Tomato chicken with brown rice –Recipe

(It is a perfect family mean and wonderful serve for guests also. Tomato chicken with brown rice is a beautiful combine of spices and tangy tomatoes.)
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 large chopped onion

4 cloves chopped garlic

1 slice fresh ginger root.

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (chopped)

¼ tsp ground cloves

2 bay leaves

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

6 skinless chicken thighs

1 tin can (14 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes crushed.

Recipe:

1. Place onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and process into a paste.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion paste and sauté, stirring continuously, for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves bay leaves and nutmeg.  Saute, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes

2.  Place chicken pieces in skillet and stir them around with a spice mixture until they are well coated.  Saute for another 4 minutes and then pour in the tomatoes with liquid and stir.   Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until the oil has separated from the liquid.  Stir occasionally.

3. Serve with brown rice

 pic courtesy:http://www.daringgourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Machboos-2-sm_edited.jpg

Recipe: Masala Khichdi

(A healthy, tasty and quick to cook recipe)

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 Cup

 Yellow Moong daal -1 cup

Chopped onions-2

Chopped potatoes (medium)-2

Mixed boiled veggies (Cauliflower, capsicum, carrot)

Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp

Chili powder- to taste

Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp

Garam masala -1/2 tsp

Oil -1 tbsp

Ghee-1tbsp

Salt to taste

Fresh Coriander leaves.

Preparation:

-Wash the daal and rice.  Soak it in water for 15 minute

-After 15 minutes, fry onions in a combination of 1 tablespoon ghee and 1tbsp oil

-When the onions are light brown add the mustard seeds and green chilies.

- Now add red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala.  Fry for a while, put in the rice and daal and fry both for 2-3 minutes.  Now add mix veggies and sauté it.

-Add 2 glasses of warm water

-Add potato cubes and salt

-Water water starts bubbling, cover the cooker with its lid and pressure cook for 3 whiles.

-Sprinkle coriander leaves and ghee on top and serve hot.

 pic courtesy:http://www.sliceofreallife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/masala-khichdi-winter-recipes-winter-deliacies-in-india.jpg

Recipe: Palak-Mushroom Soup

(A great mix of ingredients, including health greens, this soup goes well with every meal.)

Ingredients:

Chopped Spinach

Two cups of cut mushroom

1 small onion

3 cups of water

1 bay leaf

2 garlic bubbles

1 cube of butter

Cream or mayonnaise (optional)

Crushed black pepper

Six cubes of Paneer

Salt to taste

 How to Cook:

-Wash spinach with hot water and then cut it nicely.

-Heat butter in a sauce pan on high flame and fry paneer in it. Take it out when it gets brown

-After taking out the paneer, fry bay leaf for some seconds.

-While bay leaf is being fried, add garlic and let it go browned.  It should be done on low flame.

-Boil mushroom separately.  This will be added later to the soup.

-Now, take onion and fry it.  While the process is on, add chopped spinach.

-Start the stirring process and add black pepper and salt.

-Now add three cups of water and boil the entire mixture.

-Take it off the flame and keep it to get cold. Blend it nicely in a mixer

-The soup has to be thick.  Now, add mushroom and paneer to it.

-Heat it again for some time.

 pic courtesy:http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/wp-content/uploads/DSCN2747.JPG

Recipe: Corn Palak

(The dish tastes amazing with butter naan and it is high on nutritional value as well)

Ingredients:

1 bunch of spinach

2 cups of boiled sweet corn

1 table spoon of cumin seeds

Little bit of turmeric powder and red chili powder

½ table spoon of garam masala powder

½ table spoon of Kasuri Methi

½ cup of cream

1 medium sizes onion and tomato

Little bit of chopped ginger and garlic cloves

Some muskmelon seeds for garnishing

Preparation:

-First of all wash spinach leaves.  Later, cut them properly.

-Boil the sweet corn for some time till it gets soft.

-In another sauce pan, heat oil and add chopped onion and tomato

-Now, add garam masala, kasuri methi to it along with garlic and ginger.

-Keep stirring the mixture till it is cooked properly

-Add cumin seeds along with turmeric and red chili.  Stir it again

-When it is cooked, add spinach and cove the pan

-Now, add sweet corn and cook it for 15 minutes more.

