Herman's Chicken Pickle

Ingredients

½ Kg - Chicken, boneless cut to small pieces
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Ingredients to dry roast
10 - Cloves
2 '' long - Cinnamon sticks
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
4 - Green cardamom

Ingredients for masala
2 tbsp - Poppy seeds
1.5 to 2 tbsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tspn Fenugreek powder
1 tbsp - Vinegar Or 1 tbsp - Lemon juice or Vinegar

Ingredients for Seasoning.
1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Jeera seeds
Asafoetida : 1/8 tspn
2 to 3 sprigs - Curry leaves
1 to 1.5 cup - Sesame oil / vegetable oil

Method

1 ) In a bowl mix together ginger garlic paste, turmeric. Add washed chicken pieces to this mixture and coat well. Cook chicken add salt to taste. Mostly you will not need to add water, some water will come out of the chicken. Cook on low heat, covered with a lid till all the water is evaporated. Take off stove and cool.

2 ) Dry roast ingredients listed for that, cool and grind to a powder, set aside. Grind poppy seeds to a fine powder, set aside.

3 ) Heat 1 cup oil in kadai or wok, add cooked chicken pieces in small batches and fry lightly. Do not overfry the chicken as this turns the pieces hard to chew. Light golden brown color would be good.Take off the oil and drain. To the same oil, add mustard seeds, jeera, asafoetida and then curry leaves. Now add ginger garlic paste and fry until golden brown.

4 ) Lower heat and add poppy seed powder, red chili powder, fenugreek powder mix and fry for a second. Add the dry roasted masala powder and fry in oil for a second. Add chicken and mix with masala. Add vinegar, salt to taste and mix well. Take off the stove and cool. There should be good enough oil in the pickle. If not heat 1/2 cup more oil and add to the pickle. Oil will act as a preservative. You can add 1 tbsp more vinegar or lemon juice if you like the pickle to be a little more sour. If you want more gravy then increase poppy seeds and garlic-ginger amount.

When completely cool transfer to a sterilized bottle and store. This pickle stays fresh for a month even if not refrigerated. If you are not refrigerating the pickle and leaving it outdoors, make sure the pickle is covered with good amount of oil floating on top.

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Fried taters, eggs, and fruit

Baked potatoes are a favorite in our house. My wife Anula would bake at least a dozen or so baked potatoes specially when we have our BBQ's and Uncle Alfred is in town from Germany, and of course nothing went to waste. She would put the left overs in the fridge and the next morning we would have fried taters, eggs, and fruit!  

Here is what to do with those leftover baked potatoes.

Cut them up. .

Fry them up in some olive oil, add some chopped onions and garlic.

Add some pepper, herbs of your choice and an egg if you like.

Serve them up for a hearty breakfast.

Chicken with Oregano, Lime and Garlic Butter en papillote

Today my attempt was to cook ‘en papillote (pah-pee-YOHT)’. This is French for ‘in parchment’. In Italian it is called ‘al cartoccio’. This is a method of cooking in which the food is put in a pouch or parcel of parchment or paper that is folded to encase the food .

This is a very healthy way of cooking as it requires little or no fat. These tasty en papillote packages holds in all the juices and the food cooked in it usually has more flavour when compared to food cooked with traditional steaming. As the temperature rises the fluids in the pouch start to evaporate,the folds of the pouch trap the steam which is mixed with the flavoring agents you add (herbs, broth or seasoning)and basically cooks the food in flavored steam.Opening one of these pouches on the table should be listed as a form of aromatherapy, a little cloud of steam and a burst of tantalizing smells sure to impress and please your family and guests.

For each parchment you will need

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 slice of lemon

2 twigs of oregano

1 teaspoon garlic butter (recipe follows)

Salt

Pepper

1 teaspoons lemon juice

(Chilly Flakes - Optional) 

1st Step: Cut the paper in the shape of a Heart

2nd step: In each parcel place oregano, top with chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper and   (chilly flakes - optional)   Top with lemon slice, butter and more oregano

3rd Step: Fold the parcel as shown above, arrange on a baking sheet

Place the butter mix on a parchment paper and roll it enclosing it with the parchment

Garlic lemon oregano butter

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/8 teaspoon salt

Allow the butter to soften then mix it with all the other ingredients

Step 4: Place in a preheated oven( 220 C) for 20 minutes

And WOW!!! 

