Goan Style Egg curry (Coconut based gravy)

Hi all, today I am very excited as I am going to do a guest post on my blog. This is my very first guest post and I am so happy that it's none other than Mr.Sushant Varma (My husband). He is a very good cook and more important - loves to cook. He is an IT professional and doesn't get much time, but whenever he is free he does it, specially on weekends. Last weekend we went together for a group meet of Chef at Large, its one of the biggest foodie group on Facebook having more than 32000 members. There we had a secret ingredient swap (Every member got an ingredient, which was not revealed to other members, then they were shuffled and distributed back). Me and Sushant both are the members, hence we both participated in it. He got a fresh whole coconut, with which he had to prepare a dish. 

So he decided to prepare a Goan egg curry. We prepare egg curry frequently but the normal way its made, never tried it before but must say will be switching to this curry now more often. Won't be taking much time and straight away directing to Sushant.

"When I left home for my further studies, had various choices with food and had no idea about cooking. I went to New Delhi and had almost same options on most of the food joints with the same kind of taste. As very well said that “Necessity is the mother of invention” (for me cooking was an invention). I started cooking, but with a big question mark. Tried and failed many a times but somehow learnt the basic stuff. Then went to Mumbai for work and spent almost 3 years there. Great place with great people must say. There I learnt lot many varieties and got to know a lot about Goan food from one of my Goan friend. When cooking converted to passion from necessity never knew. But as an IT professional it’s so tough to take out time and continue our passion. I got married and that too with a foodie. Bas phir kya tha the journey began. Still I don’t get a lot of time, but can see my passion through my wife’s eye. So after a very long story here is the Recipe."
 
Recipe is for 2 portions, you can always increase the ratio as per the people.

Ingredients-

• Eggs : 4 nos
• Onions : 2 medium
• Garlic : 4-5 cloves
• Ginger : 1” piece
  
• Fresh Coconut : ½ cup (remove the brown part)
• Coconut milk : ¼ cup
• Tomato paste : 1 tomato (I used concentrated hence 1 tbsp)
• Tamarind pulp : 1 tsp
• Whole red Chili : 1
• Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds : 1 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder : ¼ tsp
• Red chili powder : ½ tsp
• Garam Masala : ½ tsp
• Salt : As per the taste
• Coconut oil – 2 tbsps (You can take any vegetable oil too)

Method -

• Roughly chop ginger, garlic, onions and coconut.
• Boil eggs
• Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add whole red chilies, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and then garlic and ginger. Once done, add onions and sauté till they change the color to pink. Add coconut and again sauté till you get nice golden brown color. Add the powdered spices and tomato paste and fry until oil oozes out. Add tamarind pulp and stir. Now cool down the mixture and blend to a paste. In the same pan, pour it back and cook. Add coconut milk and stir continuously till a boil comes. Add salt and boiling water (if required). You can adjust the gravy consistency by adding water. Now add the boiled eggs cut into two and cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish it with green coriander. Enjoy with Chapati, or steam rice.

Thanks
Sushant

Thanks a lot Sushant for sharing this wonderful recipe with us :)) 

Please do share your experiences and feedback with me in the below section of comments or on my Facebook page. I too have a You Tube channel please do visit for all the video recipes. All the links mentioned below :) 

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/user/cookwithpriyanka

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/cookwithpriyanka

Oats & Whole wheat crackers with a kick of chili & lime

Today I have got something healthy for you guys and can bet you all that " no on can eat just one". Here in London there are various options for sweet snacks but very rare for savoury ones. Though I have a sweet tooth but sometimes really crave for something Chatpata :). Same thing happens with Sushant too, he needs to have something savoury with tea. So just thought to prepare a batch of these crackers. 

It was in my mind since a long time but never prepared, always was searching aisles in the supermarkets and returned with very mild biscuits or the one which we liked, had too many calories. 

While I was baking these, just gave a thought to add in some oats too as they are among one of my favorite ingredients. And yes the decision was right :)), Oats gave nice texture and made it healthy too. Secondly I used olive oil in place of butter and the results are not bad at all :). Adding chilies & lime was totally up to the preference. So lets quickly run through the ingredients following the method :)

Ingredients :

• Whole wheat flour - 3/4 cup
• Quick Oats - 1/4 cup
• Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chili flakes - 1/2 tsp (or as per the taste)
• Mixed dried herbs - 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Zest - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Salt - as per the taste (I used a little more than 1/4 tsp)
• Olive oil/Veg Oil - 3 tbsps
• Water - less than 1/2 cup

Method :

• Preheat the oven at 180 ° C.
• Mix all the dry ingredients well including the lemon zest.
• Add oil and mix nicely. The mixture should be a little crumbly and when you hold it in your palm it should come together. 
• Now add little by little water and try to gather it. Pleas don't knead it. Kneading will form gluten and the crackers will not become crispy then.
• Try to make a ball and transfer it to a flat surface. If required dust the surface with some dry flour and roll it to 1/4 inch thickness.
• Cut them into desired shape and repeat the same process with rest of the dough. Transfer them on to a baking tray lined with baking paper.
• Prick them with a fork, to avoid puffing.
• Now apply some milk with a brush on the top.
• Bake them for about 20-25 minutes. Mine were exactly in the oven for 25 minutes and I also flipped them after 15 minutes for even cooking. (Every oven varies when it comes to temperature)
• Finally, I kept them on to the top rack and increased the temperature to 220 ° C for 30 sec, to get a nice color.
• Cool them completely by keeping them on a cooling rack and store in an air tight container.

Enjoy with hot Ginger Tea or cold drinks :)))

Note : The addition of flavors is totally as per the taste buds, you can also add cumin seeds or carom seeds. If you are baking it for your kids, then decrease the amount of chilies.
Adding lime zest is totally optional, but it gives a unique flavor.

You can roll them thin also if you want :)

Thanks & Happy Baking 
Priyanka :)