Thursday, May 31, 2012

BABY CORN FRITTERS


Crispy baby corn fritters are really so addictive and easy to make ... a perfect finger food. Kids will love to munch these and it makes a nice party snack too.

Ingredients
Baby Corn ..... 8-10
White flour .... 2 tbsps.
Corn flour ...... 1 tbsp.
Besan .............. 1 tbsp.
Baking powder .... a pinch
Salt .................. to taste.
Ginger/garlic paste.... 1 tbsp.
Chilli powder ............. 1/4 tsp.
Garam masala .... 1/4 tsp.

Method:
1. Boil water, add salt and immerse the baby corn for 5 mins.

2. Drain it well and marinate with ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, salt and garam masala.

3. Make a smooth batter with white flour, corn flour, besan, salt to taste and a pinch of baking powder.
4. Dip the baby corns and fry till crisp. Serve hot.

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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

CHICKEN CORIANDER SOUP


I have had this soup only in the Chinese restaurants in India... haven't come across it anywhere else. There is a similar Thai version but that has many other ingredients and is very hot and spicy. Maybe this is one of those Indo-Chinese recipes that we often find in Indian restaurants. The fresh coriander leaves give an amazing flavour to the soup.

Ingredients:


Chicken fillet ... 1/4 cup ( Cut into thin strips..do this while it is a bit frozen..makes it easier)
Coriander leaves ... 1/4 cup ( chopped very finely or crushed in a pestle and mortar)
Corn flour ... 1 tbsp
Ajinomotto .. a pinch (optional..as some people believe it to be harmful for health)
Vinegar ...... 1 tbsp.
Oil ............ 1 tbsp.

Method:



1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pressure cooker. Tip in the shredded chicken and saute for a minute until the colour of the chicken becomes white.
2. Add 3 cups of water and a little salt. Close the cooker and cook for 2-3 whistles. Open after it cools.
3. Dilute the corn flour with a little water and stir in. Add the ajinomotto and vinegar. Check the salt.
4. When it is almost done, add the freshly crushed coriander leaves. Cook it for one boil.
Add a pinch of black/white pepper before serving.

Makes 1 big bowl.

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Saturday, May 26, 2012

CHICKEN SATAYS WITH PEANUT SAUCE


Chicken satay peanut sauce is a perfect party snack.. always a hit !

Ingredients:
Chicken fillet ... 200 gms
Satay sticks
Light soy sauce ... 2 tbsps
Lime juice ........... 1-2 tbsps (as per your taste)
Garlic paste ........ 1 tsp
Sesame oil .......... 2 tsps. ( you may use any other oil too)
Salt ... a pinch or two, because soy sauce is already salty.

PEANUT SAUCE - click HERE to see the recipe.

Method:
1. Clean the chicken and cut into small pieces.
2. Soak the satay sticks in water for a few hours.( this is done to avoid them from burning while grilling)

3. Marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients except peanut sauce. (for few hours)

4. Thread the chicken into the sticks.Cook them under a pre-heated grill for about 3-5 minutes on each side or until done.
Serve immediately with hot peanut sauce. You can prepare the sauce a day before and refrigerate it. Reheat it before serving.

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Thursday, May 24, 2012

CHICKEN KEEMA BIRIYANI


Who can ever resist biriyani ???
 we have so many variations of them with vegetables, mutton, chicken and today I have made with chicken mince for a change. 

Ingredients:
Chicken Keema/Mince .... 200 gms.
Rice .................... 2 cups
Eggs ................. 2 (hard boiled to garnish)
Onions ................ 1 big ( about 1 cup sliced)
Tomatoes ............ 1
Green chillies ..... 1-2 (as per your preference)
Mint leaves ......... handful
Coriander leaves .. handful
Garlic paste ......... 1 tsp
Ginger paste ....... 1 tsp
Cardamoms ...... 2-3
Laung/cloves .... 2-3
Bay leaf ........... 1
Cinnamon stick .. 1" piece
Yogurt .............. 1/2 cup
Orange food colour .. a pinch
Turmeric powder .. 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder .. 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder ....... 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder ... 1/2 tsp
Garam masala ....... 1/2 tsp
Biriyani Masala ...... 1 tbsp ( I use the Shan Sindhi Biriyani Masala, available in the Indian grocery stores in USA)
Salt
Oil

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the sliced onion.
2. Saute for 5 minutes and add the tomato, chillies, garlic-ginger pastes and the cleaned chicken mince.

