Pan seared fish with Shitake Mushrooms

I had some nice juicy seer fish (surmai) steaks and this recipe was light yet full of flavour.

I also came across some locally-grown and relatively inexpensive dried Shitake mushrooms, so it was a treat to mix both these items together in one dish. The mushrooms soaked the soy flavours nicely, and the ginger slices crisped up in the pan giving the dish an added texture.

You'll need:
3-4 dried Shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup hot water
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 fish steaks cut about 1/2 inch thick
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and cut in thin strips
1/2 cup of bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 tbsp oil (sesame preferably)

Rub the fish with lemon juice and salt and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.

Soak the mushrooms in the hot water for 20 minutes. Once softened, remove the stalks and cut into thin strips.

(You could keep the water to use as stock in another dish)

In a bowl, mix the soy sauce and sugar. Soak the mushroom slices in it till absorbed. Keep aside.

In a flat pan, heat the oil and add the fish steaks. Let it cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes. Do not keep turning it.

Add the ginger strips and mushroom slices in the oil on the sides

When you flip the fish to cook the other side, add the bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Serve with plain rice and add some stir-fried vegetables for a wholesome meal.

Button and Enoki Mushrooms Risotto

I had tried the Enoki mushrooms in a regular pasta dish but I had preferred the regular button mushrooms that are cheaper and easier to get. However, by frying the enoki, it adds a different texture and flavour to the risotto and I now love it.

Also, I like a lot of veggies with each bite so I use a lot of mushrooms, but f you're happy with the creamy, cheesy rice then you can reduce the mushrooms you put in. Also, if you have other types of mushrooms at your disposal, it will add to the flavour if you mix it up.

I also used regular short-grain rice instead of arborio rice. I added some brown rice cooked for 7-8 minutes in the microwave as well. Because the brown rice doesn't turn all mushy like the white rice, it adds some bite to the final dish.

What I've learned about my many failures with risotto is that you need to go big or go home. Meaning, use stock instead of water; don't skimp on the butter and cheese; and don't take the easy way out by pouring in all the stock and letting the rice cook on its own - keep stirring it in by the ladle ful.

You'll need:
1 packet/bunch Enoki mushrooms, with roots removed
4-5 cups of chopped button mushrooms
2-3 cups of stock*
2/4 cup rice
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt/Pepper
Chilli flakes
4-5 cloves of garlic
3-4 sprigs of Rosemary**
2 tbsp cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

*I've used water when I didn't have stock but it makes a world of a difference in flavour
**If you don't have fresh Rosemary, you can also use parsley or oregano either fresh or dried

In a saucepan, heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Fry the Enoki mushrooms till brown. Keep aside.

Spread the button mushrooms in a single layer in a baking tray, and bake at 180 deg C for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, add in some salt and the rosemary and bake for another 5 minutes. Do not discard the water it leaves off - use it along with the stock.
-In the convection microwave, I use the grill setting and put in for 7 then 3 minutes.
-Keep aside.

Keep your stock ready by heating it up. You can also keep it on simmer if you want to do this perfectly.

In a saucepan, put in the remaining oil and butter on medium heat. Add in the chopped garlic and chilli flakes, and before it starts to turn brown, add the rice. Stir for about 30 seconds.

Add in 2 ladles of stock - or just enough to cover the rice. Stir it to release the starch from the rice. As soon as the water evaporates, add in another ladle or two. Keep doing this till the rice is cooked. It takes about 10-15 minutes of labour.

Don't keep stirring it the whole time, just a few rounds between each addition. As it nears to cooking, the regular rice will be prone to breaking so be gentle.

As you put in your last ladle of stock (note that you might not need all of the stock - just enough for the rice to cook), stir in the cream, seasoning, and the baked mushrooms.

The consistency should not be very dry, but smooth.

Remove from heat and mix in the cheese.

Top it up with the fried enoki and serve immediately.

