Spicy Egg Plant

Recipe coming soon !

Chicken Kebab

Kebabs (Kebob, Kabab) need no introduction. This juicy grilled minced/ground meat preparation originated in Persia and has found its way all around the world. Muslim rulers from the Middle East (known as Mughals or Moguls) ruled India for over two centuries (1500s-1700s). They brought along with them the tastes and culture of the Middle East - the Taj Mahal (one of the seven wonders of the world) was built by one of the Mughal Emperors and at the same time Indian food, got a new dimension - Mughlai cuisine, as it is known in modern India, a rich fusion of Middle Eastern cooking styles and Indian spices. 


* Please do not use any of the images featured in my posts without my permission.


Contrary to popular belief (among college-going students and beginners), kebabs are relatively easy to make. There is no doubt, grilling kebabs adds the irresistible charred (carcinogenic!) taste to it but you can always roast them in an oven (without sacrificing taste). The Indian version of the kebab is made from either chicken or lamb meat. As a poor graduate student, lamb is not always an option for me. Hence, chicken - thigh chicken. Mark the words, thigh chicken. Yes, if you are very health conscious (and promise that you wont top the kebab with cheese) go for breast chicken-the kebab usually turns out to be dry because breast chicken is very lean. You can skip the margarine/butter in the recipe and instead add a tbsp of virgin olive oil. Personally, I skip margarine to make the recipe marginally healthier. If you are a pro (or not), and you can get the right consistency for the ground chicken mixture, put it on skewers - food is all about taste and sight. Make it look pretty. Well, not if you have an assignment due next day or research to catch up with.


Ingredients (Serves 3-4)
1. Chicken thigh ~ 1.5 lb, ground (its messy but you can mince the chicken in a blender in small batches after cutting the chicken into small cubes; fresh ground chicken makes the kebab taste better, one can also use ground chicken sold at the supermarket). Before cutting and mincing the chicken in a blender or a processor, make sure to pat the chicken with a paper towl to remove excess moisture. 
2. Onion - 1 big, finely chopped
3. Thai pepper - 3, very finely chopped (use chilli powder instead to adjust hotness level)
4. Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
5. Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
6. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp 
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
8. Garam masala - 1/8 tbsp
9. Black pepper - 1/8 tbsp
10. Salt - to taste
11. Oil - 1 tbsp


Fry the finely chopped onion till they are slightly golden brown. Add everything in a large bowl and mix the contents well. Keep aside in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours depending on time availability. In a hurry, you can use the mixture right away without marinading the chicken. To increase the consistency of the mixture, you can add bread crumbs or corn flour but avoid adding too much. Make rolls out of the mixture and put them on skewers or place them directly on a baking tray coated with a thin layer of oil. Grill it on a charcoal grill or roast in an oven at 375F for around 30 minutes, flipping the kebab rolls on the other side after around 20 minutes. Ensure that the kebabs are well cooked by cutting through a kebab.


If you are improvising with the recipe, adjusting the spiciness - be sure not to overdo it since you wouldn't be able to taste the raw chicken. What you get to taste is the end product - the kebab ! 


Go grill some kebabs on skewers for a Sunday lunch and serve hot with pickled onion* and cilantro. 


*Onion pickle: Soak the onion slices in a concoction of vinegar, salt and chilli powder. 

Shrimp Coconut Curry

Shellfish adds a fresh new dimension to otherwise regular recipes. The art of cooking fish and shellfish is to avoid over powering the natural taste by overcooking or adding too many condiments. Having grown up eating freshwater (rivers, lakes) fish and shrimp which tend to be have a delicate sweet-mildly salty taste, I have had to adapt myself to eating seafood here in the States (not to mention, frozen seafood in Illinois). Shrimp and crab curry are two of my favorite shellfish dishes. In India, you will find a whole array of cooking styles when it comes to fish and shellfish - mustard-based fish dishes in the East to tamarind and curry leaf flavored dishes in the South and coconut-based curries in the West. 


* Please do not use any of the images featured in my posts without my permission.


Ingredients (Serves 2)
1. Shrimp - 12-15, with shell on, clean up the head part or you can leave it on since the shell and the head adds a very nice flavor to the dish. If you are one of those who don't want to take the pain of removing the shell while eating, remove the shell and make sure to cook for lesser time than suggested here else the shrimp might get overcooked and turn chewy.

