Sinful Curry

If I were to pull out an old shoe, shove it in a preheated oven at 350 degree, bake it for an hour and serve it for dinner, my husband R, would take the first bite, look around, find a bottle of Tabasco, empty the bottle on top of the leather, wipe his plate clean and then exclaim, baby, you out did yourself again! There is not a jot of deception or exaggeration in the above admission. That simply is R. One, he can eat anything when doused with red hot peppers.Two, he will eat anything I make, like it were manna from the sky. Ok, the first reason I blame on his, for sure, paralyzed taste buds. The second, I’d like to assume is his unconditional love for me ;).  I’m led to believe the second reason holds water most often. But, at times when I nag him for having missed a spot under the fridge while vacuuming or when I’m yelling my throat sore for something he didn’t  do or more habitually, for something  he did, I notice his confused eyes emanate some teeny-weenie amounts of conditions. ...

If I were to pull out an old shoe, shove it in a preheated oven at 350 degree, bake it for an hour and serve it for dinner, my husband R, would take the first bite, look around, find a bottle of Tabasco, empty the bottle on top of the leather, wipe his plate clean and then exclaim, baby, you out did yourself again! There is not a jot of deception or exaggeration in the above admission. That simply is R. One, he can eat anything when doused with red hot peppers.Two, he will eat anything I make, like it were manna from the sky. Ok, the first reason I blame on his, for sure, paralyzed taste buds. The second, I’d like to assume is his unconditional love for me ;).  I’m led to believe the second reason holds water most often. But, at times when I nag him for having missed a spot under the fridge while vacuuming or when I’m yelling my throat sore for something he didn’t  do or more habitually, for something  he did, I notice his confused eyes emanate some teeny-weenie amounts of conditions. ...

My sister S, the eldest among the three of us, the doctor in the family, Dad’s pride(the only one amongst his progenies, he believed, carried his superior intelligent genes), raises an eyebrow at almost all my recipes. Why? Apparently, all she can see in them is a blatant, outrageous and shameful cry for fat- FAT- Fat and more fat . I’m not the kind who does much to appease her. I leave that to my second sis, S ;). S, might deny as she may, but I’ve watched her, all my growing up years, worship the ground, the then budding doc, walked on. The luminary and the fan were always a team, for evident reasons of course, and I was left to scratch my own sores.  A grown lady now, I still begrudge them for robbing me of the fun I could have had then, if only they’d let me in. Though I’m pretty convinced it couldn’t have been my kind of fun between a daddy’s pet and a teachers pet! Discussing Iliad over a bucket of popcorn at the most?! Pffft! Anyway, to prove to the health freak that I’m not al...

My sister S, the eldest among the three of us, the doctor in the family, Dad’s pride(the only one amongst his progenies, he believed, carried his superior intelligent genes), raises an eyebrow at almost all my recipes. Why? Apparently, all she can see in them is a blatant, outrageous and shameful cry for fat- FAT- Fat and more fat . I’m not the kind who does much to appease her. I leave that to my second sis, S ;). S, might deny as she may, but I’ve watched her, all my growing up years, worship the ground, the then budding doc, walked on. The luminary and the fan were always a team, for evident reasons of course, and I was left to scratch my own sores.  A grown lady now, I still begrudge them for robbing me of the fun I could have had then, if only they’d let me in. Though I’m pretty convinced it couldn’t have been my kind of fun between a daddy’s pet and a teachers pet! Discussing Iliad over a bucket of popcorn at the most?! Pffft! Anyway, to prove to the health freak that I’m not al...

If ever due to some freak occurrence or if at some blessed moment, better judgment were to prevail upon me and I were to turn 100% vegetarian, then in all my recipes, where ever there would be a need for the life of an innocent living creature, I would use  mushrooms instead. Mushrooms to me are the next of kin in taste, for all kinds of meats. I know, I know, there is tofu, I’ve heard nothing is impossible with tofu  and of course I wont deny tofu can help you survive if the sun disappears! But, I simply DONT do tofu. It is my pet peeve when it comes to food. And I’d safely leave it at that. I’m still a greenhorn to blogging and I’m not ready yet, for the scorn of the Internet (may be in a years time I’ll detail out the whys of my dislike ;)) So my dear veggie friends, if you have been wondering what all this fuss is about  the biryanis, the meat lovers are every so often raving about, try out a biryani recipe and replace the meat with your favorite kind of mushroom. If you like it, y...

