Recreating the Mexican fare ~ Mexican rice w/ Smokey Chicken fajitas & chunky guacamole~

When I think intently about that one cuisine that's closest to Indian flavors, my personal preference has always been Mexican. The spices, the intense flavors & the aroma that meld in together as a combination of several different spices are so reminiscent of our cuisine that it's really hard to pass it up. The remarkable similarities between Indian & Mexican dishes- be it the use of tomatoes, various chillies, or even the roasting of meat to develop flavors is sometimes very surprising, but when we come to think of it...it shouldn't really be. After all, almost all the essentials in an Indian curry like the tomato, potato & even the chillies have been New World exports to our subcontinent through the Portugese invaders. And there comes the connection!

Personally, I absolutely love the vibrancy - be it in the spread of dishes or the colorful serving plates...everything is so full with zest for life. The food is always as dynamic in the range & depth of flavors as is their spirited decor. One place that is responsible for making me a die-hard fan of Mexican cuisine has to be La-Taquiza in LA. Tucked away in a small strip mall-like area, don't be fooled by its humble existence. I have really lost count as to how many times I have pulled my friends to join me there and converted them into La Taquiza fans ;) The decor, the people & of course the taste of each of their dishes feels so authentic that I would imagine that this is exactly how food is cooked back in Mexico. So authentic and flavorful!

But after moving here to the Bay, I am yet to chance upon such an authentic Mexican place but I am sure it does exist somewhere. Now with being so far from La Taquiza, it is only wise for me learn the ropes of my favorite cuisine and try it out myself. Today's post is a product of that eventful Sunday morning when armed with a strong desire to replicate tastes of my favorite Mexican restaurant & with my go-to book "The Cuisines of Mexico - Diane Kennedy" for Mexican recipes, I set on this self satiating journey.

~Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice) ~

This Mexican rice is so subtly flavored with tomato & garlic sprinkled with a hint of cumin powder and jalapeno (for that much essential heat kick) that it's can shine either as a stand alone dish or a suited accompaniment to another spicy side dish.

Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice) - Adapted from Diane Kennedy's recipe

3 T Oil
1 C Arborio rice (Any other rice will be fine too)
1 Garlic clove Chopped
1 Jalapeno Chopped
2 C Chicken stock (You can use vegetable stock too)
1/4 tsp Salt

For 3/4 C paste
1 Medium sized tomato
1/2 Medium onion
1/2 tsp freshly roasted cumin powder.
1/2 tsp Red Chili flakes (Optional)

Method:
1. Wash the rice thoroughly in a colander till the water runs clear. This ensures that we wash off the starch so that the rice grains do not stick later. Then soak the rice for about 15-20 mins before you start cooking.
2. Make a smooth paste of tomato & onion. Reserve 3/4 C of the paste for the rice and keep aside the rest.
3. In a deep pan over medium heat, add in the oil and wait till it heats up. To check, drop a grain of rice and if it sizzles, then the oil is ready.
4. Saute the rice, garlic and jalapenos in the oil over medium heat for about 5-7 mins till the rice becomes pale golden color.
5. Then pour in the tomato-onion paste along with the cumin powder & red chili flakes and saute the rice till the mixture becomes dry (~ 2-3 mins).
6. Now heat the chicken stock and add in to the rice. Cook uncovered for ~ 10 mins till you can see holes on the surface. Cover & simmer for 5 mins more.
Tip: To avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan, do not stir the rice after adding in the stock.

This rice tastes so good be it right out of the stove or the next morning left overs. Such a hit!

~Smokey Chicken Fajitas~

A quick & easy Mexican chicken dish is a harmonious amalgamation of chicken & fajitas. Chicken pieces marinated in smokey paprika and garlic powder with a generous squeeze of lemon are grilled and cut into strips. They are then tossed with thin strips of onions & bell peppers to make for a flavorfully spicy side dish.

~Smokey Chicken Fajitas~
Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken thighs
1 T Smoked paprika
1 T Garlic powder (Unsalted)
2 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp salt

2 Medium onions cut in thin strips
1 Bell pepper (I used mixed colored bell peppers) cut in thin strips

Method:
1. Marinate the whole chicken thighs with smoked paprika, garlic rub, lemon juice & salt. Keep aside for 30 mins - 1 hr.
2. In a grill pan (or a regular pan) over medium heat, grill the chicken pieces till browned on both sides (~ 4 mins). Take them out and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Once the chicken pieces are slightly cooled (~ 5 mins), cut the chicken pieces into strips & keep aside.
4. In the same pan in which you sauteed the chicken, add in the thinly cut onions & bell pepper & toss well. This makes sure that all the browned chicken bits on the pan are taken up by the onion-bell pepper mix.
5. After ~ 2 mins or till the onion-bell pepper mix starts softening, add in the grilled & thinly cut chicken pieces and toss well.
6. Adjust for salt & lemon juice. Serve hot off the stove with Mexican rice & guacomole.

