Pork Adobo (Aate Ivy's recipe)

Pork Adobo used to be one of our favourite pork preparations, when we were in Manila. The only dish Aate Ivy cooked for us was Pork Adobo, and it was the best Adobo I ever ate. It is such a simple dish with simple ingredients, and surprisingly easy to cook. It is salty with a hint of sweetness and tastes heavenly with steamed rice.

People who love and prefer Indian flavours - the typical tadka, spices and heat in their food, should avoid this dish. My mother couldn't imagine cooking pork without the chillies and spices. She was a staunch believer in,  "spicier the pork preparation, better the taste." She would have disowned me if she ever knew that I put sugar in pork preparation. :-D 

So tread with caution, and if you are up for trying new flavours, I urge you to give this a try. Against all my initial misgivings, my family and I absolutely love this dish and still prepare this when we want a change from all the spicy pork dishes we normally make. 

With all that out of the way, let's get cooking!

Ingredients:

1. Pork - 750 gms ( cut in 2 inch cubes)
2. Onion - 1 medium, chopped
3. Garlic - 8 cloves, chopped
4. Soy sauce - 1/4 cup
5. Vinegar - 1 tbsp
6. Peppercorn - 1/2 tsp
7. Bay leaves - 2 nos
8. Sugar - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Add a little oil into a pan, add the onions, garlic and pork and sear on high heat for about five minutes. 
2. You have to stir when needed, so that the pork doesn't stick to the pan, and gets a nice sear.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients and 1/4 cup water, and cook on medium to low flame till the pork is cooked. You can add more water and adjust consistency as needed.
4. Add half the quantity of sugar initially and check for taste and then add more if needed.
5. Serve hot with hot steamed rice and steamed greens or vegetables.

Do check out the most popular pork recipes on this blog:

Pork sorpotel (Goan)

Pork vindaloo (East Indian)

Pork Bafad (Mangalorean)

Tendli and chana sookha

Tendli chana is a Mangalorean specialty. It is served on all special occasions, such as wedding celebrations, special birthdays and feast days. 

Today being the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Mother, I wish you all a very happy feast. May Mother Mary bless us all with good health, wisdom and compassion for each other. 

Mangalorean Catholics celebrate this feast with a lot of fervour. This feast is also called "Monthi Fest". The feast involves blessing new paddy grains, attending Holy Mass and partaking in a traditional family meal served on banana leaves. The meals comprises of odd number of vegetable or lentil dry dishes,  a vegetable curry, rice, pickle and vorn ( a desert made of moong dal, rice, and jaggery). No meats are cooked in this meal. It is believed that, this meal is one of the tastiest meals you'll ever have. 

This year, on this occasion, I cooked three vegetables, tendli chana, gosalem and moong. My mother and sister used to cook 5 or 7 vegetables. Those many vegetable preparations would be easily consumed as the whole family ate together. But that is not ideal for a small family of three people eating one meal. And that's the extent of the meal served with rice and cucumber salad. It's also a day to be grateful for the new harvest and life's many blessings and the meal is also aptly called "Novem" meaning new.

Today I share my mother's recipe for tendli chana, eaten with much love at my home.

Ingredients:

1. Black chana - 1/2 cup (soaked in water, overnight)
2. Tendli (Ivy gourd) - 250 gms, cut in half, lengthwise.

Masala: Grind the below in a mixer, with a little water

1. Red chillies - 5 - 7 nos
2. Garlic - 5 nos, medium
3. Onion - 1 medium
4. Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
5. Cumin - 1 tsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Tamarind - a small piece

To add later:

1. Coconut - 1/2 cup
2. Jaggery - 1tbsp

Tempering:

1. Oil - as needed
2. Garlic - 6 nos, medium
3. Curry leaves - 20 washed and wiped leaves

Method:

1. Cook the black chana in a pressure cooker with a little water. Add salt. Take 3 whistles and then cook on slow flame and take two more whistles.
2. Once the pressure is released, add the tendli to the cooker and take one more whistle. Do not add more water.
3. Once the pressure has eased, open the cooker, add the ground masala and cook for another five minutes. Check for salt.
4. Add the jaggery and coconut. Continue cooking for a few minutes. Switch off the flame.
5. Temper the ingredients in a small pan and pour over the vegetable. Mix gently.

 * Some recipes call for roasting the dry spices. But that's completely optional.

