Aglio e Olio with Shrimps

Just got back from the Nation of shopkeepers, England. I was in the UK for 40 odd days for a film shoot. I went to many Italian Restaurants to have my favourite Pasta, Aglio e Olio, but everywhere they serve either tomato-based or cream-based pasta. While I do enjoy indulging in tomato-based or cream-based pasta now and then, the law of diminishing returns often sets in whenever I eat creamy pastas, where I find my enjoyment diminishing halfway through. But for the light-and-fresh-tasting Aglio e Olio, I find that I can easily finish my plate and still left hungry for just a bit more.
So when i got back to India, the first dish I had to cook was Aglio e Olio. It means “Garlic and Oil” in Italian, and one of the simplest pasta dishes to make. This is one dish which I don’t mind drenched in (good-quality Extra Virgin olive) oil. Authentic Aglio e Olio only have a few key ingredients – just garlic, olive oil and pasta, so this is something you can whip up with minimum ingredients.
However, I gave it a twist by adding some veggies and protein with it. I added shrimps, baby corns and zucchini.

The recipe is simple.  All we need is 25 mins and some passion

• Kosher salt, to taste, plus 1 teaspoon
• 400 gm spaghetti
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 lemon, zested, optional
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 300 gm shrimps
• Zucchini and baby corns

Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat, then salt it generously. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally until Al Dente, tender but not mushy, about 8 minutes.
While the pasta cooks, combine the garlic, olive oil, the 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes in a large skillet and warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens and turns light golden but before they are halfway through put the shrimps, zucchini and boiled baby corns. cook for another 4 mins on a slow flame
Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink. Add the pasta to the garlic mixture. Mix well. Add the parsley and Parmesan Cheese. Adjust seasoning, to taste. Transfer to a large serving bowl or divide amongst 4 to 6 dishes. Serve topped with additional grated cheese and parsley, if desired.
TOP TIPS

• Pasta should be cooked in salted water which is almost as salty as sea water. The cooked pasta will taste salted and this will reduce or eliminate the need to salt the dish later.
• Al dente is an Italian terms referring to perfectly cooked pasta which is firm (but not hard), and with a slight bite. 
• Reserve some water from cooking the pasta and add a few tablespoons of it to the final dish. The pasta water not only helps to bind the ingredients, the starch in the pasta water will give the dish a smoother finish.
• Because you are working with minimum ingredients, the quality of the ingredients will make a huge difference. Go for good quality olive oil and fresh parsley, where possible. Always use fresh garlic instead of pre-chopped bottled garlic.
• Tip for making perfect golden brown, not burnt garlic: the oil temperature must be just right when you add the garlic, meaning the garlic should sizzle gently in the heated oil when added to the pan (if the oil splatters violently or no reaction when garlic is added, it means the oil is either over-heated or not heated enough).

Roasted Chicken- Pressure Cooker method

At my birthplace (Allahabad), Barbequed/Oven cooked chicken is termed as “Roast chicken". No matter which class or clan one is from or how much one has travelled, this mistake has never been corrected in times. Once I told my mother and sisters to correct themselves and call it by the proper name. To my surprise, they did correct themselves but only for a day then again it’s back to the same story. 

Sunday Roast

Truly speaking I can’t correct all the people from Allahabad and it doesn’t matter since I don’t live there anymore. 

The trouble with roasting or baking a whole chicken is that it takes a bit of time. Now sometimes that's alright and part of the fun is the longer time in the kitchen preparing a big weekend meal with your family, but sometimes it would be nice to speed things up, and that's where the pressure cooker comes in.

I love roast chicken. The crispy skin, tender flesh, and delicious root vegetables… It’s definitely a delicious meal that yields plenty of leftovers and it's an easy transition to make homemade chicken stock at just about the same time.

