Month: September 2012

Baked Eggs in avocado cups!

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Baked Eggs in avocado cups
on a bed of roasted potato and mushrooms ! 

To serve 4
2 Whole avocados
4 medium sized eggs
Salt and pepper to season
Muffin pan
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Cut avocado in perfect halves (removing the stone/seed). Take a big spoon and carve out more of the flesh to make the hole a bit bigger to hold the egg. Arrange each half of the fruit on a muffin pan. Break one egg in each hollow. ( It is possible for the egg whites to run over, and that’s fine). Season with salt and pepper. (You can also use garlic salt, celery salt, red chili flakes). Bake for 12-13 min till eggs set. Carefully remove them and garnish with fresh shredded cheese or parsley. 
Perfect for easy brunches or breakfast!

Steamed whole trout in banana leaves!!

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So on my recent trip at whole foods, I scored a couple of gorgeous whole rainbow trouts! I have been dying to make them ever since! So here it is! I present (drumroll please)…

Steamed whole trout in banana leaves!! !

Flavored with garlic, ginger, lemon and cilantro

Folded neatly in a banana leaf
Bake the fish in a double roasting pan filled with a cup of water
at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. 

Enjoy! And get creative with your flavors! Use dill leaves and lemon or curry powder and dried mango powder..

Fried Garlic and Cilantro rice

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Easy easy easy seasoning to jazz up boring white rice!! Recipe courtesy my very close friend Katie! Re-invented FC style!

1 cup cooked white rice (I used basmati)
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Pinch of salt
Pinch of red cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp OO

Make sure the rice is cooked and is still warm.Heat the oil in a shallow pan. Add the garlic and saute till golden brown and crispy. Remove from the stove and add the cilantro and the seasonings. Toss the mixture with the rice and coat well!

Told ya EASY! Taste it! You will love it!!

"Fall spices" rubbed chicken with sweet potato mash

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I opened my pantry to find some warm spices to make this beautiful and easy and not to forget, delicious dish for you. Hope you all enjoy it!!

“Fall spices”
(enough for 2 chicken breasts)

Fresh rosemary -1 Tbsp chopped
Few dashes of ground cinnamon
1/2 Tsp of ground nutmeg
1 Tsp of roasted and ground cumin seeds

2 Tbsp OO

Mix all the above and marinate chicken for atleast 30 min. Season with salt , pepper and red chili powder.

Grill to perfection!

Serve with a sweet potato mash laced with fresh ginger, maple sugar and nutmeg!

Happy Fall Y’all!!

Welcome Fall! I have been waiting for you..

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So a friend of mine from work just texted me this morning. The text read “Freaky Curry is a little dated!”.. I was like Oh my gosh! Someone actually reads my blog!!

Yeah…… I think Amy Adams had a similar feeling when she got her first comment on her blog. Granted it was from her mom and she was not too happy about it BUT still the exhilaration and thrill you feel for that split second when someone acknowledges your work (hard work, I must add) is priceless… hmm.. So, Yes, I was feeling like Amy Adams in the movie Julie and Julia 🙂 so thanks David for that ! I appreciate it.. 🙂

So I have been doing the same ole same ole stuff.. You know shopping, cooking and running…

Roasted lamb chops marinated with garlic and rosemary,
porcini mushrooms and parm risotto, roasted garlic rosemary new potatoes.
Glass of Menage a Trois! I call Sunday a success!!

Me after a 10K!
Heirloom tomatoes, home grown basil and mint,
reduced balsamic and a generous shower of crushed mixed peppercorns.
Sunday night good eats begin!

Today,  I woke up to a beautiful crisp morning here in the Carolinas.. I could smell Autumn in the air. Somehow when I looked at the front of my house, it magically transported me to the blue ridge mountains where I am sure the leaves are turning into a myriad of vivid fall colors already. Hmm.. Fall/ Autumn.. Love this season. Time to get rid of the old and prepare for the new. I think of pumpkins, apples, spices, warm tea, stews and soups. Crisp mornings and a gentle chill in the evenings.. Slow cooker recipes and warm pies.. (Yes, I think in food people!)..

