Day 60 : Biryani (The last day!)
Today is the last day of the Lockdown Chef. 60 days of cooking has been a long yet rewarding journey. I have decided to end my series of lockdown recipes as the reason why I wanted to start this blog has been fulfilled – lockdown rules are easing and Dad has become quite a proficient…
Day 59: Glazed Moroccan chicken with pomegranate molasses, pickled beets and lemon parsley couscous
Since this is the second last day of my journey as the Lockdown Chef, I thought of doing something simple yet extremely flavourful! The Moroccan spiced chicken with Ras al Hanout is fragrant and tastes amazing with pomegranate molasses glazing which elevated the dish completely – its a trick that my mom learnt from my…
Day 58: Aubergine and potato curry with roasted coconut and nuts
If you’re craving an Indian coconut based curry but you have less time then this will work perfectly! Not quite like the Andhra curry, but much shorter in process. A one pot meal which is done under 25 minutes. In the past we’ve made this without any nuts. The addition of nuts was inspired by…
Day 57: Cauliflower rice with Thai curry
This is another one of my sister’s amazing recipes! A quick one pot meal that works really well. With the temperature hitting 45 C, the hot kitchen is the last place you want to be standing in for too long. I’m so glad I learnt how to make Butter chicken, makhani paneer and dal bukhara…
Day 56: Chicken fajita
As my half term break starts, I have slightly more time on my hands before the final exams start. Thought I might as well make new dishes while I still can! Here’s one which is simple enough but really yummy and hearty. Makes about 3 medium size tortillas Ingredients 1. 250g chicken breast boneless 2.…
Day 55 : Chicken keema on a bun
I was born in Mumbai, and we moved out when I was only a year old. In the past 15 years, I’ve only visited once and so don’t have many memories of the city. I do, however, know that the people of Mumbai have the unwavering resolve and kindness to welcome a stranger and treat…
Day 54: Pasta in marinara sauce with roasted pumpkin and burrata
Tomatoes are in abundance now and what better than to make a nice hearty meal of pasta after a long hot week? Sit in lounging chair and watch some tv while devouring this delicious bowl of pasta! It takes a while to make a good Mariana sauce so while it’s gently simmering in the pot,…
Day 53 : Simple stir fry
This is a simple quick and easy to make meal. Perfect for a busy day. Very colourful and lightly flavoured, you can have a bowl full just like that! This is good for 4 people Ingredients 1. 1/2 large red capsicum * 2. 1/2 large yellow capsicum 3. 1/2 large green capsicum 4. 1 box…
Day 52: Pumpkin curry
I never really liked pumpkin until I had it in this form. It took a bit of convincing for my sister to try it too but she loved it as well! Ingredients 1. 500g kaddu (pumpkin) 2. 1 onion 3. 1 tomato 4. 2 cloves garlic 5. 1/2 tsp dhania (coriander) powder 6. 1/2 tsp…
Day 51: Katsu curry
I have to admit, it’s great to have an older sibling who can cook well! My sister was missing her college and her friends and was reminiscing about how they would make this curry at least once week. So I just thought it will be nice if somehow we could replicate the experience here under…
Day 51: Beetroot and mango salad with black rice, spinach and walnuts
It’s mango season! Dad loves mangoes and so do my sister and I. What better way to use it than in a hearty and delicious salad? Black rice gives it a bit of nuttyness, roasted beets provides texture and colour and works well with the brightness of the mango. Adding spinach gives it an extra…
Day 50 : Celery and cumin soup
Start of a weekday (is it?) and what better way than to start with a healthy large bowl of soup! This recipe uses no flour to thicken. Instead I have used one small potato. Also I haven’t used any butter, instead I opted for olive oil. The dollop of yogurt in the end is a…
Day 49 : Aloo Gobi
