Camel meat and fermented mare’s milk, deep fried butter cookies and salted milk tea - Mongolian cuisine is much more than boiled or dried meat and yak’s cheese and it is anything but boring.  And Mongolia is, in fact, the next stop on our culinary journey across Asia. Mongolian cuisine is heavily influences by Chinese and Russian culinary traditions and yet manages to preserve its distinct originality. The cuisine is an heartwarming assortment of soups and stews, boiled, dried and roasted meats, noodles and a yes, an array of dumplings. I love dumplings and hence picked Khuushuur a deep fried Monolian dumpling that is one of the most popular street bites in Mongolia. There are other popular kinds like baansh (boiled) and buuz (steamed) but then I have a soft spot for anything deep fried. Who doesn’t ?

The filling that goes into the khuushuur is as delicious as it is simple. Minced lamb, ideal high in fats, mixed with finely chopped onions and garlic, flavoured with nothing but caraway seeds and seasoned with salt and pepper, stuffed into dumpling shells and deep fried over a low flame to a perfect golden. You must eat them piping hot . . I love it how the Khuushuur is crunchy and squidgy all at once. I love it how the crunch quickly gives way to that squelching sound and soon as the caraway flavoured juices from the meat gushes out to fill your mouth.  You will love it too. 

Spinach and Rice Chicken Roulade

In my previous posts I have quite effusively expressed my love for spinach. As far as my conscious life is concerned, or let’s say for as long as I remember I have loved spinach. But the other day my mother told me it was not always this way.   If she is to be believed, and I find it hard to believe, as a child I hated spinach. I would cry and throw tantrums if there was spinach on my lunch plate. At my adamant best I would arch backwards, at the risk of permanently damaging my spinal cord and produce strange guttural sounds. Spinach, and juice of Mousambi (sweet lime) – I hated the two. The latter I hate still. My mother had to resort to numerous tricks of persuasion to feed me some spinach or get a glass of Mousambi juice down my gullet.  And at times when all methods of persuasion failed she had to resort to fear-inducing tactics. And one thing the tiny-tot-me was very, very scared of is spider. So, Aloka, my nanny of sorts at the time would catch tiny spiders, and sometimes large ones too, she was fearless, in a glass jar and bring it to the dining table. I d wail for a while at the sight of those eight legged creatures I still abhor and finally proceed to eat my spinach or drink that glass of citrus juice. I wonder how those horrendous afternoons didn't scar me for life. My mother says my wails did, however, scar the poor spiders for life. 

Talking of spiders, err spinach, I do not know when or how, but some where down the line my hatred for spinach turned into pure love. And come winter when the loveliest spinach come up in the market, I go on a bender. At home, since childhood, spinach has always been prepared as a pure vegetarian dish, sans onion and garlic. On fact the best way to have spinach for me is stir fried, tempered with mustard seeds, and finished with a sprinkle of poppy seeds. But over the years I have cooked fancier stuff with spinach and one dish I have turned out quite a few times is chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta. However, this time around I made the dish a little differently. Instead of chicken breast I used minced chicken to make a roulade and stuffed it with a creamy and cheesy rice and spinach stuffing. It is quite like a meat loaf stuffed with rice, spinach and cheese and it is delicious.The chicken wrap is spicy and juicy and inside the cheese and cream laden spinach rice is equally delightful. Try it ! 

Ingredients 

For the chicken layer 
Minced Chicken - 600 g
Finely chopped garlic - 1 tbsp
Coarsely ground pepper - 1 tbsp
Eggs - 3
Cornflour/starch - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Paprika - 1 tsp
For the spinach and rice filling
Spinach, cleaned and chopped - 250 g
Long grain rice - 75 g
Minced garlic - 1 tbsp
A pinch of nutmeg powder
Fresh cream - 1/2 cup
Grated Parmesan - 1/4 cup
Grated mozzarella - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Butter - 50 g

Method 

In a food processor toss in the minced chicken, eggs, cornflour, salt, pepper, paprika and chopped garlic and pulse to a smooth mixture.

In a pan heat butter. Add garlic and fry until it begins to catch a golden tinge. Add a pinch of nutmeg powder followed by the spinach. Fry for a couple of minutes and then add the rice. Fry until rice is translucent.

Add the chicken stock, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook covered until rice is al dente, that is cooked but has a distinct bite to it.

The rice is most likely to soak up all the liquids by now. Remove cover and add the cream followed by the cheeses. adjust seasoning. Since the chicken stock will have salt in it, it is best to add salt, if necessary at this stage.

Remove from heat and keep aside.

Place two sheets of foil one on top of the other. Grease the open surface with butter. Leaving a margin of about 2 inches on all sides, spread the minced chicken mix in a uniform square.

Now tip the rice onto the chicken layer, along the middle of the square, length wise. Now hold the edges of the foil on one side, lift and place it on the rice so as to cover half of it, slowly and carefully peel the foil away. Repeat with the other side, thus creating a log. Seal the edges with your fingers. Once the log is ready, wrap the foil about so as to form a parcel.

Grill in a preheated oven at 170 degree centigrade for 20 -25 minutes. Once done let the log rest for about 10 minutes, before you cut in slices and serve. You could top it with some dry roasted sesame seeds for that smoky nutty bite. I did.

Asian Potatoes and Peanuts

So this post is yet another entry for the Kolkata Food Bloggers' event Know Your Blogger and this week's star blogger is Urmi of Ume's Kitchen. I have spent quite a few hours rummaging through Urmi's repertoire of delicious dishes, trying figuring out which of her numerous lip-smacking good recipes I should try and finally zeroed in on her Spicy Peanut Potatoes. Then I changed my mind and set out to try her lemon tarts, albeit with my own twist. The outcome of my experiment did not please me as much as I wanted it to, so I went back to the Spicy Peanut Potatoes. 

