Reblogging one of my favourite dishes. I have been neglecting my blog and spending more time on Instagram. Please do follow me on Instagram to view a lot more than just delicious meals and be entertained with a few smiles. Enjoy this recipe.
A dish similar to the Fijian Rourou or Dalo leaves cooked in the earth oven “Lovo” underneath the ground wrapped in foil delicately covered with stones and banana leaves. In India the taro leaves are also known as Patra. Mine is an easy peasy simple stove top version. I have used fresh baby spinach but you can use frozen spinach too.
Ingredients
1 Medium to Large Onion
2 Pre- Packaged Baby Spinach
1 Tspn Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1-2 Green Chilli (optional)
1 500g Canned Coconut Milk
3-4 Medium Sized Garlic
2 Tablespoon Oil
Salt To Taste
Method
* Chop onion finely
* Crush the garlic
* Heat oil in pan and once its hot turn stove to low.
* Add cumin first. Once it stars to sizzle and change color add garlic and stir couple of times so it doesnt stick to the pan. * Add onions and chilli few seconds…
I recently had my in-laws visiting us in Australia from India. There was lots of fun and frolic and ups and downs adjusting with different personalities. Now with them having returned back to their respective homes there is a sense of emptiness. I grew up living in a small apartment full of my siblings and relatives who would visit and stay with us for months on end. I am unable to explain the joy we experienced with the closeness we had as a family. Then I moved to Australia and had to adjust being away from that family togetherness.
Anyway moving along to less sentimental topic…recipes! With my in-laws here I got a chance to learn few new recipes. I, as some of my readers would know, was born in Fiji therefore grew up only knowing my Fijian and Indo-Fijian tucker. Most “Indian” curry recipes I have learnt are ones I inherited from my husbands Delhiite background. The delish punjabi curries like Rajma Chawal, Chole Bhature, Alu Puri etc. Thanks to my in-laws I have learnt of recipes I would normally not cook. Today’s recipe credit goes to my sister-in-law Shalini Singh. Thank you for sharing this simple and delicious breakfast recipe.🙏🏼😘
Speaking of families…A special shout out for Shree Rajalaxmi Presentation “Love Day – Pyar Ka Din”. A movie directed by our very own fam bam Sandeep Chaudhary (thus the very proud promo in support of his movie✊🏼🍸🍾💃🏻✊🏼). Directed in collaboration with Harish Kotian. Produced by Baldev Singh Bedi. Star cast – Ajaz Khan, Sahil Anand, Harsh Nagar, Anant Mahadevan, Shalu Singh and Vaibhav Mathur.
This movie is about the journey of three friends. It’s a story of true friendships, love, action, drama and emotions. Friendship that goes through trials and tribulations and tests those that don’t break so easily. Happy belated friendship day – friends are precious💎 value them!!✨
Leaving you with a preview of –
💞Love Day – Pyar Ka Din💞
* Please note change of date – now releasing 23rd September 2016 at a cinema near you.
Ingredients
5-6 bread slices (crust removed if preffered)
1 Cup Besan/Chickpea Flour
1 and 1/2 Cup Water (adjust water to pourable consistency)
1/4 Cup Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
1/4 Tspn Ajwain/Carrom Seeds
1 Small Garlic (grated into the batter)
Salt To Taste
Pinch Of Heeng/Asaeofedita
1-2 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
1/4 Tspn Chilli Powder
1/4 Tspn Jeera/Cumin Seed
Oil For Deep Frying
Method
• Prepare batter of pourable thickish consistency from the chickpea flour and water. Whip and mix well until clumps are dissolved.
• Add all the dry ingredients into the batter and give it a good mix.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Dip and coat the bread and fry until lightly browned.
• Finally serve hot with a sauce/chutney of your choice
I pull out my hairs in frustration deciding what to cook so when I can’t plan then I do the “easy way out” as my maleficent half would put it. 😁Here’s a quick and easy recipe for curried eggs.
