Category Archives: Foodie

Aloo Tama bodi (Potato with Bamboo Shoot and black eye beans)

Posted on October 12, 2012 | 18 comments

This is one of the popular dishes in Nepali/ Newari cuisine. In Newari style Bhoj (feast) you will always find this dish.

Aloo Tama is a classic Nepali soup prepared with black eyed beans, potatoes, bamboo shoots and spices. Tama is a non-fermented bamboo shoot product. Aloo tama is well-loved comfort food cooked almost in every household throughout Nepal. The enduring popularity of this dish is that, it is extremely tasty and very appetizing mainly for its slightly sour and pungent taste. There are different way to cook this and today I am sharing my style using pressure cooker.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup bamboo shoots (preferably sour one)
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled, and cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 1 cup black-eyed peas (soaked overnight)
  • 1 teaspoon dry cumin seeds (jira)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 red dry chilies
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 medium chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Lemon juice to taste

Steps

  • First of all let the black eyed beans shock in water for overnight. If you forget to soak it overnight, you can soak in hot water for few hours and it will be fine.

  • Heat oil in a pan. I used pressure cooker.
  • Add turmeric, dry cumin seeds and red chilli and fry until it is dark.

  • Then add garlic and ginger.

  • Add chopped onion and cook few minutes on low heat.

  • Add potatoes to the onion and sauté for at least 5 minutes in medium heat.

  • Add little water so that it doesn’t stick on the pan.
  • Add soaked beans, tomatoes and fry for few minutes.

  • Add 2 cup of water, salt, chilli powder and cover the pressure cooker and press for 6-10 whistle or until potatoes is cooked.
  • Take off the pressure cooker and let it cool down.

  • Now add bamboo shoots and 1 cup water ,cover it and let it simmer for another 10 minute or until desired consistency is reached.

  •  Taste and add lemon juice as required to make it bit sour.
  • Sever with roti or rice.

You may also like :

*Aloo dum *Aloo ko achar *Aloo chop

18 Comments

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Nepali Sel – roti (Crispy Rice Donut)

Posted on October 6, 2012 | 25 comments

Dashain, the biggest festival of Hindu in Nepal, is just around the corner so I decided to learn how to make Sel roti, a speciality of the festival.  Dashain is celebrated for 15 days in Nepal. Sel can be eaten as a snack by itself or together with some side dishes if you like, such as aloo ko achar. Last Dashain I bought them $2 a piece so this time I wanted to make my own 🙂

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 cup rice soaked overnight
  • 5 tablespoons sugar (add more if you like sweet)
  • 2 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
  • ½ cup ghee (clarified butter)

Steps

  • Wash and soak rice overnight, drain excess water and grind into a semi coarse paste.

  • In a bowl, add ghee and sugar.
  • Using electric mixer, mix it well and slowly add rice flour and plain flour.

  • Add all the rice paste to the mixture and mix it well using hand.

  • Leave the batter for few hours in the fridge.
  • Heat oil in a deep pan, making sure the oil is not too hot.

  • Clean an empty water bottle and cut into half so it will be like a funnel. (Use funnel if you have but I didn’t so I used empty water bottle.)

  • Put the mixture into the funnel and carefully, pour batter into oil into a doughnuts shape

  • Once it comes to the surface and is golden brown at the bottom, turn it over and cook for one minute on the other side.

  • Use wooden chopsticks to turn the Sel if you have one so that the Sel doesn’t break.

  • Once both sides are crispy and golden brown, remove from the oil and place on paper towel until ready to serve

  • Repeat with the rest of the mixture

You may also like :

*Yomari *Momo *Aloo chop

25 Comments

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Jamie Oliver’s Chicken Tikka Masala

Posted on October 2, 2012 | 4 comments

Here is another simple recipe from my favourite chef, Jamie Oliver.

Ingredients

• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 3 inches of fresh ginger, peeled
• 2–3 fresh red chillies, deseeded
• olive oil
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons garam masala
• ³⁄₄ cup plain yogurt
• 4 medium chicken breasts, skinned and cut into large chunks



• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• a small handful of ground cashew nuts or almonds
• salt to taste
• ¹⁄₂ cup heavy cream
• a handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• juice of 1–2 limes

 Steps

  • Grate the garlic and ginger on the finest side of a cheese grater and put to one side in a bowl.
  • Chop the chillies as finely as you can and mix them in with the ginger and garlic.

  • Heat a good splash of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add them to the ginger and garlic mixture along with the paprika, cumin, ground coriander and 2 tablespoons of the garam masala.

