at 13:03

Bengali Gota Peyanj e Shada Mutton Korma/ Mutton Korma with whole Onion/ Mutton Korma/ Bangladeshi Mutton korma with shallot

It is 5 in the morning and I am wide awake. My body is still on Kolkata time zone. Not a bad thing actually. I get to have my morning cuppa peacefully before the little one is up and demands every second of my time. Some time I actually like it. A little time to myself. I work almost 24 hours. Yes, you read it correct! 24 hours. Even when I sleep I work as I still breastfeed my little one. Throughout the night I keep checking if her small body is covered properly, if she doesn’t stir for an hour I check if she is breathing alright, I touch her face to see that her log hairs which she refuges to cut are not covering her eyes and then I touch her to feel her body against mine, to smell her body! And then there is the older baby boy to look after who is always out of duvet. This is all while I am sleeping.

I went on a mental health training few months back. There was one section on ‘looking after self’. One exercise to start the section was to list the works/things/activities we have done from waking up till we came inside the training room at 9am. I listed 28 activities or work between 6am to 9am. Let’s not even go in to the work that I do rest of the day. You get the picture I assume about my day.

I work reduced hours on Thursday. I get two hours of free time to myself. I zealously keep that time to me, to spend just the way I want to. I don’t take calls, I don’t go online, I do not meet anyone, I hate R coming back from work early to spend that time with me and I do not pick my dotty early. That is my time to spend just the way I want with myself. And no, I have no guilt feeling about it. I love it. I deserve it. And I am worth it and more!

Is there any one like me? I am sure there are! Would love to know about your’ my time’?  What do you do with your ‘ my time’

I am using my morning ‘my time ‘to write this recipe which has been sitting on my hard drive for two months now. Again a recipe from my mother’s kitchen. Very easy to make, takes very few ingredients and I received some amazing review about the recipe from two people who ordered it from me.  I will recommend that you give this recipe a change -at least once. And if you are not too inclined to cooking I can always cook for you.

Here is the recipe for Gota Peyanj e  Shada Mutton Korma/ Mutton Korma with whole Onion/ Mutton Korma/ Bangladeshi Mutton korma with shallot. I used potato so that my dotty can eat. but it is not actually part of the recipe.

Ingredients:

1kg Mutton

1/2 cup white Onion paste (white onion is used to keep the colour white/creamish of the dish, but you can use red too. Should not change the taste really)

1 and ½ cup thinly sliced white onion

1 tbsp Garlic paste

1 tbsp Ginger paste

15/20 small onion whole (shallots can be used as well)

1/2 cup white oil

1/4 cup sour yoghurt

1/4 cup sweet yoghurt (I used homemade sweet yoghurt. Otherwise use sugar with yoghurt as per your taste)

6/7 cardamom

1 inch long cinnamon

1/2 tsp white pepper powder (use black if that’s what you have at home)

1 tsp rose water (optional)

1/4  cup ghee ( optional. I did not use it but my mother did and she thinks that it make a lot of difference in taste. I worry about my heart hence do not use ghee in my cooking. I am all for good food with less grease, well  as much as possible)

1 tbsp lemon juice

4/5 green chilli (I used but my mother recipe doesn’t have chilli)

Salt as per taste

Method:

1.       Wash the mutton and marinate it with ginger, garlic , salt and lemon juice

2.       Keep it aside in fridge for 4/5 hours, if possible over night

3.       Heat oil and ghee ( if using) in a heavy bottom pan

4.       Fry the sliced onion till they are brown

5.       Add the marinated mutton to the fried onion and slow cook till mutton is little tender. Make sure that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. It should not be more that 10/15 mins

6.       Add the onion paste and slow cook the mutton. Sprinkle water ( very very little) in case the mutton is sticking at the bottom of the pan

7.       Add sour and sweet yoghurt, cinnamon and cardamom and slow cook ( kosha or bhuna process, if you know what I mean by slow cooking)

