Tangdi Kabab

Finger foods make great snacks, especially when family comes over.  I think about tangdi kababs often. These smoky, grilled chicken legs are good pick- me-up finger food. The snow-covered grill makes it impossible to grill then, but my sister sends me an Insta Reel with a great alternative!

Small chicken legs are marinated overnight in yogurt, roasted besan, cilantro, dried mint, spices and mustard oil. Roasted in the oven, the legs are brushed with ghee and grilled over an open flame. Prassy, your idea was perfect. Gently charred chicken and a squirt of lime is fine finger food.

TANGDI KABAB

Serves 4

10 small skinless Chicken Legs

1 Lime

2 tablespoons Besan or Chickpea Flour

1/2 cup Yogurt

1/2 cup Cilantro Leaves

1 heaping tablespoon dried Mint leaves

2 teaspoons Ginger Garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon Chile powder

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon Coriander powder

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 teaspoon Black Salt

1 teaspoon Fennel Powder

1/2 teaspoon Chaat Masala

2 teaspoons Mustard Oil

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Ghee

Limes

Put chicken legs in a bowl. 

Cut the lime and squeeze juice over chicken. 

Dry roast besan in small saucepan over low heat. 

Blend yogurt, cilantro, mint and ginger garlic paste till smooth. Pour it over chicken. 

Add roasted besan, chile, turmeric, coriander and garam masala powders, black salt, fennel powder, chaat masala, mustard oil and salt to chicken. 

Blend well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bring chicken to room temperature for 1 hour before you cook it.  

Heat your oven to 375F/190C.

Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with nonstick spray or brush the foil with oil.

Arrange chicken in the sheet pan. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes till chicken is done.

You could serve the chicken at this point. 

Or you could grill it over an open flame. I used a small handheld  steel mesh.

Brush the legs with little melted ghee and grill the chicken turning it so all sides get a sear. Finish all the legs in this manner and then reheat in a hot oven for 10 minutes.

Squeeze a little lime juice over grilled legs and dig in.

Bun Dosa

Let me not knock Reels cause that's where I found this gem. An intriguing trend, the dosa hadn't really appealed to me...till it did! I am a convert and a fan. What do I love about it. It's easy to assemble. You almost always have the ingredients. It can be paired with chutney, sambar, chicken curry or whatever suits your fancy. 

Semolina or sooji is blended with yogurt and water. A quick sauté of mustard seeds, onion, chiles, curry leaves and cilantro are added along with seasonings. You should use a small frying pan for best results. I have a small one egg fry pan which works the best. Make them and relish your bun dosa. 

BUN DOSA

Adapted from Kunal Kapoor

Makes 10 dosas

1 cup Semolina

1/2 cup Yogurt

1 cup Water

1 tablespoon Canola Oil plus more as needed

1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

A pinch of Asafetida or Hing

1 small Red Onion, chopped fine

2 Green Chiles, chopped fine

6-8 Curry leaves, sliced thinly

1/4 cup Cilantro leaves

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Blend semolina, yogurt and water till smooth. Pour into a bowl.

Heat oil in a saucepan. 

When it shimmers add mustard seeds and asafetida. 

When seeds splutter add onion, chiles and curry leaves. Saute for 2 minutes. 

Take it off the flame and add cilantro. Mix well. 

Scrape the onion mix into the dosa batter. 

Add salt and baking soda. Mix well. 

Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a small nonstick saucepan. 

Drop 1/8 cup batter into the pan. It's hard to say how much batter as it depends on your pan. I used two small ladlefuls of batter, about 4 tablespoons. 

Allow bun dosa to cook. The edges will turn brown, and the center will develop holes, about 2-3 minutes. That tells you it is time to flip the dosa. 

Cook the underside for 1 minutes and take it out of the pan. 

Repeat process and finish the batter. 

Eat them fresh or refrigerate and enjoy over the next few days.

These dosas are different and delicious. And I love them!

Easy Lachmacun

Lacmacun is a revelation in flavor. I love its thin crust, the spiced meat and fresh toppings. So much so that I bring some back in my suitcase after a girls trip to Nashville. That lachmacun was devoured long ago, and I'm left with delicious memories and a craving. The meat filling is easy enough, but how do I replicate that wafer-thin crust? The internet has plenty to choose from, complicated and long recipes. The craving is immediate so I improvise. 