I don’t know about you, but I am finding that the weekdays merge into the weekends. It all seems to be the same. I actually thought yesterday was a Sunday and hence went in for this big yummy meal of Sukka Chicken and Malabar paranthas! Today I want to keep it simple and have a…
Day 48: Sukka chicken
Perfect for Sunday or a holiday when you need a lot of pampering for all the hard work you’ve put in during the week. And of course, when you have lots of time! While it’s not a quick recipe, it’s not very difficult to make – you just have to be systematic! It’s certainly worth…
Day 47: Beetroot and peanut butter cutlets
Quite an unexpected but delicious combination! It may sound a bit unusual but once you try it you’ll agree how good these flavours taste. Ingredients 1. 2 beets 2. 1 potato 3. 1/2 tsp whole jeera (cumin) 4. 1/3 tsp salt 5. 1/2 tsp coriander powder 6. 1/4 tsp jeera (cumin) powder 7. 1/4 tsp…
Day 46: Shiraae
Very simple dish with few ingredients and barely any cooking! It’s a cool, refreshing Japanese salad which is very flavoursome and healthy. When my mother told me it was highly nutritious I was naturally against the idea because I thought of bland food, but this is light and beautifully flavoured. Ingredients 1. 200 g firm…
Day 45: Baked falafel with roasted vegetables and hummus
For this works nicely as a wholesome, healthy and well balanced meal. If you like, you can also have the falafel and hummus as a snack. It’s baked and not fried and it tastes delicious! Though the fried version looks far better, the taste is just as good. Ingredients 1. 1 cup chana (chickpeas) 2.…
Day 44 : Pad Thai
After a long day of classes, I needed some hot comfort food. And what better than some Thai food. Not only exotic to look at but just so so delicious! Recipe for the chicken – please refer here We like cooking the chicken this way because it gives an extra crunchiness. Alternatively you can use…
Day 43 : Garlicky mushrooms with courgette and eggplant
My sister’s go-to recipe when she’s short of time but wants to have a healthy and filling meal. Put these delicious garlicky vegetables on nicely toasted sourdough bread!! I never thought of using yogurt in western cooking so it’s a new learning for me. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Ingredients 1.…
Day 42 : Chana dal with wadi and palak (lentils with sun-dried spiced dumplings and spinach)
We rarely make this at home but it is my Nani’s favourite and I thought this could be something for her this Mother’s Day. She loves the taste of wadi because it adds an amazing flavour and can even uplift the simplest of dishes (like ghia sabzi). Wadi is an intrinsically Punjabi ingredient which transports…
Day 41 : Chicken pakora chaat
Another day to experiment with chaat! This time I’ve made it using chicken. Ingredients 1. 200 g chicken thigh boneless 2. 1 tsp lemon 3. 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 4. 1-2 tbsp hung yogurt 5. 1/4 tsp chilli powder 6. 1/2 tsp salt 7. Pinch of ajwain/ carom 8. 3oz besan / gram flour…
Day 40: Taro root and chicken with roasted coconut
Ingredients 1 medium sized onion chopped 1 1/2 tbsp oil 200 g chicken thigh boneless. 200 gms arbi/ taro root 2 cloves of garlic 1 small piece of ginger 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp haldi 3 tbsp grated coconut 1/2 tsp fennel 1/4 tsp chilli powder 1 whole red dry chilli Two stems of…
Day 39 : Yummy Palak Chaat
This is not the traditional way of making chaat! It is usually made with papri, but we used spinach / Palak leaves as well. It gives it a nice crunch and adds to the flavour. It’s absolutely delicious and a must-try! Ingredients 1. 12-14 spinach leaves / Palak 2. 1 cup besan 3. 1 cup…
Day 38 : Simple pasta sauce
This is a basic pasta sauce recipe which freezes very well. It’s very versatile as you can use it for different types of pasta like bolognese or arrabiata, or dishes like yesterday’s moussaka or even pizza. Ingredients 1. 8 medium tomatoes 2. 1 medium onion 3. 4-5 pods garlic or 1 tsp garlic paste 4.…
