Britannia Masala Chaas - Honestly Refreshing !

I write a review for a product only when I am completely satisfied with it. And yes I recently enjoyed a bottle of refreshing buttermilk with natural spices " Britannia Masala Chaas ".
Britannia had lately launched there all natural healthy buttermilk drink perfectly sized for single consumption.
For me every sip was worth and refreshing. If you want a quick n healthy drink on the way grab a bottle of chilled " Britannia Masala Chaas".
Stay healthy n fit.

Golden Fried Prawns Recipe Indian Chinese Style

Lean how to make crispy Golden Fried Prawns Chinese Restaurant Style recipe at home.

Golden Fried Prawns

Ingredients

Prawns / Shrimps- 12 nos

Cornflour- 4 tbsp

Rice flour- 2 tbsp

Maida / All purpose flour- 2 tbsp

Salt- 1/4 tsp

White Pepper Powder- 2 tsp

Kesar / Orange food colour- few pinch

Ajinomoto- less than 1/4 tsp

Water required

Oil to deep fry

Golden fried prawns Chinese style

Method

Remove the prawns shell but keep the tail intact, clean, wash and set aside.

In a medium bowl add corn flour, rice flour, maida flour, salt, white pepper powder, ajinomoto and food colour. Mix well, add few tbsp of water little by little until a thin and lump free batter is formed.( The batter should not be too thick or too thin, it should be thinner than dosa batter). Heat oil in a pan to deep fry, when oil is hot reduce to medium heat. Hold tail of prawn dip in the prepared batter, gently shake to remove excess batter from prawn and drop prawn into hot oil. Add up to 4 to 5 prawns, do not overcrowd the pan. Fry prawns for 1 or 2 minutes until golden brown and drain from oil. Place fried prawns on oil absorbent paper  Serve hot Golden Fried Prawns as starter with dip of your choice.

Golden fried prawns Indian Chinese Restaurant style

My Winning Story - Superchef Chennai 2nd Runner Up.

Myself with Chef "Padma Shri" Tarla Dalal and Chef Vicky Ratnani

What a blessed start, month of February showered me with abundant blessings. 
In the past, I have been recognized and rewarded as creative expert, as a jewelry designer and I was longing to be recognized as a renowned chef and that magic happened on Feb 2nd and 3rd of 2013. 
Madras Cosmopolitan Ladies Circle 38 conducted a two day, first of its kind high-end live cooking competition and I bagged 2nd runner up in the appetizer category.
More than being in top 3, I was honored to meet and receive award from renowned Chef Padma Shri Tarla Dalal and from NDTV fame Chef Vicky Ratnani.

Being top 12 finalists with Chef Vicky Ratnani

Honey Shichimi Togarashi Chicken Wings

For the pre-cooked preliminary round I prepared a Japanese inspired American recipe  "Honey Shichimi Togarashi Chicken Wings".  And for the next day ultimate 'live' (yes!, it was 'live' like Iron chef, Master Chef Australia and other popular shows on TV) cook-off the 12 finalists were given 3 secret ingredients in a mystery box and had to cook an appetizer using any of the 2 secret ingredients on the spot in 70 mins.

The secret ingredients in my mystery box were chicken, shrimp and olives, as soon as the mystery box was revealed I decided to make my favorite Mexican Cuisine with shrimps and olives. I prepared "Shrimps and Olives Fajitas over mini Tortillas with Pineapple Salsa". 
The renowned chefs judged the dishes on the criteria of Creativity, Complexity, Presentation and Taste. 

Judges evaluating my dish

Shrimp and olives fajitas over mini tortillas with pineapple salsa

The panel of judges were Chef "Padma Shri" Tarla Dalal, Chef Vicky Ratnani, Chef Priya, Chef Rajesh from The Park Hotel and Chef Archana from The Park Hotel. 
Since Tarla Dalal madam being vegetarian she didn't taste my dish but she was so pleased with my food presentation and she congratulated me saying it was excellent presentation with lots of creativity than other 12 dishes. 

Cooking live before judges and audience

Chef Vicky Ratnani and other Chefs appreciated the taste of food and my effort on preparing all the ingredients including fajita seasoning, tortillas and pineapple salsa from the scratch within 60 mins.

MCLC-38 arranged for a stupendous award function and dinner in the evening, I was honored to receive the 2nd runner-up award by Padma Shri Tarla Dalal with prizes worth of Rs 15000 and lots of other gift hampers.

At the award ceremony

I, Thank MCLC-38 for conducting such a high-end, first of its kind cooking competition in Chennai and bestowing me with award from India's renowned chefs and valuable prizes.

My dream had come true and I know this is not the end there are lots to achieve and lots to learn.

Superchef Chennai

Certificate of Winning

Prizes and Goodies

Mutton Drumstick Curry / Murungakkai Mutton Kuzhambu

I love this Murungakkai Mutton Gravy very much. This is one of my mom's excellent preparation. Though I'm not fond of drumstick, I like to have it along with succulent mutton and gravy. Try this mutton drumstick gravy and will be big hit in your lunch.

Murungakkai Mutton Kuzhambu

Ingredients

Mutton pieces with bone- 1/2 kg

Drumstick- 2 nos( cut into 2" pieces)

Onion medium( sliced)- 2 nos

Tomato large( chopped)- 1 no

Curry leaves- few

Ginger and Garlic paste- 2 tbsp

Red chilli powder- 2 tsp

Coriander powder- 2 tbsp

Cumin powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 + 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Water required

For coconut paste

Fennel seeds- 2 tsp

Garlic cloves- 2 nos

Freshly grated coconut- 1/4 cup

For tempering

Cinnamon- 1" piece

Cloves- 4 nos

Cardamom- 4 nos

Bay leaf- 1 no

Oil- 4 tbsp

Mutton Drumstick Curry

Method

Grind the ingredients given under coconut paste to smooth and fine paste adding water. 

Clean, wash and cut mutton into bite size pieces. 

Pressure cook mutton pieces along with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste and 1/2 cup water until tender.

Heat oil in a kadai, when oil is hot add the whole spices given under tempering and fry until aroma rises.

Add the chopped onion, curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste to the pan and fry until onions are slightly browned. Now add the drumstick pieces and chopped tomatoes, stir well until drumsticks are well coated with oil and cooked.

Next add the cooked mutton pieces to the drumsticks along with the juice in its cooked. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel powder and ground coconut paste to the mutton and stir well. Add required salt and water to the mutton, mix well and bring the gravy to boil. Cook the gravy covered for 5 minutes on medium heat and remove from heat once gravy thickens and drumstick is cooked. Serve hot mutton drumstick curry with steamed rice.

Mutton Drumstick Gravy