Smoked Tomato Curry (No Oil Recipe)

This is a simple recipe inspired from Naga cuisine. Tastes great with rice. I have used the Naga King Chilli in this, but if you are not prone to eating too much of spicy food, use the regular green chilli as an alternative. Traditionally the Naga tribal people smoke their vegetables on timber, but i have used charcoal for this.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes: 6, medium sized

Chillies: 1/2 chilly if using King Chilly, 2 small sized chillies if using regular chillies

Ginger: 1tsp, grated

Garlic: 6-7 cloves

Mint & Coriander Leaves: 1/2 cup, roughly chopped.

Water: 200ml

Ghee: 1tsp

Charcoal: a medium peice

The Spice Mix:

Roughly chop the chillies, peel garlic. Add these to a pestle, throw in the ginger & pound it coarsley. I prefer pestle to a blender since the taste & the aroma is far better. Set aside.

Smoking:

Roughly Chop the tomatoes & place it in a container. Place a small light weighted empty container on top of the tomatoes. Place the charcoal in a jaali & place it over high flame thill it turns blood red.

Place the heated charcoal in side the empty container. Add the ghee over the charcoal & close the container immediately. Set it aside for about 15-20 minutes. This will give enough time for the tomatoes to absorb the smoke.

The Curry:

Place a heavy bottomed container on the stove. Pour in the water. Discard the charcoal. Throw in the smoked tomatoes, the pounded paste, mint & coriander leaves & let it boil on a high flame. With a heavy ladle, thoroughly mash the tomatoes. Turn the fire to medium flame & keep mashing the mixture till it is smoothly blended. You can adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed. Add salt & check the seasoning. Take it off the stove, serve hot with buttered rice, poori, chappati or dosa!!

Who said smoking is injurious to health😉!!!

Vietnamese Chiili Sauce

Spicy Chilli Sauce

This simple & fiery chilly sauce can be easily made at home & can be refrigerated for up to 10 days. Iam not a great fan of canned or bottled sauces & always believe in making it fresh cause that adds more fun to your cooking. This recipe was inspired by Vietnamese cuisine.

Ingredients:

Water: 70ml

Fresh Red Chillies: 3, deseeded & pounded

Fresh Green Chillies: 3, deseeded & pounded

Vegetable Broth / Stock: 30ml

Vinegar: 1/4 cup

Sugar: 2tbsp.

Lemon Juice: 1/4 cup

Garlic: 6-7 Cloves

Ginger: 1tsp., Grated

Sauce It!!

• Stir in all the ingredients in a sauce pan except lemon juice.
• Place the pan on a stove, keep stirring it on a low flame till the sugar is dissolved & the texture is saucy or as desired by you.
• Remove & let it cool completely. I would give about an hour.
• Stir in the lemon juice & bottle it.

This can be used as an accompaniment for any of your starters. 

Be adventurous... Use this dip to munch your crisps or use as a dip for your bread!!

Or just serve with hot rice if you are too lazy to cook

la pasta di senape

This one is a very simple & yet a very tasty preparation of pasta. If you are a pasta lover you'll appreciate it. Iam always attracted to traditional Italian cuisine & I try fusion. I have used farfelle in this one, but you can use any pasta that appeals to you. This measure is just a guideline. You can add or reduce it depending on your taste. For some of the ingredients i have not given a measure since it will vary with each individual. Buon Appetito!!

Let's get started:

Barilla Farfelle: 1 cup

Garlic: 4cloves, crushed

Onions: 2, medium, sliced

Grated Ginger: 1Tsp.

Tomatoes: 3, Pureed

Tomatoes: 2, Sliced

Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano: A pinch each

Kasundi Sauce (Mustard Sauce)

Teriyaki Sauce

Tabasco Sauce

Olives: 10, Sliced

Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Milk: To adjust the consitency

Parmesan Cheese: As desired

Chilly Flakes, Ground Pepper: As desired

Let's move on:

Place the pasta in a container & add 2cups of water, a pinch of salt & a dash of oil. Place it in pressure cooker & steam the pasta for 10 minutes on a high flame & then for about 8 minutes on medium flame. Once done, drain the water & transfer the pasta in a bowl containing chilled water. let it be for around 3 minutes. Drain & set aside.

In a heavy bottomed pan, add olive oil. Throw in the onions & saute for around five minutes. Add in ginger, salt & the sliced tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes turn mushy. Add the tomato puree & cook on high flame for about 5-7 minutes. 

Add the mustard sauce, teriyaki sauce & saute for 2-3 minutes. Throw in the herbs & stir it once. Add half cup of milk, the cooked pasta & stir. Add a few dashes of tabasco sauce for that unique taste. Make sure that your sauce & the pasta are evenly mixed. Switch off the flame. Adjust the salt.

Here is the fun part!!

in a baking dish add half of the cooked pasta. Sprinkle ground pepper, half of the olives, chilly flakes & grate the cheese to cover the entire pasta. Now add the remaining pasta & repeat the same. Place it inside a pre heated oven till the cheese melts. 

If you prefer not to use the oven, you can cover the container with a foil, place it inside a cooker & steam it for 5-7 minutes on a high flame. Serve hot hot hot!! 

This one will tingle your taste buds for sure.

Meraviglioso Italia!!