Amma I love Upmas

Hi.. I know you must be wondering why is a Bengali sounding like a South Indian..I ll tell you why..Seeing my obsession with Curry  Leaves (Kadi patta) my MIL always says that I must have been a South Indian in my previous life..Yes I absolutely love the flavour of Curry Leaves and especially when they are dropped into some hot oil..Aaah the smell!! Well the outcome of that is I try my hand at every possible style of Upmas.. Starting from the traditional Suji Upma to the very contemporary Bread Upma..And this one is also one of my favourites.. Its a "Vermicelli Upma".. Super Quick to make and ideal for a healthy Breakfast!!

VERMICELLI UPMA

Makes:  3-4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

Roasted Vermicelli - 170 gms
(If you are using the normal one then just dry roast it in a non-stick Kadhai)
Onions - 3 medium
Carrot - 1 medium
Green Capsicum - 1 medium
Potato - 1 medium
Green Chillies - 2-3 pieces
Curry Leaves / Kadi Patta - 5-6 leaves
Black Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoonful
Juice from 1/2 medium sized Lemon
Salt to taste
Sugar - 2 teaspoons (optional)
Black Pepper- 1teaspoon
Refined Oil - 3-4 tablespoons
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tablespoons


Procedure

1.  Boil around 5 cups of Water and add a little salt a teaspoonful of Oil in it.
   
2. Put the Roasted Vermicelli in the boiling water and cook for about 3-4 minutes (till its soft). But don't overcook it.
3. Once done strain the Vermicelli,Wash with Cold Water and Keep aside.
4. Chop the vegetables into medium pieces 
5. Heat Oil in a Kadhai(preferably a non-stick one) and add the mustard seeds. Let them splutter. Then add the Curry leaves.
6. Add the Chopped Onions and Sauté.
7. Add the chopped Chillies and potatoes first. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Remember the potato takes little time to cook so if you are in a hurry you can par boil the potato pieces. Keep stirring. 
   
8. When the Potato pieces look half done add the Carrot pieces and Sauté.
9. Finally add the Capsicum when the Carrot looks half done. Saute
10. Add the Salt, Sugar (Optional), Black Pepper and Mix Well.
11. Now add the Tomato Ketchup.
12. Now stir in the Boiled Vermicelli and Mix Well. Let it cook for a couple of minutes but keep stirring.
13. Finally finish with a dash of lime juice.
14. Mix Well and Serve Hot.
    
    This is how it finally Looked!!
    

    

    Vermicelli Upma

    So its "Poitu Varum" from my said...Hope I managed to say Good Bye correctly!!! My Tamil friends can kindly correct me..Thanks for reading!!!

Every Bengali's First Love CHINGRI PHISH!!

Hi..
Have you ever randomly asked any Bengali walking on the road in any part of the world how they feel about Chingri aka Prawns? if not, do so the next time, and you'll always get the same reaction..Their eyes will immediately light up and by the smile on their faces you'll know you have asked them about their first love.. Yes that it what the Chingri Maach means to each one of us..
Well I am no different...Even as a kid, the very smell of Prawns being sautéed in Maa's kitchen used to drag me home..
Though I have very minimal knowledge about the various types of Prawns I enjoy the medium sized ones the most..
This is a Bengali recipe and has been picked up from a Kakima (Aunt) in Kolkata/Calcutta.. "SHORSHE CHINGRI BHAPAA / PRAWNS STEAMED IN MUSTARD PASTE"..(Even those who are quite particular about eating healthy (unlike me) can easily try this one)

Note: For the ones who are allergic to sea-food (like the husband in my case) or who are strictly vegetarians can try this out with "Paneer/Cottage Cheese" instead of Prawns

SHORSHE CHINGRI BHAPAA / PRAWNS STEAMED IN MUSTARD PASTE

Makes: 12 medium sized Prawns

Ingredients:

Medium-sized Prawns - 12 pieces
Mustard Seeds (Yellow+Black) - 3 tablespoons
Poppy Seeds - 3 tablespoons
Yogurt/Dahi- 1/2 cup
Green Chillis - 5-6 pieces
Turmeric Powder/Haldi -  (1+1/2) teaspoons
Salt to taste
Sugar- 1 teaspoon
Freshly Grated Coconut- 1/2 cup
Mustard Oil - 3-4 teaspoons

Preparation

Procedure

1. Wash and De-vein the Prawns and Marinate them with Salt and Haldi for about an hour.
2. Soak the Mustard Seeds and the Poppy Seeds in lukewarm water for around 20minutes
3. Make a paste of the Mustard Seeds + Poppy Seeds + Green Chillis (2) and Keep aside.