But while I took inspiration from Urmi's dish, what I whipped up is very different from Urmi's recipe. Driven by impulse, I gave the dish an Asian twist. So, there's peanut and there's potato but that's all that is common to the two dishes. I am not very fond of peanuts in my food, if you serve me a dish with peanuts in it you are most likely to find them stacked in a neat mound on the side. The only exceptions are perhaps a Phad Thai or a  crunchy Thai style salad. So I wanted to give the spicy peanut potato, distint Asian flavours, which I did. The result was pretty great. A few simple ingredients, you can alter proportions too suit your taste buds, and you have a delightful dish. Check it out. 

Ingredients 

Baby potatoes - 500 g (boiled and peeled)
Finely chopped garlic - 2 tbsp
Fish sauce - 1 tbsp (optional)
Dark Soy Sauce - 2 tbsp
Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp
Jaggery (melted) - 2-3 tbsp
Finely chopped red chilies - 3-4 tbsp
Roasted and crushed peanuts - 1/2 cup
Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
Vegetable oil - 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Lemon Wedges to serve with

Method 

Heat oil in a wok. Add chopped garlic and fry for a minute. Add the soy sauce and fish sauce and give it a quick swirl.

Toss in the baby potatoes and chopped red chilies and give it all a good toss. Add jaggery and tamarind pulp and keep tossing o the fire for a few minutes. Adjust seasoning (be careful, both fish sauce and soy sauce have salt).

Remove from heat. Add the roasted peanuts and give it all a good toss. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and sesame seeds and serve with wedges of lime.

Dum ki Raan

Every winter we hold a few mini-bonfire-and-barbecue nights for friends and family on our terrace. I love barbecue nights, I love planning for one, and every time we host one, I take charge of the food. That is, I decide the menu, I marinate the meats- chicken legs, goat chops and leg of lamb -  the previous night, make sure the salads are done and the bread and any other sides are taken care of etc. On the night of the barbecue however, I simply dress up, put on some lipstick and let my hair down. I do not go anywhere near the grills. I let my cousins and their friends do the grilling and roasting! I lap up compliments about how good the meats taste with a sugary giggle and secretly give myself a pat on the back for an awesome barbecue night. Come on, I am the one responsible for the great food people just chomped on. Only I wasn't and though I hate to admit it now, it was the people grilling the meat on that spit fire that should have been credited really - for their skill and more so for their patience. 

I would have never known had I not prepared this Dum ki Rann - slow roasted leg of lamb/ goat in a spicy and sweet gravy enriched with dates and cashew nuts. 

So, last Saturday, I resolved to be more active in the kitchen, I have been extremely lazy the last couple of weeks, and declared to the family that I will cook them a feast for Sunday lunch. I have wanted to roast a whole raan on a spit fire for the longest time and that is exactly what I planned to do as my Sunday project. So I spent Saturday evening at home tending to the raan, (not too fatty but some fat is a must) marinated it and satisfied, retired for the day.

Sunday morning was bright and sunny, but pretty windy. My mother warned that a spitfire might not be a good idea, considering it was my first time. She said, do it in the oven, put a burning coal inside the oven for the smoky effect. But I was determined. I had brought 3 kilos of coal, but sent for another 2 just to be sure. The bricks were ready. I was raring to go.

How I had pictured the morning: The smell of charred spiced meat in the air, the comfort of the winter sun on my back while I sipped on wine and basted the meat, between turning the pages of my story book, Beatles in the background perhaps, or some good country music.

How it all really turned out: First, I struggled to build the spit, then I struggled to light the fire. Then I sat their cursing myself for building too large a fire, then the fire went wild, thanks to the wind gods, it was now more like a bonfire really and I waited with mounting frustration so the fire would give up on the mad frenzy, I wanted hot coals not licking flames. My book caught fire in the meantime, and I forgot all about the wine. The only music there was was the rustle of leaves as the wind threatened to blow everything away. And there I was stomping around the terrace like a mad mad woman, cursing my fate.

And then when I could no longer be patient I put the meat on the heat anyway, and then panicked when it began charring right away. Oh God! the flames. An hour later I gave up. My raan looked great on the outside with char marks et al, and it smelt heavenly too, but I knew the meat was far from cooked. I was too tired to struggle anymore so I simply transferred the meat onto a baking dish and into the oven it went. My mother threw a condescending smirk my way, and that upset me all the more. But I was determined to make a mind blowing lunch and finally I did.

Ingredients 

Raan - 1.5 kilo (approx)
Ghee to brush while roasting the meat

For marination 
Minced ginger - 2 tbsp
Minced garlic - 1.5 tbsp
Minced papaya - 3-4 tbsp
Yoghurt : 200 g
Roasted cumin powder - 3 tbsp
Red chili powder - 2 tbsp
Salt - 2.5 tbsp
Mustard oil - 1/2 cup

For the gravy 
Finely sliced onions - 2 large
Minced onion - 2 cups
Ginger paste - 2.5 tbsp
Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Chopped tomatoes - 3 large
Chopped mint leaves - 2-3 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup packed
Finely green chilies - 2 tbsp
Dates (pitted and minced) - 2.5 tbsp
Cashew nut paste - 1//4 cup
Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
Red chili powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder* - 1 tbsp
Raisins - 50g
Salt to taste
Mustard oil - 1/4 cup

For Spiced Caramel water to deglaze
Sugar - 50
Cardamom - 5-6
Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
Bay leaves - 2-3
Cloves - 3-4
Mace strands - 2-3
Ghee - 100 g

Method 

Rub in the salt and mustard oil, massaging it on the raan, apply a little pressure while you work the salt and oil into the meat. Keep aside for an hour.

Now rub in each dry ingredients in the marination list one by one.  Whisk the curd, minced papaya, garlic and ginger, into a creamy paste, add to the and coat it well, . Cover an refrigerate overnight/ or at room temperature for about 6 hours.

Roast it on a charcoal grill, basting continuously and alternatively with reserved marinade and melted ghee. Slow coking is the key and this will take a lot of time and patience.

Alternatively you can sear the meat on charcoal, thus getting the smoky flavours (brush ghee with ghee and baste with the marinade) and then transfer the meat and any remaining marinade into a finish it in the oven, at 160 degree for 3- 3.5 hours or until meat is cooked through. Keep basting with the juices the meat releases.

