Oatmeal Upma

I've been trying to use oatmeal a lot these days. I have trouble with it as a cereal and I have 2 whole packets that I wanted to use up one way or the other. I tried dosa, which came out ok, so I moved on to upma. It was pretty good. I've tried it a few times now and it was consistently good, giving me a chance to post it. It follows the standard recipe for upma, just substituting the sooji with coarsely powdered oatmeal. I topped it off with some toasted nuts. You can use peanuts, cashews, walnuts or almonds. I made this a while ago and I'm not totally sure about the proportion of water and oatmeal. It might be off by about half a cup, so need to adjust it depending on the consistency.




Ingredients:

Oatmeal, coarsely powdered in a blender - 1 and half cups
Water - 3 cups
Onion, chopped - 1
Green chilies, chopped -2
Ginger, a small piece, about an inch, chopped
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves. Saute for a minute. Add chopped onions, green chilies, ginger. Saute until the onions turn translucent.
2. Add water, salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low.
3. Add oatmeal in a steady stream, with constant stirring to prevent any lumps. Cover, turn up the heat to medium and cook until the oatmeal is set and cooked.
4. Garnish with toasted nuts and serve hot with chutney.
   

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is just the classic Nestle Toll House recipe that's on the bag of chocolate chips. There isn't really anything new to say about this; they are just great, are chewy when baked for the right number of minutes, are crunchy when baked for a few minutes longer. I used half the amount of ingredients to get about 2 dozen cookies.

Here's the recipe.

Paneer Butter Masala

Growing up, I've never liked paneer. I thought it was chalky and didn't care for it much. I revisited it recently when I bought it on an impulse. I let it sit in the fridge for a few days until it came to the point where I had to cook it or throw it away. So came about the Paneer butter masala. While I religiously avoided all kinds of paneer dishes at Indian restaurants, from Palak Paneer to Paneer Tikka Masala, I found to my surprise, that I actually liked it when I cooked it. But G still doesn't care for it much and I rarely cook anything for myself, so I don't know if I'll be using paneer that often. I made paneer burji with the remaining paneer, which I ate all by myself as G wouldn't touch it. I can't decide if that's a good thing or not.


Ingredients:

Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) - 1 and 1/2 cups
Tomato paste - 2 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup + 1/2 cup
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Onions, fine choppped - 1
Oil - 1 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Cut the paneer into cubes. Heat oil in a skillet and saute the paneer cubes until they are lightly browned. Drain and keep aside.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add chopped onions and saute until tender. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for few more minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, cumin powder, coriander powder. Add milk, stir to mix thoroughly and simmer until the gravy thickens.
4. Add the paneer cubes, salt and red chili powder. Add more milk to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Simmer for additional 5-7 minutes. Can add cream instead of milk.
5. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm with roti.
   

Paratha With Squash/ Flat Bread With Squash

Ingredients:

Wheat flour/ Atta - 3 and 1/2 cups
Opo Squash, peeled, grated - 1 and 1/2 cups
Salt - 1 tsp
Cayenne pepper - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1tsp
Coriander powder - 1tsp
Oil - 1 tsp to the dough
PAM - spray, to fry the parathas


Preparation:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, grated squash and the rest of the ingredients and knead to make a dough. Do not add any water. Knead again and let the dough rest for 3o minutes.
2. When ready, pull small pieces from the dough and make small balls, about the size of a golf ball. Lightly dust the work surface and roll out each ball into a circular shape with a rolling pin.
3. Heat the griddle. Place the paratha and spray with PAM lightly at the edges and at the center. Flip it after about 3 minutes when dark brown spots appear. Let cook for 2 more minutes until brown spots appear on the other side as well. Serve hot with any curry, rice or pickle.
   

Thai Red Curry

We love Thai curries, and while I've tried versions of those with coconut milk, I never got around to buying lemon grass and making those pastes myself. I've tried making the green curry paste but it didn't quite turn out alright. I've postponed making the pastes myself this time and instead went with the store bought one. The only drawback with this one was that, we didn't find it spicy/hot enough. I guess that's easily remediable by adding a little bit of cayenne pepper or more chillies. I also can't figure out why I get a mottled/spot like appearance of the coconut milk if I let it simmer for longer than 10 minutes. Otherwise, it's a keeper and a quick recipe. I used assorted vegetables ( whatever I had at that time) and didn't use fish sauce. Since I used potato and it got slightly overcooked, the gravy was thicker and creamy.

Ingredients:

Thai Red Curry Paste - 1 tbsp
Chinese Eggplant, small - 1
Potato, small - 1
Beans - handful
Carrot - 1
Peas - handful
Light Cocconut Milk - 1 can
Brown sugar -1/2tsp
Oil - 1/2tbsp

Preparation:

1. Chop the vegetables and keep them aside.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add red curry paste and saute until fragrant, for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the chopped vegetables. Add just a little bit of water to immerse the vegetables. Cover and cook for about 5-10 minutes until they are almost cooked.
4. Add coconut milk. Add brown sugar. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Serve hot with steamed white rice.
   

Omelette Rolls

I bought my very own cook book for the first time, and while I was going through it I came across Thai Omelette Rolls. I didn't have most of the ingredients it called for, so I just went with whatever I had. It wasn't very different from how I normally make the omelette. The only major difference was to make it very thin, so it can be rolled over and cut into small rolls. I added onions in one omelette and obviously that made it heavier, with thicker rolls. I omitted all the optional items for the litte one.

