Chicken Awadh

Dear Readers,
I'm sure all the chicken lovers will enjoy this recipe.

So let's start with the recipe.

Ingredients

1        kilogram         Chicken 

1        cup                 Yogurt

1        tablespoon     Coriander Powder

1        tablespoon     Cumin Powder

1/2     teaspoon        Turmeric Powder

2        tablespoon     Ginger - Garlic paste

3-4     medium          Green chillies

3-4     tablespoon     Ghee

3-4     small              Green cardamoms

4        medium          Cloves

1        inch                Cinnamon stick

2        teaspoon        Red Chilli powder

1/2     cup                 Tomato puree

1        cup                 Fried onion paste

3        tablespoon     Cashewnut paste 

1        tablespoon     Garam masala powder

1        cup                 thick coconut milk 

Method

• Combine yogurt, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, ginger - garlic paste, green chillies and salt according to taste in a bowl and mix well. Then add chicken pieces and mix well and set aside for 30 minutes. 
• Heat ghee in a non - stick pan. Add cinnamon, green cardamom and cloves and sauté till fragrant.
• Add chicken along with the marinade, stir and cook on high flame for about 4 minutes. Then add red chilli powder and tomato puree, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add onion paste, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add cashewnut paste, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add cardamom powder and garam masala powder, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
• Adjust salt and mix. Add coconut milk, mix well, cover and cook for 15 - 20 minutes.

Best Served Hot with rice.

Enjoy!

Leafy Salad

Dear Readers,
Today I am opting for a healthy recipe and prepared a salad with leafy vegetables as the title suggests. It is too delicious and nutritious. By good fortune if a bit of salad had left then you can grab it as late night sandwich. 

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients
7 - 8      leaves         Lettuce
2           medium      Carrot
1           medium      Cucumber
1/2        medium      Purple Cabbage


For the Dressing

3 - 4      teaspoon      Yogurt
1           teaspoon      Pepper
2           tablespoon   Mayonnaise
6-7        pieces          Blueberries

Method

• Slice the Carrot and cucumber and toss it in a bowl, then add the lettuce.
• Shred the cabbage and toss it along with the other ingredients.
• For the dressing in a small Bowl add yogurt, blueberries, mayonnaise and pepper and stir until it becomes smooth.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake

Dear Readers,

This is my go to Chocolate Cake. I make it for family dinners, birthdays, and everything in between. I really like the combination of two types of chocolate. Unsweetened cocoa powder is used in the chocolate cake and a dark chocolate is used in the frosting. I hope you like this recipe just as my family and friends do.

So let's start with recipe.



Ingredients


2          cups                 granulated white sugar
1          cups                 all-purpose flour
3/4       cup                   unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2    teaspoons        baking powder
1 1/2    teaspoons        baking soda
1/2       teaspoon          salt
2          large                 eggs
1          cup                   mashed ripe bananas 
1          cup                   warm water
1/2       cup                   milk
1/2       cup                   corn, safflower or canola oil 
1 1/2    teaspoons        pure vanilla extract
227      grams               semisweet chocolate
3/4       cup                   whipping cream
1          tablespoon       unsalted butter


Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray on a pan and set aside. 
• In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, mashed bananas, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir, or whisk, until combined. 
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  
• Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. When completely cooled, frost with the Ganache.
• Ganache : Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel, or heatproof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. When Ganache has completely cooled, beat until soft and fluffy. Then spread the frosting on top of the cake. Can garnish with dried banana chips.

Enjoy!

Creamy Penne Pasta

Dear Readers,

Enjoy the penne pasta tossed in white sauce in this delightful penne pasta in white sauce recipe. The penne pasta is prepared and then coated in a creamy freshly prepared white sauce. This is one of my favorite dish and I love preparing it. Hope you enjoy.  

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients

500     grams              Penne Pasta

500     grams              Boneless Chicken

250     grams              Button Mushroom

2         medium           Onions

1         pod                  Garlic

500     ml                    Milk

3         tablespoon      All purpose flour

3         tablespoon      Butter

Method

• Cook the penne in a large pan of boiling salted water until well done.
• In a heavy bottom pan add some butter, all purpose flour and saute the all purpose flour till it turns golden brown.
• Add milk, salt and pepper then stir continuously till it gets thick.
• In a pan add some oil, garlic, onion and saute till it turns brown. Add mushrooms and chicken and stir them well, then add pepper and salt.
• Add the sauce into the pan and mix well with the penne pasta. 

