Yerum Thongba: Egg Curry

Egg Curry

Ingredients:

1. Five hard boiled eggs
2. One tablespoon oil
3. One medium sized onion: finely chopped
4. A tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
5. One teaspoon cumin powder
6. One teaspoon coriander powder
7. Two green chilies sliced into small pieces
8. One teaspoon red chili powder
9. Haldi powder- tip of the teaspoon
10. Salt to taste
11. 100 g green peas (seasonal).

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a wok/skillet in high flame and add cumin powder in it. Then, add onions and green chilies and stir fry together until golden brown.
2. Now, add the tomatoes, coriander powder, red chili powder and haldi powder and stir fry them together for 3-5 min in slow flame. 
3. Then, add two cups water to make a paste of this mix for the curry base.
4. Add the peas and let it shimmer in the curry for 5 minutes in medium flame under closed lid.
5. Add the eggs (whole or in halves) and salt to taste and let it shimmer to the curry thickness of your choice.

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Kwta Nga Thongba: Tin Fish Curry

Tin Fish Curry

Ingredients:

1. Any tin fish of your choice
2. 3 teaspoons oil
3. A large tomato
4. 2-3 pieces of green chilies
5. A medium sized onion finely chopped
6. A teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste
7. A teaspoon cumin powder
8. A teaspoon maachal powder
9. Salt to taste
10.  Coriander leaves for garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat up the oil in a work/skillet in medium flame and stir fry the onions and garlic-ginger paste. Add cumin powder, maachal powder and stir fry until the ingredients become golden brown.
2. Then add tomatoes and stir fry until it withers and forms a paste with the onions and ginger-garlic.
3. Now add the tin fish and stir fry it for a minute or two. Then, add a cup and a half of water. Add the chilies( slit into half) and salt and let it come to a boil. Let it shimmer until it thickens to your choice.
4. Your tin fish curry is now done. Add coriander leaves for garnish.

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Hawaijar Paan Thongba: Colocasia cooked with fermented soyabean

Hawaijar Paan Thongba

Ingredients:

1. 250 g colocasia peeled (in case the pieces are big, cut it into half otherwise it won't be cooked on the inside)
2. One tablespoon oil
3. One medium sized onion finely chopped
4. Three strands of chives cut into 3 inches long 
5. One teaspoon of cumin powder and maachal powder together
6. Two pieces of fermented fish
7. One teaspoon of chili powder
8. Two pieces of dried fish of your choice
9. Two teaspoons of Fermented soybean
10. Salt to taste
11. Coriander leaves for garnish

Servings: 2 people

Preparation:

1. Cook the colocasia in a pressure cooker in high flame. Once it whistles, turn down the heat and keep it on low flame for 5 more minutes allowing pressure to build up and soften the colocasia and turn it off. Leave it like so until the pressure reduces on its own.
2. Heat the oil in a wok/ skillet in medium flame and stir fry the onions and chives together. Be careful because the chives tend to spill the oil. Add the cumin and maachal powder and stir fry together for 3-4 minutes until they wither.
3. Now take out the colocasia after straining out the water. They should be soft and melt in mouth.
4. Then, add the colocasia and stir fry together with the chili powder and fermented fish and dried fish.
5. Now add three cups water along with the dried soybean.
6. Make it come to a boil and let it shimmer in low flame under closed lid for 10 minutes to allow it to absorb all the flavors. Add salt and turn off the heat.
7. Add coriander leaves for garnish and your dish is done.

