Polenta Upma with Chili Prawns

(continued) Chapter 5: New York (2012 - 2018)

Things always happen for a reason.

A motto I live & swear by. Every little incident in our life works itself up to a moment that’s just supposed to be.

In summer of 2014, we took a road trip on the western part of Canada. We had initially planned on going to South America or Japan, but visas and other complications had resulted in us looking at something closer to home, with easier logistics. Since Canada wasn’t out first choice of destination, we had been a little laid back in our research (which, for those who know us, is very unlike us!). We had seen a bit of the US and (ignorantly) felt it’ll be similar. But hey, the best experiences are the ones that are undesigned.

The trip did not disappoint, and every turn took us by surprise. From the scenery and hiking, to the people, and all the Airbnb’s we booked, everything was beyond expectation. Everyone was so helpful that at first we were anxious - I mean why did the young fella at the gas station offer to take our credit card in to the shop to try and swipe it, when it continuously refused to work at the pump. Turns out, he thought we could use a hand. We would never do that in NYC.

It was the first time we used Airbnb - little did I know then what a significant part of me it’ll become in the future. One such last minute reservation was at a quaint apartment in Canmore, near Banff. Since we hadn’t done much planning, we were booking as we traveled. Being summer, there was not much left near Banff, and we could only find a private room at this accommodation. Skeptical at first since there were few reviews, we decided to go ahead and book. The owner was meant to be there during our stay, but last minute he decided to go spend time with family, and wrote to us apologising that he won’t be there to greet us. We could have his entire place. Another surprise!

His place was beautiful. From thoughtful touches and a balcony that overlooked foxes and deer, to a running trail nearby which ran through fields (and we later found out, through an area of bears!), it was a relaxing last leg of our journey. One of the nights, we decided to stay in and cook. I messaged the owner asking if it was ok to use the kitchen, and if he had any basic spices/condiments I could use. He sent back just a smiley face. And followed a few minutes later with a note “Open the door next to the kitchen counter”. So I did. What lay beyond was a chef’s dream come true! A walk in wardrobe of spices, sauces, legumes and everything else you’d ever need under the sun to cook. I was a kid in a candy shop. How lucky did we get!

We cranked up the music, opened a few bottles of wine, and had the best meal + evening of our lives. My husband and I still think back on that evening with such fondness. A meal that was unplanned, but so memorable. A stay that was unplanned, but we wouldn’t trade it for any other. A trip that was so unplanned, but is on top of our adventures now.

Till date, we still refer to that meal as “Let’s cook the Canmore dinner!”

Today I share the no-recipe recipe of the dish I cooked that night - Polenta Upma with Chili Prawns - and remind you that one day you will look back at the most insignificant moments of your life, and be in awe of how clearly you remember them. Because, they were just meant to be.

(The dish itself is inspired by the famous “shrimp and grits” - a popular Southern American dish. As I love to do, I have added an Indian twist to it by cooking Polenta like ‘Upma’ which is a breakfast dish in Southern Indian usually made with Semolina, and served it up with some quick fiery prawns/shrimps)

Ingredients

For the Upma

1/2 cup Polenta

2 cups water

1/2 cup veggies of choice, finely chopped (I used carrots, red & green pepper and peas)

1/4 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

5-6 curry leaves

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing or asafoetida

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

For the Prawns

200 g prawns, cleaned and de veined

2 tbsp butter

3-4 green chilies, finely chopped

1 small tomato, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

1/2 tsp paprika or red chili powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Others

Avocado, chopped in cubes

Sour cream

Method

Make the Upma

Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add the cumin and mustards seeds and let them pop. Once hot, add the ginger and curry leaves, and saute for a quick minute. Add the onions, with a little salt, and let them get translucent. Then add all the veggies + dry spices, mix well and cook for a 3-5 minutes. Add water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a bit more salt (to salt the polenta properly) and then slowly add the polenta, stirring continuously so no lumps are formed. Continue stirring till the polenta stops sinking to the bottom. Reduce heat to low, and cook covered for approximately 20 minutes. Keep stirring the polenta every 6-8 minutes to avoid clumping. Add a bit more water if it looks too thick. Remove from heat once it looks creamy (a little lile porridge), but can still be poured out of the pan.

