Mirch Ki Meethi Chutney - Red Chili Relish

Chili ..... Remains my all time favorite ingredient. The bright red chilies just set my mood right . Red being my all time favorite color and I love hot food in general . Winters bring to Kolkata an array of chilies that one can make into a million things. Be it Mirch ka Saalan, or Mirchi Wadas, or Chili and Mozzarella Pops.

My love affair with chilies began when I saw "Mistress of Spices".  I had always loved the book and then was an ardent Aishwarya Rai fan. There was this poster of "Amrican Beauty" which all teenagers were dancing over and here I was looking at the posters of "Mistress of Spices" in awe.

When I began cooking in general, I know "Spice" and "Heat" were my things and chilies always have been my obedient ingredient. Be it lacing my garlic oil with a red chili or maybe making a Stir fry of chili and water-chestnuts .

 One of my all time favorite dishes is this jaggery and red chili relish. I make a large batch every year and we eat it with rice preparations and it also serves as a really nice dip with fried seafood snacks .
The recipe for it is as follows:

Ingredients

Red Chilis ( non spicy variety ) 500 g

Jaggery (Gur) 200 g 

Sugar 1/2 cup 

Vinegar 1/2 cup 

Mustard oil 1/2 cup 

Nigella Seeds 1 tsp 

Chopped Ginger 2 tbsp 

Salt

Kashmiri chili powder 1 tsp 

Amchoor ( raw mango powder ) 2 tbsp 

Coriander Powder 2 tbsp 

Water 1 cup 

Asaphoetida 1 pinch 

• Divide the chilies into 3 parts . Chop one, puree the second and the third, slit in half 
• Heat mustard oil and temper with asaphoetida and nigella seed and add ginger 
• Saute for a few minutes and add the chopped chilies and the halved chilies 
• add the chili puree and the dry spices and seasonings and saute till the mixture releases oil 
• Add the jaggery, sugar and cook till they melt 
• Add the water and simmer for 10 minutes 
• as the oil is released again , cool and bottle 
• keep refrigerated stays good for months 

p.s. If you like it hot , keep seeds intact, if you like it mild remove chili seeds before cooking 

Pictorial description is shown below, for any questions please feel free to ask in comments and I will respond 

Cheers to Chilies !! 

Aar Maacher Jhaal - Catfish in a spicy mustard gravy

When a Punjabi comes up with Bengali food the taste of it can be quite a few speculators . The authenticity,the stature, the quality of oil to be used and then lastly Authenticity . NO my food isn't always authentic, but i make sure it is delicious and I do take the liberty of making my changes here and there not only to make my life easier but also to jive it better texture or taste .

One of the simple but delightful gems of Bengali cooking is the Maachher Jhaal ... Jhaal ideally means Hot / Spicy ! and it is nothing but a delicious Mustard based sauce to slather fried fish with . A jhaal is usually made with Rohu, Katla , Bekti, or Hilsa but I prefer it with AAR, which is a fresh water catfish.

Here is the simple and delightful recipe:

Mustard oil 1/2 cup 

Darne of Aar 4 nos 

Kashondi /mustard paste  - 1/2 cup 

Onion Paste 1 nos 

Salt

Pepper

Lemon juice 1 tsp 

Chili powder 1 tbsp 

Coriander powder 1 tbsp 

Nigella Seeds 1 tsp 

Slit green chili 2 nos 

Water as and when required 

• Apply salt pepper and lemon juice to fish and keep aside for 10 mins 
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish till golden on both sides 
• Be careful aar always splutters with mini explosions in the pan so keep a lid handy 
• Now drain the fish and in the same pan heat the oil and temper with nigella and chilies 
• Add the mustard baste and saute for a while 
• Add the dry spices and seasonings and saute for a few seconds 
• add water (sat 1/4 cup) and cook it down for the masalas to soften 
• Add the fish and cook covered for a few minutes 
• Take out on a serving dish and serve hot 

p.s. I always replace the nigella seeds with panch -phoran which is a heavenly combination of 5 tempering ( mustard , fennel, cumin , nigella , fenugreek)
p.s. If u don't have kashondi, take mustard seeds and grind with a little water , oil and vinegar, add salt and a green chili make into a paste and use