-Corn Palak is ready.  Now it needed to be garnished with cream or cheese and musk melon seeds.

pic courtesy:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LKNep8uI-S6UhnBjs7ZruQLp7u_S-uzmvW0uGmmlw9B8vYmjZsBsJGOKgXmfyHwDXywC3tE6bNDJ3zk1iyZvjz7DVnWwks5Ajm3jiqmUI1qX_Hlt0rZ5JAiZFMrozSM6evFq-6nkZw7t/s1600/corn-palak-final.jpg

Recipe: Masala baked eggs

(A yummy egg and spinach backed dish)

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 5-7 minutes

Serves: 02

 Ingredients:

Butter-1tbsp

Cooked chopped spinach that has been squeezed to extract excess water-4 tbsp

Eggs-2 no

Tomato-1/2

Heavy cream -2tbsp

Grated parmesan-2tbsp

Oregano-1/2 tsp

Grated nutmeg-1/4

Salt and freshly grounded black pepper to taste

 Recipe:

Heat Oven to broil, Grease two 8-oz gratin dishes with butter to each dish, add 2 tbsp spinach. Using fingers make 2 wells in each pile of spinach and crack 2 eggs in each well.  Cut tomato into 4 wedges and nestle 2 wedges on opposition sides of each dish.

 Pour 1 tbsp heavy cream into each dish. Sprinkle each dish with 1tbsp parmesan, ¼ tsp. oregano, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to oven rack and broil until the cheese is golden brown, the whites of the eggs are set, and the yolk are still slightly soft, about 5 minutes.

 pic courtesy:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrvH1s3jHDnMf96_JkIK3wApDME2wFrXSiDHPDQONY7Lpjx6J2dJkBQI9t64SueTmpI-OGcgbsSPJ6Y0pNrlxgczUWlJmVwEYSz0CZIoy5huB2Lny0Ng_bzqHZA-PVSu9TPAOQVByDS5c/s1600/q.jpg

Recipe: Tandoori Fish

(Fish marinated in lime and ginger and cooked over an open fire)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

 Ingredients:

- 500 gm fish (any firm white fish or salmon), cut into 4 cm cubes

For marinade:

8 garlic clovers

50 gm coriander leave

4 cm ginger

2 tbsp grated lime zest

1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder

½ tsp garam masala

1.5 tsp salt

50 ml refined vegetable oil

1 tbsp Gram flour

100 g hung yoghurt

For the Chutney:

100 g Coriander leaves

2 green chilies

4 garlic cloves

2 tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp yoghurt

To serve: Onion rings;

 Recipe:

-Make a fine paste with half the oil, garlic, coriander, ginger, lime juice nd zest, Kashimiri red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala and salt.

-Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the gram flour, stirring to make a paste and cook for about 1 minute till fragrant and lightly colored.

-Add the mixture to the spice paste and combine with the yogurt. Mix well all the ingredients for marinade.

-Gently rub the marinade over the fish pieces and marinate for 1 hour

-Pre-heat the oven to 200 C.  Spread out the marinated fish in a baking dish

-Cook for 10-15 minutes on the top rack turning the fish pieces once. Baste once or twice during cooking.

 For the Chutney:

-Make a fine paste of all the ingredients in the blender

-Serve hot fish with chutney and onion rings.

 pic courtesy:http://www.modernfamilyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/tandoori-fish.jpg

Missi Roti –Recipe

Spicy Besan (Gram flour) bread, especially liked in winter season

Preparation time-15 minutes

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Serve- 15 Rotis

Ingredients:

2.25 Cups whole wheat flour (Wheat Atta)

2.25 Cups Besan

½ cups Yoghurt

1 tsp Carom (Ajwain) seeds

1 tsp Red chili powder

½ tsp cumin (Jeera) seeds

Salt to taste

2 tbsp ghee

Preparation:

-Mix all the ingredients except ghee in a large bowl. Knead the mixture with a little water at a

time into semi-soft dough.  Divide the dough into 15 equal parts and roll each out to a 4” diameter disc.

-Roast the disc on a hot griddle (tawa) evenly on both sides.  Now remove the griddle from the heat and roast the disc directly on the flame on both side till well done but not burnt. 

-Remove and repeat with all other discs.

-Smear 1tsp ghee on each disc and serve hot.

