To Russia with Love from my stroganoff Heart – chicken Stroganoff

Comforting Chicken Stroganoff with mushrooms n home-made crème fraiche n egg noodles- a fantastic versatile recipe from Russia

“The knife was going through the mushrooms effortlessly, every time the knife hit the worn out wooden piece of wood it gave off a comforting sound, other than that sound there was silence in the room and her n him-Nikolai Ivanich-a curly headed young fellow with shiny forehead with fine wrinkles. The faint sunlight coming through the window glass bounced off the table where his hands rest and got reflected by the shiny blade of the knife that she was handling n hit the wooden ceiling, he wondered if Sofia has found rhythm in the kitchen, it is the first time he is visiting this cousin of his after that life changing incident, Sofia Alexandrovna  doesn’t look around as she peels the onions, she seems peaceful n in tune with herself, it is hard to describe looking at her now how her life was 6 months back, she is thin n tall with a worn out grace, taller than most of the ladies around her n she is wise, partly made by herself, party by life. As he kept looking around the room, the smell from the pan filled up the wooden room, he knew what coming- stroganoff” 

This could have been a story from a Russian book n I am sure I have read such a piece while I was growing up, my childhood was packed with books from Russia, back then in the eighties there were huge number of books by Russian authors were present in India, every week my father would get us a few new books on his way back from office and it was a blast of joy every time he did that, I was utterly in love with books n the fantastic illustrations that were hidden in those books- they enriched my imagination as my father would read from those books at times or as I will read them single mindedly in the afternoons after school.  Even though now I don’t read books so frequently, a part of me will always belong there; a part of it will always love those tales from Russia.

Stroganoff is a proper comfort food, easy to cook; it thrives on simple few ingredients, it originates from Russia and then spread across the world n won hearts.  Now it is popular all over the world and as with every country the recipes changes with time n place, it is popular in Brazil, in Japan, in China, the UK, and Australia…so literally all over the globe. You can serve it with rice or flat egg noodles, sometimes potato straws are served along with it which will be so exciting I can imagine, I think the Parsi n Bengali people will love it since they love potatoes with meat.

One of the important ingredient is Crème fraiche- this is rich and it is bacterial cultured, it has tang n certain kind of nuttiness which comes from the culture, crème fraiche has about 10-45% butterfat, it is made by introducing the bacterial culture to heavy cream, you can make it at home like I did, it’s simple n very rewarding, all you need is buttermilk which has those bacteria or a good yogurt and after 2 days you will have your own crème fraiche. You can use sour cream if you don’t have it but sour cream doesn’t have that nuttiness that crème fraiche has, but still you can use it.

Another important ingredient is a good stock which will provide the depth of flavor, so before you start to make stroganoff make sure you have some good chicken stock ready or stock cubes. In my recipe I have used white wine but it’s not mandatory, you can simply skip it. I decided to use chicken thigh because they are most tasty n I love their texture, however chicken breast is utterly fine n will cook even quickly.

The day I made the chicken stroganoff I tasted it with rice n it was so delicious, the next day I tried it with egg noodles-the noodles I made that morning myself,  when you serve the stroganoff with warm buttered egg noodles it makes you so very happy.  You can have them with toasted pieces of buttered bread too...Do what you feel like.

So now I will take you to the recipe.

For The Recipe:  You will need

For the Stroganoff:

Chicken thighs – 250-350 gm, deboned n cut into 2 inch pieces

Button mushroom- 250 gm, cut into ¼ inch thick slices

Red onion- 1 medium, cut into medium slices

Garlic- 2/3 medium cloves, grated

Flour- 1 tbsp

White wine- 4-5 tbsp

Chicken stock- 1 ½-2 cups

White vegetable oil- 2-3 tbsp

Butter- 1 tbsp

Crème fraiche- 2-3 tbsp

Black pepper

Salt

Flat leaf parsley- 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves-1 tbsp

For the egg Noodles:

All purpose flour- 1 ½ cup

Eggs- 2

Water- 1/8 cup about, it varies

Salt

Butter – ½ tbsp, melted

1. Start by making the pieces of the chicken n drying them slightly with a paper towel, sprinkle them with salt n pepper, heat 2/3 tbsp of white oil in a pan over medium heat and add the chicken pieces, don’t add too many pieces n crowd the pan, work in 2 batches if the pan is small, when one side gets  brown color flip them n color other side too, when done remove from the pan, add the butter to the same pan and add the sliced onion n mushrooms together, let the heat be medium and toss them in between as they get brown all over, when the mushroom n onions are golden brown to brown, add the grated garlic n put the heat to low and give it 2 minutes. Add the flour and toss it and give it another 2 minutes, then add the white wine and deglaze the pan, when the pan is almost deglazed after a minute or so, add the chicken stock and let the whole thing come to a simmer, then add the chicken pieces back in the pan mix well, let it come to simmer again n taste n adjust the seasoning, cover it with a lid and give it about 20 minutes, the chicken will be tender in 20 minutes. After the time check if the chicken is done and the sauce should have thickened, if you want the sauce thinner add some more stock or water, if you want it more dry you have to give it more time on the fire, so now it is time to finish, add a big dollop of crème fraiche to the pan and mix well and put off the flame, taste n adjust the seasoning one more time, then sprinkle the fresh herbs all over n give it 5 minutes standing time.

2. For preparing the egg noodles from scratch, take the flour in a bowl and make a well in it, break the eggs in a small bowl and add the melted butter and whisk the eggs until uniform, then pour it in the flour well, add salt, don’t add less salt, add enough salt to bring out the flavor of the eggs, then start mixing the flour with the eggs gradually, when all the flour has gone into a lump n add a little water and make it come together, the dough should not be very soft nor very tight, it will be medium, so adjust the water accordingly, don’t add too much water in the beginning, work on the dough, if the dough is too tight add some water, work again, if it still needs then add some more. Now you need to knead the dough for about 7-10 minutes and it will be smooth n elastic. Cover n rest the dough for an hour to 30 minutes.

Prepare the flat working surface by sprinkling flour all over it, tap the dough out , divide in 2 equal parts and shape each one into a flat round and with a floured rolling pin n floured hand tap one round and start rolling uniformly in all directions until it becomes a big circle, work with light hands as the dough gets thinner, make it a circle of about 12- 15 inches in diameter, you will be able to see though lightly through the dough, with a sharp knife or pizza cutter cut the noodles into long strips of about ½ inch-1/4 inch broad, this is a work of patience, when you have finished making the noodles like this give them about 30 minutes to rest, separate the noodles you will cook for now, for the rest sprinkle flour all over them  n toss them with light hands in that flour, then you can store them in the freeze wrapped in a plastic bag for 3-4 days.

3. Boil some water in a bowl, salt the water, then put the egg noodle into the boiling water, fresh noodles cook very quickly, so give them about 2-4 minutes, check after 2/3 minutes by lifting one up, they should still have a little bite n not completely soft, at this stage drain the water n pour cold water over the noodles, then drain the water n sprinkle a little oil all over them, so they won’t stick to each other, melt some butter in a pan and pour the butter over the noodles along with some black pepper when you are going to serve them.

So the chicken stroganoff is  all ready waiting for you and now we must taste, dip the spoon get some sauce along with piece of mushroom with the chicken n put that whole thing into your mouth. Woaah!!...so rich n delish! You can’t just eat it on its own and forget about anything else but I think crispy potato straws will be heavenly.  Bon appétit.

 

Tom Chick – a sweet n sour flirt in the kitchen- chicken with tomatoes n some more tomatoes

Chicken with Fresh Tomatoes, Sweet Soy, Ketchup n Garlic n that’s all and we have got Tom Chick - An absolutely fast, easy n delish eat 

I guess I have a thing for sweet n sour things, some kind of thing you know, it lifts the mood to become alive and it doesn’t have to be summer to feel this! Winter makes no difference; the combination of sweet n sour is like watching the clear sky filled with bright stars after many gloomy days.

You got to have recipes in your brain that is fast, flavorful n amazing for all those times you come home after a long tiring day and you still have to cook or you wanna cook but you don’t want to spend too much time doing it-this chicken recipe is for those days, it is a savior! Its quick but more than that it’s so delish like totally finger licking…make it for your friends and watch the scene, all you need for the recipe are tomatoes, chicken, sweet soy sauce, tomato ketchup (yeah that’s right!), garlic n black peppers n pink rock salt(shoot this salt if you haven’t already got it).