Yumm Yumm Carrot Cake .... With a Twist of health

 

Carrot cake is one of the simplest things in the world .... where most people go wrong is the simplicity bit... Keep it simple and it will will hearts ... complicate it ... and it goes bleh ! Wont say much more simply sharing a recipe that I learnt ages ago and now I make a health twist to it . One winter morning my father got me really sweet baby carrots from the market and I decided to make this timeless cake that everyone loves .

Carrot Cake

Carrots 180g (grated)

Eggs 2 nos

Olive Oil 75 ml

Sugar 120g ( powdered)

Whole Wheat Flour 100g

Cinnamon powder ½ tsp

Nutmeg powder ½ tsp

Baking powder ¼  tsp

Soda bicarb ¼  tsp

Salt – a pinch

Raisins 50 g

Almonds 15 pcs chopped

• Mix in all dry ingredients
• Add the egg and olive oil and blend into a smooth paste
• Add the carrots and the dry  fruits
• Baked for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius

 This too is super easy to make and low on cholesterol .... If there is a diabetic at home please use equivalent quantity of artificial sweetener

Ciao ! 

Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting ....

I seriously don't know what is the big deal about red velvet ! In fact I make red velvet with the drop of a hat . Red Velvet - also known as Devil's Food Cake is suddenly just spreading like a rage. Everyone seems to be wanting a slice . And most places are adding red color to basic pound cake and passing it off as red velvet !

For me, the red velvet is the moistest and softest cake I have ever made and I love the addition of buttermilk and the hints of cocoa, that just deliciously woos me over and over again . Again it is also one hell of a delight to click pictures of .

Unfortunately, since buttermilk is not that easily available in India thus I use yogurt to make my red velvet cake and I think its one of the simplest things I have ever made.

Will also be sharing the recipe of the simplest Cream Cheese Frosting ever. Believe me it doesn't get any easier!

Red Velvet Cake 

¾ cup oil

2 eggs

1 tbsp Raspberry Red Coloring 

1 cup yogurt

1¾ cups powdered sugar

2 cups refined flour

2 tsp cocoa

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

Few drops Vanilla 

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius 
• Mix eggs, yogurt, coloring, vanilla, sugar and oil with a whisk 
• Add all the dry ingredients that have been sifted together and fold in
• Bake in a dusted cake dish and cook for 25 mins

Cheese Frosting 

Cream Cheese 100g 

Icing Sugar 300g 

• Microwave the cream cheese for 40 secs to 1 min (till it is runny ) 
• Whist in icing sugar and rest for 5 min 
• whisk again till light and fluffy 

Bon Appetit...

Hot Favorite American Chopsuey

One of the comfort foods that was born out of the evolution of Chinese food as it traveled across the world and each community added some of their touches and many suck favorites were seen. Chopsuey takes crunch to a different level altogether by deep frying egg noodles and topping them with a Sweet and sour sauce with meat and vegetables.

My all time favorite chopsuey is from Food Inn in Colaba in Mumbai where I was introduced to this marvel. Chopsuey lovers swear by it and other hate it, such is the drastic reputation of this high calorie taste bud tickler

Sharing the recipe for a vegetarian version of this epic dish :

