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Showing posts with the label Food

Singapore Inspired Chilli Chicken

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Singapore Inspired Chilli Chicken If you are living in Singapore, inevitably one gets to try the various hawker centers . The trademark style of many of the stalls is various cuisines, all cooked fresh. And, there is a hint of different cultures like - Chinese, Malay, Indian, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese in the food and the cooking styles. Inspired by the cooking style, this is a simple recipe to make chilli chicken. It can be had as a starter/appetizer, finger food for drinks or even mixed to plain soba / rice noodles as a garnish.  The recipe is a bit of a shortcut, utilizing the ready made sauces and pastes that are available from the supermarkets. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  30. September 2023 Chilli Chicken garnished with Coriander Ingredients 2 Chicken breast pieces 1 cup of Ris Red Chilli Sauce 1 cup of Riverina Garlic, Chilli, Ginger paste 1 bunch of chopped Coriander leaves 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil Salt (to taste) Instructions Dice the chicken br

Roast Chicken for the Holiday Season

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Roast Chicken In some parts of the world, December is the time of holidays and colder weather.  During this time, it's nice to have a sumptuous and healthy meal. Here is a fairly simple recipe for roast chicken. The ingredients should be available everywhere. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  19. December 2021 Roast Chicken with Spiced Pomegranate Juice Ingredients Salt (to taste) Crushed black pepper  1 Pomegranate 12-15 peeled baby potatoes 2 Onions 2 Carrots 2 Red Bell Peppers 6 Chicken thigh pieces 10 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tablespoon of garam masala 1 tablespoon of Kashmiri red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Instructions Roast Chicken Peel and blend 1 pomegranate in a blender without adding any water. Divide the pomegranate juice into 2 cups/portions. To on one of the portions, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons garam masala and 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder. Coat the chicken pieces in

Biryani with a Persian twist

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Biryani with a Persian twist Anyone who likes Indian cuisine is familiar with the Biryani. Few know that the word Biryani is derived from the Farsi word "Birian". Some believe that the dish could therefore have originated somewhere in erstwhile Persia. Today's attempt was to make a biryani with a persian twist, right from the choice of meat to the spices. So, I used mutton and only persian dry spice powder. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  11. December 2016 Ingredients Salt (to taste) Crushed black pepper  Persian dry spices 1 cup natural/greek yoghurt 2 cups of basmati rice 500 gm of mutton chops  2 tablespoons of olive oil 2 tablespoons of clarified butter (ghee) 1 large onion chopped into juliennes 10-12 cashew nuts Assorted whole spices - mace, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and star anise Instructions Marinate the mutton in salt, pepper, persian dry spices and olive oil for 10 minutes. Heat a wok and

Single Malt infused Burger

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Single Malt infused Burger I have been fascinated with the various barbecue sauces from America. There's a wide variety of them ranging from the Kansas City, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas. Largely, they use similar ingredients with some regional variations.  I thought of making a variation of the Tennessee sauce by using Single Malt instead of an American bourbon. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  02. January 2016 Ingredients Salt (to taste) Crushed black pepper  2 tablespoon Tabasco sauce 200 ml Tomato puree 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce (or to taste) 2 chicken breasts  2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider vinegar 1 tablespoon of Soy sauce 2 tablespoons of Glenfiddich 12 year single malt  1 finely chopped onion 2 burger buns Instructions Heat the oil in a wok. Saute the onions. Add the salt and pepper.  Add the various sauces as you continue to saute the onion. After a few minutes, add

The People's Chef

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Today is the 6th death anniversary of one of the most famous chef's - Keith Floyd. He was a chef, restaurateur, author and businessman.  Image Source - Bristol Post It was in the early 1990's that satellite television took off in India. And, one of the first channels to make it's foray was the venerable BBC. Keith Floyd's TV shows like - Floyd on Spain, Floyd on Italy, Floyd on France etc. opened up new cuisines and experiences for the Indian audience. He was probably one of the first chef's who wanted to spread the joy of food among people. His energy and passion for all things food and cooking was only far too evident. In addition, he expressed an almost childlike enthusiasm for different cultures and experiences.   So, here's to you Mr. Floyd. May you have a good time wherever you are, with your trademark 'splash and a dash'.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

