Review:Meena Pathak Celebrates Indian Cooking

Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking

                                               
" Quick & Easy Indian Cooking " by author Madhur Jaffrey has more than 50 delicous recipes from Soup to Sweets which most of it can be prepared in approximately 30 mins. The cookbook gives you recipes with only few ingedients and with substitutions such as some recipes says beef however substitution with lamb or chicken is allowed. The book is going to be favorite with the novice to expert cook because of the easy to follow recipes with basic ingredients. The book talks about the ingredients, utensils and other basic requirement for cookingalong with recipes without feeling intimidated to cooking these Indian recipes.
This book will serve as a great start to Indian cooking book for beginner's.

About the author: Madhur Jaffrey is a cookbook author, TV chef, illustrator, and award-winning actress originally from Delhi, India. She's won the Burt Greene Award for Food Journalism and lives in New York City.


Pros: Easy understanding recipe with few ingredients and substitution.
Cons: This recipes are Indian but not the authentic ones, well that is why you can make them so quick as title says, however not all of them though.
Overall: Nice Book
Book can be purchased at Amazon and Chroniclebooks.com
ISBN 0811859010

ISBN13 9780811859011

Thank you Chronicle Books for review copy. Picture and Author's Bio copyright Chronicle Books
xoxo.

Crab Fry (Kurle Fry)

My mother whenever we get crab's would prepare these and they would taste so delicious. The other day when we went for grocery shopping we saw huge king crabs and at that very moment my mom's crab fry came to my mind. Usually in India my mother uses small crab's to fry. I didn't get small ones so I have cut my  big king crab's main part into 4 halves and still each of them were big portion.

Ingredient's:

King Crab- 2 (cleaned and cut into 2 or 4 pieces)
Tamarind Past- 1/2 tspn
Garlic- 3-4 crushed
Turmeric: 1/2 tspn
Chilli Powder- 1 or 11/2 tspn ( depends how spicy you want)
Coriander-cummin powder- 1 tspn
Salt- As per taste
Corn flour or Rice flour 1-2 tbspn or as needed for light coating.
Oil- 1 tbspn for mixing  and as needed for shallow frying or deep frying

Mix the above inrgedients in 1 tbspn oil to apply it to crab pieces.

You can either deep-fry or shallow fry. If you do shallow fry make sure to fry it a little longer and on all sides till you see it slightly brown on all sides.

Enjoy this delicious crab fry with curry and rice.

xoxo,

The "I Dont Know How to Cook" Book Mexican

Recently, I was sent couple of books out of which 1 was The : I Dont Know How to Cook" Book Mexican by Linda Rodriguez. I love Mexican food and am always on a lookout for mexican recipes which are quick and easy to fix.
This book has 300 recipes. In the book there are 12 main categories in which each category has recipes for that. The book starts with Introduction which explains everything you need to know to make mexican food. Each recipe in the book is grouped and classified by symbols like E (Easy), M (Medium), H (Hard).
The books has easy and mouth-watering recipe with step by step instruction's for Appetizer's & Salsa's, Soups & Stew's, Salad's, Beef & Pork, Poultry & Eggs, Fish & Sea-food, Vegetables, Rice and Bean Dishes, Fruit, Desserts & Traditional Favorites.

Whether you want to cook for your family or for friend's, This book will definately have something that will be helpful to fix easily.

About the Author: Linda Rodriguez has been cooking Mexican-American meals for family and friends for most of her life. She has fond memories of the feasts of mole and tamales that accompanied every wedding and quinceanera. she still remembers the early days of her marriage when she made six dozen enchiladas, carnitas with chile, and a big pot of pozole for her husband's college graduation party---with only a hot plate and a toaster oven! She resides in Kansas City, MO.

Pro's: Easy and quick recipes
Con's: No pictures of recipes

Overall: Good  Book

Publisher: Adams Media
ISBN:9781598696073


Book can be purchased at : Adamsmediastore.com, Amazon
Copyright of Adams Media: Book cover picture and Author's bio.
Thanks to Adams Media for review copy.

xoxo,

Book Review: Everything Indian Cookbook

"The Everything Indian Cookbook: 300 Tantalizing Recipes is written by Monica Bhide.The book has 15 categories and each includes minimum 10 to maximun 24 recipes in it.

