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If you are in a hurry, and need something tasty yet easy to make, this one is for you. The prep time is about 5 minutes, and the cooking time around 10-15 minutes. If you have a small rice cooker — the kind that plugs into a wall sockets — you should be able to get the rice done in about the same time.

It is also the perfect curry to cook for smaller portions. If you are like me, and have to cook for 1 person, aka me,  all the time, it is a no-frills and no-freezer required recipe.

1. Fry all the onions until soft (5-6 mins) in high heat
2. add mined garlic, 1 tsp jeera, 1 tsp dania powder, and salt to taste, some tumeric powder (1 tsp for each handful of prawns), and chilli powder to taste (I use very little)
3. add some salt (increases the temp and allows everything to sear nicely)
4. cook for 4 mins or until the prawns are half-cooked
5. add diced tomatoes, and salt to taste (remember to taste the sauce before adding the salt)
6. sear for 1 min and then add 1/2 cup of water (not too much or you will over cook the prawns), and reduce heat, and simmer until the above consistency is reached.

cook some rice, and you have a decent meal!

Some pictures:

One program–on Food TV–that I like to watch, is Gordon Ramsey‘s Kitchen Nightmares. He is such a powerful person, who is into what he does for a living. He has inspired me to get of my couch and cook decent food.

This is a recipe from his book, Fast Food. Every guy who wants to cook decent food should have on his shelf. A simple book, with simple recipes that any idiot (aka me) can follow. Most dishes are less than 30 minutes of cooking time.  I’m a very imprecise cook, and subtitute freely when I can’t find a specific fish or condiment. I have taken the same liberty with this recipe as well.

Ingredients

• 2 skinned Halibut fillets (about 150 gms), or cod, tilapia or turbot
• 1 tbsp Hot Madras Curry, or any non-sweet curry paste 
• 1 tsp superfine sugar (optional)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2/3 cup (150 ml) plain yogurt
• 2 cucumbers, peeled
• handful of mint leaves
• lime juice
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil

Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Mix the curry paste, olive oil, sugar and all but 2 tbsp of the yogurt. Coat the fish with this mixture and set aside for atleast 20 minutes.

Cut the cucumber lengthwise (bâtonnet) and toss in the reserved yogurt, chopped mint and the lime juice. You want to be modest with the lime juice. Too much acidity can mask the taste of the fish.

Sear the fillets on an overproof pan–setting aside the excess marinade–for about 1.5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. If don’t have an overproof pan, just use any skillet and a pre-heated baking pan.

Spoon over the marinade and place the pan in the oven and cook until done (the insides of the fish turns white and is flaky to cut). Transfer to a warm plate and serve with the cuccumber.

 Now, wasn’t that simple. Ramsey’s a genius in creating simple foods.

Chicken Curry with Eggs served on Rice, originally uploaded by Shivanand Velmurugan.

Thank you Mr. Raghavan Iyer. This is the man, that wrote the book 660 Curries, that has initiated me into making proper Indian food. In the last month or so, since my return from my vacation to India, I have tried eating good food, and have found cooking a very rewarding activity. It helps you think more about what you want to put in your mouth and somehow, also makes you eat less!

I made some chicken curry last weekend, and here’s the recipe: (I didn’t have some stuff and used some substitutes instead)

2 tbsp of Canola oil
1/2 tsp. cloves (Didn’t have any of these )
4 green or white cardamom pods (I didn’t use any though)
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
4 medium-size cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 slices of ginger (2 tsp of ginger)
1 large tomato, cored and finely chopped.
2 tsps of garam masala
1 tsp of salt
1 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
(thighs taste better, but I used chicken breasts instead – lower in fat)
1/2 cup of chicken broth
4 tbps of heavy whipping cream
2 tbps of fresh, finely chopped cilantro leaves and some tender sprigs for garnishing

Optional:
1 large onion finely chopped (I just wanted some extra flavour)
4 hard boiled eggs (my addition, ofcourse )

Here’s how you make it:
1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet, and fry the cloves, cardamom, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks until light brown (1-2 mins)
2. Add the onions, and fry until golden brown.
3. Add the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, garam masala and salt. Cook until tomatoes are done, but still firm to touch. (3 to 5 mins)
4. Stir in the chicken and the broth. Bring the curry to a boil and let it simmer until the chicken is done. (10 – 15 mins). Remember not to overcook the chicken breast, since it becomes quite rubbery and hard.
5. Fold in the cream, and stir to blend the cream in. Make small incisions in the hard boiled eggs and add them to the curry, and roll over the sauce. Cover and allow the curry to warm up again. Be careful not to overcook after the cream, since you don’t want the fat in the cream to separate.
6. Serve the curry with the eggs over a bed of steaming white basmati rice.

If you want to buy the book from Amazon.com or Amazon.ca, click below: