Saturday, July 10, 2010

Chicken_Manchurian






Ingredients


  • 1lb Cut into 1inch square pieces Chicken
  • 1.5 tbsp Corn Flour
  • 1 Egg
  • 1.5 tbsp Flour
  • to taste Salt
  • to taste Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • 2 tbsp Crushed Ginger
  • 2 tbsp Crushed Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Crushed Green Chili
  • 2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
  • 1 cup Chicken Stock
  • 1 tbsp Soya Sauce
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Ajinomoto
  • 2 tbsp Dissolved in 1/4 cup water Corn Flour
  • 1 tsp Optional Sherry

Method

  1. Mix Corn flour, flour, salt and pepper with the beaten egg to make the batter.
  2. Dip the chicken pieces in the batter, deep fry till golden brown. Keep aside.
  3. For the Manchurian sauce, heat oil in a pan. Lightly Fry garlic and ginger till they just change color.
  4. Add green chilies and cilantro leaves. Fry for a minute.
  5. Reduce heat, add chicken stock, Soya sauce, salt, sugar, pepper and ajinomoto. Cook for 5 minutes.
  6. Add corn flour mixed with water and give one boil. Add fried chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes. Serve hot.

Monday, July 5, 2010

OYSTER AND BUTTON MUSHROOMS

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. oyster mushrooms
  • 1 lb. button mushrooms
  • 2 lemons - grate one, slice one
  • 1 tbsp. lemon peel
  • 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 c. scallions, cut in 2-inch diagonal (green onion)
  • 1/4 c. dry white wine
  • 1 stick butter

Method

  1. Slice button mushrooms crosswise and set in a deep bowl with oyster mushrooms.
  2. Squeeze the juice of lemon over mushrooms and coat well.
  3. Slice the remaining lemon in medallion style; set aside.
  4. Put mushrooms into deep earthen dish.
  5. Add oil to a heated pan until it begins to smoke.
  6. Add butter and mushrooms and cook until limp, about 6 minutes. Simmer down. Add scallions and saute until onions are a bright green.
  7. Pour in wine.
  8. Salt and pepper to taste (optional).
  9. While still hot, sprinkle mushrooms with lemon peel and serve on a dish garnished by the lemon slices. Serves 4-6.
NOTE:
Serve as a side dish or over vegetables or over omelets.

Stuffed Roasted Peper






Ingredients

  • 4 − 7 oz. cans roasted peppers
  • 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 8 oz. shredded fontina cheese
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup imported grated romano cheese
  • A few sprigs of fresh parsley,
  • chopped fine Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Flour and beaten eggs (enough to dredge peppers in) Olive oil to fry peppers in Drain peppers and rinse with water.
  2. Open peppers, splitting in one side, so that they lay flat on counter.
  3. Sprinkle with small amount of breadcrumbs, reserving most to coat peppers with.
  4. Add minced garlic, shredded fontina cheese, parsley, and grated romano cheese.
  5. Roll up peppers, keeping as much filling inside as possible, then dredge in flour, egg, then seasoned bread crumbs and set aside.
  6. Heat olive oil on medium−high heat in frypan.
  7. When hot, fry peppers until golden, turning once to brown evenly.
  8. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Potato Stuffed Chillies



Ingredients

  • Green long Mirch [chilies] – 4 big ones
  • Potatoes – 2 medium size
  • Besan (Bengal gram flour) – ½ cup
  • Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
  • Mustard Seeds -1 tsp
  • Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
  • Olive oil – 4 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
  • Red chili powder – 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
  • Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
  • Amchur powder (dried mango powder) – ½ tbsp
  • Kitchen King masala – 1 tsp

Method

  1. Wash and dry green mirch. Make a slit lengthwise in the mirch and remove all the seeds.
  2. Boil and peel potatoes and keep aside.
  3. In a pan heat 2 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder. When it crackles, add boiled potatoes and mash it. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes mix well and cover the pan with the lid. Turn the heat to medium-low for 2 minutes.
  4. Add one spoon at a time besan to the potatoes and mix well. After adding all the besan to the pan, cover it for 4-5 minutes to cook the besan thoroughly. Add all dry spices (turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder and salt). Mix well and cook for a minute. Stuffing is ready.
  5. Take the stuffing off the flame and cool it down.
  6. Preheat oven at 375 degrees for bake.
  7. with the help of dry spoon fill up the mirch with stuffing. Arrange stuffed mirch in an oven proof shallow pan, drizzle 1 tbsp vegetable oil and bake it in the oven for 15 minutes. Keep checking few times.

Once done, enjoy with fresh roti or paratha.

