Seduction on a Plate

Have you ever wondered how these self-announced culinary goddesses look absolutely ravishing in their kitchen spaces, day after day, show after show. Not a strand of hair out of place, not even a laughter line showing. They look sexy with their mouths full and their bodies look as if they stopped growing after 16! Nigella Lawson of course is an exception.

They have come-hither looks, husky voices, manicured nails, and botoxed assets as kitchen arsenals. I wonder how all their cook wares look so shiny (must be the sponsors!), stovetops spotless, kitchens gorgeous, pantries full and people like you and me eating out off their palms. Well, almost.

I know I am no Nigella or Giada, not even shortcut queen -Rachel Ray. But sometimes away from public eye, I pretend to be one. Yes, I convince myself that I am the domestic diva who can whip out meal after meal everyday, sometimes twice a day! Though its another story that a lot of the times, I spill, overcook, follow recipe books, make frantic calls to the mother, serve leftovers, or conveniently order take out.

Till about a few years ago, I even used to talk to myself, pretending I was hosting some food show. Well, that delusion hasn’t stopped altogether. Except that now, I also have a camera in my kitchen. I am also contemplating about shedding my PJs and slipping into fashionable clothes, curling up my hair and batting mascaraed eyelashes the next time I step inside my kitchen. Some day soon. Very soon. Till then, keep coming back to check on me and my un-sexy home cooked meals.

Today I made my usual, to-be-patented winter staple of clear tomato soup and served with croutons made of French baguette and Spanish Chorizo sausages. They paired well with a light salad made of baby spinach, arugula, red cabbage, sliced avocado, red bell pepper, generous shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano and a good drizzle of EVOO (just the way Rachel Ray says it!). For the uninitiated, EVOO is Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

If you cannot find baguette, take any long-thin bread and make even slices of it, preferably with a serrated knife. Drizzle olive oil. Slice the sausages too to fit on the bread.

Preheat your oven to 350°F, and leave the breads to turn into golden, crusty croutons topped with melt-in-the-mouth sausages.


For the salad I just tossed in everything at the very last minute and served in individual bowls with freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, a dash of extra virgin olive oil, few squirts of lemon juice and some black pepper straight from the pepper mill.

Chicken Curry, Parsi Brown Rice & Kachumbhar Salad

Given that life is so short, do I really want to spend one-fourth of my remaining days on earth cooking food?

No.

Instead I will now spend my time writing about it!

Sunday was Super Bowl, a fanaticism in North America a Cricket fan like me would never understand.

P tried to coax me into watching the Finals with him. He even picked a 30-wing platter which was available at a great deal in a nearby supermarket. But I had a different kind of wind beneath MY wings! I was lurking in the kitchen again.

I quickly queued the menu in my head - a simple Chicken Curry, but not a curry in a hurry, Parsi Brown Rice and Kachumbhar Salad. The Sunday Super Bowl experience should be complete with that.

Chicken and I are karmically connected. I think with a little imagination you can create wonders at your dinner table.

My Chicken-Curry-In-No-Hurry takes about 30-40 minutes to prep and cook. Try it this way:

6 pieces of chicken drumsticks and thigh, skinless
1 medium size red onion finely sliced
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon green chili paste
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt

Heat oil in a thick bottom pan and add the sliced onions. If you add just a pinch of sugar and let it caramelize and then add the onions, you will get a glorious color to the onions instantly! Fry the onions till they turn brown.

Add the chicken and fry for another 8-10 minutes. Add all the spices- powder and paste and keep frying till they wrap the chicken pieces well. I always cover my chicken and cook. That way I don’t have to add water and the chicken gets tender very easily.

The chicken curry should look gorgeously reddish-brown in color and should release some oil. That’s when you know its done. Sprinkle the garam masala powder and its ready to eat.The Parsi Brown Rice is a good rice dish to serve with this chicken curry, essentially for its subtle flavors. If you have Basmati rice, ghee, onions, cinnamon, cardamom, sugar and salt in your pantry. You know you have a passport to someone’s heart!

For the Parsi Brown Rice you need:

2 cups of Basmati rice
1 medium red onion finely sliced
2 tablespoon desi ghee
1 bay leaf
1 black cardamom
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 tablespoon sugar for caramelizing
Salt

Wash the Basmati rice and drain the water. Keep it sieved for about 30 minutes. Heat the ghee and add the onions and fry till brown. Add the dry spices and the rice. Fry for another five minutes till the rice is nicely coated with the ghee. Add salt to taste.

Meanwhile in a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoon sugar till it caramelizes. Add 3 and half cups of water. Mix well with the sugar. This water now goes into the rice.

I cooked my brown rice in the microwave on High for 20 minutes. Cover the microwaveable rice bowl with a lid/cling film/plastic wrap before you cook it in the microwave.

I make the Kachumbhar Salad when I am feeling supremely lazy or in a hurry! Chop any which ways vegetables like – onions, tomato, radish, cucumber, lettuce, and carrot. Season with lemon juice, black pepper powder, salt, a pinch of red chili powder and Chaat Masala.
Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

This makes for a great sit-down dinner. Or do it the way P and I did it on Sunday. Served everything on our plates and sat on the couch for the Super Bowl.