Chicken Massaman Curry...

Chicken Massaman Curry... 

While browsing through the net, I found this very interesting write up regarding this dish. 

Massaman or Matsaman is not a native Thai word. It is generally thought to refer to the Muslims with earlier writers from the mid-19th century calling the dish "Mussulman curry". According to Thai food expert David Thompson, as well as Thai journalist and scholar Santi Sawetwimon, the dish originated in 17th century Central Thailand at the cosmopolitan court of Ayutthaya, through the Persianmerchant Sheik Ahmad Qomi from whom the Thai noble family of Bunnag descends. Other theories contend that massaman is a southern Thai dish, influenced by Malay and Indian cuisine, or that its name is derived from the Malay word masam, which means "sour". The curry is extolled in a poem from the end of the 18th century, attributed to Prince Itsarasunthon of Siam, the later King Rama II (1767-1824). It is dedicated to a lady who is believed to be Princess Bunrot, the later Queen Sri Suriyendra, wife of King Rama II. The second stanza of the poem reads.....

- Massaman, a curry made by my beloved, is fragrant of cumin and strong spices.

- Any man who has swallowed the curry is bound to long for her.

Due to its Muslim roots and therefore Islamic dietary laws, this curry is most commonly made with chicken, but there are also variations on this dish using duck, beef, mutton, goat, or, less commonly so, pork.  As pork is haram meat - forbidden food in Islam - this last variant is of course not eaten by observant Thai Muslims. Vegetarians and vegans have created their own versions of this dish..
The flavors of the massaman curry paste (nam phrik kaeng matsaman) come from spices that are not frequently used in other Thai curries. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, bay leaves, nutmeg and mace would, in the 17th century, have been brought to Thailand from the Malay Archipelago and South Asia by foreigners, a trade originally dominated by Muslim traders from the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and from the archipelago itself, but increasingly threatened by the Portuguese, the Dutch and French East India Company.These are combined with local produce such as dried chili peppers, cilantro (coriander) seeds,  lemongrass, galangal/ ginger, white pepper, shrimp paste, shallots and garlic to make the massaman curry paste. Massaman curry paste is first cooked with coconut milk, before adding in the other ingredients. Massaman is usually eaten with rice, in a meal together with other dishes. There are also traditional versions using oranges, orange juice, or pineapple juice as additional ingredients.

Net source........

I have adapted this recipe as per the ingredients available in my kitchen.. 

For the Curry Paste
Ingredients
4 Dried Chillies 
1 small Onion sliced 
6 Garlic cloves 
1 small piece Ginger 
1 Lemongrass stalks sliced
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
2 tbsp Dry Peanuts 
2 Cardomom
2 Cloves 
4 Pepper corns
1 small Cinnamon stick 
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 Pinch Nutmeg powder 
1/2 tsp Shrimp paste
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Oil 

Method
Take a pan, add oil. Add chillies, garlic, lemongrass,onions and ginger. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Remove it and keep it aside. In the same pan add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, cumin and peanuts. Sauté it for 2 minutes, let cool. Mix in all the remaining ingredients and grind it in to a smooth paste.

For the Curry 
Ingredients 
500 grams Chicken pieces
2 medium size Potatoes, peeled and cubed 
1 Onion sliced
6 tbsp Massaman curry paste
1 tetra pack Coconut milk
1/4 cup Chicken stock
1 tsp Fish Sauce
1/2 tsp Tamarind paste 
2 tbsp Roasted Peanuts 
Salt to taste 
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Coriander leaves 
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Heat oil in a pot. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pot and keep it aside. Add the potatoes in the same pot and cook until brown. Remove from the pot and keep it aside. Add the onions. Cook the onions for a few minutes, until they begin to brown, and take it out and keep it aside. Add the Massaman curry paste and the coconut milk. Stir it for 5 minutes on a low flame. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce, chicken, potatoes and onions and bring it to a boil on medium flame.  Reduce the flame, cover and cook until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are cooked, stirring it occasionally.  Add the tamarind paste, salt, sugar and the peanuts. Stir in well.  Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot rice. 

