Sunday, January 08, 2012

Happy New Year and the Beet Posto

I wanted to start the New Year on this blog with something very profound and meaningful, maybe even a bit philosophical with a swirl of spiritual thrown in. Something which would ensure that I wasn't really high on Tequila on the 31st, which btw I wasn't. Honest. I wanted to say stuff like "What does Happy New year mean "? What is "happy" after all ? Who decides "Happy" and what is it with "Prosperous" ? Why the rat race to prosper, why push someone towards it ?

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Cups courtesy S&A


And then I spent so much time pondering over such deep, meaningful stuff that I scratched all that crap and said nothing.

Given that I was also tired, I kept shut. Ten days that involves trips to Washington DC, two mid-night drives to New York city to just check out the lights, stuffy noses, runny noses, Christmas party, movie nights, Mission Impossible and lots of food does that to you. We really did have a lot of fun during the winter break and the kids enjoyed it a lot. Both my girls are very "cling-to-family-with suction cap" types and BigSis is the kind who would really thrive in a joint family. So the time she got to spend with grandparents and pishi and cousin were very precious to her.

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New york sells hot dogs and pretzels and what nots in cold December @11:30 in the night.

All this meant I kept away from the internet and was making a nice habit out of it until today when I felt if I haven't wished you guys loads of Happiness on the new Year I might as well provide you some entertainment by telling you about some of the comments I got while I was away.

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Here is a sample which has uplifted me to no end in the New Year.

by Order Female Viagra --You have a very good blog that the main thing a lot of interesting and useful!

by Hoover-F5914900-Steamvac -- wow nice..you won't believe how long this dish has been running in my head. I just have to make it soon! And this on Kadhai paneer
. Things have really gotten dirty here ! That "running" cracked me up.

by milwaukee carpet cleaners - These meaty mushrooms marinate in oil, onion, garlic and vinegar for an hour before they are tossed on a hot grill to cook to perfection.
What is with carpet cleaners and my blog. Hell..ll...o?

by Classified Ads Delhi --Almost people like to write what he said, But I like to listen what they said, Your post is very good. Thanks! Yeah "Thanks" to you too , very profound.

Now that you know you are in good company, lets talk about food.

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Very abstract look at Beet root and poppy seeds. Pic take way back in Fall.

A couple of you had asked about the Beet posto in my last post. It is my Ma's recipe. My Ma is always brimming with things to cook. To give her some rest in the kitchen, the only way out is to lock it. That alas cannot be done with the open plan here. The cookie cutter architect did not know of my Mother.

My Ma made this Beet Posto a couple of times when it struck me that it might be a good thing to share with you guys here. So one fine morning I gave her a tape measure, a scale, a vernier caliper and asked her to please note down the measures when she makes her beet posto.

She made the Beet Posto. The recipe was something like this. The tape measure had been forgotten.

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Peel and chop Beet Root in thin slices. Now heat some white oil in a fry pan. Temper the oil with Kalonji/Nigella seeds and few green chilies slit. Add finely sliced onions and fry the onion till it is soft and translucent. Add the beet slices. Toss nicely, add salt to taste and cook till beet is almost done. You can actually follow this recipe of beet gajor chechki if you are confused.

Now comes the posto part. Dry grind posto to a dry powder and mix with water to make a thick paste. Alternately make a wet paste of posto with a couple of green chilies thrown in. When the beet is almost done, add the poppy seed paste and fry for couple of minutes. Sprinkle some water as necessary, add salt to taste and cook till the vegetables are all done.

The dish is a dry one and can be enjoyed with both roti and rice.

Oh and you guys Please do Have the Loveliest New Year. To be Happy you don't need to start on Jan 1st. Begin today.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

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The year is almost at the end and I love that there is so much of holiday spirit and excitement which leaves little time to look back on the year that is past. I am not great at the whole "looking back" thing. You give me a moment to pause and ponder and I go hyper, over-analyzing things I should have done the other way. I like it better this way when everything happens so fast that I have little time to even think of the year 2011 until I have to write a check or something at which point I go, 2012, really, 2011 is over ? And so where did my money go and such crap.

But it is Christmas and so we will not talk about money because what is money but "some paper" to buy gifts.Instead we will talk about Santa, the jolly old fellow and the conversation he brings about in our home.

Me: "Little S, tomar ki chai Santa Claus er theke?" (What do you want from Santa Claus this year?)

LS: "Errrm..presents"

Me: "Ki present?" (What presents?)

LS: "Santa Claus er ki ache? (What does Santa Claus have?)"

Me: !!!###!!

Pertinent question. Why ask for something which the guy does not have.

BigSis who just turned eight does not believe in Santa any more. To test it out, this year she is not telling me what she wants. She is sending her request to Santa directly. No via media. I don't know why she is taking such risks but she is doing it.

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Big Sis turned eight this week.I had started this blog a few weeks before she turned three. Time does fly. She had her party at a pottery studio where she and her friends had great fun painting mugs. I cannot wait to see the final product all fired and glazed. Little S sat and painted one whole 10 oz mug. I was itching to intervene like the proverbial Desi Mother but stayed back most of the time. Hallelujah !!

