Settling-in Egg Curry

We just got back from vacation in England, and after numerous pub meals, we were craving some spicy Indian food. Egg curry to the rescue! Apologies for lack of a picture...we devoured it before I could reach for the camera!

Source: Raschandrika Konkani cooking

4 cloves

1" cinnamon

1 tsp poppy seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp turmeric

2 red chillies

1 tbsp fresh/ frozen coconut

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

3-4 eggs, boiled, peeled and halved

Heat oil, and when hot add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon stick, and cloves. When they start to splutter, add the chopped onions, reserving 1/4 cup for later. Add the ginger-garlic paste, coconut, turmeric and red chillies. Cook for a few minutes, and then add the tomatoes. When they turn soft, turn the flame off. Grind this mixture to a paste in a blender.

In the same cooking pot, add a little more oil and fry the remainder of the onions till they turn golden. Now add the mixture from the blender and add 2 cups water (or more if needed). Add salt to taste, and a little lemon juice (optional). After simmering for 2-3 mins, add the halved eggs. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Spicy Oven Fried Chicken

I got this recipe and images from http://everybodylikessandwiches.com, and thought I should give it a try this weekend. So here it is my First post! ha!

spicy oven-fried chicken
(from epicurious )
1 c yogurt
1/4 c skim milk (I used whole milk)
juice & zest of 1/2 lemon
4 T Sairacha Hot Sauce
2 T Dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t salt
1 t ground black pepper
1/2 onion, sliced
5 chicken legs with skin and bones (organic & free range)

1 c dry breadcrumbs or crushed crackers
1/4 c flour
2 t dried thyme
2 t cayenne pepper

1 T Butter

In a large bowl, whisk together everything from the yogurt to the onions. Submerge the chicken legs and let marinate for 3 hours or overnight, turning chicken occasionally.

Preheat oven to 425F. In another large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs to the cayenne pepper. Pull out a large baking dish so that it’s handy. Using one hand (for less mess), pull out a chicken leg from the yogurt bowl and give it a little shake to get rid of excess drips. Dredge the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture and place it in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining legs. Dot each piece of chicken with some butter and bake until the chicken browns and gets crispy, about 50 minutes.

I apologize for the quality of the picture but I didn't have a camera on me so I ended up using my ever handy blackberry. Enjoy!

Gazpacho

This summer cucumbers have been coming in aplenty. Gazpacho is a cooling summer soup to make if you have fresh tomatoes on hand.

Serves 2

2 largish tomatoes, cubed

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 small cloves of garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of good olive oil

Splash of white wine vinegar - you can use sherry vinehar as well if you that on hand instead

1/4 cup of water

Slice of white bread slightly toasted and torn into pieces

Few basil leaves to garnish

For tempering:

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

3-4 curry leaves

1 tbsp of olive oil

1. Puree tomatoes, cucumber, garlic, bread, vinegar, salt, pepper in a food processor. Stream in olive oil while processing.
2. Add a bit of water if the soup is too thick.
3. In a smaller pan, heat some olive oil and add mustard and cumin seeds. Once the mustard seeds start sputtering, add curry leaves. Drain the mix into soup. Stir to mix.
4. Garnish with basil leaves and serve at room temperature.

Lemony beans salad

All ingredients can be eye balled and everything can be adjusted according to taste.

1/2 lb of green string beans

2 tsp of lemon zest

1 tbsp olive oil

Rock salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1. Steam beans until done. Don't oversteam them, they need to be a bit crunchy.
2. In a serving bowl, add olive oil, salt and pepper to the beans and stir well to mix.
3. Finish with lemon zest and pine nuts. Serve.

Sesame sugar snap peas

Sweet, succulent and crispy!

Serves 2

A big bowl of sugar snap peas - Sorry I didn't weigh them

1 1/2 tbsp of toasted sesame seed oil

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 tsp of white sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg. Rinse the sugar snap peas, trim the ends and remove the strings on the side.
2. In a baking dish that holds the peas pods in a single layer. Massage in the sesame seed oil, salt and pepper.
3. Roast for 15-20 until sugar snap peas are tender and slightly browned.
4. In a serving dish, mix roasted sugar snap peas with lemon juice and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Beets, fennel and orange salad

I have a love-hate relationship with beets. I loved beets in this salad - it screams SUMMER!

Source: The kitchn

Serves 3

2 valencia oranges, peeled and de-pith

1 bulb fennels, fronds removed

1 tbsp fennel fronds, chopped

2 small beets, peeled and grated, I used my food processor

1 tsp orange zest

3 tsps extra virgin olive oil

Kosher sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 tbsp orange juice

1. Thinly slice the fennel bulb. Toss slices with fennel fronds, salt, pepper, 2 tbsps of orange juice, 2 tsps of olive oil and set aside.
2. Combine grated beets with 1 tbsp orange juice and 1 tsp olive oil. Set aside.
3. Slice oranges into 1/4" thick slices.
4. On a serving plate, arrange a layer of oranges, topped seasoned fennel followed by beets. Serve at room temperature.

Shrimp in mustard gravy

Source: 50 great curries of India

Serves 4

1 pack of frozen shrimp, I leave the shell on while cooking because I feel like it might keep it from overcooking BUT it does get a bit cumbersome to eat.

2 tbsp poppy seeds

2 tbsps mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

50gm of dessicated coconut, add 1/4 cup of water and set aside

1.5 inch piece of ginger

5-6 small cloves of garlic

2-3 green chillies

1 onion, cubed

2 tsps coriander powder

2 tsps cumin powder

1-1.5 tsps crushed red chillies

1 15oz can of crushed tomatoes

juice of 1/2 lime

coriander leaves to garnish

salt to taste

oil

1. Toast poppy seeds for a couple of mins. Grind poppy seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric, coconut, ginger, garlic, green chillies, onion, coriander, cumin, crushed red chillies, and 1.5 tsp of salt with 1/2 cup of water.
2. In a skillet, heat some oil and fry the spice paste for 6-7 mins. Stir continuously and add a little water to avoid sticking at the bottom.
3. Add tomatoes and saute for another 5 mins.
4. Add a couple of cups of water and lime juice. Simmer for 5 mins on low heat. Add salt to taste.
5. Add shrimp and keep a close eye. Cook until done - shouldn't take more than 5 mins to cook through. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.