Best served hot with garlic bread.

Enjoy!

Pork Indaad

Dear Readers,

Pork Indad is one of those classic Indian dishes, that truly is a combination of communities that have made India the cultural melting pot that it is. Originally derived from vindalho, pork indad is similar dish, but one that is made by the Mangalorean Catholic community. I decided to prepare this delicious Mangalorean dish that I have learnt from my mom and dad with a slight twist.

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients

1 kilogram                   Pork

½ teaspoon                Turmeric Powder

15 pieces                     Red chilis

½ tsp                           Pepper corns 

10 pieces                     Cloves

3 teaspoon                  Raisins

2 teaspoon                   Cumin seeds

2 teaspoon                    Mustard seeds 

4 one inch piece           Cinnamon 

1 pod                           Garlic

2 teaspoon                  Raw rice

3 teaspoon chopped    Mint leaves

1 size of a marble        Tamarind 

3 teaspoon                   Vinegar

1                                   Onion

Method

• Cut meat into slices, apply salt, turmeric powder and marinate for a couple of hours.
• In a frying pan, melt the pork fat or oil and lightly fry the marinated pork slices until they turn golden brown. Make sure not to over fry them, else they become hard.
• Fry all spices together and grind to a fine paste. Add little vinegar.
• Slice the onions fine and fry them in oil or pork fat on moderate heat to a golden brown color. Add fried pork, ground spices and cook till done.
• Add salt and sugar or jaggery if required.

Best served Hot with Sanna or Idli

Mutton Rogan Josh

Dear Readers,

Rogan Josh is a lamb dish of Persian origin. It is a signature Kashmiri cuisine and derives its name from the Persian words: Rogan, which means "oil" and Josh   means "intense heat". Thus, Rogan Josh means made in oil at intense heat. Hence I decided to prepare this special dish on my Mom's Birthday to surprise her.

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients

5-6   teaspoon             Oil

5-6                             Cloves

2      one inch sticks  Cinnamon

4 pods                     Black Cardamom

2                                 Bay Leaves

1      kilogram              Onions

2-3   teaspoon             Ginger - Garlic paste

1      kilogram               Mutton

5      teaspoon             Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

1      teaspoon              Fennel Powder

1/2   cup                      Yogurt Whisked

Method

• Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and black cardamoms then add onions Sauté till fragrant till the onions turn golden brown.
• Add lamb pieces with littlle amount of water and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly till lamb pieces turn a nice reddish brown color.
• Add Kashmiri red chili powder, fennel powder and salt according to taste.
• Add yogurt and cook till the lamb is tender, stirring occasionally.

Best served hot with steamed white rice.

Enjoy!

Veggie Salad

"The great combo of flavours turns this dead simple salad into something really special"

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients

1                   Carrot

1        Cucumber

3                  Eggs

2 slice Bread

4-5 Leaves Lettuce

4 teaspoon Olive oil

6 teaspoon Garlic Mayonnaise

2 teaspoon Yogurt

4 teaspoon Tomato Sauce

Method

• Slice the cucumber and carrot.
• Boil the eggs and cut into half
• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl add salt and pepper as required.

Refrigerator immediately before and after serving. This guarantees freshness and safety! 

Enjoy!

Butter Chicken

Dear Readers,

Butter Chicken Masala is probably one of the most popular Indian chicken recipes liked by all for its mild flavour and deliciously rich gravy. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the most popular dish in Indian restaurants and so, this is how I decided to Prepare this dish.

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients

30 grams garlic (5 large cloves), peeled
30 grams ginger - fresh (1-inch piece), peeled and sliced
450 grams chicken thighs - boneless skinless
1/3 cup yogurt - plain
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
600 grams tomatoes - whole stewed (1 1/2 small cans)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons butter
6 pods green cardamom
1 pod black cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
2 fresh chili peppers
40 grams raw cashew nuts (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (qasuri methi)
1 teaspoons garam masala
1/3 cup heavy cream

Method

• Put the ginger and garlic into a small food processor and puree, you may need to add a bit of water to make it go. If you don't have a small food processor, you can grate by hand.

