South Indian Egg Curry

Here is a recipe I came up with as great way of using eggs in South Indian food. The combination of onions, curry leaves and hot chillies are intoxicating! Makes a great cold day meal.

To make into a paste:
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 branches ( approx 20) curry leaves
5 dried red chillies
1 inch piece ginger, sliced
3 Indian green chillies
5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder

For the Curry:
5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 large potato, sliced in wedges
1 cup frozen peas
1-1/2 cups coconut milk
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp curry leaves, finely chopped

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan and fry all the paste ingredients; the cumin seeds, red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida, garlic and ginger for about a minute. Add the onions in and fry on medium-high heat until they turn translucent and light brown. Add this mixture into a blender, add 1/2 tsp salt and grind to a paste using needed coconut milk(about 1/2 cup). Make the paste smooth (pourable consistency) and set aside.

Heat the remaining 3 tbsp butter in a pan and add mustard seeds. As soon as it starts spluttering add coriander powder and turmeric powder. Fry for a few seconds, stirring continuously. Now add the potato wedges and stir well to coat them with the spice mix. Add some salt and fry on medium-high for a few minutes, until it turns golden brown. It doesn’t matter if it’s still not fully cooked.

Now add the ground paste to the potatoes in the pan and mix again. Let this cook for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. At this point, pour in the remaining cup of coconut milk and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Pour about 1/2 cup of water to make it more gravy-like. Add the frozen peas, let this cook for another 10 minutes. Simmer the sauce till the potatoes are cooked and the gravy has become thick. If it seems too thick, add the needed water to thin it out and add salt to taste (if needed).

Gently immersed the halved boiled eggs in the sauce. Make sure the eggs are fully coated and immersed in the gravy. Simmer the eggs in the sauce for 10 minutes. Sprinkle more chopped curry leaves on top and Serve with hot rice or idiyappam ( Indian rice noodles).

It also goes great with rice. If you are not going to serve the curry immediately add the eggs in just before you are ready to serve.

Kale and White Beans in Chilli Garlic sauce

I came up with the recipe last night because I really wanted to make a dish with the Kale I had in my refrigerator. I was a bit short on ingredients, so I decided that I was going to make a simple, quick and easy yet flavor packed dish. I added the white beans because , I thought the creamy white beans will work well with the crisp and fresh tasting Kale. And guess what? It really did! The combination was unbelievable and the chilli garlic sauce takes it to a whole new level ! It’s my new favorite and I’m surely going to be making it often.

2 bunches Kale, Only the leaves stems removed
1 can White beans with it’s liquid
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 serrano chillies, slit lengthwise
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Heat the oil in a skillet and when it’s moderately hot (not smoking and scalding) add in the Serrano chillies and sautée it for a few seconds. Then add in the garlic and the red chillies and fry for a few more seconds just until the red chillies turn deep red. Make sure u have moderate heat or the garlic will burn.

Add in the white beans with all its liquid to the pan. Add salt and let it cook on medium-high heat for 2 minutes. The bean liquid will combine with the chilli garlic oil to make a thick white sauce with the beans in it. If the bean mixture is too thick and sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a few tablespoons of water to think it out.

Add in the kale to the pan, Mix it well making sure the beans don’t settle to the bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover it. Let it cook for 5-8 minutes until the kale totally wilts. Open and mix again gently without mashing or breaking the beans. Taste for salt and add anymore if needed. Cook it uncovered for another 5-8 minutes adding water if required. Once all the excess liquid in the pan has been absorbed, remove from heat and serve.

Spicy Spinach Pasta With Garlic And Basil

This is one of my favorite flavor combinations. The olive oil, garlic, basil and red chillies all married together is just a party in your mouth!

1 pound spinach pasta (any type is fine, I used fettucini)
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 bag fresh baby spinach (Approx. 3 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp dried red chilli flakes
1  cup water from cooking the pasta
2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 tsp salt 

Cook the pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to same pot.

Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2  of the chopped basil, spinach, garlic, salt and red chilli flakes, stir for a few minutes until the spinach wilts. Add the pasta cooking water and boil until slightly reduced, about 7 minutes.

Add this mixture, remaining 1/2 cup basil, and 1 1/2 cups cheese to pasta. Toss over medium heat until the sauce coats pasta. Add more water if pasta is too dry.  Transfer into a serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bok Choy with Onions

4 tbsp whole roasted peanuts
1 tsp red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
1 large bunch of bok choy
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 tsp minced ginger
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch mixed in 3 tbsp water
1 cup chopped cilantro

Heat a teaspoon of peanut oil for about 1 minute and add in the peanuts, pepper flakes pinch salt. Set aside.

Slice the stems off of 1 bunch of bok choi, and cut them into ½ inch pieces. Leave the leaves whole, or if they are very large cut in half crosswise. Heat the rest of the oil until very hot(smoking) then add the onion and ginger and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the bok choi stems and leaves and stir-fry until wilted and glossy, about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and cornstarch mixture and cilantro and stir-fry for another minute. Add the peanut mixture and serve warm.

Inspired and adapted from Helsing Farm Junction.

Sambal

Sambal is a condiment used in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines, and Sri Lanka. They are made from a variety of peppers, although hot chili peppers are the most common. Sambal is used as a condiment or as a side dish, and is sometimes substituted for fresh chilis and yes they are lethally spicy!

There are ateast 10 different types of sambals depending on the slight variation of ingredients. The standard base for the sauce is made from Chili peppers, garlic,salt, sugar, onions, lime juice and the other ingredients vary from tomatoes to Shrimp paste and sometimes tamarind.

Sambal oelek or sambal ulek  is the most basic, common form. It ofcourse goes best with any Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese or Malaysian cooking.

25 fresh red chillies
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp salt

Wash the chillies and remove the stems. Roughly chop the chillies(including all the seeds). All the chillies, salt and vinegar to a blender and purée it. This needs to be refrigerated.

Harissa

Harissa is an Algerian, Libyan and Tunisian hot red sauce or paste made from chilli peppers(often smoked) and garlic, often with coriander, cumin, and/or olive oil. It may also sometimes contain tomatoes. It somewhat resembles sambal(when made without meat) and chili sauce. One well-known and expensive variety, “rose harissa” also includes rose petals.

Want to make your own ? Here’s my version (inspired from the original North African version)

10-12 dried red chili peppers, stems removed.
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 tsp lemon juice

Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes and drain. In a food processor combine chili peppers, garlic, salt and olive oil and blend. Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste. Store in airtight container. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top to keep fresh.