Grease a baking dish and pour the polenta out. Chill for 20-30 minutes. Cut into 2 “ discs or little squares and keep aside (You can skip this step and simply eat it warm with the prawns too. This step if more for plating, and works well when you are serving it as an appetizer)

Make the Prawns

Marinate the prawns for 10-15 minutes in all the ingredients, except the tomatoes and butter. Heat a non stick pan and add butter. Brown a little, and then add tomatoes. Let the tomatoes soften a bit, and then stir in the prawns. Cook on high heat, stirring constantly till the prawns turn pink and begin to brown a little.

Serve hot atop the polenta cakes with some avocado and sour cream!

Masala Vadai (South Indian Lentil Fritters) - Vegan / Glutenfree

(continued) Chapter 3: Singapore (2000-2007 / 2008 - 2009)

I was hurting.

This was the darkest period of my life. After the incident, I moved back to Singapore to be with family, working a 9-6 banking job, trying to keep it all together for my brother and my father. But still hurting. I honestly don’t think I remember many thoughts or stories from these few years, and yet, it is so critical to think back and share some of it with you.

I was a project manager at a reputable bank - something I should’ve been proud of at 25. However, instead, every day I itched to leave and clear my mind, itched to heal, itched that it would all go away and be a bad dream, and itched to head back to Hong Kong - where my comfort blanket and then boy friend/now husband, lived. Every day I hoped the next day would feel better - mentally and physically, hoped my father and brother were coping, hoped I was being supportive enough, hoped that I would see the point of all this pain finally.

My father had moved temporarily to Singapore to be with my brother and I for a year. But although we lived together, we rarely talked as a family. My mother was the talker, the glue. Without her, everything just fell silent. Family felt like a duty, I felt we didn’t connect, and I didn’t know how to help myself or them grieve meaningfully. Through this, I tried to instil some feelings of ‘normality’ by cooking dinner each day. I felt that perhaps eating a warm, fond dish together would bring down some bridges. But I was too wrapped up in my emotions to understand that I wasn’t the only one facing monumental changes that no one dares to dream of - I see this clearer now. My father had been dealt the worst hand of it all - loss of life & words.

Through this there were two people in my life that literally kept me together. First - my boyfriend/husband, who despite knowing that he wasn’t accepted much by my father (more on that later), always had my side. And second, my university friend, G.

G used to work just around the corner at another bank, and was always there when I needed her. Like anyone else, she didn’t know what exactly to say or do to help, but she always tried. One of the things that became an almost daily ritual for us at work, was to step out for a late morning coffee + snack at a nearby kopitiam (coffee shop). It was the same - she would message saying “kopi & vadai time?” (coffee & fritter time), and I would say, “don’t feel like eating, but I’ll meet you for company”. We then met at the kopitiam few steps from my office thay was run by an Indian uncle, and he served the best South Indian snacks during the day - masala vadai, medhu vadai, sweet roti, curry puff, puttu and always a great kopi c (strong black coffee with evaporated milk). And almost every time, I would give in and eat. Talking to her, sitting there whiling away time, skipping work responsibilities, eating Indian snacks from a greasy plate made of newspaper, somehow made things feel normal. Unworried. Like nothing had changed. If only for a few minutes. Maybe because the flavours reminded me of happier times in Bangalore.

So, between G and my boyfriend, between the long and short distance, they looked out for me.

And I tried to look out for my dad and brother.

This Masala Vadai recipe is a thank you to all those who supported me when I was at my lowest. And the coffee shop uncle who I never knew, but fed my sanity and helped me slowly creep out of the darkness…

Ingredients
1/2 cup chana dal (split bengal gram) - approx 125 grams, soaked in water overnight

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1 small onion, finely chopped

2-3 green chilies, finely chopped

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

10-12 fresh curry leaves, finely chopped

2-3 stalks of fresh coriander, finely chopped

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Method

Drain all the water from the soaked chana dal, and grind it coarsely in a blender along with the dry spices - black pepper, coriander powder, chili powder and salt. It doesn’t have to be smooth, and some big chunks of dal that remain are ok. Do not add any water at all to grind, or it’ll break when frying.

Transfer to a bowl, and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well with your hands till all the ingredients are well combined with the dal.

Use your hands to roughly shape into 1.5 inch discs. Do this with all the mixture and keep aside.

Heat oil in a deep pan. Once hot, slowly drop your vadai from the side into the oil. Fry till crispy and golden brown on both sides, and drain on a paper towel.

