FILIPINO CHICKEN ADOBO

Chicken Adobo is a FILIPINO dish. Several sources say the FILIPINOS were already cooking adobo even before Spanish colonisation. Not to be mistaken with the Mexican adobo, this dish is uniquely prepared by stewing chicken in vinegar and soya sauce. This method is also considered as one of the earliest food preservation practice. {Sourced from WIKI} With Cristine at home, I do not need anyone else's recipe of Chicken Adobo!

I first tasted Chicken Adobo on board a ship. My husband being in the shipping industry, used to sail regularly until few years back. Though my sailing experience with him is less, it is an excellent idea to be on board with your spouse and kid / kids. Inside a ship, it feels like that of universal harmony, people of various ethnicity working together at one place in perfect coordination. Far from home for months, it seems a second home for all these hardworking guys. What average people say about them that they are all drunkards and have a wife at every port may be partly true. Fact is drinking on board has been banned for a pretty long time, they do miss their family madly. It is for their family that they accept such a hard  life. People lack empathy and can say anything, words are not taxable.

In general, on board you have FILIPINO cooks. I tasted a couple of their cuisine. They can cook other cuisines also with much élan as they have to cater to the taste buds of 30-35 crew members of different ethnicity 3 times at least everyday. So I consider them nothing less than an expert. As usual, by breakfast time I used to be at the galley to assist the cooks in my own will, in spite of my naughty husband ordering the chief cook not to allow me there. Chief got friendly with me and would request me to make roti which they were poor at. Well, I can proudly say I prepared 25-30 roti every night with their help. 

It was pleasure cooking for people far from home for months. I wish to write about this hard working, carefree bunch of people titled "LIFE AT SEA"....I have the right concoction of empathy, emotion and material, but I lack vocabulary or may be the flair for writing.

I found the FILIPINO CHICKEN ADOBO, the simplest of all recipes using few ingredients.

Recipe Courtesy : Our Cristine!

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : 500 gm
VINEGAR : 2 tbsp
SOYA SAUCE : 4tbsp[preferably the dark one, I used the light one]
GARLIC[minced] : 2 tsp

GINGER [minced] : 1/2 tsp
BLACK PEPPERCORN : 8-10
BAY LEAF : 2-3
SALT : as required
SUGAR : 1/2 tbsp
OIL : 3 tbsp
WATER : 2-3 cups

METHOD :

Wash the chicken and pat dry. Marinate with the minced garlic, vinegar, soya sauce, salt as required for about 2-3 hours.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the chicken pieces sans the marinade and stir fry for about 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat and add the marinade. Mix well and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add the bay leaves and peppercorns. After five minutes, add water, mix well and and cover. Simmer at low heat for another 10 to 12 minutes, add the sugar, stir and switch off. Its done.

Enjoy hot with piping hot steamed rice!

MUTTON PEPPER FRY

MUTTON PEPPER FRY.... thats what they called it in the restaurant. The memories of Cameron Highland tour is fresh on my mind including the variety of food we had there. Discovering the foodie in us, our tour guide took us to an Indian restaurant on the third day, the rest of the story is that of supreme gastronomical delight. 

After a tour of the tea estates and strawberry farms, we were quite hungry and perhaps ordered food for fifteen heads for the nine of us. What did we not have....had a fusion platter....practically had this Mutton Pepper Fry with Peta bread accompanied by hummus. Our kids are also growing up to be foodie demons like their parents. I would highly recommend this restaurant 'The Curry House'....if you visit Cameron Highlands some day.

Besides the other mouthwatering dishes, I particularly liked this mutton pepper fry because it tasted  different from the usual Bengal mutton curry. It was a busy working hour, we were in a hurry, so I could not talk to the chef and ask him the recipe secret which I wished to. Back home, I tried it my own way, tasted good my men said. The source of this recipe can be one of the Southern Indian mutton recipes, can be a Mysore Mutton dish.

