Aloo posto with a twist

Aloo Posto, that humble combination of potatoes and khus khus paste, is not a dish, it is a way of life. My Raja Mama, my Mum's cousin who lives in Raniganj, has had aloo posto every single day of his conscious life, both for lunch and dinner. I am not exaggerating, not one bit. During family celebrations and feasts when everybody else would be on a wild maachh-mangsho frenzy, I have spotted Raja Mama relishing his rice and aloo posto,and a little chutney, sitting on the floor of a room no one else fancied. The satisfaction on his face is priceless. Raja Mama, Raja is his nickname though, is an otherwise harmless man, a clown when drunk and a sweetheart otherwise, however, if the one responsible, mostly his mother, should forget to make that aloo posto on any particular day, you would see a Raja Mama you'd rather not meet. At one point he was known to send his plate flying across the room but after his father thrashed him with a greased wooden stick one sultry summer afternoon and locked him out in the lethal colliery heat, he has known to have developed immense control on his temper. Now he merely refuses to eat, that after he has screamed his lungs out.

Anyway, talking of aloo posto, it is crazy how many different ways of cooking aloo posto there are in Bengal. There are regional variations and even within the same region aloo posto has multiple avatars. I think every Bengali household has its own way of making aloo posto and some homes like ours have ten differents ways of making aloo posto. So there is the shaada aloo posto served with a drizzle of raw mustard oil and loads of a slit green chilies. This one uses no turmeric. Then there is the aloo posto with holud (turmeric) usually tempered with panch phoran. Again there is the jhola aloo posto, this is a runny version of aloo posto. And on the other side of the spectrum is the jhuri aloo posto, where the potatoes and poppy seed paste are fried on low heat unless oil separates. And there is makho posto where the diced potatoes are laced in poppy seed paste, a middle path between jhola and jhuri really. Again the tempering may vary, while mostly we use paanch phoran, sometimes we make an exception and use kalo jeere. Fry some onions after you have tempered the oil, add the potatoes and finally the posto bata, you get the peyanj aloo posto.  One of my aunts uses whole cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick to temper aloo posto, I hate it. No she doesn't read my blog.

For a posto connoisseur the grinding the posto is not a matter of joke. An absolutely smooth posto bataa might not go well with them. posto bataa must be grainy! At least that's what it's like at my place!

By the way, while everyone knows the legendary Aloo posto-Kolai Dal romance, and while I am  crazy about the couple as is every one else, at my place we do not necessarily have kalai er dal with posto. Actually the dal to be served depends on the kind of posto we are having. For instance, with the jhuri posto we always, always have Arhar Dal with ghee. And I tell you, some times I wonder if history otit all wrong. If the original love story had different rotagonists!

Anyway I wanted to make my contribution to the aloo posto legacy of my family, and I have concocted my own version. Aloo posto with a twist! Hope you like it!

 

Ingredients 

Potatoes (diced) - 5 large 

Paanch phoran - 1/2 tsp 

Poppy seeds/ khus khus- 100 g 

Green chilies - 4-5 

Fresh cilantro leaves - 100g 

Mustard oil 

Salt to taste  

Method

Make a coarse paste of the poppy seeds, green chilies and coriander leaves with very little water.

Heat mustard oil in a pan until smoking point. Add the paanch phoran and once it splutters and exudes its aroma, add the diced potatoes.

Sprinkle some salt. Fry the potatoes on medium low heat until golden and almost done.  

Add the popyy seed-coriander paste and toss well to coat the potatoes with the paste. Sprinkle some water, adjust seasoning, cover and cook for a few minutes.

Finally drizzle a little raw mustard oil and take off heat.

Nawabi Ishtew

 This post takes me back to the story of the legendary Ponchu Nona. I had written all about him in a previous post, for those who came in late, Ponchu Nona was a brilliant cook who cooked for our family for over 40 years. He is longer alive but his legacy continues to thrive among our family and friends, in our reminiscences and our longings. My family has not got over losing him yet, not just Ponchu Nona the cook. but the Ponchu Nona, who was one of our very own.

So Ponchu Nona would often prepare a chicken dish with whole spices only, usually on Saturday evenings. He called it Ishtew. As a kid standing on the threshold of the enigma that is the English language and only begining to appreciate its nuances, I was always irked by the term ishtew. "No, it's not ishtew, it's stew. And this is not stew either," I would admonish him. For me stew was what my grand ma made with carrots and potatoes and meat.

