Pasta in Creamy Marsala Sauce

This is my absolute favourite pasta recipe from Maggiano-Little Italy, an American-Italian restaurant here in Houston. I ate this particular dish only once and at the same time studied all the ingredients with each morsel in my mouth. Next thing I did was tried it at home and viola!! it came out good!!!!!!! The best part was that the chef himself presented me this dish at the restaurant and came back for feedback. And my feedback was "I want to kiss your hands".



Ingredients:

8 ounces of Rigatoni, Fussilli or Bow shaped Pasta

2 ounces butter

1/2 cup Marsala Wine

2 garlic heads finely chopped

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tbspn extra virgin olive oil

1 large white onion sliced finely

1 portion cooked skinless chicken breast (cut into bite-size pieces)

1 cup button mushrooms

1 tspn fresh ground black pepper



Method:

Chop up the onions. Put them in a large wok with a couple tablespoons olive oil. Cook on high for a few minutes until the onions are hot and starting to become translucent, then turn down the heat to medium low. As the rest of the steps progress, you'll need to remember to stir the onions every 8 minutes to keep them from burning. The onions will take a long time to reach the desired golden-brown color.

At this point of time heat lots of water with salt to taste for boiling the pasta. Quarter the button mushrooms from top to bottom. Each mushroom piece should have part of the head and part of the stem. When the onions are approaching done (not the rich brown of fully caramelized onions, but getting there) add the mushrooms to the cooking onions. Stir everything together and cook until the mushrooms are looking sautéed. With the onions and mushrooms in the pan, turn the heat up to high and add the wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure the sugars from the onions are released and integrated into the liquid. Add the chicken and garlic. Let it cook over medium heat. Monitor the pasta as it cooks. When it's just reaching the perfect al dente, turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Cut up the butter into pieces and stir them into the sauce. Add freshly cracked black pepper to taste and serve. Done!

Anu......I love u for this chicken!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup.....!!!!!! thats the name of this dish!!!!! It is so simple, instant and fun to make that I am totally bonkers for this chicken introduced to me by my friend Anu. You will know once you eat this juicy, tender, full of flavor pieces of meat in vibrant and spicy sauce. So without wasting any time here it is.......

Ingredients:
250 gms chicken thigh meat
1 tbspn ginger-garlic paste
1 tbspn yogurt
2 tspn tandoori chicken masala powder
1 tspn sambar masala powder
1 tspn kashmiri chilli powder
1 tspn garam masala powder
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
1 tspn kasoori methi (crushed)
1 tspn saunf/fennel seeds
lots of curry leaves
2-3 tbspn oil for shallow frying
salt to taste

Method:
Clean, wash and cut the chicken thigh meat into bite-size pieces. Pat dry with kitchen towel. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Now add all the ingredients except the curry leaves and fennel seeds. Mix well. Let it stand for 20-30 minutes. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan/skillet until it shimmers on the surface. Add fennel seeds and curry leaves sufficient to cook one batch of marinated chicken. Do not let the curry leaves burn. Keep the flame on medium burner. Now add one batch of the marinated chicken. Let it be for 5 minutes as it is. Now turn the pieces to cook on the other side and cook for another 5 minutes. The masala should stick to the meat and browned a bit by now. Increase the flame. Now you can play with skillet by tossing and turning the meat around. By now the meat should have been cooked. Be carefull not to over cook as the meat will turn hard and rubbery. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and repeat the procedure for the remaining chicken. Serve with cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges. Done!

Bharwan Karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd)

I have been making this particular dish since I was in high school. I had read it in some recipe book and tried it out. It was an instant hit!! Even people who detest karela liked it. So here it is....

Ingredients:

4-5 medium sized whole karela

1 medium onion chopped

1 tbspn besan (chick-pea flour)

1 tsp saunf (fennel seeds)

2 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)

1 tsp paprika/red chilli powder

1 tsp corriander seeds powder

1 tsp cumin powder

a pinch of turmeric

oil for shallow frying

salt to taste

Method:

Wash and trim the ends of the karela (bitter gourd). Make a slit in the middle of each for stuffing. Take a pressure cooker or a saucepan with lid and boil the karela's with salt and turmeric until just tender. Let it cool. For the stuffing, heat 1 tbspn of oil in a pan. Add fennel seeds. When the seeds starts to change colour add in the chopped onions. Fry till the onions are soft. Now reduce the flame to low and add all the powdered masala's. Fry for a minute. Now add the besan and salt to taste. Keep on stirring until it resembles a coarse mixture. Finally add the amchur powder and turn the heat off. Let the mixture cool.