Dum Aaloo (Potato Curry)

I try to avoid potatoes in my everyday meals but that doesn't mean we don't love it. I found this recipe that is a great hit when you have people over. It goes well with pulao or rotis.

For the Masala:

1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander seeds (it has more flavour than the powder)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 green cardamom, whole
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cloves
1/4 cup cashew nuts

Grind these together and keep aside.

You'll also need:
8 medium-sized potatoes boiled and peeled
1 onion, chopped

Paste of 1/4 inch ginger and 4 garlic pods

3/4 cup yoghurt
1 bay leaf
1 pinch asafoetida
1/4 cup cooking oil

Salt to taste

1/2 cup water

1/2 tbsp kasturi methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Coriander leaves, chopped to garnish

Halve the potatoes if they are too big, and shallow fry them in a pan till lightly browned. Add some salt and keep aside.

In a large pan or wok, heat the oil and temper with the bay leaf and asafoetida. 

Then add the onions and stir fry. Once they start turning translucent, add the ginger and garlic.

Add the dry masala and cook for about a minute.

Add the yoghurt and mix well, stirring at all times.

Finally add the cooked potatoes, salt to taste, and the kasturi methi.

Add water and let it cook till the gravy is reduced to a desired consistency.

Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves.

Veggie Burgers with Beets and Carrots

I found another way I can include beets in my diet - apparently it tastes good to me when it is masked by several other flavours.

I usually use beans instead of potatoes in my burger but this recipe tastes better with potato. I also added eggs to keep it moist and to bind it well, but it can be skipped. If you feel it doesn't mould well without the egg - just add more potato.

This recipe made 10 medium-sized patties

You'll need
2-3 large potatoes, peeled and boiled
2 small beets, peeled and grated
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 bowl of stringed beans, finely chopped 
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I just used crushed bread sticks)
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
2-3 tbsp oil to cook
Seasoning

In an oven, grill the beets, carrots, and beans till soft. I used a convection microwave on grill setting and it took me 14 minutes - at the halfway mark I took out the plate to stir so that the top layer doesn't get too dry.

Mash the potatoes, add the grilled vegetables, eggs, garlic, half of the breadcrumbs, and the seasoning. I used white pepper and salt.

Divide these into palm-sized balls and flatten them with your hand to about 1/2 inch thickness.

Coat each patty with the breadcrumbs.

If you're grilling them on a pan, heat some oil and gently place the patty in. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes. Don't keep turning it.

If using a convection microwave oven, use a baking-safe flat tray and drizzle with some oil. Brush some oil on the top as well On the grill setting, grill for 8-10 minutes. Then take out the tray, flip the patties and if they seem too dry then drizzle some more oil. Cook for another 8-10 minutes till the it is golden-brown.

For the assembly
10 burger buns
10 leaves of lettuce
Slices of onions and tomato (or use caramelized onions)
Mustard sauce
Pesto
Cheese slices

If you don't mind soft buns then you can just assemble the burger like a sandwich. I prefer the buns toasted.

Slice the buns, and toast them on a pan. If using the grill, place the lower half of the bun facing up with a slice of cheese, and place the top half facing down. Grill for 3-4 minutes making sure they don't get too toasty or it'll break up when you eat.

You can use either pesto or mustard, or both on each side of the bread. Add in the other elements being careful not to overload.

Serve immediately. Don't keep it assembled too long or it'll get soggy.

Grilled Polenta with Caramelised Onions & Stir-fried Mushrooms

The polenta cakes turned out to be very versatile. I'm looking forward to trying out some desserts with it. Meanwhile, I tried a different topping for the left overs I had from the previous post.

For the polenta recipe see previous post

For the caramelised onions
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions sliced thinly
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar

On medium heat, stir fry the onions till they start to brown. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook till all the liquids have absorbed. Remove from heat.