I remember I had voluntarily taken up the job of his personal tutor. Ponchu Nona had never gone to school. That was why he couldn't pronounce stew I concluded, just like he couldn't pronounce school, he always said ishkool. My parents asked me to leave the poor old man alone but I wouldn't listen. I was five and every evening sharp at 5 o clock I arrived in his room, a wooden ruler in hand and a few crayons to write on the wall...In the next hour in the most serious tone I could manage I  would recite everything my class teacher had said at school on that particular day verbatim and satisfied, told him he was free to go. Ponchu Nona listened to everything with utmost concentration. He never threw me out of his room for ruining his afternoon nap. Had he done so no one would have objected. Anyway my teaching continued for a week, then I got bored. And Ponchu Nona's lessons came to an abrupt halt.

However, years later I would learn that Ponchu Nona was not completely wrog when he said Ishtew. An Ishtew is after all a Bona fide Indian culinary invention! I had forgotten all about the Ishtew, until I sampled a delightful recently at a city hotel, culinary legend Imtiaz Qureshi's Desi Murgh Ishtew. With Eid just round the corner I decided to try it at home,sort of for a pre Eid do, before the Biryanis and kebabs avalanche comes rushing. I was guided by my taste buds and a rough guideline my aunt gave me from what she remembered of Ponchu Nona's Ishtew.

Here goes the recipe

Ingredients 

Country Chicken : 1.5 kg
Mustard oil as needed

Sugar : 1 tbsp
Thinly sliced onions - 3 medium

For marination
Buttermilk (sour): 200ml
Garlic paste: 1.5 tbsp
Ginger paste : 2.5 tbsp
Minced onion : 1 cup
Nutmeg powder : 3/4 tsp
Salt and pepper

Whole spices
Cardamom: 6-8
Cloves: 6-8
Cinnamon stick - 4 inch
Bay leaves:  3
Star anise: 3
Black cardamom (only the seeds):  2
Mace: 3
Peppercorns: 12-15
Cumin (whole):  3/4 tbsp
Coriander (whole): 1.5 tbsp

Fennel (whole): 1tsp

Whole dry red chilies: 6-8

Method

 Marinate the chicken over night with salt, pepper, ginger paste, garlic paste, minces onion,nutmeg powder and buttermilk. Ensure the chicken pieces remain submerged in the marinade. 

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat mustard oil until it begins to smoke. Add the whole spices except the dry red chilies.

Once the whole spices splutter and exude their aroma, toss in the sliced onions and dry red chilies, fry until onions are golden brown. Add the chicken pieces, without the marinade. 

Fry until the chicken in golden on all sides, then add the reserved marinade and a cup of warm water, bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning, add sugar, reduce heat and let it simmer covered for about 45 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Serve with roomali rotis or tandoori naan.

The Chettinad way

Every time I crib about how I didn't get something I wanted badly, my aunt says, the theatrical intonation of her speech reminiscent of her days on the stage , "you didn't wish hard enough". In response I usually roll my eyes and say, in a tone befitting hers, “as if”. Somehow I can never come up with a fitting rejoinder. And every time a wish comes true I can’t help thinking about her words, and I quietly tell myself that I had wished hard enough. A recent instance? A  week go I had been craving a good Chicken Chettinad. Yes, I could always whip it up in my kitchen, I have a brilliant recipe a good friend had shared years ago, but  it’s not the same. You don’t always want to work hard to satiate a humble hankering. And it was not just Chicken Chettinad, after watching a particular show on a certain cookery channel sometime during the week, I had been obsessing over what to me is Tamil Nadu’s best contribution to the world of gastronomy, Chettinad cuisine. And I am eternally grateful to the Nattukothai Chettiars, a prosperous trading and banking community who settled in the present Chettinad region in the 13th century, where the sophisticated and intricate Chettinad cuisine evolved.  

And guess what? A couple of days later I find in my inbox an invitation for a preview of Chettinad Food Festival, at Durbari, Swissôtel Kolkata, along with my fellow KFB members! Seems like this time I had wished hard enough.  

So the news was, Chef Aswin Kumar. S had brought his expertise in the Chettinad culinary art to Calcutta, all the way from Chennai, and he was whipping up some wicked dishes in the Durbari Kitchen. And I was going to get a taste of it. When the day arrived, I went ahead, braving rain, a pesky dust allergy and killer traffic, making my way across the city, to savour the spicy gala that is Chettinad cuisine, and boy, am I glad I did.

