Eggplant in tahini sauce

Eggplant in tahini sauce

I used small Indian eggplant for this recipe.

1. Wash and wipe the eggplant, remove green stem and cut into uniform sized wedges. Rub salt and turmeric. Light fry in a wok with olive oil  and a pinch of nigella seeds (prefer mild tasting oil for this recipe).
   
   
   
2. Add fresh or frozen green peas, slit green chilies and amchur (dry mango powder).



3. Whisk homemade or store-bought tahini (sesame paste) in a bowl/glass with water , add into the wok. Cover and cook in low flame because the eggplant can get mushy. Sprinkle water once or twice if you feel the sauce is drying. Add sugar and dry red chili powder to taste.

Cornish hen roast

Ingredients for the marinade: Ginger garlic paste, pepper , salt, vinegar, ygurt, green chili paste, cayenne powder, dry roasted cumin & coriander powder.

Basted with butter. Cooked at 450 F for an hour. First half hour with foil tent. Next half hour remove tent, turn chicken upside down for uniform cooking, and brown the skin.

Another variation:

Make the marinade with melted butter (unsalted), olive oil, smashed garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary and marjoram herbs cleared from the twigs, salt and pepper. I also added juice from a slice of orange on a whim.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes first in a foil pouch so the chicken gets steamed and stays moise. Then broil it for 10-15 mins with butter basted on for browning the skin. Use the excess chicken juice to cook boiled wild rice with garlic, herbs, and mushroom in butter. Serve warm.

You can use the rice mix to stuff and cook the bird too.

Sukhi aloo gobi (dry cauliflower and potato)

1. Cut cauliflower into florets, wash and drain water. Cut potatoes in similar size.
2. Make dry roasted, ground spice mix of cumin, coriander, sauf and a few methi seeds. Saute the vegetables in mustard oil with nigella seeds, diced red onions, the ground spices, turmeric, salt, slit green chilies, red chili powder, amchur, half cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
3. In a separate pan add 2 tsp ghee, fresh ginger garlic paste, and diced tomatoes. Add 4 tsp water, just enough to cook the masala through. Add the sauted vegetables. Cook uncovered on low heat till done. Add kasuri methi towards the end. 
4. Serve warm with rice or chapati (Indian flatbread)

Golmorich murgi (Chicken with black pepper)

গোলমরিচ মুরগি (Chicken with black pepper)

Method:

1. Clean and cut chicken into curry pieces. I prefer thighs with bones. In a non-stick pan, add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp ghee. Saute the chicken pieces with 2 tsp fresh ginger-garlic paste.
2. Add freshly ground black pepper, 2-3 dry red chilis, coriander seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick, and salt to taste.
3. Add halved green/thai chilis and largely chopped/quartered red onions (about the size of a nickel). Cook covered. The onions will almost melt in the gravy and the oil will separate . (Minced chilies will be hotter and minced onion will give a different texture to the dish.)
4. Now add chopped cilantro (or mint) and 1 tsp cream to bring it all together. Serve warm. 

Chicken in a roast pan

1. Clean and make shallow cuts on chicken leg quarters. You can go only as far as the ingredients let you, so try to get good quality meat from your local butcher.
2. Marinate them with salt, crushed pepper, Shan Tandoori masala (or crushed spices of your choice), beaten yogurt with green chili, ginger and garlic paste.
3. In a roast pan, line the bottom with aluminium foil, add cubed red potatoes (no need to peel skin),  baby carrots, and quartered red onions (dry any excess water with paper towels). Sprinkle salt, pepper, coriander seeds and olive oil. Mix well and spread evenly for uniform cooking. Add thyme or herbs of your choice.
   
   
   
   
4. Add the meat rack and place the chicken. Cover the whole set up with a foil tent or lid. Bake at 350 F for 45 mins to an hour. Brush some butter or oil on the chicken halfway through and turn it upside down. Broil for  the last 10 mins if you like.

The meat drippings will enhance the flavors of the vegetables. The onions should be caramelized but not burned. Serve with a salad or greens. No-hassle Sunday lunch.

Cilantro paneer

Before and after

The recipe is inspired by Sue ((Suchayita Bhattacharjee). The inspiration on skewers

1. Cut paneer (at room temperature) into cubes. Marinate with cilantro , green chili and ginger paste, vinegar and yogurt for an hour before cooking.
2. Cut red onions and red bell peppers (I  like the taste and color of red over green bell pepper, you may add orange , yellow or green too) into cubes. Saute them in non-stick with little oil or butter. Cook on low flame until the paneer begin to brown at the edges. Serve as an appetizer or with the main course.

I  also made Dal makhani, mixed vegetables, lemon rice and vermicelli kheer with it.

Mushroom Matar Malai (Mushroom and green pea in cream)

1. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add diced onions, crushed garlic and break a cinnamon bark into several pieces.
2. Cut button mushrooms into quarters. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly. Toss into the pan. Cover and cook on slow flame. Add green peas and kasuri methi (dry methi leaves). Cook further and add 1 tbp of cream (I used Nestle for this recipe). Taste for salt. You may add red chili powder and a pinch of turmeric if you want.

I sauteed the remaining mushrooms for breakfast the following day with onions in olive oil , salt and pepper with a sunny side up.