For the Mushroom topping:
A few sprigs of mint 
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper chopped
2 tbsp of ginger, garlic and chilli paste (1/2 inch ginger, 2-3 garlic pods, and 1 red chilli)
Seasoning

In a pan, heat the oil and add the paste. Shortly after, add the mushroom and salt and let it cook for 2 minutes till all the liquids have been absorbed. Add the red peppers and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Assemble with the onions at the bottom, then the mushrooms, and top it with the mint.

Grilled Polenta Crostinis with Aubergines and Pepper

I've been holding on to a packet of polenta for a while now because I was wary of trying something new with the limited spare time I had the last few months. But I decided I shall finally inaugurate the packet and to my relief, found it the simplest thing to make. It's healthy and tastes delicious.

For the polenta:
1 cup polenta
5 cups water
1 tbsp salt
Few sprigs of rosemary
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1-2 tbsp Oil to grill

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil with the salt and stir in the polenta. Keep stirring till it's thoroughly mixed to prevent lumps. Add in the rosemary and garlic.

Turn the heat down to medium to low and let it cook for about 5 minutes. (The packets have their own cooking times and directions, but even though mine said cook for 30 minutes, it was done in 5)

Check to see if it's cooked - it should not be gritty. Remove from heat.

Add the cheese and spread it on to a 14-inch oiled/Teflon-coated baking tray. The thickness should be about 3/4 of an inch. Let it cool. It sets at room temperature in about 30-40 minutes. You could put it in the fridge to speed it up.

Once cool and set, cut into cubes (or any other shape you prefer). It makes about 20 squares and can be kept in the fridge for a few days to be used later.

Before serving, grill it on both sides with the oil till it turns slightly brown. Serve with toppings.

For the topping:
Red Pepper cut in rings
1 tsp oil
1 red onion diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup of chopped aubergine or mushroom or zucchini
Seasoning
A few leaves of basil or coriander/parsley chopped finely

Grill the red pepper rings with the oil and set aside.

In a saucepan on medium heat, put in the butter and once it starts to melt, add the onions. Cook till soft.

Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for another 2 minutes making sure the onion browns but doesn't burn.

Add the vegetable of choice with the salt and pepper and keep on medium heat till it's cooked and the juices absorbed.

To assemble, place the polenta crostinis on a plate, put a single ring of red pepper on each. Fill the centre of the ring with the vegetables, and top it up with the chopped greens.

Prawn Dill Masala

This is a quick and easy recipe for when you want to get out of the kitchen quick. It is not spicy as it looks - just adjust the levels of chilli powder to taste. It's a good summer eat.

You'll need:
1 large onion
250 gms prawns
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
1 large tomato
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp chilli powder
Juice of 1 lemon
Few sprigs of dill finely chopped
Oil

To temper:
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
A sprig of curry leaves
2 green chillies, split


In some oil, fry the onions and keep aside.
In the same pan, add some garlic to 1 tsp oil and stir fry the prawns for a minute. Add salt and turmeric. Keep aside.
Using the same pan again, add 2 tbsp oil and starting with cumin, add the tempering ingredients.
Once they start to splutter, add the tomatoes, chilli powder, and lime juice.
Stir fry for about a minute then add the prawns and onion. Add 2-3 tbsp water to let the prawn cook, and add salt to taste.
Garnish with chopped dill.
Serve hot with parathas or steamed rice.

Grilled Buttery Lemon Fish

Fish is the quickest thing to cook. This was a quick meal...with some outside help in the form of packet baked potatoes, but they could have easily been made at home as well. There's a lot of garlicky stuff happening all at once in this dish because we love the flavour, but you could tone it down and remove it from any of the dishes.

For the Grilled Fish:
2 fillets of fish such as salmon or basa
3-4 tbsp butter
1/2 small lemon sliced 
1-2 cloves garlic
Seasoning

Heat butter on medium heat, then add the garlic and lemon slices. Reduce the butter for a minute or two, then put in the fish fillet. Spoon over some of the butter on top of the fish. Season and cook for about a minute and a half on both sides.
*Remember, if you are using salted butter then adjust the salt you add on top.