3. Stir-fry until it is brown and cooked, adding the cumin, coriander, turmeric,chilli, garam masala powders and salt.

4. In a bowl beat the curd/yogurt and mix the finely chopped coriander and mint leaves and biriyani masala.

5. To make the rice, heat some oil and tip in the whole cardamoms, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon stick.

6. When they leave out aroma, add the washed and soaked rice. Saute and add salt and three and half cups of water. (little less than double, because we will add curd while layering) Cook until done.

7. In a small bowl take little cooked rice and add the kesari/orange food colour.


8. In a pyrex serving dish, layer the biriyani. First white rice, the keema, yogurt with greens-biriyani masala and spoon a little coloured rice. Pour hot oil on each layer. Repeat this again until the rice and mince are used up.

9. Cover it with a foil and keep it in a pre-heated oven for dum. about 5-7 minutes. You can even layer it in a different pan and keep for dum on the gas, low flame keeping the pan on a tawa/griddle.
Garnish with boiled eggs before serving. It can be served with raita or Mirch ka Salan.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

CHICKEN STEW WITH VEGETABLES AND QUINOA


 This is such a healthy stew with chicken, veggies and quinoa.. a complete meal on its own.

Ingredients:

Chicken ... 50 gms. (cut into small pieces) about 1/2 cup

Assorted vegetables .. 150 gms (cut into pieces) about 1 & 1/2 cups
( I have used carrot,green beans, potato, zucchini, red, green & yellow bell peppers/capsicums, onion, tomato)....... take any vegetable that is available at home.

Quinoa flakes ..... 1 tbsp
Cinnamon ......... 1 small piece
Cloves .............. 2-3
Bay leaf ........... 1
Turmeric powder ... a pinch
Salt
Oil .... 1 - 2 tbsps
Chicken stock/vegetable stock/water ... 2 - 3 cups
Method:


1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and quinoa flakes.









2. Fry for half a minute. Tip in the chicken. Saute for 1 minute and add all the vegetables, turmeric and salt.








3. Add the stock or water and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles.
Let it cool. Open the cooker and mash slightly. Adjust the consistency of the stew as per your preference. Grind some fresh black pepper before serving.




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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

QUINOA FLAKES UPMA



These days we come across many products of quinoa on the shelves in the market. I picked up a packet of quinoa flakes. So many things can be experimented with these flakes. Today I'm trying out upma.



Ingredients:
Quinoa flakes ... 1/2 cup
Onion ........... 2-3 tbsps . chopped finely
Green chillies .. 1-2
Coriander leaves .. 1-2 tbsps (chopped)
Curry leaves ... a sprig
Mustard seeds .. 1 tsp
Cumin seeds ... 1 tsp
Asafoetida ...... a pinch
Dry red chillies .. 1 broken into pieces
Turmeric powder .. 1/8 tsp.
Salt ...... to taste
Oil ......... 3-4 tbsps

Method:

1. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pan. Add the asafoetida, mustard and cumin seeds. when they cracle add the broken dry red chillies and curry leaves.







2. Now add the onion, green chillies and saute. Tip in the quinoa flakes and keep stirring for a minute or two.








3. Add the salt, turmeric powder.






4. Stir in one and quarter cups of water,(little more than double) preferably hot. Keep stirring to avoid lumps. At this stage add a spoon of ghee/oil . Add the coriander leaves and simmer for a minute. Serve hot.






Note: This can be eaten even without a chutney. For variation you can add some vegetables like carrot and green peas.

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