Jazz and Jambalaya - Guide to Ecstasy

It’s been two years since I have been to New Orleans Jazz fest. My love for jazz goes long back when I was in college and used to roam around with my huge discman, playing - ‘Hold me close and hold me fast, The magic spell you cast, This is la vie en rose’ - by Louis Armstrong. I have even mentioned Jazz a few times in this blog too with my cocktail recipes, the Mulled Wine etc. New Orleans has this history of people coming and going. Let it be French, Spanish or African. But thanks to this process of people passing by this city, New Orleans gave birth to a lot of new things. African workers found comfort in music after a hard days work. They used to sit in groups, sing and play instruments and create music - they were creating Jazz. This city has been celebrating this festival since 1970s. But there is a reason why a lot of people pass by this city - its port. Now if you are in a city with one of the largest ports in America, you can expect this ‘port’ on your plate.

People pass by but leave their cuisines behind. New Orleans has a mashup of various cuisines and Jambalaya proves this right. Jambalaya is a popular rice dish, especially at family get together or events like this. Even huge quantity of it is simple to make. The best part is that you can play around from seafood, sausages to red or white meat, or mixture of all. There is a small story behind the recipe. Many years ago, a traveler arrived at New Orleans, in an inn, long after the dinner time. He asked the cook to throw in the available ingredients and this gave birth to the famous Jambalaya recipe, which is a staple of New Orleans. Jazz fest begins on April 24, 2014 and this combination of Jazz and Jambalaya might be too overwhelming for you.

Ingredients:-

1 Bay Leaf,

1 chopped Onion,

2 cups cooked Rice,

1/2 teaspoon Thyme,

1 cup Chicken Broth,

2 teaspoons Oregano,

1 teaspoon Hot Sauce,

1 stalk chopped Celery,

1 pound diced Chicken,

1/2 pound diced Sausage,

28 ounce canned Tomatoes,

1 chopped Red Bell Pepper,

2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning,

1 pound cooked thawed Shrimps.

Preparation Method:-

1. Take a slow cooker. Combine in it, chicken, sausage, chicken broth, tomatoes, onion, pepper and celery.
2. Now add in bay leaves, thyme, oregano, Cajun seasoning and hot sauce of your choice. I prefer red hot sauce.
3. Cover it up. Cook on high for 3 hours. Stir in thawed shrimps. Cover and cook until the shrimps are heated thoroughly. This will take around 5 minutes.
4. Spoon the mixture over cooked rice. Serve hot!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Enjoy the Jazz Music!

Celebrate Nepali New Year with Pork Choila

Bisket Jatra marks the starting of the Nepali New Year, AKA Navavarsha. The celebration of the festival goes on for a week. The festival is celebrated with great pomp and show accompanied by parades, parties, family get together and ofcourse huge family dinner. Infact, for a foodie like me, that's the best part, haha! Bhaktapur looks beautiful that day as it is sponsors the most exciting annual events right at the Kathmandu valley. A huge chariot, that carries the idols of Bhairab God, is dragged by number of villagers to the Khalna Tole. The tug of war competition takes place between the Eastern and Western sides of town, accompanied by huge applause.

Hope you enjoyed my meat recipe, red meat gravy, which was an authentic recipe of Rajasthan, India. Now here I am with one more traditional recipe called Choila. Choila is very popular dish in Nepal and relished by the localites. Choila can be made with any kinda meat, be it chicken, duck, beef or pork. I've tried the one with pork. The recipe is very spicy but you can make minor alteration as per taste. Traditionally served with the local beaten rice, the dish is definitely a winner in all respect. So let’s celebrate the Nepali New Year with Pork Choila.

Ingredients:-

For Curry

3 lbs. boneless Pork,

1 teaspoon Turmeric,

Salt and Pepper to taste,

1 tablespoon Chili paste,

1/8 teaspoon Asafoetida,

2 tablespoons Mustard oil,

1 tablespoon Garlic paste,

1 tablespoon Ginger paste,

2 tablespoons Lemon juice,

1 tablespoon Cumin powder,

1/4 teaspoon grated Nutmeg,

1/4 teaspoon Sichuan pepper,

3 medium diced, boiled and fried potatoes.

Marinade for Choila

1 inch sliced ginger,

5 sliced Red chilies,

3 minced Garlic cloves,

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric,

Salt and pepper to taste,

1/8 teaspoon Asafoetida,

3 tablespoons Mustard oil,

1 tablespoon toasted Cumin seeds.

For Garnish

1 teaspoon Fenugreek,

2 minced Garlic cloves,

2 tablespoons Mustard oil,

1/2 chopped Green onion,

Handful chopped Coriander.

Preparation Method:-

1. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for curry into a paste.  Add pork chops to the paste and mix to coat thoroughly. Set aside for two hours.
2. Then, grill the chops until cooked thoroughly. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes when done. Now prepare a smooth paste of marinade for Choila.
3. In a bowl, mix the smooth paste, of marinade for Choila, with the grilled pork cubes. Pour two tablespoons of mustard oil, toss it well to coat thoroughly.
4. Add into a wok, along with potatoes, and cook thoroughly till the paste blends well with the pork. This will take 20 minutes on slow. You can simply use boiled potatoes or boiled and fried potatoes here.
5. For garnishing, in a pan, heat two tablespoons of oil, splitter fenugreek till it turns dark. Add garlic and fry till light brown.
6. Pour this oil mixture over the cooked meat. Add green onions and coriander. Toss the meat. Serve with steamed rice. 

Happy New Year!

Chicken Sausage with Potatoes and Sauerkraut – Tasty and Healthy

For many foodaholics, eating healthy means end of taste. This is not true. With the little creativity in the cooking techniques, even boring food can be super tasty. For example one can use olive oil instead of ordinary cooking oil. Olive oil is better option to fry or saute the food stuff as it's rich in monounsaturated fat and adds to taste as well. The food high in cholesterol can be consumed once in a while, unless restricted by the doctor.

Chicken is a versatile source of protein and is low in fat. Potatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals, they fight disease and promote heart health. Sauerkraut delivers significant amount of vitamins C and K. In addition to this, it boosts up energy and immune system with iron. One can use different flavored sausages for the dish. Roasted garlic sausage or sweet apple sausage are worth for this dish, giving an absolute tangy spicy taste. The recipe goes well with roasted carrots for crunchy fun. Here we present a sweet and tart entree of chicken sausage, potatoes and crunchy sauerkraut, healthy and tasty recipe..

Ingredients:-

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil,

12 ounces cooked chicken sausage,

1 medium sliced onion,

3 medium sliced potatoes,

1 1/2 cups rinsed sauerkraut,

1 1/2 cups dry white wine,

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper,

1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds,

1 bay leaf

Preparation Method:-

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add sausage and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.

3. Add potatoes, sauerkraut, wine, pepper, caraway seeds and bay leaf; bring to a simmer.

4. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 15 minutes.

5. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Enjoy the tasty yet healthy treat!