Crispy coconut fried prawns with sweet chilli chutney

A Big hi to all the food lovers..

I know I was away for a few weeks cooking and eating in the festive season, but I am back here again.
The recipe I am bringing to you today is in-fact a very simple and easy to make snack recipe.
After making this I realized that I had been needlessly wasting money on having the same dish in restaurants.

The recipe is Crispy fried prawns but I have added one twist to it from my side to make it crispy coconut fried prawns.
Also I will tell you how to make super simple sweet chili chutney, thanks to my husband who made it for me.

If you are a seafood lover or you love prawn, you will love this. My husband and I love prawns and hence we love this recipe too.  We have already had it thrice after I first made it which was less than a week ago :P

Here's all you need to make the recipe.

Ingredients:

1	King Prawns	10
2	Plain Flour	2 tablespoons
3	Cornflour	1 tablespoon
4	Baking Powder	1 teaspoon
5	Water/Soda	2 tablespoons
6	Egg	1
7	Salt	1 teaspoon
8	Crushed Pepper	1/2 teaspoon
9	Red chilli Flakes	1/2 teaspoon
10	Green chilli paste	1/2 teaspoon
11	Garlic powder	A pinch
12	Oil	to deepfry
13	Bread crumbs	3 tablespoon
14	Sesame seeds	1 tablespoon
15	Desiccated coconut	1 tablespoon

For Sweet Chilli Chutney:

1	Red Chilli paste	5
2	Honey	1 tablespoon
3	Water/Wine	1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan.
2. Combine flour, cornflour, baking powder, water or soda, egg , salt , crushed black pepper, red chilli flakes, green chilli paste , garlic powder and make it into a smooth paste.
3. Mix bread crumbs, sesame seeds and desiccated coconut is a separate bowl.
4. When the oil is hot, soak the prawn in the flour mixture by one hand and in the bread crumb mixture by the other and drop it in the pan.
5. Remove it when they are golden brown in color.

To make sweet chilli chutney just combine all the above mentioned ingredients in a bowl :)

Serve the prawns hot with the chiili chutney and enjoy.

Tip:

If you do not have red chili paste, just soak some dried red chili's in water and  grind them to make a paste.

Movie review.. Gone Girl

Gone Girl defines the story of a man and a woman in a strained marriage and leaves the viewers spellbound as how ugly can it get.
It is based on the novel 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn

The story is a thriller which would not let you keep your eyes off the screen even for a second.
The main actors Ben Affleck(Nick) and Rosamund Pike(Amy) have done a commendable job in playing their parts. The story takes interesting turns in the middle of the film and even the supporting actors such as Carrie Coon (Nick's sister) and Kim Dickens (Detective) have done utter justice to their roles.

After watching the movie I am so tempted to read the book so as to discover some more elements which the movie might not have covered.

Hence I would say that this movie is a must watch for everyone specially couples :P
I loved it and I hope you would too.

Happy Watching:)

My style of fusion... Aubergine and egg masala.. Yummmm

Hello Everyone,

Its really fascinating that cooking is a continuously growing and evolving art. There are soo many ingredients in this world which can be experimented together to make amazing combinations.

For my personal self.. I like experimenting a lot and as a result of these experiments I have come up with this fusion recipe which is super easy to make and is very filling and tasty.

This recipe is a simple combination of aubergine(baingan in hindi) and boiled eggs, both of my all time favourite ingredients . It came as a nice surprise for my husband, who is the connoisseur of all my experiments.. in short my Guine pig :P

Let me start with the recipe now. :)

Ingredients:

1	Aubergine	2 medium size
2	Boiled Eggs	3
3	Chopped Onions	1 big
4	Chopped tomato	1
5	Chopped mixed peppers	1 cup
6	Peanuts	a handful
7	Green chillies	2
8	Ginger Garlic paste	1/2 teaspoon
9	Red chilli powder	1teaspoon
10	Turmeric powder	1/2 teaspoon
11	Coriander powder	1teaspoon
12	Jeera	1 teaspoon
13	Garam masala	1/2 teaspoon
14	Salt	to taste
15	Oil	2 tablespoons

      

Method:

1. Remove the yolk of the boiled eggs and chop the white into cubes. You can keep some of the yolk to put in the dish, it makes the dish creamier.
2. Cut the Aubergine into cubes.
3. Roast the peanuts on a dry pan and then coarsely grind them in a grinder.
4. Put the pan on the flame and add oil.
5. When the oil is hot, add jeera, ginger garlic paste , onions and green chillies.
6. When the onions are brown, add aubergine and salt. 
7. Cover the pan until the aubergine has released water and are soft.
8. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, ground peanut and stir well.
9. Add tomatoes ,peppers and the yolk and cover the pan until the tomatoes are fully mashed.
10. When the tomatoes are done add boiled eggs and stir gently.
11. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes and put the flame off.
12. Serve hot with chapattis and enjoy.

