Veg Balls with Red Dipping Sauce

Spice rating - Hot
Health rating - Healthy

Category - In-betweens/ Starters

Now, you gotta decide whether the VegBalls were made for the dipping sauce or the Sauce was made for the VegBalls !! Or shall we say, they are made for each other !!

On some lazy evening, when your tongue and your healt-freak brain start playing a game of chess, you are faced with the ONE big culinary question ! While your evil alter ego is wondering about butter and cheese and deep fried potatoes, its bland healthy counterpart looks at the boiled veggies in resignation !!! How the hell do you win the game !!??

So, lets start thinking.. we want crisp... we want succulent.. we want spice.. we want tang.. we want color.. we want it all.!!
Okay.. so what do we have here..

Cabbage
Carrots
Onions
Capsicum
Beans
Ginger
Garlic

Hmm.. so thats the veggies.. Just chop them very fine.. (easier in a chopper).
So whats gonna make it crisp? okay.. Add a little cornflour.. (just enough to bind the veggies wih salt)
Okay.. so you want it a little crisper.. what the hell..a pinch of baking soda does no harm !!

There you go.. you are ready with the stuff . Now for the frying bit..
Hold on.. no deep frying business.. thats bad for your health.. so we are just going to pan fry it. with a very little oil. And if you have one of those cooking sprays, all the more merrier (ir shall we say healthier !!).

So how do we make it crisp?? Simple, just startwith medium-high heat, reduce a bit midway to cook it thoroughly and finish with a high to brown the outside! Dont forget to blot out the excess oil (if any)!

Your VegBalls are ready. Now for the spice , the tang and the hot bit !

Ok. so how do we want our sauce to be. Lets say, we want to get the tang first, then the garlicy bit followed by a hot and sweet explosion. So we got our requirements straigtened out. Now for the execution.. !! :) Thats the tough bit isn't it!! Well, not quite ..

Put the ginger, garlic and dried red chilli in a chopper and zzzzup.. Wait, dont make a paste out of it.. Just ensure is finely chopped.

Take oil in a pan, put a pich of sugar and saute' the ginger, garlic, red chilli combo a little till you get the fine aroma of the flavours..

Then we add the tang. And we are thinking white wine (or dry sherry or chinese cooking wine or the last last last resort , the good old vinegar) here alongwith lime juice , honey, salt, tomato paste (or puree). Mix all this in a bowl and add to the pan. Boil a little and taste to ensure it suits you..

To add some ZING to it, towards the end, add a little chilli oil (If you dont have chilli oil, just fry dry red chilli in oil at very low heat, and use the oil) !!

Enjoy !!

Cook with your tongue !!

Cook with your tongue!!
Asian cooking is very different than modern western cooking. Where in western cooking (particularly baking) ingredients are measured exactly, Asian cooking is much more lenient. While this flexibility makes recipes more forgiving and personalised.

In Thai cooking there are four flavors: sour, sweet, creamy and salty. Heat sits on top of the four flavors. The secret of a good dish is the right balance of the flavors -- you will find that there are "sweet spots" where the flavor just tastes right.Nobody uses measuring cups in Thailand. You learn to cook by experimenting with your taste buds.

The basic food is meat and vegetable over rice. Just like the five food groups with carbohydrate is on the bottom of the pyramid, you consume more rice than meat. You take a little bit of meat or vegetable and more of the rice and scoop them on your spoon.

Chinese culinary arts have a long history. They are famous all over the world. Chinese dishes appeal to the senses through colour, shape, aroma and taste.

For local styles, Beijing cuisine combines the best features of different regional styles. Shangdong cuisine leads the Northern dishes. Shangdong cooks are good at cooking seafood. Sichuan cooks specialize in chilies and hot peppers and Sichuan dish is famous for aromatic and spicy sauces. Guangdong cooking makes use of many ingredients. They look for fresh, tender, crisp textures. Huai Yang cuisine stresses the natural flavours. Dishes are strong but not greasy, and light but delicate. Tan cuisine is both sweet and salty, There is a saying that "southerners have a sweet tooth, and northerners crave salt".

Most Indian cuisines are related by similiar usage of spices.In the north and the west, Kashmiri and Mughlai cuisines show strong central Asian influences. To the east, the Bengali and Assamese styles shade off into the cuisines of East Asia.