Every home cook should have a no-fail recipe for roast chicken, one you can count on to always deliver golden skin and well cooked, moist, flavoursome meat. So what’s the secret? Well, there are several:

Buy fresh Chicken

Pre-Season the Bird

Season Liberally

Dry Skin = Crispy Skin

Don’t Roast a Cold Bird

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
4 cloves garlic (grated)

1 onion grated

Fresh Parsley

Thyme/Rosemary

Black Pepper powder

Little bit of Lemon juice

Salt
2 Tbs olive oil
3/4 cup fluid: chicken broth or water

Season and Brown

Take the fully defrosted and rinsed chicken and liberally coat the skin with spices and seasonings. Heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker, and carefully brown the top, sides, and bottom of the chicken.

Degalze and add metal stand

Now remove the whole chicken and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker with a spatula after adding the water or broth. There shouldn't be much oil in the pan, but you may want to let it cool for a minute or two to lesson the risk of a little too much steam or splashing. Now put in place the little metal stand and the metal platform.

Cook

Cook it for 20 to 25 minutes. First 10 minutes on a high flame then cook it on a slow flame

Open and crisp if you would like

When you open the pressure cooker you’ll see beautiful juices that can be thickened and used to make chicken gravy.

Optional: If you want crispy skin you’ll have to take the cooked chicken, baste it with just a little butter or oil (and if you want - more spices), and oven roast for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. It will already be cooked, and it won’t take long to simply crisp-up the skin. You can also add the cooked veggies to the roasting pan during this step. We thoroughly enjoyed ours right out of the cooker.

Make stock with leftovers

Wait, hold on. Don't throw away the bones. One of the best parts of pressure cooker chicken is the simplicity of going from "roast" chicken right into homemade chicken stock using all the juices and bones still in the cooker, and then if we want right into homemade soups like homemade chicken soup and a few days worth of lunches. :~)

Burmese Chicken Curry Khauk swe/ Khow suey

Burmese Chicken Curry khauk swe/khow suey Though as per the Wikipedia page Burma is a historical name for Myanmar but for me it is always Burma. Reason is that as a kid when I read the stories about my Hero Subhash Chandra Bose in my School textbook, he started his army in Burma not in Myanmar. The name of the country is changed but their famous Curry is still called Burmese Chicken Curry worldwide. Since some great countries border Burma so it’s cuisine has a major influence of India, China and Thailand. Khow suey is called Khow Soy in Thailand with a little change in the condiments.
 As you guys know I m a purist so I will give you the authentic recipe of Burmese Chicken Curry. If you search for Burmese chicken curry on Google you will get 2000+ recipes and every recipe has a twist as per the local ingredients available to the chefs. But in my opinion to break the rules you must know the Rules first. So today let’s make Authentic Curry first and then later we can change it according to out taste pallet.   Serves 5 Ingredients  

• 650 gm / 2 large chicken breast- Cut into bite sizes

• 2 table spoon Ground nut oil

• 500 gm Flat Egg noodles

• 4 cloves Garlic

• 1 inch ginger

• 2 small Onions

• 2 tablespoon Fish Sauce

• ½ table spoon Shrimp Paste/Fish paste

• 1 table spoon Chickpea powder

• 2 cans/600 ml of Coconut milk

• 3 teaspoon spoon Turmeric

• 1 table spoon Paprika/Red chilly powder

• Couple of wedges of Lemon/Lime

• Salt to taste

 For the Topping

• 1 Fried onion Flakes

• 2 Chopped Spring onion

• 1 Lemon cut into wedges

• Coriander

Process Cook the noodle as per the instruction given on the noodle pack and immidieatly put it in cold water. It stops the process of cooking and this method keep is moist.

My Burmese Curry

Marinate the cheek with 1 tablespoon of Turmeric and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce for one hour.
Cut the onion roughly, Bang the garlic lightly, and cut the ginger in to small pieces. Pound them in a Mortar and pestle to make a paste or else you can also grind them in a blender.  Heat the oil in a pot and put the paste with the rest of the turmeric. Let is brown nice and golden.
Now put he chicken in it and mix it well with the paste. Paste should be dancing around the chicken.  Sauté it till Chicken is nice and golden and sauce has started sticking to the bottom. This is very important because this where all the goodies come from.  Put the Paprika/chili powder, rest of the fish sauce, and put little bit o water and half a can of coconut milk. It will release all the goodies that are stuck at the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat and cook it till the chicken is absolutely tender.  It’s ready when the oil comes to the surface. It means most of the liquid has evaporated.  At this point put the rest of the coconut milk and chickpea powder.  Give it a nice stir. Now wait till the juices come to boil.
 To serve take 5 bowls and put the noodle. On top of the noodle put curry and garnish it with the accompanied condiments.