Solantulem Dukra Mas - Pork with Kokum.

Ingredients:
1 kg pork with ribs
2 large onions
6 Bhindi Solan (kokam)
1 tbsp tumeric powder
Salt as per taste.

Wash the pork and keep to drain for 10 mins.
Then apply salt and let it sit  for another 15 to 20 mins.
Chop onions length wise (fine)
Put the meat in the pressure cooker
Pressure cook the meat along with onions, turmeric powder and solan/Kokam upto 4 whistles or till meat is tender. 

Serve with Goan boiled rice.

P.S. Optional u could add 2 dry red chillies or as per taste.

Tripled Fried Chicken.

   

A few things about this fried chicken. Could you fry it without chopping it into chunks, but it does take longer to cook. The goal with this chicken is when you fry it you get a crisp close to crispy pork rinds. I do not recommend using boneless chicken because the bone is what makes the meat juicy and tender. Removing the bone can cause your chicken to dry out. Finally don’t skimp on the 3 time fry, it is essential to getting that perfect crisp to the skin.

Ingredients

Seasoning

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp vinegar

2 tsp orange or lime juice

1 tsp oregano

1 3/4 tsp salt

2 peppercorns

4 garlic cloves

Chicken

1 ½ kg bone-in skin on, chicken

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp coriander powder.

1 tsp Garlic salt.

1/4 tsp pepper

vegetable oil for frying

Cooking Process

Combine all the seasoning ingredients in a mortar and pestle and mash it all together, set aside. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can do this in a food processor.

Take 1 ½ kf of chicken trim off any excess skin, but do not remove the skin. Using your biggest knife cut into the flesh of the chicken until you reach the bone, lay a towel over the back of the knife and pound it until it cuts through the bone. Do not saw into the bone because it can cause it to splinter. Lay the chicken in a glass dish (do not use metal as it could react with the vinegar) and pour seasoning over the chicken, massage the seasoning evenly into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to prepare chicken, heat enough oil to cover chicken in a large pot to 400 degrees.

While the oil heats combine flour, coriander power, garlic salt and pepper in a large zip loc bag, shake to combine ingredients. In batches, place chicken in flour bag and shake until well coated. Shake off excess flour and place on baking grid until all chicken pieces are coated.

When oil reaches 400 degrees, fry chicken pieces in batches for 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Lower the heat of the oil to 300 degrees and place all chicken back in the pot, cover and fry for 10 minutes. Remove chicken from oil and drain in paper towel lined plate.

Raise the heat again to 400 degrees, fry the chicken in batches until dark golden brown, without burning. Remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towel lined plate. Ready…..set…..EAT!

Hot and Sour Pumpkin Curry

Ingredients:

Pumpkin –500gm, peeled and chopped into 1” squares

Garlic – 6-8 cloves

Onion – 1 big, sliced or 1 cup shallots peeled

Tomatoes – 1 big chopped

Thick Tamarind pulp – about 150 ml (Soak a lime sized piece in warm water, squeeze to extract pulp and filter)

Coriander powder – 3 tsp heaped

Chilli powder – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Veg. Oil – 1 tbsp

Sesame Oil – 1 tbsp

Tempering:  

Mustard (rai) – 1 tsp

Fenugreek (methi) seeds – ½ tsp

Asafoetida powder (hing) - pinch

Curry leaves – 6-7

Method:

1.Cook chopped pumpkin in water till 3/4th done. Peel garlic and crush lightly

2.Heat a wok and add both the oils, when it heats up, add mustard.Wait for the mustard to pop,then add the fenugreek seeds and asafoetida , as soon as the seeds change colour, add the washed curry leaves. Reduce heat, add garlic cloves and fry on low for 3-4 minutes.

