[Chetan_Rao]

A spoonful of ground almonds is a good option to thicken curry, if one doesn't prefer the 'nutty' flavor that peanuts/groundnuts lend to a dish.

Cream works well too, though not recommended for the diet-conscious. I've also seen lots of regular restaurants use soaked bread to increase curry/gravy volume and consistency.

[rsjaurr]

Originally Posted by Aroy

2. For fish and prawn
. Lemon (or malt/balsamic vinegar)
. Salt
. Garlic

Mix the above. The mixture should be slightly salty but not overpowering.
.

And I also add just little bit of powdered garam masala,Ajwain and a pinch each of Amchoor powder and chunky chat masala to make it even more delicious.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

... Ajwain and a pinch each of Amchoor powder and chunky chat masala ...

Very typically North Indian!!!

Over the years, I have started reducing the complexity in the masalas I use - preferring simpler flavours.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

...
Over the years, I have started reducing the complexity in the masalas I use - preferring simpler flavours.

Ha ha, and don't I agree!
Many a time, less is more!
Try drumsticks baked in the oven with just some sea salt and olive oil sprinkled on them. Nothing else. A sauce, as an optional accessory, could be kept at table.

[bblost]

Why should a lunch box be boring.

1. Boiled Tapioca with grated coconut.
2. Cabbage stir fried with some peas and prawns. For flavor a large green chilly and some fennel seeds.
3. Some figs as a desert.



Prepared by my wife. The cabbage dish was her own idea.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by bblost

Why should a lunch box be boring. ...

Bhai, do the following:

1. Chuck your software job
2. Start a healthy-food supply / catering business

[rsjaurr]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Very typically North Indian!!!

Over the years, I have started reducing the complexity in the masalas I use - preferring simpler flavours.

I have been experimenting with roasted fish and chicken myself and thats the best lesson I have learnt too, using less (in quantity) masala actually tastes better. Earlier I would put couple of tsf of garam masala in about 600gm of fish but now 1/2 to 3/4 does the job very well. Infact these days I don't even use fish masala just regular masala is good enough for our taste buds.

However I also add very minute quantity of dry mango powder and chat masala just to make more palatable for wife and kid. Otherwise they dont eat it.
And as you must be knowing ajwain is must in fish in north India along with garlic paste.Ginger paste should NEVER be used for marinating fish.

I am sharing a chicken recipe which I used to eat a lot till 5-6 years back but not now. I had named it Vinegar Chicken and it takes only 10-15min to cook it. Below is the recipe for about 500gm of chicken.

1. Add regular size chicken pieces in a bowl. Even better will be the pan which you will be using to cook the recipe coz there will not be need to transfer the content from bowl to pan.

2.Add about 1/2 cup of white vinegar.
3.Add about 1/2-1 tsf of garam masala depending on your taste for masala. Again I used to put more masala initially but over the years I reduced it. But remember this garam masala is THE most important thing here.

4.Add salt according to taste.I always go for less salt even in fish.
5.Little bit of grinded green chilly paste or may be red chilly powder.This should be just enough, spicy recipe will not taste good at all coz it will conceal other flavors.

6.No ginger,onion,garlic,haldi etc. Mix everything well especially garam masala and keep the marinate for at least one hour.
7.Then cook it on medium flame with cover on and keep on checking every 3-4 min.
8.1st you will see lot of water but gradually water will get soaked.And coz the cooking pan is covered the chicken will be cooked with the steam the water is making.

9.During the last stages just be extra careful so that it doesn't stick to the pan.
10.The concentrated vinegar and masala will get stuck to the chicken pieces and will taste very good if you like to eat chicken.

oh..BTW there is another modification of this recipe which I used to call nimbu chicken. Just replace that 1/2 cup of white vinegar with juice of 4-5 lemons. Rest everything is same.Happy eating chicken!!!

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

... However I also add very minute quantity of dry mango powder and chat masala just to make more palatable for wife and kid. Otherwise they dont eat it. ...

Try sprinkling at the last moment after frying - the flavors get masked / removed if fried.

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

... And as you must be knowing ajwain is must in fish in north India along with garlic paste. ...

The Amritsari way!

Not to be found nowadays (alas!), a winter evening sight a couple of decades back in Delhi were the 'machhi-wala' shop on a cycle. Usually behind bus stops or market corners - along with another fixture: the peanut seller's cart with a small pot of smoking cow-dung cake keeping the roasted peanuts warm, and mosquitoes away.

A wooden board with marinated Cat Fish (ajwain, green chillies, yoghurt, turmeric) hung out on a board attached to the cycle handle, a kerosene stove and a karahi of hot oil on the carrier. Point out a piece of fish, he weighs it, fries it, sprinkles chat masala and serves it with onion, grated radish, a slice of lemon and green chutney. Best eaten piping hot!

[TheDoctor]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Dada, <drool> You are right - most uncaring joints do it with plain unleavened maida to cut short the time, although a good cook will prove the dough till the springiness goes away. Good restaurants do use yeast. One can make out the difference when the naan cools. Unleavened dough results in a leathery tough texture. Leavened dough leaves it soft but easily tearable. The best naans I have eaten have actually been in Indian restaurants in Japan - that is because they follow the recipes punctiliously. Japanese won't tolerate bad quality, and the restaurant will be left with no customers if they cut corners.

