TOMATO YOGURT MICROWAVE MADE CHICKEN

I DID NOT EXPECT SUCH AMAZING RESULT FROM AN EASY MADE CHICKEN CURRY!

Few months back whilst scrolling my photo album, I discovered a chicken feature made last year or early this year! After much of hesitation, I deleted the pictures! I felt the spices did not mingle well with the meat & curry, given it was a quick curry made in the microwave oven! But I had on my mind to cook it sooner, with the same ingredients and using the microwave method! That I did last to last Saturday & enjoyed the chicken curry until yesterday afternoon! Light meat curries, chicken or mutton sets my mood! Like I wasn't that happy with the thick mutton curry I cooked last Saturday for our guests! The problem is I fear the raw smell, I did not use much of oil or spices, just that I tend to over cook the mutton for long hours, the fat melts & the gravy gets oily & thick!

I WENT FOR AN EARLY LONG WALK TODAY!

I was back home by 1 pm, dot! I have no plans to eat out today & tomorrow! Hence, I finished off with the out door walk pretty early as per my schedule! Usually, people go for morning walks, in this island any time is a good time to go for walks or run, they love running! I just wish to take part in walkathons but there are only races happening throughout the year! Running caused me knee injury, my last participation in a race was in December, 2019! I go too slow, almost walk & finish a half marathon in nearly four hours, no point of going! I cannot stress or push myself, I fear injury, even death! I dislike working in the gym, feels claustrophobic! I enjoy long walks & swim, in my own slow pace! I walked 7.5 km today, that could have been fine if my tongue remained in my control! I just love food! Anyway, I had a fulfilling walking session in my own pace, happiness is to know no one was there to force me with anything! We love our freedom at this home, I enjoy such clicks too!

I wish I could grow them & that home is supposedly my dream home, I want it in my dream alone! I am a panicky self, even if the man buys one such, I cannot stay! 50% of fear is of burglary & 50% of the haunted witches & ghosts! At this time, I have no qualms about not owning a home here, that phase has passed away! As long as the son scores good & remains firm with his aspirations, mumma wants to keep cheering him! She wants him to get a good job, settle in a peaceful place, scenic but have the home near the city centre, have green space at his home which essentially would not be in a secluded place! His parents are not comfortable about living in big areas with scattered homes, neither they want the same for him! We would discuss with him all of these as & when required, no hurry, one thing at a time! Of course, if his partner does not agree with us, we would not interfere!

WHAT IS THIS TOMATO YOGURT MICROWAVE MADE CHICKEN?

See what I & Cristine had for our lunch, the maximum are leftovers from last Saturday! The egg & potato spiced rice was made this morning for the man's lunch box & packed with chicken kebab, also Malpua! 

I so much keep eating outside, I am feeling home bound these days! After a walk or a swim, I am preferring to eat at home, may be twice or thrice a week I would eat outdoor! The thing is, when I eat alone outside of home, I try to keep the budget within 7-9-10$! In such a scenario, your choices get narrowed, I have almost covered everything within this budget that suits my tongue! Now what? At home, I do enjoy playing with ingredients, make lame videos of the steps! You have to remain engaged in some fruitful job, I will not allow myself to sit idle! This non-vegetarian meat recipe, TOMATO YOGURT MICROWAVE MADE CHICKEN had been an impromptu idea! I mean we keep doing chicken with yogurt & tomato, at times adding turmeric or at times without it, at times using yogurt alone or tomato alone, besides other ingredients! I have never tried a microwave version! I only depended on a rough idea about what I want of it; a light curry base chicken using a little amount of oil! The stepwise pictures would say how simple a gluten-free chicken curry it is!

Few other meat recipes from this blog are : EASY STEAMED CHICKEN, BEET GAJOR ALOO DIYE PATHAR MANGSHO, CHICKEN PRAWN VEGETABLE SOUP

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : 1 KG MEDIUM CUT

SLICED ONION : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

SLICED TOMATO : 7-8 PIECES

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 4-5

GARLIC PASTE : 1 TBSP

GINGER PASTE : 2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 1/2 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 1 OR 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE : 

Wash the chicken pieces well under the running water! I do not have to struggle to get water, I would not understand what scarcity of water is! I may sound like Nero but the thought of having non-veg food at a normal place does not excite me, did they clean the meat & fish properly? I will cook at home, I have a help!

