Coloured Zebra Cake (Eggless)

Coloured Zebra Cake (Eggless)

My daughter loves to share her lunch box in school. On a regular note she demands that I should make cakes for her. She prefers simple cakes. So this one is for her. It is a delicious cake and very easy to make. 

Ingredients

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 cup Caster Sugar

1 cup Olive oil

1 cup Milk

3 tbsp Curd

1 tsp Vanilla essence

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Soda bicarbonate

1/4 tsp Salt

Any 3 Colours

Method

Mix baking powder, soda bicarbonate and salt in to the flour. Add curd and milk together and stir it together. Add oil and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat it. Add vanilla essence and beat it till all the ingredients incorporates well. Sieve half the flour and butter milk in to the mixing bowl and beat it. Sieve rest of the flour and add the butter milk and beat it well. Divide the batter into four equal portions. Add any 3 colours of your choice. Mix it well. Take a 6 " baking tin and grease it. Add a tsp of one coloured batter in the centre of the tin. Add another coloured batter on top of the batter in the tin and repeat the process till the tin is half filled. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 40 minutes or until done. To check insert a toothpick. Take the tin out of the oven and cool it for 5 minutes before unmoulding it. Cool the cake completely before cutting and eating.

Red Mullets Green Masala Fry

Red Mullets Green Masala Fry 

For the Green Masala

Ingredients 

1/2  cup Coriander leaves chopped 

2 Green chillies

1 small Ginger piece

6 Garlic cloves 

1 tbsp Lime juice Or Vinegar Or 1/2 piece of Lime marinated in salt.

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/4 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

 Method 

Grind all the ingredients together. 

P.S. I did not have fresh lime juice so I substituted lime juice with lime marinated in salt.

To Marinate 

Ingredients 

2 Red Mullets cut into halves 

Green Masala

Salt to taste

 

Method 

Apply salt on the fish and keep it aside for 10 minutes. Then rub the green masala on the fish and marinate the fish for 30 minutes.

To Fry

Ingredients 

Marinated Fish 

1 Onion sliced 

1/2 cup Rice Flour 

1/4 tsp Chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

Oil to Shallow fry

Method 

Take rice flour in a plate and add salt and chilli powder. Mix it. Coat the fish in the rice flour. Heat oil in a pan. Shallow fry the fish till golden brown on both the sides. Serve hot with sliced onions.

Chinese Bird's Nest

Chinese Bird's  Nest

For the Nest

Ingredients 

1 bowl of Rice Vermicelli boiled (1/4 packet of Rice Vermicelli boiled in water with salt and 1 tsp Oil and drained )

Oil for frying 

Method 

Take a round steel strainer. Adjust the rice vermicelli  in the strainer. Press another similar strainer on top. Heat oil and deep fry the vermicelli till brown. Keep it aside till the filling is made.

For the Filling 

Ingredients 

3 Eggs boiled

1 cup Corn boiled

1 Onion cubes

1 tsp Garlic chopped 

1 Carrot roll cut

1 Green Capsicum cubes

1cup Cabbage shredded 

1/4 cup Spring Onions chopped 

2 tbsp Soy sauce 

1 tbsp Chilli sauce 

1 tbsp Vinegar 

1 tsp Honey 

1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take a wok, add oil and heat it. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the vegetables one by one ( save little cabbage and spring onion for garnishing) and stir fry on full flame for a minute or two. Add the all the sauce, vinegar,  honey, ketchup and salt. Stir it for a minute and the filling is ready.

To make the bird's nest, take the fried vermicelli  bowl. Add the filling and decorate the egg to look like a bird and add the egg bird on top. Garnish with cabbage and spring onions. Serve immediately. 

Kitchen King Chicken Fry

Kitchen King Chicken Fry

This is an experiment in my kitchen.. The taste is awesome. 

To Marinate and Fry the Chicken 

Ingredients 

300 grams Chicken with bones

2/3 cup Rice Flour 

1/2 cup All Purpose Flour 

2 tbsp Curd

Salt to taste 

Oil to deep fry

Method 

Marinate the chicken with salt and curd and keep it aside for 30 minutes. Add the rice and all purpose  flour and toss it. Heat the oil and deep fry the chicken for 5 minutes. Take it out and drain the oil. Add the chicken back in the hot oil and fry till crispy brown in colour.