• In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, vegetable oil, salt, garam masala, saffron, and 2 teaspoons of the garlic ginger mixture together. Save the remaining garlic ginger mixture for the sauce.

• Put the chicken in a vessel and pour the marinade all over it, rubbing it into the chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours.

• For the sauce, puree the stewed tomatoes with their juices along with the tomato paste in a blender or food processor.

• Add the butter to a pot along with the green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Fry the mixture until the cloves are puffy.

• Add the  fenugreek leaves, chili peppers, and remaining garlic ginger mixture and saute until browned, and very fragrant.

• Add the pureed stewed tomatoes and tomato paste and cook this mixture over medium heat until the tomatoes have become very thick and paste-like (about 45 minutes). Once the mixture starts sputtering you'll want to stir it pretty regularly to keep the sputtering under control while maintaining enough heat to reduce the liquid.

• While the tomatoes are reducing, grill the chicken. You can use either an outdoor grill or broiler, but in either case it needs to be very hot. You want to get the outside lightly charred, but you don't want to cook the chicken all the way through as it will finish cooking in the sauce. If you cook it completely now, it will get overcooked in the sauce.

• In a blender or food processor, add the raw cashew nuts along with 2 cups of water. Puree until smooth and milk-like in color.

• When the tomato mixture is done caramelizing turn off the heat and add the cashew nut milk, whisking it together. Pass the sauce through a wire strainer into a saucepan, pressing on the solids with a silicone spatula to get as much sauce through as you can.

• Cut the chicken into large chunks and add it to the pot with the sauce along with the salt, fenugreek leaves and garam masala. Cook this for 6-8 minutes over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through.

• Add the cream and stir together and then turn the heat off. Plate the butter chicken and drizzle a little extra cream on top. Garnish with some cilantro leaves.

Enjoy!

Goli Baje

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients

1     cup               maida 

1     cup               curds

1     teaspoon      baking soda

1     inch              ginger

2                          chillis 

1/2  tbsp.             jeera

5-6                      curry leaves

Method

• Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix it well for 5 minutes and leave the batter for 3 hours. Add salt to taste.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
• Once the pan is hot take a small amount from the batter drop it in the oil. Repeat the same to drop 5-6 golibajes at a time in the oil and wet your fingers each time to get a nice round shape.You will observe that goli baje will bloat and start floating in the oil. 

Best Served Hot with Mint Chutney.

Enjoy!

Gajar ka Halwa

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients

8-10 medium carrots grated

3/4 cups dates chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups milk

1/2 cup khoya

4-5 cashew nuts finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder

10-12 almonds, blanched

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the grated carrots and sugar and cook for about five minutes.
• Add the milk and continue to cook for six to eight minutes.
• Add the khoya, dates, cashew nuts and green cardamom powder and mix. Cook for ten to fifteen minutes or till almost dry.

Best served hot garnished with almond silvers.

Pineapple Mousse

So let's start with recipe.

Ingredients

6         sliced               Pineapple
2         teaspoons         Unflavoured gelatine
200     grams               Condensed milk
250     grams               Cream
3         teaspoons         Lemon juice
Few    drops                Yellow food color
Few    drops                Pineapple essence
1         tablespoon       Powdered sugar

Method

• Mix the gelatine with half cup water in a small pan. Heat on low heat, stirring continuously, till it dissolves.
• Pour the condensed milk in a bowl and mix till light creamy. In another bowl, mix the lemon juice with half cup of pineapple syrup from the tin.
• Chop five slices of pineapple. Add the pineapple syrup and pineapple to the condensed milk.
• Pour the gelatine solution into the condensed milk mixture stirring continuously. Freeze the mixture for half an hour till its thick.
• Remove from the freezer  and beat till smooth. Add two hundred grams of cream and reserve the remaining cream for decoration.
• Add the pineapple essence and yellow colour, beat well and put it back in the freezer for fifteen to twenty minutes.
• Remove from the freezer and beat again till smooth. Pour into a serving dish and freeze for one hour or till set.
• Whip the reserved cream with powdered sugar.
• Remove the mousse from the freezer. Transfer the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and makes rosettes on the surface of the mousse.

Best served cold.