflamation, and may be used as an Apetiser.

I have never used it for medicinal purpose. But I know one non-culinary use of this plant. We eat the leaves, but it also has a stout stem, about the finger thick, and the stem is covered by thick fibrous skin, which when dried can be used to make ropes. Well, the name Bimlipatan Jute. I guess it is a kind of Jute. Rope or No rope, the Sougri is considered to be a delicacy by the Natives. Well, it is a delicacy.

To be cooked, or rather boiled with fermented fish and dried Shrimps. Childhood memory the tangy flavor reminds me of those wintry mornings when we eat our lunch in the sunshine. Rice and Sougri Thongba ( that is the sougri stew made with a pinch of fermented Fish called Ngari, Lots of smoked Fish, and Smoked Dried shrimps). This can also be cooked with fried fish. The tangy sour taste will make you long for more. I don't know how it would taste with fish though? There is a red colored variety of the same, called Shillong Sougri which taste better when cooked with normal fried fish.

Fried fish and Sougri recipe:

Heat 1 tsp Oil in a kadhai.
Add two bayleaves, 1 tsp jeera, 1/2 tsp methi, a pinch of asafoetida and green chillis.
Add a pinch of turmeric and immediately 2 cups of water.
Let shimmer.
Add the fried fish steak, 6 peices?
Add washed leaf of the Sougri.
Cook for just 5 minutes after adding the sougri.
Serve!!

Curry Mela-20th Week

2006-06-03T14:49:00.000+05:30

Welcome dear friends, to the The curry mela - 20th week or hey, 20th edition is a better name huh!.

Blogger was acting little strange today, I couldn't post etc etc, But I thought I will post whatever wasready till now, because I have struggling for the past 3 hours to figure out what the problem is. Today's edition is short and sweet, but I will try to update it till late today.

I was going to start with a delectable picture of this Mooli and Dhania Paratha but the picture won't load, the blogger picture uplaod thingie is going a little crazy.

Ha! I got it.. Updated.. lol. The pic is there.

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This is an entry I overlooked, earlier in the day. Well, as I said, I will keep updating. But, my sincere apologies....Do check out this Kappa/Cheeni/Tapioca with Fish Curry, it is a delicious spread and Yummilicious.

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Plantain Boiled or Steamed (Nenthrakka / Pazham puzhungiyathu) , too good! I am a little biased towards health food, but I can't help it. lol.

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Purslane Dal /Peddapavila Aaaku Pappu, some healthy stuff, the picture of which also I couldn't post. I will update it later today. [Updated]

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Roasted Potatoes with herbs. Much tasty, I say.

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Prawns pattie looking very yummy. Would go real well with tea in this Mumbai rains.

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Baby potato curry. Looks very yummy and looks like dum aloo too... I will do repost when I have cooked this myself lol.

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Barbecued shrimp, Have I even mentioned how I love barbeques, and how I will never forget the new year eve of 2005 when I organised an indoor barbeque with a Barbeque grill set-up on the balcony. It was amazing, scoth and wine and beer and everything free flowing. Lots of beautiful people, me singing "love is all around" and cooking....

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Masala idli made with grated carrots and seasoneded with Indian Masala. Yumm. Idli tastes good not because it is bland, but because it is idli, so imagine how tastier it would be when seasoned with masala....

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Spicy and Tangy Grilled Chicken. Like lime sqeezed over a leg of chinken Tandoori.

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Chikudukaaya Veppudu or Fried Indian Broad bean Fried. Looks very yummy, a nice comfort food. And quite easy too.

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I was pleasantly surprised to that I am not the only one who loves scrambled or minched fish, check this meen puttu scrambled fish curry out. I assure you this will beat any fish curry you have tasted till date. Also, Check out my Minched Fish Curry Recipe, a Manipuri Delicacy here.

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Check out this Chicken Curry cooked with dates, isn't that new and great. A must try, again.

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Fried Taro Roots! But hey what is a Taro root, asked a reader? And she explains, "This is Chamagadda Fry , also known as chamadumpalu in telugu,in hindi as arvi, in kannada as keshavanagadde, shamegadde, in malayalam as cempu, chempakizhanna, kaladi and in tamil sempu, shamakkilangu, shemakkalenga, cempu, chembu, shana dumpa, seppan kizhangu, kattusenai, shanadumpa, cempu."