This could be cooked in an oven. Just wrap the ingredients in some foil and bake at 180 deg C for about 15-20 min.

Spinach Sides:
1 small bunch spinach, cleaned
1 clove of galic
1 tsp olive oil
salt to taste

In a pan, heat the oil and add the garlic. Add the spinach and cover for 3 minutes. Then cook on high heat to reduce the water. Season.

Garlic Bread:
2 tbsp butter at room temperature
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
Sprinkle of chilli flakes
4-6 Bread slices

Mix the garlic and chilli with the butter (if you are not using salted butter then add a pinch of salt). Spread it on to the bread slices as little or as much as you like, bake for 10 minutes at 180 deg C.

Oats Dosa with Onion Chutney

I don't like porridge oats at all. Many have tried to coax me to eat it, and I've tried, but it doesn't happen. Not wanting to miss out on the goodness of it all, I keep trying ways to make it edible for me. Cookies are one way. The other is this very simple dosa (crepe).

You'll need:
3/4th cup porridge oats
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup wheat flour
salt to taste
About 2 cups of Water

Oil to cook

This makes the basic batter that should be easy enough to spread on the pan.

For topping, finely chop and mix into a separate bowl the following:
2-3 green chillies
1 onion (or spring onion with leaves)
some corriander
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 inch ginger

Heat a flat pan on medium to high heat. Spread the batter with a ladle, and add some of the topping. With a spoon, pour some oil on the circumference. Keep an eye on the heat - turn it lower if the pan gets too hot. On medium heat, this doesn't need to be flipped over. Each should take about 3 minutes to cook.

Onion Chutney
Grind together:
1 onion
4-5 red chillies
1 tsp tamarind paste
2 inch fresh coconut (optional)
1/2 tsp salt 
Keep aside.

In a small wok, heat
2 tbsp oil

Once hot, add
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp Black gram (urad dal)

Once they start to sizzle, add the onion paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Serve with warm dosas.

Freeze!

I get lazy most evenings especially in the summer and end up ordering food from outside. But I've recently tried to fight the urge and have started to freeze as many items as I can to make it easier to prepare dinner.

When I get some time and patience I prepare the item to be frozen so I don't need to do it all at once. It has helped reduce our eating out on weekdays (weekends I like to take a break from the kitchen).

I prefer to divide it in 2-3 boxes or zip-lock bags by portion size usually needed for one meal so that I don't need to thaw the whole box when I only want some of it.

I also keep nuts like walnuts and almonds in the freezer because they stay crisp and don't get rancid. Same with spices that are not used frequently.

1. Pesto - When I make pesto at home, I usually make enough to be used twice. So half of it goes in the freezer for a quick meal some other day.

2. Spinach - This is best frozen on the day it is bought to avoid loss of nutrients. Boil water in a saucepan, and blanche the cleaned leaves for about 30 seconds, then remove on a sieve and immediately put under running cold water (or in a bowl of ice water). This will stop the cooking process and the spinach will not turn blackish. Chop it up or blend it in and put it in the freezer once cooled.

3. Avocado - Once the avocado ripens, scoop it out, mash it up, and add the juice of 1 lemon, or 1 tbsp vinegar for each avocado. It won't blacken.

4. Yoghurt - I wanted to make frozen yoghurt, so I let regular yoghurt sit on a fine sieve (or cheesecloth) for about 30 minutes to let the whey drain out. Then box and freeze.

5. Banana Ice cream - I had made this ice cream earlier, but added some chocolate in the mix as well.

6. Green Beans - I just washed, de-stringed, and froze the beans, but you could even blanche it as with the spinach and store.

7. Kidney Beans - Soak the kidney beans (1 cup) overnight. The bowl should be big enough as the beans with get bigger in size, and the water should be triple the quantity of the beans. Drain the water the next day. In a pressure cooker, cook the beans on medium for 10-12 minutes with half a cup of water. Add a teaspoon of salt if you are sure you'll need the beans only for savoury items.