While the meat is being cooked, prepare the gravy.

First prepare the caramel water. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add sugar and wait till it caramelizes. Once it starts turning golden and bubbles, pour in 350 ml water. And stir until the caramel dissolves and bring to a boil. Add the whole spices and let it bubble for a couple of minutes. Then turn down the heat and let it simmer until reduced by a quarter. Remove, strain and reserve the caramel water.

Now in a heavy bottomed pan, heat mustard oil. Add the sliced onions and fry until they are brown (be careful not to burn them though). Add the minced onion, garlic and ginger and fry until oil separates.

Now add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and continue frying one again. Once tomatoes turn mushy, add the turmeric, red chili, cumin, coriander and garam masala powders and continue frying until oil separates. Keep stirring and adjust heat level so that the masala doesn't stick to the pan too much.

Now add chopped green chilies, chopped mint and coriander, minced dates and cashew nut paste and salt, mix well. Fry on high heat for a minute, reduce heat and cook until oil separates, stir continually.

Now turn up heat and deglaze the pan with the caramel water, scraping out bits stuck to the pan. Let the gravy bubble for a a couple of minutes, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until oil floats up. Remove from heat and keep.

Once the meat is cooked through transfer to serving dish. Reserve the delicious liquids in the baking tray.

Return the gravy to heat. Add the meaty juices from the baking tray and toss in the raisins, bring to a boil. Turn down heat, simmer for a couple of minutes and then pour the gravy on top of the roasted raan. Garnish with mint leaves and serve piping hot, with naans or rotis.

Almond Tomato Pesto From Manjari's Kitchen

Winter has made me lazy. I struggle every morning to get out from under the quilt, and when I finally manage to scramble out of bed, I throw myself on the couch, pull a shawl around and stay there for hours. I haven't been cooking much either. Today, however, I had to will myself to cook because I was due sending in my entry for the Kolkata Food Bloggers' event "Know Your Blogger" where every week one Blogger is declared the Star of the Week and the rest of us cook and post about something from her blog. This star of this week is Manjari Chowdhury of For the Love of Food. 

Manjari is not only a fellow blogger but a goof friend too. She is a delight to be around. What is more delightful than her nature is the food she cooks, especially the gorgeous cakes and breads she bakes. Her blog is not only a treasure trove of recipes, it also offers a lot of helpful information related to cooking techniques, ingredients, etc. She knows what she is talking about and that makes her blog a safe place to go to if it is good food you are looking for. 

 I have had the chance to sample few of her chocolaty treats. Once it so happened, at a food festival we were both attending, Manjari whispered from across the table,  "There is something for you, something I have made." I could no longer concentrate on the food in front of me, the same morning I had seen one of her posts on Facebook, a gorgeous chocolate tart, I had not been able to get my mind off. What are the chances that the something she had brought was a slice of that decadent chocolate tart? I couldn't wait to get out of the restaurant we were dining at. 

About half an hour later, we were finally in the privacy of my car and Manjari brought out a box from inside her bag. I was stuffed after all the food we had had at the festival. The very thought of food made my stomach lurch dangerously. But then she lifted the lid off the box and I squealed in delight. It was after all a slice of the chocolate tart I had been fantasizing about. And though my stomach continued to protest all the while, I preferred listening to my heart. And thank heavens I did, because that was in fact the most delicious slice of Tart au chocolat I have had and I am a tart fanatic. 

However, I chose to make one of her savoury dishes instead. I wanted a quick fix lunch and there was pasta at home. What could be better than muddling up a great pesto and making a pasta lunch out of it. So I made Manjari's Almond Tomato Pesto. I did add my own little touch to it,butostly i stuck to her recipe. It is easy, flavourful and light! I loved it, so would you. 

Ingredients 

Tomatoes - 2 large (blanched and peeled)

Almonds - 12-15 (blanched and peeled)

Mint leaves - 7-8 

Garlic cloves - 5-6

Fresh Grated Parmesan - 2-3 tbsp 

Olive oil - 1/4 cup 

Chili flakes to taste 

Salt to taste 

Method

Put all ingredients in a mortar and muddle away with a pestle, streaming in olive oil from time to time. Finally, add salt to taste and top it off with some more olive oil. Have it on your pasta done al dente.

Chocolate and Almonds Puli

I do not have too many memories of Makara Sankranti celebrations at home, simply because it has never been a big deal. It is strange actually, considering how my family seizes every opportunity to celebrate. We are celebration fanatics and yet, unlike many of my friends, I do not have memories of my mother, aunts and grandmother staying up all night making the mandatory puli pithe, rice flour dumplings with a sweet coconut and jaggery filling, and paayesh, traditional rice pudding with date palm jaggery.

You see, the Hindu festival of Makara Sankranti, dubbed as Poush Sankranti is Bengal, is a harvest festival in essence. And in Bengal making prticular kind of sweetmeats with rice and date palm jaggery is mandatory on this day. And though every year we would feast on pithe and paayesh relatives and friends would bring over, I have missed the thrill of making them in one's own kitchen.

One of my  close cousin's birthday falls on Makara Sankranti, usually celebrated on January 14 (sometimes 13 or 15, depending on the Lunar Calendar actually) and we often spend the day at their place in Chandannagar, a charming town on the River Hoogly, a former French colony. My aunt makes the best patishapta, crepe rolls of sorts stuffed with coconut ad jaggery or sometimes with coconut and kheer, and ranga alur pithe (sweet russet potato dumplings in a syrup) I have had. At there place Poush Sankranti calls for double celebrations. So, typically the Sankranti cum birthday feast would comprise Korai shutir Kochuri, mashed and spicy green pea stuffed fried bread, Aloor Dom, Phulkopir Kosha, a spicy cauliflower curry and an array of pithe including the ones mentioned above. Finally there is a nolen gur enriched paayesh to round up the meal.