Note:  Finely chopped spinach or fenugreek leaves may also be added to the dough, to give colour and flavour to the Roti.

 pic courtesy:http://www.verveonline.com/images/123images/life/scapes-food-essay/food04.jpg

Recipe: Gosht Dum Biryani

Ingredients:

1 Kg Lamb meat

600 gm Basmati Rice

100 gm Ghee

5 gm Clove

2 gm Cardamom seeds

3 gm Cinnamon

75 gm Ginger Garlic paste

4 pieces Green chilis

1 tsp Kewra water

1 gm Saffron

Salt to taste

100 gm Onion sliced

2 pc Bay leave

250 gm Curd

10 gm Red chili powder

5gm Fresh Mint leaves

5 gm Coriander leaves

2 gm cardamom power

2 gm Mace powder

20 ml Milk

 Recipe:

1 Wash the mutton properly

2 Soak the Saffron in little warm milk

3 Wash Basmati rice and soak in water for at least 1 hour

4 Boil the Basmati until three fourth done

5 Cut ginger, green chili and mint leaves into fine julienne

6 In a pan, heat the Ghee, stir fry the onion, cloves bay leaves and Cardamom, to a Golden brown colour, add the mutton cubes, ginger-garlic paste, season to taste and cook on high heat for 10 minutes. 

7 Add yogurt to the mutton as well as red chili powder and slowly cook until the meat is almost done.

8 Remove the meat from the pot and strain the gravy (Jhol)

9 Take another pot, add Kewra water, cardamom and mace powder and milk dissolved saffron and cook for few minutes more.

10 Add the cooked mutton to the flavored and seasoned jhol and the ¾ done rice to this.

11 Cover this pot with dough of bread, brush it with saffron and milk mixture and bake for 20 minutes.

12 Serve hot with salan and garlic flavored raita.

 pic courtesy:http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8220/8425312609_6bf60f2593_b.jpg

Recipe: Raw Banana kotftas

(Raw banana dumpling in tomato gravy)

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

250 g raw bananas

200 tomato puree

4 cloves

1” Cinnamon stick

2-3 green cardamom

2 tsp cumin seed

3 tsp pepper corns

1 tsp ginger juliennes

3 green chilies

1 tbsp Desi Ghee (Clarified butter)

Sandha Namak (Rock salt)

Method:

Boil the raw bananas and the potatoes till done.  Peel the raw bananas and the potatoes.  Mash the both together and add rock salt to taste and mix well it should be smooth like dough.  Divide the mixture into 12 parts and roll into smooth balls, deep fry the balls in hot oil or Desi ghee and set aside.

Dry roast the cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, pepper corns and cardamoms.  Remove from pan and allow cooling slightly.  Coarsely grind the spices.   Heat the Ghee and add the ginger paste.

Sauté the ginger and add the tomato puree.  Add half the ground spices and 1 cup water and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 4-5 minutes.  Add the ginger juliennes, remaining ground spices, slit green chilies.  Season with rock salt and pore over the prepared kotftas (raw banana balls).  Serve hot with chapattis.

pic courtesy:http://www.artofcooking.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMG_2743-350x350.jpg

Aloo with Kurkuri Bhindi (Okra) - Recipe

(When you are short of time this recipe can be quick fix for a delicious ‘phataphat’ lunch)
Ingredients:

- Bhindi (Okra) -1/2 kg

-Potatoes (medium sized)-3 pieces.

-Cooking oil to fry

-Red chili powder-1/2 tbsp

-Cumin Powder-1/2 tbsp

-Coriander powder-1/2 tbsp

-Amchoor -1/2 tbsp

-Salt to taste.

Method of preparation:

-Cut Okra in the length of 1 inch size piece.

-Peel off the potatoes and cut them into same sized pieces as well.

-Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan.

-Deep fry Okra till it turns golden brown;

-Put these fried Okra in a plate.  Do use tissue papers to remove the extra oil from this Okra.

-Deep fry potato pieces till they turn golden I colour.  Put them in a plate and remove excess oil with tissue papers.

-In a pan, take few drops of oil ant heat. All chili powder, turmeric power, cumin and coriander power as per your taste and toss the fried Okra and Potato pieces in it together.

-Add salt to taste. You may add Mango powder (Amchoor) to it.  It is optional.