8. Strawberries - Wash and remove the stems of the berries. freeze whole. Use it to make milkshakes, frozen yoghurt, or just have them whole once thawed.

Pesto

Sweet basil pesto has a charm of its own, but there are other leaves that will give you awesome tasting pesto as well.

I had an abundance of lettuce that was close to wilting and was in no mood to have that much salad, so I converted the batch into pesto - pretty much the same deal as with the basil version, except that I had a few more ingredients lying around I wanted to finish.

Grind together:
2 large heads of lettuce leaves (I had iceberg lettuce)
1/2 cup basil
1/2 cup mint
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1/4 cup walnuts
3-4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan or other hard cheese (optional)

Since this recipe already has a lot of greens, I don't need to add any more to the pasta. If needed, cook the pasta, drain, and stir fry with some garlic, onions and chilli flakes. The sauce is creamy enough without adding cheese, but you can add cheese on top.

You could also make this out arugula/rocket leaves. I used 1 bunch of chopped leaves to make 1/2 cup of pesto. It could also be used as a sandwich spread.


You can also mix sweet basil to either of the pestos to add flavour. Or just use a cup of basil on its own for a classic.

Spinach and Tofu Cannelloni with a toasty top

Tofu is a much healthier alternative to a cheese filling, and it tastes as good.

For the rolls:
Cannelloni rolls - 4-5 (or lasagna sheets)
Spinach - 1 bunch
Tofu - 250 gms
Salt to taste

For the White Sauce:
Milk - 1 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp
Flour - 2 tbsp
Seasoning

For the topping:
Sliced tomatoes - 2
Breadcrumbs - 2 tbsp
Grated cheese - 50 gms
Ground pepper - 1 tbsp
Oregano - 1tbsp
Chilli flakes - 1 tbsp

Par-boil the spinach, drain the water, and chop it up. Mash the tofu and mix with the spinach. Add salt. Stuff this mixture in the cannelloni rolls. Most brands don't require the rolls to be par-boiled. Check cooking instructions on the packet.

If using lasagna sheets, par boil the sheets, line the stuffing in the center of each sheet, then just roll it up. Set aside.

For the white sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Make it into a paste, then add the milk. Before it boils, turn the heat down and let it simmer. Mix well to remove any lumps. Add some more flour if the sauce is too runny. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add some seasoning and keep aside.

Heat oven to 180 dec C. In a baking dish, line the cannelloni rolls. Pour the white sauce evenly over the top of the spread. Layer it with the cheese. Then place the sliced tomatoes over the top to cover the tray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and the rest of the seasoning. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. the breadcrumbs will give a nice toasty top with crunchy tomatoes without having to use much cheese.

Spinach and Sweet Corn Risotto

Risottos are a quick and delicious meal - it might not always turn out true chef style, but it can still taste good, and be healthy.

Stuff you'll need:

Spinach - 1 bunch

Garlic - 3-4 cloves

Sweet corn - 1/2 a cup

Onion (chopped) - 1 large

Arborio rice - 1 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Veg/Chicken stock or water - 1 cup

White wine - 1/2 cup (can be substituted with 2-3 tbsp of vinegar)

Oil or butter - 2 tbsps

Cheese - 1/2 cup (optional) Any hard cheese would do.

Wash the spinach and cook it in a cup of water/stock in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Don't throw away the water/stock. In a blender, puree the spinach with the garlic.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook till translucent. Add the rice and continue cooking for another minute. Add the milk and stir till it evaporates. Add the wine if using (if using vinegar, skip this step). Once it evaporates add the water/stock and reduce the heat to low-medium. 

Let the rice cook for about 5 minutes, then add the spinach and corn. Let it continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Check if the rice is done. Traditionally, the rice is supposed to have a little bit of a bite (it shouldn't be too soft), but some prefer it well done. Keep it for another 5 minutes if you prefer it soft. Add the vinegar (if using) and cheese. Increase heat to dry of excess liquid, but don't let it dry out completely.

Serve hot.