This time however I made some puli pithe at home, so I could send the recipe as my entry to KFB's event Poush Sankranti Specials. However, I drifted just a bit from tradition and gave the traditional puli a twist. There is no jaggery or coconut in this puli pithe, unlike a traditional puli which ususally comes with a coconut-jaggery filling. Instead there is chocolate and almonds. This one is special. And delicious. Not as sweet as the traditional pithe but pleasantly different.

Ingredients

Rice Flour : 200 g
Hot water : 180 - 200 ml
Cocoa Powder :  2 tbsp
Vanilla essence : 1 tsp
Chocolate chips : 50g + 100 g
Milk: 1 litre
Cinnamon stick : 1 inch
Sugar : 1/4 cup
Almond : 50 g (coarsely ground)

Method 

In a deep bottomed pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let he milk simmer and reduce to half.

In the meantime tip the rice flour in a large bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder, vanilla essence and mix well. Now stream in the warm water while stirring it in with a spatula.

Knead the dough. It will be hot so consider wearing gloves. Be careful. Once you have formed a soft dough divide into 15-18 equal portions and keep. Keep the dough covered with cling film at all times, exposure to air will make it dry in no time. It is important that you work fast.

Roll out each portion dough into discs, put a little ground almonds and a teaspoon of chocolate chips on one side of the disc, fold the other end in to form half moons, press the edges with your thumb to seal. Your pulis are made.

Now add sugar to the milk and let it simmer for a couple of more minutes. Now turn the heat level to high and add the puli one by one. Let them simmer for a while and once the pulis float to the top.

Fish out the pulis and keep no a plate.

Add the cinnamon stick and hundred grams of chocolate chips to the milk ad let it reduce to half  of what it is.

Add the pulis back into it carefully, let is all simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle the remaining coarsely ground almonds and serve warm or cold.

Saag Murgh : Spicy Spinach Chicken Curry

 
I love spinach.  It is without a doubt that spinach is my favourite leafy vegetable. At home, one of the winter lunchtime regulars is a simple stir-fry seasoned tempered with mustard seeds, fenugreek and  dry red chilies. Sometimes it's finished off with a generous sprinkle of poppy seeds. I can polish off obscene amounts of rice with just that. Then there is the Palong Shaaker Ghonto - a classic Bengali dish, a medley of winter vegetables like spinach, radish,  pumpkin, etc cooked with few spices. I add spinach in my lentil soups and curries, make parathas and fritters with it, I like it in my pies with some crumbled feta, I love the quintessential Palak Paneer and then I like to add spinach to my meat curries and fish stews.

My boyfriend on the other hand hates spinach. He refuses to eat anything that has spinach in it. I was shocked when I first found this out about him, I mean who doesn't like spinach...I think I even wondered if I was dating a normal person. Anyway, I have bullied him into eating spinach a few times. And today was one such day. I had some fresh spinach in the fridge and I decided to make a mean Saag Chicken with it and then my wicked streak came into play, I picked up the pone and invited him over for lunch. The moment I lifted the lid off my bowl of Chicken in a spicy spinach gravy, he crinkled his nose and said with a suspicious  nonchalance, "My stomach is hurting, I think I'll skip lunch." Moments earlier he had been going on about how hungry he was. Talk about grown men. But I wouldn't let go so easily. After a good deal of coaxing and cajoling, threatening and pleading, he sat down to eat.

An then he couldn't stop. In fact, he asked for a second helping and a third and swore he could eat spinach everyday if it tasted the way it did today. Okay I am bragging, but this recipe is really finger licking good. One of my absolute favourites. I love to have it with phulkas or crisp parathas, check it out.

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 kg 

Spinach (cleaned and chopped roughly) - 750 g 

Coriander leaves - 1 cup (packed)

Mint leaves - 1/4 cup 

Garlic - 10 cloves (large)

Ginger - 1 inch 

Onions (thinly sliced) - 2 large 

Cardamom - 4

Cinnamon - 2-3 inch 

Cloves - 4 

Black cardamom - 2 

Bay leaves - 2 

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp 

Coriander - 1.5 tbsp 

Fennel - 1 tsp 

Peppercorns - 1.5 tbsp 

Tamarind extract - 2 tbsp 

Salt to taste 

A pinch of sugar 

Mustard oil - 4-5 tbsp 

Ghee - 1 tbsp 

Method 

Boil the cleaned and roughly chopped spinach and drain. Rinse under clean water and drain. Squeeze out excess water from the spinach and keep aside. 

Dry roast the peppercorns, fennel, cumin and coriander seeds and grind to a coarse powder. 

In a food processor pulse the spinach, coriander, mint, green chilies,  ginger and garlic with a little water. 

In a heavy bottomed pan add mustard oil and ghee and heat until hot. Reduce heat and add the cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves and black cardamom. Once they begin to exude their aroma, add the onions. 

Fry the onions until a deep golden brown. Add the pulsed spinach mix and fry until oil separates. 

Add the dry roasted spice mix, turmeric and red chili powder. Add the chicken and fry until oil separates. 

Add salt and then add warm water enough to cook the chicken through. Once chicken is tender and oil floats up, add a pinch of sugar and the diluted tamarind pulp. Mix well, cook for another two-three minutes and remove from heat. 

Egg-dunked Chicken Sandwich

There is something melancholy about a year coming to an end. In grand scheme of time it is undoubtedly insignificant, but somehow it is significant in the moment. Another year comes to an end today and I feel a little sad. I wonder why though. It has been a good year punctuated by moments of haze, and I am raring to whoosh into the new year, but this lingering feeling of loss remains. And the weather here in Calcutta, dull, grey and gloomy, is not helping. The only thing that could help get over this gloom and get into the party mode is great food. So, I made a special breakfast, the last breakfast of the year. And now that I have relished my Chicken sandwich dunked in eggs, I think this will feature on my breakfast menu recurrently in 2015. You could make this for a special New Year breakfast or brunch tomorrow. It is easy to make, the stuffing can be made in advance and it is delicious. The sandwich is inspired by the classic Monte Cristo sandwich, that usually has han, cheese and turkey between bread which is them dunked in an egg batter and fried. But it is quite different at the same time.

