Kitchen Confidential

Rajasthani Kadhi

When it comes to our everyday meals, often, simple weekday dinners may seem repetitive, so much so that you tend to shun it for a while. So I like to try my hand at something new and out of the ordinary atleast a few times each month. This week I felt the need for something creative and full of spunk. With the rainy Spring showers spreading its gloom, it was only just that I whipped us a meal that would not only drive the blues away, but would also give our lazy, tired selves a boost. This subtly spiced version of Kadhi did just that. It was quick and simple enough to prepare, and clubbed with a spicy side dish of eggplants made for a wonderful rainy day dinner.

RAJASTHANI KADHI
SPICED YOGURT CURRY
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 2 

1/4 cup gram flour
1 cup plain yogurt
1 small onion, finely sliced
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt, to taste
1/4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
1 tbsp light cooking oil

MIX gram flour and yogurt with half a cup of water, and beat until there are no lumps.

HEAT oil in a heavy bottomed deep pan, and saute cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add in onions and fry till lightly browned. Add turmeric and chilli powder and fry for a few seconds.

ADD in flour-yogurt mixture, salt, dried fenugreek and another half cup of water, stirring to mix it all well. Cover, and let it come to a thorough boil over very low heatfor a few minutes till the raw taste of gram flour disappears. Stir occasionally to avoid burning, and add more water if it gets too thick.

SERVE warm with rice or rotis.

Alu Dahi Puri Chaat

Chaats are one of those purely addictive foods that I simply refuse to live without! Living outside the comfort of your home country teaches you to adapt in ways you wouldn’t have imagined. And I am no different. Although I do miss the flavours of my favourite eats, I have come to learn of ways to replicate them without having to buy a plane ticket. Here is my quick version of a delicious treat that will simply have you begging for more. It’s fast, simple enough to make, and if you’re pressed for time like me - almost all the ingredients can be easily found and bought at your nearest Indian grocery store. But be warned, it’s a mouthful this one!

ALU DAHI PURI CHAAT
INDIAN STREET FOOD
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 0 min | Serves: 1

6 puri shells (also known as golgappas or pani puri)
1 small potato, boiled and mashed
1/2 cup plain yogurt, beaten with 1-2 tbsp of water till smooth
5-6 tbsp sweet tamarind chutney (available readymade)
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp chaat masala
salt, to taste
handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
handful of sev, for garnish

MIX mashed potato well with salt and spices.

PLACE puris on a plate, making a small opening on the top of each puri big enough to add potato filling. Be careful to not break/crush puris as they can be fairly delicate to handle.

FILL each puri with a little bit of potato mixture, about 1-2 tsp of yogurt, and a touch of tamarind chutney. Drizzle leftover yogurt and chutney over  filled puris, and garnish with coriander leaves and sev.

SERVE immediately.

Mushroom & Peas Pulao

Let me tell you all a little story. Once upon a time, there was a pretty little girl who absolutely loved peas. She loved them so much that she would even unquestioningly eat steamed broccoli if it was served with a side of peas. Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. Nothing, not even serving them with deliciously sweet peas would make her eat broccoli, least of all if it was steamed! She would simply devour all the luscious peas and probably slip the broccoli chunks under her seat when no one was watching. Yes, that’s undoubtedly what she would do. But nonetheless, let’s get back to the story shall we?

On days like today, when the clouds darken the sky, and drops of rain fall helplessly on the ground, all she can think of cooking for dinner is a one pot comforting meal comprising of rice, mushrooms, and oh yes, most definitely, peas. The meal was a breeze to make, and the girl and her peas continue to live happily ever after, much to the chagrin of Hubby Dear. If only there was a law forbidding one to hate peas!

MUSHROOM & PEAS PULAO
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4

2 cups Basmati rice
2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
5-6 whole cloves
1 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste
fresh coriander leaves, for garnish.

HEAT oil in a non-stick deep pan and saute cumin seeds, garlic and onions till tender and fragrant. Add mushrooms, and fry till brown all the moisture evaporates. Stir in salt and spices, and fry for a minute.

ADD 1 3/4 cups of water, and once it comes to a boil, stir in rice and peas. Let simmer on a low heat till water evaporates and rice is cooked through. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm with a side of raita.