The author has started this book very well explaining the "Basics of Cooking" . She talks about techniques and ingredients required for or used in making these delicious Indian recipes. She explains the terms in both hindi(local indian language) and english so it is easy for all reader's to understand. She talks about basic recipes (masala's) that are used or needed while cooking most of  these dishes. The book has next section  about Starter's or Snacks which includes recipes like Spiced Crunchy Okra to Curried Mixed Nuts. The Drinks/ Soups and Teas includes recipes like Rose-Flavored Yougurt Drink, Ginger Tea, Coconut and Tomato Soup and many more. The next category's in the  book is  followed with recipes for various kinds of Salads, Vegetarian Dishes and  Non-Vegeterian i.e Meat, Poultry and Sea-food recipes. She also has some great recipes on Rice Dishes along with Lentil and Yogurt Dishes. There are also recipes for various kinds of Breads(Roti) and Chutney's(Pickles). At the end of the book she has some great recipes for Indian Sweet Dishes and Royal food.
I really loved this book and tried Nawabi Mutton which turned out great and was easy and quick to make. The book has some great mouth-watering recipes of India. The book also has Glossary section with Hindi-English names for ingredients used or required to make these dishes. The author also has added a section of additional resources of stores where you can shop for these groceries across USA which i thought was great.
I also loved the fact that the author had thanked each and every person who had contributed while writing this book, which i hardly see nowadays.

About the Author's:Monica Bhide (Dunn Loring, VA) is a native of India who has been cooking Indian cuisine for more than twenty years. A graduate of several formal Indian cooking courses, Ms. Bhide is an accomplished caterer and home chef.



Pro's:  A great book with great recipes. Very well explained instructions throught out the book
Con's:  There are no pictures in the book except for the front cover.
Overall:  Great Book

Books can be purchased at Amazon, AdamsMediastore.com
ISBN: 9781593370428
Picture and Author's Bio is Copyright of Adams Media.
Special Thanks to Adams Media for sending this book for review.
xoxo,

I am back from vacation and with new recipes

Hello Friends,
I am back from my Vacation....it was just too good and have loads of recipes of authentic konkani food recipes to share.I am uploading the pics and name of the recipes(the names are not in order as pictures) for now and will be posting how to prepare them very soon....
Malabar Spinach Curry, Green Leafy Chavali curry, Shabudana Vada, Nimboo Pani, Mutton Curry 1 & 2, Chicken curry, Prawns Aachar, Eggplant Sabji, Baby Shark Curry.

Japanese Curry

This is a simple japanese curry.All you need to buy is japanese curry powder from Asian Grocery Store. You can prepare this curry with shrimp / chicken or just veggies.
I learnt this curry thanks to Kathy Mom who is from Japan.
Ingredients:
Chicken 1 pound
Veggie: Carrots, Potatoes, Onion, Peas. ( Chop vegetable very finely)
Japanese Curry cube ( Whole Packet)
Oil 1 tbspn
Water approx 2 cups.

Preparation:
In a pan take 1 tbspn oil. Fry onions for 2-3 mins.Add vegetables and fry it for 2-3 more mins.Add chicken and fry for 2-3 mins. Add 1 or 1 and half cup water and let it boil for 10- 12 mins or till veggies /meat is cooked. Add the whole japanese curry powder cubes.Stir frequently till the whole thing dissolve and let it simmer for 2-3 more mins.
Curry is Ready!!!!!!
Serve it with hot rice and it tastes YUMMMMMMM.

Japanese Fried Rice (Veg, Non Veg)

I am sharing this recipe which i learnt from friend Kathy who's mother is from Japan.This is the authentic japanese fried rice recipe.

The recipe below is for 3-4 people.

Ingredients:

Rice 2 cups (Great if you buy rice from japanese or oriental store)

Butter

1/2 cup finely chopped carrot.

1/2 cup peas

1/2 cupp finely chopped onions

1/2 cup thin sliced mushrooms

1 tbspn soy sauce

salt.

Preparation:

Some important tips before planning to make the fried rice:

1. You need to prepare rice as usual however need to keep it in freezer for 24-48 hrs.to make it hard and then night before remove from freezer and keep it in refrigerator.The day you want to prepare keep it out 2-3 hrs before the preparation.

2. When i say finely chopped i mean really finely chopped.

In a big pan heat butter ( remember butter needs to be added generously as that brings the taste) and fry the thin slices of mushroom till they turn light brown. Remove it on paper towel and keep it aside.

