Five things to eat before you die!
I have been tagged…. After a long time, and quite some time back too.
Hmm….been a lil busy, so Couldn’t answer..
This is the Five Things to eat Before You Die Meme, started at the Traveler’s Lunch Box.
Cyndi first tagged me about a week back. I thought I will post, and then somehow couldn’t..
And today morning, I saw me tagged again by Rosie..
I shall post a reply today evening…. Bear with me till then..
Update:
The lists should be of “things you’ve eaten and think that everyone should eat at least once before they die.” as suggested by Traveller’s Lunchbox.
I have had Lot’s of such. My lists will be more from the North East India Cuisine. I will keep updating this list as and when I eat next time around with a Photograph in hand 
.. for now, I don’t have the picture of these authentic recipes. Mostly Non-vegetarian…
The List:
1. Turumbai:
Turumbai is a Traditional Cuisine of the Tribes of Meghalaya in the North east India. I am not sure which Tribes of Meghalaya claims ownership to this awesome dish, but I will give credit to all the Tribes of Meghalaya. Turumbai is Prepared with Fermented Soya and Pork. I am sure fermented soya beans are a delicacy in most Sout-east Asian countries. Fermented Soya is called Akhuni in Nagaland, and Hawaizaar in Manipur. More on Fermented Soya.
This dish is prepared by boiling pork with herbs, like Chives and Dill and a handfull of rice with fermented Soya. Very smelly, and you need to acquire the taste to like it, but once acquired, you will be addicted.
2. Chagem Pomba:
This is the Manipuri version of the above. Of course, this is very different, right from the way the soya beans are fermented. And it is Vegetarian, if you consider fish to be vegetarian food as we do .
This is cooked with Hawaizaar and aromatic Manipuri rice, green peas, smoked anchovies, shrimps, stink beans(Parkia), Lai/Sarsong leaves (Mustard Leaves) and flavored with Dill.
3. Pork and Bamboo Shoot:
This is a Naga Delicacy. Fresh Bamboo Shoot cooked with Pork and hot Chilli. You can carry on and on, on how it is prepared..It can be cooked in different ways. You may Cook it in a very simple way. Very easy, very yummy. Wash and Heat pork in a deep bottom pan, till water dires and oil start comming out. Add crushed ginger and garlic, and red chilli flakes. Saute in own oil for 10-15 minutes. Add a handfull of bamboo shoot, and saute for 5 more minutes. Add salt to taste.. Add water, and bring to a boil, till gravy thickens.
You could have added some spring onions as well in the end.
4. Venison Meat:
Venison Meat just crumbles like a cookie, albiet soft, in your mouth.. Hunting deer is illegal, and I won’t suggest or encourage it, but if you happen to come across any venision meat being sold, try it. You won’t regret it. Complain to the ranger later. But not before you get your stock for a month. Best meat one could ever have. I had it when one of our Truck Drivers who ply the Hill Route, came back with a Full Leg from one of the Hill Villages.
5. Ootti:
This is a Vegetarian, Manipuri Delicacy. Dried White Peas cooked with baking powder. I had blogged about it, and the post is here. Do try it once, or again and again. It is quite easy, and You can cook it at your home, today. All you need is a handfull of peas(even frozen green ones would do, tastes different then the dried ones, but taste amazing, nonetheless)
Cheers….
I wish to tag the following fellow foodies:
Lu2cook at Cooking Medley.
Mandira at Ahaar.
Meeta. From Germany!
Paz. From the cooking adventures!!
Melissa from Panama.
Real Easy Smoked Bacon Stew/Curry
Hmm.. Smoked Bacons for Breakfast, great!
Smoked Bacon for Dinner!
What are you talking?
How about a real easy and simple Smoked Bacon Curry. Well Stew would be a better word.
And Real Healthy too.
Almost a health food.
How does it taste?
You have to try it to believe it, You will get hooked I tell you.
Recipe:
Hmm in a Deep bottom Pan, heat 1 tbs vegetable or Olive oil.
Sputter a TSP of Cumin seeds.
Add 1 tsp of Garlic paste and saute for a minute.
Add 2 Finely chopped Tomatoes.
Add one large potato cut into half Inch Cubes.
Add one Onion roughly chopped.
One cup of Peas.
One Cup of French beans. ( I didn’t this time, since I ran out of it)
Add 1 tsp of finely chopped ginger.
Mix well and add 2 cups of water.
Add 1 tsp of red chilli powder and Black pepper powder.
Shimmer for 5 minutes.
Add 6-7 strips or 250 grams of Bacon.
Add 200 grams of spring onions.
Add salt to taste.