INGREDIENTS :

Mutton : 500 gm[small cuts]
Lemon Juice : 6tbsp
Onion : 1 big
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Garlic Paste : 2tbsp
Black Pepper Powder[coarse] : 2tbsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Fennel Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Curry Leaves : 8-10
Bay leaf : 1
Red Bell Pepper : 1[optional]
Oil : 3tbsp

METHOD :

Clean and wash the mutton pieces. Marinate with half of the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, salt, turmeric powder for at least 4 to 5 hours.

Peel, wash, slice the onion. Cut the bell pepper into cubes and wash. Wash the curry leaves.

Pressure cook the mutton up to 3 whistles at medium to low heat. Once cool open the lid.

At this stage we will reserve the juice of the mutton in a separate bowl to be used in soups or in curries later. This dish does not require it.

Heat oil in a wok. Temper with the bay leaf. Add the curry leaves and sliced onions. Fry till the onions are golden brown.

Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste. Fry till the spices separate from the oil. Add the coriander powder and fennel powder. Give a stir.

Add the mutton now and fold in well. Lower the heat and cover. Stir every 3 minutes.

Remove the cover after 10 minutes, add the bell pepper pieces, black pepper powder and salt as required.

Fold in well. Cook covered for another 5-8 minutes until the remaining water dries.

It goes well with any type of handmade flat bread!

BHAPA SANDESH / STEAMED SANDESH

'ORE GRIHABASHI,KHOL, DWAR KHOL,LAGLO JE DOL,

STHALE JALE BONOTALE LAGLO JE DOL,
DWAR KHOL, DWAR KHOL.'

Above are the lines from Tagore's one of the famous songs about Holi....For Bengalis, today is Holi...we call Dol Purnima....for the rest of India...its tomorrow. The above lines call for all to open their doors and play with colours...for everywhere on this earth, the carnival of colours have started. Hope many of you know how merrily and colourfully it is played at SHANTINIKETAN....Tagore's abode of peace and harmony. A century back, he conceived of a different theory of education...where it would not be confined to the four walls of a classroom...but to be perceived in the nature's lap, bringing forth the hidden qualities of the students....they will learn what they wish to....hence his dream university came up....Shantiniketan with financial assistance coming from every corner of the world. Needless to say, many talents were it's alumni....from world famous sculptors to politicians to economists to scientists....singers, dancers. It is situated in the small township of Bolpur, West Bengal. There people flock in numbers to be a part of the Holi celebration through dance, drama, songs and gulal.....

You know about the magic of colours?...It paints you with happiness, merrymaking, erasing all of the pain if you have any. I had been to Shantiniketan, but not during the Holi Celebrations. I wish to be there once on this occasion, be a part of the merrymaking, I will when the last strand of my hair turns grey.

My childhood memories of Holi is not good. Our neighbourhood was not that congenial for a girl to play Holi. Yes, I mean it. I was brought up in a well guarded manner by our mother who never allowed me to play Holi outside, she was right doing that. 

After marriage, in my Kolkata neighbourhood, I really did enjoy Holi with lovely friends, neighbours, jalebi, "kachori-dum aloo" and yes bhang....tastes amazing. No, I would not put up the recipe of bhang today, nor of jalebi which I find difficult. 

I have gotten you an easy sweet recipe, BHAPA SANDESH. The introduction was getting lengthier, hence, did not put up the legend that goes behind the celebration of Holi.....may be next year. As of now let me put up a sweet recipe for Holi and gear up for the grand Holi Celebration at work tomorrow with a grand lunch spread! I first tasted Diabetic friendly steamed sandesh at Bharat Sweets, DumDum located opposite of Satyanarayan Mishtanna Bhandar.

INGREDIENTS :

Milk : 2 litres
Lemon Juice : 1/4small cup
Ice Cubes : 4
Sugar : 1/2 cup[small]
Green Cardamom : 1tsp
Pistachio : 6-7 [chopped finely]
Oil : 2drops

METHOD :

Let us prepare the chena or the cottage cheese at first. Pour the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and put on the gas stove.

Get the juice from the lemon. As the milk comes to boil, we will pour in the lemon juice added with a little of water.

