Spicey Chicken Gravy

 
 Today I am posting the very first chicken recipe on my blog. Its a traditional way of cooking chicken in my family and whenever there is a family gathering this chicken dish is always prepared and is liked by all.

Ingredients :-

Chicken - 1/2 kg
Turmeric powder and salt - to coat the chicken
Onions - 4 medium size
Garlic - 1 whole
Ginger - 1 1/2 inch
Cumin seeds - 4 tbsp
Pepper corns -1 tsp
Cloves - 5
Black Cardamom - 1
Green Cardamom - 2-3
Cinnamon -  1 inch
Mace (javitri) - 1 tsp crushed
Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp crushed
Caraway seed (saahjeera) - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 3
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 6 tbsp + frying
Salt - to taste
Hot water - 1 1/2 cup

 Method :-

Clean the chicken, sprinkle a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp of salt and mix it with your hands nicely.
Take a deep frying pan and fry the chickens until its brown on both the sides, keep it aside.
Take a tawa roast all the dry ingrdients a bit, and grind it in a grinder to a fine powder and now add the garlic and ginger and little water and grind it again to make a smooth paste.
Slice the onions thinly, heat a pan and put oil in it. Put the bay leaf and
 the onions and fry. When the onions have turned to a brown shade put the ground paste, coriander and the red chilli powder into it and fry it on a low flame for 15 minutes, stirring it at intervals and adding little water if necessary. Now add the chicken and mix it in the masala, keep frying and sprinkling bit of water until the oil separates and the masala has taken a beautiful dark brown colour.
 Add the garam masala and water and cover it and cook until the chicken is done. Serve it hot with rice or rotis.

Paneer Bhurji with mushroom n capsicum

 

 Ingredients :-

 Paneer - 250 g
Onions chopped - 2 medium size
Tomato chopped - 1 large
Mushrooms - 4-5 large
Capsicum - 1
Ginger-Garlic minced - 1 tsp each
Green chillies minced - 2
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Cream - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp

Method :-

Clean the mushrooms and slice them.Take a shallow frying pan and put the butter and the mushrooms in it and saute it on a low heat until the water evaporates Heat oil in another frying pan and toss the onions in it. Fry until its transparent, add the ginger garlic paste, and all the dry ingredients with the salt and saute it for a minute. Mix the tomato and capsicum and cover for few minutes until both are tender. Now add the mushrooms (save some slices for garnishing) and crumble the paneer and mix it as well. Cook it on a low heat for 5 minutes, add the cream in it nicely. Garnish it with coriander leaves and mushroom slices. Serve it hot with rotis or parathas. It also makes a good sandwich spread.

Aamras

 Ingredients -

Mangoes ripe (fleshy) - 4
Milk full cream  -  1/2 cup
Sugar - 2 tbsp (could be increased depending on
 the sourness of the mangoes)
Green cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Saffron strands (Kesar) - 2-3 ( optional)

 Method -

1. Wash the mangoes and peel it, cut the fruit in small pieces. 
2. Blend it with the milk, sugar, cardamom and the saffron strand to make a smooth and thick paste.
3. Chill before serving it.
4.  You can serve it with fried nuts, cream or indulge in topping it with chocolate syrup and choco chips, though in Gujarat and Maharashtra it is served with hot puris or chapatis in breakfast or lunch.
5. It is always taken as a dessert in my family, and when I make it there is no limit to how much it can be eaten.

Hot N Spicy Vermicelli

 Hi friends, you must have eaten a sweet vermicelli many times as a dessert but this spicy one is I'm sure going to be yours as well as your kids favourite. I have made this dish through the years and through postings on several occasions on many snack party and on birthday's and it never went unnoticed.....uneaten.

 Ingredients -

Vermicelli - 250 g
Onions thinly sliced - 2 medium size
Green chillies minced - 2
Tomatoes chopped - 2 small
Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
Green peas boiled - 1/2 cup
French beans finely chopped - 2 tbsp
Capsicum cut in small stripes - 1 whole
Carrot chopped - 1 small
Ginger minced - 1 tsp
Green chillies minced -2
Coriander - a bunch
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste + 1/2 tsp
Oil - 5 tbsp + 2 tbsp

