Lamb Thattukada Fry

Traveling by a public transport bus in Trivandrum at around 6 in the evening is a very pleasant experience – IF the bus is not crowded and you have a window seat. It offers you an arial view of the places you are passing through and there is a gentle breeze ruffling your hair. But the best thing about it is the fact that almost every main junction is witness to big crowds huddling around their favorite Thattukada (roadside food stall) snacking on vada or bhajji or an early dinner of parotta or dosa with a chicken 65 or a beef fry.

Reminiscing about that caused so much turmoil in me that I decided that I just had to have a taste of something remotely close to the dishes in a Thattukada. And that dear friend, was the reason why this lamb fry was born (hence the name :)).

What Goes In:  

• Lamb (cut into small cubes) – 1/2 kg
• Chili powder – 1 tbsp
  Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tbsp
  Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  Pepper powder – 1 tbsp
  Cumin powder – 1 tsp
  Ginger-garlic paste – 1 1/2 tbsp
  Garam Masala – 1/2 – 1 tsp
  Tomato Puree – 2 tbsp
  Salt – to taste
• Water – 4 tbsp
• Onions (finely sliced) – 2 (large)
  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  Desiccated Coconut – 1/4 cup
  Dried Red Chillies – 2
  Coconut oil – for frying
  Salt – to taste
  Curry leaves – tons :)
  
  

The 'How To':

• 
  
  Clean the lamb and rub in the ingredients given in the second bullet point into the lamb cubes. Keep aside for 15 mins.
• Pressure cook (this vessel is godly!) the marinated lamb with the water on high flame. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and cook for 40-45 mins. Take off the stove and keep aside till the cooker loses its pressure.
• If there is any water left in the lamb, after pressure cooking, cook till the water is dried.
• Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, chillies, curry leaves and onions and fry till the onions turn golden brown. Add the cooked lamb and desiccated coconut and salt (if required) and mix well. Stir over a low flame, till it is roasted well.
• 
  Take off the heat and serve hot with neychoru, chappatis or rice and a curry.

Tuna Cutlets

 A cutlet is a flat croquette of minced food often associated with chicken or vegetables. Making it from scratch involves a laborious process with different specific and necessary stages – which is probably why cutlet making was always a joint activity at home when I was small with my Grandmom and Ma toiling over boiled meat and potatoes and painstakingly providing them a structure that ensured that they did not break off halfway through frying. This duty passed on to my sis when she grew up – while yours truly stayed as far away from the kitchen as possible; until, of course, the beautiful smell of readied cutlets wafted through to my room. Chacha (my father) and I generously dipped into all the reserves of cutlets with no thought to the labour involved as freshly fried homemade cutlets have a taste and smell that beats the ones bought in a store, any day.

Once, at an aunt's place, I chanced upon home made fish cutlets which was quite a blessing as Aravind and I lived in Hyderabad at the time and our collective knowledge about buying and cooking fish hovered around nil. She used tinned tuna to make them – and I filed away the knowledge for future use. Last week, as I shopped at the Morrisons store in Hounslow, I chanced upon some tinned tuna and mashed potatoes and decided to give a simplified version of cutlets a go. They turned out really well and Aravind was licking his fingers long after :)

What Goes In:

Tinned Tuna Chunks– 2/3 cup

Mashed Potatoes – 2 cups

Green chillies (finely chopped) – 3

Garlic Cloves (chopped) – 10

Onion (chopped) – 2 large

Ginger-garlic paste – 1 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp plus for deep frying

Curry leaves (chopped) – 2 sprigs

For coating:

Egg (beaten after seasoning with salt and pepper) – 1

Wholemeal Bread crumbs – 2 cups

The 'How To':

1. In a pan, heat the oil and fry onions, green chillies, curry leaves and garlic till the onions start to brown.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for 1 min. Bring the heat to medium and add the masala powders. Saute till the raw smell disappears.
3. Drain the tinned tuna, shred them coarsely with your hands and add to the above mixture. If you are using fresh boneless fish, you will need to boil it first with a little salt, cool and then add to the mixture. Fry to ensure that all the water has evaporated.
4. At this stage, add the mashed potatoes and salt (taste to see if it is required) and mix well to ensure that there are no lumps. Once potatoes are well incorporated, remove from heat and keep aside to cool.
5. For coating the cutlets, keep the eggs readied in a wide mouthed bowl and spread the bread crumbs onto a plate.
6. Gather a small portion of the fish and potato mixture into a ball the size of a lemon, keep on the palm of your hand and press by putting pressure with your other palm. Dip this in the egg and immediately coat with the bread crumbs. Repeat with all the other portions. The size of the cutlet would depend on the size of the portion chosen. You may also shape the cutlets in any other way as you desire.
7. At this stage, the cutlets can be stored in a zip bag or container in the freezer, in case you are making them in advance for an occasion or for later use.
8. When required, deep fry the cutlets, drain onto absorbent paper and serve hot.