The milk will curdle. Immediately we will add the ice cubes to prevent the cheese to harden further.

Once it cools, we will strain the cottage cheese through a clean white cloth. We will wash the chena / freshly made paneer to do away with the smell of lemon.

We will tie the cloth along with the chena and hang for at least 30-40 minutes, take down. This time I kept it in the strainer itself with a cover.

Thereafter, we are to  transfer the cheese into  a wide mouthed bowl or plate, add the sugar. Then, we would crush the cardamom seeds and add to the mixture.

We will start mashing, kneading with our palm until it smoothens and our palm gets oily. This will take about 8-10 minutes.

We will take a microwave proof container & grease with 2 drops of oil, add the cheese mix and spread evenly.

We will take another microwave proof container bigger in size and fill with water less than half of it, place the square container on it.

We will microwave at high for 10 minutes & rest for few minutes.

Once cool, we will turn it onto a plate. We will chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.

MINT CORIANDER RICE WITH GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS

This Mint-Coriander Rice is a new addition in my recipe list. I had it first at work....one of my colleague might have got it. The lunch time is very colourful for us at work....it seems as if all the states of India are represented at one place. It speaks of peace and harmony, where sweet pulao happily stands by tamarind rice, Dahi Vada holds hand with idly...sometimes there are also pastas and western desserts showcasing world cuisine. The foodie in me will obviously be happy about it.... I am happier when we have a potluck, its a visual treat sort of...about 25-30 variety of dishes get on display. The other day I had a good amount of Mint and Coriander leaves at home, I thought of preparing a fried rice with it. It is usually served with a vegetarian side but my men would prefer non-vegetarian sides. I had to think of a non-veg alternative. My men's love for meat made me settle on a sticky grilled chicken wings. The rice had a refreshening aroma and taste...with it the crisp and sticky chicken wings went well...Rice and Chicken....in one form or the other keep my family happy.... I am specially fond of Oriental style chicken.

INGREDIENTS : [for the Mint Coriander Rice]

Rice : 1 cup
Mint Leaves : 50 gm
Coriander Leaves : 100 gm
Green Chilli : 2
Onion : 1 

Crushed Black Pepper : 1/4 tsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 2 tbsp

INGREDIENTS : [for the Grilled Chicken Wings]

Chicken Wings : 10-12
Vinegar : 1 tbsp

Soy Sauce : 2 tsp

Honey : 1 tsp

Crushed Black Pepper : 1/4 tsp
Minced Ginger : 1/4 tsp
Minced Garlic Paste : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 1 tsp

METHOD :

Wash and boil the rice in enough water till 70-75 % done. Drain the water and transfer the rice to a colander. Let the water drain off.

For the rice, peel, wash, slice the onion. Make a paste with prewashed mint and coriander leaves along with the green chillies.

Heat oil in a pan,  add the sliced onions. Saute till translucent. Now add the mint- coriander pastes, add required amount of salt and the crushed black pepper, stir for a minute.

Add the rice. Stir at high heat for 3-4 minutes till each morsel of rice is well coated with the paste. Switch off the gas stove, it's done.

Wash the chicken wings, marinate with vinegar, crushed black pepper, half of the light soy sauce, salt. Keep aside for 2 hours.

Add together the chilli tomato sauce, rest of the soy sauce, honey.

After 2 hours, take the chicken pieces out from the marination. Add to them the oil, sauce mixture, fold in well. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour.

Grease a grill plate, arrange the marinated chicken wings atop it.

Mine is a convection mode microwave oven. I placed the high wired stool inside, kept the grill plate atop it.

I grilled them for 15 minutes. You can grill little more time for a charred look.

Serve and have the combo meal fresh and hot, get some salad too!

CARROT CAKE

On a weekend morning, waking up a bit late, watching the faces of your loved ones sleeping peacefully is happiness. An instant plan and a little effort are  required to see them enjoy the evening tea time. To see those happy faces one can bet upon anything, any amount of labour is welcome. Weekends demand some sweets / desserts to complete our meals or light up the evening tea table.

