Did Someone Say Spring?

If you did, you spoke too soon. Just yesterday I went out to find myself being pelted by wee little hailstones. I haven't seen the sun in days, and today I'm back in sweaters and socks. *Sniffle* - hear that? That, dear readers, is the start of the flu. Dammit.

And it's DH's birthday week! I can't afford to be sick. There's a feast to be cooked, and presents to be bought. I need to kick this flu's ass, before it kicks mine. Stupid flu, trying to sabotage my plans - you're going down, ya hear!

I may be ostracized for saying this, but chicken soup just doesn't do it for me. Not even when I'm sick. Besides, who wants to do all that chopping of veggies and waiting for the soup to get done when one has a runny nose and watering eyes?! Not to mention a diabolical toddler who now thinks that rummaging through all my kitchen cabinets is the epitome of fun. So no wimpy chicken soup for moi. I've got a better solution *evil grin*.

Enter the dangerously delicious green chili.

Handle with care. She bites.

Here's a dish, inspired by recipe from my sister-in-law, that only requires the bare minimum of knife skills. Your trusty food processor does the brunt of the work. And in no time flat, you will have a bright, vibrant, succulent chicken dinner that will wake up all your flu-deadened senses.

Green Chili-Cilantro Chicken

Serves 4

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 - 1.5 lbs chicken (skinless, in pieces, bone-in or boneless)
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp garlic paste
1 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed off
3 small, hot green chilies
2 tbsp grated coconut
1/2 tsp pepper (or more - I like lots in this dish)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 a lemon

Method:
1. Marinate the chicken pieces in the yogurt, ginger-garlic and salt for 30 mins.

2. In the meantime, grind up the cilantro, green chilies and grated coconut in the food processor.

3. Heat up the oil on medium-high and saute the chicken pieces till they are beautifully browned. Add in the green paste and stir to incorporate. Turn the heat down to low, and pour in the coconut milk. Cover and simmer this mixture for about 15 mins till the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and creamy.
4. Pour in the juice of 1/2 a lemon, sprinkle in the pepper then stir. Taste for seasoning. You might need more salt, a bit more coconut milk if it looks too dry, or some lemon juice. Once the seasonings are where you want them to be, you are done!

Verdict: This is criminally good for something that's so easy to throw together. All you need is a bowl of steaming white rice to go with this, and some peace and quiet for you to savor each morsel. Hmm, so maybe there isn't much chance of the latter coming my way anytime soon, but I'll still enjoy this thoroughly, licking my fingers along the way. Just the smell makes me moan with pleasure, and the taste is enough for me to do a little happy dance - flu be damned!

No dull weather outside can withstand the power of this bright green chicken dinner!

Breakfast + Dinner = Blinner?

DH recently bought a carnivorous plant - one of those Venus fly-trap creatures, right out of some freaky B-grade horror movie - for our house, and moi am not happy! It's giving me this creepy crawly feeling down the back of my neck, and I am wiggin' out here! Me thinks it's done some voodoo on my new basil plant too, because the poor thing is wilting away. I also have nightmares about it growing to ginormous proportions one night and coming after me and Baby B. Right after it makes a tasty morsel out of Ozzy. Of course, it will leave DH alone because that man has been feeding it dead flies every day. Ewwww and urrrrrgghhhh! *shudder*

Boys are so icky and disgusting sometimes.

Yes, I said "icky". No, we're not back in the 2nd grade. And no, I never said I was an accomplished writer.

Anyway, that's neither here nor there. I don't know why I relented to DH buying this creepy little plant (which, by the way, he finds fascinating and all kinds of awesome, and has named "Rambo"). It's not like the damn thing has solved the problem with all the flies we're plagued with this hot summer. I mean, it's tiny, and DH is doing all the work for it! So at this current moment, it has no purpose, other than giving me the willies.

