red chilli Archives - Travels for Taste

Homemade Spice Rub

June 16, 2016 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Grilled, BBQ’ed, fried, steamed or baked – we love fish in our house and I have created my own recipe for an Indian spice rub. I used this on haddock fillets on the BBQ this Sunday and the result was very satisfying. Even with frozen fish fillets straight out of the freezer onto the hot grill the spice mix hit all the right notes.

It was incredibly to create this spice rub at home using my Optimum G.21 Platinum blender, the panel has six pre-programmed functions which are a real no brainer and one of those functions is ‘Grind’. I try and use my Froothie blender as much as possible and not just for my morning smoothies, it has just made my life that much simpler!

Homemade spice rub for fish steaks and prawns

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Prep time

2 mins

Total time

2 mins

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: Freshly ground spice rub

Ingredients

¼ tsp peppercorns
2 cloves
1 dry Kashmirired chilli
1 badi elaichi or black cardamom
Green cardamom - 3 - without the outer green pod
2 cloves of garlic peeled
Cinnamon stick - roughly the length of the tip of your thumb
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp cumin/ jeera
1 tsp amchoor powder / dried mango powder
1 tbsp kasoori methi
1 heaped tbsp fried onion
1 tbsp coriander seeds lightly roasted on a pan
1 whole round red chilli
½ tsp Himalayan pink salt
a tiny pinch of Asafoetida

Instructions

Add all ingredients into a grinder and blend till you get a grainy consistency.
Don't grind to a very smooth paste because the texture this consistency will lend to the fish, will hit the right spot on your palate. A finer texture I think would work better for meat.
Though this spice rub is suitable for freezing, since it contains garlic and fried onion I would not advise to keep in the freezer for over 10-15 days.
If you make a small batch and very little remains try adding into your curry for a lift in flavour.
If you do not deal well with spicy red chilli flavours then rule out the whole round red chilli completely and instead add a small pinch of paprika just for a hint of flavour.

These quantities yield enough spice mix for 2 medium sized fillets with a little leftover. If you want to use it for 4 or 6 fillets simply double the quantities.

Why not try my recipes for BBQ/ grilled lobster tails and Haddock fillets with this spice rub?

*This post has affiliate links.

Achari Mutton Curry – Mutton in a rich pickle flavoured curry.

November 13, 2013 by manjirichitnis 5 Comments

I had tasted Achari Chicken a few years ago when we were all at my bosses house in Pune and one of my buddies who is a trained chef made Achari chicken and roti’s for us in a flash ! It tasted so divine!

When I was to fly to India for an unexpected development when my ma-in-law’s health suddenly went downhill and she was due for an open heart surgery on the 7th of Nov, I had to do something to lift hubby’s spirits and comfort food had to be manufactured. A good afternoon nap after a reasonably heavy meal of mutton curry and rice sounded like just the thing.

Fresh Mutton was procured but I didn’t have any puree’s to marinate them in and then a brainwave happened ! I got out my most treasured bottle of mango pickle made by my sister’s mum in law who is an expert with pickles and makes a minimum of 10 varieties every summer, these are then packed and sent all over the world !!

I really didn’t want to use up all the pickle but for a kilo of mutton I just had to , ah well small scarifies for the larger good I say 🙂

Serves :4

Marination Time :overnight + 30 minutes , more if freezing overnight

Cooking Time: 1.5 hours on hob and 30 minutes in pressure cooker

Ingredients:

1 kilo mutton curry pieces
1/2 bottle of mango pickle – about 250 gm of pickle
2 heaped tablespoons of freshly ground ginger garlic paste
1/2 tub of yogurt – 200gm
2 medium sized tomatoes
3 small red onions
4 heaped teaspoons red chilli powder
3 heaped teaspoons turmeric powder
a pinch of asafoetida
2 bay leaves
a small stick of cinnamon
4 heaped teaspoons coriander and cumin mix powder
3 and 1/2 tablespoon oil
4 boiled eggs peeled and sliced into halves.

