Brinjal Chutney With Rice Conjee

As far back as I can remember Good Friday has been associated with Brinjal Chutney and Ganji (double boiled rice) as the Mangaloreans call it.  At least in my mother's house.  Back then, we hated going vegetarian at any time and the Good Friday  tradition really took the cake.  Lent was associated with vegetarian food and there was no respite.  Our protests were in vain as my mother firmly wielded the culinary baton and  insisted on this year after year.  Over the years our grumblings ceased and I continued this tradition after I got married and had my own family.  Sometimes we skipped the rice ganji  and had the chutney with bread and butter.  Mmmmm.  And shall I tell you a secret...it's actually quite tasty and enjoyable.  Add a blob of ghee and a crushed pappadam or two and this simple Good Friday Dish is transformed into comforting soul food!  

The Recipe:        

Ganji (Rice Porridge) or Rice Conjee:  1 cup boiled rice and 6 cups water.  Wash the rice three to four times in running water and pressure cook in 6 cups water for 20 minutes till soft.  Add salt and keep warm.

Brinjal Chutney:  1 large purple brinjal; 1/4 coconut, grated; 2 green chillies, halved; 1 onion, sliced; 1/2 inch ginger; 1 large clove garlic; salt to taste and oil for seasoning.  

Roast the brinjal on a wired pan (see photograph) on a slow fire, turning every 5 minutes until the skin is black and the brinjal reduced in size.  You can use the oven too, but the fire gives a better taste.  Cool and peel off the skin.  Fry the onions, ginger, garlic, coconut  and slit chillies in 1 teaspoon oil.  Cool.  Grind with the brinjal to a smooth paste.  Garnish with a slit chilli and some grated coconut.  Serve with hot Ganji                                                                  before going for the 3 hour Friday Lenten Service!

Serene's Tuna Bake

Quick Baked Tuna

A few years ago we were invited to a friend's house for lunch and were served a delectable appetiser.  I was really surprised to learn how quickly it could be made.  It's a great dish to make when unexpected guests turn up. And it goes a long way.  Make extra and save it for a lazy day.   This is how you make it.

The Recipe:  

1 can tuna flakes in brine, drain and keep; 1 large tomato, chopped fine and drained of all liquid; 1/2 green capsicum, diced; 1 large onion, minced; a few coriander leaves, chopped; 1/2 cup curds; a handful potato chips, crushed; 2 spring onions, minced; 2 green chillies, minced; 1 tsp ginger garlic, minced; 50 gms grated cheese; 1/4 cup breadcrumbs.

Mix all the ingredients (except breadcrumbs) together and put into oiled pie dish.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs over and bake at 150 C for 20 minutes or until brown. .  Garnish with more coriander leaves before serving.
 Serve with crusty bread and soup.

An Unlikely Combination

CHORK

This is a recipe that my sister Anu painstakingly copied nearly three decades ago into my Mum's recipe book.  Those were the days before the internet and recipes had to be written by hand and treasured and stored carefully.  When we first read it we thought it an Unlikely Combination.  Last month while going through Ma's cookbook we came across this recipe and decided to make it.  It was a culinary adventure and a gastronomical delight.    Why don't you try it?  You may be as surprised as I was.

The Recipe:

1 large chicken, cut into bits; 1 kg pork, cut into bits; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 8 cloves garlic, crushed; 1/2 cup vinegar; a few coriander and mint leaves; 3 tsp oil; 1 cup water; 1 1/2 cups thick coconut milk; 4 large onions, sliced.

Marinade the pork with salt & pepper, garlic, vinegar and mint, coriander leaves. Leave aside for 30 minutes. Remove pork and put chicken in the same marinade for 15 minutes .

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and fry half the onions golden brown. Add the marinaded pork and brown all over. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook 20 minutes.
Fry the remaining half of the onions in a nonstick pan  in 2 tsp oil. When golden brown add the chicken and brown all over. Add 1/4 cup water and cover and cook till tender on a low fire. Add the pork to the chicken and simmer for five minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, add salt to taste and bring to the boil. Remove and serve hot with plain white rice.