Madrasi Biryani



Method

For Rice:
  • 1&1/2 cups of Basmati Rice
  • 6 Cloves
  • 1/2 Lime/Lemon Juice
  • 3 Sticks of Cinnamon
  • 3 Cardamom whole
  • 6-8 Black Pepper whole
  • 2 Tomato cut in small pieces
  • 1/2 Cup Ghee or Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Onion cut in long piece.
  • 3-4 Green Chilies cut in long
  • 1 tsp. Salt
For Chicken:
  • 1 kg. (36 oz.) Chicken
  • Masala for grinding:
  • 1 Cup Mint leaves chopped
  • 1/4 Cup Cilantro (Coriander leaves) chopped
  • 2” piece of Ginger
  • 10-12 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 Tomato
  • 3 Sticks of Cinnamon
  • 3 Cardamom Seeds crushed
  • 10 Cloves
For cutting in long:

  • 6-7 Green Chilies (If you are using Jalapeno Pepper then use only 1 )
  • 1 Onion
Dry Masala:
  • 1&1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Red Chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Turmeric
  • 2 tbls. Coriander seed powder
  • 1/2 Cup Curd or Yogurt
  • 1/2 Lemon Juice

For Garnish:

  • Cilentaro ( Coriander leaves)
  • Cashew fried in ghee

Side Dish as, Tomato, onion salad in curd.

Method

  1. Wash chicken and cut in bite size pieces.
  2. Cut onions and green chilies in long. Heat oil in a pan and add four tablespoons of oil. Add onions and chilies in it and fry until golden brown.
  3. Add dry masala and add ground masala in it and also 1/2 Cup of Curd or Yogurt and let it fry until aroma of fried spices start coming and it leaves the sides of the pan.
  4. Add Chicken pieces in it and mix well. Let it fry for few minutes. Add lemon Juice and cook until chicken is three fourth cooked. (If it is catching at the bottom you can add little amount of water.)
  5. Remove from heat
Rice:
  1. Rinse Basmati rice 2-3 times in cold running water. Soak it in water for at least 1/2 an hour.
  2. Heat 1/2 Cup of Ghee or Butter in a pan. When Ghee is hot add cut cinnamon sticks, whole cardamoms, whole cloves and put a lid over the pot. It will start spluttering.
  3. Now add onion and fry until translucent. Add soaked rice and fry it for few moments.
  4. Measure the curry from prepared Chicken plus water and add in rice. (Usually double amount of water is needed to cook rice) Let it cook until it boils.
  5. Cover it and let it cook for 10 minutes. Add chicken pieces in it and cook for 5 more minutes.
  6. Remove from heat. Remove it in a big tray and bake it for 20 minutes in 350-degree oven.
  7. Garnish it with cilantro (coriander leaves) and cashew fried in ghee.
  8. Serve it with Tomato, onion salad in curd.

Butternut Squash Soup with Rice



Ingredients

  • 1lb butternut squash peeled, seeded and cubed (I bought the pre-cubed once, it saves time)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup red rice (I used Himalayan red rice, you can use wild rice or any other nutty variety of rice)
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 Spanish chorizo sausages, casings removed and sliced into thick rounds.
  • 1/4 cup fresh sweet corn kennels
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Season the butternut squash with 1/2tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock till smooth. Keep aside.
  2. Rinse the rice and place the rice along with 1 cup of the chicken stock in a pot. Bring this to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for about 20-15 minutes or till the rice is tender. Follow the package instructions to cook the rice, since the different types of rice require different cooking time and rice-to-liquid ratio.
  3. Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large saucepan. When the oil is hot, add the sausages and cook till well browned. Add the chopped onions, corn and bay leaves and saute till onions are soft. Add the paprika and mix well to combine, cook stirring frequently for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add the remaining chicken stock and squash puree and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice and cook for another 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley if using and serve warm.

Kofte Sandwich



Ingredients

  • 4 ounces ground beef
  • 2 onions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper
  • parsley or mint
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • olive oil
  • thick yogurt
  • Turkish bread
  • 2 tomatoes
  • lettuce

Method

  1. chop onions, 1 glove of garlick and parsley.
  2. Mix the onions, garlick and parsley with the grounded beef and a bit of salt and pepper
  3. With your hands make walnut shaped little meatballs.
  4. You can either grill the meatballs, or prepare them in some olive oil.
  5. In the meantime.
  6. Mix the yoghurt with garlick and mint herb.
  7. Slice tomatoes,lettuce and cucumber.
  8. Now take a turkish bread (flat, round thick bread) cut in 4 squares, open them and’butter up’ the bread with the yoghurt dressing.
  9. Put in lettuce tomatoes, cucumbers and meatballs, and finish with some extra yoghurt dressing.