Whole Wheat Mango Cupcakes with Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting...

Whole Wheat Mango Cupcakes with Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting...

It is raining mangoes, and my family likes to have the mangoes as it is, the stone of the mango remains. It has so much of flesh attached to it, so I managed to take out some pulp from it and used it up to make these mango cupcakes. These cupcakes are made with whole wheat and frosted with Cottage Cheese Cream... 

Ingredients 

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour 

1 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp Soda bicarbonate 

1 cup Condensed Milk 

1/2 cup Melted Butter (Room Temperature)

1/2 cup Mango puree 

1/4 cup Curd + 1cup Milk mix together 

1 tsp Mango Essence

Method 

Sieve the flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate. Add all the wet ingredients together in to a mixing bowl. Beat it well. Add the flour little at a time and beat it. The batter has to be thick dropping consistency.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Take the cupcake liners. Fill in 2/3 of the batter in each of the liners. Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 40 minutes depending upon the oven temperature. Check after 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick and check. If it comes out clean then the cupcakes are done. Cool it completely before frosting.

Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Cottage cheese crumble 

1 Tetra pack chilled Amul cream (remove the excess water in the cream)

1 1/2 cup Icing sugar 

Few drops of Mango Essence 

Few pieces of Mangoes

Some sprinkles 

Method 

Churn the cottage cheese in a blender with 1 tbsp milk in to a paste. Beat the Amul cream till soft peaks form.

Sieve the icing sugar and beat it. Add the essence and cottage cheese. Beat it well. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes to set. Then add the frosting on the cupcakes. Decorate it with chopped mangoes and some sprinkles on top.

Lau Matar Daler Bora diye Ruhi Macher Jhol Ruhi Fish Gravy with Bottle Gourd and Split Green Pea lentils Fritters....

Lau Matar Daler Bora diye Ruhi Macher Jhol

Ruhi Fish Gravy with Bottle Gourd and Split Green Pea lentils Fritters....

 Usually bottle gourd and prawns or bottle gourd and bori is very famous among the  Bengali  dishes. This time I wanted to try a bit different dish. Tried to recreate this dish. This dish is eaten with steamed rice. Hope you will like it. 

 

For the Matar Dal Fritters 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup  Matar dal / Split Green Pea lentils  washed and soaked for 4 hours

Salt to taste 

1 small piece Ginger

1 Green Chilli 

1/2 cup Mustard oil

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients except the oil in a grinder. Don't add extra water. Mix the batter very well in one direction. Heat oil in a wok till the smoking point. Lower the flame. Add half tsp spoon of the batter. Add the batter 8 to 10 times in the oil, fry till brown in colour. Remove the fritters and keep aside.

For the Fried Fish 

Ingredients 

6 pieces of Ruhi Fish 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

Use the same mustard oil for frying the Fish

Method 

Take the fish and marinate the fish with turmeric powder and salt for 15 minutes. 

In the same wok, heat the oil.  Fry the fish until brown in colour from both the sides.

For the Gravy 

Ingredients 

Fried Fish 

Dal Fritters

1 small size Bottle Gourd peeled ( I have not peeled it ... Depending on the tenderness of the bottle gourd) and cut into chunks 

 2 Green chillies slit 

1 tbsp Ginger and Chilli paste

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

2 Bay Leaves

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 /2 tsp Cumin powder 

1 / 2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Ghee

Method 

Take a wok. Add ghee. Let it heat. Add the cumin seeds and slit green chillies. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the ginger chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the bottle gourd.  Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of water. Let it simmer. Add the salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Cover and let it simmer till the bottle gourd is almost cooked. Add the  fish. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the Matar dal fritters  and simmer for another 2 minutes. Once done. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp  Garam Masala and drizzle 1/2 tsp ghee before serving.

