Easy Pulav

Easy Pulav

Ingredients

Pulav Rice: 2 cups (Soak Rice in water for 1 hour)
Carrot: 1 (medium)
Green Fresh Peas: 1 cup
Cinnamon: 1
Cardamom: 3-4
Bay Leaf: 1-2
Cloves( crushed): 3-4
Ghee or oil : 2tbsp
Salt : 2-3 tsp
Water: 4 cups

Method

Heat ghee or oil in a pan and add the cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and crushed cardamom. Stir for few seconds until it gets the desired fragrance. Add carrot and green peas and do mix well in lower flame, and cook covered for about 5 mins (add a pinch of salt to make it soft). Gently mix rice and mix well. Add water (4 cups) and salt, when it starts to boil, reduce flame to low and cook covered for 8-10 minutes and check whether rice grain has become tender and cooked. If not, cook for some more time. Do not open the lid in between multiple times otherwise rice may not cook properly.
Enjoy Pulav

Dal Fry..

Dal Fry

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Masoor Dal 
1 Tomato 
1/2 tsp Jeera 
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder 
2 Green chilli 
3 Red Chilli
3 tsp Oil 
1 level tsp Salt
3 Garlic Cloves 

How to make simple dal:

Boil the dal with salt, turmeric powder and slit green chillies.
In another pan, heat oil, add the jeera, red chili, tomatoes and garlic pods, sauté on a high flame till the tomatoes are soft and pulpy.
Add the boiled dal into this with little water, boil well for 15 minutes to incorporate the masala into the dal, garnish with coriander.

Chiratta Puttu

Chiratta Puttu


Ingredients
Wheat flour : 2cups
Grated Coconut : 3/4 to 1 cup
Water : 1/2 – 3/4 cup
Salt : as needed

Directions

In a pan heat the wheat flour for 3-4 minutes but do not roast and let it cool.
In a large bowl, take the powder and sprinkle water on the flour (Be careful in mixing water.
Add salt to taste and mix it thoroughly with hand. (It should be a bread crumb consistency and not form a dough.)
Clean a half coconut shell (cup shape) and make a hole in its eye’s portion (You can make it easier if you immerse the coconut shell in water for a day).
Boil the water in traditional Puttu Maker. Fill a quarter of the coconut shell with coconut scrapings and the balance portion with the flour. Fix the filled coconut shell on the pot’s mouth, when it starts steaming. Spread a wet cloth over the coconut shell to prevent steam escaping through the sides. .

Steam it for 10 minutes.
When cooked, remove coconut shell from Puttu Pot and carefully shake the steamed cake on to a plate.
Serve hot with Ground nut (Kadala Kari), Green gram curry (Cheru payar), Cowpea ( Vanpayar ) curry or Mutta ( Egg ) Curry.
Tips
Fill the wheat flour and coconut as loose layers.
Serve hot/warm with banana or curry of your choice or with pappadam.
If you add some ghee it will yields soft puttu.

Chilli Chicken Dry

Chilli Chicken Dry
Ingredients:

500 gms/ 1 lb (approx) boneless chicken fillet (I usually use thigh fillets)
1 egg
1 tbsp cornflour
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
3-4 dry red chillies
2 large onions (white or brown)/ 4-5 spring onions
2 tbsp finely minced fresh garlic
2 tbsps tomato ketchup
2 cups hot water
2 large green bell peppers, cut into 2" squares (seeds and stem discarded)
1 tbsp cornflour
Salt to taste
Preparation:

Cut the chicken fillet into 2" cubes and put into a large mixing bowl
Add the cornflour, 1 tbsp of soy sauce and the egg to the chicken and mix well till a smooth liquid marinade is formed. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes to marinate.
Cut the onions or spring onions into 1" cubes. In the case of spring onions, cut the green, leafy stems into 1" pieces too.
Put a wok or deep pan on the stove on high heat. Add 2 tbsps of cooking oil to it. When hot, add the dry red chillies and cubed onions to it and fry till the onions are translucent. Now add the garlic and fry for a minute.
Add the soy sauce and tomato ketchup. Stir often and fry for another minute. Take off from stove and keep aside.
Put another wok of deep pan onto the stove and heat on high. Add the remaining cooking oil to it. When hot, fry a little of the marinated chicken at a time till it is golden. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and put straight into the pan with the onion-garlic-sauce mix. Fry all the remaining chicken like this and add to the pan with the 'sauce'.
Once all the chicken is done, return the 'sauce' with the fried chicken to high heat and stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Now add 2 cups of water and cook till chicken is tender and done - this will not take more than 5-7 minutes.
Now add the green bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes.
After adding the bell pepper and while it is cooking, put 1 tbsp of cornflour in a cup, add 5-6 tbsps of cool water to it and mix well till a smooth liquid is formed. Add this liquid to the pan with the Chilli Chicken and stir well. The gravy will thicken fairly quickly. As soon as this happens, remove the pan from the heat.
Serve Indian Style Chlli Chicken with plan boiled rice.