Marinate the washed chicken with enough salt for an hour, wash thoroughly a couple of times! This helps get rid of the raw smell!

Add all of the ingredients except for the washed & slitted green chillies to the chicken taken in a microwave proof bowl! Of course, we would wash the sliced onions well!

Fold in well & keep covered for an hour! Thereafter place the bowl in the microwave oven, cover it with a microwave proof plate. Microwave at 300 power for 10 minutes. Take out and stir well!

Again microwave at 300 power for 12-13 minutes, take out and give a stir!

Add the slitted green chillies, stir & microwave at high for 10-12 minutes! We should be done! 

We can enjoy it with both plain rice & chapati, even toasted bread!

 

VEG STUFFED PUFF ROLL

AM I TIRED TODAY?

Not really, that is what I keep telling people! With someone to help as much as Cristine, the Catholic does, you need not feel tired! Moreover, I enjoy cooking & consider holy this service to the Almighty from time to time! What makes me feel good is that my men never stops me from holding such prayer meets at home! That helps you doing everything with a scot-free mind & doubled energy! The son used to enjoy the "bhog platter" made on each religious occasion, never did show any disrespect to such "good food"! The term used to be significant at this home! He never had been a big eater but enjoyed a variety of food items served! The littler would say both of the grandparent's home would serve him "good food" from time to time & that he loved it! Mumma would also do that! All of us in the family tried so he does not miss his father much! But in the growing up period, a child needs both parents equally! After re-locating to this island & starting to stay together, our son underwent a lot of behavioural changes, calming down was the most visible! He still is different from other kids, like his mother he does not like socialising way too much, like his father he dislikes to be bothered & instructed! But mumma wants him to be nice to people without allowing himself to be used, cheated, dishonoured! Is mumma a bit off to see her baby can manage everything without her? Yes, in a sense, but it is also true he had to learn what is required to learn!

HOW WAS MY DAY TODAY?

I did not go out today, usually after an "all cooking day", I prefer lying lazy on my couch all day! I would not go out of the boundary wall, today was a good day to swim! I also worked in the tiny green area, gave away two plants to a neighbour who like us know how to respect boundaries, are articulate! We do not see anything excess in them! I am okay with it because I fear breakage in relationship; wherever I mingled way too much, the relationship soured because I am too judgmental & hyper sensitive! You have to have 3-4-5 families around you with whom you have good vibes! After giving away the plants, the rest of my green now can breadth well at least! I do not know how to get the right care for them, but this particular one survived & is flowering after sustaining near death few times!

I do not know why my curry leaf plants are never healthy! I read somewhere they like butter milk to be poured in the soil! At times, I too like "moru curry"! I wish to wrap up quick today, have some engagement in the evening! It is 5:45 pm local time now! 

I discover so many things on my walk that immediately transports me to my childhood! Do click such pictures & develop a written piece on it! If such is my choice of things, it is understood I am not so keen about going out in groups, comes along a lot of complication! Moreover,  if it is a girls alone group, I would stay at far! But at intervals, I enjoy going out with Miss.W & Piyali or call them home, our relationship has nothing to do with our social media activities! I would always want to freak around with T and the son; let us see if after graduation the son goes with us to the Niagara Falls or not! Mumma feels too very thirsty, then you do not get the best of both worlds in one life!

WHAT IS THIS STUFFED PUFF PASTRY SNACK?

I actually wished to prepare a puff pastry samosa, but keep failing to prepare a triangular pocket with puff pastry sheets, we are used to doing "maida shingara" from the scratch! Yesterday morning, I think I saved a similar video, shall try the shape later watching it! I cannot follow a cooking video, I prefer reading! Lifestyle blogs, no please! I have the energy of watching only the interesting movies & documentaries! I cannot cook under stress, hence, went ahead with the easiest shapes with a vegetarian, spicy potato, corn, green pea stuffing for this homemade snack VEG STUFFED PUFF ROLL! Actually, I used to buy frozen puff pastry sheet samosa packets whose filling I found bland, you cannot get anything better at that price; so I made my own filling with lots of spices, corns, green peas, off course potato! The outcome is awesome, trust me!

 INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE FILLING]

BOILED POTATO :  OF 2-3 BIG POTATOES

SWEET CORN : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

GREEN PEA : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP

CORIANDER SEED : 1/4 TSP

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

DRY RED CHILLI : 1-2

KULAMBU SPICE MIX : 1/2 TSP [YOU CAN USE ANY SPICE MIX]

DRY MANGO POWDER : 1 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2-3 TBSP

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE VEG STUFFED SNACK]

THE SPICED UP FILLING

THE PUFF PASTRY SHEET

WATER A LITTLE

OIL TO BRUSH

MICROWAVE OVEN

PROCEDURE :

I have crushed together the coriander & cumin seeds, dry red chillies!

I did mash well the potatoes Cristine boiled & washed the green peas, corns & the chopped green chillies!

In the 2 tbsp heated oil, I added the crushed spice mix, gave a stir & added the green peas, sweetcorns, green chillies, the kulambu spice mix & the turmeric!

I stir fried for 3-4 minutes & added the boiled & mashed potato, folded in well!

I added the salt, dry mango powder; folded in well & kept stir frying for 7-8 minutes!

Once done, I transferred it to a plate!

I did get this brand of pastry sheet pack from the Fair Price Xtra. I used two sheets for one stuffed roll!

This is how I did the stuffing & roll, the ends are to be sealed using water!

I made one & Cristine the rest! You need not refrigerate or freeze them or you can! I froze them for 2-3 days & took out 3-4 hours before oven cooking them!

You can deep fry them or oven cook like me brushing a little of oil! I greased the oven proof plate with a bit of oil & placed the rolls atop it! I brushed them with oil!

I had at first placed the low height wired stool inside the convection oven & atop it the plate! One side I cooked in microwave+grill mode for 10 minutes, turned over & cooked in the same mode for 6-7 minutes! You can bake them instead!

They may not look perfect but were perfectly crisp!

They remained crisp for longer period and that made me happy! Happy snacking!

OVEN COOKED NIMKI

 

I DO NOT GO TO WORK; YET SOMETHING OR THE OTHER KEEPS ME OCCUPIED!

That I think is good; else I eat up T's head, also call the son a hundred times or keep texting! Neither of the two would take me seriously, I get restless! I never discuss all these with the mother, at this age they need not be bothered in every matter, neither over phone you can make people understand your worries! Certain worries are entangled with some pleasure, those are the most difficult feelings to explain to people, even to your own mother or in-laws. I am happy the son is attending an university of choice; also worried to the hell about his wellbeing! The elderly beings have their own physical challenges, we should bother them less! This morning I thought let me finish off some pending jobs, trivial but required! I had to go to the Hougang area to get rid of my grey excess hairs, I was looking unkempt for the past fortnight! I was determined I would not walk to the Hougang Central today! I wished to carry some home cooked food for the staffs there, I am going to Kushi's at Hougang for 12 years now. Each time the Indian staffs leave, I feel sad! Bhavna, Bhumi, Aruna suddenly left; the ongoing month they served me, then the next month I get to hear they left for India or elsewhere! Because I always walk there, I take for them some fruits, store bought cakes they refuse as most of them have eggs! Today, I cooked for them "Porota o Sujir Halwa"; danced for some 40 minutes, shampooed my limp hair, did the afternoon prayer a bit early and took the MRT to Kushi's. The bubbly Punjabi girl Monica wasn't there, I asked her flatmates to take a portion for her! She is the one left from the old batch of Indians, the rest are Tamil-Indian Islanders or Malaysian Indian, also nice!

This attachment thing kills me, is it only the weaklings who have it? Then, I keep watching the crime thrillers; but the Indian ones are not that severe! Yesterday, we were watching Duranga and the night before Akshaykumar's Cuttputlli! Duranga is a series, I think there would be a season-2 of it! I do not like to be left at an excited juncture! We hardly party these days, both of us do not like too much of crowd around us but at intervals we enjoy calling friends!

