Lamb cooked in Goan Green Curry

Ingredients:

Lamb

3 Cardomon

1 Cinamon stick

4 Cloves

1 Star anise

3 tbs Green masala

3 tbs Red wine

Salt

1 tbs Vinegar

1 tsp Honey

1 onion Onion

2 Green chillies

3 tbs Olive oil

1 tsp Tumeric powder

Salt the meat and marinate in two tablespoons of green masala and half a teaspoon of tumeric powder. Add red wine, vinegar and honey. Mix well and let marinate for atleast 30 minutes.

Add cardomons, staranise, cloves and cinnamon in oil and let it sizzle. Now Lightly fry onions and chillies and Fry for a few more minutes  until the onion is golden brown. Now add the meat. and Lightly fry the meat before adding about two cups of warm water. Close the lid and let cook for at least 45minutes to soften the meat and when the oil start to float you know its ready.

Best Enjoyed with a bowl of rice.

Goan Fish cakes (Mackerel Cutlets)

Ingredients:

3 Mackerels
1 Onions
2 green Green chillies
Fresh Coriander
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Tumeric powder
Salt to taste
Vinegar
Olive oil
Pepper powder

Egg

Bread crumbs or semolina (rawa)

Preparation:

Cook the mackerels in boiling water and de-bone. Taking care to remove every possible tiny bones. Shredd the mackerel meat finely and keep aside.

 Cut the onions very fine along with coriander and chilies. Mix all the ingredients except the bread crumbs, add the egg at the end and mix well. Now tale a ball of the mixture and shape into little cakes (Patties) and fry in Olive oil coated with bread crumbs.

Serve with Pao as seen in the picture or can be had as a side dish with Rice and Curry.

Baby Chicken Roast Marinated in Redwine

Baby chicken
Garam masala
Garlic powder
Coriander powder
Pepper
Honey
Lemon juice
Salt
Chives
Red wine
Tumeric powder
Seasonal Veg
Fries

Lamb feijoada

Beans
Lamb ribs
Star anise
Cardomon
Cloves
Bay leafs
Garam masala

Ginger garlic paste
Onion
Coriander powder
Pepper
Green chillies
Salt
Oil

Potatoes

Egg

Brandy

Vinegar

Tumeric powder

Pan fried Salmon on a bed of Spinach and Potatoes

Ingredients:

Salmon
Spinach
Baby potatoes
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Boiled egg

Season salmon with salt and pepper. Pan fry the salmon skin side first till crispy. Flip over and fry for at least another 5 minutes.

Lightly fry the spinach in olive oil and then add tablespoon of butter. Cook for about 5 mins and at the end add boiled and cut potatoes to this. This is just to give the potatoes a light butter coating. Season with salt and pepper as per taste. Plate the potatoes first and then the spinach.

Lay over the fried Salmon along with a boiled egg and serve. One of my favorites, bon appetite.

Roast Pork Chop on the bone with cashew feni

You will love this simple yet tasty pork chop recipe. To prepare this pork chop you will need the following items.

Pork chop
Coarsely powdered black pepper
Chillie powder
Garlic powder
Tumeric powder
Garam masala (Indian spice mix)
Mixed Herbs
Cashew feni (Optional)
Coconut vinegar or Vinegar of Choice
Soya sauce
Salt
Olive oil

Mix all of the spices and oil and rub the mixture into the pork chop. Now let it marinate in this spices for at least a hour. Roast in oven at 250 degrees Celsius for around 45-50 minutes.

Lightly fry the boiled veggies of choice in the left over juices and serve.

Goan Bebinca with Vanilla Icecream

Another delicious cake that evolved as a fusion of European and Goan cooking.  All time favourite among goan desserts and aptly known as the Queen of Desserts. Its a layered cake that takes a lot of labour to make but once you have mastered it, its sure to make you very popular amongst your family and friends specially at Christmas time as they would flock to you to place their orders for this succulent Christmas speciality. Bebinca is a pudding textured cake and not fluffy like a normal baked cake.

