COOK YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHY LOVE LIFE

Children's Day Special Spicy Duck Curry

2010-11-14T20:19:00.002+05:30

If its Childrens Day and your child(ren) want(s) to eat Duck...well, you better learn how to cook it and fast...

So, here goes my little experiment with cooking Duck Curry...Its still simmering over low heat while I write up my cook on the go recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Duck - 1Kg...Medium Pieces with Skin. Discard any pieces that you eblieve will not add value to the dish.

2. Ginger Garlic Paste to Taste.

3. Freshly ground/Off the Shelf spice mix...Cumin, Coriander, Teeka Lal, Kashmiri Lal, Turmeric Powder, Garam Masala,...mixed into a paste with little water.

4. Curd

5. Olive Oil / Mustard Oil / Sunflower Oil - As you prefer

6. Onions - 2-3 Large, finely chopped.

Cooking Method:

Heat the oil in a flat bottom pan and cook the Duck Pieces on high till brown...remember to flip and brown both sides (Hint: It helps to cook the skin side first).

Remove the duck pieces...add onion to the same oil and saute till brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste and cook till it stops giving the raw smell.

Add the Masala Paste and cook till it gives a heavenly aroma.

Add curd and wait for it to almost disappear.

Add the duck pieces, salt and cook a little more before adding sufficient water.

Bring to boil and allow to simmer on low till the duck becomes tender (Approximately 60 minutes).

Serve hot with Rice or Phulka to your little darling(s).

Alternate use: Cook for your Husband/Boyfriend or Wife/ Girlfriend with Wine/Beer. Believe me, unlike popular opinion, Beer goes well with Dinner.

Women’s Day Special Vegetable Biryani with Dal Palak and Coriander Chutney!

2009-03-10T17:21:00.001+05:30

Imagine its women’s day and you are too short of cash, or because of recession you think you are, to take the Women in your life out for dinner. Ouch!

You have two choices; you either make a sour face, do nothing, which means you get to enjoy bachelorhood again for the rest of the month, ever heard the phrase “Apna haath Jagannath?” mate, or, like the man that you are, you decide to take matters into your own hands, which is one and the same, but the context is radically altered.

So, you decide, like the good man that you are, to get all of them together (unless one of them is the wife and the other the girlfriend!), preferably in a romantic setting and cook them Women’s Day Special Vegetable Biryani with Dal Palak and Coriander Chutney!

Ingredients for Biryani (To Serve 4)

500g Basmati Rice.
100g Capsicum, chopped into small cubes.
100g French Beans, chopped into small pieces.
200g Cauliflower, florets separated.
2 Large Potatoes, Peeled and Chopped in Half.
100g Carrots peeled and chopped small.
Optional - 100g Green Peas
2 Large Onions peeled and chopped thin.
2 Large Tomatoes, chopped in half.
Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder – Quantities as per taste.
Whole Garam Masala.
2 Whole Red Chillies.
Ginger Garlic Paste, one table spoon.
100g ghee.
Skimmed Milk.

Cooking Method.

Measure the rice using a glass tumbler.
Clean and soak the rice in sufficient water for 30-60 Min.
On medium heat, place a large pressure cooker and allow it to get hot.
Add the ghee and the Garam Masala and whole red Chillies.
Add the Onions and sauté till light brown. Add the ginger garlic paste, sauté for 1 minute and then add all the other vegetables. Sauté on high for 2 minutes, add the Masala and cook on low for 10 minutes (Till the Potatoes are slightly soft), add a couple of spoons of water, if the Masala is sticking to the cooker.
Add salt, water and Milk – Salt to taste, Water and milk in the ratio of 1:1:4 (1 part water, 1 part milk and 4 parts rice). Bring to boil and add rice at the top, put the tomatoes, right on top, close the lid and on medium flame allow just one whistle, no more.

Remove the steam immediately, turn the rice using a ladle, close the lid and let the rest of steam escape.

Your Biryani is done.

Hint: Follow the sam eprocess for Chicken / Mutton Biryani, just ensure both are tender before you add the rice.

Ingredients for Dal-Palak (To Serve 4)

200g Palak – cleaned and chopped.
5-6 Cloves of Garlic - Chopped.
Bit of Ginger –Chopped.
1 Onion – Chopped thin.
Optional - 2-3 Green Chillies – Chopped
100g Chana Dal – Soak for 30 Minutes.
Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Salt – Quantities as per taste.
Butter – One large spoonful.

Cooking Method.

On Medium Heat place a small pressure cooker and allow it to get hot.
Add the butter, Garlic, onion, Ginger and sauté for a while.
Add the Chana Dal, all the spices, except salt and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add the Palak and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add salt, two cups of water and cook over medium flame for 3 whistles.
Don’t remove the steam; allow it to escape on its own.

Ingredients for Coriander Chutney

250g Fresh Coriander leaves, cleaned and chopped.
10 Cloves of Garlic.
2 Tomatoes – Chopped in Half.
2 Red Chillies – whole.
One spoon of Chat Masala / Dry Mango Powder.
Salt to taste.

Preparation

Put all the ingredients in a Grinder, add a little water and grind to a fine paste. That’s it! This will last the whole week if kept in the refrigerator.

PASTA SEDUCTION DELIGHT

2009-02-19T14:28:00.003+05:30

Imagine that you have been traveling a lot these days; you enjoy visiting different places, you meet people – Business Associates, Co-travelers, Cab Drivers, and enjoy striking interesting conversations. You also collect exotic stuff for your home, know what will fit where, and on your return trip, you also remember to pick up those gifts for your Wife and Child. Seems like perfection, doesn’t it? You bet.

