Monsoon cravings- Pyaaz ke Kachori!! (Fried bread with stuffed onions)

It's the time of the year when my craving levels go really up..whether it is a hot bowl of soup or fried onion pakodas or may be some good hot chinese food.

Monsoon is my favourite season out of all..it is the time when my senses are really calm, enjoying the sound of the rain and the smell of the damp earth! I live in a part of india where monsoon turns the otherwise dry browny ghats into beautiful green heaven!!
Our weekend routine usually is a drive to some nearby hill/ghat, stopping by some small tea stalls set up temporarily by the villagers near by, having some hot pakodas and not to miss the season special sweet corn roasted in charcoal fire!! These are the little things that make me a happy girl!!

My husband loves fried food, give him any unhealthy thing to eat and he would gorge on it as if it was the most beautiful food created on earth!! Oh, he's goin to kill me for this post! But recently, we decided to go heatlhy and avoid eating out as much as possible. I promised him that i would make fried stuff at home since i can at least control the quality of oil. Last weekend, i decided to treat him pyaaz ke kachori (fried bread with stuffed onions) served with potato curry and tamarind chutney. Here it goes..

Ingredients :

For the fried bread or kachori:

• Maida (All purpose flour)-2 cups
• Water to knead
• Pinch of salt
• Oil for kneading and deep frying

For the filling:

• Onion- 4 no thinly sliced
• Green chillies- 2 no chopped finely
• Cumin- 2 tsp
• Nigella seeds- 2 tsp
• Fennel seeds- 2 tsp
• Crushed Corriander seeds- 2 tsp
• Coriander powder- 1 tsp
• Cumin powder- 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Aamchoor;(dry mango) powder- 1 tsp
• Oil for frying

Method:
Put together the flour, 2 tsp oil, salt and water to knead a stiff dough and cover it with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rest for 45 mins. Then divide the dough to make 12 balls smoothly rounded.

For the stuffing, heat oil in pan, put in the cumin, nigella seeds, fennel seeds, crushed coriander seeds and then add the onions. Add in the salt, green chillies and cook till onions are soft and change their color to beautiful caramelised color. Now, add in the coriander, cumin and aamchoor powder and let the mixture cool before you start making kachoris.

This is my favourite part when all your hardwork is shaping into something yumm..

Heat enough oil to deep fry in a heavy bottom utensil, start rolling each dough balls into 2.5cms round disc and then place 2 tsp of onion stuffing in it and bring the edges together. Seal well. Roll them lightly into 5cms round disc using dry flour if required. Slide/drop the kachoris carefully in the oil and wait for them to turn golden and slightly puffed up. Pat the extra oil on a dry kitchen towel. Serve them with tamarind chutney, coriander chutney & some hot potato curry.

I shall definitely post soon my recipes of a quick tamarind chutney, coriander chutney and of course every household's much loved-a humble potato curry!!

Now, don't wait for the rain to shower and then make these yunmy kachoris..u can always make it and let the rain god shower his blessings!! Until then,

Love, laugh & live on...
Cheers!!

Celebrating Life..Random thoughts as we drive in the rains!!

I recently celebrated my birthday, and as always my husband left no stone unturned for the grandeur & opulence. It was surely a birthday celebrated in style, rejoicing life and thanking God for all his blessings.

Life as such is a plethora of uncertainties..it's unpredictable but what's fascinating is we all still plan & try to secure ourselves as much as we can. That is not because we are sure of things but to hope and look forward to something positive always. It's kind of that "go factor" in our life..

I love surprises but i get impatient too..it is just that we always want to know what is in store for us. Grown ups still have that child in them who are always curious to know everything and trust me, if that is not there then the zeal for life is just hiding & sleeping inside you!! Get that out from your slumbers!! Be excited, be curious and be a child sometime!! It's fun!!!

Life could be exciting but it's upto you to make it happen..looking forward to something is the beginning of a new beautiful chapter!! Plan something that excites u for the next day or next week or the next month, but do something that you can look forward to like a holiday, a lunch with your favourite people, a shopping spree, visiting a friend or could be just a drive.