Day 37 : Moussaka (vegetarian)
When my sister says she likes it as much as Thai curry then you know it is a seriously good dish! She couldn’t tell that it was made from soya granules- no one can possibly distinguish it from normal keema / mince. It was her idea to add the mushroom cube – a trick she…
Day 36: Fusion beetroot salad
It’s a bit of a fusion – a western vinaigrette but with Indian styled toppings Very quick and easy to prepare – makes a light and cool salad which is perfect as a starter or side dish. Ingredients 3 small – medium sized beetroots 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp of oil (for frying) 1…
Day 35 : Savoury muffins with mushroom and corn bechamel sauce
Decided to experiment with the same spinach batter used for the crepes (on day 23) , but this time, make it into muffins! Ingredients 1. 2 heaped tablespoons of flour 2. 2 heaped tablespoons of whole wheat flour (atta) 3. 1 large egg 4. 1/2 cup milk 5. Minch of nutmeg 6. 3 tbsp Parmesan…
Day 34: Chicken malai tikka
This is definitely the first thing people think of when Indian cuisine comes to mind. Marination is the key for this dish, and patience. I took a bit of a shortcut yesterday to save time and effort. I marinated the chicken at the same time as for the Chicken Barley Kichdi. There are two stages…
Day 33: Chicken Barley Khichdi
Khichdi was made in our house when we had fever or any illness as such, so I’ve always associated it with being unwell. A few years ago we visited a restaurant in Delhi which had mutton khichdi on its menu. My Dad being adventurous as always ordered it and it turned out to be the…
Day 32: Arhar Dal with Nepali Chutney
Simple and satisfying! I’ve learnt that one can go wrong with even simple dal chawal, but if you use the right ratio of dal to water and cook it for a suitable duration (varies according to type) then it turns out perfect. This is my dads favourite dal. Ingredients for the dal 1. Dal/lentils -…
Day 31: Pan tossed Vegetables in Nut Butter
Midweek, lots done and lots to do. A quick and simple recipe which my sister taught me. She of course does variations but I’m sticking to the basic one. It’s yummy! Ingredients 1. 2 zucchini’s-about 7” in length. 2. 1/2 box mushrooms – 1 bowl 3. 1 bowl of broccoli florets 4. 1 tbsp hazelnut…
Day 30: Kadhi
Kadhi – Simple or with Chicken I don’t think anyone makes Kadhi like my Nani – among her family and friends, she’s famous for it. At the langar she was known as the ‘kadhi wali bibi’ aka Kadhi Lady! No , kadhi is not kari(curry). It is a gravy dish but not a curry. The…
Day 29 : Smoked Aubergine
It’s a light, fragrant meal and certainly something different Ingredients 1. Round aubergine/eggplant/ baingan – 350-400g 2. 4 small onions – do not use dark ones 3. 3 green chilli’s 4. 1/2 tsp jeera (cumin) powder preferably freshly ground 5. 1/2 tsp salt 6. Pinch of garam masala 7. One bowl of Greek or hung…
Day 28 : Chakli aloo (potatoes)
Another simple potato dish, easy to make but delicious. Serves 3 Ingredients 1. 3 medium potatoes 2. 2 green chilli’s 3. 1/2 tsp chilli powder 4. 1/2 tsp salt 5. Pinch of jeera / cumin powder 6. 1/2 tsp of coriander powder 7. 1/4 tsp haldi / turmeric 8. 2 tbsp oil Method 1. Wash…
Day 27: Chicken curry
A simple curry, possibly made in every Indian household with their own variations. Here is ours: Ingredients 1. 2 tbsp oil 2. 1 bay leaf 3. 1 black cardamom 4. 1 tsp cumin/jeera 5. 1 cinnamon stick 6. 1 tsp coriander powder 7. 1/3 tsp chilli powder 8. 1/2 tsp haldi 9. 1/2 tsp salt…
Day 26 : One pot egg meal
For those busy Friday’s, after a long week of video calls and work in isolation. It’s quick to make and very filling. Serves 2 Ingredients 1. 4 eggs 2. 4 small slices of any bread 3. 1 medium tomato 4. 1 medium onion 5. 1/2 tsp salt 6. 1/4 tsp chilli flakes 7. 1 tbsp…
Day 25: Stir fry crispy chicken with noodles