Shimmer till Potatoes are cooked.
Serve with Hot rice.
PS:For a more healthy version. Directly boil all Vegetables without frying the Cumin seed and Garlic. Don’t add garlic and Cumin in this case, just boil all ingredients in the step I described with ginger and pepper as the ingredient.
Curry Chicken Recipes- Home Cooked
Just one of my similar Chicken Curry Recipes. With a little tweaking in the Chicken curry Recipes, you can cook up many varieties of Chicken Curry Recipes.
This is how it should look when you have fried the onions till golden brown, added the ginger garlic paste and the thin masala paste, when masala starts to separate from Oil.
For the Recipe you may Refer to this Home cooked Indian Chicken Curry recipe that I blogged sometime Back. I cooked in almost the same way as this. With a little change. Will post you how I cook this, soon..
Fried Pork Chops in Own Fat, with Garlic!
Let me give you an easy and simple recipe of Fried Pork Chops today. This is very simple to make, very tasty, goes with anything from wine to beer to a chilled can of coke. This is a very healthy recipe too as no extra oil have been used to fry the pork chops and it was the pork chops were fried totally in its own fat. To make it comvinient for frying in a pan, the pork chops were re-cut into cubes. Long Chops or cubes, taste the same and, so that it becomes easier for a Bachelor or rookie cook to fry it, have the pork chops cut into cubes.
Choose pork chops with thick fat or the under skin.
Lots of oil will come out, but it can be drained or absorbed and makes for good frying.
Ingredients:
2 Pounds or a Kilo of Good Pork Chops. ( Cut the chops into smaller pieces or cubes, Those 1 feet long fried pork chops are best grilled.) Choose Pork Chops with lots of fat.
1 TSP each of Black Pepper powder, Cumin (jeera) Powder, Coriander(Dhania) Powder and Red Chilli Powder (Coarse if possible).
About 15-16 cloves of ginger roughly crushed.
1 Medium onion roughly chopped.
2 Tomatoes, chopped.
Steps:
Wash the Pork Chops and Place in a Deep Bottom Non Stick Pan and start the Stove.
Just let it be.
Juice will come out. Let it. Keep stirring from time to time
After about 15 minutes, Juices will dry and oil will replace it autimatically.
Fry the pork chops in that oil till pork Chops becomes golden brown. Should take about half an hour in medium Heat.
Lots of Oil should come out.
When Pork is golden brown, hold the pan and drain excess oil, leaving enough to be able to saute.
Add onions and saute for 5 minutes.
Now add all the masalas, salt to taste, and the curshed garlic.
Add tomatoes.
Saute for 10 more minutes in low heat, or till tomatoes disappear.
You may Garnish with Coriander or Cilantro.
I didn’t, in the photo, because it doesn’t come out good in Picture.
Just serve!!!!
Mutton-Lamb Rogan Josh
The Lamb-Mutton Rogan Josh that I cooked the other day!
Certain important events had prevented me from finding the time posting it.
I will write about the events as it unfolds.
And yes, I will write the recipe of the Rogan Josh, today by evening!! That is a promise..
Tis early morning ‘ere and I have to finish for Office!!
How I wish I owned a Restaurant
Picture with Different Lighting!
Updating:
So after a long wait I am here with the Rogan Josh!
Right from the name to the looks, Rogan Josh is how mutton should be prepared and How Mutton should be eaten. Mutton Vindaloo or Lamb Chops are good in their own place, but Mutton Rogan Josh or Gosht Rogan Josh is Purely Nawabi. A rich food of the Emperors.
Creating the Rogan Josh in the Mughal Kitchen must have been a very tedious affair, so must have been the naming of the Dish. Rogan Josh, Wah! That is how food should be named. Move aside Foie Gras…
Creating this delicacy requires carefull selection of spices, the right amount of garlic and ginger, the right browning of Onions when you fry the masala and all such.
But what I have here is a very palatable version of the Rogan Josh, simplified for cooking by Novices. For bachelor Cooking, so to speak.
The Recipes:
First the Ingredients
1. 600 grams of Mutton
2. One large Onion, chopped well.
3. 200 grams of yoghurt
4. 2 Tomatoes
5. 10-12 cloves of garlic to get 1 TBS of garlic paste.
6. 1 inch Ginger to be crushed
7. Meat masala ( MDH or Everest meat masala)
8. 2 Bayleaves, 2 cloves, 2 elaichi, 1 star anise.
9. For the marinade, 1 tsp dhania or coriander powder, 1 tsp jeera or cumin powder, half tsp Red Chilli Powder, half tsp haldi, and 1 TBS ginger garlic paste extra beside the one above(you may use ready made paste here, but use fresh for the earlier one).
