Kitchen Confidential

Chana Dal Tadka

We don’t bicker much, Hubby Dear and I, when it comes to food, except of course when the topic of concern is Dal. Dal, or lentils, is a common staple in Indian cuisine. Be it the North, South, West or East, this is one item you can find on the menu. True, it comes in its variations, but it’s a staple nonetheless. And there’s certainly no denying that on a cold rainy day like today, it is the ultimate comfort food.

Hubby Dear and me love our dals, and most importantly, we have our favourites. He loves his Yellow Arhar/Toor dal, and I’m passionate about my Red Masoor. To give tem their due importance, I alternate between the two each week. One may think it might be hard to keep track of whose turn is up next, but since I’m the sole incharge when it comes to all things culinary, I demand the benefit of doubt.

There have been numerous days when Hubby Dear thinks, no, he actually believes, that I’ve been partial to my own needs infront of his wishes. Well, maybe i have. But then again, when you rule the kitchen, there’s not much that can be done about it! So, to avoid matters taking a toll for the worst, I turn to the only intermidiary I know. The Chana dal. Or more explicitly, the Split Pea. This lentil is one that we both happliy agree on. It may take it’s own sweet time to soften down, but the end result never fails to bring a smile to our faces that had been just recently wiped off due to the “episode”.

CHANA DAL TADKA
SPLIT-PEA LENTILS

Prep time: 20 min, Cooking time: 15 min | Serves: 2-4   

1 cup chana dal, boiled in a pressure cooker till tender 1 medium-sized onion, finely sliced 1 tomato, chopped 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1/4 tsp red chilli powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 3-4 dried red chillies salt, to taste 1 tbsp light cooking oil water, as needed 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves, for garnish

HEAT oil in a deep pan and saute cumin and fennel seeds, along with dried red chillies, till they begin to splutter. Add sliced onions and green chillies, and fry till lightly browned.

THROW in tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmwric powder, ginger-garlic paste, and salt, and cook till tomatoes pulp and spices blend well.

ADD the tender dal, alongwith with some of the water used to boil it in if left, depending on the desired consistency.

LET simmer for 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat, and then garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve warm over rice, or with rotis, and enjoy!

Alu Fry

Good food is nice. Delicious exotic food is even better. But when you’ve overfed yourself with a variety of scrumptiously rich delicacies, the mind begins to move to a more subtle and simple option.

Last night, as we came home after a long day of running errands, just in time for a quick hearty meal, our palates began to repulse at the slightest thought of anything even remotely extravagant.

In most North Indian households, the availability of the three basics - onions, tomatoes and potatoes, along with the most basic of spices cannot be missed. Truly, just with these three, one can can create a pretty hearty meal to feed the whole family. And the choices are never limited. By altering and changing the flavourings and spices, a variety of dishes can be concocted from these basics.

So it’s no surprise that when I look for simplicity, I undoubtedly turn to the basics.

ALU FRY
SAUTEED POTATOES

Prep time: 10 min, Cooking time: 15 min | Serves: 4   

3-4 mid-sized red potatoes, diced and boiled 1 small onion, finely sliced 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp red chilli powder salt, to taste 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between fingers 2 tbsp light cooking oil

HEAT oil in a non-stick pan and saute cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds till they start to sizzle. Add onions and fry till brown.

ADD red chilli powder and turmeric powder, and then throw in potatoes, stirring well to coat with spices.

ADD salt and let potatoes fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with fenugreek leaves, stir well and let cook for another minute or two.

SERVE warm.

Egg Masala

I can never stress enough how quick and simple meals are important in my household. Though we love our slow-cooking wonders over the weekends, we often come home during the week with little less than just a craving of good food, with no energy what so ever to deal with it’s creation.

Call me crazy but even scramble eggs can be made to look elegant by me. Yes, I have a sickness. I’m somehow very uncomfortable with the fact of showing off simple food just the way it is. When Hubby Dear comes home each evening to a table laden with the best of flavours on a platter, he often thinks that I’ve slaved over the hot stove for hours. I always smile a cunning smile, because even though my food looks and tastes like it’s been simmering for hours, only my stove knows how long it’s actually been running to bring our dinner from pot to plate.

I always glorify myself in the thought of having made a splendid meal that looks like I’ve spent half my life over. But only I know how much I resent having to actually make a slow-cooked meal from scratch! I can’t even remember the last time I made my own stock.

