Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Apple Jelly
1 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon Mustard style
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Salt to taste
4 Chicken breasts halves, skinless, boneless/ Chicken Legs
Chilli flakes

Method:

Heat grill.
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken.
Blend well.
Oil the grill rack.
Brush chicken with sauce mixture and place on grill over medium heat.
Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear, turning occasionally and brushing frequently with the honey Mustard sauce mixture.
Serve Hot!

Special Malpua

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg Milk 
• 1/4 cup Maida 
• 1/4 cup Suji
• 4 to five cardamom seeds slightly pounded
• Ghee 
• Water 
• Few pistachios and almonds for garnish

Method:

Roast the rava till light brown. 
Boil the milk on low heat till it reduces to half. Put a ladle in it to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan 
Add the roasted rava to the milk, along with the flour. Take care that there are no lumps. Add in the pounded cardamom seeds.
Heat the ghee in a flat pan. 
Pour the rava flour batter into the ghee slowly, to form small pancakes.
Turn over after cooking for a few seconds till the pancake turns light golden.
Don’t let the pancake become too crisp or brown. 
Make sugar syrup using a double boiler and add a few drops of gulab jal.
Dip the malpuas in the hot syrup and keep them for 15 minutes to half an hour 
Put the malpuas on a plate to serve
Garnish with finely sliced Pistachios and Almonds

Sunday scrumptious Sunny Sides

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 3 cloves of garlic - Finely chopped
• 1 large onion - Sliced thin
• 1 large tomato - Chopped coarsely
• ½ cup yogurt
• Salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon Chilli flakes
• ½ teaspoon Garlic spice mix
• Freshly ground Black pepper
• Oil for cooking

Method:

Take a non stick pan and add Oil.
When hot add chopped garlic.
Add onions and sauté till pink , add chopped tomatoes.
Red pepper flakes, yogurt and salt.
Break open the eggs over the sautéed onion-tomatoes mix.
Roll around the pan to spread the eggs evenly.
Sprinkle some Garlic spices and ground pepper.
Cover the pan and simmer the flame.
Let the eggs cook.
Serve hot with toasted bread.

This article was first published in zeenews.india.com

Shorshe Ilish Bhapa

Ingredients:

• Hilsa (ilish) 4 – 6 pieces of a large fish 
• Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
• Green chillies 2-3
• Mustard oil 3 tablespoons
• Yellow mustard seeds 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the mustard seeds in very little water (just enough to soak) a pinch of salt and 1 whole green chilli for 3 to four hours.
Grind the soaked seeds, chilli into a smooth paste.
Wash the fish and sprinkle a pinch salt and the turmeric to it. Apply it on all sides.
In a pan that can fit into the pressure cooker. Lightly brush oil onto the pan
Apply the paste liberally on the fish from all sides.
Place the fish in the pan.
Adjust Salt.
Put rest of the paste on top and pour in 2 tablespoons of Mustard oil on top.
Place slit green chillis on top.
Cover with a lid.
Take a pressure cooker. Add three cups of water and place a ring in it. Place the pan on top.
Let it steam for 10 minutes.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

Pic Courtesy: kaberiskitchen.blogspot.com

This article was first published in zeenews.india.com

Recipe: Steamed Kabab

Ingredients:

• Mince Mutton 300 Gms
• 1 Onion 
• 1 inch cube Ginger
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon curd
• ½ cup coarsely chopped Coriander leaves
• 5 – 6 Green chillies 
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder to taste
• Freshly crushed Black pepper 
• Salt to taste
• Oil 

Method:

Chop together green chillies, onions and ginger.
Add the minced mutton and chop in a Mixer grinder, add rest of the ingredients and let it chop till the mixture is not lumpy.
Don’t add any water.
Grease palms with a little oil, make small balls with the mixture
Shallow fry on a pan till the outside turns golden.
Place the fried kabab balls onto a stick and into a steamer.
Cover and let it steam for ten to fifteen minutes.
Serve with sauce or chutney.

This article was first published in zeenews.india.com

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Ingredients:


For the Paste:

• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch cube ginger, sliced
• 2 pureed tomato (boiled and skinned)
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 3/4 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
• 1 tsp. shrimp paste, 
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1-2 whole red chillies 
• 2 Tbsp. chilli paste 
• 1/2 stalk fresh lemongrass, minced (keep the remaining stock to be used in the chicken curry)
• 3 Tbsp. thick coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce/Soy sauce

For the Curry:

• Oil
• 1/2 Kg Chicken, cut pieces of breast/thigh
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped in chunks
• 2 tomatoes, sliced into small chunks
• 1 cup chopped eggplant, skin left on
• 1 cup Baby Corn
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick 
• Fresh basil and coriander for garnish
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• Cinnamon Stick

Method:

• Add all the paste ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. Add more coconut milk if he paste is too thick. Don’t add any water.
• Add a little oil put lime leaves, cinnamon stick to a wok, 
• Add the paste and fry for 2 minutes till the sauce gets darker.
• Add chicken pieces,in a wok, deep frying pan, or large pot. 
• Bring to a gentle boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add the vegetables and continue simmering another 15 minutes.