Festive season special.. Badam Phirni

Hi Friends,

As all of you know that the festive season is in its full swing in India these days. Everyone is cheerful, positive, the air feels so fresh, markets overflow with all sorts of colorful goods and people who are enthusiastic to buy them. All and all it is the best time to be in India. With festivity comes sweets and Indians are crazy about sweets.

Hence, I am bringing to you a very simple but tasty sweet dish. It's called Badam Phirni which is a simple milk and rice dish with almonds.

Ingredients:

1	Milk	5 cups
2	Rice	3/4 th cup
3	Sugar	3 tablespoons
4	Saffron	5 strands
5	Rose Water	1 teaspoon
6	Condensed milk	2 tablespoons
7	Almonds	10
8	Cardamom powder	2 pinches

Method:

1. Soak the rice in water for atleast 1/2 an hour.
2. Drain the water and grind the rice in a grinder util it forms a smooth paste.
3. Chop the almonds.
4. Dissolve the saffron in 2 table spoons of milk and put the rest to boil.
5. When the milk starts boiling, add rice, saffron milk, cardamom  and rose water and stir.
6. Keep stirring until the rice thickens all the lumps are dissolved in milk.
7. Add condensed milk and stir.
8. Add sugar and almonds
9. Switch off the flame and let it cool
10. Place in bowls and put in the refrigerator.

Let it cool for at-least an hour and then enjoy.

food chat... Talking to a Greek gentleman

Hello Food Lovers!!

As you all know or would have known by now that this blog is all about visiting different geographies and having food. And it is nothing better than if you are introduced to the food by a person who belongs to that geography. But in our busy lives, we cannot physically visit each and every country however it is always good to know about the famous cuisines, eating habits and tastes of different places and also people's approach towards food.

Hence I have decided that I would dedicate a section of my blog to "Food Chats" in which I would be chatting to people belonging to different parts of the world, knowing their favourite dishes, eating habits and their food love.

First person I would like to interview is Panagiotis Galanis,  my colleague and a fine Greek man. Every now and then we find ourselves getting involved in intense food conversations. Hence I have decided to have him as my first guest and he has been really kind to answer my questions very patiently.

Here is the series of question and answers hope you will enjoy them.


1. Which part of Greece are you from?

Athens, a sunny city by the sea.


2. What is your favourite Greek food?

Hmm... that’s a tough one really, but if I have to choose one it would be Cretean meat pie ”tourta” – it is absolutely delicious.


3. What is the dish that you have grown up eating?

My childhood memories are associated with “Gemista” the traditional stuffed tomatoes, a very popular dish during the summer.


4. Which dish do you think cannot be found anywhere else as good as in Greece?

Most of them really, as they require good quality vegetables to cook, a rarity in the UK.


5. How have eating habits changed in Greece since you were a kid?

Not much really, fast foods claimed a portion of the take away food industry but Mediterranean diet is remaining largely unchanged - there is enough variety for every appetite.


6. What is the most loved Greek party snack?

Folio pies in the shape in small triangles, containing either feta cheese, minced meat or spinach (among others).



7. What food brings you home?

Kleftiko, a delicious slow cooked oven roast. I like the variation that is slowly cooked in thick baking paper.



8. What other cuisines do you like?

Indian, Mexican and Chinese. I enjoy them often. Rich and colourful cuisines.



9. Do you like Indian food? Do you find any similarities with Greek food?

I love Indian food -Yes! There is so much variety in taste, texture and colour that each visit to a good restaurant makes me very excited. I am especially fond the strong curry dishes.

There are surprising similarities between the two cuisines but also stark differences too.

In many instances the philosophy of cooking is very similar, but use spices differently. Of course there are plenty of entirely different dishes, but that makes it all the more interesting to me.


10. What is food to you?

A well cooked meal for me is far more than sustenance: It is a fascinating hobby (when I cook), a way of sharing and ultimately carrying a bit of the culture and enjoyment to your guests and friends. – Always a reason for respite and celebration.

Thanks  a lot Panos for sharing your fond memories with us. Hope we all keep enjoying good food as always. Cheers!

