The summer is officially here and the bar-be cue is on. I said earlier that the tandoor needs a whole series so what better time to start? The tandoor has been in existence right from the time man discovered fire. We have evidence of clay ovens dating back to Harappa culture. Ranjit Rai, a renowned chef, writes in his book “Tandoor” that the word has possibly derived from either’Kund”’which means a large bowl shaped vessel and changed to tandoor with time or from Persian word ‘Tatta Andar’ which means hot inside. Whatever the etymology of the word, tandoor was used by Egyptians, Mesopotamians and Indus Valley people in one form or the other. And even today the tandoor holds its position high in the culinary world.
There is an ancient recipe which talks about a meat fried in ghee, then flavoured with yogurt, lemon juice, pomegranate juice etc and is again cooked with ghee, cumin, and sea salt over a charcoal fire. Sushruta says a meat cooked with mustard and sesame seeds in the ‘kundu’ is called ‘kundu pakvam’( Ranjit Rai)
But we are not taking a lesson in history. I have a BBQ party on Sunday and I want to do something different than the usual tandoori chicken tikkas and kebabs. And one family is pure vegetarian. So I thought of making some fish, some chicken satays Indian style and prawns for the meat eaters and Hare Kebabs and soya burgers for the vegetarians.
Chicken Satays
You will need,
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 stalk lemon grass
3tsp mustard
3tsp tandoori masala (available in Indian stores)
½ cup yogurt
2tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 tbsp green chili-garlic paste
1tbsp ginger paste
Salt to taste
Cut chicken breasts in thin strips. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl. Add chicken and let stand for at least two hours. You can make it ahead and refrigerate overnight. Heat the grill and roast for 5 minutes each side. Serve with mint chutney and onion ringsin lemon juice.
Fish
You will need,
8 pieces of Salmon or Pomfret
1 tbsp mustard powder
1 tbsp methi powder (available in Indian stores)
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp mint chutney
Salt to taste
Marinate fish first with lemon juice. Leave it for an hour.
Now make a paste of oil, chutney, methi powder and mustard powder. Add salt and coat all pieces of fish with it. Leave for 30 minutes. Grill on medium heat 4 minutes each side or till fish is flaky. Serve with sweet tamarind chutney.
Prawns / Shrimp
You will need,
500 Gms /1 pound tiger shrimp
2 tbsp Thai green curry
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
Mix oil, curry and lemon juice. Marinate prawns in the mix. Put 3 prawns on a wooden skewer and grill on medium heat 3minutes each side. Serve with mint- coriander chutney.
The vegetarians will have to wait till Sunday.
Soak wooden skewers for an hour in cold water before using on fire.
Bon appétit
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Eat right
They say you are what you eat and how very true. If you eat fresh, light food you will have a healthy constitution and if you eat junk food or stale food or too much meat you will have sluggish feeling and your body will lose its balance. More than ever more people are realizing that what we eat does make a difference in our lives not only in terms of how we look and feel but also the quality of our life. Everyone these days is aware of the importance of exercise and healthy diet. But what is a healthy diet? Eating lot of vegetables, nuts and greens? Or eating meat and greens? What if greens cause gas in your stomach or meat causes constipation for you?
Our body converts carbohydrates into glucose which is the fuel for us to sustain prolonged, rigorous exercise. It also is the fuel for our brain. Protein builds and repairs our tissues. Fat are the least efficient form of energy and they take the longest time to get digested. So excess of any of these is harmful for us.
Sri Krishna says in Bhagwat Geeta that a balanced person-‘Sthitpragya’ does not each too much or very less, does not eat too hot or too cold, does not too sour or too bland and does not eat too salty or too sweet. He does not sleep too much or too less. So balance is the main thing. Balanced food is an important aspect of Indian food. A typical Indian meal would consist of protein- meat or some lentils, vegetables, raita,-curried yogurt, chapatti and rice which is carbs.
Food plays an important part in Indian culture. The whole routine in a day involves food. Even as a child I remember my grandmother lighting the tandoor in the morning and evening to make rotis. And after lunch was cooked she would place daal in a heavy bottom pan on top of the tandoor and by evening that daal would be slowly cooked. I still miss that taste. But now I have discovered slow cooker and I think Betty Crocker should now include Daal makhani in her cook books. I am quite tempted right now to go on about tandoor but since tandoori recipes can fill one month of my blog I will start that tomorrow which is a very special day for me. It is my wedding anniversary and I will tell you tomorrow’s menu the day after. Actually it is now because my husband just reminded me that it is past twelve o’ clock. But before I go I will give you the recipe you can make on your special day and any day to make it a special day.
Paneer Makhmali
This is paneer(Indian cottage cheese) cooked in an aromatic paste of herbs and cashews. A rich, but an excellent dish for that ‘special’ effect.