Pic Courtesy: sarwatsfamilykitchen.wordpress.com

This article was first published in zeenews.india.com

Stuffed Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
1 Italian loaf, 10 to 12 inches long
Olive oil
1 Large red onion – Chopped

For the stuffing
2-3 button mushrooms - Chopped
1/4th cup of fresh cottage cheese - paneer
Oregano, Chilli Flakes and Thyme for flavouring
Butter
1 Tablespoon of finely chopped garlic
Salt to taste

1 Tablespoon of Oregano, Chilli Flakes and Thyme for seasoning
1 Tablespoon finely chopped Parsley
Butter
1 Bowl. grated cheese – Mozarella and Cheddar (1/2 bowl for stuffing and ½ bowl for topping)

Method: 
Heat a table spoon of olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions till it is golden brown.
Melt the butter and mix the Sauteed Onions and the other stuffing ingredients in a bowl properly.
Cut the bread in a zig zag fashion, making sure to not cut all the way through.
Stuff the mixture into the cut bread carefully with a butter knife and fill up the top of the cracks with the rest of the grated cheese. Sprinkle some more seasoning on the top.
Wrap this bread in an aluminium foil completely.
Pre-heat the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Bake the wrapped bread for 15 o 20 minutes.
Open the foil and let it be in the hot oven for another 2 minutes.
Serve it with Mustard Sauce.

This Article was first published in zeenews.india.com

Low fat Spinach Sauce Fusilli

Ingredients:
Pasta
4 cups Fusilli pasta – Par Boiled
½ Cup Finely chopped baby carrots
½ Cup boiled sweet corn
5 garlic pods – chopped fine
1 1/2 tsp Mixed Italian dried herbs
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 or 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
2 tsp chopped parsley to garnish
Salt to taste

Spinach Sauce Ingredients1 small bunch of baby spinach
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup grated Cottage cheese- paneer
¼ cup Milk
1 garlic pod
Salt to taste.
Water

Method: 
Sauce: Bring large pot of water to a boil.
Add 1 tablespoon salt and spinach- Cook 1 minute.
Using slotted spoon, remove spinach (reserve water for pasta) and transfer to bowl of cold water.
Drain and squeeze dry.
Chop coarsely.
Meanwhile, in food processor fitted with steel blade, mince the garlic
Add cottage cheese and blend until fairly smooth.
Add cooked spinach, Basil leaves and milk and blend until smooth.
Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Pasta:
Add pasta to boiling water, stirring to prevent sticking.
Cook until just tender, about 10 minutes- Drain well.
Sauté the Baby Carrots and Sweet corn in olive oil, add the seasoning and the pasta and toss it for a minute. Switch off the heat.
Add pasta to bowl with spinach sauce and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with Parmesan and half a tablespoon of Olive oil and toss again before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.

This Article was first published in zeenews.india.com

Dum Aloo

Ingredients

3 large potatoes - Boiled
Oil (I prefer mustard oil, but one can make it with Vegetable oil too)
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
2 whole dry red chillies

½  tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
¼ Tsp Cumin (jeera) Powder (readily available in the market, or you could dry roast the Cumin seeds for a minute or two and dry grind and store)

Puree of 2 tomatoes and an inch of ginger

½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp coriander (dhania) powder
½ tsp chilli powder
½ Tsp Turmeric Powder

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander (dhania) for garnishing

1. Peel the potatoes. And cut them into quarters (You could replace it with baby potatoes and use about 250 – 300 Gms of these... don't peel them... obviously)
2. Puree the tomatoes and the square inch of Ginger – you can add a little green chillies for the heat
3. Heat oil in a Wok or a deep bottomed Pan and add the asafoetida and then Cumin seeds and whole red chillies.
4. Let it Sputter.
5. Add the pureed Tomato and ginger, followed by Garam Masala, coriander powder, chilli powder turmeric powder, jeera Powder and salt. Sauté the mixture till the oil starts to leave the sides of the pan and the puree takes on a rich red Color
6. Make punctures in the Boiled potatoes and add the potatoes to the pan.
7. Sauté for 2 minutes.
8. Add about a Cup of water and cook it on low heat, covered.
9. Serve hot garnished with coriander. 