This takes up a little bit more oil than I normally use for a simple omelette because it is thinner, and needs to slide off the pan.

Ingredients:

Eggs - 2
Salt - to season
Pepper - to season
Soy sauce - few drops
Cilantro, fresh, finely chopped - 1tbsp
Green chillies, finely chopped - 2 (optional)
Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Curry leaves, finely chopped - 3-4(optional)
Onion, finely chopped - 2 tbsp (optional)
Oil - 1tbsp


Preparation:

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients to the eggs except the oil and mix thoroughly.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Pour the eggs and swirl the pan so that it is coated with the eggs, thinly and evenly. Cook for a few minutes until it is browned. If you are able to flip it without breaking it, do it and let cook for a couple of minutes, and then gently slide it off the pan onto a plate.
3. If it is too thin to be flipped, just ease it off onto a plate and flip the plate onto the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes, then slide it onto the plate again.
4. Let the omelette cool for a few minutes. Roll it and cut diagonally into 2 inch rolls. Serve warm with any favorite dip or sauce.

Pan Fried Tilapia With Sauteed Onions

I think the title is self-explanatory and the recipe is pretty easy. I'm a little wary of grilling or baking the fish as I can never get the exact level of doneness; they are usually too hard or not done right. I simply wanted to pan fry it, which I did initially, but then went on to saute the onions and just add whatever I could find. The result was pretty good but G complained that it was a bit bland. He likes everything fiery hot, so I am guessing they would be okay for most people. I just need to add more green chillies and red chilli powder for him next time, and maybe do away with the yougurt

Ingredients:

Tilapia fillets - 2
Salt - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1tsp
Turmeric powder - pinch
Ginger- garlic paste -1 tbsp
All purpose flour - 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the onion saute:

Onions, large, chopped - 1
Green chillies, slit vertically - 4
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Garlic cloves, chopped coarsely -2
Salt -1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Soy sauce - 1/8tsp
Hot sauce - 1/8tsp
Yogurt - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tsp





Preparation:

1. Cut the fish fillets into small rectangular pieces. Each fillet yielded about 6-7 pieces.
   
2. Place the pieces in a mixing bowl. Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste and combine well to coat the pieces. Adjust the seasoning to desired spice level. Add all purpose flour and combine well.
3. Heat oil in a skillet and pan fry the fish in batches, until browned and done. Remove from the skillet and keep them aside.
4. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and heat a little oil again. Add curry leaves, onions and green chillies, chopped garlic. Saute and let the onions fry until they get to a deeper shade of brown and not just translucent.
   
5. Add salt, red chili powder, soy sauce, hot sauce and stir well. Add yogurt, stir and let cook for another 3-4 minutes.
6. Return the fish pieces to the skillet. Stir gently and let cook for another 3-4 minutes. Serve hot, with a side of vegetables or steamed rice.
   

Egg Masala

I usually cook the egg curry more often than this, with onions, tamarind or tomatoes, which is a curry with lots of gravy. This is more a saute/ stir fry of hard boiled eggs. I like this and can manage to eat the eggs which I otherwise avoid. It is pretty easy to make and is a good side dish to dals, rasam or sambar. I can eat as is too, if it's not too spicy.

Ingredients: (make about 2 servings)

Hard boiled eggs, cut into quarters - 3
Onions, finely chopped, medium sized - 2
Green chillies, chopped - 3
Salt - 1tsp
Red chilli powder - 1tsp
Turmeric powder (optional) - pinch
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder -1tsp
Oil -1tbsp
Water - 1 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a skillet. Add chopped onions, green chillies. Saute until the onions turn translucent. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder.
2. Add water and let simmer for a few minutes until it dries up
3. Add egg quarters. Add cumin powder, coriander powder. Season with more salt and red chilli powder if necessary. Stir gently trying not to separate egg whites from yellows. Some of them will anyway, and some will pop too. Saute until the eggs are browned, for about 7-8 minutes. Serve hot.

The 'I don't want to cook' phase!

Back from a busy and exhausting vacation to India. In no mood to cook and I suspect the 'I hate cooking' phase is going to set in and might last a little while. Will have to wait and see. Meanwhile, the recipes and posts I made before leaving are languishing in drafts. Sigh!

Kheema/ Ground Lamb

I used to love kheema back home. I really didn't know how to cook it and tried the standard recipe I use for most meats, with ginger-garlic paste and garam masala. It tasted dramatically different from what I had in mind. It wasn't bad but nothing like what my mother used to make. It is only weeks after I made this that I got the recipe from my mother. She usually marinates it in yogurt and cooks in a pressure cooker. She then sautes it with the spices. I guess I'll just have to try that recipe later on.


Ingredients:

Ground lamb - 2lbs
Onion, large, chopped finely - 1
Green chilies, chopped - 3
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon stick, broken into halves - 1
Cloves - 4
Oil - 2tbsp
Salt - 2 tsp
Red chili powder - 2tbsp
Cilantro - to garnish


Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a skillet. Add cloves and cinnamon stick.
2. Add chopped onions and green chilies. Saute until tender.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for about 5-8 minutes.
4. Add ground lamb. Cover with a tight lid and cook with frequent stirring, as it tends to stick to the pan. Cook for about 15-20 minutes. Add salt, red chili powder and garam masala. Stir and add oil if necessary, to keep from sticking to the pan. As I didn't add any water, it took longer for the meat to get cooked. It's also a bit dry. Cook until done.