Mixed Bean Soup

A few days ago, I found myself scurrying from my office (even if it just a mere 10 feet away from my kitchen!) all starved and ready to shove the first thing edible I could lay my hands on. I’d had a long day, and yet the work was far from done. I only had just enough time to fix something quick and shove it in me before I would have to get back to my laptop. This soup is what kept me sane and gave me the extra boost of energy I needed. It was simple, quick and delicious, served with crusty warm garlic bread. All thanks to a well stocked pantry!

MIXED BEAN SOUP
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4

1 large can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken/vegetable stock
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste
fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges, for garnish

HEAT oil in a large non-stick pot and saute chopped onions and garlic till tender.

ADD in tomatoes, spices, and beans, and cook for few minutes to blend in spices. Stir in chicken stock and corn, and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

SEASON with salt, and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon.

Mango Chicken

Having set themes for each night of the week makes it easier for me to decide and plan a meal, ensuring I maintain a good balance between protein, carbs and vegetables. There are often days when I don’t feel like keeping with the plan, when I absolutely refuse to have a cous cous salad for dinner, or days when all we want is some take-out pizza. It’s especially when days like those happen, that my so-called organization gets thrown out the window.

Today was one such particular day. I had a lovely looking mango sitting lonely in my fridge since I had a mango salsa planned sometime during last week. Well, that didn’t quite work out, so the darned fruit was shoved into this week’s menu. As I sat to plan my meals for this week, I realized I felt a little adventurous and wanted to take a new recipe for a test drive. And thus this Mango Chicken was born.

MANGO CHICKEN WITH RED PEPPERS
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4

2 large boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large mangoes, diced into cubes
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 medium-sized onion, sliced
1-2 red chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/4 cup chicken stock/water
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish

HEAT oil in a large non-stick wok and saute chopped chillies, ginger-garlic paste and onions till lightly browned.

ADD in chicken pieces, peppers and spices, and stir-fry till chicken is cooked through. Stir in chicken stock and mango, and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

SEASON with salt, and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Restaurant Review: Ming Room

I must admit, I am a creature of habit. I loathe having to change my ways even if it means I get a better deal out of doing so. My cell phone company has remained the same for the past four years, mainly because I believe they give me a good enough deal so why bother shopping around for another and going through the pains of switching. Ditto for my food haunts.

As an enthusiastic food lover and an over-obsessed food blogger, I have my favourite eating joints penned down to the tee. These are places I go to regularly when I’m in no mood for experiments and simply want something I would absolutely love. Most times, these are also places we drop in to when we want to celebrate. It takes the pain out of deciding on some place new and appropriate for the occassion. But then again, every now and then we look to expanding our list. Sometimes even your most favourite place in the world can seem very mundane and it’s in times like these when we venture out in search of new finds.

To be honest, I had almost given up on finding a new Hakka place close to the area around where we live. The few we did try out didn’t quite seem to peak our over indulgent palates, and so we resigned to the fact that we were destined to stick with our regular hangouts. Our current favourites make us drive across town, which kind of dampens the spirit when there’s bad weather and we craving Hakka noodles! But little did I know how soon things were going to change.

I first read about The Ming Room in a recent issue of the Toronto Life. They carried a special piece on the top 100 must-try-before-you-die tastes in the area. The Ming Room’s classic dish of Manchurian Paneer featured at number 10. Being a die-hard fan of paneer in any shape, size and form, Hubby Dear needed no convincing and off we went to check it out.

Tucked in corner by the side of a Burger King, the Ming Room was a definite treat! Though small in space size, the ambience was great for a quiet casual weekend dinner. We were served complimentory crisp wonton chips on arrival and nibbled on it as we read through our placemats which happened to have the Chinese horoscopes printed on it.

Our order of soups came quick, in perfect one-serving bowls. My wonton soup had fresh wontons wrapped and boiled to perfection in a light broth. Though not an big fan of sweet corn soup, I had a taste off Hubby Dear’s bowl and was surprised to find myself impressed by it smoothness and delicate hint of sweetness.

For our main meal, we deicided to stick to the classics. We kind of figured that if they were any good then the rest would simply fall into place, and so we settled on the highly recommended Paneer Manchurian and Chilli Chicken. Each came with a side order of white rice, and both dishes were equally lip-smacking good.

