What a day I spent, yesterday! The day was started as usual. I woke up at usual time. I did the morning chores, except cooking, because I had a doctor’s appointment in the morning, and I didn’t want to have strong cooking smell all over me. My plan was to go some shopping after the appointment. I went to doctor , she told me every thing is fine and normal. I was relaxed and on my way towards Target supermarket. At that time the problem started. I found that my car indicating that it had only 80 miles fuel. That was fine, I was not going far. Then a big truck came in front of me, and I missed the signal where I supposed to take right. I thought, no problem, I would go all the way round on my usual route. I was on my way to Target, and in that particular target I never drove by myself.
When some very unrelated ingredients are available in the refrigerator, and in the pantry, then what to do? What is the easiest to do? The answer will vary from person to person. Somebody will love to go to restaurant, or take a home delivery. Somebody will like order some missing ingredients online. Somebody will like to avail the newest options which are currently available in the market. However, like an old-fashioned person I always love to improvise with whatever are available at home. When the other option are readily available why should I scratch my head to find out something new. I'm the person, who always like to do that. By this way I can cook same thing in different way. I'm not a chef, but I like to make new recipes. Some times it turns out good, some times not so good. Whenever, something turns out good, I always love to share that with you. Here is something like that.
It was a Friday. Mr. Man was leaving for office, and I asked him to come before lunch. There was no reason to come back home from office early. I told him, if he could come back early, he would get a enticing lunch. As soon as I told that, him readily agreed to come back hone early. After he left, I sat down to think, what could I cook. Actually I was not in the mood of cooking. Slowly I went back to kitchen. Standing in front of the kitchen window I was thinking, what on earth happened that I asked him to come for lunch. I raked my finger in my hair for some time. Then chicken kasha came into mind. I pulled back my hair, tied tightly with a clutch, and started my cooking.
Recently I’ve become very irregular in my blog. I’ve no particular reason for that. Actually, there is one reason. I’ve been thinking for revamping my blog for a long time, but I yet to sit and start that. Anyway, I missed post my “Five on Friday”. Friday I was not feeling well, and on the weekend I was too much preoccupied with two books. I wanted to finish both of the books, and I succeeded in that. Otherwise my week was overall good. In past 10 years, for the first time I went to movie with my girlfriends.
Finding out different recipes of chicken everyday is very difficult to me. But, Mr. Man and kiddo need chicken almost everyday. So, the other day while browsing Facebook, I got to see a picture of shredded chicken dish. Then the idea of cooking shredded chicken came into my mind. I just think about some recipe in mind, and came up with it.
Here is the recipe:
One pound boneless skinless chicken thigh (you can use breast also)
One medium sized onion
One tsp ginger paste
Two tsp garlic powder (or two-three garlic cloves, smashed)
Five-six cashew nuts
Two tsp poppy seeds
One fourth cup raisins
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
One tsp wine vinegar
One tbsp oil
Salt to taste
In a big pan take the thigh or breast pieces (If you are using chicken breast, then cut into big chunks). Add salt, and garlic powder(or smashed garlic). Bring into boil. Boil until the chicken is done, covering the pan. Let it cool down.
In the meantime finely chopped the onion. Heat oil in another pan in medium. Add the chopped onion. Fry onion until soft, stirring occasionally. Add ginger paste, and mix well.
Scoop out the chicken pieces, in a bowl. Save the stalk. Shred the pieces using two fork. (Hold each pieces by inserting one fork into it, and shred with the other.) Add the shredded chicken in the onion. Mix well, cover the pan. Keep the heat in low medium.
In a mixer make a fine paste on cashew, poppy seeds, and raisins, with a little water. Add the paste into the chicken. Mix well. Add the remaining stalk of the boiled chicken,salt, wine vinegar, and cook until the gravy becomes thick. Switch off the stove. Add freshly grated nutmeg. Serve hot with roti (Indian tortilla)or rice.
First of all I don’t now whether I can call this dish as Kadhai Chicken (Chicken inWok). Why the dish is specially known as Kadhai I have no idea. Anyway, I cook this dish in my own way, and the taste was so good, that I cannot resist myself sharing with you my friends.
Sunday was not a day for me. Actually, all started from Friday, and Saturday, was the busiest , craziest, and funniest day ever. My son went to participate Odyssey of the Mind. It was long day. Early in the morning I took him to swim class.
The evenings always make me happy. After finishing all chores I sit down on the carpet of the living room with a big mug of tea, the Indian Chai in the early evening. It always gives me some inner peace. If somedays when I cannot do the same, I feel restless from inside.
Once I read one recipe of chicken with fennel bulbs. At that time I didn’t buy fennel bulb, as I was little skeptical about it. However, I desperately wanted to cook chicken with fennel. Even two three times I controlled myself from buying fennel bulbs to my trips to Trader Joe’s. Lastly, in my last trip to there, I just shut my eyes, and picked up the fennel bulb box. After coming home I searched over internet for a recipe with fennel bulbs. I got many recipes, but somehow, I found that, whatever recipe I had been choosing, one or two ingredients were missing in my pantry. Lastly I just took some ideas, from those recipes, and cook something from my mind. The dished turned out good. We ate that with store bought pita bread, but you can also eat with brown or white rice.