I made 14 large cutlets with the quantities mentioned above. Since my success rate with frying frozen cutlets (without breaking them) is very low, I fried the cutlets in advance and stored them in the fridge – heating them in the microwave, when required.

The cutlets can be served with ketchup or a dip as a snack or had with rotis or rice.

Kadai Biriyani – Chicken

George Bernard Shaw once wrote, "There is no love sincerer than the love of food." I abide by that. However, love of food need not always translate as the love of cooking. Cooking requires a great deal of patience which sadly has never been attributed to me. Therefore, I refrain from creations that are too fancy or time consuming. Which is why the end of a month and a near empty piggy bank always puts me in a dilemma, especially when I am craving for a tasty bite.

To top it all, think of the tug-of-war that my heart and my mind were engaged in when the craving was for Ma's biriyani. So I made a mock biriyani – in a kadai – to satisfy myself till I meet her next. If you are used to making yummy biriyanis, you'll probably rubbish this recipe. But for the novice in me, this dish was a pretty good consolation :)

The ingredient list looks daunting but trust me – you probably have all of these in your kitchen cupboard.

 

What Goes In:

For the Rice:
Basmati Rice – 11/2 cups
Water – 3 cups

Bay Leaf - 1

Green Cardamom – 2

Cloves – 4

Cinnamon log – 1” piece
Salt – to taste

For the Chicken:

Chicken (cut into medium sized pieces) – 1/2 kg

Onion (sliced) – 1 1/2

Green chillies (chopped) – 1 tsp

Garlic Cloves (chopped) – 2

Black Cardamom – 1

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon log – 1” piece

Black Pepper (coarsely crushed) – 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Black Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Tomato (chopped) – 1

Coriander leaves (chopped) – 2 tbsp

Mint leaves (chopped) – 1 tbsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Ghee – 1 tsp

For Assembling:

Onions (sliced and fried in ghee till brown) – 1/2

Cashewnuts and raisins (fried in ghee) – optional

Ghee– 1 tsp
Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp

Boiled egg (sliced) - for garnish

 

The 'How To':

1. To the boiling water, add the basmati rice and other ingredients and cook on medium heat. The rice should be completely cooked through (yes, I know what I am doing!). Fluff the rice gently with a fork (do not use a spoon as it could break the grains). Keep aside to cool.
2. In a deep pan, heat the oil and ghee and add the whole garam masala, green chillies, garlic and onion. When the onions start to brown, add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell disappears.
3. Add the masala powders and crushed black pepper and saute for 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry the mixture till all the water evaporates.
4. Add the chicken and salt and fry on high heat till the chicken pieces are lightly browned. Add the mint leaves and half of the coriander leaves to the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and cook covered till the chicken is well done. Remove from heat.
5. Keep aside 1/2 of the chicken. Layer 1/2 of the rice, 1/2 of the fried onions, cashewnuts and raisins (if using), 1/2 tsp of ghee and chopped coriander leaves on the chicken in the kadai. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken, rice and other ingredients.
6. Return to the stove on low heat for 5 mins till the heat seeps through to the all the rice. Serve immediately.

The biriyani can be served with a raita and pickle, garnished with a boiled egg.

Chicken Yogurt Fry

I loved fried chicken. Which means that it would invariably be part of my food order in a restaurant. Or the first thing on the menu when entertaining guests. And the dish I reach out to when I have a couple of chicken drumsticks in the freezer.

However, there are only so many things you can do to a chicken fry recipe. Or so I thought. Till I read about kebabs that are made by marinating the meat in yogurt. And decided that I wanted to try and replicate that on a chicken fry. The fact that it turned out yummy is a good motivator to try it out many times over again :) 

 

What Goes In:

Chicken drumsticks - 10
Hung Yoghurt – 1 cup
Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Black Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Green chillies (chopped) – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves (chopped) 1 tsp

Oil – for shallow frying

The 'How To':

1. Prick the chicken drumsticks with a fork or make slashes with a knife.
2. Mix together with all the ingredients, except oil and leave marinated for 4-5 hours, or even overnight.
3. Place an upturned saucer in a dish and arrange the drumsticks over it in a circle, with the thicker sides outwards.
4. Cook the chicken in a microwave on medium 80% heat till almost done.
5. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the chicken pieces till brown.
6. Drain and serve.

The recipe is good as a starter and can be served garnished with lemon wedges and onion rings on the side. As a side dish for rice, you may want to add 1 tsp of pepper powder instead of the prescribed 1/2 tsp.

Corn and Cottage Cheese Pulao

 

Photography is an art by itself. Professional food photographers are absolute magicians as they can turn a simple dish into the most mouth-watering creations. Sadly, I can never compete with them in terms of technique or creativity but that has never stopped me from whole-heartedly appreciating a good photograph. And that was how I stumbled upon a photograph of corn pulao with the yellow of the sweetcorn popping up to greet greedy eyes. So, now you know the inspiration behind this recipe. 