Makes enough for 2 people.

Pasta with Fennel & Orange Zest

I've never made anything with fennel before so when I got some, pasta was the simplest thing that came to mind to experiment with.

For the White Sauce:
2-3 tbsps butter
2-3 tbsps flour
500 ml milk
Seasoning

In a saucepan, melt the butter, and add the flour. once blended, add the milk and keep the heat to a medium. Stir so that the lumps dissolve. Let the milk heat but not boil. Keep on low-medium heat till it thickens.
Add more flour if needed. Once done, add seasoning and keep aside.

Veggies:
2 bulbs of fennel
2 cloves Garlic
1 small onion
2 tbsp oil
Zest of 1 orange
seasoning

Separate the stem from the leaves of the fennel. Pry apart each layer of the fennel and clean thoroughly. Slice the fennel stem. Heat the oil and add the garlic. Then add the onion and fennel stems. Cook till they're soft. Then add the zest and seasoning. Lastly, add the chopped fennel leaves.

Remove from heat and mix with the white sauce. Pour this over a bed of pasta and serve!

Mushroom Risotto

This turned out to be a nice and easy Sunday lunch with some beer!

Ingredients:
1 large onion, sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tbsps butter
3-4 tbsps white wine (since I didn't have any, I used whiskey - single malt)
1 cup arborio rice (or any other medium grain rice)
handful of mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/2 cup Parmesan (or any other hard cheese)
Seasoning
2 cups water (room temperature)

Heat the butter on a saucepan on medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and leave on low for 10-15 minutes for the onion to caramelize. Add the mushrooms. Once it starts to wilt, add the rice and saute. Pour in the wine and let it evaporate. Next, add the water and cover for 10 minutes on medium heat. When the water has almost been absorbed, add the seasoning. Don't dry out the risotto. Top it up with cheese. I prefer the rice not too soft, so 10-12 minutes is perfect cooking time. If you prefer it mushy, then leave it on for 5 more minutes. And done!

Carrots and Beetroot Risotto

I usually like all types of vegetables and fruits. Bitter gourd and beets are the exception most of the times. Although I have found ways that I can eat beets, bitter gourd still remains a challenge!

Here's another healthy, and very edible, beet recipe, a slight modification from the earlier version.

You'll need:

3 small carrots

2 beets
2 tbsp Olive oil

1 cup (uncooked) Arborio rice (or any medium-grain rice)

1 large onion peeled and chopped

2-3 tbsps butter

3-4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup red/white wine

2 cups (approximately) water or chicken/veg stock

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese + some more for garnish (Parmesan is recommended because of its strong flavour, but I've used Gouda or even Cheddar and liked the result)

Seasoning to taste

Bake the carrots and beets with some olive oil at 200 deg C for about 30 minutes. Once cool, peel and puree them in a mixer. If you don't have an oven, just boil them in some water till semi-cooked. If you put a knife through it, there should be some resistance. Keep aside.

In a deep pan on medium heat, pour the butter. When hot, add the garlic and onions. Stir for a minute and put it on low heat for another 5 minutes. Once the onions start to caramelize a little, increase the heat to medium-high and add the rice and roast for about a minute. Add the beets and carrot. Then add the wine and stir a little till the liquid is absorbed. 

Now add 1 cup of the water or stock. Stir a little and let the water get absorbed by the rice. Once the rice has taken in most of the water, add another half a cup of water/stock and stir a little to release the starch from the rice. 

Depending on the consistency, add or subtract the amount of water/stock being used. Add some salt and pepper and the Parmesan cheese. Check the rice if it's done - it should be firm and not be too soggy. This takes about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with some grated Parmesan.

Pasta with Pesto Sauce and Grilled Veggies

I finally found a place that gives a good bunch of sweet basil leaves for a reasonable price to make pesto at home. Once that was taken care of, rest was easy.