What to do with the left over pulp of carrots after drinking the carrot juice. Everyday I face the same problem. I know easiest way is to just throw the residue. However, I always hesitate to do that. So, a big bowl of carrot reside was sitting in my refrigerator. I was thinking what to do with that apart from carrot cakes. Then I decided to mix that with ground chicken to make chicken-carrot meat ball. Even you can add grated zucchini, broccoli in the meat ball. Believe me , that will taste great. Here is my recipe.
Half pound boneless chicken breast
Two big florets of cauliflower
One small zucchini
One medium sized onion
One small carrot
One bell pepper ( I used an orange one. You can use different colored bell pepper. The dish will look colorful)
half tsp cumin powder
one fourth tsp. coriander powder
One tbsp. wine vinegar
salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Two tbsp. of oil
Method: (serving size 3)
This week the air is much better, and it is more clear. From this week we can start our usual outdoor activities. The remodeling job is going on full swing. The week was nice, and the weather is cool. First we decided to go to Half Moon Bay on Saturday to be in the Pumpkin festival . However, Half Moon Bay is far from our home, and we had to start very early in the morning to reach there , and to get a good parking. So, we decided to stay at home. Anyway, as I don’t like to on weekends, I decided to cook a simple chicken recipe.
Fish egg curry is one of the famous delicacy from eastern part of India. However, who never have never seen the fish egg, to him/her it can appear very gross. Fish egg looks very slimy , and blackish. The feeling while mixing it, may not be very pleasant. But, believe me, the cooked curry is so tasty, you will crave for it after having the cooked curry. Here, in the USA getting all the ingredients can be a little difficult. You need to go to some particular store to find the ingredients. Just like getting fish egg, you have to any grocery shop from Bangladesh. I’ve one Bangladeshi shop near my home. One day Mr. Man went there, and came with a packet of frozen fish egg. Truly speaking, though I love to eat fish egg curry, but I don’t like to cook it.
The weather has stared getting cooler, the sun shine has started getting softer, that means falls is coming. I’m eager to decorate my home with pumpkins, maple leaves, cornucopia, scarecrows, and many more. But, alas! Still now the end of remodeling job is far away. My rest of the house is a dumping ground now. 
Sometimes I feel to cook fish in some different way. I love to experiment just with a little twist. Simply changing few spices in cooking, can yield a great recipe. When I cooked salmon with coconut and tomato, it turned out to be a very satisfying comfort food. Here is the recipe.
I’m very bad in cooking egg curry. Past 10 years I’m cooking regularly, still I yet to master the art of cooking egg curry. I cannot satisfy Mr. Man with my egg curry, who is a man very much choosy about food. If he tells some dish is tasty, means that dish is real tasty. Anyway, I tried many types of egg curry, but the simple curry with onion and tomato never turns out that much delicious. So, the other day, I decided to cook in a different way. It was not anything exceptional, may be may people cook in that way.However, I never cooked in that way. For the first time I tried, and it turned out good. Now onwards I will cook in that way.
After spending a whole day in Legoland I was tired like a dog. I was dying to get out of Legoland, but kiddie and Mr. Man was still full of energy. Kiddie desperately wanted to ride the last roller coaster which was still left. I have a fear of roller coaster, so I waited outside when two of them went to ride. I just wanted to sleep on the bench. Anyway, our plan was to our friend’s house who lives 80 miles from there. Again it was another one and half hour drive. Tough I don’t drive on those long distance travel, still it was painful to sit back. We reached their place at 10 o’clock at night, the family greeted us warmly. Kiddie was feeling tired and hungry like starved hunter. When I could put the bags down at their home, I sighed in relief. Anyway, to fill our hungry stomach they arranged some hearty dinner. My friend cooked Rohu fish in mustard gravy. It was extremely delicious. I asked her the recipe. Today I’ve cooked salmon based on what she told to me.
Since past few days unusual bizarre things are happening in my house. First the strange sound from all pipes through out the house. One fine morning I was cooking and teaching my son simultaneously. First my son noticed the odd sound, which was like a distant sound of garbage truck. He repeatedly ask me from where the sound was coming. Every time I told him it was a distant garbage truck. However, after some time I went to garage, and I heard the odd sound very loudly, and realized that the sound was coming from my very own garage. I called my husband , and he found the sound was coming from the pipes. I searched on the Internet, and found the solution. Next two days were fine. Again on the fourth day heard that same sound. After much thinking we found out that, whenever the sprinkler on the front yard had been started the sound was coming. Then imperatively we called the plumber. He told that, the main valve of the water source was to be changed.
Actually I cooked this very dish long back. Probably I cooked during the months of December. I wrote down the recipe also. But the funny thing was that, I couldn't find the picture. Today while I was just browsing the pictures in my laptop, I suddenly have found out the photo. I quickly upload the recipe here for you.
Three eggs (or half carton of egg white)Two tbsp. all purpose flowerOne fourth cup milk Salt to tasteOil spray
For filling
5-6 mushrooms
One medium sized onion
One small tomato
2-3 cloves of garlic
Half cup cheese (I used shredded Mexican blend)
Salt to taste
Two tbsp. oil (I used olive oil)