Serve Hot with Parathas, Puris, or Pulao...

P.S. I sometimes like to add about half a cup of Yoghurt and take out one tomatoe from the puree, it makes the Dum Aloo slightly more creamy and whitish... however, the yoghurt also has to cook like a normal masala - i.e. till the oil leaves the sides.

Garlic, cheese, and a failed bread

I am in a fairly good mood today... and the moon has decided to come out  looking like a delicious cheese margarita pizza... a half eaten one at that... So, I decided to treat my dear roommate/would be hubby to a delightful meal of cheese filled garlic bread, some hot soup and a whole lotta louv...

However, things I didn’t take into consideration...

1. Garlic bread can’t be made very well in a mini barbecue however amazing they may be for kababs and tikkas.
2. I don’t know how to control temperature of coal yet (have to remember asking my chef brother the same)
3. Baking powder is not a good enough substitute for yeast... the bread just wouldn’t rise well enough.
4. Cheese burns very fast...
5. And lastly the bulb to my balcony has fused... and that’s the only thing I forgot to buy when I went down to the market this evening. So, I can’t really see whether the thing is burning or not.

But the taurian shall not back down... the first attempt turned the entire process into a delightful attempt at a great recipe... which did not really misfire... just had a slightly burnt cheese flavoured naan feel when I tasted the cheese filled cooked dough (can’t call it anything else, trust me!).  So, change of plans... I am now making some Lachcha paratha... as the dough is already kneaded... and my famous Dum Matar Alu.

And just for stupendous man to realise what danger he is about to marry, am making just one other Cheese Filled Folded Paratha - so thats what i am going to call it. If it tastes good I will post the recipe. It tasted quite good to me be honest... but I can let people know the final result after Stupendous Man tastes the trial and error recipe – sample 1.

Green Amla Chutney

One of the best things to have with Pakodas, Alu Parathas, Tehri and even Kurkure is the age old green chutney.

Picture Courtesy 

I have tasted many versions of the chutney and this one is my favourite. The dhaniya and pudina give the freshness, while the ginger hits your tongue and amla has a terriffic after taste that lingers on even while you are hissing and puffing with the heat of the chilli... yummm... just made it and enjoying a quite evening with alu pakodas and the blog and some other reading i have been putting off for a while now.

200 gms Green Corainder (Cilantro)

200 gms of Mint leaves (pudina)

250 gms Amla

100 gms Green Chillies

1" cube of Ginger

1 tsp Salt1 tsp Sugar

Clean and wash the coriander and the mint leaves thoroughly. Separate the leaves from the

The Bengali Shil Nora - the kind I had at home
Picture Courtesy 

Chop the amla into small pieces and remove the seed.

Chop green chillies and ginger.

Put all the ingredients in a wet grinder and make it into a fine paste. Add a little water to make a fine Paste.

Note: I have always found that the chutney tastes the best when traditionally minced in a mortar-pestle or a stone grinder(shil - noda), which my mother used about 10 years ago. but it takes a while and a lot of patience, but the consistency is the best with it

Stir Fried Pineapple Chicken

This is a favourite in the parties that often happen at my place. And tastes really nice as a side to Pasta. It has a sweet and sour flavour to it, and I personally love the twang of pineapple in this very colorful dish.

INGREDIENTS

½ Kg chicken (preferably breast), cut into slices

2-3 tablespoon soy sauce

1 Can Del Monte pineapple tid bits (crushed)

½ " slice fresh ginger grated

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon cooking wine

3-4 tablespoons Del Monte Olive Oil

1 big onion, sliced (not very thinly)

1 sliced yellow bell pepper

1 sliced red bell pepper

1 tablespoon Butter

½ spoons freshly crushed black pepper

Little salt to taste

1. Place washed chicken in a bowl. Combine crushed pineapple, 1 tablespoon red wine, ginger and soy sauce.
2. Allow the chicken to marinate for 1 hour in the fridge.
3. In a medium deep pan heat the oil and sauté garlic and onion lightly.
4. Add the marinated chicken pieces. Reserve the marinade for later.
5. When chicken is half cooked, add the marinade little by little to use the entire marinade but not make it soupy over low heat.
6. When chicken is tender and almost cooked, add in the bell peppers to the wok/pan and saute them till done. Add salt. Don’t overcook the peppers.
7. Serve it hot in a shallow dish.  Add the butter on top of the serving and crush fresh pepper on  the serving.

I also add in red chilly flakes for myself because I really like spicy food, it is a good option.

Also you could add more veggies like broccoli and mushrooms if you like.

