Mushroom Pepper Fry

I love mushrooms in all forms. Some of the other mushroom recipes on my blog are, Black Eyed Peas with Mushrooms, Mushroom Ragout on Garlic Toast. There are very few things that Rj eats without any qualms, which aren't under the category of Non Veg food. Mushrooms happen to be one of them. So i'm always on the look out for an interesting way to cook them. This recipe is spicy n' really hits you with its flavours n' we love having it with a simple daal n' chapathi or rice. I have added cubed capsicum to balance the spice and its a winner. So here you go...






Ingredients :

1. Mushroom : 200 gms (each sliced into 4 pieces)
2. Onion : 1 no
3. Green chilies :2 nos. (slit)
4. Bell Peppers (Capsicum) : 1/2 cup (chopped)
5. Garlic: 1-2nos (crushed)
6. Curry Leaves: as much as you like (the more the better)
7. Pepper Powder - 3 tbsp (use freshly crushed for best results)
8. Oil - 2 tsp
9. Mustard seeds
10. Salt to taste

Method:

Step 1: Heat oil in a wok , add mustard seeds n' curry leaves to do a tadka.

Step 2: Add chopped onions n' garlic and saute till onion turns translucent.

Step 3: Add green chillies and mushrooms. Sprinkle salt on the mushrooms n' allow it to ooze out the water. On high flame allow the water to evaporate while stirring the mushrooms occasionally.

Step 4: Then reduce the flame to sim , add the pepper powder, stir it in n' allow it to cook well. Add the cubed/chopped bell peppers at this stage. (they cook quickly, n' hence I prefer to keep it crunchy i'm adding it at this stage. If you want them well cooked add them along with the mushrooms in step 3.)

Its best served with Daal, Rice or Chapathi. :)...Happy Cooking!

Lohbia aur Khumbi (Black Eyed Peas with Mushrooms)

Black-eyed peas are called Lohbia in Hindi. Combined with tomatoes and khumbi (mushrooms), lobhia can make a very hearty vegetarian meal. I tried this for the first time and really liked it. This recipe is from the book "Indian Cooking" by Madhur Jaffrey.

Pulses are a part of our everyday food. I used to not like it as much when i started cooking. But now, truth be told, even i enjoy it a lot. Started off with Punjabi Rajma Curry (Red Kidney Beans curry) n' then i started using Moong Dal, Masoor Daal (red lentils), Toor Dal, Black Eyed Peas & Brown n' White Channa regularly. Where i don't like non vegetarian food, RJ just loves it, n' where i love vegetarian food, RJ just hates it. So we had to find a balance somewhere and thankfully legumes came to our rescue. So here you go...

Ingredients:

1. Black-eyed peas: 1 cup
2. Tomatoes: 1cup(chopped)
3. Oil : 1/2 cup (i used only 3tbsp)
4. Cinnamon stick: 1 inch piece
5. Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
6. Onion: 1 cup(chopped)
7. Garlic: 5 cloves (diced)
8. Khumbi (mushrooms): 1 cup (sliced)
9. Coriander Powder: 2 tsp
10.Cumin Powder: 1tsp
11.Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp
12.Cayenne: 1/4 teaspoon (i didn't have this so i added nearly a tsp of kashmiri chili powder instead)
13.Coriander/Cilantro Leaves: 2tbsp
14. Salt: as required or 1tsp

Method:

Step 1: The first thing you must do is soak the lobhia in water over night or for 7-8hours. This will make the beans soft and manageable.

Step 2: Then, boil pre-soaked lobhia for 40 minutes or until very soft. (i cooked them in a pressure cooker instead for 15-20 minutes on medium flame, i added salt along with this)

Step 3:Then, briefly boil tomatoes, peel off skin, and chop into large chunks.

Step 4:Heat oil in a kadai (frying pan) and add cumin and cinnamon. Soon after, add garlic and onions.

Step 5: Once the onions turn golden brown add khumbi (mushrooms) and fry for 5 minutes.

Step 6: Add the tomatoes, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and cayenne. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, till the oil separates. (i added the powders first to ensure that the masala is cooked well and only then did i add the tomatoes.)

Step 7: Add the cooked lohbia to the above stir it to mix well and leave it covered for another 15minutes. (the water in which the lohbia was cooked can be added along with this according to the consistency of the final gravy that you require.)

Check for salt n' add more if required and add the chopped cilantro, stir well and let it sit on low heat for another 5 minutes and it's ready. This is best served hot with rice, chappathi or Naan...