For the grilled veggies:
2 tomatoes sliced 
1/2 of a large aubergine, sliced
Olive oil
Sea Salt (or regular would do as well) to taste

Line them up in a baking tray (separately) and drizzle some olive oil on top. Sprinkle some salt. Don't over-season as your final dish will also have salt. Put this in an oven and bake for about 40 minutes at 200 deg C. They'll come out nice and toasted.

For the pesto sauce:
1 large cup of basil leaves
1/2 cup cashew nuts
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or any other hard cheese like Gouda or Cheddar)
4-5 tbsp Olive oil
Seasoning

Add all the ingredients in a blender and mix till it is a semi-smooth paste. Add/subtract oil as per consistency.

TIP: Add an ice cube when blending to retain a fresh green colour.

To make the pasta:
2 cups cooked pasta of your choice
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil to cook
2 tbsp olive oil to serve
1 onion, chopped

Heat oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then add the onion. Stir till onions are golden brown. Then add the pasta and pesto sauce. Coat the pasta in the sauce evenly. Add the the grilled tomatoes and aubergines. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

For the cheese-crazy, serve with some grated cheese.

Masala Rice

Entering the kitchen in the summer, or worse, humid monsoons is not something I look forward to. I keep looking for one-dish meals that are quick and easy to make. This rice was a desperate effort to finish with my cooking in 10 minutes...and it worked.

I already had some cooked rice...but it takes just 10 minutes to make it in the microwave if it's not ready.

In a hot saucepan:
4 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin
2-3 crushed garlic
1 large onion

Once the onion starts to brown slightly, add

1 large chopped tomato and let it cook.

Once the liquid from the tomato had been absorbed, add
1tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp chilli powder

Cook this for 2 minutes, then add
1 cup of chopped mix vegetables (carrots, peas, beans, cauliflower)

Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes then add 2 cups of cooked rice and seasoning.
Cover and leave for 5 minutes.

Top with some chopped fresh coriander.

Crispy Skin Fish with Veggies & Garlic Rice

I usually don't like the skin on fish (or chicken). But grilled fish with a crispy skin looked very appetizing on TV. For a first try, I decided to keep it simple. This came out well.

For the fish:
2 halves of a filleted fish (with skin) - I used Rawas or Indian Salmon
Seasoning (salt/pepper)
Oil for grilling

Take some kitchen towels and dry out the fish - it might take 2 to 3 tries to get it completely dry. Make small slits on the skin.

Heat oil in a grilling pan. Add the seasoning to it. Wait till the oil is sizzling hot, then lay the fish skin-side down. Don't prod or turn it for 3 to 4 minutes. Cook for another 2 minutes on the other side and it is done!

Steamed Vegetables:
Broccoli
Snow peas
Baby corn
2 tbsp Light soy sauce

Steam the vegetables, top it up with the soy sauce.

Baked Potatoes:
Potatoes
Salt/pepper
Chilli flakes
1 tbsp Olive oil

Cut potatoes in wedges. In a bowl, toss it with the seasoning and bake it in an oven at 180 deg Celsius for about 40 minutes.

Garlic Rice:
2 cups cooked rice
2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste

Add butter to a hot pan, put in the garlic. Just when it starts to brown, add the rice and salt.

Shawarma

Just hummus with pita is a snack, hummus with some cottage cheese and veggies is a tasty meal that is easy to make.

Make a batch of hummus.

Meanwhile, marinate for an hour in the fridge (or overnight if you have the time):

250 gms of cottage cheese (or boneless chicken cubes)

2-3 tbsps of yogurt

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder/roasted cumin

Salt/pepper to taste

Transfer this to a baking dish and slow roast it for an hour at 150 deg C, then at 200 deg C for 10-15 min so that the juices evaporate. But make sure to not burn the tops and keep tossing them every 5 minutes for the last 15 minutes.

For the salad:

1 beet: peeled, boiled and sliced

1 carrot, sliced

A few olives 

Start layering with the hummus at the bottom, then the salad, and top it up with the cottage cheese. You could even add some Greek yogurt to the base.

Serve with toasted Pita bread