You will need
3 cups of paneer cubed in triangles
1 medium onion finely diced or grated
1 bunch coriander (cilantro) leaves
1 bunch mint leaves
5 green chilies
1 cup heavy cream (35percent)
3 tbsp cashew paste
½ tsp garam masala(recipe on the previous blog)
¼ tsp elaichi powder( cardamom powder)
2 tbsp ghee or butter
Salt to taste
Make a paste of green chilies, coriander and mint leaves in a food processor. Heat ghee in a skillet .Add onions. Sauté till golden pink. Onions should not brown. Add cashew paste and sauté for 2-4 minutes. Now add the green paste and paneer cubes. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Add cream. Simmer for 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala and elaichi powder. Serve hot with laccha parantha, naan or roti.
Bon Appétit!!!
They say you are what you eat and how very true. If you eat fresh, light food you will have a healthy constitution and if you eat junk food or stale food or too much meat you will have sluggish feeling and your body will lose its balance. More than ever more people are realizing that what we eat does make a difference in our lives not only in terms of how we look and feel but also the quality of our life. Everyone these days is aware of the importance of exercise and healthy diet. But what is a healthy diet? Eating lot of vegetables, nuts and greens? Or eating meat and greens? What if greens cause gas in your stomach or meat causes constipation for you?
Our body converts carbohydrates into glucose which is the fuel for us to sustain prolonged, rigorous exercise. It also is the fuel for our brain. Protein builds and repairs our tissues. Fat are the least efficient form of energy and they take the longest time to get digested. So excess of any of these is harmful for us.
Sri Krishna says in Bhagwat Geeta that a balanced person-‘Sthitpragya’ does not each too much or very less, does not eat too hot or too cold, does not too sour or too bland and does not eat too salty or too sweet. He does not sleep too much or too less. So balance is the main thing. Balanced food is an important aspect of Indian food. A typical Indian meal would consist of protein- meat or some lentils, vegetables, raita,-curried yogurt, chapatti and rice which is carbs.
Food plays an important part in Indian culture. The whole routine in a day involves food. Even as a child I remember my grandmother lighting the tandoor in the morning and evening to make rotis. And after lunch was cooked she would place daal in a heavy bottom pan on top of the tandoor and by evening that daal would be slowly cooked. I still miss that taste. But now I have discovered slow cooker and I think Betty Crocker should now include Daal makhani in her cook books. I am quite tempted right now to go on about tandoor but since tandoori recipes can fill one month of my blog I will start that tomorrow which is a very special day for me. It is my wedding anniversary and I will tell you tomorrow’s menu the day after. Actually it is now because my husband just reminded me that it is past twelve o’ clock. But before I go I will give you the recipe you can make on your special day and any day to make it a special day.
Paneer Makhmali
This is paneer(Indian cottage cheese) cooked in an aromatic paste of herbs and cashews. A rich, but an excellent dish for that ‘special’ effect.
You will need
3 cups of paneer cubed in triangles
1 medium onion finely diced or grated
1 bunch coriander (cilantro) leaves
1 bunch mint leaves
5 green chilies
1 cup heavy cream (35percent)
3 tbsp cashew paste
½ tsp garam masala(recipe on the previous blog)
¼ tsp elaichi powder( cardamom powder)
2 tbsp ghee or butter
Salt to taste
Make a paste of green chilies, coriander and mint leaves in a food processor. Heat ghee in a skillet .Add onions. Sauté till golden pink. Onions should not brown. Add cashew paste and sauté for 2-4 minutes. Now add the green paste and paneer cubes. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Add cream. Simmer for 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala and elaichi powder. Serve hot with laccha parantha, naan or roti.
Bon Appétit!!!
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Fusion Kebabs
Sunday,the last day of the week and a day of more work than rest because you attended a late night party. You got up late or you realize that you haven’t done the laundry, grocery and the lawn and etc, etc, etc. And you have to make tomorrow’s lunch. Well for starters, a quick recipe. What, so soon? No talk of benefits or joys of Indian cooking? Well, well, well, take the recipe and use for tomorrow’s lunch and then we will talk about other things.
Today was a glorious day, just right for BBQ. I had to go for my monthly get together with my girl friends. But my husband said “how can you not bar-be-cue today? So I thought a quick recipe will do. Now many of you are already thinking how you can have a quick recipe for BBQ. But there is, dear, and I am going to give it to you. Preparation time is 10 minutes and cooking time is 10-12 minutes. I named the recipe ‘Fusion Kebabs’ because they are a blend of the east and west.
You will need,
2 pounds mince (I use chicken but you can use beef, lamb or any mince)
1 medium onion
3 green chilies - optional
Half a bunch of green coriander - cilantro
1 medium tomato
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic- green chili paste
1 tsp aniseed (saunf)
1tsp black onion seeds (kalaunji)
1 tbsp garam masala
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp black pepper powder- optional
1 ball of specialty cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes. I used one with garlic and herbs.