Ah, Khameer wala atta!!! My sister and I used to fight with each other in childhood when mother would make rotis with leftover dough in summer. Soft, slightly sour. Oh man, it takes me back decades, and still causes my salivary glands to go into overdrive. Of course, Khameer wala atta is leavened by natural yeast, which makes most foodstuff go bad and milk turn sour at warm room temperature. Leavening dough with active or dry yeast doesn't result in the same flavor.

The western equivalent is Sourdough, in which successive batches are made with left over dough from previous batches used as starters. Try good Sourdough in US and compare with other artisanal breads - you will catch the difference. In India, all arty-farty bakeries pass off plain vanilla added-yeast bread as Sourdough. That is even worse than Naan made from unleavened dough, and that too at a premium price.

Adding Baking powder / soda to flour leavens the flour in a different way, without fermenting the flour. The result is therefore more cakey - biscuity!

DerAlte, I'm planning to make bhaturas tomoroow. Can I use wheat atta instead of maida, and active dried baking yeast instead of curd? I want a more sour and bread like texture inside the bhatura. Can I use both, curd and yeast? And, how much time should I rest the dough. Thank you.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by TheDoctor

DerAlte, I'm planning to make bhaturas tomoroow. Can I use wheat atta instead of maida, and active dried baking yeast instead of curd? I want a more sour and bread like texture inside the bhatura. Can I use both, curd and yeast? And, how much time should I rest the dough. Thank you.

Atta would give you a different result. No harm in experimenting a small batch. But, if you are cooking for family better use maida to avoid surprises.

Curd is a yeast substitute, and takes longer. No harm if you use them together. The basic yeast fermentation will take 2-3 hours in cool weather, but it won't have the mild sourness of khameera. For that, it is better to leave it overnight. Or the prepare in the morning for dinner.

[TheDoctor]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Atta .. dinner.

As per your suggestion I'll use maida to be safe. Thank you for the the cooking tips. Will prepare the dough tonight with khameera, cant wait to taste the result.

[rsjaurr]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Try sprinkling at the last moment after frying - the flavors get masked / removed if fried.

The Amritsari way!

A wooden board with marinated Cat Fish (ajwain, green chillies, yoghurt, turmeric) hung out on a board attached to the cycle handle, a kerosene stove and a karahi of hot oil on the carrier. Point out a piece of fish, he weighs it, fries it, sprinkles chat masala and serves it with onion, grated radish, a slice of lemon and green chutney. Best eaten piping hot!

drooling stuff!! You just took me back to my childhood memories when after closing th shop my father who himself was very fond of non-veg food , would take to me to a nearby pakora rehri/stall who would also serve fish in winters. He would serve it same way you just mentioned and even now I eat fish with grated radish and that tops green chilly sauce along with sprinkiling some lemon and or chat masala.

oh man tomorrow I'm going to try roasted fish 1st time this winter and lemon is sprinkled liberally on roasted fish!!

[Pferdestarke]

Hello BHPians,

Iam totally flabbergasted after seeing this thread. I never thought I would come across a thread like this as Iam too an avid cook like you all. I'll share some Andhra cuisine recipes in the coming days.

Regards!

[R32_GTR]

I tried this for the first time in Koh Samui (Thailand) - It was called it Dragon Crab. Asked the check there to let me watch him make it - A Spectacular amalgamation of flavours and spices using basic ingredients while retaining the sweetness of the crab.

Large Mud crabs (Atleast 3 - 4)
Ginger and Garlic (grind to coarse paste)
Red Chilli soaked in Vinegar (grind to coarse paste)
Peppercorns (grind to coarse paste)
Crab extract – Coarsely blend / grind the crab legs with a cup of water in a blender so you get all the sweet crab juices out of the legs. Sieve and retain the liquid.
Tomato Ketchup
Chilli Sauce
Sweet Chilli sause
Fish sause
Seaseme oil (Til oil)

Saute the ginger garlic paste for a bit and add the red chilli paste along with the vinegar and the pepper corn.
Add the sauces to the pan.
Add a cup of crab extract and let it bubble for a minute or so.
Introduce you cleaned crabs to this and coat the crab in the sauce.
Let it cook with a lid on for a couple of minutes (depending on the size of the crab pieces).


Finishing step – Transfer and toss the crab with the sauce in a wok so the sauce reduces and caramelizes to a sticky consistency (the sugar present in the sauces). OR you may leave the gravy in there if you like...

[bblost]

Another colorful lunch.

Roti with Kheema (Recipes / Discussions on cooking from Team-BHP Master Chefs).
The salad is a combination of
cucumber
strawberry
boiled beetroot
olives
orange

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Bhai, do the following:

1. Chuck your software job
2. Start a healthy-food supply / catering business

Thanks.
Maybe someday I will do just that.

I will have two counters.
Healthy: Wife will manage this.
Heart Attack: Mom will manage this.