Method -

1.  Take a heavy frying pan and roast the vermicelli until its 
     golden brown in colour.
 2.  Boil 3 cups of water in a pan and put 1 tbsp of oil and
     1/2 tsp of salt in it, put the vermicelli into it and boil until 
     its cooked al dente. Remove it from heat and strain and 
     run cold water through it. Put the remaining 1 tbsp of oil 
     so it doesn't stick, keep it aside.
3.  Heat a deep pan and put the oil, toss the sliced onions 
    and fry it to a light brown colour. Put all the dry ingredients 
    with the ginger-green chilli paste, salt and  tomatoes, stir a
   bit and add the carrot, capsicum, beans, peas and cook until 
   its tender but still crisp, add the boiled vermicelli and tomato            sauce, mix it well, let it simmer for 5 minutes on a low heat 
   and garnish it with chopped coriander and serve it hot with
   sauce or chutney.

Cheese Pocket Pizza

  This pocket pizza is very easy to make and tastes great too. You can have your own veg filling, whatever is available at home. This is my daughter's favourite and I also love to make it as its a healthy snack and you can be sure that you have packed a full veg meal for your child. Anyone can do it, so give it a try.

Ingredients -
 For the dough -
Wheat flour - 1 cup
Refined flour - 1cup
Warm Water - to knead the dough
Oil or ghee - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For the filling-
French beans cleaned and chopped - 250 g
Onions chopped - 2 medium size
Carrots grated - 1 small
Cheese grated - 1 cup
Ginger minced - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp + for frying
Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp + for spreading

Method -

Mix the salt and the oil in the flour and knead it with water to a pliable dough and keep it for some time to rest.
Heat a pan, put oil in it and fry the onions till translucent, now put the ginger and the dry masala into it and stir a bit. Mix the beans, carrot, salt into it nicely and cover it. Stir it at intervals so it does not stick and cook until done on low heat. Mix the tomato sauce and half of  the grated cheese into it.
Take a small ball shape dough in your hand, flatten it and roll it into a thin 7 inch circle, roti like shape, heat a tawa and cook it, spreading little oil on both the sides. Make all in the same manner and now take one at a time and smear it with the tomato sauce over it and put the filling on half of the circle, sprinkle little amount of the grated cheese on it grate the mozreela on top and bake it on a  moderate oven until the mozrella cheese is melted, take it out and fold it and serve it hot.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

 Friends, Today I am posting this chocolate fudge cake, 
 which is one of the best cakes to celebrate  any special 
 occasion like birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine Day 
 or homecoming of your loved ones after a long time 
 and I am sure once you have made it you will find
 reasons to celebrate.

 Ingredients -

Butter - 100 g
Eggs - 3
Sugar - 2 cups
All purpose flour - 2 cups
Cocoa - 2/3 cup
Hot water -1/2 cup
Vinegar - 2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Bicarbonate of soda - 1 tsp
Chocolate Vienna icing - (recipe given)

 Method -

1.   Beat butter until creamy and glossy, add sugar little at a 
      time, beating it continuously. 
2. Now add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each
    addition, drop the vanilla essence in it. 
3. Blend the cocoa in hot water to make a smooth paste. 
   Gradually add to the butter mixture. 
4. Warm the milk a bit and add vinegar to let it sour.
5. Sift together flour, baking powder and soda and add to
    the butter mixture alternately with the sour milk, mixing
     it thoroughly.
6. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake in a moderate 
    oven for 20 minutes or  until done. Check it with a fine
    skewer before removing from oven.
7. Remove it from the tin after 10 minutes and allow to cool                 completely.
8.  When its completely cool cover it with chocolate 
     Vienna icing. Decorate it with chocolate curls if desired.

Chocolate Vienna Icing -

1. Beat 75 g unsalted butter until light and creamy. 
2. Blend 3 tablespoon cocoa with 3 table spoon hot water 
    until smooth. 
3. Sift 1 cup icing sugar, add the icing sugar and the blended
   cocoa to the butter, mixing it nicely. 
4. Chill it for an hour. Spread it thickly over top and sides.
5. Finish it with Chocolate curls or grated chocolates.

Fish Curry : My Mom's Way

My dear friends this is a fish curry I wanted to introduce the day I started the blog, but for one or the other reasons it got delayed. Today I got the chance to post it. This is one dish prepared by my mother which brings nostalgic memories of my childhood, when we all  three sisters would be waiting eagerly for her to prepare it and watched her intently to get that wonder touch of hers which always made it divinely tasty. I Hope to bring that taste back to me whenever I make it.