Ingredients 

Sandwich bread slices : 12
Tomatoes cut in thin discs : 2 large
Butter to smear on the bread
Eggs - 4 large
Milk - 1/2 cup
Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Oil spray or white oil for shallow frying.

For the filling
Minced chicken : 500 g
Butter : 50 g
Nutmeg powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Minced garlic : 1 tbsp
Juice of an onion
Salt to taste
Coarsely ground pepper - 1 tsp
Milk - 1.5 cups
Flour - 1 tsp
Parmesan cheese - 4 tbsp (optional)

Method 

For the filling 
Marinate the chicken with onion juice, garlic paste and salt.

Heat butter in a pan. Add nutmeg. Once it splutters add the marinated chicken.

Fry the chicken until it begins to acquire a golden tinge.

Add milk, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until chicken is absolutely tender and the liquids have almost dried out. Stir from time to time during the cooking process.

Add coarsely ground pepper. Sprinkle the flour and mix well. Add cheese (optional) and remove from heat and keep aside.

For the sandwich.

Whisk eggs in a bowl. Add milk and whisk some more. Season well.

Remove the sides of the bread slices. Spread butter generously.

Place stuffing on the buttered face of six slices. Top it with tomato rings. And then cover with the remaining slices of bread, Press the sandwiches gently but firmly. Cut each sandwich diagonally to make triangles.

Now place the frying pan on heat. Grease it well with white oil or use oil spray. Now carefully dip each sandwich into the egg batter and shallow fry until both sides are golden. Or fry to your liking.

Serve with some fresh cut salad.

Mad about Melbourne

Hi Guys, This post is my entry for a contest by Tourism Victoria on IndiBlogger.in.All I had to do was answer this....and boy did I know exactly why! 

What's your reason for falling in love with Melbourne, the most livable city in the world?

Wish me luck since this is the first contest I am entering as a blogger. 

 If I win the contest I could go on a trip to Melbourne! But there is something in it for you too. Read on 

I still have the pair of Koala Bear earrings my aunty Tutu brought me as a gift from Australia when I was nine, may be ten, years old. Aunty Tutu is my mother’s best friend who shifted to Australia after marriage, and her yearly visit to India has been the top annual attraction of my childhood years. Aunty Tutu’s accounts of life Down Under, the description of her suburban home on the outskirts of Melbourne, the backyard barbecues and wild macaws that visited her garden from time to time, are still brilliant and vivid in my memory. “Melbourne is the place to be,” Aunty Tutu would state categorically, “you guys must visit us soon,” she would urge my parents.

My parents invariably made promises, assuring Aunty Tutu that a trip was on the cards. They said it in such earnest that I too believed that I would be on a plane to Melbourne soon. In my mind I had imagined chasing kangaroos on the roads of Melbourne and cuddling Koala Bears in Aunty Tutu’s backyard. Come on I was only a child. But that trip never happened.

However, my desire to visit Australia, especially Melbourne, continued to linger at the back of my mind. And now, right at the top of my Things-to-do-before-I-die list is to explore Melbourne’s bustling food scene. Melbourne is all about gorgeous, delectable food – from tiny cafes tucked in narrow lanes to chic fine dining destinations, rustic backyard barbecues to groundbreaking culinary experiments in Michelin starred kitchens, celebrity chefs and ingenuous rookies – Melbourne has the world eating out of its palm. With a culinary fabric as rich, I have no doubt that Melbourne is the most livable city on earth. Add to that a crazy love of sports and the arts.  In fact, I say, it is the place to be.

My desire to sit on that plane to Melbourne returned with a renewed vigour following my fixation with the MasterChef Australia. The show of course needs no introduction. My obsessive love for food is no secret, and MasterChef Australia is all about glorious food. But that was not it. It was also about glorious judges, who in turn were glorious chefs. My favourite – Gary, of course. Gary Mehigan is a gorgeous man who cooks gorgeous food and one of the reasons why I would love to visit Melbourne is to eat at Mehigan’s gorgeous restaurant in Moonee Pond - The Boathouse. The food he serves is simple but stunning, just the way great food should be. I would happy to sample a simple wood-fire pizza at Gary’s. And I can always hope to bump into the man himself!

But The Boathouse is only one glittering strand in Melbourne’s mind-boggling culinary fabric. There are culinary giants like Shannon Bennett, Frank Camorra and others taking the city’s gastronomic reality to fantastical heights. Oh how I would love to crunch into Camorra’s signature Anchoa, hand-filleted Cantabrian Artisan Anchovy on croutons with smoked tomato sorbet, sitting in his very own MoVida. And what I could give to dine to a view like the one offered from Bennett’s Vue de Monde, located on the 55^th floor of the iconic 63 floors high Rialto building.

 It’s not just about, sophisticated gastronomy, I cannot wait to explore the lanes of Melbourne to make my own culinary discoveries that I would be proud of. Or spend an afternoon at one of the cafes in the beautiful Federation Square. “Melbourne won’t disappoint you,” a friend who has lived in Melbourne for a couple of years assures. Or merely explore the fresh produce at local markets – the meats especially! The best part about the city’s food culture, often dubbed as fickle, is its diversity. Melbourne has food from all over the world and for all budgets.

And, between all the eating in Melbourne, sneak in  a trip to the Yarra Valley to sample some superlative wine and with it some great food. And while in the area why not hop onto the Puffing Billy, the century old steam engine that chugs through the picturesque Dandenong Ranges. In fact, other than food, there are innumerable attractions in the city of  Melbourne and its surroundings in Australia's south-eastern state of Victoria. Read more about it here.

And now a contest for my readers too. Answer this question and stand a chance to win a exciting gift voucher. 

Which of these places would you want to visit in Melbourne and why? 