Green chicken with yoghurt

I like green curries and of late they are being enjoyed by all at home. I remember a time when my sin refused to eat any food that looked green coz it was made of vegetables, so it was a great surprise when he couldn't wait for lunch at 11 am coz the curry smelled and looked so good when I made this green chicken recently. :-D

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 kg

(Apply salt, ½ tsp turmeric, 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 3/4 cup of yoghurt and juice of 1 lime. Set aside while you get your other ingredients ready.)

Grind the below ingredients to a paste with little water:

1. Coriander leaves – 1/2 cup
2. Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
3. Garlic - 6 flakes
4. Green chillies – 6 nos
5. Peppercorns – 10 nos
6. Jeera – 1 tsp
7. Cloves - 6 nos
8. Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
9. Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
10. Cardamom - 6 nos
11. Onion - 1 large

1 large onion, sliced thin

1 large, tomato

Method:

1. In a pan, pour oil, add two bay leaves and the sliced onion. Add some salt and fry well. Please note you have already used salt in the marinade, please use salt accordingly. 
2. Add the chicken pieces only and fry in the oil for about five minutes on high flame. 
3. Add the marinade and the ground masala. Add the sliced tomatoes and if required 1/2 cup of water. Mix well and let the chicken cook.
4. Once the chicken is cooked check for seasoning and consistency and add 1 tsp of garam masala, stir well and switch off the flame.
5. Serve with steamed rice or pulao.

Fried rice (Veg, Egg or Chicken)

I like fried rice coz there are no rules as long as some basics are in place like adding garlic, pepper and some soy sauce. These are a must in my fried rice and I add other ingredients based on availability or preference on that particular day. That's why my fried rice varies depending on what goes into it on a particular day. I will share the most basic recipe and suggest options and you can make it your own.

Ingredients:

1. Cooked white rice - 3 cups 
2. Onion - 1 medium, chopped
3. Garlic - 6 cloves, chopped
4. Any vegetable mix - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
5. Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
6. Vinegar - 2 tsp
7. Oil, Salt and pepper as needed.

Method:

1. Wash and chop all vegetables roughly and set aside.
2. In a big pan, heat oil. Add the garlic and onion and fry for a minute or so. 
3. Add the mixed vegetables and cook till almost done. Do not add water but cook on slow flame.
4. When the vegetables are almost done, increase the flame and add the sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper and the rice. Continuously mix till all the contents of the pan are well integrated and switch off the flame.
5. Garnish with spring greens.

Note:

1. It is best use rice that is a day old or at least made a few hours before and cooled down completely.
2. Suggestions for vegetables: carrots, French beans, peas, different colored peppers, chopped mushrooms, cooked corn, baby corn, bamboo shoot, sprouts.
3. Scrambled egg can also be added to make a egg fried rice. Add the scrambled egg just before adding rice and mix well and continue as per the instructions given above.
4. At times I like to add boiled and chopped chicken or sausages cut into small bits. Add the chicken or sausage bits when the vegetables are almost cooked, mix well and then add the sauces and seasoning, stir fry for a minute or so before adding rice. Then continue as per the instructions given above.

Beef chilly

Stir frys are very popular in my home. They go well with a simple meal of daal and rice or s simple bowl of noodles.  You can change the meat as per your preference and also use chicken for the same recipe, though I'd suggest using chicken thigh strips.

Ingredients:

1. Beef (sirloin tips) - 500 gms
2. Onions - 2 medium sized
3. Garlic - 12 cloves
4. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
5. Green chilli - 2 nos
6. Green peppers - 2 nos
7. Soy sauce - 1 and half tbsp
8. Red Chilli sauce - 1bsp
9. Vinegar - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Cook the sirloin tips till done and set aside. If you are using some other cut, cut it into strips of 3 inches in length and half inch thickness.
2. Cut all the vegetables in thick slices.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic and fry till it changes color.
4. Add the onions and stir fry for two minutes. 
5. Add the cooked beef and the sauces and peppers and stir fry till the sauce has quoted the meat and the vegetables. Continue stir frying for a few minutes and finish off with the addition of vinegar.
6. Switch off the flame and garnish with green spring onion.
7. You can serve this with steamed rice, fried rice or noodles.

