Author: thefoodporndiaries

Prawns in Garlic Butter

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Like most seafood dishes this one is non fussy and just divine tasting. Well, the fate of anything doused in butter is sealed – the final result has to be Fantabulous! I use fresh prawns which I clean and devein myself… yes its fishy business, but somebody’s got to do it. Frozen prawns are fine as well, but it tends to be less juicy. Prawns can be just as easily substituted with mussels, lobster, crayfish or calamari. You can eat this as a starter or serve it on top of homemade fettuccine. Either way it’s a weekday winner. Well anything you can whip up in 10 minutes flat should be right?? Prawns in Butter Garlic  Prep time: 5 mins Cooking time: 5 mins Serves: 4 What you need: 400 gms Shrimp 4 Tbsp Butter 25-30 cloves Garlic 1 Tbsp Mustard paste 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice 8-10 Peppercorns A few sprigs Parsley Salt (if needed) What to do: Wash and drain cleaned shrimps thoroughly. Chop parsley finely, keep aside. Crush peppercorns. Grind garlic to a rough …

Too good to be true Pesto

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 What would you say, if I told you that I had the best Pesto recipe ever??!! Impossible right, cause I’m not even Italian, nor can I trace any of my roots to that hallowed land of food. (Ya, sometimes I dream I was Italian, eating their food everyday … bliss, bliss.) But I DO have the best pesto recipe. The result of trial, error, trial, error, consultation of many books and amalgamation of the best tips from the net – I give to you – Too Good to be True Pesto. I can’t even tell you it kicks store bought pesto’s ass because that would be like comparing a diamond to a piece of coal! I’m not claiming its authentic, I’m not even claiming that its by the book, but what it is, is heavenly green awesomeness that I could wrap my tongue around and ride off into the sunset with! Am I getting carried away? No, No, No… when you’ve found the holy grail of pesto’s wouldn’t you be shouting it out from the …

Chicken and Mushroom Pie

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Comfort  Food! This is a classic one. The smell of tender chicken and veggies in a hearty sauce, simmering away on the stove … pure rustic joy!  There are days when you want to eat fancy restaurant food and other days when nothing but a home cooked meal of goodness will do. Well, this is for the other days! I make this often, not just cause its yummy but cause its really easy as well. Actually it’s easy cause I skip the pastry crust on top. I know its cheating, but who wants the unnecessary calories? OK fine… that’s a lie as well… the truth my darlings – ready pastry is not available in India. Well not the cheap variety anyway and it’s a pain to make short crust pastry in a hurry. I’ll give you the pastry recipe however, for lazy Sundays when you can luxuriously knead the dough till it cries foul BUT today my friends I’m going to enjoy this sans the frills. (Eg: Minus Pie Crust , Add Dinner Rolls). Its …

Crumb Fried Fish with Lemon Mayonnaise

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I made this as soon as I got back from my holiday, but posting it has taken me this long. You know how January is … tying up all the loose ends and brushing away all the lint from the previous year! Anyway I was lusting for some more seafood (The Lankan Hangover I like to call it!) and Fish and Chips always hits the spot. The recipe is so easy I would like to think a kindergarten kid could pull it off (except the frying bit which needs parental intervention). That doesn’t mean you start getting your kids to work in the kitchen…I wouldn’t want to be promoting child labor on this site now would I? Anyway they will be thanking you for this… it’s got a whole fast food aura to it, though you’ll always know its way healthier. Our little secret!  Crumb Fried Fish with Lemon Mayonnaise Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 20 mins Serves: 4 What you need: 8 fillets of Sear/ White fish (800 gms in total) 1 Lemon …

Happy 2011!

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 “People are so worried about what they eat between Chirstmas and New year when in reality they need to be worried about what they eat between New year and Christmas!” so said Anonymous. Agreed we all overindulge during the holidays and why not? It’s the season to be jolly 🙂  I was away on holiday in Sri Lanka and trust me, even if you tried, you can’t stop overindulging. Sun, Sand, Surf … all add up to an atmosphere of blissful overeating. Add to it beers and wines and cocktails and you could really be in a glutton’s heaven. (MY heaven to be precise!) So without much adieu I wish you a wonderful 2011, filled with all things good and blissful and lipsmackingly awesome! P.S. Some seafood that I lovingly shoved my face with …

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

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As a kid I was always amazed at this cake. How did they make the pineapple fit into the cake? Did they push it down and then burn the top? If they did then why dint it fall off when you turned it over? Anyway childhood has passed and all things magical are now just like that show – ‘Great magic tricks revealed’ (Which I hate by the way – I think they’re killing the enigma!). So yeah… I finally figured it out. They lay out the pineapple, pour the cake batter in and bake it. Finally, they filp it over – Hence Upside-Down cake. Should have paid more attention to the linguistics, mind you … would have figured it out much much earlier. But when you’re young and starry eyed, life is just so so much more fun. (The previous sentence in no way implies I’m an old hag now…just so you know … :P) Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 30-35 mins Serves: 8 (or 4 if you’re greedy) What you …

Insalata Caprese (Mozzarella, Basil and Tomato Salad)

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I know it’s not summer and this is definitely a summer salad. But on a dreary winter day like today, the colors sure cheer me up. This is such a simple salad but tastes heavenly. The creaminess of the bocconcini is well worth the visit to a gourmet store. (By the way, the white colour and creaminess is because it’s made from buffalo milk.) But if you can’t stomach the thought, then fresh mozzarella is fine as well. Like I was saying…chase the winter blues away with some red, white and green! Insalata CapresePrep time: 10 minsServes: 6 What you need:6 medium, ripe Tomatoes4 fresh small Mozzarella (Bocconcini) balls1 Tbsp Lemon juice4 Tbsp extra virgin Olive OilHandful of shredded Basil leavesFreshly ground Black Pepper, to taste What to do:Slice tomatoes thickly. Slice mozzarella thinly and interleave with tomato slices and basil leaves. Combine lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well using a wire whick. Drizzle dressing over salad. Sprinkle with shreds of basil leaves and pepper. Serve! P.S. This salad is …

Perfectly Poached Eggs

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I’ve stayed away from poaching eggs. It’s an art and a science apparently, not for mere mortals. The regular cook in the kitchen need be satisfied with scrambled eggs, fried eggs, boiled eggs or omelets. But Poached eggs were to be left to a fancy chef who turned it out ala Eggs Benedict!  Well no more I said and attempted to poach an egg (remember Julie in ‘Julie and Julia’ J) To be honest, the first attempt was a birds nest and I quickly gobbled it down to erase any photo evidence. The second one however was definitely palatable. The proof of the pudding or the poaching is for all to see. Sunday morning brekkie anyone? How to Poach an Egg (Courtesy: Wiki Info) Step1: Set a saucepan to boil that is about two-thirds full of water. Milk can also be used for a richer taste. Step 2: Add a dash of white vinegar (while it’s not absolutely vital, it helps the egg’s appearance – the vinegar coagulates the egg white turning it into a …