A Load of Veggies

Over the past few months, I've been making dinner for my family almost 4 times a week, apart from this I also make myself lunch on a regular basis. So inbetween all the things I get upto on a daily basis I need an easy way to consume as many vegetables as possible. Now this meal, and I say meal because it's heavy makes a good - hearty lunch. But I prefer it for dinner.

A few years ago, while watching (ogling) Jamie Oliver's show, I came across "bubble and squeak", basically, its a bunch of vegetables, boiled and then cooked in a bit of olive oil (and butter, if you're feelin' adventurous) until it browns nicely. Ever since, it has made it to my dinner menu atleast once a week. 

Thats the main attraction really, the rest are just supporting characters that add nutrition, flavour and texture. 

For 2 people - Bubble and Squeak - The Cast

1 medium sized potato

1 large carrot.

1/2 a small cauliflower

1/2 a small brocolli

8-12 brussel sprouts. 

1/4th pumpkin

1/2 a small cabbage

(Now, you don't have to use ALL of these, you could go with anything you have lying around your fridge...)

Boil the veggies in a pressure cooker till they're breaking apart... and mash them (in the original, its mashed on the stove top, however, I find mashing it before just helps cook it faster), add salt and pepper to taste. Now, heat a nonstick pan and drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil and let it heat (you can add butter at this point if you'd like). Get all the mashed veggies into the pan, and spread it out in an even layer. 

While this is cooking, blach your spinach, drizzle it with olive oil and a good amount of paprika. 

It's time to trun the bubble and squeak.. that noise you're hearing? Thats where this dish gets its name.. the point is.. you need to cook your veg on all sides, not just the stop and bottom, so keep turning it.. till most of the surface is a warm brown. When this is done, take it out. In the meanwhile, get your toaster on, throw in a couple of slices of Multi grain bread - because its delicious and crunchy. You can also boil an egg if you want. I personally love my eggs soft boiled with a runny yoke, so I wait for the water to boil, take it off the heat and put the egg in for 6 minutes.

After your bubble and squeak is out, crank up the heat to high. Add a tiny bit of oil, salt, pepper and mashed garlic. When its really really hot, cut a tomato in half, place it in the hot pan and shut the lid. leave it there for a good 2-3 minutes. When you remove the lid, the tomatoes should've charred and cooked.

Now plate up, and dig in!

Fast, easy, and most importantly tasty.

Oh, lets not forget super healthy! Bon appetite! 

Start September with a Scramble.

Eggs, joyous eggs. The one thing I don't see living my life without (other than qoco). Versatile, soft, beautiful, delicious.. I could go on with the adjectives. 

Of the variety of egg-related-dishes you can make, the most easy is the scrambled egg, not to mention its fast and its tasty. 

(Although, its also so easy to screw up, undersalted (yuck), over cooked (ew) and rubber (*gags*) are just some examples of the crappy scrambled eggs I've tasted around the world [sounds fancy, don'it?])

It can be anywhere from rich and luxurious (Made with cream and butter) to healthy (made with milk and pepper). But if you want to up a notch and make it so scrumptious that you will thank the Good Lord for every bite you take.. read on. 

FYI. This is a "healthy recipe". Guilt Free and so so good for you, and your taste buds. 

The cast.
An egg (per person, or 2, or even 3, depends on how greedy you are)
1 small onion (chopped into the tiniest pieces your fingers will let you [onions, not fingers]
Half a capsicum (like the onion)
1 small tomato (be careful here, with all the red, keep those fingers close to you)

1/2 cup of grated broccoli (this is NOT an option. add it, you can thank me later)

1/2 a cube of Processed cheese (this is very optional)

1/2 a cup of milk. 

Start with a tea spoon of olive oil, saute your capsicum, onions and broccoli until golden (in that order, or else it will be ruined. I'm kidding. Not) 

Now that your veggies are golden and looking pretty - add in the tomatoes. Salt and Paprika (to taste). 

Just when the tomatoes start to cook add in the milk, and grate your cheese over it. Mix it all together and add your egg. Now, this is where you need to be really, really careful. Since we've added tomato and cheese, its going to slow down the scramble and make it too runny, so decrease the heat to low and keep stirring. 

When you think its ready (scrambled and a little runny, in my case) take it off the heat and place it over a piece or two of toasted whole grain bread (texture - check, crunch - check).

You could drizzle some ketchup and mustard over it, actually you should - need to.

So, try this out and you'll love it. 

Dreamy Prawns a.k.a Mallu Prawns

If you're a seafood lover, living in Chennai, and haven't been to The Marina, I'd say you're living under a rock. I would also urge you to go there, now.

Before you do though, I'm talking about the Restaurant and not the beach. Just to be clear.

Starting from the Calamari to the Fish Lasooni, the Fish satay, even the biriyani, you would be doing yourself, your taste buds and the rest of your life a favour by going there.

What really took my fancy though was their Jumbo prawns/medium prawns tawa fry - mallu style. 

If you like coconut (really, who doesn't? If you don't, you're lying to yourself) and curry leaves, and prawns, THIS IS FOR YOU. 

I loved these prawns so much I had dreams about them. No, I kid you not. So one fine Sunday afternoon, when the sun was shining (smouldering) and the prawns were fresh, a jobless 21 year old decided to try and recreate this marvellous dish. 

As it turned out, its really easy.

The Players. 

1 onion and 2 tomatoes, cut, sauteed and ground to a paste.

Paste of half a coconut

Cut slivers of coconut.

About one table spoon of fresh garlic and ginger paste

Curry Leaves. The more, the merrier. 

Fresh Coconut Oil

Salt, chilli powder and turmeric (all to taste)

1/2 kg Prawns (Medium) Shell free and deveined. 

If you're a herbivore - replace prawns with raw bananas, and contemplate eating prawns while you're at it.

Add about 2 tablespoons of oil and one table spoon of ghee, add the ginger, garlic and a handful of curry leaves (you can be as generous as your palette allows you to be) and saute them until goldenish, add half the quantity of coconut paste and half the onion tomato paste. 

Mix, crank up the heat and wait till it turns an orange-red colour - think Merida from Brave. No? Not there yet? Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder as per your preference. Now, we're talking.

Now add the rest of the coconut paste and tomato paste, and let it cook.. all over again. At this point you could add more seasoning, if need be. Throw in the prawns, you could gently place them too, I just prefer throwing things, makes me feel in control. 

While the prawns are simmering - if they aren't, add some water and let them simmer - toast more curry leaves and the coconut slivers in fresh coconut oil. The smell that fills your house despite the many exhaust fans will be to die for. The minute they've toasted, add them to your (hopefully) cooked prawns (the gravy should have reached Adison from Grey's Anatomy's red, y'know? Don't lie, ofcourse you do). Let it simmer for a last minute or two, and you're done. Congratulate self and dig in! 

So, will you be trying it? You should.