Once the karela's are cooled down remove the seeds with the help of a spoon. Fill in the stuffing in the slits and secure/tie it with the help of thread/string to prevent filling from spilling out. Shallow fry the karela's in hot oil till they change colour. Done!!

Stuffed Promfret

This fish preparation was dished out for me when I was pregnant with my daughter. One lazy Sunday afternoon I was making parathas to go with the chicken which I had prepared. Yes, me with a big belly, near the stove, rolling pin in hand, dishing out some hot, pipping parathas!!! Don't be surprised, the day before my daughter was born I had cooked an entire meal for around 10-12 people who were visiting me. Anyways, back to the promfret. The door bell rings and one of my little cousin is visiting me with his parents whom I fondly call Bunty and Jui mami. After the customery hi's and hello's, Jui mami hands me this hot steel dabba wrapped in a cloth bag and in her languid manner tells me that she has prepared some fish for me. Little did she know that this preparation of hers would make me drool for life!!!At the mention of fish my senses were aroused and my eyes all brightened up. Like an excited child I began to open the dabba animatedly. At that time I was forgiven for all my etiquette and decorum. Lying there in an oily base, juices oozing out, fried to perfection, two whole pomfrets!!! Just the whiff of it made my skin crawl.... So for all you fish lovers... this is for you!!!!!!

Ingredients:
2 medium-size whole pomfret fish slit aside (ask your fish monger to clean and slit it for filling)
1tspn tamarind pulp/concentrate
4 cloves garlic
2 tbspns freshly grated coconut
2 small green chillies
1 tspn corriander leaves/cilantro
1 tbspn rice flour or semolina or wheat flour
2 tspns paprika or red chilli powder
1 tspn turmeric
1 tspn garam masala powder
2 tspn lemon juice
salt
oil for shallow frying
Method:
Wash the fish thoroughly. Pat dry with kitchen towel. Apply salt and tamarind pulp to the fish inside-out. Let it stand for half an hour. Meanwhile grind together to a fine paste : freshly grated coconut, green chillies, cilantro/corriander leaves, garlic, lemon juice and salt to taste with little water. Heat 2tspns of oil in a pan. Add the grounded paste and fry till all the water evaporates and you are left with a thick chutney. Cool the mixture. In another shallow dish mix together the rice/wheat flour or semolina, paprika, turmeric and garam masala powder. Keep aside. Heat oil for shallow frying in the pan. Keep the flame on medium flame. Now take the fish and stuff in the required amount of chutney in the slit. Lay the stuffed fish on the flour mixture, coat it evenly, dust off the excess. Slowly lower the fish in the oil and cook on each side for 5-7 mins. Always remember, fish takes very little time to cook and never flip the sides. It should be flipped only once to change the side to cook. Once you see the fish chage is colour to golden brown on both sides, lift it carefully and place it on a plate. Do not drain on an absorbent paper otherwise all the juices will run out. Garnish with lime wedges. Done!

Tangy Mushrooms

The other day hubby darling got into the mood (don't get naughty thoughts) of cooking. Having very recently gulped rather than ate his dish of dry, rubbery scrambled eggs, I begged for his change of intention. Before I could plead any further, he picked up a packet of mushrooms and dumped in the cart, expressing his desire to make "mushroom masala" with them. Oh my God!!!!! I said aloud in my heart and followed him around. But I thank god for hubby's another quality of forgetfulness (sshhhh...only when it works to my advantage), the packet was lying in the fridge for sometime now until I laid my eyes on it today. The thought of making the typical mushroom masala or mushroom gravy was making me nauseous. I feel by adding too much masala/spices or tomatoes we tend to kill the earthy flavor of the mushrooms. I like them cooking in their own juices. So I googled for some recipes on them for some inspiration and came across one where tamarind pulp was being used. Hmm... I thought something different. But then whilst cooking it I came up with an idea. So here it is..........

Serves 2

1 packet pre-sliced mushrooms

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp urad dal

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

5-6 curry leaves

1 medium finely chopped onion

1 tbsp puliyodharai paste (this is a south indian speciality which you can easily find in grocery/ food marts)

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method:

Wash and drain the mushrooms. Keep dry. Heat oil in a saucepan. When hot add mustard seeds, urad dal, fennel seeds and curry leaves. Stir. Add onions and cook for approximately 5-7 mins. Add mushrooms. Spread evenly. Cover the pan with lid. Do not stir. Let be for 6-7 mins until you see juices coming out. Now stir. Now add the puliyodharai paste and mix well. Cook for another 3-4 mins. Season with salt. Done!

Kuska..... An easy atlernate to pain-staking Biryani without Meat!!!