All coastal kitchens make strong use of fish and coconuts. The desert cuisines of Rajasthan and Gujarat use an immense variety of dals and achaars (preserves/pickles) to substitute for the relative lack of fresh vegetables. The use of tamarind to impart sourness distinguishes Tamil food. The Andhra kitchen is accused, sometimes unfairly, of using excessive amounts of chilies.

But then no matter which cuisine we talk about you don’t need to add exactly what the recipe calls for. Rather, the recipe is a guideline - once you develop your personal taste, do not be afraid to deviate. Because the intensity of an ingredient's flavor can vary from one time to the next and everyone prefers a different point along the flavor spectrums, only your tongue can tell you how much more of something you need to add. Also, if you don’t like something, omit it. Simple as that!

Saying It With Food -Gong Xi Fa Chai(Happy Chinese New Year)

Food is an important aspect of Chinese culture. This is doubly so during the Chinese New Year season, an aspcious time when many of the foods served have names that sound like a character with a lucky meaning. Sometimes the ymbolism may not lie in the name but in the color or shape. The more popular festive foods are the ones that successfully represent happiness, prosperity, luck or fortune.

Some of them, such as chicken, leafy vegetables, fish and noodles are served whole to represent family unity. In the olden days in China, food was hard to come by and the Chinese New Year was the time of the year when a whole pig, duck, chicken pr fish was served at the dinner.

Fish, in particular, bears special meaning because its Chinese character is written in a way to represent 'more than enough' symbolizing that the family will always enjoy abundance. This has brought about the relatively new culture of having 'lou sang' (tossing the dish) paries where 'yee sang' (thinlu sliced fresh fish) is served.

So before you head to the stores for your Chinese New Year shopping or to a restaurant for dinner, we uncover some symbolisms behind some foods to guide you along:

Noodles- Longevity
Oyesters-Happy events expected
Dumplings-weath and fortune
Fish-Togetherness and abundance
Dried air moss(fatt choy)-Good fortune
Egg or spring rolls-Wealth and prosperity
Dried bean curd-Happiness
Chicken-Happiness and marriage
Eggs-Fertility
Lychee nuts-Close family ties
Oranges/Tangerines (kam)-Wealth
Peanuts-A long life
Pomelo-Abundance,prosperity,having children
Seeds(lotus or watrmelon)-Having a large number of children

Tray of Togetherness: Many families keep a tray full of dried fruits, sweets and candies to welcome guests and relatives who drop by. Traditionally, it was made up of eight compartments, each of which was filled with foods such as an assortment of snacks and seeds.

Healthy Paneer Butter Masala

Tonight I made Paneer butter masala with Naan and Pulav and it turned out to be quite a delightful dinner! The paneer butter masala was especially for Deb.. Frankly speaking i don't even know why i call this dish paneer butter masala as it had nothing called 'butter' in it..well..i think i call it so just because it becomes easy to relate to this dish which is found in almost every restaurant possible in India. If you happen to be an Indian you will truely understand what i mean by this.. coz when in confusion as to what to eat.. there is 85% chance that one might pick this dish..! Well coming to the point..why i call it healthy is because traditionally this dish has some considerable amount of Butter,Cashewnuts,Poppy seeds and yes ofcourse Cream which i have tried not to use. However i must say the taste is good enough to stay away from those sinful indulgances..

Recipe:
The ingredients can be easily classified into 2 Sets. Let me call them Set1 & Set2
Set1:
Paneer - 1/4 kg
Curd - 1-1/2 cup
Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
Salt
Chilly Powder- 1 tsp
Kashmiri Mirch Powder - 1 tsp (incase you dont have u can still continue ;-0 )
Coriander Powder - 1-1/2 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1-1/2 tsp
Oil- 1 spoon
Soak all the above in curd for 1 hour.

Set 2:
Onions - 3( make paste and keep it ready)
Tomato pulp of 3 tomatoes (you can also use tomato puree incase you want to avoid the hassle of getting the tomato pulp without skin)
Sugar -1 tsp
Cloves- 2
Cardamom- 1
Cinnamon - 1
Bay Leaves- 1
Kasuri methi(can be substituted for fresh mint leaves)1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder1 tsp
Coriander Powder1 tsp
Jeera Powder1/2 tsp
Garam Masala1/4 tsp
Turmeric
Coriander Leaves

How to cook:
Transfer Set 1 in a heavy bottom pan and boil till paneer is soft and cookded. The raw taste of garam masala and coriander is gone. This should take 6-7 min and you can let this boil while you make the gravy from ingredients of Set 2.