Ingredients -

Fish - 1/ 2 kg (preferably Rohu, but any fish can be used)
For the marinade - turmeric powder, salt ( 1/2 tsp each )
Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 4-5
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Black cardamom - 1
Green cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Mace (javitri) crushed - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 1 whole ( medium size )
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf (tejpatta) - 2
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Onion thinly sliced -1 medium size
Garlic chopped - 1/2 tsp
Tomato chopped - 1
Salt - to taste
Water - 1 cup
 Mustard oil - 1/2 cup + frying

Method -

   Put 2 tsp of wheat flour in the fish and rub it a bit, wash the fish nicely in 3 waters. Now marinate it in the salt and turmeric, coating it nicely and deep fry it until its light golden in colour, taking care not to over fry it.
   Prepare the masala by peeling the garlic and  grounding it with all the dry whole
ingredients. Put little water in it  to make a fine paste.
   Heat a deep and heavy frying pan and put the 1/2 cup of oil in it. Put the bay leaf and the fenugreek seeds and when it has turned dark brown  put the chopped garlic and the onions. Fry it until its golden brown, put the ground paste, turmeric, chilli powder, salt and fry it on low heat for 15 minutes, adding little water at intervals until the oil separates.
    Now put the tomato, cover it and cook until its tender, mash it in the gravy. Boil the water in a pan and mix it in the masala thoroughly to make a thick and smooth gravy, bring it to a boil and toss the fish in it, cover it and simmer it in a low heat until the fish is cooked. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve it hot with rice.

Fried Fish Coated in Sesame Seeds

Ingredients -

Fish - 250g (cut in pieces)
Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli paste - 1 tsp
Mustard paste - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - for frying

Method -

  Wash the fish well and remove excess water out of it. Put the ginger, garlic, chilli and mustard paste, cumin, coriander and red chilli powder with the salt and rub it nicely on the fish. Keep it aside for 1/2 hour.
  Heat a shallow frying pan or tawa with oil in it.
  Take the fish and coat it nicely with the rice flour, sprinkle the sesame seed evenly and fry it for 5 minutes on one side then again turn it and fry it on the other side, keep it  frying on low heat until its crisp and cooked on both the sides.
  Serve it hot either as a side dish or as a cocktail snack.

Mushroom Matar Paneer

Ingredients -

Paneer - 250 g
Mushrooms - 200g
Peas - 1 cup
Ginger-Garlic paste -2 tbs
Onion chopped- 2 medium
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds -   3 tsp
Pepper corns - 1 tbsp
Black cardamom - 1
Cinnamon stick - 1 small
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Tomatoes chopped - 2 large
Coriander chopped - 1 tbs
Oil - 6 tbs + frying
Butter - 2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup

Method -

  Clean the mushrooms and cut it into pieces. Heat a frying pan and put butter and saute the mushrooms in it, take it out and put oil and fry the paneers till  light brown, remove the excess oil and add the onions and fry till golden brown.
  Grind all the dry masala to a fine paste putting little water in it. Now add all the Ground masala with the ginger-garlic paste in the pan and stir for  a few seconds, add the turmeric, red chilli powder , salt and keep stirring  on a low heat, then put the chopped tomatoes and the peas and keep frying till the oil separates. A little water can be added if the peas are not cooked.
  Add the mushrooms in it and mix it well with the masala. Add 1/2 cup of water and bring it to boil , after that add the paneer and simmer it for about 5 minutes, mix in the garam masala powder and take it off the gas, garnish it with a bit of cream or coriander leaves and relish it with rumali rotis, chapati or paranthas.

Dahi vale karele

Ingredients -

Karela (bitter gourd) - 1/2 kg
Onions - 250 g
Curd - 250 g (can be added more depending on the sourness)
Mustard seeds (rai) - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder -  1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 5 tbsp + frying

Method -

1.  Scrap the karelas a bit, wash it and wipe it dry. 
2. Make a cut in the middle from top to bottom and take 
    all the seeds out taking care that both the ends are intact. 
3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan or karahi and fry all the 
    karelas in two batches until it is brown in colour. 
    Remove and leave it to cool.
4. Take out excess oil leaving 5 tbsp of oil in the pan. 
     Put the mustard seeds. When it has spluttered put 
     the finely chopped onions and fry until light brown.
5. Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander powder and
    stir it for a moment.
6. Add the curd and keep stirring continuously otherwise 
    the curd would curdle. When the oil separates put the salt 
    and the fried karelas into it and mix nicely. Add little 
    amount of water and cover it . Cook until done.
7. Before serving open the slit of the karelas one by one 
    and stuff it with the onion masala.
8. Arrange all the karelas in a serving dish and serve it 
    with rotis, parathas or rice.

