Sunday has become roast chicken day for us when we sit down to a very phoren dinner complete with knife and fork and feast on roasted vegetables and chicken (instead of wiping my plate clean with my fingers, trying to get the last taste of eromba or kangsoi or yen thongba [...]]]>

Five spice roast chicken

Sunday has become roast chicken day for us when we sit down to a very phoren dinner complete with knife and fork and feast on roasted vegetables and chicken (instead of wiping my plate clean with my fingers, trying to get the last taste of eromba or kangsoi or yen thongba off the plate – Baba hates me doing it, i mean, wiping my plate with my fingers and licking them but i cannot help it no matter how much uncouth it makes me look – but then, i am happily uncouth so sue me.)

Long, long, long ago i bought a packet of five spice powder from the local Asian grocery shop i love browsing in till my husband is forced to drag me away like a recalcitrant kid. i have used it once or twice and left it to its own device in the spice box.

But i got tired of the same old roast chicken seasoned with rosemary and other such stuff. i wanted to try something new and so i thought i could try using five spice and found recipes on the net. After an afternoon of scrutinising recipes, i managed to get all mixed up and ended up with my version of it. It was good, the meat was flavoured and moist. Though, the next time around i will crank up the heat at the end for crispier skin – i am so beginning to like chicken skin now.

The recipe calls for marinating the chicken for at least 12 hours so it would do well to do it the night before.

Five spice roast chicken

Things you need:

1 whole chicken with skin on – about 1.5 kg

2 capsicums – stalks removed and halved

4-5 potatoes – scrubbed with skin on

5-6 baby carrots

5-6 shallots

1 whole head of garlic

A quarter of a lemon

2 tablespoon dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons five spice powder

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon oil

Salt

Ground pepper

The method:

Lovingly, wash the chicken and pat dry with kitchen towel. Mix the five spice, soy sauce, brown sugar and oil and stir well to mix. Massage the chicken with this mixture, making sure you get plenty under the skin and inside the cavity. i added a little bit of salt as well but soy sauce is salty so watch out. Let the chicken soak in the goodness for about 12 hours or overnight.

After 12 hours:

Preheat the oven to 200 degree centigrades. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with some cloves of garlic, 2-3 shallots and the lemon. Truss the bird well. Put the chicken on the dripping tray over the roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes or so to let the juices drip. Now remove it from the dripping tray and put in on the roasting tray and arrange the vegetables around it. Do the vegetable the favour of anointing them with oil and salt and pepper before that.

Return the tray to the oven and bake for another hour or so although the time will depend on the size of your bird. Check occasionally and baste the chicken with the juice to prevent it from drying out. The chicken is done when the juice runs clear.

Cover the chicken in foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving. The juice in the pan can be thickened along with red wine to make au jus (French for with its own juice) – something i have never bothered doing but will, someday.

P.S. My husband informed me as we ate the leftover that he preferred the other roast with rosemary, that the five spice did not go well with the roast.  i was not very pleased because i like this one. Wasn’t it very clever of him to tell me this the day after rather than the night i served it?

Chow mein means stir fried noodles. i have never had the desire to make this before as noodles was never in my good book. But, with time, the good book mellowed and agreed to add hitherto shunned items on the list.

Also, i have discovered that since this is a meal in itself, [...]]]>

Chicken chow mein

Chow mein means stir fried noodles. i have never had the desire to make this before as noodles was never in my good book. But, with time, the good book mellowed and agreed to add hitherto shunned items on the list.

Also, i have discovered that since this is a meal in itself, it is much easier on my lazy bones. It is quick to make and is delicious. i made use of all the vegetables languishing in the fridge, pining for the wok – a quarter of a cabbage on its last leg, beans getting old and stringy, baby carrots on their way to adolescence…

i was definitely pleased with my effort. Even though i did not use ajinomoto (MSG), it still tasted good.

Chicken chow mein

Things you need:

1 chicken breast – cut into thin strips

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 carrot -julienned

10 beans – stringed and sliced diagonally

1/2 red and orange pepper – julienned

Cooking oil

2 tablespoons dark soya sauce

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 teaspoon fish sauce – optional

Noodles

The method:

Marinate the chicken in 1 tablespoon soya sauce, the fish sauce and the corn flour for about 30 minutes (or less if you are pressed for time). Prepare the veggies.