For the Chilli Marinade:

3 green chillies
Juices of 1 lime
1 large tablespoon oil
1 heaped teaspoon red chilli powder

Method:

Wash the mutton pieces thoroughly and then pour the pickle over them and add the ginger garlic paste and mix well such that each piece coats well in the pickle.
Ideally I would marinate this mutton overnight to really let these flavours seep deep into the fibers of the meat,also as as mutton curry takes longer to cook than lamb it is necessary to ensure that for full maturity of flavours to develop marination must be for over 5 hours.
Cover the meat with a plastic cling film and leave in the refrigerator overnight, do not freeze unless the temperature outside is over 35 deg Celsius as at that temperature if the cooling in the fridge is not good the meat may go bad. If freezing the mutton allow at least 4 hours to totally defrost by first moving from freezer to fridge and then keeping it outside.
Pour the yogurt over the marinated meat and mix well,leave aside for 20 minutes
Just when you are ready to cook the mutton peel and roughly chop red onions into chunks and also made big pieces of the tomatoes and puree them in the food processor.
In a large vessel heat the oil and add a pinch of asafoetida, sautee the bay leaves and the cinnamon stick for about 30 seconds on a medium flame.
Then add the red onion and tomato puree , sautee in the oil ,stirring well and let it simmer on a low flame with 1 cup of water.
Add red chilli powder,turmeric powder, coriander and cumin mix powder.
Let this cook for about 10 -12 minutes.
Now add the marinated mutton and add enough water to make a good amount of gravy , if you are going to use the pressure cooker then add a little extra.
Cook on a medium flame for about 1 and a half hour , in a pressure cook give it 8 whistles.
Mutton pieces have a lot of fat attached on the sides which also adds to the oil used for cooking hence I have used less oil.I am unable to eat the overtly oily curry which leave a huge layer of oil on the top if allowed to stand.
Now for the spicy dip, slit the green or red chillies lengthwise and dip into the oil and red chilli powder mix and add the juice of one lime.
When the curry is cooked serve hot on a bed of steaming hot rice with half a boiled egg.For extra flavour bite into the fiery red chilli with the lime-chilli mix.It’s not for the faint hearted though, but if you really do manage to relish the aftertaste of hot chilli you can safely say that you can now eat any fiery dish without breaking a sweat or getting the runs, a sort of baptism by fire food ritual!! One only for only for the brave souls!This powerful blast of heat on the tongue will see your forehead dotted with beads of sweat.Truly a labour of love.

The resulting mutton curry is rich in flavour and served hot with fluffy Jeera rice it is such a satisfying and comforting meal. But the best bit is when you leave the balance of this curry overnight , the next day the taste is so much better I’d almost choose left over curry over the fresh 😉

Highly recommend serving this curry with a cooling curd side dish – half a cup of yogurt mixed with with sliced red onions and cucumbers ,seasoned with a pinch of salt , half a spoon of sugar and 1 heaped teaspoon of toasted cumin powder ,garnished with some freshly chopped coriander leaves.I’d wash down the meal with butter milk or a good glass or two of a full bodied red wine .

Caramelised Red Onion Chutney with Feta and Chickpeas Salad.

October 20, 2013 by manjirichitnis 3 Comments

On a trip to one of my favourite supermarkets I purchased my first jar of caramelised red onion chutney. Coming from India my palate is well -acclimatised to red onions and their sharp sweet taste. The tangy taste and deep rich colour and the versatility of this chutney got me hooked onto this dish and I was using it ever so often.

Since then I had been planning to make this chutney at home and after scouring for recipes online, I found this interesting recipe by Fraser Doherty – The Super Jam Cookbook. It’s a basic and simple recipe yet perfect in proportion and that’s exactly what a great recipe should be.

It’s a perfect accompaniment for a good roast or in toasted sandwiches with a light soup during a cold wintry day. This chutney goes well with feta cheese and chickpea salad as it does with cheese and crackers .This is also my way of using all those empty glass jars that have been stacked behind various shelves in my tiny kitchen.

Averse to consuming chickpeas in popular Indian fare like ‘’Chole Bhature’’( a chickpea masala gravy with ‘’Bhature’’ which are huge, puffed fried fermented wheat bread). I find this a much healthier alternative to get my husband to eat chickpeas and get a nod of approval from my biggest critic 😉

Caramelised Red Onion Chutney

Ingredients:

8 red onions
1 red chilli
2 bay leaves
25ml olive oil
200g brown sugar
150ml balsamic vinegar
150ml red wine vinegar

Method:

Chop the red onions in fine long slices. Slice the chilli in long thin slits. Heat the olive oil in the saucepan and add the bay leaf and chilli followed by the red onions. On a low flame stir continuously and cook for about 20 minutes.