8.       Add little water and cook it till mutton is tender

9.       Add rose water ( optional) and green chillies (optional)

10.   Skin the white small onions and add to the mutton. Cook till they are tender yet retains shape

11.   Serve with white pulao or rice

12.   This dish compliments a dinner/lunch where the menu has a spicy item, as this is mild, aromatic and textured.  

at 21:27

Til Kumro (Pumpkin cooked in sesame paste) ( Bengali Dish)

I am going through a phase when cooking seems like a real hard work. Well, I did do some cooking in the weekend but the whole idea of clicking snaps and writing recipe seems too much. I just want to eat and sleep and go to work.  

But.. I realised that I have not posted anything on the blog for a long time. Which I should have, now that I have a blog and that I need to try to make it popular. In fact almost wishing that I did not have a blog!!!!!!! Well too late, I guess.

Posting a recipe of Til Kumro or Pumpkin cooked in sesame paste. It is a very ‘everyday’ dish at my home in kolkata. Most likely originated from Bangladesh…. Well I am not sure. However, it does have the flavor of coconut, mustard and sesame mix, which is very typical of my mother.  She also cooks chicken in the same combination.  So do I. I had some drumsticks at home, drying in the fridge. I used them. but, you do not actually need them.

Try this dish for its simplicity and sweetness. Moreover, it is a healthy dish without any compromise on taste

Ingredients:

400g-Pumpkin, diced

2-stick of drumstick, cut length wise (optional)  

3-tablespoon sesame seeds (increase the quantity if you like)

1 ½- tablespoon grated coconut (increases the quantity if you like but then also increase sesame too)

1-teaspoon mustard seeds (I used black) ((increase the quantity if you like and if you have increased the other ingredients)

1/4-teaspoon Nigella/kalo jeera/kalonji

1-long green chili (add more if you like hot)

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar

1-tablespoon oil

 

Method:

1.    In the blender/ grinder  mix coconut, sesame, mustard and green chili and make a paste, add little water in case needed

2.   Keep the paste aside and add little salt to the whole paste, otherwise it might turn bitter due to mustard

3.   Heat oil in wok or karahi

4.   Add Nigella seed and fry a little

5.   Add the diced pumpkin and drumstick ( if using) and fry until the pumpkin is half done

6.   Add the paste  and combine with pumpkin

7.   Fry for a while, add salt and pinch of sugar

8.   Sprinkle little water in case sticking at the bottom or add water to make thick gravy

9.   Cook until pumpkin is well done and gravy thickened

10.                 Serve with roti or boiled white rice

Enjoy the day and hope to you see you next time when I have more energy than today. Take care!

at 23:29

Fast Track Chicken Pulao

Ingredients

1.    1-small sized chicken, cut into pieces

2.    2-Onions chopped properly

3.    1-teapsoon garlic paste

4.    1-teaspoon ginger paste

5.    1-teaspoon cumin powder

6.    ½-teaspoon red chili powder or paprika powder

7.    ½-cup yogurt

8.    ½-cup milk

9.    2-green chili, slit length wise

10. ½-cup green peas (optional. I used peas to eat some vegetable)

11.  2-inch stick of cinnamon

12. 3/4-Cardamom

13. 2-bay leaves

14. 1-piece mace

15. 5/6-cloves

16. 10-balck peppercorn

17. 300g-Basmati Rice (I did not use any proportion of rice to chicken. I just used my instinct because we wanted to eat well and lots of chicken)

18. 3-tablespoon oil (use ghee if you like. I do not like ghee in my food so I avoid using ghee. Ghee makes me feel so heavy after the food, which I do not like)

 Method:

1.    Marinate chicken with ginger, garlic, chili, cumin powder, yogurt and keep aside

2.    Wash and soak the rice

3.    Heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon, cardamom, mace, bay leaves, clove, black pepper and fry for two minute

4.    Add the chopped onion and fry until they are soft and little brown

5.    Add chicken onto the onion, add salt and cook until oil separates

6.    Add milk and green chili and cook the chicken until almost done

7.    Cook the rice 80% and drain the water

8.    Add the rice with the chicken and close the lid. Cook until rice is totally done so as the chicken.

9.    Using a fork fluff up the rice and let it cool down a bit. Once cooled it would be very fluffy in case it was sticky before ( it happens to me very often as I never measure and all water or milk as much as I like depending on my mood, hahaha!)

