Arbi Tuk

Continuing with my Sindhi fanfare, this one is also a favourite..some pronounce it as Arbi Tuk (like book) or Arbi Toooook (ooo sound like in two ). My husband calls this the vegetarian fish dish , have to agree only judging by the look of it. Serve the dish as a starter or as main course, the only hitch is that it needs to be served hot as the crispy and crunchy taste is what it makes it so yummyy..the same preparation can be made using potatoes to make Aloo Tuk or Bhindi to make Bhindi tuk..basically the method is the same - fry whatever vegetables you are using and then toss them with dry spices mix...hmmm, maybe even sweet potato can be 'tuked' :)
Soak the arbis in a bowl of water for all the clingy mud to settle down, then give a washdown with your hands before boiling them. I always use a steamer vessel in the pressure cooker to hold the arbis and keep them from becoming squishy . You only need to give one whistle on a high flame and then reduce to a simmer for 6-7 minutes. Open the cooker when the steam is released.. and just FYI the other names for arbi are Kachalu/Taro/Colocassia 

Ingredients

7-8 arbis, boiled/steamed
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon amchoor powder/chat powder
1 tablespoon red chilli powder
Salt
Oil to fry
Coriander to garnish

1. Peel the arbis and press each one gently between your palms to slightly flatten..too flat and it will break in the oil, too thick and it wont be crispy. Might take some practise :)
2. Shallow fry the arbi peices in hot oil till crispy and golden brown on both sides.
3. Remove and drain on paper. Sprinkle all the powders and salt and toss well..you can add more/less chilli and amchoor as per your preference.
4. Serve hot ..tastes really good with dal chawal also

Mint n Garlic Fried Rice

This note from a friend has made my day..
"Hey Sparrow(name changed:).. thanks for awakening the inner cook in me.. ur blog is an inspiration.. I never knew I wud be back in the kitchen so soon with 2 little ones... tried ur cheese tartlets, salan (made with chote baingan) and cheesecake today.. all came out sooo well.. thanks for sharing this blog and as I said 'reviving' the cook in me :))"
My reply - There is no better stress reliever for me than cooking and I am glad I can share that feeling with others through my blog !
Anyway, if I have not mentioned this earlier then I am now- my husband loves rice more than anything in the world (maybe me also :)) ..so every meal has to and has to have rice ..I have to make rice along with pav bhaji/chaat/idli sambhar/pizza..and so on ..you get the gist :)
So I am on the constant look out for rice variations and this recipe is my dear friend Richa's which I tried out today..I served it with raita and papad but you can try it with any cuisine.

Ingredients

4 cups cooked rice (I used long grain basmati)
1 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
1 bay leaf (tejpata)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt

To grind into a paste
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon shahi jeera (this is smaller than regular jeera)
1 badi eleichi
2-3 cloves
7-8 peppercorns
1 teaspoon regular jeera
7-8 mint leaves

1. Heat the oil. Add the bayleaf ,green chilli and fry for few seconds.
2. Add the onion and cook till light brown.
3. Add the ground paste and fry for a minute with the onion on a medium flame.
4. Add the mint leaves and toss for a few seconds.
5. Stir in the rice with the salt and lime juice. Toss well to combine everything uniformly
6. Turn off the gas and cover with a lid for a few minutes before serving