The paneer was, simply put, absolutely delicious! Doused in a rich spicy sauce, the little cubes of paneer had a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth bite to it. The chicken, crisp on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside found me nibbling on it even after I decided I had already had my full. Needless to say, we enjoyed every bite and devoured every morsel we could. And if that wasn’t enough, there was enough left over for us to pack and take home, which we happily did of course!

My verdict: It has definitely earned a place on my regular pit-stops.

Next on my list: everything else on their menu, except things that have brocolli in them. I don’t like brocolli. Or I could just be that little food snob and request no brocolli. I’ll be sure to update you when I do!

The Ming Room 6461 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario, L5N 1A6 Phone:          (905) 812-1234

Hours: ~ (Major Holidays Closed) Monday to Thursday: 11am till 10pm Friday: 11am till 11pm Saturday: 1pm till 11pm Sunday: 1pm till 10pm

Black Pepper Lamb

One dish I did most enjoy recently, was this spicy lamb creation. It started out like most of my dinner rush meals. I open up the fridge, stare into it for a long couple of minutes, and then start mixing and matching flavours into a pot. I would suggest saving this for a sunny winter Sunday afternoon, when all you want to do is cuddle up with a good book while your stove slowly hums the sweet music of lunch in the making. Or maybe save it for that special dinner by the fireplace with a soft serenade in the background. No matter how and when you decide to try it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. But may I insist you tackle it when the temperatures are low into its negatives. ‘Coz that maybe the only way I can defend it’s heat level.

BLACK PEPPER LAMB
Prep time: 15 min | Cooking time: 45 min | Serves: 2

1 lb lean boneless lamb, cubed
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
5-6 curry leaves
1 tbsp garlic, finely crushed
1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup plain yoghurt, beaten
1 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste
fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges, for garnish
water, as needed

MARINATE lamb in yogurt and garlic for atleast two hours.

HEAT oil in a heavy bottomed pan, and add cumin, coriander and fennel seeds along with curry leaves, allowing them to sizzle. Add in onions and saute till brown. Add in black pepper and marinated lamb along with any remaining marinade. Cook covered on low heat for 45 minutes or till lamb is tender and cooked through, stirring occasionally and adding little water if it begins to stick to bottom of the pan.

SEASON with salt, add in green peppers and cook covered for another 5-10 minutes.

GARNISH with coriander leaves and a sprinkle of lemon juice. Serve warm with fresh pitas.

Curry Noodle Bowl

I was first introduced to the great RR a few years ago with her show 30-Minute Meals. Like many, I thought she was too perky to be sane. I thought it was crazy of her to bang pots and pans to flatten meat, and create acronyms like EVOO and GB (which I must add is a wonderful trick I learnt from her!). But what I did admire was her penchant to get real creative in the kitchen and make everyday food seem exotic and exciting.

A few days ago, as I got ready to take my lunch into my home office, I had the sudden urge to stop and see what was on TV. A quick scan and I found myself taking a seat with The Rachael Ray Show. She was just as I remembered her: quirky, overly excited and bubbly. But even then, I found myself grinning at her silly jokes. She passed around the ’snack of the day’ to her audience as I took the first bite of my lunch. By the end of the episode, I had polished my plate, relishing every bite and enjoying what I ate. I tried doing the same the next day. And the day after. And the day after that.

CURRY NOODLE BOWL
Prep time: 15 min | Cooking time: 15 min | Serves: 2

1 cup boneless cubed chicken/cubed tofu
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped bok choy
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp curry paste (red or yellow)
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups chicken/vegetable stock
2 lb noodles
1 tbsp light cooking oil
salt & pepper, to taste
fresh coriander leaves, chopped chillies and lemon wedges, for garnish

HEAT oil in a deep pan, and saute garlic and curry paste till fragrant. Add in onions and chicken/tofu, and saute till lightly brown.

ADD in coconut milk, stock and lemon grass, and let it come to a boil on low heat. Add in musrooms and noodles, and cook covered till noodles are tender and done. Stir in bok choy, and cover cook for 5 minutes.

SEASON with salt and pepper, add garnish with coriander leaves, chillies and a dash of lemon juice. Ladle in large bowls and serve piping hot.