Not quite a Smorgasbord!!

Its Thanksgiving and if your'e like me you just finished digging into the side dishes and completely ignored the centerpiece-the roast bird.  We celebrate with the quintessential roast Turkey and lots
of sides giving thanks for tons of terrific vegetables and side dishes. All day the center of attention was the meal I've  been planning for a few days, just so that everyone is equally happy with their favorites and I think I made my goal! I made a simple meal since I will be going overseas tomorrow.  While you cannot go wrong with the traditional turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and vegetables, I love to think of ways to put a different spin on the standard Thanksgiving dinner. I've eliminated the mashed potatoes and stuffing. But here's to Macaroni and cheese, ravioli, Orange-cranberry sauce and gravy for the meal, and greens have taken over the green bean casserole. It's really hard to find a bird that is less than 13 pounds so if I were to roast one it would leave us tons of left overs to disperse and so I went with an organic turkey breast!!

This time I got a small organic turkey breast slathered it with herb butter after the overnight brining process.  I used about 3 liters of water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup salt, 2 Tablespoons whole black pepper, 4 cloves and 1 large stick of rosemary.  Let the mixture boil well, cool until it is room temperature. Place the Turkey breast in it and refrigerate for 24 hours. The next day, remove the turkey from the water and pat dry. The Moisture has now been retained inside and you are now ready to marinate with herbed butter or spiced butter or any flavors of your choice and then roast to perfection basting the juices along the roasting process.

After all this, would you be surprised if I said that Turkey is not R's favorite bird to roast? The girls and I agree that our favorites are the Orange-Cranberry Sauce with a slice of moist turkey, Greens, Butternut squash ravioli and Pecan Pie with fresh whipped cream.. Yumm.....  Last year I designed my Thanksgiving meal around Indian spices rubbing it all over the bird before roasting it. The bird looked heavenly on the table but now the display is less  like Thanksgiving!!

As usual, we go through good times and bad but this year had its share of ups and downs too. So when I go over the events since last Thanksgiving, I am surely thankful for recouperating from the Earth Quake, surviving Natural calamities like hurricanes, and the Snowmageddon Blizzard I drove in for hours just to get home. I am happy just to be together with my family.

   
I apologize for not posting all of my Greek Mezze recipes yet. But before I get to my Butternut Squash Ravioli photos and the rest of the Thanksgiving meal,  I must leave you all for a short time.  I am flying to India tomorrow to spend a couple of weeks with my Mother at the same time enjoy her home cooked meals!!! I promise to have interesting photos of my travel and new recipes when I get back !!
Happy Holidays!

#172 Dolmathakia or Mini Stuffed Grape Leaves

Dolmathakias are mini dolmades or stuffed grape leaves with as many variations on recipes. I used the same tender grape leaves and wrapped these little parcels into small dolmades. It was easy for me since I purchased pre-prepared grape leaves in a bottle.

Instead of using the traditional filling of rice, I used quinoa and crumbled sausage and my version also has goat cheese for a creamy texture making it perfect for special occasions.  Unlike other recipes for stuffed grape leaves, this one calls for sautéing/ grilling. This is off my Greek Mezze!!

Ingredients:

•1/2 jar of grape leaves (30-35 leaves)

•1/4 cup of quinoa cooked

•1 teaspoon of ground cumin

•1 medium/small tomato, peeled, seeded, cut in small cubes

•1/8 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped and 2 Tblspn fresh dill chopped.

•1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (+ a little more for brushing)

•1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice

•8 oz goat cheese, crumbled

•sea salt

•freshly ground black pepper

•1/2 cup cooked, crumbled sausage

Preparation:

1. Rinse the grape leaves well and separate. Place in a baking pan and cover with boiling water. Let sit until the water cools a little (about 8-10 minutes). Rinse well under cold running water and drain. Dry each leaf individually, and remove stem. Set leaves aside, on absorbent paper towels.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the quinoa, and the cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste and allow to sit about 5 minutes. Transfer to a larger bowl and add tomatoes, parsley, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, crumbled cheese and cooked,crumbled sausage and lemon juice. Combine well and add more salt and pepper. The mixture should be slightly salty.

3. Place a grape leaf on a clean work surface, shiny side down. Place 1 teaspoon of the quinoa mixture on top. Fold the bottom of the leaf up over the filling, fold the sides in, brushing with a little olive oil to help seal, and roll to form a small packet. Place seam side down and continue to make the rest.