Mix Pulses in Sour Green Masala Curry / Mix Dal Khatta Hara Masala Curry Mei

Mix Pulses in Sour Green Masala Curry / Mix Dal Khatta Hara Masala Curry Mei.....

As extreme Summer is in... I don't feel like cooking, neither there is any appetite. Only thing I feel like is either have some thing tangy or some thing cool to drink. I has some pre soaked mix pluses and few green small size mangoes. So made this tangy curry to have it with rice, roti or paratha. Tasted quite tangy.... give it a try for yourself.

To make the Sour Green Masala 

Ingredients 

6 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves 

1 small Green Mango cut into wedges

2 Green chillies

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients in a grinder.

To make the Curry 

Ingredients 

2 cups  Mix pulses washed and soaked for 6 hours (Black chana and Green Chana / Chickpeas,  Moong / Whole Green gram,  Dried Chawali / Black eyed beans, Whole Massor Dal / Whole Red  Lintel, Matki / Moth Beans)

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Curry powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1 Dry whole Red Chilli broken into pieces 

Green Masala 

1 tbsp Ghee 

Few Coriander Leaves for Garnishing

Method 

Take a pressure cooker. Add the pulses and 4 cups of water. Pressure cook it on low flame till 4 whistles or till done. Let the pressure release.  Add 2 cups of water. Add the salt, turmeric powder, curry powder and garam masala powder. Let it simmer on low flame. Take a pan, add ghee. Let it heat. Add cumin seeds and whole red chilli. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the onions and sauté it till brown in colour. Add the green masala and the tomato. Sauté it for 5 minutes until mushy. Add the seasoning to the mix pulses. Cook further for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice, Roti or Paratha.......

Fish Egg Omelette Singaporean style...

Fish Egg Omelette Singaporean style...

Recently during my visit to Singapore, I had this amazing Oyster Omelette in one of the Hawker centre. Though it was delicious, but oily. Back home I wanted to desperately make this dish, I could not get Oyster... so tried to be a bit innovative... I had Rohu fish eggs which I used in place of Oyster.

For Fish Egg Omelette
Ingredients 
1 bowl of Rohu Fish Eggs
3 Eggs
4 Garlic cloves finely chopped
1 Spring Onion chopped
2 tbsp  Cornflour
1 tbsp  Rice flour
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 tbsp Rice wine
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
2 tbsp Oil
Few Coriander Leaves for Garnishing

Method
Wash the Fish eggs and drain well. Mix both cornflour and rice flour together with 8 tbsp of  the water to make a thin batter. Heat a large heavy frying pan until very hot and add 1 tbsp oil and spread it. Pour in the batter and cook  until the batter is half set. Add the eggs and spread it on the batter. When the eggs are almost set, cut the Omelette into pieces and set it aside on the pan. Pour the remaining oil and fry the garlic for a few seconds. Add the soy sauce, wine, salt and pepper. Add fish eggs  and cook for 2 minutes. Mix in the egg Omelette and spring onions. Garnish with coriander leaves  and serve hot with Chilli sauce.

Chilli Sauce

Ingredients
4 Red Chillies
4 Garlic clove
1 piece of Ginger
2 tbsp Vinegar
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Water

Method

Add all the above ingredients in a blender, blend it till fine paste.

Ruhi Maccher Aloo diye Jhol / Light Gravy with Ruhu Fish and Potato

Ruhi Maccher Aloo diye Jhol 

Light Gravy with Ruhu Fish and Potato  

Bengalis love Jhol to have it with hot steam rice. Jhol are usually light, liquid gravy. Jhol can be made with fish, meat or vegetables. The Jhol ingredients can vary according to the recipe. Here today I have made Jhol with fish and potatoes. Other vegetables can be added as per the availability.   

For the Fish Fry

Ingredients 

5 to 6 pieces of Rahu Fish 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Mustard oil 

Method

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Heat the mustard oil till smoking point. Lower the heat. Fry the fish till brown on both the side. Take it out on an absorbent paper. 