Yellow moong daal with tomato

Daals are so popular in all Indian kitchens and every home has a different ways of cooking it. There are everyday recipes that are not particularly fussy about the ingredients and then there are special occasion daal preparations that require more time and ingredients. Well today's daal recipe is an everyday daal that makes its appearance on special occasions too, coz of how tasty it is. I have served it to guests who have absolutely loved it and raved about it. It is a favorite daal in my home and is made very often. But most of all it is special coz my son loves it. Any recipe that he loves automatically is a special dish for me :-)

Ingredients:

• Yellow moong daal - 1/2 cup
• Tomatoes - 2 medium

Tempering:

1. Ghee or oil - 2 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Garlic - 5 cloves, chopped fine
4. Hing - 1/4 tsp
5. Green chili - 2 nos, slit
6. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. In a cooker wash and soak 1/2 cup yellow moon daal for at least half hour before cooking. More soaking time if you are not running late.
2. Wash the tomatoes and make 4 slits at the bottom and place in the cooker with the daal. Cook under pressure for three whistles or as many as required for the daal to cook. When the pressure has released and its safe to open, you can start the tempering.
3. In a pan, heat oil/ghee, add the mustard seeds and wait for it to start spluttering, quickly add the finely chopped garlic, hing and green chilies. Sauté it for 30 seconds.
4. Now only remove the cooked tomatoes from the pressure cooker and add to the pan, mashing and cooking it. To this add the turmeric and red chili powder. Stir continuously and let it fry till the oil leaves the sides of the pan. 
5. Add the cooked daal with 1/2 cup water. Mix well, add salt and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for two minutes and switch off the flame. 
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice.

*You can add a squeeze of lime if required after you have switched off the flame for some extra tang.

Green Chicken Curry (without coconut)

Yet another chicken curry from my kitchen. I bring to you a simple chicken curry recipe that can be a comfort meal with hot steamed rice on a Sunday afternoon. 

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 kg

(Apply salt, ½ tsp turmeric and juice of 1 lime and keep aside while you get your other ingredients ready.)

Grind the below ingredients to a paste with little water:

1. Coriander leaves – 1 cup
2. Green chillies – 6 nos
3. Garlic – 6 flakes
4. Ginger – 1 inch piece
5. Tamarind – a small lime sized ball
6. Peppercorns – 10 nos
7. Jeera – 1 tsp
8. Coriander powder – 1 tsp
9. Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
10. Onions – 2 medium

Tempering ingredients:

1. Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
2. Tomatoes – 2 medium, finely chopped
3. Bay leaf – 2 nos
4. Oil – 1 tbsp

Garnish :

A handful of chopped coriander leaves.

Method:

1. In a pan, pour oil, add the bay leaves and onions. Add some salt and fry well. Please note you have already used salt in the marinade, please use salt accordingly. Add the tomatoes when the onions turn translucent.
2. Fry till the tomatoes become pulpy and oil leaves the sides of the pan. Now add the ground masala and fry till the rawness of the masala goes away.
3. Next add the chicken and let the masala coat the chicken well. Add 1/2 a cup of water and let the chicken cook.
4. Once the chicken is cooked check for seasoning and consistency and serve with hot pulao.

Chicken Chettinad

We eat a lot of different types of curries and chicken curry is very popular in my home. This recipe has been cooking in my kitchen for many years and it goes well with steamed rice and dosa.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 1 kg, curry pieces
2. Bay leaves - 2 nos
3. Onions - 2 large, finely chopped.
4. Tomatoes - 2 large, finely chopped.
5. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
6. Coconut paste - 1 cup

Dry roast on a pan and grind to a powder:

1. Dry red chilies - 8-10 nos
2. Coriander seeds - 2tbsp
3. Aniseed/Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
4. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
5. Cinnamon - 3 sticks
6. Black cardamoms - 3 nos
7. Cloves - 3 nos
8. Star anise - 3 nos

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the bay leaves and onions and fry till the onion has softened.
2. Add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and mix well. 
3. When the tomatoes have softened and you see oil leaving the sides of the pan add the powdered spices.
4. Sauté the masala for a minute or so and then add the chicken and salt. Mix well. Let the chicken cook till almost done.
5. Add the coconut paste and 1/2 cup water, adjust the consistency and taste. When the chicken is completely cooked, switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Note:

• You can make a slight variation: Instead of adding 1 cup coconut paste, you can add 1/2 cup coconut paste and 1/2 cup cashew paste. It will make the curry richer.
• You can also skip the coconut paste completely and add 400 ml coconut milk.

Bhindi masala

I have been trying to introduce more vegetables in our diet and it is an ongoing effort. So there are times you try a recipe and it is loved and at other times it doesn't elicit a favorable response. Well today's bhindi masala is from the former category, cooked and loved many times. I serve it with parathas and it is always  appreciated.