Now imagine this – you have been doing the above way too much than you should. Your travel settlements are all pending, the finance guys are fed up with your constant pestering, your beloved child does not recognize you any more, and your wife is now a monk! and of course your normal circle of friends are drinking themselves to oblivion and you are not invited anywhere anymore. Damn scary, isn’t it.

Chill. Don’t worry. Salvation (or is it salivation?) is round the corner, in the kitchen!

My Naani used to say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, she did not elaborate about the way to a woman’s heart, but I assume it’s the same, dirty minds!

Today’s Recipe is PASTA SEDUCTION DELIGHT or Pasta in Tomato Sauce and is guaranteed to blow away all inhibitions. Try it on your platonic friends only if you are desperate; else preserve it for people you genuinely love!

Ingredients:

Pasta – Gomito Macaroni is safe, you may try Farfalle, Fusilli, Manicotti, Penne, etc. Avoid Spaghetti and Fettuccine. Take about 200gms to feed 4.
Pasta Sauce.
Tomato Sauce.
Cheese – Shredded.
Spices – Whatever you prefer, want to make it Punjabi pasta – Go right ahead. I suggest tinge of Ginger Garlic Paste (don’t cringe you puritans, it tastes good – in fact instead of paste use freshly chopped pieces), Chilli powder, Cumin powder, salt to taste, etc.
2-3 Large Onions thinly chopped.
2-3 large tomatoes thinly chopped.
1 Large Capsicum. Chopped into small cubes.
100gms French Beans. Chopped into really small pieces.
200gms Carrot. Chopped into really small pieces.
1 Large Green Chilli – Slit down the center.
Green Olives – Bottled cut pieces available in the market.
Pasta Herbs – Off the shelf.
Oil – 2 Tablespoons of Sunflower Oil or Olive Oil.

Cooking Method:

Boil about 750Ml water. Add a Little salt and empty the pasta in that. Allow it to boil for about 2-3 minutes till the Pasta is half done.
Drain the water, add chilled water and drain again. Add a little oil and mix thoroughly.
In a frying Pan, heat oil, add the Ginger and Garlic pieces and sauté. Add onions and sauté till brown (In case you are using Ginger Garlic Paste, then add Onions first and then the paste to prevent ugly welts on the back of you hands!)
Add the other veggies, all the spices except salt and sauté further till tender.
Add a little water and allow to boil for about 10 minutes.
Add the Pasta, Salt to taste, Pasta Sauce, Tomato Sauce, Olives, Cheese and allow to cook for 2 more minutes.
Take it off the stove, add Pasta Herbs and Serve.

Total Cooking Time: About 30 Minutes.

Hints:

Add Sausages / Boiled Liver or Kidney to convert to Non Veg.
It should go well with Beer / White Wine / Music.

Don't forget the Roses Mate!

Today’s Recipe – Masaledar Mutton / Chicken / Dum Aloo

2009-02-18T16:54:00.001+05:30

Ingredients.

Mutton – 1 KG (Whichever part you prefer, my personal preference is Front Leg / “Agala Raan”). – Medium Pieces – Wash thoroughly with running water.
Potatoes – Two Large - Optional – Peel and Cut into Half.
Onions – 750 Grams – Finely Chopped.
Tomatoes – 250 Grams – Finely Chopped.
Raw Papaya – 250 Grams – Chopped into small cubes – Optional.
Large Bay Leaf.
5-6 Large Red Chillies (Reduce, in case you want it to be less spicy).
Ginger Garlic Paste (Ideally Homemade – Freshly Ground).
Turmeric Powder – 2 Table Spoons.
Cumin Powder – 4 Table Spoons.
Coriander Powder – 2 Table Spoons.
Red Chilli Powder – 1 Table Spoon.
Salt – To taste.
Garam Masala – ½ Table Spoon.
Mustard Oil – ½ a Tea Cup or thereabouts. You may use Butter/Ghee/Sunflower Oil instead.
Curd – 2 Table Spoons.
Cream – Optional for creamy gravy – 100gm.
Green Peas – Optional – 200 Gms.

Preparation time – 60 Minutes for Mutton / 30-40 Minutes for Chicken.

Method of Preparation

Heat Oil in a Large Wok/ Kadahi or Pressure Cooker – Do remember to switch on the Chimney/Exhaust.

Add the Bay Leaf and the Whole Red Chillies.
Add the Onions and sauté till deep brown.
Add Ginger Garlic Paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the Mutton and sauté / fry covering intermittently till water comes out (Fresh Mutton will throw out some water.
Add all the Masala except salt and stir some more.
Add the Potatoes and do the same.
Add the Papaya once Potatoes are done.
Add Curd.
Add Salt and Garam Masala and keep frying over low heat. Add tomatoes at this juncture.
When it starts giving out a heavenly smell and almost all the water has dried, add a glass of water (and the Green Peas and cream, if required) and cook on low heat till mutton becomes tender (Do not pressure Cook unless in a tearing hurry – in which case 3-4 whistles required over medium flame). Add more water if required.

Switch off the Stove and add chopped Coriander Leaves.

Serving Hints

Ideally to be served with Plain Rice (Add Ghee and Lemon Juice to the Mutton).
May be served with Plain Chapatis / Tandoori Rotis (Add Butter/ Ghee to Mutton)

Serves: 5 Hungry People.

Vegetarian Hint

Replace Mutton / Chicken with 1 Kg of Potatoes, get rid of the Papaya and cook covered – Dum Aloo is ready!!!