If ever due to some freak occurrence or if at some blessed moment, better judgment were to prevail upon me and I were to turn 100% vegetarian, then in all my recipes, where ever there would be a need for the life of an innocent living creature, I would use  mushrooms instead. Mushrooms to me are the next of kin in taste, for all kinds of meats. I know, I know, there is tofu, I’ve heard nothing is impossible with tofu  and of course I wont deny tofu can help you survive if the sun disappears! But, I simply DONT do tofu. It is my pet peeve when it comes to food. And I’d safely leave it at that. I’m still a greenhorn to blogging and I’m not ready yet, for the scorn of the Internet (may be in a years time I’ll detail out the whys of my dislike ;)) So my dear veggie friends, if you have been wondering what all this fuss is about  the biryanis, the meat lovers are every so often raving about, try out a biryani recipe and replace the meat with your favorite kind of mushroom. If you like it, y...

I watched my friend K make some really scrumptious Aloo Parathas when she had us over for dinner the other day, and I just couldn’t get past this week without trying them out myself at home. I’ve always been a big fan of stuffed parathas, but there was something that held me back when it came to making them on my own. I being a hard core Mallu and all, with minimal experience in making Indian breads thought it was beyond me to keep the stuffing inside while I rolled out the dough. So, when I saw K , facilely flatten out the stuffed balls and  later when the parathas hissed and billowed into big swollen puffs on the flame, my lifelong intimidation disappeared and I couldn’t wait to get to my kitchen and do some show and tell 😀 Very much unlike me, K loves to slow dance in the kitchen. She finds cooking at a slow pace therapeutic. And that day, this worked perfectly  for me.. It gave me ample time to make mental notes while watching her cook in spite of being busy in an intense, persis...

I watched my friend K make some really scrumptious Aloo Parathas when she had us over for dinner the other day, and I just couldn’t get past this week without trying them out myself at home. I’ve always been a big fan of stuffed parathas, but there was something that held me back when it came to making them on my own. I being a hard core Mallu and all, with minimal experience in making Indian breads thought it was beyond me to keep the stuffing inside while I rolled out the dough. So, when I saw K , facilely flatten out the stuffed balls and  later when the parathas hissed and billowed into big swollen puffs on the flame, my lifelong intimidation disappeared and I couldn’t wait to get to my kitchen and do some show and tell :D Very much unlike me, K loves to slow dance in the kitchen. She finds cooking at a slow pace therapeutic. And that day, this worked perfectly  for me.. It gave me ample time to make mental notes while watching her cook in spite of being busy in an intense, persis...

The other day, my preschooler picked up the word ‘humongous’ from Sesame Street’s word of the day and threw it into every possible sentence he could make. He managed to use the word fittingly at most times. Picking up the fat Oxford dictionary he quipped “ Mama, this book is humongous” . Looking up at his dad he admiringly declared “ Papa is humongous”., “I have a humongous thomaph ache” he whined, calling for attention. I was pretty pleased at his newly adopted vocabulary until, he caught me while cleaning up his toys, sprawled on my fours with my rear end jutting right into his face. “ Wow! Mama has a humongous bum ” he exclaimed, sending me fleeing to the bathroom’s full sized mirrors, glutted with self doubt and loath, wondering and checking if it was a pertinent use of his new lexis or was it his inexperience. Like the time he called the ant or his pinkie humongous?  Or, was my binge eating finally catching up on me? Nah!! The eternal optimist ...

The other day, my preschooler picked up the word ‘humongous’ from Sesame Street’s word of the day and threw it into every possible sentence he could make. He managed to use the word fittingly at most times. Picking up the fat Oxford dictionary he quipped " Mama, this book is humongous" . Looking up at his dad he admiringly declared " Papa is humongous”., “I have a humongous thomaph ache" he whined, calling for attention. I was pretty pleased at his newly adopted vocabulary until, he caught me while cleaning up his toys, sprawled on my fours with my rear end jutting right into his face. " Wow! Mama has a humongous bum " he exclaimed, sending me fleeing to the bathroom’s full sized mirrors, glutted with self doubt and loath, wondering and checking if it was a pertinent use of his new lexis or was it his inexperience. Like the time he called the ant or his pinkie humongous?  Or, was my binge eating finally catching up on me? Nah!! The eternal optimist in me...