 CONTEST ENDS JANUARY 4 12 NOON

Please note this is a Tourism Victoria Contest on Indiblogger.in 

THE CONTEST IS NOW OVER and the WINNER is Hemaaa 

Nolen Gur'er Kanchagolla

I still remember Moni Dadu. Moni Dadu was a friend of my paternal grandpa, a younger brother of sorts actually. They lived in the same neighbourhood in Serampore, a former Danish colony on the river Hoogly in West Bengal, where our ancestral house is. I haven't told you about my paternal grandpa before. That is because I have no memories of him. He died when I was a year old. I have grown up hearing about his life from my grand ma and the others And from Moni Dadu. Perhaps that is why I remember him so vividly. About Moni Dadu, now. His name was Moni Shankar De, a humble man of modest means but one with a big heart. And even after my grandfather passed away he maintained the tradition of his annual visit, and always looked out for our family.
After my grandfather's death, however, he always came around the day of his death anniversary. And his conversations were invariably restricted to reminiscences of his time with my grandpa. For years it had been the same, he came on the first or the third of December, in the afternoon, he wore the same white dhoti, a white shirt and a brown sleeveless sweater, spoke of the same things, asked the same questions, and left in the evening, 7 o clock sharp, every time. Another constant was a huge box of sweets from my grandpa's favourite sweetshop, the legendary 160 year old Felu Modak Sweets in Rishra, the town adjacent to Serampore. That was for me the highlight of his visit.
Felu Modak's  sweets are stuff of legends and their Gutke sandesh, especially the ones infused with date palm jaggery or Bengal's fabled Khejurer Gur, made only during the winter months, is cult stuff. Moni Jethu always brought the gutke sandesh for us. The problem was - I only got to eat a couple. After all we are a big joint family and we shared. I was not too happy sharing the gutke though. It is difficult to stop at a couple.
One time when Moni Dadu came visiting, my aunt made the mistake of giving me the entire box of gutke sandesh to keep in the kitchen. I obeyed. I went into the kitchen, kept the box on the kitchen counter, turned around and was just about to walk away, when the thought occurred. I can always pop in one gutke, from my share of two. So I did. The problem however was, I didn't stop at one, neither at two. I have no clue wht had gotten into me, but by the time I came back to my sense only 5 or 6 gutkes were rolling around in the box. I was terrified.
I have always been a commendable actor and I can cook up stories alright. So I ran down the stairs, panting more than I should have and screaming at the top of my lungs, "The cat, there is a cat in the kitchen," The plan was to convince every one that the cat had eaten 30 odd gutkes. Our kitchen, back then, was on the fourth floor, a roof top kitchen actually, and a cat had been the least of our worries. I do not  exactly.remember what followed but I do remember the feel of my mother's merciless fingers wrapped around my ears as she draged me past Moni Dadu into my grandmother's room and I also remember the slaps she planted firmly on my cheeks.

Anyway, so much for Nolen Gur'er Gutke. My other nolen gur favourite is the kanchagolla. A soft, moist cottage cheese sandesh infused with the goodness of nolen gur. And a couple of days ago i tried making it at home. It was bull's eye at the first go and I couldn't be happier. My cousin said it was as good as store-bought and I was ecstatic. Now date palm jaggery or Khejurer gur comes in various forms, the hard 'patali', the smooth, runny golden syrupy version referred to as 'jhola' or 'poira' gur and also a thicker, grainy version - nolen gur. In my recipe I used the thick grainy nolen gur. 

Ingredients  (Makes 8-10)

Milk - 1 litre
Calcium lactate
Nolen Gur (thick grainy variety) - 3 tbsp + 2 tbsp
Condensed milk - 2 tbsp
Raisins - 8-10

Method

Bring the milk to a boil, and while the milk is bubbling away, add the calcium lactate and let it boil until the milk curdles producing chhena and water separates.
Strain  the water and the give he chenna a nice rinse under cold running water.
Tip the chhena onto a large tray and knead it until smooth. Add the nolen gur (3tbs) and knead some more so that it is uniformly infused. Finally add the condensed milk adnd mix well.
The mixture will be a little wet. But that's how we want it.
Now heat a heavy bottomed pan and add the chhena mixture into the pan, lower the heat and let it cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring continuously. Once the gur releases it smoky aroma and leaves the sides of the pan,  and the chhena is somewhat dry, remove from heat. Be careful not to overwork the chhena or you will get extremely dry and the sandesh would turn out brittle.
Add another 1 tbsp of nolen gur and mix well. Sculpt into 8-10. equal balls while still warm and top it off with a raisin and a smidgens of gur..  

Christmas at Flurys

If you're in Calcutta during Christmas, and I insist on calling my city Calcutta rather than Kolkata, especially in this context, you can't not take a stroll down Park Street and if you are on Park Street you might as well stop for a meal at Flurys. In fact you must, especially to sample their Christmas Specials menu. I have.



The predominantly meaty main course section includes holiday classics like - Traditional Roast Turkey with onion stuffing and the works - roasted new potatoes, crunchy vegetables, bacon wrapped chipolata sausages - topped with a sweet and tart cranberry sauce; Grilled pork chops with maple glaze served on a bed of bacon studded rice with vegetables like Brussels sprouts, baby corn and carrots, and a chunky, caramelized pineapple sauce, finished off with some rocket salad; Parmesan-crusted baked fillet of Basa. My pick - the pork chops especially for that delectable layer of fat and the sweet and tart pineapple sauce.

Desserts include, the in house specialty Christmas pudding served with caramel cinnamon custard, white chocolate and strawberry trifle and warm pannetone pudding. topped with creme anglais and hazelnut sauce.

The specials are on offer for lunch and dinner up to January 4, 2015. The pork or Turkey dinner (main course and dessert) is priced at Rs 950, while the fish dinner would come for 750. Vegetarians could opt for the Mushroom, Brussels Sprout and baby corn shepherd's pie with sweet potato and cheddar mash, along with a dessert of their choice, priced at Rs 600.