Next add carrots in the same pan and fry till they are tender not too soft, add salt and chopped onions (remember to chk if there is enough butter in the pan while frying) and fry till it is soft.Add peas and fry very lightly by being careful trying not to squeeze the peas. Once that is done move these vegetable at the side of the pan.Add more butter and put the rice, wait till the rice absorbs the heat from the pan and becomes warm as it becomes easier to break it and mix it with butter, fry rice for 3-5 mins in butter. Then add soy sauce, and mix the vegetable with the rice ( best to use 2 spoons in both hands to mix it) including the fried mushrooms.Mix the rice and vegetables for 2-3 mins more.....and your japanese fried rice is ready.

Goes really well with shrimp or vegetable tempura (recipe which i will post next).

P.S. You can also add shrimp and chicken in fried rice but you need to cook it before adding it to pan.

Hope you enjoy this authentic fried rice too...my friends and we surely did!!!!!!!

Fish Fry mangalorean style...

This preparation mentions Red snapper fish but you can use any other fish of your choice.

Ingredients:

1 fillet of Red Snapper fish cut into strips
6-7 galic flakes
1 inch ginger
1 tson powder of Red chilli, coriander-cummin and turmeric
1 tbspn vinegar
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Batter:

While frying fish you can coat fish in to dry rice flour, corn flour or readily available fish fry flour in grocery stores.


Masala:

Peel 6-7 galic flakes and cut ginger. In a mortar and pestle put this together and crush it well.Remove the crushed ginger-garlic and add it in a bowl along with red chilli, coriander-cummin, turmeric powder.Add vinegar ,little salt and make it a fine paste. Add the fish fillet cut into strips into the paste.Make sure you cover all fish pieces with the masala.

Frying:

Hot oil in a frying pan.Take each fish coat it in dry flour mentioned above and shallow fry.Make sure you turn fish every 2-3 mins so that they don't burn.Remove on paper towel to remove excess oil and seve hot.

Serve this fish fry with curry, rice or with prawn pulav...yummmm.

Crab Curry (Kurle Ambatt)

This a typical mangalorean amchigele style konkani crab curry which i learnt from my mother.

Ingredients:

1 no. of Crab
1 cup grated Coconut
3-4 whole redchillies
1 tspn Coriander seeds
1 large size Onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp Tamarind paste
2 Tbspn Oil
Salt to taste
1 cup Water

Preparation Method:
Step 1
Cut, clean and wash Crabs and keep aside

Step 2:
Take 1/2 tbspn oil in a pan and fry for 1-2 mins whole red chillies and coriander seeds.Grind fried whole red chillies, coriander seeds, tamarind paste and coconut into fine paste

Step 3:
In a pan put oil ,when hot add and fry 3/4 th of chopped onions till golden brown,then add masala and fry for 5-6 mins.Now add Crabs, salt and remaining chopped onions.

Step 4:
Add water as per the desired consistency and let it cook for 15 mins.

Goes well with hot steaming rice.

Clams Curry

This is a Manglorean Style Clam Curry ....

Ingredients:

1 pound Clams
3-4 Red chillies
7-8 Garlic pods
1 medium size Onion
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 Cup coconut
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Prepartion Method:

Step 1:
Boil clams in hot water,once they open up you can discard one part of the shell.

Don't throw the stock as it can be used while preparing curry.

Step 2:Make Paste
Grind dry red chilli, coriander seeds, tamarind paste, coconut

Step 3:
In a pan put oil ,when hot add garlic when they turn golden brown add clams and then add chopped onion, above masala and little salt.

Step 4:Add 1 cup of clam stock and boil the curry till you get desired consistency.

Goes well with hot rice.

Clams Green Curry....(Khubbe Sukhae)

This is an amazing dish prepared in North Karnataka with Clams in Green paste.....
Ingredients:

1 pound Clams
1 Onion Medium size chopped
1 bunch Corianderleaves chopped
3-4 Green chillies chopped
3-4 Garlic pods chopped
1 inch ginger finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tbsp mustard seed
2 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Coconut to garnish

Preparation Method:
Step 1:
Boil clams in hot water,once they open up you can discard one part of the shell.

Don't throw the stock as it can be used while preparing curry.


Step 2:
Make a paste of green masala: garlic, ginger, greeen chillies,coriander

Step 3:
In a frying pan hot oil and add mustard seeds, once they crackle then add chopped onions and fry them till they become transparent,then add the above green paste.
Add clams and little salt(as clams are salty) and mix it well.

Step 4:
Add 1/4 th cup of clam stock and let it simmer for 5-10 mins.

Step 5:
Garnish it with coconut and chopped green coriander.

Goes well as side dish with hot rice and curry or with Chappati(Bread).