-Serve with chapattis and enjoy quick lunch.

 pic courtesy:http://vegrec.vegrecipesofindi.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/dry-aloo-bhindi-recipe.jpg

Recipe: Hyderabad Mutton Birayani

(A recipe from the kitchen of the Nizam of Hyderabad, the Kachche Gosht Ki Birayani, also known as the ‘Hyderabad mutton Birayani’ is auspice, fragrant and colorful variant of Birayani in India)

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Mutton: 1 Kg

Basmati Rice: 500 gm

Cumin (Jeera): 1 tsp

Whole garam masala:  2 tbsp

Boiled egg for decoration (optional):2

Rose water (optional): 1tbsp

Garlic-ginger paste: 2 tbsp

Golden-fried sliced onion: 2 cups

Mint leaves: 1 bunch

Curd: 2 cups

Cashew nuts (optional): 50 gm

Turmeric powder: 1 pinch

Saffron: 1 pinch

Coriander leaves: 1 bunch

Salt to taste

Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 tbsp

Oil: 5 tbsp.

Procedure:

-The Marinade: Wash Mutton (Pat dry and add garam masala, salt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili paste, and two cups of curd. Put it in a clean film plastic and keep it in the refrigerator to marinade over night.

-First boil the water, add oil salt and half-cook the rice.

-Next fry thinly sliced onions until golden brown. Add 1/3 of the golden-brown onion to the mutton marination and rest keep aside.

-Now in a Handi (deep pan) add the marinated mutton in the bottom and top it with half cooked rice, add mint leaves, coriander leave and top it up fried onions.  In a separate bowl, add some warm milk to soak saffron.  One the milk soaks the colour of the saffron, add it to the Handi.

-Cover the Handi or pan with a airtight lid or add sticky dough to the edges and cover it with a lid.  Cook for 45 minutes.

- Add rose water and garnish with sliced boiled eggs.

-Serve hot with raita and mirchi ka salan.

 pic courtesy:http://cornstarch.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/biryani011.jpg

Recipe: Thai Style pork fried rice

Ingredients:

300g pork stir- fry strips

6-7 cups steamed medium grain rice

2 tbsp peanut oil

2 eggs, beaten

3 cloves garlic, cruse

1 onion chopped

2 ripe tomatoes, diced

3 spring onions, chopped

12 coriander leaves

Sauce:

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

½ cup chicken stock

 Method:

-Wash and steam rice and then fluff up with a fork.  Mix all sauce ingredients together

-Heat wok or frying pan until hot.  Add a drizzle of oil and cook 2 thin omelets, remove and roughly chop, set aside.

-Stir-fry garlic until fragrant.  Stir-fry pork in 1-2 batches for about 1-2 minutes and remove

-Add a little oil, stir-fry onion for 30 secs. Add rice and stir-fry until hot.  Return pork.

-Mix and add sauce mixture. Add egg and heat through.  Sprinkle or mix through tomatoes, spring onions and coriander.

-Serve with cucumber, lime or lemon wedges and chili sauce.  Toss through some steamed green beans

 pic courtesy:http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/pork-fried-rice-1-576x383.jpg

Recipe: Creamy white beans

(White beans cooked with chorizo and spinach)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Onion 1 halved and sliced

Olive oil

Chorizo 50 g chopped into chunks

Chicken stock 200 ml

Cooked white beans -200g

Spinach -100g

Cream- 50ml

Salt to taste

Freshly grounded Black pepper to taste

Crusty bread to serve

Method:

-Clean the spinach. Wash well in running water and drain

-Cook the onion in 1 tbsp of oil until softened then add the chorizo and fry for a few minutes until it starts to give out its oil

-Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute then add the beans and cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.  Add the cream and cook for 2-3 minutes

-Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with crusty bread.

pic courtesy:http://thissillygirlslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/b3.jpg

Recipe: Aloo Gosht

(The dish that got Karim’s going)

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 Cup clarified butter

1 Kg Mutton

1 Cup Curd

1 tablespoon Black Pepper

1 table spoon Cumin seeds powder

1 table spoon Red chili power

2 table spoon Coriander Power

8 Small Cardamoms

Half tablespoon of Turmeric

1 tablespoon onion-garlic paste

10 pieces of Clovers

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon of finely cut ginger

4 tablespoon of finely cut ginger

4 tablespoon of fried onions

½ tablespoon cardamom pieces

2 cups cut potatoes

½ tablespoon garam Masala

Method:

-Heat ghee in a pan and add the mutton, curd, black pepper, cumin seeds, red chili powder, small pieces of cardamom, cloves, coriander power, turmeric, onion-garlic paste, ginger and salt to taste.

