Sunday cooking with hubby: Mutton curry & Chitol Fish Kofta

So, today were the Oscars, and hubby and I decided to stay in and veg out in front of the TV. However, after nibbling on some itty bitty snacks, we got hungry for some real food, so we decided to cook. I made mutton curry and he made chitol fish kofta, which is basically fish cakes made with minced fish. The fish he used is chitol fish (clown knifefish), which is native to Bangladesh. I made mutton curry in basic curry style.

MUTTON CURRY

Ingredients:

Mutton - 2 lb
Onion - 1 large onion
Cinnamon- 2 sticks
Cardamom- 4 pieces
Red dried chilly- 4
Fresh ginger paste- 1 tbsp
Fresh garlic paste- 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Red chilly powder (reshampatti)- 1 tsp
Tomato- 1
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt according to taste
Water as required

Wash mutton in a large bowl under running water

    Pat mutton dry with kitchen towel to drain excess water.

    Heat a pot, add oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, dried red chillies and chopped onion. Caramelize.

 

 After onions have browned, add ginger and garlic pastes and brown slightly.

   Add turmeric powder.

    Add coriander powder.

   Add red chilly powder.

    Mix everything well. 

   Add mutton

Mix well

Add salt according to taste. I added less than a tablespoon.

    Turn the heat on medium and cover with lid. Let it sit like that for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

    After 30 minutes, add two cups of water. 

   Add chopped tomato.

Cover and simmer on medium heat for 1.5 hour (check if mutton is cooked).

   Transfer in serving dish.

CHITOL FISH KOFTA

Ingredients

Chitol fish, minced - 1/2 lb

Onion- 1 small onion chopped

Cilantro- 4 sprigs, chopped finely

Green chillies- 2, chopped finely

Spring onion- 1 sprig, chopped finely

Garlic- 2 cloves

Ginger- 1/2 inch

Red chilly powder (reshampatti)- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder- 1/4 tsp
Black pepper- 1/2 tsp
Salt according to taste
Egg -1 large
Oil for frying

   Take minced fish in a glass bowl

   Add chopped onion

    Add chopped chillies.

    Add chopped cilantro.

Add grated garlic.

   Add grated ginger

    Add chopped scallion.

Add salt, black pepper and cumin powder

   Add red chilly powder.

Add turmeric powder

    Add garam masala powder.

 Add mixture to mortar, and pound with pestle

Transfer to bowl.

Shape into flat cakes.

    Beat one large egg

Coat the fish cakes in egg.

Shallow fry in hot oil.

Cook on each side for 6-7 minutes, depending on doneness

Beautiful!

Finally, its done! It was delicious, hubby did a great job!

We had vegetable khichuri (rice, lentils, broccoli  and cucumber salad along with the mutton curry and fish kofta. Recipes for those another day. Dinner was delicious :)

Restaurant Review: Banana Leaf Thai

After much scouting about the internet for a good thai restaurant (viz. Urbanspoon and Yelp), hubby and I decided upon Banana Leaf Thai. Upon entering, only two tables were filled and usually it bothers me when a restaurant isn't too busy. At least the decor seemed cozy and inviting. We sat ourselves in a roomy booth . This was a day we went with ravenous hunger, so immediately ordered a plate of Thai spiced wings($4.99) for appetizer and a glass of thai iced-tea.

My only gripe about the thai iced tea was that it was too sweet. So I asked them to put extra milk in it. It was still too sweet. Hubby and I shared.

 We received 6 wings. We got a sweet sauce and red chilli flakes on the side. They were crunchy and doused with the condiments, tasted quite thai-like.

For main, I ordered the Pad Kee Mow with beef ($11.99). I seriously need to order something new the next time I go to a thai place. I order this every time I go to a thai place. Its almost like a quest for finding the best pad kee mow in town. The last couple of times I went to a thai place I was sorely disappointed with the portion. I am a portion whore. If I am paying 10 bucks or more, I need it to fill my plate at least 70%. I was not disappointed. My plate was overflowing with glistening, flat glass noodles doused in a level-3 spicy sauce, veggies, eggs and beef. L-O-V-E. I couldn't finish it all, so had to take leftovers home. This hasn't happened in a while. Praise the Lord!

 Hubby orders what I would like to call 'the wifey'. Spicy Basil Fried rice with beef ($10.99). This is what he has been ordering since he ever knew of thai restaurants. Its got rice (his favorite) and beef (his favorite). He, too, was blown away by the portion. See, we've been deceived with skimpy portions in the past and this time it was like an awakening. I sound like such a glutton! His fried rice was a level 4-spicy and had strips of basil running through the rice besides veggies, eggs and beef.

