Cooking with heart not science

This one is for some of my friends who cant cook but do have the very best of intentions about getting the recipe. (I have written and explained several times over). I know they have the best intentions about wanting to cook for their family and friends but its just not their thing. So what? It doesn't make them a bad person but everyone thinks of it as a handicap (how sad is that?). Its like driving a car. Some people can drive but don't enjoy it, some people cant drive but would like to, some people just think it plain unnecessary!Believe me people, its the only way to your friends and family s heart!!

Its not rocket science at all. So her are some simple rules about cooking.

1. Indian cooking - is all about More is just about Enough. And there is no such thing as Low Fat.
So just take all the ingredients and fry, stir, add masala after masala after chilly after chilly on slow fire till you get it Just Right!

Here is an example of simple chicken curry:

1kg of Chicken

For the blender

6 onions

4 tomatoes

1 pod of garlic

1sq inch of ginger

-----------------------------

Run the above through the blender and make a paste

2-3 tsp dhania powder
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 can of curd
2 bay leaves

4 cardamom, whole

4 cloves, whole

about 1 inch of cinnamon stick

salt

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Throw in the bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Next pour all the stuff that was blended. and fry, fry, fry till starts changing colour. Please stick with a medium flame.

When masala is medium brown add the dhania powder and garam masala and fry some more.

When the masala is quite dark inn colour add the chicken, curd, chilly powder, salt and turmeric powder. Set the flame on low cover the vessel and leave to cook for 20 - 30 minutes.

Note: If you want more curry in the chicken add some milk after turning the flame on high for about 3 minutes.

2. Western Cooking - Less is more. No fuss at all but tasty as hell.

I'm going to go with my husbands favourite thing in the whole world. Spagetti with Olives and Mushrooms

• 
  
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup (100 g) pitted green olives, coarsely chopped
• 1 dried chile pepper, crumbled
• 4 anchovy fillets preserved in salt, rinsed and chopped
• 5 oz (150 g) mixed wild mushrooms preserved in oil, drained and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb (500 g) bucatini

Procedure:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.Cook the pasta in the boiling water. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking water
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over low heat
3. Add the parsley and garlic and saute until the garlic is pale gold, about 3 minutes
4. Stir in the lemon juice, olives, chile pepper, and anchovies
5. Stir with a fork over a low heat until the anchovies dissolve into the sauce, about 5 minutes
6. Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper
7. Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water to the frying pan
8. Toss over high heat for 1 minute
9. Eat and Enjoy!