BUT, it is Ramadan, I remind myself. *sigh* And one needs to practice greater patience and tolerance this month. So the friggin' plant stays. For now.Speaking of Ramadan, something rather odd is happening this time around. Dinner and breakfast seem to be blending into one meal. Think about it; by the time sunset rolls around, it's nearly 9pm these days, and that's when we break our fast i.e. iftar. Then a few hours later we wake up and eat a heavy breakfast at sunrise, i.e. sehri, to keep us going for the rest of the day. Hence, it feels like we're having blinner all month long! So it makes sense that I share a "blinner" recipe with you, which honestly, is not Ramadan-specific. It's too good to not eat regularly during the rest of the year. I've grown up with this Hyderabadi specialty called Tala Hua Gosht. Quite a mouthful, huh? Let me break it down for you. It's crispy, spicy, shredded ... meat. The simplest thing to cook, because you really can't mess it up. And these days I add crispy fried potatoes to it, which just makes it divine. A childhood favorite of mine that's become even better over the years.
One of the major flavor components is coriander. In both its forms - seeds and leaves. These pretty, darling coriander seeds (found in most grocery stores now, in the spices section) are dry roasted in a pan for 5 mins, then ground up to make a fragrant powder. Before I get ahead of myself, let me just give you the darn recipe, and you'll see how it all works.

Tala Hua Gosht / Crispy Meat 'n Potatoes (inspired by me Mommy, and also Mona from Zaiqa)
Serves 4

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless veal
3 smallish potatoes, peeled and diced
Canola oil
Salt
1.5 tbsp ginger+garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric, divided
1 tsp red chili powder
3/4 tsp roasted coriander powder
Pinch of black pepper powder
2 tbsp lemon juice (optional but highly recommended!)
Cilantro/Coriander leaves, chopped
2 small green chilies, chopped for garnish

Method:
1. Boil the meat with 3-4 cups of water, along with 1 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric, till completely tender. Take the meat out and shred it with your fingers. Keep aside. Save about a 1/4 cup of the boiling liquid too.

2. In a large skillet, heat up 2 tbsp of oil and shallow-fry the potatoes till golden-brown and crispy. Remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon and keep aside.
3. In the same pan, add another 1 tbsp of oil and saute the ginger-garlic paste for a few seconds. Then plunk the shredded meat mixture right in, along with the saved cooking liquid, as well as the rest of the turmeric, red chili powder, roasted coriander powder, black pepper and another 1/2 tsp of salt (or more to taste).

4. Turn the heat up high and keep stirring the mixture till the liquid evaporates and the meat starts to brown at the edges and get crispy.

See the delectable crispiness happening? Brown food is good food!

5. Add the potatoes back in, as well as a handful of chopped cilantro/coriander leaves. Mix well, then turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and serve, garnished with more chopped cilantro and green chilies.

Verdict: This. Is. So. Good. I. Can't. STAND IT! Seriously, what's not to love here dear readers? You have your regular meat and potatoes raised up to some serious mega-tasty and spicy heights. J'adore! Pair this with your favorite daal - one of my favorites is this one - and hot chapatis or parathas, and you've got yourself a winning combination that will win anyone's heart. It's a perfect meal to have as blinner during Ramadan.
I'll be submitting this to Lubna's "Joy from Fasting to Feasting" event on her blog Kitchen Flavors, as well as Mona's "Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival" event on Zaiqa.

I *Heart* Farmers' Markets

Just 15 mins away from where I live, and what a find! Fulton Street Farmers Market in Grand Rapids is perfect. So good that I think I got carried away the first time I went there this weekend. Now I have mounds of the most beautiful fresh veggies and fruits at home, and I'm feeling overwhelmed. What to do what to doooooooooo?! There are a million recipes out there, but the pressure of finding the right ones is pretty intense.

I also went a little crazy when I saw the variety of fresh herbs they were selling. I've dreamed of growing my own herbs, so I finally took the plunge, and bought not one potted herb - but four! I'm now the proud and nervous parent of a lovely rosemary plant, a stunning golden sage plant, a fragrant basil plant, and a rather bedraggled lemon-thyme plant. Wish me luck, dear readers. I'm no gardener, after all. And the basil is already wilting. DH took on the project of re-planting them in our ceramic pots. All I did was provide the Miracle-Gro and the fervent prayers! My expectations are very low on them surviving, let alone flourishing. But I'll keep giving them love, and update you on their condition.

*sigh* Didn't everything look just beeeeeeeeeautiful?! I want to go there again. I will go there again. And again. I live here now! (I just realized that)

I already put some of the veggies to good use. The earthy beets were the main ingredient in my eye-popping Beetroot Raita, which pairs splendidly with my simple Vegetable Pulao (recipe in next post).