It's only recently that i read about the event My Legume Love Affair and i'm sending this post for the 22nd edition of the event hosted by Ruchikacooks.


Also, sending this to the Vegetable Marathon Event- Beans hosted by Anita's Kitchen.

Mushroom Ragout On Garlic Toast

Pronounced mushroom ragooo, is really an easy dish, and it is so tasty. We love our mushrooms in any form. This was one of the things i made for our valentine's day dinner this year and had forgotten to update it here. When i was going through my food snaps folder i came across this snap and scolded myself for not posting this sooner. So here you go...

Ingredients:

1. Mushrooms- 2 pounds ( I used the regular button mushrooms)
2. Butter- 2tbsp
3. Salt and Pepper- ½ tsp each
4. Sherry Wine- 1/3rd of a cup
5. Chicken Stock- ½ a cup
6. Garlic (Chopped)- 2 cloves
7. Thyme- 1tbsp
8. Heavy Cream- 1/2cup

Method:

Step 1: Melt butter in pan, when it starts to froth, add the sliced mushrooms to the pan along with salt and pepper. (this will make the water come out, put it on high flame for the water to cook up completely)

Step 2: Add the chopped garlic.

Step 3: Once the garlic is cooked, add the wine and the chicken stock, stir for a while.

Step 4: Add half the thyme to this and stir for a minute and add the cream. Stir for another minute or so and it’s ready.

I deviated from the original recipe a little, I didn’t have sherry wine with me and added a little caramelized sugar (2tsp)instead. But it was really good. Serve it with garlic toast n’ you would just love it.

From the snap here, you can make out that my garlic toast is really an improvised version of an actual garlic toast...but chef John from whom i got the recipe for Mushroom Ragout said that the easiest n' freshest garlic toast at home is to make some toast, spread a little soft butter on it n' rub some fresh crushed garlic on it...n' voilà your garlic toast is ready. ;)

Calzone Inspired Chapathi

Yesterday i was supposed to make 'Calzone'. I came across this recipe for the same on Sanjeev Kapoor's show in Star Plus or is it Sony??? anyways...i didn't get to watch the whole program...but i decided to give it a try. I wasn't sure about the measurements n' decided to IMPROVISE. I feel really silly saying it out loud here...but i have to anyways....just so that i don't make this mistake again....after kneading the dough...i kept in covered in the fridge for 4-5hrs...:(...can you believe that? n' when i reached back home last night i went to the fridge (all excited)to check on the dough n' to see how much it has risen...n' i found this really hard ball in my greased bowl....n' i was so disappointed...(it still didn't click!!!)....

i went on to make Chapati n' Egg Masala for dinner n' while rolling the chapati, it struck me...why don't i try making a Calzone inspired chapatis...i wasn't sure what i needed but i wanted to give it a try anyway...but first i said to myself let me finish making dinner coz what if this one doesn't turn out nice...boy i was in for a surprise alright...:)...so here you...judge for yourself...n' did i say...this recipe is really simple too...;)


Ingredients:

1. Wheat Dough- 2 balls (the size of golf balls)
2. Onion- 2 medium (sliced)
3. Mushrooms- 3-4 (sliced)
4. Broccoli- 3-4 florets (sliced)
5. Oregano- ½ tsp ( i used dry oregano leaves)
6. Black Pepper (fresh)- ½ tsp (crushed)- (add more if you want it spicier)
7. Salt
8. Butter- 2tsp (since i was trying this for the first time...i wanted some help here n' added around 3tsp :)
9. Goat Cheese- 1tsp for each (optional i guess...i added it coz i had some left over)
10. Mozzarella Cheese- 1tsp for each (shredded)...(add more if you want..;)

Method:

Step 1: Heat a pan n' melt butter in it (till it foams) n' add the sliced onions to this. Sauté till the onion are a golden brown (n' this smells divine ;)

Step 2: Add the sliced mushrooms to this. Let it cook for a while. (A little amount of liquid should ooze out from the mushrooms) Stir it till it shrinks back into the mushrooms...

Step 3: Add the sliced broccoli to the above. It will change it's color to a dark green in about 3-4mins n' that's how we get to know it's done...

Step 4: Add Oregano, black pepper n' salt and its ready...

Step 5: Roll out your Chapati n' fill a half of the circle with this filling, add the soft goat cheese, n' top the filling with some shredded cheese.... leaving a little area on the edge to fold n' close the chapati. Fold it into a half circle n' close the corners by pressing it with your fingers or a fork.