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We are having a busy vacation this time with lots of family, so many that we will not even fit in our 7-seater when we go out. And so I need to cook a lot. I don't have a menu yet. But I am putting up some sample menus for the holidays which I actually might want to follow. Some days I am sure to chuck it all and make a one pot pasta for dinner. And then on others there is my favorite "Thai-Thai".

Have a Happy Holiday everyone with loads of good food and cheer.



Day # 2

 Onion-Cucumber-Tomato salad
 Bangali Pulao -- I will try Pree's Microwave version
 Mutton Korma
 Tomato Chutney
 Orange Fruit Cake from Edible Garden



Day # 4

 White Rice
 Begun Bharta with Scrambled Eggs
 Beet Posto
 Murgir Jhol
 Ilish Bhaape

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Chingri Macher Polao -- Prawn Pulao

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The inspiration of this Prawn Pulao came from Mishmash's CheMmeen Biryani. I call it "CheenMeen" which sounds so lyrical that it is hard to get it out of my head. It is like raindrops but better.
However I will stick to Prawn Pulao or better Chingri Maacher Polao because the recipe is quiet different from her Biryani and you would better check out her page for the Biryani.

Also if I said "CheenMeen Pulao" I would keep it in a memory box and never eat it ever.

But this is such a delicious thing that you have to eat. Simply have to. Even if you are on a diet or something.

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Instead of a Biryani I make it a One Pot Pulao.Okay actually two because I used a separate Fry pan to fry the rice. But that is all right. You can eat straight from the pan if you wish to and that way skip two plates. You decide on the logistics while I get on with the recipe because this post has way too many pictures that speaks thousand words.

The Biryani spice powder is what weaves a magic in this Pulao. I have made the Biryani Powder like Mishmash's this time. However you can use the biryani powder one I have here and also add a bit of star anise to intensify the flavor. The spice Powder I added in two steps, once to the gravy and then to the rice. I have also used ghee(and oil) moderately. If you are feeling luxurious add one more tablespoon of ghee but no need to go overboard with it.

Last but not the least is the quality of rice used. Remember I used to crib about my rice grains breaking in a Pulao. Well those days are gone with the current brand of Rice I have. No one is paying me for this but Lal Qila Basmati truly works very very well in a Pulao or Biryani. Has got to do something with being aged and good quality or something. So if you have the problem of your rice turning to mush or breaking do get a good brand Basmati.

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Read more...







Prawn Pulao -- Chingri Maacher Polao


The Prep

Make a  dry spice powder
1/2 tsp Fennel
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp ShaJeera
4 cloves
4 green cardamom
2" thin stick cinnamom
1 tbsp Javetri/Mace
a little Nutmeg
We will add this spice powder in two steps to the Pulao. We will also sprinkle a pinch of it on the fried shrimp

25 medium sized prawn -- marinate with salt and turmeric and a 1/4 tsp of that spice powder

Wash and soak 1&1/4 cups of rice in water


Step 1


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Heat 1 tbsp Oil. Saute the shrimp till they turn pink-yellow. Remove and keep aside.


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That oil now has a beautiful flavor, add 1 more tbsp ghee to same pot. Wait for it to heat up. temper the ghee/oil with
2 Bay Leaf
1 Big Brown Cardamom

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In 30-60 sec add
2 cups of thinly sliced onions.
Sprinkle 1/4 tsp of sugar and fry the onions till soft and golden. About 4-5 minutes

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Next add
2 tsp of Ginger-Garlic Paste. Ideally you should make paste of ginger-garlic--green chili. I skipped the chili. Please add 3-4 green chili ground to paste if you wish.
Fry for a minute

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Add 1 tomato chopped. Sprinkle some salt and cover and let the tomato cook. This will take 4-5 minutes at end of which the tomato will be totally disintegrated.

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Next goes in
half of the dry spice powder
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Mirch
1 tsp of dried mint/ 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp chopped corriander
Saute for couple of minutes

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Add 1 cup of coconut milk thinned with water. Let the gravy come to a boil. At this point add salt to taste and the fried shrimp. Let the gravy thicken.

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Once the gravy is thick, remove the shrimp and keep aside. Shrimp becomes rubbery when cooked too much so we will add it back to Pulao at the last step.

Step 2


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Mean while in a separate fry pan heat 1 tbsp Ghee. Temper the ghee with few cloves(4) and green cardamom. Drain the rice and add it to the fry pan. Fry the rice at low heat till all the grains of rice are nicely coated with ghee.This will take about 3 minutes.

Step 3

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Add the fried raw rice to the gravy in Step 1. Add the remaining spice powder. Mix gently. Now add water (1.5:1 ratio of water to rice), cover and let the rice cook. When adding water, be careful because the gravy already has some water so adjust and extra water accordingly.

Once the rice is almost done, add the shrimp(that you had removed and kept aside) along with any gravy it has. Add 1/2 tbsp of ghee. Let the rice finish cooking. Taste a little. If needed add more salt. Also add 1/4 tsp sugar. Once done fluff with a fork.


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