For the Gravy 

Ingredients

Fried Fish 

2 medium size Potatoes cut into wedges 

2 medium size Tomatoes cut into wedges

2Green Chillies slit 

2 tbsp Garlic, Ginger and Chilli paste  ( 3 Garlic cloves, 1 small piece Ginger and 2 Green Chillies)  

1/4 tsp Nigella Seeds 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Mustard Oil 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method 

Use the same wok in which the fish was fried, take out the extra oil and keep 2 tbsp oil in the wok. Heat the oil, add Nigella seeds and green chillies. Saute it for a minute. Add the potatoes, stir fry for 2 minutes, add the ginger garlic chilli paste. Saute it for 3 minutes. Add the salt and turmeric powder, stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes. Saute it again for 2 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Let it boil and then let it simmer till the potatoes are cooked. Add the fish and simmer for 2 minutes. Switch of the flame. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Serve with hot steam Rice. 

Chocolate cake with Butter cream decoration

Minni goes wild was the theme of the cake as a girl enters her wild teens... This is a chocolate cake with fresh cream and butter cream decoration on top.. 

Indonesian style Eggplant Sambal / Sambal Terong

Indonesian style Eggplant Sambal / Sambal Terong

 It has a tangy, sweet and spicy taste and is very delicious. It is very easy to make and it can be had with steamed rice. 

Ingredients

2 medium long  Eggplants cut into cubes 

10 Fresh Red Chillies chopped

6 Shallots chopped 

4 Garlic cloves 

1 tbsp Shrimp paste (Optional) 

1 tbsp  Palm Jaggery  grated 

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Tamarind paste 

1/4 cup Oil 

Method

Take a bowl and soak the tamarind paste in 2 cups of water. Keep it aside. Grind chillies, shallots, salt, shrimp paste, palm jaggery and garlic in a mortar and pestle or grind it in a grinder. Heat oil for frying in a wok, stir-fry the eggplant till light pink in colour. Remove from the wok and drain it on a paper towel. Add the paste.  Stir fry for 2 minutes, on medium heat.  Add tamarind water.  Let boil, for  10 minutes. Add the eggplants. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve it with steamed rice.

Cauliflower Kootu

Cauliflower kootu

Kootu in Tamil means 'add'. Any Vegetable can be added with the lentils. Different types of Kootu are made with different spice flavour.  It is an South Indian dish. The gravy here is not very thin. 

---  Net source 

Here I have made Cauliflower Kootu. The flavour of the Kootu powder here with the vegetable and lentil has an awesome taste. It is eaten with hot steam rice. 

For the Kootu Powder

Ingredients 

3 Dry Red chillies

10 Black pepper corns 

1 tbsp Coriander seeds 

1 tbsp Chana dal 

1/4 cup Dry or Fresh coconut 

Method 

Take a pan, dry roast all the ingredients except coconut on low flame for 5 minutes. Add grated coconut and roast for 2 minutes more and turn off flame. Cool and grind the ingredients into a fine powder. Keep it aside.

 For making the Kootu

Ingredients 

2 cups of  Cauliflower florets cut into small pieces 

1 Potato peeled and cubed

1 Onions finely sliced 

1 Tomatoe chopped 

1/2 cup Tur dal washed and boiled with 3 cups of water 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Kootu Masala

1 tbsp Tamarind paste 

Salt to taste

For tempering

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

Few Curry leaves 

1/4 tsp Asafoetida 

2 tbsp Ghee

Method

Cook the Tur dal with 2 cups of water till done and keep it aside. Heat ghee in the vessel, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida, let it crackle. Add the  onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add turmeric powder, potato and the cauliflower, saute for 10 minutes on low medium flame. Add the tomato. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the boiled tur dal, ground kootu masala powder and salt, mix well. Add 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer till the vegetables are almost cooked. Add the tamarind paste, along with a cup of water and cook on low-medium flame with lid for another 10 minutes and the vegetables are fully cooked. Turn off the flame. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Egg Bafat Curry

Egg Bafat Curry

A Bafat is a hot spicy masala blend , use to make spicy hot tangy Mangalorean curries. Once the bafat masala powder is made, you can use it for many dishes like fish curry, fish fry, meat and many vegetarian dishes too. It can be stored in a clean and dry glass container.