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Wash with cold water to prevent them sticking together and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok. When hot, add the chicken and cook till done, stirring occasionally. Add the vegetables, season with salt and cook till they are almost done. Now, add the precooked noodles. Add the remaining soya sauce and tomato ketchup. Using two forks or chopsticks, toss the noodles to mix well. Cook for another five minutes or so just so that the noodles absorb the flavour of the sauces and everything else in the wok.

Serve hot.

My husband has been a happy man lately. And this website is to blame for it! Because i love cooking, you would be forgiven if you think i like to try out new things when it comes to things culinary. But, no, i am the kind who would stick to [...]]]>

Fusilli with chicken and mushrooms

My husband has been a happy man lately. And this website is to blame for it! Because i love cooking, you would be forgiven if you think i like to try out new things when it comes to things culinary. But, no, i am the kind who would stick to ‘tried and tasted’ stuffs and not venture out of my comfort zone when it concerns my taste buds.

i am the fussiest eater my clan has produced. The number of things i like to eat can be counted on one’s fingers and still have some fingers left over. i dislike most vegetables and am not keen on trying out other cuisine apart from the one i have been exposed to – ironic when this site claims to be a ‘culinary journey’!

But, lately, because of my desire to have more varied recipes – after all, how many times can i cook and cook different versions of chicken curry – i am slowly transforming. i took the first step by taking to roast chicken which i normally shun. And then, to noodles which i avoid unless starving is the other option.

The other day, while shopping, my husband (pushing his luck), suggested that maybe we could try pasta one of these days now that i have gotten over my noodle phobia. Well, as his luck would have it, it was one of those rare days when my generous mood was paying me a visit and i grabbed a packet of pasta and spaghetti with absolutely no idea of ways to cook them.

What use is the net for if not to solve such dilemma, eh? So, after poring over several recipes, i made pasta with leftover chicken roast and vegetables and yes, it was good. Funny how you insist on missing out on the good things in life because you are so bent on keeping a closed mind.

So, a new journey begins. Where i will try to conquer my aversions and hopefully manage to create something new and keep an open mind (and mouth). Wish me luck. Oh, Ema would be so happy to know her fussy daughter is changing her wicked ways in the prime of her life!

Fusilli pasta with chicken and vegetables

Things you need:

Dried fusilli pasta

About a cup of shredded roast chicken

3 asparagus

2 shallots – sliced

3-4 plum tomatoes

A handful of spinach – chopped

Portobello mushrooms – 2

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

The method:

Heat some olive oil in a skillet. When very hot, add the sliced mushrooms. When the underside is seared, toss the mushrooms – not before as it will release moisture (this is a tip i really found useful – you cannot imagine the improvement in flavour). Cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Add the sliced onion and when limp, add the asparagus (chop off the tough ends and slice) and chopped tomatoes . Season with salt and pepper.

In the meantime, you can start boiling the fusilli pasta – follow the instructions on the package. i do not prefer pasta al dente and so i cook a little longer than called for. i know, i am so gauche.

Add the chopped spinach and when limp, add the cooked fusilli pasta and give it a good stir so as to mix everything properly. Did i forget something? Oh yes, the chicken. Add the shredded roast chicken when you add the asparagus or anytime you like. (we had leftover from the roast chicken – one whole chicken is too much for two to finish in one go even if one of them happens to be a roast chicken fan – and no, that is not me).

Serve hot.

We bought some ripe bananas for our baby’s weaning. Thought he might like something less bland than baby rice. But no, he made such a face when we fed him mashed banana that we decided to try again some other time.

So, we were left with bananas going over-ripe and the husband suggested throwing [...]]]>

Banana cake

We bought some ripe bananas for our baby’s weaning. Thought he might like something less bland than baby rice. But no, he made such a face when we fed him mashed banana that we decided to try again some other time.

So, we were left with bananas going over-ripe and the husband suggested throwing them away (lest i make him eat them, i suppose!). i decided to do better and baked a banana cake instead. He was skeptical when i told him i was going to bake a cake with them but when i fed him a slice, he loved it. It was moist, just the right amount of sweetness and when i asked him whether it was good enough to be sold (shameless me!) in a bakery, he replied in the affirmative (as if there was any other option).