3.Add sliced onions or whole shallots and sauté on low till translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till pulpy.(about 5 minutes)

4.Add the coriander powder and chilli powder and fry 1 minute. Add tamarind pulp along with 100ml water and salt and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, add the chopped pumpkin and reduce flame to medium. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes till the tamarind is cooked and doesn't smell raw. Adjust the salt and cook for 5 - 10 minutes more till the gravy is reduced to little more than half.

5.Serve with steamed rice

Ladyfinger with Bacon and Tomato

Ingredients
Serves: 7
2 rashers bacon
500g  Okra (Lady Fingers) sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
500g chopped tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


1. Place bacon in a large, deep frying pan. Cook over medium high heat until browned. Drain, chop and set aside.

2. Remove bacon from pan and sauté Lady fingers, onion, pepper and celery in the bacon dripping until tender. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook until well blended. Add bacon and combine thoroughly.

Shrimp Dip

Shrimp Dip


Ingredients

* 4 blocks of the good cream cheese.
* 3 cans of tiny shrimp
* Mayo
* Ketchup
* Onion
* Milk

 This makes a huge quantity, although it will still be the first item to disappear at your party. Open the cream cheese and let it sit for a bit to make it bit easier to stir. Chop up your onion. I chop it very very finely myself. I never actually measured it, but you’ll want to chop up probably 1/4-1/3 cup of onions. Get a decent sized bowl, 2-3 quarts. Drop in the cream cheese. Add the onions. I never measured the mayo either, I just take a regular spoon from my silverware drawer (tbsp) and pull out 3 giant spoonfuls of mayo, as much as I can get to stay on the spoon. Open the cans of shrimp but don’t remove the metal lid, squeeze in the 3 cans of shrimp juice but DO NOT ADD THE SHRIMP YET.

Splash a tablespoon or two or three of milk in. Get out your electric beater and start mixing. Mix the hell out of it. I like it pretty thick, but if you think it’s going to break chips off as soon as you stick them in, add more milk while you’re mixing. Add some ketchup while mixing it simply to pink it up a bit, I usually use no more than about 1-2 tbsp. Mix it for a good 3 or 4minutes at top speed so that it has a fairly smooth, dipable
 consistency. Now, with a nice big wooden spoon or something, stir in your shrimp by hand GENTLY, trying to keep the little shrimps as intact as possible. Stir it all in until it’s evenly mixed. Stick in the fridge, it’s better cold.


For a smaller batch, use only 2 or 3 blocks of cream cheese, 1 or 2 cans of shrimp.

For a fat free version, substitute fat free cream cheese and fat free mayo. Getting this to taste right is much more difficult, getting the quantities right is very unforgiving. Only add half as much shrimp juice as normal, otherwise it comes out super thin. Go very light on the ketchup, too, for some reason, the taste of it becomes very prominent in a fat free version. Increase the amount of onion a little because the whole mix comes out a bit too sweet and that helps balance it out because of the reduced quantity of shrimp juice.

Prawn Pepper Fry & Cafreal Prawns (Double Bonanza)

Ingredients : 

Prawns -250(cleaned, deveined with the tail end retained)

Green chilli- 4

Ginger-25g

Garlic-25g

Shallots-15(or 1 red onion)

Curry leaves- 3sprigs (that's the tasty bit)

Copra/Dessicated Coconut-3 tbsp

Pepper powder-1 tsp

Red chilli powder-1 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/2tsp

Oil-as reqd

Salt-as rqd

Method:

Marinate the prawns with chilli powder,turmeric powder,pepper powder and salt.Pound ginger,garlic and green chilles.

You may use a mincer as well.But do not grind into paste.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the Curry leaves,and onion.

Saute till onions become brown.

Now add the ginger-garlic-green chilli mixture.

Saute till you get a fine aroma.

Now add the marinated prawns along with the masala.

Add more salt if required.

Fry it till the prawns look brownish say for 2-3 minutes.

Do not over cook prawns.

Finally add the copra pieces or the dessicated coconut and serve it hot with rice /chappathi

Warning: Control your temptation to pop the prawns into your mouth, you are very likely to end up with an empty plate before serving!!;)

CAFREAL PRAWNS

My version of Cafreal Masala (Specially for Prawns)  

Masala

½ cup Coriander leaves.