  Had one of those rare weekends when everything went as planned. A quiet Saturday with friends of the family, a flawless Sunday with a long afternoon nap, clean to-do list, and best of all, with Monday being a holiday, absolutely no dreadful Sunday-Evening-Jitters. Yes, I bask in the  luxury of weekends and all. But the torture I go through at dusk every Sunday,  at the thought of having to get back to work the next day, makes me sometimes wish they never happened. Silly me, I agree. I choose the monotony of a work week forever, over a roller coaster of work, fun,  and back to work again. Anyway, well rested and in high spirits on Monday evening I drove to the market, having decided to treat my DH with some well deserved home cooked meal. He did a fine job at making the weekend perfect for me. Among many other things, he’d gotten the  house  immaculately spic without me having to raise a finger (sigh! if only we had more valentines day weekends). So, when my fish monger showed of...

  Had one of those rare weekends when everything went as planned. A quiet Saturday with friends of the family, a flawless Sunday with a long afternoon nap, clean to-do list, and best of all, with Monday being a holiday, absolutely no dreadful Sunday-Evening-Jitters. Yes, I bask in the  luxury of weekends and all. But the torture I go through at dusk every Sunday,  at the thought of having to get back to work the next day, makes me sometimes wish they never happened. Silly me, I agree. I choose the monotony of a work week forever, over a roller coaster of work, fun,  and back to work again. Anyway, well rested and in high spirits on Monday evening I drove to the market, having decided to treat my DH with some well deserved home cooked meal. He did a fine job at making the weekend perfect for me. Among many other things, he'd gotten the  house  immaculately spic without me having to raise a finger (sigh! if only we had more valentines day weekends). So, when my fish monger showed off...

Like all typical South Indians, a couple of weeks without dosas or idlis, and my body flails frenzied from intense withdrawal symptoms. Initially nothing seemed to cure these pangs other than a salver of the fermented pancakes or the puffed dumplings. But soon the fact, that I had to grapple for myself and my lazy ass showed no compassion when it came to work, my body learned to settle, for if not the same, but equally good member of the aforesaid clan. Same name, just an added prefix -‘Rava’. Yes, Rava dosa is my saving grace when my senses are over powered with crapulous lust for some good South Indian gratification and my spirits, as always, are too weak (lazy?) to do much about it. Unlike the typical dosas, that take almost an entire day to make, considering the soaking, grinding and waiting to ferment period, this comes together in a matter of minutes if you are lucky to have some really sour curd/buttermilk at hand. If not, don’t fret. Just keep the batter in a warm place f...

Like all typical South Indians, a couple of weeks without dosas or idlis, and my body flails frenzied from intense withdrawal symptoms. Initially nothing seemed to cure these pangs other than a salver of the fermented pancakes or the puffed dumplings. But soon the fact, that I had to grapple for myself and my lazy ass showed no compassion when it came to work, my body learned to settle, for if not the same, but equally good member of the aforesaid clan. Same name, just an added prefix -‘Rava’. Yes, Rava dosa is my saving grace when my senses are over powered with crapulous lust for some good South Indian gratification and my spirits, as always, are too weak (lazy?) to do much about it. Unlike the typical dosas, that take almost an entire day to make, considering the soaking, grinding and waiting to ferment period, this comes together in a matter of minutes if you are lucky to have some really sour curd/buttermilk at hand. If not, don’t fret. Just keep the batter in a warm place for an ...

Like all typical South Indians, a couple of weeks without dosas or idlis, and my body flails frenzied from intense withdrawal symptoms. Initially nothing seemed to cure these pangs other than a salver of the fermented pancakes or the puffed dumplings. But soon the fact, that I had to grapple for myself and my lazy ass showed no compassion when it came to work, my body learned to settle, for if not the same, but equally good member of the aforesaid clan. Same name, just an added prefix -‘Rava’. Yes, Rava dosa is my saving grace when my senses are over powered with crapulous lust for some good South Indian gratification and my spirits, as always, are too weak (lazy?) to do much about it. Unlike the typical dosas, that take almost an entire day to make, considering the soaking, grinding and waiting to ferment period, this comes together in a matter of minutes if you are lucky to have some really sour curd/buttermilk at hand. If not, don’t fret. Just keep the batter in a warm place f...