If you have bananas dying on your kitchen counter, fret not. Use them to bake this delicious cake and don’t forget to thank me for showing you how to ‘rescue’ your bananas!

This recipe was modified from the recipe here.

Things you need:

2 medium overripe bananas

1 cup self raising flour

3/4 cup light brown sugar (granulated white sugar will do too)

2 eggs lightly beaten

113 g unsalted butter at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

The method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degree centigrades. Grease a baking tin.

Mash the banana with a fork. In a mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar till creamy. Add the beaten egg and vanilla and whisk to mix. Add the mashed banana and flour and mix with a wooden spoon just until combined taking care not to over mix.

Pour the mixture into the greased tin and bake for about 50 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

A frittata is an Italian omelette with vegetables and cheese. i like the word ‘frittata’  - it sounds so delicious, no? – and thought i would try it.

Now, i don’t like cheese. So, i thought i would make up a frittata recipe without cheese. If you like cheese, you are welcome to add it [...]]]>

Frittata

A frittata is an Italian omelette with vegetables and cheese. i like the word ‘frittata’  - it sounds so delicious, no? – and thought i would try it.

Now, i don’t like cheese. So, i thought i would make up a frittata recipe without cheese. If you like cheese, you are welcome to add it to the recipe. For the vegetables, i decided to use button mushrooms, green peas and cherry tomatoes. You could try adding vegetables of your choice – there is no harm in experimenting, is there?

The frittata turned out amazing – i loved the way the flavour of the  mushrooms, tomatoes and peas blended with the eggs. This is one recipe i would definitely try again. This would be good enough on its own. But, we thought we would combine a bit of Italian with Manipuri cuisine and we had this with kangsoi and rice! i swear, it was sooo good…

Things you need:

4 eggs

5-6 cherry tomatoes – halved

8-10 button mushrooms – sliced

1 cup green peas

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Paprika – optional

Pepper

The method:

Preheat the oven to gas mark 3.

In an oven proof frying pan, heat olive oil. When hot, add the sliced mushrooms. Fry till the bottom is caramelised. Add the green peas, salt, pepper and paprika and cook till done.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs with salt and pepper. Add the egg to the pan and cook till the edges are done. If you are using cheese, sprinkle on top. Put the sliced tomatoes on top. Transfer the pan to the oven and grill/bake for about 4 minutes or till the top is golden.

Kangsoi is the Manipuri answer to stew. As humble as it is, it is a healthy and good food for the body and soul (almost like chicken soup!).

It is a very simple dish to make and when pressed for time, we always resort to cooking this. The main ingredient apart from the vegetables is [...]]]>

Kangsoi

Kangsoi is the Manipuri answer to stew. As humble as it is, it is a healthy and good food for the body and soul (almost like chicken soup!).

It is a very simple dish to make and when pressed for time, we always resort to cooking this. The main ingredient apart from the vegetables is ngari (fermented fish) and nga ayaiba (smoked fish). You can have hawaitharak (pea) kangsoi, kanglayen (split gill mushroom) kangsoi, hawaitharak and hawai uri (lablab or hyacinth bean) kangsoi, hawaitharak and hawaimubi (fava bean) kangsoi – the combination is endless!

Since we do not get all the ‘traditional’ mayal (ingredients) for kangsoi here, we have to make do with the vegetables we get like tomato, zucchini, beans  and carrot.

This recipe is inspired by my Emaibem who makes offbeat versions of Manipuri dishes with astounding results. So here goes the recipe for mixed vegetable kangsoi which is a bit different from the kangsoi we normally have at home. Trust me, you will definitely ask for more!

Ingredients:

1 medium potato – cut into roundels

1 medium size tomato -de-seeded and sliced into chunks

About 15-20 French beans – de-stringed and snapped

1 small onion – sliced

1 small zucchini – peeled and sliced

1 carrot – peeled and sliced

1 cup peas (if available, use whole peas i.e. with the shells on)

2 medium sized ngari – steamed or roasted

3-4 dried red chillies – soaked in hot water till soft

1 cm ginger – sliced

Salt to taste

Nga ayaiba (smoked fish) – optional

The method:

Mash the ngari with the red chillies and keep aside. (This is my husband’s technique. He cooks kangsoi better than me. i go for the easy way out – i.e. put in the ngari and red chillies in the kangsoi and let the boiling water take care of the job. Just this once, i did it his way!).

