SOY-CHICKEN FRIED RICE

Ingredients-

1 chicken breast, cubed
1 tsp + 1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1/2 tbsp vinegar
1 cup cooked rice
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 tbsp peas
2 tbsp corn kernels
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp oil + for frying
1 tbsp cornflour

Method-

* In a bowl add the chicken, 1 tsp soy sauce, cornflour, salt and pepper.
* Mix well, coating the chicken well with the cornflour.
* Deep fry in hot oil and remove.
* In a wok, heat oil and add garlic and onion.
* Saute till translucent.
* Add the corn and peas and saute till colour turns bright.
* Add the beaten egg and mix well till egg is cooked and scrambled.
* Add the remaining soy sauce, tomato ketchup, vinegar, salt and pepper.
* Mix well and add the rice and the fried chicken and toss well.
* Serve hot and satisfy your craving.

CARAMEL "CUP-CAKES"

Well you can see that they are cup-cakes cause they were steamed in the cups and they are cakes. But ye, they are not the usual cupcakes which you were expecting.
But i have to tell you that they are very very easy to make and simply delicious.

Ingredients-

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water, hot
75 gms butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup milk pwd
A pinch of salt
1 tsp baking pwd
Butter for greasing
1 tbsp chopped walnuts
1 tbsp raisins

Method-

* In a heavy bottomed pan, make caramel with the sugar on a medium heat, taking care not to burn the caramel.
* Take it off the fire and slowly add the hot water. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN YOUR HAND from the steam created by the caramel.
* Mix well and let it cool to room temp.
* Grease the cups with butter.
* In a bowl mix the flour, milk pwd, walnuts, raisins, salt and the baking pwd.
* Add the beaten egg and the melted butter to the caramel mixture. Mix well.
* Add the egg and caramel mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well using a whisk, making sure that no lumps are formed.
* Pour the mixture into greased cupstill 3/4 th full.
* Stem for about 15-20 min or till a toothpick comes out clean when pushed into the centre.

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM RICE

This is a very filling and an easy dish to make when you want something different to eat other than plain steamed rice.

Ingredients-

1 cup basmati rice, washed and soaked
1 cup shredded spinach leaves
1 cup diced mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups water
1 bayleaf
1 green cardamom
2 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
2 tsp pepper pwd
Salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander

Method-

* In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil.
* Add the whole spices and let them turn colour.
* Add the onions and saute till translucent.
* Add the mushroooms and saute for 5-6 min.
* Drain the rice and add to the mushrooms.
* Mix well and keep stirring till the rice become bright white.
* Add the turmeric pwd and pepper. Mix well.
* Add the spinach and the water and mix well.
* Cover and cook for 10 min or till the rice is done.
* Garnish with the coriander and serve hot.

BAKED CHOCOLATE RICE PUDDING

DO you have leftover rice and dont know what to do with it? Do you have to make a dessert for dinner but are short on time on hand? If you answered yes to both the questions, then this recipe is definitely for you. It uses up leftover rice and also requires very little time.

Ingredients-

3 eggs
2 cups milk
3 tbsp pwd
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup cooked rice
4-5 tbsp cashewnuts, chopped
4-5 tbsp raisins
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Butter for greasing

Method-

* Break the eggs in a bowl and whisk lightly.
* Slightly warm the milk and mix in the cocoa pwd and the sugar.
* Add this to the eggs and whisk well.
* Add the rice, nuts, raisins and the essence and mix well.
* Grease a baking dish with butter.
* Pour the rice mixture into the diah and bake at 180 C for 30-35 min or till a knife inserted into it comes out clean.
* Can be garnished by dusting with powdered sugar.
* And can also be served hot or cold.

BANJARA MURGH

This dish is from Rajasthan. but i've modified it by using chicken instead of lamb. Banjara means nomads of rajasthan.

Ingredients-

500 gms chicken

2 tbsp oil

1 onion, sliced

4 whole red chillies

2 pieces mace

1 black cardamom

2 green cardamom
1 stick of cinnamon

5 black peppercorns

½ tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp ginger and garlic paste

1 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp red chilli pwd

1½ cups curd

½ tsp coriander seeds, roasted and crushed

fresh coriander for garnish

salt to taste

Method-

* Grind the mace, green cardamom, cinnamon, black cardamom, black peppercorns and cumin seeds together making the garam masala.

* Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and lightly brown the onion with 2 whole red chillies.

* Add the ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and mix well..

* Add 1/4 cup water and cook for a few mins.

* Add the chicken to the onion masala and mix well.

* Now add 1 and a 1/2 cup water to the chicken and stir.

* Sprinkle some salt and add the curd.

* Add the crushed coriander and let it simmer for 10-15 min or till the chicken is done.

* Garnish with fresh coriander and 2 whole red chillies and serve hot.

IDLI PODI OR GUN POWDER

This is a spicy powder which is mixed with oil or ghee and had with steaming hot idlis or can even be had with dosa. But it is not for the faint hearted. This recipe is from my mother-in-law's kitchen.

Ingredients-

1/2 cup curry leaves
1/2 cup chana dal
1/4 cup urad dal
8 cloves of garlic
10 dried red chillies
Salt to taste

Method-

* Put all the ingredients in a blender jar.
* Blend inti a smooth powder.
* Store in an airtight container.
Note- its shelf life is about 1 month. But will stay longer if stored in the refridgerator.

INDIAN-STYLE STIR-FRIED PUMPKIN AND POTATO WITH ONION SEEDS

This is one of the dishes that i love to eat and is also by far the easiest to make. It can be had with roti or even rice. And ias probably also a great side with roast chicken.What i like about this is the slight sweetness to this which is due to the pumpkin, which has to be a nice yellow and ripe.

Ingredients-

250 gms pumpkin, diced
2 large potatoes, diced
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp onion seeds or nigella seeds

Method-

* In a pan, heat the oil and let the nigella seeds splutter.
* Add the potatoes and saute for 5 min.
* Add the pumpkin and coat well in the oil mixture.
* Add the turmeric, salt and sugar and stir well.
* Cover and cook on a medium flame for 10 min or till the veggies are done.
* Serve hot and enjoy!!!!

NARKOL NADU OR BENGALI COCONUT LADDOO

These nadu remind me of my school days, when we would go to meet our paternal grandparents on vacations. These would be the first thing that would come out of my granny's treasure trove. I had never made these myself before but had sat wid granny and observed her making these. So here's to her sweet memories. And these came out just like hers.

Ingredients-

1 coconut, grated fine
250 gms jaggery

Method-

* Break the jaggery into small peices and melt them in a thick bottomed pan.
* Add the coconut and mix well.
* Keep stirring continously till the mixture forms a soft doughike ball and leaves the sides of the pan.
* Take it out on a plate.
* Let it cool for exactly 5 min. If you let it cool for longer it will start to harden and will not form laddoos easily.
* Apply little ghee on the palms of your hand and form small laddoos of about 25-30 gms each.
* Let them cool and enjoy. Dont serve hot or even warm ones to children, as the caramel formed by the jaggery will be to hot to handle for the kids.

DIWALI SWEETS

Mysore pak
Sooji laddoo

SNAPS OF LAUKI KE KOFTE

Lauki is bottle gourd. So this recipe is bottle gourd dumplings in tomato gravy. Very good to have with rice. Or can even be served with roti.