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Stuffed Bell Peppers Recently Tastemade  app was launched on Apple TV. There are some interesting indie chefs and hosts worth watching on Tastemade. Some of the programs reminded me of England. So, this recipe is inspired from typical English ingredients like worcestershire sauce and 'sharp tasting' cheddar cheese. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  09. August 2014 Ingredients Rock salt (to taste) Crushed black pepper  1 cup of cooked rice (can be left over) 1 tablespoon of port wine 1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce (or to taste) 2 diced piri piri chicken sausages Handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves (or mint leaves) 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil 1 red bell pepper 3-4 thin slices of cheddar cheese 1 toothpick for presentation! Instructions Slice the top of a red bell pepper. Scoop out the insides of the pepper. Roast the pepper and the top in a preheated oven at 220C for about 15 minutes.  Take the pepper ou

A melange

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A melange Sometimes, we get saddled with random vegetables in the kitchen. I had bell peppers, indian cottage cheese and baby corn at my disposal. Here is a paneer jalfreez with all these ingredients. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  17. October 2014 Ingredients 1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) 1 tablespoon of crushed black pepper  1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste 2 chopped red onion 250 gm diced indian cottage cheese 2-3 chopped red chilli 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder 1 teaspoon of turmeric 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder 1/2 tablespoon of garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida 1 cardamom 1 cinnamon 4-5 tablespoon of vegetable oil 2 chopped bell peppers 6 chopped baby corn 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Instructions Heat oil in a pan or a wok. Add asafoetida powder and cumin seeds. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onions, baby corn and bell pepper.  Saute in medium heat for a while. Add all the powders, ginger gar

Beat the Heat

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Beat the Heat Summer is marching on this year and leaving behind parched throats. A simple and popular summer cooler is made all over India with yogurt. It's called by various names - "lassi" and "chaas" in the north and "more" in the south. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  30 March 2014 Ingredients 1 chopped green chillies  1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 3 chopped ginger 3 cups natural yogurt 1 cup milk Instructions Dry roast the mustard seeds, chopped ginger and green chillies in a pan for a minute. Blend the salt, yogurt and milk. Mix the yogurt with the spices. Serve with ice cubes. Happy drinking. Further details Serves 3-4  people . Preparation time is approximately 5  min . Cooking time is approximately  5 min .

Complex tastes

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Complex tastes This dish has been inspired by the food from the street vans of the world. Street food often showcases the unique creativity of the vendors. This dish has a complex taste and is a medley of four different dishes. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  01. September 2013 Mushroom and beans Ingredients 10 whole mushrooms 8 - 10 chopped long beans  1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper 1 teaspoon olive oil Instructions Heat the oil in a pan. Season the pan with the salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and beans. Saute the vegetables on a high flame for a few minutes until they begin to brown. Sausages Ingredients 3-4 chopped sausages 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper 1 chopped coriander Instructions Roast the sausages in the pan until they are lightly brown. Season them with black pepper and garnish them with the fresh coriander. Sweet and sour sauce Ingredients 2-3 tablespoon of rice wine v

Cups of joy

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"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well." ~Virginia Woolf Cupcakes made by my co-conspirators and me. One of the recent trends all over the world has been the popularity of cupcakes.  I suppose people are becoming more health and wallet concious. Added to that is the creativity from the deli and patisserie establishments. I have found baking always a bit tricky because one doesn't often have a chance to course-correct if there are any mistakes in the cooking. You get to see the results only at the end. So far, my attempts at baking have been hit-and-miss. So, I thought of giving a bakery class a shot. I went for a weekend class at Spoonful of Sugar in Bangalore .  If you are in Bangalore, you should give this class a go. Chef Yuvna Damani took us through all the steps in making the cupcakes and the icing. All the participants then had to make their own too. We made vanilla, chocolate and red velvet cupcakes with various icing o

