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Omelette Brochettes

Appetizers, Eggs, Side Dishes April 26, 2017 Comments: 12

We are big time egg lovers and go through quite a few cartons every month. In fact, if its egg curry bubbling on the stove, my son would sniff it a mile away and come running all excited about dinner.

All forms of egg dishes are welcome in our home and fried runny yolk eggs are a hot favourite of the kiddo for weekend brunches. We are lucky that so far, there has been no restrictions at school too because Adi really loves egg sandwiches in his lunch boxes.

Even though there are plenty of different egg dishes I cook, I was still on the hunt for new ones especially that cater to the after-school-hunger-pangs category. With a growth spurt happening, Adi comes home from school totally ravenous and needs something really substantial. And that’s how I came across a similar recipe for Omelette Brochettes in a cookbook called ‘Mini Treats’ by Hinkler Publications.

This one’s pretty simple to make, almost like a frittata. Though I have used onions, bell peppers and ham, any combination of meats or veggies can be used depending on your preferences.

It’s a really easy and simple dish to make and one you can make in bulk which also makes it as an excellent starter choice especially for children’s parties. If you are a light eater like me, it makes a delicious lunch option too when paired with a simple green salad.

I have not used cheese in this recipe, somehow I don’t like the texture too much if I have to refrigerate and then re-heat it later. But I would, if I was making it for a party or to have immediately afterwards.

Do try it out and let me know if you enjoyed it and don’t forget to tag your creations with #thespiceadventuress while posting on social media so that I can see it too. Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

3-4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup whole milk
12 large eggs
1 onion; finely chopped
8 ham slices; chopped
2 mini red bell peppers; finely chopped
½ tsp red chilli flakes
3 tbsp parsley leaves; finely chopped (reserve a bit for garnish)
½ tsp dried Italian herbs (a mix of dried oregano, thyme and rosemary)
Salt, to season
Freshly milled black pepper; to season

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan forced).
Line an oven pan (32x26cm) with baking paper. (You can also use a square or rectangle cake tin).
Heat olive oil in a pan and add the chopped ham; sauté for about 2-3 minutes and then add the onions.
Once the onions are softened and translucent, add the bell peppers. Season with salt and allow to cool slightly before adding to the egg mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the chilli flakes, dried herbs, parsley and the cooled onion ham mixture. Season with salt and pepper and whisk well.
Pour into the pan and cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes or till the egg has set.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before turning it out of the pan. Cut into squares and serve with your favourite sauce.

Andhra Egg Curry

Eggs, Mains, Side Dishes October 26, 2015 Comments: 7

I have begun to read a lot more cookbooks these days compared to a couple of years ago.

Earlier, cookbooks were like glossy magazines to me. Filled with mouthwatering, high quality images, a cookbook was only to gaze at and sigh. In fact it seemed like a distant, unknown world to me akin to reading a film or lifestyle magazine.

But this journey of food blogging has exposed me to the behind-the-scenes part of a cookbook. Today, I understand food in its entirety. Now when I read a cookbook, I try to find the author in every page of the book. What is the author trying to tell me through the book? What is his or her food philosophy? I am finally able to see the blood, sweat and tears that go into collating recipes, cooking all the food, styling, photographing, printing, publishing…..the whole journey flashes through my mind which makes me appreciate it and look much more beyond the glossy pictures.

Today’s recipe comes from a cookbook I have begun to admire much. ‘Indian Kitchen (Secrets of Indian Home Cooking)’ by Maunika Gowardhan is exactly my idea of an Indian cookbook. In fact, if anyone ever gave me an opportunity to create an Indian cuisine based book, it might look very similar to this one.

Indian Kitchen is a perfect tribute to the vastness and rich culinary heritage of Indian cooking. The book does not focus on a single region; it showcases the gems (some forgotten ones) of traditional Indian cuisine from across the country. Maunika has picked out classics from every region and presented it to us in the most beautiful manner.

And according to me, the ultimate compliment you can give to a cookbook author is to actually cook from her book and that’s what today’s dish is all about.

