Indian – Page 3 – Smriti "Simmi" D. Isaac

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

Rohu: A Fantastic Seven-Ingredient Fish Fry

Well, if you’re a fish-lover (the eating kind, might I add), and if you happen to have origins in the Indian subcontinent, then you most likely will recognize the name of this fish: Rohu. It is not too dissimilar to the trout, and holds well to a variety of ways of cooking it. Very common where I originally come from, it is certainly heartening to find it here in our local supermarket in a small town in the Upper Midwest of the United States. The Bangladeshi butcher in the supermarket cuts it for me any which way I ask him to. And this time around, I asked for steak-style pieces, only, I wanted those halved. Which is what he did.

Well, regardless of the style of the cut, what’s even more important is how you choose to make it. Last evening, I felt like frying, for a change. And so, first things first, viz. marinating the fish steaks. And what might that marinade be, you say? I used the first five fantastic ingredients for the marinade, the next one to dust the pieces in, and the last one to fry them in. So, here goes:

Haldi (Turmeric)
Lal Mirch (Red Chilli Powder)
Namak (Salt)
Nimbu (Lime/Lemon Juice)
Lassan (Garlic paste)
Chawal Aata (Rice Flour)
Canola Frying Oil

Make a marinade with the first five items, toss your fish into it, and let it rest for atleast a couple of hours. Then, when you’re ready to fry, roll the pieces in a light coating of rice-flour and drop into a deep-fryer and fish them out when they’re golden brown. (yes, I know, I’m good with puns like that!)

One bite, and I’ll bet you’ll say Yeh Hui Na Baat!

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

Breakfast of Champions: Parathas with Poached Eggs in Tomato Chutney

Yes, this is a breakfast of and for champions. Champions on a Saturday. Because on a Saturday, one has the time to put together this winning breakfast. And what is it, you ask? It is the most heartiest Parathas served up with an inconceivably delicious dish of Poached Eggs in Tomato Chutney.

There’s a slideshow below that documents the preparation. The chutney is a classic one of tomatoes cooked down in a tempered seasoning of hing, mustard, cumin, kari patta, turmeric, and garlic. The unseen secret ingredient is a dollop of Gongura Pickle. Add canned petite diced tomatoes, cook it down on a low flame for a long time, then add your eggs, cover, and wait for the longest time for the steam to make them set beautifully into the chutney. Remove from flame when they’re cooked through but the yolks not firm all the way. Serve with the Parathas. And love.

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

Parippu Vada: Goes With Both Chai and Chianti

Well, if you are of South-Indian origin, you’ll recognize the name of this dish: Parripu Vada. If you’re not, but still simply of Indian origin (of any region), you’ll at least recognize the vada part of that. So, what these are, are fried lentil fritters. But these aren’t you’re ordinary vadas: they’re crunchy and chewy and crispy and spicy. Because they’re packed with all kinds of goodness: the dal (chana or even arhar) is soaked overnight and processed with ginger, onion, kari patta, and green chillies. Then, they’re fried until they pop up golden crisp like this.

And then here’s the thing: you thought you needed to serve them only with tea or coffee? Of course, you could do that, but then, if you’re in my house, you might very well find them paired with a glass of the finest Chianti. Like last evening. I suppose the Italians might say Buon Appetito, but around these parts, we say Yeh Hui Na Baat!

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Simmi D. Isaac — 1 Comment

Comfort Foods, Cont…

It is my goal to document here as much of the ordinary as I do the extraordinary. And in line with this, I have, on and off, talked about the simplest of home-cooked meals and especially certain foods that hit the comfort spot right on and right away. This post is a tribute to that very same sentiment. Quite recently, having returned from a week-long vacation to exotic locales wherein I sampled everything from haute cuisine to street-food, at the end of the week, when I got home, what is it that I made to satisfy my longing for a “simple” meal? Mango Dal, White Rice, and a Red-Hot Chicken Curry. Yes, that’s a combo that hits the spot for me! See for yourself:

Posted on March 13, 2011January 19, 2013 by Simmi D. Isaac — 1 Comment

UppuMau, aka, Upma: The Food of the Gods

So, you take the humble cream-of-wheat or the farina flour, or sooji as it is called in several regional languages in India, and make what with it? Well, you could do anything you want, of course, but if you wish to make something truly delectable and leave an indelible impression on the minds, hearts, and tongues of your loved ones, well then, you would make only one thing: Upma.