Preparation:
1. Marinade- Some people marinade the meat with the Yoghurt, but I prefer not to. Here is the reason, it is always tastier to let the meat fry till meat is firm and oil separates from the meat. It is during this time that masala also enters the Meat and make it tasty. Yoghurt must be poured only after that.
SO mix the meat well with the above mentioned ingredients for marinade. Add salt also, now. Keep for at least 2 hours.
2. Heat 2 TBS vegetable oil in a Kadhai or Wok or Thick Bottom Pan and when hot, add 2 bayleaves, cloves, elaichi and star anise. Immediately add the onions and saute till it turns to brown just right.
3. Add the meat now, mis well, reduce and cover it. Keep it that way in low heat for 5 minutes.
4. When you open the pan, there would have been juice comming out from the meat.
Increase heat and saute.
5. Add the fresh ginger garlic paste and Keep stirring from the bottom till juice is dry and oil starts to separate from meat.
6. Add the yoghurt, and cover it. Now cook till the gravy is almost dry again.
7. Add tomatoes and mix well for a few minutes. Add 2 cups of hot water and let shimmer. Add 1 tsp or more of meat masala now. Also add some more salt to taste.
8. Shimmer till gravy is thick and consistent.
Serve!!!
Note: If the meat is not tender, ask the butcher if meat is tender or not, and so if it is not tenmder, the step 7 should be done in a pressure cooker. Three whistles and then cool it and then shimmer till thick and concistent..
Enjoy..
Aloo Curry of Poori Bhaji
Yeah! This is the Bhaji of Poori Bhaji. A simple yet filling and “keep craving for more despite the carbs” dish. Aloo or Potato is a universal ingredient, and can mix well with almost anything that is cookable. Alone, too aloo can be prepared into a number of dishes, from Aloo Bhate of the Bengalis and Biharis to Dosa masala Down South, to Hash Browns to Mashed Potatoes, to the ubiquitous Mac Fries without which Mac Donalds wouldn’t have been what it has seen in its life cycle. I hate the Mac burgers but, man! noone else fry the fries like the Mac.
Yeah! Aloo is very versatile I know, and we even have a saying that The variety of Potato recipes can be as varied as a Women’s Heart or the cloud’s faces and shapes….ouch.. it hurts, don’t hit me too hard… I am not saying it, it is just a saying…
To be saying the truth, The best Aloo dish I love is the aloo in Chicken Curry 
, but next to it, I would settle for a big bowl the aloo curry served with Poori Bhaji. I cook this often too, to have with rice.. Yeah ! Yeah! I still don’t know how to fry Pooris….tch tch!
The Recipe:
Ingredients:
4 largeish Aloos/Potatoes, peeled and halved
3 Tomatoes chopped
2 green Chilli sliced.
1 Tsp Rai or Mustard seed
1 tsp Jeera Gota (Cumin Seeds)
1/2 (half) tsp Methi (Fenugreek seed)
Half Tsp each of Chilli Powder, Dhania(coriander seed) Powder and Jeera Powder
Less than half tsp of Haldi or Turmeric Powder.
1 Tbs Ginger Garlic paste
One onion finely chopped
Preparation:
Boil the Potatoes till cooked or soft. Three whistles in a pressure cooker, or place in a bowl and Microwave it. Prick with Fork to see if potatoes are cooked. Anyway I never had problems of potatoes being overdone or underdone. A bachelor Cook won’t care either. Mash them roughly with the hand or back of a spoon and leave aside.
Heat 2 tbs Oil in a Pan or Wok or Kadhai.
Add the Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek and mustard seeds. Immediately add green chilli and onions and fry till onions are limp. Add the Ginger garlic paste, and saute for one minute. Add all the masalas and add the tomatoes. Saute well for 2-3 minutes, and add the potatoes.
Mix well, and saute for at least 3 minutes, add 1 and a half cup of boiling water.
Add salt to taste, and let shimmer for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with Pooris or Luchis ( Puffed Fried Indian bread)
PS: Do send in tips that Rookie Cooks and bachelors can use in easy Cooking to anthonysmirror[at]gmail[dot]com
Catla Fish Curry- Manipuri Style, Atoiba Thongba!
Not exactly Catla, but the Bengali Fish monger calls it Catla. Actually Catla is the the Carp and the Golden Carp. taste similar, but this fish which the bengalis call Catla has a bigger head than the Carp or Catla as I know it. This bigger headed Catla is Called Bao in manipur, and tastes better than the Carp. The taste was Like Carp, though, though it looked like Bao. It was Carp or catla after all.