  • Put half of this mix in a bowl, add the yogurt and the chicken pieces to it, stir and leave to marinate for half an hour or so.

  • Melt the butter in the saucepan the mustard seeds were in and add the sliced onions and the remaining half of the spice mix.

  • Cook gently for 15 minutes or so without browning too much – it should start to smell fantastic! Add the tomato purée, the ground nuts, 2 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt. Stir well and simmer gently for a few minutes. Let this sauce reduce until it thickens slightly and then place to one side.

  • Put the marinaded chicken on a hot griddle pan or barbecue and sear until cooked through – you can also do this under a preheated broiler if you like.

  •  Warm the sauce and add the cream and the other tablespoon of garam masala.

  • Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary. As soon as it boils, take off the heat and add the grilled chicken. Check the seasoning once more and serve sprinkled with the chopped coriander and the lime juice.

  • Then all you need is a huge bowl of steaming rice and some poppadums !

You may also like :

*Jamie’s Crackin’ Crab Briks, Couscous Salad & Salsa *Jamie Oliver Szechuan stir fry with chicken and brown rice *Jamie Oliver’s Dan Dan Noodles

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Vanilla cupcakes

Posted on September 30, 2012 | 4 comments

Ingredients (make 12 cupcakes)

  • 125g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¾ cup (185mL) milk

Icing

  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • Sprinkles or lollies to decorate

Steps

  • Preheat oven with fan to 180°C or without fan for 200°C.
  • Place cupcake papers in two 12-hole cupcake trays.

  • In an electric mixer, beat butter for 2 minutes until pale in colour and creamy. Add sugar one third at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about a minute between each addition. Add the vanilla essence and beat until combined.

  • Sift flour and baking powder and add half to butter mixture with half the milk, mix until well combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.

  • Divide batter evenly between 12 patty cases.

  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, Cupcakes are baked if they spring back when lightly touched in the centre. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring.

Icing Steps

  • In an electric mixer, beat Cream butter until pale and smooth. Add the milk and half the sifted icing sugar. Beat until well combined. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. The mixture should be a spreadable paste; if it is too dry, add some more milk, if too wet add more icing sugar.

  • When cakes are cold, spread generously with icing and dip into sprinkles or decorate with small lollies.

  • If you like, you can use piping for icing and decorations.

I made them for Teej along with chocolate cupcakes.

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Jamie Oliver’s Dan Dan Noodles

Posted on September 25, 2012 | 2 comments

Another recipe form my favourite chef Jamie Oliver 20 minutes’ recipe. This serves 4 people.

Ingredients

  • 400g minced beef  (I used chicken mince)
  • 1 tablespoon Szechuan pepper
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • 5 medium dried red chili
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 300g dried egg noodles
  • 1 tablespoon runny honey ( I used normal honey)
  • 4 medium bok choi
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 small bunch spring onion
  • 1 lime, quartered, to serve
  • 100ml vegetable oil

Steps

  • Crumble your stock cube into a large pan of water and get it on the heat.

  • Place a wok on a medium heat and crumble in the dried chillies. Toast for a minute or so. Add the vegetable oil, then pour all of the chillies and most of the oil into a bowl and put in one side.

  • Turn the heat up to high and add the mince. Stir fry for 10 minutes or so until crispy.

  • Peel and finely slice the garlic.

  • Trim and chop the spring onions and grind the Szechuan peppercorn in a pestle and mortar. Cut the lime into wedges for later.

  • Tip the noodles into the boiling stock and separate them with tongs to ensure they don’t stick together. Cook according to packet instructions.

  • When the meat is done, spoon any fat out of the pan. Add the honey and stir fry for another minute until all the mince is coated and sticky. Pop the wok in the oven to keep warm.

  • Cut your bok choi into quarters lengthways and drop them in with the noodles for the last minute of cooking.

  • When your noodle and bok choi are cooked, scoop out a cupful of water to keep.

  • The drain in the colander. Tip your noodle, bok choi and the cup of water back into the hot pan.

  • Add your raw garlic, soy sauce, ground Szechuan peppercorns and as much chilli oil as you dare and give everything a good m ix together. Cover with a lid.
  • Put the noodles in a bowl. Get your wok of crispy meat out of the oven and spoon the meat over the top of your noodles.

  • Drizzle with a little extra chilli oil then scatter each portion with chopped spring onions. Serve with lime wedge for squeezing over.

 

The noodle was really yummy.

You may also like :

*Jamie Oliver Szechuan stir fry with chicken and brown rice *Jamie Oliver’s Chicken Tikka Masala *Jamie’s Italian : Restaurant Review

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