4. Brush the dolmathakia with olive oil. Cook on a preheated grill or fry in a non-stick frying pan for 2 minutes on each side, until they start to brown.

When cooking, start with seam side up, then turn and finish seam side down. Take care when turning so as not to break.

#171 Melitzana me Yiaourti or Eggplant Dip with Yogurt

Don't let the name "Melitzana me Yiaourti" throw you off, it is one of the easiest and most versatile dips I have tasted. The refreshing eggplant dip with Greek yogurt is so versatile that it can be eaten with almost anything... veggies, crackers or bread and also called Baba Ghanouj. As you read this recipe you will also see how easily you can make it in five steps and that too with very few ingredients. The addition of strained Greek yogurt and Tahini(Sesame Paste) nurtures the roasted eggplant mash to 'dip' perfection.
Smooth and creamy, my Melitzana me Yiaourti was a clean bowl hit with my family and I served this creamy smooth dip with Rosemary-Sundried tomato bread as part of my Greek Mezze!!

Ingredients:
•2 round eggplants
•3 tablespoons of Greek extra virgin olive oil
•juice of 1 lemon
•2 tablespoons of tahini
•1 cup of strained Greek yogurt
•salt to taste
•1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
A pinch of Paprika and 1 tspn Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Before I get to the steps on how to make this incredibly delicious dip, I must take some time to mention Sonali Pradhan from http://onlyfishrecipes.blogspot.com/, who has been so generous as to send me this award. I am truly humbled and accept it with great honor. Thank You Sonali:)

It would be a shame if I didn't pass it on to five of my foodie friends. I have so many people who inspired me it is hard to pick five from the crowd.  But you have drawn me to return to your blogs so much so that I just keep coming back to see what you've conjured up every week. I am never dissappointed because there is always something deliciously divine waiting for me:)

Jessica from http://www.kitchenbelleicious.com/
Charles from http://www.fiveeurofood.com/
Jay from http://tastyappetite.blogspot.com/
Divya from http://www.edivyaraj.blogspot.com/
Sarah from http://www.vazhayila.com/

To keep the ball rolling..................

1. Please accept the award. Post it in your blog with the name of the blogger who has given you this award with a link to his/her blog.
2.Be generous and pass it on to 5 other blogger friends.
3. Inform the nominated blogger by leaving acomment in their most recent post to let them know about the award. It's a good feeling to be recognized:)

Preparation:
1. I pierced the eggplant with a fork and broiled them for 10-15 minutes until the eggplant turned black and was very soft. (Alternatively, char it on the grill, or over an open flame.)
2. Set to cool on a rack with paper towels underneath. Peel as soon as they can be handled.
3. Place one eggplant at a time in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add olive oil and lemon juice and mix well with a wire whisk.
4. Add tahini and whisk until thoroughly blended. Add yogurt and continue to whisk. Add salt to taste.
5. Place dip in a serving bowl, sprinkle with parsley, paprika and olive oil and chill before serving.

#170 Spanakopita or Greek Spinach Turnovers

An authentic Greek, really rich spinach and feta cheese turnover that can be made like a pie and used as a main meal or as packaged turnovers served on a Greek Mezze Menu.  This savory pastry enfolded in layers of buttery, crispy, flaky phyllo dough turned out ridiculously good and I was happy with the results .
From my Greek Mezze

Ingredients:
•10 ounces lbs. chopped  frozen spinach
•1/4 cup olive oil
•1 large onion, diced
•1 bunches green onions, diced
•1/4 cup dill and parsley, chopped
•1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
•1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
•2 eggs, lightly beaten
•1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
•1/4 cup butter, melted
•1/4 cup olive oil
•1/2 lb. phyllo pastry sheets
Preparation:
1.Take the frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess water. Spinach should be completely dry.
2.Heat the olive oil in a deep saute pan or large dutch oven. Saute the onions and green onions until tender.
3. Add the spinach, parsley, and dill and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the spinach is wilted and heated through.
4. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
5. If using frozen spinach, you will want to cook until excess moisture evaporates. Spinach mixture should be on the dry side.
Remove from heat and set the spinach aside to cool.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the feta, eggs, and grated cheese. Add the cooled spinach mixture and mix until combined.
7. Combine the melted butter with the olive oil in a seperate bowl.

Unwrap the Phyllo:
8. Carefully remove the Phyllo roll from the plastic sleeve. Most packages come in 12 x 18 inch sheets when opened fully.
Using a scissor or sharp knife, cut the sheets in half to make two stacks of 9x12 inch sheets.
9. To prevent drying, cover one stack with wax paper and a damp paper towel while working with the other.

Prepare the Turnover:
10. Layer about 6 sheets on top of a cutting board or flat surface making sure to brush each sheet with the butter/olive oil mixture. Going Lengthwise, cut the layered rectangle into half. Now you have two long strips.
11. Add a Tablespoon of the spinach mixture in a corner of each of these strips and shape in a traingle. Fold starting from the corner of the phyllo where you placed the spinach mixture making a small triangle.

12. Forming a triangle; keep folding back and forth into a triangle to the end of strip.Brush with melted oil mixture.

13. Repeat with more layers and make turnovers until you run out of the spinach mixture. Now place them on a baking sheet about an inch apart seam side down.

14. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the turnover turns a slight golden brown.  approximately 20 to 25 minutes of cooking time.

#169 Bedtime Stories around the Greek Mezze Table Rosemary Tomato Foccaccia

The food we eat says something about us and how we want to live or so they say.  Of course, we are what we eat and eat we must!! But how do you celebrate a birthday, anniversary or any other occasion? what matters most is the exceptional food isn't it? good qualtiy meals and desserts to match just to celebrate life's best moments!! Of course, R and I do not need an excuse to celebrate with food and we live for the moment we call it "everyday pleasures for health and happiness"!LOL.

Anyway, destiny brought us together 30 plus years ago!! So on our----- th anniversary this weekend here's a heartwarming, refreshingly uncomplicated meal we enjoyed together.  R and I had dinner at Marcel's in downtown DC where French food is cooked delicately to perfection and served artfully to you. The final touch was when they brought out the Mission Fig and Almond Tartine with Happy Anniversary painted in chocolate !!..Very nice of the waiters there.. Thank You Marcel's.

The girls were home for Sunday dinner and we could continue talking about a subject that had once come up--story telling and why it is so interesting to everyone.  Who doesn't like stories? From ancient Greek, Roman and Buddhist to Hindu Mythology the concepts are quite similar in that they have been passed down from generation to generation through carefully stored scriptures. OK maybe the characters and places are varied, but the beliefs, dreams and fears felt in these stories are universal. The stories in Hindu Mythology vary from subtle tales of the Panchatantra to the Bhagvad Gita, Ramayana and Mahabharata(religious books mostly about Gods and Goddesses). 

Stories such as these have been told and cherished over many generations and are bound to be read until eternity. They do fire up our imagination to identify what is virtous, fair, good or beautiful. Lingering memories of traditional stories from around the world help us discover what we value most highly, fear most deeply or maybe learn a valuable lesson or two?

The significance of literary epics on the lives of people may not be noticeable these days, but many folks derive some inspiration  from stories of heroism and bravery applying it to daily life. Everyday, we hear stories and News broadcasts of heroism and people saving the lives of others. Whether they're myths, urban legends, fables or fairytales there's always at least one lesson we remember many years after reading it!

When we talk about Greek Mythology we also talk about Greece. The love of good food is universal and the people of Greece especially love leisure and excellent food !! But the epitome of Greek entertaining is the Meze table where friends and family gather together for small plates of food, appetizer style with drinks. So what better way to celebrate a wedding anniversary than to get together to spend an evening of conversation and laughter over delectable food. Mezze literally means a taste or a bite - not an appetizer nor hors d'ouvres but small plates . So I've brought Greece to my table today although small plates could never satisfy my family it was a memorable evening!!  The table was spread with shareable portions of hot or cold, spicy, savory dishes. Succulent vegetarian and meat dishes that we took time to relish, relaxing with  warm exotic tea. 

Camomile is the best tea to be served on such ocassions, but you know what is even more flavorful---Mint and Honey Tea!! Some of the recipes here were sourced from Lynn Livanos but with many little twists of my own.
My Greek Mezze spread

1. Rosemary and Sundried Tomato Foccaccia
(Some of you may say "Now that is Italian!",  but feel free to use Pita bread instead)
2. Dolmathakia
3. Keftethes in Tomato
4. Spanakopita
5. Melitzana me Yiaourti or Eggplant Dip with Yogurt
6. Baklava Rolls
7. Mint Honey Tea

This post is the first of a series of Greek recipes from my Greek Mezze Menu.The recipe stream starts flowing with Rosemary and Sundried Tomato Foccaccia in this post, but come back and keep reading for the next few weeks I will introduce you to every recipe in the picture above, and also my Baklava Cigars that didn't quite make it in this photo since they were browning in the oven !!!

Wait, before we go straight to the recipe, do you remember reading Hans Christian Anderson's and Aesops' Fairy Tales as a child and in turn reading a few of them to your children? As a child, I remember stories read from Anderson's Fairytales, but did you know that it was an actual English translation from the Danish original? Don't you think some classic stories like the Little Mermaid, The Princess on the Pea and the Ugly Duckling never lost their charm? The author Hans Christian Anderson was born and raised in Odense, Denmark and his father(a poor shoemaker) despite his lack of formal education loved literature and read aloud to Hans from simple books. This encouraged him to read and learn further, however his father passed away when he was eleven years. At that time, he was forced to support his family leaving school and going to work in the local factories. He was lucky to have a good singing voice, so he ended up working at the local theater. Soon, the governor of the Royal Theater financed Hans with a grant allowing him to study at a grammar school. Hans hated that only because he was 17 and was placed in a class of 12 yr olds.  Being bullied and ridiculed,  he had to go to a private tutor to make it through school. He finally completed University education at 23 yrs and openly chose writing as his career. Hans Anderson never married but he fell in love with many women and as a result wrote his stories based on them. In his own words his stories were "exactly as I would tell them to a child", and so he had a personal touch to all his stories and every character was from real life.

Does anyone remember the story of the foolish Lion and clever Rabbit? Another classic story parents read to children over the years back in India. A ferocious lion or King of the forest who decided to kill one animal at a time and ended killing almost all the animals. The last few remaining animals in the forest were devastated. There was a wise old rabbit who cleverly convinced the Lion that he had a competitor and another Lion was challenging his supremacy. When the Lion demanded to see the location of his challenger the wise rabbit took him to a deep well filled with water and asked him to look down. The lion lost his temper in an effort to attack his challenger he plunged into the well ends up killing himself. Needless to say, the animals live happily
ever after! What a pleasant ending to the story. 

This fable is from the Panchatantra -a collection of Indian fables written in Sanskrit featuring animals in morally instructive tales. The lessons from stories such as this improve mature thinking and are critical to the growth of young minds- themes of beauty, brotherly love, cleverness, disobedience, greed, happiness, love, patience, generosity and virtues that go into the growth of a healthy human.
The Panchatantra is one of the earliest collections of tales/fables written in India more than 2500 yrs ago. The work is divided into five books(Pancha=five, Tantra=parts). The Panchatantra tales written for the sons of kings were used by learned Brahmins to teach the art of kingship and worldly wisdom. The five topics are (1) disunion of friends, (2) gaining of friends, (3) war and peace, (4) loss of possession, (5) consequence of rash action. It is said that the book's original text is no longer existent. The oldest version was circulated in the West and now there are adaptations and translations in Persian and other languages out of which the most influential was the Latin version called the Directorium vitae humanae(Manual of Instructions for
human life). A few traces of the stories from this book can also be found in the fairy tales of Brothers Grimm.
Here's a short story from the Panchatantra called the Three Fishes, that recently caught my attention...
Once there lived three little fishes in a pond in India. One evening, some fishermen passing by the pond saw that it was full of fish. They were so happy.
'We have never fished here, so we must return first thing tomorrow with our nets and fish right here" , so saying they left for home.
When the eldest of the three fishes heard this, he was troubled, He called the rest of the fish together and said, "Did you hear what the fishermen said?
We must leave this pond at once before they return and kill us all!'
The second fish agreed with him " You are absolutely right", he said. "We must leave the pond immediately".
However, the youngest and bravest fish laughed."No need to panic friends", he said. "We have lived in this pond all our lives, and no fishermen has ever
come by. Why do you think these men will return? I am not going anywhere--- my luck will keep me safe."
By the end of the day, the eldest of the fishes left the pond with his entire family. The second fish waited for dawn. When he saw the fishermen coming
in the distance he too left taking with him his relatives and family. The third fish refused to leave and decided to keep his kingdom.
The fishermen on the other hand arrived, spread the nets and caught all the remaining fish in the pond. The third little fish was out of luck this time--he too was caught and killed.  The lesson learned is that the fish who saw trouble and fled before it arrived as well as the fish who acted as soon as it approached both survived.
But the fish who relied only on luck and did nothing about it all died.

