Baked Beans With Onions

Since I started cooking at home, my mom usually asks me to make dinner when I do not have my exams going on or if we've to make something quick and tasty. When we do not have enough time to prepare a meal or during one of those times when we've hunger-pangs or may be we are so tired that we can not prepare food...in such cases this recipe works the best. It is very easy to make, it gets done in 15 min [max]. Yeah, that's right!

I usually don't use canned foods or frozen foods, but for this dish...i used canned Heinz's Baked Beans. For preserving manufacturing companies use large amounts of sugar and salt, which is not good for health. That's why I chose "reduced" sugar and salt. I literally inspect each can before I purchase it. Looking for signs of damage or bloating of the can lid or shaking it to see if its too jiggly; and I blame my Food Microbiology classes. Sigh! You've no idea of how many times I've seen refrigerated foods like sausages which have gone bad; the change in color, some of the vacuum packed sausages were fully bloated [another sign of spoilage] or some of the foods soaking in some kind of liquid - ew!

Next time you buy frozen or refrigerated food make sure you see none of these signs. Okay, too much of science. Let's get back to my delicious recipe. :D

Baked Beans with Onions [or Baked Beans Curry]
Ingredients
2 cans of Heinz's Baked Beans [or any other canned beans would do]
3 medium Onions, julienne
4 - 5 Green chillies
2 Sprigs of Curry Leaves
1 Tsp of Cumin seeds
1 inch of Cinnamon Stick
1/2 inch piece of Ginger, finely chopped
Pinch of Turmeric
Salt, to taste
3 Tbsp of Olive oil
1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder [optional, according to your taste or you can add some whole black pepper for that heat]

Method ~
1. Drain of all the excess tomato gravy from the Bean can's and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add Cumin, Green Chillies, Ginger, Curry leaves, Cinnamon stick and Onions. Saute till the Onions are golden brown in color. Now add in a pinch of Turmeric.

3. Now add the Beans to the Onions. Mix well and add in some salt according to taste.

4. Saute till the gravy of the beans is reduced. You can add more chilli powder or whole black pepper if desired and finish with a tablespoon sprinkle of Cilantro/Coriander leaves. Serve hot, with rice or chapathi or brown bread :D

That's it...as simple as that. Enjoy :)

Here we go... First post + Masala Baby Potatoes

Tadaa...my first blog. It's been a while since the idea of creating a food blog sprouted in my mind. After creating just over 15 recipe's of my own, I decided its Time. I wouldn't call myself a food fanatic but I love different flavors, I like to blend and experiment. Rain & Spice is not going to be a blog committed to food only, I will be adding a lot of different things that grab my attention and et cetera.

My Dad bought some Baby Potatoes from Spinney's and asked me to make something with them. Potatoes are one of my "comfort foods". They are so easy to make, catch up the flavor of any spice immediately and can cook them in different ways - mashed, fried, roasted, grilled, boiled. Many [Indian] people have their own version of "Masala Potatoes"... so here is mine.

Masala Baby Potatoes
Ingredients
5-6 Tbsp of Olive oil ,
6 heaped Tsp of Masala [see below]
3 dried Red Chillies, seeded
1 inch Cinnamon stick,
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder,
700g Baby Potatoes,
Pinch of Ajwain Seeds [Carom Seeds]
1/2 Tsp of Corasely ground pepper,
Salt, to taste
1/2 Tsp of Chaat Masala,
1/2 Tsp of Red Chilli powder,

For the Masala 
3-4 Tsp Cumin Seeds,
2 Tsp Coriander Seeds,
1 Pod of Green Cardamom,
1/2 Tsp of Mustard Seeds,
1 Clove

Method ~
1. Wash potatoes, put them in a Pressure Cooker and add some water...about 3/4th to the level of the Potatoes. Add about 1 Tsp of salt, gently mix. Close lid, put on the stove at High. When the steam starts to escape from the nozzle, place the "weight" on. Now turn the gas on low. Allow them to cook for 10 min. This method makes sure the potatoes are cooked faster. Do not remove the skin of the potatoes at any point, it has all the Iron and Potassium.

2. Once the cooker is cooled and all the steam has escaped, its now safe to open the cooker. Drain off the excess water and allow to cool.

3. In the meantime, put all the spices for the Masala in a Dry grinder and grind them to a fine powder. Now put a big non-stick vessel on the stove and pour in Olive oil. Allow to heat for about 45 seconds before adding in the Masala powder, Turmeric, Cinnamon and the dried Red chillies. Now, put all your potatoes on a plate and just cut each one into a half.

4. Add the Potatoes into the Masala mix and toss them such that each potato is coated well. Remember not to vigorously mix them with a spatula because these cooked potatoes are very delicate and will crumble easily. Now just allow them to fry on a medium flame for about 2 min.

5. Now add some Salt [if you prefer], sprinkle Ajwain/Carom seeds, Chaat masala, Red Chilli powder and toss them again. and Allow to fry well on each side of the potato till deep golden brown. Add some fresh coarsely ground black pepper powder and Serve.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did. Believe me, my Dad literally licked his plate and the bowl clean. I am open to suggestions and criticism; that's how I learn :)