The afternoon at Durbari, began with polite conversation and cooling cocktails that did wonders for my nerves, now tattered, having dealt with the lunacy that is Calcutta during rains. Chef Aswin, a polite, soft-spoken gentleman with a distinct southern accent, was only too keen to answer our animated queries about the spicy, fiery and largely non vegetarian Chettinad food, my mind, however, kept wandering, towards the assortment of chutneys and a bucket of papad sitting pretty on the table. I do not know if he had noticed my eyes returning to the chutneys every few seconds, but to my delight chef Aswin suggested we try the chutneys. Then on, I operated at lightning speed.  Waiting to be sampled was an assortment of five different chutneys – Capsicum and peanut chutney with shallots and tamarind, Beetroot Tovail with roasted moong dal, Ingipulli, a fiery tangy concoction of tamarind, ginger and red chilies (my favourite), a chunky Tomato Toku and the more common Coconut chutney with clinatro, ginger and green chilies. So engrossed was I in dunking poppadums in chutneys that I hadn’t noticed chef Aswin leave the table. Trust me these were addictive and I would have polished it all off on my own if not for good manners. 

Finally the food, mostly tossed up by Chef Aswin himself, arrived. And what followed was a joy ride on the spice trail. Spicy batter-fried cauliflower florets, Aachi Varuval and pillowy Kuzhi Paniyaram, (shallow fried fermented rice and lentil dumplings tempered with finely chopped chilies, ginger and curry leaves), soft and fluffy inside and a beautiful crusty golden on the outside, made for a delightful start to the meal.  And though we were served traditional paniyaram, in his kitchen chef Aswin also turns out innovative, contemporary avatars of this delightful dish, like the Olive and Basil Pesto Paniyaram and Schezuan chicken stuffed paniyaram. But that’s another story. For now I concentrated on the scrumptious dumpling on my plate, tore it apart with tender affection, salivating profusely all the while, and popped it in my mouth. 

Paniyaram

The Lamb Chukka was another delightful appetizer.  Chukka means “dry curry” and in this version of the Chettinad-style lamb chukka the lamb is cooked in its own juices with tomatoes until tender and is then tossed in a  mix of aromatic Chettinad spices. I looked left, and right, at people engrossed in polite conversation, tore off a portion of soft, flaky Porota, scooped up a chunk of spiced meat and into my mouth it went. And then, struggling to stay calm, I relished the explosion of flavours in my mouth, until the final fiery kick in my throat shook me back to reality. Yes the lamb chukka was by far one of the highlights of the meal. As chef Aswin later pointed out, one thing that sets Chettinad food apart is that unlike various other Indian regional cuisines, in which spices are fried and cooked through (bhuna), in Chettinad cuisine the rawness of the spices is retained. The Lamb Chukka is a fine example. 

Kozhi Varuval

However, the dish that followed – Kozhi Varuval – was no less delicious. These piquant morsels of tender, juicy boneless chicken, dipped in a spicy batter made of gram flour, rice flour and eggs, then deep fried and finished off with a tempering of  curry leaves, would make for some wicked treats for cocktail nights I think. I still regret not asking for a second helping. I almost asked you know, but then I remembered executive chef Pranay Kumar Singh's warning earlier that afternoon “Eat less so you can eat more”. Yes Swissotel has this way with baffling you with variety. In retrospect I think I grossly underestimated my appetite. Another couple of morsels of chicken wouldn’t have hurt, would it now?

Up next was the Nandu Wada, crab cakes. The dish is one of chef Aswin’s highly recommended specialties. Unfortunately I am allergic to crabs too, so I had to pass. In the past, on a couple of occasions, I have thrown caution to the wind and chomped on crab cakes anyway. But only to regret, the subsequent itch in my throat is unbearable. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the Nandu Wadas  the whole time and the expression on my fellow diners’ faces, as they took their first bite of the soft cakes, made me... well let’s say crabby.  I tried to ignore them all, the crab cakes, the people; their ecstatic gestures, but it was rather difficult.  We’re talking about melt-in-the-mouth, pan seared crab cakes made with a special Chettinad Masala which is a mix of as many as 18 different spices including patthar ka phool, star anise and maratimokul, the inner bark of the cinnamon tree used extensively in Chettinad cuisine. Chef Aswin was kind enough to share the recipe for this masala with me, and I didn’t even have to wheedle! I’ll share it with you guys in another post, soon!

Nandu Wada

What came next has officially made to the top slot of my favourite comfort food list – the Kotthu Paratha. This unique paratha literally translates to minced paratha and is usually made with leftover parathas and curries. So, the parathas are shredded and tossed onto an iron griddle  along with curries, chicken in this case, and then comes the interesting part. What ne has to do is repeatedly pound them with two steel glasses until the paratha, infused with flavours from the curry, soften and the curry dries up and what you get in the end is a delicious muddle of minced parathas and meat (or eggs, vegetables even). I could almost imagine the sound of steel glasses clobbering on an iron griddle in a Chettiar Kitchen in a Tamil village, culinary music I tell you. In this connection let me tell you that the huge Chettiar Kitchens are exclusively designed and their cooking utensils are sought-after vintage collectibles.

