Prawns Curry with Brinjal in Green Masala

This is typical East Indian Style Prawn Curry with brinjal in green masala which is mild spiced and made with freshly ground coconut or coconut milk. This another traditional East Indian recipe , my mother's recipe.

This curry is a very tasty and you can have it with hot steamed rice or handbreads - what the East Indian call apas.

Ingredients
12-15 medium sized Prawns
4 Baby Brinjals
1 Potato
3 Tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste

To Grind to paste
1 Cup Freshly grated Coconut
4-6 Green chillies or to your taste
1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
6 Garlic cloves
1 inch piece Ginger
1 Cup Packed Coriander leaves
2 Teaspoons Tamarind paste
1 Teaspoon Rice - washed

Method

Devein the prawns you can keep the shell intact if you wish too , wash & drain excess water, (My mother use to keep the shell of the prawns, saying that it makes the curry very tasty). I remove the shells since my daugther does not like it.
Rub little salt to the prawns  and  keep aside.

In the mean while grind the masala.

Grind all the ingredients from the list (to grind to paste)to a fine smooth paste adding very little water.

Cut the brinjals & potatoe, in cubes or wedges , immerse them in water to prevent them from turning black.

In a vessel heat oil , add in the ground masala paste & fry over medium flame for 3-4 minutes till oil leaves the sides.
Then add the chopped brinjal, pototoes and saute for a minute, add the salt to taste and water according to the consistency needed for the gravy. Bring it to a boil , reduce the flame, cover and cook. Once the veggies have cooked, add the prawns. Simmer and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Switch off the flame & serve hot with rice or apas.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: June -- Week 1.

Labels: Fish, Green Masala, CCChallenge, East Indian, Prawns 

• 

Chicken Fajita Wrap

Fajitas are basically Mexican-style wraps. A fajita is a term found in Tex-Mex cuisine, commonly referring to any grilled meat usually served as a taco on a flour or corn tortilla.

This is the third recipe for first week BM, theme Tortilla based dishes.

Ingredients
6 Tortillas - recipe here
250 Grams Namkeen Chicken - shredded
1 Large Onion - sliced
1 Large Capsicum - sliced
1 Large Tomato - seeded and sliced
1 Cup Cheddar cheese - grated
1/2 Cup Salsa sauce
1/2 Cup Sour Cream

Method
Heat oil in a frying pan add chicken with onion and capsicum and tomato cook for 3 minutes till the vegetables are glossy. 

To serve Fajitas
Warm the tortillas up in a warm dry pan . Spread sour cream on the center of tortillas , top it with chicken vegetable mixture, spread salsa sauce and grated cheese. Roll into a tight roll. Wrap it in butter paper or wax paper and serve. These are so yum and filling. 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#53.
Labels :  Chicken, Fajita, Sandwiches, Blogging Marathon, Mexican, Wrap, Tortilla, Homemade, International Cuisine

Vegetarian Chalupa – A Crispy Mexican Bread

A chalupa is a tostada platter in Mexican cuisine.  Chalupas are made by pressing a thin layer of  dough around the outside of a small mold or  folding it like a taco and then deep frying to produce crisp, shallow cups. These are filled with various ingredients such as shredded chicken, pork, chopped onion, chipotle pepper, red salsa, and green salsa etc.. 

This  is the  second recipe  for  first week BM,  theme  Tortilla based dishes.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon  Butter or oil
Water for kneading the dough
Oil for frying
Mold for making the chalupa

Method
For Making Dough

Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) together.

Add in oil and mix it thoroughly throughout the dough.

Knead the dough using water . Keep kneading till it all comes together and dough feels soft. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes to rest.


For Making Shells

Flour  the work surface and shape the dough like a flattened cylinder. Cut it into equal parts.

Roll each part between both palms to make a ball. Roll out each ball using a rolling pin into a small disc.  

Place the disc on the oiled mold and press it evenly, remove the excess flour from the top (see pic)

In the meantime heat oil over medium flame in a deep frying pan.

You can check if the oil is hot enough by dropping a little dough ball (of the size of a corn) in oil. If the dough ball rises immediately, the oil is ready. If it takes time, let the oil heat for a couple of minutes more.

Once the oil is ready, drop the mold in the oil.

The mold will rise up on the oil and will puff up. Let it fry till the mold will loosen side for 1 minute  or two and the chalupa is crisp.

With a pair of tongs release the mold, pick up the chalupa and flip it to the other side till both sides are light golden and crispy.  Repeat the process and make rest of the chalupas.