In a saucepan, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the sliced onion and ginger and cover and cook till onion is softened. Add the vegetables. Season with salt. Add the smoked fish and the mashed ngari. Cover and simmer till the vegetables are cooked. Easy peasy.

Enjoy with steamed rice and omelette (my favourite combination) or with yen angouba (fried chicken).

Ngari is what i consider the soul of Manipuri cuisine considering that almost all the signature dishes of Manipuri cuisine have ngari as the basic ingredient.

For the uninitiated, ngari is nothing but fermented fish. Ngari is prepared from sun dried phabou nga (Puntius) by fermenting in specially made earthen pots called kharung using traditional techniques.

The [...]]]>

Ngari

Ngari is what i consider the soul of Manipuri cuisine considering that almost all the signature dishes of Manipuri cuisine have ngari as the basic ingredient.

For the uninitiated, ngari is nothing but fermented fish. Ngari is prepared from sun dried phabou nga (Puntius) by fermenting in specially made earthen pots called kharung using traditional techniques.

The finished product is what you see in the picture above – not the prettiest of sights nor the most pleasant smelling but treasured all the same. Ngari is very much an acquired taste but once acquired, it is hard to forgo. Ask any Manipuri (or non-Manipur from Manipur who has had a taste of ngari) and you will know what i am talking about. It would be hard to find a household in Manipur (and even outside) without ngari in the pantry.  It is one of the things never lacking in a kitchen, like salt.

Ngari is steamed or roasted and used in the preparation of Manipuri delicacies like eromba, singju, kangsoi, kaangsu to name a few. The smell of ngari is, to put it mildly, pungent (though most Manipuris would swear there is something comforting about the smell of roasted ngari) and needs a little (OK, a lot) of getting used to.

i love to call ngari the stinking gold, because for some Manipuris (like my husband) who stay outside Manipur (and thus deprived of an easy way of procuring this precious commodity), ngari is as precious as gold. If he had his way, i suspect my husband would keep the ngari under lock and key and count them before he retires to bed just to ensure i have not used more than the required quantity. Since you cannot get ngari outside Manipur (though some people say the shutki mach or dried fish sold in Bangladeshi shops can be used as substitute but it is a poor substitute), you have to depend on the stock you smuggle from home (packed in airtight container, wrapped several times in aluminium foil – i shudder to think how the sniffer dogs at the airport would react if they caught a smell of the ngari!) or ‘borrowed’ from friends just returned from a trip back home.

OK, if you look at the picture above, you might think how this classifies as a culinary disaster. i mean, don’t they look good, yummy, delicious?

i got the recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor’s website, yes, he of the ‘khana khazana’ fame, that ever-smiling chef. i had no doubt that the naan would be a success, [...]]]>

Naan

OK, if you look at the picture above, you might think how this classifies as a culinary disaster. i mean, don’t they look good, yummy, delicious?

i got the recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor’s website, yes, he of the ‘khana khazana’ fame, that ever-smiling chef. i had no doubt that the naan would be a success, what it being his recipe and my cooking skills (!!!). Sigh! Sigh and more sigh. When i asked my husband how it was, he replied ‘adum yaiye’ (which would translate into ‘OK’). i should have got the hint then. But looking how good they were, i thought they would taste yummy, better than the rubbery kind you get at some restaurants.

The recipe had baking soda and baking powder. i was thinking of using another recipe that had yeast but thinking of the proofing time, i went for the quicker version. When i bit into one of the naan, the taste of baking soda turned me off. No, i did not screw up and used more than called for in the recipe. In fact, i followed the recipe to a T.

Well, i made 8 naans. We somehow ate 5 between the two of us (we had to, there was no other alternative than to starve and who likes to sleep on an empty stomach? Not me.). i bravely stored away the remaining three telling my husband i would have them for lunch. Of course, my husband discovered them, still uneaten, three days later and threw them away. i was hoping he would eat them. Goes to prove how things never go the way you want them in life. Sigh.

And to think of the time i spent picking out kalonji (nigella seeds) from the panch phoron mixture because the recipe said i should sprinkle them with kalonji before baking and we did not have kalonji i.e. till i hit on the brilliant idea of painstakingly plucking them out from the mixture.