Food for a king

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Food for a king The galouti kebabs are known to be first cooked in the kitchens of Awadh royalty. One could say that, they are an indian version of meat patties. They are supposed to be very soft and legend has it that the dish was first created for a 'toothless' nawab in Lucknow. This recipe is my take on this legendary kebab. They can be had on their own with chutney or as a filling in a burger or kati roll. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  17. February 2013 Chicken Galouti Kebabs Ingredients 1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) 1 tablespoon of crushed black pepper  2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste 1 chopped red onion 3-4 diced cubes of raw pumpkin 1 chopped green chilli 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 1 teaspoon of turmeric 1 tablespoon of garam masala powder 1 cardamom 1 bay leaf 1 mace 1 teaspoon of fennel 3-4 tablespoon of butter or clarified butter 500g of chicken mince Instructions Season the chicken mince wi

Savour the time

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Savour the time Turin is one of Italy's foremost industrial and cultural centres. Befitting that status, the slow food movement started from this city. Turin recently hosted the international slow food festival . Today's recipe is a tribute to the slow food movement. As much as the food, it matters that you also savour the time you spend making it. Sambar is a pretty common dish in south India. Here is a variation with some mango in it. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  25. November 2012 Mixed Vegetable Sambar Ingredients 1 green chilli 2 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 chopped red onion 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste 1 sliced drumstick 2 diced small aubergines 1 diced raw mango 1 diced tomato  1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) 1 teaspoon of turmeric 1 tablespoon of sambar powder 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder 1 cup of moong daal (split yellow lentil) 1 teaspoon of asafoetida 1 tablespoon of crushed black peppe

Summer Soup

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Summer Soup Usually in the summer months, I prefer light food. Soups fit the bill perfectly. I tried a soup with a fruity twist to it. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  29. July 2012 Summer Soup Ingredients 1 green chilli 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 chopped red onion 3 peeled garlic cloves 2 diced carrots 20 diced pieces of pumpkin 3 slices of musk melon 1 tablespoon of olive oil with dried basil 8 pieces of chopped ginger  1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) 1 tablespoon of crushed black pepper  1 peeled and sliced cucumber Instructions Heat the olive oil in a pan. Sauté the onions, green chilli and garlic for a few minutes. Add the carrots, pumpkin, cucumber and musk melon. Cook them until they are soft Add the salt and black pepper and cook for a few more minutes. Remove the vegetables from the heat and allow it to cool. Blend the vegetables in a food processor. Add water or milk based on the consistency you want.  S

Banana Spread

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Banana Spread Bananas are probably the favourite fruit for most people, I am no exception. I had a few bananas going very ripe, so I had whip up something quickly with them. Here is an easy recipe to make a spread out of bananas. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  12. July 2012 Ingredients 2 ripe bananas 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 3 peeled cardamoms 2 tablespoon honey Instructions Remove the seeds from the cardamom pod. Add all the ingredients and mash them using a hand blender. Ensure that the mash has a thick spread like consistency. Refrigerate the spread overnight. The spread can be used as a topping for bread, pancakes, cornflakes, oats or ice cream.  Happy eating. Further details Serves  3-4 people . Preparation time is approximately  5 min . Cooking time is approximately  5 min .

Frittatas for breakfast

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Frittatas If you are looking for an easy breakfast for a Sunday morning, frittatas fit the bill perfectly. It is healthy, filling and easy to make. Contributed by  Rajan Manickavasagam . Published  20. May 2012 Ingredients 1-2   tablespoons  olive oil 1  chopped garlic 1   teaspoon  pepper 1  chopped onion 1  diced carrot 1  diced potato 1  chopped mushroom 1  chopped tomato 1   teaspoon  of salt (or to taste) 3  eggs 1/2  cup milk Instructions Pre-heat the oven to 175 C for 5 minutes. Mix all the vegetables in a baking dish. Add salt, pepper and olive oil and toss all the vegetables. Bake all the vegetables in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the egg and milk together. After the vegetables are cooked, pour in the egg and milk mixture into the vegetables. Bake for a further 15 minutes and the frittata should be ready. Happy eating. Further details Serves  3-4 people . Preparation time is approximately  10 min . Coo