The Andhra egg curry is one of the dishes featured in the Indian Kitchen. In spite of being quite familiar with the cuisine and flavours of this South Indian state, I have never made an egg curry from this region before. The final flavour of the dish was exactly as I imagined while reading through the ingredients.

While I have followed the same recipe, adjustments have been made to quantities of spices and aromatics. And I would strongly urge you to do the same if you are trying out my recipe too since the flavours would depend a lot on the brand of spices and ingredients that is used.

Extremely flavourful and delicious, this Andhra egg curry is a wonderful accompaniment to steamed rice, rotis, naan, string hoppers, appams…..just about anything that can soak up the richness of the gravy.

And remember if you try out my recipes, I would be overjoyed to see the pictures and please tag using #thespiceadventuress so that I would not miss it.

Let’s get cooking this tangy, spicy, moreish Andhra style egg curry.

Ingredients:

1. 8 eggs; hardboiled, peeled and halved
2. 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil
3. 1 tsp black mustard seeds
4. 2 medium onions; finely chopped
5. 1 inch cinnamon bark
6. 3 green chillies; slit
7. 2 ½ large ripe tomatoes; finely chopped
8. 1 inch ginger; julienned
9. ½ tsp turmeric powder
10. ½ tsp red chilli powder
11. 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
12. 2 sprigs curry leaves
13. 1 tsp tamarind paste
14. 100 ml thick coconut milk
15. Salt, to season
16. 2-3 sprigs coriander leaves; finely chopped

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan; when hot, add the mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Add the onions and sauté on low to medium heat till light brown.
• Add the cinnamon and chillies; sauté for another minute or two. Then add the chopped tomatoes and mix well. Keep stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom and sauté for another 4-5 minutes on low heat till the tomatoes are completely broken down and become a thick, mushy mixture.
• Add most of the sliced ginger (reserve a few for garnish) and all the powdered spices. Mix on low heat for another minute or till the mixture comes together and oil starts to leave the sides of the pan.
• Add the tamarind and one cup of water. Mix and bring to boil and simmer covered for two minutes. Next, add the curry leaves and thick coconut milk. Mix and continue to simmer on low heat for another minute.
• Season with salt and add the halved eggs. Stir gently so as not to break the eggs and simmer covered on the lowest heat for another 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and sliced ginger. Add slit green chillies also if you wish to.
• Serve warm.

Tomato Egg Chutney

Chutneys/Dips, Eggs February 6, 2015 Comments: 36

Indian cuisine is perhaps, the most diverse in the world. The cuisine, produce, ingredients, techniques do not just differ from state to state but can be unbelievably diverse within the different parts of a state.

Having spent an entire childhood abroad, my vision of Indian cuisine was largely restricted to my home state, Kerala. Apart from the occasional mithais/sweets that our Gujarati neighbour gifted us for Diwali, I thought everyone ate the same kind of food in India.

That perception largely changed when I settled back in India for my college studies and decided to make the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu as my home. The stark difference in the cuisine surprised me and this coupled with my blossoming interest in culture, food and travel soon opened my eyes to the vibrant, layered and deeply rich Indian cuisine.

Again, the cuisine of Tamil Nadu varies from widely from region to region from the rich and vibrant Chettinad cuisine to the vegetarian fare of the Madras Brahmins. As my life unfolded in this state and post marriage into a Tamilian household, I learnt of the influences, styles and techniques that have given rise to the present day cuisine.

One of the first recipes and probably the simplest that I learnt from my mother-in-law is this tomato egg chutney which was a breakfast regular especially with piping, hot dosas. I did get a bit of a shocker when she told me about adding the egg to the chutney. I simply couldn’t comprehend the flavours inside my head.

The important thing with this chutney is the texture. The egg is added at the very end and immediately taken off the heat to ensure it stays creamy and does not go scrambled. Reminded me of the shakshuka but the end result was very different.

So, here is the tomato egg chutney – the perfect accompaniment to dosas (I have it as a spread too, slathered on my favourite toast).

This tomato egg chutney is rich with bold flavours, creamy, colourful and of course finger-lickin good!

