Open call for guest posts...

The Substitute Cook© is inviting those interested to contribute recipes, or even good food experiments. As it is a niche food blog, the recipes should be at least one of the following, or a combination of:

1)Traditional vs Modern: These are basically shortcuts for recipes that are normally time and labour-intensive. The original recipe should be posted, along with the shortcuts.

2)Meat vs Veggies: These are recipes that can be adapted successfully from carnivorous to herbivores – in other words, meat to veggies and vice-versa.

3)Leftovers Hash: These are recipes that either make use of leftovers, or can later be made into another dish requiring leftovers.

4)Experiments: These are recipes that are edgy, and well, unusual. And most times, the result of miscalculation.

I want to up the stakes a little. I will run a competition to get you guys motivated throughout the whole month of April. While contributions are welcome throughout the year, those for the competition are eligible if submitted before April 25th. I will then run a poll on the best three or five (depending on entries), where the most commented or most voted will win a rather nice prize, decided between me and the winner and will be announced on April 29th. Bonus points if you can guess why that date *wink*

So what are you waiting for? Get cooking and send your lovely stuff in! You can either show your interest by commenting below, finding me on Twitter or shooting me an email and we'll take it from there.

Experiment: TSC© Risotto

Ever since I had a rather awesome risotto at Da Vinci's, I've been wanting to make it myself. With the recent weather in Dubai being all cold and rainy, I figured I'd take a shot at making it myself.

I found an awesome recipe for risotto at a food blog I frequent called The Pioneer Woman. I would advise all who try my version (more later) to please try hers first, with time and ingredient permitting - it looks so delicious.

Back to me. As it was raining, plus I was home sick due to a migraine, I figured I'd take the lazy way out and make it loosely based on the recipe above. So here goes:

• 1cup basmati rice (used a water measuring cup so that's about 250gm)
• 1.5 chicken stock cubes (there was an extra half I didn't want to waste - 1 should be fine)
• 4cups water (same cup as the rice)
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 1tsp garlic paste (the minced garlic variety)
• 1/2cup milk
• 1pkt Philadelphia light cream cheese
• 170gm parmesan cube, grated
• 1tbs olive oil
• 1tbs butter
• pepper to taste

Yes, before purists cry foul, I know risotto is made with Arborio rice, or the thick fat one. But considering all I had in the house was Basmati, Basmati it is. Also, as this is meant to be comfort food, forget going on a diet for this. Also, buying ready made chicken stock/broth in Dubai is difficult, and most people make broth buy boiling chicken stock/bullion cubes in the required amount of water. Even lazier way is to add the cube in with the spices, and later adding the water to simmer.

So heat the olive oil and butter in a non-stick pot on medium flame until they melt and blend and then add the onions and garlic. Cook till the onions turn pale and then add the chicken stock cubes, cooking till the cubes melt and coat the onion and garlic. Now dump the rice, stirring till all the rice gets coated with the oil, stock, and all that jazz.

Here comes the time-consuming bit. Add 1cup of the water in, stirring gently and adding 1 more cup after the rice has absorbed all the water. Keep doing this until the 4th cup and the rice has cooked 'al dente' (I know that's a pasta term).

Meanwhile, make your cream mixture to add. My secret to using cream when I don't have cream is to thin the cream cheese with the milk so it becomes creamy but pourable, and tastes almost the same, with a slightly sour kick. Once that is done, add that to the rice mixture and stir until blended. Then dump all the Parmesan in and blend all that gooey goodness. Once stirred in, add pepper to taste and salt, but only if you're the type to quench your thirst with sea water. The chicken stock cubes and cheese is quite salty, so salt is not required.

Now serve hot, with a dash of herbs (which I also didn't have so I left it out - sue me). I like it plain, but if you want to throw it in with a steak, or burger patty, or anything, be my guest.


As for the taste test, here's a few things I learned:

1) Even though Basmati did pretty fine, please use Arborio instead. It makes the difference.

2) Make enough to eat immediately. It is very difficult to remove from pot to a storage container once it is cold and has turned to superglue.

3)Make sure the pot is non-stick. It will be a bitch to clean later if it isn't. It will be a bitch to clean anyway.

So here's to my first experiment. Do give feedback, and if you would try my version.

Soya - the alternative to meat

For those wondering how to make non-veg dishes to veg and still have the texture and taste of meat, you can use soya, in the form of cubes or in granules. The cubes can be used in place of meatballs (although they'll be half the size so adjust accordingly) and the granules in place of mincemeat.