The basic inspiration for this recipe was tomato-the day I was designing this dish I was telling myself the whole thing has to be very tomato-y n absolutely delish, so it comes in 2 forms, the fresh ripe tomatoes and the ketchup, you can use tomato concentrate in this recipe also if you have got some, or passata or homemade tomato sauce that you made for your pasta, all will do.

Another interesting ingredient is the sweet soy which is like a syrup n thick which is off course sweet with s light hint of smokiness in it n it reminds me of molasses, the Indonesian Kecap Manis is just that thing, it’s dark, deep n sweet. So get that in your home and it will add a very cool dimension to your cooking, ask for sweet soy sauce or kecap Manis.  If you have not got sweet soy but a good quality normal salty soy sauce you can still use it, add some sugar to it or palm sugar to it to give it some sweetness.

For this recipe try to use ketchup that is not very sweet, taste it first, if it feels very sweet use it in lesser amount to balance that taste. And you got to have bread in your home, because this dish goes so well with breads, more than it goes with rice, a hot bowl of this tom chick n lightly warm bread or crispy parantha and oh my god, this is enough to create good moods. Tom Chick-yeah that’s what I call this recipe! 

So now I’ll take you to the recipe.

For The Recipe:  You will need

Chicken thigh including drumsticks- 250-300gm, cut into 3 or 4 medium large pieces on bone

Tomatoes red ripe- 4, chopped

Garlic – 6 medium cloves, peeled n kept whole

Red chili flakes- 1 tsp

Black pepper- 10

Sweet soy sauce- 1 – 1 ½ tbsp

Tomato ketchup- 1 -1 ½ tbsp

Salt

Pink rock salt/Himalayan salt- 3 pinch

Vegetable oil- 3 tbsp

Butter- 1 tbsp

1. Place a heavy based frying pan or wok on low heat, add the oil n then the butter, add the whole black peppercorns n the garlic cloves, on a low heat fry them for 1 minute until you see they are just beginning to color, at that point add the chopped tomatoes and increase the heat to high for 30 sec, toss them around then reduce the flame to low n give them 4 min stirring in between, then make shallow slices in the chicken pieces for them to cook quickly and put them in the pan n increase the heat to medium high, sauté them for a good 7/8 minutes on medium heat until they get light brown to brown color all over, so you need to flip them after every 3 minutes, at this point of time we are frying the chicken really well to get caramelized along with the tomatoes, the tomatoes are getting all cooked and getting to almost a paste, we need to sauté chicken for about 8-10 minutes like this on medium heat, when they get well colored on all sides, add salt, pinch of pink rock salt n the sweet soy n tomato ketchup n mix well, then cover the pan with a lid, reduce the flame to minimum n give it 2 minutes, then  add the red chili flakes according to how hot you want it to be, add a splash of water if you see it is browning a bit too much, the water will cool it down n thin out the consistency, cover again and from this point on give it about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked, stir in between n flip the chicken pieces and add a splash of water a couple of times if things are drying up, when the chicken is cooked check for the seasoning n adjust, add a little more sweet soy n ketchup if you like. Then put the flame off n give it 2 minutes standing time and then boo-hoo you are done!

2. I presented the dish with carrot puree, but it’s just optional, for the puree I boiled the carrot until they are just tender, then I blend them with extra virgin olive oil, a blob of butter, a touch of lime juice n salt n touch of water n that’s all. 

Walla! So the chicken is ready in about 20 minutes and there is no big cutting chopping required and now it is time to taste the tom chick, so go ahead, dip the spoon n lift the out dark red gravy with a piece of soft chicken n taste it…………….yeahhhhhh! I know, I know…so good right! Sour n sweet n yummy, eat it with lightly toasted bread it will be a great delight, its kinda addictive. Bon appétit!