There are times when we are disappointed if things don't turn out the way we've planned. That's ok. It's just a day, i wouldn't even say "bad day" cos it could be a day to better things or different opportunities. If nothing materialises then just cook yourself a good meal or have a good hot chocolate/ coffee/tea with your family and plan for the next one!! Yes, it's that simple!! Love life & life will love u back!!

Here's a pic of me celebrating life..Happy Birthday to me!!

Love, Laugh & Live on..
Cheers!

Simplicity & a simpler Khaw Suey- Burmese noodle soup

How do you define simple?? A lot of things look simple but its deliciously complicated within and sometimes with very humble ingredients & simple techniques, you can make it look really complicated. That is why it is very difficult to define "simple" Its an irony and can be very deceptive.

Food is about simple ingredients involved in some basic cooking technique which sometimes can be complexed too but it is upto you to customise it according to your convinience and how you like it.

Exactly how life is..we make things look so complicated & perplexed when everything is really simple. And yet sometimes, people can make their life simple but within them, only would they know how complicated it was. It is totally upto us how we want to present our life to ourselves or others. Life is like a recipe, just know the basic principles and live it according to your way.

This one dish comes to mind when i think simple.."Khaw suey"- this one is so simple with such humble ingredients but presented not so simple- that is what i was telling you about!!

Khaw suey or Khau suey is a burmese noodle soup simmered in a light-fragrant coconut soup. This has many variations in Asian culinary world..my take on it is simple yet delicious!!

Ingredients:

• Egg Noodles or regular noodles- boiled in hot water for 2 mins
• Chicken-bonesless- 250 gms
• Vegetables like carrot, beans, mushroom- 200 gms- this is optional incase u like veggies or want a vegetarian version
• Coconut milk- 1 cup or a regular can size
• Shallots- finely chopped
• Garlic- finely chopped or paste- 1 tsp each
• Chickpea flour- 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
• Madras curry powder- 1 tsp
• Red chilly flakes- 1 tsp
• Lemon juice- 1 tsp 
• Light soya sauce- 1 tsp
• Fish sauce- 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil or any cooking oil

For Garnishing or extra condiments:

• Fried crispy onion
• Fried garlic
• Lemon wedges
• Spring onions- finely chopped
• Chilly flakes 
• Green chillies- optional                

Procedure:

Heat oil in a pan, put the garlic paste, onions and cook it till the raw smell of garlic changes to a finger licking garlicky taste. Then add the chickpea flour and stir it for a minute. Now, add the chicken, vegetables(optional), turmeric powder, chilly flakes & salt. Stir for 5 mins and add the madras curry powder, light soya sauce & fish sauce and cook till the chicken is done. Add the coconut milk and simmer everything together for another 3-4 mins more.

Add this point, you can toss the boiled noodles in hot oil with little bit of garlic & shallots. This is however optional. You can just serve the noodles with the delicate & light coconut soup with all the condiments on the sides.

I think, my take on this recipe was really simple or atleast i tried. Like they say, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication!! So, till u discover what works simpler for you-

Love, laugh & live on..
Cheers!! 

Morning randomness & quick breakfast Tortilla Wrap

A beautiful morning as i look out of my window, hazy & the sun still shies away frm shinning.

I often think to myself that what if we decide not go to work today on a weekday for a change and together enjoy our hot elaborate breakfast. It's just a matter of one day after all?? Oh just then, i see my husband out of shower, dabbing his after shave and spilling some on my clean floor and telling me that he needs to leave in 5 mins.

Yes, thats how most of us leave the house on most of the days. We are all juggling between personal, professional & a lot of unnecessary issues which quite actually don't personally matter to us. All humans are born happy though we were crying when we were born..so thats what life is all about. We just bring up issues & crib for the sake of it when honestly we know that being happy is effortless and its within us!

Do small little things that bring a smile to you..like i did this morning..cooked a quick & i mean really quick breakfast to see us smile before we step out for the day!