Serve hot with coriander chutney or chili mayo. These taste good hot or cold!

Butter Chicken Siu Mai

Chapter 3: Singapore (2000-2007 / 2008 - 2009)

Do you think people change?

I have never been sure. What I do know is that circumstances change, and that forces people to adapt.

In mid 2000, I headed to Singapore for university. It wasn’t my dream. I honestly didn’t know what my dream was back then. I also wasn’t the first child in our (extended) family to do so. My cousins had gone to the same university, and my parents heard about it and were impressed by what was on offer. So my brother followed, and then it was my turn. I also never quite wanted to study engineering. But I got a full scholarship, and having no idea who or what I wanted to be, I decided I may as well get a degree abroad, and embrace the adventure. You don’t think too far ahead when you’re 18.

Singapore was definitely an adventure. In more ways than one. Culinary, sensory and cultural. Having been in a boarding school most of my childhood, that amazing little island country gave me the opportunity to be free, explore and grow, in a very safe environment. No longer was there a shield of anything familiar. While intimidating at first, Singapore was easy to settle into, and I was pumped to make the most of this experience!

I started with food. Not cooking, no sir, nowhere near it! Just eating. It took a while to find the dishes, delicacies and flavours that worked for my Indian taste buds, but that repertoire of yum only grew over time. Thinking back, it’s sort of a regret now given the number of pounds I gained in my first year! But I actually never realised I was a foodie before Singapore. In boarding, we ate to live, but in Singapore, I could live to eat. I wanted to try every kopitiam (hawker center), night treats, iced treats (ice kachang), beverage (teh tarik!), chicken rice stall etc. And boy did I do so in my 9 years there!

There was a chain of small supermarkets that were a staple with Indian community of students - 7/11. Contrary to it’s name, it wasn’t only open from 7 to 11, but 24 hours, and was a haunt for late night beers, treats or random bites. I was introduced to this temple of junk during our orientation, and I was instantly fan eyed. Now you must think - seriously? impressed by a supermarket? Think of a boarding school girl, thrown in a fancy new country, with free-to-spend pocket money and all she can eat treats 24 hours. Yes, that puts things into perspective doesn’t it? It was cheap, convenient and accessible - and who was claiming to be a connoisseur anyway.

I can’t remember how many nights we might have spent near a 7/11 drinking beer, laughing, talking about boys, eating nonsense into the wee hours of the morning, but I do remember the first time I tasted a Siu Mai. A moist, juicy steamed open dumpling filled with ground pork, shrimp or chicken, usually served with a dip of chili oil and vinegar. I didn’t (and still don’t) know the technicalities of Asian food, but I knew I loved every part of it. I was addicted. No 7/11 trip was ever complete after that day without a bowl of warm Siu Mai dunked in sauce, and eaten messily with a wooden stick. Simple memories.

When my parents visited us in Singapore, amongst many things, I wanted them to try this delicious Siu Mai. Now, perhaps I had built it up too much, or it’s a bit of an acquired taste (with beer!) for someone who has predominantly eaten Indian food their whole lives , but from my mum’s look, she didn’t look too impressed when I put a bowl in front of her. She said it looked untidy. But she did give it a try. After a few moments she said “kuch missing hai”, as in it needed a little something. Swiftly, she pulled out a little container of homemade cilantro & chilli chutney, and doused the dumpling in it. She seemed to prefer it this way. My embarrassment remained no bounds, so I just shrugged it off - she had unrefined Indian taste buds.

Sometimes our parents’ innocent actions stay with us. Years later when I started by supper clubs, I used that very daring, unrefined experimentation to create a plethora of fusion plates for my clients. Some combinations worked, some didn’t. But I was never afraid to try. My mum once said my culinary likes had changed since I moved to Singapore. Had they changed, or simply adapted?