This is best cooked this particular way. Minched. I had posted a similar post here. We call it Atoiba Thongba. A delicacy that adorns every grand feast, if it is a non-veg or Fish Feast. Mom Cooks the best Atoiba, Another aunt cooks second best, and I cook very good . Usually the Manipuri grand feasts are vegetarians on most occasions, except on certain occasions like Piercing of the ear ceremony, what we call Na Hutpa, or House warming, or on the 5th day of marriage when the bride’s family arranges a feast for the groom side and guests, much like the reception. This is not Steamed Fish like how the Bengalis Cooked Hilsa, nor is it deep fried and cooked. This is cooked in a typical, Manipuri fashion unique to the Manipuris as far as I have come across.
Recipes, will be posted soon. I need to go off to sleep now… Have an early morning Flight. I have set the alarm at 4 pm. I am at hyderabad tomorrow. Back by sunday Morning.
In the meanwhile Check out this earlier post.
Send in your Curry mela entries. I might post it this weekend or the next. Do send in anyways, I will post if I have enough entries…
But I shall be posting the Weekend Herb Blogging by monday evening… Send in your entries fast. Check out Kalyn’s for details.
Update: 23rd Aug
Preparation:
Catla or Carp, 1 kilo or about 2 pounds cut into 1 inch or little less than 2 cm cubes. (Not steaks, cut 4 times the 1 inch steak)
One large potato cut into 2/3rd inch or 1 cm Cubes
1 cup green Peas
2 tomatoes.
Small Onion Cut into Slices or slivers
1 cm finger of Ginger, crushed
4 cloves of Garlic, crushed
2 green chillies sliced in halves
1 tsp Shahi or Kaali Jeera ( Small Cumin Seeds)
1 tsp Dhania or Coriander powder
1 tsp Jeera or Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
Pinch of Heeng or Asafoetida ( pinch= about twice the size of tip of match stick)
1 tsp Methi or fenugreek Soaked in water for few minutes.
Heat 4 tBS Oil in non-stick pan.
If heeng is the solid Kolkata Variety, add it now.
If it is the yellow variety add immediately after adding Onions.
Add Shahi Jeera and let sputter, add the green chillis.
Add wet Methi.
OPTIONAL: I used it and it gives amazing flavour, add 2 TBS of garlic Chives now, if you can get hold of some. Wash and chop a 1 inch bunch into 1 inch length.
Add onions and fry till golden brown.
Add Crushed Garlic and Ginger and saute for 1 minute.
Add the fish, now lower heat.
Don’t stir using a Spatula..
To Mix, hold the handle of the pan and give small shakes or jerks.
Be careful, and when you shake, turn it clock or anti clock wise.
Cook that way for five minutes.
Add Potatoes and peas.
Mix the remaining Masala, ie chilli powder, Dhania powder, Jeera Powder and Turmeric powder in water and make a thin paste.
Pour the mix into the fish and again mix well in the way described above.
If at all you are using Spatula, be careful, and be gentle.
Cook for 10 Minutes and add 2 cups of Boiling water.
Add salt to taste.
Add chopped Tomatoes.
You may add some garam masala, though I didn’t add it.
Shimmer or 7-8 minutes or potatoes are cooked whichever is later.
Enjoy
How to Boil Arvi/Aloo in Microwave! Tip from Reader.
One of the readers of Bachelor Cooking, Parul writes in, with some useful tips, which I am sure will be very useful to bachelors and other rookie cooks. She writes in:
All you guys that I have seen mention to boil arvi/aloo in cooker-
Man… this takes time and sometimes the arvi comes out mushy – I like
mine firm and well boiled.
Try this
Take one of the grocery/plastic bags if you live outside india( I use
the ones you buy veggies in that don’t have handles the transparent
ones- the handle ones I usually keep to collect grabage)
Put your aloo/arvi in it and tie it up in a knot . Make cuts ( several
usually but if you are angry make some more) with a knife or fork to
make sure the steam escapes.
Put in a Microwave on high for 5 min and your arvi will come out just
rightly boiled. ( if you have like 2 arvis they try for 3 min if you
have 2 lbs then it may take 8 min)
To test for doneness try poking in a knife through the plastic to see
if it goes in without resistance.
In case of aloos my mom suggests you can wash and wipe them with an
oily hand to get a better flavor
( saves up time and the effort of cleaning up the cooker). Tear up
the bag and throw it( its worthless now anyways) and take the aloo/
arvi out. be careful it will be hot.
Note: the Baingan done the same way for bhadta comes out ok.
Thanks parul.