You can buy the shrimp Paste from Zansaar http://www.zansaar.com/tra-chang-shrimp-paste-400-gm-p-SHRVXY110?gclid=CNnKy7zeiLgCFUcm4godlhkAYw

Morrocan Meat Balls (Kefta) with Couscous

I often wonder if Indians were not introduced to cumin how would we have managed to prepare delicious food. Not only cumin has become a common ingredient in Indian kitchens to add flavor to a dish, it has also got health benefits.
Cumin has a richness of history to give it a special place in the world of spices. Ancient Egyptians used it for the mummification process. And the humble Cumin is a part of almost every Indian kitchen and on a hot summer day it's sheer bliss to have a glass of buttermilk with a dash of cumin powder.

If you guys are wondering why am I talking about cumin so much because today I am going give you the recipe of Moroccan meat balls, and cumin is the core ingredient to prepare this dish. 

Kefta is very popular dish in morocco usually prepared for lunch. I made this recipe for my guests & family and they loved it. This recipe was given to me by My line Producers wife, Malak who owns a food joint in Casablanca.

For the Kefta Meatballs

• 500 gm ground beef or lamb (or a combination of the two)
• 1 medium onion, chopped very fine or grated
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/ teaspoon Moroccan cumin if not available then 1/2 teaspoon Indian cumin and 1/2 teaspoon aniseed (Please Don't use fennel seed)*
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot Paprika
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander 

For the Tomato Sauce

• 1 kg fresh, ripe tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped or grated
• 1  teaspoons paprika
• 1  teaspoons Moroccan cumin
• 1  teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat parsley
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 Eggs (Optional) 

Preparation:

Make the Kefta Meatballs

Combine all of the kefta ingredients, using your hands to knead in the spices and herbs. Shape the kefta mixture into small meatballs the size of large cherries – about 3/4 inch in diameter. Fry them in a tagine or in a large, deep pot in olive oil and keep them separate on a paper to absorb the excess oil.

Tomato Sauce

Peel, seed and chop the tomatoes OR cut the tomatoes in half, seed them and grate them.
Mix the tomatoes, onions  and the rest of the sauce ingredients in the base of a tagine or in a large, deep pot. Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (Note: If using a tagine, place a diffuser between the Tagine and burner, and allow 10 to 15 minutes for the tomato sauce to reach a simmer.)
Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low, just enough heat to maintain the simmer but low enough to avoid scorching. Allow the tomatoes to cook for at least 15 to 20 minutes before adding the meatballs. 


Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce, along with a little water – 1/4 cup (60 ml) is usually sufficient – and cover. Cook for about 40 minutes, or until the sauce is thick.
Break the eggs over the top of the meatballs, and cover. Cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes, until the egg whites are solid and the yolks are partially set.

 Meanwhile, combine couscous and water in a heatproof bowl. Cover. Set aside for 5 minutes. Use a fork to separate the grains.

Divide the couscous among serving plates. Top with the meatball mixture. Sprinkle with coriander leaves to serve.

Aubergine Parmigiana/ Eggplant with Parmesan

“Melanzane alla Parmigiana” that’s what they call it in Northern Italy and the rest of the world calls it Aubergine Parmigiana. It happens to be one of the favorite dishes of Italians, so it definitely qualifies to be the first European dish on my blog.

Since my wife, Serene, is white and prefers European cuisine, I have to keep on cooking them to keep the love together between us. I have heard someone say that, “the best way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach”.

Serene is an expert in cooking Southern Fried Chicken (SFC), the most delicious dish ever. Whenever she makes SFC, I make a complementary dish to go with it. Today I made Aubergine Parmigiana.