How does it taste? It tastes slightly nutty, and feels chewy like meat. Personally, I think this the best alternative to meat that will appeal to both carnivores and vegetarians alike without either turning green. It's also pretty cheap - a 200gm (7.6oz) box can make up to 4kgs worth of meatballs and set you back about AED5(USD2). Plus it's rich in natural proteins, vitamins and minerals, low in fat and cholesterol and low in sodium (without the added salt you use in the prep).

To prep them before use in any dish, you first take the amount you need and soak them in warm, salted water for about 20-25 minutes. If you want to cut down on salt, or use it for a sweet dish, omit the salt. The soya will double in size, so keep that in mind when finding the right size bowl for soaking.

Once soaked, drain and squeeze the water out. You will see a whitish foam escape, with a slightly nutty-boxy smell. Rinse thoroughly and squeeze again. This time there should be a reduced or no boxy-smell, and the water coming out will be clearer. Once this is done, you can either pop the soya straight into your dish or lightly saute it with a little oil until browned before adding to the dish. I personally prefer frying it as it further reduces the boxy-nutty smell and tastes better.

I think this is so much better than 'meatless' meats you find in the USA, unless they are just unprocessed and unflavored slabs of tofu. The reason why I say this is because most vegetarians I've come across were born into it and have never had any meat. Eating something flavored and textured to feel like meat becomes too gross and alien to them. For those who turned vegetarian, it may taste fine, but I think becoming a vegetarian only to eat food that tastes and looks like meat defeats the purpose. Not to mention all those chemicals and preservatives.

The cubes and granules mentioned above are available in the UAE under the Datar food range in most supermarkets. As for other countries, I'd advise you to do a Google search to see where it will be available, although chances are you might find them in the Asian/Indian section of a supermarket, or at specialty Indian stores.

Methi Kofta

This was a dish I wrote about a few days back. Many of my readers have requested for this dish, so here goes:

1pkt of frozen meatballs (about 20-25) OR 1/2kg mincemeat OR soya cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1cup yogurt, whipped (an individual serving size works too)
1/2tsp kasuri methi (it looks like dried leaves)
1-2tbs oil (any good vegetable oil that has a high smoking point)
water for thinning
spice mix (see below)

Spice Mix:
2tsp ginger paste OR 3tsp ginger powder*
1.5tsp garlic paste OR 2tsp garlic powder*
3/4tsp chili powder**
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1tsp coriander powder
1/2tsp cumin powder
1tsp salt**

* Use either the pastes or the powders. Do NOT use both.
** Reduce or increase according to individual preferences.

If you're using frozen meatballs or soya cubes, skip this step. If you are using mincemeat, then add the spice mix AS IS given above (only adjust the salt and chili if you want its blander/spicier) and mix well. Add 1 egg to the mix and mix well, followed by either 1/4cup breadcrumbs or 2pieces of bread that have been soaked in water and squeezed. That is your binder. Make sure the mince, spices, egg and binder of choice are well mixed before forming the balls. Take a small amount in your hand and form inch/inch and half-long meatballs. It should make anywhere between 15-20, depending on the size. Once the meatballs are formed, you have the choice of frying them before adding it to the curry, or leaving as is and letting it cook in the curry.

To make the curry, add oil to a non-stick pot and add onions, as well as the garlic and ginger paste, if used instead of powders. Cook for 5 minutes until the onions start caramelizing. Add the spice mix to the onions, including garlic/ginger powder if used instead of paste. For those using fresh meatballs, you add the same spice mix again. Cook the spices with the onions, adding just enough water (1-2tbs) to not let it burn until you get the raw smell of the spices out. Once the spices are cooked, add the yogurt. Stir for a minute until blended and then pinch and sprinkle the methi in, pinch by pinch. Be careful about how much you add as adding too much will make it bitter. Stir to blend for a minute, then add water bit by bit to make a slightly thin curry, enough to cover all the meatballs. Don't worry about it being too watery, the meatballs will absorb the water, thickening it to the right amount.

Now is the time to add either the frozen or freshly-prepared meatballs. You can also add soya cubes in place for vegetarians. For uncooked meats, simmer in the curry for about 15-20minutes, checking every 10minutes to see if the curry hasn't dried or burned. For cooked meats and soya, cook for 10-15minutes, checking every 5 minutes. Once done, adjust and cook with extra water for the desired curry thickness and serve with rice. Serves about 4 very hungry people.

If you have any leftovers, you can make Leftover Biryani(see picture below).

Now Live!

After a few days of fiddling, adding and what not, The Substitute Cook© is now live.