To this day, my hubby wants to believe that I cannot make this one ‘like his mom’…though I know I make it quite well indeed!

Ingredients:

1. 4-5 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
2. 1 small red onion, finely chopped
3. 2 sprigs Curry leaves
4. 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
5. ½ tsp Mustard seeds
6. 1/4th tsp turmeric powder
7. ½ tsp Red chilli powder
8. 2 green chilli, slit lengthwise
9. 2 tbsp vegetable oil
10. Salt – to taste
11. A pinch of sugar
12. 1 whole egg

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard seeds.
• Then add chopped garlic and onion; sauté till light brown.
• Add the curry leaves, green chilli and then add the chopped tomatoes.
• Saute on high heat for about 3-4 minutes and then lower the heat.
• Add the spices along with salt.
• If necessary, add water. (Sometimes, the tomatoes are ripe and juicy in which case extra water may not be required).
• Cover the pan and simmer gently till the chutney consistency is reached.
• Crack in one egg, remove from flame and mix in thoroughly to get a creamy consistency. (If you continue to cook, you end up with scrambled eggs)
• Serve hot with idly, dosa…just about anything.

PS – This recipe has appeared before on my blog, but I re-shot the pictures and hence the new post.

Egg Biryani

Eggs, Mains, Rice December 10, 2014 Comments: 6

How can I even begin to explain what a biryani means to India? The singular rice dish which gets the nation into a culinary and cultural frenzy. The debates are endless…and democracy gets chucked out of the window! Is our biryani better or yours?

Every state of India has a biryani recipe or rather, a style of making biryani. It is amazing that a dish introduced to India by the Arab traders has become the national dish today. I really wouldn’t go into the history or types of biryani; Google and Wiki can do a good job of it.

Though you can find plenty of recipes for egg biryani all across the web, I decided to post this one because I loved the dish and wanted it to be a part of my collection here.

The best thing about egg biryani is that it is the perfect crossover between vegetarian and non-vegetarian. More people are egg-tarian these days and this is a delicious way to enjoy it. It is also perfect for days when you want to go meatless yet want some bold flavours on your plate.

No biryani recipe will look simple; there’s usually a ton of ingredients and steps but believe me, if you systematically follow it, this is one of the simplest dishes to cook. And the only accompaniment you need is a bowl of raita or yoghurt dip.

So let’s get cooking this delicious, aromatic and flavourful egg biryani!

I learnt this recipe from here.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup of basmati/long grained white rice
2. ghee/clarified butter
3. 1 inch cinnamon
4. 2 cloves
5. 2 green cardamom
6. 1 star anise
7. 2 dried bay leaf
8. ½ cup fresh coriander leaves/cilantro
9. ½ cup fresh mint leaves
10. 2 green chillies
11. 5 cloves garlic
12. 2 inch ginger root
13. 1.5 cups of large onions, finely sliced
14. ½ cup ripe tomato, chopped
15. 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
16. ¼ tsp turmeric powder
17. 1 tsp cumin/jeera powder
18. 1 tsp fennel/perinjeera/saunf powder
19. 1 tsp roasted coriander powder
20. 1 cups thick coconut milk
21. 1 tsp garam masala (adjust to taste)
22. 3 eggs, hard boiled and halved
23. ¼ cup roasted cashewnuts
24. ¼ cup raisins
25. 1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped, for garnish
26. 1 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped, for garnish