City Beautiful... Amsterdam

Earlier this summer, we planned a trip to Amsterdam. Thinking it to be yet another popular city in Europe, I didn't expect anything too special or too different from it. But to my surprise and thankfully I was sooooo wrong. The city amazed me with its beautiful architecture, the amazing network of canals, museums,  its difference in culture to other European cities, humble people, good food and absolutely everything.

It has become my favourite destination so far and thus I would like to introduce  this amazing city to you and tell you about the best things to do there.

Amsterdam is the capital and the most popular city in the Netherlands. The city is also the melting pot of various cultures coming together and living in harmony with each other.

How to arrive: There are many ways of getting to Amsterdam, specially for the Europeans. The people in the neighbouring countries like France, Belgium etc  can take a bus, train or drive to Amsterdam which is very well connected via roads and railways. People in the UK can  take the Eurostar/Euro-tunnel or Ferry  or can drive or take the train whichever is comfortable. For others its better to take the flight to Schipol Airport as we did.

How to start:  If you are in Amsterdam for the sole purpose to travel and cover all the tourist destinations, buying  I Amsterdam cards from the airport comes handy. They come in 24/36/72/96 hour packs. They not only allow you free/discounted entry to major attractions but also give you free transport, discounts at some restaurants and also free gifts!!! yay!!!

 Amsterdam central station is about 15 minutes by train from the airport. After you reach the central station, you can find buses, trams , taxis running everywhere taking people to their destinations.

Where to stay:  Given  its tourist destination status there are 100's of hotels, lodges, bed and breakfasts to stay in Amsterdam. You can also rent a house boat and have a cozy stay. The most popular area to stay is within the so called "Ring" i.e within the canal network. Make sure you book your accommodation well in advance because it gets sold out pretty quickly.

What to visit:  Well well.. I can literally go gaga about this thing because there is soo much so lemme start

1. Museums :  As I had mentioned before, Amsterdam has some of the most amazing museums. You can spend atleast 2-3 days just visiting the museums. but dont do that :D.. Just visit some popular ones. My favourite were Rijksmuseum ,Van gogh musem, Amsterdam history museum and Anne frank house. And yes the "I Amsterdam" sign is at Rijksmuseum, go click pictures with it, climb on it, hang on it..  :D 
   
2. Tulip gardens: That's the second thing Amsterdam is so famous for. If you have planned your trip during March, do plan  a visit to the garden. Kuekenkhof gardens, is one of the famous. However if you miss the tulip season, don't worry, you can always visit the beautiful flower market which is a treat as well.
   
3. Dam Square & Royal Palace:  You can call it the city center, it is the most popular place to hangout. It is always flooded with people with some or the other performances , shows, shops, mall etc. The Royal Palace which is just opposite to the square is a nice, historical and informative place to visit as well.
   
4. Zaanse Schans: The place which gives you the real feel of being in Holland. The windmills, lakes, boats, cattle, little cheese shops. yes you can find everything you heard about Holland at this beautiful place. There is also a museum which you can visit and also a woodshoe manufacturing unit, must see.
   
5. Canal Cruise: Amsterdam and its magnificent network of canals, bridges , boat houses, buildings make the canal cruise a must do thing. You would not only fall in love with the beauty of the place but also the sheer architectural intelligence involved in building it. The view is even more enchanting at night when all the bridges and buildings are lit up.
   
6. Coffee shops: Oh Yeah! I am coming there.. As you all know, cannabis is legal in Amsterdam, the place where its available is the traditional coffee shops. It is available in different forms such as cigarettes, brownies, muffins etc and also in different power levels. :P If you plan to go there, go with company and do not overdo! (by personal experience :P) 
   
7. Red Light Area:  Over the years this has emerged as a tourist spot rather than anything else. You can go at anytime during the day and have a walk around. I would say no more.
8. Rent a bike: This is the best thing to do if you want to get a proper hangs of the city and its surroundings. Vondelpark is a nice venue to cycle around.

What to eat: Here comes my favourite section :) Yuhuuuu! Amsterdam may be known for its magical canals and cannabis but the thing very few people know is that it is a food heaven. I had the most gastronomically satisfying experience and I still do want to go back to Amsterdam to have those lovely Pancakes!!! Yummm.
Here is a list of things you must have when you are in Amsterdam or your trip would be nullified. ;)

1. Pancakes: There is a plethora of  restaurants which serve Dutch as well as International pancakes. The Pancake Bakery and Pancakes! Amsterdam were my favourite.
   
2. Fries:  These are traditional french fries but there is a variety of sauce present to eat with it which makes a real difference. Vleminckx and Chipsy King are the famous outlets.
   