Spicy vegetable chapati wraps


INGREDIENTS:

  • 300g sweet potatoes , peeled and roughly cubed
  • 400g can peeled plum tomatoes
  • 400g can chickpeas , drained
  • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 2 tbsp mild curry paste
  • 100g baby spinach leaves
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
  • 4 plain chapattis (Indian flatbreads)
  • 4 tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt

METHOD:

  1. Cook the sweet potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 10-12 minutes until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, put the tomatoes, chickpeas, chilli flakes and curry paste in another pan and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
  3. Preheat the grill. Drain the sweet potatoes and add to the tomato mixture. Stir in the spinach and cook for a minute until just starting to wilt. Stir in the coriander, season to taste and keep warm.
  4. Sprinkle the chapatis with a little water and grill for 20-30 seconds each side. Spoon on the filling, top with yogurt and fold in half to serve.

Mini chicken burgers



Ingredients

  • ½ a 400g can chickpea , drained
  • 1 small onion , finely chopped1 garlic clove , crushed
  • 500g chicken or turkey mince
  • 1 small sweet potato (about 100g/4oz), grated
  • olive oil , for brushing

TO SERVE:-

  • 12 mini bagels
  • 2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
  • 1⁄4 iceberg lettuce , shredded
  • 2 tomatoes , sliced
  • 1⁄4 cucumber , sliced

Method

  1. Heat grill to medium. Whizz the chickpeas in a food processor or mash until well broken up. Put into a bowl with the onion, garlic, mince and sweet potato. Mix well and season. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.
  2. Line a baking sheet with foil. Divide the mixture into 12 and shape into mini burgers. Put onto the baking sheet, brush with oil and grill for 10 mins, turning once. Can be chilled and reheated in the microwave on High for 2 mins.
  3. Split the bagels and toast under the grill, if you like. Spread the bases with mayonnaise, top with a chicken burger, some shredded lettuce, tomato, cucumber and the bagel tops.

Dahi Baray


Ingredients

  • 2 cups of White Lentils (Urad Dal) (skinned and split) (pre-soaked)
  • A pinch of Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp. Salt
  • A pinch of Asafoetida (Heeng)
  • 1 tsp. of Red Chilli Powder (Pisi Lal Mirch)
  • ½ tsp. Cumin Powder (Pisa Zeera)
  • Plain Yogurt
  • Cooking Oil (for deep frying)
  • Chaat Masala (for garnish)
  • Imli Chutney (for garnish)

Method

  1. Wash the lentils well in warm water. In a grinder, grind the lentils into a paste then add the rest of the spices. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes.
  2. Put cooking oil in a deep frying pan or karahi on high heat. Once the oil gets hot, turn the heat to medium and drop a tablespoon of mixture at a time in the oil and fry until golden brown. Then remove from oil and put the baray on a paper towel to absorb any extra oil.
  3. In a separate dish, beat the plain yogurt by adding a little water to form a paste. Add salt, red chilli powder and cumin powder. And whip well.
  4. Then take cold water in a separate bowl and put the baray in the water for a minute or so or until they are soft. Then squeeze the baray with your palms to drain out the water and add them to the prepared yogurt mix. Repeat this process until all baray mix is gone.
  5. Garnish with chaat masala and Imli Chutney . (Refrigerate until cold for better taste.)

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Bombay Biryani



Ingredients

  • 1 Kg Mutton or chicken, washed / cleaned, cut into pieces
  • 1 Kg Rice basmati, soaked for 15 minutes
  • 4 Potatoes, steam lightly, peel and cut into large pieces
  • 6 Tomatoes, quartered
  • 4 Onions (medium, finely sliced)
  • 1 bunch Mint, finely chopped
  • 6 Green chillies (whole)
  • 1½ tbsp Ginger / garlic paste
  • 1 cup Dried plums , soaked in hot water.
  • 1 tbsp Red chillies , powdered
  • 2 tbsp Coriander, powdered
  • 6 Peppercorns
  • 4 Cloves
  • 6 Cardamoms
  • 1 tsp Black cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp Yellow food colour
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 cup Yogurt
  • 1 cup Hot milk
  • 1 cup Ghee/oil

Method

  1. Combine mutton or chicken with yogurt, ginger / garlic, red chilli powder and 4 green chillies, coriander, mint, juice of 2 lemons, plums and salt; mix well and set aside for 1/2 hour.
  2. Heat oil in a pan and fry onions till golden brown. Remove half to absorbent kitchen paper. To the remaining half in the pan add the meat with yogurt and spices.
  3. Cook on low heat, do not add water, when the liquid evaporates fry a little and remove from heat.
  4. Deep fry the potatoes and separately fry the tomatoes in a little oil and add both to chicken.
  5. Boil the rice with a little mint, remaining green chillies, cardamoms, black pepper, cloves and salt. When the rice is 3/4 done drain in a strainer.
  6. Put a little oil in the base of pan and make a layer of half the rice. Then put a layer of the prepared mutton or chicken and cover with a second layer of rice.
  7. Serves: 10