Beetroot Raita

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 medium beetroot
1.5 cups plain yogurt
2 tbsp (or more) coriander chutney (recipe below)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cut the green tops off the beetroot and put it in a small saucepan. Cover it with water and boil till tender (your knife should be able to slip in and out of it like butter). Let it cool, then peel away the skin and dice it up.
2. Now mix the diced beetroot well with the yogurt, coriander chutney, and salt and pepper. Cover and let it chill in the refrigerator. The color deepens the longer it sits. Serve with your favorite rice dish.

Fresh Coriander Chutney

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
2 tbsp grated coconut
4 whole green chillies
1 large garlic clove
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Juice of 1 lime

Method: Whiz everything together in your food processor. Freezes well. Or refrigerate for a few days in an airtight container.

Verdict: I think this is a good way to get your kids to eat beets. The earthy flavor is not as pronounced as it would be if the yogurt and chutney weren't mixed in. And it's fun to eat something so glaringly PINK! I've had it with all kinds of biryanis and pulaos, and have found that the beetroot raita is a perfect complement to all of them.

Starting Fresh In Michigan With Daal!

That's right. I'm very much alive and kicking. It only seemed that I had dropped off the face of this planet for about a month or so. In actuality though, I was involved in so many different things at the same time, that I found myself sacrificing precious "me" time. So that meant a temporary adios to blogging.

*sigh* Where to begin? With the move, I suppose. That's where we left off, you and I, dear readers. You knew that I was preparing to bid farewell to my beloved Yale and Connecticut, and follow DH into the unknown once more. Erm, I only wish the unknown were a more exotic destination like Paris or Madrid, and the not the exact opposite that is Grand Rapids, Michigan!

Hang on hang on, I'm not going to stomp on Michigan - I hardly know thee, O state of a thousand lakes! I've barely settled in. The furniture is in its place, but so much more needs to be done. I've already discovered some beautiful parks and enjoyed some spectacular local food, but I have yet to visit a farmers' market here. And shop! I need to get comfortable with the shopping before I can call a place my town.

Granted it looks like I had a month to get my act together, but that's not the real story folks. Barely 10 days after moving into our new apartment, I packed up myself and Baby B and went off to stay with my parents for 2 weeks in Toronto, Canada. Relax, I did not have a fight with DH. This trip was planned months in advance, because I had two weddings to attend in Canada, plus wanted to introduce Baby B to his extended family there. Unfortunately this meant that DH was left to do all the unpacking, poor soul. Then when it was time for me to come back, I found out that my in-laws were going to be with us for a week. Knowing my somewhat paranoid personality, I'm sure you can imagine how uncomfortable I was having guests when my new apartment was still unfinished. And not a speck of food in the fridge. Urgh. I'm developing a twitch just thinking about it again! *deep breath* But it all worked out - my in-laws were good sports about sleeping on air mattresses in a barely furnished apartment, and I managed to put a few good meals on the table as soon as I got back from Toronto. And of course, Baby B sprinkled his fairy dust on everyone and kept them entertained.
But between my crazy schedule when I was in Toronto, and my crazy schedule as soon as I got back, I'm only barely hanging on to my sanity by the tips of my fingernails. It almost feels alien having this apartment to myself now that everyone's left. Baby B is finally taking a nap, and I'm teaching myself how it feels to have some "me" time again. It's tougher than it looks! Part of me wants to rush around completing my house chores, like the laundry, and vacuuming (did I tell you we have carpet in this new apartment? Blech. I miss hardwood floors.), and cooking, and taking a shower. But that can all wait ...

Because I want to once again feel the pleasure of typing. There's something so innately satisfying about the act of punching away with the tips of your fingers, and watching your thoughts appear on the screen in front of you. The stories in my head just want to spill out, and go on and on, but like Cinderella, I too have to edit my fun so that it's all done by the time the clock strikes "Bashaar's awake!".
Urad / Maash ki Daal (White Lentils Curry) - inspired by Mona's recipe on her fabulous blog Zaiqa.
Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup Urad/Maash daal (split husked black lentils, which are white)
1.5 cups water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 onion, sliced
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp salt
3-4 small green chilies, sliced
Cilantro, chopped

Method:
1. Wash and soak the daal in cool water for about 20 mins.

2. Drain the daal and put it in a saucepan. Pour in the water, ginger and salt. Boil the daal until soft, but NOT mushy. I evaporate all the water, and make sure the lentils retain their shape. Do not add water towards the end, because that turns the whole thing globby and unappetizing.