This classic northern Italian recipe is a great way to serve aubergines. By layering them with Parmesan and tomatoes and then baking them you get an absolutely moreish, scrumptious vegetable dish.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

·       3 large aubergines (Eggplants)

·       2 table spoon extra virgin olive oil

·       1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

·       1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

·       1 heaped teaspoon dried oregano

·       2x400 g good-quality tinned plum tomatoes, or 1kg fresh ripe tomatoes

·       sea salt

·       freshly ground black pepper

·       a little wine vinegar (optional)

·       1 large handful fresh basil

·       3 large handfuls Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

·       2 handfuls dried breadcrumbs

·       a little fresh oregano, leaves chopped

·       150 g mozzarella

Method

First things first: remove the stalks from the aubergines, slice them up into 1-2 cm thick slices, sprinkle a little bit of salt on them and put to one side for not less than 30 minutes. They will start sweating out the bitter water in some time. Wash and dry them with a clean towel.

There are two methods to cook them, you can either fry them in vegetable oil or grill them. Whether you're using a griddle pan or a barbecue, get it really hot.  I personally prefer charred Aubergine.

Meanwhile, put 2 or 3 Tablespoons of olive oil into a large pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and dried oregano and cook for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and the garlic has a tiny bit of colour. If you're using tinned tomatoes, break them up, and if you're using fresh tomatoes (which will obviously taste sweeter and more delicious, if they're in season), very quickly prick each tomato and put them into a big pan of boiling water for 40 seconds. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put them into a bowl of cold water for 30 seconds, then remove the skins, carefully squeeze out the pips and cut up the flesh. Add the tomato flesh or tinned tomatoes to the onion, garlic and oregano. Give the mixture a good stir, then put a lid on the pan and simmer slowly for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, grill the aubergines on both sides until lightly charred – you may have to do them in batches, as they probably won't all fit into your griddle pan in one go. As each batch is finished, remove them to a tray and carry on grilling the rest until they're all nicely done.

As I said earlier you can fry them coated with egg wash, breadcrumbs and salt. You may have to do them in batches as well.

When the tomato sauce is reduced and sweet, season it carefully with salt, pepper and a tiny swig of wine vinegar and add the basil. You can leave the sauce chunky or you can purée it.

Get yourself an oven friendly type dish (25 x 12–15cm). Put in a small layer of tomato sauce, then a thin scattering of Parmesan, followed by a single layer of aubergines. Repeat these layers until you've used all the ingredients up, finishing with a little sauce and another good sprinkling of Parmesan. I like to toss the breadcrumbs in olive oil with a little freshly chopped oregano and sprinkle them on top of the Parmesan. Sometimes the dish is served with torn-up mozzarella on top, which is nice too.

Place the dish in the oven and bake at 190°C for half an hour until golden, crisp and bubbly. It's best eaten straight away, but it can also be served cold. – you'll love it!

Wazwan- Rogan Josh

When I think of Kashmir, I think of Wazwan. People say it’s a multi course meal but I consider “Wazwan” a ceremony that involves hours of cooking and days of planning go into the making and serving of delightful Kashimiri cuisine.

Wazwan

 The wazwan experience includes settings for groups of four on the floor where choice dish after dish is served in the the engraved copper plate known as 'trami', each aromatic with herbs and the fresh produce of the valley.

Tarami

 The last time when I visited Kashmir, my Kashmiri friend Idrees's mother made soulful Rogan Josh, Yakhni and Tabak Maaz for me and my wife. My wife was hugely pregnant then, So she restrained herself from aromas so I ate her share too.

Today I am going to make Rogan josh. Rogan Josh is very popular in India. I have eaten Rogan josh almost in every state but found no similarity to the actual Rogan josh from Kashmir.  Purist like me prefer the original rather than modern versions of it? 

Ingredients

Kashmiri Mirch

1 Kg Lamb - Shoulder Cut

½ cup mustard oil

1-inch cinnamon stick

4 whole black cardamoms

6 whole green cardamoms

6 cloves

1 tsp fennel seed powder

1 tsp Cumin seed (optional)

1 Tsp Kashmiri Garam Masala

1 tsp ground asafetida (only Kahsmiri Pandit add it not Muslims)

1½ tsp dry ginger powder

Cock's Comb flower

salt, to taste

1.5 cups curd or yogurt

1½ tbs Kashmiri chillies paste (Powder can also be used)

1 Cock's Comb flower (locally known as Mawal), soaked and water extracted for colouring 

1 cup water, or as need to immerse meat

Method

In a heavy-based pot (Degchi) heat the mustard oil over high heat until it starts smoking. No Add the meat with little salt and Cook until meat is caramelized. This might take about 15 minutes depends on the quality of meat.

Once the lamb is well-browned, reduce the heat to medium, add Kashmiri chilli, fennel seed powder, dry ginger powder, green and brown cardamoms, Cinnamon stick, stirring everything around. Continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes until very aromatic. Also add Cock's Comb flower

Fold the salt into the meat. Add the enough water to immerse meat, Cover the pan and cook on a slow flame for about 1½ hours, or until the meat is cooked and the rogan (red oil) comes to the

surface. Serve with boiled, or steamed, Basmati rice

TOPTIPS

1-use mastard oil if possible, vegitable oil doesn't give the authentic taste.

2- if possible make your own paste of chillies

3-Well browned meat is essential for aroma and taste

P.S- Next Blog Wazwan - Rista

Afghan Qabili Pilau (Kabuli Pulao/Pulav/Palao/Pilaf)

Hi, I have arrived again. Knowing that people hardly read my blog, my love for food keeps me pulling back to my blog.  So here I am again, with yet another phenomenon in food.

Qabili Pilau

Today I am set to cook "Qabili Pilau". Does it sound Familiar to you guys? Yes it does indeed because "Qabili Pilau" has turned into “KABULI PULAV” india.

It would not have mattered to me much if we have not changed the recipe of this dish. However we did. We started adding chilly and chillier and more chilly to level it to our famous spicy Indian palate. And the result- “Qabili Pilau” got lost in transition and became Spicy Kabuli Pulav.

I am going to take you guys to Afghanistan and gonna cook the authentic Qabili Pilau that could be described as Afghanistan's National Dish. Ideally it’s served with Qorma (not Korma) or vegetable dish but it can be served on its own as a meal.

Ingredients

4 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 Big Onion, diced
900 Grams Lamb
4 tsp. Char Masala (*Afghani Garam Masala, {read the footnote})
Salt and pepper
2 Carrots
100 gm. Raisins
500 gm. Basmati rice
1/2 Tsp. Saffron 

 

Method 
Rinse the Basmati Rice several times in cold water until it remains clear. Add fresh water and leave the rice to soak for at least 30 mins, preferably longer.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pot (I use pressure cooker) and fry the onions until golden brown. Remove it from the oil and Add lamb with salt and pepper. Brown well on all sides in the oil. Add water. Mix well, cover and cook on a slow flame until the lamb is tender. Grind the fried onion to a pulp, add them in a meat broth and stir well. Keep it in a warm place

Raisins and Carrots

while the meat is cooking, wash and peel the carrots and cut into pieces the size of matchsticks. Fry them in olive oil until they become soft.  If they are really tough add some eater but make sure all the water should evaporate. After they become soft, remove from oil. Add raisins to the oil and fry until they swell up. Remove from the oil and set aside.

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil and add about 1 teaspoon of salt. Drain the rice and add to the boiling water. Parboil for 2-3 minutes before draining the rice in a large sieve. 

Put the rice in a large casserole and sprinkle with char masala and saffron.

Take the meat stock and pour it over the rice a stir only once. Then place the meat on the side of the casserole and the carrots and raisins on the other. Cover with tightly fitting lid and place it in a preheated oven at 300 F for about 35 mins or leave it tightly covered pan on the top of the stove for the same length of time.

To serve remove the carrots and raisin and set to one side. Remove the meat and set to one side. Take about quarter of the rice and put on a large dish. Top with the meat, then cover with he remaining rice. Garnish the top of the rice with raisins and carrots. 

*Char Masala

Char Masala

A similar concept to gram masala of India and the five spices of china. Four mainly combined spices are cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and black cardamom seeds. 

TOP TIP

Use Lamb if you cannot get it then settle for Goat but never use chicken

make your own char masala