1.For the gravy take a little oil in a wok & add sugar, when the sugar turns brown in colour
add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves & cardamom to it.
2.When they start spluttering, add the onion paste to it & fry for few minutes.
3.Then add the tomato paste & fry till they are done.
4.Add chill powder, turmeric, salt, coriander powder, jeera powder as needed for the gravy.
5.Allow it to boil for sometime.
6.Add kasoori methi or fresh mint leaves to it.
7.Take the paneer mix that is Set 1 & pour it in the gravy & mix gently.
You can add 1/2 cup of water according to the consistency you want.
Take it off the stove & garnish with coriander leaves.

You can also make the same dish with Button Mushrooms instead of Paneer.

By the way..this seems a little complicated..but when u actually start doing it....you will feel you will not have to refer to this recipe again to reproduce this dish . And yes..for all those who want to make it on special occasions to impress your guests..you can add butter instead of oil while cooking and after step 6 add paste of 1 Tbsp poppy seeds and cashewnuts(both roasted). And some cream towards the end..!! And a knob of butter before serving... But yeah..disclaimer attached...an extra workout of 30 min for next 3 days will do justice to this indulgance...just kidding..it's only food afterall... Smile while you eat..and your tummy smiles with you..!!!

*To make tomato pulp, gently make a cross on the tomato using a sharp knife. The cross should be just like they way you would cut to get four lenth-wise quarters. Don't make a deep cut, it should be just enough to cut the outer skin. Now in boiling water add these tomatoes and boil for a 1 -2 min, till you see the skin peeling off. Remove from water and take off the peel. Cut the tomato length-wise and scoop out the seeds. Now blend the flesh you are left with. 

SPICE UP !! - Learn about spices

Spices come from the bark (cinnamon), root (ginger, onion, garlic), buds (cloves, saffron), seeds (yellow mustard, poppy, sesame), berry (black pepper), or the fruit (allspice, paprika) of tropical plants and trees.

Asafoetida: Asafetida has a sharp smell, when cooked however it imparts a pleasant earthy zing to many dishes.
Black Pepper: The most popular spice around! Black pepper is the small,dried fruit of the vine Piper nigrum. Thehe berries are picked while still green, allowed to ferment and are then sun-dried until they are shrivelled and turn a brownish-black color.

Cardamom: The small green variety of cardamom is used in both savory and sweet dishes, as well as tea. The large black cardamom are used in meat dishes. Both large and small cardamoms can be used whole or ground.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is the inner bark of an evergreen tree; it is used in both savory and sweet dishes. Used whole or ground.

Coriander: Coriander is used in most savory dishes. The leaf (cilantro) is used as a garnish and the seeds can be used whole or ground.

Cloves: Cloves are the buds of the clove tree. They are picked green and then dried in the sun until they turn brown. Can be used whole or ground.

Cumin: Cumin has been used in India for millennia. It has a slightly bitter taste. Can be used whole or ground.
Fennel Seed: Fennel seeds are used in both savory and sweet dishes. This spice aids digestion and is a great breath freshener! They can be used both whole and ground.

Garlic: Garlic is usually used fresh, although ground garlic is popular for convenience. This spice is good for many ailments including the common cold. It is a known antioxidant.

Garam Masala: Garam Masala is custom blend of spices. Garam is the Hindi word for Hot, and Masala translates as spice - therefore "Hot Spice"

Kala Jeera: Kala Jeera is a variety of cumin seeds which are small and black in color.
Mace: Mace is the covering of the nutmeg. Used ground in savory dishes.
Mustard Seed: In South India mustard seed oil is used to add flavor to dishes. In North India the whole black mustard seed is used.

Nutmeg: Nutmeg is best used freshly ground, this spice enhances any dish both sweet and savory.
Tandoori Masala: Tandoori Masala is a blend of spices from North India, usually comprised of cumin, coriander, chili, ginger, turmeric and a red coloring.

Turmeric: Turmeric is used ground, and is instantly recognizable as it is bright yellow. Mildly aromatic and has scents of orange or ginger. Medicinally, it is an antioxidant, and lowers cholesterol.

Garlic Prawns!