Todays’ recipe is in memory of that Siu Mai dunked in Indian chutney. I am serving these little bundles (still love them!) with the humble Indian Butter Chicken sauce (a popular north indian chicken curry sauce). Sorry for the blasphemy, but it did taste pretty phenomenal! Because hey…..butter chicken sauce ;)

Ingredients

For the Butter Chicken sauce

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

4 fresh green chilies, slit

4 green cardamoms

4 cloves

1 black cardamom

1 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds

½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 tablespoon red chili powder

1 tsp garam masala

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves

340 gm tomato paste

4 tablespoons melted butter

10-12 almonds, blanched, peeled and made into a paste (optional, skip if you don’t have)

½ tsp brown sugar

¾ pint heavy/ double cream

For the Siu Mai

250 gm minced chicken

1 tsp grated ginger

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 stalks of fresh coriander, finely chopped [stem included]

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp light olive oil

Black pepper to taste

15-20 round wonton wrappers (if they're square, just trim off the edges)

Method

Make the sauce

Heat butter in a non-stick pan.Add green cardamoms, black cardamom, cloves and cinnamon powder. Sauté for a couple of minutes till the ingredients start to get fragrant. Now add the fenugreek seeds. When the seeds begin to sizzle, add the garlic ginger paste and the green chilies. Cook for a few minutes and then stir in the tomato paste, along with all the dry spices, sugar, almond paste and 2 cups of water. Turn to medium heat and cover and cook for 15-20 minutes - till the mixture thickens, the raw taste of the tomatoes disappears and the spices are well infused. Finally mix the fenugreek leaves, and cook for a few more minutes. Lastly, stir in the cream, simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes and then turn off the heat. Leave covered and keep aside.

Make the Siu Mai

Combine all the ingredients from chicken to pepper. Mix well and refrigerate for 30 mins. Put a teaspoon of the mixture into the center of each wonton wrapper, wet slightly the sides of the wrapper, and then gently fold them inwards to create little bundles. Cover and keep aside. Repeat this till all the chicken is used up.

Grease or line your bamboo steamer (or regular steamer), and put in the siu mai. Leave a little space between the dumplings so they don’t stick. Steam for 15-20 minutes, or till the chicken is cooked through.

Serve warm, topped with a generous dollop of butter chicken sauce!

Fresh Peach Rasam

“I love biting into a ripe peach

That smells of summer, and the beach,

With juices that trickle down the chin

As I bend over the kitchen sink.

I eat one, then two, then three

And wish I had a peach tree,

I’d then dip them in syrup, bake a pie

Blend into a smoothie, or try in chai

Make chutney, perhaps pickle a few

Brew up this rasam, and serve to you!”

Ingredients

4 ripe peaches - peeled, de-seeded and quartered

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon red chili flakes or paprika

½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder

½ teaspoon dry mango powder

¼ teaspoon black/rock salt

Pinch of salt

Sugar to taste (only if the peaches are not sweet enough)

2-3 mint leaves, roughly torn

Blend the peaches with ½ cup water.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and cook till they begin to splutter. Stir in all the dry spices, mint leaves and peach puree. Bring to a slight simmer & remove from heat immediately. Adjust sugar/seasoning and refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled.

Tandoori Chicken Drumlets

“Chicken so tender

It melts right through,

With flavor & spices

Oh-so fool proof.

Baked or pan-fried

That’s your call,

But the taste takes you back

To that late-night tikka stall!

Munch away, no guilt

It has not much oil,

But superior in every way

From that [yawn] soup on the boil…”

Ingredients

6 chicken drumlets (skin on)

2 tablespoons full cream yogurt

6 cloves of garlic, finely crushed

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 green chili, finely diced

½ teaspoon cumin powder

½ teaspoon red chili powder or paprika

1 heaped teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

Juice from one lemon

Handful of fresh coriander , roughly chopped (leaves & stalk)

Salt to taste

Olive oil to cook

Wash the chicken pieces and pat try on a kitchen towel.

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade.  Rub the mix all over the chicken pieces, making sure you rub under the skin as well. Refrigerate overnight or for 6-8 hours.

To cook, you can follow either of the below.

Baking method

Pre heat the oven to 400 F. Grease a cookie sheet/ baking tray and line the drumlets, skin side down. Drizzle some olive oil over the pieces. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover, turn the drumlets skin side up, and bake for another 30 minutes, till the skin begins to brown.  Give it a quick 5-6 minute broil in the end to crisp the skin. Remove from the oven and let it rest covered for a few minutes.

Stove top method

Heat 2-3 teaspoons olive oil in a non stick pan. Once hot, line the drumlets skin side down (they should sizzle immediately!). Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes on medium flame. Turn the pieces around and cook for another 8-10 minutes or till full cooked. Remove cover, turn up heat to crisp up the skin. Remove from heat and let it rest covered for a few minutes

Serve hot with a dash of yogurt or sour cream and your favorite salad.

