From the Celebrity Kitchen

KATHMANDU, April 3: In this world, who is not a foody, after all? Some may like continental, others may go for country-specific delicacy, but our own homemade cuisines, with that special twang of timbur, methi, heeng, or jwano, sure makes our tongue water no matter how “western” or “global” we may consider ourselves. [break]

Having said that, to prepare your own food is not everyone’s cup of tea. Especially, when people in Kathmandu have become occupied with their careers that they have very little time to spare to stand in front of your gas stove and prepare meal on your own. Maybe that is why ready-to-eat or junk foods have replaced many home made varieties. Not to forget the ever-rising number of restaurants and fast food cafes.

Starting this week, myrepublica.com brings you some easy-to-prepare home-made recipes on some traditional foods and some unique and lavish dishes from the personal kitchen of our very own who’s who in Kathmandu. We will try to keep it as fresh and as innovative as possible.

This week, we met prominent singer Nalina Chitrakar, 32, at her residence in Bagdol. Busy with her husband and son, she happily agreed to feature some of her home-made recipes.

Nalina, who in her own words is fond of her culinary skills, showed us a different way to look at the “aalu chokha” (mashed-spicy potato) and “ram-toriyako achar” (Lady-finger pickle), which according to her are popular dishes of Janakpur.

“I’m a kind of person who adapts well to all sorts of delicacies. However, I’m a big fan of simple Nepali foods rather than other continental and Italian dishes,” gleaming Nalina said as she tried to explain her relationship with foods.

According to her, Nalina started cooking food on her own since she was 11. Her dad has always been a great fan of her cooking and now her latest fan is her hubby Sanjeev Mishra, a marketing specialist. Nalina believes that everyone should at least learn how to prepare daily foods so to adapt to all kinds of circumstances.

Nalina and her food recipes

I. Aalu Chokha (Mashed-spicy Potato)

Ingredients

Potatoes – 400 grams

Dry onion – half cup

Fresh coriander – 100grams

Green chili – 3 pieces

Mustard oil – 5 tbsp (table spoon)

Salt – 1 tbsp; may have to increase if the amount of the dominant food is high

Turmeric powder – ½ tbsp

Cumin powder (jeera) – ½ tbsp

Chili powder – ½ tbsp

Methodology

1. Boil potatoes till its peels come out.

2. Peel the potatoes and mash them along with the aforementioned spices (salt, chili powder, turmeric, cumin).

3. Now, chop dry onion, green chili and fresh coriander into small pieces and mix it with the mashed potato.

4. In a non-sticky frying pan, heat 5 tbsp mustard oil and put what you just prepared.

5. Cook this food for some two to three minutes, till you can see the layer of it turn golden brown and serve it with slice of lemon, carrot and cucumber.

6. If you don’t like oily food, you can also avoid cooking the mashed potato because you’ve already boiled it properly.

In addition, you can prepare many varieties from Mashed-spicy Potato. For example, you can eat the food straight away; you can cut them in smaller round shapes to make Aalu Tikka, you can make Aalu Chops, and you can used the ready to eat food for even Aalu Parathas.

II. Ram-toriyako Achaar (Ladyfinger pickle)

Ingredients

Ladyfinger – 500 grams

Mustard oil – 6 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds (methi) – ½ tbsp

Green chili – 3 to 4 pieces

Fresh coriander – 100 grams

Brown sesame powder – 100 grams

Chili powder – 1 tbsp

Salt – 1 ½ tbsp

Cumin powder – 1 tbsp

Tropical coriander powder – ½ tbsp

Lemon – 2 pieces or vinegar – 3 tbsp

Method

1. After washing the ladyfingers, cut them into long slices.

2. Cut green chilies similar to the shape of ladyfingers and chop fresh coriander into small pieces.

3. In a small bowl, mix brown sesame powder with lemon or vinegar. Stir it till it turns to a thick paste.

4. Heat 6 tbsp mustard oil and add fenugreek seeds into them.

5. After the seeds turn black in color, put in green chilies.

6. Now, add ladyfingers to the oil and cover it with dish cover for five minutes.

7. After the vegetable turns golden brown, mix it with the mixture of sesame powder you prepared in the bowl.

8. After cooking them for two more minutes, add salt, chili powder, coriander powder and cumin.

9. Leave it to be cooked for next three minutes.

10. Ladyfinger pickle is ready . Serve it hot in the plate and spread coriander leaves for decoration.