Stuffed Chicken

There are many variations to this, but here is my easy recipe.

Marinate the chicken with a mix of lime juice and Jeeri Meeri Masala.
(Put some cuts on the chicken breast)

Let it sit overnight if possible

Stuff the chicken depending on the size with mixed vegetable, boiled eggs and croutons.

(You can add Goan Choriso if you want too)

Lay the chicken breast up in the oven and brown it up and down, this will help seal the meat and avoid it from shredding once cooked. DO NOT OVER COOK it in the oven, just till the skin turns brown.

Chop two large onions and saute in a pressure cooker in about 2 table spoons oil till translucent.

Add two large chopped potatoes and add salt and one teaspoon of the spice to the onion and potato.

Place the browned chicken over the saute. I had boiled extra eggs so put them around the chicken seasoned with salt and pepper.

Close the pressure cooker and cook for 2 or three whistles depending on the size of the chicken.  

Fried Garlic, Ginger, Red Chilly infused Sea Bass

Ingredients:

3 sea bass skin on and scaled
About 3 tbsp oil, a bit of chilly oil and butter.

Large knob of ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 red chilies deseeded and shredded
Bunch of spring onions also known as scallions or green onions, diced.
1 tbsp soy sauce

Method:

Season 3 the Sea Bass with salt and pepper, then cut gashes into the fish.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan and add chilly oil and butter. Once hot, fry the sea bass, skin-side down, for 5 mins or until the skin is very crisp and golden. The fish will be almost cooked through.

Turn over, cook for another 30 seconds - 1 minute, then transfer to a serving plate and keep warm.

Heat 2 tbsp oil, then fry the large knob of peeled ginger, cut into matchsticks, 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 3 thinly shredded red chillies for about 2 mins until golden. At the very end add chopped spring onions.

Take off the heat, splash the fish with 1 tbsp soy sauce and spoon over the contents of the pan.

French fries with a dusting of chilly powder to go?

Chicken stuffed Chillies

While we have all eaten the Chilly Pakodas or Mirchi as its known, this is a new twist with chicken.

You need to have the long fat chillies, and slit them on one side making sure you do not cut them through and through

Depending on how much spice you can handle, you can either remove all the seeds from inside or just go ahead and rub salt and tamarind inside the slit of each chilly and let them sit for a couple of hours.

Cut chicken breast into long strips and stuff the chilly with the chicken strips, though yes you can marinade the chicken for a while in salt and pepper.

Make a thick batter of gram flour, ensuring the consistency is thick enough for the flour to hold on to the chilly and deep fry in oil.

Amazing end result.... a nice starter for pre-dinner 

Portuguese Sardine in Olive Oil

This is a very easy recipe, I know on the web there are many complicated versions of the same.

Ingredients:

1 dozen odd Sardine
4 large ripe tomatoes (They have to be juicy and ripe)
2 large onions
3 green chilles (Or less depending on your taste buds)
2 teaspoons of red chilli powder
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Method: 

This recipe needs a pressure cooker. 

Pour the oil into the pressure cooker, and saute the slit chillies into the oil

Add onions and again saute till the onion turns translucent 

Add tomatoes and saute till they turn nice and mushy. 

Add one coffee cup of water.. depending on the size of your pressure cooker and lay the fish on top of the saute...

Add salt to taste, shut the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles or till the fish bones turn mushy. (Depends on the size of the sardines) 

Serve over white rice and enjoy!  

Chinese styled Pasta with Ginger Garlic Chilly Chicken

Ingredients:

4 green chillies slit lengthwise
2 inch ginger cut into long match stick styled slivers
8 cloves of garlic chopped into slivers
One large chicken breast cut into julienne.
250 grams of al dente pasta. (Save some of the pasta water around a teacup when you drain the pasta)
Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

In a wok add oil and when the oil is hot add green chillies and fry till they lose their colour but do not burn them.
Once the pungent aroma hits you, add the ginger slivers and fry till golden brown.
Add Garlic slivers the last and fry for a short time as garlic burns easily.
Keep tossing around and add the chicken and lower the flame and let the chicken cook.

Add the pasta water that you have saved, add salt and optional a chicken bullion

Once the chicken is cooked toss in the pasta and mix well

Serve hot.

Pumpkin Vegetable

Ingredients:

1 Kg slice of Pumpkin
2 large onions
4 chillies (depending on the spice level you are used to)
1/4 cup Grated coconut

Method:

Peal the skin off the pumpkin and slice is as you see in the picture.
Put all the slices into a pan, top it with the chopped onion
Sprinkle the chopped chillies over the pumpkin
Sprinkle grated coconut.
Cover and cook over slow flame till the pumpkin is cooked.
Keep it a bit crunchy, do not over cook it or it will become mushy.

