Sunday, May 12, 2013

A Super Quick Snack: Chirer(Flattened Rice) Pulao

I really get tired after coming from work and just to the contrary my pra (brother) Supartim gets super hungry. This week we both were in morning shift and he generally keeps to his den(room) talking to his loved one. I have known him for almost two years now and one thing super seeds his affection for the one is his love for food. So he comes to me around 5:30 pm and tells me he is feeling ohh so hungry. I won't lie I was also feeling my appetite so got up and looked up at the Bachelor's inventory. I asked him, will you have chirer (Flattened Rice) pulao and a smile filled his face , I got my answer. This took me around 30 mints to prepare.The amount served two of us.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 Cup of Chire(Flattened Rice)
  • 1 Medium Onion finely diced
  • 4 Garlic finely diced
  • 1 small piece of Ginger finely diced
  • 1/2 cup Peanuts
  • 2 Potatoes 
  • 1 Cup of Green Peas
  • 3 Green Chilly finely diced
  • 1 tspn Chilly Powder
  • Sugar and Salt to taste


First thing that needs to be done is rinse the chire(Flattened Rice) properly in cold water so that it gets soft.Keep it aside and lets start with the preparation.
  • Take about 3 tbspn of oil in a pan and heat it well. Fry the Peanuts and diced potatoes with turmeric and salt till they start to brown. Take them out of the pan in a container.
  • Now put the finely diced onions and green chilly in the pan and saute well on medium heat.
  • When the Onions become translucent put the diced up Ginger and Garlic and saute for two minutes.
  • Add 1 tspn of chilly powder and just a hint of water and mix the masala . You will know its ready when oil starts to seep from the edges.
  • Add the fried Potatoes and Green Peas mix them well, add salt and sugar to taste.Its supposed to be a bit sweet so a be generous with the sugar you put in.
  • Add half cup of water till the potatoes gets boiled, then dry up the extra water in the pan. 
  • Add the chire to the pan and mix well so that it absorbs all the masala .Put the pre fried peanuts in the pan and mix it for around 5 minutes.
Please taste and check the salt and sugar and its done. Supratim had a taste and was pleased with what he just had and said we have to have coffee with this. Let me tell you he makes the best coffee you will ever have. We enjoyed the Super Quick Snack: Chirer(Flattened Rice) Pulao . To all bachelors you can make this for breakfast also. Comments are most welcomed.

Food Quote: "Make the disk which you will have with a smile on your face, that is when people will reciprocate the smile after eating your super dish"


Friday, May 3, 2013

Veggie Delight: My take at Brinjal Vindaloo

The mercury is soaring in Pune these days, can you believe it. I feel reluctant to cook and ask my roomies to order something from Eatsome. I had made this keralian dish a month ago but only Subhajit was at home that day, Rajarshi and Co had missed it so there was no way they would have let me escape without making it once more. Last week we were roaming to Gas agencies for getting our LPG refilled but was not able to get it. Then this Monday afternoon after returning from office we got our gas delivered.So there was no respite for me, Rajarshi started it "Ajkei to toke Begun er dish ta banatei hobe"(today you have to cook the brinjal dish) and Supratim standing behind him chanted with him as if both had planned it. 
Supratim looked it the fridge and there were four brinjals and all the other required ingredients were their in our Bachelor's Inn. The ingredients I used are listed here:

1) Four Brinjals cut in round pieces
2) Three Tomatoes diced
3) Four Onions finely diced
4) Whole Garam Masala (Cinamon, Cardamom, Bay leave, Clove )
5) 1tsp Powdered Masala- Red Chilly, Turmeric, Fenugreek (Methi).
6) 2tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste: Freshly made
7) 3tsp Vinegar
8) Curry leaves
9) 1tsp Musturd seed
10) 1tsp Sahi Jeera

Its a very easy to make dish , takes around 35 mints if you have all the ingredients ready at your disposal.
  • Pre heat the pan and pour about 4 tbsp of oil in it. Put the mustard and saahi jeera in the oil along with the curry leaves. 
  • As the start to splutter put all the whole garam masala into the oil on medium flame. 
  • When they start to brown put the finely diced onions in the pan, Saute them untill it becomes translucent.
  • Add 2 tsp of Ginger garlic paste to it and saute for 2 minutes. 
  • Add the diced tomatoes and fry them with the onions till they give away their raw smell and oil seeps at the side of the pan.
  • Now add all the powdered and mix them well so that the oil is released from the mixture.
  • The pieces of brinjal would have started to turn yellow, do not worry just add them to the masala and mix them well for about 5-10 mints untill they become mussy.
  • Add 1 1/2 Cup of water , sugar 1tspn and salt to taste. Yes, I almost forgot add the Vinegar now and give the gravy a gentle stir. 
  • Cover the pan for 10-15 mints and check if the brinjals had started giving away from the skin. Thats when you know your dish is ready. 
  • I prefer to dry up almost all the gravy to get the musshy feel.
My folks Rajarshi,Supratim,Subhajit tried it and loved the dish. This keralian dish in named "Brinjal Vindaloo". Please try it you will lick your fingers off.Let me know if you all liked/disliked this dish.

PS: Always compliment the cook on his food though you don't like it. It means a lot to them and they would get the heart to make tasty dishes.