Bong ki Nihari


Ingredients

  • Onion 1 Cup
  • Ginger garlic paste 2 TBsp
  • Oil 1/2 Cup
  • Saunf ground 2 TBsp
  • Dhani freshly ground 2TBsp
  • Red chilli poder 2 TBsp
  • Haldi 1 tsp
  • Salt 1 tsp
  • Water 1 Jug
  • Aata 1/2 Cup
  • Garam masal Powder 1 TBsp
  • To garnish:-
  • Corriander leaves
  • Mint leaves
  • Green chillies
  • Ginger slices

Method:-

  1. Heat oil. Fry onion in it to golden brown. Saute ginger garlic paste in it.
  2. Add saunf powder, dhania powder, red chilli powder, haldi, salt. Mix.
  3. Saute little. Add Bong. Saute & add water.
  4. Cook for 3-4 hours on low heat, until meat is tender very well.
  5. Then before serving, add aata mixed in water. Keep mixing. Sprinkle garam masala powder. Again cover lid & cook for 15 minutes.
  6. Garnish with Coriander leaves, Mint leaves, Green chillies, Ginger slices.
  7. Serve with Naan.

Pani Puri Gol Gappay



Ingredients

Gol Gappay:-

  • 1 cup white flour (maida)
  • ½ cup semolina (sooji)
  • cooking oil (for deep frying)

Dip (Pani):-

  • red chili powder (to taste)
  • ½ bunch fresh mint leaves (podina)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin (zeera)
  • salt (to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon black salt (kaala namak)
  • 2 glasses water
  • 3 green chilies (hari mirch)
  • 1 piece fresh ginger (adrak)
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste (haldi paste)

Masala:-

  • ½ cup chickpeas, mashed
  • 1 medium boiled potato, chopped
  • 1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Gol Gappay:-

  1. Mix the white flour and semolina together and knead into a hard dough.
  2. Set aside.
  3. Flatten into a very thin sheet and cut into 2" diameter circles with a cookie cutter.
  4. Deep fry in cooking oil until golden.

Dip (Pani):-

  1. Combine all of the ingredients for the dip together in a grinder and grind well.
  2. Then strain any liquid from the grinded mixture.
  3. Set aside the liquid that was strained (do not throw away) disregard the strained ingredients.
  4. To eat, punch a hole in the gol gappay, put some juice inside the gol gappay and enjoy.
  5. Tip: to you can either have this dish plain or you can boil chick peas and potatoes (diced in little squares).
  6. And stuff them into the gol gappay.
  7. There are several other variations as well.
  8. You can also add yogurt and imli chutney for better taste.

Masala:-

  1. Mix all ingredients together in bowl and serve hot with imli chutney, ketchup or pickles.

Pine Apple Cake


Ingredients

  • 14 oz can of crushed pineapple, reserve 1/3 cup of juice for icing
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 1/3 cup flour
  • 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup margarine
  • 1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Method:-

  1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
  2. Add remaining juice with 1 cup of milk or enough to give 1 1/4 cup liquid.
  3. Cream margarine and beat in sugar. Beat in each egg and vanilla until like and fluffy. Add alternately liquid and dry ingredients until all are completely mixed.
  4. Fold in drained crushed pineapple. Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish (or 2 8" circular pans).
  5. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 35 - 40 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean

Chocolate Ice Cream


Ingredients:-

  • 5 egg yolks,
  • 1 pint (500ml) milk,
  • 1/2 pint (250ml) double/heavy cream,
  • 2 oz (50g) sugar,
  • 150g (6 oz) milk chocolate cut into small squares

Method:-

  1. Create a custard base and at the point where you remove the saucepan from the heat, carefully drop in the squares of real chocolate.
  2. Stir to allow to melt and then leave the custard to cool. Then chill the custard until it's really cold.
  3. Once chilled, mix until slushy. Add the cream (whipped) and make sure it mixes in well.
  4. Transfer the mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

KFC Burger


Ingredients

  • Chicken – 4 boneless breast pieces
  • Salt – ½ tsp
  • Black pepper – 1 tsp
  • Chinese salt ½ tsp
  • Mustard powder ½ tsp
  • Oyster sauce 2 tbsp
  • Cornflakes – 1 cup (crushed into small pieces)
  • Bread crumbs – 1 cup (crushed into small pieces)
  • Chips – 1 cup (crushed into small pieces)

Method

  1. Mix all the above ingredients excepting cornflakes, chips and bread crumbs and coat the boneless chicken pieces with this mixture.
  2. Put the chicken pieces aside for half an hour to marinate.
  3. Now dip the pieces into the batter followed by cornflakes, bread crumbs and chips and then shallow fry.
  4. Now take a bun and cut it into two. Apply a layer of mayonnaise on the two pieces. Keep a piece of chicken and salad leaves. Cover it with other half and serve.