It is such an ancient story but doesn't the lesson still hold true in the Modern World? Doesn't it remind you of an imaginary illustration of the Origin of Species and Charles Darwin's Theory of "Survival of the Fittest"?

Now for my first recipe .................

Rosemary and Sundried Tomato Foccaccia

Ingredients:
2 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
1 T honey
 1 - 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1-2 T oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes
6-7 pieces of sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 T chopped fresh rosemary

How To:
1. Let the yeast bloom in 1 1/4 cup water and a little sugar until frothy.
2. Now, Sift flours into the large bowl of the electric mixer with a paddle attachment.
3. Add the yeast, rosemary, Sundried tomatoes, salt and the rest of the yeast water.
4. Mix on low speed and add water if needed to make a soft and slightly sticky dough.
5. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead well for at least 10 minutes. until the
dough is smooth and elastic. Add a little dusting of flour if needed and leave the dough a bit sticky.
6. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and allow

to rest until doubled. When it is double in size, when your finger depression stays that way without bouncing back, remove and knead for another 5 minutes. Let rise again until double in size.

7. Now, shape into a flattened bread or foccaccia and score the top with a blade or sharp knife.
8. Let rise until this dough is double in size and very light. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.
9. Remove and dust with flour lightly. Bake for another 20 minutes until done.

10. Test by tapping the bottom of the bread, if it sounds hollow it is done. Slice and enjoy with Eggplant Dip(Coming Soon)

#168 Flawless Jammin Jerk Shrimp Fajitas

When Seafood and Jerk come together magic happens!! Today I am featuring a tropical sensation once again, this time with a kick to the taste buds. Grilled seafood fajitas paired with awesome ice-cold margaritas and you will start shaking your hips to the rhythm of Reggae Music. The sides are so varied and adaptable you can serve it with grated cheeses, salsa, lettuce or tomatoes. Since I love avocados and sour cream so much, you'll notice those are the favorite sides in many of my South American dishes. Leave all of the sides out, and it would still be flawless in taste!!
Ingredients:
8 oz Raw Cleaned and deveined Shrimp
or 8 oz Salmon steaks
2 Tblspn of my very own Jerk Paste from my recipe # 154
(I refrigerated the Freshly made Jerk Paste and it stayed fresh.
My Jerk Chicken with Mango Sauce recipe also gives instructions on how to make the Jerk Paste)
6 Corn tortillas
1/2 red bell pepper sliced
1/2 green bell pepper sliced
2-3 slices of red onion
2 cloves garlic sliced.
Lime, sour cream, avocado, and /or salsa
Olive Oil and chopped Cilantro as needed.

Method:
1. There are two ways you can choose to cook the shrimp/salmon either grill or stove top.
2. I decided to make it stove top in a grill pan using just fresh shrimp.
3. Before you start make sure to rub the Jerk paste all over the cleaned shrimp/salmon.
4. Place the grill pan on the stove and add some Olive oil.
5. When the pan is heated to medium, toss in the shrimp, quickly cook the shrimp on both sides and remove.
7. Now, warm up the corn tortillas and place them on a serving plate.
8. In the same grill pan toss in the onions and garlic with a Tablepoon of Olive oil.
9. When the onions are a bit soft, add both peppers and saute quickly. Do not overcook.
10. For serving place a Tablespoon of the pepper mixture at the center of the tortilla.
11. Place your choice of seafood, flaked salmon or shrimp over it.
12. Serve with sour cream, lime, salsa, avocado and chopped cilantro.

#167 Lobsterlicious Mushroom Masala

The World's finest Lobsters come from the state of Maine. In North America, the Maine Lobster can grow to a length of 25 inches and 44 lbs and they turn a gorgeous red when cooked. I love lobster tail with a bit of melted butter and lemon. If you are a long-time lobster lover and steam them, then prepare to take your first crack at each claw and knuckle first. Seperate the tail from the body of the crustacean, and break off the tail flippers.......and so I've heard.