The onions will change colour now and turn dark and the mixture will have reduced in volume. Now stir in the sugar first followed by the vinegars, I used dark muscovado sugar as I love the rich dark smoky flavour. Simmer this mixture for 30 minutes and the chutney now turns sticky and thick.

While this is simmering, sterilise all those glass bottles and store the chutney in them. It takes a month for the flavour to mature fully.

Feta Cheese and Chickpea Salad

Serves 4 as a side with a main meal

Ingredients:

120g chickpeas (That’s half a can of tinned chickpeas ready to eat)
120g packet of crunchy salad leaves
100g feta cheese
A pinch of Maldon sea salt
Half a red onion sliced thin and lengthwise
Few cherry tomatoes
Few small boiled potatoes
Some slices of colourful peppers

Method:

Create a bed of leaves and throw in the chickpeas and other ingredients. A generous dollop of the caramelised red onion chutney in this salad will offset the feta cheese beautifully. It’s great for a meatless Monday lunch or a perfect accompaniment for a big family Sunday lunch.

The best part of making this chutney is that I get to give some to my friends, sharing is fun isn’t it?

This post is my contribution to Great British Chefs:

http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/community/caramelised-red-onion-chutney-recipe

Share the post via the Great British Chefs site and leave your comments there.

Thanks,

Manjiri

Upma/Uppit (उप्पीट)- a classic Indian breakfast recipe

October 9, 2013 by manjirichitnis 3 Comments

In Marathi,my mother tongue we call this dish ”Uppit” and in the south of India its called Upma.

It’s a fluffy cooked breakfast made of roasted semolina and spices and can be customized by adding green peas and small carrot bits.I love eating this steaming hot garnished with a generous sprinkling of freshly chopped coriander and some finely grated fresh coconut – umm perfection, can almost feel a strong whaft of the aroma swirl around my nose as I sit here and type the recipe 😉

After Kande Pohe this has to be my number one favourite Indian breakfast option.Agreed there’s a lot of ingredients but there’s a lot of flavour too!

In Matunga area there are many good Udipi restaurants who do upma on their breakfast menu and it’s so good gobbling fresh hot upma and dowing a cuppa or tow of hot filter coffee before getting to work on a busy weekday morning in Mumbai city.It’s very filling and budget friendly too:) All you need is some time before rushing for the daily commute to ensure you can squeeze yourself into the restaurant and sit on one of the long wooden benches with complete strangers and hope to god you don’t have coriander stuck in between your front teeth if they smile at you 😉

Upma/Uppit (??????)- a classic Indian breakfast recipe

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

20 mins

A classic Indian savoury breakfast or tea time dish. There are many versions namely the one made in South India and the one made in Maharashtra.

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: Breakfast/ Tea

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup rava approx 100 grams
½ tsp urid dal
2 tbsp sunflower oil
A pinch of asafoetida
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 heaped tsp turmeric powder
1tsp red chilli powder, actually ½ a tsp for the ones who do not like their Indian food too spicy
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 green chillies chopped fine
5-6 fresh curry leaves
2 pods of garlic chopped fine or simply smash them and drop in the saucepan with skin on!
½ red onion finely chopped
¼th of a juicy red tomato
Salt as per taste
Juice of a quarter lime
A pinch of sugar
Fresh coriander to garnish
Fine grated fresh coconut

Instructions

I usually roast the whole packet of 1 kilo of semolina I buy on a flat pan on a very low flame stirring constantly and then allow it to cool down completely and then store it in tins ready to use when I need to make this dish or the sweet version called Gooda Sheera/ Sooji Halwa which is a popular Maharastrian sweet dish and especially important during festivals as we serve it as Prasad to Lord Ganesh or during Satyanarayan Pooja.
In a saucepan add the oil and as it starts to heat, add the asafoetida,mustard cumin seeds and urid dal.The urid dal brown very quickly so stir this around a bit.
When the mustard seeds begin to pop add the curry leaves,green chillies and garlic and chopped red onion.
When the garlic begins to turn a toasty brown and the onion reduces add the tomato and give this mixture a proper stir.
Now add the turmeric,red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt and mix well
Then add double the amount of water as compared to the quantity of rava/semolina,cover the saucepan with a lid and let the water come to a boil.
If you wish to add green peas and carrots finely chopped for an extra burst of taste do it just when the water begins to boil and let it cook in the hot water.
Now slowly stir in the semolina ensuring that it does not form lumps.
Add the juice of a quarter of a lime, sprinkle a pinch of sugar.
Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent lumps forming or the mixture becoming too dry, if it is very lumpy sprinkle water and mix well.

Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander and fresh grated coconut.

I am just beginning to experiment with photos taken using my new 50mm f1.8 Cannon lens – A’s gift to me for my birthday this year, I quite like the steady pattern of gifts coming in, starting with my first DSLR for my birthday last year . Just need to figure ways to wiggle out other gifts *evil laugh follows* 😉

Easy and healthy one-pot chicken noodles

June 17, 2013 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

It was one of those days when I wished the dinner made itself ,but hey you know what I am saying right?Like it’s ONLY Monday and am wishing it was the weekend again , ya, ya that kind of a horrible feeling- gaaahhh! Happens to the best of us , yes even me , ok ok I will get on with the recipe.I had this vegetable stock packet in my kitchen cupboard that had to be used or else! And I had some tomatoes, bright red chillies, half a red onion sliced , some unused tiny onions, a juicy lime and a spanking new bottle of Kafir Lime leaves .

Since I had spent the better part of the day, well on facebook 😉 I got my lazy,fat a** out of my house and walked to the supermarket.Some chocken thighs ,a mixed bag with chopped carrot and brocolli on reduced price , just what I was looking for!

Ok so here’s a list of all the ingredients I threw in and managed to make something that made hubby go from ”hummm ummm” to ”interesting” to ” u came up with this recipe like now?” the best compliment, ok am showing off and that sickening right?

Serves:2 , Cook time including serving time :25 miutes

Ingredients:

500ml vegetable stock
100ml water
1/2 of a medium sized red onion sliced lengthwise
2 -3 shallots chopped lengthwise
2 cloves of garlic with the skin on
1 tiny pinch of cumin seeds
2 Kaffir lime leaves – no more ,they are POTENT!
2 bright red chillies slit lenghthwise
1 small tomato chopped into tiny pieces
3 pieces of chicken with the skin taken off
Red chilli powder as per taste
Salt as per taste
1 portion of thin egg noodles – 100 gm approx
1 small palmfull of diced carrot – 100 gm approx
2 -3 bits of broccoli cut into smaller bite sized portions – 100 gm approx
1/4th of piece of lime to squeeze onto the chicken
2 tbsp sunflower oil
A smile on your face because you are going to make a new yum dish super quick and you n yours are gonna love-uh it!

Preparation:

Wash the chicken pieces and remove the skin
Pan on hob and add one tbsp oil ,saute the thinly length-wise sliced red onion saving a few bits to go into the stock pot.
place the chicken pieces and lower the flame, turn the pieces in a few minutes after they start to fry, do not cook them fully as this pan fry bit is to ensure flavour on double impact and get the chicken to release it’s juices
at this stage add the tomato bits into the pan and flatten with a spatula after they have sizzled for a bit, this will make the sauted onion flavour marry with the tomato and lock in the chicken juices,squeeze the lime onto this
add about 2 tbsp of the vegetable stock to the chicken in the pan and simmer on as low a flame as possible,keep checking to ensure it does not dry up!
Now add 1 tbsp in a saucepan and when it’s hot throw in the 2 big red chillies which have been split lengthwise,followed by the cumin,crushed garlic cloves with skin, some of the red onion chopped leftover from what went in the pan and the shallots chopped lengthwise.Keep the saucepan on a low flame to prevent burning of these ingredients.

When the garlic is done and the pungent chilli and garlic gives off its trademark punch of aroma throw in the Kaffir lime leaves ,when the onion is totally pink n garlic crisp , throw in some of the vegetable stock and some water , add the noodles carrot and broccoli ,cover and bring to a boil, at this stage the carrot is almost cooked and the noodles too, scoop in the chicken and the thick onion-tomato gravy it was in, ensure you get every last bit of the thick sauce from the pan to not loose any of that wholesome goodness!

Now throw in all the remaining vegetable stock and water and add salt and red chilli powder as per taste.
cook on a low flame with lid till done, the chicken should just fall of the bone easy and the carrot should be well cooked but not squidgy.
Serve hot with soft boiled potatoes in butter and herbs or a crisp baguette.

At 2 small spoons of oil and how it fills you, this one dish stock pot is filling, wholesome,relatively easy and a good for a weekday dinner when you are feeling well BLAH 😉

please leave comments to let me know if this recipe rocked your boat or totally sucked !

Love,peace and good night bloggy world ,I love ya !