Onam sadya – cont’d

I am happy to put pictures of the delicious lunch served at Pramod’s place. Not only that, but would also like to share the name of the dishes present on the banana leaf. Pramod has been kind enough to take pictures (amidst guests) for my blog. He has also taken additional pains to give the names / translated names of the dishes.

          

The things on the banana leaf comprised of the following (and the ones marked in bold have been my favorites):

1.    Sambaar rice

2.    Aviyal                          mixed vegetable

3.    Moru Kuttan                  kerala version of kadi

4.    Pachhadi                       cucumber in curd curry (we make this differently, as a salad)

5.    Ulli Thiyyal           kerala onion curry

6.    Mulakku curry                chilly curry

7.    Ingee curry                  ginger curry

8.    Naryangya curry           lemon pickle in red

9.    Naryangya achar           lemon pickle in yellow

10. Upperi                              banana chips

11. Sharkara parati             banana chips in jaggery (gud)

12. Pappadam                    papad

13. Sharkara payasam       moong dal jaggery kheer

14. Ada payasam                         rice flakes in milk kheer

That is some spread, which is home-cooked by all malyali (kerala) woman-folk for their family in the auspicious Onam-period. I sincerely thank his family for the lovely courtesy extended to us and gave an opportunity to indulge in this scrumptious ‘soul-food’…





Pramod's family - on vacation



N. Pramod works as an Assistant Vice President in Atos Worldline taking care of Corporate IT. He stays in Malad alongwith his wife and two sons. His wife is a full-time house-wife and takes care of her husband, sons and caters to all their essential requirements, including cooking delicious meals.

 

Chocolate Brownie!!!

It’s heartfelt to see your 2 year old licking and enjoying the chocolate brownie you just made an hour back. To see the brownie smothered all over her mouth and those little teeth go all brown, was enough an appreciation..

It’s one of the easiest recipes and never thought making a brownie would be so damn easy. Thanks to Donna Hay (Australian food stylist, author and magazine editor) and Aashna Khanum (my colleague) who helped me get my hands on this recipe.

The pictures are disastrous and would take care next time. But, my mobile camera can do only this much.  I need to buy a good digital camera (have one, but that’s also not that good)


 

right out of the oven



Chocolate Brownie

Ingredients               

Dark chocolate	200 gms	Chopped
Butter	250 gms	Chopped
Brown Sugar	310 gms	1 ¾ cups
Eggs	4
Cocoa powder	35 gms	1/3 cup (sifted)
All-purpose flour	185 gms	1 ¼ cup (sifted)
Baking powder	1/3 tspn

Method

1.    Preheat oven to 180°C

2.    Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool slightly

3.    Place all the other ingredients in a bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and stir until combined. It should form a smooth mixture

4.    Pour into a 20-cm square baking tin (greased beforehand)

5.    Bake for 45 to 50 minutes (keep checking with knife until knife withdraws clean) @ 210°C

6.    Let it rest in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes

7.    Make even slices and serve warm or cold..  

Note: I added some dry-roasted almonds and raisins to the final mixture to add some crunchiness to the brownie (would have liked to use walnuts, but didn’t have them)

Delicious Onam Lunch at a friends place!!!

In Mumbai, restaurants during lunch time are quite packed and one normally has to wait to get a place. This is, especially, true for restaurants / eating joints near commercial areas and happens because Friday is the last working day of the week and so, is casual and more relaxed and hence hordes of people prefer to dine-in restaurants avoiding their routine and dull canteen food or a break from their home-made dabbas (Lunch tiffin).

I am no different and after eating, more or less, the same canteen taste for 4 days, it’s a pleasant treat to satiate your tongue and stomach for some delicacy. I work for an IT firm and my lunch group table consists of techies making me an odd-man out. But, I guess we get along pretty well, atleast when it comes to eating.

Mostly, Friday morning discussions revolve around deciding on which restaurant to raid for lunch. So like always, I asked Pramod (one of the lunch members) and, strangely, he avoided the topic and did not respond, which made me very curious and sad thinking that i will have to again eat canteen lunch. Later at about 12, when I had gone for my smoke break, he came and said we won't go out for lunch. Although, his idea was nothing but disappointing and somehow didn’t make sense, but before I could jump onto conclusions or react, he continued by saying that it is Onam and he is inviting the group at his home for lunch.. This just sounded exciting.

After reaching his home @1, basic introduction and pleasantries were exchanged, which included wishing 'happy onam' to his family members and yapping with his kids , I was eagerly waiting for the festive lunch.

Seeing Pramod setting the table with four banana leaves, I was getting up to occupy one seat, when Pramod told me to wait. Known for my love of food, guys started telling me to have patience and some jokes followed on me and my voracious appetite, for which I am famous.

After serving some basic items, Pramod directed us to sit for lunch.

'WoW' was my first immediate expression and my face turned like that baby’s face who has just been offered a dozen lollypops. The banana leaf had 5 different types of pickles, aviyal (one vegetable), 2 types of banana chips and papadom.  Pramod started serving us the authentic kerala rice (which is of a fatter variety) and told us to have generous servings of sambar and 2 more curries. The entire experience of having to eat on a banana leaf with so many colorful items was too much for me to control and immediately started raiding the lunch. Morsel after morsel, the meal had so many beautiful flavors; it is really difficult to put words to my experience. I had some generous servings of rice, sambar and especially 2 pickles (one chilli and the other was of lemon). The lunch ended with 2 types of kheer (guess they don't believe in making only one of the same type).