Ingredients:

• Bhindi/Okra - 250 gms
• Onion (Small) - 1 no, cubed

1. Oil - as needed
2. Ajwain (Carom seeds) - 1/2 tsp
3. Cumin (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
4. Onion (medium) - 1 no, chopped fine.
5. Tomato (large) - 1 no, chooped fine.
6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
7. Green chilly - 1 no, slit.
8. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
11. Yoghurt - 2 tbsp (optional)
12. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
13. Salt as needed

Method:

1. Wash, pat dry and cut bhindi in 1 inch pieces. Ensure no moisture is present before cutting the vegetable. Keep aside. Cube or make thick slice of the small onion and open out each layer.
2. In a pan, heat oil and fry the bhindi till it it is browned, no need to cook well. Should take 3 to 4 minutes and set aside. Fry the cubed onions till they are slightly crisp and brown and set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat oil and add the cumin and carom seeds, sauté for a minute, add the chopped onion and fry till it is softened and pink.
4. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté and add the powders and tomato. Mix well and let it fry till the oil separates from the masala. 
5. Now add salt as required and the yoghurt and continue mixing. If you aren't using yoghurt, add 2 tbsp of water. 
6. Add the fried bhindi and onion and mix well and cook without cover for 4 to 5 minutes or till the vegetable is cooked. 
7. Just before you switch off the stove add the garam masala, mix the vegetable and serve hot with parathas.

Note:

You can add 1/2 tsp of amchoor powder (dry mango powder), specially if you are not adding yoghurt. This adds sourness to the dish. 

Chocochip cookies

Who doesn't love chocochip cookies??? Honestly I can eat one, once in a while and appreciate it but I'm not a fan. Apparently I am in the minority according to my husband and son. So, I wanted to bake these for my family and hoped they would appreciate it as much as the store bought ones. I have been making these regularly for the last one year and am happy to share they are loved and consumed passionately and no other chocochip cookie will entice my son anymore. Mission accomplished!

This recipe was shared by my sister, who got it from a you tube channel - Bigger Bolder baking, link to the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E0PT5qXIpg

This was the first time I ever baked anything and it was such a success that I have started using my oven more often now. The video has great tips for ensuring the cookies have a crisp crust and are chewy inside and set in a lovely shape, which I will share below. I have used less sugar than mentioned in the original recipe.

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 2 and half cups
2. Brown sugar - 3/4 cup
3. White sugar - 3/4 cup
4. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
5. Butter - 225 gms at room temperature
6. Eggs - 2 nos
7. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
8. Chocochips - 1 cup                                                                                                                            

Method:

1. In a large bowl, add the butter and sugar and mix well with a spoon for a couple of minutes, then break the first egg, mix for a minute or so and then add the second egg to the bowl and continue mixing, add the vanilla essence and mix well. You can use a whisk or a large fork too.
2. Next add the flour in two to three batches, salt, and baking soda and continue mixing till all the ingredients form a soft dough.
3. Lastly add the chocolate chips and mix well. The dough will be soft, but do not add more flour.
4. Transfer the dough into a clean container with a lid, that can be put in the freezer for half an hour or one hour in the refrigerator.
5. After the dough has chilled, use the 1 tablespoon measure to scoop balls from the dough and place them on the baking tray, lined with a silver foil. I do not flatten the balls as they flatten a bit during the baking process.
6. Remember to pre-heat the oven for 15 minutes at 190 degrees celsius before baking. 
7. Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes at 190 degrees celsius. Start checking at the 15 minute mark and if the cookie has a golden brown color all over, you know they are done. 
8. Let the cookies cool and then transfer to an airtight container and enjoy them over the next five to seven days. 

Note:

1. I make about 20 balls, but if you want you can make a  bigger size, by using the 1/4 cup measure to scoop the balls and get a larger sized cookie. The baking time  will vary depending on the size of the cookie so be mindful of that.
2. The dough is chilled so that the butter hardens and will melt while its baking in the oven. This allows the cookie to be gooey in the middle while the crust becomes crisp.
3. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to seven days. All you need to do when your ready to bake, let the dough  rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before putting it in the oven. 
4. You can add more chocochips and less sugar if you'd like. But use the brown sugar as it adds to the texture and taste.

Green moong vegetable

Green moong or mung beans are extremely nutritious and are a great source of protein for vegetarians. There are a lot of health benefits and you can visit this website to learn more about it and get some amazing recipes: Moong benefits and recipes

This dish tastes great with chappatis and goes very well with hot white rice.