As in all my posts concerning cakes, I always remind all the readers who take the pain to stop by, that I am still a learner when it comes to baking. Since my men like home made cakes, I dare to venture in this arena more often these days. I explore through google, go through the easy ones and finally select one,  subject to the availability of the ingredients at home on that particular day.

Last week I was planning to prepare a cake over the weekend with a cream cheese topping. I have heard it tastes excellent. I had my sugar check done for the next one month. I could set loose myself a little. On a Saturday morning, I had quite a number of carrots, half a block of Butter Cup! There the idea of making a CARROT CAKE popped up. I prepared one for my men, the rest for our friends who love eating them even if  they are over baked at times.

This is a cake to beautify your  tea table. Believe me, it is soft, fluffy with a rich topping. I may not have been able to make it a state of the art one but their smile was genuine. That is enough reason for me to be happy.

INGREDIENTS :[for the cake]

Shredded Carrot : 2 coffee mug
All Purpose Flour : 1 coffee mug
Baking Powder : 1 tsp
Baking Soda : 2 pinch
Cinnamon Powder : 1tsp
Nutmeg Powder : 1/2 tsp
Sugar : 1/2 small tea cup
Oil : 1/2 small tea cup
Evaporated Creamer : 100-125 ml
Roasted Walnuts : 1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS :[for the topping]

Softened Butter Cup [at room temperature]: 150 gm
Icing Sugar : 4 tbsp
Vanilla Extract : 1tsp

METHOD :

Preheat the oven at 180 degree C.

Take the oil, sugar, evaporated creamer in a blender, blend well! Pour onto a bowl!

Add the flour mix little by little to the liquid mix through a strainer, stir well to get rid of any lump.  Add the vanilla essence and mix well!

The final mixture should be a little thicker batter.

Wash, peel, shred the carrots, add to the batter, stir well.

Grease your cake tin with little oil, then dust lightly with flour. Pour the batter until half of the tin. Mine is a convection mode microwave oven, I placed the low height stool inside & on top the cake tin with batter! I baked it for 33-35 minutes at 180*C. I had let it cool.

I had beaten together the butter cup & icing sugar for about 8-10 minutes.

Once the cake is completely cool, take out turning it upside down on a plate. Apply the frosting on top. I did it with my hand!

Enjoy it at your tea / coffee time or as an after meal dessert!

CHAR GRILLED STUFFED TOMATOES

I am diabetic; hence recommended to have vegetables, proteins; less of carbs. Being overweight, I need shed few kilograms. I am hunting for vegetarian recipes I may cook, have together with family members. Yesterday, I tried this recipe of Char Grilled Tomatoes.

Tomato is health loaded. I enjoy tomato pieces sprinkled with some salt, pepper. It is rich source of vitamins A, C, folic acid. It contains essential nutrients our body needs. Its beneficial properties makes it a must have in our daily diet [wiki]. I love this red, juicy, shiny fruit in salads, curries, chutneys. It enhances the taste, colour of any curry.

Yesterday, I didn't want rice, I was exploring internet for an alternative that would fill my stomach. I came through several recipes of grilled, baked tomatoes, bell peppers, I roughly followed one. 

Of late, I have developed taste for vegetarian food; having a lot of non-vegetarian food since childhood. Tofu is acquired taste for us; thought of using it as a filling to stuff tomatoes, grill them. I must con tofu with spices for my family to have! Within an hour, a healthy, tasty dish was made without compromise.

INGREDIENTS :

Tofu : 300 gm

Coriander Leaf : 2-3 sprigs
Green Chilli : 2
Carrot : 1

Potato : 1
Salt : As required
Black Pepper[crushed] : 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp

Cumin Seed : 1/4 tsp

Sugar : 1 tsp [optional]

Oil : 1tsp + 1tbsp 

METHOD :

Wash, chop green chillies, fresh coriander. Wash, peel, mince carrot & potato.

Heat a tsp of oil in wok, add cumin seeds, chopped green chillies. Stir, add minced carrot, potato, turmeric, salt. Stir cook until 90% done.