Seasoning for the Fried Chicken 

Ingredients 

Fried Chicken 

2 Onion sliced 

4 Garlic cloves chopped 

4 Red Dry Chillies broken into pieces 

2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 

1/4 cup Water

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

11/4 tsp Kitchen King Masala powder 

2 tbsp Oil 

Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method 

Take  a pan, add oil and heat it. Add the garlic, chillies and onions. Sauté till the onions are translucent. Add salt, chilli powder, cumin powder and the kitchen king masala powder. Stir it. Add the tomato ketchup. Stir it,  add water and simmer  for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, toss it and stir fry it till all the seasoning incooperates well with the chicken. Garnish with coriander leaves.  Serve hot.

Stir Fried Cold Cuts and Veggies with Eggs

Stir Fried Cold Cuts and Veggies with Eggs 

Ingredients 

3 Eggs

6 Cocktail Sausages

2 Pieces of Ham cut into small pieces

1/4 cup Becon cubes 

1/4 cup Green Peas

12 Cherry Tomatoes

1 tbsp Black Olives sliced 

Few Parsley Leaves chopped

Few Spring Onion chopped 

Salt to taste 

Pepper powder to sprinkle 

1 tsp Butter

Method

Take a pan, add butter let it melt. Add the cocktail sausages, becon cubes and ham pieces. Stir fry it for few minutes, add the green peas, black olives sliced and the cherry tomatoes. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Make place in between the cold cuts.  Break the eggs in between and let it cook, sprinkle salt and pepper and garnish it with parsley and spring onion. Serve hot....

Palak Paneer Idli ( Punjabi Dakshini Delight ) served with Garlic Tomato Chutney

Spinach (Palak) is a rich source of Iron. Here is an unique healthy recipe for you from my kitchen that is a fusion of Punjabi and Dakshini Cuisine. 

For the Palak Paneer Idli

Ingredient 

1 Kg  Idli Batter 

1 bowl Spinach chopped

1 bowl Cottage cheese  crumble 

1 Tomato chopped

1 Onion chopped

1 Green Chilli 

2 Garlic cloves 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

1/2 tsp a Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tbsp Oil 

1 tbsp Ghee

Handful of Spinach chopped 

Method 

Add 1 bowl spinach, tomato, onion, green chilli, garlic, salt, garam masala, chilli powder and cumin powder in a blender. Blend the ingredients into a purée. Take a pan, add oil, heat it. Add the purée and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cottage cheese, mix it. Take it of the flame. Add the purée into the idli batter, adjust the salt if need, add the chopped spinach. Mix it. Take the idli mould, apply ghee and pour in the batter. Steam the idlis. Once done, serve it with tomato chutney. 

P.S. It can be done with left over Palak paneer, mash the paneer in the left over Palak paneer before using. 

Garlic Tomato Chutney 

Ingredients

1 Garlic pod peeled and clean 

6 Dry Red Chillies

2 Tomatoes chopped 

Salt to taste

Method 

Add the above ingredients in a blender and blend it into a paste. 

For seasoning 

1/2 tsp Panch Phoran 

2 Dry Red Chillies Broken into pieces 

2 Pinches of Asafoetida 

2 tbsp Mustard Oil

Method 

Take the a pan, add the mustard oil, add the chillies and the Panch Phoran. Let it crackle, add the asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds, add the paste and cook it till the oil starts to saperate from the paste. Serve it with the idlis.

Red Mullets cooked in Garlicky Orange Saffron Sauce served with Butter Spinach Rice.....

Red Mullets cooked in Garlicky Orange Saffron Sauce served with Butter Spinach Rice.....

Butter Spinach Rice
Ingredients
4 cups of cooked Rice
1 cup Spinach chopped
1 tsp Garlic chopped
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Butter

Method
Take a pan, add the butter. Let it melt on low flame. Add garlic, saute it for a minute. Add the spinach. Sauté and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and salt. Stir fry it for 2 minutes. Keep it aside.

Red Mullet cooked in Garlicky Orange Saffron Sauce    

For Marinating the Fish and Frying the Fish
Ingredients
2 medium big size Red Mullet cut into halves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Lime juice
1 tbsp  Butter
1 tbsp Oil

Method 

Marinate the fish with lime juice and salt. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Take a pan, add butter and oil. Heat it. Fry the fish on both the sides until brown. Keep it aside.