"Kuska" when translated in marathi language (that's my mother tongue) means a mean person. My very good friend Anu introduced me to it. It semms it is a rice preparation from the Muslim community. Initially the name attracted me towards this dish. But I never got a chance to google on it. The other day I was at her place, about to leave and there she comes with the pan and a spoon. Before I know anything, the spoon is shoved in my mouth and I am experiencing yet another culinary delight from my friend which I had to try and voila!!!! what a simple but loaded with flavor dish!!!! Its a biryani (without meat) in no time.....



Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup long-grain basmati rice

1 1/2 tsp ginger-chilli paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1 black cardamoms

4-5 cloves

1 stick cinnamon

2-3 bay leaves

a hanfull of chopped corriander and mint leaves (blame it on them for the flavor!!) a few extra for garnishing

1 tsp garam masala powder (optional)

1 1/2 tbspn of vegetable oil (yup! what is a biryani without oil. Oh.........ok what is an imitation biryani without oil????)
2 cups hot Water
salt to taste

Method:

Wash and soak rice for half an hour. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on a medium flame. Add the bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Hmmm..... now smell the spices. Add the ginger-chilli and garlic parte. Fry for sometime till the rawness of the pastes have gone. Now add the tomatoes. Close the pan with a lid. Let the tomatoes melt. Once you see the tomatoes have incorporated with the spices and the ginger-garlic paste, throw in the leaves. Fry for a minute and then add in the rice. Stir well to mix. Season with salt to taste. Add hot water, stir and put on the lid. Now very important. Once you see the rice boiling reduce the flame to low and stop stirring. I would like to add this as a tip; If you are preparing any kind of rice, do not stir in once it starts boiling. Reason: It breaks the grain. Now I know some of you hyper one's out there would like to go and peek in every now but please control your urge. Sit pretty, file your nails or watch a song or a two on you-tube. (My favourite time-pass!) After 20-25 mins, the air around you will turn minty. Yes, your rice is done now. Go have a look. Yummmm........ sprinkle with the garam masala powder and garnish with more leaves if you please. Done!

Potatoes.... Potatoes.....Potatoes!!!!!!!!!!!

What can I say about them??? My brother would have only potatoes with his every meal when he was a kid, my husbands favourite food is varan (indian dal)-bhaat and batata bhaji, during my so-called dieting phase (its is long long story) I would put an entire bunch of french fries in my mouth, chew them and spit it out. So much for our much loved potatoes. This recipe is from my mother who would make it in a jiffy...... Though there are not many ingredients the technique of cooking the potatoes makes it interesting

Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 mediem size potatoes cut whole into thin rounds
1 tsp vegetable oil
a pinch of chilli powder or paprika
salt

Method:
Soak the potato rounds in cold water for 15-20 mins. Drain well. In a non-stick pan with a lid or kadai, place them in two layers and cover with the lid. Place on top of the stove and set the heat to medium. Let the potatoes sweat. It will take around 8-10 mins. Now drizzle some oil over it and sprinkle the paprika and salt on top. Put on the lid. Let it cook for another 7-8 mins until crispy. Done!

Welcome Aboard.............

In my 30 years of life I have been experimenting with food right from the Anna's "chhapra" around the corner to bright red painted chinese "thela" to roadside highway "dhabas" to a typical Shetty Udipi "mess" to "A La Carte" in some fancy restaurant......... A very early memory is that when I was around four or five years old and was seated on my father's lap while he was having his lunch or breakfast, don't remember which one. What I remember was that he was having an egg omlette with green chillies. I am not sure whether intentionally or unintentionally my father fed me a morsel of that omlette with a green chilli... And shhhhh......haaaaa......!!!!!!!!! shhhhhh..... haaaaaa.........!!!!!!!!I went off with tears in my eyes not exactly knowing what happened. And then fast forward to my college days when I would relish ten to twelve my mom's dried green chillies in yogurt with every meal!!!!!!!!! And again I would go shhhhhh....... haaaaa.........!!!!!!! shhhhhhhhh.............. haaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!! but now enjoying every minute of it!!!!!!!
A foodie is described as "a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink)" but I do not adhere to that definition with regards to me as a foodie. I would say I am a "person who has an ardent or refined interest in food which I have tried and tasted and been devoted to it all this time....." It can start with a simple rice "kanji" or "payz" which my mom would prepare for us when we were sick to the aromatic, sizzling, hot fried fish which my mami would prepare in almost oil-less base to Ramsay Gordon's soft, creamy, flavorfull scrambled eggs on toast!!! That's why this blog is dedicated to "My Kinda Food". If interested please join me on this gastronomic adventure and I promise you won't end with a bad taste in your mouth.