Sesame Toast

Winter Chills have begun to bite in...and that triggers the pots of boiling hot soups in evenings!
A small snack bit served with the hot soup,makes the combo perfect!
They say , sesame is a perfect winter food! Here, we make sesame,or Til Laddoos, Til Polis or parathas, made with jaggery and so on....Til is supposed to generate the much needed heat in the body , and is a sure shot remedy for these cold winters.
The classic Indo-Chinese recipe, revisited .... A less greasy yet crispy toast ,crusted with sesame or Til! Perfect with a bowl of piping hot soup.

Ingredients:

5-6 Bread slices , cut lenghtwise into 2 pieces
2 tbsp butter
2 cups Boiled Mashed Potatoes
2 tbsp Chopped Capsicum
2 tbsp Chopped cabbage
2 tbsp Chopped Spring onions
1 tbsp Chopped coriander
1 tsp Green chilly sauce
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Cornflour
3 tbsp Sesame seeds
2-3 tbsp oil for roasting

Lightly butter the bread slices on both the sides
Mix together,mashed potatoes with capsicum,cabbage,spring onions,corainder,green chilly sauce,salt and cornflour.

Spread some mixture over the bread slice and press to stick.

Sprinkle and press some sesame seeds over the potato mixture and roast on a hot tawa on low flame , till the bread is golden brown and crusty.
Flip and roast the potato and sesame side , drizzing some oil.
Serve with ketchup or Schezwan Sauce.

 

Sesame coated fish fillets

Got a big and I mean really big chunk of ghol fish home delivered to me and that put me in a happy happy mood. Ghol fish as we call it in marathi is a rarity here in Mumbai... Partly because its expensive and partly because its just huge. These fisherwomen cut it in slices and sell it. I have fond memories of eating this fish while visiting my maternal grandmom.... She was the best cook. Some of her recipes are pure gems......

Back to Ghol fish which incidentally is know as Jewfish..(thank god for wikepedia).
This fish is similar to rawas or Indian salmon as some people know it. It has very few bones so de boning it is not an issue.
Since this does not have a very strong fishy smell and also because it can be filletted, I decided to make a crispy chinese starter. You can use rawas (salmon) or even surmai (kingfish) here.

Ingredients:

5                      Pieces of Ghol fish
3 to 4 tsp          White Sesame seeds
1 tsp                Ginger Garlic paste
1 tsp                Dark Soya sauce
1/2 tsp             Namak Shamak
1 tsp               Chilli Garlic sauce
a pinch            Sugar
Oil for frying

Method:

Lightly toast the sesame seeds till they pop. Cool and keep aside.

Marinate the fish pieces with ginger garlic paste, soya sauce, salt, sugar and the chilli garlic sauce. Let it marinate for atleast 1 hour.

Heat oil in a non stick pan.

Spread the sesame seed on a plate. Now coat the fish pieces evenly with the sesame seed and fry in hot oil on low flame till crispy. Drain and serve hot with crisp wine marinated onions. http://namakshamak.blogspot.com/2012/09/red-wine-marinated-onions.html

This is our entry for Sumee's Culinary bites

Vegetable Hakka Noodles

Chinese cuisine or should I say Indian Chinese cuisine ,brings in refreshed new taste in indian households, especially on weekends.
That explains the popularity of small chinese carts run by chinese looking nepali cooks.
Original chinese food is quiet different from the Indianised chinese food we eat today!

Some interesting facts about this loved cuisine:
Its said to have developed by a small Chinese community that lived in Kolkatta. Most of the chinese community in Kolkatta were from Hakka Origin. Chinese restaurants are quiet popular in Kolkatta as well.

I remember the Hot and Sour Soup I had ordered when in Singapore , which has primarily chinese population hence a strong influence on food as well. But it was terrible , to a palatte accustomed to indianised chinese taste.The soup had no resemblance to the one we have in India, even in the specialised elite restaurant chains.
 Its quiet subjective issue. What might be terrible to us, might be a delight for the locals.
But these noodles are a sure delight ,especially for kiddos.

Ingredients:
200 Gms Hakka Noodles (I used chings hakka noodles)
2 Medium sliced Onions
1 Medium Sliced Capsicum
2-3 Spring Onions chopped
1 Cup Shredded Cabbage
10-15 Cloves Garlic finely chopped
1 Inch Ginger finely chopped
2-3 tsp Dark Soya Sauce
1 tsp Vinegar
1 tsp Green Chilly Sauce
1 tsp Crushed Pepper
1 tsp Namak Shamak
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Oil


Boil 3-5 cups water in a pot and add 2 tsp salt once water begins to boil. Add the noodles and cook for about 8 to 10 mins.
Drain the noodles and refresh them with cold water. Add a tsp of oil and keep the noodles aside.

In a pan ,add oil and saute chopped ginger and garlic for 1 min. Now add the sliced onions and saute on high flame for 2 mins. Add capsicum snd spring onions and continue to saute. Now add shredded cabbage and mix. Add salt and pepper.
Reduce the flame and add the boiled noodles and mix together.
Add soya sauce ,vinegar and chilly sauce and sugar and mix together. Increase the flame and toss the noodles till the noodles and vegetables are well coated with the seasonings.

Transfer in a serving bowl and decorate with spring onion greens.

Chilli Garlic Prawns

Most of my weekend meals go the chinese way . So just to add a bit of variety to the regular chilly's and manchurians , here's a different version of chilly. With a blast of all the flavours , be it the fire from the red chilly or the tang and the succulent prawns , this dish is a sure hit for a starter!

Ingredients:
8-10 medium Prawns ,cleaned,peeled and deveined
1 tbsp Maida
1/2 tbsp Cornflour
1 tsp Rice flour
1 tsp chopped Garlic
1 tsp crushed B'ack Pepper
1 medium Capsicum sliced lengthways
1-2 Spring Onions chopped
5-7 Dry Red chillies soaked in water for 1 hr
5 Cloves Garlic
1 tsp Tomato Ketchup
1/2 tsp Vinegar
1 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Namak Shamak
1 tsp Oil+ for deep frying prawns
Fried Noodles for garnish

Pat the prawns dry on a kitchen towel .
Mix together maida,cornflour and rice flour in a flat plate.
Dip prawns in the flour mix and press gently.
Dust off excess flour and deep fry in hot oil till crisp and brown.

In a blender, place,red chillies,garlic,vinegar,tomato ketchup,salt and sugar and make a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a non stick pan and add chopped garlic. Add capsicum and stir fry on high flame. Add a pinch of salt and the crushed pepper and stir fry for a min.
Now lower the flame and add the chilli paste and cook for 2-3 mins.Add the spring onions.
Add the fried prawns and stir fry for 1 min.
Put off the flame and serve hot ,garnished with fried noodles and spring onions