Red Mullets cooked in Garlicky Orange Saffron Sauce
Ingredients
Fried Red Mullets
Juice of 2 Oranges
1 tbsp Garlic minced
1 Onion minced
1 tsp Orange Peel chopped
2 Pinches of Saffron
Salt to taste
1/4 tbsp of Sugar
1 tsp Pickled Red Chill sliced or Chilli flakes
1 tbsp Butter

Method
Use the same pan in which the fish was fried. Add the butter and melt it on low flame. Add the garlic and sauté it for few seconds. Add the onion and sauté it for 1 minute. Add the orange juice, let it simmer, add the orange peel chopped, saffron, sugar, pickled red chilli slices or chilli flakes and salt. Let it simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the fish and let the fish cook in the sauce for 2 minutes on each side.

To Assemble
Take a plate, arrange the rice. Add the fish in the centre of the plate. Pour in the remaining sauce on the fish and serve it hot.

Ladies Finger / Okra fried in Soda Batter

Ladies Finger / Okra fried in Soda Batter 

It serves as a side dish or a crispy snacks or an appetizer. Easy to make and tasty too.   

 

Ingredients 

150 grams Okra cut into half lengthwise

Batter 

Oil for deep frying 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil, let it heat, dip each pieces separately in the batter and fry it in the hot oil till crispy and brown. Serve hot.

For the Batter 

Ingredients 

1 cup All Pupose Flour

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Curry Powder

1/2 tsp Carom seeds

Club soda/ Drinking soda as per the requirement 

Method

Mix all the above dry ingredients and add soda little at a time to make a medium thick batter.

Orange Prawns served with Prawn and Egg Fried Rice

Orange Prawns 

To a Marinate the Prawns 
Ingredients

1 bowl of medium size Prawns

1 Egg White 

1 tbsp Soy Sauce 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a bowl and combine all the above ingredients and keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes. 

For Frying the Marainated Prawns

Ingredients 

Marinated Prawns

1/2 cup Corn Starch

Oil for frying 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil and heat it. Add the corn starch in a plate. Take one piece of prawns at a time and coat it with corn starch. Add the coated prawns in the hot oil and fry till brown in colour. Keep it on a absorbent paper. 

For the Sauce

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Fresh Orange juice

1/2 cup Chicken stock

1 big size Garlic clove grated 

1 tsp Orange zest

1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1½ tbsp Soy sauce

Salt to taste

2 tsp Brown Sugar Or Sugar 

1 tbsp Corn Starch dissolved in 1 tbsp of water 

1 tsp Sesame oil

Method 

In a mixing bowl combine all the above ingredients and keep it aside. 

To make Orange Prawns

Ingredients 

Fried Prawns

Sauce 

1 tsp Sesame oil 

1/2 tsp Spring Onions chopped  

Method

Take a wok, add the oil, let it heat, add the sauce. Stir it and on low heat cook the sauce till it starts to thicken. Add the prawns and stir it. Cook the prawns in the sauce till the sauce has thicken and incooperated well in the sauce. Sprinkle spring onion for garnishing. Serve with Prawn and Egg Fried Rice. 

Prawn and Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients 

4 cups cooked Rice

1/2 bowl of small size Fried Prawns ( Marinated with 1 tbsp Soy sauce and egg, coated with cornflour and fried) 

1 bowl of Fried Egg pieces ( 2 Egg beaten with salt and fried) 

2 tsp Garlic grated 

1 tsp Ginger grated 

1/2 cup Red , Yellow and Green Capsicum diced 

1/4 cup Cabbage shredded 

1/4 cup Mushroom sliced 

1 Onion chopped 

1 tbsp Spring Onion chopped 

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Soy Sauce

1 tsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Chilli Vinegar

2 tbsp Sesame Oil 

 

Method 

Heat the oil in a wok, heat the oil on high flame. Add  the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute. Add the capsicum, cabbage, mushrooms, and onion and sauté for a few minutes. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar. Stir it. Add the prawns. Stir it and add the rice and the salt. Stir fry the rice  till  the rice has incoperated well with the other ingredients. Garnish with spring onions and fried egg pieces. Serve hot. 

Masala Dosa served with Brahmin style Sambar

Masala Dosa served with Brahmin style Sambar 

For the Dosa Batter

Ingredients

11/2 cups Rice

1/2 cup Urad dal / Split Black Gram

Salt to taste

Method

Separately soak rice and urad dal at least overnight in water. Grind the dal and rice. Leave it to ferment overnight. Add salt and mix it.