-Cover the pan with a lid and cook it for 5 minutes.

-Add fried onions, cardamom, cut potatoes and add garam masala.  Let it cook for another 45 minutes with the lid put on.

-Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

 pic courtesy:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH4KbdNbyIoX3H2dPmxAWgVGmHOHfyu5qlVMMkVSqdxIknSpOUbET4azsLG7t94qFMlOyNxshj7kr6Zpk41Qv4thenRxeepaOl7YW_L2EUnCko6FjwsaVsBWmQLdgIXokr5owEzdSxeU/s1600/IM003232.JPG

Rista –Recipe

(A delicious main course item)

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: Four

Ingredients:

-750 gm mutton minces with 130gm fat 

-1/2 turmeric powder

-6 tbsp soaked, strained and ground Kashmiri red chilies

-1 stick cinnamon

-3 cloves

-1tbsp fried shallot paste

-3 big black cardamoms

-5 small green cardamoms

-4tbsps saffron water

-4 tbsps ghee

-Salt to taste

Anise seed for garnishing

Recipe:

-Mash the mince in a mixer and shape into balls

-Boil in a pan with water enough to cover the mince balls

-Cook for 10 minutes till the mince balls rise to the surface of the water

-Add turmeric, chili paste, clovers, cinnamon, black and green cardamoms, fried shallot paste and saffron water.

-Cook for 4-5 minutes till gravy thickens

-Add salt to taste

-Heat ghee in a separate pan, add to the mince gravy and close with a tight lid for 2 minutes.

-Garnish with anise seed and serve hot.

 pic courtesy:http://paradisekashmir.net//wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rista.jpg

Recipe: Methi Pulao

(It’s easy to make methi-water methi pulao)

Ingredients:

- Basmati rice- 2 Cups

- Ghee or Oil -2 tablespoon

- Cumin seeds (jeera) ½ tablespoon.

- Chopped green chilies -2 tablespoon

- Tomato puree- 2medium tomatoes

-Chopped fenugreek (methi)-3/4 cu

-Mint leaves -8 to 10

-Coriander (chopped) -1/4 cup

-Garlic-4 cloves

-Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

-Coriander and cumin powder- 1tbsp

-Salt to taste.

Method:

1 Clean and soak the rice for 20 minutes using enough water in a deep bowl.  Keep aside.

2 Heat the ghee or oil in a deep pan, add the garlic cloves and fry for a bit.

3. Add the methi/fenugreek, coriander and mint leaves and sauté for another 5 minutes till the water dries.

4. Add the tomato and sauté for two minutes on a medium flame.

5. Add four cups of water, salt and all the other spices mix well and simmer till the rice is cooked.

piccourtesy:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-urG-r6Rhyphenhyphen-fP2_fsCn6ZMkdzaV1LW_QyqJ2O-EyGDdZS-coo4vENbqcXzEJTZcFt8_AWz-9qQwMSuEiXLnCKg7KLqoAWt0Lm-TXIqmLga_sy5cp7kuwb4ZwYfoubTqjMpuxdhyphenhyphenYaVVg/s640/methi+pulao.jpg

Recipe: Bhapa Ilish

Ingredients:

-200 gm Ilish

-50 gm Mustard paste

-25 ml mustard oil

-1 tsp green chili paste

-2 pcs whole green chilis

-¼ tsp Black Cumin

-5gm Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Take a bowl and mix together mustered paste, green chili paste, black cumin, mustered oil and salt.

2. Marinate the Ilish for 30 minutes in this mixture and then place the marinated fish in a closed container before putting it on boiling water.

3. Allow the fish to be cooked in steak for 20-25 minutes

4. Serve hot with steam rice.

 pic courtesy:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ehjsUnr0yyM/UeLNjiFmq8I/AAAAAAAADko/ZerytjRx3fU/s1600/DSC05655.JPG