Chicken Tortilla Wraps

Ingredients:

• Tortilla - 2 no. 
• Grilled chicken- as in my case was extra from last night dinner
• Red peppers
• Green pepper
• Red onoins sliced
• Chitpotle Mayo or add a spoon of sriracha sauce to mayo
• Lettuce
• Cheese slices- cheddar preferably 
• Fried egg- i didn't have time to add but i could

Putting it together:

Slice ur grilled chicken or you could chop it bite size. Place the lettuce on the tortilla, put in the grilled chicken on top, cut finely the onions, red pepper, green pepper and stack it on the chicken, place the fried egg on top & then slide the cheese slice on top. Swirl some mayo-sriracha sauce on top and then wrap it inward frm the side facing you first, then bringing the other left-right sides together. Put it on a hot griddle with the fold facing the hot griddle so that your wrap is sealed. 

Very important, you cannot be greedy and put in a lot of stuffing in the tortilla cos then you will end up tearing your delicate wrap. So in this case, a lot is surely not merrier!!

Just then i began to think that life is similar to a wrap, we accumulate a lot of things yet everything don't come together and tear the world that we want to create for ourselves. Sometimes, little things put together in harmony and effortlessly can be joyous too!! 

Love, laugh & live on..

Cheers!!

Mutton Curry- Sunday Feast

This one is my all time favourite- Mutton curry cooked at home! Sluurrpp!!

As a kid, my memories of Sunday still lingers on..my uncle would go to the butcher early in the morning to get the best produce of the day..around 11am, that smell of mutton roasting in the slow cooker whiffed in the air and almost in everybody's house around my neighborhood followed the tradition of cooking mutton..it was like soul-healing frm the weekdays busy schedule.

 My mum never let the cook make mutton..she was proud of her recipe and thought nobody could replicate it..but like they say- legacy must pass on & this classic dish is untouched with my twist or i rather not dare! 

Ingredients:

• Mutton- 1kg curry cut
• Onions- 5-6 sliced thinly
• Ginger Garlic paste- 3-4tsp
• Bay leaf- 2 no

• Black cardamom- 2 no
• Cinnamon stick-1 large no
• Green chillies- 2 no slit half
• Coriander powder- 4 tsp
• Cumin powder- 2 tsp
• Tumeric powder- 1 tsp
• Red chilly/paprika powder-2 tsp
• A little pinch of sugar
• Garam masala powder-1 tsp 
• Salt
• Vegetable oil to cook

Method:

Cooking for me is not methodical, it should be therapeutic. I usually cook without any measurements..cook with your senses and trust me then the food will taste soulful!

To get you started, heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, put the whole spices, green chillies & then the aromatics ie; the onions & ginger garlic paste and fry till you get tht lovely reddish color on the onions. Now put the mutton, put all the ground spices one after the other (any order would not make a difference) Season with salt and cook till you think the mutton is done. At this stage, you could also transfer the mutton to a pressure cooker for 15-20 mins on low flame. No garnishings required for this dish cos i love it just as it is!! Savour it with steamed rice.

Try it on a sunday and don't blame me if your Sunday siesta extends till your tea time! Till you cook & try it..

Love, laugh & live on..

Cheers!!

About me...

I always thought that it's not necessary to let the world know that u love something as far as u love it & live it!

My life is beautiful..*touchwood* Blessed with such amazing parents who always let me follow my dreams..my brother who's been my guardian through out and yes, my husband who has been my best friend & my pillar..well, these are the set of people i love, fight, cry, adore and who at times annoy me the most but for them, i'm here cos they always told me.."You have stories for everything on this Earth" So, this one is for them!!

I'm no extraordinary..i love simple pleasures in life..cooking up a meal for my family, travelling with my family/friends, reading anything & everything and sharing it with people, and like every or atleast most of the girls-shopping excites me!!

My mum says "tell me one thing that u don't like to do" And i think to myself--Actually, i love it all!!

So, at 4am i'm thinking to myself that should i post about food, or fashion or maybe travel & places or health & lifestyle and just then the intellect-me says world politics could be another option..oh, ohk..naaahhh!!

Let my stories be random and moreover cos randomness excites me!! But yes, something that stays everyday in my heart is the love for cooking & eating..so my cooking tales will surely dominate the rest cos that's what i enjoy most these days!!

Let the sojourn to my another innings begin with this..till then,

Love, laugh, & live on..

Cheers!!