The Kotthu Paratha, however, reminded me of a certain paratha made in highway shacks in and around Bengal, the petai paratha. Basically, you beat the daylights out of the parathas right on the skillet, with your bare fists. Petai is the Bengali word for beating up. Anyway for me Kotthu Paratha was a revelation I am going to cherish.

Sutta Kathrikka Thokku

Truth be told, I was quite full by the time our table was cleared of the now empty appetizer platters, full and enervated from the relentless flavour carnival in my mouth . But I was not sated yet. My heart, my mind and my stomach were on completely different pages. Next up were the main courses and I was ready to take them on. First up was a creamy mildly spiced vegetable curry served with piping hot steamed rice. The dish, Kalkari Kurma, is basically an assortment of seasonal vegetables in a subtly spiced coconut and cashew nut gravy. Sutta Kathrikka Thokku , was a sharp contrast to the milder Kurma. Baby brinjal cooked with an assortment of spices in a onion and tomato gravy, the Sutta Kathrikka Thokku is perhaps one of the spiciest face lift the humble brinjal can get.

But before the meat there were the prawns. Of course, I had to say no to the prawns too. The Yera Manga Charu is basically prawns cooked in creamy, subtly spiced raw mango gravy. It looked delicious but alas. Yes there have been times in the past when a dish has tempted me enough to pop anti-allergy pills and dig in, but this time I wasn’t carrying any. Sigh.The Vanjaram Meen, King Fish marinated with Chettinad spices and pan fried, was not much to talk about. The fish was fresh, but I would have liked it better seasoned. And I thought the flavours hadn't penetrated enough!

(Left to right) Chicken Chettinad, Kalakari Kurma, Yera Manga Charu 

Anyway, I was determined to make up with the next dish on the menu, my absolute favourite, Chicken Chettinad,served with soft Kal Dosai, fermented rice pancakes. Chicken Chettinad, the mouthwatering complexity of spices the dish involves, its drool-worthy aroma that spells rapture and the fiery kick the dish delivers, is one dish I will always choose over every other option. My Punjabi boyfriend, a diehard Butter Chicken loyalist, loses his mind over my irrevocable, and obsessive love for Chicken Chettinad. To me this is the dish that should be the face of Indian curries! And chef Aswin’s version is turned out to be a winner. It was a pity that by the time the Chicken Chettinad reached the table we were all struggling to breathe from overeating. But the tender pieces of chicken in a medley of delectable spices, was not to be missed. You see, my capacity to stuff myself is stuff of legends.I had my share alright. 

Chicken Chettinad

 I had lapped up the last vestiges of the Chicken Chettinad, and was telling a fellow diner how I had stuffed myself enough to last me a good 48 hours without another morsel of food. It was at this point that the desserts arrived – Sakkari Pongal and Elaneer Payasam.  48 hours? What 48 hours? I didn’t as much as flinch before I dug into the Sakkari Pongal, a rice and jaggery pudding crammed with nuts and dripping fragrant ghee. 48 seconds later, the bowl was empty. And then I let the Elanner Payasam, a cardamom flavoured coconut kheer, runny and extremely soothing, calm my palate. It had had too much excitement for the day.

Ready Reckoner
What: Chettinad Food Festival, (À  la carte)
Where: Durbari, level 2, Swissotel Kolkata Neotia Vista 

When: 1900 hrs to 2300 hrs ( Tue to Sunday) and 1230 hrs to 1530 hrs (Friday to Sunday).

The Dessert Platter: Elaneer Payasam and Sakkari Pongal

The Awesome chef Aswin

Scrambled Eggs Journal: 7 avatars for each day of the week!

My father's love for eggs is legendary. When I say legendary I am not merely using a hyperbole. I mean it. My uncle, my father's elder brother, recalls how once my father, then a child of six, had agreed to accompany an absolute stranger for eggs. The man had tried to lure him with the promise of logense  (candy) but my father knew how to negotiate. Four boiled eggs he said, then I'll go. Luckily the said stranger was a friend of my grandfather. Phew. 

During his teenage years, father spent most of his holidays and weekends at our ancestral home in Serampore, a former Dutch colony in the Hooghly district of Bengal. Back then, in that house, a mansion really, 30 people, (yes it was a big family, still is) would sit down to dinner, in the huge covered courtyard, together. Fridays were Egg Curry Day. And it was a rule that one egg would be served per person. Only my father, the youngest in the family, got two. But that wasn't assurance enough for his cousins. The two people who sat on either side of my dad, had to maintain a strict vigil on their plates. A moment's distraction could mean they would have to do gravy and potatoes that night. 