 

What Goes In:

Raw Basmati Rice – 1 cup

Hot Water – 2 cups

Boiled sweetcorn – 1/2 cup

Soft Cottage Cheese – 2 dsp

Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 1/2 tbsp

Garlic (chopped) – 2 pods (optional)

Red Onion (sliced) – 1/2

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Cinnamon – 1” stick

Cardamom - 2-3

Dried Red Chillies – 2 (I chose extra hot red chillies – tiny but powerful!!)

Salt – to taste

Coriander leaves – to garnish

The 'How To':

• Bring the ghee to heat in a medium-sized pan over a high flame. Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon and cardamom and fry till the they release their aroma.
• Add the garlic and onion and saute till the onions turn translucent.
• Toss in the rice and the sweetcorn into the pan and fry till the rice is coated in the ghee.
• Now add the cottage cheese, salt and hot water. When the water starts to boil, cover and simmer until the rice grains are cooked.
• When the rice is done, run a fork (as opposed to a spoon) through it so that the rice grains remain fluffy and do not break.

Note: I used soft cottage cheese with onions and chives that were store bought. However, nothing can beat the taste of home made soft cottage cheese, if you can go through the hurdle of making it.

Carrot Halwa

The sweet tooth probably runs in the family, but mine is especially vulgar – combined with a lack of willpower and an absolute roving eye (strictly where food is concerned), that can be a pretty deadly deal. I am extremely critical about the desserts I eat, I need them just so. Therefore, you can understand the heartburn I go through when I need to cook up a dessert on my own. I'm an amateur cook and while I fantasize about being able to conjure up desserts that can wow an audience of experienced palates, it seldom comes true.

Which is when the Carrot Halwa comes to my rescue. The simplicity in its making no way lets down the amazing taste that it has. No Indian worth his (or her) salt would not have tasted carrot halwa, especially now that it has gained a fixed spot on many a wedding menu. Here, I take you through my version of carrot halwa, sans the frills.

What Goes In:

Grated Red / Orange Carrots – 3 cups

Milk – 1 1/2 cup

Sugar – 1/2 cup (to taste)

Ghee (clarified butter) – 3 tbsp

Condensed Milk – 4 tbsp (optional, else increase the quantity of sugar being added)

Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

Almonds (without skin) / Cashewnuts – for decorating (optional)

The 'How To':

• Heat ghee in a pan and add the grated carrots. Saute on medium flame till the carrots are nicely coated in the ghee and any excess water (from the carrots) evaporates.
• Add milk and stir on medium flame till the carrots absorb the milk and all the liquid disappears. It is important to keep stirring so that the carrots do not burn.
• Add the sugar, cardamom and the condensed milk. Stir at regular intervals till all the water from the sugar evaporates.
• Switch off the flame and add the almonds / cashewnuts. Hail and presto! The halwa is ready. Can be served warm or cold.

Vanilla ice cream is a traditional combination with warm carrot halwa – I like mine better with chocolate ice cream. Tastes great on its own as well.

Dal Khichdi

Sundays are the days to sleep in and generally be lazy, especially if its raining outside and the London weather forecaster predicts a cold and windy day followed by a chilly night. While no one in their right minds would like to cook on such a day, the thought of hot mouthfuls of khichdi was too much to resist. Yummm ... my mouth is watering even as I think of it.

So I got to work, knowing that this delicious meal would not take up too much of my time and that I did not have to strictly follow a recipe. A Khichdi is a mish-mash of anything and everything plus rice, all cooked together in one small pot. The world does not know – a working (or lazy) woman's best friend is not a diamond, it's a pressure cooker. If you haven't yet been introduced to the wonders of a pressure cooker, its high time you started.

What Goes In:

Basmati Rice (you can use normal white rice)– 3/4 cup

Moong Dal (yellow lentils) – 1/4 cup

Water – 2 cups

Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tbsp

Red Onion (sliced) – 1/2

Garlic (finely chopped) – 2 pods

Green Chillies (finely chopped) – 2

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Black Pepper (coarsely crushed) – 1/2 tsp

Coriander Leaves (coarsely chopped) – 3 stalks, plus for garnish

Salt – To taste

The 'How To':

• Clean the rice and dal together in three washes of water. Soak in 4 cups of water and keep aside for 1 hour.
• In a pressure cooker, heat the ghee on a gas stove. Add cumin seeds, garlic and green chillies and let the flavors infuse in the ghee.
• When the garlic starts turning golden brown, add the onion and saute till it turns transparent.
• Add the soaked rice and dal and fry for half a minute. Add the water, turmeric powder, crushed pepper, coriander leaves and salt. I add a small dollop of ghee, for added taste, into the cooker at this stage but its completely avoidable.
• Keep the flame on high. When the water begins to boil, close the lid of the pressure cooker. When steam begins to form, place the whistle.
• After the first whistle, lower the flame and cook till the next whistle and switch off the flame.
• Remove the excess pressure and open the cooker.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

I had mine with leftover chicken curry and yogurt but it tastes great on its own too. For a quirky combination, try the khichdi with some crisps and spicy pickle.