THAI PUMPKIN CURRY

HOW TO COOK THAI PUMPKIN CURRY

INGREDIENTS :

For Red Curry Paste :

METHOD :

For Red Curry Paste :

• Pestle and Mortar work well for the process.
• First pound the dry ingredients, starting with White Peppercorns until they are finely ground.
• Follow it with Cumin Powder and Coriander Powder.
• Pound all the ingredients together until they are finely ground.  
• Once done, empty it from the Mortar into a bowl and keep it aside.
• Soak Dry Red Chillies in hot water for about 10-15 Minutes.
• Cut the soaked Dry Red Chillies into small pieces and pound them adding a teaspoon of Salt with a Mortar and Pestle.
• Pound the Dry Chillies for about 5-8 minutes or until they are finely ground and the natural Oils from the Chillies are fully released.
• Once the Dry Chillies are pound well, add finely chopped Shallots, Garlic, Lemon Grass, Galangal, Fresh Coriander Roots and Kaffir Lime Peel into the Mortar.
• Pound all the ingredients until they are ground into a fine paste.
• The Paste should be finely ground without any lumps.
• Finally add the Shrimp Paste, Palm Sugar and mix well.
• Adjust the amount of Salt if necessary.
• Remove the Thai Red Curry Paste from the Mortar and keep it aside.

For Thai Pumpkin Curry :

• Cut Pumpkin into wedges along the groves.
• Remove the skin and seeds.
• Cut the Pumpkin into 1" Cubes.
• Pour half of the Coconut Milk into a deep Pan.
• Add the Red Curry Paste to the Coconut Milk and mix well.
• Boil this on a low flame for few minutes stirring occasionally until Oil separates from the mix and the raw flavour goes.
• Add Pumpkin Cubes along with the rest of the Coconut Milk and water.
• Drizzle Fish Sauce and mix well.
• Cook this over a low flame until Pumpkins turn soft.
• Add thinly sliced Birds-eye Chilli, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Thai Basil to the Thai Pumpkin Curry.
• Give a quick stir and immediately switch off the flame.
• Serve this thick & creamy Thai Pumpkin Curry with steamed Fragrant Rice.

NOTES :

• Yellow Pumpkin/Winter Squash suits best for this Thai Pumpkin Curry.
• Can also add 1/2 a Cup of Chicken Pieces/Pork/Shrimps along with Pumpkins in this recipe.
• White Peppercorns gives a nice flavour keeping the spiciness mild without changing the colour of Thai Red Curry Paste.
• Can Substitute it with White Pepper Powder.
• Adjust the amount of Fish Sauce to suit your preference.
• Adjust the number of Dry Chillies to suit your spice level.
• Thai Pumpkin Curry should be Creamy and thick with a mild sweetness from the pumpkin.
• So add Coconut Milk as you prefer and adding Palm Sugar is truly optional.
• Can use fresh Coconut milk or store bought.
• For HOW TO MAKE FRESH COCONUT MILK, Click here...

BREAD VADAI

INGREDIENTS :

METHOD :

• Pulse the Bread Slices in a mixer grinder/food processor or in a small blender jar to coarse crumbs.
• Take these breadcrumbs in a bowl.
• Add finely chopped Onions, Green Chillies, Ginger and Fennel Seeds.
• Add finely chopped Curry Leaves and Coriander Leaves along with Salt & Asafoetida Powder.
• Add few teaspoons of Yoghurt/Curd at a time and knead it into a tough dough.
• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Take lemon sized Bread Vadai mix and flatten them with your hands.
• Drop the shaped Bread Vadais into the hot oil and deep fry them until they turn into golden brown colour.
• Drain them on paper towels.
• Serve them hot with Coconut Chutney or with any Sauce/ Ketchup of your choice.
• Goes well along with hot-hot Coffee or Tea. 

NOTES :

• If the mix gets watery can add few teaspoons of Rice Flour/Semolina or simply add one/two crumbled bread slices
• Adjust the amount of Spiciness according to your preference.
• Do not leave the Bread Vadai Mix for a longer time, this may make the mix a bit watery and the Vadais would not turn Crispy and would absorb a lot of oil.
• Fry the Bread Vadais immediately once the Vadai mix is ready.
• Can also add finely chopped vegetables like Carrot, Beans/Cabbage along with the Seasonings.

EGG KURMA

HOW TO MAKE EGG KURMA

INGREDIENTS :

For Egg Kurma :

To Saute :

For Masala :

For Coconut Paste :

To Garnish : 

METHOD :

