Indians For Guns

Last year, sometime in December, the boys rode the Enfields, while I took the Scorpio to camp. It was a great stress buster. We had a great time and I cooked the good stuff. Even if I say so, the Goan Sausage Pulao, the Masala Chicken and the Egg Akhouri with chicken ....was superlative. And there was lots of singing...and Old monk for company.

Posting some of the pictures for you

Beer Stop, Laugh Stop, Pit Stop, Chat Stop....deep in the forest. We camp responsibly. Nothing gets left behind. And no mess is created. We reach our destination....our hut in the forest Preparing the mis-en-place for lunch with the ESEE 3. This is one of the niftiest blades Building the camp fire Goa Sausages....Yummy Multi tasking....Cooking the Chicken Masala, singing, downloading old monk, warming my ass

Nice !!!!!!!!!!!!! The Folks are lucky to have a trained Chef cook for them.. What location is this Chief... That's Chef with an "i"

Regards
Moin

Singing, laughing, cooking good food for friends under the stars is my recipe for a good time The ESEE 3....in the wilderness J.J. Cale & Kishore Kumar Chicken Akhouri and Pao for Breakfast

Moin. wrote:Nice !!!!!!!!!!!!! The Folks are lucky to have a trained Chef cook for them.. What location is this Chief... That's Chef with an "i"

Regards
Moin

Ha Ha ha...Moin, this is deep in the Sahyadris. Next time, come along with the boys

The Bikes Siesta in the shadow of a Thunderbird Riot of Colour....ancient hills draped in orange The Yellow Footed Green pigeon

lovely snaps. llooks like you guys had a fantastic time.

Hi Slingshot!
> Wow - What a way to go man!
> The Goan Sausages, Baida Akuri & Komdi Curry with Pulao all washed down with "Budda Padri" (Old Monk) must've been a feast for the Gods
> Reading your post & seeing the interesting pics, made me go for a "Quick Rewind" of a similar trip I made a few years ago
> The experience - I recorded in a poem which I give below....

I stood at the edge of the mountain path
looking at the valley below,

Marveling at the handiwork of
the river gone dry eons ago,

A distant thunder rolled and shook
the earth below and beyond,

And soon a cold stormy wind blew
sending shivers down my spine,

Up in the sky a flock of birds
whistled and winged their way to safety,

From the nearby woods I heard a peacock cry
ushering in the torrential rain that soon fell,

Drenching wet I saw across the valley
the tantalizing sight of a rainbow form,

As mother nature played her pulsating rhythm
I let myself go and danced like a man possessed.

> BTW - The ESEE 3 looks awesome
Cheers
Briha

Briha sir....a beautiful and eloquent poem. I can actually feel like I am transported there. I wish we were as talented as you. Hats off to you

prashantsingh wrote:lovely snaps. llooks like you guys had a fantastic time.

We did. And I am a big fan of yours. Loved the narrative and your adventure on the trail of the Maneater of Devprayag. If you ever need a cook in your adventures, I am your man

Nice snaps dear friend and thanks for sharing.

Excellent photos, Slingshot. Great way to relax and have fun.

Could you please share some details of the Goan sausage pulao and the chicken akhouri? Thanks. Will give them a go sometime.

Best-
Vikram

Don't expect to be thanked for posting this, you torturer!

I haven't been able to step out since Christmas and I cannot wait for the kids to finish their exams.

I think it's about time you started that e-mail.

Vikram wrote:Excellent photos, Slingshot. Great way to relax and have fun.

Could you please share some details of the Goan sausage pulao and the chicken akhouri? Thanks. Will give them a go sometime.

Best-
Vikram

Sure Vikram. Here is the Recipe for the Goan Pork Sausage Pulao.

Goan Pork Sausage Pulao

This is a one pot dish. Strong, pungent, full of flavour and perfect comfort food for a winter evening. Not too much fuss, yet outstanding results.