Ground meat is mixed with cumin, chile powder, sumac, onion, garlic, cilantro and salt. I apply a thin layer of meat onto tortillas. The tortilla is then placed meat side down and cooked till the meat browns. The torilla is then flipped and crisped. Topped with cilantro, sliced onion, tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon,  the lachmacun slides into my hand, my cravings assuaged!

EASY LACHMACUN

Serves 2

1/2 pound Ground Beef

3 Garlic cloves

1/2 white Onion

1/2 cup Cilantro

1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder

1/2 teaspoon Cumin powder 

1/2 teaspoon Sumac

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 teaspoon Pomegranate Molasses

4 Flour Tortillas

Olive Oil

Red Onion, thinly sliced

Grape Tomatoes, halved

Cilantro or Parsley 

Lemon wedges

Chop onion, garlic and cilantro finely. 

Mix ground beef, chopped onion, garlic and cilantro, spices, salt and pomegranate molasses till it is paste like. 

Divide meat into 4 portions. 

Take one portion and smoosh it over the torilla going all the the way till the outer edges, forming a thin layer of meat. Repeat with the rest of the meat and torillas. 

Heat a little oil in a nonstick skillet. 

When it sizzles, place one tortilla meat side down. Let it cook undisturbed till it browns, 3-5 minutes. Then flip the tortilla and brown the otherside.

 Finish the other tortillas the same way. I managed to fit three in one skillet! It all depends on the size of your skillet.

Top lachmacun with sliced onion, tomatoes, cilantro or parsley. Squeeze lemon over the meat and enjoy!

The original is perfection. This is a close second...

Milk Cakes with Fruit Preserves

So many Ottolenghi recipes pass through my kitchen. Some are one time wonders, others live for a few occaisions and some remain entrenched in my memory. This particular one evokes a host of forgotten childhood treats. It is simpleness personified with kitchen staples like eggs, flour, sugar and butter. That quartet sings in pancakes, waffles, cakes and a myriad other sweet concoctions. This song is undoubtedly special.

MILK CAKES WITH FRUIT PRESERVES

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4-6 

6 plus 2 tablespoons Butter

1 1/2 cups Milk

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2/3 cup AP Flour

1 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

Semolina

Pinch of Kosher Salt

Pistachio powder (optional)

Cut 6 tablespoons of butter into small cubes.

Melt the reamining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Place butter, milk and vanilla in a saucepan and let it simmer over low heat till butter has melted. 

Whisk flour, sugar, eggs and salt in a bowl. It will be thick and lumpy. 

Add the warm milk to batter slowly, whisking thoroughly till smooth.

Keep batter aside for 30 minutes. 

Heat oven to 425F or 220C.

Brush a 12 cup muffin pan with melted butter.

Scatter 1/2 teaspoon semolina into each muffin hole.

Divide the batter between the 12 muffin holes.

Place the muffin pan on to a baking sheet and bake for 22 minutes, till edges of cakes are brown. 

The cakes will come out of the oven puffed up. Once they rest on the counter they will subside forming a small depression in the center, the perfect spot for the preserves.

Pry cakes out of the pan with a knife. 

Drop a spoonful of fruit preserve in the center of cake. 

Dust with pistachio powder and serve warm.

Plantains stuffed with Methi

Doomscrolling on Insta is a hard habit to break. Often when you find a gem of a recipe, you hit that 'save' button. Which I do. Of course, the end game is finding that saved recipe. Luck favors me this time, as I have become a little more adept at that venture. 

Ripe plantains stuffed with masala methi leaves. Why havent I eaten that before? Better still, why havent I thought of it before? Chopped methi, cilantro, coriander powder, salt, turmeric and chile powder is mixed and stuffed into sliced plantains. Shallow fried in a tarka of cumin and mustard seeds, the plantains turn golden and delectable. I salute you not.a.chef for this simple but flavorful recipe.