Mutton Curry - Goan Style

Ingredients
1 Kg Mutton
20 Red chillies
12 peppercorns
8 cloves
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Few strands of Mace
One Star aniseed
One large diced onion
One large coconut grated
Few Bay leaves
4 Green Chillies
One large roughly chopped onion
2 large tomatoes
2 tablespoons of ghee
1 tablespoon of oil


Method:

Marinate the mutton with yogurt and green masala* (for those who do not know how to make green masala please look at the bottom of the recipe)

In a little oil fry all the spices one by one separately till the aroma is released, (do not burn them to crisp!)
Add diced onion to the pan, and one it caramelizes add the grated coconut and fry it till its golden brown.

Once cooled grind all this to a coarse paste and keep aside.

In a vessel add ghee and the oil, add bay leaves and slit green chillies. Fry for a while and chopped onions and wait till they turn light brown and add the tomatoes and fry till they turn mushy.

Add the mutton along with all the marinade and cook till done. (You can add potato pieces along with the mutton if you wish)

When the mutton is cooked add the coconut masala paste and let it come to a boil.
Add salt and squeeze a bit of lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander.


For Green Masala:

A large bunch of coriander leaves
8 to 10  green chillies
20 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 inch of ginger
Small ball of tamarind
1 tsp turmeric
8 peppercorns
1 inch cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar

Grind everything in toddy vinegar till coarse and you can store this masala paste for months, depending on the quality of  your vinegar.

Hog Plum/Ambadache Sasaon

Ingredients:

12 Hog Plums/Ambade
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard
2 pinches of asafoetida/Hing
1/4 Teaspoon of Methi seeds
12 Dry red chillies (Kashmiri) ( for every one Hog Plum one red chilly)
One small marble size Tamarind ball
4 tablespoons grated coconut
1/2 teaspoon udid dal
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon jaggary

Method:

Peel the hog plums apply salt and keep aside. Grind the coconut, tamarind and red chillies to a coarse paste. Heat oil to a pan, temper the mustard, hing, methi and udid daal (You can also smash it a bit in the mortar pestle before you temper it) Once the Udid dal and Methi have turned slightly reddish brown and splutter add the hog plums and jaggary and little water.

Let it cook for around 10 mins then add the ground paste and adjust salt to taste. Let it cook for another 5 mins. Serve with white rice or chappati

Green Chutney Stuffed Pomfret

Ingredients:

1 Large Pomfret cleaned and kept whole

Mix together the following 4 items:
3/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon flour
Vegetable oil for frying

Green Chutney
3/4 cup grated fresh coconut or 6 tablespoons desiccated coconut
3 green chillies
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh coriander
4 large cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar


Method:

1. Wash the fish after rubbing a little flour over it to remove any fishy smell.


2. Apply chilli /turmeric mixture to the entire surface of the fish and allow to marinate at least one hour

3. Grind to a fine past all the chutney ingredients expect lemon juice and salt. After grinding all lemon juice and salt to taste.

4. Stuff as much of this chutney as will conveniently fit into the neck cavity of the fish. OR like I have done you can cut the fish on the sides over the bone and stuff the chutney inside. (Serve any remaining chutney separately.

5. Pour oil in a heavy bottom frying pan, and wait till its sizzling hot and slight fumes start to appear. This is very important to sear the fish or the fish will stick to the pan and will break when you try to turn it over.

6. Put the fish on the pan and reduce the heat at once and fry till bottom skin of the fish is nicely browned and crisp. Turn the fish and cook the other side similarly.

7. Serve at once with garnish of your choice.

Herb and olive oil infused Grilled Salmon

Hi there,

This is one of my pictorial recipes!!

All these are from my herb garden!!

A bit of Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary and Chives!

Chilly flavoured olive oil, and the part of each of the herbs form the bed of the oven tray.

The rest of the herbs go over the Salmon steaks.

Season the Salmon with crushed chillies, garlic salt, pepper, or any other seasoning of your choice.

Fold the foil over and seal the ends and bake in the oven at 210 for 30 mins

Serve with sides of your choice!!!

BACON, POTATO, JALAPENO OVEN OMLET

Ingredients
250 gms good thick-cut bacon
1 large chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 large diced potato
5 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped spring onions, white and green parts
Cheddar cheese, diced, plus extra grated cheese, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the bacon crosswise in 1-inch slices.
Cook the bacon in an ovenproof saute pan for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned.