And a few years ago, at our dinner table, I had witnessed one of the noisiest fight between my father and my aunt, his sister. It was over eggs. Well, she had left the table to get some salt and on her plate she had left behind an egg, boiled and fried, laced in onion and tomato gray. My aunt's favourite dish - Dim'er Kalia. When she returned the egg had disappeared and so had my father! He is like a child when it comes to eggs. You should have seen his face when a couple of years ago the family physician advised he gives up eggs, and if not he must stick to egg whites. Anyway, though Dad likes eggs in all forms, he loves scrambled eggs the best. My Mum has mastered the art of scrambling eggs. I love them too. But I get bored easily and though I like scrambled eggs, I am not satisfied with the traditional versions. I want more. And I experiment often. 

A few days ago,  a member of a very popular Facebook forum for food lovers, asked for out-of-the-box ideas for scrambled eggs. That got me thinking. And I decided to work on this post. This can work as your scrambled eggs journal. Even if you have scrambled eggs every day of the week, you won;t get bored with these seven wonderful recipes. The ingredients are simple and available at home but the flavours are far from regular. 

Hope you like it. By the way, do you have your own unique way of making scrambled eggs? Please share your ideas in the comments section.

Cheers!

Chettinad Scrambled Eggs: I love flavours from the South of India and I am a die hard fan of Chettinad Cuisine, the complexity of spices the cuisine entails and well, the peppery zing, The sight of mustard, curry leaves and Urad dal spluttering in hot oil gets my heart racing and the aroma leaves me salivating like a dog. So, it goes without saying that this is one of my favourite ways to make scrambled eggs. It's something I tried only recently and have been hooked ever since. Click for Recipe

Oregano scrambled eggs with potatoes and onions: I love the idea of eggs and potatoes fried together. I am crazy about tortilla. This one time my friend went on a holiday to Spain and took cooking lessons in Seville. For days after she returned I pestered her to make me Tortilla, deal, the original until she finally did. I had my eyes on the Chorizo she had brought back and that went into the Tortilla too. Anyway, so this avatar of the humble scrambled eggs is inspired by the Tortilla. I have added some Piri Piri chilies to up the heat quotient! Read Recipe here.   

Akoori: This one is a classic. A Parsi staple and a perennial favourite. Loaded with finely chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves, spiced with a hint of cumin, and cooked to a creamy consistency, Akoori, accompanied with some parathas or rotis make for a wonderful Sunday brunch. Have it hot, right out of the pan. Read recipe here

Oriental Style Scrambled Eggs: This, perhaps tops my list of favourites. Eggs fried and scrambled, with soy sauce, ginger and spring onions.You can have it on toast or have it the way I like it...on plain rice. Add a dash of extra soy sauce, some pickled chilies and vinegar and top it up with some toasted sesame seeds for that bite. Add some shredded boiled chicken to your bowl and you have a wholesome meal! Sometimes I even add caramelised sesame seeds. It simply changes the dynamics of the dish I tell you. Read Recipe here.

Cheese and Tortilla Scrambled Eggs: This one is a fiesta on a platter. It's both a flavour fest and a colour burst on a skillet. I first saw a tortilla scrambled eggs on a Nigella Lawson show.But it was too simple for my taste. I am known for going over board! So I took it and made it my own. Bell peppers, tomatoes, shredded chicken, Mozzarella and homemade tortilla cut in thin strips, laced in creamy scrambled eggs. This Mexican inspired scrambled eggs gala is for those who live it up big and colourful. I prefer to give it a rustic touch and serve it on the very skillet it is cooked. Great to put together for a big gang, after a night long of intoxicated carousing. Works for my hangovers too...somehow! Click for Recipe

Doi Shorshe Scrambled Eggs: This is the simplest of the lot. So while I was making a list of all the different kinds of scrambled eggs I would make for this series I realised while I had different kinds inspired by different cuisines across the country and from around the world, there was nothing with a touch of Bengal. So, I concocted one myself. Bengali cuisine is synonymous with mustard oil. Now in Bengal an omlette is often fried in mustard oil. By the way we are known to call our Omlettes, Mumlettes.Yeah, so I made scrambled eggs in mustard oil and added to it a little Kasundi, a typical Bengali Mustard relish. And instead of whisking the milk with cream or milk, I used yoghurt. The result was fluffy, soft scrambled eggs with a pungent kick that'll keep you asking for more! Click for Recipe

Sweet Caramel Scrambled Eggs: Enough for sapidity, time to After tossing up 6 different savoury scrambled eggs, I reckoned one sweet version was due. So, I tossed up one. I was guided by pure whim while making this one, but I liked the result. You know it is the closest you can get to an instant caramel pudding. A mound of soft sweet flakes of egg and the luscious caramel oozing out from here and there. I loved it alright. Serve it with fresh fruits and cream for a sweet breakfast. Read Recipe here

Chettinad Scrambled Eggs

I love flavours from the South of Indian and I am a die hard fan of Chettinad Cuisine, the complexity of spices the cuisine entails and well, the peppery zing, The sight of mustard, curry leaves and Urad Dal spluttering in hot oil gets my heart racing and the aroma leaves me salivating like a dog. So, it goes without saying that this is one of my favourite ways to make scrambled eggs. It's something I tried only recently and have been hooked ever since.