It goes by several other names like Bebique or bibik. It is popularly known to have been a dessert created by a nun named Bebiana at the Santa Monica Convent in Old Goa (Velha Goa), a place just outside the capital city of Goa, Panaji or Panjim. Incidentally Old Goa was the former capital of Goa before Panjim was named the new capital after a outbreak of Plague at Old Goa in the 18th Century. Old Goa was also the first places that the Portuguese settled after a short war broke out with the Portuguese and Adil Shah who ruled Goa before Portuguese established themselves in Goa. It was once called the Rome of the East as the Portuguese built large cathedrals in a cluster. Although most of the building were ravaged by passing of time, however the large churches still remain standing and is magnificent place to visit. Its now designated as a UNESCO world Heritage site and maintained by the Archealogical Society of India (ASI), though its a active religious site of worship for Catholic Goans and other Christian. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is world famous as it is the final resting place (Mortal Remains) of St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit Spanish priest from 16th Century and one of the first to preach Christianity in Goa and else where in Asia including China. For a virtual tour of Old Goa monuments visit ASI Virtual Tour.

Photo Credit: ASI Goa Circle Website.

The bebinca was made as a 7 layered cake to represent the 7 hills of Lisbon. It was served to a visiting priest by the nun, who enjoyed the cake very much that, he commented that it needs even more layers. So the cake is no more baked as a seven layer cake but rather up to each one baking it, it can even have up to 16 layers. The fact that the cake takes almost all day long its up to the patience level of each baker to bake as many he/she can bake.

The cake has travelled with Portuguese to other regions that the Portuguese traded with like Malaysia, Singapore and Macau. I have read that there is layered cake speciality in Indonesia called kak lapi that was introduced to them by the East India Dutch Company, possibly a variation on Bebinca. There are writings on the internet that the reverse flow applies (Malaysia to Goa) to Bebinca however I think its incorrect for the fact that Bebinca was possibly developed much before in the early 16th Century, as Goa was Portuguese territory since 1510, much before the Dutch arrived in Asia and also that some of the Dutch colonies were actually ex-Portuguese territories that the Dutch captured from the Portuguese themselves. So the reverse theory may be hard to believe. Goa was the HQ of Portuguese trading empire in Asia, so it much easier to believe that the dish originated here and travelled else where and also the fact that the other variations in Asian countries mentions the invention or introduction mainly in the 18th Century almost two centuries later than Portugal's arrival in Goa. It could also mean that the other Asian variation on Layered cakes do not have any connection directly with Bebinca but rather to European traditions of baking cakes and may very well have developed independently. It would be intriguing to know from others.

Nevertheless Bebinca is imbibed in Goan food culture and a favourite among goans anywhere in the world. Baking a Bebinca is truly a labour of love and involves a lot of patience. I'm not the one who can wait a whole day or half to bake a cake. It involves baking a layer at time allowing it cool down to add another one than bake again and continue till you have the desired number of layers. Its not hard to bake this cake just needs time and effort and there are no short cuts for that perfect Bebinca or Bebik/Bibik in short, as the Goans would call it fondly.

The Main Ingredients for this dish are :

Granulated white sugar

Coconut Milk

Egg yolk                                   

All-Purpose Flour                                    

Nutmeg powder                                  

Salt                                    

Ghee or butter                         

Sugar caramel

I'm the one who will enjoy this dish from somebody baking it for me or buying off the shelf at stores (Not the best though). If I were to ever bake one. I will surely update this blog article. But if you wish to bake one yourself there are ample recipes on the internet.

You never know I may have a change of mind and bake one soon. so subscribe to this blog to get the latest updates.

If you are inclined to know more about the history of Old Goa, Please visit the ASI Website. They have ton of information and picture with historical anecdotes.

 

Curried Chicken with spinach, carrot and peas

Curried Chicken cooked with Spinach, peas and Carrots. 

Ingredient

Chicken

Garam Masala

Ginger Garlic Paste

Spainach

Peas

Carrots

Onion

Oil

Salt

Fry a chopped onion with oil until golden brown. Add chicken pieces marinated in Salt and Ginger Garlic Paste. Continue to fry few more minutes. Now add the Garam Masala and fry for additional 2 minutes. Now add 2 cups of water, Peas, Carrots and Spinach.

Let it cook for at least 20 minutes. See if chicken cooked and serve it Rice or Bread.

Juicy Spiced Pork Chop

Ingredients

Pork chop

Chilie powder

ginger powder

Pepper powder

Vinegar

salt

carrot

stock powder

chives

Carrot Chopped

Marinate the Pork Chop with all the Ingredients (Except Carrot and Chives) and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Fry the chop with some olive Oil.