Freesh noodles 200g

Tomato puree ½ cup

Tomato ketchup ½ cup

Water 1 cup

Corn flour 1 tbsp

Salt

Pepper

Sugar

Worcestershire 1 tsp

Chili sauce 1 tsp

Assorted capsicum julienne ¼ cup

Baby corn juliennes ¼ cup

Zucchini Juliennes a hadful

sliced shitake mushrooms 6 nos 

Sliced onions 1 small

Tomato juliennes 1 nos

Shredded cabbage handful 

Garlic 1 clove

Ginger 1 cm piece

Celery chopped 1 tsp

Dry red chili 2 nos

Chili oil for cooking

• Deep fry the noodles and keep aside
• Mix together water.. corn flour ..Puree ketchup and Worcestershire.. Remove lumps
• Cook an a high flame till thick and add seasonings and chili sauce
• Heat chili oil and sauté garlic ginger and dry red chili
• Sauté all vegetables and add the sauce
• Top on the fried noodles
• For non-veg add a  fried egg on top…..

The recipe is simple and yet it has charmed so many. For non vegetarians please add fried boneless chicken juliennes to the sauce and top with a sunny side up !

Cheers !

Crunchy Tofu Salad

Tofu, or bean curd is very "IN" these days, Everyone is becoming very heath conscious an the idea of a high protein diet is pretty much on everyone's finger tips. Tofu is pretty much set curds of Soy milk with a coagulating  agent Epsom Salt. There are various types of Tofu but only a few available on India. Majorly it is considered to have oriental roots and there are various alternates available world wide, from pickled, dried, smoked, fermented, cured, and sweetened.

The Most popular ones and the ones that are available easily are The Rustic home made tofu and the silken tofu. The hand made tofu are much like Paneer or Cottage Cheese and is available at grocers in New market or most people dealing in exotic vegetables. Silken on the other hand is available at leading stores selling imported food items and available in Firm or Soft variants . 

This Particular recipe uses the Local tofu and is an amazing salad and also a lovely snack .



Tofu 200g ( cut into tiny cubes)
Corn flour 100g

• Coat the tofu in the corn flour and keep deep fry 
• Fry till golden and crisp 
• Keep aside to cool 

Onion 1 nos chopped
Red capsicum 3 tbsp (diced)
Yellow Capsicum 3 Tbsp ( diced)
Green Capsicum 3 tbsp Chopped
Tomato deseeded diced 1 nos
Chopped spring onion 3 tbsp
Litchees 5 nos chopped
Chili oil 2 tbsp
Tabasco sauce 2 tbsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt
Pepper
Lemon juice ½

• Make dressing with lemon juice , chili oil, Tabasco, salt, pepper 
• Mix the tofu with the chopped ingredients and toss in dressing 

This dish has one of the best textures and is riot in the mouth ,

Seeya !

 . 

Winter Soul Comfort :Short-cut Cream of Tomato Soup

Cream of tomato, is one such dish that appeals to people of all ages. Old, young, all love it and its very difficult to find a substitute of it. A tomato soup is what is very difficult to displace. On a cozy winter evening, a big mug of soup with some crunchy grissini or some cheese straws, the combination is nothing but eternal.

Tomato as an ingredient is very soul comforting and the redness is very pleasng to the eye. Thus most tomato based soups taste nice. It requires a herculean effort to run a tomato soup. Be  it a basic Creme de Tomate or a rustic Minestrone or a homely Tomato Dhania Shorba, all of us love tomato in out soups.

Well, there are many ways of making a cream of tomato soup but I being my lazy self always like to simplify it. Sharing a simple but super scrumptious recipe below.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Tomato juice 2 cups

Tomato puree ½ cup

Tomato ketchup ½ cup

Butter 1 heaped tbsp

Maida 1 tbsp

Cream ½ cup

Salt

Pepper

Chili powder ½ tsp

Onion 1 nos chopped

Celery chopped 2 tsp

Carrot grated ¼ nos

• Melt butter in a pan and sauté onion celery and carrot red chili powder
• Add the maida to make roux
• Add tomato juice and cook till thick and puree and ketchup and boil
• Finish with cream and seasoning and strain the soup
• Garnish with a cream swirl

 This recipe is not authentic but super easy to make and really appeals to the palette ...

Bon Appetit ...