This recipe is for the official entry for Del Monte Blogger Recipe Carnival on IndiBlogger

Mint Virgin Pina Colada

This is a rather simple recipe using the most basic ingredients found in the market... and it is favourite with children. It’s not very fattening, and a very refreshing drink for the summers...

Ingredients –

1 Bowl (100 Gms) Del Monte Pineapple Tidbits

½ Cup Sugar

Fresh Juice of 2 lemons

Lots of Mint (I use about an eighth of the same cup as the sugar)

5 glasses of cold water

1. Start by blending in the sugar and the pineapple together till it is smooth. 
2. Add the water and blend again. Strain this mixture till the solids can be thrown out. Strain the pulp for better flavouring. 
3. Blend the mint leaves separately and freeze for an hour. 
4. Whisk in the Mint leaves, lemon juice into the pineapple and sugar mixture. 
5. Freeze till chilled. 
6. Serve over crushed ice and garnish with a slice of lime and a mint leaf. 

Alternate recipe –
You can add in a pinch of roasted cumin powder before pouring in the mixture for a slight twang. It really enhances the flavour of the mint and the lemon. You could also use kaffir lime or Gondho Lebu for beautiful lime flavours.

After i wrote this realised im a sucker for fast to cook good to eat recipes.

This recipe is for the official entry for Del Monte Blogger Recipe Carnival on IndiBlogger

Spicy lemon Mushrooms

This is a very healthy recipe for Mushrooms. and can be tried very easily at home. I have found that most people love it as a side to Toasted Garlic bread.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon DelMonte Olive Pomace Oil

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

½ teaspoon cornflower

1 bowl (100 gms) button Mushrooms diced

1 teaspoon Chilli flakes

Salt to Taste

1 fresh lime juice

1. Pour just 1 table spoon Delmonte Olive pomace oil into a frying pan. (You can use even lesser oil, but simmer the flame so that the ingredients don't stick)
2. Sautee the garlic and ginger paste lightly and add the mushrooms. Sautee the mushrooms lightly too.
3. In a separate container mix the cornflower to half a cup of water till completely dissolved. Add this mixture to the pan and simmer the flame.
4. Add the chilli flakes and salt, and let the water reduce for 7 to 10 minutes. Once the Water has evaporated take the mushrooms off the heat and pour it in the serving utensil.
5. Add a freshly squeezed lime juice on the mushrooms and mix it with a spoon.
6. For garnish, add a little grated rind of a fresh lemon and a fresh cilantro leaf. Serve when hot.

This dish can be served with roti/ or bread as per your choice.

Alternate recipe – instead of using water, you could use toned milk and when cooking cover the dish so the sauce isn’t reduced completely. Incase milk is added lemon could be substituted with oregano.

You can also use Broccoli instead of Mushrooms for this recipe, be very sure not to overcook it.

This recipe is for the official entry for Del Monte Blogger Recipe Carnival on IndiBlogger

Rishikesh : The Indo-European food trail

I haven’t written a lot of about food, and I have no idea why. Thorough foodie that I am, maybe it is time to start writing about travel and food.

Travelling is a passion that a lot of people have acquired lately, especially with the amount of dispensible money on the rise, travelling is much more affordable now. The ‘Shimlas’ and the ‘Kullu Manalis’ are a passé, and instead new destinations have now cropped up.

The Ghats of Rishikesh

However, there are some staples that I personally can’t get away from. And Rishikesh is on such destinationthat doesn’t fail to relax me. Maybe it’s the Ganga flowing and gurgling and singing, that does it, or maybe it is just the atmosphere. There is something about that town that pulls people there. It’s not as if it is full of joints and shopping markets (called malls in most hill stations). It is the overall atmosphere of relaxation and not tourists hopping from one place to another.

Apart from the innumerable temples dedicated to various gods across the town, there are hotels and ashrams lining the main road on both sides of the Ganga for the temple tourists and the foreign nationals that keep trickling in throughout the year. There are various ayurvedic, yoga, spa and massage centers guaranteeing the relaxation of both body and soul. There are innumerable outlets promising adventure sports that the area has to offer.

And then my favourite kind: the food joints.

Rishikesh has a plethora of these. Whether it is the cheap chhole bhature and ‘snakes’ counter (snacks, don’t get freaked out yet). Or the expensive but really famous ‘Chotivaala’, complete with a man with a standing choti (hair plait) sitting near the entrance looking magnificent in his loud makeup. But wait-for-it there are two of them, side by side and looking identical… considering the amount of waiting one has to do for the Indian food here, I thought there needs to be another one. But a trip to Rishikesh isn’t complete without a visit to this famous food shop with a blustering crowd breathing down your neck waiting for their turn, my advice is to go there for an early lunch after a dip in the ganga in the morning.