Serves 6 Ingredients for Noodles 1. 1 packet noodles 2. 1 carrot 3. 100 g green beans 4. 100 g broccoli 5. 1 small onion 6. 4 pods of garlic 7. 2 stalks of spring onions 8. 1 tbsp oil Method for the noodles 1. Wash and cut the vegetables and garlic into thin and…
Day 24: Bazaari Chole
This is my Nani’s recipe which we have always used. Tried and tested a million times over! Such a versatile dish, have it with kulchas ,rotis or as a chaat with aloo tikkis or the way my dad likes it – with plain bread! Ingredients 1. One cup white channas/ chickpeas 2. 3 cups of…
Day 23 : Spinach crepes with Roasted vegetables
Healthy and easy one to do especially if you are working or studying and have little time to cook. This recipe makes around 6 crepes It’s colourful as well and makes a very pretty picture Crepes Ingredients 1. 1 cup of boiled spinach 2. 1/3 cup flour 3. 1/3 cup whole wheat flour ( atta)…
Day 22: Andhra curry with chicken and eggplant
Now that I have been cooking and learning for the past 21 days, I am feeling a bit more confident to take on some challenging recipes. I discovered that the difficult ones are challenging, but not impossible. It’s just more lengthy and requires more ingredients. Another learning is that Indian cooking is far more forgiving…
Day 21 : Crispy Paneer
A family recipe which has gone down 4 generations. It’s a simple recipe but tastes delicious 🙂 Ingredients 1. 250 g paneer / cottage cheese 2. 1 medium size onion 3. 3 medium size potatoes 4. 3 green chilli’s 5. 1 tsp jeera / cumin whole 6. 1/ 2 – 1 tsp chilli powder 7.…
Day 20: Simple dahi chicken
If you are short of time and want to do something quick. Have it with hari chutney (recipe given on day 5) I gave this recipe to dad in the morning and he tried it out for lunch. These are his pictures! Ingredients 300-400 g chicken boneless 3 tbsp dahi/yogurt One bay leaf 4-5 black…
Day 19 : Palak raita / Spinach with Yogurt and curry leaves
Very simple to make and works very well with anything. You can have it as meal by itself. Traditionally, my Mom has served it with Biryani whenever there are guests over. I don’t think I can make biryani just yet so I’ll try it out with some plain rice. Ingredients 1. One small bunch Palak/spinach…
Day 18: Green beans with toasted sesame, crushed nuts and chilli flakes
This is one of my favourites! It tasted great with the leftover cumin lamb of yesterday. Have it with garlic noodles and you’re guaranteed to be in a good mood for the rest of the day Ingredients 1. 250 g green beans 2. 3 cloves garlic 3. 1 tsp crushed garlic 4. 1 1/2 tbsp…
Day 17: Cumin lamb with red chilli’s
This is one of those soul satisfying feel- good meals! Much needed when you have just heard that the lockdown has been extended by another 19 days. It’s the middle of a busy week full of studies, and it’s time for my stomach to get some comfort too. This recipe is for 4 people and…
Day 16 : Grilled eggplant with curry leaves
I struggled to find a name for this. I scourged the net and could not find any version of it. It’s possibly my mom’s most creative recipe! Now for me, eggplant is a straight no no – think it’s one of those acquired tastes. My sister too disliked it earlier but now that she’s a…
Day 15: Dal Bukhara and masala aloo
Note : see yesterday’s recipe! This dal tastes even better the next day since it absorbs all the flavours and spices. I believe same is the case of mutton dishes as well. Enjoy this dal today with some masala aloo The method of making it is the same as Aloo Jeera ( please refer to…
Day 14: Dal Bukhara
Kali dal or Dal Bukhara We continue with the weekend indulgence with this special and yummy dal! Now my mom tells me there are many ways to make this depending on your level of patience. The perfect way is to cook it in a slow cooker for 10-12 hours. With the household chores to do…
Day 13: Makhani Paneer
Now this is a weekend treat! Perfect for a lazy Saturday – an indulgent lunch followed by an afternoon of relaxation. You can have this with lachha paratha (layered paratha) or rice! Normally, we make it with fresh paneer / cottage cheese, but since we don’t have any I have used the frozen one. Ingredients…
