Bachelor Boy Series #3

Pan-fried Chicken

Easter is here. Like every other celebration everything else takes a backfoot except feasting. Most of us have this refrain running in our life: "Ever since i was a child and as far as i can remember i had this and this or that and that in my paternal/maternal house." And it's really sad when you don have your family around you and you're alone...coz your friends generally end up bonding with their families on these occasions. Sigh...the Bachelors. With a lump in your throat you look back on the memory of that rich spread on your table, drooling way too indecently for a decent chap :P But as we go by the idea of making the most of your state i have a fairly appetising chow before you which is super easy and so really tasty that my platter passed the Mom's Test :)

Post script: This was my humble Easter post. Easter's come and gone and all the mirth would've become beautiful frames now and the palaver penned into well-written memoirs....And here am I entering the scene unpardonably late...jus goes to show what responsibilities do to you...the kind which settle on you loud and stubborn...



Pan-fried Chicken

chicken-6 medium pieces (boneless or otherwise)

curd-3 tsp

soya sauce-1 tsp

ginger-garlic paste-2 or 21/2 tsp OR

fresh ginger-1/2" piece

fresh garlic- 8 small pods (vary as per the size)

pepper powder-1 tsp

coriander powder-1/2 tsp

salt-1/2 tsp

red wine-2 tbsp (optional)

water-1/2 cup

oil-1 tbsp

Wash the chicken. make a marinade of all the ingredients above except water and oil and allow the chicken to stand in marinade for a minimum of ten mins. An hour is desirable. transfer to a heavy bottomed pan and add the 1/2 cup water and turn on the flame high leaving it with the lid on. after ten mins take off the lid and let the chicken cook on medium flame. do not add more water as the chicken is sure to leave quite a bit. stir occasionally. as the water reduces (takes about twenty mins) keep a closer look to avoid the pieces sticking to the pan. take another frying pan and add the oil and heat. add the chicken pieces. turn them in and out for as little as three-four mins on medium flame. serve hot and enjoy!

Bachelor Boy Series #2




Overburnt-not an exemplary photo for a bachelor!!

 

My brother said he dreamt of fish…eeks! But he did…fried fish. In his hermetic life in NZ as a student he was painfully deprived of this pleasure. This recipe goes out to him and the other bachelor.  You think of the stink and mess and recoil from it. Well frozen fish that’s sliced and whisked off the shelf can hardly pose a likely threat but if at all put the fish in a pan and throw some salt and vinegar with a lil water. Let the fellows get cleansed of the forbidden stink. Drain out the water and let stand for a while to avoid excessive sizzle in oil.

Fried Fish

(for four slices)

Boneless fish (any)-4 slices

Ginger-garlic paste or crushed ginger and garlic-1-11/2 tbsp

Salt-1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder-a pinch or two

Pepper powder-1/2 tsp

Oil-1 tbsp

Make a paste of this and dab evenly on the fish slices. Let the marinade be for 10-15 mins or even less if you’re in a hurry. Pour very lil oil in a skillet and fry them lightly or as per your choice. flavour with lemon juice as desired. dont be discouraged by the bland masala. ginger/garlic-pepper-salt-lemon is one of the most honest and fresh combinations...the tastes play a wonderful foil to each other here.

Mine are overdone in the click… I went to get my baby’s feed ready. So Mr. Bachelors you’ve no excuse :P do it to perfection!! This can make your Spartan rice and urukai an envious platter!

I'm linking this to Ayeesha's Taste of Pearl City Anyone Can Cook Event FB WLI WMT.

Bachelor Boy Series #1

Slow-Cooked Buttermilk/Kachiya Moru

Without much ado lemme put this down. two bachelors requested me for some quick and easy recipes and i'm starting a Bachelor Boy Series :) here we have cooked buttermilk which is a regular unavoidable splash on the kerala rice platters. now if you ask me isn't it easier to have it as curd or buttermilk i would say not necessarily. this tastes really good and doesn't bore you like buttermilk may after some days. plus it has a longer shelf life than buttermilk as it's cooked. i generally make it for a week and put in the refrigerator. and take out a lil each day and warm it slightly.

beaten curd-4 cups
oil-2 tsp
mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
shallots-10 nos
garlic flakes-10 nos
ginger-1/4" piece (optional)
fresh or dried chillies-2-3 cut in two
fenugreek powder-1/2 tsp
cumin powder-1/4 tsp
chilli powder-1/4 tsp
turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
sugar-2 pinch
salt-2 tsp

Add the cumin, turmeric powder and the salt and beat the curd slightly either in a grinder or with a beater OR with a spoon/fork in your hand! slice shallots, garlic and ginger (if you use) thin and break the chillies into two three pieces. wash the curry leaves and let them dry so that they wont sizzle unreasonably in the oil. get your tadka ready (mustard, shallots, garlic, ginger, chillies, curry leaves) in a plate. get the vessel to pour the cooked buttermilk also ready with a lil sugar in it. my mum says the sugar is to balance the flavours.

Add the oil. heat it up nicely and without lowering the flame splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. lower the flame and put the shallots, garlic, green chillies and ginger (if you're using). saute them for two mins. add the powders after turning off the gas to avoid them getting burnt. saute for a few secs. turn on the gas. ensure the flame is low and pour the beaten curd slowly and keep stirring. the trickiest part is here. this has to be slow-cooked. it takes around twenty mins. the important thing is to keep stirring; hey you cant multi task here. you fuss and turn on the flame high and the beaten curd curdles and then you call it by your liking...it wont be kachiya moru :P once you see the shallots and garlic and chillies surfacing and the curd gets really hot (twenty mins max for 4 cups curd) turn it off, pour into the vessel kept ready without delay.

Stir the moru in the vessel once in a way till it cools. store in the refrigerator or out if the weather is cool enough and have it with steamed rice and pickle (urukai)...mebbe some chicken too hehe.

You can happily do away with the ginger, shallots, chilli powder, cumin powder...these are added more for their medicinal properties than taste. but the indispensable ingredients are mustard seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek powder (it adds the distinct taste and is a health-forte; you can dry roast some fenugreek seeds and splutter these along with the mustard seeds if you cant powder them), garlic (i cant do without these darlings).

I'm linking this to Any One Can Cook Event from Ayeesha's Taste of the Pearl City.