Ingredients 

Eggs - 2 

Curry leaves - 4-5

Urad dal - 1/4 tsp 

Mustard - 1/4 tsp 

Finely chopped onions - 3 tbsp 

Finely chopped green chilies - 2 

A pinch of turmeric powder 

Fresh cracked pepper 

Salt to taste 

Oil 

Method 

Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper and turmeric powder.

Heat oil in a pan and add the the curry leaves, mustard seeds and urad dal.

Once the mustard splutters and the dal turns golden, add the chopped onions and green chilies. Fry for about half a minute and add the whisked eggs.

Scramble with a light hand, do not stir vigorously. Take off heat once cooked, but still soft.

Serve on toast or roled in a chapati! 

Oregano scrambled eggs with potatoes and onions

 I love the idea of eggs and potatoes fried together. I am crazy about tortilla. This one time my friend went on a holiday to Spain and took cooking lessons in Seville. For days after she returned I pestered her to make me Tortilla until she finally did. I have my eyes on the Chorizo she had brought back and that went into the Tortilla too. Anyway, so this avatar of the humble scrambled eggs is inspired by the Tortilla. I have added some Piri Piri chilies to up the heat quotient!

Ingredients 

Eggs: 2
A splash of milk
Finely diced potatoes:
Finely chopped onions:
Finely chopped piri piri chilies or red chilies - To taste
A pinch of died oregano
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Butter - 2 tbsp 

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper and oregano. 

Heat butter in a pan and add the potatoes with a pinch of salt. Fry until soft and light golden. 

Add the onions and fry for a minute. 

Add the eggs and cook on medium low heat until cooked soft and fluffy. 

Add the cheese and remove from heat. 

Serve on crusty bread with a side of tomato and rocket salad! . 

Akoori

This one is a classic. A Parsi staple and a perennial favourite. Loaded with finely chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves, spiced with a hint of cumin, and cooked to a creamy consistency, Akoori, accompanied with some parathas or rotis make for a wonderful Sunday brunch. Have it hot, right out of the pan.

Ingredients 

Eggs - 42
A generous splash of milk
Pinch of turmeric powder
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Finely chopped onions - 1/4 cup
Finely chopped tomatoes - 4 tbsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Finely chopped green chilies - 4
Grated ginger - 1 tsp
Oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Whisk the eggs with milk, salt, pepper and turmeric powder.

Heat oil in a pan, add the onion, chilies and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes.

Add the tomatoes, coriander leaves and cumin powder and fry for another couple of minutes.

Add the egg mixture and cook on low heat, stir frequently until eggs are cooked to a creamy, soft consistency.

Serve with hot parathas or chapatis. Bread is fine too! 

Oriental Style Scrambled Eggs and Rice Bowl

This, perhaps, tops my list of favourites. Eggs fried and scrambled, with soy sauce, ginger and spring onions.You can have it on toast or have it the way I like it...on plain rice. Add a dash of extra soy sauce, some pickled chilies and vinegar and top it up with some toasted sesame seeds for that bite. Add some shredded boiled chicken to your bowl and you have a wholesome meal, not just for breakfast, but any time of the day! Sometimes I even add caramelised sesame seeds. It simply changes the dynamics of the dish I tell you.

Ingredients 

Eggs - 4
Finely chopped Spring Onion - 1/2 cup
Ginger juice - 2 tbsp
Minced garlic - 1 clove
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
A pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
Chili flakes to taste
Oil

Method

Whisk the eggs with salt, sugar, ginger juice, minced garlic, soy sauce and chili flakes.

Heat oil in a pan and add the spring onions, fry for a couple of minutes.

Add the egg and let cook for a minuted on one side, before you scramble. Do not stir, flip over in parts instead. We want fluffy, browned, large flakes. It must look like a shredded fried egg.

To serve: On a bed of rice with a dash of soy sauce and some chili-vinegar. 

Cheese and Tortilla Scrambled Eggs

This one is a fiesta on a platter. It's both a flavour fest and a colour burst on a skillet. I first saw a tortilla scrambled eggs on a Nigella Lawson show.But it was too simple for my taste. I am known for going over board! So I took it and made it my own. Bell peppers, tomatoes, shredded chicken, Mozzarella and strips and homemade tortilla laced in creamy scrambled eggs. This Mexican inspired scrambled eggs gala is for those who live it up big and colourful. I prefer to give it a rustic touch and serve it on the very skillet it is cooked. Great to put together for a big gang, after a night long of intoxicated carousing. Works for my hangovers too...somehow!