Ingredients for the filling

A can of Baked Bean
2 Cups of Sweet corns - boiled
2 Cups of Capsicum - cut into cubes
2 Cups  Onions - finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Oregano
Salt  and pepper to taste
1 Cup Salsa Sauce
1 Cup Sour Cream
Cheese as required for topping
Lettuce leaves as required

Method

Open the can of baked beans and stir fry till the moisture dries,  add the oregano and pepper to taste .  Cool and keep aside.

To assemble

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.


After everything’s prepared, all you need to do is stuff it in your fried shell.

In the chalupa place the  lettuce leaves add the baked beans then add the onion on top, with some the capsicum, sweet corns, oregano and pepper powder to taste,  sour cream, salsa sauce then sprinkle grated cheese. 

Place the chalupas in the oven and bake for 3 -5 minutes or till the cheese melts.   

Serve immediately. Make and enjoy these crispy, crunchy and cheesy chalupas, we had for our dinner. 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#53.

Labels : Chalupa, Mexican, Vegetarian, Sandwiches, Blogging Marathon

Vegetarian Mexican Quesadillas

Queso” is cheese in Spanish. A quesadilla is a heated tortilla with melted cheese inside. But in addition to cheese, you can put practically anything in a quesadilla. 

Traditionally in Mexico quesadillas are made with corn tortillas, not wheat flour tortillas, and a melty white cheese. However in northern Mexico, quesadillas are made with all purpose flour tortillas.

In this week for the BM, will be posting three Tortilla based dishes.

Ingredients
For the Dough / Tortillas
2 Cups All-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 Cup Warm Water
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Olive oil

For the Filling
2 Carrots - finely diced
2 Tomatoes - deseeded and finely diced
1 Cup Boiled Kidney beans / Rajma
1 Onion - finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Diced Capsicum
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 Teaspoon Olive oil

Grated cheese as required

Method

First we need to make the dough. Mix together salt and flour, baking powder,  in a bowl. Stir as you gradually add in water and oil.

Once the dough forms a ball, remove from bowl and knead for 10 minutes. Place kneaded dough in a bowl, cover with a damp towel and let rest for one hour.

Then divide the dough into 6 equal parts.  Lightly flour a flat surface to roll out your dough. Take a ball of dough and roll. The dough should form a tortilla shape: very thin and size should be that of a dinner plate. 

Heat a tava place tortilla and let is cook for a minute . 

Flip the tortilla over a few times, 10 seconds between flips.

Till light brown spots begin to appear. 

Remove and keep aside.  

Repeat the same method and make the remaining tortillas.

To prepare the filling
In a pan heat oil, add the onions, carrots, capsicum and kidney beans and saute for 2 - 3 minutes. Then add salt, cayenne pepper and saute again for a minute. Remove from heat and let it cool.

To assemble the quesadilla
Lightly toast the flour tortilla in lightly oiled pan. When pockets of air begin to form, take a handful of grated cheese, sprinkle over half side of the tortilla, making sure that the cheese does not land on the pan itself.  Add the filling and fold it. Sprinkle few drops of olive oil on the sides. After a minute or two , flip it over the other side, as if you were making an omelette and let it cook the other side till brown spots appear. The tortilla should by now be browned slightly. If it is not browned, turn the heat up to high and flip the quesadilla over every 10 seconds or so until it gets browned. Remove from pan and cut into wedges.

Serve with the salsa, sour cream.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#53.

Labels : Sandwiches, Quesadilla, Mexican, Vegetarian, Blogging Marathon, Tortilla, Flatbread, Breads

Salted / Namkeen Chicken

This recipe is from a TV show. This chicken is a dry roast type but salted and taste yummy. This can be had as a side dish or shredded for sandwiches or any filling. This dish is actually made with red meat.  Here I,  have used chicken. If you are using red meat then double the quantity of salt.  

What I, liked about this recipe that it easy and no cutting, chopping or grinding.  You have just everything in the kitchen that is required to make this dish.  It also taste yummy and can be frozen, used whenever required.


Ingredients
1 Kg Chicken - Cut into 8 pieces
1 Teaspoon Salt - slightly heaped
2 Teaspoons Black pepper - crushed
1 Tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
1 Large Onion - cut into four
1/2 Cup Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Garam masala powder

Method
Marinate the chicken with the salt, black pepper, ginger garlic paste and onion for 15 minutes.

In a large like a flat basin pan add oil spread the chicken in a single layer.   Seal pan and cook on low flame for one hour seal the pan with dough or put a weight on the lid.  Do not add water and do not stir the chicken.  Open pan only after 45 minutes to  an hour, if cooked, switch off the flame. Sprinkle garam masala powder . When cooled  discard onions and serve .  Enjoy this dish as a side dish or a filling for sandwiches, rolls, etc...

Labels :  Chicken, CCChallenge