So technically Fall is 24 hrs away BUT I cannot wait any longer! This weekend starts my ode to some fantastic “fall” favorites re-invented FC style! Stay tuned.. and Welcome the season of plenty 🙂 and Guys and Dolls, Get your boots ready!! 😉

Tour of Italy? Bellissimo !!

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Roasted eggplant, peppers and chicken 
baked in a sweet madeira cream sauce over capellini pasta!!
Loaded with fresh basil and showered with camp de montalban! 

One of my very dear friends just left for a week long vacation to Italy. She had been talking and planning her trip for quite some time and I am so glad she finally got to go.. Her and her hubby are our very good friends and I cannot wait to hear what a wonderful time they had over there.
See when I think of Italy, I instantly think of fashionable women wearing silk scarves, fine Italian leather goods (specifically shoes), delicious heart warming food, and Vespas! .. LOL .. I know.. but what else do you expect from me ? 
So needless to say, Italy has been playing on my mind lately.. So Friday night I made a delicious meal for my family here to experience some flavors of Italy. I used home grown fresh basil, sun dried tomatoes, wine and so much more !

The dish was out right DELICIOUS, so much so that even my mom who’s not a big bone-in chicken person had seconds 🙂 …. Hope you all enjoy too!
To serve 4-6
1 bone-in chicken cut 8-12 pieces  ( I used bone-in for this for maximum flavor)
1 Medium size eggplant chopped in 1″ pieces (Roasted over open flame)
2 Red peppers chopped in 1″ pieces (Roasted over open flame)
2 Medium sized tomatoes chopped
1 Medium white onion sliced fine
2-3 cloves of garlic smashed
1 Tbsp Sun dried tomato (chopped roughly)
1/2 cup of fresh basil chopped roughly
1 Tbsp of mixed herbs (dry or fresh; Sage, thyme, marjoram and rosemary)
1/2 cup of Marsala wine (I used Madeira this time around. Please use a sweet wine)
1/4 cup of whole cream
Butter – 1 Tbsp
Olive oil – 3 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
Salt, black pepper, red chili flakes for seasoning
Roasting eggplant on an open flame
using a grill grid pan on my stove 🙂

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, In a shallow pan, heat 2- 3 Tbsp of OO and the butter. Add garlic and onions and saute for a 2-3 minutes.Add the sun dried tomatoes and the chicken and let it lay in the hot pan to get a good sear. (4-5 minutes on each side). Add the wine and the cream. Season with the dry herbs and half of the basil. Add salt, black pepper and red chili flakes. Mix all to coat the chicken well.

Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and layer the eggplant, tomatoes and red peppers on top of the chicken. Bake for about 40-45 minutes till the internal temperature of the chicken is around 165 – 170 degrees Fahrenheit.(http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html)(Best way to check is to use a sharp knife and making sure there is NO PINK in the chicken and all the juices run clear). Every 10 minutes of baking, use a pair of tongs and move the chicken and vegetables around in the sauce to ensure even cooking. 
Chicken after baking
Garnish with left over basil and OO. The sauce will be light and thin.. Great with some hearty bread or pasta! Enjoy!! 

Whole Foods in the Queen city!!

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Freaky Curry had the pleasure of being invited to the grand soft opening of Whole Foods in the Queen city. Unfortunately I couldn’t go on the day of due to my 9-5 job (which I am very thankful for BTW).. So I decided to explore the store and it’s offering on my lunch today….. 
Whole foods specializes in local and organic food choices. Their dairy, meat and poultry are antibiotics and growth hormones free. Their grains are natural and unprocessed.  (In other words, this is the kind of food I grew up with so I am in love!)
I was like a kid in a candy store! Better yet, I was like “me” in a “shoe” store.. If you know me by now, you know I will travel for food.. 🙂 I was a bit overwhelmed by the enormity of the store and what it offered but I got my bearings right in a short bit. The service is AWESOME!!! Every one was so helpful and so happy.. I love it!! Had a great chat and swapped recipes with the butcher and also got a recommendation on some wine.. 
My loot included rack of lamb , whole split rainbow trout, heirloom tomatoes, rainbow chard, teeny tiny colorful potatoes, and some delectable cheese (among other things).. Of course there is some chocolate and wine in the bag too 😉 Here are some pics for you all to drool over while I get busy in the kitchen! Let me know how you like the store ? Here’s wishing all good eats over this weekend!
Local heirloom tomatoes!!
I am thinking a simple salad
with crumbled soft cheese, and aged balsamic !