PS. This one might need some prepping in advance.

Ingredients 

Eggs - 6
Corn tortilla (homemade or store bought) - 3 (cut in thin strips)
Finely chopped spring onions - 1 cup
Thin sliced red bell pepper - 1/2
Thin sliced capsicum - 1/2
Sliced tomatoes - 1 large
Minced garlic - 1 tsp
Shredded boiled chicken - 1 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Grated Mozzarella cheese - 1/2 cup
Olive oil

Method

Whisk the eggs and milk with salt and pepper

Heat olive oil on a skillet. Add the minced garlic and fry for a minute. Toss in the spring onions and saute for a couple of minutes.

Add the bell peppers and tomatoes and saute for a few minutes.

Add salt, pepper, chili flakes and sugar. And keep frying for another couple of minutes.

Toss in the tortilla strips and shredded chicken and mix well.

Finally add the whisked eggs and the grated cheese toss it up so that the eggs and cheese lace the other ingredients. The eggs should be just cooked and remain mostly creamy.

Remove from heat and serve with crusty bread. Or just on its own and eat right out of the pan. 

Doi Shorshe Scrambled Eggs

This is the simplest of the lot. So while I was making a list of all the different kinds of scrambled eggs I would make for this series I realised while I had different kinds inspired by different cuisines across the country and from around the world, there was nothing with a touch of Bengal. So, I concocted one myself. Bengali cuisine is synonymous with mustard oil. Now in Bengal an omlette is often fried in Mustard oil. By the way we are known to call our Omlettes, Mumlettes.Yeah, so I made scrambled eggs in mustard oil and added to it a little Kasundi, a typical Bengali Mustard relish. And instead of whisking the milk with cream or milk, I used yoghurt. The result was fluffy, soft scrambled eggs with a pungent kick that'll keep you asking for more!

Ingredients 

Eggs - 2
Yoghurt - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Finely chopped green chillies - 2
Kasundi - 1tsp
Mustard oil

Method

Whisk the eggs, yoghurt and salt together. Toss in the chopped green chilies too.

Heat mustard oil,but do not let it smoke. Reduce heat to minimum and add the egg.

Cook for about 30 second and add the Kasundi/mustard relish and then scramble and cook until soft and fluffy.

Serve with chapatis or on toast! 

Caramel Scrambled Eggs

Enough for sapidity, time to After tossing up 6 different savoury scrambled eggs, I reckoned one sweet version was due. So, I tossed up one. I was guided by pure whim while making this one, but I liked the result. You know it is the closest you can get to an instant caramel pudding. A mound of soft sweet flakes of egg and the luscious caramel oozing out from here and there. I loved it alright. Serve it with fresh fruits and cream for a sweet breakfast.

Ingredients

Eggs - 2
Fresh cream - 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence - a few drops
Icing sugar - 1/2 tsp (or to taste)
Granulated sugar - 2 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp

Method

Whisk the eggs with cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence.

Heat butter in a pan and add two teaspoons of sugar in it. One the sugar caramelises, it should be a dark golden (do not stir too much), add the eggs.

Scramble with light flips, do not stir rigorously. Cook until the eggs are soft and fluffy and laced in caramel.

Serve with fresh fruits and cream on the side. 

Brazilian style Chicken and Okra - Frango com Quiabo

A few hours to go before the month-long football extravaganza comes to a close. The past few weeks have been charged with emotions alright. We savoured the sweet ecstasy of victory and sulked over the bitter aftertaste of defeat, and every football lover, delirious with passion and charged with a vicarious adrenaline rush, let mundane life take a backseat. But in a few hours it will all be over. The thought inspires a sort of melancholy, isn't it? It's like that day after the fiesta, when the bizarre cacophony of boundless frolicking comes to a screeching halt giving way to an almost unnerving silence. Nonetheless, all good things must come to an end.

And yes today, is also the day I bring you the final recipe of the World Cup Special Series.

Yes, Brazil. I am a fan of Brazil - the football, the country, the culture, the people, I love all things Brazilian.I love the song too...Braziiiiillll la la la la la la. Brazil's performance this World Cup broke millions of hearts including mine, but that doesn't make the love any less. So, today, though the much cherished dream of seeing Brazil play the finals did not come true, I cooked a Brazilian dish to savour while I watch the finals. I made Brazilian-style Chicken and Okra - Frango com Quiabo.

