Monday, September 27, 2010

BOMBAY DUCKS


They are not ducks. Bombay Ducks are fish. This is a recipe that comes from India. A different and particular dish. An acquired taste too. I have not tasted fresh Bombay Ducks. I have only tried dried and preserved ones. People that have tasted the fresh ones say they are different. I will have to stick to my preserved Bombay Ducks by now. Let’s cook.

Ingredients:

1 small chopped onion
2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
½ chopped green pepper
1 small chopped tomato
Some Reichada Masala
½ lb Boneless Masala Bombay Ducks, shredded
Some vegetable oil
Some water
Some salt to taste

First we will put some oil in a saucepan and we will heat it. When it is hot, we will add the onion, the potatoes and the green pepper. We will sauté these vegetables for a couple of minutes and then we will add the tomato.
We will cook for one minute and then we will add the Reichada Masala. The amount of masala will depend on the brand of the Reichada. Some brands are stronger than other. So, it is a good idea to be careful about the amount of masala we use.
We will add the shredded Bombay Ducks now. We will cook for two minutes and then we will add some water. Not much. We will have to add more but it is better to do it little by little.
Now we will only have to keep on cooking. The fire must be low. And we will have to add water if we see that our Bombay Ducks need it. Do not forget to stir it from time to time. Your Bombay Ducks will be ready when the potatoes are tender.
You can serve them with some basmati rice. Enjoy!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

CHIPS


We will cook some delicious potato chips today. Not many people cook potato chips nowadays. It is easier to go to the supermarket and get them. But you can also make them at home. We will make them now.

Ingredients:

Some potatoes
Some flour
Some extra virgin olive oil

Few ingredients. We will not need more ingredients. It is easy, isn’t it?
First we will have to prepare the potatoes. We will wash them, peel them and wash them again. Then, using a mandoline, we will make thin slices. The mandoline is a very useful tool. With it, it is very easy to make chips.
The next thing will be to put the potato slices in a container and add some flour. We will mix well.
We will heat some olive oil in a pan and when it is hot enough, we will add the potato slices. Do this little by little. Do not put too many chips in the pan at the same time. It is very important that the oil is really hot. Brown the chips and when they are ready, leave them on kitchen paper towel. Repeat this as many times as you need to do it.
And then you will have your chips. Ready to serve with whatever you want. Of course, you can eat them just like that. I usually do it. And now, enjoy!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

BRATWURST CHILI


We will cook some chili today. Another American classic. I will make my chili with ground beef but you can also use stew meat. You cannot be in a hurry to make chili. And you should not be in a hurry to eat it your chili once cooked. This is because chili gets better over time. So let’s cook out slow motion chili.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 pound ground beef
½ can kidney beans (16 oz
1 can cubed tomatoes (28 oz)
2 tablespoons roasted chopped red pepper
1 chili pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
Some water
Some tomato paste
Some salt to taste

First we will heat the oil in a pan. When it is hot, we will add the green pepper and the onion. We will sauté them for some minutes. Then we will add the garlic and the ground beef. We will cook till the beef starts getting a brownish color. Now we will add the beans and the cubed tomatoes. We will turn the fire very low and keep on cooking. Some minutes later we will add the chopped red pepper, the chili pepper, the bay leaf, the oregano, the cumin, the chili powder and the tomato paste. We will salt to taste. We will add some water. Just the one we think we need. Do not add too much now. You can always add it later if it is needed.
Now we will cook our slow motion chili. It is important that the fire is low. We will cover the pan and cook for about an hour. It is a good idea to stir from time to time. If you see that your chili needs water, add some.
And after some time and some patience we will have our chili ready. Do not forget to remove the bay leaf. Mix well and then it will be ready to be served.
Perfect for a Bratwurst sandwich with chips. I am sure you will have your own ideas for your chili. Enjoy!