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Another Fried Recipe :-) Fried Okra, BTW, have you tried steamed Okra. with a very little salt, I always take it as a side dish almost everyday, like a salad. Provides much required roughage for the digestive tract. A must for bachelor's living outside.

Technorati tag :: Curry Mela : Bachelor : Okra : Purslane

Dahi Chicken with Capsicum

2006-06-01T22:44:00.000+05:30

After a long time, we have started to eat chicken. In fact it's been sometime since we have started having chicken in our dinner. But I usually cook Chicken Masala and we have posted it many times over so I felt I should cook something different, and here you are. Chicken dahi wala, with capsicum. I will cook Chicken Butter Masala and Chicken Tikka Masala, soon. This a Chicken Cooked in Yogurt or curd. Keep in mind, taste the curd before you cook. If the yogurt is too sour, the whole dish will spoil. I mean I don't like to eat sour Chicken. Go ahead if you like it sour. Fresh curd/yogurt taste best.

Ingredient:
1/2 Kilo Chicken.
On large onion chopped fine.
Two capsicum, cut into slices and innard removed.
1 inch ginger, and 8-9 cloves of ginger, chopped or crushed.
250 grams of yogurt.
1 tsp Dhania powder(coriander seed).
1 tsp Jeera powder(cumin seed).
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder.
1 tsp Red chilli powder.
2 bayleaves.
2 TBS Peanut Oil.

Steps:

Heat oil in a Kadhai or pan and add bayleaves.
Add Onions and fry till limp, and add the crushed ginger-garlic.
Saute till golden brown.
Add chicken, increase heat and stir well.
Add all the masala, and salt to taste.
Stir Fry well till liquid from chicken dries.
Now add the capsicum and mix thoroughly, decrease heat and keep for few minutes.
Add the Curd, and half a cup of water and cook covered in low heat for 15 minutes.

Serve.
Yummy, isn't it.

One question.
Was there something wrong with Blogger or my Site yesterday? Visitor level went down by about 150 suddenly during the day, and picked up later only. Strange phenomenon.
Or maybe people are bored!!
I haven't had much Curry Mela Entries.
Curry Mela entry is on. Hurry up.

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro- Food Blogger's tool

2006-06-01T22:33:00.000+05:30

Another beautiful Digital Camera from Fuji Film. A beauty isn't it. All my food pictures would look much prettier eh!
I will bring you beautiful digital cameras and reviews from time to time.
The body is High-impact plastic / rubber with metal sub-structure.
The sensor is:
• Fujifilm SuperCCD SR II
• 23.0 x 15.5 mm
• 6.45 million total photosites (2 photodiodes per photosite)
• 12.9 million total photodiodes
• RGB color filter array
•14 bit A/D converter

It can take Pictures in: 4256 x 2848 (12.1 million), 3024 x 2016 (6.1 million), 2304 x 1536 (3.5 million) and 1440 x 960 (1.4 million)

Fujifilm FinePix Z3 - Food Blogger's Tool

2006-06-01T14:59:00.000+05:30

CNet Review:
The Fujifilm FinePix Z3 is a slim 5-megapixel point-and-shoot camera with some interesting features. The FinePix Z3 includes image stabilization, and its sensor can reach sensitivities of up to ISO 1,600, offering users more flexibility when shooting high-speed subjects or in low-light settings. Its 3X optical zoom lens stays entirely inside the camera body, keeping the Z3 slim and pocketable even when it's turned on and fully zoomed in. Its built-in flash features Dual Shooting mode, where the camera shoots both a flash and nonflash image in quick succession, then lets the user decide which photo looks better. The Z3 has 14 scene presets, plus a 30fps VGA movie mode with sound.[Source]

Bombay Duck Sauteed with Onions

2006-05-30T22:11:00.000+05:30

I didn’t know till recently that Bombay duck, isn’t actually a duck. I love duck meat, and if you haven’t tasted duck meat, do try it out. Some Chinese restaurant serve it and Mainland China also serve it, at least on occasions, if I remember. I forgot to ask if they serve it all year long. I love the gravy of duck curry, and you won’t get the duck curry in mainland china, only in Anthony’s kitchen. Duck cooked the same way we cook home-cooked chicken. I don’t where I will get duck meat to cook, if I wanted to, here in Mumbai. I’d be glad to know if it is available.

When I saw a packet of some meat like-pickle like thing at the local cold storage, with the name Bombay duck written on it, I asked the shop owner, If it was duck meat.
“He laughed.”
“So did the guy who had come to buy his stock of meat.’

“Bombay duck is a fish it seems, or so I learnt.”
And since it was the closest thing I had seen, to a duck, in years, I wanted to give it a try.
“It was already pickled in some masala, so I didn’t have to do much work to get a palatable dish.”
I used to prepare stirred fried or sautéed dried sea-fish with onions.
Which is what I did.

Two large onions sliced into thin slivers.
The Bombay duck, 250 grams.
Red chilli powder, and Jeera-dhania powder mixed.
No Salt, the fish was salted

Steps:
Heat 2 tbs peanut oil in a pan.
Add the onuions and sauté till limp.
Add ½ tsp each of Chilli powder, jeera powder and dhania powder.
Add the fish and sauté for 10 minutes in medium heat.
It's done.
Yes, it is. Isn't it simple.

Serve with roti or rice, hot.
The taste was as good it was smelly.
And the smell was strong, and those who don’t like fish, I advise not to try this.
Fish lovers, you don’t know what you are missing!!!!

NASA Dream Facing Roadblocks

2006-05-29T22:49:00.000+05:30

Four school students from Rourkela have bagged the second prize in the prestigious 'Space Settlement Design Contest' conducted by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) AMES Research Centre in USA in March 2006.

The NASA space centre has invited Ullahs, Amitav, Asim and Soumya of the Ispat English Medium School, Rourkela, but the budding scientists are finding it hard to realise their dreams because of lack of sponsorship.[via]

While the government is busy trying to distribute jobs and admissions based on Caste, Class and Creed, these meritorious students are finding it hard to make to it their Dream Destinations because of lack of funding. This is not new. I am writing this post hoping someone might listen. They need at least Rupees five lakhs to go visit Nasa.

Amrit has blogged about it first, here, Alka left me the link. She also blogged about it, here. And Tarun's post here.

Keep blogging about it. I will try to update link roll.

My Sensible Adsense might just even work, if 1000 blogs with average 200 hits a day were to put up adsense units from the same account, we might be able to raise $10000 in a month. Just a thought. Are there a 1000 willing Bloggers out there?...

Cross Posted on my other blog.

Kheema Masala with Potato and Gravy

2006-05-28T22:43:00.000+05:30

Something I have wanted to cook and devour for a long time.
I cooked it in pressure cooker so it was quite soft too.
Seemed like the meat was melting in my mouth.
The masala was just right, so was the chilli. The right tikha.
So to say, I am quite tired with a full stomach.
And to think about the workload I have..
And that paper for the fellowship aarrgh...
But I had a good meal.
Awesome meal.
Al kabeer Zindaabaad.
Oh the kheema was al kabeer.
I don't buy kheema from butchers anymore.
I can't wash the kheema, or minched meat, and I am too comfortable eating unwashed meat from local butchers. But, I prefer fresh butcher cut meat for meat chunks, ribs or normal pieces.
Gravied or curried Kheema or minch meat is rare.
People prefer it dry.
I discovered the beauty of gravied kheema recently.
Can I post the recipe tomorrow?
Got some work...

Curry Mela-19th Week

2006-05-27T11:14:00.000+05:30

Dear Readers,

Let me welcome you to the 19th Curry Mela.
It still amazes me that we have been running this succesfully. This is the 19th week that we started this out. I thank all my readers who have been a constant inspiration to keep it going. I see that there are more than 250 unique visitors each day, I thank you all.
It would give me immense pleasure if I get more entries to the next curry mela. I welcome all visitors who writes a food blog.

Let's raise the curtains with this amazing Beetroot sambhar ( Sambhar with beets and lentils) , a very healthy recipe.