Potato Filling

Ingredients

2 large Potatoes boiled and chopped

2 Green chillies chopped

Few Curry Leaves

1 Dry Red Chilli broken into pieces

1/2 tsp Chana Dal /  Yellow Split peas

1/2 tsp Urid Dal / Split Black Gram

1/2 tsp Mustard seed

2 Pinches of Asafoetida

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

Few Coriander  Leaves chopped

Method

Take a wok, add oil, let it heat. Add the chana dal and urid dal, stir it for few seconds, add the mustard seeds, let it crackle. Add the red chilli and curry leaves, saute it for few seconds, add the asafoetida and stir it. Add the potatoes, salt and turmeric powder. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, garnish with coriander leaves and keep it aside.

For the Masala Dosa

Ingredients

Batter

Potato Filling

Ghee for Drizzling on the Dosa

Method

Take a dosa skillet. Let the skillet warm up. Add a ladle full of batter and swirl and spread the batter on the skillet. Drizzle ghee on top and let it cook till it becomes light brown, add 2 tbsp of the filling and spread it. Fold the dosa into half. Serve it hot with Sambar and Coconut Chutney..

Brahmin Style Sambar 

Brahmin Style Sambar Powder

Ingredients

1 tbsp Toor Dal

1/2 tbsp Chana Dal

10 Red Dry Chillies

4 tbsp Coriander seeds

1/4 tbsp Fenugreek seeds

1/4 tbsp Pepper Corns

1/4 tbsp Turmeric powder

Method

Roast all the above ingredients except for the turmeric powder. Cool it. Add it in a grinder with the turmeric powder. Grind it in to a fine powder.

To make the Sambar

Ingredients

1/2 cup Toor dal washed and soaked

1 Potato peeled and cut into cubes

1 Tomato cut into cubes

1 Carrot cut into pieces

1/4 cup small Onions peeled

1/2 cup Pumpkin cut into cubes

2 Green chillies cut into pieces

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tbsp Sambar powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Fresh Coconut grated  or Desiccated Coconut powder

1 tsp Tamarind paste

1 tbsp Jaggery

For seasoning

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds

1 Red Dry Chilli broken into pieces

Few Curry leaves

2 Pinches of Asafoetida

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method

Take a pot, add the dal, turmeric powder, salt and 4 cups of water. Let it boil on low flame for 15 minutes. Add the vegetables. Let it continue to boil till the vegetables and the dal is almost cooked. Add water if required. Add the coconut grated or powder, sambar powder, salt, tamarind paste and jaggary. Simmer for 10 minutes more. Meanwhile take a pan, add the oil. Heat it. Add the mustard seeds, red chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds. Add it into the Sambar. Simmer for 2 minutes more.  Add the coriander leaves and serve hot.

Pizza Uttappam

Pizza Uttappam 

Indo Western Fusion cooking... Italy meets South India.. Uttappam is a South Indian Dish and it is served with an Italian Pizza topping.. 

For the Pizza Sauce 

Ingredients

3 Ripe Tomatoes cut into cubes 

4 big size Garlic pod chopped

1 Onion chopped 

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Dry Mix Herbs

1/2 tsp Pepoer powder 

1 cup Tomato purée

1 tbsp Olive oil

Method

In a wok, add olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for a minute, add the onions. Sauté till translucent. Add the tomatoes, stir and cook it for 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée, salt, pepper powder, sugar and mix herbs, stir and let it simmer for 5 minutes more. Keep it aside. 

For the Dosa / Uttappam Batter

Ingredients 

3 cups Rice

1 cup Urid Dal / Split Black Gram 

1 tbsp Fenugreek seeds 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Wash and soak all the 3 above ingredients seprately overnight. Grind the ingredients in a grinder and keep it for fermenting for 8 hours. Add salt and if required then add water for the right consistency. 

P.S. I normally grind a kg of rice and 300 grams of dal and divide the batter as per my requirements into separate vessels and refrigerate it. 

We can also take 2:1 proportion of rice and dal. 3:1 proportion of rice and dal gives crispy dosas.

For the Pizza Uttapam

Ingredients

Pizza sauce

1 bowl of Dosa / Uttappam batter 

1 cup Mozzarella and Cheddar cheese mix grated 

2 tbsp Black Olives sliced 

2 tbsp Red picked chillies sliced 

1 Onion sliced

1 Green Capsicum sliced

1/2 Red Capsicum sliced

1/2 Yellow Capsicum sliced 

8 Mushrooms sliced 

Sprinkle of Pizza mix dried herbs 

Olive oil to drizzle 

Method

Take a pan, add one ladle full of batter in the pan, keep it on a low flame, sprinkle some cheese, add the pizza sauce on the batter, arrange the vegetables on by one on the pizza. Add some more cheese on top, drizzle some oil on top and sprinkle pizza mix. Cover and cook, for 2 to 3 minutes till the base has become brown and crispy. Serve hot. 