Wish you all a Merry merry Christmas

Meatloaf for the Holidays

I think of school the most around Christmas. I went to a convent and Christmas has always had a special connotation. The month of December was by far the most fun at school - fun activities, acting in Christmas plays, carol singing and crib designing competitions, Christmas party at school and of course the annual day function a couple of days before Christmas and then the holidays. Come December and text books took a backseat for once. What I love about Christmas the most. The Tree. And Santa Claus. You have no clue how much I cried the day I discovered there was...well I don't like saying it still. 

Once I played Santa Claus in high school, on our annual day function, in front of a couple fo thousand strong audience. I was the emcee for the evening too, and at the end of the programme I had to dash to the green room and wiggle into a Santa suit in record time. And minutes later there I was making a fool out of myself on stage doing crazy Santa steps, or what I thought would be crazy Santa steps, before I jumped off the stage and ran into the audience, hollering out to them. A couple of kids broke into hysterical tears, the parents were the only ones amused. My performance was a super hit. 

That evening as a teenager I wasn't really psyched to be playing Santa Claus. I mean come one, I was chosen for that role because I was round! And I could act of course (give the woman some credit). I mean a sixteen year old girl DOES NOT want to play Santa. Not that I have anything against Santa though. Anyway, so somehow I made through the evening's embarrassment, came home and stopped eating. Only for a day. Then I decided it was not worth it, so went back to eating. 

Talking of eating, how would you like a spicy meatloaf on your breakfast table this Christmas. Or may be the day after! I made this chicken meatloaf  today which I think will feature on my Christmas brunch this year. I have added a desi twist to it by adding a few spices like cumin and cinnamon and some fresh coriander leaves and topped it with a simple sweet and salty tomato sauce. I loved it on its own and between bread. I think you will like it too! 

 

Ingredients 

Minced Chicken - 1 kg
Breadcrumbs - 1 cup (200 g approximately)
Finely chopped onions - 1/2 cup (packed)
Minced garlic - 1 tbsp
Grated carrot - 1/2 cup
Finely chopped parsley - 2 tbsp
Finely chopped cilantro - 4 tbsp
Nutmeg powder - 3/4  tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coarsely ground peppercorns - 2 -3 tbsp
Red chili powder -  1/2 tsp
Butter - 50 g
+ more Butter for greasing the pan
Salt to taste
Egg - 1 large

For the tomato sauce
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Chili flakes - 1 tbsp
White oil - 2 tsp

Method 

In a mixer pulse the ground chicken to a fine mince.

In a pan heat 50 g butter. Add half the nutmeg Add the finely chopped onions, lightly saute. Add the grated carrots and minced garlic ad saute until soft. Take of heat and keep.

In a bowl mix  mince chicken and breadcrumbs, working the two to form a uniform mix. Add the sauteed oninion-garlic-carrot mix, remaining nutmeg powder, cinnamon, cumin, ground peppercorns and
Red chili powder one by one. Add salt to taste.

Finally beat the egg lightly and add to the mixture. Mix well with hands or a spatula, the former always better.

Heat the oven at 180 degree centigrade.

Grease a loaf tin well with butter. Pour the meat mixture into the loaf tin and spread it out uniformly. Bake at 180 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

In the meantime whisk together the tomato puree, oil, salt and sugar to taste and chili flakes.

Bring out the loaf tin and pour the sauce over the meat loaf, spreading it with a spatula. Return to oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Serve with salad or soup, some bread on the side may be. My favourite - a meatloaf sandwich.

Asian inspired rice and chicken with date palm treacle sauce

Christmas is only 5 days away and I am not as excited as I usually am. This is the second year in a row that my parents will be out of town on Christmas. They are off on a tour of Rajasthan in a few hours actually. As I write I can hear my mother fussing over what has been packed and what not. My brother, planned to join them last minute. Now it's me and Buddy, my 3 year old golden retriever for the next 12 days. I am HOME ALONE on Christmas and no I am not really happy about it.

Yeah I know it could be a lot of fun but what's Christmas without the family around. Christmas might not have a religious connotation for us, but it had always been special in my family. We always celebrate with pomp, the tree, the carols, the stocking, Santa and the special roast and Christmas pud. We do it all. The best part is the assorted pastries from Flurys that Dad gets every year, without fail. This year too I ll put up a tree, call a few friends perhaps. But it won't be the same, would it?

However, I plan to cook a lot these few days. And I will cook myself a special meal on Christmas too. No I ll leave the roast out, doesn't make sense making a roast just for myself. May be I ll make this dish, I am sharing with you today. It is quick and easy ad delicious and looks as lively as a Christmas tree! I am also sending this as an entry for Kolkata Food Bloggers Christmas week special event Christmas Recipes.

The dish, basically oven grilled chicken on rice drizzled with a sweet and lemony sauce, more like a dressing actully, is inspired by Asian flavours. The lime and star anise make for a good combination of flavours. But what gives the dish its character is the Date Palm Treacle, Bengal's fabled Nolen Gur. You can use regular jaggery too, but the slightly smoky and distinctly sweet notes of the nolen gur gives the dish a special touch. I made it the other day for a few friends and they loved it. So did I. And I am quite sure you would too.

Ingredients 

Boneless chicken - 500 g
Chopped red chilies (fresh) - 3-4 tbsp

For marination
Minced ginger-garlic - 1.5 tbsp
Lemon juice - 3-4 tbsp
Date palm treacle- 1.5 tbsp
Star anise powder - A large pinch
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp

For sauce
Date palm treacle - 2 tbsp
Lime juice - 1.5 tbsp
Red chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

To serve
Steamed rice
Chopped red chilies and coriander leaves
Lime wedges

Method

Marinate the chicken over night with all the ingredients listed under 'For Marination' list.

Pre heat oven at 190 degree centigrade.

Add a drizzle of date palm treacle (optional) and the chopped red chilies to the chicken. Place the chicken on a sheet of aluminium foil, at the centre. Fold in the sides to form a envelope. Now place the envelope on another sheet of aluminium and fold in the edges so you have two layers of aluminium foil encasing the chicken.

Grill the chicken in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. It should be ready and will melt in your mouth.