Leftover tip: Remove the meat from the bones and refrigerate for a second treat the next day! Can be turned into a delicious lettuce salad, chicken sandwiches, nacho cups or a topping on your favorite pilaf or biryani.

Chilled Raw Cucumber Soup

“Green juice green,

You’re bitter & mean,

I am moving on today

I never took to you anyway!

This drink so refreshing

Has given me wings,

As good as a sip can be

Oh! that hint of lemon sneaky.

It’s health in a gulp

With or without pulp,

Makes me hum a new tune

Come on, let’s drink up June..”

Ingredients

1 large cucumber

7-8 leaves of fresh mint

½ cup ice water

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ teaspoon cumin powder

¼ teaspoon dry mango powder

Pinch of fresh black pepper

Pinch of paprika

Salt to taste

Method

Wash the cucumber, with skin on, and slice into 2 halves. Scoop out the seeds & discard. Cut the remaining cucumber into smaller pieces and transfer to a blender. Add ½ cup iced water along with the mint leaves, and blend till smooth. Transfer to a strainer and separate the pulp from the juice. Skip this step if you prefer your soup to be chunky.

Mix the remaining ingredients into the juice, adjust salt and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes (or you can add an ice cube before serving). Serve chilled with a little dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Notes:

- If you are straining the soup, don’t discard the pulp! You can use it in your raita (spiced Indian yogurt) or add it to your salad. It has much nutrient value that don’t deserve in the bin!

- Make it fancy by serving with little chunks of frozen watermelon. Not only does it keep it cold for longer, the watermelon adds a great flavor!

Mini Curried Egg Tacos

"Egg oh egg, in all your might

Cook in seconds, and bind everything tight 

Baked or fried, breakfast or lunch

You're pretty darn famous, that's my hunch!

Curries, salads & more, you have a special way

Asparagus might come & go, but you just stay.."

One of my biggest discoveries after moving to the US was how conscious people are about what they eat.

At first I thought it was a fad. But as I scanned grocery aisles, read unfamiliar brand names and suffered a few allergic reactions, I began to understand why people were so particular. Unlike Asia, where packaged food still has limited use in households and is very much limited to commercial dining, the US pretty much runs on it. And with that comes the safety associated with food labels. Thus, I'm always on a mission to create at home all that we see & love at restaurants - like these delectable mini taco shells!

Eggs, unfortunate for me as others say, have never been my favorite. Call it a grudge I carry from boarding school, or the sharp unique smell that has me staying miles away. But I do like experimenting with them - because they're so versatile, amazing in baking & can be adapted to taste. I noticed that if you sneak in a little masala into a regular egg recipe, it makes them much more [for me that is] palatable.

In the past I have baked a few brownie bites, scrambled some in my weekday fried rice, whipped up some quick macaroons, made my husband's favorite brunch frittata & even made a jar of mayonnaise, but these bite-sized appetizer with a filling of subtly spiced boiled egg salad made me reach for seconds. Yes, me!

You could just be lazy and use store-bought taco shells, but the marriage of slightly Indian [almost samosa like!] crust with a spiced eggs is one that, I believe, will make it through the tough times.

But hey, don't take my word for it. Try the recipe and decide for yourself!

Ingredients

For the Tacos [I made my own but you could just use store-bought]

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon carom seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Water to knead

Oil to fry

For the Egg filling

2 large eggs, boiled

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder

2 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped

Salt & pepper

Make the Tacos

Mix the flour, salt, soda & carom seeds. Add the oil and mix with your fingers till it reaches the consistency of course sand. Add water, little at a time, and work into a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 mins. Roll out the dough into a thin round and cut out 2-3" circles using a cookie cutter [the size depends on how large you'd like your tacos to be]. Coat with a little oil and line them up on a wire rack [see pic] so as to let them bake in a taco shape. Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes, till the shape is retained, and then drop into the hot oil for a quick fry. Drain on a paper towel and keep aside.

Make the filling

Mash the eggs well with a fork and mix with the remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning and then add a dollop of the mixture into the taco shells. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.

A simple & delicate way to entertain a crowd. The recipe works so well for a canape brunch, or a simple cocktail party!