Chicken Masala

Chicken Masala

Ingredients:
6-8 chicken thighs (I used boneless/skinless)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 large red onion- diced
1 tbsp. garlic paste
1 tbsp. ginger paste
1 tsp. ground turmeric
3 tsp. ground garam masala
2 tsp. ground corriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground chili powder (more or less, depending on how spicy it is. Mine is quite spicy.)
2 large roma tomatoes- diced
2 tsp. plain yogurt- whisked
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. salt–or to taste
about 2 c. vegetables- whatever you have on hand
chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water- as needed to thin the curry

Directions:
Using one large pot with a tight fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high heat and add 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds. Once they begin to pop, add the diced onions and fry until the pieces become translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic pastes. Keep stirring.
Add all the quantities of ground spices, and the bay leaf. Keep frying. The mixture should be quite dry and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. About three minutes.
Add the chicken to the pan and cook on high-heat for about 5 minutes, until the chicken has fully browned. Add any vegetables you are using at this point.
Turn the heat back to medium-high and add the tomatoes to the pot. Add about 1 cup of chicken stock (or water) and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down. Add the whisked yogurt. Stir it all together and then bring the mixture to a fierce boil.
Put the lid on the pot, turn the heat to medium and simmer for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours–checking and stirring every 30 minutes.
Taste and adjust the salt-level. Add additional chicken stock if the curry has become to thick.
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve with rice.

Chicken Majboos And Dakkous

CHICKEN MAJBOOS AND DAKKOUS

CHICKEN MAJBOOS

Ingredients:
2 chickens about (1 ½ kilo)
2 tablespoon mix ground spices (coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorn, loomi (dried lime)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup oil
2 large onions, chopped
6 cups water
3 cups basmati rice, washed and socked
Salt
2 each (cinnamon sticks, loomi. cardamom, peppercorn)
½ tablespoon turmeric
3 boiled eggs
½ teaspoon saffron socked in 1 tablespoon rose water
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

-Wash chicken under running water, pat dry.
-Mix half the ground spices with garlic, lemon juice and 2 tablespoon oil in a bowl.
-Rub chicken inside out with the mixture, marinate for half an hour.
-Heat ¼ cup oil in a large sautéing-pan over medium high heat, add onion.
-Sauté onion, stir from time to time until for about 10 minutes or until translucent.
-Stir in the rest of the ground spices, mix well.
-Stuff the chicken with ¼ cup of the onion mixture, tie the legs and tuck the wings.
-Stir the chicken with the rest of the onion over medium high heat, until golden brown.
-Add water and let boil, reduce heat cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
-Lift the chicken and keep aside.
-Drain rice and add to chicken broth, season with salt and whole spices, until boiling.
-Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 25 – 30 minutes.
-Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
-Sprinkle saffron mixture over rice.
-Brush oven dish with the rest of the oil.
-Spread a rice layer, put chicken and boiled eggs on top, cover with the rest of the rice.
-Cover with foil lightly, bake for about 20 minutes.
-Sprinkle with chopped coriander serve warm. 
DAKKOUS

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 T. white vinegar
4 medium tomatoes, pureed, or 1 can tomato sauce
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Fry onions and garlic till golden. Add remaining ingredients, stir and simmer 5 minutes.

Chicken Koftha

Enjoy !!!

Chicken Koftha

Ingredients: 

3 cups boiled chicken(chopped)
1/2 cup coriander chopped
1/2 cup green onion chopped
1 tsp garlic crushed
1 chilli chopped
1 small cheese glass
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 tsp cumin
Macaroni 22
Breadcrumbs
Sunflower oil

Method:

Combine chicken with Coriander, green onion,garlic,chilli,cheese,curry and cumin.
Knead by hand until homogenous mixture.
Make small balls, shape each as egg shape cover by bread crumbs, Immerse one end with macaroni.
Fry in hot oil until it turns golden colour.