3. Pour oil in a separate frying pan and saute the onions till well-caramelized. In the last 30 secs, also add in the sliced green chilies. Then turn off the heat and scoop the onions and green chilies directly into the daal. Pour in almost all the hot oil too. Let it soak into the daal for a few minutes, then stir everything together gently. Mix in the cilantro, then you're done!
Verdict: Oh gosh, this is currently my favorite daal recipe. I can seriously eat a bowl of this, just with a spoon. Of course, if you want to be traditional, then get yourself some piping hot chapatis to enjoy with it. It's a great accompaniment to almost any meaty Indian/Pakistani dish. I hate calling it a side-dish, because to me it will always be the star of the show.
I posted this recipe because of it's ease and comfort factor. Something I appreciate more and more these days, especially with Baby B in my life. I'm almost thinking about having a separate "mommy" blog, where I can vent about everything he puts me through in a single day! Perhaps I will. Perhaps I should just get off this laptop and go do the laundry.

*thinking about it*

Pfffffffffffffttttt. Naaaaaaaaaaaahhh ... I'd rather sit right here and visit all of your blogs, dear readers! Give me a few days to catch up with all of you, and then it will (hopefully) be like I never left.

Qubooli - Like A Hug From Mom

I hit the motherload when it came to flowers on my first Mothers' Day. And the best part was that I wasn't expecting them, so they all came as a surprise, and I loooove surprises!

But today, dear readers, I don't want to talk about my Mothers' Day - I'm in the mood to hear from all you lovely ladies. For those of you lucky enough to have fabulous moms, did you call them/visit them and expound upon their sheer greatness?! After all, they did change your poopy diapers as a baby, struggled through your bratty kid phase, and did not disown you when you were an obnoxious teenager. And if any of you are fortunate enough to be mothers yourselves, I can only hope that your kids and/or significant other did something special for you - even if it was just a sincere effort to "let mommy get some peace and quiet". I imagine some of you had to smile through your husbands' attempts to make you breakfast-in-bed (probably the only time you enjoyed rubbery scrambled eggs and scorched pancakes), then squealed with glee and praise over your kids' handmade cards. Now if only it didn't have to be you who had to clean up the mess in the kitchen at the end of the day anyway!

Speaking of surprises, I know you must be expecting me to share some girly, feminine dessert recipe with you today, in honor of Mothers' Day. But dear readers, it was cold that day, and I wanted to warm up my insides without spending too much time in the kitchen. So I made Qubooli/Kabooli - a vegetarian Hyderabadi rice dish, which is a complete meal in itself, and as it turns out, is so comforting that it feels like a hug from Mom. It's a new look at soul food.
Qubooli/Kabooli (my version of Lubna's recipe from Kitchen Flavors)
Serves 5-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
3/4 cup chana daal, washed and soaked for 2 hours
1 can chickpeas, drained and washed
1-2 onions, sliced
1.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala powder
2-3 tbsp yogurt, whipped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
1-2 green chillies, slit down the middle
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
2-inch piece of a cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
3-4 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Method:
1. Cook the chana daal in water (it should reach 1 inch above the level of the daal in whichever saucepan you use) till tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water and set aside.

2. Heat the oil with the cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon stick in a large pot.

3. After a minute, add in the onions and green chillies - saute till onions are golden. Mix in the ginger-garlic paste and saute for another minute.

4. Lower the flame and add the rice, cooked chana daal, chickpeas, salt, chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Mix gently.

5. Stir in the yogurt and saute for another 2 minutes.

6. When all the ingredients start to gel together, you can add water to 1 inch above the rice mixture, then: a) transfer this mixture to your rice cooker and turn it on or b) cook on the stove itself, with a tight lid on the saucepan, for approximately 20 minutes till water completely evaporates and rice is done. Garnish with cilantro and serve with spicy tomato chutney (recipe below) and yogurt raita.
Verdict: Many people call this Hyderabadi dish a poor man's biryani, but take that in the best way possible, because this really is uber-comforting and over-the-top delicious. It contains some pretty basic ingredients, but infusing the spices into it makes it special. And since there's no meat involved, it takes only a few minutes to put together - then I just let the rice cooker do all the work! DH gobbles up this qubooli with gusto, but rest assured, I made this for me - it's my day, after all (he just reaps the benefits of being the lucky spouse)! So if it's still a bit chilly where you are these days, cook up some heart-warming qubooli.