There is a fabulous Rajasthani Food restaurant near the Ram Jhula main bus terminus where you get everything, from gatte ki sabzi, kadhi, rajasthani dal, spicy and mouth watering, there serving size is not too large, but it is not expensive.  But I forget the name all the time. Maybe if one of you can tell me. I can add that on.

Devraj Coffee Corner, Picture Courtesy

There are several Mexican, Israeli and Italian food joints popular with the foreign nationals seen more than the Indians or Indian youngsters who are visiting Rishikesh for adventure. One of the most popular has to be the Devraj Coffee Corner, popularly known as the German Bakery. This well known joint is almost always full, it overlooks the ganga on the corner of the Lakshman Jhula and especially during the autumn has a pleasant breeze blowing throughout the day. One could sit here for hours and have the variety of bakes like the apple crumble pie and ginger lemon honey tea (my personal favourites), while reading a simple book. One can have his morning breakfast in these European joints (sans the bacon, sausages and hams, rishikesh being a vegetarian town). They serve eggs to order as well as porridge and milk for the health conscious. For me, glutton that I am, what takes the cake literally are the pastas and Pizzas that are available in many of the cafes.

The Little Buddha Cafe Pic Courtesy

Freedom Cafe Pic Courtesy

The Little Buddha Café: situated right on the banks of Ganga, it has a beautiful opening near which you can play your guitar, and/or read your favourite book, and order for bruschettas and lemon tea, with ‘hello to the queen’, a dessert made of honey/chocolate cookie crumbs, butter sautéed banana pieces, hot fudge and vanilla ice cream. One of the most delicious desserts I have had anywhere. It’s great to go with a bunch of friends here as the food takes its own sweet time to arrive, but it is worth the wait and not expensive at all. This cafe is apparently run by the same guy who runs 'Freedom cafe', but I havent been to the freedom cafe, despite hearing a lot of rave reviews about it,

The Green Italian Restaurant: I have gone here only once and what I loved most about the place is the wood oven baked pizza aroma that fills you up when you enter. The pizzas are creamy and quite filling. And I have heard they serve a mean pasta. It’s worth a try.

Shiva Café: Under renovation when I last went, this cozy place has low lighting, floor seating with cushions and rugs thrown around and is a great hangout joint in the evenings after the sun as set. They do have good food but their food is slightly on the costlier side. Or maybe I have ordered for the expensive food here. They do play very good music with even Pink Floyd in their playlist.

Chill out café: My friend highly recommends this… but says it needs to be left alone, so no advertisement for this one… Apparently has a beautiful setting and great lounge music.

Niloy Playing the Guitar at one of the cafes

Green Hills Café: This one is a huge space and is attached to the green hills cottage in Tapovan. But since it is away from the river, it doesn’t fall on the main road so you won’t meet too many people which is a relief at times. It is on the way to the neel guddur (neel garh) waterfall. In the winters this café gets a roaring fire around which you could sit and have your food. The food is again very affordable and their spinach pasta is very good, so are the sizzlers. I and my friend Agomoni gorged on one the last time we went there.  A very good place to sit in the night especially if you are planning to sit for long.They also have a scrumptious Greenhills special pizza with a Spinach topping among the other toppings! Their special pasta is also a recommended.

Lhasa: I have visited this only once and looking for a light meal. And I ended up having Tibetian Food. It does have a menu that consists of European and Israeli food too. 

You can also read my other post on Rishikesh HERE

Food Fest @ JNU

Delhi students were given a rather global treat this Republic Day. Jawaharlal Nehru University had its Annual International Food Festival on Thursday as Students from 14 different nations brought their traditional dishes for the Delhiites to savor.

Dishes from Countries like Armenia, Tibet, France, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Laos and Vietnam etc. were put out by the student chefs and their friends and families, many bringing their flavor and ingredients from their own countries to get the original taste and aromas of their food. Students, food enthusiasts and young people from all over Delhi were here to taste the flavor and be transported to the far off lands with the essence, without having to pay the cost for the flight. The embassies also pooled in to help the stalls of their respective countries to provide traditional costumes, travel pamphlets and posters, and even Books. Diwash Gahatraj  The music in the late evening were a perfect setting for this wonderful weather, plateful of flavorful evening and the colorful extravaganza in a truly universal way sharing cultures and making friends without having to really speak in the same language.

It is as Cesar Chavez said “If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him... the people who give you their food give you their heart.” 10 years and the festival will hopefully only get spicier every passing year

Reported by Aparna Mudi

The original Article Here