• Hard boil the Eggs and keep them aside.  
• Peel them and cut it into two halves. 
• Grind the ingredients mentioned under 'For Masala to a fine paste and keep it aside.
• Soak Poppy Seeds in 1 Tbspn of water for about 10-15 minutes and grind it along with grated Coconut and Cashew nuts to a fine paste.
• Heat Ghee/Oil in a Pan, splutter Fennel Seeds and Bay Leaves.  Saute Onions and Curry leaves in low flame until onions turn translucent.
• Pour in the ground Masala and saute it in low flame until raw flavour goes.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and Coriander Powder to the above and fry for a while in low flame until fragrant and oil separates from the mix.
• Pour Curd/Yogurt and mix well.
• Leave this on a low flame for few minutes.
• Pour in the ground Coconut Paste and mix well.
• Add Salt and a pinch of Sugar.
• Allow it to boil on a very low flame until raw flavour goes, stirring occasionally.
• Finally, add  boiled Eggs and
• Remove from fire and garnish it with finely chopped Coriander & Mint Leaves.
• Serve Egg Kurma hot with any dish of your choice.
• Egg Kurma goes well with Roti, Chapati, Parotta, Idli, Dosa, Uthappam, Idiyappam &Appam.
• It is a good accompaniment for rice dishes like Ghee Rice, Peas Pulao, Jeera Rice etc.,

NOTES :

• Can cook the same Kurma recipe with any classic vegetables.  
• Can add whole hard boiled eggs or cut them into halves.
• If adding full eggs, then cut small slits over the egg whites, so that the egg absorbs the flavour of the curry.
• Adding Yogurt is optional, but it gives a good texture to Egg Kurma.
• Adjust the number of green chillies to suit your spice level.
• Soaking the Poppy seeds prior to grinding yields a thick coconut paste.
• Do not over boil or cook on a  high flame, once coconut paste is added to the Curry. This can curdle the Curry and make it watery.
• Can splutter whole spices instead of grinding them along with Onion and Tomato.
• Adding a pinch of Sugar will balance the taste of Egg Kurma.

EGGPLANT STIR FRY

INGREDIENTS :

METHOD :

• Wash and cut Eggplant/Brinjal into cubes.
• Soak the eggplants in water with a pinch of salt to prevent them from turning brown.
• Heat Oil in a Non-stick Pan.  Let the oil fume.
• Reduce the flame to a low level and allow it to cool down for few minutes.
• Add the Eggplant/Brinjal cubes to the oil, sprinkle some salt over it and give a toss.
• Leave this on a medium flame until Eggplant/Brinjal cubes are cooked, stirring occasionally.
• Once the Eggplant/Brinjal are cooked, add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Garam Masala/Kitchen King Masala and Cumin Powder and give a quick stir.
• Toss them up well until all the Eggplant/Brinjal cubes are coated well with the spices.
• Allow it to fry on a low flame until Eggplant/Brinjal turn slightly crispy and the spices turn fragrant.
• Serve hot with any rice type of dish.

NOTES :

• At high temperature, volatile compounds, such as free fatty acids, and short-chain degradation products of oxidation come up from the oil, so allow it to fume up.  
• If the vegetable stick to the bottom of the pan, then add some more oil.
• Sprinkling salt to the vegetable immediately when you toss them into oil, can help avoid the vegetable sticking to the pan.( To an extent)
• Adjust the amount of spiciness to your preference.
• Any variety of Eggplant/Brinjal/Aubergine can be used for the recipe.
• Can prepare the same recipe with Okra/Ladies Finger, Potatoes etc.,

JAPANESE GARLIC FRIED RICE

HOW TO MAKE JAPANESE GARLIC FRIED RICE - CHAHAN

INGREDIENTS :

For Japanese Garlic Fried Rice :

To Garnish :

METHOD :

• Cook the Japanese Short Grain Rice as per instruction and allow it cool.
• Heat 2 Tspn of Oil in a large pan, fry or scramble the Eggs.  
• Remove it from the pan and keep it aside.
• Heat Butter/Oil in a pan and deep fry chopped Garlic slices(4-5 Cloves) until it turns slightly golden brown in colour and fragrant.
• Remove it from oil and keep it aside.
• Heat the remaining oil and sauté finely chopped Garlic and Ginger until they are aromatic. 
• Add Light Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce and give a quick stir.
• Add in the Shimeji Mushrooms to the above and toss it briefly on a low flame until it cooks.
• Add cooked Rice, along with Salt and a pinch of Sugar. 
• Drizzle Shaoxing Wine/Mirin over the rice.
• Mix it well until every grain is well coated with the sauces.
• Stir in Scrambled Eggs to the rice. 
• Sprinkle White Pepper Powder to the above and give a quick stir.
• Fry the Japanese Garlic Fried Rice on a high flame for few minutes. 
• Switch off the flame. 
• Garnish the Japanese Garlic Fried Rice with fried Garlic Slices and Scallions.
• Aromatic Japanese Garlic Fried Rice/Chahan can be served hot with any dips, sauces.
• Or Simple serve it with Tamagoyaki or Nasu Furai or any other side dishes of your choice.

NOTES :

• Any fragrant long-grained rice variety can also be substituted for the Japanese short grained rice for this recipe.
• Use a day old cooked rice for best results. Obviously, keep them refrigerated.
• Butter gives a better flavour to the dish.
• This Japanese Garlic Fried Rice is mildly flavoured dish with not much of added ingredients and condiments.
• Adjust the number of Garlic, to suit your taste preference.
• Can also add Shrimps, Chicken Pieces, Fish or any other Seafood. 
• Can fry the Eggs and use them as a side dish or scramble them up and mix along with the fried rice.