Lime-jalapeño chicken

Ingredients:
Jalapeño -sliced, 2
Boneless, skinless chicken thigh- diced into bite size pieces
Crushed coriander seeds
Juice of lime - 1/2 (you can work with vinegar too for the tartness)
Onion -1 minced
Garlic, ginger- minced

Method:

1. Mix the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, turmeric, lime juice. Set aside.
2. In a wok, heat olive oil and fry the onion, garlic, and then the ginger. Add crushed coriander seeds and sliced jalapeño.
3. Add the chicken. Saute and then cover to cook. You may garnish it with cilantro.

Lohikeitto (Finnish Salmon soup with potato, leeks, and dill)

One thing I really enjoyed eating during our recent trip to Finland was their traditional salmon soup. On a cold evening, all you need is some hot soup and bread, a glass of your favorite white wine ( a rich Chardonnay maybe) and someone to talk to about nothing and everything.

You may serve meatballs as a second course.

Ingredients:
Butter - 2 tsp for cooking, 1 tsp (optional) for topping
Leeks - 1, chopped
Water or chicken broth- 2 cups
Potatoes- 2-3 medium sized, diced into cubes
Salmon fillet - 1 lb, cut into cubes
Onions- 1 medium sliced
Heavy cream- 1-2 cups
Dill- fresh, chopped 1 tbsp
Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
1 bay leaf

Method:

1. In a dutch oven, add 2 tsp butter, bayleaf, potatoes, onions, and leeks. Saute. Add salt and pepper. 
2. Add chicken broth and bring the mixture to boil. Add heavy cream and dill. Add fresh salmon cubes and cook till the fish is just cooked.
3. Top with another tsp of butter and serve warm with bread

Shrimp linguine with garlic, butter, and lemon

1. Boil pasta as per instructions. Alternately, break linguine into half and immerse in boiling water with salt. Cook for 9 mins or until al dente. Drain in a colander.
2. In a non-stick, heat olive oil and add minced red onions, minced garlic, chopped cilantro stems, green chilis. Add frozen/fresh shrimp (peeled and deveined) and peas (and other vegetables if you want. Not necessary).
3. Add freshly ground black pepper, salt, garlic powder, dry oregano, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add the boiled pasta. Chop 1 tsp butter into pieces and place the pieces evenly on the pasta. Let it melt, then stir. Taste for salt and lemon juice. You may garnish it with sliced lemons.
   
   You might also like Linguine with homemade basil pesto, grape tomatoes and wilted spinach (vegetarian pasta).

Breakfast eggs #1

Make a bed of mushrooms, red onions, cilantro, and green chilies. Sprinkle salt. Break 4 eggs (for 2 people) carefully. Sprinkle some more salt. Mix half cup milk with 1 tsp cream cheese and spread evenly on the eggs. Cover and cook for a few more minutes till the milk boil to a creamy goodness.

Patra/colocasia leaves with dry shrimp (চিংড়ি শুটকি দিয়ে কচু পাতা বাটা )

চিংড়ি শুটকি দিয়ে কচু পাতা বাটা

1. Wash the colocasia leaves and parboil them in water with salt and vinegar (vinegar lessens the itching by reacting with the calcium oxalate in the leaves). Blend to a puree.
2.  Wash dry shrimp in hot water, strain.
3. In a wok, heat mustard oil, add minced garlic and dry shrimp. Stir. Add the colocasia leaves puree and cook with frequent stirring. Add salt, turmeric, and red chili powder. Cook thoroughly till oil seperates

This is the first time I tried colocasia leaves and quite liked it. /nobody in my family eats the leaves. They just make' kochur saag' using the stalks. Gujratis steam and fry it into pinwheels called patra

Bonus recipe: Kochu baata (YouTube link from the BEngali Cooking show, Pancha Byenjon)

Fiery shrimp and creamed corn in lettuce boat, appetizer

Pepper chicken II (Andhra style inspired)

A while ago, I made an experimental Gol Morich Murgi (Chicken with Black pepper). I used chicken thighs with bones, quartered onions, ginger-garlic paste, and cilantro for that recipe. In this variation, I used finely sliced onions, ginger, garlic, fresh tomatoes, curry leaves and of course, generous amount of crushed black pepper. The dish will be slightly dark in color.

Ingredient:
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
Cinnamon sticks- 2
Broken red chilies- 3
Green chilis, halved horizontally 3-5
Coriander powder  1 tbsp
Crushed black pepper 2 tsp
Thinly sliced onion(1 1/2) garlic (6-8 cloves) and ginger (1/2 inch)
Sliced tomato-1
Curry leaves about 8-10
Salt to taste
Turmeric a pinch

Original Andhra style pepper chicken also calls for lemon juice in the marination and cumin seeds for tempering.

Method:

1. Rub fresh ground coriander powder, pepper, salt and turmeric to chicken.
2. Heat a wok or nonstick frying pan, big enough to stir the pieces. Heat mustard oil (or sesame/coconut oil for authentic taste), add thinly sliced onions and sliced garlic. Add the chicken with some cinnamon sticks broken into pieces., broken red chilies and curry leaves. Fry well.  Cover.
3. Add sliced tomatoes. The water from the tomatoes should be enough for the chicken to cook through if you are cooking for two people.  Add sliced ginger. Slow cook the chicken until the water is dried. Take care not to over cook. Use more crushed black pepper and halved green chilies to turn the heat.
   
   (Do not use yogurt or other dairy-based product that will neutralize the heat for this recipe.)