Tandoori ‘BBQ Inspired’ Garlicky Butter Prawns (Makhanwala+Butter Prawns)
May 23, 2008
If there is a recipe that is out there that is ORIGINAL, this is it! I have tried and tested to make this recipe perfect, and finally i did it.
Today the 23rd of May 2008 i perfected it. So with all that excitement. I got straight to the computer and blogged it. So that hopefully by tomorrow or even today, you will all be enjoying this recipe.
This recipe is a version of one of the most popular chicken dishes available in Indian restaurants, commonly referred to as Makahanwala Chicken or Butter Chicken. However it has been difficult to replicate the traditional style of cooking the prawns in the butter chicken sauce and so a little bit of marination needs to go on and more garlic needs to be added to balance the palate.
Serves:
4-6
Preparation Time:
25 minutes plus time to marinade.
Cooking Time:
20 minutes.
Ingredients:
10 Cloves Garlic (grounded fine to paste)
4 Thai Red Chilis2 tbsp-olive oil
1kg large prawns or 500g shelled shrimps
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Kosher Salt or sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon ‘Rajah’ Brand Tandoori Powder (if you dont have access to Rajah, then you can use any other brand however it might make a difference in taste)Half medium onion chopped very finely.
2 tablespoon turmeric powder2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon cumin-coriander powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 Cup chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons yoghurt
4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon sugar.
direcciones…
1. Shell and de-vein prawns. Wash and marinate with salt, vinegar, turmeric and half of the garlic paste.
2. Heat oil. Add remainder garlic paste, onions, and finely chopped chilis and cook till garlic smells cooked
3. Add tomato paste and simmer for 5 more minutes. I personally use a wok so that i have enough room 
4. Now add the prawns, tandoori masala, cumin and coriander powder, cayenne pepper and cover for about 15 minutes so that prawns soak in all the spices and masala. Opening to stir every few minutes.
4. Once prawns look a bit done, you will know this because they have released a considerable amount of water and so you will need to put it on high heat to burn off some water.
5. Add the yogurt and stir some more on high and burn off most of the water to get a consistent paste. This will probably take 10 mins or more to burn
6. Once the all the liquid looks gone, and the bottom starts to stick, stir around a few times and add the heavy whipping cream and .Stir it in till you get a consistent creamy looking gravy. Add more cream if need be. The prawns should be medium dry, so it should have some gravy but not much.
7. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and decorate with spring onion flowers.
Serving ideas: Serve with Garlic Naan bread or Garlic loaf (New York style). Some people have even eaten it with Jeera Rice.
There you go, you have just made the world premier of Garlic Butter Prawns (tandoori bbq style). I said it right here this is my recipe, and hopefully i’ll get Famous with it ;), not that i want to but hey its a bonus innit?
Ciao and happy foodin’
Spicy Masala BBQ Steak/Chops/Fish
May 8, 2008
This delicious recipe is one version of many to come. The history of this recipe is unknown however it has been passed down through generations of South African born Indians. It is one of the most authentic to date ‘Braai’ steak or chops recipe that i know of. [Read more]
10 Things you did not know about BBQ’ing
May 5, 2008
Barbecue Stats
I present to you hightlights of some international barbecue information that i have gathered up. If you have some more important information to add please comment below and i shall add them in. [Read more]
Create the Ultimate Sunday breakfast in 10 easy steps for your spouse!
May 5, 2008
Breakfast. Is it the Most Important Meal of the Day?
Well, that’s what they say, but if that’s really true, then I think most of us are in big trouble. During the week my breakfast usually consists of quick cereal fix…some Chai tea and lots of sugary cookies. I would amend that statement and say, “Breakfast is The Most Important Meal of the Weekend”. I love my Sunday breakfasts so here you go, the top ways for you to create that most important meal of the weekend
La Menu
Super Sunday Breakfast
-Gourmet Scrambled Eggs with sour dough bread, mushrooms and pan fried tomatoes on the vine.
-Fresh Fruit
-Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
-Whole Wheat Sourdough Toast
-Coffee or Chai
- Buy all your fresh ingredients the night before. (Milk, Sourdough artisan bread, DOLE All Natural Juice or fresh oranges, chives, natural brown eggs, fresh cream, fresh fruits like strawberries, mangoes, kiwi fruit, grapes, tomatos).
- Make sure you girlfriend or boyfriend is still asleep.
- Watch Gordon Ramseys ‘Make Perfect Scrambled Eggs Video’
- Cut your fruits up before you start cooking and put them to cool in the fridge.
- Slice up your bread and get them toasted and buttered.
- Free up some time its gonna be a while
- Make eggs, mushroom and tomato as per spec of Gordon Ramsey
- Squeeze the fresh orange juice
- Prepare all the cooked food, toast, juice and fruits in a upscale gourmet presentation ’similar to what you see in a expensive world class restaurant’. If you dont know how, just experiment, its ok
- Take the prepared tray to your spouse and surprise them in bed.
There you go, you will not only have the perfect sunday breakfast, but you will be praised by your spouse at her work all week. 
Ciao and happy foodin!
The Perfect Sunday Breakfast and ‘Super Fast Food’ ala Gordon Ramsey
May 4, 2008
MOVED: TOP 10 Ways to create the Perfect Sunday Breakfast follow this link
Our friends over at vouspensez.com have enlighten’d us with this perfect scrambled eggs recipe done by the one and only Hell’s Kitchen host Gordon Ramsey. Watch this fantastic recipe below.