10. Warm it up again and serve with raita

For regular update from my blog, please visit my face book page pet pujo and adda and click ‘like’. Also, follow me at my blog here. I am featured at Networkedblogs.  You can also leave your comments here. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Hope to see you again!

 

at 23:31

Mutton (Goats Meat)/Lamb and Pomegranate Tagine served with Onion and Pomegranate Relish (Moroccan)

I have been meaning to make this dish ever since I saw the recipe on TV on one of Nigella Lawson’s Christmas food shows. Finally, I made it yesterday…. For the first time. I expected this dish to be different.. do not know how…. but different.

The dish is on the verge of being little sweet. It has dates so the sweetness is explained. However, I did not use as many dates as the original recipe asked for. Yet it is little sweet. The sourness of the pomegranate sorts of make up for it but somehow I am not very keen on sweet- savory dishes. Nevertheless, R really liked it. He thought it was rather unique.

But, I must say the onion and pomegranate relish was to die for. It was exactly what I imagined it to be.  Yummy! I loved the look and color of the dish.

I did not follow the recipe to the T and made my own twists. Added bit of chili, used very little dates. I am happy that I keep doing this kind of experiments. If you are the experimentative kind, then you might want to try making this one. It was nice with couscous though.

Ingredients for Lamb Tagine

650gm Mutton or Lamb’s boneless shoulder meat

2-onions thinly sliced

1/2 -teaspoon turmeric

1/2teaspoon cumin powder

1/2-teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/2-teaspoon ginger paste

1/2chili flakes (optional)

1/2-teaspoon ground all spice (optional. I did not use it but my ma would)

Pinch of black pepper (freshly done is best)

4- dates ( use 2 date I would say….)

1-cup pomegranate juice (packed 100% juice or made from fruit)

Salt to taste

1-tablespoon of oil

 Ingredients for Onion and Pomegranate Relish

1-red onions, thinly sliced

1/2-cup pomegranates

1-cup pomegranate juice

½-cup lemon juice

Salt to taste

 Method for the relish

1.    Soak the onions in lemon and pomegranate juice for 1 hour

2.   After an hour drain the onions dry

3.   Add pomegranate, and salt

4.   Combine and serve with mutton/Lamb Pomegranate Tagine

5.   Drink the lemon, salt and pomegranate juice, it is yummy

Method for Mutton (Goats Meat)/Lamb and Pomegranate Tagine

1.    Heat oil in a pan

2.   Add the onion and fry until soft

3.   Add all the spices  with onion and fry

4.   Add the mutton/lamb and cook for 10mins

5.   Add salt and the pomegranate juice, dates to the mutton/lamb

6.   Cook on low heat for 1 hour or just pressure cook it

7.   Before serving, garnish with onion and pomegranate relish and serve with white rice or couscous

For regular update from my blog, please visit my face book page pet pujo and adda and click ‘like’. Also, follow me at my blog . I am featured at Networkedblogs.  You can also leave your comments here. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Hope to see you again!

 

 

at 22:55

Winter Warmer Root Vegetables and Chicken One Pot Dinner

Well, after thousands of Christmas lunches, between shopping eating, endless New Year Parties and then of course the  Poush Sankranti eating extravagance- it is time for me to remember ( at least I am trying. So you are not allowed to laugh) that I had promised to eat healthy for my dinner.

I am not one of those people who think healthy food is essentially bad food or no food at all. I actually like my food to be light, easy to cook –something that does not make me sluggish after eating. I love eating vegetables, fish and chicken. At the same time, I do not like bland food. My food needs to have texture, flavor and the spices. A combination of sweetness from vegetables, that meaty taste of fish or chicken and the zing of Asian spices like little green chili, black pepper, mustard, cumin, coriander etc. And of course the color: it has to be inspiring.

