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Saturday, June 27, 2009

Khagina

(serves 1)
(prep time 20 mins)


This is a breakfast dish...

Something like a spicy scrambled eggs.
You will need the following
Eggs 2 large
Potatoes (diced) 1/4 cup
Onions (diced) 1/8 cup
Green chili (chopped coarse) 1 tsp
Cumin 1/4 tsp
Chili flakes 1/4 tsp
Pepper pinch
Oil 2 Tbs
Salt

Whip the eggs with salt and spices in a bowl. Leave aside.
Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the potatoes and fry in oil until half cooked.
Now add the onions and cook until potatoes are done and onions are translucent.
Add green chilies and stir.
Pour in the eggs and cook over med heat.
Stir often..
Cook until eggs are set.
Eat this with buttered toast or a paratha!
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Friday, June 26, 2009

Koftay

(serves 3-4)
(prep time 45 mins)
For the meatballs

Ground lean beef 1/4 lbs
Garlic (crushed) 2/3 tsp
Green chilies (crushed) 1/2 tsp
Egg yolk 1 small
Cashew nuts (ground) 1 Tbs
Cayenne pepper 1/3 tsp
Cilantro/coriander powder 2/3 tsp
Cumin powder 1/3 tsp
Pepper 1/3 tsp
Salt

Mix everything in a bowl. Make into round balls about 1" diameter. Will make about 8-9.
In a frying pan heat some canola oil. Sear the meat balls from all sides. Takes about a min or two. They will cook completely in the gravy.

Gravy

Red onions (sliced) 1/2 med
Tomatoes (diced) 1 med
Plain yogurt 1/4 cup
Garlic (crushed) 2/3 tsp
Ginger (crushed) 2/3 tsp
Green chilies (crushed) 1 Tbs
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Cayenne pepper 2/3 tsp
Cilantro powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Salt
Water 2/3 cup
Oil 1/4 cup

Fry the onion until they turn golden brown.
Add garlic and ginger. Stir.
Add the tomatoes and the chilies and mix well.
Cover the pot and cook for 2-3 min on med high heat.
Take the mixture out and blend in a blender with the yogurt to make the gravy.
You can use the same pot and fry all the spices (minus the salt) for about half a min
Add the blended yogurt mixture back into the pot. Mix well to incorporate the spices.
Add salt. Add water.
Bring the heat to med high so that the gravy is bubbling slightly.
Add the meatballs carefully so they don't break.
Cover and cook on lowered heat for about 15 min or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
Sprinkle some chopped cilantro on top.
Done! :-)
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Paneer

This is super duper easy!

(1/2 gallon of milk will make approx 4 cups chopped paneer)
(Prep time 10 mins + 2 hours draining)

Paneer is so easy to make at home, and the flavor and texture is so much better than store bought. Another advantage of making your own paneer is that you can flavor it anyway you want.
Following is a simple method for making plain paneer.  Paneer freezes well for 3 months.

Ingredients

This recipe can easily be halved.

Whole milk 1/2 gallon (use full fat)
Heavy cream 2 Tbs/cup of milk (use 36%)
(1/2 gallon is 8 cups so you will use 16 Tbs or 1 cup of heavy cream)
Some sort of acid, your options are:
  1. Lemon/Lime juice you will need 3-5 Tbs
  2. Vinegar 3-5 Tbs
  3. Citric acid powder 1-2 tsp
  4. Yogurt diluted with water
    You will need a cup and a half of plain full fat yogurt mixed with a of cup water.
    Mix these together and make sure there aren't any lumps of yogurt.
Note:
If you don't have citric acid powder, use yogurt if you can. I find that it works better because it leaves no vinegary or lemony smell and taste in the paneer. This is specially important if you plan to make dessert out of the paneer.

The cheese press

When I first started making paneer at home I made a makeshift cheese press.
Poke some holes at the bottom and all four sides of an aluminum mini loaf with a needle.
Line it with cheesecloth and and fill it about 2" with the curds.
Stack another mini loaf inside it, place a plate over it and then put a 5lbs weight on top (like a pot filled with water or a dumbell)
The whole thing sits on a wire rack so the water can easily drain.




