Tandoori Egg Scarmble

Continuing the Egg series...here is yet another different version of scramble egg...This is real spicy though and actually doesn't require any recipe writing...This is more of sharing a thought than writing a recipe. Obviously I used Tandoori malasa here... There was a day when I needed to do scrambled egg and my pan had this remaining oil and cooked tandoori masala from the pan fried Tandoori chicken on it...So the thought occurred to me why not make use of it. So I heated the Masala tawa and cracked eggs into it and scramble the eggs coating them with this masala. There is no need to add any other ingredient here....
But the end result is simply gr8. You get this spicy masala chilli egg scramble to go as stuffing into your wheat tortilla wrap...You can add same salad to make a more complete meal or snack.

Onion Tomato Egg Masala Curry

As I was blogging eggs for my last two posts, I decided to break some more eggs for the next few posts in my space. This egg curry preparation is inspired by my dear Mother. I remembering me, my Father, and my relatives always loved this dish whenever my mother served.

Preparation is quiet simple. All the time you need, is to chop onions and once the eggs are hard boiled you are ready to roll.

Though this can be enjoyed with Dosa, Chapati, Parota to take the real benefit of the masala, mix it with plain cooked Ponni/Sona Masoori raw rice and then finish it off with sambar.

Ingredients:
5 Large Eggs boiled
2 Tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
3 Big size Onions finely chopped
4 Green Chillies
2 large Tomatoes or 1 cup Tomato Puree or 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
8 -10 Curry leaves
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1/2 tsp each of Coriander and Cumin powders (if Desired)
Salt to taste
Finely chopped Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Heat a skillet medium high heat and add oil.
After the oil is hot allow mustard to splutter.
Now add the chopped onions, curry leaves and green chillies.
Saute' till the onions are cooked and change their color.
Noe add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a 1 minute or till raw smell changes to curried aroma.
Add the tomatoes(canned/ fresh/puree/paste)
And allow to cook til the raw tomato smell is gone.
Now add the chilly powder and the optional powders along with salt and mix thoroughly to coat the onion and tomato masala with the spice powders.
Add 1/4 cup of little water and cook for another 5 minutes or till all the water is absorbed by the masala.
Now add the boiled slit eggs to masala and the coriander leaves and mix well for the eggs to be coated with the roasted masala.
You can cut the eggs into half one the dish is fully done and spread the masala evenly on the halves.

I forget to mention this Egg masala goes very well with lemon rice or Tamarind rice too. I think that is the best combo.

Indian Egg Scramble W/ Breakfast Sausages and Toast

Continuing the series of Breakfast combos with a little twist.

This is again a weekend breakfast combo.

In an attempt to spice up and add flavour to the western breakfast styles this Egg scramble made in Indian style is tailored.

Most of the time I have the breakfast sausages readily in my freezer. So just bring them to the room temperature in the microwave and pan roast and remove excess oil through a tissue.

Toast some slices whole wheat bread and cut an orange and boil some hot water in a kettle for a hot cup of tea or coffee and we are ready to roll.

To prepare Scrambled egg in Indian style:
(for 3-4 servings)
1 tsp oil
4 Eggs
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Medium sizes Onions cut length and breath wise
4 green chillies
6-8 Curry leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves finely chopped for garnish

Method:
In a Wok or Skillet add oil after hot.
Once the oil is hot allow mustard to splutter and then add onions, green chillies, curry leaves and saute' till onions just start to change color.
Now add salt and then break the eggs onto the hot pan and scramble them mixing with the other ingredients.
Keep stirring continuously till all the egg is cooked talking care not the burn it.
Add Black pepper powder
Garnish with finely chopped coriander and remove from heat.
Serve with the roasted sausages, toast and fruit.
This also goes well with chapatis.

Breakfast Special - Peameal Bacon with Yam fries Combo

I think I would have already mentioned in my blog that I'm not a restaurant freak. But I would like to imitate those foods served at the restaurants. For those of who go for a traditional weekend breakfast in a Restaurant " Toast+Eggs+Bacon+Home fries+Orange" is not new. Often times I too make the same breakfast combo at home either with "sunny side up" or scrambled eggs.

