Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti

This Spaghetti dish with Shrimp is our family favorite and makes a great dinner without any fancy cooking. I just love garlic and use lots and lots of chopped garlic in this dish. You may adjust the amount of garlic as per your preference. Another unusual ingredient used in this dish is chopped coriander leaves. I was hesitant about using it initially but was quite surprised to see the outcome.  I urge all of you to try this combination to discover a completely new flavor.

Ingredients:

• Shrimp / Prawns - Medium size, 12-14
• Spaghetti / Noodles - 2 Packs
• Milk - 2 cups
• Garlic - 1, whole, peeled and chopped
• Chopped cilantro - 1/2 cup
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Grated Cheese - 1/3 cup
• Salt, Pepper to taste
• A dash of chili flakes

Cook the spaghetti following package directions and drain. Add a spoonful of olive oil and keep aside.
Place the butter and oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add the peeled shrimp with sprinkle of salt and pepper and stir for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp turns opaque. Transfer to a dish and keep covered.

In the same skillet, heat the garlic and after 30 seconds the cilantro. Add extra olive oil to the skillet if needed. Sauté for 2 minutes or garlic is just started turning brown. Sprinkle chilli flakes.

Add the milk, salt, and chili flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the grated cheese.

Add the shrimp and mix to incorporate. Cook for 30 seconds. Adjust the seasoning.

Add the spaghetti and mix to incorporate. Cook for 2 minutes or the milk is reduced.

Transfer to a serving dish and  Enjoy!

Dim Kasha - Spicy Egg Curry

This week is dedicated for Pritha from Guilt Free , who is a journalist by profession. A new comer in the blog front, ( she has started blogging since February 2014 ) her blog is a delightful experience in terms of content and photograph quality.  
I have tried one of her Egg recipe this time, which is a very common but extremely popular dish in Bengal. Its a dry curry, goes well with Roti / Paratha or even with Rice. Almost every bengali household has their own version of Egg / Dim Kasha, and all are equally delicious. Sharing the original recipe here. 

Ingredients:

• Duck Eggs. boiled - 3
• Onions - 2, sliced
• Tomato - 1, chopped  
• Green chillis - As per taste
• Baby Potatoes - 6,  parboiled
• Turmeric powder
• Red Chilli powder
• Cumin powder
• Coriander powder
• Ginger paste - 2 tsp
• Gralic paste - 2 tsp
• Mustard Oil
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Sugar - to taste

Rub the boiled eggs & baby potatoes with a little bit of turmeric, red chilli powder and salt and lightly fry them in a little bit of oil in a non-stick pan. Set aside.

In the same pan add onion slices and fry till translucent and soft. Add ginger and garlic paste and stir for a couple of minutes more.

Add the sugar and green chillis and continue stirring till oil separates. Now add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli, cumin and coriander powder and let the masala thicken. Add salt according to taste.

Add the fried eggs and potatoes now and mix well with the masalas. 

Add little water and let it boil for some time till potatoes are completely done.

Simmer for some 5-10 minutes till gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle garam masala powder and a dollop of ghee. Keep covered for 10 minutes.

Garnish with chopped green chilli and spring onion / coriander leaves and enjoy !!

Sending this entry to 'Know Your Bloggers 2014' event organised by 'Kolkata Food Bloggers'.

Potato with Egg and Green Chilli Salsa

You like Potatoes? You like Eggs? Then this is for you, one of the comforting dish, which can be made in a jiffy. Perfect for a sudden hunger pang. Or you may pair it with some toasted bread for a great breakfast too!!

Ingredients

• Potato - 1
• Oil - a few drops
• Black mustard seed - a pinch
• Cumin Seed - a pinch
• Garlic paste - a pinch
• Ginger Paste - a pinch
• Tomato - 1/2, chopped fine
• Green Chilli - 1/2, chopped fine
• Egg - 1
• Salt,Pepper, Turmeric powder
• Onion - 1/2, chopped fine
• Coriander leaves

Microwave the potato for 1.5 minute until just tender. Drain and cut into cubes.

For the salsa, mix half of finely chopped tomato, onion and green chilli. Add chopped coriander leaves if you like. Keep aside.

Fry the Egg sunny side up and keep aside.

Heat few drops of oil in a non-stick pan. Then add cumin seed and black mustard seed. Let them crackle then add the ginger garlic paste and fry quickly.

Add chopped tomatoes and salt, turmeric powder and pepper powder.Stir well. Then add the cubed potatoes with chopped green chilli. Cook for 5-7 minutes till potatoes are well coated with spice mixture. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves at the end and remove from heat.

Serve the potatoes topped with the fried egg. Spoon over the salsa and enjoy!!