Spicy Tomato Chutney

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat up the oil with the cumin and mustard seeds. When they begin to sputter, add in the ginger-garlic paste (cover with a splatter screen!) and saute for a few seconds.

2. Then mix in the tomatoes, salt, chili powder and turmeric. Stir, then cover with a lid and let the tomatoes soften. Cook down till the mixture thickens up and reduces. Done! Serve as a side.

One of the best things I was able to do on Mothers' Day was spend some quality time with Ozzy, who I've been ignoring terribly. Like many older siblings, he went through some issues when baby B came into our lives. And although he is a gem with B, it's me he was angry with! So when I woke up on Mothers' Day to find both DH and B snoring away, I took the chance to snuggle with Ozzy - and boy, have I missed that! The deep purring noises that emanated from him told me that he had missed it too.

My other baby, my Ozzy.

Po-taaay-to .. Po-tahhh-to

This may look like an innocent enough potato dish to you lot, but I've been told it has lethal powers. Deadly powers. So much so, that my sister-in-law calls it "Potato Death". And since this dish is based on her recipe, I will submit to her deeper understanding of it.

Here's the thing about sister-in-laws - I don't know much about them! I have one, but I hardly ever see her in that light. Probably because I was on good terms with her way before my feelings for her snotty kid brother came into the picture (sorry DH, but as a rule, all kid brothers are snotty - I know, I have one too). In my culture, there are generally two categories that sisters-in-law fall into. Either she is the friendly confidante who you can go shopping with, arm-in-arm. Or she's the evil queen of darkness. On rare occasions, she may fluctuate between the two. And although I'm fairly certain my SIL doesn't fall into the latter category, she doesn't fit 100% into the former category either. But that's my issue, more than hers. I think I have too much respect and admiration for her to really ever be buddies with her. She's smart, funny, stylish, confident and super-talented, and I think I secretly want to be her! Oh, of course we have a good time together, and enjoy some good laughs - mostly at the expense of DH - but one can't really be close friends with someone who they can't take friendly jabs at from time to time, or tell them things like "you're being an idiot". You know what I mean? Of course you do, because you're very intelligent, dear readers!

Still, I love my SIL, and one of the things I love about her is that she doesn't hog recipes. Even ones that she's famous for. So let's take a looksie at this one, a personal favorite of DH's, might I point out.

Potato "Death" Koftay
Serves 6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients for the koftay:
4 medium potatoes, peeled & boiled till tender
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
1.5 tsp ginger-garlic paste
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1/4 cup oil for frying

For the gravy:
1 large onion, sliced
3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (optional, but I like)
1 bay leaf
1 large cardamom pod (bari elaichi)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

Method:
1. Mash the boiled potatoes with the green chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and ginger-garlic.

2. Pat the mashed potatoes into a circle as big as the palm of your hand; fill the center with about a tsp of cream cheese, then envelop that in the potato mixture, rolling it into a ball. Repeat till you use up all the potato mixture. Make all the koftay approximately the same size.
3. Beat the egg & season with a little salt and pepper. Heat up the oil in a large skillet. Dip each potato ball into the egg batter, then place in the hot skillet. Shallow fry till brown on all sides. Set aside to drain on a paper towel.

4. In a separate skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the same oil you used for frying the koftay. Drop in the cardamom and bay leaf. Saute the onions till golden.

5. Add in the tomatoes, along with the remaining spices, then simmer the entire thing till the tomatoes soften and form a gravy.

6. Put the koftay into the gravy, and gently incorporate. Once the koftay are heated through (5 mins), turn off the heat, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with naan, parathas or roti.

Verdict: This is so devious and delicious with the addition of the cream cheese inside that potato ball! The soft, tangy cheese actually works to balance the spices in this dish, and smooth all the flavors out. She's crafty, that SIL of mine, God bless her. Turns out, this is one of those rare vegetarian dishes that DH claims is perfect as is, and for once I don't hear the "but if only you added some meat" complaint! Which makes this an indispensable recipe in my house.

You know what else I love about my sister-in-law? How much she adores this little guy ...
Ok, admittedly, that face is pretty easy to love. But it simply fills my heart with immense joy, knowing that baby B can look at his aunt and know that she loves him like her own. Maybe if he spends more time with her, some of that creative genius will rub off on him (click HERE to see what I'm talking about. Seriously. You need to see this.) - didn't work with me, but hey, he's young and still has a chance.