Check out this Chaat , another all time favorite of Indians, the universal Indian fast food or snacks.

Check out this Dal makhani, and all time favorite for all desis.

This is a very simple recipe, will remind you of home. Check out this ginger rice, a comfort food.

Begun Posto or Smoked Begun with Poppy seeds , do check out. She has another surprise.

Looks similar to vadi or pakodis but quite different though, and well this is a new recipe, Check out this methi-muthia a teatime snack.

I cook a lot of eggs, and I even have a category on eggs on the sidebar, but this is new too me and looks very very yummy I am going to try it soon. Very soon. Check out this Curried eggs in coconut milk gravy.

Trust this blogger to come up with such recipes as white chocolate blondies.

The next recipe, from a knowledgeable blogger *winks*, is Paneer Jhalfrezi, and she has written some scary stuff too alongside the colorful Jhalfrezi. check out.

You all must remember that I got famous, well almost, after I made those home made paneers. I guess here is the making of another blogger, almost again lol, for she is preparing GHEE, homemade ghee. Food blogging can be an amazing source of Information and Tips.. Check out her step by step tutorial on how to CREATE Ghee..

Prawns masaledar , a picture very simple captured but look at the thickness and the taste it must hold...

Check out this amazing fusion of Indian and Bulgarian Cuisine with this Tikvitchki-Bulgarian Zucchini Raita.

This is an amazing recipe, you must have noticed how I love lamb chops, I have posted thrice on the same. I found another blogger who also posted two recipes( well comb0 :-) ) of lamb chops.
The above picture is lamb chops with mint yogurt sauce, and the second one is lamb chops with tomato Spinach Rice.

Before we finish for today check out this Amazing piece on the magic of Basmati, no picture, but worth a reading.

Technorati tag:: Curry Mela

Lamb chops/Mutton Ribs Masala

2006-05-24T07:35:00.000+05:30

Been cooking a lot of Mutton Dishes, Mutton Masala, Mutton Korma, MTM oops Mutton Tikka Masala, Mutton Biryani.... Well, the chicken has been down with the flu..

This is my second installment of my Mutton Bonanza, after the Mutton Vindaloo.
I am very fond of Ribs, and The next thing that I love after Pork Ribs is of course lamb chops, that I have cooked here and here.

As my regular visitors know, I have learnt cooking out of passion and mostly from hit and trials and experiments. But, it helps that I have a knack of feeling how a dish might turn out even if it were the first time I was cooking... And so, it was with this dish too. Self praise notwithstanding, it was an amazing treat.

The name, well! I just made up the name.
It is lamb prime ribs or mutton chops as is commonly known, cooked the way the usual Mutton masala or mutton curry is cooked.
Grilled Prime ribs is a favorite dish, be it pork or lamb. With steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes and gravy. Yummy. I have cooked lamb chops often, but when I was buying lamb chops at the butcher’s, it suddenly struck me to see how it cooked in a simple way, the home cooked style.

It was amazing. Simple yet succulent with a taste that lingers long after you have swallowed the meat.
And you could suck on the ribs or soft bones… This is heavenly, and the said exercise is only proper within the private walls of your house. Sucking the bones, that is.

Lamb Chops: Half a kilo
Tamato: Two
Onion: one large
Ginger and Garlic: 1 tbs each crushed or chopped. (not the paste with vinegar)
Methi: half tsp
Chilli powder, Dhania and Jeera: 1 tsp each
Meat masala: 1 tsp, everest or MDH etc
Bayleaves: 2 nos.
Salt to taste and Coriander to garnish

Steps:

Heat kadhai, and add two Tbs vegetable oil.
Add bayleaves.
Add the onions and fry till limp. Add methi and salt.
Add the meat, and sauté.
Keep stirring and sauté for 10 minutes.
Now add the ginger garlic, and all the masala.
Mix well, lower heat and cover it.
After a few minutes, open and mix well again and then cover it.
Repeat the exercise for 20 minutes.
Add tomatoes now.
Then, add two cups of hot water and let shimmer.
Cook till gravy thickens to your liking.

Garnish with coriander.