Drain the bacon on paper towels and discard the fat from the pan.

Add the butter to the pan, and then add the potato and onion.
Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the onion starts to brown and the potato is tender but firm.

Add the jalapeno pepper and cook for 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together with a fork.
Stir in the spring onions and diced Cheddar.
When the potato is cooked, add the bacon to the pan and pour over the egg mixture.
Place the pan in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the omelet puffs and the eggs are almost cooked in the center.

Sprinkle with a handful of grated Cheddar and bake for another minute. Serve hot directly from the pan.

Mushroom and Chives Omlette

Ingredients:

4 Eggs
5 Mushrooms
2 Onions
Chives
Parsley
Chilly

Fry the onion, chopped fine, in a large pan
Add chopped chilly
Add chopped Chives
Add mushroom, chopped fine

Whip the eggs till nice and fully, and pour over the fried mix.

Garnish with parsley leaves, and put the pan into a top heating oven.


Eat with a toast on the side...

Or top up a toast with the omlett on top!!

Simple Pork Aadd Maas - The lazy way from my bachelor days!

Ingredients:

1 kg pork meat [Ribs]
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp chilly powder
1 tsp tamarind concentrate
1 tsp turmeric powder
3 tsp ginger /garlic paste
2 large onions chopped fine
3 green chilies [chopped fine]
A pinch of sugar
salt to taste


Method:
Sauté onions & green chilies,add pork & fry until water oozes out.Add ginger/garlic paste & cook for around 3 minutes.add the rest of the spices & salt & 3 cups of water cook on a slow fire for about 30 minutes,till the meat is tender.Add the tamarind pulp n sugar,cook for another 5 minutes.

Cumin-scented chicken curry

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat - a wok is great for this. Fry the cumin seeds for just a few secs until they give off a lovely nutty aroma, then tip in the onions and turn the heat down low. Cook with the lid on until the onions are soft and squidgy, but not yet starting to colour - 10 mins. Scatter in the ginger, garlic and chillies and fry for a minute or so, then sprinkle in the turmeric, garam masala and paprika

Stir in the chicken and peppers and continue frying for about 10 mins until the spice mixture clings to the chicken and the onions turn russet brown. Add a splash of water if they start to catch on the bottom of the pan

Stir the tomato purée into the yogurt, turn down the heat a fraction and swirl the yogurt into the pan followed by 125ml/4fl oz cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently without a lid for about 30-35 mins until the chicken is tender, stirring in a little more water if the sauce becomes dry - it should thicken and take on a warm reddish tinge. Add salt if you want to.

Pork Pepper Fry

Ingredients:

1 lb of pork (lean cut)
1/2 onion thinly sliced
1 tbsp ginger thinly sliced
1 tbsp garlic thinly sliced
1 each cinnamon, clove and 2-3 cardamom pods
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of chilli powder
1/2 tsp of coriander powder
1/2 tsp of pepper
curry leaves
2 tbsp  oil
salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat, add the cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Let it splutter, add the onion and fry on medium heat until it turns golden brown. Making the onion golden brown here is very important, since it adds great flavor to the dish. Now, add the sliced ginger and the garlic and saute until the raw smell disappears.
Add the pork and toss until well combined. Add salt and turmeric powder. 

The last time I cooked the pork for the same dish in Goa, I cooked it for 1 whistle in the pressure cooker, but  here in UK I just saute it, since the meat is pretty tender. Add the chilli powder and coriander powder, toss well, then add 2 tbsp of water and cover to cook the pork.  Once the pork is done, sprinkle the pepper powder. Add the curry leaves and toss well. 


Serve as an appetizer or as a side to mixed rice such as fried rice, briyani etc.

Original Recipe

Crispy Duck with Apple and Plum Sauce - Herman's version!

Marinate the Duck breast overnight in:

• 50g (2oz) brown sugar
• 75ml (3fl oz) white wine vinegar
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• Star Anise 

Place the duck breasts skin side down in a saucepan and cook on a low heat for around 10 minutes until the skin begins to brown, lots of fat will be released during this process so drain if necessary. 

Turn the heat to high and cook the breasts on the underside for 1 minute. Transfer to a roasting dish.

Cook in the oven for 8 minutes on 180 C, remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Apple and plum Sauce:

4 apples

6 plums

2 table spoons Honey

Finely chopped Garlic

1 table spoon white wine

Reduce till thick, 

on the side saute the pak choi with a dash of rock salt and chopped garlic

I spiced up some potatoes with Smoked Paprika, chilly powder, turmeric powder and seasoned with salt. 

And Ta Da!..... layer the crispy duck over the pak choi and plate up!