I CAN ALWAYS DISCUSS FOOD WITH YOU!

If yesterday, I told my readers the fresh Hilsa I got from Rajdhani may not be good, I have to take back the word; we had our lunch with "ilish-begun er kancha jhol & gathi kochi diye ilish mach er mathar torkari"; the later tasted like our mother's and I was happy! She would do taro root with prawns more that would taste lovely. The brother did not have seafood allergy earlier; yet prawns keep coming to our home! Even Bhai gets prawn for his wife and our mother! In T's parental home too, prawn comes for the rest although T's father has an allergy! 

Last night, I cooked some dosa & we had with pickles of choice, my mind was fixed at Duranga, going on at Zee5! I wish to talk more about it in a public post!

Although I made flatbread at home today and wished to have it too; I had to go out of home and had a hearty bowl of Tomyam Ban Mian soup which had meat, eggs, fried ikan Bilis fish, noodle. I love the tomyam flavour!

I am feeling a bit tired at this time, the mother made this hopeless out of me; pampering too much! People are doing many things at a time today; earning, gymming, cooking, partying! I enjoy only the internet and my couch! But we have to hold ourselves together firm, our feet cannot slip off! Untimely deaths hurt me too much! Do not stray or let negativity overpower you, my beautiful youth generation! What is hurting you, tell me!

WHAT IS THIS OVEN COOKED NIMKI?

Bengali Nimki is a fried salty refined flour biscuit snack kind which was always stored in our family! The mother did it in bulk and stored in a Horlicks or Viva or Bournvita or Complan's empty jar! For few years, I have this plan to prepare a healthier version of nimki / Bengali snack in the oven! The idea was to avoid deep frying in excess of oil! Some two years back, I tried it with gluten-free Ragi / Finger Millet Flour but they were not crisp enough! Yesterday, I used a combination of rice, finger millet, pearl millet, Sorghum flours in the dough, and got these oven cooked, crisp snacks; OVEN COOKED NIMKI! It is a vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian snack using oil as less as possible! See, I am having it with a sweet & spicy Bengali Mango Pickle at this time!

INGREDIENTS :

RICE FLOUR : 1 COFFEE MUG

RAGI / NACHNI / FINGER MILLET FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

JOWAR / SORGHUM FLOUR : 1/4 COFFEE MUG

BAJRA / PEARL MILLET : 1/4 COFFEE MUG

RED CHILLI FLAKES : 1 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1 TSP

NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEEREY : 1 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2TBSP + 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

At first, we would dry roast the rice flour for 3-4 minutes and add 2 coffee mugs of hot water in it!

We would stir a few times and take it down in a bowl! We would add the pearl+shorgum+finger millet flours +the red chilli flakes+the crushed black pepper+the nigella seeds +2 tbsp oil+1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt to it!

We would knead a dough when the rice flour water mixture is still warm!

Do not add too much of water, the dough would get unmanageable! Remember, we are working with gluten-free flours! Also, I forgot to add the nigella seeds in time; it emanates the very Bengali flavour from a fried snacks!

We would cover the dough for some 10-12 minutes; uncover and knead again for 2-3 minutes!

While rolling a portion taken from the dough, we need to dust the uncooked stuff with good amount of rice flour and also the knife!

I was finding it difficult to give them a shape, managed somehow!

We are to grease an oven proof plate generously with oil and place the uncooked cut pieces in a single layer! Placing them in a single layer is a must!

Thereafter, we would brush some oil atop them!

Mine is a convection mode microwave oven; I had placed the low height wired stand inside and the oven proof plate atop it, closed the oven door!

I cooked each batch for 10 minutes at the microwave+ grill combination mode!

Remember, each machine is different, the time required may differ!

Once done, we would keep them onto a tissue paper before keeping in a sterilised, dry container! It would remain crisp for a week, never to refrigerate it!

Have it with a choice of pickle alongside tea or coffee!