For the Bafat Masala powder 

Ingredients 

5 Kashmiri red chillies

5 Dry Red chillies

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp  Cumin seeds

4 cloves

1 piece Cinnamon

6 Pepper corns

1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp  Turmeric powder

Method 

Take a pan. Add the chillies and roast for 2 minutes. Remove the chillies from the pan. Put all the other ingredients on the pan except the turmeric powder and roast for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix all ingredients together and cool it. Grind the roasted ingredients in a grinder.  

P.S. Since I did not have the spicy Red Chillies, I have used the chilli powder.

 (The original Mangalorean recipe does not contain Kashmiri Chillies. Only Red spicy chillies to be added.)

Egg Bafat Curry 

Ingredients

6 hard boiled Eggs peeled 

2 Onions sliced 

1 big Tomatoe chopped 

1 tbsp Garlic Ginger and Chilli paste 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp Bafat Masala powder 

4 tbsp Ghee 

1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method

Take a wok, add ghee and let it heat. Add the garlic ginger and chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the onions and sauté it till pink in colour. Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes till soft. Add all the turmeric  powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Stir it well and cook for a minute. Add 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 10  minutes, add the Garam Masala powder and Bafat Masala. Cook for 10 minutes more.  Add the eggs, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame. Cover and let the  curry  stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves. Serve it with steamed rice.

Palak Ka Kapa

Palak Ka Kapa

It is a Kumauni style spinach preparation. It is easy to cook and in through sense a soul food.  It is eaten with hot steamed Rice.

Ingredients
1 Bunch Palak (Spinach) chopped
2 tbsp  Rice flour
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red chili powder
2  Whole Dry Red chillies broken into pieces
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Mustard oil

Method
Take oil in a wok and heat it on high flame till smoking hot. Lower the flame. Add cumin seeds and whole red chillies. As the cumin seeds crackles, add the rice flour and asafoetida. Sauté  it  until the color of rice flour becomes light brown in colour. Add the spinach, salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix the spinach well. Add 1 cup of water and cook approximately for 10 minutes on high flame or until done, stirring and mashing it occasionally with a ladle. Switch of the flame.  Cover and let it stand for 10 minutes. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Asian Grilled Snapper Su's Style.....

Asian Grilled Snapper Su's Style.....

This a simple grilled fish, made with Asian flavours, an experiment in my kitchen. The flavour of curry leaves is very dominate here.

For making the Tomato paste
Ingredients
4 Tomatoes de seeded and cut into pieces

Method
Take a blender, add the tomatoes and blend it. Take a pan, add the tomato puree. Cook the purée till all the water dries up and it turns into a paste.

For the  Marination of the Fish (Stage 1)
Ingredients
Whole Snapper fish about a kg. cleaned and slit
Salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method
Marinate the fish with lemon and salt. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

For the Wet paste
Ingredients
1/4 cup Curry leaves
4 Fresh Chillies
14 Garlic cloves
1 small piece Ginger sliced
Salt to taste
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Tomato paste
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Sesame Oil or Olive Oil

Method
Grind all the above ingredients in to a paste.

For the  Marination of the Fish (Stage 2)

Ingredients
Fish
Wet paste

Method 

Rub the paste properly on the fish and in between the slits. Let it rest for 20 minutes.

To Grill the Fish
Ingredients
Marinated Fish
Lemon slices
Tomato slices
Onion slices
Handful of Curry leaves
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a baking tray. Spread 2 layers of foil paper. Keep the fish in the centre. Add the curry leaves, lemon, tomato and onion slices around the fish. Bake it at 200 degrees celcius for 10 minutes. Take out the tray and drizzle oil on the fish. Bake it for another 10 minutes. Serve hot.