2. Potato - 2 medium, cut into small cubes
3. Onion - 1 medium, sliced into half moons
4. Tomato - 2 big, cut into cubes (or equivalent tomato paste)
5. Thai pepper - 2, split (adjust according to level of hotness)
6. Desiccated coconut powder - 3 tbsp (or equivalent coconut milk)
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp 
8. Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
9. Whole cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
10. Ginger - 1/2 tbsp, finely chopped
11. Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
12. Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp 
13. Salt - to taste
14. Cilantro - to garnish, finely chopped




Add oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 20 sec or until the pungent smell goes away. At this point, add the potato cubes and onion half moons with some salt and turmeric powder. Cook till the potato and onion are slightly browned and partially cooked. Drain the excess water from the shrimp and add to the mixture in the skillet. Cook the water from the shrimp evaporates and the shell turns beautiful orangish-red. 

Add the coriander powder, split thai peppers and coconut powder to the shrimp and give the mixture a good stir. Coconut powder (desiccated) tends to absorb all the moisture from the mixture turning it dry. Sprinkle a few drops of water and continue to stir to ensure that the coconut powder does not burn. After 2-3 minutes, add the tomato cubes and water (or equivalent amount of tomato paste dissolved in water) and cover the skillet with a lid. Turn the heat to low-medium and cook for 6-7 minutes such that the tomatoes become mushy and blends into the curry and at the same time allow the shrimp to absorb the coconut-tomato-pepper-spice flavor. 


Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve hot. 


- Prashun Gorai (prashun.iitm4@gmail.com)

Indo-Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

Indo-Chinese cuisine is immensely popular street food in India and is believed to have originated from Chinese people (Hakka) who migrated to southern and south-eastern Asia. It is a great fusion food - Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques adapted to the Indian taste. Trust me when I say Indo-Chinese food is completely different from actual Chinese food. Soup is an essential part of Chinese cuisine. Hot and sour soup is the Indian version. Needless to say, its hot! but you can always tone down the hotness and still enjoy the fusion-ness of this soup.


* Please do not use any of the images featured in my posts without my permission.


Indgredients (Serves 2)
1. Chicken broth - 1 can (~14.5 oz)
2. Cooked shredded chicken (optional) - you can add shredded chicken (or tofu, shrimp) to make hot and sour chicken soup
3. Carrot - 1 medium, finely chopped
4. Green bean - 5-7, finely chopped
5. Cabbage - 1 cup, shredded
6. Bell pepper - 1 cup, finely chopped
7. Scallion - 2 stems, finely chopped
8. Cilantro - 1/4 bunch, finely chopped
9. Mushroom (optional) - 3-4, cut into half

10. Ginger - 1/4 tbsp, finely chopped
11. Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
12. Napa cabbage (optional) - 4 leaves, steamed (add leaves in a skillet, sprinkle some water and cover the lid, steam cook for 4-5 minutes) 
13. Thai pepper - 2, finely chopped
14. Cayenne pepper - 2, do not de-seed

15. Egg noodle/soba (optional) - cooked
16. Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
17. Oil - 1/4 tbsp
18. Rice vinegar - 2 tbsp 
19. Salt - to taste
20. Chilli garlic sauce (optional) - to increase hotness 
21. Corn starch - 2 tbsp dissolved in 1 cup water


As you have noticed, many of the ingredients are optional. In fact, you can improvise and add/remove ingredients in your soup e.g. celery, spinach, egg. The following recipe is a slightly modified form of the Indian street food version. 


Add oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the cayenne pepper, ginger and garlic and cook for 30 sec. Add the cilantro, thai pepper and cook for another 30 sec. To this add a can of chicken (or vegetable) broth, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the all vegetables  except napa cabbage, mushroom and scallion. Allow the mixture to boil over medium-heat for 10-12 minutes. Add water to compensate for the evaporation. Adjust the salt. You may increase the hotness of the soup by adding chilli garlic sauce. Thicken the soup by adding the corn starch solution while constantly stirring the soup.

Pour the soup in a bowl and sprinkle finely chopped scallion. Serve hot with steamed napa cabbage, mushroom and soba.


Prepare the soup just before consumption. Leaving the soup overnight in the refrigerator may cause loss of flavor. 

Bhindi Masala (Spicy Okra)

Okra or ladyfinger is not a very common vegetable here in the States. This is undoubtedly my favorite Indian vegetarian dish - its simple to cook yet flavorful and rustic. I religiously visit the Indian grocery every week to get my hands on a box of fresh okra. Frozen okra doesn't count. The rustic flavor comes from the freshness of the produce. Again, as I have mentioned in my other posts, you can contact me if you need help with spice selection. 


* Please do not use any of the images featured in my posts without my permission.