I have always wanted to cook meat with okra, but never got around to doing it. In fact, I always felt a little intimidated. Today I mustered courage and did it anyway. I was so happy with the result. The dish is a little tangy, has a peppery zing to it and the flavours are refreshingly fresh. Traditionally it is served with Pirão, a mush made with Cassava flour and broth or simply water, but it tasted just as good with plain rice. I think it'll go well with Quinoa too. 

The recipe is adapted from the book Brazil: A culinary Journey by Cherie Hamilton. And Cherie also mentions in the book that this dish was purportedly the favourite dish of Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek best remembered for founding the country's capital city of Brasilia.

Ingredients 

Boneless chicken - 1 kg 

Minced onion - 1 cup 

Juice of one lime 

Minced cilantro leaves - 1/2 cup 

Salt to taste 

Pepper to taste

Minced garlic - 1 tsp 

Finely chopped tomatoes (seeded) - 4 medium 

Okra/lady's finger - 500 grams (chopped)

Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp

Method 

Marinate the chicken with 1/3 of the minced onion, garlic paste, cilantro paste, lime juice, salt and pepper. For 10-15 minutes.

Heat oil in a skilled and toss in the chicken pieces. Fry the chicken until brown.

Now add the remaining minced onion and the tomatoes. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until chicken is almost done.

Add the okra, give it all a toss, cover and cook for another 15 minutes, without stirring.

Serve with plain rice or quinoa.

Dutch Buttermilk Pudding

I have few regrets in life. I do not believe in looking back with disapproval, at things I did or did not do! But among the few things I do regret, is the time when I turned down an offer to join a few good friends on a trip to Amsterdam. It was right in the middle of the Fall Semester, back in university in England, and a few of my buddies there, a couple of South American Undergrad students, were planning a trip to Amsterdam during the Christmas vacation. They asked me if I cared to join. I was ecstatic - I did my happy dance, checked for flight schedules, planned the budget and the itinerary, downloaded the VISA form, decided on clothes to take and then...then I had this conversation with my father. He said it was a great plan, I must make the most of my trip, I must let him know if I needed money etc and finally he added casually, "Or you could come home for the vacation. We miss you, you know!" A couple of weeks later I boarded my flight to Calcutta. My friends went to Amsterdam alright. 

My dreams of chomping on bitterballen (bread-crumbed Dutch croquettes with a gooey minced beef filling) and poffertjes (small, fluffy buckwheat pancakes) was razed to the grounds as I returned to the familiar comfort of Machher-Jhol and Bhaat. 

And just as much as Amsterdam, the city, fascinates me, it was Dutch food that lured me. I have had the chance to feast on authentic stroopwaffles once and I consider myself blessed for that. The hearty soups and sumptuous stews, the meats and mashed potatoes, Dutch cuisine is all about clean and fresh flavours and I love it. In fact, a far as food habits are concerned, I think I share a common love with the Dutch -- their legendary love of potatoes, best captured perhaps in a particular painting by none other than Vincent Van Gogh, The Potato Eaters.

The other thing we have in common is our love for Buttermilk. Karnemelk (buttermilk) is a favourite among the Dutch. And this buttermilk pudding is a celebration of that love. It is extremely simple to make but a treat especially during the summer months here. 

I often make buttermilk at home by adding vinegar to milk and letting it rest for several minutes. But today I tried the Mother Dairy Buttermilk. They launched it a few months ago and this was the first time that it was available at out local Mother Dairy depot. And though it was initially difficult to resist the temptation of making South Indian style spiced buttermilk, this buttermilk pudding turned out to be one dessert I could have again and again. A tangy, sweet treat and you can top it up with fresh fruits, caramelised nuts or strawberry sauce. It is delicious. It does take some time to set (at least 4 hours) but it is worth the wait. 

Our World Cup Series is almost drawing to an end. You must have guessed by now, Netherlands is my pick from Group B. They have had a great World Cup Campaign and are facing Brazil tonight, fighting for the third place. Tomorrow is the grand finale and I promise to bring you one great recipe to bring this series to a close. 

Ingredients

Buttermilk - 300 ml
Heavy cream - 350 ml
Castor Sugar - 150 g
Gelatin - 3 tsp (heaped)
Warm water - 1/4 cup
Cherries, almonds or strawberry sauce for topping

Method 

Stir in the gelatin in the warm water and keep aside to cool.

In a pan bring the cream and sugar to a boil on medium heat.Let it simmer for a few minutes while stirring continuously.

Stir in the gelatin and remove from heat. Add the buttermilk and blend well.

Now pour the mixture through a sieve and then pour into molds.

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or until set. Top with fresh fruits or strawberry sauce or caramelised almonds!

Recipe adapted from http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/buttermilk-pudding