Ingredients:

1. Whole moong beans - 1/2 cup
2. Onion - 1 medium
3. Tomato - 1 large
4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. Garlic - 4-5 cloves
6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
7. Green chili - 2 slit in halves
8. Red chili powder - 1 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Salt & oil as needed

 Method:

1. Wash the moong beans a couple of times and  then soak in 2 cups of water overnight. The moong will have swollen as it absorbs some water. 
2. Chop onions, tomatoes and garlic and set aside.
3. In a pressure cooker, add the soaked moong with water, onions and tomatoes. Adjust the quantity of water as needed. Take three whistles and wait for the pressure to completely release.
4. In another pan, heat 2 tbsp oil, add the mustard seeds and let it start crackling, then add the garlic, green chili and curry leaves and fry for a minute. 
5. Add the red chili and turmeric powder and the cooked moong from the pressure cooker. Add salt, mix well and cook on medium flame, till most of the water is evaporated. 
6. Once you are satisfied with the consistency of the vegetable, switch off the flame.

Beans and Aloo sabzi

Beans and aloo is an uncomplicated vegetable recipe and goes well with chappatis and can be easily put in a lunch box. You can make a chappati roll with this veggie and it would be easy to consume it as a quick meal. Of course you can always pair it with a simple meal of dal and rice too. However, you pair it, it is a keeper. I make this on days I don't want to make a beans foogath or poriyal. So let's get cooking!

Ingredients:

1. French beans - 250 gm
2. Potatoes - 1 medium 
3. Onion - 1 medium
4. Tomato - 1 medium
5. Green chili - 2 nos
6. Garlic cloves - 4 nos
7. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
8. Red chili powder - 1 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
12. Oil and salt as needed

Method:

1. Wash the beans and cut to one inch pieces. Peel potatoes and cut in long pieces like French fries and same size as the beans. Keep the cut potatoes in a bowl of water till you are ready to use it. Slice onions and tomatoes, slit green chilies and chop the garlic.
2. In a pan, heat oil and add the cumin, let it fry for a minute and add the garlic, and let it lightly fry. Add the onions and let it fry till it softens. 
3. Drain the water from the potatoes and add it to the pan. Add salt and all spice powders, mix well. Add the green beans and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on low flame for 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and mix well and cook for another five minutes. Lastly add 1/2 tsp of garam masala and mix well and once the vegetables are cooked, switch of the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Raagi pancake

Before I discovered this nutritious pancake, I occasionally made pancake with the store bought ready to use pancake mix. Sometime, midway through this year, I made a decision to improve my family's eating habits and was trying different recipes with healthier ingredients. This recipe is a great creation, as we love it for our breakfasts and my son also eats it during his snack time. I looked online through a couple of recipes and tried a few before settling on this recipe. It's a basic pancake recipe with healthier flours and sugar

Ingredients:

1. Ragi flour - 1/2 cup
2. Oats flour (wheat flour/multi-grain flour) - 1/2 cup
3. Egg - 1 no
4. Coco sugar or powdered jaggery - 2 - 3 tbsp (can add more if you want it sweeter)
5. A pinch of baking soda and salt
6. Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
7. Water - use as needed to make a batter
8. Ghee or oil - as needed for frying the pancake

Method:

1. In a bowl, break the egg, add the sugar, vanilla essence, salt, and baking soda. Whisk the ingredients well. 
2. Add the flour in slowly while whisking and add water as needed to make a pouring consistency batter, so it is a good idea to start with little water and then keep adding as required.
3. Heat a pan, add 1/2 tsp ghee/butter/oil, and then take 1/4 cup batter and pour it into the pan.
4. Once you see bubbles appear all over on the top, flip it and let it cook on the other side for three minutes. Once done, remove the pancakes from the pan and use the batter to make remaining pancakes. 
5. The pancakes are ready to be served. They taste great on their own but you can also serve it with honey.

Notes:

1. You can store the batter in the refrigerator for up to two days, in case you wish to make it over a couple of breakfast meals or snack time. 
2. You can also use only oats flour to make the pancake. But the ragi flour adds a nice grainy texture when you bite into it, plus it's healthy.
3. In case you wish to make blueberry pancake, you add the ghee to the pan, add a few berries in the ghee, let it fry for a minute, then ladle the pancake batter over it and cook as mentioned above.  

