A few weeks ago I was hooked on Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes. Inspired, also read as easy-to-make, I made one of his Turkish breakfast dishes called Ciblir. It was a delight. Who would’ve thought eggs and yoghurt could be on the same plate? After that, I made another one of his dishes. Well, almost. He baked his eggs, I went with the stove. There are a few other tweaks too, but that’s not important. What’s important is that it turned out just as delicious as the cilbir.Wilted spinach atop of which nestled eggs that were cooked just enough so their yolks would run, dollops of cold Greek yoghurt with streaks of hot chilli butter and of course, crunchy bacon bits. What’s not to love?
Jenji Gassi / Crab Curry Mangalorean Style
Jenji Gassi / Crab Curry Mangalorean Style Recipe
I’ve always complained how I miss eating seafood here in Gurgaon. Supermarkets and online stores do stock some gems from the ocean but I never bothered getting myself any. I thought they’d be way more expensive than what it is back home. As it turns out, some of it costs just the same. Like blue crab for instance. The ones I saw at this supermarket were lovely. Without missing a beat I got myself 3 big ones.
Fiery Prawn Noodle Soup
Fiery Prawn Noodle Soup Recipe
I’ve always hesitated to buy seafood in Gurgaon because, well no sea. But since I’m currently unemployed with no place to be and nothing else to do, I thought I’d buy some good looking seafood and cook some delicious things. Some big prawns and blue crab caught my fancy at the supermarket and I promptly picked them up. The prawns were plump and gorgeous, costing just about the same as they do back home. So did the blue crab. Anyway, with the prawns, I knew what I wanted to do. A spicy Thai style fiery noodle soup. That’s also because I spotted some fresh Thai red chillies.
Batate Saung / Potatoes in a fiery sauce
Batate Saung / Potatoes in a fiery sauce
..well, as fiery as you want it to be. Batate saung traditionally is a Mangalorean dish. If I have to narrow it down further, it’s a Konkani dish. Konkani style fare is most sought after vegetarian food in Mangalore, as I remember it. That’s why grandma took on to making some of them at home regularly. Most of their dishes are light and relatively healthy. But this batate saung was something else. Fiery, sour and delicious. Using only onions, potato and a spice paste with chillies, coconut, coriander seeds and tamarind, this one takes just about 15-20 mins to make.
Another Chicken Curry Recipe
Another Chicken Curry Recipe
Yes, this is yet another chicken curry recipe and that’s why the title remains. More often than not, many recipes have the same ingredients and methods of cooking. But every once in a while you can change a couple of things and turn it into a new dish. I was binge watching Chef John’s Food Wishes channel on YouTube because there is hardly anything more entertaining than when food and humour come together. Anyway, in one of his Indian recipes he grinds the onion and tomatoes together before adding it to his dish. The norm is to grind them to pastes and purees separately and then go about your business. This method was different.
Ricotta on Toast with Grilled Pear and Orange Caramel
Ricotta on Toast with Grilled Pear and Orange Caramel
It’s too long a title for something so simple. I’ve always wondered what ricotta tasted like. Yes, I’ve had them at nice cafes but it’s a distant memory and let’s just say I wanted to make some. From cooking shows to books, they all tell you how easy it is to make ricotta. Although, there are many Italians who I see refuting the commonly found recipe of ricotta. The recipe asks you to make it out of milk or a mixture of milk and cream. But I’ve also read that ricotta is traditionally made from the whey collected after the milk solids are separated. Phew.
Kadle Manoli Aajadina / Ivy Gourd and Chickpeas with Coconut
Kadle Manoli Aajadina / Ivy Gourd and Chickpeas with Coconut
This one’s no different from the beans aajadina I had cooked recently. This one too uses the same coconut mixture in the end to be stirred in. Ivy gourd, from what I’ve seen and eaten around here, is almost always cooked to death. Well, that’s true for most vegetables. Homemade or not, these lovely crisp veggies are often overcooked with so many spices that you won’t know what you’re eating. I guess that’s why many twitch their face when they see these vegetables being served at lunch in the office or at home. Thankfully, I’ve grown up eating vegetables cooked lightly so they retain their colour, shape and original taste.