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Sponge Cake: The easiest vanilla cake for beginners

Vanilla Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

1. 6 large eggs
2. One cup sugar
3. One cup plain four
4. 100 ml warm water( you may use any kind of milk)
5. 100 ml melted butter
6.  One teaspoon baking powder
7. One teaspoon vanilla essence

Preparation Time: 40-45 minutes.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 185⁰C.
2.  Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites and egg yolks in 2 bowls. Use the larger bowl for the egg yolks.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff & set aside.
4. Add sugar to egg yolks and mix until nice and pale.
5. Sift in the flour (mixed with baking powder), add butter & milk & mix until all ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth. 
6. Add vanilla essence and blend well.
7. Now fold in the egg whites.
8. Pour the mixture into a cake tin/spring (28cm/ 11 inch) form lined with baking parchment (grease the sides of the tin as well)
9. Bake at 185⁰C for 30-35 minutes or until baked throughout. Check with a skewer or a cake tester to see if it’s ready.

Note: You can grind the sugar (in a mixer) beforehand into powdery form to blend it easy
Image Credit: HappyFoods Tube

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Chicken Chili: Chinese Style Chicken Chili with Soya Sauce and Spring Onions.

Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg chicken, cut into medium sized pieces
2. One large onion sliced horizontally about 1 cm thick
3. One tablespoon garlic paste
4. One teaspoon ginger paste
5. One teaspoon jeera powder( cumin seed powder)
6. One teaspoon coriander powder
7. Two large tomatoes
8. Five large spring onion sliced into 3 inches long pieces
9. One king chili or 10 pieces of green chilies slit into half vertically
10. Bell peppers/ Capsicum ( your choice to add)- slice it vertically 2 cm thick
11. Three tablespoons oil
12. Soya Sauce: 1-2 tablespoons
13. Chicken Masala
14. Salt to taste
15. Coriander leaves and sesame seeds for garnish

Preparation Time: 45 min- 1 hr

Servings: 4 people

Process:

1. Pour the oil in a thick pan and heat up the oil.
2. In the meanwhile, take 30 g of onion and chop it finely into small pieces. Also, take a tomato and chop it into small pieces.
3. Now, stir fry this onion, ginger and garlic together. Stir it for 3 mins in medium heat and add the cumin seed powder, coriander powder. Simultaneously add the chopped tomatoes and stir fry them until they become golden brown and soft respectively. Stir for 3 more minutes.
4. Then, add the chicken and stir fry them together in medium heat for 3 more minutes occasionally stirring every 1 minute. Keep the lid closed when not stirred.
5. Then add soya sauce, chilies and chicken masala and stir fry them together in medium heat and cook it under closed lid for 15 minutes.Open the lid and stir it every 5 mins to avoid sticking to the pan.
6. In the meantime, slice the remaining tomato vertically into 4 pieces.
7. After 15 minutes, open the lid and add the leftover onion, tomatoes and the bell pepper and cook them together under closed lid for 5 more minutes while occasionally stirring to check sticking to the pan.
8. Now add salt ( about half a teaspoon) and spring onion and cook for 5 more minutes under closed lid.
9.  Now the chicken chili is done. Serve it on a plate and garnish it with coriander leaves and sesame seeds( optional).

Note: If you wish to add potatoes, you may do so  right after Step 4 since potatoes take time to cook.

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Stir Fried Pork with Veggies: An Absolute Delight to the Mouth!

Pork Stir Fried

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg pork, cut into medium sized pieces
2. One large onion sliced horizontally about 1 cm thick
3. One tablespoon garlic paste
4. One teaspoon ginger paste
5. One teaspoon jeera powder( cumin seed powder)
6. One teaspoon coriander powder
7. Two large tomatoes
8. Five large spring onion sliced into 3 inches long pieces
9. One king chili or 10 pieces of green chilies slit into half vertically
10. Bell peppers/ Capsicum (optional)- slice it vertically 2 cm thick
11. Broccoli cut into bite sized pieces (optional)
12. Carrot cut horizontally 2 cm thick
13. Three tablespoons oil
14. Soya Sauce: 1-2 tablespoons
15. Meat Masala
16. Salt to taste
17. Coriander leaves and sesame seeds for garnish

Preparation Time: 1 hr-1.5 hr

Servings: 4 people

Process:

1. Firstly, boil the pork in a closed pot or cook it in a pressure cooker for about 20-30 minutes in medium flame.
2. Pour the oil in a thick pan (skillet/wok also works) and heat up the oil.
3. In the meanwhile, take 30 g of onion and chop it finely into small pieces. Also, take a tomato and chop it into small pieces.
4. Now, stir fry this onion, ginger and garlic together. Stir it for 3 mins in medium heat and add the cumin seed powder, coriander powder. Simultaneously add the chopped tomatoes and stir fry them until they become golden brown and soft respectively. Stir for 3 more minutes.
5. Then strain the pork and add it and stir fry them together in medium heat for 3 more minutes occasionally stirring every 1 minute. Keep the lid closed when not stirred.
6. Then add soya sauce, chilies and meat masala and stir fry them together in medium heat and cook it under closed lid for 15 minutes.Open the lid and stir it every 5 mins to avoid sticking to the pan.
7. In the meantime, slice the remaining tomato vertically into 4 pieces.
8. After 15 minutes, open the lid and add the leftover onion, tomatoes ,bell pepper, broccoli, carrot and cook them together under closed lid for 5 more minutes while occasionally stirring to check sticking to the pan.
9. Now add salt ( about half a teaspoon) and spring onion and cook for 5 more minutes under closed lid.
10.  Now stir fried pork is done. Serve it on a plate and garnish it with coriander leaves and sesame seeds( optional).

Note: If you wish to add potatoes, you may do so  right after Step 4 since potatoes take time to cook.

• Image credit: Andrew Young
 
• Publication: Super Food Ideas

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Scrambled Eggs: With finely chopped veggies

Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

1. 5-6 large eggs
2.  A medium sized onion either finely chopped or sliced into horizontal pieces of 1 cm thickness
3. A large tomato either finely chopped or sliced into horizontal pieces of 1 cm thickness
4. Chili powder, half a teaspoon 
5. Salt to taste
6. One tablespoon oil

Servings: 3 people

Preparation:

1.  Crack open the eggs in a large bowl and mix it with a spoon or batter. Add chili powder and salt to it for taste.
2.  Heat up the oil in a thick pan. Then, add the onions and stir fry for 3 minutes in medium flame while continuously stirring to avoid burning. Now add the tomatoes and continue stir frying till they have withered.
3. Now, add the eggs and scramble for about 3 minutes. Your scrambled eggs is now done. 

Image Credit: www.mycolombianrecipes by Erica Dinho

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Hawaijar Metpa: Fermented Dried Soybean Salad

Fermented Dried Soybean Salad  

Ingredients:

1. 250 g dried fermented soybean
2. 50 g fresh cucumber cut into bit sized pieces
3. Three strands of medium sized spring onion chopped into 2 cm long pieces
4.  A small sized onion finely chopped
5. A small sized tomato finely chopped
6. A small roasted fermented fish to add some flavor
7. A king chili
8. Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Make a paste with the king chili, fermented fish and salt.
2. Then mix all the vegetables with the chili-fish paste to seep its flavor in it.
3. Lastly, add the dried soy bean and mix.

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Tharoi Thongba: River snails curry

Tharoi Thongba

Ingredients:

1. 500 g river snails
2. 5 medium size potatoes (red potatoes preferably) cut into 4 pieces each.
3. 250 g Loklei ( Ginger Lily) cut into horizontal pieces if 2 inches each.
4. 7-10 strands of Mukthrubi Mana ( Pricky Winged leaf)
5. Five large pieces of ( Ngari) Fermented Fish
6. 20 red chilies
7. Haldi Powder (tip of the teaspoon)
8. A medium sized onion ( finely chopped)
9.  A clove of garlic ( finely crushed in a mortar)
10. A teaspoon of crushed ginger (in a mortar/ mixer)
11. A teaspoon of Maachal ( mixed spices crushed together)
12. A teaspoon of Cumin Powder
13. One tablespoon refined oil of your choice
14. 2-3 pieces of Indian Bay Leaf
15. Salt to taste

Note: Leave the snails overnight or two days in a bucket of water before cooking to remove excess dirt and sand from the snails. On the day of cooking, cut the end of the snails about 1 inch for easy sucking and leave it n salt water 2 hours prior cooking time.

