Baingan Choka with a Twist( Aubergene-red pepper salsa)

Baingan Choka

One summer evening , sitting on our patio, grilling some corn, boots & coco frolicking away.

Summer breeze brushes a nostalgic moment of roasted aubergene.

Remembering Choka times from yester years in Orissa. .. So heres to those delicious moments with an american twist.

Prep up :

Roast one Red pepper, 2 tomatoes, 1 eggplant, 2-3 long green & red green chillies.

Separately  Finely chop 1 onion , half an inch ginger, cilantro ( small bunch ), 1 or 2 thai green chillies ( optional )

In a blender coarsely blend roasted pepper n chillies with their roasted skin.

Peel eggplant and mash both tomatoes and egg plant in a bowl. Add the other chopped ingredients.

Add 2/3 teaspoon mustard oil, salt & lots of lemon juice to taste.

 Finally add half a tsp of red chilly powder and less than half tsp of roasted cumin powder.

Taste the heavenly delight !!

Basic Red Thai Curry Paste

Basic Red Thai Curry Paste 
(น้ำพริกแกงเผ็ด ; nam phrik gaaeng phet)

APRIL 5, 2010 · 6 COMMENTS ·  LISTEN TO THE THAI NAME PRONUNCIATION

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I know it is easy to reach to the supermarket shelves and grab a pack of Thai curry paste. I hope that you will consider making your own and I think you should. Things often get lost in translation, and even worse if they are commercially pre-packed for five years of use. Thai cooking is based on freshness and if you are serious about Thai cooking, you will be amazed how with just a bit of an effort your food rises into new levels.

Basic Red Thai Curry Paste Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 10 long dried chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon galangal, finely chopped
• 3 stalks medium size lemon grass (about 5 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kaffir lime zest, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander root (about 3 stalks), finely chopped
• 8 medium garlic cloves (about 4 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon gabpi (fermented shrimp paste)

METHOD

1. Soak the chilies in water until soft.
2. In a mortar and pestle start pounding the chilies with salt as an abrasive.
3. Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely
4. Add rest on the ingredients and pound it until smooth.
5. Keep working it until you cannot identify the separate components by smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all the ingredients, and is something new.
6. Add the gabpi and mix well.
7. The paste stores well in air tight container for couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

- See more at: http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.g1fEeG0P.dpuf

Spice

http://www.seasonwithspice.com/

Some interesting Blogs !

CRISPY KALE

Kale ( Cut & clean the greens )\
Garlic Powder
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Red Pepper

Heat the oven 350 degrees. Tune it up on roast.
Toss the kale with Olive oil, salt to taste , pinch of garlic powder and dust some red pepper  for fire.

Over a bed of Foil.. spread the kale and roast it for 10 minute.. get it out green & crispy. Enjoy !

Guacamole Recipe ( Green Salsa )

Perfect Guacamole Recipe

• Prep time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Garnish with red radishes or jicama. Serve with tortilla chips.

METHOD

1 Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl. (See How to Cut and Peel an Avocado.)

2 Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness. Be careful handling the peppers; wash your hands thoroughly after handling and do not touch your eyes or the area near your eyes with your hands for several hours.

Keep the tomatoes separate until ready to serve.

Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.

3 Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready.

4 Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.

I sometimes add a batch of this recipe to a big bowl of greens and mix it all up as a salad.

Or simply serve it alongside your salad or veggies.

This is a south Indian Funfare. A Delicious Red Chutney shared by my friend Girija, who is a creative chef and this is one of her creations. Here you go...

RED PEPPER CHUTNEY

Ingredients

1 Bell pepper
1 onion
5/6 ( or more )  Dried red chillie
3 garlic flakes
3 ripe Tomatoes
2 tablespoon Tamarind
1 tsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
 4-5 kari patta
Making of Chutney

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• Heat a tsp of oil add 1 tsp urad dal, half a tsp mustard, a pinch of asafotida let it splutter. Add half a chopped onion till translucent with 3 flakes of garlic. 
  Fry 5 or 6 red chillies separately in oil and keep it aside. After you saute garlic, onion add tamarind a small pc and 1 big red pepper saute everything for sometime. You can add 3 kari leaves while sauteing for flavour. 
  Then add 3 tomatoes and saute everything nicely. Grind everything adding red chillies and salt. Season with mustard, couple of red chillies, curry leaves and asafotida. Enjoy the chutney