Ingredients (Serves 2)

1. Okra or ladyfinger ~ 15, split (remove the head portion, as shown above)
2. Potato - 2 medium size, cut into small square or rectangular cubes
3. Tomato - 1 small sized (tomato paste can be used instead), finely chopped (do not de-seed)
4. Thai pepper - 1, finely chopped (adjust to the hotness level)
5. Onion - 1 medium, chopped into half moons
6. Whole cumin seed - 1 tbsp
7. Ginger - 1/2 tbsp, finely chopped
8. Turmeric - 1/2 tbsp
9. Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
10. Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
11. Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
12. Salt - to taste
13. Olive or vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
14. Cilantro - for garnishing


Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet over high heat. Add whole cumin. Add ginger as soon as the cumin seeds start to crackle. Cook for 30 sec until the ginger is semi-cooked. Add the potato and cook till it turns slightly golden brown. Add the onion and continue to cook till it turns translucent. You can cook till the onions turn golden brown. I like to cook only until it turns translucent and remains tender but not brown it. 

Add the split okra to potato and onion. Add 1 tbsp of oil at his point since okra absorbs a lot of oil and might cause the mixture to turn dry. Sprinkle some water into the mixture if the okra starts to stick to the bottom of the skillet. Add salt, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder and chilli powder. Stir in the spices into the mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to the mixture and cover the skillet. Allow the okra to be cooked for 4-5 minutes. Add the finely chopped tomato (or equivalent amount of tomato paste, dissolve the tomato paste in some water in a bowl before pouring into the mixture otherwise it might ball up). Cover the skillet and cook for another 6-7 minutes or until the tomato is mushy enough to blend into the mixture. Adjust the salt. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve hot.


- Prashun Gorai (prashun.iitm4@gmail.com)

Indian Chicken Curry

The first thing that comes to one's mind when we talk of Indian food is curry. Therefore, as my first post, I decided upon classic Indian chicken curry. And let me stop you before you start associating curry powder with Indian curries. Chicken curry is a flavorful dish of chicken cooked in a tomato-based gravy,  the spiciness of which can be adjusted from mild to flaring hot. The authentic version of the curry calls for a fresh mix of (few) spices which can be found in most Indian grocery stores. If you need help with selecting spices, you can contact me. 


The serving size is scaled to my big appetite. You might have leftovers ! I am not a professional cookbook writer or even a seasoned blogger so my cooking directions may sound very informal peppered with tips and more information than you would want, at times. 


* Please do not use any of the images featured in my posts without my permission.


Ingredients (Serves 4)


1. Skinless chicken thigh ~1.5 lb, sliced into bite-size pieces
(chicken thigh is more flavorful than chicken breast and goes well with the curry)
2. Onion - 1 big, chopped into big chunks
3. Tomato - 2 big, cut into 1/8th cubes 
4. Green pepper(optional) - 1 big, cut into big chunks
5. Thai pepper - 2 or 3 depending on hotness level, split
6. Ginger - 2 tbspn, coarsely chopped
7. Garlic - 3 cloves, coarsely chopped
8. Cayenne pepper - 2 
9. Chilli powder - 1 tbsp, adjust according to hotness level
10. Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
11. Coriander powder - 3 tbsp
12. Garam masala - 1/4 tbsp
13. Olive or vegetable oil - 3 tbsp
14. Salt - to taste
15. Cilantro - for garnishing


The following is a slightly modified version of the recipe I have come up with. You can always experiment and adjust.


Preparation
Add 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tbsp salt to the chicken pieces. Mix well and keep aside. 

Stir fry

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (e.g. iron skillet), add 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry the onion and green pepper cubes on high heat for 2-3 minutes till the onion and pepper are slightly charred (It will start giving off a smell like caramelized onion which you can use for other recipes too). Keep aside.

Add 2 tbsp oil to a skillet over high heat. Add ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper and cook for ~30-40 sec or until the pungent smell goes away. Add the chicken (mixed with salt and turmeric) and cook till chicken pieces are slightly browned. Keep stirring the contents of the skillet to avoid over cooking or charring the chicken. This also ensures that the chicken remains moist. 

Add the split thai peppers and give the mixture a good stir. (Thai peppers add a flavorful kind of hotness to the recipe unlike chilli powder).



Add the tomato cubes, 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tbsp chilli powder, 3 tbsp coriander powder, 1/4 tbsp garam masala and salt to taste. Add water to partially submerge the chicken and tomato cubes. Cover the skillet and cook over medium heat for 9-10 minutes. 

Adjust the water in the mixture depending on how much curry gravy you want in your dish. Taste for salt and other spices and adjust according to your level of spiciness and hotness. 
Yes, hot spicy and flavorful spicy are two completely different things. Indian food is meant to be flavorful spicy with a good balance of hot spiciness. It is a misconception that Indian food is all about flaming hot food that sets your palate on fire. 


Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot. By hot I mean, your hands should be on fire if you touch the bowl and not your palate ! ha ha 


- Prashun Gorai (prashun.iitm4@gmail.com) 

Crispy Parmesan Tofu Soba with Kale

Detailed instructions to be updated soon!


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