Over the years, I have made this dish called upma many a time, and over the years, I do believe I have perfected it to the point that I have bestowed upon myself the title Queen of Upma. Well, I made it for breakfast this morning, but this time, I did what I have never done before: taken pictures of the making of it–step by step–in order to document visually the ingredients and methods that go into making this impossibly satisfying dish for any time of day, but most especially in the mornings.

The word Upma, I was told a very long time ago, by my husband, is a derivative of two words: Uppu (salt) and Mau (Flour/Batter). Being married to a Tamilian has its benefits for sure: you learn of the etymology of one of the most common and popular dishes that you always thought was a random word! In fact, the correct pronunciation, I am told is not ‘upma‘ but ‘upmau’ where the ‘uppu’ is abbreviated to ‘up’ (as in ‘look’) and the ‘ma’ is elongated to ‘mau’. I found a wiki entry on this, btw: Upma (Tamil: உப்புமா), is a south Indian dish made of rava. The name is an amalgam of two words : “salt” and “flour. E.g., In Tamil, “uppu” (உப்பு) + “maa(vu)” (மா(வு)).

At any rate, see for yourself the slideshow below on my style of making upma. Take one bite, and you too will say that it is indeed a food fit for the gods! For your viewing, and hopefully, experimenting pleasure.

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

Friday Night Onion Rings

So, have you made them ever? Onion Rings, that is. The quintessential finger-food that is oh-so-satisfying, grease and all, and made even more perfect on a Friday night when you can kick back and say, “It’s Friday night, and everything’s all right!” Well, alright, maybe not EVERYthing, but you know what I mean. See for yourself my idea of serving up Onion Rings, each one a work of art, not to mention the crispiest and tastiest bite ever!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

The Simplest (And Most Comforting!) Indian Meal

Some time back, I had offered up a post titled The Simplest Indian Meal. Today’s is a variation of the same, with only a few additional components to the meal and a modification of the title which includes the words (and most-resounding sentiment of): And Most Comforting! It was a meal that I made last night for dinner– and that I’ve made countless times before! Check out the slideshow below for pictures of each of the items that comprise the meal. For the uninitiated, I will spell them out again below the show:

1. Rice (always Basmati, even for the everyday use)
2. Whole-wheat Rotis, aka Chapatis
3. Pheeki Dal made w/ arhar or toor dal.
4. Subzi (anything will do; this one is a Jalfrezi-style mixed veggies)
5. Achar (one of my favorite pickles: Gongura by Priya)
6. Appalams (a strong influence of my Tamil husband)
7. Plain White Yogurt, aka Curds

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

Smack Your Lips, It's Chettinadu Chicken Time!

So, if you don’t know this already, I’ll tell you one not-so-small-fact about myself: I am the queen of improvisation. In the kitchen, that is. (Among other places, of course!)

But what I’m getting at is that I made a chicken dish today that I’m going to call Chettinadu Chicken. Chettinadu because it is based on the traditional dish by that name, but has been improvised in the adding and omission of ingredients and in the technique of cooking it thereof. The key ingredients, however, remain, which are: mustard, tamarind, kari patta, and ginger.

One bite, and you’d want to say: yeh hui na baat! Oh, and the Tamils probably don’t say it quite like that, but whatever it is that they would say, the meaning would still be the same, which is, roughly translated: ‘that’s the word!’– to mean of course, something along the lines of: this is so good, I have no words to describe it!