Before Steaming

4. Beat together the Curd, 1/2teaspoon Haldi , a little Salt and the Sugar. (Remember you have already put salt in the prawns during marination)
5. Choose a metal container which fits well in your pressure cooker
6. Mix the Beaten Yogurt and the Poppy-Mustard Paste to the Marinated Prawns.
7. Pour the entire mixture along with the prawns inside the metal container.
8. Spread the grated Coconut on top.

9. Add around 3-4 teaspoonful of Mustard Oil on top
10. Garnish with split Green Chillies (4-5)
11. Add around 1.5 cups of Water in the pressure cooker
12. Place the container carefully and close the cooker

Post Steaming

13. Steam till the whistle blows once. (Prawns cooking time is very less, if you over cook them they tend to get tough)

14. Take the container out and give the contents a good stir before serving.
15. Serve Hot (Goes best with Steamed Rice)

Serve Hot - Shorshe Chingri Bhapaa

 All the Prawn Lovers Do try this one at home and Send me your feedback!!!
Thanks for reading..

The Husband who cooks the perfect Mutton Kabargah

N and Me

Hi.. I don't know how many of you (esp women) will agree that as a girl grows up she starts to paint a picture of her life partner in her head..some consciously some sub-consciously.. Well I was more or less a tomboy, having a boyfriend or falling in love wasn't my forte (though I did have my share of crushes and boyfriends eventually)..

Well somewhere in my mind, Men who could cook always impressed me a lot..And maybe that is what attracted me towards N (husband).. Well to cut a long story short, N n me were childhood neighbours and friends but it took us 17 years of knowing each other and a couple of heart breaks to fall in 'love'..
And before we fell in love we had spent a few days together where N had cooked the Best Mutton Kabargah ever.. So you can very well realise the significance of the dish which definitely acted as a catalyst...

Now after about Fourteen years of our relationship (and around Nine years of marriage) N thankfully still makes the Best Mutton Kabargah (amongst other dishes) ever..

The MUTTON KABARGAH belongs to the Kashmiri Cuisine and as Appetizers goes perfectly well with Kashmiri Pulao


MUTTON KABARGAH- FRIED MUTTON/LAMB RIBS

Makes: Around 24 pieces


Ingredients:

Mutton Ribs (Use the Seenha portion and not the Chaaps) - 1 Kg The Fattier the better
Milk - 3 cups
Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi)- 3 pcs
Cinnamon (Dal Chini)- 3 x 1"pc
Bay Leaves (Tej patta)- 2 pcs
Fennel Seed Powder (Saunf Powder) - 5 tablespoons
Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder) - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Black Pepper Powder - 3-4 teaspoons
Salt - to taste
Oil for deep frying

Procedure:

Mutton Kabargah

1. Wash and clean the Mutton Ribs and place them inside the Pressure Cooker
2. Add the All the Ingredients (except the Oil) in the Pressure Cooker and mix well
3. Cover Lid and pressure cook for 6 minutes AFTER the 1st whistle.
4. Once the pressure has released take the Boiled Ribs out of the mixture and Keep aside
5. In a Wok/Kadhai Heat sufficient Oil for Deep frying
6. Over Low flame lightly fry the Ribs (2-3 at a time) around 1 minute each side
7. Serve Hot as Appetizers with Pulao
   Please Note: Use a lid/cover while frying to avoid splash burns
   
   A suggestion for guys who still can't cook.. 'Chal Guru Ho Jaa Shuru'..Its never too late to start cooking!!!
   
   Ciao..Thanks for taking out time to read!!

The Middle Class Girl who loves Cheesecakes

Hi.. One of those days when in-spite of all the piled up work your mind still tends to wander to the childhood days again and again..