Maggi Noodles with Veggies and Eggs...

Maggi Noodles with Veggies and Eggs... 

It is a all time favourite dish of many. My husband claims that he lived on Maggi during his collage days, my daughter can have Maggi any time of the day. For me it is quick and easy to cook. I have cooked it in a desi way with Veggies and Eggs and seasoned it with Madras Curry powder.. 

Ingredients 

4 pieces of Veg Maggi Noodles

4 Eggs

1/4 cup of each Vegetables chopped 

Carrot

Capsicum 

French beans 

Cauliflower or Broccoli 

Onion

Tomato

1 tsp Garlic chopped

1 tsp Green chillies chopped

2 tsp Curry powder

2 Maggi Masala sachets

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Butter 

Few Coriander Leaves chopped for garnishing 

Method

Take a wok, add oil and butter. Let the butter melt. Add the garlic and chillies. Sauté it for a minute, add the onions. Sauté it till brown in colour. Add the vegetables one by one and stir it, add the curry powder, Maggi masala and salt. Stir it. Take Maggi, crush it and add it to the vegetables, stir it. Add 3 cup of water, stir it. Cover and cook, stirring in between  till it is done, and little water is left in the wok. Break the eggs on top, cover and cook till the eggs are done, switch off the flame and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Happy Valentine with Chocolate Strawberry Rose Cupcake...

Happy Valentine with Chocolate Strawberry Rose Cupcake...
Humorous Anniversary...❤️❤️
It was a small funny incident which happened 2 years back on my anniversary day, I had just woken up from my sleep, I saw my husband walking in side the room towards me, trying to tell me some thing and he was very excited.  I was in my own world. There was a big bunch in his hand which I though was a big bunch of roses, I very happily went to take it from in his hand and was wondering that in 18 years of our married life he never got me any surprise gifts, how come today he got roses that too early in the morning... I became very... very happy.  But no, it was not roses,  it was a big bunch of fenugreek leaves and spring onions which he had picked up on the way back after dropping our daughter to school. He wanted me to make Meethi Aloo for lunch... He loves to shop for vegetables and he loves to eat... So for Valentine's Day Strawberry roses for him...

Chocolate Strawberry Rose Cupcake
Strawberry filling
Ingredients
5 medium size strawberries  sliced
1/4  cup Sugar
1 tbsp Cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp Water

Method
Put the  strawberries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly and cook for 5 minutes,  then add the sugar and cornstarch mix. Stir  4 to 5 minutes more until mixture thicken slightly. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.

Chocolate Strawberry Rose Cupcake  
Ingredients
1 cup All purpose Flour
2 tbsp Coco powder
1/2 cup Powder Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 cup Oil
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup Milk + 1 tbsp Vinegar ( Mix)
    OR
1/2 cup Curd + 1/2 cup Milk ( Mix )
Any Frosting
6 Strawberry Roses
1 tbsp of Golden Sugar sprinkles

Method
In a large bowl sieve together flour, coco, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Keep it aside. Take oil and sugar. Beat it well till the sugar in cooperates with the oil. Add vanilla essence and Milk vinegar OR Milk Curd. Beat it once more. Add the flour mix 1/2 cup  at a time and beat it until  you get a thick batter. If the batter is too thick then add 1 or 2 tbsp milk. The batter should be thick dropping consistency. Arrange the cupcake liners. Fill in 2/3 rd of the cup cake liners. Bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes or till done. Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean it is done. Cool the cupcake completely. Make a hole in each cupcake in the centre  and spoon the strawberry filling in each. Pipe the frosting on the cupcakes. Decorate with strawberry rose and some golden sprinkles.

Roti Jala served with Pickled Chicken

Roti Jala served with Pickled Chicken 

Roti Jala is a traditional flat, net, lacy bread from Malaysia and is served with any curry. I have made Malaysian Pickled Chicken to go with Roti Jala. 