Day 12 : The Hopper’s Special
Kothu roti! Hopper’s is this lovely Sri Lankan restaurant that my dad and I would always go to whenever he would come to visit us. So first the disclaimer – this is not the Hopper’s recipe nor will it turn out like that! Not even a distant 2nd cousin of the one served there. This…
Day 11: Masala Bhindi / Ladyfinger (okra)
Ingredients Ladyfinger / bhindi 500 g 2 tbsp oil 2 medium onions 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp haldi / turmeric powder 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tsp amchoor / mango powder Note : this looks deceptively simple but beware as it is a bit tricky to make as it can stick…
Day 10 : Tari wala channa (chickpeas with gravy)
This is another one of those which my Dad has in two ways – the conventional way, which is with rice , and the unconventional way which is the leftovers with some hard bread. It freezes well too. For 4 people Ingredients 1 cup of channas / chickpeas 4 cups of water 1 bay leaf…
Day 9 : Sambar
Now this is something my dad can have bowls of anytime of the day! I bet he’s going to keep a bowl aside for breakfast tomorrow! The way he has it, the next morning,cold and thick poured over a couple of slices of bread accompanied with a hot cup of coffee We use a host…
Day 8: Masala gobhi aloo (cauliflower with potatoes)
Ingredients 500 g gobhi (cauliflower) 2 medium sized potatoes 2 medium onions 2 large red tomatoes 1 tbsp of ginger 1 tsp whole jeera / cumin 3/4 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp turmeric / haldi 1/2 tsp chilli powder 1 tbsp oil 2 green chilli’s Method 1. Peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes and gobhi…
Day 7 : Chicken tikka kathi roll
Today is a Sunday, and I thought a nice, fulfilling yet easy-to-eat meal which dad could enjoy while relaxing and watching Netflix. This is for four rolls (8 halves) Ingredients for chicken tikka 350 gm thigh boneless chicken cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces 2 tbsp Greek yogurt 1 tsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp…
Day 6: Keema Matar (mince with peas)
This is for 3 people but you can make a large batch and freeze it Ingredients 2 tbsp oil 1 tsp whole cumin / jeera 3 bay 1 black cardamom 1 small cinnamon stick Couple of black peppers Two medium sized onions Two medium sized tomatoes (chopped into small pieces) 1/2 tbsp of garlic ginger…
Day 5 : Soya tikki (veg) / Shami kebab (non veg with Hari chutney
Very versatile! it can be a main meal or a snack, be used as tikkis or as a burger patty, be made in large batches or small.. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups soya granules 1 onion medium sized 1 tsp chopped garlic 1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger 1 tsp jeera/cumin powder 1 1/2 tsp dhania/coriander powder…
Day 4 : Pilau with green peas + aloo raita
Ingredients 1 cup rice 2 1/2 cups of water 250g peas 3 medium sized onions 2-3 bay leaves 4 cloves 2 big cardamom 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp salt 3 tbsp oil 1/2 tsp garam masala It goes well with the supplementary dish of aloo raita Method Wash the rice properly and soak in a…
Day 3 : Butter chicken
Butter chicken for 4 people (or 3 very hungry people) Ingredients for the gravy 3 tbsp of garlic ginger or 2 tbsp of garlic paste 1 medium sized onion chopped 7 tomatoes medium sized 150 ml of freshly made tomato purée or half a can 3 tbsp oil 100g butter 100g cream 2 bay leaves…
Day 2 : Rajma
DAY 2 : Rajma (large quantity, can be frozen for many days) Today my dad tried cooking rajma, his favourite dish, from this recipe. The picture’s below are his! Ingredients 1 and a 1/2 tbsp oil 300g rajma (kidney beans) 2 onions (chopped) 4 tomatoes (large) (chopped) or can use 2 tomatoes and 2 tbsp…
Day 1 : Jeera Aloo (Potato with cumin)
How to make jeera aloo in an easy way
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The Lockdown Chef 