 Clearly we didn't have room for dessert after all that food, so I decided to take a picture of the dessert menu to decide for next time. I already know what dessert I am going to get:  Rice pudding with egg custard.

 So, overall our experience was fabulous. We left with stomachs full and faces happy. There was this cute thai-esque decor outside. Had to take a pic.

These are phone pics, so not so fabulous. 

Desi Style Fried Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken- 7 pieces 

Fresh ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Soy sauce- 1 tbsp

Black pepper- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder- 1/2 tbsp

Sweet Chilli Sauce- 1 tbsp

Garam masala powder- 1 tsp

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Corn flour - 1/4 cup

Flour - 1/2 cup

Water

I first marinated the chicken in ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce, black pepper, red chilli powder, sweet chilli sauce and garam masala powder and kept it aside for 5 hours. The longer you marinate, the better it tastes. 

In the same bowl, I added corn flour, flour and water and mixed it. I didn't make a batter separately as this just makes the process easier and I am all for easy. I mixed the chicken well and made sure its coated in the batter mixture. I fried all 7 pieces together for half an hour. I am afraid of raw chicken, or uncooked chicken hence the long cook time. Also, I didn't deep-fry them, I think if you deep-fry them, you might be able to do it quicker. Well, guess I should get myself a deep-fryer. 

The result: They were crunchy, spicy, juicy and delicious...hubby helped himself to 4 pieces!Excuse the picture quality, I took it by phone. 

Holy Grail Face Mask

One fine evening, I was browsing the Amazon bestsellers of beauty and I came across this item called Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. It is 100% natural calcium bentonite clay and it was priced at around $9 (for 2 lbs). I was reading endless reviews about the greatness of this product. How it changed some people's lives, how it really works, etc. Anyway, I soon forgot about it, like the many items I read reviews online about and forget in due time :) So one day I was at Whole Foods and I stumbled upon this. It was $6.99 for 1 lbs tub. 

On the back of the tub it says to mix the clay with apple cider vinegar to make a paste and apply to areas needed. I didn't have apple cider vinegar on hand and decided to make the paste with water instead. While it did become a paste, it was kind of clumpy. So I decided to get a bottle of apple cider vinegar. I got the raw kind from Trader Joe's. It cost $2.99. You can buy raw apple cider vinegar at Whole Foods, Trader Joes or any health foods store.

 I mixed a tablespoon of indian healing clay with two tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a non-metallic bowl. Upon mixing it fizzes, I guess due to the vinegar and within seconds you have a smooth paste ready to apply to your face. 

After steaming my face, I applied it to my face and within 10 minutes I could feel my face 'pulsate' as it says on the tub. I then stepped into the shower and rinsed away the mask. Instantly fresher skin was revealed, albeit a little red near my eyebrows and forehead ( I always get red there if I apply clay masks). I think I left it on a little too long. The real benefits can be seen the next day. 

For the sake of this post, I did a demo on my hands, to show its benefits. 

Excuse my nasty nails -__-

My Basic Skincare (Updated)

My skincare regimen changes every now and then, but for the most part I try to use products with good ingredients and few chemicals. I wash my face only once a day, which is at night. For morning time I usually splash my face with water and slap on some SPF lotion and I am good to go. The reason I don't need to wash my face in the morning with a cleanser is because I don't use a very heavy moisturizer at night and so my face is already kind of dry in the morning (although I  do have a oily t-zone). On days I wear makeup I will use a cleansing oil that emulsifies into a milk-form upon mixing with water. If I still have something remaining, I will use a makeup wipe, but I tend to stay away from those as they do tend to irritate my skin. Okay so let me elaborate a little about on all the items I use.

FACIAL CLEANSER

I bought this facial cleanser at Trader Joes a few months ago. It costs $5.99. Like with most products, I read reviews on makeupalley prior to buying any beauty product. I have been doing this for years. So I read good reviews about this Nourish All-in-One Facial Cleanser and decided to get it. I live very close to Trader Joe's, which is also another reason why I feel to fulfill a lot of my needs from there. So onto the product: It lathers moderately and is truly tearless, however I found that it doesn't give me that 'squeaky clean' feeling that a lot of regular cleansers do. I did notice that about a lot of more natural cleansers I've tried in the past. It does an okay job at removing makeup but thats okay for me as I don't rely exclusively on this for makeup removal. I use it only at night.  I like the product. It cleans the skin without stripping it of its oils. As I am nearing the big 3-0, I am trying to put moisture back into my skin, so gentle cleansers are my new best friend.