I was born in Delhi to an Engineer Dad (and a Government Employee) and a Homemaker Mom..and like most others Me n A(my elder sister) had a memorable and enjoyable childhood..My father was the only earning member in the family so obviously ours was a very  'middle-class' life with No huge expensive toys or branded clothes or family trips abroad..But what attracted us the most were the warm gestures and bonding we all shared..
Dining out at fancy restaurants was not even a luxury, it was an outrageous extravagance..I remember our monthly 'eating out' used to be mostly at Nirula's (Connaught Place) n this was the most fancy things we did when it came to food..And otherwise it was the regular 'Chhole Bhature, Chaat and Gol Gappe which Maa used to treat us to when we went shopping with her to the Shankar Market or Karol Bagh..
But there was this Annual ritual Baba(dad) used to always do on Christmas and that was get us a boxful of Chocolate Pastries and Lemon tarts from Nirula's or Wengers while coming back from office... I still remember the excitement on A's(sis) and my faces when Baba used to enter the house..
Well from that early age I had realised my obsession with sweet things..Well lets fast forward my life straight to college..On one of my friends birthday treats I visited this new place in town 'The Big Chill Cafe'...And that is where for the first time in my life of 18 years I tasted a 'Cheesecake'.. What can I say.. My taste-buds and my mind exploded with that magical taste and flavour.. With the kind of pocket money that we had during our college days to be able to afford a 'cheesecake slice' frequently was next to impossible..so the only option was to save cash or wait for someone to throw another birthday party...
Its been more than a decade since that day but my love for Cheesecakes just kept growing..Never imagined though that someday I might just making one myself.. But well as they say :
"Itni shiddat se maine tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai
ki har zarre ne mujhe tumse milane ki koshish ki hai....
kehte hai agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaaho
toh poori kaynath tumhein usse milane ki koshish mein  lag jaati hai" ..

Well maybe this was meant for bigger things but in my case this refers to my love for Cheesecakes...

Well after going through many recipes I chose a 'No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake' as my first ever Cheesecake that I made myself.. And as you can see this was quite an emotional moment for me..hahahaha!! Here goes the recipe (not mine ofcourse), I borrowed it from another blogger :http://www.fullscoops.net/2014/08/eggless-no-bake-chocolate-chilli.html .. I excluded the Chilli part of it.. I ll fill in the recipe again for help:

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE (EGGLESS)

Note: This recipe needs at least 6hrs of setting time in the refrigerator or preferably overnight- I did overnight
 

Makes: One 8-9 inch Diameter Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the base

    Biscuits - 35-40  sunfeast/Gooday chocolate biscuits  (or any chocolate  biscuit)
    Butter - Regular Salted Butter will do -  80 gms

For the cheesecake layer

    Paneer (Cottage Cheese) - 200 gms
    Condensed milk - 1 tin (400 ml) I used milkmaid
    Fresh cream - 200 ml (I used Amul fresh cream)
    Chocolate chips - 300 gms (or chopped chocolate)
    Instant Coffee powder - 1/2 tsp (or more if you prefer)
    Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
    Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
    Gelatin - 2 tbsp
    Water - 1/2 cup
    Salt - 1/4 tsp

For Topping

Chocolate Chips/ Chocolate Vermicelli - 50gms

Procedure:


Preparation
1. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 inch springform pan.
2. If you don't have a springform pan, use your normal cake pan or a tart pan. Line the regular cake pan with a clingfilm or aluminium foil. Line the bottom and sides together without cutting the clingfilm so that you can easily lift the cheesecake out when it's set.
3. Add the coffee powder to the chocolate chips and melt it using a double boiler or in the microwave and set aside to cool. Please remember not to over heat the chocolate. Keep stirring in intervals and once 3/4th of the chocolate has melted you can remove from the heat and stir for the rest to melt.
4. Add the gelatin to half cup of water and mix. Set aside for 5 minutes to bloom. Microwave for 30 seconds or heat it in a saucepan for 30 seconds and let it cool. it will become a clear(translucent) solution. Let it cool.

For the Base
1. Take the largest jar of your blender and add crumbled biscuits in it and process to a fine powder and transfer to a bowl. 
2. Melt the butter and add it to the biscuit powder and mix well.
3. Transfer this biscuit mixture to the base of the pan and press well. Refrigerate it until we finish the next step.