I've added previous recipes I put up on my personal blog, with additional footnotes, but will be adding new things as time goes. Browse through and feel free to comment.

Brunch...

This was a recipe I had posted in a friend's blog as part of the 7Pi7D initiative. You can see the original post here, while the recipe is below:

• 1 pkt of hotdogs (about 10)
• 3 large potatoes, chopped into 1cm cubes
• a condiment of your choice - generally a smoky sauce like BBQ or thai chili sauce does well
• olive oil
• salt/pepper to taste
• crumbly cheese (optional)

Heat a non-stick pan and add 1-2tbs of olive oil to the pan. Add potatoes and cook until somewhat crispy and golden on the outside and is mostly cooked. While sauteing the potatoes, cut the hotdogs while frozen into very thin slices. It’s easier doing it while frozen. Once the potatoes are sauteed, add hotdogs and cook for about 5 minutes, when the hotdogs have browned somewhat and are cooked. Add about 1-2tbs of the sauce of your choice, along with salt and pepper. If using a salty cheese later, omit the salt. Cook for another minute and add cheese. Blend quickly and take pan off the heat. Serve hot with eggs or eat plain.

Now about the cheese used, this was a recent modification. I never used cheese before but got a really yummy, salty fresh cottage cheese from Dhaka. It was in a ball and had small holes, like Swiss. The consistency was that if heated, it would melt slightly, giving it a stringy appearance, but retained its shape. That’s the type of cheese I would advise to use. If you use cheddar and/or mozzarella or the melty stuff, I’d advise to add it after you take the pan off the heat. This recipe makes enough for about 4-6 people, depending on appetites and if its added as a part of big weekend brunch. It will stretch to 8 people if used in a big brunch.

Chicken 007...

Got over my day-long lethargy and pity-party and decided to cook a dish that is a fave of mine and invented by my dad, innovated by me. The version I made today is healthier than past versions (the gravy was mainly oil), but still tastes great over a mound of hot, steaming rice:

Chicken 007 (Don't ask me why this got named this way, it just kinda stuck)

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut up into small, 1cm cubes
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped into small cubes
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 dried or roasted whole red chillies (bird's eye is fine too)
• 2-3tbs oil

Spice mix:

• 1tsp salt (adjust for taste)
• 1/2tsp red chili powder
• 1/2tsp turmeric powder
• 1tsp coriander powder
• 1tsp cumin powder

Heat oil in a non-stick pot and add tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes have melted and formed a paste. Add onions and red chillies, snapping them in half to release the flavor before popping them in. Cook till onions are tender. Add the spice mix and stir. Cook until the raw flavors of the spices are gone, or after about 5 minutes. Now add the chicken and cook until the chicken has blended with the spices and turned white. Simmer and cover, cooking for another 10 minutes. Keep checking in between to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.

The chicken juices should have released to give moisture to the dish. If you prefer it more wet, add about half cup of water and simmer for an extra 5-10minutes and the chicken is fully cooked and tender. Serve hot with rice and salad.

Another tip to add is that if you find that the curry is a bit too hot for taste, add small cubes of potato when you add the chicken and cook till the potatoes are tender. You can also substitute chicken for tuna, soya cubes, chicken/beef franks, or a vegetarian option of paneer. You can also use the curry, along with leftover rice, to make a Leftover Biryani.

Pasta...

This has been collecting dust for a while so it's time I get it down on paper. I know this probably isn't true carbonara, but I have no other name to call it. So Carbonara it is (serves 4):

• 500gm of fettuccine, tagliatelle or any ribbon pasta you fancy
• 1 pkt chicken franks or 1pkt turkey/beef bacon
• 500ml milk
• a mix of grated Parmesan and Mozzarella (adjust according to how cheesy you want it)
• 2tsp butter
• 1tsp flour
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• pepper and salt to taste
• olive oil

Boil water, adding salt and some olive oil to prevent sticking, and cook pasta according to directions. Stop cooking two minutes short of the actual time and drain under cold water.

Cut the chicken franks into thin diagonal cross-sections. In a pan, heat some olive oil and saute the cut franks in batches until crisp and drain on a kitchen towel. If using bacon instead, cook the rashers, drain, and chop to small, 1cm pieces.

Now, in a deep saucepan, melt the butter and mix it thoroughly with the flour and garlic and cook for about a minute or two to get the raw flavors out. Start adding the milk bit by bit, continuously stirring to remove lumps. If needed, add more milk. The sauce should be enough to be quite wet even after adding the pasta and meat.

