Egg Roast

For me when I encounter a new recipe, the impulse has to be to research as much as possible on it. I have to know its many adaptations, how my friends like to eat it, what other dishes go with it. One such recipe was Egg roast. My friend and fellow blogger Sulfia introduced me to this recipe. The dish was surprisingly easy to make and incredibly tasty to eat. Forgive the rapture, but a simple dish made well - that is the key. And I cannot contain my excitement when I think of the taste that lingered after the meal. She advised me to have it with rotis which is the best way to eat it. And as I agree with that judgement, I will pass it on.

When I decided to make it, the obvious route was to go to the books. And in times such as this, The Suriani Kitchen is my go to cookbook. Lucid with tried and tested recipes, this book gives you an insight into the culinary tastes of Kerala. I have already adapted the recipe for Thoran in my previous posts - with excellent results. And this again was no exception. You do need to give time for the onions to caramelize and yes you need a lot of oil for this recipe. My friend Sulfia suggests using olive oil. I have done so in this recipe and found the taste to be equally good as one made with regular vegetable oil. All you have do is to throw in a couple of fluffy, soft rotis and Monday night dinner is taken care of.

 Ingredients:
4 hard boiled eggs
6 medium onions sliced
7 curry leaves
2 slitted green chilies
1 tbsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
3/4 cup olive oil

Method:
Heat oil. Add the onions and sprinkle a little salt to prevent it from burning. You need to give the onions at least 15 to 20 minutes to caramelize. Add the curry leaves and slitted green chilies. The onions should be a rich golden brown color at this point of time.
Add the spice powders and check for salt. Fold everything in.
Cut the eggs in half and add to the onions. Serve immediately.

The best Street Food

It is funny when you talk of your childhood experiences and the fact that your parents' warning to not eat from street carts. Street food in India has a mixed rep - you know it borders on unhygienic and eat too much you will inevitably succumb to food poisoning. At the same time you cannot help but rave about the various food on offer on your favorite chat street. For me and I imagine most of the Oriyas, the best street food would have to be the dahibara aludum. Oh, where to begin? Mention that name to any former resident of Cuttack and you get this dreamy expression in their eyes and an accompanied groan. Memories would crowd them and they would get down to discussing the merits of the particular dish and end up with fighting over which street serves the best one. The traditionalists would shake their heads and state equivocally that the best dahibara aludum is made by Raghu at CDA street. People would travel as long as two hours to go camp near his cart in order to avail themselves a large order. The others would state that the best comes from Iswar at Chandi Chhak. Still others would go for Naya Sarak. But all of them would agree that it beats panipuri,chat, pav bhaji or rolls to win the race for the best street food around.

But I think I have got ahead of myself. What is this food you may ask? It is pillowy vadas soaked in spicy yoghurt with the consistency of buttermilk. The vendor would get out the bowls made of leaves and throw in around four of those, then spoon gughuni [see Matar curry in my first post] over it. Then, he would add alu dum or very spicy potato curry. Finally, he would add chopped onions, coriander and then sev on top. At some places, there would be grated carrots and mint and tamarind chutney in addition to this. You then stand and proceed to demolish the entire plate. After that, the vendor will ask if you want dahi and ladle a huge spoon of spiced yoghurt and at your request some onion and sev on to it. You gulp it down and then head to the nearest store and buy yourself a huge block of ice-cream because - dear god in heaven - it is deliciously spicy. Go anywhere around the world, have anything from those places - but, once you have had a taste of this delicacy, you will come back for more. And on that mildly cliched note, I shall end this post. Because, trust me, I am on the verge of reducing into a stereotypical adoration. If you are anywhere around Cuttack at any time, go to the streets of CDA or Naya Sarak[you will get directions automatically-Oriyas are very proud of this particular food] and order a full plate of dahibara aludum. And life will be good.

Loveofmylife: Spot#6[A very surprising one]

Scones with blueberry jam and cream at Elmas, Khan Market, Delhi [Remembering with fondness]

Rajma Masala

What do you do on a Wednesday night after you have had a long hard day? Open a can of kidney beans and make Rajma Masala. While the masala simmers, throw some rice into the cooker to steam. And voila, Supper is on the table, easy peasy. For a more elaborate meal which you might be inclined to making on Saturday nights or Sunday lunches, this recipe would be good side-dish that impresses. The trick is in the making of the curry base with just the right balance of the various spice powders.
Rajma masala or spicy kidney bean curry is an iconic dish that comes from North-India. The proper setting for partaking this delicacy would be sitting in one of the dhabas that line the roads of northern state of Punjab ladling generous servings on trays and a mountain of paranthas dripping with butter. There would be small bowls of slitted chilies, onion slices and lemon wedges alongside. But, after a hard day's work, a quick meal is the way to go. And this versatile dish becomes the epitome of that quickness.
The shortcut is a can of kidney beans and a squeeze packet of ginger-garlic paste available at super-markets. The only prepping needed to be done is slicing one medium onion and tomato and sliting two chilies[or one for the faint-hearted]. And, of course waiting for the rice to cook. But, bottom line-the food would be done in mostly around twenty-five minutes. About enough time to cleanse, tone and moisturize the day away.

Ingredients:
1 can of kidney beans
1 medium onions sliced
1 medium tomato diced
2 green chilies slitted
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 small lemon
salt to taste
oil for frying

Method:
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Saute onions for ten minutes till slightly browned.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Fry for five minutes till the tomatoes soften a little. If the masala sticks add a little water.
Sprinkle all the spice powders and fold everything together.
Add the kidney beans and the juices from the can. Sprinkle salt and let the masala simmer.
During this time put the rice in the cooker or if you have frozen chapathis put them on to heat. [You see how ridiculous slacking I am indulging in right now. I have no doubt that you understand the impulse]
The masala would need ten minutes to cook and then you can squeeze a little lemon on top of it. Keep the curry on till ready to serve.
Slice some onion, cut some lime into wedges and slit a few chilies if you have the time. Ladle hot rajma masala over steamed rice and get ready to devour.