In a microwave-proof bowl add all the ingredients for the sauce. Microwave it for 30 seconds. Bring it out give it a quick whisk and put it back in and microwave for another 30 seconds.

Serve the chicken on a bed of plain steamed rice with a generous drizzle of the sauce and a wedge of lime. Garnigh with more red chilies and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Mutton Aamsol and why A is the best host ever

Being an ideal guest is not easy. Being an ideal host is difficult still. Above all it is tricky. Especially in these insanely busy and taxing times we live in, having guests at home, can only add to the stress. I travel considerably and have stayed with quite a few friends and relatives on my trips. They have all been good hosts is differing degrees,but Angona, my friend I went to Pune to visit, has by far been the best host ever. Here's why

1. My holiday was her priority too

I received a mail a week prior to my trip from A. The Subject Line read "Your Pune Itinerary". The mail comprised a beautiful plan for my week in Pune down to the slightest detail. And it included everything I had expressed a desire to do, on my holiday, in my previous conversations with A. And also a few special treats thrown in from her end. In effect we strayed from that itinerary ever so often, doing things impromptu really. But what that mail meant to me was something different. The mail was like a confirmation that my visit was something my host was looking forward to. I mean come on I was going to turn her life upside down, raid her fridge, wear her makeup, dribble on her pillows, etc etc. But here she was putting in real effort to make my holiday a success. It is a warm feeling. Considering the fact that she had to go to work and go through 8 sometime 10 hour stints at office and take care of mundane responsibility, it couldn't have been easy.

2. Because, she was as enthusiastic about my trip as I was, if not more. 

I could trust A to return from a ten-hour stint in office and suggest we go and check out that restaurant someone had been raving about. No she didn't say "let's stay home because I am tired." I might have said that a few times, not A. The thing is it is not difficult to understand that after a busy day at work one might feel like chilling at home, and had A felt like it I wouldn't mind at all. But no A is awesome-sauce....work hard, party harder, eat hardest! The kind I dig really. 

And she is fine with taking crazy selfies even if she hasn;t slept for 24 hours straight! 

3. Because she respected my space. 

I was staying at her house and I was only keen on doing things her way but I didn't have to. I never felt obligated or compelled to give her company while she was in the house. And while she treated me with utmost care, I was like staying in your own house. We were like flatmates, only I wasn't sharing the bills. And she never said "Have you not come to see me, why are you on the laptop?" or "Why are you on the phone for so long?" But at the same time we had a great time together and had some brilliant conversation, and bonded famously without suffocating one another. (Ummm here I am assuming I didn't, but that's ok. Not that she'll tell me if I did..Buhahaha)

4. She did not over do it, and at the same time took care of every little thing 

No she didn't hover on me all the time, She made hosting look effortless. A took it easy, but made sure I had everything I need. The fridge was stocked and how, so was the pantry, I had access to her kitchen too so I could cook anything I wanted, a local number to call from, contact details for people and services I might need. All this after the assurance that she was only  a call away. And the most endearing bit - she would make time to call in the middle of the day to make sure I was ok. Gestures that matter.  

5. She cooked me amazing food! 

And finally and most importantly, A is a brilliant cook. While we ate out a million times during my say in Pune, the meals A cooked were by far the most delightful. So, on the day of my arrival the lunch that awaited me comprised spicy Marathi egg curry which I savoured with obscene amount of rice and a gorgeous roasted raan with a side of ajwain parathas. The meal was the final confirmation that this holiday was going to be one of the best I had had. And it was. Another time she cooked me a subtly spiced, light and hearty chicken curry tempered with nigella seeds, which was finger licking good and forced me once again to stuff myself silly. But A had reserved the best for the end. 

Marathi Egg Curry;Raan;Amsol Pork

So, it was my last weekend in Pune. And we had plan. The idea was to get sloshed and dance the night away. The music list look promising. But there couldn't be a party without food. A of course volunteered to cook. She had promised to cook me some pork and she did. A had learnt to cook the dish - Pork Amsol, a dish of Goan origin - from a friend and as far as I am concerned she nailed the dish.A light, gorgeously fragrant pork stew cooked with amsol, popularly known as kokum. That evening I decided I did not want alcohol. I couldn't not know what I was eating when the dish in question was A's Pork Amsol. And ever since my return home I have thought about it numerous times. Finally yesterday, I decided to make it at home for the folks. And they say it was one of the best Sunday meals they have had in a long time. 

For personal and religious reasons we do not cook pork in our kitchen at home. My parents do not eat pork either. So, I replicated the dish with mutton/goat meat. Purists might cringe their nose but trust me the Amsol Mutton was nothing short of fabulous. Experimenting in the kitchen is fun, but nailing a classic on the first go is pure ecstacy. The dish is cooked without a single drop of oil. Yes you read it right. Not one drop. However, the meat should have some fat. The ingredients are simple and your manual labour is limited to not more than 7-10 minutes. It is one of the simplest dishes there is and in its simplicity is its glory. Yes it is easy to make but because it is so simple, you must handle the dish delicately.

Ingredients 

Mutton - 1 kilo 

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 

Peppercorns - 1 tbsp 

Dry red chilies- 10 

Green chilies - 10 (whole)

Onions (thinly sliced) - 6 (medium sized) 

Garlic cloves - 15 (medium sized)

Kokum/amsol - 10-12

Salt to taste 

A pinch of sugar 

Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsp (or to taste)

Method 

Place your pressure cooked on heat. Once it is hot reduce heat and add the cumin and peppercorns. Lightly roast them. 

Once the cumin is fragrant, add the dry red chilies and green chilies. Stir around for a few seconds. 

Add the onions, garlic cloves and stir until onions begins sweating.  Add tamarind pulp diluted in half cup water. 

Also add the kokum/amsol now 

A minute later add the meat, fry for abour 5 minutes. Add salt, a pinch of sugar and about 2 cups water. 

Pressure cook for about 7 minutes on high flame (2 whistles!) and then reduce flame and pressure cook for about 15 minutes. Do not let the steam out immediately. Let the meat rest for about 5-7  minutes while before you serve it...piping hot.