3. Herring: It is a very famous fish which is mostly eaten raw..  But there is a version served with bread onions and pickle which is yum yum :)
   
4. Falafel: Originally  middle eastern, falafels are a huge hit among the tourists as well as locals. Maoz is the most popular chain.
   
5. Waffles: Waffels are again a must have in  Amsterdam. There are plenty of stores near Dam square where you can find good Waffles.
   
6. Indonesian food: As Indonesia was earlier a Dutch colony, you will find Indonesian restaurants everywhere in Amsterdam. But we found that it was over priced and over hyped. :P
   
7. Cheese: As Dutch people are very fond of cheese, you can find cheese shops and cheese tasting rooms at every corner. So you can taste the varieties of cheese present and pick the best one.
   

Phew!!! that was a long tale to tell.. but I am happy that I have covered all the major points I wanted to share. 

I hope you have a wonderful time when you visit this amazing city. :) Cyaaaa

movie review.. A walk among the tombstones

Yet another detective movie by Liam Neeson.
The movie starts on a quite interesting note in which he is a retired cop, fighting addiction,  tasked with finding the serial killers in town.
But as it advances it starts losing its focus and  the middle of the movie, there comes a time when you check your cellphones as to check how much time is left.
Also the instances such as brutal murders, kidnappings, dark rooms, rains, cold countryside could be a little disturbing.
The thing missing from the movie is the "different" or "new" factor. The movie is very similar to the previous roles which the actor has done already.
All and all it is a intense thriller, well plotted but could not be the right choice if you are planning a day out with your kids or light hearted  outing with friends. However if you are Liam Neeson's  fans and love his acting.. this movie is a must watch.

Travel tips from a traveler's experience

Hello People!

Today I have locked "Ritika the cook" in a room and the person writing this blog is "Ritika the travel buggie" :D

Yes I love traveling.. discovering new places cities, cultures, people  and most importantly foooood.

It is not an addiction but it is exploration. You know how amazing it feels when you discover a random lake or a beautiful garden or an amazing food shop in a totally new city in a foreign country. All you want to do is share it with your loved ones and make memories out of it.

By traveling I do not mean going to far off places.. spending a hefty amounts on the hotels and  tickets  etc. It could be as simple as trip to your native village or a town nearby.

Hence as a wanderlustian I would like to share a few basic travel tips with you.

1.  
   
   Plan in advance:  I know.. I know how much do you want to have an impromptu trip with no itinerary which is exciting but planning goes a long way in making your trip successful. Planning your trip includes things like booking flights and hotels ,checking the best weather and best places to visit the place, checking the weather the week you are planning your trip, reading about the place people and culture so that you feel comfortable when you arrive. 
2.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
   
    Keep your itinerary handy: If you are travelling with friends and family, having an itinerary comes in handy. It not only keeps you tension free from planning everyday, also keeps everyone on the same page and helps managing everyone's expectations. Also printout your itinerary with address and possibly phone numbers of the places you are visiting and leave it at home. Trust me, it helps.
3.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                   
    Money matters: Yes money matters! Have a defined budget, it is wise to divide your money into cash and travel cards so that you do not carry excess cash in your pockets but also do not run out of cash in middle of a forest. If you are travelling abroad, make sure that you have converted your currencies before hand because the conversion rate in the airports etc are much higher than your local post office.
4.                                      
                                       Travel Light: I know how much do you want to flaunt your new dresses and matching accessories but make sure you do not overdo it. If you are travelling to a different country, do not carry too much gold jewellery. Also some flights gives you discounts when you just have a cabin luggage. So pack your bags really light and have a fantastic holiday.
5.  
                                            Mobile and Data: These days many travel companies offers special packages and offers to support calls and data outside the country as well, so that you can have easy access anywhere you go and can post selfies as soon as possible :P. So have a chat with your mobile phone company and find out in what ways they can help you out.
                                              

 Last but not the least... Enjoy!!!! :)

 These were a few basic things we need to take care for a good trip. So pack your bags and get set go  for an amazing holiday.

Chicken goes green.. Amazing chicken in coriander gravy

Hi Friends!

I think I am really too excited about having my own blog and writing to everyone what I feel. This is becoming like an addiction now.