Yes yes, I didn’t marinate.
Cooking covered in low heat for a long time with the masala will make the meat absorb masala.
That is better than marinate, if it is not the yoghurt marinade.

Real Simple Bachelor's Dum Aloo

2006-05-23T22:37:00.000+05:30

This is a simple dum aloo, more like the masala inside masala dosa than dum aloo, but dum aloo nonetheless. This is one of my favorite dishes. It was one of the few dishes that my father could cook well, so whenever he cooked when we were kids, when my mom was unwell, he would prepare dum aloo. Or Aloo baingan. Lots of oil, and lots of love. I can still remember the taste.

Three large potatoes peeled and cut into half is added to the daal when I boiled daal for cooking it.
I could have boiled the potato separately, but if you are cookin daal, add it there. Tastes good too.
When boiled, remove and cut into cubes.

Heat a pan, and add 2 tbs oil.
Add a bayleaf, and two red kashmiri chillis.
Let sputter a tsp each of jeera and mustard.
Add roughly crushed garlic, 5-6 cloves.
Add one onion finely chopped.
Fry till limp, and add finely chopped tomatoes.
Add half a tsp of red chilli powder, and 1/4 tsp turmeric.
Add the potatoes and sauté.
Add salt, and stir slowly.

I like it this way only, but you may add a dash of jeera and dhania powder if you like masala strong…
You may also garnish with Dhania.

My campaign for Sensible Adsense continues.
Even if you don't feel like contributing directly, do add this chicklet on your blog.

Calling Bloggers to donate Adsense earnings !

2006-05-21T23:56:00.000+05:30

I have written about how adsense is not a great source of income, and specially food bloggers who gets virtually the same adwords which are at the bottom rung of the list of high paying, opps! low paying keywords. While there are adwords that generate more than 50 dollars a click, the average earnings on my blog have been 4-5 cents a click. I got 20 cents once, and never again.

Well, I would have loved to retire on money from my blog, but since that is not the case now, and the adsense earning would have at best bought be a good dinner one year from now.
Well, I can afford many good dinners from my day job, Gods have been kind. And I use Blogger, so I don't have to pay for server and hosting..

My point is that 2-3 dollars a week may be very insignificant for me, and I blog for passion. But then, since I have good page views and have been getting an average of 2-3 clicks on the ads everyday, why let go of the earning potential however small.
The small change that I will earn from my blog, will be significant, if I were to donate it to some charity foundation. Wait, that is not all....

Here is the IDEA.What if we all were to contribute and then donate the proceed."We all" as in all bloggers who earn insignificant amounts for themselves from adsense.Those adsense amounts will add upto a significant amount, for someone in need.

This is not fully my idea, and I borrowed this idea from poweryogi, after reading that he ws donating his adsense proceedings to some charity organizations. His post gave me the idea of how we can use the small change to make a difference.
I use the same adsense account to advertise on multiple blogs, so the idea is to use the same adsense account in all our blogs so that the adsense earnings grows fast and gets pooled into a common kitty. I am sure it is allowed by google, and even if they don't, we sure can ask them, since it is for charity purpose..

Are you with me?

The idea came only a few minutes back and will need lots of refinement.

I will try to create a small banner shortly.

I would require help from someone who knows how to make that "make poverty history" kind of banner too.

If you are with me, send me an email to join in the campaign.
Since the idea was born out of Power Yogi, I guess he will let us use the Term "sensible adsense" for the campaign. Sensible adsense is the word he used for the donation of his adsense earnings.

If you like idea but are too lazy to join it, do spread the word.
Let us make a small difference
If you wish to drop out of the campaign afterwards, when you see that traffics to your blog have risen to a power blogger level, you may choose to remove the adsense code from your blog..

Technorati tag:: Sensible Adsense

Cross posted on my other blog, Anthony's mirror

Mushrooms from the NorthEast

2006-05-21T19:29:00.000+05:30

There are some mushrooms that are widely available, and quite popular in our cuisines too. I couldn't get to photograph any fresh Mushrooms when I went to Manipur. These are some Dry Mushrooms which are available mostly throughout the year. I took the pictures from a Village market. The above Mushroom is locally known as Uyen, it is like the Shitake Mushrooms also available mostly everywhere, the taste however is a little different. This is had with mattar or peas. We also add this in Daal, makes good eating ;-)

Below is called Uchina, well it looks the ear of mice, so the name. not the best name for something you eat, but it kinda stuck. This is had by boiling with Peas and Potatoes with chilli, and mash the whole thing and do a tadka, usually with the garlic Chives. Quite tasty, it is....