An Afternoon with Thai Green Curry- a Mortar full of Memories

Thai Green Chicken Curry in all its justified glory n finding music inside the mortar n pestle with the amazing food of Thailand

If you want to make a great Thai Green Curry n not just a good one-Be Brave, make your own green curry paste, get a big deep mortar n pestle n gather kaffir lime leaves, shallots, lemon grass, coriander roots in that and start bashing them, it is going to be a long time till they surrender to you and you got to have patience in your heart n eventually you will find the music – I promise you that. Start with preparing the green curry paste with enough time in your hands like 20/25 minutes and everything will fall in place.

The morning I set out to make the green curry paste I was tested by many things- hot humid summer, patience n getting stung by a hornet! I gave myself 20 minutes for the curry paste to come into being, but if you are making it for the first time it will get stretched into 30/35. It really helps if you have a big deep mortar n pestle made out of stone or a combination of metal n wood, a small wooden or marble mortar n pestle will make things really difficult for you, every ingredient will try to jump off your mortar and it will bring the flames to life in your head, so if you don’t have the right equipment, simply transfer the whole thing to blender n blend.

The rule of making the green curry paste is that the ingredients with the least amount of water content n which are hardest in terms of texture will go first inside the mortar, e.g.  The shallots will go last and the lemon grass n coriander roots will go in the beginning.

There are so many elements to Thai cooking like e.g. in the green curry itself, the process is so similar to Indian cooking, in both the cuisines there is detailed use of spice and it is not hard to see why, for many thousands of years India n Thailand are close neighbors and extensive trading across the sea took place for centuries, both the cultures influenced each other, people migrated from both the countries and it is a continuous process. I find Thai food to be amazingly aromatic, talk about fragrant Thai green curry, red curry or Thai jasmine rice.

Now you know what! When you are making either a chicken or fish or vegetable Thai green curry you can start the cooking without adding any extra oil, in traditional Thai green curries they often start with simmering the coconut milk until it thickens n specks of fat separates out from the body of the coconut milk and in the process of cooking more oil is released from it and from the chicken itself or fish, so the final dish has specks of shiny oil floating around it. However there are people who still begin with a dash of oil in the beginning, I’ll ask you to add no extra oil if you are making chicken version because the chicken fat will be another source of fat.

The kaffir lime leaves are magic, they make the air n the curry go pregnant with their amazing smell, if you have not got kaffir lime leaves, use other lime leaves, the lime leaves are sturdy , so they can withstand 20 min of simmering. A traditional Thai green curry will obviously have shrimp paste n fish sauce in them, when you don’t have both or can’t use them use a good quality soy sauce for the umami flavor, there is no good substitute I know for shrimp paste, but let me truly assure you that your green curry will still be very very good. So I think it is time to get cooking, so let’s crack it.

By the way if you get stung by a crazy hornet like I got while making the curry paste, blend and onion and rub its juice over that place and it will relieve you of the pain n swelling in great amounts in a short time.

For The Recipe: You will need

For The Green Curry paste

Cilantro/Coriander Roots- 1 tbsp (yes the roots which are submerged in soil, wash well n use them)

Coriander seeds-1 tbsp, slightly roasted

Cumin seeds-1/2 tbsp, slightly roasted

Galangal-1 ½ tbsp

Garlic- ¼ cup

Kaffir Lime/Lime-1, zest

Lemongrass-3/4 tbsp, sliced

Shrimp paste- 1 tsp

White peppercorn-1/2 tsp

Salt-1 tbsp

Shallot-1/2 cup, sliced

Chili Leaf-1/4 cup (optional)

Green Thai Chili Peppers/ green chili-10/15

For the Green Curry

Chicken – 450-500 gm, thighs with bone, cut into 2 inch pieces

Chili peppers- 1 thinly sliced

Coconut milk – 1 cup (use the first press and second press separately if you made your own)

Green curry paste-1/2 /3 tbsp

 Green colored Eggplant-1 big quartered

Pea eggplant- ¼ cup

Fish sauce-2 tbsp

Kaffir lime leaves-4/5

Sugar/palm sugar- 1 tbsp

Thai Basil- 3 springs

Water-1 cup

1. If you are making fresh coconut milk, begin with it, cut the coconut flesh into stripes, then cut away the brown shells, then put them in a blender, add very little water so that we can make a smooth paste out of it, when it is smooth, take it out in a muslin cloth and press hard to extract as much coconut milk as you can, this is the first press, then put the flesh back into the blender, add more water and blend again to get a very smooth paste, then like before press the second extract in a different bowl, keep aside. While you rest the first press for 15 minutes you will the thick fat part is floating on top, remove it in a bowl, we will start the cooking with this creamy thick part.