Go Fullscreen
I like the way he does it although what i do is add some mozzarella cheese or even cheddar to complete the equation and fold it in right before you take it off the stove.
Heres one more for the road.
Fast Food Ramsey Style (15min)
This recipe reminds me of IFRs Maple Glazed Salmon with Black Pepper and Ginger, however when I made it, I had used butterfly chicken breasts instead of the salmon. Mmm mmm mmm good
Alrighty then merry breakfasting and happy fast foodin!
Ciao
Braai’ed eggplant Dip. Mediterranean inspired garlicky yummyness!
May 2, 2008
Braai’ed (BBQ’d) Eggplant Dip
Honestly eggplant scares me, and alot of people I know too. The name is a bit unfortunate…however bbq’d eggplant is smoky and rich and mild, and when infused with lots of garlic and tomatoes and olive oil it turns into something extraordinary.
This is a Mediterranean inspired recipe, and pretty much any country around the salty sea will have a variation on the grilled eggplant dip. Whether it’s called baba-ganoush or caponata, it’s simply finger licking goooooood :).
This is an alrite and semi-healthy “dont eat tooo much if you know what i mean” recipe, great for braai, BBQ’s and other casual summer snacking. This dip/spread is begging for those delicious pita chips that you can get from the store or some super crusty bread, rubbed with a little extra virgin olive oil and grilled until golden brown. Yummy in my tummy!
Alright so here goes:
Ingredients
- Two medium sized purple eggplant. Choose an eggplant with smooth glossy skin that feels heavy for its size.
- About 3 Tbls of good extra virgin olive oil (this is a rough guide, and you should add more to taste if needed.)
- About 2 Tbls of red wine vinegar
- 4 cloves of garlic minced as finely as possible
- cayenne pepper or paprika (although i prefer cayenne coz of the HEAT)
- 1 really big red and ripe tomato, or a few medium sized roma tomatoes, chopped
- Salt
- Pita Bread, Crusty Bread, or Pita Chips
Methodology (i like using big words :))
- Take your eggplant and toss onto your preheated gas grill or for those that choose you can use the oven, close the lid and let grill/roast for about ½ an hour, turning every 5-6 minutes.
- When the skin is blackened, remove it if it looks like it has collapsed inwards.
- Let cool for a few minutes, go have a glass of wine or something.
- After the drink; chop your tomato and garlic, and when the eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut it in half, and scoop all the rich and creamy flesh out from the blackened skin. Discard most of the seeds and chop the inner flesh finely; toss away the outer shell and bring all together in a comfortable mixing bowl.
- Add all the other ingredients, and add salt to taste. You need to achieve a balance between the oil and vinegar. It shouldn’t taste either sour or oily; it should have a harmony between the two flavors. If the olive oil is too prominent, add more vinegar, and if it is too sour, add more olive oil. Add paprika or cayenne to taste (optional)
- Top with a Garnish of Kalamata Olives and some fresh chopped cilantro if you like. Make sure to add some olive oil to the top.
- Serve at room temperature with Pita bread, chips or what ever you like to dip with and maybe a sweet white wine.
A New Generation is Born
May 1, 2008
I was introduced to food blogs a about a year ago and have been a regular visitor to many sites now. One blog I go back to regularly is Indian Food Rocks . The author has amazing photography, excellent recipes and a quirky writing style. I frequently go back to her site many times a day just to check whether she has a new recipe and to reread the old ones
So this got me thinking. I was reading an article about taming indian cuisine for the American Culture in a magazine called Khabar, its a South-Asian themed magazine based out of Atlanta, Georgia. This was the catalyst to start this all. Two weeks prior to this I was in visiting some friends in Orlando Fl, and throughout the time I was there I had the opportunity to cook. I had the chance to make all sorts of really fresh seafood, meats and bbq foods. It was simply AMAZING, it was soo much fun, getting to make food that is truly authentic to my style and watching everyone enjoy and lick their fingers while eating it.
One of my expertise i can say is the art of different BBQ styles. Over the years while in college, i got to experiment with so many different bbq styles and along with my background that experience in mind I have accumulated a plethora of recipes that i will share with all of you. I am from the beautiful country of Zambia, located in Southern Africa, just above Zimbabwe (yes the one with all that turmoil). We are so used to the culture over there called ‘Braai.’ The word braai (pronounced “bry”, rhyming with the word “cry”) is Afrikaans for “barbecue” or “roast” and is a social custom in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Here a link to the article on wikipedia. Braai’s are a big social event, preparations are usually done a few days in advance, meats are marinated, duties delegated, liquor stores emptied ;). Yes it usually involves dubious amounts of beer, so that mass amounts of food can be consumed over a whole day affair.
So with that being said I am here to introduce to you the ‘Braai Culture‘, and along with that will come all the recipes and laid back lifestyle thats attached to it. There definitely is a link between modern man and our primitive ancestors whose main source of cooking was over the fire till the meats crispy burnt and scrumptious to eat.
As always I am as curious to see how this will unfold. Spring is in the air, wash out that BBQ stand and get ready for some MASALA BBQ.
Here’s to a new class of BBQ!
BTW: To those of you not familiar with the term ‘Masala’ it means spicy powder or to put into real terms; REALLY SPICY.
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