Supah Sexy Scallops

Now, first things first. This recipe is not mine. I learnt it at Sydney Seafood School. So the recipe featured here is courtesy them. And you know what? If you don’t try this recipe, I think you are not foodie enough :), more so if you are a seafood lover. So then get set, bring home that barbeque, call your best pals, order in the best wine, throw a party, and show off your culinary skills.

Ready to toss some Scallops?

Red Curry Scallops with Mango Mint Salsa (serves 6)

150 ml Coconut cream
1 tablespoon Red Curry paste
3 tablespoons fresh Ginger, Grated
1 tablespoon Palm Sugar
6 Scallops on Half Shell
18 Scallops without Shell
Mango Mint Salsa

1 mango, finely diced

1 tablespoon Freshly Chopped Mint leaves

2 red Shallots, finely Chopped.

1 tablespoon Lime Juice

Heat a couple of tablespoons of the thickest coconut cream (from the top of the tin) in a small saucepan as shown below. Add red curry paste and ginger and coconut till fragrant.




Remove from heat and add palm Sugar, stir to dissolve. Place Mixture in a small bowl and add remaining coconut cream. Remove Scallops from shells, wash and dry shells. Combine Scallops and red curry mixture, mix well and stand for 1 hour.

Washed, de-veined and de-shelled Scallops





Washed Shells, that is used to serve the barbequed Scallops





Scallops in red curry marinade





Meanwhile, make the salsa: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.





Now, after about 45 mins to an hour, take the marinated scallops and cook them on heated oiled char-griller for about 1 minute each side, till they become opaque. They cook super fast, so be careful not to over-cook it.




Place spoonful of salsa on the shells and top it with Scallops. Whoa! Its ready to give your guests a very pleasant shock!





Top Tips from KG:

1. I think this recipe as is can be used for shrimps too. This is just in case you don’t get Scallops.

2. This is generally served and complete with a grilled fish and bread.

3. If there is no wine, please don’t dine :). No, really, white wine goes fabulously with this!

4. For the Red Curry paste- either buy it ready made in any of the fancy supermarkets or write to me for the red curry paste recipe. :). Email: aparna dot das at gmail dot com



So long then! Bon Appétit!

Hearty Dosa

You, Him and a breakfast full of Love!!

HAPPY VALENTINES!

Corny Chaat :-)

Step 1: Roast sweetcorn on cob

Step 2: Set aside

Step 3: Shave the corn kernels as shown in the pic

Step 4: chop onions, coriander, green chilies, lemon wedges.

 

Step 5: Add salt, Red chilly powder (optional), Chaat Masala and squeeze the lemon into the mixture. Add the rest of the stuff, mix well.

Step 6: Dig in

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm bliss!

Top Tips:

# Add boiled potatoes and tomatoes to make this a heavier, fuller snack.

# The roasted sweet corn on cob by itself is yummmmmy- spread butter over it and bite in, else, try it the usual way with lemon juice, chilli powder and salt.

#The chaat as mentioned above is excellent as a starter in parties, and sure to set a few tongues wagging about how J they are of your chef-giri.

(I owe this recipe to Corn Club, our most favourite hangout in Pune after college. And I can’t thank Poopsie enough who introduced us to this totally novel (then) place.)

Fish fingers in a jiffy

1. Cut fish fillets in finger shape (skinless, boneless)

2. Rub lime juice, a pinch of mustard powder, salt and white pepper powder. Keep aside for 10 minutes

3. Take bread crumbs in a plate. Dip the fingers into beaten egg mixture, roll over the crumbs

4. Deep fry or oven bake.

5. Serve with Tartar sauce or Tamatar sauce :)

6. Yenjaaay!

Pizzzzzzzzzzzzzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!

A mood lifter for a tired soul. And then, who wants to cook, when u are tired?

Even Charanamrita Chatterjee can make this :D

Load it with toppings of your choice

It will the melts in your mouth, i pramisse :)

 

Yeah, its a rectangle Pizza. You like?