2.  In a heavy deep mortar n pestle grind the coriander n cumin seeds which has been slightly roasted in a pan for 5 min, make a powder of them in the mortar, then add the lemongrass n pound, then the galangal and bash again, then add salt, garlic n kaffir lime zest, bash again until the fibers are breaking apart now, add the cilantro roots n shrimp paste and keep pounding. Then add green chili n leaves, pound until the mixture turn into a fine paste so that you don’t recognize individual ingredients. It will take good 20-30 minutes.

3. In a heavy based pan add the separated coconut milk extract n simmer it for 5 minutes on low flame, then add the green curry paste n stir well, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, let it simmer on low heat stirring in between so nothing is catching in the bottom, cover n cook on low heat for 3/5 minutes, if the mixture starts to get dry add more coconut milk from the rest first extract. After simmering it for 5-7 minutes you will begin to see thin layers of coconut oil developing on top, this is the time for the chicken to go in, stir well n add some more coconut milk if it is going dry, if you are using chicken breast pieces it will cook in 5 minutes, since I am using thicken thighs on bone it will take 15/20 min for me,  after 5 minutes of putting the chicken in, add the palm sugar n salt, mix well, then add all of the coconut milk including the second extract and some water, let it come to a simmer on medium high heat, add fish sauce. Then add the quartered eggplant pieces n simmer for 10 minutes on low heat, then add pea eggplants n give them 5 more minutes, add the chopped kaffir lime/lime leaves and give it 5 minutes, by now the chicken will be soft n tender. Put the flame off and sprinkle the Thai basil leaves and the fresh chili slices and give it 5 minutes standing time.

We are literally done with our great Thai green curry and time to taste. So go ahead with a spoon and let’s agree there is nothing quite like it. Serve it with hot white rice or Thai jasmine rice and the combination is to die for. Absolutely share it with family n friends and watch their faces transform ;) it’s great. Bon appétit.

The Burst of a Pomegranate on Yogurt in a Salad Story

Pomegranate, Baby Gherkin, Roasted Potato, Croutons, Rocket salad with Pistachio nuts in a Yogurt dressing…a nutritious Healthy Salad you can carry to your workplace

I feel salads are one of the most interesting playground of fresh flavors n it is full of surprises, every bite can be a little different, every flavor mixing with each other- a kick from this, a citrus note from that, a burst of sweetness all of a sudden, a gentle heat from somewhere, a touch of tanginess…it is a celebration of flavors. A well made salad is also a success story of the creator and a sign of how well the person understands the play of flavors, their chemistry and their combination. 

The reason why I adore salads is because I can be creative with them; it’s a great playground for me, trying n testing with new ingredients, sometimes humble ingredients and sometimes rare ones. For a lot of people salad means compromising on taste, the truth is far from it, a great salad is not only nutritious in leaps n bounds but it is a great carrier of flavors, unlike cooking where every ingredient exchange flavors under heat, mostly in a salad they are the freshest flavors n when you are making a salad you are letting the exchange happen for a short time in the bowl and mostly when you bite into it.

The more I play with salads the more excited I become, often I create salads which are total disasters and no one else can eat that but me, so I have to eat them anyways, but  I have found so much joy in them that those failures don’t dampen my spirit at all. Once in a while I also come up with recipes that win everybody n those recipes spread from friend to friend- the important thing is to have fun, to enjoy the process.

Now from a nutritional point of view salads come in all shades, some are not so healthy while some are very healthy and everything in between. A well balanced salad can replace your main course in the lunchtime or at the time of dinner, a good balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat. The salad recipe I give you today is healthy, nutritious and bursting with flavors.