PLANTAINS STUFFED WITH METHI

Adapted from not.a.chef

Serves 2

1 large ripe Plantain

1 cup Methi leaves

1/2 cup Cilantro leaves and stems

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon Canola Oil

1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

1/4 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

Pinch of Asefotida

Pinch of Kosher Salt

Trim ends of the plantain. Cut into 2" pieces. Slit each piece vertically halfway.

Wash methi leaves well. Pat dry and chop finely.

Chop cilantro finely. 

Place methi, cilantro, turmeric, chile powder, cilantro powder and salt in bowl. Mix well.

Stuff the methi mix into the plantain slits. Use up as much of the stuffing as you can.

Heat oil in a nonstick saucepan. 

When it shimmers, add asefotida, mustard and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.

Arrange plantains in oil and cook over medium heat turning plantain often. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add a little water to the pan, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Uncover and cook plantains till golden. 

Enjoy!

Noodles with Mushroom Sauce

It has been a while since my last post. Life has a way of demanding my time. So I return with renewed enthusiasm. What more could I ask for then a new and easy Ottolenghi recipe. His book Comfort, rings my bell, whets my appetite and propels me headlong into the kitchen. 

Mushrooms are pulsed and sauteed. Finely minced ginger and garlic are sauteed till crisp. Asian flavors like soy, fish sauce and rice wine add umami. Noodles bathe in this flavor bursting sauce. Ottolenghi comes through yet again!

NOODLES WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

Adapted from Comfort by Ottolenghi

Serves 4

1 lb Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

3 Lo Mein Noodle nests OR 1/2 lb Chinese Noodles OR 2 Ramen packets

2 tablespoons Canola Oil

1 tablespoon minced Ginger 

1 tablespoon minced Garlic

2 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Shaoxing Wine

1 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 tablespoon Fish Sauce

1 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder

1 teaspoon Honey

1/2 cup Water or Chicken Stock

2 Scallions, finely sliced

1 Lime

Bring a large pot of water to boil. 

Add noodles and cook till done. Cooking time depends on the type of noodle you use. Drain and rinse in cold water. Keep aside.

Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Ten pulses should do the trick.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a nonstick pan. 

Add mushrooms and saute till all the moisture has evaporated. 

Push mushrooms to one side and add remaining oil to pan. 

Saute minced ginger and garlic in this oil till crispy. 

Add chile powder to ginger garlic and mix well with mushrooms. 

Spoon in soy sauce , Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, honey and black pepper.

Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add water to thin out the sauce. 

Mix noodles into the sauce. 

Squeeze juice of lime over noodles. 

Garnish with scallions and serve hot. 

A forkful of mushroom coated noodles is immensely satisfying. Ottolenghi  fills my kitchen with flavor once more! 

Fish with Green Mango Sauce

My son's friend Andrew is an avid fisherman. On occasion we are treated to  his catch. Sea bass, tender clams and the most recent... delicious sheepshead fish. An ugly looking fish with the sweetest of flesh! 

Thoughtfully cleaned and fileted by Andrew,  the fish has a delicate taste, making it the perfect foil for a spicy, sour coconut sauce. Seasoned fish is lightly floured and shallow fried. Onions, green mango pieces, ginger, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, and a green curry sauce make a base for the fish. A base of hot cooked rice gives the dish a good balance. Sheer bliss!

FISH WITH GREEN MANGO SAUCE

Serves 2-3

5-6 Fish Filets

Kosher salt

White Pepper Powder

AP Flour

Canola Oil

1/2 Onion, sliced thinly

1/2 cup Green Mango pieces

2 tablespoons minced Garlic 

2 tablespoons minced Ginger

3-4 Makrut Lime Leaves

1 teaspoon Green Curry Paste

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

Cilantro

Hot cooked Rice

Rinse filets and pat dry.

Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a little oil in a nonstick saucepan.

Lightly coat filets in flour. 

Fry filets till golden brown on both sides.

Keep aside.

Add onion, ginger garlic, mango and makrut lime leaves to oil. Saute for 3-4 minutes. 

Add green curry paste and coconut milk to onions.  Bring to a simmer. Add a little water if neccessary. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. 

Plate some rice. Pour ladlefuls of sauce on rice. Top with fish. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Thank you Andrew! The fruits of your labor are delicious, delicate morsels we enjoy!