But there are times when I want a little twist from the regular menu combo. This is definitely healthier than the regular version. The fatty Bacon is replaced by Peameal Bacon which has very less fat, the bland Egg scramble replaced by Indian style spicy egg scramble with onions,green chillies and herbs(Recipe will be published in my upcoming posts) and at last replacing the carby potato home fries with Yam fries rich in fibre which I'm going to blog today. And don't forget to replace the oranges with Grape fruit, which is really good for people on diet.

This post is more of the concept than writing recipe.

Ingredients & Method of preparation:
For Yam Fries:
1 - Big size Yam(approx 1 lb)
2 Tbsp - Vegetable Oil/Olive oil/Pam for frying
1/2 tsp - Red chilly Powder or Kashmiri chilly powder.
Salt to taste

Optional:(if u want to spice it up more to a desi taste)
1/4 tsp Garam masala
1/4 tsp Chat Masala
1/8 tsp Amchur powder
1 tsp Kasturi methi

Garnish:
Finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:
Peel skin and cut Yam into small cubes.
Heat up a wide heavy bottom frying pan, allow oil to become hot on medium high heat and then add the yam pieces and salt and fry till done, regularly stirring to see that they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
When almost done add chilly powder and other optional masalas if desired.
Stir nicely to coat the yam pieces with all the seasonings.
Sprinkle with finely chopped coriander and remove from heat.

For Eggs:
I just made an sunny side up and broke the yoke so that the yellow can flow on the white (That's the way i like)and seasoned it with salt and black pepper or red chilly powder.

For Toast:
Apply butter or margarine or desi ghee on both sides of the whole wheat bread slices and pan toast them.

For Peameal Bacon:
I've never heard of this back home. But here in Canada from the time I've tasted this I really like it a lot. Most of the Grocery stores carry this. Look for the package with Yellow edges of cornmeal around the meat slices in the frozen cured/processed food section.

To know more about this Peameal bacon please click here here here and here

The method to cook this is very simple. Defrost a few slices and pan roast them till done. More receipes can be found here too

Now serve all the items in a plate and garnish with a thick slice of Grape Fruit.

This is more of a brunch than breakfast cause its so full and complete with a hot cup of French Vanilla coffee or a cup of Orange Tea. So we can skip lunch and straight head to early dinner. A typical saturday life style for me.

Flat beans with Tomato /Avarai kai Kuttu/Chikkudukaya Tamata/Tamatar Papdi

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will notice that I use Tomatoes bountifully in most of my dishes, Aloo Tamatar, Gobi Tamatar, Tomato Shrimp etc. and now Tomato and Flat beans. And still to come is Tomato cabbage . Well the inspiration is definitely from my Grand mother. I use to cherish all her tomato dishes so much that i carry forward them in my regular menu now.

You can check my other flat beans recipe here.

Now for the recipe of Flat beans and Tomato curry.

Ingredients:
1 lb Flat Beans ( Easily available in all the Asian/South Asian Stores usually packaged)
2 tbsp - Cooking Oil
1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
1 - Medium onion cut length wise
2-3 Green Chillies slit
8-10 curry leaves
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
Salt to taste
1 cup - Tomato Puree
A small bunch of coriander leaves chopped

Procedure:
1. Clean the Flat beans by cutting of the edges and removing the middle fibre and make 3 to 4 pieces of each bean. Wash Skin the beans together, drain keep aside.
2. Heat a wide bottom skillet, add oil.
3. After the oil is hot add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter
4. Add cut onions. chillies, curry leaves and saute till onions are translucent.
5. Now add flats beans, red chilly powder and salt, mix well to coat the beans with the seasonings.
6.Cover and cook till beans are soft and almost cooked, stirring regularly.
7. Once the beans are soft add the pureed tomatoes or tomato paste and mix well.
8. cook for another 7 to 10 minutes or till the raw smell of the tomatoes is gone and a pleasant aroma of the curry starts to come.
9. Add more chilly powder and salt if required
10. Add the coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Have it with plain rice and papad or serve it with rice and sambar or with any seasoned rice.