It was such a valuable Tip and I am sure my readers will appreciate.
Update:
The tip was found valuable, but even more valuable were the feedbacks given by a few readers.
It was more to do with the safety of the use of plastic in Microwave. The common question was is it microwave safe? Since, parul had tried it, and she mentioned that she used the polythene without the holder, which is usually a better grade , so it must be safe, but then, it is always good if you are 100% sure , since it is food.
Some of the feedbacks are in the comments, and I am reproducing them,
Manisha says:
Make sure that the plastic you use in microwaves is microwave-safe. Better still, use glass bowls. How often have we heard that something that was declared ’safe’ is no longer safe because of new research? Glass is safest – its melting point is well above 2000F.
A grad student writes:
I would just like to add that not all plastics are food safe. Here is a link that describes the dangers of using plastics: http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/2002/602_plastic.html
The last paragraph contains examples of plastics that are safe to use.
Alternatively, you can use a microwavesafe bowl, fill it up with a 1cm of water and poke holes in the arvi/potato and cook as usual.
At Hindsight, using plastic bags, in a microwave is scary, but you can use the better quality, MW safe bags, I believe. But then, like Grad Student suggested, you can always use a bowl.
If you have any tips that might be useful to a Bachelor Cook, or any cook, do send your tip. I will post it with due reference and linkback.
Sliced Chilli Pork – Fast Chinese Food!
Majority of the Indians don’t eat Pork, or so it seems. I have nothing against those who don’t; it’s their choice, after all. Many people have started eating pork though. After all, food is food, and good food is good food. But there are a lot of people, people I have come across, who says they don’t, but well, they have tried. And there are those who have the typical answer, “ Yeah! I do eat it when I eat out!”.
Most people start eating pork in Chinese Restaurants. And they start with sliced chilli pork, mostly. Or perhaps Mixed fried rice with Pork. But Sliced Chilli pork is a good way to start having this most tasty meat. Well, Slice Chilli Pork is as good a dish as any to start eating Pork, and I just remembered Momo.
Sliced Chilli Pork is the only Pork dish I usually order at Bar-B-Q, a famous Chinese restaurant in Kolkata. Like all extra-Chinatown Chinese Joints, This is also run by a Non-Chinese, but the chefs are, I believe, Chinese. Bar-B-Q serves as good Chinese dishes as those in China town or Tangra.
My Chilli Pork didn’t turn out exactly like Bar-B-Q’s, but allow me a little self praise, it seem tastier, eh! But then, I am the self proclaimed Maharajah, no? But I can always do with a little self praise, no! Nothing gives me more pleasure than guests overeating, with an occasional “it is amazing, Wow! So Nice, never had better chicken in My life” blah blah!. I hate it when people nibble on their food, especially If I am the Host.
How do One cook Chilli Chicken?
It is quite easy, if you ask me.
All Pork Dishes are easy, and yes, I have some more Pork dishes Lined up.
Sliced Chilli Pork is another Trade Mark Bachelor Cooking Recipe. Very Yummy! Very Easy!
1 Kilo Pork, sliced into about 1 inch wide and 2.5 inches long. Should be about 4 mm Thick or twice as thick as the usual Bacon Slice. Ask Butcher to slice vertically, so that there are both fat and meat in each slice.
4 capsicums, cut into slices or 2 mm thin stripes.
3 Green Chilli sliced in half.
One Onion chopped Roughly.
More than 15 Cloves of Garlic, chopped into small pieces, not crushed.
Two Tomatoes, Blanched and peeled, and Pureed .
150 Grams Spring Onions, choped into 1 inches.
Soya Sauce
Steps:
1. Wash Pork and put the wet Pork into a pressure cooker and cook till 3 whistles.
In the absense of Cooker follow step 2 directly, but cook a while longer, say 10 more minutes.
2. Pour the contents into a Wok or Pan and boil in the remaining water till water is dry.
3. Oil will start to come out now, saute the meat its own fat. The water will be dry sooner if you had not pre-cooked it in the cooker. Add the Onions, green Chilli and Chopped garlic. Saute the meat in its fat for 10 minutes, in low heat if it was pre-cooked(step 1), otherwise saute for 20 minutes.
4. Pour 5 TBS of Black Soya Sauce, and cook in it for 5 more minutes. Add the Capsicum. Add salt to taste.
5. Add the tomato Puree, and Spring Onions. Cover the pan cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Serve!!!
Beautiful Pictures from Arunachal Pradesh
Happy Independence Day, dear All!!
In the meanwhile, Check out the beautiful pictures from Tawang District in Arunachal Pradesh in this new blog, Arunachal Yatra.