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for at least 2 hours prior to cooking. Drain thoroughly before cooking.
2. Grind the coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, 1 inch ginger and 3 cloves garlic into a paste and keep aside.
3. Grind the remaining ginger and garlic to a fine paste and keep aside.
4. Hard boil the eggs, shell and cut into halves.
5. In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee and lightly roast the cashewnuts and raisins; drain and keep aside.
6. In the same pan, add ½ cup of sliced onions and fry till golden brown; drain and keep aside.
7. Add the remaining ghee to the pan, and add the whole spices
8. After about 15 seconds or when the spices turn fragrant, add the ground green paste and lightly fry on medium heat for a minute.
9. Add the rice along with enough water to just cook the rice (refer to packet instructions for the rice or use 1:1 ration for long grained basmati rice). Season with salt and bring to boil. Once the rice is done, remove from flame and lightly fluff with a fork so that the rice does not turn mushy.
10. In a deep or heavy bottom pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee and add the remaining sliced onions. When the onions turn soft, add the ginger garlic paste and continue to sauté.
11. As this browns, add the powdered spices and sauté for another minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
12. Reduce flame and add coconut milk along with ½ cup water. Simmer for about 5 minutes and add garam masala and season with salt.
13. Next, add the cooked rice to this pan and lightly mix so that you get a marbled effect to the rice.
14. Place the boiled eggs on top and garnish with the roasted cashewnuts, raisins, fried onions, coriander and mint leaves.
15. Remove from heat and keep covered for at least one hour for the flavours to blend and come together.

Stuffed Cucumber Salad

Appetizers, Eggs, Salads September 24, 2014 Comments: 11

For a person who has an insane passion for all things food, many find it incredibly surprising that I own very few cookbooks. I have 4 books, pertaining to food!

And this is even more surprising for those who know that reading is my biggest hobby, one that I share in equal measure with my boys. But whilst we have a huge collection of other books, I have never found myself wanting any cookbooks.

But I find that slowly changing now; guess the passion is becoming an obsession and I do gravitate towards the food section every time I am in a bookstore now. The cookbooks that fascinate me the most are ones from the yesteryears; most of these do not have any amazing photography, exotic ingredients or cooking styles. But these books do have a wealth of information and stays true to the writer’s background, culture and tradition.

And one of the best places to find such treasures is at my local Red Cross charity shop. One man’s waste is another’s treasure! You can find me at least once a month here and I come home laden with vintage props, table cloths, cookbooks etc… You will find things here that are impossible to come across in a regular store and at such incredibly low prices.

One of my favourite cookbooks that I purchased from here is Marguerite Patten’s 1000 Favourite Recipes (and shhh, the book just costed me a dollar!)

A thousand recipes…….and that’s where this stuffed cucumber salad comes from.

This stuffed cucumber salad is the perfect canapé for your spring/summer party. It is easy to make, refreshing, delicious, looks pretty and stylish too.

I made a few changes to the originally outlined recipe and created my stuffing using boiled eggs, tomatoes, feta, parsley and chives. Pick out the freshest cucumbers that you can find and go for ones with slightly thicker skins so that it holds shape. And to get a contrasting look, I peeled the skin of the cucumber in an alternate fashion.

So let’s get to making stuffed cucumber salad – refreshing crunchy cucumber slices filled with soft mashed eggs, tangy sweet tomatoes, salty creamy feta and fresh herbs.

Ingredients:

1. 1 large, thick (not the overripe ones) cucumber
2. Salt, to season
3. Freshly milled black pepper, to season
4. 1 tbsp lemon juice
5. For the filling;
• 2 boiled eggs
• 1 tomato, blanched, skinned and chopped finely
• 2 tbsp feta cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp chives, chopped
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise

Method:

1. Peel the cucumber skin in alternate strips as shown in the picture. This is not mandatory but adds to the visual appeal of the finished dish.
2. Cut the cucumber into thick circles; scoop out the seeded part in the centre leaving just a thin layer at the bottom to hold the stuffing.
3. Season the cucumber slices with salt, pepper and lemon juice. This also helps to draw out the excess water and firms up the cucumber a bit.
4. To prepare the filling, mix the eggs, tomatoes, herbs, mayonnaise and then sprinkle in the feta. Mix well to form a creamy texture; if you think the mixture is runny, then add more eggs or cheese to firm it up.
5. To assemble, line the cucumber pieces, fill with the stuffing and garnish with chives. Place in a platter and refrigerate till serving time.

There’s just one more day remaining for my first blog anniversary giveaway to end. Have your taken part?