Boil the Carrots until nicely cooked, drain water and then add a dash of live oil and chives. Serve wit the Fried Chop.

Lightly charred Pork Chop with Veggies

Another easy to cook dish. A Lightly Charred Pork Chop served with Veggies. 

For the preparing the dish:

The Pork Chop is cooked with a tablespoon of Goan Red Spice Mix (see this link for the Reachado Masala). Marinate the Chop with the 1/2 tbs Masala, and let the chop rest in the masala for at least 30 minutes and grill in the Oven until cooked. Once cooked let it char lightly to get a smokey flavour.

Serve with boiled veggies of choice

Oven Baked Sea Bass

Easy to prepare, this baked Sea bass is tasty yet simple enough for any one to prepare.

Salt fish with a tsp of salt, rubbing it well in the slits made both side as seen above. Apply Pepper and some mild chili powder. Slice some garlic and fill in the slits of the fish and stomach. Also place a few slices of lemon inside its stomach. cover the fish in a foil and place in a oven dish, drizzle virgin olive oil and a 2 tsp of butter. Now cover the fish with the foil to contain the juices as it cooks and bake in the oven on 250 C for 45 minutes.

Enjoy tender juicy Sea Bass......

Fusion Limonchelo (Caju Fenny)

My take on the Famous Italian Drink Limoncello using our very own Goan Cashew Fenni. Limoncello uses Lemon rind to flavor a strong liquor like Vodka or Grappa. I have used Cashew fenni to this recipe to produce this unique drink.

The process involves soaking the lemon rind (Care should be taken to avoid the lemon white on the Rind) in liquor for several days and then draining the rind out and adding sugar. Store in a glass bottle for several days before using to complete the process. Limoncello is a drink usually had after a large meal like dinner or Lunch as a liqour Shot as the Lemon has has some beneficial affects.

Classic French Mussels

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Ingredients

Butter

onion

chives

garlic powder

salt

olive oil

Fresh mussels

This is a classic french dish which is easy to cook but deliciously good way to enjoy small mussels.          

To prepare the dish: 

Sautee the onions with Butter, chives and Garlic Powder along with some salt. Add the fresh Mussels (cleaned before hand of dirt and hairy threads that are usually stuck to the mussels) and let cook for 5 minutes until all have opened up. Add a dash of olive oil to finish off.

Server with some bread to soak in the juices at the end once you have finished eating the meat within the shells.

Note: Ensure you use fresh mussels if any mussels were opened before cooking discard them.

Goan beef shavings with eggs and peas

Ingredients

Beef shavings ( thinly sliced beef)

Eggs

Green peas

Chiilie powder

Ginger powder

Garlic powder

Crushed pepper

Salt

Olive oil

Vinegar

Breadcrumbs or semolina (rawa)

Cooking

Marinate the beef with ginger, garlic (go for fresh ginger garlic paste if available), pepper, salt and vinegar. Leave for atleast 30 mins to marinate. 

Now heat some olive oil in a pan and scramble the eggs. Coat the shavings in breadcrumbs and fry in the same pan. Once done, gently fry the frozen peas with a little salt for about a minute. Plate and serve with pao.

Alternatively these shavings are great to make the goan cutlet pao. Take pita bread, fill with the shavings along with thinly sliced cabbage, onion and tomato sauce.

Minced Beef with Tomatoes and Peas

Had a few large tomatoes lying the Fridge and wanted to do something with. Tried the Adding them to this Minced Beef and it turned out great. Follow this recipe for the Minced Beef Preparation and just add the tomatoes towards the end when the beef is almost cooked, else the tomatoes with dissolve in the dish.

This dish can be cooked in no time and could be had with Bread, Rice or Pasta of choice

Wild Salmon with Carrot and Peas

Wild Salmon
1/2 tsp Ginger powder
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
Salt

One Carrot
Frozen Peas
Tbs Butter
Tbs Olive oil
Chives
Small Onion

Season the salmon filet with ginger, pepper and salt. Leave for about 15 mins. 

Cut the carrot into discs and boil in water till they are cooked. Once done pour the water from the carrots onto the frozen peas to cook them, no need to boil them. Now add a little salt to the peas and carrots. Add butter and olive oil, to the carrots and then add the sliced onions. Mix well and cook for a few mins and then finally add the chives.