Its good in a way because it is keeping me away from FB and TV :)

Have you ever heard of win-win??? I am sure you have haha. Well in my cooking terms I would say when you cook something in very little time, very less hassle and the dish comes out to be amazing :)
I think just describe a win-win-win... :P

Lets quickly go to this win-win-win recipe. The recipe I am going to describe below is also my husband's favorite which gives me all the more pleasure to share it with you guys.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken                           250gms
2. Coriander                        1 bunch
3. Green Chilies                   2
4. Garlic Cloves                   3-4
5. Ginger                             1 small piece
6. Plum tomato                    1
7. Cashews                         10-12
8. Curd                               2 tablespoons
9. Redchilli powder             1 teaspoon
10. Coriander powder          1 teaspoon
11. Cumin powder               1 teaspoon
12. Turmeric powder           1 teaspoon
13. Garam masala              1 teaspoon
14. Ginger garlic paste        1 teaspoon
15. Pepper                           a pinch
16. Bay leaves                     1-2
17. Cloves                           1-2
18. Cinnamon stick             1 small
19. Black Cardamom          1
20. Salt                                to taste
21. Water                            1 cup
22. Cooking Oil                   3 table spoons                              

Method:

1. Take a blender and add coriander, chilies, garlic, ginger, cashews, tomato ,little salt and water and blend.
2. Take the chicken and add cut it into pieces.Then add curd, red chili powder, turmeric powder, pepper, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder,salt, 2 teaspoons oil and let it marinate for half an hour.
3. Take a cooking pan, add the rest of oil, let it heat up
4. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and cumin powder and stir.
5. Add Chicken to the pan, cover the pan and let the chicken cook.
6. After the chicken is cooked properly, add the blended mixture and garam masala.
7. Let both cook together for a while.
8. Add water if necessary.
9. Serve hot with chapattis :)

Tips:

1. Vegetarians don't get upset, try the same with paneer.. it works wonders :)

Comfort food.. Masala Khichdi :)

Hello People!

Do you have days where you are tired of eating hot, spicy , fried food from outside? All your heart longs for is something simple, light comfort food... Easy to digest, quick to make and yes reminding you of your land.

Well I am having a day like that today and the most basic comfort food I can think of is Khichdi.
It not only reminds me of my Sunday lunches but also of a comedy series we used to watch while having it, also called "Khichdi".

Okay before I get more nostalgic, I should start with the simple ingredients needed to make this tasty and healthy dish.

Ingredients:

1. Rice                                                            1 cup
2. Moongdal Chilka (split green gram)             1 cup
3. Chopped Mixed peppers                             1/2 cup
4. Chopped carrots                                          1/2 cup
5. Chopped beans(optional)                            1/2 cup
6. Chopped tomatoes                                      1/2 cup
7. Ghee                                                           2  tablespoons
8. Hing (asafoetida)                                        a pinch
9. Jeera                                                           1 teaspoon
10. Kadi patta                                                   7-8 leaves
11. Dried red chilies                                         1-2 
12. Chopped Garlic                                          2 teaspoons
13. Turmeric powder                                        1/2  teaspoon
14. Red chilli powder                                       1/2 teaspoon
15. Coriander powder                                       1 teaspoon
16. Garam masala                                             1/2 teaspoon
17. Salt                                                              to taste
18. Water                                                          4 cups

Preparation:

1. Take a pressure cooker , place it on the burner and add ghee.
2. When the ghee is hot, add jeera, asafoetida, curry leaves, dried red chilies and chopped garlic.
3. When you start getting the slight aroma of burnt garlic, add carrot and beans.
4. Saute for a minute and add the dal and rice.
5. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
6. Stir until the rice and daal are covered in the masala. Add water.
7. Add chopped peppers and tomatoes.
8. Close the lid of the cooker, put it on medium flame and wait for the whistles.
9. After approx 4 whistles, switch the flame off.
10. Let the pressure cooker cool and then open the lid.

Serve with raita, poppadoms and pickle and enjoy. :)

Tip:

Soaking the rice and daal together for sometime will help make your khichdi faster.

Hello! Namaste! Holla! Bonjour :)

Hello Everyone!

Feels so good that after years and years of reading other people's blogs, wasting time on FB and other stupid social media, I finally got brains of having a blog of my own.
Thanks to my Romanian friend Diana Vladulescu who was the inspiration behind this.

As this is my first post ever, I intend not to waste your time too much. Just an introduction to what this whole blog is going to be.
As we all grow up, we have experiences, these maybe good or bad but it is those experiences which make us a person who we are today or will be tomorrow. And also no one is perfect, we might have times in our lives where we made a silly stupid decision and which changed our lives completely. Although that experience definitely taught us something, it might help someone else committing the same silly stupid mistake again and regretting later. Hang on! don't get that serious I was talking about making a decision to watch "Humshakal's" :P

Hence here I would share my experiences as I travel, eat , cook and live and hope the same from you as well :)

Hence on a leaving note, I will leave you with this beautiful aerial view of one of my favorite cities in Europe.. Barcelona!

See you soon :)