Chicken Kebabs

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Chicken Kebabs Recently, I saw a cooking programme on TV showing street food. I thought, I will try own version of a middle eastern classic - chicken kebabs. It's perfect for a dinner with friends. Contributed by Rajan Manickavasagam . Published 06. Feb 2012 Ingredients 4-6   tablespoons  olive oil 1   tablespoon   garlic olive oil 1   tablespoon  chilli infused olive oil 4 chicken legs 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 1 teaspoon mixed peppercorns 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon of garam masala powder 1 teaspoon of coriander powder 1 teaspoon of nutmeg powder 1 teaspoon of coarse black pepper 1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary) 1-2 teaspoon of rock salt (or to taste) 1 chopped onion 2 chopped garlic cloves 1 sliced ginger Instructions In a bowl, add the olive oil, garlic olive oil and chilli infused oil. Roll the chicken legs in the bowl and coat it with th

Okra Fry

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Okra Fry Here is the first recipe of this year. It's quite simple and spicy. Normally, I don't use much oil for any of my cooking. For this dish however, oil is the main ingredient. So, be prepared to use plenty. Contributed by Rajan Manickavasagam . Published 02. Jan 2012 Ingredients 8-10   tablespoons  vegetable oil 25 sliced okra 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 pinch of asafoetida powder 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala powder 1 teaspoon of coriander powder 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder 1-2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) Instructions Heat the 4 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and pinch of  asafoetida powder. Add the sliced okra to the pan and start frying them. Add the turmeric, garam masala, coriander and red chilli powder to the okra. Saute the okra and keep adding the remaining oil. Finally, add the salt. Cook the okra in medium heat for a few minutes until fully cooked

Simply Prawns

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Simply prawns It's been a while since I made any sea food. I thought a I will try a quick prawn curry. The ingredients are quite basic and somehow they just seem to be good enough for the prawns. Contributed by Rajan Manickavasagam . Published 01. Dec 2011 Ingredients 4   tablespoons  vegetable oil 3 sliced green chillies 1 teaspoon of ginger and garlic paste 1 sliced onion 2 chopped tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 teaspoon of chilli powder 300 gm prawns 1-2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) Instructions Heat the oil in pan. Add green chillies, onions and saute them. Once the onions are golden brown, add the ginger garlic paste. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Add the turmeric and chilli powder to the pan. Keep frying the ingredients until they become like a paste. Add more oil if required. Add the prawns and reduce the heat. Cook the prawn in medium heat for a few minutes. Serve with naan/chappatis/d

A simple vegetarian curry

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A simple curry Here is a simple curry recipe for the busy week days. There are no particular vegetables or ingredients that you need for this recipe, just put together any set of vegetables or spices that you may have. Contributed by Rajan Manickavasagam . Published 27. Nov 2011 Ingredients 2 diced potatoes 2   diced  carrots 1 cup of green peas 1 sliced green beans 2 sliced green chillies 1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste 1 sliced onion 4 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 handful of coriander leaves 1 clove 1 cardamom 1  teaspoon of cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder 1 cup of fresh single cream 1-2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) Instructions Heat the oil in pan. Add cumin seeds, green chillies and onions and saute them. Once the onions are golden brown, add the ginger garlic paste and the remaining spices. Add the turmeric and chilli powder to the pan. Add all the veget

A simple dish from God's Own Country

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Vegetable stew The vegetable stew from Kerala, God's Own Country is a versatile dish. It can be used as a side dish for chappatis or dosa / appam. It is quite easy to make. And as all stews go, it is very filling and satisfying after a long day of work. Other vegetables that go well in this dish are cauliflower and carrots. For those interested in meat, chicken or lamb can be substituted instead Contributed by Rajan Manickavasagam . Published 07. May 2011 Ingredients 2 diced potatoes 2 sliced green chillies 4 strips of ginger 1 sliced onion 4 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 handful of curry leaves 1 clove 1 cardamom 1 cup of peas 1 cup of coconut milk 1-2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) Instructions Dice the potatoes and cook them until they are soft. This can be done quickly in the microwave. Heat the oil in pan. Add onions, ginger, curry leaves, clove and cardamom. The clove and cardamom help flavour the oil.