In this exciting salad I have got pomegranate, that’s what makes it very exciting for me, the little ruby jewels that burst under your teeth n the explosion of juices, sweet n sour. Unlike a traditional vinaigrette with oil n vinegar, this salad has a yogurt dressing and yogurt is my soul food and so healthy. And then we have the baby gherkins in brine, they are so tasty on their own- little sweet, little sour with a hint of pungency, and they combine so well with the roasted crispy chunky potatoes. The potatoes are the only ingredient here that is pre-cooked and they provide an amazing flavor and a sense of fullness to the dish. The pistachios are another jewel and it works in a subtle way, it gives a mouth feel that is unique and delicious. The rocket leaves gives a strong edge to this salad, the leaves are peppery and pungent, and so they tend to come out stronger in taste, so I used them moderately here. We have crouton in this dish, the bread is pan friend in a little oil and it improved the flavor of the bread n provides a crunchy texture. When you finish assembling the salad spread a thread of honey over it and it gets that slight sweet honey flavor mixed with the yogurt, it’s mouth-watering.

What I give to you is a great base, many things can be added to it, poached chicken, shredded meat or a boiled egg or a fried fish, lettuce can be added to increase the green, a bit of sprouts will be exciting in this salad, so it is up to you what you feel like adding, experiment with it, in the meantime I will take you to the recipe.

For The Recipe: You will need

Serves - 2

For the Salad:

Pomegranate- ½ medium, cut into chunks n seeded

Yogurt- 3 heaped tbsp, whisked till smooth

Honey- 1 tbsp

Potato chunks- made from 2 medium potatoes

Baby Gherkins- 4/5, sliced lengthwise or in rounds

The brine in which the gherkins are stored- ½ tbsp

Rocket leaves- 2 medium bunches, washed n trimmed

Cucumber- ½ medium, peeled or unpeeled n cut into rounds of 1 cm thickness

Pistachio- 12/14, slightly roasted n crushed

White bread/ sourdough bread- 1 slice, roasted or pan fried to make crouton

Black pepper- to taste

Salt- to taste

Pink rock salt – 2 pinches

For the Crispy Potato Chunks:

Potato- 2 medium, washed well

Rosemary- ¼ tbsp, dry

Nigella/kalonji seeds-1/4 tsp

Red chili powder- ¼ tbsp

Garlic- 1 medium clove, made into a paste

Sugar- a pinch

salt-to taste

Soy sauce- ½ tsp

Red onion- sliced lengthwise into thick strips

Vegetable oil- 1 tbsp

Pre-heat your oven to 180 Celsius /356 Fahrenheit

1. Put the potatoes on a board and with a small knife put incisions all over them, then place them in water in a deep bowl with their skin on and place it on medium heat, in about 10-12 minutes the potatoes will be half done, soft but rigid, it will take 10/12/ 14 minutes for that,  given that you begin with cold water, so keep an eye, when they are half done, remove from heat and drain the water and place them in cold water, when you can handle them cut them in ¼ inch chunks.

In the roasting pan place the minced garlic with all the other ingredients except the onion and mix well, then coat the potato chunks with this mixture well, place them in the oven for 40 minutes. After 20 minutes turn the potato chunks on the other side with a fork and add the onions, then give another 20 /25 minutes until the chunks becomes crispy. Take them off the oven and let it cool.

2. Take the white bread and coat it a little oil lightly on both sides, then place on a frying pan and keep on a low heat for 8/10 min, flip it over through half the time, you want it to be medium brown n crispy on the outside. When done cut it into rectangles with a sharp knife. Alternatively you can crisp up the bread in the oven at 180 with a tbsp of oil to coat them or skip the oil completely, they will take about 10 minutes, keep an eye on them.

3. In a mixing bowl place the rocket leaves, cucumber slices, the gherkins, half of the chunky potatoes with the onion slices, the pomegranate seeds, then whisk the yogurt with honey and the brine until smooth, add to the ingredients in the bowl and coat with the yogurt, then add salt, rock salt n black pepper, after that scatter the roasted n crushed pistachios all over and then the croutons and rest half of the potatoes and serve immediately, if you are serving it later, don’t add the croutons n rest half of the potatoes n the pistachios, they will get soggy, add when you are ready to eat.

You are done and now it is time to taste, n it is going to be an explosion of flavors in your mouth, its bold n its addictive, I love the moment when the pomegranate jewels burst in each bite, so very delicious, share it with your loved ones, pack yourself this as lunch for work or afternoon snacks and modify as you wish. Bon Appétit.