Penne Arrabiata - Vegetarian Version

Living in middle of cooking legends at my home failed to pressurize me and the chef in me woke up today. So I decided to make the yummiest Penne Arrabiata in the world and I felt super proud of it till I spoke to my sister.  (Well,  one of the other reasons was that eons ago, I bought the pasta box and if I had not acted sooner, it may have soon hit it's expiry date).

Anyway, I called up my sister to share my accomplishment and she went ROFLing over to say.."but didi..it's the easiest dish to make in the entire world".

(While I do agree with her,) I will still not let my sense of pride go down and hence am sharing the version of Penne Arrabiata.

Ingredients:

• 250 gm Penne (Al dente) - I used wholewheat penne
• 6 Tomatoes (medium size, blanched, roughly chopped)
• 3 Onions (Finally chopped)
• 1/2 Cup Tomato Puree
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 Cloves Garlic (can put 1-2 more too, if you really like garlic)
• 1 Tbsp Oregano
• 1 Tbsp Red Chilli Flakes
• 1 Tbsp Parsley
• Half cup Parsley leaves
• Salt (to taste, I used 1 or 2 Tbsp may be. Ok put whatever! )

Method

1. Boil penne in plenty of boiling water with 2 Tbsp salt till al dente (I did that for approx 10 mins in the penne I had). Drain and set aside to cool.While it's getting cooled, you may want to add 1 Tsp of olive oil and toss very lightly so that the penne doesn't stick with each other
2. Heat olive oil in pan. Put garlic and saute it for 30 secs
3. Put red chilli flakes and onions (on medium heat). Cook till onions are translucent
4. Keep the flame on medium heat. Put tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, oregano and parsley powder. Let this cook for 8-10 mins. Add parley leaves (save some for garnish). For fans of cheese,you can also add grated Parmesan cheese
5. Add penne slowly and toss lightly. 
6. Remove from heat, add parsley leaves as garnish (and more Parmesan - actually you can add as much as you want)  and serve hot!

Brinjal in tamarind based gravy (Tamilian recipe)

Ingredients:

Serve 3 to 4

• 6 to 8 nos - small brinjal
• 10 to 15 – Sambar onion / small onion (chopped finely)
• 1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp - Red chilli powder ( or add as needed)
• 2 tsp - Coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp - Garam masala powder
• 1 no – Tamarind ( gooseberry sized ball)
• 5 to 10 nos – Curry leaves
• Salt to taste

For grinding:

• 1 tsp - Oil
• 10 nos - Small onion / sambar onion
• 1 medium - Tomato (chopped)

Seasonings:

• 1 tbsp – Oil ( pref sesame oil)
• 1/4 tsp - Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp - Split black gram 
• 2 pinches – Fenugreek seeds 
• 5 to 6 nos - Curry leaves (fresh)
• 1 pinch – Asafoetida

Preparation method:

1. Soak tamarind in warm water and squeeze out the pulp. Set aside.
2. Wash brinjals, make 4 cuts on the back, without removing the stem (the way you would do for stuffed brinjal)
3. Heat oil in a pan, add sambar onion and tomato, saute until they are well cooked. Allow them to cool completely and grind them to coarse paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan, season with items given in the list for seasonings. Add chopped onion, brinjals along with little salt, cook over low flame stirring it now and then. Cook until brinjals are 1/2 done.
5. Now add ground onion tomato paste and saute for few seconds. Then add all masala powder given in the ingredient list and saute until raw smell goes.
6. Add 2 cups of water and required salt, bring it to boil. Cover with lid and cook until brinjals are almost cooked.
7. Now add tamarind water and cook for 5 to 10 or until raw smell of tamarind goes and when you reach desired consistency. Finally garnish with fresh curry leaves, switch off the stove and serve with hot rice.

Dhokla

My mom's recipe again.

It's easy to make, healthy and a very yummy snack

Ingredients

• 1 cup besan
• 1/3 cup sooji
• 3/4 tea spoon baking soda
• Ginger and green chilli paste (as per taste)
• 1 tea spoon oil
• 3/4 cup curd
• 1/4 tbsp Eno Fruit Salt
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• A pinch of hing
• 1.5 tbsp sugar

For garnishing 

• Mustard seeds
• Curry Leaves
• Sliced green chillies
• White sesame seeds

Process

• Mix besan, sooji, baking soda, ginger and green chilli paste, lemon juice in curd. Add a bit of water if required. The thickness should be a bit more than idli batter.
• Leave the mixture aside for 45 mins.
• Line the baking container with oil.
• Add Eno Fruit Salt mixed in a spoon of water. Mix well, the whole mixture will now become fluffy.
• Steam for 10 mins at high steam and 2-3 mins at medium heat. Check with knife if its done.
• Turn off gas and let it be for 5-7 mins.
• Take out the steamed dhokla from the container.

Garnishing

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and sliced green chillies.
• Add sesame seeds. Just roast the sesame seeds a bit, it should not become red.
• Pour the mixture on the dhokla. 
• Cut square pieces of the dhokla.
• Add 3/4 cup water with sugar. When the water boils, turn off the gas and pour it on the cut dhokla so that it absorbs the water.
• Serve with green chutney.

Rohu in mustard gravy

My mom's recipe...

Ingredients

• Rohu (cut into slices) - 1 kg
• Yellow mustard - 3 tbsp
• Garlic - 1.5 pods
• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 1
• Panch foran
• Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - as per taste
• Turmeric - 2 tbsp
• Salt - As per taste
• Mustard oil

Process

• Wash the fish slices thoroughly. Squeeze out the water by lightly pressing with hand.
• Add salt and 1 tbsp turmeric and marinate for 15 mins.
• Deep fry in mustard oil and keep aside.
• Make a fine paste of yellow mustard and garlic separately.
• Make a paste of onion and tomato
• Add panch foran in oil. Add garlic and fry for a while. When its light brown, add the mustard paste.
• Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and the remaining turmeric powder.
• Add the onion tomato paste.
• When the masala starts leaving oil, add water and salt. 
• Add the fish pieces when the water boils and let the fish pieces cook in the gravy for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with rice.