There are some other dried variety besides this. And more popular than button Mushrooms, are a longer stemmed variety, which is stir fried with small fresh water shrimps, Ah!! a delicacy I haven't had in a long time. Mushrooms are called Chengum in Manipur...

Garlic Chives, Maroi Nakuppi Manipur,

2006-05-21T08:16:00.000+05:30

Let's blog herbs today!
Let's blog about some herbs from Manipur.
Let's blog for Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging, as I promised her that I have many more Manipuri herbs.

We call it, or the Manipuris Call it Maroi Nakuppi, the Scientific name is Allium Adorosum. Few week back I blogged about maroi Napakpi or Allium Hookeri. This is a cousin of the same, and The English name of the same is garlic Chives, and you will find it in Chinese markets and Most super markets.

The flavor it adds to any Masala based dish is awesome, and It can't be explained here. You have to taste it to know it. We use this in place of onions when cooking Fish and other Subzee, and the flavor is what makes my heart ache for home.

I once had pork, boiled with this chive, lots of chives, and ginger, and It was one of the best pork preparations I ever had.

Pulao can also be flavored with this, just fry the chives in Ghee and mix with the pulao. Daal tadka can be utterly different and delicious with the chives.

We also prepare the chives as a subjee, the way we prepare dry Palak preparations. I have a recipe, where I have used palak instead of the chives, here. Cook the same dish with chives and come back to tell me how it tasted. You will be surprised, that you have lived for so long without the pleasure of having tried that. In manipur, the dish is Maroi Thongba, and My mother cooks the best Maroi thongba ;-).

Maroi Thongba, The recipe:

One Kilo of chives, properly washed and chopped into 1 inch lengths.
1 inch finger if ginger.
3-4 Cloves of garlic.
Cumin Seeds
Coriander Powder.
Green Chilli Sliced
Peanuts..

Steps:

Heat a Pan, and pour 2 TBS peanut oil or vegetable oil.
Fry the peanuts lightly and remove.
Add the Cumin seeds( 1 tsp) and let sputter.
Add the ginger garlic, properly crushed, sliced green chilli(2-3)and add a small handful of the chives.
Saute till garlic is golden brownish, add 1 tsp of the coriander powder
Add half a tsp of turmeric and red chilli powder,
Add the chives and mix well.
Water will come out, saute till it is dry.
When water have evaporated, add 1 and a half cup of Hot water.
Add the peanuts, and let Shimmer till gravy is consistent.

Relish the Dish.......

We also add Kaali Daal ( Black Gram) Vadi, the kinds that you get in Kolkata, new market and Beck Bagan market ;-) in the same preparation. First fry the vadi lightly, when you are frying the Peanuts, keep aside. Add it when you add the peanuts.

Curry Mela is going on Below...

Curry Mela 18th

2006-05-20T12:45:00.000+05:30

My dear regular readers, and not so regular ones.
Welcome to the 18th Curry Mela.

And a special welcome to the hundred odd repeat visitors who visit the blog repeatedly even on the same day. Muahhhhh!! to all of you... Ok,OK... I take it back if you didn't like it... :-D

Anyway, we are on the 18th episode of the Curry Mela... MAY THE CURRY MELA LIVE LONG!!! I am as excited as when I first started it... To tell you the truth, I used to be more popular before I started the Curry Mela, for my original easy recipes, and had more visitors some days than I have today. I used to have more commenters too...
After I started the curry mela, some people have even dropped my blog from their Blog rolls. I don't know why!!!
One reason could be that, earlier I used to spend my friday night, after work and saturdays and sundays cooking delicious dishes, to post over the week. Nowadays, I spend most of my fridays and saturdays bloghopping and compiling the curry mela. I don't even have the time to comment... date line for the event you see. But I am not complaning.. I love it...
But I am glad that many people like my Curry Mela and continue to support it.
And I am really glad I have been able to do this every weekend except when i had to go home for my Aunt's last rites. And I hope I can continue this for a long time.