Creamy Chicken Pasta with Carrot Puree

Ok, so this is another week of 'Know Your Food Blogger' event and this time it is Indrani Dhar who blogs from 'Recipe Junction'. I really look upto her as one of my inspiration, a mother of three who is raising her children beautifully and following her passion for cooking at the same time. Her blog has a good collection of my type of dishes, which I like the most and often refer to her blog to decide on our Sunday Menu. 
One thing I really love about her blog is, wherever possible, she adds some writeups on the key ingredients used and that way you get to know the benefits the dish imparts. 
I have decided to cook one of her Pasta recipes ( There are plenty). Our Saturday dinner is usually a bit special, since we could really enjoy our meal together as a family on Saturdays only, thanks to the busy schedule of all three family members. This dish is a complete one pot meal, I have added some boiled chicken breast to get some extra kick and used carrot puree instead of pumpkin, rest her recipe is followed blindly and our Saturday meal was fabulous.   
You may find the original recipe here. Please visit her blog and leave a note to appreciate her talent.

Ingredients

• Pasta of your choice
• Carrots - 1 1/2 cup, roughly chopped
• Boneless Chicken breast - 200 gms
• Green peas : 1/2 cup
• Garlic : 1 tbsp, finely chopped
• Flour : 1 tblsp.
• Butter : 1 tblsp.
• Milk : 1 and 1/2 cup
• Grated cheese : 1/3 cup, I have use Gouda
• Salt to taste
• Black Pepper to taste
• Red Chilli flakes : a pinch
• Dried Italian herbs : 1 tsp.
• Olive Oil : 1 tblsp.

Cook pasta in big bowl of water with 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. oil until al dante. Drain and set aside.
Boil carrots and peas until just done, then mash the carrot using backside of a spoon. Reserve the liquid. Marinate the chicken with a spoonful of vinegar and a pinch of salt for 30 minutes. Add chopped garlic in a frying pan where you have heated the olive oil. When it starts turning brown, add the marinated chicken and stir fry till almost cooked. 

Next add the mashed carrot and green peas.

Fry well with salt and pepper. Add the stock and let it get cooked till chickens are done thoroughly.

Increase the heat and let the chicken veg mixture dried up. Remove from heat and keep aside.
For the white sauce, take butter in a pan, add flour, saute for a minute before it changes its color, then add milk in there.

 Mix well. Add  pepper powder.

Add grated cheese in the sauce. Stir the sauce until cheese melts well. 

Add the chicken vegetable mix and incorporate well. 

Next goes the cooked pasta. Keep the heat minimum or else the things will dry up. Add chilli flakes and herbs. Adjust the seasoning.

Cook for few minutes, if you feel the pasta is looking dry, you can add little milk in the pasta and cook some more.
Enjoy!!!

Sending this entry to 'Know Your Bloggers 2014' event organised by 'Kolkata Food Bloggers'.

Phulkopir Malaikari: Cauliflower in coconut milk

Here is this delicious Cauliflower recipe where the cauliflower is cooked in a coconut milk gravy. Adopted it from my fellow blogger Priyadarshini's recipe, this spicy, mildly sweet vegetable with a hint of coconut milk is super liked by my family members. Goes well with rice. You may also have it with Roti or Paratha. A pure Bengali delicacy, it's close cousin is the famous Prawn Malaicurry. 

Ingredients

• Cauliflower – 1 large
• Minced onion – 1 cup
• Minced garlic – ½ tsp
• Minced ginger – 2 ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Red chili powder –  1 tbsp
• Cumin powder – 1 tsp
• Thin/light coconut milk – 250 ml
• Salt to tast
• Sugar – 2 tbsp
• Mustard oil
• Ghee – 1 tsp
• Whole spices
• Cardamom
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Bay leaves
• Whole Dry Red Chilies
• Cumin – ½ tsp

Cut the washed cauliflower in large florets and in a bowl keep the florets immersed in water to which you have added a little salt and turmeric powder. Leave for a hour, drain, and rinse and the cauliflower once more.

Now heat mustard oil in a deep bottomed pan and toss in the cauliflower florets, sprinkle a pinch of salt  and fry until they are a deep golden.  Keep aside.

In another pan, heat 2 tbsp mustard oil and I tsp ghee. Once hot, add the whole spices. 

Once they splutter and exude their aroma, add the minced onion, fry a little then add garlic and ginger. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and a little sugar. Fry until oil separates.

In a small bowl make a paste with the turmeric, chili powder and cumin powder and a couple of tablespoons of water. Add it to the onion-garlic-ginger.

Fry until oil separates. Add chopped green chilli and a cup of hot water.

Add the fried cauliflower, stir well to coat the cauliflower with the spices. Cover and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes until cauliflower softens.

Add coconut milk and some more slit green chilies. Bring to a boil. Add salt and sugar to taste. 

Cook on medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Once oil begins to gleam around the edges, drizzle a little ghee and garam maala powder and take it off the heat. 

Serve hot with Roti or plain rice.