When it comes to handling crustaceans or fish I am feeble and will never attempt to eat whole steamed crabs or lobsters. Naturally, I was excited to purchase a Lobster tail from my seafood store since I got one cleaned and ready to cook. All I had to do was get the meat chopped and stir up this lobsterlicious dry curry. The finished product was a scintillating platter of lobster as inviting as it was spicy. The masala got a unanimous vote from R, N and V as it sparkled well on my dinner table and the platter was wiped clean at the end of the meal!!

The ingredient I  will talk about today is Coriander Powder.
If you look up the web for its description you will find many results,  one example is:
"A slightly piquant flavor with notes of orange widely used in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines where it flavors all kinds of vegetables and meats ingredient in most curry and spice mixes."

In the seed form or powdered, the coriander is very mild in flavor. In fact, a tablespoon will prevent it from overpowering any dish and tone down the flavors to make it subtle. It blends beautifully well with garlic and chili. These seeds grow into the aromatic herb coriander leaves or cilantro which have a bit stronger flavor than the seeds. Try perfuming your perfect rice by adding 1 tspn of coriander powder to the cooking water or cilantro(coriander leaves) with the cooked rice. In India Coriander is a prominent ingredient
in Garam Masala and many Curry Powders.

Coriander Seeds are roasted and ground in a spice grinder in my home.

Ingredients:
1 Lobster tail. Shell removed, cleaned and cut up.
1 Red or Yellow Onion chopped fine.
1 lb box sliced mushrooms
3 Green Chillies chopped
1 Tomato chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tspn garlic chopped
1 tspn ginger paste
1 Tblspn Coriander Powder
1/2 tspn chili powder
Curry leaves- 1-2 sprigs
Tempering spices like mustard, methi seeds and red chilly
oil, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a wok and add tempering spices and curry leaves
2. When the mustard seeds start crackling, add the chopped onions along with chillies.
3. Saute the mixture until the onions are soft and translucent. Then add the garlic, ginger and tomatoes.



The brown powder is coriander

 
4. Saute for about 5 mins until the mixture becomes slushy and smooth.
5. Now, add th dry ingredients like turmeric, chili and coriander powder and mushrooms.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste and saute adding the chopped Lobster meat after a few minutes.
7. At this time, additional oil may be added if needed.
8. Keep Sauteing until the mixture is dry fried and looks dark brown.

9. Serve with brown or white rice or rotis. I served mine with brown rice.........

1. 

#166 Hawaiian Fast Food Burger on Rice or Loco Moco

Loco Moco is a hearty Hawaiian breakfast meal that was created in the 1940's in Hilo Town on the Big Island. It is normally made with a scoop of white rice topped with a hamburger patty,  a fried egg mounted on top and smothered with lightly curried gravy.  When we were in Honolulu, we enjoyed this dish so much that I created my very own version of the classic Loco Moco!

A spontaneous desire to eat this comfort food led me to make it this way..... but you are more than welcome to try other versions because I don't think it could ever go wrong!! This is a great 15 minute weekday dinner idea if you keep frozen burgers in your freezer. BTW, the ingredients were just created in my imagination so this is not an authentic Loco Moco. A scoop of the meaty burger in a spoon, with a bite of oeey fried egg along with hot steamed rice and the gravy loaded with flavor- all in one mouthful... !! no kidding--- it turned out to be insanely delicious:)

Ingredients
Carrot-1 cubed
Onion-1 cubed
3 fried eggs(1 per person)
1-2 cups water use as needed
Three scoops steamed rice
3 burger sized Sausage patties (The original is made with Beef and Pork burger patties)
I used a couple of pre-prepared veggie burgers too.
Mccormicks Gravy packet -2
Mccormicks Madras Curry Powder- 1.4 tspn
Black Pepper powder

Directions:
1. Prepare steamed rice in a steamer or pan and keep warm.
2. While the rice is cooking, pan fry the Sausage patties in a pan.
3. Remove the patties. Fry the eggs to desired texture and keep aside.
In the same pan fry the onions and carrots.
4. Add the water mentioned in the gravy packet and 1/2 cup extra water. Cook lightly,
5. Slowly add gravy flour mixed in 2 tblspns cold water to the pan.
6. Add curry powder and pepper to taste. When the gravy is slightly thick remove the pan from the fire.
7. To serve take a plate and place a scoop of rice in the center. Top with a pattie and pour two ladles of gravy over it.
8. Distribute the carrots and onion cubes evenly between the three plates.
9. Top with fried egg and serve.