Prawns and potato masala

Prawns are eaten around the world and are so versatile, they taste good in a lot of different styles of cooking or preparations and with different herbs and spices. Even plain salted and fried prawns taste so amazing. I usually just fry them with the Goan Rechado paste, as it is extremely time saving, quick to make and is one of the best combinations when you pair it with hot rice, coconut juice curry and a vegetable foogath. But sometimes for a change, I like to make the prawn and potato masala or tamarind prawns and prawns ghee roast. Today I share the prawns and potato masala recipe. It can be quickly put together as all the ingredients are readily available in any Indian kitchen and the method is quick and easy. It goes well with rice and daal or rice and plain curry and a vegetable foogath. It is a typical weekday lunch meal at my home. So let's get started. 

Ingredients:

1. Prawns - 500 gms
2. Potatoes - 3 medium sized
3. Onions - 2 medium sized
4. Tomatoes - 2 medium sized
5. Green chili - 2 nos
6. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
7. Red chili powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
10. Malwani masala or any garam masala - 1 tsp
11. Salt and oil
12. Coriander leaves - for garnish

Method:

1. Shell and devein prawns and set aside. Chop onions and tomatoes, slit green chili lengthwise and cube potatoes.
2. Pour oil in a pan, let it heat up, add the chopped onion, let them turn soft and pink, add the salt and ginger garlic paste, fry till the rawness of the ginger and garlic goes away. 
3. Add all the powdered spices and mix well for a minute or two.
4. Then add the potatoes, green chili and tomatoes. Mix well, lower the flame, use a lid to cover the pan and let it cook till the potatoes are almost done.
5. Now add the prawn, increase the flame of the stove and cook till the prawns are done, stirring continuously. Prawns take about five minutes to cook so keep that in mind and switch off the flame when done.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chappatis, parathas or rice and daal.

Rechado Paste for fish fry

 Rechedao fish fry is one of the best known recipes from Goa and is quite popular not only with Goans but also non-Goans and the tourists. Rechado paste is a blend of red chilies and spices ground in vinegar and used to fry seafood like cream dory, tilapia, mackerels, squids, prawns, mussels, pomfret, salmon and king fish. I am sure it can be used with other fish too, but I haven't tried it personally with any other fish. As with all recipes, every family has their own version, and what I share with you today is from my mum-in-law's kitchen, tried, tested and relished by the family for many years! This is made in a large quantity and can be used for up to six months if stored correctly. 

Recipe credit: Rozita Coutinho

Ingredients:

1. Kashmiri Chilies - 100 gms
2. Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tbsp
3. Peppercorn - 1/2 tbsp
4. Cardamom - 4 nos
5. Cinnamon - 3 inches
6. Cloves - 20 nos
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
8. Ginger - 1 inch piece
9. Garlic - 20 nos
10. Vinegar - 350 ml

Method:

1. Dry grind ingredients one through seven. 
2. Add garlic, ginger and vinegar, grind till you get a fine paste. You can use a little more vinegar if needed.
3. Store in a clean dry glass jar that is airtight, and always use a clean dry spoon to take the paste from the jar. Keep the jar in a cool dry place and use as needed. You can use the paste up to six months and it does not require refrigeration. 
4. Use the paste and salt to marinate fish for about twenty to thirty minutes. You can use bread crumbs to coat the fish and shallow fry on all sides till the fish is cooked. 

Prawns in Garlic and Onion

Today's recipe is something I borrowed from my sister eons ago. As I have mentioned earlier, she is a fabulous passionate cook. Since she is a working mum, she likes to keep her cooking simple. And most of the recipes I have learnt from her are simple to cook and delicious to taste. Well she has two kids who are her worst critics, today's recipe is an absolute favorite with not only her kids but with everyone in the family. So that should give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

Ingredients:

1. Prawns - 1 cup shelled & de-veined
2. Garlic - 6 cloves
3. Onions - 1 large
4. Spring onions - 3 nos (optional) * see notes
5. Soy sauce - 1to 2  tbsp
6. Green chilly - 1 no
7. Oil - as required

Method:

1. Marinate the prawns in the soy sauce and keep aside.
2. Roughly chop the garlic, green chilly and onions. 
3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the garlic and onions, including the bulb of the spring onions. Reserve the greens, they will be added later. Let it fry for a minute, stir in the prawns and green chilly. Mix well and let it continue to cook in the pan on the lowest stove setting.
4. Let it cook for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally, and when the onions start to caramelize, add the spring onions (the greens) and mix well. 
5. Switch off the flame when the onions have browned and the prawns have cooked. It goes very well with chappatis or as an accompaniment to rice and daal.