For The Cheesecake
1. Grate or chop the paneer and add it to a blender. Add the condensed milk and fresh cream and blend till smooth.
2. Now add the vanilla extract, cinnamon powder and salt. Blend again.
3. Add the melted and cooled chocolate and blend again till it's smooth and creamy.
4. Transfer to a bowl. Add the cooled gelatin and mix well.
5. Bring the springform pan from the refrigerator and pour the chocolate mixture over the biscuit base layer.
6. Tap once to remove the air bubbles. Cover and refrigerate until set. (preferably overnight)
7. Remove the springform pan slowly and decorate with chocolate chips or chocolate vermicelli on top.
 Bon Appétit ..


Pik:

Chocolate Cheesecake

I would have preferred smoother edges..Well as they say There is always a next time!!


Note: You an use Cream Cheese instead of Paneer but in India, Cream Cheese is too darn expensive and trust me once the cheesecake is done you can hardly spot any difference (After all in some ways I still remain the 'middle-class' girl worrying about her pocket money)!!

Eat Well!! Ciao! Thanks for reading!

The World Cup Loss and the Bananas

Banana Bread

Hi..Considering the fact that I am an extremely Lazy person when it comes to writing, starting with a blog is one of the most unnatural things that I have done..
But all thanks to my friends especially NJd who has been really persuasive..
Well strangely I am starting this Blog on not one of those 'Happy' days in fact one which was thoroughly disappointing.. Yes The Indian Cricket Team got knocked out of the World Cup after losing to Australia in the semi-finals. I being an ardent fan of cricket just like most of my other fellow Indians, today was quite heart-breaking.
But then I thought so what can I do to lift up my mood.
Well for those who don't know me well, even when I am in the worst of moods if there is something which can make me smile instantly is GOOD FOOD!! Yes that's the trick and fortunately or unfortunately the Husband knows it very well..
A Magnum Chocolate Ice-cream Bar could suffice actually but then I thought no 'Lets Bake'..
Well again for those who are unfamiliar with my obsessions, Baking is one of them...
But it was already four in the afternoon and after an emotionally exhaustive day Thanks to the match I had to do something which was Quick Easy yet delicious.. (Well honestly the match is just an excuse I always tend to bake or cook things which are quick and easy-thanks to my Lazy bones)
I open the refrigerator and I spot the slightly over ripened Bananas (that were kept purposely to reach this state so that I could use them later for my Bakes)
Did a quick check for all the ingredients and thankfully all were available cause I was completely not in the mood to run down to the grocery store right now.
So immediately I grab all the ingredients and run to the kitchen to bake a BANANA BREAD..
Well a Banana Bread is more like a moist tea-cake and not so much like a bread unlike its name..
It is a really quick and easy bake without any special ingredients. Well its not my own recipe but I borrowed it from the website http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/BananaBread.html. You can check out the video also. Well the quantities and baking time have been modified(keeping the same ratio) according to the amount of Bananas that was available with me.

BANANA BREAD

Over-ripe Bananas

Getting started - Toasted Nuts (on the right)

Makes: Two 5.5 x 3 x 2.5 Inches Loaves 

Ingredients
80gms toasted and coarsely chopped Cashewnuts (you can use Walnuts also)

25gms Raisins

150 grams all-purpose flour/Maida

100 grams granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

75gms unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 ripe large bananas- 280gms (without the peel) - mashed well

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Wet and Dry Ingredients - Mixed together

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position or if you are using a wire stand then the 'Low Rack'.

2. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of each loaf pan. Set aside.

3. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely. 

4. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and mix lightly with a whisk. Now add the toasted nuts and the raisins. Set Aside.


5. In a medium-sized bowl beat the eggs with a whisk (by hand-no need to use a electric mixer), Now add the Vanilla Essence and keep mixing.
Add the Mashed Bananas and the Melted and Cooled Butter and Mix Well.

Baking Tins

Cooling over the Wire Rack

With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.)

6. Scrape batter into both the prepared pans. Bake each pan until bread is dark golden brown and a  toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-40minutes.
7. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan.

Serve warm or at room temperature

Note: Vegetarians can replace the eggs with Butter Milk (2 large Eggs = 1 cup buttermilk)

Banana Bread

Thankfully it was done within and an hour and half and ready to be gobbled up with our evening tea..
Well that's it for now.. Remember not to dump the overripe bananas into the trash instead bake a lovely bread with it.. Thanks for reading..Ciao Ciao and Keep Doing What you Love!!
P.S: Bananas always somehow remind me of the Minions!! hehe!