Welcome You all again to the Curry Mela...... Here follows this weekend's spread... Enjoy!!!

Thalassery ayila curry, Ayila or Mackerel or Bangda cooked in a typical Thalassery(North Malabar) syle of making Ayila curry or any other fish curry.

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Banana chips galore, or was it bangalore.... Those fresh, off the frying monstor pan....

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Some cool green tomato recipe, visit for more greens :-)

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Dondakaaya Masala, or tindora... We have more tindora recipes this weekend...

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Dondakaya vepudu / tindora(stir fried Indian Gherkin), another tindora dish. Dried version of the above... Different though...

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Capsicum kairas , Till recently, I always found to hard to think of ways to cook capsicum. I have learnt at several recipes of late, from food bloggers, who else..

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Lentil Adai or pancakes, to be had with Coconut chutney, or butter or jaggery.. Yummy..

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Onion Adai, and the sam dish made with onions. Don't try Jaggery here, lol.

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Curried Tempeh, "Tempeh made by fermentation of soybeans is versatile meat substitute.It has a complete protein food that contains all the fibres of soyabeans and all the amino acids.Proteins and isoflavenes have many health promoting effects for men and women alike.Benefits like cancer risks and heart diseases and menopausal related problem.It is an excellent alternative for hormone replacement therapy . " writes the blogger.

Let me add something there, a similar thing is very popular in the north east, and it is a delicacy. We call it "hawaizaar" perhaps, derived from hawai for soya beans and zaar from Achaar or pickle. We prepare this with Gobi to make great gobi curry, and the more popular one is called Chagem pomba, where we cook the hawaizaar or tempeh with a little rice, peas, some smoked fish, some sarsong ke patte ( Mustard leaves) and a herb.. The pungent coriander like thing, but the leaves are like needles.... I don't know the name, in Manipur we call it Pakhon. In Shillong they prepare pork with this Tempeh, tastes heavenly. The dish is called, turumbai if I remember right.
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Chipotle Chicken, this is one chicken dish that will be tried by Anthony before the weekend ends lol...
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Fish Curry Meen Kozhambu, oh! how I love fish.
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Singapore Chili Crab, and crabs.. I can eat so much crabs till I develop cramps, literally... Cooking crabs takes a special skill, eating also takes a special skill....
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Avial is a very popular south Indian dish, very tasty and light to the stomach. Quite healthy too, but not too long ago, i used to ask my friends what Avial was when I first saw it on the menu in our canteen, then I found bloggers writing about it and found it so easy to cook and yet so healthy.....
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Surakkai Sambar (Bottle gourd sambar) , some body asked me to post Sambar... luckily there was this amazing blogger posting a nice variant of Sambhar....

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Oven fried Onion rings, didn't I mention that the onion rings at Ruby Tuesday are amazing, and beats their pork chop??? You can cook your won now, after you see this recipe..
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Kashmiri Ragan Josh, another must try.. Anyway I have so many Mutton dishes over the past few weeks and i have all in my picture folder.. haven't been able top post them, and I didn't want to post too many non-veg recipes at a stretch ;-), since many of my readers are vegeterains... But this Ragan Josh sure is next in line...
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Smoky Burgers, some amazing recipes from across the world...
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Grilled Salmon with Avocado and Mango Salsa, this recipe so very bowled me over, I don't know what to comment ;-) amazing stuff eh!
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Onion Relish, Those kinds that comes on Pork chops and sizzlers... And rare times when someone have used bayleaves on the same...

Thank you all...

I hope you all love the Curry Mela....

Not quite a Blog mela, not quite an event.... Blogging is all about it isn't it? No rules...

Funny Bihari Blogger

2006-05-19T23:43:00.000+05:30

The most hilarious post I have ever read in a long time..

This week's Curry Mela will be up within 24 hours. You may still send in entries... Quick...