Yesterday, when we were having our usual “something different for dinner” mood swing, it only seemed reasonable to make something out of the ordinary. Elegant, yes. Simple, definitely!

EGG MASALA
SPICY EGG CURRY

Prep time: 15 min | Cooking time: 15 min | Serves: 2-4 

4 eggs, boiled 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 large tomatoes, diced 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 5-6 dried curry leaves 1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp madras curry powder 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp mustard seeds salt, to taste water, as needed 2 tbsp light cooking oil

HEAT oil and saute mustard seeds and curry leaves till they begin to sizzle. Add onions, and fry till lightly browned.

ADD chilli powder and madras curry powder, and fry for a minute. Throw in chopped tomatoes and cook till they pulp and start to give out oil from the sides.

ADD salt and tomato paste and cook for a minute or two. Add in water depending on the consistency desired, and boiled eggs, and cover cook for 5-6 minutes.

SERVE warm with fresh fluffy rotis.

Alu Cutlet/Burger

The day I heard Mc Donald’s came to India, I wanted to instantly take a trip downtown. Not because I can’t live without the dreaded Big Mac, but because I knew what happens to international food chains in India. They automatically take on the Desi avatar on landing! One look at the menu on the wall, and I knew why the place was filled not with just college-going-trying-to-ape-the-west-as-best-as-possible youngsters, but also the timid looking grandma prying open her sandwich.

Hubby Dear and me have made a Friday-night ritual of sorts that we try to follow as close as possible. It has to do with a lot of lounging on the couch in front of the big screen TV, gorging on the best of junk food. Before you go on to tell me how bad (read: comforting!!) a weekly intake of junk food can be for me, let me clarify.

Our menus certainly include the usual burgers, pizza and wings, as well as the much adored quesadillas, tacos, shawarma, and spanokopitas, to name a few. The only difference though, is that nothing is as it sounds. Our pizzas are loaded with the trendiest of toppings ranging from panner tikka, grilled veggies and the occasional tandoori chicken slices. Our quesadillas and tacos lack in cheesiness, but gear up in heat. And our burgers, well, let’s just say it would make that saree-clad grannie and her denim-donned teenage grandson, very happy campers!

ALU CUTLET/BURGER
SPICY POTATO CUTLETS

Prep time: 20 min, Cooking time: 15 min | Serves: 4   

2 mid-size potatoes, boiled and mashed 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp garam masala 1/4 tsp amchur powder salt, to taste 1 cup bread crumbs oil, for frying

MIX potatoes with chopped onions, spices, salt and coriander leaves. Form into thin circular patties and set aside.

DIP each patty in bread crumbs to coat all over, and shallow fry till crisp on both sides.

SANDWICH between warm buns, and serve with a side of tangy Tamarind Chutney or any relish of choice.

Palak Paneer

Even great cooks don’t eat it all, sometimes! I am a very picky eater. Yes, strange as it may seem to you, it’s true. Up until a while ago, I wasn’t even adventurous with my palate. I would stick to flavours I understood and forgo the rest. Part of my reasoning on whether or not I would enjoy a dish, came from how it looked.

Being born and bred in the Arabian Gulf, everyone simply assumes I am the Guru when it comes to Mid-Eastern fare. But, in fact, I’ve only had hummus (and can now gulp down bowls of it!) for about 2-3 years now. In Canada. Yes, strange again, I know, but also true! You see, when we were growing up, hummus was almost a weekly guest at our table. My parents and siblings loved it, and relished every mouthful. I, on the other hand, thought it to be gooey (my husband would scorn with gooey not being a word!), and hence, never dared to give it a try.

But since being with Hubby Dear, the adventurous soul that he is, I’ve begun to mellow down a lot. It was with him that I took my first scoop of hummus, and decided, that though being gooey, I quite liked it. In fact, now it very easily makes it”s way into my kitchen every week!

Ever since I’ve started this blog, I’ve begun cooking things that I normally wouldn’t. I now see my weekly grocery trips as a chance for me to explore and learn. I pick up veggies that I would run away from and try and create new ways of enjoying it.

When we were growing up, spinach was one such vegetable that I would often hide from. I would cry and cry until my Mom got tired enough to allow me to leave it aside. Then I moved to India and was introduced to a dish I can swear by. Till today, it’s one of the few ways I would eat spinach without a gun on my head.