Preparation:

1. In a pressure cooker, cook the snails ( after draining the salt water and rinsed with fresh water) in high flame. Once it whistles, turn down the heat to medium flame and leave it for 5 minutes. Do not open until the pressure reduces on its own.
2.  In another pressure cooker, cook the potatoes, lolkei and chilies in the same manner as done in Step 1.
3. In the meantime, roast the ngari in a pan until it becomes soft and slightly brown. After it is done, leave it in a small bowl with a tiny amount of water to soften it.
4. Open the pressure cooker and take out the veggies in a large bowl and allow it to cool. Then, remove the chilies separately and mash it with the ngari and salt to make chili-ngari paste.Now, mash the veggies and mix it with the chili-ngari paste with three cups of water to make base for the curry. (Make sure to mash the loklei thoroughly for its taste to kick in).
5. Heat up a wok/skillet and dry fry the snails after draining out the water. Keep stirring until the water that seeps out of the snails dries to make it crunchy later on.
6. In another wok/ skillet, heat up the oil and drop the Indian Bay Leaf first. Then, stir fry the onion, garlic and ginger together with the cumin powder and maachal until it becomes golden brown. Then, add the curry base and boil it for about 5 minutes after adding another 3 cups of water.
7. After it comes to a boil, add the snails and mukthrubi mana and leave it in high flame for another 10-15 minutes and add salt to taste. Your curry is now done. You may add coriander leaves for garnish.

Image Credit: Manao Koijam (Posted in Facebook Page- Chakhum)

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Mimi Singju: A salad mixed with fresh veggies and raw mimi noodles

Mimi Singju

Ingredients:

1. Two packets of mimi noodles crushed with hands.
2. Two medium sized spring onion finely chopped into small pieces
3. A quarter of a medium sized cabbage finely chopped.
4. Three big pieces of smoked/steamed fermented fish
5. A medium sized fresh king chili
6. A small cucumber finely chopped into cubes
7.  Half a tomato chopped into small pieces
8. Half a medium sized onion
9. Two coriander leaves for garnish

Servings:Two people

Preparation Time:10-15 mins

Preparation:

1. Mix the fermented fish and the chili ( you can use either hands or a mortar) to make a fine paste.
2. Now, mix the cabbage, tomato, onion, cucumber, spring onion with the paste.
3.  Then, add the crushed mimi noodles to the mixture of the veggies and chili paste.
4. Your mimi singju is now done. Add the coriander leaves for garnish.

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Kanghou: Stir fried mixed vegetables of your choice.

Cauliflower, Potato and Peas Stir Fried Dish

Ingredients:

1.  One medium sized cauliflower washed and cut into bite sized pieces.
2. One medium sized potato 
3. 30g of green peas
4. Jeera powder
5. Chili flakes
6. Salt to taste
7. Haldi powder for color.
8. Coriander leaves for garnish.
9. Three tablespoons of oil ( preferably refined)
10. One small sized onion chopped into small pieces
11. One tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste

Preparation:

1. Heat up the oil in a deep fry pan/wok in medium flame and stir fry the onion and the ginger-garlic paste and stir continuously. One minute later, add jeera powder and keep stiring until it turns golden.
2. Add potatoes now and cook under closed lid for 3 mins occasionally stiring every min to check sticking to the pan. ( Potatoes take longer to cook).
3. Now add the cauliflower and peas and stir them together. You may now add haldi powder (just a tiny amount for color) and chili flakes for a bit of spiciness according to your preference.
4. Cook it for 5-6 more minutes under closed lid without forgetting to stir every few minutes until the vegetables become soft. Add salt now to taste. 
5.  Now, add the coriander leaves to garnish and serve it on a plate.