Once the sauce is thoroughly mixed and cooked for about 5 minutes, add the meat and pasta and toss in the pan, while cooking. Switch the stove off and add the cheese. Serve immediately.

Nb: If there are leftovers, add a bit of water before reheating so as not to get a gluey, lumpy mess.

Chicken Biryani...

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, cut (I used about three fairly big chicken breasts cut into 2in cubes)
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 3 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• whole garam masala
• salt to taste
• 2 cups rice
• 2 large potatoes, cut into 1in cubes
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cups water (for rice)
• ghee
• a pinch of saffron
• 3 tbs rose water

Take a deep breath. Ok, now add the chicken, yogurt, ginger, garlic, chili powder and coriander powder and mix. That's your marinade. Now if its cold enough outside, leave outside covered for about an hour. Else, pop it in the fridge for an hour.

Meanwhile, take the saffron and mix it with the rose water. Pop that in the fridge too. If saffron is a little difficult to get, you can add a saffron-like orangish food coloring to the rose water and keep that in the fridge instead. But saffron tastes nicer.

When the chicken is done, add about a 2tbs of ghee (or oil if that isn't available) and fry 3/4 of the onions until golden. Add the chicken, marinade and all and cook till you start seeing the oil floating and the smell of the raw spices is gone. The chicken should also be tender. Takes about 15-20 minutes.

In another pot, add the remaining onions and garam masala with about 2tbs of ghee/oil and cook till the onions are pink. Add the rice and stir for about a minute or so. Then add the water and add the lid. Without removing the lid,simmer till the water is gone and the rice is tender. Should take about 15-20 minutes. You could cook the rice while the chicken is cooking.

For the potatoes, parboil them and saute them till tender with enough ghee/oil to shallow fry them. Keep aside. Add to the chicken when done.

Now time for assembling. In a big pot (Can you see how fiddly this is?), add a thin layer of the cooked rice. Sprinkle some of the saffron water over the rice. Then add a layer of the chicken and potatoes. Add rice again, followed by the saffron water and chicken/potatoes. Keep layering until you finish everything, making sure the top layer is rice, followed by a sprinkling of the saffron water. Cook with lid on very low for about 5 minutes, to let the flavors infuse. Take it off the stove and garnish with some fried onions, coriander and/or chilies if required.

LEFTOVER BIRYANI: To make this nifty, but yummy way of finishing off leftover rice and curry, take a non-stick pan and add a little oil to just about glaze the bottom. Add half of the rice to make a layer, followed by the curry, and top with the other half. Cover and cook on extremely low until the the rice and curry are warmed up and you can smell the curry mixing in with the rice. Depending on the amount, it can take from anywhere from 5-20minutes to heat up properly. But use your common sense as leaving it for too long will make the rice at the bottom burn.

If you want to dress it up a little, you can saute cubed, parbolied potatoes and add it in the curry mixture during assembly.

Eggplant Chips...

There's another recipe that's been sitting on the back burner for a while because I simply got lazy. This is a side dish I generally have for weekend lunches, accompanied by rice, dal, and fish. So, I present to you, Eggplant Chips:

Ingredients:
1 fairly large eggplant
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
3/4 tsp salt

The above is my mom's version, but I've innovated it and added some extra stuff. My mum rather likes my version. These ingredients are added with the 'classic' mix:
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp gram flour (or 1 tsp plain flour if not available)
1 tsp amchoor powder (gives it a zing)

Wash and rinse the eggplant. Cut the top off. Cut into thin chips, about 2-3mm thick, and dunk in a bowl full of water to prevent it from oxidizing. If the slices are rather large, about more than 3inches in diameter, cut in half for easier cooking. When done, drain the water and all the spices, either my mum's classic mix, or my version. Now, you can either get your hands dirty and mix it together with your hands. Or if you hate getting your nails yellow thanks to the tumeric, get gloves. But mix it with your hands, making sure both sides of every slices is coated well.

In a large saucepan, heat enough oil for shallow frying. Fry them in batches, making sure they're golden on either side. If you want them crunchier, you can choose to deep-fry them. Once they're cooked, they're ready to eat.

Guest Post on TFE...

I'm published on the Fat Expat! Whoot!!!

For those who need a lil background story, I've been a fan of the blog for quite a while and always contemplated writing stuff, but never got my lazy ass around to really penning anything down.

Well, with Ramadan around and the focus solely on super rich foods, I mentioned that not all dishes made at Iftar be heart-attack inducing and people can actually lose weight during the month and detox. In the ongoing dialogue with alex (I'm shortening the name :p), I suggested some ideas and voila! The rest is history.