Step 6: Heat a pan n' let the above filled chapati cook on low fire. Cook both the sides n' the edges...in total for at least 8-10mins to ensure the insides are cooked. Spread a little butter on both the sides and it will take on a golden brown shade...n' it's ready...

As you can see i basically used whatever i had at home as a filling...i think you can use just about anything for a filling n' serve it as snacks for kids n' they would love it....:)...also since this was an experiment i made only enough for two. Please increase the measurements if you want to make more...:)

p.s: at the end of all this i saw the dough i had kept aside to throw had become so soft n' it was beginning to rise....how did i not remember that the dough needs to be left in a warm place for it to rise??? instead of inside the fridge??


A special thanks to Nish from Look Who's Cooking Too for giving me this badge (my first one ever...didn't get any even when i was in school ;)...i'm truly touched...i want to pass it on to....malluspice (one of the first blogs i started reading), cookingandme (i came across her blog when i wanted to learn more about food photography) and mariasmenu (coz she makes cooking look simple, fun and you can easily make out she loves what she is doing). Gals....please grab the award, brag about it, display it on you blog and link it back to whoever awarded it to you, share 10 things about yourself and pass on the award to anyone you like.

Now for 10things about me....i truly had a tough time doing this....which was strange considering how i love to talk....:)

1.I don’t like every day cooking. I look upon it as a chore. I mean I hate to cook when the reasons are ‘hunger’ or ‘it’s meal time’n’ reasons like that. But it’s for the sheer pleasure of it I get really excited about cooking.

2.The main attraction for blogging these days seems to have something to do with the new camera we have. I love taking photographs and making things/people look beautiful.

3.I’m a non vegetarian skewed towards veg food more than non veg food :)

4.I don’t like fish…I love crab, prawns, mussels n’ occasionally like fried pieces of fish but I’m over particular about how it should be.

5.I don’t crave for sweet food, but I love (more like worship) spicy food. I can eat pickle with just about anything.

6.My family is my strength.

7.If it weren’t for the strict upbringing (by my father…which I hated at the time) I would have never had the strength of character I have today.

8.The thing I enjoy the most about Bahrain is my work place….for the first time in my life I have a boss with a sense of humour.

9.The place I earned my independence was Bangalore, so for me the 8yrs I spent there will forever be a highlight of my life. I will always love that place more than any other place.

10.Something I enjoy more than anything else in the world has to be shopping. It gives me an adrenaline rush like no other….i (almost) can’t resist anything that’s on sale n’ especially if I think it’s a steal for that price.

Pasta with No Sauce

Trust me i could not come up with a better name. I have been having a really busy week and plus i'm on some diet plan i'm not following.

I swear the more i think about being on a diet, the more i want to eat. I'm constantly thinking about food...it's driving me nuts. Plus i can never sit through a movie without eating something...Robin hates it....he on the other hand doesn't eat or drink anything while watching a movie or TV....how boring is that?

Anyway, before going home for lunch, i was already hungry like crazy. We had Cheru Payarthoran (Moong Dal) at home. I personally love having it with pickle n' Kanji. But my man isn't too keen on this...n' he likes eating it with Chapatti. I also like it now, considering it has less fat packed in this option.

I wasn't sure what i wanted to eat, but i was in no mood for what was ready at home. I have never used tomato sauce in my pasta n' have always made white sauce at home. But truth be told it doesn't come out the way i dream my pasta to be. The exotic sauces n' cheese that all the recipes online require wasn't there with me either. I quickly stopped at a shop on the way n' got an Italian Tomato Sauce meant for Pasta....which i didn't add! ;) I wasn't even sure of what i'm making till i finished making it...;)...anyways here we go...
Ingredients

Pasta: 250gms
Butter: 2tbsp ;)
Onion: Chopped into small pieces
Garlic: 3-4nos (crushed)
Mushroom: 200gms (sliced)
Maggi Chicken Stock cube- 1
Hot water: 1/2 ltr
Corn flour: 1-2 tsp (diluted)
Eggs- 2 nos (scrambled)
Oregano: a pinch for garnishing
Chili Flakes: for garnishing
Fresh Peppercorn crushed- a pinch or 2
Salt - to taste ( i used salted butter n' the chicken stock already had some)

Method

Step 1: Cook pasta in hot water till tender and set it aside. (i add salt n' oil in this stage, i have read this is not the authentic way to do it...but this works for me)

Step 2: In a hot pan add butter, crushed garlic and onion. Once the onion has softened add sliced mushrooms and cook till lightly tender.

Step 3: Add the chicken stock cube to the boiled water to make the stock.

Step 4: Add the chicken stock and corn flour to the mushrooms. (if you find the level of gravy to be more than decent it's ok. Once it thickens slightly, add oregano and pepper powder.

Step 5: Add the cooked pasta to this. The extra gravy will be required as we are not using any other paste. Add some more salt if required.

This is ready to serve, sprinkle some chili powder and grated cheese before serving. I used scrambled eggs instead of cheese (hehe) for lunch. The left over for dinner i served it with some cherry tomatoes and fried Beef Salami. This dish came out so much better than i expected. I guess it just goes on to prove pasta is something you can do anything with...;)

Healthy Maggie Noodles & Chili Mushroom with a Dash of Honey

Yup, i have the nerve to call this Maggie Noodle dish a healthy recipe. ;)... I never use their taste maker and avoid using ajinomoto in my cooking....Also, i just love chinese food or should i say 'the indian version' of the chinese food...:)

Anyways, i do use chinese noodles once in a while or even rice noodles and follow the same recipe. But this time i decided to use this favoured brand. Just before we left india Nestle had launched a Shahi Puloa flavoured Maggie and i used to just love it....i can't find it anywhere in Bahrain. Anyways getting back....i like to make this recipe without beef or chicken strips but i guess one can add it if you want. So here we go...

VEG NOODLES

Ingredients

Noodles : 2 or 3 packets
Water: more than the instructions given
Oil: 1 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp

Spring Onion: 1 stem
Red Capsicum: 1 (cut long)
Green Capsicum: 1 (cut long)
Onion: 1 (juliened)
Garlic: 2-3nos (chopped)Green Chili- 2nos
Oyster Sauce- 1tsp
Soya Sauce- 1tsp
Schezwan Sauce- 1/2tsp (optional)
Oil
Salt
(Adding Carrots, Beans and Sprouts is optional)

Method
Step 1: Boil water, as soon as it’s boiled, add oil and salt and to this. Add the dry noodles. Turn off the fire and check the noodles to see if its cooked. As soon as its soft strain it and keep it aside. (this will ensure that we don't end up with lumps!)

Step 2: Heat the oil and add the chopped garlic and the spring onion. This is will change the aroma of the oil and will smell really nice.

Step 3: Add the onion and green chili to this.

Step 4: As soon as the onion is cooked, add the red and green capsicum to this (any other veggies or meat pieces if you are using can be added at this stage). You might need to change the proportion of oil according to the amount of extras used.

Step 5: Add all the sauces to this. Ensure it’s not cooked till the veggies soften too much. It's best if it’s still a little crunchy. Add more salt if required, keeping in mind that the noodles already has salt.

Step 6: Add the cooked noodles to this, toss it to mix it well.

Even though it has enough sauces i don't like eating it without any curry ;)...so here's my simple and easy Chili Mushroom...

I have always disliked adding batter (as is a practice in some chinese dishes) to the mushroom before using them and i never do it....

CHILI MUSHROOM

Ingredients
Mushrooms- 2pkts (250 gms each)- chopped
Ginger- 1/2 inch piece (finely chopped)
Garlic- 3nos (finely chopped)
Dry Red Chili- 3-4nos (chopped)
Onion- 1 (chopped)
Soya Sauce- 1 tsp
Oyster Sauce- 1 tsp
Schezwan Sauce- 1/2 tsp
Tomato Ketchup- 1 1/2 tsp (adding this will give good color and helps if the dish has turned out to be too spicy)
Fresh Black Pepper- Ground- 1/2 tsp
Salt- as per taste
Oil or Butter- 1tbsp
Honey- 1 tbsp

Method
Step 1: Heat oil/butter in a wok and add chopped garlic ginger and red chili.

Step 2: Add chopped onion. Fry till lightly brown.

Step 3: Add all the sauces and salt except the tomato ketchup.

Step 4: Add chopped mushrooms. Let it cook a while as the moisture from the mushroom will create a light gravy while it cooks.

Step 5: Let the mushrooms soften and keep tasting to check how spicy it is before adding the pepper powder. Add as required.

Step 6: Add the tomato ketchup to this. By now it should have a thick gravy. Drizzle the honey on top and its ready.

At the end of all this last night i was feeling so good...i mixed up some fresh apricots, fresh cherries, Cream and Chocolate cake and made something...yet to decide what i should call it...;)