Now fry the salmon with oil, skin side down till skin turns crispy. Turn and fry to cook to the other side. Once done, plate the salmon with carrots and the peas. Serve with bread

Viadukt market, Zurich

Interesting Local Market in Zurich, called the "VIADUKT" Market.             

The Market is built under the an Old Railway bridge Arches. Its located at Viaduktstrasse, 8005 Zurich and has some really Interesting local Shops. At the far end of the Market there is a cafe and a Restaurant so is a cool place to check out on Weekends.

All along the arches of the railway bridge, are many boutique clothes shop and the area offers a relaxed yet Chic ambiance. at the far end of the railway bridge is also a family garden where people chill out with family and friends during summer months.

Inside the market itself there are several stores selling wines, cold meats, fresh fish, sausages, Asian groceries, baked items, ethnic stores, etc.

This place is perfect place to explore over the weekend on Saturdays, Note: Sundays everything is closed in Switzerland.

Fried Rice with Prawns

2 Eggs
1 Cup Rice
Prawns 6-8 pieces
Salt
Fish sauce
Soya sauce
Coriander leaves
Fragrant asian oil or olive oil

Veggies:
1 medium carrot thinly cut into strips
Small capsicum
Chillie
Green flat beans
Green peas
1 Onion

Cook Rice and keep aside. In a large pan add oil and fry onions till golden brown, now add the other veggies including the chili. fry for a few minutes until everything is nice blended. Now add the prawns and fry till they turn pink.

At this point move all the veggies to one side of the pan and with a little oil fry the eggs on the other sideo fteh pan. Scramble the egg to form small pieces. Now mix everything back again, add soya and fish sauce and mix well.

At the final stage add the cooked rice and mix well, if needed add more Soya sauce by tasting the rice. Now garnish with coriander leaves and Serve.

Twisted Xacuti (Lamb)

Onion

Carrot (Optional)

Potatoes (Optional)

Frozen peas (Optional)

Grated Coconut

Garam Masala
Tamarind
Tumeric powder
Fennel seed powder
Salt
Hint of vinegar (If no tamarind)

For those hard pressed for time, this is a twisted Xacuti for quick and easy meals. This is a cheats recipe to make Xacuti in no time and can be cooked with different meats and also for vegetarians can be cooked with Mushrooms.


Masala:

Brown 200grm of fresh grated coconut on a pan with a 1 tsp oil and grind the coconut with 2 tbsp. of garam masala and 1/2 tsp of tamarind paste to a fine paste and keep aside

Cooking:

Finely chop a medium sized onion and fry with some oil in a cooking container till nicely brown, add a medium chili along with a finely chopped tomato and a tsp each of turmeric powder and Fennel seeds powder, fry this for 2-3 minutes. Now add the masala paste and the meat and mix it well. Add a cup of water and let it cook over medium heat for about 35-40 minutes.

At this stage check that the meat has cooked and you will notice the oil separate. Adjust salt as per taste and take the cooking container off the heat. Server with Rice and Enjoy!!

For Vegi Option (Mushroom),  

Cut 500gm of mushrooms keep aside. Follow the above methods but add the mushrooms only after masala is added unlike the meat. The Mushrooms are added once the masala sauce is boiling, as Mushrooms cook very fast. Cook for 10 minutes after the mushrooms are added.

Fresh catch Birmingham UK (Bull Ring market)

Fresh Fish on the Mind in Birmingham (UK Midlands), head to the Bull Ring Market. This market is full of character where you will find variety of things. There is always seasonal local produce and a huge meat and Fish Market along with Fresh Veg and Fruits section. Great prices and the freshest produce.

I loved this place when I lived in Birmingham for a year and was a go to Destination for Shopping my fresh produce over the weekend. The market is located at the famous Bullring Market having lots of other traditional markets like the fresh fruit and veg Vegetables market. Next to it is also the Chinese Quaters (China Town) where there are several Chinese dining places including the all you can eat Chinese Buffets and are a great way to eat your way to Chinese food.

 

Pork Chop Roast

Pork Chop oven roasted with Veggies. This is a spur of the moment dish that I came up with on one of those days you think what i can make something without much effort and this is the result.