Notes:

1. Spring onions are optional. I added them as I had a few sprigs that were close to their use by date.
2. I don't add salt up until the end as the soy sauce is salty. Add salt towards the end after you've tasted the dish.

Cucumber Raita

Raitas are a great accompaniment to any Indian meal. The cool yoghurt pairs very well with the spicy curries and cools the palate and system. Raitas are primarily made with yoghurt and seasoning and vegetables or fruits. Most popular vegetables are cucumber, red onions, tomatoes, radish, carrot and fruits like pomegranate, pineapple etc.are also used. Boondi raita is very popular specially with biryanis. (Boondi - droplets of deep fried chick pea flour) 

Ingredients:

1. Thick yoghurt - 1 cup
2. Cucumber - 2 medium sized, cut in small cubes
3. Sugar - 1/2 tbsp
4. Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Freshly ground pepper - as per taste
6. Salt - as required
7. Coriander for garnish

Method:

1. Whisk the yoghurt in a bowl to a smooth consistency.
2. Add all ingredients and mix well.
3. Refrigerate before serving and garnish with coriander leaves.

Batata Vada

I don't like deep frying food and I very rarely cook deep fried food. But during the lockdown we were trying to cook different types of food, and we were really missing home and Mumbai street food. So I decided to make batata vadas and serve them with pandesals. Pandesals are much like the pau you get in Mumbai, but somehow different. We enjoyed this treat with a hot cup of chai and the cool monsoon weather just added loads of nostalgia to the whole experience. It is a fairly simple recipe to follow and cool monsoon evenings are perfect for this treat. You can serve this with the traditional red garlic chutney, but since I didn't make it, we just had it plain. 

Ingredients for the potato mixture:

1. Boiled potatoes - 5 nos, medium sized
2. Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp
3. Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
4. Curry leaves - 20 leaves, broken in half
5. Asafetida (Hing) - 1/4 tsp
6. Garlic cloves - 8 nos
7. Ginger - 1 and half inch piece
8. Green chili - 3 nos
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
11. Salt and oil as needed

Ingredients for the batter:

1. Besan (Chick pea flour) - 3/4 cup
2. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
4. Carom seeds (Ajwain) - 1/2 tsp
5. Water - as needed to make a batter.
6. Salt as per taste

Oil for deep frying.

Method:

1. Wash the potatoes well and cook them whole with the skin in a cooker for up to five whistles. Wait for the pressure to release naturally. Add salt while cooking the potatoes.
2. Remove the skin of the potatoes and mash them and set aside. 
3. Finely chop ginger, garlic, green chilies and coriander leaves and set aside. 
4. In a pan, heat oil,  add the mustard seeds, let it splutter, then add the cumin, ginger garlic, and green chilies. Fry it well, while continuously stirring and add turmeric powder, asafetida and curry leaves.
5. Add in the potatoes and mix well. Let it stay on the flame for about three minutes, while you stir occasionally.
6. Let the potato mixture cool down and then make 8 to 10 medium sized balls. You can grease your palm with a little oil to help shape them.
7. Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying the vadas and prepare the batter while the oil heats.
8. For the batter - Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and ensure there are no lumps, now add water little by little to form a thick batter consistency.
9. Once the oil is hot, you can drop the vada in the batter and coat the vada on all sides, then gently drop the coated vada in the hot oil. You can fry as many as your pan permits. Ensure that there is enough space for you to flip them on the sides and that the pan is not too crowded.
10. Once they are fried on all sides, will take about five minutes and you will see the color of the vada change, you can remove from the kadai and drain on a kitchen towel. 
11. Enjoy them with pau and garlic chutney.

Paneer Capsicum masala (Cottage cheese and capsicum masala)

I have been trying out a few vegetarian recipes in the last few months and the recipe I share today is a source of great joy and pride for me. My son, who refuses to eat vegetarian food in any form or fashion loves this dish and to me that is a winner.

Don't let the laundry list of ingredients and cooking instructions daunt you. I promise, it is much easier and simpler once you read it and understand the instructions. It is basically the same process followed for many Indian vegetable preparations. 

There are two methods you can follow for the preparation of the sauce or masala:

1) Fry the sliced onions till they soften, then add sliced tomatoes, ginger and garlic in the pan. Cook till they soften and change color. Switch off the flame, cool and make a fine paste in a blender. Heat a pan, add the whole spices and the paste, once it starts boiling and leaving the sides of the pan, add powdered spices and continue with the rest of the instructions below.  