Hand crush tofu, add to wok! Add dry spices, little salt, cook for 7-8 minutes.

Add sugar, stir cook for a minutes. Add washed, chopped coriander, fold in well.

Transfer to plate!

Wash tomatoes; wipe, cut from top. Discard pulp, seeds. Marinate tomatoes with salt, oil. 

Stuff each tomato with filling. Place on an oven proof tray. 

Place grill stand inside oven. Grill for 15 minutes. 

Thereafter, I cooked on stove top taken in roti toaster for 3-4 minutes for better charred look!

Add few drops of lemon juice before having. Enjoy!

SWEET PULAO WITH SPICED POTATO

I was reading an article on how fast food is taking over home cooked food, specially during lunch hours at school, offices, everywhere. Really liked the read and agree with the timely input. I will not go into any argument here, but this ancient mother has only one question for the new age mothers....if this trend is repeated every day over the years, will it be good for their health? Is time and effort more important than our loved one's health? I know that little bit of time management can solve this problem. Our family is our priority and keeping them in good health is our responsibility.

At my home, the wiser person gets silly when it comes to taking lunch from home. Many things I have to listen everyday....his bag gets heavier carrying the lunch box, he feels awkward taking out the lunch box in front of all, that I am treating him  in the same league as his son, I am not giving him his space. Well I give a deaf ear to all these and do what I feel is right. I remember our mom packing the lunch for me while I was in college too. I used to get too little of pocket money so that I cannot eat outside food much. That generation parents did not believe in giving too much money to their kids.

Since my men eat very light breakfast saying they cannot travel with full stomach, I pack heavy lunch for them. My love for rice leads me to try n test all kinds of rice recipes on them. This SWEET PULAO  is Bengal favourite, goes with all kinds of spicy curries.... vegetarian / non vegetarian. I served it with a SPICED POTATO CURRY.

INGREDIENTS :[ for the pulao ]

Rice [Chinigura / Kalijeera / Gobinda Bhog] : 1 coffee mug
Oil : 2tbsp
Ghee [clarified butter] : 4 tbsp + 1tbsp
Cinnamon Sticks : 4 one inch
Green Cardamom : 4
Cloves : 3
Bay leaf : 3-4 [small]
Salt : As required
Sugar : 3 tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Cashew Nut : 10-12
Raisins : 12-15
Water : 2 1/2 coffee mug [of same size which measured the rice]

INGREDIENTS : [ for the potato curry ]

Potato : 4
Onion Paste : 4 tbsp
Garlic Paste : 1tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Green Chilli : 2 [slitted]
Cinnamon Stick : I one inch size
Green Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 2
Cumin Seeds : 2 pinches
Bay leaf : 1
Salt : As per taste
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Sugar : 1tsp
Oil : 2 tbsp

METHOD :

Wash the rice and spread on a newspaper! We need to dry the rice! Wash, peel and cut each potato into 4 pieces and apply little salt and turmeric to it. Wash, peel and slice the onions and slit the green chillies.

Heat 2tbsp oil and 3 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel. Fry the cashew nuts & raisins, take out!

Temper with the bayleaf, cinnamon, green cardamom and cloves. Add the rice grains! Stir continuously for 3-4 minutes at medium to low heat. They should not get brown but well coated with the ghee. Add the turmeric powder. Stir fry again for a pretty 5 minutes!

Add 2 1/2 coffee mugs of water and cover. Keep the heat at medium to low. Check occasionally. After 8-10 minutes, when the rice is almost done, add 1 table spoon of ghee, the fried cashew nuts & raisins. Shake well the vessel with the cover on it and switch off. Do not uncover, keep as it is for at least 15-20 minutes.

Let us do the Spicy Potato now, actually it is the Bengali Aloor Dum, the simplest & best tasted!

Wash, peel and cut each potato into 4 pieces and apply little salt and turmeric to it. Wash, peel and paste  the onions and slit the green chillies.