Ingredients:

Pork Chop

Garam Masala                                  

Veggies of Choic (Courgette, Green Beans, Onion, Peas)

Olive Oil

Vinegar

Salt

Marinate the Pork Chop in Indian Garam Masala and Ginger garlic paste with some vinegar and salt. Let stand and roast the meat in a baking tray throwing in some veggies. In this one is had Green beans, onion and Courgette (Zucchini)

Spaghetti with Spiced Venison

Venison served with Pasta. In switzerland during the month of September its officially the hunting season and you will see super market stock venison (Wild Deer meat). On one such occasion i made this lovely past dish using the super market bought Venison.

The hunting of wild animals is legal in Switzerland and is done to control wild animal numbers. The hunt is controlled and a hunter needs to have a license and allowed to hunt only during the official season in Autumn.

To prepare this Pasta you will need.

Venison Meat (Deer Meat)

Onion

Tomatoes

Chilie

Garam Masala

Oil

Salt

Ginger Garlic Paste

Mushrooms

Cut the Meat into small pieces and marinate with salt, 2 tsp of Garam masala, 1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste and let it stand for at least 30 minutes.

In a pan fry 1 onion with olive oil until golden brown, add mushrooms and tomatoes and fry till nicely mised and tomatoes release their juices. Add sliced green chilie and mix. Now add the meat and half cup water. Lets itcook for atleast 20-25 minutes, mixing at internvals.

Serve with cooked pasta of Choice.

Prawns and Chorizo

Rice Served with Prawns cooked in Chorizo

Ingredients:

Choriz

Rice

Prawns

Onion

Chilie

Tomato

Potatao

This is a simpel dish that is very quick to make. Fry one onion till golden brawn in olive oil and than add tomatoes along with cubed Spanish Choriz or Goan Chouris and fry for 2 minutes. Now add the cleaned Prawns and continue to fry for additional two minutes. At this time add finely cut Potato so that they cook faster and add 1/2 cup of water and let it cook for 5-7 minutes. Ensure that the water has not dried out.

Once cooked Serve with cooked Plain Rice

Fish in curied sauce

Ingredients:

Meaty fish ( pomfret, king fish or Red snapper)

Paprika powder

Chillie powder

Pepper powder

Ginger powder

Turmeric powder

Hint of cinamon powder

Onion finely chopped

Tomato finely chopped

Finely chopped coriander

Vinegar

Salt

Olive oil

Perparation:

Season the fish with salt and all the spices. Add the vinegar and mix well. Let the fish marinate in this mixture for at least 20 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion until translucent, then add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. 

Now pull all the mixture at one side of the pan and fry the fish with a little oil on both sides,the fish will cook quickly. Once the fish has cooked add a little warm water to dish where you marinated the fish to scrap all the spice paste. add this spice water to the fish and give the pan a nice shake to mix everything. 

Careful not to break the fish. Garnish with coriander, cook for a a minute and Serve hot with pita bread or Pao :)

Portuguese Carne de Porco a Alentejana

Ingredients:

500g pork belly or loin cut into cubes

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1tomato chopped

1tsp tomato purée 

1potato cubed

Fresh pepper, ground

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1 tbsp paprika

1tsp chillie flakes

1 cup white wine

1 onion chopped

150g clams

1tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Olive oil

1 tbsp Goan coconut vinegar (optional)

Cilantro for garnish

Cooking

Marinate the pork with wine, garlic, paprika, freshly ground pepper,cinnamon, salt and chili flakes. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or best to keep overnight.

Remove the meat from fridge and bring to room temperature. Separate the meat from the juices. Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry the pork till evenly colored. Remove meat from pan and keep aside. Now add onion to the same pan and fry till translucent. Then add tomatoes and fry for a minute. Now add potatoes along with the juices kept aside from the marinade, mix well. Cover the skill and let cook for at least 10 minutes on a high flame.

Once the potatoes are cooked add the clams and cook till all are open, about 5 mins. Now add the pork meat back again along with the tomato purée and mix well. Add vinegar along with cilantro and sugar, fry for a minute. Server hot with bread (Pao) to mop up the juices.

Enjoy!.

You will be surprised to know that this dish is the basis on which the famous Goan Vindalho evolved in Goa, to know more read this Post.