By the way, that smile on B's face is also for all my blogger buddies, who have been so kind in sharing hugs and kisses with this kiddo, and asking about him. This current moment has him sleeping on my bed, looking rather angelic. Looking at him now, I can almost forget the havoc he wreaks with my emotions when he turns on his 'tantrum' dial. Almost.

A Manly-Man Birthday

Beef Pasandey - go bold or go home!

It was DH's birthday this week. In honor of this special occasion, dear readers, I'd like to present one of his all-time favorite dishes to you. Let me tell you though, this isn't a recipe for the faint of heart. It's earthy, it's deep, it's layered, it's soulful, it's spicy, it's rich, and most of all, it's meaty. And in a strange way, it actually tells you a lot about DH himself. Because although DH, and every other red-blooded Pakistani male I know, gets really excited about this dish, it's one that certain ladies with discerning taste (ahem, oui, c'est moi) also secretly drool over. I say "secretly" because we're ladies, and we would never drool in public!

Back to DH. Hmmm. That reminds of this Old Spice body wash advert running on TV here in the US these days - "Look at your man, now look at me, now look at him again, now back to me". AHAHAHAHAAAAAaaaaaaaauuuhhhh, ahem. Sorry. The post-pregnant mind y'see. She wanders.

Seriously now, back to DH. One of the reasons I say this dish reminds me of him is because DH is a guy's guy all the way, talking sports and cars till the cows come home, but he also has the secret superpower to charm the pants off any woman! Ok, wait, maybe not any woman, probably just me. But the ladies do love him, and can I tell you why? Every single girl out there will get it the minute I say it. Because he listens. Oh yes, he really truly does. And he responds, even going so far as to try and understand. There is nothing better than being madly in love with a man who turns out to be your best friend. And that's where I'm going to stop talking about DH in public, before I embarrass him further.

Beef Pasandey
Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 lbs beef fillets, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
2 tsp meat tenderizer powder (optional)
1.5 tsp garlic, crushed
1.5 tsp ginger, crushed
1 tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
1/2 tsp black cumin seeds
1/2 tsp white cumin seeds
6 peppercorns
6 green cardamom
3 cloves
1-2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
1/2 cup oil
1 large white onion, sliced
4 small hot green chillies, sliced
1 cup yogurt, whipped
1.5 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
Sliced onion rings for garnish (optional)

Method:
1. Grind together the poppy seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cardamom and cloves.

2. In a large bowl, combine the ground spices with the ginger, garlic, gram flour, red chili powder, turmeric, salt, meat tenderizer powder (if using), and yogurt. Mix well to make a thick paste.

3. Add in the beef fillets and coat them well with the paste. Marinate overnight.
4. The next day, heat oil in a large pan, and saute onions till golden-brown. Add the marinated fillets to the pan, with all of the marinade. Add in half the green chillies. Now cover and cook on low heat for an hour or so, stirring occasionally till meat is completely tender and sauce is thickened to your liking. I add a bit of water at this point, because I adore the gravy, but this is traditionally a dry meat dish, so you can omit the water if you wish.

5. To finish it off, throw in the cilantro, remaining green chillies and the lime juice. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat and serve. The best accompaniment to this is a type of pakistani bread called sheermal - it's slightly sweet and thick and decadent - and you can find it in the freezer section of most Indian/Pakistani specialty stores. Or you can substitute parathas, and they work beautifully too.
Verdict: Man. Oh. Man. This stuff is good enough to make me bite my fingers off as I'm digging into this. It's fantastic as a party recipe. Although the recipe is quite lengthy, you can see how easy the dish actually is to put together. The work is all in the marinade, that's it. But oh, the flavors, dear readers! They sing! So although half the fun in making this dish for me is to see DH's smile light up my heart - and it is an amazing one, dimples n all - the other half is purely for my own selfish satisfaction.

Guess what we're having for dinner this weekend, hon?! Happy Birthday DH!

Date Night Crash

I'm so disappointed, dear readers. Only two things have this effect on me. One, a bad meal at a restaurant that I've been looking forward to. And two, a bad meal that I've made, hoping for it to be a success, but instead it turns out blah. I was going to say "inedible", but that never happens anymore. The only time it did was when I was 12 years old and made scones using baking soda instead of baking powder - blech, you could knock someone out with those bricks!