I was never a sea-food crazy person until a dear friend of mine who we lovingly call Shaan spoke so much about delicious fried fish that I badly wanted to taste some. But I could never manage to eat anything beyond that. My recent love affair with sea-food began with my visit to Langkawi. And ever since I fear if prawns would soon be termed as endangered specie. I ate Garlic prawns in a local Chinese shack...If this is what they call those beachside food joints..!! Honestly...You need to try those to realize how tasty they are ... I would be wasting my time here explaining it to you..

You will find it funny if I told you what all you need to prepare this.. Prawns,finely chopped garlic,oil/butter depending on how generous you can get,salt,freshly ground pepper.

Heat butter/oil in a wok. When its hot add garlic and saute' it for sometime till u get the aroma of the garlic. Take out the garlic before it changes color. Now fry the prawn in the remaining oil which has the garlic flavor. When it turns crispy add salt ,pepper and fried garlic and gently mix. You can also add spring onion on top if you like.

Eat it with just about anything..My recommendation..Seinfeld concept..NOTHING!!

To be honest, even if I try I cant make this any complex...But yeah if you have time and some white wine you can marinate the prawns in wine and salt.This gives added zingg.....!

A Tangy ...Chinese dinner Combo

Often when I tell my friends about some recipe which is quick and easy to make, they come back complaining that it took a lot of time chopping the veggies.My dear friends...love your knife and use it smartly.Perhaps i will cover that topic some other time.Right now ..back to the tangy dinner!

So the dinner consists of steamed rice with orange-lemon chicken and vegetables in a tangy sauce.

Orange-Lemon Chicken
All you need is: Boneless chicken cut into thin strips about 200 grams.
Minced garlic about 1 Tbsp (can increase or decrease depending on your garlic quotient)
Fresh young ginger cut into thin slices (again as per your taste, i add around 6-7)
Orange juice about a cup
Orange zest about 1 Tsp
Lemon zest about 1 Tsp (please note its lemon and not lime)
Lime juice about 1 Tbsp (can increase/decrease depending now sour the orange is)
1 Tsp sugar
1 Tbsp light soya sauce
Salt to taste
Corn starch (about 1Tsp should be enough to thicken the sauce)
Dried red chilies
Spring onion (green part only)
Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger garlic and red chilies. When the garlic gives a good aroma add the chicken and cook it on high till the pink color disappears.Now add all the other ingredients but for the corn starch.When the chicken is almost done add the corn starch dissolved in water and cook for further 1-2 minutes add the spring onion just before serving.

Vegetables in Tangy Sauce

For this you need:
Veggies of your choice chopped into big chunks(i use beans,carrots,capsicum,aubergine,shallots)
3 Tbsp tomato puree
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1Tbsp vinegar
dried red chilies
1Tbsp honey
corn starch
salt to taste
Ginger
Garlic

Heat oil in a wok. Add ginger garlic paste followed by the shallot petals cut into squarish shapes. when they become crisp add beans and cook for 1-2 minutes on high. Now add all the other veggies and cook briefly. Don't overcook them as they become gooey and don't taste that good. now add all the other ingredients leaving only the corn starch. When almost done add the corn starch dissolved in water. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and piping hot.

Steamed Rice

Most simple to make yet difficult to make it "perfect" is the steamed white rice. Everyone has their favorite way of doing it. Mine is as follows:
Basmati Rice 1 cup
1 3/4 cup water

Wash the rice atleast 4-5 times to clean and remove all the starch that makes it sticky. Now soak the rice in water for about 30 min. You will see the rice becomes a little brittle and pearl white in color. Now drain the water and add 1 3/4 cups of water and let the rice cook . You can also add a little salt . This steaming hot rice is perfect with just about anything!!

Quick and Healthy Pita Snack

This is a pretty quick and healthy snack to make when you don't want to compromise on the taste and health in absence of time.
Perfect for Sunday brunch!

All you need is some fresh veggies of your choice and yes of course Pita bread. I prefer to use thinly sliced onion,cabbage,tomatoes and capsicum.

For non-veggies,coat a boneless piece of chicken with some olive oil,salt,pepper and lime juice and pan fry it light brown. Try to cook it on high heat to keep it succulent. Tear it into irregular bite size chunks for easy mixing with the veggies.

Stuff the pita with the mix.Add any sauce of your choice. I prefer to use Nando's Garlic Peri-Peri and Mustard .Sometimes a dash of barbecue sauce gives it a more tangy touch.

*For those who don't like the raw veggie taste,you can lightly saute' them in olive oil.