Capsicum Zhunka

2006-05-19T00:15:00.000+05:30

This is specially for my Vegetarian readers and friends.
I dedicate this to you.
I cooked it the first time, after I tasted it today during lunch from the lunch box of a colleague. His mom cooked it, it was awesome and I asked the recipe to another colleague. I rushed home and tried it. I actually had a Mutton dish in drafy for today but what the heck...

It is not actually Zhunka, but it is prepared similar to the onion Zhunka, the Maharashtrian Delicacy, so I just named it capsicum Zhunka...

This is the first of a series of Besan (chick pea flour) based recipes, quite common in Maharashtra. After vada, zhunka is the most popular Besan based preparation in Maharashtra. What I am writing about today is a Zhunka Derivative. It also is a derivative of the stuffed capsicum that I posted recently, because this is similar to zhunka and stuffed capsicum because instead of stuffing the capsicum with the Besan masala, I just chop capsicum and stir fry it with the masala.
Now since it is besan based and besan absorbs a lot of oil, it takes a lot of oil to cook this dish, and so it must not be the healthiest food around, but what the heck. It tastes just too good. And maybe, it should be had once in a while.

Ingredients:

Three capsicums, chopped into half cm squares, like in the picture.
Two medium Onions, chopped fine.
1 tsp of mustard seeds.
Half tsp of red chilli powder, and dhania powder.
A pinch of turmeric and salt to taste.
1 cup of besan.
Peanut or vegetable oil.

Steps:

Heat 3 tbs oil in a thick bottom kadhai.
Add the mustard seeds and let sputter.
Add the onions, reduce heat and cover the kadhai.
After 2-3 minutes when the onions are limp, add the chopped capsicum.
Sauté for a few minutes.
Add the red chilli, dhania, turmeric and salt to taste.
Add the besan and mix very well.
In low heat, keep stirring the mixture. It takes a lot of stirring to cook the besan uniformly.
Cover it, keep for 1 minute, open it, stir it, cover it again.
Repeat for 4-5 times till done.

Note:

The Stock market had the largest ever fall today. Sensex crashed by more than 820 points and Nifty by more than 240 points. I had been anticipating the fall for a long time, and luckily I had bought some nifty Put options yesterday. Yes, yesterday... and I made a 700% profit, by selling the options. I bougth nifty put 3400 yesterday because the market went up suddenly and I had made a very good gain the day before as well, and I thought what the heck and parlayed some of the profits. Today's fall was most unexpected, and the gain was a windfall. I am off the market for now. I won't be a second time lucky.... Actually, since I made a so much profit, I also bought two lots of nifty call today when I sold off the put options. lol. Let's see if the market rebounds tomorrow.

I had bought the Put options to hedge my holdings, but since I made profits, I felt like, why not play with the profits...... Well, it was Luck... maybe I will buy myself something...

I won't have time to square off my positions tomorrow though. Got a meeting from 9:30 to 3:30........ owwwww....with a VP..... But I will have lunch break....

Secrets of Google Adsense

2006-05-18T00:02:00.000+05:30

I had inserted google adsense into my template, to see if it really works..
The results have been very very funny....

600 page views a day and one click... lol that's about 10 cents because the ad was a cheap one perhaps. The only people who are making money from google adsense seem to be google and the host of con artists with websites selling tips and tricks to earn money from google adsense by writing about high paying keywords and adword tips.

I made 10 cents from 300 hits, so I need 3000 hits to earn a dollar... hahaha so even if I had 3000 a day, which is near impossible, it will take me hundred days to accumulate 100 dollars for google to send the first cheque. lol.

But at 300 hits, it will take me a thousand days to make 100 dollars... lol.
But since there are millions of blogs and many uses adsense, and google only pays a fraction, google still make good money eh! And I laugh!!!

And then, I realised, when did I last clicked on a sponsored link when I visited a blog?
I mean we don't click ads. Somehow, even if some ads seem quite relevant.

Anyway the layout is looking good even with the adsense ads.
I never started the blog with the intention of making money from it.
It was my passion for cooking, and the fun when I see people actually come to read my Blog.

Maybe I will buy a good dinner at the end of thousand days.

How have your experience with adsense, if you do use it, been?
Do leave a comment.