Peas Pulao

Something she (my princess) has taken to school a lot of times in Hyderabad. She did not love it. But has eaten it whenever I packed it for her, good girl you see... she is not particularly fond of rice in her lunch box and I used to pack this occasionally.

Ingredients: 

- Leftover rice - 1 bowl

- Cashews - 4-5

- Frozen Peas - 1/2 cup

- Jeera - 1 tsp

- Salt - 1/2 tsp

- Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

- Oil - 2 tbsp

- Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method:

- Heat oil in a wok

- Add in cumin

- When splutters add in cashews and fry till golden brown

- Add peas and fry till cooked

- Add rice, Salt, ghee and pepper. Mix well. 

Bengali Mutton Curry / Picnic Mutton

This pic above is from a parar (suburb's) picnic in Kharagpur which me and my daughter attended. We were there in Jan 2021 when hubs had just travelled to Sydney for the first time. Don't know if she remembers the taste. I have cooked Mutton curry at home a lot of times but it misses the taste of wood which is used to light up to cook this at picnics around West Bengal.

Ingredients:

- Mutton - 1 kg

- Chopped Onion - 2 big ones

- Cinnamon - 1 stick about index finger long broken into small pieces

- Cumin - 1/2 tsp

- Cardamom - 2-3

- Cloves - 2-3

- Mustard Oil - 1/2 cup

- Potatoes - 2 each cut into 4 pieces

For Marinade:

- Mustard oil - 1/2 cup

- Tomato Puree - 1 cup

- Ginger - 2 tbsp

- Garlic - 1 tbsp

- Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

- Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

- Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

- Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

- Marinade the mutton with the items and leave overnight or at least 5 hours.

- Heat mustard oil in an iron work.

- Put in the potatoes. Add salt and fry till golden. Keep aside.

- To the same oil add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin.

- Add onions and fry till brown.

- Add the marinated mutton and fry till it leaves oil.

- Keep frying for 20-30 mins more once it starts leaving oil.

- At this point transfer the mutton into a pressure cooker and add potatoes and seal it.

- Cook for 4-5 whistles on medium flame. Leave it for 30 mins and open the cooker lid after that.

- Serve piping hot with rice.

Cheese Sandwich

On her birthday here is a simple cheese sandwich recipe that she loves. Happy birthday to the 9 year old big girl!! This birthday was the one we spent in isolation. The pandemic is not over yet.

We have postponed your bday party to the next Saturday. 

Ingredients:

- Whole-wheat Bread - 2 slices (cut off the sides)

- Cheese slice -1 

- Butter - little

Method:

- Apply butter on the breads.

- Put the cheese slice in between.

- Toast on the sandwich maker or the iron pan

And ready to eat with your choice of fruits and berries. :D

 

Chicken Lollipop

These chicken lollipops I had cooked for her during lockdown in 2020. We were in Hyderabad in our apartment. She was 7 years old and was bored of having the same rice and roti everyday. One fine day came your request "Can you cook something special?" Off I went to youtube to search for a recipe.

We ordered chicken wings lollipop cut from the Licious. They were a brand that delivers non veg items to our house in Hyderabad. It used to be a mobile app. 

As soon as it was delivered, I washed it and marinated it with below spices.

 

Ingredients:

- Chicken Wings Lollipop Cut - 10 pieces

- Minced Garlic- 1 tsp

- Soy Sauce - 1 tsp

- Bbq Sauce - 3 tbsp

- sesame seeds - 1 tbsp

- sesame Oil - 1 tbsp

Marinate the chicken and leave for at least 2 hours.

Method:

- Heat up the oven to 200 degrees celcius.

- Place the marinated chicken in for 20 mins.

- Serve hot.

She enjoyed the meal with a side of vegetable sandwich, salad and ketchup!

Purpose of the blog

Going forward this blog is going to be for my darling daughter. So that when she grows up she has all the recipes for food she ate while growing up.

Also, about the places where we had so much fun!! When I am writing this your age is 8 years. Too young! Though you behave all grown up already.

I am sure you have grown up to be a very fine woman - a confident and independent one! I love you Beta, always keep that in mind. These entries in the blog will always be there for you whether I am around or not. We create memories everyday on the dinner table. These are the food you have eaten while growing up. I am sure when you grow up you will be able to find a bit of me in the taste of the food you cook following these recipes.

Love you the most forever!

The Sydney Harbour Bridge

Being star-struck!!! That's all that comes to my mind when I recall seeing the harbour bridge up front for the first few times. In the year 2000 I had seen the harbour bridge for the first time on TV. I was a 7th grader and was extremely excited to see such a magnificent structure with the Olympic rings hung around it. Prior to that I am not sure if I was aware of its existence or of the differences Australia as a country had, being in the southern hemisphere.

I watched it in person for the first time with my family. It was an outing on a lovely sunny day. We went to see the Opera House and the Harbour bridge after completion of our quarantine. For me it took a lot of time for the feeling to actually sink in. I have been to quite a few different countries in the world but never felt so different, so amazed. This could be because of the fact that Australia being in the southern hemisphere experiences everything opposite to what we do in the northern part of the world. It is also not a part of our regular conversations. Countries like America, European countries find better place in tourism conversations. 

Second time, I was travelling alone on the train for an interview. I had to reach North Sydney. From the train, I could see the Opera House. Being the Harbour Bridge fanatic that I am, I immediately started looking around searching for the harbour bridge as both the structures are so close by. I was taken aback as I could not find it anywhere. It took me quite some time to realize that I was actually on the bridge and the train was passing over it. 

When I had seen the harbour bridge on TV as a 13 year old in a small town in India, little did I know that I would get a chance to live in a city that shares the structure. It is an amazing city,  with awesome beaches, lovely natural beauty and scenic landscapes. Sydney has been good to us so far. 

The view of the bridge from my office is amazing. The Opera house just beside it increases its appeal and adds to its beauty. I can keep watching it the whole day given a chance. :)

Gulaab Jamun

What better than homemade gulab jamuns for dessert after an Indian meal. This is one dessert every Indian knows about and most of us like. There are many instant packs available in stores but it is very easy to make at home. A riddle that my daughter asked us a few days ago:

What do you call a rose that went to the moon?

You guessed it right, "Gulaab JaaaaMooonnn"

 I got the recipe from Hebbar's Kitchen and followed it. Have documented the recipe below:

Ingredients:

Jamun:

- Amul Milk Powder - 3/4 cup

- Maida / All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup

- Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

- Ghee/Clarified Butter - 2tbsp

- Milk - 3/4 cup

- Oil and Ghee for frying

Sugar Syrup:

- Sugar - 2 cups

- Water - 2 cups

- Cardamom - 2

- Lemon juice - 1 tsp 

Method:

- Add sugar, cardamom pods and water and bring to a boil. Reduce it to a 1 string consistency. Add lemon juice after turning off heat. Let it cool.

- For the jamuns, add milk powder, ghee, maida, baking powder and mix the dry ingredients with the tip of your fingers. Give it a good mix.

- Add milk and make a firm but soft dough.

- Divide the dough into equal portions and form balls with your palm.

- Heat oil and ghee in a wok. Deep fry the dough balls.

- Fry on medium low heat till deep brown.

- Transfer to cooled sugar syrup and let it sit there for at least 2 hours.

Serve hot with ice cream or enjoy as a simple dessert.