2 inch Ginger  

4 Green Chillies

8 Peppercorns  

6 Garlic cloves.
1 inch Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Jeera
2 tbl spn Goan Vinegar or a lime ball sized Tamarind made to paste
4 Cloves
Salt to taste.
Grind the above to a paste.

500 gms Prawns - Shelled and deveined

Onion 1 large diced.

2 Tablespoon oil
Sugar 1 teaspoon.

Marinade Prawns with the paste and leave aside overnight.

Add oil to a thick bottomed pan.
Stir fry the marinaded prawns along with diced onion for 5 mins. 
Add a teaspoon of sugar, some more chopped green coriander and stir fry for another 3-4 mts, serve hot.

Kohinoor Chicken

Ingredients:-
1kg boneless Chicken,
2tsp Ginger& Garlic crushed,
1/4tsp Chilli powder,
Salt & Pepper,
1-2 pinches Garam masala,
1-2 pinches Saffron/saffron food colour,
2 tbsp Flour,
4-5 sprigs of Mint,
2 sprigs of curry leaves
2-4 Red chillies
oil for frying.


Preparation :-Cut chicken into 3-4 cm pieces/strips,pick mint leaves for garnishing,chop onions & herbs.


Method:-

Marinate chicken by adding ginger & garlic ,salt ,pepper,chilli powder 1 tsp lemon juice , garam masala & saffron. Now roll chicken pieces into flour to coat n seal the flavours of the chicken & deep fry it in a large pan / kadhai in 2-3 divisions untill golden brown & crisp.

In a separate pan add some oil or butter add broken red chillies ,mint leaves fry it for a minute & take it out in a small plate to be used later for garnishing, separating from the oil-leaving the oil in the pan, now, in the same oil, put in the chopped onion add some ginger & garlic to the pan ,add tomato juice/puree & Fresh cream (or coconut milk) optional.

Add the chicken pieces to the pan adjusting the amount of salt & pepper by tasting , mix it well until the gravy is very well absorbed into the chicken. Add chopped herbs ,put it into the serving dish & add the prepared garnish .

Enjoy your chicken with Mutter pulao or Butter naan.

Image Courtesy

Red Chicken Masala - Andhra style

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (cut into curry pieces)
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
Salt (seasoned to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilly powder
Red food coloring (optional)
Green chillies (2-4)
Fresh coriander
Fresh mint
1 onion (finely sliced)
1/2 tsp raw sugar
2-4 tomatoes (diced)
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 handful cashews (ground to fine paste)(optional)
1 tbsp creamy yogurt
1 tsp corn flour


Method:
1. Sauté onions in a dry non-stick fry pan on high with raw sugar in cooking oil until caramelized.
2. Add garlic & ginger paste and sauté for a minute. Add chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt, cashew powder, yogurt & garam masala and stir.
3. Add diced tomatoes and stir.
4. Add the chicken and green chillies with one last stir and cover the pan with lid.
5. Cook until the chicken is tender for about 10-15 minutes.
6. Add the herbs (coriander and mint) at the last few minutes.
Serve with basmati rice, roti or naan. Enjoy!!


Image Courtesy

Baked Beans Gravy

                

 

• Ingredients:
  1 can Baked Beans processed in tomato sauce(don't add the sauce)
  1 onion - sliced
  2 tbsp coconut paste with poppy seeds(soaked for an hour) + 1 green chilli
  1 bay leaf + 1 cardamom + 1 clove + 1 cm cinnamon stick
  1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  1/2 tsp curry masala or garam masala powder
  2 small green chilli - slit lengthwise
  1/2 tsp salt - to taste
  few coriander leaves
  1/2 lemon
  2 tsp oil

• Directions:
  1.Heat refined oil in a kadai and fry 1 bay leaf + 1 cardamom + 1 clove + 1 cm cinnamon stick and sliced onions.Stir-fry for 3-4 mins.
  2.Add ginger-garlic paste,green chillies and baked beans(- the sauce).
  3.Add salt and coriander leaves.Mix it well for 2-3 mins.
  4.Now add the coconut paste, 200 ml water and curry or garam masala and bring it to boil for 4-5 mins.Turn off the flame.
  5.Sprinkle lemon juice on top and serve it hot.