Roti Jala

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups  All Purpose Flour

1 tetra pack Coconut Milk or more 

1 Egg Beaten

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Melted Ghee for Brushing (Optional) 

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and turmeric powder, mix it. Add the egg and coconut milk little at a time and whisk in to a thin batter. Heat a frying pan. Keep the flame on low heat and brush the pan lightly with ghee. Drizzle the batter from a squeeze bottle on the pan to create a net pattern. Cook until it is  light golden on the base. Turn and lightly cook the other side, take it out on a plate and repeat with remaining batter. When cool, fold roti in to half from both the sides and then roll from the other end. Serve with pickled chicken. 

Pickled Chicken 

For the Ground Spices 

Ingredients 

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

10 Cloves

2 Cardomom 

1 small stick Cinnamom 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder

Method 

Dry roast all the above ingredients except Turmeric and Nutmeg. Cool the ingredients, add the turmeric powder and nutmeg and grind it into a fine powder. 

For Marinating the Chicken 

Ingredients 

10 medium size Chicken pieces

Spice powder

Salt to taste

Method

Mix all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl and marinate it for 1 hour. 

For the Wet Spices 

Ingredients 

2 Onions cut into thick slices

1 tsp Ginger chopped

1 tsp Garlic 

1 Lemon Grass Stalk chopped 

5 Red Dry Chillies soaked in water

Method 

 In a blender blend chillies, onions, ginger, garlic and lemongrass into a paste. Add very little water if required to make the paste. 

For the Pickled Chicken 

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken pieces 

Wet Paste 

3 tbsp Vinegar 

1/2 tbsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

½ cup Chicken stock

2 tbsp Ghee 

Few  Mint and Coriander leaves for garnishing 

Method 

 Heat ghee in a wok on medium heat, add the wet paste. Stir fry the paste for 3 minutes or till the oil has separated from the paste. Add the marinated chicken and fry for 10 minutes. Add the stock, stir and cover the wok. Simmer until the chicken has cooked. Add vinegar, salt and sugar. Stir and simmer for another 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and mint leaves. Serve with Roti Jala.

Spicy Pumpkin Orange Jam

Spicy Pumpkin Orange Jam

Ingredients
1 big bowl or 1/2 kg of Pumpkin peeled, deseeded and cut in to thin slices
Juice of 2 Oranges
Juice of 2 Lime
1 tbsp Ginger juice
1 stick Cinnamon
1 Star Anise
2 Pinch of Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Chilli flakes
Pinch of Salt
3 cups Sugar
2 cups of Water

Method
Add the pumpkin and water into a large pot. Cook the pumpkin on high flame until the pumpkin slices are soft, mushy and the water has almost evaporated. Add the sugar, orange juice, lime juice, ginger juice,  cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, salt and chilli flakes. Cook on low flame on a large burner, stirring it occasionally in the beginning and then continuously as the jam begins to thicken and reaches the setting point. To check, take water in a small plate, add a droplet of the jam, if the droplet settles in one place and does not spread then it is done. Remove the pot from the heat. Take the clean glass jar. It has to be completely dry. While it is still warm, pour into the jar. It can be preserved upto  2 months.

Chicken and Prawn Balti

 Chicken and Prawn Balti

Ingredients
10 to 12 Boneless Chicken pieces
1 bowl medium sized Prawns
2 Onions chopped
2 Tomatoes chopped
1 Green Capsicum cut into pieces
1 tsp Green Chillies crushed
1 tsp Ginger crushed
1 tbsp Garlic crushed
1 bowl Tomato puree
2 tbsp Curd
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Balti Masala powder
2 tbsp Oil
Few Coriander leaves chopped  for garnishing

Method
Take a wok, add oil. Let it heat. Add the onions and sauté it till translucent. Add the green chillies, garlic and ginger. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes sauté it for 2 minutes, then add the chicken, stir it. Add the tomatoes and capsicum, stir it, add the salt and balti masala. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the prawns and tomato puree, stir it the add the curd. Stir and cover and cook till the chicken pieces are tender. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Balti Masala powder
Ingredients
2 tbsp Cumin Seed
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Fennel seeds
1 tbsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp Nigella  seeds
1 big Cinnamon stick broken into small pieces
4 Black Cardamom
1 tbsp Peppercorns
10 Cloves
1 tbsp Dry Fenugreek leaves
20  dried Curry leaves
5 Bay leaves
1 tbsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp  Garlic powder
1 tbsp Ginger powder
1 tbsp Red Chilli powder

Method
Take a pan. Add all the spices one by one and dry roast it. Cool it. Add the spices into a grinder, add the powder. Grind all the ingredients to a fine powder. Cool it and store it in an air tight dry glass bottle.