When I visited India last November, I spent almost a month and a half in Bangalore. My in-laws were at my MIL’s brother’s home that time. I stayed with them for a couple of days. They have a new cook at their home now. This cook comes around 11AM and makes couple of sidedishes and chapatis every day. I was told that the guy is from Orissa and cooks very tasty dishes. My MIL asked him to make a capsicum (green bellpepper) – bittergourd dish one day and they said it is one of their favorite dishes. I was very skeptic because I am not a bittergourd fan, although I have learned to eat it in last few years. But this dish was really very tasty. I prepared it couple of times at home after that. Somehow the capsicum-bittergourd mixture works really well.
This cook had a very different sequence of adding vegetables to any dish. I am used to frying onions and then adding other veggies. But I noted him adding onions at the end – he did same for many dishes that I watched him cooking. It gives a different taste to the same dish. I have to say I loved this method, I have followed it in many dishes and they turn great.
Ingredients: 2 cups chopped bittergourds (around 2 big bittergourds) 2 cups chopped capsicum/green bellpepper 1 cup chopped onion 1-2 tea spns jaggery 1 tea spn chilli powder 1/2 tea spn thick tamarind extract 1/2 tea spn cumin powder 1/2 tea spn coriander powder A piunch turmeric Oil Salt
Method: Add salt to bittergourd pieces and leave it aside for 10-15 mins. You can either squeeze the juices out (this will remove most of the nutrients and bitterness, I do not recommend it) or use them as they are. Heat oil and fry the bittergourd pieces for 5-6mins till they are half cooked. Then add capsicum pieces and fry for another 5-6 minutes. Now add onion, fry for 2-3 minutes. Add salt (if necessary), cumin-coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric, tamarind, jaggery. Close the lid and let it cook on a medium heat till done. Serve hot with rice or chapatis.
Serves : 3-4 Preparation time : 30mins
5 years ago, if someone had told me I would be a big fan of cast iron, I would have laughed. “There is no way” I would have said. I had this myth in my mind that cast iron takes a lot of oil. The first entry of cast iron in my kitchen came in the form of grill pan – I bought this after I read about it at Sig’s blog . I love this pan so much, it is perfect for grilling. But I was still not too comfy about caring for it. I guess I was doing it all wrong!. Then one day Nupur mentioned she had bought a cast iron pan and she absolutely loves it. She even posted this lovely post about cooking in cast iron . I was still skeptical. Then we visited Nupur’s family and I saw how she was using it for most of her cooking. One of the recipes that I make frequently in my cast iron skillet is this simple spicy egg fry.
So I went ahead and bought a skillet, I thought I may not use it very frequently, but wanted to give it a try. Initial few days needed little bit of patience – because you need to season them well before they become almost like non-stick. I have re-seasoned the skillet once – I had to do that because V unknowingly put it in a dish washer and next day it came out looking all rusted!.
I have been making a lot of dishes on my skillet these days. After the use, I just wash it, warm it up a bit to remove any moisture, add couple of drops of oil to it and spread the oil with a paper towel. We all love the taste of food cooked in this skillet. Our favorite has to be egg omelet – it just brings the taste up to a different level. I just use few drops of oil in cooking – if you read my blog, you have seen how little oil I use and I have no intention of changing it. Well seasoned cast iron works as good as a non-stick. Did I mention I threw away all my non-stick pans? I just have one non-stick tava with me, I may soon go for a cast-iron tava – the skillet I have is little small for dosas.
Here is one dish that I frequently make in my cast iron skillet – you can make it in any pan. This is my go-to dish on many nights when I am running out of ideas and want to make something quick and tasty. I used to throw away the yolks earlier but that is the only part Ishaan eats (if at all he eats eggs, he does not care for them too much!).
Ingredients: 6 boiled eggs 1/2 cup onion 1/4 cup tomato 1 tea spn chopped ginger 1 tea spn chopped garlic 5-6 curry leaves 1 tea spn chilli powder 1/2 tea spn coriander powder 1/2 tea spn cumin powder Coriander leaves (optional) Oil Salt
Method: Heat little oil and add onion, curry leaves, ginger, garlic. Sprinkle some salt on top and let the onions soften. Then add chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fry for a minute. Add eggs, salt, mix well. Add tomatoes, cover the lid and let them get cooked a bit. Sprinkle coriander leaves if desired. Serve hot with chapatis or rice.
Serves : 3-4 Preparation time : 30mins