Note : If you wish, you could also add fried potato and fried brinjal pieces with the fish in the gravy.

Oriental Salmon

....as shared by #northmeetssouth

Ingredients:

1. Salmon
2. Kikoman soya sauce - a good amount about 1/4 cup 
3. Thai red chilli or any other - 4 cut into halves so it's easy to remove
4. Lemongrass/kaffir lime leaves - 3-4 
5. Half a lemon
6. Ginger - 1/2 inch grated
7. Garlic - 2 big cloves crushed 
8. Coriander leaves finely chopped
9. Halved cherry tomatoes - up to you say about 10 but this is entirely optional. 
10. Olive oil  - splash 

Preparation:

Make sure the salmon is thawed if it was frozen. Put it in a baking dish and marinate it with all of the above. Nicely massage it with everything on the ingredient list. Let it sit for 5 mins and bake for 10-13 mins in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree Celsius. Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil to keep the fish juicy. 

Serve immediately! 

Chocochip muffin

Ingredients:
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tbsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon powder (it will make all the difference as it enhances the flavour of chocolate. Dont put much as excess of it will make Cinnabon)
1 bag chocochips ( roughly 250 gms but its totally unto you. I mix white and dark chocochips)
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup white sugar(powdered)
1/3 cup brown sugar (powdered)

Preparation:
1. Just keep eggs and butter at room temperature
2. Take chocochips in a bowl and add 2 tbsp all purpose from 2 cups which we are using for the recipe. Mix it well and keep it aside. Reason of doing this is that it will prevent chocochips to sink at the bottom of the batter and it will be evenly distributed so that you can taste chocochip in every bite :)
3. Preheat oven to 180 degree C
4. Keep you muffin tray ready with muffin lines. No need to oil but put oil at the edges of the tray.

Methods:
1. Take flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix them and keep it aside.
2. In another bowl add eggs, sugar, milk, butter, sour cream and vanilla extract and mix it well.
3. Then add both the sugars and mix until well combined.
4. Now add all the dry ingredients and mix until everything combines.
5. Just ensure dont over mix. Your cake will be soft and fluffy it not over mixed. More you mix, harder your cake will become.
6. Finally add flour mixed chocochips and mix well.
7. Take an ice cream scoop and scoop out the batter into the muffin tray. Advantage of this is that your muffins will be evenly sized.
8. Put the muffin tray in the oven and it will take around 20 mins to bake.

Garnishing:
Just eat as is :)

Fudgy Brownie

Ingredients:

140 gms unsalted butter at room temperature
200 gms bittersweet dark chocolate
1 cup sugar( can use combination of brown and white as well)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp of salt
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp warm water
1 tsp expresso coffee
2/3 cup all purpose flour
* Yes you read it right , there is no baking powder/soda in it. It will be a dense moist chocolate brownie not a typical cakey one

Preparation:
1. Keep butter and eggs at room temperature
2. Microwave the dark chocolate so that its warm and easy to manage. You can use double boiler as well
3. Mix expresso powder and 2 Tbsp warm water and keep it aside
4. Preheat oven at 180 degree C
5. Use a square tin of 8 * 8 inches and put a butter paper or oil the tin.

Method:
1. Take a bowl and beat butter and sugar together till soft and fluffy
2. Add eggs, vanilla extract and expresso mixture. Beat till everything is combined.
3. Add melted chocolate into it and mix.
4. Add all dry ingredients but do not over mix.
5. Pour the batter into the baking tin. It will take around 40-45 mins to bake.
6. Insert a fork or knife and check. Moist crumbs are ok but it should not be a wet batter.
7. Cool it for about 5 mins before taking it out from the tin.

Garnishing:
I prefer it as is but if you want to make it more presentable , sprinkle icing sugar using a sieve over the top of the brownie and cut them in square bars. Serve it with a warm chocolate sauce drizzle and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Bohri Biryani

This yummy biryani recipe is borrowed from a Bohri family, hence the name...

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• 1/2 kg mutton
• 1/2 kg rice
• 250 gms onion
• 1/2 cup curd
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• garlic ginger paste 1.5 tbsp
• 7-8 cloves
• 5-6 small cardamom
• a small stick of cinnamon
• red chilli powder (as per taste)
• coriander powder 1.5 tbsp
• cumin powder 1.5 tbsp
• 3/4 cup milk
• few strands of kesar
• ghee 2-3 tbsp
• salt to taste
• 4-5 cashew nuts (for garnishing)

Method

• Cut onions in long and thin slices and deep fry it.
• Prepare garam masala powder by grinding cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.
• Marinate all the ingredients together except rice and tomatoes. Add tomatoes after half and hour. Marinate for minimum 3 hours.
• Add kesar to hot milk for about 30 mins.
• Par boil rice in a lot of water and a little bit of salt. Strain and keep aside.
• Put some oil in the bottom of pressure cooker, put a layer of marinated mutton and then add a layer of rice.
• Pour kesar milk on top of the rice; this prevents the rice from becoming too dry. Add ghee on top of rice as well.
• Put the pressure cooker on high flame till you get 2 whistles; then keep on low flame for 7-10 mins and switch off the gas. Let the pressure cooker cool completely.
• Serve hot with onion tomato raita and garnish with golden fried cashew nuts + onions.