~The accompaniment:  Chunky Guacomole~
Adapted from Alton Brown's recipe

Ingredients:

4 Haas Avocados

2 T Lime juice
1 Clove garlic (Finely minced)

½ tsp Cumin

¾ tsp Smoked paprika

½ Medium Onion (chopped)

1 Jalapeno (chopped)

2 Small Tomatoes (Chopped)

2 T Chopped Cilantro

½ tsp Salt

Since I prefer my guacamole chunky, I chop it up in its skin and scoop it to a bowl. Add in the lime and all other ingredients. Taste to make sure it is to your liking and change likewise.

As I recreated my favorite dishes at home, it comforts me to know that though La Taquiza might not be close to me anymore..its taste lingers for ever :D So until I find my next favorite Mexican haunt I will keep recreating the magic here in my kitchen comforts.

So here's a question - How often do you get inspired by your favorite eating joints to create the same at home?

Love,
J

The simple Odia classic - "Chingudi Dahi Besara"/ Steamed yogurt and mustard shrimp curry

Before I begin, I must admit that this post is sure going to have a counter for the word “simple” and might even break the records - the only reason being that this recipe is truly-that-SIMPLE. Being an iconic Odia dish, time and again this preparation would accompany a few more curried dishes on our lunch/dinner table but still manage to hold its place impressively well. Fresh shrimp marinated with yogurt-mustard paste and steamed till the shrimp is melt-in-the-mouth tender does indeed sound like a very good proposition. While “good” shrimp and fish curries are relatively easy to find at the restaurants, rarely have I seen this preparation on any of the restaurant menus here at all and that makes me very sad every time.

Time and again my Ma would prepare this shrimp curry and I would be blown away every single time. Honestly I have been craving for this recipe for a long while now and what better opportunity than to learn from the in-home chef a.k.a my Ma when she was visiting me. So it was quite predictable that I would make fervent demands of this mouth- watering shrimp preparation time and again, while my Ma was more than happy to oblige. But as lazy as I got when she was around, I did manage to learn and demonstrate it to her that all these days apart from being a lazy couch potato, I have indeed been a very good student J.

Quite often in simple preparations like this, it’s not the recipe, but the other simple ways and nuances of its preparation that really counts. Fresh cleaned and deveined shrimp forms the perfect canvass for the distinct mustard flavor and the creaminess of the yogurt to come through. The pungency of the mustard paste mellows down during the steaming and blends in with the accompanying condiments. I have had several versions of this preparation but I am sure to be biased when I say that my Ma’s recipe always tastes the best. The mustard paste and the mustard oil add a distinctive punch to this creamy dish tempered with curry leaves and yet again some more mustard seeds. Now without much ado, here’s our home-style creamy and yes very simple “Chingudi dahi besara”.  

"Chingudi Dahi Besara" a.k.a Steamed yogurt and mustard shrimp curry

This classic Odia steamed shrimp preparation combines the creaminess & tartness of the yogurt with distinctly sharp homemade mustard marinade. This melt-in-your-mouth shrimp curry jumps up a notch with the tempering of curry leaves, slivered garlic and of course some more mustard seeds. "Besara" refers to the mustard paste along with the condiments.

Ingredients:

1 lb Cleaned and deveined shrimp

2 T Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera

4-5 Cloves of garlic

½ Onion

2-3 Green chillies

3 T Yogurt

2 T Mustard oil

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar.

For the tempering:

½ T mustard oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

2 Cloves Garlic (Slivered)

2-3 Green chillies slit

4-5 Curry leaves

Method:

1. Wash and drain the shrimp and keep aside.

2. Grind the mustard and the cumin to a fine powder.

3. Then add in the garlic, onion and green chillies and make a smooth paste.

4. Pour the paste out in a bowl and mix in the yogurt and the mustard oil along with the washed shrimp.

5. Let it marinate for about an hour.

6. Prepare a steamer. It can be prepared two of the following ways:

i. Pour water in a deep bottomed vessel and place a rack at the top such that the water does not touch the vessel when its kept on the rack. Cover and cook for about 7-8 minutes.

ii. Add water to a pressure cooker then place the vessel containing the fish inside the cooker. Cook for about 1-2 whistles.

7.Temper the prepared dish with a tempering of mustard oil, mustard seeds , green chillies and curry leaves.

8.Boil the curry for 1-2 mins and serve hot with rice.

Try this out and you too can vouch that this dish indeed very simple!!

Until next time,

Love,

J

I am submitting this recipe to:
- "Taste of tropics" hosted by Nandoo's Kitchen and Chef Mirelle.
- "Side dish mela" hosted by Valli
- "Let's Cook with yoghurt" hosted by Nayna

An Odia spin to the classic egg curry - Anda Alu Jhola/Anda Tarkari

How comforting is it to catch a glimpse of eggs gloriously adorning the-almost-empty refrigerator? Very comforting, isn’t it? I say it with much conviction since I believe that I might almost win (or be a very close competitor) for the “The most Experienced” award of such situations - a lot number of times. I might be damned to proclaim it as the most versatile of ingredients EVER but I am sure most of you will agree with me that indeed it is a savior in those critically desperate times.