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste
Method
Finely dice onion, tomato, chilies, coriander each separately. Heat the grill. In a large bowl put the mince with everything except oil. Mix thoroughly till everything is blended in.
Baste the grill with 1 tbsp of cooking oil and also grease your palms with it. Make patties of the mix and flatten them in your hands. Now put one cheese piece in the middle and close the patty. Make all patties like this and place them on the grill. Cook for 5-6 minutes on one side. Turn and cook on the other side. Serve with onion rings and salad of your choice. You can also use them for making burgers. That is what I do and my children love these.
Green chili- garlic paste
30 green chilies
2 pods garlic
4 tbsp vinegar
Grind everything in a food processor. Put it in a bottle. This can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.
The onions and the tomato will keep the kebabs moist and the cheese when melted will give it a distinct flavor. Tomatoes also work as a tenderizer for the meat.
Tenderizing the meat is very important in order to not only cook the meat properly but also helping to absorb the flavours. The ancient Indians knew several methods of tenderizing. Maharishi Sushruta (father of Indian Ayurveda and surgery) mentions of cooking meat around 4th century AD. He describes meat as the energy giver to our body. He also talks about meat which is tenderized and cooked with ghee, curd, acetic fruits such as lemons and pomegranate is a wholesome diet and helps in strengthening our tissues. Tenderizing breaks the meat molecules and makes them easy to digest besides adding flavour. Sometime you will find a combination of tenderizers used in one recipe. Meat is also tenderized by beating it with a wooden mallet. Some of the most commonly used tenderizers in Indian cooking are yogurt, lemon, raw papaya, raw mango, vinegar, khatti lassi, tamarind and tomatoes.
As for feeling tired I would suggest finishing your chores during the week. Say, buy your grocery on Tuesday when there is hardly any rush and finish your laundry on Monday and Thursday. Then you can relax and enjoy the weekend. As for mowing the lawn, do it on a Saturday and then have a picnic lunch of kebabs in your backyard.
Bon Appétit!!!
Today was a glorious day, just right for BBQ. I had to go for my monthly get together with my girl friends. But my husband said “how can you not bar-be-cue today? So I thought a quick recipe will do. Now many of you are already thinking how you can have a quick recipe for BBQ. But there is, dear, and I am going to give it to you. Preparation time is 10 minutes and cooking time is 10-12 minutes. I named the recipe ‘Fusion Kebabs’ because they are a blend of the east and west.
You will need,
2 pounds mince (I use chicken but you can use beef, lamb or any mince)
1 medium onion
3 green chilies - optional
Half a bunch of green coriander - cilantro
1 medium tomato
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic- green chili paste
1 tsp aniseed (saunf)
1tsp black onion seeds (kalaunji)
1 tbsp garam masala
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp black pepper powder- optional
1 ball of specialty cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes. I used one with garlic and herbs.
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste
Method
Finely dice onion, tomato, chilies, coriander each separately. Heat the grill. In a large bowl put the mince with everything except oil. Mix thoroughly till everything is blended in.
Baste the grill with 1 tbsp of cooking oil and also grease your palms with it. Make patties of the mix and flatten them in your hands. Now put one cheese piece in the middle and close the patty. Make all patties like this and place them on the grill. Cook for 5-6 minutes on one side. Turn and cook on the other side. Serve with onion rings and salad of your choice. You can also use them for making burgers. That is what I do and my children love these.
Green chili- garlic paste
30 green chilies
2 pods garlic
4 tbsp vinegar
Grind everything in a food processor. Put it in a bottle. This can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.
The onions and the tomato will keep the kebabs moist and the cheese when melted will give it a distinct flavor. Tomatoes also work as a tenderizer for the meat.
Tenderizing the meat is very important in order to not only cook the meat properly but also helping to absorb the flavours. The ancient Indians knew several methods of tenderizing. Maharishi Sushruta (father of Indian Ayurveda and surgery) mentions of cooking meat around 4th century AD. He describes meat as the energy giver to our body. He also talks about meat which is tenderized and cooked with ghee, curd, acetic fruits such as lemons and pomegranate is a wholesome diet and helps in strengthening our tissues. Tenderizing breaks the meat molecules and makes them easy to digest besides adding flavour. Sometime you will find a combination of tenderizers used in one recipe. Meat is also tenderized by beating it with a wooden mallet. Some of the most commonly used tenderizers in Indian cooking are yogurt, lemon, raw papaya, raw mango, vinegar, khatti lassi, tamarind and tomatoes.
As for feeling tired I would suggest finishing your chores during the week. Say, buy your grocery on Tuesday when there is hardly any rush and finish your laundry on Monday and Thursday. Then you can relax and enjoy the weekend. As for mowing the lawn, do it on a Saturday and then have a picnic lunch of kebabs in your backyard.
Bon Appétit!!!
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