In a wok heat the oil. Fry the potato pieces till light brown. Keep aside. Temper the same oil with bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cumin seed, green cardamom and cloves.

Add the onion paste and fry till light brown, add the ginger- garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes. Add the salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder. Saute well till the spices separate from the oil.

Add the fried potatoes. Coat well with the spices. Add 2 small tea cups of water. Stir and let boil covered for 6-8 minutes. Add the sugar & the washed, slitted green chillies! Give a stir, mix well and switch off the gas burner. Its done.

Serve the sweet pulao and spiced potato with a salad and pickle of your choice!! The spiced potatoes goes very well with any type of South Asian breads!

STRAWBERRY GLAZED SANDESH

Just back from the Cameron Highlands, there ought to be strawberries and more strawberries in my cooking. A typical mango loving Bengali this is, it is difficult to fall in love with the tartness of strawberries, how much of healthy it is. I rather  enjoy it's beauty; it is  passionately red. If you are at Cameron Highlands, you cannot resist buying few boxes; standing right in the middle of the strawberry farms; too fresh, juicy red they are. In the lap of nature; amidst the greens, little red mermaids are peeping through as if. There are quite a few strawberry farms who allow strawberries to be plucked as you wish, they then put them into the boxes, weigh and sell. 

The senior at home was too excited and bought two full boxes saying he will have them with cream. Back in Singapore, he totally forgot all about it. Back from the office, he is more happy with his little dosages of wine and nuts. If wifey tries to remind, she is tagged as nagging. The Junior, our monkey son eats no fruit that has tartness in it. What to do?

In this scenario, I thought of an alternative use of the red beauties; paying due respect to it's beauty, quality, health benefits and off course it's price tag. Why not prepare some sweetmeats Bengal is famous for; I felt! I perhaps had seen or heard somewhere about STRAWBERRY SANDESH. I settled at this recipe in the morning. Health is not in a friendly mood with the self; I thought this quick and  easy recipe should be fine with me. It took some 45 minutes hour to prepare them; if we leave the standing hour for the fresh paneer / chena to get rid of the whey.

INGREDIENTS : [ to prepare the chena / fresh paneer]

Milk : 1 litre 
Vinegar : 2 tbsp

Water : 3-4 tbsp

Ice Cube : 3-4

INGREDIENTS : [for the Strawberry glaze]

Strawberry : 6-7

Sugar : 2-3 tbsp

Lemon Juice : 2 tsp

INGREDIENTS : [for the sweet]

The freshly made chena or paneer

The freshly made Strawberry glaze

Green Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tsp

Rice Flour : 1 tsp

METHOD :

It is recommended to use fresh milk to make the chena / paneer. But today, I used Marigold's tetra pack milk!

Pour the milk in a deep bottomed vessel and put for boil. Once the milk comes to boil, lower the heat. Add the vinegar mixed with half small cup of water, little at a time. Keep stirring and switch off the gas stove. Add the ice cubes to avoid further cooking! 

Strain immediately placing a thin, clean cheese cloth atop a strainer, wash under water & tie it to the tap!

Let us prepare the strawberry glaze. Cut the washed strawberries into small pieces. Add them to a sauce pan.  Add a little of water & 2 tbsp of sugar! I made a mistake using more water, be careful.

Once it comes to boil, stir continuously, discard the scum from the top. As it gets thick & sticky, it's done. Let it cool.

Take the paneer down after about 40-45 minutes, take it on a plate and knead for about 4-5 minutes.

To it, add some of the Strawberry glaze, mash, knead for 3-4 minutes.

Heat wok, add the paneer paste & sugar, cook till the sides come out. Add the rice flour & the green cardamom powder and mix well.

Transfer the paneer / chena mixture to a plate. Let cool a bit, knead well for 2-3 minutes. 

Shape them onto your choice of sandesh / sweet. Transfer all the sandesh into a lightly greased tray / plate. Make a hole in the middle & pour some of the strawberry glaze in the middle! This job was done entirely by Cristine.

Eat it warm and fresh or serve chilled as you wish. Sweet lovers will love to have it anytime of the day!