So today, as I was scanning my fridge, thinking of what to make for dinner, my eyes set upon the lonely bunch of spinach lying there, bought only a few days ago. I decided to tackle it head on. And what do you know, the rest as they say, is history!

PALAK PANEER
INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE IN A SPINACH-BASED SAUCE

Prep time: 20 min, Cooking time: 15 min | Serves: 4   

1 large bunch of fresh spinach 500 gms of Paneer, cut in 1-inch cubes and fried till brown 1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced 1 small tomato, finely chopped 1-inch sized ginger, sliced

1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 2 tbsp plain yoghurt salt, to taste 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 2 tbsp light cooking oil

BOIL spinach leaves, and once cooled, grind into a fine puree with ginger.

HEAT oil in a deep pan and fry cumin and coriander seeds till they start to sizzle. Add onions and tomatoes and fry till oil begins to separate. Add salt, red chilli powder and coriander powder and cook for another minute.

ADD pureed spinach, yoghurt and paneer. Stir to coat paneer pieces well and cover cook for 5-10 minutes, adding water as necessary.

SERVE with warm fluffy rotis and a side of spicy mango pickle.

Hot & Sour Chicken Curry Soup

It’s funny how the palette knows of season change even before the mind is ready and willing to accept it. A few days ago, I found myself craving for soup. No matter how much I tried talking myself out of it, it only grew stronger. Suddenly visions of warm spicy curry drowned rice began dancing in front of my eyes.

Growing up, I remember coming home to the warm comforting aroma of Mom’s chicken soup simmering on the stove on cold winter evenings. She would throw in a variety of vegetables and serve ladles of it over warm rice. It was a sure shot way to melt away the frozen senses.

The minute I walk in from the wet cold air outside, I can’t help but be overcome with a calmness that’s only characteristic of ambiance in my home. As I stroll into my kitchen and look at my stove, as if waiting for some kind of sign for tonight’s dinner, I picture Mom pouring ladles full of warm hearty soup in big bowls around the dining table. That was it then, it had to be done. That was the sign and there would be no ignoring it. We were having soup, that would be hearty enough to double up as curry. I set out my ingredients and got to work.

A couple of minutes later as Hubby Dear walked in through the door, he was greeted with a warm aroma floating in the air. And I couldn’t help but notice the smirk on his face when he walked into the kitchen and saw a big pot of hearty goodness simmering on the stove.

HOT AND SOUR CHICKEN CURRY SOUP

Prep time: 10 min, Cooking time: 25 min | Serves: 2-4 

2 Chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced 1 large tomato, roughly chopped 5-6 dry curry leaves 2 stalks lemon grass, cut into chunks 2-3 fresh green chillies, slit midway

1 tsp fresh garlic, finely chopped 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp tamarind extract 2 tbsp light cooking oil 1 tsp mustard seeds salt, to taste water, as needed

ADD mustard seeds and curry leaves to warm oil and allow to sizzle. Once they begin to splutter, add sliced onions and fry till lightly browned.

ADD tomatoes, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric and salt, and cook for 5-6 minutes till tomatoes pulp. Add chicken and tamarind extract and stir to blend well. Allow chicken to fry for a few minutes till firm.

ADD water, green chillies and lemon grass, and cover cook for 15-20 minutes till chicken is cooked through, adding water if necessary.

SERVE in big bowls over warm rice.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

As I rushed to enter the lobby of my condo this morning after a short trip to the convenience store, it suddenly dawned on me how cold it’s been lately. It’s no surprise that when it’s cold out, you want to come home to warmth and comfort. And what better way to get cozy that with a big pot of curry simmering on the stove. Personally, I love the season of Winter. The white snow, endless cups of warm frothy coffee, fresh baked pies, and curries. Yes curries!

In my home, it’s a known fact that throughout the months of winter, you will always find a big pot of rich creamy goodness perched up on my stove-top. Friends know that when they drop by, they will undoubtedly be served rice topped with ladles of curried glory. Indeed, there is something very soothing about digging into a bowl of rich, spicy gooeyness.

I love playing with the many flavours available and sometimes even surprise myself by trying out something so unconventional that ends up tasting as one of my best creations ever. This dish was one with similar tale to tell. And as I go in for a second helping, I wonder how come I didn’t think of it before.

MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY

Prep time: 15 min, Cooking time: 15 min | Serves: 4   

1 cup Paneer, cubed 2 cups mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, baby corn, mushrooms, mixed peppers) 1 cup potatoes, diced 1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced 1 large tomato, roughly chopped 2-3 green chilles, finely chopped 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp plain yoghurt

salt, to taste 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp light cooking oil water, as needed 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnish

HEAT oil in a large pot and add cumin seeds, allowing it to sizzle. Add onions and fry till it begins to turn pink. Add tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste and cook for a few minutes till it begins to pulp.

ADD potatoes, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder, and stir to coat well. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.

MIX in yoghurt and stir till spices blend well. Add paneer, mixed vegetables and a cup of water. Cover cook for 8-10 minutes till potatoes turn tender, stirring occasionally. Feel free to add more water if desired.

GARNISH with fresh coriander leaves and serve warm over rice, with a side of Papad and Mango Pickle.

Spicy Pepper Mushrooms

The chilling cold and the unwelcome snow has led us wanting to find a deep warm hole somewhere and bury ourselves in it. But the only obvious choice we have is to fight it, fight it with that we have. And what is it I have, that you ask? I’m glad you did! It’s none other than the star of every show around here. Yes dears, it’s spicy, and it’s a definite killer of the heat waves!

Just as it gets real cold outside, I begin to crave more and more heat not only within my home but in my food as well. Making something spicy enough was the easy task. Deciding what it was that was going to take on the avatar, was the test. I picked up a batch of lovely fresh mushrooms over the weekend, and was pondering on what I could do with t. I’ve always loved mushrooms. But getting Hubby Dear to enjoy it even half as much as I do, always challenged me. We are one of those couple who go out for pizza and say, ‘mushrooms on one half, NO mushrooms on the other’! So even though I somehow accepted that Hubby Dear might not be thrilled with the idea of coming home to a plate of mushrooms for dinner, I was determined to make him beg for more!

Long story short, we can now both enjoy mushrooms over glasses of chilled water! I guess sharing a mushroom pizza would have to wait a while!

SPICY PEPPER MUSHROOMS

Prep time: 10 min, Cooking time: 10 min | Serves: 2      

2 cups mushrooms, sliced 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped 1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped 2 tbsp green onion, chopped

2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp black pepper salt, to taste 1 tbsp light cooking oil 1 tsp pur sesame oil 2 tbsp cooking oil

HEAT oils in a non-stick pan and saute chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic till fragrant. Add chopped onions and fry till lightly brown.

ADD mushrooms, and stir-fry till they begin to cook and lose moisture.

ADD salt, pepper, and soya sauce and cook for a minute.

GARNISH with chopped green onions and serve along-side fried rice or noodles.

Sukhe Alu

Most days, by the time I get home in the evenings, I am starved and craving for warm home-cooked meal. And most often than not, I am too tired to dish out something wholesome.

Since hubby dear has been out of town since the past two weeks, I’ve found myself spending much less time in my kitchen. The reason being when I’m alone, I couldn’t care much about how, when and even if I eat. I can be just as happy opening up a pack of instant noodles or having a grilled cheese sandwich.

But last night, after many days of eating left-over and processed foods, I was craving for a good home-cooked meal. Something wholesome, fulfilling and delicious. And not to mention, quick! Oh yes, it just had to be quick. I was tired and hungry. And no one messes with me when either the one. Not even Mr. Time!

As I set a pot of my favourite Dal to cook alongside some steaming rice, I thought of making a real quick side. No guesses as to what it would be made of. I walked into my pantry and found them - a nice big bowl of red baby potatoes!

Potatoes are one of the staples of the classic Indian meal. It is also the most versatile and beautiful vegetables I know. I let a batch of them boil just till tender and the stage was then set for a wonderfully delicious and fulfilling dinners!

SUKHE ALU
SAUTEED POTATOES

Prep time: 20 min, Cooking time: 10 min | Serves: 2   

8-10 red baby potatoes, boiled and peeled 2-3 dried red chillies 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp aniseeds

1/2 tsp red chili powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder salt, to taste 1 tbsp light cooking oil

CUT boiled potatoes into quarters and set aside.

HEAT oil in a pan and add dried red chillies, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and aniseeds, and fry till they start to sizzle.

ADD in red chili powder and potatoes, and stri-fry till spices mix well with potatoes.

ADD salt and cover cook for five minutes.

SERVE warm as a side with Dal, and rice or Rotis.