Serves : 04 persons

Ingredients
1. 300 - 400 gms Goan Pork Sausage, cut in 1 inch cubes
2. 03 Onions sliced
3. 10 Garlic cloves sliced
4. 1 inch ginger julienned
5. 10 curry leaves
6. Whole garam masala : 1 inch cinnamon, 5 cloves, 03 green cardamom, 01 black cardamom, 01 star anise, 02 bay leaves
7. 10 peppercorns, ground coarsely
8. 04 dried red chillies
10. 02 fresh green chillies
11. 03 tomatoes chopped
12. 04 medium potatoes, peeled, cut in halves
13. Bunch of fresh coriander leaves
14. Salt to taste
15. Teaspoon of sugar
16. Basmati Rice, 4 portions, pre-boiled up to 80% and cooled
17. Oil or Ghee

Cooking

1. In a heavy bottomed pan (the pan should be able to hold the cooked rice), add 2 or 3 tablespoons of ghee
2. When the ghee is moderately hot, add the potatoes and fry till they are seared and golden. They will not be cooked through, just seared.
3. Remove the potatoes and reserve
4. The ghee will be really hot by now. Cool the ghee a bit, by removing from the flame
5. Once the ghee has cooled a bit, on medium heat, add the whole garam masala to the ghee - 1 inch cinnamon, 5 cloves, 03 green cardamom, 01 black cardamom, 01 star anise, 02 bay leaves
6. Fry till fragrant for about a minute
7. Now add the pepper corns and the dried red chillies and fry for 30 seconds
8. At this point, add the julienned ginger and the garlic to the ghee and fry for a minute
9. Add the curry leaves
10. The aroma will be amazing...the ghee, ginger, garlic, curry patta, and spices all wafting
11. Now add the onions and immediately add 1 tea spoon of salt. This allows the onion to fry fast and dehydrate quickly, while the flame is in medium.
12. In about 5 to 7 minutes, the onions will get deep golden and caramelised. Dont let the onions turn brown.
13. Lower the heat and flame to 'LOW'. In the outdoors, I just remove from the flame and rest close to the fire on a rock.
14. Add the green chillies
15. Add the Goan pork sausages to the ghee
16. Fry the sausages in this low heat oil for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously
17. The sausages hold all the flavour and immediately, all the masala from the sausages will start getting amalgamated into the onions.
18. Keep frying gently to release all the masala from the sausages for about 5 minutes
19. Your kitchen will be heady with the aroma of the sausages....pungent, hot, vinegar, chilli
20. The masala in your pan will now be a deep red after the sausages have leached all their flavor
21. Now add the chopped tomatoes to the masala
22. Increase the flame to medium. In the outdoors, it goes back on the fire.
23. Continue to fry...the tomatoes till they are mushy
24. Add the teaspoon of sugar to the masala now and stir
25. At this stage, add back the potatoes to the masala and gently toss them, so that all the masala coats the potatoes
26. By now the tomatoes should have got cooked in the masala and your masala would be thick, red, the ghee separated from the masala, pungent, hot, heavenly
27. Now add 3/4 cup of water to the masala
28. Reduce the flame to 'Low', and cover the pan and let the potatoes cook. This will take about 10 minutes. In the outdoors, by this time the fire is reduced to coals and I just rest the pan on the coals.
29. After 10 minutes, the potatoes should be cooked but firm
30. Now add more salt to the masala in the pan. Since the rice will be added, it will need more salt, but please be careful not to over salt the masala. Be cautious.
31. Add the 80% cooked rice to the masala and with a spatula, gently fold in all the masala with the rice
32. Taste....and I am warning you that you wont be able to stop tasting
33. Adjust seasoning....add more salt if needed
34. Cover the pan and cook under the lowest flame for about 5 minutes. In the outdoors, continue to slow cook over the coals.The Pulao will be ready to serve.
35. Add chopped coriander

Serve
Enjoy!

Mack The Knife wrote:Don't expect to be thanked for posting this, you torturer!

I haven't been able to step out since Christmas and I cannot wait for the kids to finish their exams.

I think it's about time you started that e-mail.

Sending that mail later this evening Mack

slingshot wrote: Briha sir....a beautiful and eloquent poem. I can actually feel like I am transported there. I wish we were as talented as you. Hats off to you

Hey Slingshot!
> While thanking you for your appreciation of my poem I wish to state in all sincerity that....
"Your culinary skills are more than a match for my poetic eloquence"
> Thanks for sharing the recipe for the 'Goan Sausage Pulao'

Briha

Slingshot Sir - you got me salivating with 'em pix and the description. I can smell fried garlic with the aroma of meat and there is a Rumble in the Belly. OK now I have to make that call and order some checkout much to my wife's chagrin.

BTW, is this locale en route Malshejghat ? If not, where ? Any waterhole close by ? Thinking of a weekend drive...