Chicken Fry

Ingredients:
500 gm chicken fleshy pieces
1 tsp chilli powder
1/5 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp coconut Pasted Coarsely
1/2 tsp garam masala - optional
3/4 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves
100 ml water - Don't add more

Directions:
1.Take a pressure-pan and add all the ingredients,mix them well (including 100ml water and coriander leaves) so that the masala gets evenly spread.
2.Pressure cook upto 4 whistles and leave it for 10 mins for the pressure to be released.
3.After the pressure is released,Turn on the flame and stir-cook till the water runs dry,say for abt 3-4 mins.
4.U will get chicken as if being done in oil.That's all.Serve it hot with Steamed rice or Variety Rices or Indian Breads and Bread slices.
Tips: U can add 1 tbsp(3 tsp) grated coconut(optional) in step Step3 and stir-cook

Chunky chops with beans and Goa Sausage.

·       
Ingredients

       4 Lean thick pork chops
10ml (2tsp) Olive oil
2 Cloves garlic, crushed
50g Goa sausage, thinly sliced
300ml Pork stock
400g (approx) can Butter beans, drained and rinsed
400g (approx) can Baked beans
45ml (3tbsp) Tomato purée
Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Salt as per taste.

Preparation

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C, 350°F.

In a large pan pot heat oil and brown chops on all sides for 3-4 minutes.

Transfer to large baking tray/casserole

Add garlic and Goa sausage and allow the oil to coat the pork chops and garlic.

Add stock, butter beans, baked beans salt and tomato purée.

Mix well, cover and cook in a preheated oven for 1½-1¾ hours or until meat is tender.

Green Beans with Bacon and Garlic

Ingredients

6 rashers bacon, chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
500g (1 1/4 lb) fresh green beans, trimmed
225ml (8 fl oz) water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place bacon in a large, deep frying pan. Cook over medium high heat until almost crisp. Stir in onions and garlic; let cook for 1 minute.
Stir in beans and water. Let the beans cook until the water has evaporated and the beans are tender.
If the beans are not tender once the water has evaporated, add a small amount more water and let them cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper (to taste) and serve.


Image courtesy

Green Chilly Cheese Ball

Green Chilly Cheese Ball

Ingredients
Makes: 2 cups
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I use plain Kraft cheese by bro gets from the Gulf)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped green chillies
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 tablespoon minced fresh coriander


Preparation method
Prep: 20 mins | Extra time: 1 hour, chilling

1. Pulse Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, butter, onion powder, and garlic powder together in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to bowl and add green chillies.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Unwrap and form into a ball. In a shallow pie pan, stir together the tortilla chips and cilantro. Coat the cheese ball in the mixture. Serve with vegetable sticks and tortilla chips for dipping.

P.s
In Goa, you don't really get Tortilla Chips, (well you do get at big supermarkets like Magsons and Newtons but cost a bomb) so yes, crackers form a good substitute as shown in the photo below

Herman's very eggy breakfast?

Herman's very eggy breakfast? :p

What it took for 1 serving (if you’re like me and eat 2)

Ingredients:
* about 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 2 Toasted Chappaties
* 1/2 cup black beans (from a can, drained and rinsed)
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 2 Tbs. salsa (I used hot!)
* 2 eggs
* 1 Tbs. sour cream
* fresh coriander, for garnish
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In a mini food processor, add the beans, garlic, cumin, chili powder, a tsp of oil and a small pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until you get a puree. Transfer to a small sauce pan and set it on a low heat. Stir (or press around) the mixture until it’s heated through. Remove from heat.

Put a small skillet over the heated burner and add the tiniest bit of oil. Lightly fry (it’s almost toasting really) each Chappati until slightly browned and bubbly. Transfer to a plate.

Add a tsp of oil (or a little more) to the skillet and crack your first egg in. If you want to use a bigger skillet and just fry both eggs at the same time. Continue to fry the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

In the meantime, spread the bean mixture over each Chappati, followed by the salsa. Then top each with an egg. Dollop with a little more salsa, fresh coriander sprigs and a good grind of black pepper.

Serve with lime wedges and sour cream!