Ingredients
6 Eggs (boiled and peeled)
1 400g Can Tomato (roughly finger mashed)
2 Medium Sized Onions (sliced legthwise)
1/4 Tspn Turmeric
1/4 Tspn Garam Masala
6-10 Curry Leaves
1-2 Green Chillies
1Tspn Cumin/Jeera Seeds
3 Small Garlic Cloves (crushed)
1 Inch Piece Ginger (peeled and crushed)
Salt To Taste
Oil For Cooking And Frying
Method
• Heat oil in a pan and add Cumin seeds to it. Allow it to sizzle and brown lightly.
• Next add onions, curry leaves, ginger and garlic.
• Allow onions to brown lightly then add the dry spices turmeric and garam masala and give it a quick stir. To ensure spices dont burn please turn heat to it’s lowest settings.
• Next add the finger crushed tomatoes into the pan and simmer until you see the oil float up.
• While the sauce is being cooked heat a frying pan and shallow fry the dried and peeled eggs until its light brown. Cut in halves and set it aside.
• Once the sauce is ready add a little water and eggs into the pan so you get some gravy in it and cook for further 5 minutes.
• Finally garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
This dish is best served with Roti/Chapati and/or rice.
A special one for my mum Oline Singh who has always been there for me. From taking full care of me during my painful and complicated pregnancy to taking care of her grand daughter as a baby. From making a cup of chai/tea to cooking delicious foods for me.
Instead of giving yourself some much deserved rest at this age you’re helping me, your ill daughter, in every way possible just so I can get some rest from my chronic pains.
Thank you Amma/mum for everything you have done and continue to do for me. I may not show it as much and as easily as I would like to but just so you know that I love you!!😘😘😘
Ingredients
1 Can or Packet of Frozen Jackfruit
1 Onion (sliced lengthwise)
1 Green Chilli
1/4 Tspn Turmeric/Haldi
1/4 Tspn Garam Masala
1/4 Tspn Cumin/Jeera Seeds
6-10 Curry Leaves
Oil For Cooking
Salt To Taste
Method
• Drain the water from the can and cut the jackfruit cubes finely.
• Heat oil in a pan and add jeera/cumin seeds and allow it to sizzle till brown.
• Next add onions and let it saute until translucent then add the chillies, garlic, ginger and curry leaves.
• Once browned add the turmeric and garam masala and give it a quick stir.
• Finally add the jackfruit pieces and cook until softened.
Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the mother of all fowls…(drumroll!) the ever so popular Butter Chicken!! This is “the” recipe everyone who I know personally have been plotting and scheming to kidnap me for. Bribes have been attempted as well at numerous times😄. Well finally the big secrets out.
My butter chicken does take a wee bit extra time to cook but let me tell you its well worth the effort. Definitely not for the figure conscious though. I usually cook this when I’m expecting guests at home so I can fatten them up so good that they forget when their next invite is due hehe just kidding! 😉 I, on the other hand have been watching my figure for a very long time now….watching…and watching..as it grows!!
Ingredients
1kg Chicken Thigh Fillets
1 Large Onion (chopped)
3 Tbspn Ghee (clarified butter or unsalted butter)
300ml Thickened Cream
4 Cloves Of Garlic (crushed)
1 Inch Piece Of Ginger (crushed)
2 x 500ml Canned Roma Tomatoes (coarsely crushed with fingers)
4 Tbspn Tandoori Paste (I have used Sharwoods brand available at Woolies)
2 Tbspn Dried Methi Leaves (Fenugreek leaves available at Indian grocers)
2 Tbspn Honey
2 Tbspn Yoghurt
1/4 Tspn Lemon Juice
Salt To Taste
Ghee/Butter or Oil for cooking.
Method
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and marinate it overnight with the tandoori paste, yoghurt, garlic, ginger and lemon juices.
In a food processor add the chopped onions and canned tomatoes to make a puree.
Heat ghee or butter in a pan and add the tomato onion puree. Simmer the paste on low heat settings until you see the oil separate and float up to the top which usually takes up a good 20-30mins. If you find the raw smell of onion hasn’t gone then add a little bit of water and cook further.
Once the tomato onion paste is ready add the chicken and the rest of the gravy into the pot and allow it to cook for 20 mins or so. Add Salt to taste.
When the chicken is done add cream and finger crushed fenugreek leaves with the honey (adjust the sweetness to your preference) and give it a good stir.
Cook further 5mins and serve with fragrant basmati rice or naan.
The Alasi Chef 