Like all typical South Indians, a couple of weeks without dosas or idlis, and my body flails frenzied from intense withdrawal symptoms. Initially nothing seemed to cure these pangs other than a salver of the fermented pancakes or the puffed dumplings. But soon the fact, that I had to grapple for myself and my lazy ass showed no compassion when it came to work, my body learned to settle, for if not the same, but equally good member of the aforesaid clan. Same name, just an added prefix -‘Rava’. Yes, Rava dosa is my saving grace when my senses are over powered with crapulous lust for some good South Indian gratification and my spirits, as always, are too weak (lazy?) to do much about it. Unlike the typical dosas, that take almost an entire day to make, considering the soaking, grinding and waiting to ferment period, this comes together in a matter of minutes if you are lucky to have some really sour curd/buttermilk at hand. If not, don’t fret. Just keep the batter in a warm place for an ...

One of the non mallu  chutneys that I like most with my idlis or dosas is the tomato onion chutney. The tangy tomatoes cut through the delicate sweetness of the onions, creating a perfect symphony of sweet and sour.  The chutney is very easy to make and stays fresh for long, allowing you to make plenty to last for later :).   Ingredients: 3 med sized tomatoes chopped into chunks 1 med sized onion chopped 1/4 tsp [amazon-product type=”text” text=”tamarind”]B002EE40B0 [/amazon-product] paste or marble sized pitted [amazon-product type=”text” text=”tamarind”]B002EE40B0 [/amazon-product] . 5 – 6 dried whole red chilies 1 tbsp whole [amazon-product type=”text” text=”coriander seeds”]B000N4WWS6[/amazon-product] 2 sprigs of curry leaves big pinch of [amazon-product type=”text” text=”asafoetida”]B000JMAXOW[/amazon-product] 2 –3 cloves of garlic, chopped (optional) 1/2 a tsp of grated ginger (optiona...

One of the non mallu  chutneys that I like most with my idlis or dosas is the tomato onion chutney. The tangy tomatoes cut through the delicate sweetness of the onions, creating a perfect symphony of sweet and sour.  The chutney is very easy to make and stays fresh for long, allowing you to make plenty to last for later :).   Ingredients: 3 med sized tomatoes chopped into chunks 1 med sized onion chopped 1/4 tsp [amazon-product type="text" text="tamarind"]B002EE40B0 [/amazon-product] paste or marble sized pitted [amazon-product type="text" text="tamarind"]B002EE40B0 [/amazon-product] . 5 – 6 dried whole red chilies 1 tbsp whole [amazon-product type="text" text="coriander seeds"]B000N4WWS6[/amazon-product] 2 sprigs of curry leaves big pinch of [amazon-product type="text" text="asafoetida"]B000JMAXOW[/amazon-product] 2 –3 cloves of garlic, chopped (optional) 1/2 a tsp of grated ginger (optional) Salt to tast...

The most popular Indian dish around the world, the Murgh Makhani, it is said, has its recipe traced backed to the Mughal rule in India. I can’t vouch for its history but I’d surely say that this dish is as magnificent and grand as the Mughals were. Traditionally this dish is prepared using grilled or pan roasted boneless chicken marinated overnight in a spiced yogurt mixture. I however like to use chicken with bones because I hate to lose out on the flavor the bones impart to the meat. Ingredients -for the tandoori chicken 2 lbs skinless chicken, cut into desired size 11/2 tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste 3/4 cup fresh yogurt 1 tsp paprika/kashmiri mirch (mainly for color) 1 tsp [amazon-product type=”text” text=”cayenne pepper/red chili powder”]B0001UQVUM[/amazon-product] 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 1/2 tsp kashmiri garam masala 1/2 tsp [amazon-product type=”text” text=”fenugreek powder”]B000JMBEGS[/amazon-product] 1/2 tsp [amazon-pro...

The most popular Indian dish around the world, the Murgh Makhani, it is said, has its recipe traced backed to the Mughal rule in India. I can’t vouch for its history but I’d surely say that this dish is as magnificent and grand as the Mughals were. Traditionally this dish is prepared using grilled or pan roasted boneless chicken marinated overnight in a spiced yogurt mixture. I however like to use chicken with bones because I hate to lose out on the flavor the bones impart to the meat. Ingredients -for the tandoori chicken 2 lbs skinless chicken, cut into desired size 11/2 tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste 3/4 cup fresh yogurt 1 tsp paprika/kashmiri mirch (mainly for color) 1 tsp [amazon-product type="text" text="cayenne pepper/red chili powder"]B0001UQVUM[/amazon-product] 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 1/2 tsp kashmiri garam masala 1/2 tsp [amazon-product type="text" text="fenugreek powder"]B000JMBEGS[/amazon-product] 1/2 tsp [amazon-product ty...