However I have realised now that you can do perfectly well without the press.
Line a colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth, leave an extra 4" of cheesecloth hanging over the colander.
Pour the whey and curds through it and let the curds rest for 3 mins.
Grab all four sides of the cheese cloth and carry the curds onto a flat surface.
Bring the flaps of the cheese cloth over (think gift wrapping) and form a rough, tight square shape with your hands, no more than 2" thick.
Place the cheese on a wire rack.
Put a 5lbs weight on it (a cooking pot filled with water works fine).
I hope these pics help and give you a better idea.




Method

Combine the cream and the milk in a large heavy base pot.
Set your temp to med high and bring this to a soft boil.
Stir often, you don't want the milk to burn.
After the milk has begun to boil, turn the heat down to low.
Now is the time to add your acid.
Stir gently while adding the acid.
  • If you are using citric powder you can sprinkle it directly into the pot.
  • If you are using vinegar, lemon or lime juice. Add that 1 Tbs at a time.
  • Pour the yogurt mixture continulay into the boiling milk in a thin uniform stream.
No rules just keep adding the acid until things begin to curdle.
The milk will begin to curdle very soon.
The whey should become kind of grayish.
Strain through a cheesecloth.
You can either use a cheese press or free form the cheese.
Let it drain for 2 hours.
Unwrap, cut, fry, eat!
I sprinkled some coarse black pepper on the the paneer while frying.
:-)

P.S. The whey is great to make rotis and naan with.
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Alu Choley

(Serves 2-3)
(Prep time: 45 mins)

Ingredients


Garbanzo beans 1 16oz can
Potatoes (diced) 1 cup
Red onions (sliced fine) 1 med
Tomatoes (diced) 1 med
Garlic (crushed) 2 cloves
Ginger (crushed) 1/2 tsp
Fresh lemon juice 2-3 Tbs
Plain yogurt 1/2 cup
Canola oil 1/4 cup
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Cayenne 1/2 tsp
Red chili flakes 1/4 tsp
Turmeric 2/3 tsp
Cumin 2/3 tsp
Cilantro/Coriander powder 1 tsp
Nigella seeds 1/2 tsp
Salt

Method

Fry the onions until golden brown.
Add the garlic and ginger. Stir for a min or so.
Now time for the tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 min over med heat.
Add all the spices except the nigella seeds.
Mix in yogurt. Give it a good stir.
Cook for another 5 mins. Blend with an immersion blender.
Meanwhile,
Drain and wash the beans.
Cut potatoes about 1/2" cubes .
Throw in the potatoes and the beans.
Add lemon juice.
Cover the pan and lower the heat and let it simmer for about 15 mins or until the potatoes are done.
Stir in between.
If gravy looks too thick add a little water.
Sprinkle nigella seeds at the end.
Serve with naan or roti.


Ta da :-)
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Steak with chimichurri sauce

My very first post :-)
Love love love steak!
I made this for dinner tonight with a condiment called chimichurri from Argentina. They use it like one might use ketchup.
Awesome stuff!

(Serves 2)
(Prep time 30 min + 6 hrs marinating time)
Chimichurri sauce

Fresh cilantro 1/4 cup
Fresh flat leaf parsley 1/4 cup
Garlic 1 clove
Dried oregano 1 tsp
Red wine vinegar 1 Tbs
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt/Pepper
Combine everything in a blender. Add more olive oil if the sauce seems too thick.

Potato Wedges

Yukon gold potatoes 3 med
Garlic powder 1/4 tsp
Dried thyme 1/4 tsp
Dried rosemary 1/4 tsp
Olive oil 1 Tbs
Salt/pepper
Pre heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread olive oil on a bake sheet. Cut potatoes (skin on) in wedges. Rub all the seasoning on the potatoes. Drizzle some olive oil on top and bake for about 40 mins or until done. More oil and turn sides once after half time.

Marinade

Freshly squeezed juice of orange 4-5 Tbs
Orange zest 1 tsp
Lime juice 1/2 lime
Red wine vinegar 1-2 Tbs
Honey 1 1/2 Tbs
Extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup
Garlic (crushed) 3 cloves
Dried chipotle (ground) 1 tsp
Salt/Pepper
I used 2 8oz filet mignons about 1.5" thick.
Combine everything well and marinade for a couple of hours in the fridge.
Before cooking it is essential to bring the steaks to room temperature. Pre heat oven to 450 degrees. Meanwhile in a cast iron griddle pan, melt some butter and canola oil. Make it real hot, sear the filet 2 mins each side. Finish in the oven for about 5 mins for medium rare.
Serve with chimichurri sauce and potato wedges :-)
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