MAKEUP REMOVER

I have used the MAC Cleanse Off Oil before and I truly love it. However, when I went to purchase a new bottle, the lady mistakenly gave me the MAC Cleanse Off Oil-Tranquil, which is a gentler version of the original. It retails for $30 and you get 150ml of product. It is definitely pricey and I am not one for over-priced skincare, but I did try some cheaper cleansing oils and they were horrible. They stung my eyes, didn't remove makeup and contained mineral oil. MAC Cleanse Off Oils are mineral-oil free. This one has a soothing smell to it and is much, much gentler than the original, which is my only gripe. I find that it doesn't remove stubborn waterproof eye makeup all the way. The good side is it does remove 80% of your makeup and the part where you get to the massage the oil all over your face truly feels divine. I feel like I am in a spa and the process feels much gentler than tugging at your face with a makeup wipe or dousing your eyes with foaming cleansers to get everything out.

TONER

I love this Alba Botanica Hawaiian Facial Toner. I just love it. It contains mostly organic ingredients, is alcohol-free and is so, so soothing. It retails at stores such as ULTA ($14) for a higher price than online stores such as Iherb ($8).  The primary ingredient is aloe and lavender juices. It also contains witch hazel, hibiscus extract and some other great ingredients. I just put some onto a cotton ball and wipe my face. It feels very refreshing and doesn't give your skin that tightening and drying feeling. There have been days when I was so tired that I just applied this and forgot moisturizer and I woke up with perfectly moisturized skin the next day.

MORNING MOISTURIZER

Once again, another Trader Joe's product :) The Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion ($3.99) looks a lot like Olay's Complete All Day Moisturizer. I didn't compare the ingredients but I know this one is fragrance-free, PABA free and is enriched with Vitamins A, C & E. It absorbs into the skin quickly and doesn't leave a white cast on the face. With a SPF of 15, I obviously wouldn't use this if I were going to the beach or was going to have a long day in the sun. Being Bangladeshi, I don't need to be in the sun all that much, we are born with some tan. I like this product, I like it underneath makeup as it doesn't make my skin oily and provides the right amount of moisturization. My husband loves it too!

EVENING MOISTURIZER

Okay, now is the part that is going to seem so bizarre to all. My Holy Grail Moisturizer is Jojoba Oil. This oil is like the gold standards of oil. It doesn't clog my pores, it doesn't make my skin oily. It has actually rectified a lot of problems I've had with my skin. I have fewer blackheads and whiteheads. I have fewer dry patches on my face and my skin tone looks more uniform. I attribute it all to this oil. I bought this at Whole Foods for $8.99. I am sure many of you might squirm at the thought of applying oil to your face, but believe me, it has worked for me. I am sure there might be a few whom it might not work for. I apply only a tiny bit all over my face and massage it till its absorbed completely. I have noticed that a lot of expensive serums and lotions that retail for over $20 will list jojoba oil as a primary ingredient. They will try and use the scientific name (Simmondsia chinensis) to make it sound more important or exquisite. Read this article by holistic health herbalist about the benefits of using jojoba oil. It also doubles as a wonderful scalp treatment.

EYEBROW/EYELASH CONDITIONER

If I could go back in time, well, back to before I was born, I would ask God to give me more eyebrow and eyelashes. I have the scantiest eyebrows and eyelashes. If I don't pencil in my eyebrows and apply mascara to my eyelashes, I look sad or sick. For a long time now Castor Oil has been coveted as a remedy for thickening eyebrows. I bought this at a local grocery store for $2.99 because it was on clearance. It usually retails anywhere from $3 to $6. I like that this particular one is cold-pressed and has no parabens. Besides the highly goopy and thick consistency of castor oil, I think it might be actually beneficial in conditioning my eyelashes and eyebrows. I apply it with a q-tip to my eyebrows and eyelashes. Although it is easier to apply if you can get a disposable mascara bottle and just apply it like you would a mascara. Castor oil also works very well in the Oil Cleansing Method. You mix equal parts castor oil and equal parts jojoba oil (or any other oil such as sweet almond oil, olive oil, etc.) and massage all over your face and follow with a warm wet washcloth to remove the oil. This purges all the impurities from your skin and is supposed to be very beneficial to your skin in the long run. Due to the tediousness of the process, I don't do it very often, but whenever I have done it, the results have been great.

LIP MOISTURIZER

I am not very big on taking care of my lips. I mean they are not super dry or super supple...they are in between. I was previously using the EOS lip balms after buying into the hype. I did not like it. It did nothing to moisturize my lips. A lot of youtubers and bloggers felt the same way about the balm. Moving on, I bought this Nivea Milk & Honey lip balm ($2.99) a month ago at ULTA. I absolutely love it. It makes my lip so, so, so silky smooth. My husband was teasing me how I can't let go off this. I keep reapplying because it is just that silky smooth and the scent is actually like milk and honey. It says on the container than it locks in moisture for 8 hours and it did keep my lips moisturized throughout the night.