Eggs are such adorable, "un"-intimidating delights that almost everyone is content savoring and more importantly, very fearless while cooking something wondrous. With its numerous avatars – be it the humble French toast for breakfast, frittata for lunch, nutritious boiled eggs as a snack or the fancy Pasta Carbonara for dinner, eggs are undoubtedly the most pliable of all ingredients I have ever worked with. I actually cannot sing eloquent enough of this dazzling star which is there to support you (as a binder for coating I must add) and of course to provide you with essential minerals and of course the protein for your dear pretty self. Informal, lip smacking and quick meals can be cooked just with eggs. So when in a fix to cook up something elegant, this gorgeous Indian dish with eggs and potatoes is something that pops straight into mind.

Out of all the various renditions of eggs, the one that stands out in memory the most is this simply prepared curry by who else but my Ma. To let you in on some details, with all the various religious restrictions there were only just very specific days of the week on which were allowed to eat/ cook non-vegetarian food back home. Out of all those days, Wednesday was one such day which we eagerly looked forward to as kids. So this “Anda alu jhola” dates back to those Wednesdays when we would rush back from school feeling awfully hungry with all anticipation of what awaits us and reach home to wafts of aroma of this egg curry sipping out through the front door. “Jhola” in Odia refers to a curry with a thinner consistency most usually eaten with rice. The rice soaks up the varied flavors of the jhola which is then coherently boosted with a bite of the seasoned egg. This egg and potato curry was the front runner on days when my darling little brother would insist on eating anything other than fish. My Ma would have hardly any will to resist and we would get to savor this dish. Need I say that he absolutely loves this preparation and yes lil bro, this post is for you.

Anda Alu Jhola

Seasoned and lightly sautéed boiled eggs simmer in a flavorful, thin broth along with sautéed cubed potatoes to add a quintessential Odia spin to the classic egg curry. Usually eaten with rice, this curry is quick to prepare and is a welcome change from heavy, thickened egg gravies.

Ingredients:

3 nos. Eggs 

2 T + 1/2 tsp Oil 

1 1/2 inch Cinnamon stick or 1 Bay leaf (Sprinkle 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder later after the curry is done,if you do not have the cinnamon stick)

1 T ginger garlic paste
2 T onion paste 

For dry spice paste:
1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp kashmiri chili powder (Optional)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala 

1/2 tsp Amchur/ dry mango powder (Substitute with required amount of lemon juice in its absence)
1 C water 

1/2 tsp salt (Alter as per taste)

Chopped cilantro (Optional)

Method:

1. For perfectly boiled eggs:

The first and the most important step is the boiling the eggs. How often have you ended up with that greyish ring around the yolk or with an egg with runny yolk? So now with this easy process, you are guaranteed to end up with perfectly boiled eggs every time without fail.

Place raw eggs in a pan and fill it with room temperature water till it covers the eggs. Bring the pan to a boil and switch off the stove once the water starts boiling. Cover the pan with a lid for 14 minutes and then, soak the eggs in cold water for about 5 minutes. Peel it once cooled and you have perfectly hard boiled eggs ready to rock.

2. Season the peeled, boiled eggs and cubed potatoes separately with 1/8 tsp of salt, turmeric powder and chili powder.

3. Heat up 2 T oil in a pan over medium heat and toss in the cubed potatoes. Once slightly browned, take those out and then add in the seasoned eggs. Stir and shallow fry the eggs till very lightly browned for 1-2 minutes. Scoop out the eggs and keep aside.

4. In the same oil, toss in the cinnamon stick/bay leaf  and once fragrant, add in the ginger, garlic and onion paste. Stir consistently over medium heat for 1 minute. Then, stir in the dry ingredients for the spice paste in ½ C water and add it to the ginger-garlic-onion paste in the pan. Stir consistently so that the paste does not burn and wait for the mixture to boil. Once the oil floats on top and the masala doesn’t smell anymore of raw onion, you know the gravy is ready. Add in 1 C of water and let it boil.

5. Now slowly slide in the potatoes. Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Right before taking off the heat, add in the halved sautéed eggs.Garnish with chopped cilantro, adjust for salt and serve hot with rice or bread.

While I savor this anda alu jhola, I cannot help but travel back in time when all of us would sit together to gobble up the rice soaked in this delectable light gravy. Nothing these days is quite as delightful than that surge of happiness we experienced as we ran back home on a rainy afternoon to this warm and homely preparation.

Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane as much as I did:)

Have a great week friends!
J
P.s: I am sending this entry to
- Kalyani and Gayathri for "Walk through memory lane-July 2012"
-"JCO: Monsoon of India" hosted by Sayantani and Jagruti
 - "30 minute meals" hosted by Srivalli 
- "Simply Sides" hosted by Sumee.