Ande ka Funda (actually, it is Chinese egg fry)

Appetizers, Eggs October 13, 2013 Comments: 7

In spite of having tons of recipes written down to be tried and experimented with, I (occasionally) face a culinary roadblock when it comes to cooking on some days. And these are the times when I am at my creative best, pulling out all sorts of ingredients from my pantry and refrigerator ending up with a totally new dish. I must admit, though, these creative sessions can be quite disastrous too. But luckily, this one was a real winner and totally loved by my guinea pigs (a doting hubby and an adorable 4 year old).

I had initially named this dish as Chinese Egg Fry but somehow, while writing this post, the old Bollywood song by the same name kept playing in my head and so the dish got re-christened as Ande ka Funda. Crazy, I know!

Well, coming to the dish, there are no classic Chinese ingredients in this one. The strong, pungent Chinese five spice was liberally dusted on boiled eggs and a good measure of parsley leaves thrown in to counteract the headiness of the spice blend. If you do not have parsley at home, go ahead and use coriander leaves.

Ingredients:

1. Eggs – 4, boiled and halved
2. Chinese five spice – 2 tsp
3. Parsley leaves – ½ cup, finely chopped
4. Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp
5. Salt – to season

Method:

• Boil and halve the eggs; keep aside.
• In a bowl, mix Chinese five spice, salt, parsley leaves and 1 tbsp oil. Taste and adjust.
• Carefully apply this spice mix on the eggs.
• Heat remaining oil in a flat pan and place the eggs (yolk-side) down.
• Cook for a minute on medium heat and then carefully flip over and cook for another minute.
• Remove and serve hot.

Egg Salami Sandwich

Eggs, Sandwiches September 3, 2013 Leave a comment

If you have been following my blog, you would have seen the series of lunch box recipes that are simple and easy to prepare in the morning. Another one I came up with is to chop up some salami pieces and add it to eggs; beat up well for a fluffy salami omelette. Complete the sandwich with veggies of your choice.

Ingredients:

1. Eggs – 2, beaten well (the more you beat, the fluffier it gets)
2. Salami – 3-4 slices, chopped roughly
3. Oregano – a pinch
4. Salt – to season
5. White pepper – to season
For the sandwich:
1. Red onion – cut into rings
2. Tomato – cut into round slices
3. Cheese slice – 1
4. Lettuce – shredded
5. Burger bun – halved
6. Tomato chilli sauce

Method:

• Beat eggs in a bowl, add the salami pieces and season with the herbs and spices.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the mixture. Place on high heat for 2 minutes and then cook on low flame covered for another 2-3 minutes. This makes the omelette fluffy and light.
• To assemble the sandwich, halve the bun, arrange the vegetables, place the cheese slice and then place the omelette cut into small pieces. Add a dash of tomato chilli sauce to finish.

Chicken Omelette Sandwich

Chicken, Eggs, Non vegetarian, Sandwiches September 3, 2013 1 Comment

A slight tweak to the regular omelette and it makes a world of difference! A simple brekkie idea for those rushed mornings….

Whenever I buy chicken for a curry or any other dish, I remove a few boneless pieces and freeze it separately. Some times I freeze it raw (if I have not decided what to do with it) or I will cook it with salt and pepper and then freeze it. I find it extremely easy and affordable to do this especially while making sandwiches like these for our lunch boxes when time is less and you need to whip up something delicious.

I would love to hear from all of you about how you plan your meals especially lunch. Do you make fresh food each day for your family’s lunch-box or rely on the innumerable processed options lining our supermarket shelves. Let me know your thoughts…

And here’s the recipe for the simple, nutritious and yummylicious chicken omelette;

Ingredients:

4 brioche buns
4 eggs; beaten well
1 cup cooked boneless chicken thigh; shredded or finely sliced
1 small red onion; finely chopped
1 tomato; sliced
1 cucumber; sliced
salt; to season
freshly milled black pepper; to season
Tomato sauce
Mayonnaise
1 cup mixed greens
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Sauté chopped onions till soft and translucent.
Add the chicken pieces; season with salt and pepper. Add a dash of tomato sauce and mix well to combine.
Beat the egg well and pour over this mixture. Cook like a regular omelette flipping over if necessary. Alternately, you can remove the chicken mixture and cook with the egg in batches if you have a smaller pan.
To assemble the sandwich, halve the buns and spread tomato sauce and mayonnaise on either side. Place a few greens on the bottom half followed by slices of tomato, egg chicken omelette and cucumber.
Enjoy

