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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Short Break.........


On vacation to Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego, will be back to blogging after vacation.
Adieu and take care everyone.


Cajun Spiced Chicken with Soy Infused Vegetables


Ingredients for Cajun Spiced Chicken
Chicken breasts-3( Clean and make several slits on the chicken).
Olive oil-3tbsp
Lemon Juice-1tbsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp( optional)
Salt required

Cajun Spice Blend( Courtesy- 125 best indoor grilled recipes- Ilana simon) 
Paprika-1tbsp
Cayenne Pepper-1tsp
Dried thyme-1tsp
Garlic powder-1tsp
Onion powder-1tsp
Ground white pepper-1/2tsp
Ground black pepper-1/2tsp
Dried oregano-1/2tsp
Salt-1/2tsp

Method
In a large bowl add the Cajun spice blend ingredients, olive oil, lemon juice, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well to smooth paste, add the chicken breasts to the bowl and rub well with the spice paste. Set aside to marinade for 4 hours. Meanwhile preheat oven 400°F, place the chicken breasts on a baking tray in the center of oven rack and cook till the chicken are golden brown and fully cooked.


Ingredients for Soy Infused Vegetables
Cauliflower tiny florets( blanched)-3cups
Green beans cut 1"length( blanched)-2cups
Garlic cloves sliced-2
Light soy sauce-1tbsp
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil-1tbsp

Method
Heat oil in a wok, add sliced garlic and stir fry for few seconds, then add the blanched vegetables, season with light soy sauce, salt and pepper. Toss well for few minutes and set aside.
While serving- Place Cajun spiced chicken above the Soy infused vegetables on a plate.

Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken.

Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken breast-500gms
Celery thickly sliced-200gms
Onion thickly sliced-200gms
Tsang Ginger soy sauce-4tbsp( Or you can use juice of 1" ginger piece mixed with light soy sauce.)
Chili vinegar-1tbsp
Cornflour-3tbsp
Black pepper( coarsely ground)-2tbsp( +/-)
Salt to taste
Oil-4 to 5tbsp
Black Pepper Chicken Recipe
Method
Shred the chicken breast and set aside. Marinade the shredded chicken with 2 tbsp ginger soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp vinegar, 3tbsp cornflour and salt, set aside for 15 mins. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok, when its smoking hot add the marinaded chicken and stir fry until the chicken is cooked, set aside. In the same wok add 2 tbsp oil, when the oil is hot add the sliced onions, sliced celery and stir fry for 2 mins( make sure the onions and celery are crunchier). Next add the stir fried chicken to the onions, season with 2 tbsp ginger soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp chili vinegar, 2 tbsp ground black pepper and required salt. Toss well until the sauce are well coated on chicken. Serve hot with Fried rice or Lo mein of your choice. 

Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting.


Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
Unsalted butter-250gms
Cream cheese-250gms
Powdered sugar-400gms
Pure vanilla extract-2tsp

Cake Batter Ingredients:
Maida/ All purpose flour-4cups
Unsweetened cocoa powder-2tsp
Baking soda-1 1/2tsp
Sugar-3 1/2cups
Salt-1tsp
Red food color- required
Eggs-3
Vegetable oil-1 3/4cups
Buttermilk-1 1/2cups
Pure vanilla extract-2tsp
Vinegar-1tsp


Method
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Place the cupcake cups inside the muffin tray.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl beat sugar, oil and buttermilk together with a electric mixer, gradually add eggs, vanilla extract, vinegar, food color and beat well. Next gradually add the sifted flour mixture and beat at low speed or fold it with spatula until well combined( do not over mix). Fill the muffin cups 3/4th with the cake batter. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cup cakes and place on wire rack until they are cooled. To make cream cheese frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese to a smooth paste with electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and thick. Place a spoonful of frosting on a cupcake and smooth it to cover the top or add frosting to a piping bag and pipe frosting on cupcake to cover the top.
(Optional: I have decorated with dried Cranberry on top.)
Adapted from Bobby Flay Throwdown.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Tangdi Kabab.


Boneless Chicken pieces-500gms( you can also use Chicken Drumsticks)
Olive oil/ Butter/ Ghee for basting

First marinade ingredients
Ginger and Garlic paste-4tbsp
Red Chili powder-1tbsp( +/-)
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Hung curd/ Thick curd-1/4cup

Second marinade ingredients
Roasted Besan flour/ Chickpea flour-1tbsp
Lime juice-2tsp
Olive oil-5tbsp
Onion powder-2tbsp
Garlic powder-2tbsp
Ground black pepper-1/2tsp
Salt to taste


Method
In a medium sized bowl add the first marinade ingredients and mix well, to this marinade add the chicken pieces and marinate for 4 hours( overnight marinade is preferable). Next in another bowl add the second marinade ingredients and mix well until the besan flour is well blended to a smooth paste. Add the marinaded chicken pieces to the second marinade and marinate for another 4 hour( for the second marinade overnight marinade is not required). Preheat oven/ grill to 400°F, thread the marinaded chicken pieces onto wooden skewers. Place the skewers in the center grill rack of your oven. Roast the chicken for 20 mins until cooked and golden brown on all sides( if required you can also brush the chicken pieces with oil/butter).

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Grilled Chicken and Broccoli Salad.