Leftover Surprise

SHEPHERD"S PIE

This is the dish to make when you have leftovers and want to relax after a day's work.  In our house Mince is a hot favourite and the dish is usually scraped clean with bread or chappathis.  So Shepherd's Pie is a project in itself.  I always make double and freeze half, so that I can take it out of the freezer and use on a holiday or when we have unexpected guests.

The Recipe:

250 gms mince; 100 gms mixed vegetables like peas, diced carrots and corn kernels; 2 large flakes garlic, minced; 1 large onion, minced; 2 stalks of celery with leaves, chopped; coriander leaves and spring onions, chopped; 1 inch piece ginger, minced; 2 green chillies, minced; salt to taste and oil for cooking; cheese (optional) for garnishing.
For Topping:  2 large potatoes boiled.  Mash with 1/4 cup low fat milk.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and keep aside.
Wash & drain mince.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and stir fry the onions, celery, ginger, garlic, spring onions, chillies and coriander leaves till onions are glazed.  Add the mixed vegetables ans stir fry for 2 minutes.  Now add the mince and cook till brown.  If too dry add 1/4 cup water, salt to taste, bring to the boil and remove from fire.  Transfer to baking dish and spread evenly.  Top with a layer of mashed potato and dot with cheese.  Bake at 180 Degrees C or until cheese is melted and brown.  Serve hot with bread or chappathis.  

Simply Delicious

Chicken Crumb Chop

This is a recipe that is easy, tasty and ready within minutes.  I usually make it when I am pressed for time.  It can be made with chicken or any other meat including fish.  So make it all and select your favourite.

The Recipe:

3 fillets(150 gms each) chicken breast, washed, drained and flattened with a meat mallet; 1 cup bread crumbs; salt & pepper to taste; 1 tbsp vinegar; 1 large egg; oil for shallow frying.

Beat the egg lightly with the vinegar and salt and pepper.  Dip the fillets in the egg, roll in breadcrumbs and shallow fry both sides until golden brown.  Serve hot with tomato sauce and a salad and garlic bread or with dhal and rice.

Forever Shake

Strawberry- Dragon Fruit Breakfast Delight

What a way to start the day!  With a delicious strawberry- dragon fruit shake mixed with French Vanilla and Protein and soy milk or low fat milk.  I drool just thinking about it.  This has been my breakfast since January 2006 and I love it.  So does my family.  We all have our favourites and mine is French Vanilla with all the trimmings  What a wonderful way to eat delicious and look delicious!

The Recipe:

250 ml low fat milk or soy milk- cold or low temperature(heat destroys nutrition); 2 tbsp (25gms) French Vanilla nutritious soy powder; 1 tbsp F3 - protein powder; 1/4 dragon fruit and 5 strawberries.

Blend together with or without ice.  About 300 calories.  What is important is that it is a complete meal with 55 nutrients, energises, manages weight (lose/gain/maintain) and absolutely addictive.  My favourite for sure and my Forever And Ever Shake.

New Year's Chicken

Ma's Roast Chicken

Christmas and New Year are an occasion to join with family and close friends and eat comfort food. One of my favourite recipes is Ma’s Roast Chicken which we would beg her to make time and again. Invariably our Christmas or New Year Menu would include this and over the years it has become a firm favourite with my family too. However this year I included sweet potatoes along with the vegetables and it was a roaring hit. Happy 2013 and let’s drink to this year being a prosperous, happy and healthy one.

The Recipe:

1 medium chicken (1.5 kg), skinless and jointed, wash and drain; 1 cup mixed vegetables like carrots, French beans, cabbage boiled; 1 tbsp minced ginger garlic; few coriander leaves, chopped; 3 medium onions, sliced fine; 1 corn on the cob, cut into three pieces; salt and 2 tbsp olive oil for cooking.
3 sweet potatoes, skinned, washed and pressure cooked for two minutes. Mash and keep aside for serving.
Heat olive oil in large pan. Stir fry onions till transparent on medium heat. Add ginger garlic and fry till fragrant. Add the chicken and cook till meat is seared all over. Transfer to pressure cooker , add ½ cup water, corn and salt and cook for two minutes after the whistle. Cool and serve with sesame seed sliced bread, mixed vegetables and mashed sweet potato. A veritable feast and a good way to start the New Year. To Life, to life!  Prosperity, Peace And Good Health.