I am cooking a one-pot dish today, which has everything that I like. Note:  I am using chicken for protein and as I like it so much. That is optional. You can use kidney bean (rajma), chickpeas (chana) or Paneer in case you want some protein in your food. Otherwise, you can make this dish with just vegetables and it tastes equally wonderful.  

 

Ingredients (Measured for Two):

100g-carrots cut into small cubes

100g-Swede cut into small cubes

100g-Parshnip cut into small cubes

100g-Potatoes cut into small cubes

6-small pieces of chicken (optional)

1-large onion, cut in to thick wedges

3-cloves of garlic, sliced

3-tablespoon of tomato puree/ketchup ( I used  no added sugar version)

1-tablespoon of whole grain mustard paste

½-cup red lentil, washed

1-teaspoon dried oregano

1/2-teaspoon red chili flakes
 

1-tablespoon oil

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

 Method:

1.     Heat a pan with oil and fry garlic until you can smell it

2.    Add onion and fry the onion until almost caramelised

3.    Add the chicken and salt

4.    Add black paper and fry for a while

5.    Add the washed lentil

6.    Add rest of the vegetables and fry for 10mins

7.    Add water and boil

8.    After 10 mins to add tomato puree,oregano and red chili flakes

,

9.    Slow cook until water has reduced, chicken cooked and gravy thickened

10. Add more water and add the mustard paste

11.  Cook until desired gravy achieved

12. Serve  hot as one course meal or with  a slice of bread

For regular update from my blog, please visit my face book page Pet Pujo and Adda and click ‘like’. Also, follow me at my blog. I am featured at Network bloggers.  You can also leave your comments here. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Hope to see you again!



 

at 23:26

Honey Mustard Chicken Meatball Pasta

This is what I had for my dinner today. Honey Mustard Chicken Meatball Pasta a dinner made easy idea. And it never fails. I am going to carry it in my lunch box tomorrow too.  Two work taken care off. Check! Updating blog. Check. Need to sleep. Uncheck.

 

Here is the recipe……………………before I go  zzzzzzzzzzzz

By the way, mostly I cook by ‘andaaz ‘that is without any measure. So be innovative and add as per your likings!

Ingredients

10- Chicken meatball cut in to halve (today I used store bought one. However, you can make them at home too, which is much healthier then packed one. And very easy to make. How to make meatball? Have a look here Chicken Meat Ball

200g farfalle (bow tie paste) or any other shaped pasta

2-tablespoon whole grain mustard

3-tablespoon low fat mayonnaise

½-brown onion cut

2-sping onion with green cut

1-tomato diced and deseeded

1- Small cup low fat milk

Salt and pepper as per taste

Method:

Honey Mustard Sauce :

1.     If you made your meatball at home then they are cooked already. Therefore, you do not need the step 2 and 3.

2.    Otherwise, fry the meatball. I did not fry them in oil. Instead, I defrosted them first and then just put them on a non-stick frying pan over low heat. The store meatballs usually have lot of oil. Soon you will see that oil have started to come out and meatballs are being fried in their own oil.

3.    Cover them so that they properly cook and turn brown

4.    When the meatballs are cooked, add brown onion and spring onion and tomato and greens and fry for 5 mins

5.    Add low fat mayonnaise, mustard and milk cook until gravy is thick

6.    Add salt and pepper. So the sauce is ready

For the final product …….

7.    Meanwhile, boil water and add salt and oil

8.    Add the paste and boil them until al dente

9.    Drain water and cool under running water

10. Add the pasta in the sauce

Voila , your pasta is ready!

Now I can go to sleep. By the way, please visit my facebook fan page Pet Pujo and Adda  and do not forget to click ‘like’. Also please follow me at my blog

NOW Sleep. Check!