Disclaimer: I do not own the image. The recipes are mine but I used images from other sources due to time constraint reasons. The blog is created as part of my curriculum requirements for my course.
Image Copyright: Gareth Morgans

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Alu Shak/ Sak (Stir fried boiled potato): An evening snack loved by all.

Alu Shak

Ingredients:

1. 3 large sized potatoes
2. 5-6 pieces of crushed garlic.
3. 1 large onion
4. One teaspoon of ginger
5.  Red chili powder/ 3-4 green chilies ( You may add more for enhanced spiciness)
6. One teaspoon jeera powder.
7. Two teaspoons garam masala.
8.  Some cabbage and spring onion for garnish.
9.  Haldi powder: just a pinch for color.

Preparation Time: 15-20 mins
Method:

1. Peel the potato and cut it into bite sized pieces: not too big because it will be under-cooked.
2. Now, use a medium sized pressure cooker and cook the cut pieces of potatoes. Cook in high flame and let it whistle once, and then turn down the heat and let it stay on low heat for 5 mins.
3. After the stove has been turned off, do not open the pressure cooker unless the pressure comes down on its own.
4. after the pressure has gone down, open the pressure cooker and strain out the potatoes. The potatoes should be soft and crush able with fingers.
5. Now, turn on the heat and place the wok over it. Pour 4 tablespoons of oil( any refined oil)  and let it warm up. 
6. After the oil has been heated up, stir fry the onion, garlic and ginger till it turns soft brown. Then add a teaspoon of jeera powder.
7. You can now add the potatoes and stir fry them together over low heat. Add a little bit of haldi powder for color and add the sliced chilies as well. Add salt to taste. Cover the wok with a lid and stir it occasionally every few minutes.
8. You can add Garam masala for extra taste. (Optional)
9. Leave it for 2 more minutes after the heat has been turned off with the lid on.
10. You can now serve it with the leftover onion as the garnish along with the chopped cabbage and spring onion.

Disclaimer: I do not own the image. This is done for an assignment as part of my course. Credit given to due owner.

Credit: Sanjit Pheiroijam ( Facebook Page- Chakhum)

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Alu Kangmet: Boiled Potatoes Mashed with stir fried veggies

Mashed Potatoes with Veggies

Ingredients:

1. Three large potatoes peeled
2. One medium sized onion finely chopped
3. Three large strands of spring onion cut into 3 cm pieces long
4. Five dried red chilies
5. Five teaspoons of refined oil 

Preparation:

1. Cut the potatoes into 4 pieces each to cook fast and cook it in a pressure cooker, make it whistle once, then turn down the flame and leave it for 5 more minutes. Turn it off and let the pressure reduce on its open.
2. In the meanwhile, heat up the oil and stir fry the onions, red chilies and spring onion till they wither for about 5 minutes in medium flame. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
3. Now mash the chilies and the onion and spring onion with salt and mix with the potatoes. Mash all of them together. You may add the leftover oil for more flavors
4. You may garnish with more onions and coriander.

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Yongchak Singju: Raw ingredients mixed with fermented fish and chilies- A Spicy Salad

 Stinky Beans Singju

Ingredients:

1. Two ripe mature stinky beans with prominent beans.
2. Three big pieces of smoked/steamed fermented fish.
3. Smoked red chilies as much as you want.
4. Pea shoot and onion for garnish.

Tools Required:

A stinky beans peeler for the skin.

Method:
1. First, slice the stinky beans into small pieces as seen in the picture.
2. Then, mash the fermented fish and chilies together( you may use a pestle) with salt.
3. Now, mix the paste with the chopped stinky beans thoroughly.
4. Your singju is now done. Add the pea shoot and onion as garnish.

Disclaimer: I do not own the picture. It was obtained from Wikipedia.

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