The reason for my disappointment today is the food at the restaurant DH and I chose for our first date night after the baby. It was this trendy sushi place called Miya's in New Haven, filled with eclectic decor, funny and friendly service staff, and packed with the uber-chic crowd that lives around the Yale campus. Over the last five weeks, my outdoor excursions have included trips to B's pediatrician and back. That's it. So you can imagine how excited I was about finally going to a funky new restaurant that I'd never tried before, and finally having sushi after 10 months! My dreams were filled with spicy tuna rolls dipped in spicy mayo. In preparation, eyebrows were tweezed, legs were shaved, hair was blow-dried, and outfits were planned (most of which still don't fit me, but I didn't let that send me spiraling down into depression!). So folks, I looked good and I was feeling good. DH and I handed B over to grandma, making sure he had a good supply of milk to keep him content, and off we went into the sunset.

*Sigh*. There's no need to relive the entire experience. Let's just say, I miss NY sushi. Maybe I just didn't order the right thing. Maybe it's been so long since I've had sushi, that my palette needs more time to get back into it (erm, doubt that). Whatever the case, I've got to say, none of the rolls I ordered from Miya's extensive and very inventive menu hit the spot with me. They sounded like they would be awesome, but everything just felt flat and I couldn't even finish them. Spicy mayo might have helped, but they didn't even serve that - wtf people?! The only redeeming portion of the night was that at least I was out with DH, alone, and we always have fun with each other, no matter what. So while I'm super unhappy about my choice of restaurant for our special night, I'm looking forward to grandma visiting again, so that we can have another chance! (oh, and just in case you were wondering, I wasn't constantly thinking about B, and neither was he the center of our conversation - yes new moms, it is possible!)

I'll tell you what doesn't disappoint, folks. This recipe for Murgh Methi / Fenugreek Chicken Curry. It can be made with either fresh or frozen fenugreek leaves. I used the frozen kind, because picking the tiny fresh leaves from the stalk takes too much time. But if you're a purist, then by all means, go ahead, pick away. Fenugreek is fascinating, because you can use the leaves fresh or frozen, like you would spinach in a curry, or sprinkle a pinch of dried fenugreek (kasuri methi) in curries for a subtle flavor and beautiful fragrance. Finally, you can even use the seeds as a spice. I love all versions!
Murgh Methi or Fenugreek Chicken Curry (adapted from this version)
Serves 6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
3 tbsp canola oil
1 lb boneless chicken, cubed (preferably thigh pieces)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
1-2 green chillies, chopped
1/2 cup yogurt, whipped with some water
1 bunch methi/fenugreek leaves (fresh or frozen)
Pinch of garam masala powder

Method:
1. Heat the oil on medium-high heat, and brown/caramelize the chicken pieces. Drain and keep aside.

2. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds. When they begin to sputter and turn dark, turn the heat down to medium, add in the onions and saute till translucent. To this, add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for another minute.

3. Now add in the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and chopped green chillies. Mix well and cover with a lid, to allow the tomatoes to soften. Pour in the yogurt, then cover once again and simmer for an additional 5 mins.

4. Stir in the methi/fenugreek and cook for 5 mins more till fully incorporated. Now turn off the heat and let this mixture cool a bit.
5. Zap it in the blender till smooth and thick. This part is optional - you could certainly leave it chunky - but I prefer a smoother, better combined consistency. Add it back to the pan and turn the heat back on.

6. Finally, add the browned chicken pieces back in and let them finish cooking in the sauce for 10 mins or so. You can add some water at this point if you feel the sauce is too thick. Once the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce is to your liking, sprinkle garam masala over the top, stir well, then turn off the heat. Ring the dinner gong, because you are done! Serve with rice or parathas.

Verdict: So fragrant and complex tasting (but not at all hard to make). Goes really well with basmati rice or parathas. Pair it with some mango chutney or raita on the side for an extra punch of flavor. This is simple, homey food in my house, and makes for a great weeknight family meal. Hmmm, I wonder when DH and I can ever eat at the same time again?! One of us always has to be with B! Ah well, luckily the little munchkin is mega yummy, so I can snack on his cheeks while DH has dinner - then we switch!

I'll be submitting this to the next Weekend Herb Blogging round-up, hosted by Dhanggit's Kitchen. Hilda has a truly fab blog that I've just discovered, and I can't wait to dig deeper into it!