Grains galore!

More grains!

I “see” food!!

Whole split rainbow trout!
Stuffed with ? I don’t know yet but soon!!

Warehouse of goodness!!

Bath salts!!

That’s right! Let’s do this!!

Ummm Fromage!

Olive bar!! Just look at these beauties!

Say “cheese”! 

Ready to eat meals

Juices, wine and more!

Pan fried fish with a lemon garlic sauce

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Pan fried fish with a lemon garlic sauce served with homemade toasted gnocchi and roasted veggies!
 Obligatory garlic bread on the side.. 
So I have been on a sea food diet recently. I have always loved seafood but I have noticed that I tend to eat seafood more than meat and poultry. I have SO MANY recipes for seafood and that even I can’t keep track. Here’s yet another one of them. Easy enough for a weeknight meal and fancy enough for company. 
Enjoy!
Pan fried fish with a lemon garlic sauce
To serve 4:
4-6 Filets of Tilapia (I like Tilapia because it’s cheap:) , pretty mild and readily available). 
Dry dredge:
Cornmeal- 1/2 cup
(Season with Salt, pepper, red chili flakes (optional))
Lemon garlic sauce

Juice of 1 Lemon
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup of good white wine
2 Tbsp of flat leaf Italian parsley chopped
2 Tbsp of OO
1-2 pats of butter
Salt, black pepper to taste
Wash and pat dry the fish. Dredge the fish in the cornmeal and shake off the excess. Pan fry two fillets at a time (or more depending on the size of your pan) in 2 Tbsp of OO for 2-3 minutes on each side till the fish is cooked. (White on the inside and should easily flake with a fork). Keep covered warm with a foil wrap till ready to serve. 
In a shallow pan, heat oil and butter till the butter melts. Add garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the white wine and the parsley and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a rolling boil and take it off the stove. Drizzle over the fish and serve immediately. 

Shorshe Maach: Bengali mustard fish curry

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Shorshe maach has to be one of our family’s all time favorite recipes. Quick, healthy and so flavorful. Made with a few simple ingredients , this recipe has been handed down from my mom, but has been reinvented FC style. This dish will tickle your taste buds to no end. The whole ground mustard, the green chili peppers and the sweet ripe tomatoes will play havoc on your tongue and you will love it 😉 — Enjoy!


To serve 4

Tilapia/ Pomfret/King Fish/Salmon — About 4-5 (6-8 oz. each) pieces
2 Tsps turmeric powder
2 Tsps salt

Masala:

2 Tbsp whole black mustard seeds
1-2 Green chilies
2-3 Cloves garlic

Gravy:
1 sprig of curry leaves
1-2 medium sized tomatoes chopped
1/2 – 1 cup of water (depending on the thickness of the gravy desired)

2-3 Tbsp of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt, black pepper and red chili powder as desired.


Wash and pat dry the fish. Rub salt and turmeric powder and keep aside. 
Grind the Masala in a couple Tbsp of water till a smooth paste. Add more water tsp by tsp as needed.

In a shallow pan, Fry the fish lightly in a 2-3 Tbsp of OO/Vegetable or Mustard oil (for the BEST and the most authentic taste). Fry for a couple of minutes on each side, drain on paper towels and keep aside. 

In the remaining oil, let curry leaves sputter for a minutes and add the tomatoes and stir fry for a minute. Add the mustard paste and water and let it come to a rolling boil. Slide the fish in the gravy and let cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes and till the gravy thickens. Season with salt and red chili powder as desired. 

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with steamed white rice, papad and Indian pickle.