Step 1.
Ingredients for Grilled Chicken
I used McCormick-Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas recipe.)
Chicken tenderloins-400gms
Lime juice-3tbsp
Olive oil-2tbsp
Salt required
McCormick minced garlic-1tsp
McCormick minced onion-1tsp
McCormick ground cumin-3/4tsp
McCormick oregano leaves-3/4tsp
McCormick cilantro leaves-1/2tsp
McCormick coarse ground black pepper-1/2tsp

Method for preparing Grilled Chicken
In a small bowl mix the above said marinate ingredients along with chicken, In ziplock freezer bag add the chicken along with marination and keep in refrigerator for atleast 4 hours( overnight marination is preferable). Preheat the oven at 400 F and place the chicken strips in the center of rack and cook for 20 mins or until chicken is well done.( This is a basic grilled chicken recipe, you can use these grilled chicken while preparing salad, chicken rolls, fried rice or in noodles.

Step 2.
Ingredients for Caesar Dressing
( Courtesy: Paula Deen's Family cookbook)
Olive oil-1/2cup
Anchovy fillets, rinse and dried-4
Lemon Juice-2tbsp
Garlic cloves-2
Dijon mustard-1tsp
Worcestershire sauce-1/2tsp
Salt-3/4tsp
Pepper to taste

Method for preparing Caesar Dressing
In a blender combine the Caesar dressing ingredients and blend until smooth.


Step 3.
Ingredients for Salad
Broccoli florets-3cups
Pasta-1cup( I used tri-color Rotini)
Grilled chicken( cut into bite size pieces)-2cups
Caesar dressing-1/4cup
Salt and Pepper to taste 

Method for preparing Salad
Cook the pasta in boiling water with salt, when cooked drain them and set aside.
Blanch broccoli florets in boiling water for 3min, when they are 3/4th cooked drain them and add the broccoli florets to ice cold water. Allow them to rest for 5 mins, after 5 mins again drain the florets and set aside.
Next in a large salad bowl add the pasta, broccoli and grilled chicken pieces. Add the prepared caesar dressing and toss everything well, if required season with salt and pepper and serve.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Sourashtrian Special Loula Puri.


This is a popular Sourashtrian snack, we prepare this snack very often and my hubby( being Sourashtrian) enjoys this snack a lot. These Loula puri has crispy outside, soft and spongy inside and sure to melt in mouth

Ingredients
Maida/ All purpose flour-1 1/2cup
Sugar-1/2cup
Cardamom crushed-2
Fried Cashew nuts-15( broken into small pieces)
Baking soda-pinch
Water required
Oil to deep fry


Method
In a medium size bowl add maida, sugar, cardamom, baking soda and required water, mix well to make a smooth and thin batter of pouring consistency. Add fried cashew nuts to the batter. Heat oil in a pan to deep fry, when oil is smoking hot take a tablespoon full of batter and drop into hot oil. Depending on the size of pan you can add about maximum of 3 to 5 puris. Reduce the heat and cook the puris on both sides till golden brown and crisp.

Kozhi Kuzhambu( Simple Chicken Curry.)


Ingredients
Chicken pieces( with bone)-500gms
Onion large chopped-2
Tomato large chopped-1
Curry leaves-3sprigs
Coriander powder-4tbsp
Red chili powder-2tsp( +/-)
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Salt to taste
Oil required

For Masala paste( grind the below ingredients to a smooth paste adding little water)
Coconut shredded-1/4cup
Ginger-2"piece
Garlic cloves-10
Cinnamon stick-1"piece
Cardamom-1
Cloves-4


Method
Heat oil in a pressure pan, when oil is hot add the chopped onion and curry leaves. Fry onions until they turn pink, next add the chicken pieces and fry for few more mins until the chicken pieces turn white. Add the tomatoes and cook till they are mashed. Now add the coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ground masala paste and salt. Fry for 2 mins and add a 2cups water to the chicken mixture, cover pan with a lid and pressure cook for 10 mins until chicken is tender and cooked. After the pressure is released, check the gravy for seasoning, return pan to heat and boil until the gravy thickens to required consistency. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice or Biryani. This Chicken curry is best side dish for Biryani.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Coriander Chicken/ Dhania Kozhi Varuval.


Ingredients
Chicken pieces( with bone)-500gms
Onion large chopped-1
Curry leaves-2 sprigs
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Oil-5tbsp( +/-)
Salt to taste

For Masala( grind the below ingredients to a smooth paste by adding little water)
Ginger-2" piece
Garlic cloves-8
Green chili-8( +/-)
Roasted Coriander/ Dhania seeds-2tbsp
Roasted Fennel/ Sombu seeds-1tbsp


Method
In a pressure pan add the chicken pieces, chopped onion, curry leaves, ground masala paste, turmeric powder, salt and oil. Pressure cook chicken along with other ingredients for 10 mins or until chicken is tender. When the pressure is released uncover the pan, return to heat and fry the chicken until gravy thickens and dry. Serve hot with steamed rice or Roti.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Era Karuvadu Thokku( Dried Prawns/ Shrimp Chutney).


Ingredients
Dried Prawns-200gms
Eggs-6( Hard boiled and shelled)
Onion large minced-1
Tomato large chopped-1
Garlic cloves chopped-6
Green chili broken into 2 piece-4
Curry leaves-2sprigs
Tamarind paste-1tbsp( if using tamarind pulp-1/4cup)
Red chili powder-1tsp( +/-)
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Salt to taste
Oil required


Method
Clean the dried prawns, soak in water for 3 mins, drain well and squeeze excess water and set aside. Heat oil in a pan when hot add the vadagam( using vadagam is optional, click vadagam for the vadagam recipe). Next add onions, garlic, green chili and curry leaves, fry for few mins till onion turns brown. Add tomatoes and cook till they are mashed, add tamarind paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and 1cup water. Bring the gravy to boil and cook for 5 mins. Check the seasoning, add the dried prawns and cook for another 5 mins until the gravy thickens. Eggs are best combination for Dried prawns chutney, add the eggs to the dried prawn chutney and serve with hot steamed rice.