Aloo-Rasledar

Sometimes when the normal balance of one's life gets shaken, it takes a little bit of time to get things back into sync.

This is how I have been feeling the past few weeks, the intensity of things at work have thrown the normal balance of things in my life off kilter.

Yes, I have been cooking just not had much time to blog, have not been able to take my usual evening walks which has also been making things a little out of sync for me.

I am trying to get back into things with this weekend. To do that once in a which we start with the basics, I almost feel potatoes fall into that very basic and practical category.



Here is what I did to dress up this humble tuber.



Aloo -Rasledar



Serves 6



Ingredients



1 lb new baby pototoes

1 tbsp tandoori masala

1 tsp freshly crushed pepper

1/2 cup yogurt

1.5 tsp salt

1/3 cup oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp curry powder

4 tomatoes chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

3 green chillies finely chopped

1/2 cup cottage cheese

3-4 tbsp chopped cilantro



Method of Preparation

1. Parboil the potatoes, cool and peel.

2. Marinate the potatoes with 2 tbsp yogurt, tandoori masala and pepper and 1 tsp salt.

3. After half an hour, heat 1/2 the oil in a hard anodized pan and on low heat cook the potatoes on low heat stirring constantly till well browned.

4. Heat the remaining oil and add the cumin seeds, ginger and tomatoes. Add in the curry powder.

5. Cook for 10 minutes till the tomatoes are browned. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer.

6. When thickened, add the green chillies and pototoes with the cottage cheese.

7. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Serve garnished with the cilantro.

Ginger-Turmeric Sallops on a Mango-Corn Salsa

Saffron-Turmeric Scallops on a Mango-Corn Salsa.

Ingredients

For the Salsa

4 small ears fresh corn on the cob
1 mango
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp black salt
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 lime

For the scallops

1 lb large scallops
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds



Method of Preparation

1. Cut the corn kernels of the cob into a bowl.
2. Peel and grate the mango onto the bowl.
3. Mix with the remaining ingredients and set aside to let the flavors blend.
4. Mix the scallops with the turmeric, ginger and sugar.
5. Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds.
6. Sear the scallops till lightly browned on both sides (this takes about 5 minutes on each side).
7. To serve, place two tsp of the salsa on the plate, top with a few scallops and serve with any side of your choice.b

Not my mother's mac and cheese

Mac and cheese is a staple in the house. The little ones love it, I usually tend to make different variations of this dish, but from the scratch. No, I do not have a favorite that my mother used to make since my mother really did not make mac and cheese.

This Friday at lunch with a couple of colleagues, someone mentioned to me about how their mother used cottage cheese for Mac and Cheese. Now, what a novel idea, cottage cheese is low in fact and can actually contribute to a nice smooth texture.

So this is what I did,

Mac and Cheese with Shallots, Ham and Asparagus

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups cooked elbows
2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 shallots thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic grated
2 tbsp flour
1 quart half and half
1 cup coarsely cubed ham
1/2 cup finely chopped asparagus
2 tbsp chopped chives
1.5 cups cottage cheese with pineapple
3 tbsp butter
salt to taste
1/2 cup grated swiss cheese

Method of Preparation

Heat the oil and brown the shallots and garlic.
Add in the flour and mix into the oil.
Add in the half and half and simmer till thickened.
Add in the ham, asparagus and chives and cottage cheese.
Remove from heat.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a casserole and add in the elbows and butter and salt.
Pour the cheese mixture and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the swiss cheese and serve warm.