Although, before coming over to Pramod’s place, I had inquired if the lunch will have any non-veg and he had smilingly declined. But, after having served such a magnificent spread, there was no time during my eating, that I missed non-veg.

The delicacy served on Banana Leaf

Like always, i have forgotten to take pictures (this is downloaded from the net) and closely resembles what i had at Pramod's place. Pramod has taken some pictures and would upload that soon. Have to get in the habit of taking pictures..

Onam is a festival celebrated by the people of Kerala, India. It falls during the month of Chingam (August–September) and marks the homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali. The festival lasts for ten days and is linked to many elements of Kerala's culture and tradition. Intricate flower carpets, elaborate banquet lunch, snake boat races, Puli Kali, and the Kaikottikkali dance all play a part in the festival. Also, celebrates Kerala's rice harvest festival and the festival of rain flowers.

Oriental Cuisine - always a delight to cook

There are very few times when I get the house to myself. Yesterday, was one such day when Anushka had gone to her mum’s place and had taken aarya alongwith her for Ganpati (so that I can cook in peace) and my folks had gone to watch a movie.

Oriental cuisine has always been my favorite and has been regularly following Kylie Kwong’s show a lot. It’s not about the food she makes, but the passion she displays when cooking and when being around the kitchen and the ingredients. It’s a pleasure to see her cook.

This happens a lot of times when I do not know what I am going to make exactly, but only have a fair idea. So, after listing down the things I probably would need, I set off to Apna Bazaar and vegetable vendors to get the missing ingredients.

Ingredients – check

What to make – fair idea – check

Start with the action – bought my ipod and docking station in the kitchen to set the mood

Let the action begin!!!

What I intend to make is Chicken Schezwan Fried rice and Chicken in sweet devil sauce (name give by me)

Schezwan Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients               

Boneless chicken	100 gms	Cut in strips
Rice	1 cup	Long grain rice
Eggs	2
Schezwan sauce	2 ½  tbpsn	Readymade suace u get in the market
Tomato sauce	1 tbpsn
French beans	10 to 12	Chopped finely
Spring onions	1 bunch	Chopped finely (keep the stems (greens) separate)
Star anise	2
Pepper corns	8 to 10
Oil	6 – 7 tbpsn
Red chilli powder	2 – 3 tbpsn	As per the required spice
Pepper	To taste
Salt	To taste

Method

 1.    For the rice –

a.     Wash the rice and keep in water for 30 minutes

b.    In a flat-bottomed vessel, boil some water (3 cups) and add 1 tbpsn oil, star anise and pepper corns for 2 minutes

c.     Drain the rice and add the rice in the boiling water

d.    Do not stir the rice (as the rice may break) and keep on the flames for 4 to 5 minutes (we need to only half-cook the rice)

2.    For the egg –

a.     Beat the eggs and add salt & pepper powder until u it is nicely foamed

b.    Heat about a tbpsn of oil in a frying pan and add the mixture. Cook over low heat till mixture is firm and flip it and fry the other side

c.     Keep this for latter use

3.    In a frying pan, add some 4 or 5 tbpsns of oil and sauté the spring onions (not greens) till it changes the color and becomes translucent

4.    Add the chopped French beans for a minute and then add the leaves of the spring onions and stir-fry for more 2 to 3 minutes

5.    Add both the readymade sauce’s, salt and chilli powder and keep stirring

6.    After about 2 or 3 minutes, add the chicken strips and sauté until the chicken in nicely cooked

7.    Cut the egg in fine strips and add it to the mixture (cut the egg pieces big and long)

8.    Add the half-cooked rice and combine the two so till such time that all the grains get the flavors of the sauce

9.    Ready to be served

  

 Chicken in sweet devil sauce

Ingredients               

Boneless chicken	150 gms	Cut in 1 inch cubes
Onions	2	Thinly sliced
French beans	6 to 7 sticks	Cut in 1 inch long
Carrots	1	Cut vertically – 1 inch long
Spring onions	3 to 4	Use only the stems
Tomato Puree	½ cup
Red chilli powder
Olive oil	1 tbpsn
Egg	1	Just for brushing the chicken (only white)
All purpose flour	1 tspn
Soya sauce	1 tbpsn
Sugar	1 tpsn
Salt	To taste

Method

1.    Coat the chicken cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, soya sauce, egg and all purpose flour and leave for about 15 -30 minutes

2.    Sauté this chicken marinade over little olive oil in a small frying pan till the chicken is nicely cooked. Keep it aside for further use

3.    In a vessel boil the vegetables (French beans & carrots) with little salt (I don’t boil it completely, so at to preserve the crunchiness and the color of the veggies). Set aside

4.    In a large prying pan, add oil and sauté the onions till golden brown color

5.    Add the boiled veggies and stir for few minutes. Add the chicken and spring onions and stir

6.    Pour the puree, red chilli powder, sugar and salt in the vessel and keep it stirring for few minutes (4 to 5) (at this time, taste your recipe to add any salt / spice)

7.    Serve besides the fried rice

It’s always a delight to cook Chinese food. The cooking time is really short, but the prep time takes quite an effort..

the plated recipes

Bon Appétit!!!