Or. 

2) Grate onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic or chop fine and cook as per the instructions below.

I have kind of gone mid-way and tried to shorten the whole process, by finely chopping onions in my vegetable chopper that gave me a grated consistency. And I used tomato paste to get a rich red color and texture. I also used roasted besan or gram flour to thicken the sauce a bit. The end result was just yummilicious..... and worthy of being served in a restaurant. So here goes!

Ingredients:

• Paneer - 250 gms
• Bell peppers - 2 medium sized
• Onion - 1 medium sized
• Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

For the sauce:

• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Cardamom - 2 nos
• Cloves - 2 nos
• Cinnamon - 1 inch pc
• Bay leaf - 2 nos
• Onion - 1 large
• Tomato Paste - 3 tbp
• Ginger paste - 1/2 tbsp
• Garlic - 1/2 tbsp
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Roasted besan - 1 tbsp
• Yoghurt - 1/4 cup
• Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - garnish
• Salt and oil as needed

Preparation before cooking the sauce:

• Cube the paneer, peppers and onion into  same sized pieces.
• Roast the besan or chick pea flour in a pan for a minute or so. It will change color and smell. Once it looks toasted and smells nutty, remove from the hot pan and and set aside to cool. Once  it has cooled down add it into the 1/4 cup yoghurt, and mix well and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add a little oil and stir fry the cubed onions for a minute or two on high heat and set aside.
• Add a little more oil to the pan and add the red chilly powder and turmeric powder and quickly add the paneer cubes, sprinkle salt and gently mix the cubes and fry on high heat till they get a good color and set aside.
• Be careful while frying paneer as it can break and crumble if not handled correctly. Also once you add the spice powders in the oil, quickly add the paneer so that the spices are not burnt. Typically chili and turmeric powder burn easily in hot oil and hence speed is of essence.
• Chop the onion as fine as you can, you could also make a paste or grate it.(The large onion listed under sauce)

Method:

• In the pan used above to fry the vegetables, heat 2 tbsp of ghee or oil, add all the whole spices - cumin, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Fry it for a minute and then add the grated or chopped onion, salt and the ginger garlic paste. Fry well on medium to low flame till the raw smell of the onion is gone, this could take a few minutes.
• Add the spice powders - red chili, coriander and turmeric and give it a good stir, add the tomato paste and continue cooking and stirring as needed. Add half a cup of water to mix all the contents well, cover and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till the oil separates from the masala.
• Once the water has evaporated and the masala and oil separate, add the yoghurt-besan mixture and 1/4 cup water and mix well, let it come to a boil and then add the stir fried vegetables. Add more salt if needed and gently mix the vegetables, so that each vegetable is coated with the sauce, cover the pan and cook for a five to seven minutes.
• Add more water if needed in the above step and also check for seasoning.
• Lastly sprinkle the kasuri methi and garam masala on the vegetables, give it a last stir and switch off the flame.
• Finally garnish with coriander leaves and it is ready to be served with roti, paratha or rice.

Lapsi Khichdi (Dahlia)

Lapsi or dahlia (broken wheat) is extremely nutritious. Many of us may be aware that lapsi sweets are made, specially in Gujarat, Maharashtra and the North. But the recipe I am sharing here is savory and ideal for breakfast or lunch and makes for a wholesome meal. You can add as many veggies as you like to make it colorful and healthy. One bowl of lapsi can fill you up and your all set begin a healthy day. You can pair this with a bowl of yoghurt too.

 

Ingredients:

1. Lapsi (Broken wheat) - 1 cup
2. Onion - 1 medium sized
3. Tomato - 1 medium sized
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
5. Mixed vegetables  - 1/2 cup ( You can use peas, carrots, french beans)
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Curry leaves - a few
9. Oil and water - As required
10. Salt to taste 

Method:

1. Wash and soak lapsi in 1 cup of water before you start chopping/slicing your veggies.
2. In a cooker, heat oil, add cumin, curry leaves,  and onions, let it  fry well. Once onions have turned translucent, add salt, ginger-garlic paste and turmeric.
3. Add the tomatoes and fry well till the oil separates from the masala. Add the veggies and fry for about two to three minutes.
4. Add the lapsi, salt and 2 cups of water, Close the lid of the cooker and cook for three whistles. 

Your healthy meal is ready :-)