Cheese Tomato Omelette Sandwich

Eggs, Sandwiches September 2, 2013 Leave a comment

A favourite with kids….the flavours of the three ingredients work so beautifully together that this combination has become a classic. This one hardly needs any intro, so let’s get cooking….

Ingredients:

1. Eggs – 2
2. Cheese – 1 slice or ½ cup shredded
3. Tomato – 1 small, chopped finely
4. Salt – to taste
5. Pepper – to taste
6. Dried herbs – ¼ tsp
7. Bread – any kind, 2 slices
8. Olive oil
9. Tomato sauce/Tabasco sauce – depending on how hot you like it

Method:

• In a bowl, beat the eggs along with chopped tomatoes and cheese pieces.
• Season with salt, pepper and dried herbs
• Beat well to get a fluffy and soft omelette.
• Heat olive oil in a pan and when hot, pour the egg mixture.
• Bring down the heat to medium; cover and cook for 1-2 minutes so that the egg mixture can rise.
• Do not overcook the omelette.
• Turn over the omelette to cook on the other side for a second or two and no more. This step is optional.
• Turn off the heat and cut the omelette into slices.
• Place between the bread slices and pour tomato or Tabasco sauce as to your liking.

The ‘Indulgent’ Wrap

Chicken, Non vegetarian, Sandwiches August 27, 2013 Comments: 2

Wondering why this name? Last week was one of those ‘emotionally low’ ones and particularly one evening, I felt super upset though for no apparent reason. I wanted to eat food that made me happy – comfort food, soul food, whatever you want to call it. And I was tired of the takeaways – yet another pizza, pasta or burger.

Not being in the mood to cook an entire meal, I raided the fridge to find what’s in there to make something warm and happy. Laid my eyes on a packet of wraps and that triggered the dish. Took out every single ingredient I could lay my hands on be it spices, veggies, eggs, meat, cold cuts and made this super indulgent wrap. Even got my hubby and son to help me out and by the end of the day, I was one happy girl again. Thank you ‘wrap’!

Ingredients:

1. Wheat wrap – 1
2. Egg – 1
3. Chicken breast – 1, sliced finely
4. Nando’s lemon herb sauce – 2 tbsp
5. Red onion – 1 small, sliced finely
6. Mushroom – 4, sliced finely
7. Cucumber – ½, round slices
8. Sausages – 1
9. Salami – 2 slices
10. Alfalfa sprouts – ½ cup
11. Green bell pepper – ½, sliced finely
12. Mixed salad leaves – a handful
13. Salt – to taste
14. Pepper – to season
15. Olive oil
16. Smoked paprika – 1 tsp
17. Tomato sauce – 2 tsp

Method:

• Marinate the chicken pieces in the lemon and herb sauce; keep aside for 30 minutes (I already had marinated chicken in the fridge, so made the job easier). Shallow fry and keep aside.
• Shallow fry the sausages in olive oil or grill. Cut into slices and keep aside.
• Heat olive oil in a pan, sauté the sliced onions till translucent; add mushrooms and sauté till cooked. Add sliced bell pepper and sauté for another 30 seconds. Season with salt and smoked paprika and keep aside.
• Beat an egg well and season with salt and pepper. Heat the wrap on a tawa and smear the beaten egg on one side of the wrap. Flip over immediately, cook for a minute till the egg coats well and then take off the tawa.
• To assemble the wrap, place with the egg coated side up, place a layer of salad leaves and alfalfa sprouts on top. Add the chicken pieces on top followed by sautéed onion mushroom mixture. Then add the salami slices and sausages. Finally layer the cucumber slices. Season with pepper and drizzle tomato sauce. Roll the wrap tightly.