Recipe: Pakora (Bora in Manipuri)

Yummy Veg Pakora's

Pakora happens to be one of my all my fav. Indian snacks,I like spring onion, cauliflower,potato, brinjal,pumpkin and banaflower pakora's.Pakora's are best to have when it rains with a large mug of hot black tea and you sitting in ur balcony... windows wide open and letting the wind blow some water droplets on you. Now the recipe.

Ingredients:
1.1 cup of Besan (chickpea flour or Bengal gram flour).
2.Depending on your fav. vegetable cut in small pieces. (If you are using potato make it either round slice but not too thick or cut in pieces double the thickness of french fries . Cauliflower can be cut into medium size flowerlets and spring onion into two piece, onions can be cut into rings or chopped into small pieces)
3.1/3 cup of Rice Flour (Optional)
4.2 pinch of Baking Powder and NOT BACKING SODA.
5.Turmeric powder.
6.1 tbsp of Amchur Powder (Dry mango powder (optional).
7. Salt to taste
8. Water
9. Vegetable oil.

Method:
1. Make a batter mixing water, besan, rice flour, salt, turmeric,baking soda and amchur powder. Ensure the batter is not too thick or too thin.
2. Leave it for 15/20 mins.
3. Add the vegetable and cover its well with the batter.
4. Heat oil in a thick non stick frying pan.
5. Drop the single piece of vegetable in the hot oil and fry till light golden brown.
6. To sock the excess oil, put all the cooked pakora on a paper towel/tissue paper.
7. Have the pakora's with spicy tomato sauce and a large mug of hot Assam tea.

....................................ENJOY...........................................

Recipe- Chicken and Mushroom curry

Ingredients:
4-6 Medium size chicken piece.
200 Gms Mushroom
3-4 Spring onion
Onion Paste (3 medium size onion)
Garlic Paste (2 spoon)
Tomato Puree(Half Cup)
Green Chillies (4 tbsp)
Turmeric
Beshan (Gramflour 3 tbsp)
Mustard Oil
Salt to Taste

Method:
- Marinate the chicken with turmeric powder,salt, garlic paste and mustard oil, keep it for 30 mins.
-Fry the chicken in 2 tbsp of oil and cook in low flame for about 30 mins. (Remember to cover the pan) once done keep it aside.
- On a non stick fry pan fry the chopped spring onion, garlic paste, chillies till the onion turns light brown.
-Add the sliced mushroom, tomato puree and cook for 10 mins in low flame and add the fried chicken.
-In another pan, roast the beshan till it turns light brown. Add two cups of water in the roasted bashen and add it in the chicken.
- Cook for another 15 mins and garnish with coriander leaves.

I created this dish last week and it turned out super yummy. I was really bored of eating fish and cooking chicken the same way I know. I tried this new recipe as my fren "A" had sent mushroom and spring onion from Delhi...for me its not necessity but the need to eat something different inspires me to invent and create new dishes.

Trip South-Mysore

I truely believe I am a true Nomad. Its not that I always plan my trips but it just happens to me, I travel for work, to meet friends, family, leisure, adventure and to keep myself sane.My trip to Mysore just happend I had not planned it as I always do but it was planned overnite, I have been to Mysore earlier on a educational tour of various places in Karnataka....that was about 6 yrs ago and this time it was pure leisure and nothing else. I visited the famous Mysore Palace and the Indian me world famous Brindavan Garden, which I feel is the most over hyped place in India...yaar kuch bhi nahi tha dekhne layak....I really think my neighborhood garden, Nehru Park is better maintained and much more beautiful compared to the "famous" brindvan garden...but it was so crowded that I couldn't believe it...Mysore palace was much better. It was grand, beautiful, well maintained and it sure is the pride of Mysore. I was told that taking pics. inside the palace was "Strictly Prohibited" but meh like a typical indian took pics. and banggg two mamu's from some corner came and took my camera....this time I had to use all the skills of saying sorry in many ways to get my camera back but I also paid 200 bucks...those two buggers must have had chicken tangri kabab for lunch.

These two pics. are the most expensive pics.that I have ever paid for any pics.till now... hahaha..the inside view of the Grand Mysore Palace...it was beautiful. The stain glass painting roof, the chandelier, amazing mosiac tiles, carving on the walls, the hand carved stunning wooden doors....wonders human mind and hands can create.

Stir Fried Veggies

My trip to Delhi is always full of food...shopping and some more food. This time it was more of food and less of shopping...but we did go to Sarojini market (how can I avoid a trip to Sarojini...its the ultimate shopper’s paradise).This time I was invited to my fren “A’s” aunt house and made some really good mixed veg. subzi and we went to my fav. restaurant in Delhi "Nanking" at Vasant Kunj, the food was awesome and as usual I ended up eating much more then I could have ate in a whole week.....we had this stir fried beans and that gave me some great idea abt making stir fried veggies at home, so I bought loads of green veggies which are normally not available in Agartala, like Brocolli, spring onions, button mushroom, corn and few other things like cheddar cheese, oyster sauce and yeah...chicken pickles. I made this really yummy stir fried veggies and gawd it was heaven….I was using oyster sauce for the first time…though I am not cooking often these days….all thanks to the March end blues...which has kept me so busy and also in this heat and humid weather, my kitchen becomes a room oven.

The stir fried veggies was simple to cook…it was 15 mins effort, healthy and really yummy. If only the ingredients were available here..I could have made this often.

Yaoshang @ Delhi

I celebrated yaoshang, the Meitei version of Holi after 3 yrs. Their was a time when holi was the most exciting festival and I really used to look forward for this festival the whole year....as it meant getting new cloths, going for the

"nakadheng", playing with colors,watching the yaoshang sports in the leikei club, yaosahang thabal chongba and the yaoshang chak-chanaba...which was the most exciting part abt Yaoshang...every house in our locality contribute money and organise a grand feast.

Yaoshang is not as exciting as it was earlier, I am busy with work and I prefer staying home as it means an off day for me. This time I celebrated yaoshang at JNU with my fren "A" and her frens from Germany, who have come for an exchange programme, we did yaoshang shopping together and it was sure exciting. The germans were totally into playing holi and me and "A" gave them tips to play safe holi...I stayed away from playing with the group but enjoyed every moment of it. The day I reached Delhi the Meitei students @ JNU had organised Thabal Chongba and I participated after manyyyy years....the last time I attended any thabal chongba was at the Police Grounds-North Campus in 2004. I enjoyed thobal chongba after so many years...though I am not as good as I was but it was awesome.

Some more food

I love to shop for veggies and my fav. vegetable market in Agartala is the one near Childrens Park and by now I know most of the vegetable sellers there(that means I don't have to bargain I get a discount). The other day I saw such beautiful gajjar and ended up buying 1/2 kg of gajaar thinking I'll make gajar ka halwa which happens to be my all time fav. dessert. I read up the recipe from the internet and one book the recipe is simple and decided to make it without any ghee. I grated half a kg of Gajjar....that was one task I really enjoyed and with all my enthusiasm I made my first ever gajjar ka halwa and viola...it turned out so yummmmmy. I didn't took any pic.as I usually do of all new things I cook but next time I make gajjar ka halwa I sure will. I have realized that the taste of food I cook depends on my mood, if I am happy my food turns out good and if I am in not in good mood then even the food taste yucks...but living alone that happens rarely...since I have no one bugging at home. Its me and my tanhai and my food. I am happy I made a good gajjar ka halwa and next time I am home (Imphal) I'll make some for mumma....m sure she'll love it as much as she loved the rajma curry I cooked.