Tandoori Chicken Fried Rice

Often times after I bake tandoori chicken I feel bad to put away so much cooked masala marinade which fell from the chicken pieces onto the foil.

There was this one day when I baked some tandoori chicken and had lots of this cooked masala marinade left on my foil tray. So quickly I remember the left over biriyani rice in the fridge, and put on my cooking hat to come up with something differetn and tasty. Not leaving our nutritious veggies,a new dish called Tandoori Chicken Fried rice was born.

This is a typical Indian spicy fried rice which can be made from the fresh or left over cooked tandoori masala marinade and tandoori chicken and either we can use the plain rice or if you have krushka or pulav, or left over biriyani. You can used frozen or fresh veggies. I always prefer cutting fresh veggies. So there you got a complete meal in one dish - Proteins, Carbs, Vitamins and fibre.....and .....not to mention the good taste.

Ingredients:
2 Thigh pieces of Tandoori chicken(Baked or Barbecued)
3-4 Tbsp of Cooked Tandoori Chicken masala Marinade
4 - 6 Cups Cooked Rice/Fresh or Left over biriyani
1 Egg
2 tsp cooking oil
1 rem of fresh Curry leaves
2-3 Thai Green Chillies slit into halves
1 big Onion cut length wise
2 - 3 Cups choice of chopped veggies (Carrots, Cabbage, Beans, Peas, Broccoli, Cauliflower)
1/2 tsp each of Chilly, Coriander, Cumin powders( if desired)
Salt to taste
Finely chopped fresh Coriander to garnish.

Procedure:
In a wide pan, heat oil, sizzle curry leaves, green chillies.
Add Onions and cook till Onions are little cooked and crispy
Now add the Chopped veggies, some salt and stir the veggies till crispy and cooked, for 5 -7 mins or so,
Now make space in the pan to beat an and make it into scramble, adding enough salt for the egg.
Once the scramble egg is fried mix it with the rest of veggies.
Now add the cooked Tandoori masala marinade, chicken pieces and the plain or biryani rice along with the CCC powders if using.
Add enough salt again and mix well.
Garnish with Coriander leaves and remove from heat.

This is also sent to Srivalli from Cooking for All Seasons for the food blog event Rice Mela

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Its been more than a month since I published a post or done a photo session after cooking some special dish. Life has been hectic to the core. Dealing with upgrades in every sphere of life, my kindergartner stared school this year, and the list goes on. If I don't force myself to blog on a recipe now, very soon food blogging can become history for me.

For now let me post a recipe with the pictures that are saved in my drafts.

The main ingredient in this recipe is Maggi sweet & sour sauce. In those days when this sauce was newly introduced, I learned this recipe from a friend and tried it a few times only, coz hubby is not a huge fan of any deviations with the basic chicken curry.

It has a simple recipe, you don't need grind any sought of paste like the traditional ginger garlic or the garam masala paste.

We can substitute the Maggi brand with Knorr or even the regular Heinz tomato ketchup would do too.
Served with any seasoned rice this would go well.

Ingredients:
2 lb Chicken (Skinned, fat removed, cut into medium size pieces)
2 Tbsp oil
3 inch Fresh Ginger (cut into 1 inch height thick strips)
4 each of Cinnamon, Cloves, and Cardamom spices
1 Big Onion (cut length wise)
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tsp Chilly powder
1 cup Sweet & Sour ketchup (Maggi, Knorr or Heinz)
2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp sugar
A few coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Heat a kadai/pot, add oil. After the oil is hot add the whole spices.

Fry till the spices turn their color.

Add the fresh ginger pieces and fry till the aroma comes

Add the onions and fry till the slightly brown and soft.

Now add the Chicken pieces, salt, and fry for a minute

Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 mins till the raw smell leaves.

Add chilly powder and mix well.

Now add the ketchup and mix well and allow the contents to cook till the chicken is tender on a medium heat.

Now increase the heat and keep stirring the chicken till all the sauce sticks to the chicken pieces.

Add some oyster sauce and sugar if you desire more flavour and sweetish taste.

Add some more ketchup and give it a nice stir just before removing from heat.

Garnish with coriander leaves