Chicken Fatayer

CHICKEN FATAYER

(Recipe Source ~ Arabic Bites)

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups flour, unbleached, whole wheat, or a mixture of the two
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm milk
3 Tablespoons oat flour

Method:

Place all ingredients in the bowl of mixer ,beat 10 minutes to make a soft dough.
Cover and let rise for 10 minutes.
Divide dough into 32 pieces. Roll each to a 9 cm round.
Fill each with 1-2 Tablespoons of chicken filling (or with the filling of your choice).
Place Fatayer onto oven trays.
Bake at 375 F about 20 minutes or until browned.

For the Chicken Filling:

(My own recipe)
(This filling is enough for about 15 fatayer or half amount of Fatayer recipe given above)

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts cubed
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Ginger-1”piece
Salt and pepper powder to taste

For the white sauce:

Butter -2 tbsp
All purpose flour/ Maida -2 tbsp
Milk -1 cup
Salt - to taste

Method:

Cook chicken breasts with garlic, ginger, pepper powder and enough salt, and when cool run in a food processor and keep aside.
Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Whisk in milk and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until mixture thickens.
Lower the flame and add chicken and adjust the seasoning. Turn off the flame.
The filling should be of a spreadable consistency.

Ultra Moist Cake

Ultra Moist Cake

Ingredients

Milk – 1½ cups
Butter – 100 gms (1/3 cup + 2 tbsp approx)Oil – ¼ cup (I used sunflower oil)
Coco Powder – ½ cup ( I used Hershey’s)
Self Raising Flour – 1 cup (Refer notes for substitute)
Egg – 1 beaten, room temp
Baking Soda – ½ tsp (refer notes)
Sugar – 1 cup + 2 tbsp (250 gms)
Instructions

Preheat the oven @ 180 C/350-375 F, 10 mins before baking. Heat together milk, butter, oil & coco powder till the butter melts. Let it cool to room temperature (btw, dont get disappointed if you dont get the dark brown colour at this stage, you will get it once the cake is baked). Add flour, baking soda, sugar & beaten egg to the cooled wet ingredients. Beat it well using an electric beater or hand whisk till it is mixed well. You can either use it to make cupcakes or cake. I made a 9 inch loaf & 10 standard size cupcakes with the above qty. Bake in the preheated oven for 15- 20 mins for the cupcake & 25- 30 mins for the loaf cake. The baking time can vary depending on each oven.
For cupcakes: Line your cupcake tin with paper liners (I use 2 liners per cupcake) & pour 3 tbsp of batter in each case. I’m referring to the standard size muffins here.
For cake: Grease your cake tin well & line with parchment/baking paper. Pour the batter.

For Ganache:
Whipping cream – ½ cup
Baking chocolate – ¾ cup (I usually use Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips. You can also use Hershey’s semi sweet chocolate chips for this)
Place the baking chocolate/ chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat the whipping cream on low flame till small bubbles start appearing around the edges. Pour the heated cream to the bowl with choc chips. Let it rest for 5 mins. Whisk it using a manual whisk. This will give you a liquid consistency ganache. If you want to thicken the ganache for spreading, place the bowl on some ice & whip it. It will start thickening. Spread the ganache on cooled cupcakes/cake. Enjoy!

http://www.mariasmenu.com/desserts/ultra-moist-chocolate-cake

Vanilla Cake

VANILLA CAKE WITH FRESH CREAM AND FRESH 


FRUITS TOPPINGS

Ingredients:
5 egg yolks
20g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
70g corn oil or any odour less oil
125g cake flour
5 egg whites
90g sugar
1 tsp lemon juices or 1/2 tsp cream of Tartar

For Frosting:

2 cups Fresh whipping cream
1/2 cup Icing sugar
For Fruit Topping:
1 Kiwi
6 Strawberries
Apricot/any fruit of your choice

Method:

Grease the 9 inch pan and pre heat the oven.
Separate the egg into 2 mixing bowls.Add in sugar into the yolks and whisks it until it turns light and fluffy. Add in the flour and mix well.
Add in the oil,cream of tartar and sugar into the white egg mix,beat till foamy.
Add the white mix little by little into the yolk mix and use the hand whisks,mix well.
Transfer the mix into a greased pan and spread evenly.
Bake it for 30-40 mins at 180 degree Celsius.Once done cool the cake completely.
Here it is divided the cake into 2 part to do frosting.
Beat the icing sugar and whipping cream in a mixing bowl till the soft peaks occur.keep the one part of the cake on the cake board.Apply the cream all over the cake and spread the chopped fruits on it.
Apply the cream on top of the fruits and sandwich the cake,cover the fruit layer by the second part of the cake.
Apply the cream all over the cake. Use the deco blade to do pattern on sides.
Do piping on the sides of the cake and then arrange the fruits on top of the cake.
ENJOY!!!!