Just Bake it!

Appu’s Two Tier Chicken & Veggie Bake

This one is a classic. I make it very often. Will post a pic when I bake next.

Ingredients:

1. Veggies of your choice – chopped Medium size. (I use broccoli, potatoes, sweet corn kernels, a few French beans, carrot , Mushrooms and peas)

2. Minced chicken (Chicken Kheema)

3. Any Pasta sauce (Tomato based)

4. White sauce

5. Herbs (basil, oregano)

6. Butter /olive oil

7. Garlic – 1/2 spoon minced

Method for making white sauce:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons  all purpose flour/maida

1-2 cups Milk

Salt

Pepper

Sugar- 2 to three pinches.

Optional: 1/2 cheese cube grated.

Method

1. Melt the butter, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes without browning, stirring continuously.

2. Remove from the heat and add the milk, while mixing it continuously. Mix until smooth. (My mum sometimes uses a hand blender when things go wrong i.e when  the sauce becomes too lumpy- try it, if things go wrong for you too :)

3. Return to heat and cook slowly, stirring throughout until the sauce thickens. Add salt, pepper, sugar and grated cheese (optional)

(The best option is to buy ready white sauce mix :) )

The bake

Take a small wok and pour some olive oil. Add the chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes. Add a portion of garlic and the minced chicken. Add in the Salt and sauté it till the chicken is almost done. Do not brown it. Let the water that the chicken leaves evaporate. Once the water dries up, pour 4 tbs of pasta sauce cook for 2 minutes. Keep this  mixture aside.

In a wok, sauté the veggies in olive oil or butter for a few minutes with garlic and herbs.

If you want to use potatoes then, I suggest you boil them and add to this. Now pour the white sauce into this mixture.

In a baking dish first pour the chicken mixture. Top it with the white sauce and veggie mixture. Grate cheese over it.

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees for 5 minutes. Now place the dish inside the oven and bake it for about 20 minutes- till the sauce thickens and sets. Do not brown the cheese too much.

Once ready, have it with garlic bread and white wine :).

The Ketchup Girl’s Malabar Prawns with a twist

I made this yesterday, and it was yumm. I exchanged this recipe with Sunny’s two kickass recipes (below). Since I had already typed it out, posting this was simple- cut and paste. Now u know, why more recipes don’t appear here- lazy baby, lazy.

ok, lets get started.

Warning- this is not authentic- coz its a Kerala recipe and i don’t like coconut oil. so i replaced it with ghee. but you are most welcome to use coconut oil.

• 1 tbsp ghee /coconut oil
  1 tsp mix of whole spices- elaichi, cinnamon, laung)
  1-2 onions, diced (finely)
  A good amount of garlic paste- about 2 tsps
  1 tsp ginger paste
  2 green chilies slit/chopped
  Tomato puree (1 large)
  2 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder)
  1/2 tsp haldi
  1 -2 tsp red chili powder depending on how spicy u like it
  1 cup coconut milk
  A little bit of coconut cream – a spoon or 2. (optional)
  Salt to taste
  500 gms medium sized fresh prawns
• Curry patta (Curry leaves)

(The prawns need to be washed and deveined. Then rub some lime juice to it and keep aside)

Heat the ghee in a kadhai and add the spices like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Add onions and curry patta, let it brown.

Now add the garlic, ginger paste, green chilies. Add in the tomato puree and mix well. After 2 minutes, add in haldi, mirchi and dhania.

Wait for fat to separate.
Add the prawns to the mixture and stir for two minutes. (I recommend, u sauté the prawns earlier for just a minute in ghee and now add it to he paste. Now pour the coconut milk and boil on low heat for five minutes.

Stir in the coconut cream and serve hot the Prawn Malabar Curry with rice.
Coconut cream is optional. I don’t add it. If you like your gravy to be thick and creamy then add.