9. It goes well with anything and doesn't takes too much
    ingredients or preparations to make it, and once you have
     made it, all the karela lovers, you certainly would like to
     have it more than once.

Stuffed Shahi Parwals In Gravy

Ingredients -

Parval - 1/2 kg
Paneer - 250 g
Onions - 4 medium size
Tomatoes - 2
Tomato puree - 2 tbsp
Garlic paste -  2 tbsp
Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
Cumin powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Khuskhus (poppy seed) - 2 tbsp
Cashews - 6 - 7
Salt - to taste
Oil - 5 tbsp + frying

Method -

1. Scrap the parvals and clean it nicely and take out all the
    seeds by making a slit in the middle.
2. Wash it and drain the water to make it dry before frying. 
    Take a frying pan and Shallow fry the parwals until
    it's tender. Take it out and leave it to cool.
3. In the meanwhile prepare the stuffing. Take the paneer 
    and crush it. Mix a little salt, 1/2 tsp of black pepper and 
    red chilli powder and 1 tsp of ginger paste in the paneer 
    and stuff it inside the fried parwals.
 4. Now prepare the masala for gravy. Soak the khuskhus 
     in the water for half- hour and grind it to paste with the
     cashews. Grate the onions and the tomatoes.
5. Heat a deep frying pan and put 5 tbsp of oil in it, put the 
    grated onions and fry until it's light brown, add the garlic 
    and remaining ginger paste and stir for a while, put all the 
    dry masala and the ground khuskhus and the cashews, 
    stirring it continuously. 
6. Add the grated tomatoes and the puree and fry for 5 minutes
    on low heat. Add enough water to make a smooth and thick                gravy, bring it to boil and add the stuffed parvals carefully.
     Let it simmer for few minutes on a low heat. 
7. Garnish it with grated paneer or cream and Serve it hot with 
    rice or rotis.

Apricot Roll

Ingredients -

Apricot - 1/2 kg or a can of apricot
Castor sugar - 1/2 cup
Semolina - 1/2 cup
Eggs separated  - 3
Ground almonds - 1 tbsp
Juice and grated rind - 1 small lemon
Sugar -  1/2 cup
Water -  1/2 cup

For the butter cream icing-

Icing sugar -1/2 cup
Egg white -1
Cream - 4 tbsp
Grated chocolate - 4 tbsp
Chocolate chips - to decorate

Method-


Peel the apricots and clean  and cut them into thin halves. In a pan put 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water and boil it for 5 minutes.
            Empty the apricots into the pan and stir for a minute and remove it and let it cool. When cold put the apricots into a sieve and let drain thoroughly, mash half of it and keep it aside.  
            Beat together egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy, add the juice and rind of the lemon and beat for another minute. Mix the semolina and ground almonds beating continuously.
            Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until frothy and stiff and gently fold in with a wooden spatula. Spread into a Swiss roll  tin (10 x 13 in) lined with greased, greaseproof paper and bake in a moderate oven until done.
            Take a greaseproof paper and sprinkle it with castor sugar, turn the roll out onto it, let stand for a minute and carefully peel off the lining paper. Sprinkle lightly with castor sugar, spread the mashed apricots over, top with the apricot strips. Roll the cake carefully, put on a serving plate and leave until cold.

For the icing-

Whisk together in a china or steel bowl over hot water (not boiling) the egg white
and icing sugar with an electric mixture. When firm and glossy, remove from hot water and whisk until firm enough to pipe, Beat the cream and when stiff fold in the meringue until smooth.
Cover the apricot roll from the butter cream and chill for an hour, top it with grated chocolates and serve at once.
You can also cover it with whipped cream and sprinkle it with grated chocolate.

 Notes -

1.  You don't need to boil the apricots in sugar if using the canned tin, just sieve it.

2. If a Swiss roll tin is not available, silver foil can be used keeping it over the drip tray, just remember to mark the edges tightly, so it doesn't spread.

3. It's a great roll to celebrate the special moments of life with.